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

"Qin Mohan pays his respects to the General!"

When Qin Mohan saw Chu Xiu come out, he knelt down on one knee and shouted to him in a firm and resounding voice.

"General Qin, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise."

Chu Xiu smiled gently, walked up to Qin Mohan, helped him up with both hands, and said with a smile.

"Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Qin Mohan thanked Chu Xiu.

"General Qin, Yangzhou is now in your hands."

"After the new governor and military commander of Yangzhou arrive, you can hand over Yangzhou to them."

"I will return to the capital first. Once our elite Imperial Guards have handed over the various prefectures of Yangzhou to General Qin, they will return to the capital."

Chu Xiu pondered for a moment, then spoke to Qin Mohan.

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys."

Qin Mohan said in a firm and powerful voice.

Chu Xiu took a step and vanished into the world, as if he had never existed at all.

"Farewell to the Marquis."

Qin Mohan and Fang Heng shouted in unison.

After a stick of incense.

Yang Mansion.

The steward of the Yang family arrived at the study deep inside the Yang mansion and said respectfully, "Master, news has arrived."

Squeak.

The door to the study slowly opened.

Yang Yan came out of the study and said calmly, "What is it?"

"Master, the plan has completely failed. Chu Xiu led the elite of the Embroidered Uniform Guard into Yangzhou, killed the Great Wheel King of the Maitreya Sect in the Yangzhou Prefectural Governor's Mansion, and suppressed a group of Jianghu people."

"Xiao Yu led the direct descendants of the Xiao family of Yangzhou and the direct descendants of the Maitreya Sect to flee in disarray, and the entire Yangzhou has been taken back by Chu Xiu."

"The steward of the Yang family said with his head down."

"The head of the Xiao family of Yangzhou?"

"The leader of the Maitreya sect?"

"Mud can't hold up a wall!"

"Our Yang family has already done so much, yet he remains so despicable!"

In the end, they could only flee in disarray.

Upon hearing this, even Yang Yan, who was usually calm, couldn't help but get angry. He revealed a hint of sarcasm on his face and said...

“Master, Xiao Yu’s preparations are still insufficient. The Maitreya Sect’s Unborn Ghost Soldiers and Unborn Ghost Generals have not yet truly emerged. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Chu Xiu to suppress the Maitreya Sect.”

The steward of the Yang family gave a wry smile and said.

"No, that's not the issue!"

"He's indecisive and not decisive enough!"

"That's the crux of the matter!"

"Although the time for the birthless ghost soldiers and birthless ghost generals of the Maitreya sect to truly emerge has not yet come, it will still take some time before they are truly forged."

"But if I were Xiao Yu, even if the time hadn't come yet, I would have the Unborn Ghost Soldiers and Unborn Ghost Generals come out first, and use the formation of the Maitreya Sect to resist Chu Xiu."

"It's not just a matter of holding off Chu Xiu; killing him might not be impossible!"

"This person is simply afraid to gamble, lacks the gambling spirit, and cannot make decisive decisions; he is destined to fail."

"Even if he manages to create both the Unborn Ghost Soldiers and the Unborn Ghost Generals in the future, he'll still be nothing but a clown, utterly vulnerable!"

Yang Yan shook his head and said with a look of certainty.

"Sir, what's next?"

The steward of the Yang family hesitated for a moment, then asked Yang Yan.

"We don't need to do anything else."

"Since this matter has failed, it means that it is not yet time for our Yang family to take action. We should wait for the right opportunity."

Yang Yan waved his sleeve and said casually.

"Yes, the old slave understands."

The steward of the Yang family said with a respectful expression.

"Is there anything else?"

Yang Yan glanced at the Yang family steward and said.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty heard this news during the court assembly: He appointed Chu Xiu as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Commission, and..."

The steward of the Yang family took a deep breath to calm his turmoil, and said in a slightly trembling voice.

"And what?"

Yang Yan raised an eyebrow and looked at the Yang family steward to ask.

After all, this was his old steward who had been with him for decades and had seen a lot of things. If it weren't for an extraordinary reward, he wouldn't have acted this way.

"Wearing a sword and shoes in the palace, not having to bow when entering the court, and not using one's name when praising and paying homage..."

The steward of the Yang family said, unable to hide his shock.

"What did you say?"

Yang Yan looked at the Yang family steward with an incredulous expression on his face.

"My lord, His Majesty has granted Chu Xiu permission to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, to enter the court without bowing, and to pay homage without using his name!"

The steward of the Yang family repeated himself.

"What a fine example of entering the palace with a sword and shoes, not having to bow when entering the court, and not using one's name when praising and paying homage!"

"The Great Zhou Dynasty is indeed doomed!"

Yang Yan sneered and said, "Even if His Majesty were to confer upon Chu Xiu the title of Duke, I would not see any problem with it."

After all, Chu Xiu reclaimed the entire Yangzhou region this time, and without our Great Zhou Dynasty mobilizing a single soldier. This is an absolutely monumental achievement.

But he actually bestowed such an honor upon Chu Xiu!

This is a sign of a country's demise, with imperial power slipping away and powerful figures dominating the court!

Even if Chu Xiu hasn't reached that point yet.

But given His Majesty's favor towards Chu Xiu, such a situation was bound to occur sooner or later!

The steward of the Yang family lowered his head and remained silent; he was by no means qualified to speak.

"However, what does this have to do with me?"

"For me and for my Yang family, it is beneficial and harmless."

After a pause, Yang Yan said calmly, "Give the order to the kitchen to prepare a meal for me. I want to eat."

"Yes, this old servant will immediately instruct the kitchen to prepare food for the master."

Upon hearing this, the steward of the Yang family showed a look of surprise and delight.

Since Chu Xiu killed the two Dharma Kings of the Maitreya Sect, greatly weakening the sect's strength, and even annihilated 100,000 Yangzhou soldiers with a single blow, Yang Yan, though seemingly calm, had actually not eaten for several days and had been staying in his study.

Now that Yang Yan was finally going to have his meal, the steward of the Yang family felt a great weight lifted from his heart.

There are no secrets in the palace. Not only Yang Yan received the news, but many nobles and aristocratic families in the Great Zhou Dynasty who did not attend the court meeting also learned about Empress Murong Si's bestowal of honors upon Chu Xiu. Countless nobles and aristocratic families were extremely shocked at this moment.

of course.

After the initial shock, these people, like Yang Yan, were overjoyed.

And this moment.

Chu Xiu also returned to the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He had just returned to the capital when the news was spread by various powerful figures who had been keeping a close eye on the various forces outside the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters.

Soon, Jiang Wan'er led a group of Imperial Guards out of the palace and arrived outside the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Imperial decree has arrived! Marquis of Champion, receive the decree!"

Jiang Wan'er arrived outside the Jinyiwei headquarters, dismounted, took out an imperial edict from her sleeve, and shouted loudly.

Not long after.

Chu Xiu's voice came from the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Your humble servant Chu Xiu receives the imperial decree."

"My lord, there's no need for these formalities."

"See for yourself."

Jiang Wan'er smiled gently, handed the imperial edict in her hand to Chu Xiu, and said.

After returning to the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he handed over the remaining eighteen Taiqing Jade Liquid Pills to Ximen Jue and then went back to his study.

The elite of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, including its secret agents, had been largely dispatched, so the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters in the capital was not very strong. Chu Xiu had not yet received news of the Empress Murong Si's reward to him in the court.