The poorest member of the Imperial Guard, the Empress begged me to embezzle.

"The Killing Sword Manual?"

Fang Heng was stunned for a moment. Looking at the martial arts manual Chu Xiu handed him, his face showed immense gratitude. He took the manual, knelt down, and said with tears of gratitude, "On behalf of all the brothers of the entire Northern Garrison, thank you, sir, for bestowing this technique upon us!"

This is the true art of martial arts!

Within the Great Zhou Dynasty, powerful families and sects possessed various incredibly powerful martial arts techniques.

Ordinary people, however, have no way to obtain these powerful martial arts techniques.

Even these elite guards of the Northern Garrison only possessed one martial art that could be cultivated to the Innate Realm at most.

Unless one performs a great service and receives a reward from the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it is possible to obtain more advanced martial arts techniques.

Otherwise, there would be no way to obtain such a unique skill!

Now, Chu Xiu has imparted a martial art that is enough to cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm and become a Nascent Soul True Person to the entire Northern Garrison Command's elite guards.

One can imagine how grateful Fang Heng was to Chu Xiu!

"Alright, as long as you serve me well, I will never treat you unfairly!"

"Even those above the Nascent Soul Realm might not be without a chance!"

Chu Xiu smiled calmly and said to Fang Heng.

"Yes, Your Excellency! I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation!"

Fang Heng said with utmost respect.

"Rise, gather all the elite guards of the Northern Garrison, and pass on this killing manual."

"At the same time, we will select trustworthy men from good families to supplement our Northern Garrison Command."

Chu Xiu said calmly.

After all, the Northern Garrison Command had undergone a major purge, and these vacant Imperial Guard positions naturally needed to be filled.

There are usually two ways to select people for the Embroidered Uniform Guard: one is to select from the respectable families of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This respectable young man was not someone outside the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but a hereditary member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Another method was to select elite guards from the various Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) units across the Great Zhou Dynasty to enter the capital.

This was to ensure the loyalty of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"Yes, sir!"

Fang Heng said with a respectful expression.

Chu Xiu waved his hand and remained silent.

Fang Heng bowed and then withdrew.

at this time!

A Jinyiwei captain strode over and knelt before Chu Xiu, saying respectfully, "Reporting to Your Excellency, Lady Jiang Wan'er, the Grand Lady of the Directorate of Ceremonial, has arrived and is waiting outside our Northern Garrison Office."

"Oh?"

Chu Xiu raised an eyebrow and said, "I understand."

After saying that, Chu Xiu took a step and disappeared from the spot.

He had already guessed that Jiang Wan'er's arrival must be due to the arrival of Empress Murong Si's reward.

In a moment.

Outside the Northern Garrison Command's office.

Jiang Wan'er stood outside the Northern Garrison Command with a group of Imperial Guards.

Chu Xiu strode out of the Northern Garrison Office with an imposing air, cupped his hands in greeting to Jiang Wan'er, and said, "Chu Xiu greets Lord Jiang."

As the garrison commander of the Northern Garrison, he was a fourth-rank official.

As the female official in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Jiang Wan'er was a fourth-rank official.

More importantly, Jiang Wan'er was a close female official serving Empress Murong Si.

The female official in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was also known as the Inner Chancellor in the Great Zhou Dynasty, so Chu Xiu naturally dared not neglect her duties.

"You're too kind, Lord Chu."

Jiang Wan'er returned the greeting with a gentle smile. Her cool and beautiful face, adorned with such a smile, instantly evoked a sense of a hundred flowers blooming, making everything in the world pale in comparison.

Chu Xiu secretly praised him in his heart, purely in terms of appearance.

Jiang Wan'er is even no weaker than Empress Murong Si.

Her aloof and arrogant temperament is simply astonishing.

The only difference between them is their social status.

And Murong Si's incomparably noble empress aura.

"Lord Jiang, may I ask what brings you here?"

Chu Xiu smiled gently and asked Jiang Wan'er.

"Lord Chu, have you finished dealing with your affairs at the Northern Garrison?"

"If you have finished dealing with this, Wan'er will now take Lord Chu to the mansion that His Majesty has bestowed upon you."

Jiang Wan'er regained her cool demeanor and spoke to Chu Xiu.

Although she appeared aloof, she referred to herself as Wan'er and showed great affection towards Chu Xiu.

This was naturally because Empress Murong Si's attitude towards Chu Xiu made her want to befriend him.

"It's all been taken care of."

Chu Xiu said with a smile.

He naturally understood the meaning behind Jiang Wan'er referring to herself as Wan'er.

"Now that Lord Chu has finished dealing with the affairs of the Northern Garrison, Wan'er will take you to the mansion now."

Jiang Wan'er nodded slightly and said.

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Jiang."

Chu Xiu bowed to Jiang Wan'er in thanks.

"Lord Chu, there's no need to be so polite. This is something His Majesty ordered, and it's Wan'er's duty."

"please."

Jiang Wan'er shook her head and extended her hand to Chu Xiu in invitation.

Chu Xiu nodded and left the Northern Garrison Office with Jiang Wan'er.

Led by Jiang Wan'er, Chu Xiu arrived at a mansion covering an area of ​​more than several dozen acres in less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.

The mansion had a plaque with the words "Chu Mansion" hanging above it, and more than two hundred people were standing outside.

Chu Xiu couldn't help but show a look of surprise and said, "Lord Jiang, are you sure this is the residence His Majesty bestowed upon me?"

"Lord Chu is right. This mansion is indeed the one His Majesty bestowed upon Lord Chu."

Jiang Wan'er smiled and said, "This mansion was left behind by a retired official who returned to his hometown."

It has been vacant for some time now.

"But Lord Chu, rest assured, this place has been thoroughly cleaned up."

"It's too big. It's too extravagant for me to live alone."

Chu Xiu gave a wry smile and said.

"Lord Chu is the Commander of the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard of our Great Zhou Dynasty, a high-ranking official of the fourth rank."

"If the mansion is too small, wouldn't people look down on our Great Zhou Dynasty?"

Jiang Wan'er said softly, "His Majesty knows that Lord Chu is not a corrupt official. Although he has the gold and silver bestowed by His Majesty, he is still worried that Lord Chu will not be able to support the guards and maids in his mansion."

So I had Wan'er deliver a message to Lord Chu.

"What message did His Majesty convey to me?"

Chu Xiu looked at Jiang Wan'er with a curious expression and asked.

"His Majesty says that, from this day forward, Lord Chu may keep half of all the confiscated property from the Northern Garrison!"

"The remaining half will be kept in the Northern Garrison Office to provide for the training and maintenance of the Northern Garrison's elite guards."

Jiang Wan'er took out a scroll of imperial edict from her sleeve and handed it to Chu Xiu, saying, "With this imperial edict, Lord Chu can embezzle... and intercept the proceeds of the Northern Garrison Command without any guilt, without worrying that anyone can impeach you!"

"..."

Is this because the empress sees that I am too poor and begs me to embezzle?

Chu Xiu paused, then said with a strange expression, "Lord Jiang, isn't this imperial edict a bit inappropriate?"

The rule of the Northern Garrison Command has always been that half of all the proceeds from confiscation must be handed over to the imperial treasury of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and only the other half can remain in the Northern Garrison Command.

but now……

It's like she didn't want half of what Empress Murong Si had, and gave it to Chu Xiu.