Longzang

Chapter 744 Meeting
Wei Yuan slowly stood up. Despite his best efforts to control himself, his fingertips still trembled slightly after leaving the side hall. Sitting opposite Qing Tong, Wei Yuan occasionally felt as if he were facing an indescribable ancient ferocious beast, whose size surpassed that of the entire capital.

Even now, Wei Yuan isn't sure if this is just his imagination.

Wei Yuan returned to the post station, neither reading nor meditating, but instead fell asleep and slept until dawn.

After the court assembly ended, Wei Yuan went to the palace to request an audience with the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin was on his way to the Hall of State Affairs when he heard of Wei Yuan's arrival, so he took him directly to the Hall of State Affairs.

Upon Wei Yuan's arrival, the representatives of the Lü and Xu families remained calm and composed, and the other elders, being cunning old foxes, showed no unusual behavior.

After the King of Jin was seated, he said to Wei Yuan, "My dear minister, what important matter brings you here from afar?"

Wei Yuan reported: "Recently, the Zhao Kingdom has established the Biyue Boundary in the Western Regions and deployed a large number of troops. Some time ago, they even launched an attack on Hanyang Pass. Fortunately, the weather was unfavorable, with natural disasters occurring along the way, and the Zhao Kingdom withdrew its troops on its own. Now, Qingming's defenses are weak, making it one of the main targets of the Zhao Kingdom's attack. The Imperial Guards are the elite of the land, and I request Your Majesty to dispatch the Imperial Guards from the three towns to Qingming for defense."

Upon hearing this, many ministers paled. Send the Imperial Guards to guard Qingming in place of Wei Yuan? How could he even utter such a thing!

Everyone was expecting the Prince of Jin to rebuke Wei Yuan for his wild ideas, but instead the Prince of Jin laughed and said, "How dare you say such a thing? I only have four garrisons of imperial guards. I gave you three of them. What am I supposed to use to defend the capital?"
No, I'll give you two towns at most!

The ministers were greatly alarmed. The Minister of War stepped forward and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! Mobilizing the Imperial Guards will leave the capital vulnerable. If the capital falls, we cannot bear the consequences!"

The ministers all tried to persuade him, but the Prince of Jin remained unmoved, saying, "I will give you the second and third garrisons, and you will have full authority to command them. The military expenses will be recorded in the Ministry of War's accounts."

The Minister of War's face immediately fell, and he said, "Absolutely not! The Imperial Guards' expenses are ten times that of ordinary troops. Where would the Ministry of War get that kind of money?"

The Prince of Jin frowned and said, "That's true. Then let's reduce it by one more town. The first and second towns, Minister Wei, you can choose one yourself."

"I have selected the first town."

"allow!"

The two spoke very quickly, and the Prince of Jin immediately ordered Liu Quangong to begin drafting the imperial edict. Only then did the officials realize what was happening. This time, the Right Chancellor broke his silence and said, "The movement of the Imperial Guards is a matter of great importance to the entire nation; it cannot be treated lightly!"

The Prince of Jin's face darkened, and he said, "What, I can't even mobilize the troops of a single garrison? Is mobilizing troops a child's play? Do I need your approval, Your Excellency Right Chancellor?"

The Right Chancellor's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said, "Your subject dares not!"

"Issue the decree: The First Division of the Imperial Guards shall depart within three days. All those on the roster must be stationed at the camp; those absent will be executed!"

Liu Quangong's brush moved swiftly and powerfully, and he immediately drafted the imperial edict.

Wei Yuan cupped his hands in greeting to the Minister of War and said, "I can cover some of the travel expenses, but please remember to pay the military pay and rations on time in the future. Otherwise, if we arrive late and the Imperial Guards go hungry, it will be difficult to handle."

The Minister of War's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, but he knew that Wei Yuan meant what he said. If he dared to embezzle military pay and provisions, Wei Yuan would really let those spoiled brats in the Imperial Guard go hungry.

Wei Yuan's choice of this first town was deliberate; he chose it because it was known for having the most spoiled rich kids.

After the matter was settled, Wei Yuan took his leave, and the King of Jin did not try to stop him, continuing to discuss other important matters with his ministers.

Upon leaving the palace, Wei Yuan headed straight for the Vajra Zen Temple. He now carried an array plate, a magical artifact crafted by Immortal Lord Yan Shi, capable of suppressing abnormal feng shui and fortune in the surrounding area. It contained a wisp of immortal energy. Once activated, Immortal Lord Yan Shi could manifest and strike.

After leaving Qing Tong last night, Wei Yuan immediately sought out Immortal Lord Yan Shi. Immortal Lord Yan Shi didn't even need to hear his explanation; he immediately bestowed this array plate upon him from afar and pre-sealed an attack within it.

Therefore, when Wei Yuan re-entered the Vajra Zen Temple, he stood much straighter.

As always, the unique bluish-yellow lights of the Vajra Zen Temple can be seen from afar, creating a warm haven in this cold and dark world.

Upon entering the Vajra Zen Temple, Wei Yuan inexplicably relaxed, but a deep-seated vigilance within him kept surging, reminding him that this was actually a place teeming with tigers and wolves.

As Wei Yuan passed the Merit Pond, he suddenly stopped. A tiny lotus bud had sprouted from the pool of withered leaves. The meeting place was still that side hall, the only place where light shone. Wei Yuan looked towards the main hall. The main hall was magnificent and imposing, with a solemn atmosphere, but it was completely dark inside. Moreover, Wei Yuan had a feeling that the main hall was dilapidated, as if it had been destroyed.

He calmed himself down and entered the side hall, where he saw the Silver Moon Khan rising like the morning sun on the northern grasslands, a boy who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old.

The boy was tall and slender, with his long hair braided into a dozen small braids on both sides, adorned with agate beads and jewels. These were not mere decorations; each bead contained terrifying magic.

An extra couch had been placed in the hall, next to Qing Tong. It was the only one that was empty, so Wei Yuan went over and sat down.

Silver Moon, drenched in sweat, looked at Wei Yuan with curiosity and said, "Fate is truly wondrous. This is the second time we've met. The first time we just brushed past each other, but what will the outcome be this time? Humans are indeed a wondrous race; almost everyone I've met is different."

Wei Yuan nodded in acknowledgment but did not speak.

Silver Moon Khan continued, "To cultivate to this level at such a young age is truly rare. It seems you are using the cultivation method of ancient human Qi cultivators, right? It's quite different from the system modified from the Liao clan's cultivation methods."

Wei Yuan said, "Your Majesty flatters me. You are much younger and have already reached the level of immortals, far beyond my reach."

Yin Yue laughed and said, "I am actually an old guy who has lived for countless years. My cultivation, techniques, dragon energy, power, and army are all left behind by my predecessor. I just inherited them. So I don't count."

Wei Yuan smiled and said, "I'm over two hundred years old, so I'm not young anymore."

"No, that's different! Your two hundred years of lifespan were the key to breaking the deadlock. Even I might not have had such determination. In hindsight, those two hundred years of lifespan not only broke the deadlock but also allowed you to avoid the Heavenly Dao's killing intent. It was truly a stroke of genius."

"What is the Heavenly Dao's killing intent?" Wei Yuan, always thick-skinned, asked without hesitation.

Yin Yue said, “You humans have a saying: ‘The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled.’ You were too young then, and your cultivation was too fast. You were like a tree that had just emerged from the forest, and Heaven and Earth would inevitably target you in various ways. These targets came from all directions, and it was impossible to defend against them. Even immortals might suddenly have murderous intent towards you. But after consuming two hundred years of lifespan, the Heavenly Dao’s murderous intent lost its target and dissipated on its own. General Wei’s ability to make such a decision is truly extraordinary!”

Wei Yuan was stunned. At the time, he was only thinking about how to deal with Hongye; how could he have thought of so much? Now, with Yin Yue's interpretation, it seemed that Wei Yuan had considered things from a long-term perspective and had made a brilliant move. In fact, Wei Yuan himself knew that he was only concerned with the present and was short-sighted.

Wei Yuan said, "I am unworthy of such praise from the Great Khan. May I ask what instructions the Great Khan may give me?"

Yin Yue laughed and said, "In my view, the heroes of the world are nothing more than you and me. Most of those so-called immortals are just mediocre and despicable people. I have come today to form a brotherhood alliance with General Wei. Let us join forces to first defeat the Left Wise King and the Little National Preceptor, divide their grassland tribes, and then meet at the foot of Tianlang Mountain."

Then we'll march west together, annihilate the Witch Clan, and fight our way to the City of Heaven, leaving the Ancestral Witch a small piece of land for their retirement. Once again, we'll share the Witch Clan's territory. By then, it will probably be two or three hundred years, and we'll both have ascended to immortality. When all the heroes of the world have been wiped out, and there's no more land to divide, then we'll fight to the death!

Now, with such a vast world, there is still room for you and me; why not share it together?

Wei Yuan knew the matter was absurd, but he was still so excited that he almost answered "yes".

But in reality, he gave a wry smile and said, "Great Khan, you flatter me too much. I merely occupy a small corner of the land, a poor and remote place. How could I possibly be qualified to share the world with the Great Khan?"

"Rise to power is but a snap of the fingers. Alright, I've said all I needed to say, and it's time for me to return to the grasslands. But the world is full of uncertainties, and those disgusting creatures in the heavens are always trying to manipulate us. No one can say that everything is under control. So, if General Wei ever encounters any misfortune, feel free to come to the grasslands to find me. Then we can be brothers forever!"

As they parted, the Silver Moon Khan came over, gave Wei Yuan a tight hug, and then left the palace. Suddenly, dozens of Liao warriors appeared outside the palace, surrounding him, and disappeared into the night.

After the Silver Moon Khan left, Wei Yuan asked, "Why did he tell me all this?"

Qing Tong said, "Back then, you inherited the fate of the Western Jin Dynasty, which indirectly saved his life, allowing him to return to the grasslands and eventually return to the sea. This is a predestined connection."

Secondly, he highly approves of your actions in Qingming and considers you a close friend. He often says he wants the millions of Liao people on the grasslands to live a life like that of the immortals. This is quite similar to yours. Therefore, his proposal for an alliance is not just empty talk; you should consider it carefully. If you agree, you will receive continuous support from the Silver Moon Royal Tent.”

Wei Yuan nodded, indicating that he would seriously consider it.

(End of this chapter)