This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Yong'an City was originally peaceful, but after a few events, people suddenly felt that Yong'an had become lively.

The return of Zhan Shuai to the capital is the first major event. With Zhan Aotian's arrival, a new force seems to have emerged in the court. The civil and military officials, who had previously performed their respective duties and maintained a relatively stable situation, now seem to have had their voices stripped away overnight with Zhan Shuai's return.

The civil officials, led by the two prime ministers, were surprisingly silent. It seemed to be an unspoken agreement to relinquish control over many matters. This puzzled many lower-ranking officials. Why did the civil officials choose to remain silent? Had the warlord's prestige reached such a level?

The military commanders were overjoyed. In the past, every time a military commander went to war, the civil officials would criticize him for a long time regarding the lack of provisions and weapons. Now, with the return of the generals to the capital, this phenomenon has completely disappeared. Many civil officials have even taken the initiative to lower their stance, which makes them extremely proud.

This made many people realize a problem: civil officials had controlled the court for too long, and Emperor Wu seemed to intend to break this balance. The return of the military commanders to the capital was one of Emperor Wu's moves.

Another move was by the eldest princess.

After passing the test at the city gates, the area in front of the Princess's residence was filled with people presenting gifts and welcoming her back to the capital. For the first time, the court officials realized that not only had the balance of power in the court been disrupted, but the balance among the princes had also been broken.

At this moment, another shocking piece of news arrived: the Crown Prince had disrespected the Sage and was confined to the Eastern Palace. This news startled everyone.

The eldest princess returned to the capital, and the crown prince was placed under house arrest. Does this mean anything?

The Great Qian Dynasty thus entered a new political era. Of course, these were not matters for ordinary people to consider, nor did they care. What the masses were concerned with was the young swordsman and the desolate wilderness.

Let's start with the young sword immortals. Although the Great Qian Dynasty has several famous young sword immortals, surprisingly, Yong'an, which is part of the Great Qian Dynasty, does not have a single young sword immortal. There is the Peerless Sword of the Northern Region, the Scholar Sword of the Eastern Region, the Five Sword Masters of the Southern Region, and the Western Region is a mixed bag, so it doesn't matter. But what about Yong'an?

With Xiao Xingchen's appearance, he was also spontaneously given a title: Yong'an War Sword. Why "war" in his name? Because this sword is sharp; it once drew its blade at the War Marshal's Mansion and knocked out one of the Manghuang Grand Commander's teeth.

The name of the War Sword resounded throughout Yong'an; everyone in the streets and alleys was discussing its origins, yet no one knew where it actually came from.

All that is known is that Zhan Jian bowed three times to the late Empress and resolved the problem of the Eldest Princess's entry into the city. This has led many to speculate that Zhan Jian was on good terms with the late Empress and the Eldest Princess, which has indirectly led some to align Zhan Jian with the Eldest Princess's camp.

As a result of this chain reaction, many members of the Murong clan transferred their worship of the sword to the eldest princess, causing crowds to gather in front of her residence.

However, behind the scenes, the investigation into Xiao Xingchen never stopped. This included not only various forces but also the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor's secret guards had done nothing but devote themselves entirely to investigating Xiao Xingchen's background these past few days.

From his appearance to his encounter with the princess's entourage, and the subsequent series of events, everything was investigated and clarified. However, before the point of meeting the princess, they found no clues whatsoever.

This made the guards uneasy. Within the Great Qian territory, there was no one they couldn't find. If they couldn't find someone before, they'd at most receive a reprimand, but now, that young man had become a battle sword…

A young sword immortal of mysterious origins—this will keep many people from sleeping soundly.

Chu He was sent out to get close to Zhan Jian, but Zhan Jian was holed up in the Zheng family compound, making it impossible for him to find a suitable opportunity.

For the first time in many years, the leader of the secret guards felt that the situation was difficult.

"So you haven't found anything these past few days?"

Faced with Emperor Wu's questioning, the head of the secret guards turned pale and hurriedly replied,

"Your Majesty, please give us some more time,"

Emperor Wu had originally planned to meet the young man after thoroughly investigating his background, but now it seemed that he wouldn't be able to wait that day.

He was well aware of his own bodyguards' abilities; since they couldn't find out, it only meant one thing.

This person's background is questionable.

A disciple of a near-saint, an ancient figure from the late Empress, a young swordsman—ever since this boy appeared, he has become the center of attention. This has recently puzzled the Martial Emperor. The selection of genius youths has been conducted in secret, yet he has never discovered such a gifted youth within the Great Qian territory.

Moreover, his name was Xiao Xingchen, which forced him to contact the Xiao family in the world of sword immortals, and even connect him with the missing eldest son of the Xiao family.

However, he had detailed records of Xiao Jianren's life, and it was impossible to tell that this was the same person. Whether it was their style of conduct, their personality, or their talent and abilities, everything matched up.

And then there's the eldest son of the Xiao family, who went to the capital and ended up disappearing, which greatly displeased Emperor Wu with the work of the secret guards.

“Go investigate the place where he first met the princess's carriage. I refuse to believe he fell from the sky. Extend the investigation in all directions from that place.”

"Yes, my subordinate will do it now."

After dismissing the guards, Emperor Wu put down Xiao Xingchen's intelligence report and looked to the other side. On his desk were several letters, one from the Northern Region and one from the Western Region. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Interesting. Although this kid ruined my plans, this nobody's arrival in the capital has also disrupted their plans, hasn't it?"

Yong'an City may not seem large, but its every move can disrupt the overall situation of the world.

Ye Mansion

The two prime ministers, who were sworn enemies, were having tea together in the Ye family garden. They were lying on rocking chairs, basking in the sun, looking quite comfortable.

This scene went unnoticed, but anyone who did would have been astonished. Since the establishment of the Left and Right Chancellors, civil officials have been divided into two camps.

It's common knowledge that the Left and Right Chancellors are at odds, yet now they're sitting together drinking tea and chatting like two old friends.

"Is there any reaction from Zhan Aotian's side?" Ye Xiang asked.

"What kind of reaction could he possibly have? He should thank that young swordsman. If it weren't for that young man interfering with everything, Zhan Aotian would probably be retired in prison by now, hehe."

"However, Wu Xie's actions are constant and quite flamboyant. It's a real pity. He went too far in deceiving everyone. He's still too young."

The Right Chancellor, waving a paper fan, said leisurely,

Ye Yunfeng stood respectfully to the side, and upon hearing this, he was startled. For some reason, he sensed a conspiracy.

He dared not speak. His father had allowed him to stand there, and clearly some of these words were a test.

"Yunfeng, what do you think of that young swordsman?"

At this moment, Ye Xiang suddenly changed the subject and asked him,

After careful consideration, Ye Yunfeng still gave Xiao Xingchen a very high evaluation.

"With his extraordinary talent, he deserves a place among the outstanding young people."

"Oh, it seems Yunfeng has a high opinion of him. Well, it makes sense. To be able to fight across borders and knock out Wu Xie's tooth, this young man is truly remarkable. Old Ye, do you think we should go and get to know him?" The Right Prime Minister straightened his posture, clearly not expecting Ye Yunfeng to give such a high evaluation. However, it suited his taste; he also found Xiao Xingchen quite agreeable.

"Yunfeng, go ahead. It's easier for young people to make friends."

"Yes, father,"

The Left Prime Minister sighed softly.

"The Great Qian Dynasty may seem calm on the surface, but in reality, it is already turbulent. Once the fall of the Northern Region is confirmed, it will be a cataclysmic event. We must be prepared and have a long-term vision. We should not be concerned about the gains and losses in the court. No matter how much the court makes a fuss, it will be controlled in Yong'an. But the Northern Region is the real threat."

Ye Yunfeng's hand holding the teacup trembled, spilling some tea. He stared wide-eyed in disbelief, wondering if he had misheard.

The Northern Regions have fallen? How could that be?