Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 187 Show some respect to Lord Jiang!
The following day, the imperial army set off for northern Shaanxi, attracting the attention of numerous forces.

There was much discussion both in and out of the government about the process of this rehabilitation, but no one seemed worried about the outcome.

After all, the imperial court could suppress a mere rebel once, and it could certainly suppress him a second time. The only difference was how long they could hold out against the imperial army.

This time, Jiang Xuan only brought five thousand men, including his five commanders: Lu Jianxing, Xu Longqing, Lin Pingzhi, Pei Xing, and Ding Xiu. Each of them led a thousand elite cavalrymen, and they traveled in batches with the main army, heading there secretly.

Because their goal this time is to assist Lu Xiang-sheng in suppressing bandits and dealing with the Ming Cult and other Jianghu forces, there is no need to make a big fuss and alert the enemy before they have a clear understanding of the situation in northern Shaanxi.

However, before leaving, Jiang Xuan still met with Lu Xiang Sheng.

"Lord Jiang, it's been a long time."

Inside the main tent of the central army, Lu Xiang-sheng, fully armored and armed, was very polite to Jiang Xuan when he saw him again, and had a very good impression of Jiang Xuan.

Jiang Xuan had previously cooperated with them in Yongzhou, successfully wiping out the rebel forces led by the White Lotus Sect and the Sun Moon Sect. Jiang Xuan had contributed greatly to this effort, and his courage and resourcefulness earned him Jiang Xuan's utmost respect, making him utterly worthy of Jiang Xuan's utmost respect.

Now that the two are working together again, he is even more confident about this mission.

"Commander Lu."

Jiang Xuan returned the greeting and glanced at the people from the Western Depot standing next to Lu Xiang Sheng.

Led by Yu Huatian, who wore a silver-white python robe and rode a white horse, followed by Ma Jinliang, Tan Luzi, Ji Xueyong, and other core members of the Western Depot.

An Jianqing was also in the crowd, leading a team of Imperial Guards. When he saw Jiang Xuan, his gaze darted away, and he dared not look directly at him.

Jiang Xuan didn't pay him any attention. He glanced at him and then looked at Yu Huatian, saying indifferently, "Eunuch Yu, I entrust the safety of Governor Lu to you. You should be well aware of the consequences if anything happens to Governor Lu."

Yu Huatian's eyes held a hint of apprehension, but his words were equally assertive, replying in a nonchalant tone: "Lord Jiang, rest assured, although my Western Depot is not as numerous and powerful as the Embroidered Uniform Guard, protecting Commander Lu and dealing with those treacherous officials is still no problem."

The implication was that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was a rabble, inferior to the elite Western Depot.

Even without the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Western Depot can still get things done.

Jiang Xuan understood the meaning behind Yu Huatian's words, but he didn't care. He smiled faintly and said, "That would be perfect."

After saying that, he looked at Lu Xiang-sheng, cupped his hands and said, "General Lu, I'll be taking my leave now. See you in northern Shaanxi."

Lu Xiang-sheng watched the confrontation between Jiang Xuan and Yu Hua-tian and sighed inwardly. He had heard about the recent changes in the court. Although he felt sorry for Jiang Xuan, given his status, he could not interfere in such factional struggles. He could only silently wish Jiang Xuan well.

"Lord Jiang, take care." Lu Xiang-sheng nodded and returned the greeting.

Jiang Xuan nodded, said no more, turned his horse around, and led his men away, soon disappearing at the end of the road.

"call……"

Only then did the people from the West Depot breathe a sigh of relief.

The moment Jiang Xuan stepped forward, they were on edge, very nervous.

Although the Western Depot is currently highly valued by the Emperor and wields immense power, they still harbor great fear of Jiang Xuan, their former favorite minister.

The legendary events this person has accomplished in the past few years are truly astonishing. Although he is no longer at the height of his fame, he is still a formidable tiger descending from the mountain.

Yu Huatian clenched his fists, staring coldly in the direction Jiang Xuan had left. He muttered to himself, "Those江湖 thieves aren't so easy to deal with! Not to mention a top-tier force like the Ming Cult..."

"Just wait, after this battle, no one in the court or among the people will be able to rival the Western Depot!"

"Your time has passed!"

"The next era belongs to me, Yu Huatian!"

……

East Factory.

After Emperor Chongzhen reinstated and heavily relied on the Western Depot, the Eastern Depot's status plummeted.

For the past six months, Cao Zhengchun has remained secluded at home, ignoring the ups and downs of the outside world and having virtually no presence.

Many people even seem to have forgotten that the Eastern Depot, a powerful and influential agency, still exists in the imperial court.

But no one knew that Cao Zhengchun was actually very patient and knew how to protect himself wisely.

As a eunuch, he knew that all his power came from whether the emperor favored him. Now that the emperor was being misled by a seductive concubine and favored the Western Depot, there was nothing he could do no matter how anxious he was. If he acted too rashly and angered the emperor, and the emperor got angry and abolished the Eastern Depot, it would be a loss for him.

Therefore, it is better to remain still than to act rashly. So for the past six months, he has kept a very low profile and has ignored everything except his own duties.

But in private, he was not idle; he was secretly training the Eastern Depot's guards, waiting for the right opportunity.

At this moment, in the training ground of the Eastern Depot, Cao Zhengchun, dressed in a python robe, stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the hundreds of guards practicing archery in front of him, and nodded secretly, very satisfied.

These people were elite experts selected from various places after he took power. There were a total of 700 people, forming a black-clad archery team. It was an upgraded version of the black cavalry archery team that Cao Shaoqin had once commanded. Each of them was highly skilled in martial arts and had superb archery skills. They were led by his most trusted chief clerk, Tou Pi Xiaotian.

"Well, not bad! Not bad!"

After watching the Black-Clad Arrows team train, Cao Zhengchun nodded in satisfaction and praised, "It was worth all the effort I put into training you. You have certainly not disappointed me."

"I swear to be loyal to my master to the death!"

The black-clad archers roared in unison, their murderous aura overwhelming.

Seeing this, Cao Zhengchun was even more satisfied.

"Master Supervisor!"

Pi Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your subordinate is not capable, but has not failed the trust placed in you by the Supervisor. The Black-Clad Arrow Team has now completed its training and is ready to share the Supervisor's burdens at any time!"

"No rush, no rush."

Cao Zhengchun chuckled and said, "The situation in the court is unclear right now, so it's not our Eastern Depot's place to step in. Keep training. The more you sweat in peacetime, the less you bleed in wartime. I also hope that when you work for me in the future, fewer people will die."

"Yes, Master!"

Pi Xiaotian cupped his hands, then his eyes flashed, and he said, "Chief Supervisor, today is the day the army sets off to the northwest to punish the rebel Li Zicheng. Yu Huatian of the Western Depot and Jiang Xuan of the Embroidered Uniform Guard have both left. Could it be... that now is the best time for you, Chief Supervisor, to realize your grand ambitions and reclaim power?"

Cao Zhengchun shook his head and said, "Little Pi, you've been with us for quite some time now, how can you still be so naive?"

"This time, both the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard have their own missions to carry out the campaign against the rebels, leaving only the Eastern Depot behind. Do you really think the Emperor has no suspicion of us?"

"Perhaps the Emperor is just waiting for us to cause trouble so he can find something to hold against us, abolish the Eastern Depot, and let the Western Depot dominate in the future."

"That's why we need to keep a low profile, especially now. Didn't you see that we didn't even go to see Lord Jiang off when he went to war today?"

"We just don't want the Emperor to have any leverage over us and find an excuse to target us."

Pi Xiaotian suddenly understood, and said with admiration, "Your Excellency has great foresight, I admire you!"

"It's not our family that has foresight, it's Lord Jiang!"

Cao Zhengchun shook his head and sighed, "When the Emperor restarted the Western Depot, it posed the greatest threat to our family. I was so anxious at the time, I wished I could kill that little beast Yu Huatian with one blow. Fortunately, Lord Jiang persuaded me, otherwise, I'm afraid I would be in danger now."

"The Emperor is autocratic and can even suppress the opposition of civil and military officials. He is determined to restart the Western Depot and give Yu Huatian a new position. It is clear how seriously the Emperor is bewitched by that bewitching concubine surnamed Wan."

“If we had taken action back then, even if we had killed that little beast Yu Huatian, our family’s future would probably have been over.”

At this point, a hint of relief and gratitude flashed in Cao Zhengchun's eyes.

If Jiang Xuan hadn't intervened, and he had truly opposed the Western Depot for the past six months, he probably would have already angered the Emperor, and the Eastern Depot would have ceased to exist long ago.

The current emperor is determined and has no interest in anything other than the Western Depot.

In the past six months, countless court officials have been killed by the Western Depot, but the emperor has turned a blind eye to it all, showing how firm his stance is.

"Master, are we just going to do nothing and let the Western Depot continue to grow bigger?"

Pi Xiaotian frowned and said, "The Western Depot already wields immense power. Once we return from suppressing the traitors, the Emperor will surely favor Yu Huatian even more. Won't we be doomed forever?"

"No rush, no rush."

Cao Zhengchun said meaningfully, "Don't worry, Yu Huatian won't be coming back."

Pi Xiaotian was shocked: "Does the Grand Supervisor mean that Jiang Xuan... is going to make a move against Yu Huatian?!"

"Show some respect! Even we have to address him as 'Sir,' how dare you call him by his real name? You dare call Jiang Xuan that? Call him Lord Jiang!"

Cao Zhengchun slapped him on the back of the head, but nodded and said, "From beginning to end, neither Lord Jiang nor I have ever taken Yu Huatian seriously. He's just a guy who rose to power by relying on women. I could kill him with one slap."

"Our real enemy is the Emperor."

"Your Majesty?!" Pi Xiaotian's eyes widened in disbelief. "Chief Eunuch, could it be that you and Lord Jiang are planning to... to create..."

"What the hell are you talking about!" Cao Zhengchun retorted angrily, slapping Pi Xiaotian away. He then glanced cautiously toward the palace, patted his chest, and said with lingering fear, "If you want to die, don't drag me down with you. What are you talking about? Lord Jiang and I are both loyal and devoted, as clear as Mount Tai and as stoic as the sun and moon!"

As he spoke, Cao Zhengchun bowed respectfully towards the palace.

Pi Xiaotian asked in confusion, "Then, Chief Supervisor, what do you mean...?"

Cao Zhengchun smiled slightly and said, "Since the Western Depot took power, the court has been thrown into chaos, and civil and military officials are full of complaints. Who do you think is the source of all this?"

"Of course it's the Emperor!"

Pi Xiaotian said frankly, "If it weren't for the Emperor's favor, would Yu Huatian dare to be so arrogant?"

"That's right, it's the Emperor!"

Cao Zhengchun nodded with a smile: "But His Majesty is the Emperor of our Great Ming Dynasty. His Majesty can never be wrong. The reason for this is that there are treacherous people around His Majesty!"

"What we need to do is to cleanse the court of corrupt officials, eliminate those treacherous people who are deceiving the emperor, and restore a bright and just world to the land."

"Incidentally, let the Emperor realize who the loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty are, and who is truly capable of sharing his burdens and solving his problems."

"At that time, we will be in charge of the court again."

Pi Xiaotian nodded thoughtfully, then a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "Understood. Tonight, I will infiltrate the palace and kill that vixen, Consort Wan!"

"You don't understand anything!"

Cao Zhengchun slapped him again: "Without my orders, no one is allowed to make any rash moves!"

"This……"

Pi Xiaotian covered his head, looking completely bewildered: "Chief Eunuch, didn't you say you wanted to purge the court of treacherous officials and eliminate the villains? Isn't Consort Wan one of the villains around the Emperor?"

Cao Zhengchun scoffed, "What does that mere slut matter?"

"The treacherous person around the emperor is not a specific individual, but rather someone within the emperor's heart..."

Cao Zhengchun said meaningfully.

“This… I don’t understand.” Pi Xiaotian shook his head.

Cao Zhengchun said calmly, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you. In short, don't try to be clever. Just wait for my orders."

"Yes, Master!"

Pi Xiaotian nodded, then hesitated and said, "But... Chief Supervisor, even if we eliminate the traitors around the Emperor and get rid of Yu Huatian, isn't there still Jiang Xuan? We..."

Snapped!
Another slap.

Cao Zhengchun quickly looked around and whispered, "Do you want to die? I've told you before, show some respect to Lord Jiang. Besides, Lord Jiang can never be our enemy, understand?!"

Pi Xiaotian's lips twitched, but he dared not refute, and nodded in a low voice: "Yes, subordinate understands."

Cao Zhengchun said with a serious expression, "You must remember what I'm saying. I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Firstly, Lord Jiang is not the same as Yu Huatian. The difference between them is like the moon and a firefly. How can a mere Yu Huatian be compared to Lord Jiang?"

"Secondly, the reason we were able to sit in this position of Director of the Eastern Depot is entirely because Lord Jiang spoke up for us. Although we are people without roots, we still have to be clear about our gratitude and grievances."

"Third, our Eastern Depot is responsible for serving the Emperor. We are in charge of internal affairs, while the Embroidered Uniform Guard is in charge of external affairs. Our Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard will always be in a cooperative relationship, not a competitive one. You must remember this principle!"

In reality, both the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were the imperial court's henchmen, responsible for monitoring the world and protecting the emperor. However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a wider scope of responsibility, so how could they not be in competition?

In fact, Emperor Chengzu's original intention in establishing the Eastern Depot was to counterbalance the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But Cao Zhengchun dared not say it outright.

He was really scared!

Having worked with Jiang Xuan for so many years, he could say he had personally witnessed Jiang Xuan grow step by step.

In terms of martial arts, cunning, and methods, he dared not compare himself to Jiang Xuan.

Therefore, he has always maintained a cooperative and friendly attitude towards Jiang Xuan, and has never dared to harbor any disloyal intentions.

Because he knew very well that in this realm of power, authority was only one aspect; strength was far more important.

When someone's strength exceeds a certain limit, worldly rules can no longer restrain them.

Without a doubt, in his eyes, Jiang Xuan was that kind of person.

Perhaps there are still some concerns at this moment, but in the future, there will be not many things in this world that can threaten Jiang Xuan.

At the very least, he's someone you can't afford to offend.

Even though the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been quiet for the past six months while the Western Depot had risen, he believed that this was only temporary.

And the result was exactly as he expected.

Jiang Xuan had already been secretly plotting to reshape the political landscape.

He only recently learned this.

Jiang Xuan only sent him a message, instructing him to stay in the court and cooperate, but he didn't know exactly what to do.

However, he had great confidence in Jiang Xuan.

This man is highly skilled in martial arts, but he is neither as ambitious and fearless as Wei Zhongxian of the past, nor as inexperienced and ignorant as Yu Huatian of today. Instead, he is cautious and knows how to be patient.

Such a person is definitely destined for great things.

Therefore, he boarded Jiang Xuan's ship without hesitation, intending to tie the Eastern Depot and Jiang Xuan's Embroidered Uniform Guard together.

"I wonder what exactly Lord Jiang's 'elimination of traitors' plan is..." Cao Zhengchun murmured.

Tread...  

Just then, a guard from the Imperial Guard hurried over and reported in a low voice: "Reporting to the Chief Supervisor, someone outside is requesting an audience. They say they are here on the orders of Lord Jiang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Cao Zhengchun's spirits lifted, and he quickly said, "Please come in!"

"Yes!"

The guard left.

Cao Zhengchun tidied himself up and quickly went to the front hall to wait.

A short while later, six people, five men and one woman, with different appearances, slowly walked in.

The leading man was handsome and had an extraordinary bearing. He stepped forward with a smile, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am 'The Thousand-Faced Gentleman,' and I greet Eunuch Cao."

A man of a thousand faces?

Cao Zhengchun was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Your Excellency has come here to..."

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman smiled and said, "I have come to assist Eunuch Cao on the orders of my lord."

He then introduced the five people behind him, saying, "These five are highly skilled members of the Five Poisons Sect in Yunnan. They have come here on the orders of Your Excellency to await Your command."

"Golden silkworm, ugly toad, scorpion, spider, centipede, pay your respects to Eunuch Cao!"

The five poisonous creatures stepped forward and bowed.

"Haha, everyone, no need for formalities!"

Cao Zhengchun was overjoyed and quickly helped them up. He could tell that these people were all highly skilled martial artists, whose strength was no weaker than his chief subordinate, Tou Pi Xiaotian. Moreover, they came from the Five Poisons Sect in Yunnan, so they must all be experts in using poison.

He currently lacks such a person to assist him.

Jiang Xuan's move can be said to have solved his immediate problem.

As for this Thousand-Faced Gentleman, although he seems a bit weak, he must be extraordinary to be called 'Thousand-Faced'. Perhaps he is a master of disguise. Therefore, Cao Zhengchun does not dare to underestimate him. He can use such a special person.

"Brother Thousand Faces, does Lord Jiang have any instructions?" After exchanging pleasantries, Cao Zhengchun looked at the Thousand Faces Gentleman and asked.

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman smiled slightly, took out a letter from his pocket, handed it to Cao Zhengchun, and said, "Your plans are all in this letter. You will understand once you have read it."

Cao Zhengchun took the letter, opened it, and read it carefully.

After a moment, he frowned slightly: "The Prince of Nan's Mansion in Guangzhou? What does Lord Jiang's 'eliminating traitors' plan have to do with this Prince of Nan's Mansion...?"

(End of this chapter)