Patrol Captain

Not long after, at the site of the former Prince's Mansion, a stream of light shot into the sky, stirring up a howling sound in the sky. Then, the stream of light suddenly shrank and flashed in mid-air, blurring the void. The next moment, the light spot disappeared directly into the void!
As the light and shadow disappeared, Chen Yuan's figure appeared above the Yinshan Sacred Tree, his pale golden eyes gazing thoughtfully at the void where Helian Shan had vanished.

Just as he was deep in thought,
"brush"

"brush"

"brush"

Several figures rushed over and appeared beside Chen Yuan.

"General!"

"General"

Yun Tiansheng and Lu Ming stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Old Dong stroked his beard, stood beside Chen Yuan, and glanced at the direction where the streak of light had disappeared. Then he turned back, his eyes darting around with curiosity and gossip.
"Hey, Chen, something seems off about this Imperial Advisor. What does he want with you?"

As he spoke, he quickly added, in a tone like a young wife nagging.
“We’re not going to be innocent victims. We’ve already suffered so many losses, and you’re quitting anyway.”

He also noticed that Helian Shan was not in good condition, and he had a kind of suppressed murderous aura about to erupt, like a volcano about to erupt. This was completely different from when he first met Helian Shan, and he must have been anxious and angry.

Yun Tiansheng and Lu Ming, the two generals, were listening intently to Elder Dong's words with their heads bowed.

The situation is sensitive now. The Imperial Advisor, who is in charge of the Daofu Division, personally came to Qingshan County to find his general. They had some guesses in their hearts, just like the old Dong.

They were hesitant, however. They were sons of Shu, and when they heard the news from the front, they hesitated. But the Ninth Mountain had suffered too much injustice, and the general had worked hard for them to gain his current prestige. They did not want the general to continue to serve the court.

This is roughly the kind of contradictory feeling I have!
Chen Yuan's gaze remained fixed; he knew their thoughts without needing to guess. His eyes were deep, and his tone was profound.
"This Lord Helian said that the beasts that hid deep in the Ten Thousand Mountains have reappeared on a large scale."

"In the west, the Demon Kingdom has launched a demonic tide, launching a massive attack on the defense line, and even a demon king has been dispatched?"

His tone carried a hint of rhetoric; he had been in seclusion for the past two weeks and should not be disturbed except in emergencies.

Lu Ming, who was stationed at the former site of the Prince's Mansion and in charge of intelligence processing, quickly stepped forward to answer.

"Reporting to the general, the news spread just two days ago. It seems that the demon race is wary of the Undying City, which is occupied by several Undying Kings, and the Misty Sea they have crossed over in the Ten Thousand Mountains. There has been no attack yet, and the specific situation is still unclear."

"Meanwhile, the Western Demon Kingdom has launched a large-scale attack. I heard that the defending troops have suffered many casualties, but they are still holding on."

After hearing the report, Chen Yuan's eyebrows twitched slightly.

The demons of the Ten Thousand Mountains have emerged from the Misty Sea?
He remembered the Misty Sea as a formidable barrier that separated the Hundred Thousand Mountains from the Shu region. It was a place of great danger that could lead people astray, and the only passage was the Nether Gate Pass!

The Youmen Pass is now the territory of the White-Clad Monarch, Senior Luo.

"It seems I'll have to visit this senior one sometime!"

His mind raced as he assessed the intelligence. Just as he was pondering, Old Man Dong pressed him for answers, his eyes gleaming with inquisitive curiosity.

"and then?"

"He told you to take him to the top of Ninth Mountain?"

Chen Yuan shook his head. "Since this Grand Preceptor Helian is here, let me take over the military command in Shu first!"

"But there was no imperial edict."

At this point, a cold smile appeared on his lips, "Because His Majesty the Martial Emperor refused to agree."

Upon hearing this, Old Dong twisted off several strands of his beard, then his eyes widened, and he jumped up and down in anger.

"He's really something, putting on a show, isn't he just bullying honest people?"

To be honest, this guy's cursing was really awful. When he started swearing, he didn't even respect the current Emperor Wu. Chen Yuan couldn't help but glance at him.

Lu Ming and Yun Tiansheng were initially going to get angry too, but they were dumbfounded when they heard the old man's crude and unpleasant curses.

Chen Yuan was amused. He glanced to the side and smiled meaningfully, saying, "Elder Dong, do you think I look like an honest man?"

Dong Fuzheng was expressing his emotions when he was asked this question and was stunned. He subconsciously grabbed his messy hair with one hand, and then laughed.

"You're definitely not that kind of kid."

"No one can gain any advantage over you. Back when you were still Musashi, you dared to flip the table."

"So, you agreed?"

Old Dong suddenly thought of something fun, and his eyes lit up.

Chen Yuan did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze back to the direction where Helian Mountain had disappeared.
"If you want to convince me, you have to show some sincerity. Are you just empty talk and pretending, or are you really as this Grand Preceptor says, an old general still brave and with undiminished passion? We'll know in a few days."

"Furthermore, I will not leave the mountain until my supernatural powers are fully developed!"

Having said that, Chen Yuan flicked his sleeves, put his hands behind his back, and turned around.
"Business as usual!"

"Do what you're supposed to do."

"Just keep an eye on news from the western defense line!"

Chen Yuan waved his hand, his figure descending from the sacred tree of Yinshan Mountain to continue his seclusion and complete the remaining steps.

"Yes!"

Lu Ming and Yun Tiansheng bowed in response.

Just then, Old Dong's voice rang in their ears.

"Alright, alright, your general is gone. Stop bowing. You two, tell me, what did your general mean by what he just said?"

"Did you answer it or not?" Dong Fu asked the two of them in a low voice.

Lu Ming and Yun Tiansheng sat up and exchanged a glance. They were also eager to know the exact answer, but they wouldn't speak ill of the general behind his back.
"How dare we, your subordinates, presume to guess what you are thinking? You will make your own decision!"

After saying this, Chao Dong took his leave again.

"Senior, we still have a mission to complete, so we'll take our leave now!"

After being helped up, the two cavalrymen, Lu and Yun, suppressed their inner turmoil and continued with their own affairs.

Seeing this, Old Man Dong also felt rather bored, with no one to talk to. He thought of the Dragon Girl and began to worry, muttering to himself...

"Dragon Girl, oh Dragon Girl, where have you gone?"

The dragon girl didn't say goodbye to him before she left.

Two days passed just like that.

These past two days, the waters near Qingshan County have been bustling with activity. Boats have been sailing on the Nu River, heading straight for Qingshan County, only to be turned back, causing widespread complaints and grievances. As the saying goes, with a large forest, there are all sorts of birds. Some stubbornly refuse to listen to reason, believing that the law doesn't punish everyone, and insisting that the Ninth Mountain should protect them, ignoring the warnings and determined to reach the shore of Qingshan County.

Thus, a conflict broke out, and the leader was killed on the spot by the Ninth Mountain Warriors, his blood staining the Nu River before the others were frightened away.

From then on, some unpleasant words spread among those who returned, involving the Ninth Mountain.

Your perspective is determined by your position. Some people, once they feel that their own demands are not being met, think it's the other person's problem and that it's their duty to do so.

Regardless of the rumors and gossip, no one dared to provoke the Ninth Mountain, and the tranquility of Qingshan County remained undisturbed.

However, the Daofu Division, eight thousand miles away, was shrouded in an invisible dark cloud, with signs of impending chaos.

Because the Grand Preceptor, who was in charge of the Pacification Office, had not appeared for two days, the officials below were unable to see him. This period of time may not seem long, but everyone is clear about the current situation.

Not to mention that Chengdu is currently in a state of panic, with conflicts breaking out everywhere and public order in disarray, the military reports coming from the north, west and south are all major matters directly related to the safety of Shu, and cannot be delayed.

But now, with the Grand Preceptor in charge of military affairs not showing up, everyone is uncertain and has lost their backbone, so naturally the entire governor's office is in chaos.

"Make way! I want to see Lord Helian!"

That afternoon, a shout broke the tranquility in the backyard of the Heavenly Palace.

Heavy armored soldiers stood in their way, swords drawn, but a group of people charged through them, and a group of officials forced their way through.

The leader, dressed in a purple robe, had eyebrows that slanted downwards, walked with a square gait, and raised his eyebrows high, looking angry.

It was Fang La, a high-ranking official in the capital who was based in Sichuan, and who was also the Imperial Censor. He was a second-rank official.

Following behind were officials of all ranks who had accompanied the army into Shu last time, representing His Majesty. Previously, it was Chen Yuan, the Imperial Envoy who supervised the return to Shu, who now assisted Helian Shan, who was stationed here, in governing the Shu region.

Facing the heavy golden armor, they broke through the obstruction. They were all from the capital. Others feared the Heavenly Army, but they were not afraid. They shook off the golden armor blocking their way and headed straight for the residence of the Grand Preceptor.

In a clash of armor, neither side would give way, and the Skywalking Army gathered around, trying to block their path.

A commander of the Heavenly Army stood in front of a door and shouted in a deep voice at the group of Beijing officials who were charging forward.
"Prime Minister Fang, what are you trying to do?"

"This is Lord Helian's residence. Why did you force your way in without being summoned by him? Aren't things chaotic enough already?"

Fang La, the Imperial Censor who was stopped, opened his eyes wide.
"Lord Helian has not shown up for two days, and the area is now in complete chaos. As the Vice Minister of the Censorate, I am entrusted by the Emperor and have the responsibility of speaking out. I have come to ask the Grand Preceptor what he intends to do," Fang La said, bowing towards the Central Plains with a magnanimous and awe-inspiring air.

"Lord Helian has approved all the relevant military reports. He has been working hard and preoccupied with the situation in Shu these past few days, and is trying to keep quiet at home. Are you trying to anger Lord Helian by being so reckless?" The commander of the Tianxing Army frowned, his expression serious, not feigning sincerity.

But then the Imperial Censor Fang La spoke loudly.
"When I see Lord Helian, I will apologize to him!"

“However,” Fang La said, his eyes sharpening, “I’m afraid Lord Helian isn’t in this room right now.”

Upon hearing this, not only did the official from the capital who was traveling with him change his expression, but they also exchanged glances, seeing surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.

When they arrived, Fang Zhongcheng didn't say any of this to them. Why would he suddenly say something like this?

Lord Helian isn't here? Then where is he?
For a moment, everyone looked on with surprise and uncertainty.

The commander of the Skywalking Army was furious and enraged. He had received personal instructions from Helian Shan to conduct his business quietly in his room and not to be disturbed by anyone.
"Lord Fang, what are you up to? Saying that the Grand Preceptor is not here is disturbing everyone's peace of mind. This is a grave taboo. Are you not afraid of being punished?"

"Even if you are a high-ranking official of the second rank, the Imperial Preceptor is the tutor of the Emperor. How dare you interfere?"

"Take another step forward, and don't blame me for being impolite!"

Clearly, the commander of the Sky Army was also angered, his brows furrowed in a cold stare. After speaking, he raised his hand.

“ceng”

“ceng”

“ceng”

The sound of swords being drawn rang out one by one, and the golden-armored warriors, upon receiving the order, indeed drew their swords.

This startled the officials from Beijing who had come with him. They realized it was for real and were about to try to persuade Fang La.

"Minister Fang, I think we should let it go!" someone advised. The Imperial Advisor was truly someone they couldn't afford to offend; everyone had only come on Fang La's advice and wanted to see the Imperial Advisor for a decision.
Fang La, however, simply flicked his sleeve, stepped forward, and with a cold smile, roared at the commander of the Heavenly Army.

"you dare!"

"I have His Majesty's decree; who dares to stop me?"

Upon hearing this, the officials were surprised. They were not surprised that Fang La had the Emperor's oral edict, but rather why the Emperor would send an oral edict to Fang La.
Even the commander of the Sky Army who blocked the way was stunned. His resolute face showed surprise and doubt. He hesitated for a moment and then lowered his hand.

No one would dare to impersonate His Majesty's oral decree, especially in front of so many people.

The Skywalker warriors put the swords they had just drawn back into their sheaths.

"I demand to see Grand Preceptor Helian, immediately!" With the Emperor's decree upon him, Fang La exuded official authority, walking directly to the commander of the Heavenly Army, his gaze carrying a condescending air.

"Step aside!"

Fang La, as the chief official of the Censorate, was skilled in speech and also possessed supernatural abilities, making him an imposing figure.

The commander of the Heavenly Army, being publicly pressured like this, gritted his teeth, his eyelids twitching involuntarily. He really wanted to slap him and tell him what he was so arrogant about. But since it was an imperial edict, he didn't dare to actually stop it.

However, Lord Helian had sternly instructed them two days ago not to allow anyone to disturb them, which was truly a difficult situation.

Just then, a somewhat deep voice rang out from the room, breaking the stalemate.

"Please let Lord Fang in!"

The voice wasn't Helian Shan's; it had a sharp and rough quality to it.

Upon hearing this voice, Fang La outside narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them, and simply said:
"His Majesty has decreed that all of you colleagues must accompany me to meet with the Grand Preceptor."

Upon hearing this, a sigh came from inside.

"Why must Your Majesty do this!"

But as soon as those words were spoken, the heavily armored gate to the residence slowly opened, letting in light from the outside.

Fang La squinted and looked inside. The light and shadow were blurred, making it difficult to see clearly, but his eyes gleamed. In fact, he had received this imperial edict a few days ago. At that time, he did not understand the meaning of the edict and was even somewhat shocked because the edict said that if he found that the Grand Preceptor Helian, who was in charge of the Fusi, was acting strangely, he must meet him in person and report the situation to the court in a timely manner.

This imperial edict is truly intriguing. Why would His Majesty instruct him to do this?
"My lords, please follow me inside!"

Fang La cleared his throat, looked at the armored soldiers who had made way for him, and stepped inside first.

The group of officials behind him exchanged bewildered glances. Even the most foolish among them sensed something was amiss. They were filled with suspicion and uncertainty, but had no choice but to follow Fang La through the door. (End of Chapter)