Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Yan Jiufang nodded slightly, showing goodwill.

Those who understand the times are wise. Yan Jiu was able to rise to the position of the head of the Demon Suppression Division because he was not a simple warrior. When faced with a situation, he would not make a clear statement, thus avoiding getting involved in power struggles and dying without a burial place due to saying the wrong thing.

The reason he made his position clear in public today is because, based on his years of experience, he has already sensed where this trend is headed.

At this point, jumping out to contradict Zhou Qingfeng, or even being ambiguous, would likely result in a very ugly end.

Since both Mao Anshi and Jiang Xuanling, two powerful figures, stood by Zhou Qingfeng's side and supported him, along with the heads of the four departments under their command, it was clear to everyone that the tide was currently in Zhou Qingfeng's favor. Not jumping out to support him would be considered foolish.

For us officials, changing our stance according to the wind is just basic practice.

If he can't even detect this slight change in wind direction, then Yan Jiufang has no right to sit here.

Zhou Qingfeng looked at the representative of the Seventh Secret Intelligence Division and asked, "This colleague, may I ask your name and official position?"

Representative of the Seventh Secret Service: "My name and official position are confidential. I am on standby and have no mission, so I am here to attend this meeting. You may call me Haishan Yan, this is my code name. Due to the special nature of the Seventh Secret Service, all intelligence concerning the Secret Service is top secret, and the Admiral has no right to inquire about it. So please just give the order directly and do not ask too many questions."

Zhou Qingfeng pulled out the Plum Blossom Commander's Token and said with a smile, "Does having it also not work?"

Meihua's secret agent, Haishan Yan, said, "No, those who hold the commander's order only have the power to command. If the admiral insists on knowing more about the secret service and my personal information, then there is only one way: give up your official position and identity, join the secret service, and only then will you be qualified to know."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng chuckled and put away the Plum Blossom Commander's Token: "Alright, then I won't ask anymore."

The high-ranking officials present looked at Hai Shanyan with a complex expression, a mixture of fear, apprehension, and admiration. Looking across all the departments in the Sword Tower, the only one that dared to speak so boldly was probably the Secret Service. Any other department would have been forced to kneel down and call for their father long ago.

Zhou Qingfeng glanced at the officials on his left and right and said slowly, "Lord Mao, Lord Jiang, let me now briefly assign the tasks."

Mao Anshi and Jiang Xuanling nodded slightly, calm and composed, closing their eyes to rest, without saying a word.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng then asked, "Where is the supervisor of the Ever-Normal Granary?"

The head of the Ever-Normal Granary immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "This humble official, Wu Yixiao, head of the Ever-Normal Granary, greets Your Excellency."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "The venue for the Millennium Dragon Ascension Banquet is under the responsibility of your Office of Grain Supply. How long will it take to procure everything?"

Wu Yixiao, the supervisor of the Ever-Normal Granary, said: "That depends on the governor's requirements."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "I'll remember."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yixiao immediately took out his notebook and calligraphy brush.

Zhou Qingfeng said, "The Millennium Dragon Ascension Banquet is a gathering of heroes from all over the world. Under the spotlight, we absolutely cannot let down the prestige and face of our Sword Tower. Therefore, the scale and grandeur must be enormous, the venue must be magnificent and spectacular, and it must be ingenious. In addition, we need to set up high-level barriers and high-level restriction arrays to prevent the aftershocks of the battle from affecting the people in the city in the event of a chaotic fight."

Wu Yixiao nodded repeatedly and wrote down everything: "I have remembered what the admiral said. Based on the current situation of our company, if we want to procure everything, we will definitely lack manpower and resources, and there will be many difficulties. However, I can overcome the difficulties and guarantee to complete the task."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Time, give me an exact time."

Wu Yixiao: "One hundred days."

Zhou Qingfeng waved his hand and held up five fingers: "Fifty days."

Wu Yixiao gritted his teeth, glanced at Jiang Xuanling, and seeing that his superior was not saying a word, he had to bite the bullet and say, "Ninety days is a tight schedule, a heavy task, and a shortage of manpower. I request the governor to grant me some more time."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Forty days."

Wu Yixiao: "Eighty days."

Zhou Qingfeng: "Thirty days."

Wu Yixiao broke out in a cold sweat and dared not bargain any longer. He hurriedly said, "Thirty days, thirty days. This humble official will definitely guarantee to complete the mission."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly and said, "Alright, remember your words. If you can't get it done within thirty days, I, the admiral, will hold you responsible."

Wu Yixiao wiped his sweat and hurriedly went back to sit down.

Zhou Qingfeng asked, "Where are the heads of the Supervision Department, the Advisory Department, the Drumming Department, and the three other departments?"

Upon hearing this, the heads of the three departments—the Supervisory Department, the Remonstrance Department, and the Drum Inspection Department—all rose and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your humble servants are here."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Isn't the Supervision Department the most fond of keeping watch on people? Go patrol the streets and send out all your men. If you encounter anyone acting suspiciously or furtively, arrest them all and send them to the Plum Blossom Department for interrogation. Isn't the Advisory Department the most fond of talking? Go out on the streets and appease the people. You must control public opinion. Anyone who dares to spread rumors or incite public opinion, arrest them all."

"The Drum Inspection Division, leave one-third of its personnel on duty, and transfer the rest to support the Plum Blossom Division."

Upon hearing this, the heads of the three departments dared not haggle and all agreed. This was because Wu Yixiao, the supervisor of the Changping Department, who had just haggled, had suffered a great loss. Originally, the time was fifty days, but the haggling had reduced it to thirty days. He had simply increased the intensity of his own work.

Zhou Qingfeng asked, "Where is the head of the Demon Suppression Division?"

Yan Jiufang, the head of the Demon Suppression Division, stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Your humble servant is here."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "It's rumored that the people from the Demon Suppression Division are the best fighters. Now, I'm asking my colleagues from the Demon Suppression Division to go out and sweep the streets for me. Arrest anyone who dares to cause trouble, no questions asked, no questions asked. Anyone who causes trouble, just bring them back, lock them up and beat them up. If they resist, kill them on the spot!"

Yan Jiufang was stunned: "Admiral, isn't this method a bit too cruel?"

Zhou Qingfeng said, "The current situation is tense and chaotic. The population has suddenly surged so much, and there is great pressure from all sides. Countless people are taking advantage of the chaos to revel. If we do not take drastic measures, how can we deter these villains and stabilize public sentiment? What I want is stability. Stability and order are above all else. Anyone who dares to cause trouble should be punished severely, strictly, and swiftly. We must make sure that these villains dare not show their faces."

"We must ensure that the chaos within the Sword Tower is effectively contained and prevented from spreading before the Millennium Dragon Ascension Feast begins. Furthermore, once the Millennium Dragon Ascension Feast begins, you will be responsible for the perimeter security of the event. Supervisor Yan, can you do that?"

Yan Jiufang licked his lips, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "This humble official will certainly do it, please rest assured, Admiral."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly, waved his hand to signal Yan Jiufang to sit back down, and then said, "Haishan Inkstone."

Hai Shan Yan, the representative of the Secret Service, stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Here."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "You are to deliver the 108 Dragon Ascension invitations to each holder of the Dragon Bone Scripture within 30 days, and submit a list of their physical appearances to the city defense army to prevent anyone from refusing to attend the banquet and escaping outside the city. In addition, anyone who dares not to attend the banquet should be made to disappear and the Dragon Bone Scripture should be taken back."

Hai Shanyan, the confidant of the secret intelligence officer, replied succinctly: "Yes."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Manager Jin."

Jin Wei stood up and replied, "Yes, sir."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "You will lead all your colleagues in the Plum Blossom Division to investigate serious cases and track down foreign thieves. Your colleagues in the Drum Inspection Division and the Demon Suppression Division will assist you and provide you with sufficient manpower. I want Sword Tower City to be peaceful within these thirty days!"

P.S.: My daily request is for two free gifts plus additional updates. To keep up with the updates, I've already updated two chapters in a row.