Protect Our Patriarch

……

"More importantly, there's no pressure to bear. Anyway, that kid Wang Shouzhe will handle everything. We can team up for some small tasks when we have time, and the rest of the time, we can play cards or do whatever we want, living a carefree and happy life," Emperor Longchang continued to persuade.

"This... this..."

Jiang Zhencang was indeed tempted by his words. After all, he had worried about the Great Qian and the human race for three thousand years! Looking back, it was truly exhausting...

What Longchang described was indeed an enviable life.

"Old Jiang, don't be so hesitant. I think that girl Liyao is quite capable. If she manages the Holy Land, she might do even better than you," Emperor Longchang continued to coax.

Jiang Zhencang rolled his eyes at this: "Wang Liyao is indeed quite capable, but that doesn't mean you can erase all my achievements as the Holy Master over the millennia, right? Besides, you, Longchang, aren't that capable either. Prince An has only been overseeing the country for sixty or seventy years, and his achievements are already evident."

"Hey, Old Jiang, are you trying to hurt each other now?" Emperor Longchang glared, sneering, "Come on~~ I'm not afraid of you! You, Old Jiang, wouldn't even qualify to participate in the Holy Son Struggle now!"

"I'm just stating the truth, Longchang. Why are you so anxious? Wang Shouzhe is right; you've been indulging in military adventures for thousands of years, and there's a big problem with your national policy."

"Good for you, Jiang Zhencang... The Holy Land you manage is a waste, with no creative benefits at all!"

Jiang Zhencang and Emperor Longchang argued back and forth, getting more heated, as if ready to roll up their sleeves and start a fight at any moment.

Seeing this, everyone else quickly dispersed.

The quarrel between two Lingxu Realm big shots was not something they could meddle in with their little arms and legs.

Disperse, disperse~ Everyone go about their business.

……

At the same time.

Southern Qin, northeastern frontier.

Amidst the rolling mountains, a massive army was making its way through the forests and valleys like marching ants, slowly advancing in a certain direction.

Strictly speaking, this area was no longer within the borders of Southern Qin.

The border was already hundreds of miles behind them, and this was considered a buffer zone between the two countries, a typical no-man's land. Whether Southern Qin people or Great Qian people, they rarely came here, except for some desperate herb gatherers who occasionally risked coming here to collect spiritual herbs.

After all, with few people around, wild spiritual herbs were easier to find than in more populated areas.

But because of the lack of human presence, the vegetation here had not been cleared, and coupled with the humid climate and fertile soil, some valleys even had hot springs and mineral veins, allowing the vegetation to grow wildly.

Marching in such a place was naturally troublesome.

Even though this Southern Qin army was entirely composed of cultivators, the presence of a large number of Qi Refining Realm cultivators, corpse puppets not adept at movement techniques, and a massive amount of supplies meant that the lush vegetation growing between the mountains still posed a significant obstacle to their march, preventing them from picking up speed.

At this moment.

In the middle of the army, a group of enormous beasts was making its way through the forest.

These beasts stood nearly two zhang tall at the shoulder, with limbs as thick as stone pillars, their skin rough and heavy, covered with thick yellow-gray rock armor, resembling beast-shaped fortresses, extremely imposing.

The beasts had distinctive long trunks and long tusks protruding from their mouths, making them easily recognizable.

These were the rock-armored giant elephants unique to Southern Qin. After reaching adulthood, they were at least fourth-tier, with the strongest even advancing to sixth-tier. Not only did they have strong defenses, but they were also not slow. If several charged together, the ground would shake, and their impact would be tremendous.

In such mountainous and forested environments, they could also be used to clear paths.

Most importantly, they were very docile and primarily herbivorous, making them much easier to raise than carnivorous fierce beasts, making them a rare war beast.

Even if not used for battle, they could be used to transport goods, with strong transport capabilities, more safety, and a more imposing appearance. Many Southern Qin nobles liked to keep some rock-armored giant elephants to show their strength.

The rock-armored giant elephants in front of them were the property of the Southern Qin army.

On the broad backs of these elephants, houses made of bamboo and wood were built. The houses were exquisitely shaped, with windows and doors, highly private, and luxuriously decorated with silk inside, providing ample space, enough for two people to live without feeling cramped, almost like a mobile hotel.

Compared to the bumpy and narrow carriages, these elephant houses were much more comfortable.

Those qualified to use these elephant houses were naturally high-ranking and powerful figures in the Southern Qin army.

At this moment, in the central elephant house, two people were discussing the next marching plan over a map.

"Another thousand miles forward, and we'll reach the area of Youmen Ridge. The underground spiritual veins in this region are numerous and chaotic, extremely active, often causing earthquakes, and occasionally volcanic eruptions. The terrain changes every few years. The map we have was drawn hundreds of years ago and may not be accurate now. I've sent scouts ahead to draw a new map. Prince Beimin, why don't you and I study it together?"

The speaker was a figure in heavy armor.

He was a spirited old man, with graying hair but still bright eyes, exuding authority without any sign of aging.

This was Murong Kaifeng, the Grand Marshal of the army attacking the Great Qian.

His appearance was not outstanding, but the aura of blood and killing intent from years of battle, and the authority from leading troops for years, made his ordinary square face appear extremely dignified and imposing.

The overwhelming pressure he exuded, filled with bloodthirsty energy, was chilling to behold.

Murong Kaifeng had followed Emperor Yuan You since childhood, loyal and devoted, always serving as his right-hand man. Emperor Yuan You's success in defeating other Quasi-Imperial Heirs to become the new emperor of Southern Qin owed much to his contributions.

Now, he was over fifteen hundred years old. Having become a great prodigy later in life, he was older when he advanced to the Divine Realm, making him appear older than other Divine Realm experts of the same age, but this did not affect his strength and prestige.

This time, to ensure success, Emperor Yuan You had appointed him as the Grand Marshal to lead the army against the Great Qian.

"Marshal Murong is indeed farsighted." Hearing Murong Kaifeng's words, Prince Beimin took a sip of tea and said lightly, "I am not as experienced in military matters as the Marshal, so I will follow your arrangements. When we reach Jianling Pass, it will be my turn to act. I will follow Marshal Murong's lead."

Prince Beimin was a middle-aged man in a dark robe and a gilded crown.

He was thin, with a sinister face, his wide robe hanging loosely on his frame. Dense yin energy surrounded him, making him appear ghostly.

A powerful aura emanated from him, chilling the air around him.

Faintly, there seemed to be a wailing sound like ghosts, making one wonder if his wide black robe hid countless ghosts and spirits.

The rock-armored giant elephants moved forward slowly, the spacious elephant house swaying rhythmically with their steps, but the two inside were unaffected.

"Once we pass Youmen Ridge, we'll be less than two thousand miles from the Great Qian's Jianling Pass," Murong Kaifeng said solemnly. "At that time, we must take advantage of East Qian's unpreparedness to break through Jianling Pass within three days, lead the army deep into the heart of East Qian's Tianfu Commandery, and occupy it as quickly as possible. Then, we can use the natural barrier of the An River to fend off the Canglong Army."

"Meanwhile, Western Jin will cross the treacherous Western Sea Salt Ponds to launch a surprise attack on East Qian's Western Sea Commandery. Our two countries, attacking from the south and north, will surely leave the Great Qian exhausted and in agony."

Hearing this, Prince Beimin frowned slightly: "The strategic plan sounds good, but isn't now a bad time to go to war with East Qian? Longchang has only half-retired. Why not wait patiently for two or three hundred years until Longchang falls, and the East Qian royal family enters a vacuum period for Lingxu Realm cultivators before taking action?"

"At that time, even if East Qian invites a Lingxu Realm from the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty to oversee, that Lingxu Realm would not risk their life to help East Qian."

"Sigh~"

Murong Kaifeng sighed deeply, a hint of bitterness in his expression: "This war is indeed too rushed. I have advised His Majesty that this is not the right time to attack East Qian, fearing that Longchang and Jiang Zhencang might act desperately."

Prince Beimin was puzzled: "Then why..."

"Ah~ isn't it because..." Murong Kaifeng paused, then set up a barrier around them before continuing in a transmitted voice, "His Majesty privately explained to me that he doesn't want this war either. However, a big figure from the Demon Dynasty is behind the scenes pushing for this war, leaving him no choice."

The Demon Dynasty?

Prince Beimin's eyes flickered, and he sneered: "I see. It seems we are being used as cannon fodder by the big figures of the Demon Dynasty to distract and attract the enemy's attention."

"Beimin, don't spread this around," Murong Kaifeng said solemnly. "Although this war is rushed and the timing is wrong, it's precisely because of this that East Qian won't expect us to act before Longchang's death, giving us a surprise advantage."

"Regardless of the Demon Dynasty's motives, we must fight this war well. If we can successfully capture the prosperous Tianfu Commandery, it will greatly alleviate our Southern Qin's shortage of food and salt. If Western Jin can also capture the Western Sea Commandery, East Qian's national strength will be severely damaged."

"Then we can turn our attention to annexing the territory of the Barbarian Gu Clan, and our Southern Qin's national strength will soar."

Listening to Murong Kaifeng's depiction of a bright future, Prince Beimin's eyes also showed some excitement: "Marshal Murong's words make sense. Just thinking about being able to do as I please in the prosperous Tianfu Commandery excites me. Besides, when East Qian killed my Northern Mountain Prince, we can settle that score this time!"

"In that case, I'll trouble you, Prince Beimin, to lead the scouts to control the harsh environment of Youmen Ridge, to prevent East Qian from using it to ambush our Southern Qin army."

"Rest assured, Marshal, leave it to me."

……

Changning Garrison, Xinping Town.

In less than a hundred years, Xinping Town had become the leading town in the An River and East Sea regions.

Ever-changing, is the best term to describe Xinping Town.

According to the household registration center in Xinping Town, the total population in its jurisdiction had reached three million. This included not only the local population but also a large number of migrant workers, distributed across various farms, production bases, and industries.

The first batch of civilians relocated from near the Wang's Clan main residence in Ping'an Town was now wealthy, with the land they were allocated to build houses on being rented out, providing enough income for their families to live like immortals.

Businesses and clans from various commanderies of the Great Qian, if they didn't have branches or bases in Xinping Town, were considered outdated.

Thanks to the Wang's Clan's advancements in cement research, high-grade cement had been widely used in Xinping Town, transforming into reinforced concrete structures, maximizing the use of limited land.

However, cement was a high-energy-consuming and somewhat polluting industry, and the Changning Garrison area had gradually phased out outdated cement production. The cement manufacturing industry had been gradually relocated to the Yan Clan's territory in Longzuo.

Of course, while transferring outdated industries, the Wang's Clan also made several improvements to the new production processes in terms of environmental protection and energy consumption, to minimize environmental damage.

Of course, it's only an improvement.

The demand for cement throughout the Great Qian, including the Wang's Clan, was increasing yearly, and current production capacity still couldn't meet the demand, so stopping was not an option.

Xinping Town, Xitang Street.

A hundred years ago, this was an outer region frontier.

Now, it had become a bustling, lively commercial street with a constant flow of people.

The geographical advantage of being close to Xinping Port made the shops along the street popular locations for branches of various businesses and clan bases, with shop prices rising daily, even surpassing those in Longzuo Commandery City.

The fifty-year-old "New Shun Restaurant" stood in the most prosperous area.

"Waiter, a pot of 'Fire Crystal Brew,' five pounds of cooked spirit-horned yak beef, a large plate of steamed red-tailed spirit fish, and some spirit vegetables, by the window," Zhuge Liangcai, a patrol team leader, was treating some "distant" guests on his rare day off, dressed in a well-tailored outfit.

"Oh, isn't this Captain Zhuge?" The waiter greeted Zhuge Liangcai with a smile, "I'm sorry, but the window seats are all taken today. How about I arrange a quieter private room for you?"

Just as Zhuge Liangcai was about to speak with a smile, a middle-aged woman among the distant guests said, "Uncle Liangcai, you're the captain of the Wang's Clan patrol team, and you can't even get a window seat?"

Zhuge Liangcai hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He looked around and indeed found no window seats, so he said, "Auntie Guihua, Sixth Uncle, and the two uncles, let's make do for today, and I'll reserve a window seat for tomorrow."

The Zhuge family's ancestors were from Lingbei Commandery. When the An River flooded, they fled south and were taken in by the Wang's Clan, settled in the refugee camp.

Later, by working on river embankments and clearing waterways for the Wang's Clan, they settled in Ping'an Town. When the Wang's Clan main residence expanded, the Zhuge family moved to Xitang in Xinping Town, and their family conditions improved with the Wang's Clan's development.

As the saying goes, "Poor in the bustling city, no one asks; rich in the deep mountains, distant relatives come."

Their Ancestor Grandfather insisted on returning to his hometown to visit relatives after establishing himself, saying he wanted to "return to his roots after death." As a result, they recognized relatives but also attracted a lot of trouble. Now that Xinping Town was thriving, distant relatives frequently came to seek refuge.

Zhuge Liangcai had already hosted seven batches of distant relatives, painstakingly arranging accommodation and work for them.

Honestly, he was already quite annoyed, but he feared these distant relatives would gossip and criticize the Zhuge family behind their backs, so he had to endure.

After all, the graves of Ancestor Grandfather Zhuge Wenyao and Second Ancestor Zhuge Tiedan were still in the ancestral land, and he feared someone might act out of spite.

"Hehe~" Auntie Guihua raised an eyebrow, "The villagers say your branch is doing well in Xinping Town, with power and money. If you look down on us poor relatives, just say so, and we won't stay."

The other distant relatives also looked displeased.

A patrol team captain couldn't even get a window seat, didn't that mean they weren't valued?

"Liangcai, you can't be ungrateful. We take care of your ancestors' graves..."

"Auntie Guihua, Sixth Uncle, and the two uncles," Zhuge Liangcai sighed helplessly, "Please wait while I try to coordinate."

With that, he observed the situation at the window tables again.

Some tables were clearly occupied by wealthy or noble individuals, making coordination difficult. Only one table had two elderly men dressed plainly, whispering and looking around, seemingly not of high status.

Sigh~

Zhuge Liangcai sighed deeply, deciding to coordinate while resolving to return to Lingbei after reaching the Lingtai Realm, personally apologize to the ancestors, and relocate their graves.

Meanwhile.

At the window table, two old men were enjoying a drink and secretly communicating.

"I say, Longchang, are you bored? Why insist on bringing me to this tavern for a drink?" One plainly dressed old man complained, "And why make me dress like a commoner?"

"Oh, Jiang Zhencang, you sure have a big Holy Master ego." Emperor Longchang happily gnawed on a chicken leg, "For big shots like us, staying in high positions for too long means everything we see and hear is filtered and beautified. Only by truly immersing ourselves in the grassroots can we see the real world. I'm giving you a taste of reality~"

"You sure talk a good game." Jiang Zhencang rolled his eyes, "I heard from Shouzhe that you do three things near the Wang's Clan: play cards, extract spiritual veins, and make trouble for Wang Shouzhe."

"Trouble? What do you mean by trouble?" Emperor Longchang jumped up, transmitting impatiently, "I call it 'supervision,' 'encouragement'!"

"Wang Shouzhe's influence is growing, and he's becoming a 'local emperor.' If I don't keep an eye on him, I'm sure he'll cause chaos. Oppressing men and women, exploiting the people, deceiving superiors and subordinates~~"

"Really? That doesn't match Shouzhe's style," Jiang Zhencang said doubtfully.

"That's because I'm here." Emperor Longchang chuckled coldly, "I occasionally disguise myself as a commoner, infiltrating the grassroots to gather public sentiment, effectively putting a 'tightening curse' on Wang Shouzhe. Yes, like that famous story's 'tightening curse.'"

"Have you caught him doing anything wrong?" Jiang Zhencang asked, exasperated.

"Not yet, but soon. I'll catch him eventually," Emperor Longchang huffed, "Then I'll sternly order him to reflect and rectify!"

As they spoke, Zhuge Liangcai approached, bowing, "Elders, could you exchange this window seat with me?"

"No, go away," Emperor Longchang waved impatiently.

"Oh, you old man, you have quite a temper," Auntie Guihua interjected, raising an eyebrow and sneering, "Do you know who our Liangcai is? He's a Wang's Clan School elite, now serving as the captain of the Xinping Port patrol team. Can you afford to offend us, you two old men?"

"Wang's Clan patrol team?"

Emperor Longchang paused, then his eyes lit up.

Wasn't this exactly what he wanted?

Emperor Longchang's heart was filled with joy. No wonder they said Wang Shouzhe had a hand in everything. Take Xinping Town, for instance; it should belong to the nation, right?

The Wang's Clan had established a garrison office according to national policy, with officials appointed by the higher-level garrison town. They even specified that the garrison commander should be from elsewhere.

But what use was it?

This was Wang Shouzhe's domain, where even a fart from him was louder than the garrison commander's orders.

And the patrol camp under the garrison office was entirely staffed by Wang's Clan people.

Hehe~ Wang Shouzhe, let's see how I catch you this time.

Emperor Longchang was excited at the thought of calling Wang Shouzhe over for a stern lecture and ordering him to make corrections.

……