Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 667 Intelligence
"He's been sidelined? But if he really is, how can this young emperor kill whomever he wants?"

Qin Huai held the intelligence gathered by the secret agents of Da Xi, which recorded that the young emperor Zhu Yidi launched a massive purge against the court officials as soon as he ascended the throne.

"Could it be related to that crippled dragon?"

Qin Huai thought of what Ba Hui had told him, nodded to himself, and began to read the records about the people's livelihood in the Southern Ming Dynasty.

Soon, Qin Huai caught a glimpse of the three characters "beauty paper" amidst the text praising the prosperity of the Southern Ming and the peaceful and happy lives of its people.

"Beauty Paper? Could it be the same kind as Beauty Bowl?"

Qin Huai had a general idea in mind, but after reading the relevant records, his brows furrowed even more.

Just as Qin Huai guessed, this "Beauty Paper" is indeed an iteration of the "Beauty Bowl" from back then.

During the Ming Dynasty, extravagance was rampant, and the so-called "beauty bowl" was an invention of Yan Shifan.

As the name suggests, it uses a beautiful woman as a spittoon. Yan Shifan had a chronic bronchitis problem, and every morning when he woke up, he had a lot of phlegm, and one spittoon was not enough.

So Yan Shifan came up with a disgustingly erotic idea: every morning, he would have thirty or forty beautiful concubines squat in front of his bed, tilt their heads back, and open their cherry-like mouths to receive Yan Shifan's thick phlegm. They would spit out phlegm with each spit until Yan Shifan felt his throat was comfortable.

"Beauty Paper" refers to the disgusting act of a wealthy man having a beautiful woman stick out her tongue as paper to lick clean his anus when he urinates.

In addition, there were other perverse and erotic methods such as anal dogs, jade screens, gentle chairs, erotic tokens, and white jade cups, all of which were popular among high-ranking officials and gentry in the Southern Ming Dynasty.

"The Southern Ming Dynasty here is absolutely rotten."

Seeing these degrading methods, Qin Huai instinctively felt disgusted with the Southern Ming court.

In comparison, these ruthless butchers like Daishi seem incredibly clean.

But when the disgust disappeared, Qin Huai felt somewhat helpless. To this utterly insane world, he was just a passerby.

Even if he were a winged insect, he could not change the enormous fruit with an energy level of four powers.

"Perhaps for the life within this fruit, rebirth and reincarnation is the best ending. Whether it is Sichen or a mortal."

Just as Qin Huai was flipping through numerous historical materials and intelligence reports, studying the national conditions of the Southern Ming and the Great Shun dynasties, a fragrant breeze suddenly blew by.

"Why are you looking up information about the Southern Ming and the Great Shun? Could it be that you've decided to enlist and go to the front lines to fight the enemy?"

Wei Xiaolian's voice rang in his ears. Qin Huai didn't even look up and replied, "Ba Hui wants me to kill Gu Shen, kill the Southern Ming Emperor, and destroy the remnant dragon. I'm gathering intelligence. Once the Emperor's blood sacrifice is over, I'll be leaving."

"The priests of Snake Village didn't even tell you this?"

As soon as Wei Xiaolian opened his mouth, he thought of something: "That's right. They can't leave Sichuan and Chongqing, so they know limited things. If you want to find out the details of the Southern Ming, you really have to come to the treasury and check."

"Brother Wei, you've been in the Killing Department for a long time, so you must know quite a bit about the Southern Ming. Is there anything you'd like to teach me?"

Qin Huai put down the frontline official report and looked up at Wei Xiaolian.

"The Southern Ming? A dying court barely held together by a bunch of sycophants and corrupt officials, its very foundation is rotten to the core, what is there to say about it?"

Despite this, Qin Huai saw a clear look of apprehension in Wei Xiaolian's eyes.

"Taoist priests? There were many Taoist priests in the Southern Ming Dynasty?"

Qin Huai took the subject a step further and continued to ask.

"The Great Shun Dynasty revered Buddhism, the Southern Ming Dynasty followed Taoism, and the Great Xi Dynasty was fond of killing. Those who were most compatible with those corrupt officials were naturally the disciples and grand-disciples of the [Boundless Venerable]."

Judging from Wei Xiaolian's words, he seemed to have a great deal of disdain for the leaders of the Southern Ming.

"The Boundless Venerable? Ba Hui's mortal enemy?"

Qin Huai subconsciously thought of Ba Hui's words.

“Indeed, the Boundless Venerable, who has mastered the nature of the universe and the cosmos, although these two natures are not complete, has had his disciples and followers sacrifice many lotus seed demons and even three deities to the Jade Capital over the years. The strength of the Boundless Venerable can rank among the top three even among the twelve deities.”

Wei Xiaolian pursed his lips, seemingly having a strong opinion about that Boundless Venerable.

"Having consumed so much of the Great Evil Spirit, isn't He afraid of being influenced by the chaotic phenomena and going completely insane?"

Listening to Wei Xiaolian's introduction, Qin Huai found it incredible. Normally, a siming person would be too busy maintaining their purity and rationality to accept anything and eat anything.

"Who knows? But according to the information we've received from above, it's pretty much certain that Wuliang Zun is not only not insane, but could even be considered the most lucid of all the Divine Organs."

Wei Xiaolian shrugged and continued, "Since you want to know what kind of monsters and demons the various sects in the Southern Ming territory are, then you don't need to check the two archives behind it. Save your merit and reward, I'll tell you."

"Let's start with those corrupt officials of the Southern Ming. Most of these corrupt officials were Confucian scholars who benefited from the blood sacrifice of Emperor Chongzhen. After the dragon vein turned over, they retreated to Southern Zhili with the imperial family intact. Moreover, most of the [Dragon Qi Restriction] formed by the collective will and desire of countless people was still intact, which they took with them. This is why the Southern Ming was able to stand firm against the attacks of the Great Western for so many years and hold out for sixty years."

"Dragon Qi Restriction?"

Qin Huai became interested.

"Indeed, the [Dragon Qi Restriction] was the fundamental reason why the Ming Dynasty did not fall into the clutches of a demonic realm. Emperors, meritorious officials, civil ministers, military generals—anyone could be granted an official title and seal by the court, as long as they received the blessing of the Dragon Qi Restriction, making them impervious to ghosts and spirits, and deterring external evils. Even though it has been diminished over the decades, it still possesses awe-inspiring divine might, capable of resisting the supernatural powers and magic of cultivators and all kinds of demons and monsters!"

"The deeper the connection with Si Chen, the greater the suppression they will face, unless Si Chen is also recognized by the Southern Ming court, in which case they will be unaffected."

After listening to Wei Xiaolian's explanation, Qin Huai gradually understood.

It is obvious that in this crazy world, mortal humans have come up with many ways to continue to survive.

The Great Western Kingdom gained power from Si Chen through slaughter, while the Southern Ming Kingdom relied on the [Dragon Qi Restriction] to cooperate with Si Chen and establish a peaceful and prosperous land for the people.

Although strange and bizarre events occurred frequently, the overall situation remained relatively stable.

"However, the protective barrier of the Dragon Qi Restriction will rise and fall in sync with the rise and fall of the nation's fortune. The Southern Ming is now in a remote corner, and its dragon vein is damaged. It cannot be compared with the Zhu Ming of the past. The strength and range of the Dragon Qi Restriction have weakened and shrunk. It can no longer suppress evil cults and demons like the Hundred Lotus Sect that stir up trouble."

Wei Xiaolian seemed to have suffered persecution from corrupt officials in his youth, and he spoke of the weak Southern Ming court with a hint of schadenfreude.

"Does the Dragon Qi Restriction only affect cultivators? It doesn't seem to apply to military strategists like those of the Great Western Kingdom."

Qin Huai keenly grasped the key words in Wei Xiaolian's words and pressed for an answer.

“Anyone who gets involved with the power of the Divine Star will be suppressed, but if you only use your malevolent energy to fight, you will not be affected. However…” Wei Xiaolian squinted at Qin Huai and slowly said, “…These days, people like us who can still deal with gods and ghosts are already intertwined with the power of the Divine Star. How can we be separated?”

"So, theoretically speaking, the Hundred Lotus Sect, which has no Si Chen backing it up, is actually not afraid of this Dragon Qi Restriction at all?"

Qin Huai's gaze was meaningful.

"Huh? Why didn't I think of that?"

Wei Xiaolian was taken aback, but then nodded and said, "It's possible. After all, the Hundred Lotus Sect is particularly rampant in the Southern Ming Dynasty, and we often see arrest warrants issued by those corrupt officials. But we peasants don't really know where this [Dragon Qi Restriction] comes from, so I can't give you a definite answer."

"Knowing that the Hundred Lotus Sect has this entanglement with the dynasty's fate is enough. Brother Wei, let's get back to those corrupt officials in the Southern Ming Dynasty."

Qin Huai nodded slightly, offering a reminder.

"The methods of those corrupt officials are ultimately nothing to be afraid of. They are nothing more than the abilities of Confucianism, only they become more troublesome when combined with the Dragon Qi Restriction."

Wei Xiaolian's tone was somewhat inexplicable: "One's words carry the mandate of Heaven, and the law follows one's words. These eight words are the best interpretation of the supernatural power of Confucianism. However, the effectiveness will vary significantly depending on the official rank and the amount of luck one has, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is as different as heaven and earth."

"Words become law? Do they think they can kill me with their words?"

Qin Huai frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him.

"You are now a painful saint favored by Ba Hui. Ordinary Confucian scholars can't kill you, but those few Confucian sages... I can only say that, when they draw upon the dynasty's fortune, there are very few things in the world they cannot do."

These words sound like they boost the morale of others while diminishing one's own, and it's hard to imagine them coming from the mouth of an arrogant person like Wei Xiaolian.

"As for those Taoist priests, they are no different from the Taoists you imagine. They know a lot of different things, and apart from those few sages, they can't stop you."

"Immeasurable Saints?"

Qin Huai asked.

"Yes, the five saints of [Boundless Venerable] are also the patriarchs worshipped by those arrogant people. Body, Virtue, Majesty, Character, and Sound."

Its body is immeasurable, its origins ancient and difficult to know. Perhaps it truly has two bodies, and its wisdom is both expedient and real. Therefore, it is named Longhan, which is formless. It is called Kaihuang, and is called Yuanshi. It sets up teachings according to circumstances, and prescribes medicine for each disease. Its response is inexhaustible, and no one who does not believe will not respond.

His virtue is immeasurable, his body resides in the primordial yang, his spirit is tranquil and silent, his mouth contains no color, yet his light illuminates the entire universe, enabling those who receive the Dharma pearl to hear the supreme scriptures.

Its power is boundless, encompassing the sun and moon, determining yin and yang, turning back mountains and stopping the flow, harmonizing the order of qi, severing thousands of heads, subduing evil demons, and cutting off countless forms, so that evil cannot disturb righteousness.

There is no limit to quality. If we consider all things, they all have grades, that is, they have the categories of high and low, small and large. The sages of the Ming Dynasty responded to things according to circumstances, neither high nor low, but adapting to the situation and following the circumstances, neither too much nor too little. It is difficult to measure them by high or low, and it is impossible to obtain them by small or large. Therefore, there is no grade.

"The sound is immeasurable; the sage, through wordless discourse, explains the inexhaustible, the soundless echo, resounding without ceasing, enabling enlightenment through countless eons, yet unheard by humankind. There is the hidden language of the Great Brahma, the immeasurable sound, also called the sound of the heavens."

Wei Xiaolian stretched out his finger, rummaged through the desk for a while, and pulled out a front-line report: "Ten years ago, General Ai led the Dingbei Camp to fight against [Wei Wuliang] in Jingzhou. If it weren't for the Emperor's intervention, there would be no Ai Nengqi in the Great Western Kingdom today. Here are the details, you can study them."

"In addition, there are also military strategists in the Southern Ming Dynasty, but they worship that broken dragon. Although they are not as pure as the military strategists of the Great Western Dynasty, they can corrupt the magic of other schools. You should be especially careful if you encounter them."

"How does it compare to the Demon-Infected?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huai suddenly realized that the situation in the Southern Ming Dynasty was far more complex than that in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

"As the saying goes, the world is a sea of ​​desires, and fortune lies in it. One is a calamity brought down by heaven, and the other is the poison of worldly desires. You should weigh the pros and cons yourself."

Wei Xiaolian sighed and looked at Qin Huai, saying, "That's all I know. If there's anything you don't understand, you can go find Old Man Yu. But he should be with the Emperor right now. If you're interested in [Blood Receiving], you can try to get a spot to enter [Corpse Mountain Blood Sea] together. It will be of great benefit to you. I have other things to do, so I'll take my leave first."

Wei Xiaolian stood up and was about to leave.

"clear."

After Wei Xiaolian left the room, Qin Huai thought for a moment, put away all the intelligence he hadn't finished reading, took a detailed map used by the Assassination Department, and then left the empty underground hall and came to the Assassination Department's courtyard.

He stared at the huge scarlet bone sword in the courtyard, feeling a tightness in his chest.

"Never mind, let's take it slow."

Clearing his mind and easing the pain caused by receiving a massive amount of information, Qin Huai went to the best restaurant in Xijing City and ordered a banquet, silently watching the sky in the distance begin to lighten.

"Let's rest well today. We'll go find Yu Gongcao tonight. No matter how intimidating the 'mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood' sounds, we have to see the ascension ceremony of the Great Western King."

Soon, the dishes Qin Huai ordered were served. Just as he was enjoying his meal, the restaurant suddenly trembled slightly. He lowered his head and looked out the window, and was shocked to see more than ten elite cavalrymen clad in scarlet blood armor galloping past on the official road under the leadership of a general.

The leading cavalryman had a powerful aura, not much weaker than the Taotie. Just by getting close, the murderous aura emanating from him could send chills down one's spine and keep one away from the official road. In his arms, he was also holding a precious square box made of sandalwood inlaid with beads.

The armor of this cavalry unit was clearly damaged, proving that they had just finished a battle.

As soon as the group appeared, everyone along the roadside immediately dropped to the ground, their bodies trembling like leaves.

"The Eight Great Camps? They just finished their mission with the Great Western King?"

As Qin Huai pondered this question, the leading general seemed to notice Qin Huai's gaze, glanced back, and immediately felt a stinging pain, like being pricked by needles.

But in the next instant, this elite force approached the towering maroon imperial city.

Once they had completely disappeared, the waiter serving Qin Huai in the private room finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sir, you've got guts! You dare not kneel. If you anger the soldiers, you'll lose your life!"

"Where did they come from?"

Qin Huai asked the waiter.

"How would I know? But everyone in the city is saying they went out to look for something."

"Oh, I see."

Qin Huai immediately remembered the bracelet that Yu Gongcao had asked him to retrieve from Ba Hui, which was also something he was looking for.

"Isn't the Embrace of Pain enough? Just how terrifying must this blood-receiving ritual be to require so many rare and precious treasures?"

As Qin Huai gazed at the increasingly crimson imperial city in the distance, he felt as if he were staring at a butcher with blood on his hands.

(End of this chapter)