Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

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Zhang Kui quietly returned to Chaoge without causing any disturbance, and went straight to the Wu Cheng Prince's residence.

Huang Feihu met with Zhang Kui in the study and was visibly relieved to see him return safely.

"General Zhang, you've worked hard! How is the situation?" Huang Feihu asked anxiously.

Zhang Kui briefly recounted what happened in front of Lintong Pass, omitting the specific details of his supernatural powers. He only said that he had forced Yin Pobai and Lei Kai to retreat with his martial arts and some Taoist magic, and that Ji Chang had been escorted safely to Xiqi by his son Lei Zhenzi.

Upon hearing this, Huang Feihu sighed deeply, his expression a mixture of relief and worry: "In this way, the Marquis of Xibo is temporarily out of danger. However... after this incident, His Majesty's situation is probably..." He shook his head, rallied his spirits, and bowed to Zhang Kui: "In any case, thank you for your righteous intervention, General. I will remember this kindness. If any trouble arises afterward, I will bear the full responsibility."

Just as Zhang Kui was about to bring up the matter of his resignation as the garrison commander of Youli and his transfer to Mianchi, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the study. A servant reported from outside the door: "Your Highness, an eunuch from the palace has come and said that His Majesty has ordered that Your Highness be summoned to the palace for a meeting."

Huang Feihu frowned, not daring to delay, and said to Zhang Kui, "General Zhang, please wait in my residence for a while. I will process the documents for you when I return from the palace."

"Please proceed, Your Highness." Zhang Kui nodded, but muttered to himself, "Won't this cause another unexpected problem?"

……

The Imperial Palace, a side hall of the Longevity Palace.

King Zhou sat high on the dragon throne, his face gloomy.

Below, Yin Pobai and Lei Kai, who had broken away from the army and returned to the palace ahead of time, knelt down to report. They embellished the story of how they were blocked by Zhang Kui at Lintong Pass, and how the army was trapped by Zhang Kui's strange magic, forcing them to retreat. They emphasized Zhang Kui's arrogance and disobedience to the king's orders, while deliberately downplaying the fact that they were in the wrong for not carrying the imperial edict.

"Your Majesty, Zhang Kui clearly disregarded the imperial decree. Relying on his unorthodox skills, he dared to openly defy the imperial army and release the wanted criminal. This trend must not be allowed to continue!" Yin Pobai said with a final kowtow.

King Zhou was already furious because Ji Chang had escaped, and upon hearing this, he became even more enraged: "That Zhang Kui! How dare he lay a hand on the royal army? Does he think my blade is ineffective?"

At this moment, Huang Feihu was summoned into the hall and completed his salutations.

Before he could speak, King Zhou said sternly, "King Wucheng, you've come at the right time. Zhang Kui has shown no respect for the emperor and defied the king's orders. I have decided to immediately remove him from all his military posts and reduce him to a commoner. His garrison at Youli will be taken over by a new general."

Huang Feihu's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the worst had happened. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. General Zhang Kui may have acted impulsively, but he is loyal to the country, exceptionally brave, and highly regarded by Grand Tutor Wen Zhong. Moreover, his interception of the pursuers was not without reason. Generals Yin and Lei did not possess an arrest warrant, so Zhang Kui's questioning was understandable. Now that the country is in turmoil, we are in dire need of capable men. How can such a fine general be discarded because of a minor offense? I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."

He brought up Wen Zhong, hoping to make King Zhou think twice.

However, Daji spoke up quietly from the side: "King Wu Cheng, you are mistaken. How can loyalty be judged by words alone? If Zhang Kui were truly loyal, he should have obeyed the king's orders. How could he have obstructed the army without an imperial edict? Grand Tutor Wen is far away in the North Sea and probably does not know how arrogant this young man has become. Your Majesty, this precedent must not be set. Otherwise, if generals follow suit, how will the king's orders be carried out?"

King Zhou agreed wholeheartedly and coldly snorted, "My beloved consort is absolutely right. My mind is made up; Zhang Kui must be dismissed from his post."

Huang Feihu was anxious, knowing that King Zhou was in a fit of rage and unlikely to reverse his decision regarding Zhang Kui. He could only settle for second best, trying to preserve Zhang Kui's elite troops and lay the foundation for his future resurgence. He earnestly pleaded again, "Since Your Majesty has made your decision, I dare not seek any further official position for Zhang Kui. However, the Youli garrison under Zhang Kui is an elite force he personally trained, with exceptional combat power. If their commander is suddenly replaced, I fear the morale of the troops will be unstable, and their fighting strength will be diminished. Currently, the war in the southeast is not yet over, and the northern border also needs to be deterred. It would be better to transfer this army to the strategic point of Mianchi on the Yellow River, under the command of General Zhang Shan. This way, we can preserve this elite force for the country's use, and also demonstrate Your Majesty's magnanimity, not implicating Zhang Kui's soldiers because of his mistakes."

Huang Feihu considered that Zhang Shan, the general of Mianchi, was Zhang Kui's younger brother. Even if the troops were transferred there, they would still be under the control of Zhang Kui's faction.

King Zhou pondered, "Completely stripping Zhang Kui of his military power is the primary objective. As for where this army is transferred, as long as it's not under Zhang Kui's direct control, it's fine. Although Mianchi is an important location, Zhang Shan is still nominally the imperial general and can't cause much trouble."

So he waved his hand impatiently: "Fine, then let it be as King Wu Cheng has suggested. Zhang Kui is relieved of all military posts, and the garrison in Youli is transferred to the command of General Zhang Shan of Mianchi."

Huang Feihu sighed inwardly, knowing that this was the best result he could achieve. He could only kowtow in gratitude and leave the Shouxian Palace.

……

Several hours later, Huang Feihu returned to the study in the Prince's mansion.

Seeing Huang Feihu's extremely gloomy face, Zhang Kui stood up to greet him.

Before Zhang Kui could speak, Huang Feihu, filled with resentment and apology, recounted the situation in the palace, finally slamming his fist heavily on the table: "...The King listened to slander and acted arbitrarily. I argued with him based on reason, even invoking Grand Tutor Wen, but to no avail. In the end, I could only manage to transfer your troops to your younger brother Zhang Shan's command, stationed at Mianchi. As for General Zhang... alas, it is my incompetence that has implicated you."

Zhang Kui remained unusually calm after hearing this. He had already intended to step down and had anticipated that Yin Pobai and others would file a complaint. This was simply a matter of bringing it forward a little earlier, and his army was still under his younger brother's control, so his foundation remained intact.

He smiled slightly and comforted Huang Feihu, saying, "Why blame yourself, Your Highness? Both thunder and rain are acts of imperial favor. I am already deeply grateful for Your Highness's trust. Now that I am free from official duties, I can steal a half-day of leisure to return to my hometown of Mianchi to spend time with my mother and cultivate my Taoist practices. I have been confined in a cage for a long time, and this is a good opportunity to experience the poetic beauty of returning to nature. It may not be a bad thing."

These magnanimous words only made Huang Feihu feel more guilty, but the emperor's mind was made up and could not be changed. He could only sigh heavily and hand over the military order regarding the troop redeployment to Zhang Kui: "This is the military order for the redeployment. I will have to trouble General Zhang to arrange the handover."

Zhang Kui accepted the military order, cupped his hands, and said, "Take care, Your Highness. Zhang Kui takes his leave."

……

Youli Camp.

When Zhang Kui announced the imperial decree—relieving himself of all military posts and transferring the garrison of Youli to Mianchi under the command of General Zhang Shan—the command tent erupted in chaos.

"What...dismissal? On what grounds?" Wu Wenhua was the first to jump up, his eyes wide with shock, his large hands pounding his chest. "My lord, we won't listen to that tyrant. We'll go with you and see who dares to cause trouble."

"Outrageous! Our lord is training troops to defend against the enemy and guarding Youli. What crime has he committed?" Zhang Boyuan's face was ashen, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, veins bulging.

Li Zhongqian's eyes were sharp as an eagle's: "There must be some villains spreading rumors. My lord, we only recognize you, not any imperial decree."

Sun Shubao and Zhao Jiyu were also indignant, and everyone in the tent suppressed their anger and was filled with resentment.

Looking at the group of generals who had followed him through thick and thin, Zhang Kui felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He raised his hand and gestured for everyone to gradually quiet down.

"I understand your intentions," Zhang Kui said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. His voice was steady and resolute. "Mianchi is my hometown, the place where my brother Zhang Shan is stationed. There, we can also protect the people and accumulate strength. If the country is in trouble one day, or if there are changes in the surrounding areas, will the swords in our hands and the arrows at our waists be useless?"

Upon hearing this, the crowd's restless hearts gradually calmed down. Yes, going to Mianchi was just a change of location; they would still be under their lord's command.

"This humble general will obey the lord's command!" Wu Wenhua clasped his hands in greeting first, his voice booming like thunder.

"We will obey our lord's command!" the four captains echoed in unison.

Zhang Kui nodded in satisfaction and handed the troop redeployment order to Wu Wenhua: "Wenhua, Boyuan, Zhongqian, Shubao, Jiyu, after you have reorganized the troops and handed over the defense duties, proceed to Mianchi immediately. I will be waiting for you in Mianchi."

"My lord, aren't you coming with us?" Wu Wenhua asked.

"I'll go ahead." Zhang Kui looked towards Mianchi. "There are some things that need to be arranged in advance. Remember, maintain military discipline along the way and do not disturb the civilians."

After making the arrangements, Zhang Kui did not linger. He walked out of the command tent, glanced back at the Youli camp he had managed for years and poured countless efforts into, and felt no more attachment.

The cage has been broken, and the road ahead is wider.

He swayed, cast a spell, transformed into a stream of light, and flew towards Mianchi.