You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Early morning at the Royal Palace of Xinzheng.

[Missed the morning court session; internal strength +6.]

[Enchanted by beautiful women, internal strength +6.]

[Colluding with the demonic path, Demonic Heart +5.]

[Excessive indulgence in lust, bonus reward: Cultivation +15188.]

[Leading a rebellion, utterly absurd, Dao Enlightenment +2.]

[Reusing a wicked concubine can bring ruin to a country; calligraphy +10, painting +10, chess +10, musical instrument skills +10.]

"Oh……"

Looking at the golden characters before him, Lu Zuo shook his head and chuckled, muttering to himself, "Ever since I've been traveling back and forth between the two worlds, my inner strength attribute for being attracted to beautiful women has increased from a fixed 3 points to 6 points."

"By adding in the absence from the morning court session, one can gain twelve days' worth of internal energy growth in a single day..."

"If it were the Ming or Song dynasties..."

Thinking of this, Lu Zuo couldn't help but feel a little expectant.

Immediately, he secretly gave the golden finger the instruction: "Add all your cultivation to the Yin Meridian Eight Curses."

[Consuming 15188 cultivation points, the Yin Meridian Eight Curses have been mastered to perfection.]

Buzz!

As the notification tone ended, a buzzing sound seemed to suddenly ring in Lu Zuo's ears.

Immediately afterwards, a series of strange sensations came from deep within my body.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment quietly emerged from the depths of my dantian, like a bright moon leaping out of the sea of ​​clouds, its clear light spreading everywhere.

The five elements of true energy that were originally flowing independently within his body were now cleverly connected by a newly emerging yin energy.

The five elements no longer operate in isolation, but are connected end to end, forming a perfect cyclical pattern:

The Qi of Kidney Water flows gently, nourishing the Qi of Liver Wood, just as sweet rain moistens the forest.

The liver's wood energy flourishes and grows stronger, boosting the heart's fire energy, much like adding firewood to a furnace.

The fire of the heart burns fiercely, smelting the earth element of the spleen, just as a raging fire refines true gold.

The spleen's earth element is thick and heavy, which generates the lung's metal element, just as the earth contains mineral veins.

Ultimately, the lung metal qi descends and gathers, then condenses and returns to the kidney water qi, completing a cycle of mutual generation.

At the same time, the Yin and Yang energies naturally rise from this cycle of the Five Elements.

Yang energy is pure and light, like the rising sun and the constant moon, governing growth and transformation.

The yin energy is heavy and turbid, like the silent night before an abyss, and governs solemnity and stagnation.

The two are not clearly distinct, but rather like two agile fish chasing and playing within the five elements, with yin within yang and yang within yin, achieving a dynamic and mysterious balance.

"The Five Elements cycle, Yin and Yang are in balance..."

"My own true essence has also undergone a mysterious change, containing some kind of inexplicable and indescribable power..."

"The Yin-Yang School's martial arts are indeed unique."

Thinking of this, Lu Zuo couldn't help but become interested in the martial arts of the Taoist, Mohist, and even the School of Diplomacy schools.

Unfortunately……

Learning someone else's martial arts isn't that easy; I'll figure it out slowly later.

"Now that the great cycle of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements has been completed, it's time to join forces with the Shadow Guards and meet that Yin Emperor."

"Your Majesty..."

At this moment, a lazy and delicate voice interrupted Lu Zuo's thoughts.

The voice, slightly hoarse from just waking up, brushed against the quiet morning air like a feather.

He glanced to the side and saw the beautiful and charming Mingzhu lying on the dragon bed, one hand resting on her cheek, her long, flowing black hair adding to her alluring charm.

She slowly opened her eyes, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with moisture, as if they held a pool of spring water.

Seeing Lu Zuo looking over, a faint smile naturally appeared on her lips, and her delicate body pressed against Lu Zuo's arm like a boneless snake.

"Why has Your Majesty risen so early today?"

As she spoke, her slender fingers unconsciously traced circles on Lu Zuo's chest, creating a provocative rhythm.

Lu Zuo, who had intended to return directly to the Tang Dynasty world, suddenly had an idea and ordered, "Put your hair up."

The Tide Demoness also called out towards the door, "King Han An, go and get hot water and ice."

……

More than an hour later, Chao Nu Yao went to court, satisfied.

Lu Zuo found a secluded spot and used his travel permit to return to the Tang Dynasty world, specifically to the Prefectural Governor's residence in Dongyang City.

"Judging by the time, the Shadow Guards should be coming to find me soon."

The time Lu Zuo mentioned was precisely the time when the Dragon Scale Dagger was delivered to Jiankang and the "Emperor" gave a reply.

Next...

Let's wait for them to come to us in Dongyang for now.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Wei Hanjiang has arrived."

Just then, the sound of a yamen runner reporting came from outside the bedroom.

"They've finally arrived..."

Although Lu Zuo was familiar with the martial arts of the God of War, he had neither the time to manage the training of the new army nor the manpower to do so.

The only option is to transfer someone from Nantong to this side...

.......

Half an hour later.

A new notice with vermilion outlines was posted next to the towering city gate, attracting many people entering the city to stop and watch.

An elderly man, who appeared to have had some schooling, squinted and read aloud, word by word:

"Prefect of Dongyang: In order to protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people, we are now conscripting new soldiers throughout the entire territory of Dongyang."

"Anyone from Dongyang who is between sixteen and forty years old, has a clean family background, and is physically strong can apply for the position."

"The new soldiers were given twenty mu of land upon entering the camp to settle their families."

"Daily rations of rice and meat are plentiful, and the monthly salary... is one tael of silver?"

Wow!

The crowd immediately erupted in uproar.

Twenty mu of land, a monthly salary of one tael!

These conditions are something that ordinary farmers would never even dare to dream of.

The old man raised his hand to quell the commotion and continued reading, "Also..."

"The new army soldiers are all supplied with martial arts techniques and medicines by the government, so they can... can they practice martial arts to strengthen their bodies and fight the enemy?"

As the last eight words were spoken, a moment of deathly silence fell over the city gate.

As the last eight words were spoken, a moment of deathly silence fell over the city gate.

It was like a drop of cold water falling into a pot of boiling oil.

"Practice martial arts?"

A man carrying a machete suddenly widened his eyes: "Did I hear that right? Martial arts training? The government is teaching us peasants martial arts?"

"What a joke!" A dark-skinned old farmer next to him shook his head vigorously. "Martial arts are something only men and temple masters can handle!"

"We commoners of lowly blood, toiling in the soil generation after generation, how could we possibly have such good fortune?"

"Brother, your information is way out of touch!" A peddler who looked like he'd traveled all over the country suddenly interrupted him: "Do you know Nantong County?"

"Our Lord Lu trained a new army there before, and it was entirely composed of ordinary people like us!"

"I've heard they can smash bricks with their fists and run faster than horses!"

"Really?" The crowd immediately surrounded the peddler.

"Absolutely true! I just came back from selling goods over there!" The peddler patted his chest confidently. "The news has spread all over Nantong already!"

"His Majesty and Lord Lu said that as long as one is willing to serve the Great Chen Dynasty and endure hardship, regardless of one's background, one can learn martial arts!"

"This is true imperial grace!"

A young man with a face covered in dust squeezed to the front: "If we can really learn martial arts, we'll never have to be afraid of those loan sharks again."

"I could be like the chivalrous heroes in traditional operas..."

Before he could finish speaking, the breathing of many young people around him quickened.

For those of them, born in the dust and raised in the ravines, martial arts is not only about power, but also a way out that may allow them to escape generations of poverty and a fate of being trampled on by others!

"But how much money does it cost to learn martial arts?"

"How much meat would they need? We can't possibly afford it..."

"Didn't the notice say that the government provides food, lodging, and medicine?"

At that moment, a monk in a brocade robe and holding a pure gold staff looked at the crowd below the city gate and sighed, "Alas..."

"Amitabha Buddha, what a sin, what a sin."

His eyes, however, revealed a hint of pity and worry: "Cause and effect are cyclical, and retribution is inevitable."

"The idea that all beings are equal is an illusion; the distinction between the noble and the lowly is determined by karma from past lives."

"These sinners did not cultivate good deeds in their previous lives, and they deserve to suffer in this life to repay their past debts and eliminate their sins."

"That Prefect Lu, attempting to defy fate and forcibly elevate criminals, is tantamount to dabbling in the law of cause and effect, and his crime is unforgivable!"

"What appears to be a act of kindness is actually sowing the seeds of greater evil, causing immense harm to others, and will inevitably result in karmic retribution in the future."

Beside him stood a woman with a graceful figure, dressed in a plain dress.

Her face was veiled, obscuring her entire appearance; only her eyes remained clear and cold as water.

"What the master says is absolutely right."

"That Lu Zuo is inciting people's hearts, disrupting the law, and corrupting the moral order."

"To allow these uncouth criminals to wield power is tantamount to setting fire to the marketplace, leaving behind endless calamities."

"If this continues, with no distinction between superiors and inferiors, and the order of things turned upside down, what order will remain in this world?"

"It's nothing more than satisfying their own selfish desires and engaging in activities that seek fame and reputation."

Just then, another yamen runner from the prefectural government arrived at the city gate.

He walked straight to the empty space on the city wall notice board, skillfully applied paste, and steadily pasted a newly mounted notice.

The old man who had been reading the notice earlier stepped forward and read aloud: "Order of the Prefect of Dongyang: The wasteland cultivated by the mechanical beast Dang Kangli belongs to the government."

"To alleviate the people's hardship, these newly cultivated fields are hereby distributed equally among the landless farmers within the territory of Dongyang!"

"Eligible landless farmers can register at the newly established Agricultural Affairs Department starting tomorrow at dawn to await the allocation of land!"

"At that time, the Agricultural Department will distribute tools such as hoes and picks, and each household will clear the weeds and pebbles from their allocated fields."

The notice was like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil; the crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even more violent uproar than before!

"Dividing the land?"

"Really dividing the land?!"

The man carrying a machete spoke in a trembling voice, grabbing the old farmer beside him: "Uncle!"

"Did you hear me?"

"The government is going to allocate land to us!"

"I heard it! I heard it!" The old farmer trembled all over. "Heaven has opened its eyes!"

"My family has been tenant farmers for three generations, and finally, in my generation..."

"Finally, I can have my own land!"

The peddler said smugly, "See? I told you so!"

"Lord Lu is truly giving us a way out!"

"Land redistribution, martial arts training, military service and rations... Dongyang County is about to undergo a major upheaval!"

In the distance, the pity and disdain on the faces of the monk and the woman froze instantly, turning into unbelievable horror.

"He actually..."

The monk's pure gold staff trembled slightly: "He actually distributed government land to these criminals?"

The woman, her face veiled, said coldly, "Not only do you teach people martial arts, but you also give them land?"

"To give these criminals permanent property...?"

"How can they atone for their sins in this lifetime?"

"Isn't this... this is harming people?"