Longevity Martial Arts: Obtain Golden Affixes at the Start

In the Great Chu Kingdom, Jinzhou, under the jurisdiction of Chong'an Road, Zhaohua Prefecture, Prefect Qiu Shan, who possessed the cultivation of the Great Perfection of the Condensed True Realm, was currently gathering his subordinates in the main hall for a meeting.

Three prefectural officers, six military commanders, and twelve county governors were all present, including Mo Wentian.

The three chief officers, Qin Yan, Geng Xiangming, and Deng Lin, are all candidates for prefect. They all possess the cultivation level of the initial stage of the Condensing True Realm and their status in Zhaohua Prefecture is second only to Qiu Shanjin.

Suddenly, Prefectural Commandant Geng Xiangming stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Excellency, I have something to report."

"Speak." Qiu Shanjin nodded slightly.

Geng Xiangming turned his gaze to Mo Wentian: "Mo Wentian, the prefect of Tianmu County, has recently been the subject of many strange movements under his jurisdiction. His military preparedness has been lax. There are rumors circulating that he is secretly colluding with other prefectures. Although there is no concrete evidence, his behavior is suspicious and should not be ignored. I believe that we should send someone to search his treasury to set the record straight."

These words sparked a flurry of discussion in the hall, as secretly communicating with another household was a serious crime.

Mo Wentian stood at the end of the table, his expression unchanged.

Qiu Shanjin slowly spoke: "Mo Wentian."

"Your subordinate is here."

"Do you have any rebuttal to what Commander Geng said?"

Mo Wentian calmly replied, "Rumors circulating in the streets are baseless and unreliable. If the Prefect sends an envoy to investigate, I will gladly welcome him."

He then turned to look at Geng Xiangming: "Where did the four words 'secretly communicating' that Prefect Geng just mentioned come from? If there is no evidence, it may be a frame-up."

Geng Xiangming's expression changed slightly, and he was about to speak when Qiu Shanjin raised his hand to stop him.

"Enough." Qiu Shanjin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an invisible pressure, and everyone in the hall immediately fell silent.

He looked at Mo Wentian with a deep gaze: "Mo Wentian, although rumors in the streets are not to be feared, public opinion can be devastating. You should reflect on yourself and be self-disciplined, so as not to give others a handle to use against you."

Mo Wentian bowed his head and said, "Your subordinate will respectfully follow the Prefect's instructions."

Within Zhaohua Prefecture, the power structure harbors hidden complexities.

Although the three prefectural commanders were all at the entry level of the Condensation Realm, the power behind them was vastly different.

Qin Yan, the Prefectural Commandant, had deep roots and six prefectural governors secretly attached to him.

Geng Xiangming and Deng Lin only had the support of three prefects, making their strength pale in comparison.

Mo Wentian was originally just a minor magistrate of Longxiang County. It was only after he joined Qin Yan and received his protection and instructions that he dared to raise an army and seize the position of governor of Tianmu County.

That is why Geng Xiangming launched his attack in court today, ostensibly to impeach Mo Wentian, but in reality, he intended to make an example of Qin Yan and weaken his support.

Furthermore, the affiliations of the six military commanders were clearly defined, with each of the three prefectural commanders in charge of two commanders.

With the support of the prefect and the military commander, Qin Yan had become the second most powerful figure in the prefecture, second only to the prefect Qiu Shanjin.

Although Geng Xiangming and Deng Lin wanted to resist, they were outnumbered and outmatched, so they had to temporarily conceal their strength and wait for an opportunity to act.

Although the impeachment attempt failed, undercurrents were already brewing beneath the surface.

After the meeting concluded, everyone dispersed.

When Geng Xiangming returned to his residence, Hou Zhen, the military commissioner, was sitting to his side.

"What do you think of what happened in the hall today?" Geng Xiangming asked in a calm voice.

Hou Zhen pondered for a moment: "This subordinate is dull-witted, but I feel that although the Prefect did not approve the memorial of Prefect Geng, he did give Mo Wentian a warning. However... such a light touch is probably not enough to hurt him at his core."

Geng Xiangming turned around, his gaze intense: "If I said I wanted you to be the prefect of Tianmu County, what would you say?"

Hou Zhen's heart skipped a beat.

Although the military commissioner and the prefect were of the same rank, one was a military officer in charge of conquest and defense, and was busy all day long, while the other was a regional official in charge of people's livelihood and finances, and was very wealthy.

Not to mention, Tianmu County is a large county, and if one could obtain it, one would be among the core members of the prefecture.

He cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency is too kind, and I will do my utmost to help you. However... Mo Wentian is currently sitting comfortably, and the Prefect has not punished him. This matter will not be easy."

Geng Xiangming smiled slightly: "It's an easy matter, why would you and I need to bother? Now that Qin Yan has six prefectures under his command, it's inevitable that the Prefect will be wary. My attack on Mo Wentian today was to test the waters. The Prefect's words today made his attitude very clear!"

A glint of light flashed in Hou Zhen's eyes: "What you mean, sir..."

"That's all I have to say," Geng Xiangming patted Hou Zhen on the shoulder. "You'll have to figure out what to do next yourself. Go and discuss it with Gongsun Qi, the governor of Lingchuan County. He's one of my men; you can discuss what to do with him!"

Hou Zhen suddenly understood and quickly bowed, saying, "Your subordinate understands and will certainly not let you down."

On the other side, Mo Wentian did not return to Tianmu County, but instead went to Qin Yan's residence.

"Lord Qin, today in court, Geng Xiangming suddenly attacked me. This matter is suspicious. I dare to ask, has something happened?" Mo Wentian asked directly without beating around the bush.

Qin Yan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then slowly said, "It's not a sudden change, but there are some things you should understand by now."

Mo Wentian frowned slightly and remained silent.

Qin Yan put down his teacup: "Geng Xiangming is just a troublemaker. Don't you know who he really wants to teach a lesson to?"

Mo Wentian's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Prefect?"

"Lord Qiu has reached the Great Perfection of True Cultivation and has been in charge of Zhaohua Prefecture for decades. What could possibly escape his notice?" Qin Yan said calmly. "In recent years, my forces have grown stronger. Six prefects have submitted to me, two military commanders are under my command, and Tianmu Prefecture has also fallen into my hands. Do you really think the Prefect is completely indifferent?"

Mo Wentian was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "So, today's impeachment of me by Geng Xiangming was instigated by the Prefect?"

Qin Yan shook his head: "It's not a matter of giving instructions. What kind of person is Lord Qiu? He doesn't need to give instructions to anyone. He only needs to sigh casually during a meeting and say something like, 'Tianmu County has been rather unstable lately,' and someone will naturally guess his intentions and take action on his behalf. Geng Xiangming is just waiting for this opportunity, and he would be more than happy to do so."

Mo Wentian's heart sank.

He originally thought that today's events were just a factional struggle between Geng Xiangming and Qin Yan, but now he realized that it was actually Prefect Qiu Shan who orchestrated this whole thing.

Mo Wentian cupped his hands and said, "Lord Qin, how should I conduct myself now?"

Qin Yan stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, turned to Mo Wentian, and remained silent for a long time.

"Mo Wentian," Qin Yan finally spoke, "when you raised your army in Longxiang County and seized Tianmu Prefecture, I did contribute, and you certainly did your best, but what has happened today..."

Mo Wentian's heart tightened.

Qin Yan turned around: "Since the Prefect has already decided to use checks and balances, you are the most conspicuous pawn under his nose."

If he wants to put me in a difficult position, you'll be the first person he targets. If I try to protect you now, it will only confirm the suspicion that Qin Yan is powerful and influential. In that case, not only will I be unable to protect you, but I will also get myself into trouble.

Mo Wentian understood; this was a strategy of sacrificing a pawn to save the king.

He lowered his head, maintaining a submissive expression: "Your subordinate understands."

Qin Yan glanced at him, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end only nodded slightly: "It's good that you understand. Be careful when you go back, and don't give others any more leverage against you."

Although Lord Qiu has his eye on it, he won't act rashly unless you commit a serious offense. After all, he was the one who approved your appointment as prefect.

Mo Wentian responded and bowed to take his leave.

Only after leaving the Qin residence did Mo Wentian's submissive expression fade, revealing a suppressed gloom.