Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 191 Post-War Capture, Chen Sheng Arrives (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Marshal!"

"Ah Xian!"

As he pondered, several figures rushed forward and hurriedly helped Zhao Xian up!

"It's nothing!"

Zhao Xian raised his hand to signal the soldiers beside him not to panic, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Uncle Nineteen, take your men to clean up the battlefield and take stock of the spoils!" Looking at the anxious figure in front of him, Zhao Xian immediately ordered, "Send three more men back to the camp, and order Zhao Zheng and Liu Ping to lead a team of soldiers into the mountains to loot the stronghold's wealth and supplies."

"Ah Xian, are you really alright?"

Zhao Jun looked Zhao Xian up and down, then asked again, still uneasy.

"It's really nothing, Uncle Nineteen, please make the arrangements as soon as possible."

"Alright!" Seeing that he looked normal, Zhao Jun immediately turned around to arrange the various matters.

Zhao Xian then turned and walked into the council hall behind him.

Upon entering the council hall, Zhao Xian did not linger but went straight to the head seat.

Sitting upright in the main seat, Zhao Xian looked down over the entire council hall, closed his eyes and let out a long sigh of relief. A huge weight had finally been lifted from his heart; the bandits of Feilong Mountain had finally been pacified!

Meanwhile, dozens of miles away in a mountain forest, several young figures were wiping their ring-pommel swords, with a chaotic battlefield in front of them.

"I wonder how my elder brother and the others are doing in Dongzhu Township."

"What else can we do but garrison the Flying Dragon Mountain bandits and prevent them from coming down the mountain to plunder?"

"Let's quell these bandits as soon as possible so we can reunite with our elder brother sooner."

"We will only clean up the battlefield and collect weapons and corpses!" Zhao Jun solemnly instructed the soldiers as he walked through the mountain stronghold, "Keep your hands clean and don't hoard any valuables!"

"Understood, Nineteenth Uncle!" a soldier replied with a smile. "When has Ninth Brother ever mistreated us?"

"When marching, one should be addressed as 'Military Commander,' not as one might casually use any title!" Zhao Jun glared and rebuked.

The young soldier gave an awkward smile and ran off in a flash.

"Uncle Nineteen, there are quite a few people hiding in this cave!"

Suddenly a cry of surprise rang out, and Zhao Jun immediately rushed towards the sound.

Pushing open the cave door, a foul, pungent stench hit you.

The cave was teeming with people, roughly one or two hundred in number. Everyone looked terrified, huddled together, and one could faintly hear low sobs.

"Who are you? Why are you trapped here?" Zhao Jun gripped the hilt of his sword and demanded sharply.

Seeing that Zhao Jun and his men were fully armored and did not immediately take action, an older man suppressed his fear, stepped forward, and bowed: "Sir, we are all Daoist refugees who fled from Xiao County. We were kidnapped by bandits and brought up the mountain to be forced into hard labor and slavery."

"Uncle Nineteen, how should we handle this matter?" a soldier beside him asked in a low voice.

"Go and report to the military commander immediately for a decision," Zhao Jun instructed in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, the young soldier quickly walked out of the cave.

Zhao Jun and the others, however, kept their eyes fixed on the group of refugees in front of them.

A moment later, Zhao Xian also hurried over to the place.

Looking around, one sees the elderly, the weak, women and children everywhere!

"Keep them under strict guard and do not disturb them. Send another order to thoroughly search every part of the mountain stronghold and find all the families of the bandits and keep them under strict surveillance."

Zhao Xian merely glanced at it casually and then spoke indifferently.

"I will obey your command, General!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jun immediately accepted the order.

As the sun rose in the east, the gates of the stronghold opened wide, and Zhao Zheng and Liu Ping led a group of soldiers into the stronghold in formation.

"Zhao Zheng (Liu Ping) pays his respects to the Military Commander!"

Before long, two figures entered the council hall and bowed to Zhao Xian, who was seated in the main seat.

"You two must immediately lead men to inventory the mountain stronghold's treasures, escort the bandits' families down the mountain, and place them under safekeeping."

"We will obey your command, General!" the two replied in unison, their eyes brimming with excitement.

The bandit stronghold of Flying Dragon Mountain, which had been entrenched in the area, was finally wiped out in one fell swoop.

In the following days, Zhao Zheng led his men to search the entire mountain stronghold, finding all the stronghold's warehouses and hidden storage rooms.

Rare treasures, provisions, and weapons were displayed in the training ground, leaving the soldiers speechless with astonishment.

Liu Ping led the group to register and make records, but no one dared to make any trouble!

Of course, Liu Ping pretended not to see the small, miscellaneous benefits and tacitly allowed everyone to share a little, in order to appease the morale of the army.

The captured bandits' families were also strictly guarded, given only water and rice each day to keep them alive.

Zhao Xian naturally had other plans for dealing with these family members.

Many of his soldiers were wounded and destitute, so he conveniently classified their families as dependents and distributed them among the soldiers.

With the bonds of servitude and land ownership, these soldiers naturally became loyal followers of Zhao Xian in the future!

On the other side, all the money and grain raised by Dongzhu Township had been sent to the military camp and received by Song Ming.

The oxcarts carrying money and grain were also temporarily detained by the Song and Ming dynasties and used to transfer the supplies and weapons captured from Feilong Mountain.

The news of Feilong Mountain's destruction gradually spread quietly throughout Ronghuai County.

The sun sets in the west, and the rabbit rises in the east.

Five days have passed since Zhao Xian launched his night raid on the mountain stronghold.

Inside the council hall, three wooden crates were neatly arranged in front of Zhao Xian.

"Lord, all the property and supplies of the stronghold have been inventoried and cataloged." Liu Ping stepped forward, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect, and reported this to his lord.

"Read it!" Zhao Xian glanced at the spiritual object in the box and casually gave the order.

"There are a total of nineteen strong horses, twenty-two oxen, and one hundred and thirty-three pigs, sheep, and other livestock;

The bandits' families numbered 343.

Four hundred and sixty-seven thousand coins;

Three thousand five hundred and twelve shi of millet, twenty-two shi of crescent-shaped rice, and one shi and four dou of jade pearl rice;

Eight suits of iron armor, twelve suits of leather armor, and six hundred and twelve pieces of various weapons;

Several herbs~

Liu Ping read the list in one breath, his forehead already beaded with sweat.

"In addition, there are four low-grade magic artifacts and one mid-grade magic artifact; seven hundred and twenty-six low-grade spirit stones and twenty mid-grade spirit stones; two bottles of bone-tempering elixirs and six bottles of tendon-strengthening elixirs."

Zhao Xian lightly tapped the wooden box in front of him and asked in a deep voice, "Are all the spirit stones, magic artifacts, elixirs, jade beads, and rice here?"

""

"Nothing is missing, everything is here." Liu Ping nodded in response.

"These do not need to be entered into the official register!"

Zhao Xian said calmly, picked up a storage bag from the wooden box, imprinted it with his divine sense, and then put all three wooden boxes into the storage bag.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Zheng and Liu Ping remained calm, showing no unusual expression.

"In the next few days, I will have to trouble you two to make a trip to escort all the bandits' families down the mountain."

"We will obey your command, General!" the two replied in unison.

"We have been stationed in Ronghuai County for more than half a month now," Zhao Xian said slowly, glancing at the two men. "In this campaign against the bandits, we have also suffered many casualties. After the families of the bandits have been escorted away, I will order Zhao Cheng and Zhao Ji to lead men to escort the wounded soldiers back to Nankou Township to recuperate."

The two nodded in agreement.

"Brother, after everything in the stronghold is settled, you should immediately lead a troop of soldiers to transport this batch of money and grain to Wohu Township day and night." Zhao Xian looked at Zhao Zheng and solemnly instructed, "Once the money and grain are properly transported, continue to escort the bandits' families back to Wohu Township for resettlement."

"You no longer need to interfere in the remaining matters concerning the suppression of bandits in Ronghuai County."

Outside the Ronghuai County government office, several armored soldiers stood solemnly on both sides of the gate, gripping the hilts of their swords, their eyes sharp and piercing as they swept their gazes over the passersby, exuding a chilling murderous aura.

Inside the county government office, many minor officials gathered in small groups, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.

The matter they were discussing was the recent news of the annihilation of the bandits at Feilong Mountain, which had been making headlines in Ronghuai County.

"This Zhao Xian is indeed quite capable. In just half a month, he has successively pacified two major bandit strongholds, Mangniu Mountain and Feilong Mountain!" A minor official looked around at the people around him and praised him.

"This man is truly brave and skilled in battle; he already possesses the qualities of a great general!" Another person quickly echoed, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

"That's not all," another minor official stepped forward, raising his voice several decibels, "Zhao Xian is a master of military strategy. He divided his troops into two groups, and another troop of cavalry moved like the wind. Most of the small groups of bandits and monsters that were causing trouble in the villages and towns within the county have already been wiped out!"

"At this rate, it won't be long before the banditry in Ronghuai County is completely quelled!"

Amidst the murmurs of conversation in the front courtyard, and as the minor officials expressed their opinions, a burst of hearty laughter echoed from a quiet and elegant secluded courtyard deep within the county government office.

"Ha ha!"

Inside the lakeside pavilion, two middle-aged scholars sat facing each other. One was dressed in a purple robe with a long beard and an air of composure; the other was dressed in a red robe and had a respectful expression.

"This Zhao Xian truly lives up to Chen Jun's high regard. In just half a month, he has quelled most of the banditry within the territory. It is truly remarkable!" The scholar in purple robes smiled, stroked his beard, and said with deep emotion.

Upon hearing this, the red-robed scholar opposite immediately showed a hint of respect and quickly bowed, saying humbly, "Without the county magistrate's support, how could Chen Sheng have gotten Zhao Xian from Gao Jun? In the end, this matter was entirely due to the county magistrate's wisdom."

The scholar in purple robes was none other than Zhen Que, the magistrate of Ronghuai County. Upon hearing Chen Sheng's flattering words, he smiled and waved his hand.

After a few breaths, Zhen Que looked at Chen Sheng, the county magistrate opposite him, and slowly continued, "Two of the three major bandit groups have been wiped out, leaving only the last one!"

"That Zhu He, with only the cultivation of Qi Refining at its peak, has managed to wreak havoc within the territory and create such a huge situation. His heart must be set on Foundation Establishment!"

"Foundation Establishment?" Chen Sheng pondered for a moment, then feigned ignorance, saying, "A Foundation Establishment Pill costs only three thousand low-grade spirit stones. With his accumulation from years of robbery and plunder, he's probably already gathered the necessary spirit stones!"

"Moreover, sects have always been happy to see rogue cultivators use Foundation Establishment Pills to establish their foundations, and even the major Foundation Establishment clans in Ronghuai County probably won't step in to stop them!"

After all, using Foundation Establishment Pills to establish one's foundation can only increase one's lifespan slightly, and it will be difficult to break through to the early stage of Foundation Establishment in one's lifetime. Naturally, it will not pose any threat to those sects and clans.

"What if he never intended to use the Foundation Establishment Pill to establish his foundation?" Zhen Que raised his cup, took a sip of spiritual tea, and smiled wryly as he spoke leisurely.

"A Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng's expression immediately hardened, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"There are rumors that this fellow possesses a Xuan-rank spiritual artifact," Zhen Que said with a glint of surprise in his eyes. "His efforts are likely aimed at forging a mid-to-high-grade Dao Foundation; he certainly has lofty ambitions."

"Ha!" Chen Sheng scoffed, a hint of disdain on his face. "How could a mid-to-high-grade Dao Foundation be something that a rogue cultivator like you could even dream of? In the past few hundred years, among rogue cultivators, only that Master Guanhai has ever forged a high-grade Dao Foundation!"

"The matter of cultivation is full of variables; who can predict what will happen?" Zhen Que sighed softly, and the stone pavilion fell into silence.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhen Que slowly rose, leaned against the railing, and stood there. A gentle breeze blew, causing his clothes to flutter. He was truly handsome and had an extraordinary bearing.

Upon seeing this, Chen Sheng also quickly stood up, stood behind him with his hands at his sides, and dared not overstep his bounds in the slightest.

Although one is a county magistrate and the other a county lieutenant, and both are Foundation Establishment cultivators, their statuses are worlds apart!

"Disorder has broken out in Xiao County, and the flames of war are escalating. Ronghuai County is bearing the brunt," Zhen Que turned around, his gaze grave as he looked at Chen Sheng. "The Prefect has issued orders for us to be on high alert. Lord Chen, you must annihilate the Zhuhe bandits within ten days. There can be no delay!"

"This humble official will obey Your Majesty's command and will certainly not fail in my mission!" Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng immediately bowed and spoke in a booming voice.

Zhen Que nodded slightly and said, "Zhao Xian has successfully quelled two bandits, which is a great achievement. If I don't reward him with some spiritual items, it would seem that I am unfair in my rewards and punishments and treat those who have made contributions poorly. If I meet Gao Su again in the future, I'm afraid he will laugh at me. Go to the treasury and select a high-grade yellow-rank spiritual item and a few other spiritual items that he might need as a reward for him."

"This humble official, on behalf of Zhao Xian, thanks His Majesty for his grace!"

The moon hangs high in the sky, stars twinkle, and its gentle light bathes the earth.

The vast military camp was quiet, except for the general's tent, where the lights were on all night.

Zhao Xian sat alone in the tent, carefully examining the bamboo slips and classics piled on the table.

As your gaze sweeps across the page, lines of ancient and vigorous Taoist script come into view, their elegant strokes pleasing to the eye.

"The True Skill of Rock-Solid Rock," "Thirty-Six Axes for Opening Mountains," and "The Halberd Technique for Fighting Waves"...

Zhao Xian picked up one of the books, his fingertips tracing the yellowed pages as he carefully flipped through it.

"It seems that Yun Chong is cultivating the 'Rock Solid True Technique'. No wonder he has such amazing brute strength that ordinary cultivators can hardly match him."

Zhao Xian pondered to himself, then casually picked up the remaining cultivation manuals and flipped through them one by one.

These techniques were all found by Zhao Xian in Yun Zhong's bedroom.

In particular, Yun Chong carefully hid the book "Rock Solid True Skill," which directly points to the innate realm of martial arts, in a hidden box under his bed, regarding it as a treasure.

"With this 'Rock Solid True Skill,' my Zhao clan now possesses two martial arts techniques that directly lead to the Innate Realm!"

Stroking the book in his hand, Zhao Xian could not hide his excitement.

Countless cultivation families have exhausted the efforts of several generations in their arduous search for this innate martial arts technique, yet they have always come up empty-handed.

How fortunate the Zhao family is to have such an opportunity to possess two innate cultivation techniques!

Suppressing his excitement, Zhao Xian carefully put all the cultivation techniques and martial arts skills into his storage bag.

He now carries as many as five storage bags.

"Once I return to Rongtai County, I'll go to Daqingshan Market to buy a mid-grade storage bag. This low-grade storage bag is really cramped and rather useless," Zhao Xian sighed softly, muttering with a hint of helplessness.

If those rogue cultivators who struggle to even obtain a low-grade storage bag were to hear these words, they would probably want to tear him apart alive.

After putting away the cultivation techniques and martial arts skills, only a pile of green bamboo slips remained on the table.

Zhao Xian picked up a scroll, unfolded it, and began to read it carefully, gradually becoming immersed in it.

Previously, Yun Chong had claimed to come from a prominent family, and Zhao Xian had only believed him to some extent. However, after seeing these bamboo slips, all his doubts vanished, and he was now completely certain.

The pile of green bamboo slips on the table does not record any magical skills or techniques, but rather some concise and insightful methods for leading troops and generals, containing the essence of military deployment, pacifying soldiers, and governing local areas.

When Zhao Xian discovered the pile of bamboo slips that day, he treasured them as if they were precious gems and carefully collected them all. Even Liu Ping, Zhao Zheng, and others were unaware of this matter.

In Zhao Xian's view, these military treatises and strategies are the true foundation that allows a family to stand tall in the world and continue to thrive.

"Author: Yun Qing!" At the end of the bamboo slip, a line of bold and powerful ink characters caught Zhao Xian's eye.

"Yun Qing..." Zhao Xian murmured, his brows furrowed, pondering for a long time, but still unable to figure out who this person was.

"Perhaps, they were ancestors of Yunzhong." Looking at the hemp rope on the bamboo slips, which had become slightly rotten due to the passage of time, Zhao Xian couldn't help but think this way.

"What a pity that such a precious military treatise and strategy has fallen into the hands of Yun Chong, that good-for-nothing who has become a bandit and wreaked havoc in the countryside, and has been wasted." Zhao Xian sighed inwardly, then picked up another bamboo scroll and continued to study it diligently.

As the saying goes, "Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will become clear."

Since no one could explain its profound meaning to him, he could only study and research it diligently, carefully pondering the principles of warfare.

The night was deep and all was quiet, but the lights in the military tent were still as bright as day, illuminating Zhao Xian's focused figure as he studied.

The next morning, as dawn broke and the east began to lighten with the first hint of white, the sky began to turn pale.

As always, Zhao Xian stepped out of his military tent at dawn to begin his daily, unwavering morning training.

Before sunrise, with the moon hanging low, the morning sky was pure and azure, like a crystal-clear sapphire, untouched by a speck of dust.

He raised his hand and threw a punch, the wind whistling through the air. Each move was agile and graceful, his footwork changing freely, his advances and retreats measured.

Its momentum is like flowing clouds and water, ever-changing; its form is fast but not chaotic, complex but not flustered, truly divine and mysterious.

After completing twenty repetitions of the fist technique, Zhao Xian felt his whole body heat up, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. His blood and qi flowed smoothly, he felt refreshed, and his spirits were becoming increasingly high.

"Clang!"

The long sword was drawn, its cold light flashing, reflecting the morning sun and piercing the eyes.

Zhao Xian moved swiftly, already assuming a fighting stance. In an instant, a chilling aura permeated the surroundings, sending shivers down one's spine.

The blade flashed like a shadow, swift as lightning, like an impenetrable silver curtain enveloping Zhao Xian. The sharp blade energy scattered, causing the curtains to flutter loudly.

Just then, a loud bugle call rang out, breaking the tranquility of the early morning. The soldiers in the camp awoke from their slumber and, urged by their squad leaders and sergeants, got up and lined up to practice their boxing.

Previously, Zhao Zheng, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Ji and others had all returned to Rongtai County. Now, the only military officers remaining in the camp are Zhang Gong and Zhao Ze.

Therefore, the two of them were responsible for the training of the soldiers in the camp.

However, after the wounded and the soldiers escorting the spoils of war left, there were only a few dozen soldiers left in the camp, while there were as many as six or seven hundred prisoners, bandits and their families to be guarded!

With dozens of people watching over hundreds, such a disparity would make anyone feel uneasy.

However, Zhao Xian had already given orders that these prisoners be given only a little water and rice each day, just enough to keep them alive. Without strength, these prisoners naturally dared not make any unusual moves.

After finishing his morning exercises and having a meal, Zhao Xian returned to his military tent to continue studying the military books and bamboo slips, immersing himself in the art of warfare.

He spent the last two days in this manner, without the slightest slackening.

With insufficient troops in the camp and the need to guard a large number of prisoners, it is naturally impossible to continue the work of suppressing bandits.

Fortunately, Xu Dejing, Zhao Hong, and others were out there searching for bandits and eliminating roving bandits, so the bandit suppression was not delayed.

Around noon, the tent curtain was gently lifted, and Zhang Gong strode into the tent, bowing and reporting, "Sir, County Lieutenant Chen has been waiting outside the camp gate for quite some time."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian looked up at Zhang Gong, a hint of surprise on his face: "Lord Chen actually has the leisure to come here?"

After putting away the military books on the table, Zhao Xian got up and strode quickly toward the camp gate, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Upon exiting the camp, they saw more than ten riders standing outside the camp gate. The leader was none other than a middle-aged scholar riding a strange beast that was more than ten feet tall. He was none other than Chen Sheng, the county magistrate.

"Your humble servant Zhao Xian pays his respects to Lord Chen!" Zhao Xian stepped forward quickly, bowed deeply, his expression respectful and his manners impeccable.

"Bozhang, please rise quickly!" Seeing Zhao Xian's respectful manner, Chen Sheng stroked his beard and smiled, dismounted, and quickly stepped forward to help Zhao Xian up, speaking in a very friendly manner.

"This is the first time we've met since you led your troops into Ronghuai County," Chen Sheng said, looking Zhao Xian up and down with a hint of surprise in his eyes. He then joked, "Don't blame me for only coming to see you now!"

"The county government is very busy, how could Zhao Xian dare to have the slightest complaint, let alone disturb Lord Chen?" Zhao Xian replied humbly with a smile.

"Not bad, not bad," Chen Sheng looked Zhao Xian over carefully a few more times and said with great emotion, "Compared to when we met before the New Year, your cultivation has become much more profound. You are indeed a promising young man with unlimited potential."

After exchanging a few words, Zhao Xian led Chen Sheng and his party into the camp.

Eight or nine days had passed since the bandits came down the mountain to attack, and the bloodstains inside and outside the camp had long been cleaned up, leaving no trace of the battle.

When they reached the west side of the camp and saw the dark mass of bandits and prisoners, dressed in rags, emaciated and looking like refugees, Chen Sheng showed no unusual expression, as if he had long been accustomed to such scenes.

The group entered the military tent. Chen Sheng naturally sat in the main seat, Zhao Xian sat to the lower right, and opposite them sat a middle-aged man with an extraordinary demeanor.

Chen Sheng had already introduced this person to Zhao Xian on the way; he was Wu Bing, the clerk of Ronghuai County.

"Bozhang, I have come here for two reasons. First, on the orders of the county magistrate, to reward you and your soldiers for your meritorious service in suppressing the bandits. Second, I have important matters to discuss with you." Chen Sheng got straight to the point, his tone solemn.

"Thank you for your consideration, Magistrate and Lord Chen. Zhao Xian and his soldiers are deeply grateful!" Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately stood up, bowed deeply, and looked respectful.

Chen Sheng smiled slightly, gestured for Zhao Xian to sit down, and slowly continued, "I have already reported everything you reported about Xiao County to the county magistrate. The county magistrate is very worried and has ordered me to wipe out this last band of bandits in Zhuhe as soon as possible to reassure the people in the region."

Zhao Xian nodded slightly, already understanding why Chen Sheng had rushed over in such a hurry.

The chaos in Xiao County must have already put the magistrate of Ronghuai County on high alert, fearing that the bandits in his county might collude with the rioters in Xiao County and cause an even greater disaster.

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