The stolen magic is a bit magical

An elderly man with gray hair, kneeling at the edge of the second row of the line, suddenly looked up and stared at Lin Xiaosu in utter astonishment.

He was none other than Li Yi, the Assistant Magistrate.

His position in the officialdom is like his current standing position: the edge of the second row.

He never even considered becoming a prefect. He had no connections in the court, no wealth at home, and he was incapable of flattery or boasting. He was so successful in officialdom that even his wife could give him some advice.

However, just today, the Chief Inspector said something truly astounding in front of His Majesty: "The position of Prefect of Fuyao is none other than his!"
Decisive and unequivocal, without any politeness or room for retreat.

How can he be so virtuous?
He and this Lord Su had only met today.

In an instant, the old man, who had spent most of his life in officialdom and had always only felt the coldness of human relationships, was filled with warmth.

"Where is Li Yi, the Assistant Magistrate?" His Majesty's gaze swept across the entire room.

“Your Majesty, your old minister is here!” Li Yi said.

His Majesty's gaze lingered on him for a long time: "A prefectural vice-prefect, dressed in old clothes, kneeling at the edge of the second row, is enough to show that he is honest and upright despite his poverty, and indeed has not colluded with He Zhang!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Li Yi almost cried.

"Effected immediately, Li Yi is promoted to Prefect of Fuyao! This is the imperial decree!"

As soon as the voice fell, it was filled with boundless authority. The official seal that had just been taken from Prefect He Zhang fell from thin air and landed in Li Yi's hand.

Appointing officials remotely is that simple.

Li Yi held the official seal as if in a dream.

"Minister Su, we still need to carefully plan and make meticulous arrangements. I will wait patiently for good news from the inner palace!" His Majesty's last few words restored his composure.

"The minister obeys the order!"

His Majesty's figure finally disappeared.

He slowly withdrew his imperial seal, his gaze falling on the Grand Commander Huo Gang beside him: "Did you expect this kind of start?"

The words that had been lingering in his throat for so long finally escaped from the throat of the Grand Commander Huo Gang: “I never expected this!”

He admired this judge.

The reason for admiration is that this Grand Commander and Lin Xiaosu worked side by side to accomplish two remarkable things: first, eliminating Xin Pavilion, and second, investigating the mastermind behind the destruction of Wenhua Pavilion's documents, and subsequently wiping out Tunyun Temple.

These two events allowed him, the commander of the Imperial Guards who had been completely overshadowed by His Majesty's brilliance, to finally gain fame and recognition, and even make the entire Imperial Guards surpass the Imperial Guards.

Therefore, he held this newly risen official in high regard.

However, this was only the kind of esteem that a superior held for a lower-ranking official, similar to the esteem an adult would have for a child.

This time, Lin Xiaosu requested permission to travel to Jiangnan.

His heart skipped a beat at that moment. He could almost guess what Lin Xiaosu's next request would be. It would definitely be that His Majesty allow him, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to accompany him.

This speculation made the president, who had never known what tension was, feel somewhat nervous.

If His Majesty is so eager to pacify the major sects in Jiangnan that he really wants me to accompany him, then the trouble will be quite significant. There are powerful figures in Jiangnan, and not just one, but at least more than ten. Although I am not afraid of powerful figures, I will have to fight against more than eighty sects led by more than a dozen powerful figures at the same time, as well as against the forces all over the world behind these sects. That would be quite a headache.

However, Lin Xiaosu deviated from his initial prediction and did not make this request.

All he wanted was a town-level army.

It's only a 3,000-strong army at the town level.

It is roughly equivalent to the smallest sect in Jiangnan.

With such strength, they clearly did not intend to conquer Jiangnan by force.

More like his "honor guard".

So, he had a preliminary understanding of this "Lord Su's" strategic roadmap. This kid must be planning to rely on the emperor's backing, use his status as leverage, maneuver among the various sects in Jiangnan, and establish connections and alliances between them. He wanted to use one sect to control another, try to win over some sects to His Majesty's use, and implant the power structure of the imperial power into the sects.

This is a consensus among almost all insightful people.

However, news from the first stop arrived tonight.

Lin Xiaosu once again defied everyone's predictions; he actually destroyed the Dongxuan Sect.

The Dongxuan Sect is no small sect. Its overall strength is ten or even a hundred times that of their Zhen-level force. Moreover, they are a powerful dragon that has been entrenched in Fuyao for many years. Even a powerful dragon can hardly suppress a local snake. So how did Lin Xiaosu do it? He was clearly a small snake, yet he crossed the river and destroyed a powerful dragon!
how did you do that?
His Majesty was clearly quite surprised as well. Heaven knows, the well-informed Commander of the Imperial Guards was even more surprised than His Majesty!
"Investigate!" His Majesty's gaze slowly fell upon them: "I need to know how he managed to destroy the Dongxuan Sect with just a single Zhen-level unit."

Huo Gang looked into His Majesty's unfathomable eyes, felt a slight chill in his heart, and bowed to receive the order: "Your subject obeys!"

He wasn't a fool. He had followed His Majesty for many years, and he knew that His Majesty had developed a certain wariness.

This is the norm for emperors.

They expect their ministers to be outstanding.

However, if a minister's performance is so amazing that even the emperor cannot understand it, then this warning line is triggered, especially in military affairs.

Military affairs are the most sensitive area for any dynasty.

Today you were able to destroy the Dongxuan Sect, whose strength was comparable to a million-strong army, with only 3,000 soldiers at the Zhen level. Will this pose a huge threat to my dynasty tomorrow?
Now let's talk about Fuyou City.

After Lin Xiaosu finished communicating with His Majesty, several fierce Zhentian Pavilion soldiers entered from outside, seized Prefect He Zhang on the spot, and put him in heavy handcuffs.

He Zhang's face was completely ashen, and his body was as limp as a noodle; he could only be dragged along.

The cold sweat on the backs of the prefect and his officials kept drying and then getting wet again.

Waiting for fate to decide in the night wind.

Lin Xiaosu's gaze swept over the group of officials and landed on the face of the newly appointed prefect, Li Yi: "Lord Li, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Since His Majesty has entrusted you with this important task, you should live up to His Majesty's trust, take decisive action, rectify the officialdom, and restore the people's livelihood!"

"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I obey your orders!" Li Yi slowly straightened up.

"In these three days, my army is still in full swing, but if anyone dares to disobey your orders, just give me a message, and I will discipline them on your behalf!"

"Yes!" The single word carried the weight of thunder.

"I shall take my leave for now!" Lin Xiaosu turned around.

"Respectfully seeing you off, sir!" Li Yi bowed deeply.

"Respectfully seeing off Your Excellency!" All the officials behind him knelt down.

Leaving the prefect's residence, Lin Xiaosu finally brought together a common attitude in the officialdom of Fuyao Prefecture for the first time.

That is, they developed genuine awe for him, their chief inspector.

This person is different from all the previous ones.

In the past, adults, no matter how high their official rank, all followed certain rules of officialdom, which meant that they had to consider the opinions of the powerful figures in the court when they acted.

He Zhang was once a favorite of the Crown Prince and had done too much for him. The Crown Prince valued him highly, and the Prime Minister also valued him highly. Therefore, even if a high-ranking official came to Fuyao, he would not go too far.

Today, this Lord Su has direct access to His Majesty, bypassing all court factions.

He Zhang, a prefectural governor with intricate connections to the imperial court, was verbally abused to his face and immediately dismissed from office, his property confiscated, and he was subjected to a series of punishments.

Moreover, whoever he takes a liking to will rise to the top in one step.

His Majesty took his words without any hesitation; basically, His Majesty did exactly what he said.

What's the point of playing this game?
Therefore, these seasoned veterans in the officialdom all reached a consensus: never mess with him. If you really mess with him, with his massive army at his disposal, the boundless power to annihilate the Dongxuan Sect, and the Emperor's unprecedented favor towards him, he could kill you on the spot, and the Emperor wouldn't do anything to him.

This is the significance of Lin Xiaosu's last words: telling Li Yi, and all officials, "Li Yi, you can manage boldly; if you don't like someone, deal with them!"
In this way, Li Yi's ascension to the throne was truly smooth, perfectly bypassing the deadlock in officialdom where "the foundation is not solid and the government's orders are not implemented".

There are indications that Li Yichu has seized power and no official below him dares to defy him in the slightest.

Night falls.

The streets were still filled with the sounds of people bowing in gratitude. The streets ahead were teeming with people. Lin Xiaosu turned her gaze and stepped onto another road. After passing through an alley, the Pearl River was just ahead.

The Pearl River, with a full moon hanging in the sky.

The waters of the Pearl River are reflected in the water like strings of pearls, which is probably the origin of the name "Pearl River".

What's the date today?

Lin Xiaosu mentally made a quick review: July 12th!

There is no such thing as the Gregorian calendar in this world, only the traditional Chinese calendar, and the traditional Chinese calendar is synchronized with that world.

Before I knew it, two months had passed since I entered this world.

Two months may not seem like a long time, but his journey has been very long.

From a wanderer in another world to a steward of the Heart Pavilion in the capital, then to a rising fifth-rank official in the imperial court, and finally to a fourth-rank chief inspector traveling south of the Yangtze River.

There are still three years and two months until the day of the calamity of no virtue three years from now. It seems like a long time, but the road ahead of him is even longer...

"I seem to understand some of your 'Way of War,' but there's still much I don't understand," Zhang Tao's voice came.

Lin Xiaosu slowly turned to the side and saw three pairs of eyes.

There was confusion in Zhang Tao's eyes.

Fufu's eyes were filled with nothing but admiration.

The eyes that were high above, the eyes of the mad wolf, which were originally just as bright as stars, showed a clear expression of contemplation after Zhang Tao's words.

Behind him were more than a dozen guards, all at the Enlightenment Realm, but they were quite far away.

The sounds of gratitude that once filled the city have finally ceased to be heard.

"Tell me, what have you learned?" Lin Xiaosu asked with a smile. Zhang Tao replied, "My lord not only eliminated the Dongxuan Sect by force, but also completely severed its foundation throughout the entire Fuyou Prefecture. This is what I have witnessed."

"That's right!" Lin Xiaosu said, "What parts don't you understand?"

"It is your strategy to help the people. Your journey to Jiangnan will involve dealing with sects. Helping the people is certainly important, but it is not your responsibility. If you encounter the suffering of the people wherever you go, your journey to Jiangnan will be infinitely long and will also have a huge aftereffect. I wonder if you have thought about this."

"Aftereffects?" Lin Xiaosu's eyes lit up slightly: "Tell me about them."

Zhang Tao said, "Your Excellency's act of helping the people directly affects His Majesty's wealth. Although His Majesty may not say it, he may be dissatisfied. Secondly, Your Excellency's actions will disrupt the order of the officialdom throughout the country, highlighting the incompetence of local governments. You will be ostracized by the officials, which is what is meant by 'the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind.'"

Mad Wolf's heart pounded.

Yes, Zhang Tao is absolutely right.

Our trip to Jiangnan is for the sects, not to solve the livelihood problems of the people in various places. There are so many livelihood problems in various places. Once you get involved, you will be completely trapped and unable to get out. There are priorities. We who fight wars are overstepping our bounds by doing this.
What's worse is that the more outstanding you are, the more incompetent the local governments seem.

There are rules in officialdom. If you go your own way and leave others with no way to go, who would like that?

Zhang Tao's summary of the saying "The tallest tree in the forest will surely be felled by the wind" resonated deeply with this fierce battlefield general.

Her large size, which made her the first target of enemy attacks on the battlefield, is clear evidence of this...

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "I appreciate Captain Zhang's sincere reminder!"

Zhang Tao quickly bowed: "This humble general is fond of military strategy. Having received such instruction from you on military strategy, I should offer you timely reminders in other areas. After all, I have spent half my life in the officialdom and have some understanding of how it works."

He spoke politely, but his meaning was clear: I like military strategy and have learned a lot from you, sir. In return, I will teach you how to be an official so that you won't make mistakes.

Fu Fu looked around at this and that, and then suddenly spoke up: "Captain Zhang, my family... um... our sir has only been in officialdom for a little over a month, and he's already a fourth-rank official. Doesn't he know better than you how to be an official? You, a sixth-rank guard captain, are you trying to teach a fourth-rank civil official how to be an official?"

In short, it was quite abrupt.

It's just a single sentence, yet it contains the truth.

Zhang Tao was speechless, unable to utter a single word, and a faint blush crept onto his face...

This girl is so blunt! She says she's experienced in officialdom, but she's just a sixth-rank guard captain. She says the official is young and lacks experience, but he's only been in officialdom for a little over a month and has already risen from a commoner to a fourth-rank civil official.

Does one need to be taught how to be an official?
How did he rise through the ranks so quickly when he was incompetent at being an official?
When judging a matter, look at the results!

"Fu Fu, how can you talk like that?" Lin Xiaosu scolded her: "Captain Zhang meant well."

Fu Fu stuck out his tongue and jumped to the side.

Zhang Tao bowed: "This humble general has misspoke. The young lady's reminder is correct. In just one month, you have become a fourth-rank official. In terms of officialdom, this humble general is far inferior to you."

Lin Xiaosu reached out and helped him up: "What Lord Zhang said was out of concern for me, and my gratitude is not unfounded. In fact, I am aware of what you have said, but the situation is urgent and I cannot attend to both at the same time."

Looking into his sincere eyes, Zhang Tao felt all the pent-up frustration in his heart disappear.

Lin Xiaosu said, "You said that our mission should focus on military affairs, and that helping the people would dilute the theme of military affairs. However, helping the people is the most crucial part of military strategy."

These words shocked the three people beside him...

Lin Xiaosu said, "I will explain this principle to you..."

Those who wage war should avoid the worst course of action: to send their troops deep into enemy territory alone.

This trip to the south of the Yangtze River involved a mere township-level unit, yet it directly confronted 81 cases. Even if each case involved 100,000 people, what would the total number be? 8.1 million!

Three thousand troops entering the encirclement of eight million one hundred thousand enemies is tantamount to being trapped in a vast ocean of enemy territory.

If we try to solve this problem using conventional thinking, we have no chance of winning, no matter what method we use.

Zhang Tao and Kuang Lang looked into each other's eyes and slowly nodded.

"But do you know how many people live in the Jiangnan region?" Lin Xiaosu said. "According to household registration records, the total population of the twelve prefectures of Jiangnan is 1.73754 billion! The sect has 8.1 million members. What are they compared to these 1.7 billion people?"

Both of them frowned at the same time...

"It's the same difference in scale, like a drop of water facing an ocean!" Lin Xiaosu said. "Our three thousand men are facing their eight million one hundred thousand, surrounded by them from every angle. And what about them? Their eighty-one sects are just a few specks of dust surrounded by seventeen billion people! If we can mobilize the masses and win their hearts, we will form the greatest momentum in the art of war!"

Zhang Tao's eyes lit up: "Therefore, policies to help the people are also a form of military strategy!"

Mad Wolf's voice came from above: "My lord, no matter how many ordinary people there are, they cannot form a real fighting force."

"No! This is the difference between our thinking on war. Your understanding of combat power is the actual swords and spears wielded on the battlefield, while my understanding of combat power includes war potential, logistical support, intelligence provision, and even more importantly, the replenishment of manpower... If I say too much, you probably won't be able to digest it all at once. Let me give you the one that's easiest for you to understand, such as manpower! We currently have three thousand men, but if we open the recruitment channel right now, we can replenish you with thirty thousand men from just one prefecture. Other people's troops dwindle with each battle, while our troops can grow stronger with each battle!"

Zhang Tao's eyes lit up: "This is the highest realm of military strategy: the source of soldiers is like water, inexhaustible, and the war is like a tide, sweeping across the sky and the earth!"

"The more they fight, the more they multiply... Is it really possible for the number of warriors to increase with each battle?" Mad Wolf murmured. This wasn't a question; it was simply a turmoil within her mind...

Suddenly, the guards on the other side became flustered.

Several hundred more people appeared in the darkness.

"Who's making a scene?" Mad Wolf asked coldly.

The guard said, "My lord, there are many young men from Fuyao who want to join your ranks. They say that you intend to sweep across Jiangnan, and as sons of Jiangnan, they are willing to die for you!"

"See?" Lin Xiaosu chuckled softly. "This is the situation when the recruitment channel is not open. What will happen once the recruitment channel is open?"

"My lord...should we really open up the recruitment channel?" Mad Wolf's heart raced.

She is also an ambitious person. She has just become the chief envoy of a three-thousand-town-level army, and now she wants to try what it's like to command a million-strong army.

Lin Xiaosu slowly shook his head: "Tell them that I appreciate their passion, but this is not the time to conscript soldiers. If they are needed, I will issue a notice."

The young people on the outskirts gradually dispersed.

However, a voice still came: "Sir, I am Cui Hao, I want to see you!"

The voice came from the night sky, and it was different from others. This was the voice of someone with a foundation in cultivation, which distinguished them from ordinary people.

Lin Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat: "Cui Hao? Come here!"

With a whoosh, a figure flew like an eagle, leaping over the treetops and descending from the sky, kneeling down in front of Lin Xiaosu with a thud.

It was when he first entered Fuyao that he met one of the two sides in the dispute, Cui Hao, the young master of the Cui family.

At this moment, he was still wearing the same blood-stained scholar's robe he had worn during the day. He knelt before Lin Xiaosu and said, "My lord, you saved my husband and me, and avenged my Cui family. I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life, even if it means going through fire and water!"

"Get up!" Lin Xiaosu said.

Cui Hao kowtowed once and stood up.

Lin Xiaosu looked him up and down; his cultivation level was at the peak of the Sky-Gazing Realm.

But his stance, his clothes, and the words he used to speak all didn't resemble those of a spiritual practitioner.

"Cui Hao, are you a scholar or a cultivator?"

“Your Excellency has discerning eyes. Until the beginning of last year, I was just a typical scholar, only interested in passing the imperial examinations and never considering the path of cultivation. However, I met an old Taoist priest who insisted that I was suited for cultivation and took me to a mountain where I barely learned a little bit.” Cui Hao said, “I can serve as your bodyguard or clerk. I will do as you please.”

Zhang Tao and Kuang Lang both shared a degree of agreement.

It is true that the master lacks a real page. I used to think that the master had one, but in fact, this page is not a page, but the master's wife.

How could the lady of the army possibly do such menial tasks?
This young man is quite good. He could be used as a clerk, copying documents and recording adults' military plans.

The key point is that they rescued this person themselves, so theoretically they are very reliable.

Lin Xiaosu's eyes flashed: "You also have a master. What does your master think about you following me?"

Cui Hao said, "My master went on a journey around the world at the beginning of this year. He also told me that I should make all the decisions myself."

"Your master..." Lin Xiaosu hesitated for a moment, "Who is he?"

Cui Hao said, "My master is known as the 'Three-Word Taoist' because he only speaks three words a day, no more and no less. I also asked my master about his background, and he only told me two words: Qingmen."

"The Taoist of the Three Characters of Qingmen..." Zhang Tao's words reached Lin Xiaosu's ears: "This humble general has never heard of him."

Lin Xiaosu said, "Cui Hao, I completely understand your desire to do something for me. However, you still have a wife at home, and she can't support the Cui family alone in its current situation. It's not appropriate for you to stay by my side... However, you can do one thing for me!"

Upon hearing the first part of the sentence, Cui Hao's heart sank.

But upon hearing the second half of the sentence, Cui Hao's heart warmed again. People in this era are relatively simple-minded. Having received such a huge favor from someone, they would not be able to explain it to their ancestors or their own conscience if they did not repay it.

The master did not accept him as a close follower, but he did give him a task.

"Please speak, my lord. I, Cui Hao, would gladly go through fire and water for you."

"It's not that serious!" Lin Xiaosu said, "You should go home. If your master returns one day, have the prefect send me a message, and I will come to see him."

"Yes!" Cui Hao accepted the order.

"Alright, I'm going back to the restaurant to rest now!"

Lin Xiaosu leaped into the air and landed on the roof of a restaurant...

The restaurant manager rushed over and arranged the best room for Lin Xiaosu, then helped her into the room.

The team from Dongxuan Sect who were cleaning up the battlefield had also returned, and Kuanglang went over to collect the spoils of war.

Only Lin Xiaosu and Zhang Tao remained on the rooftop.

Zhang Tao's voice came softly: "Sir, do you know this Taoist priest with the three-character name?"

"do not know!"

"But Your Excellency seems unusually concerned about this Taoist priest. Is it because of the Green Gate?" (End of Chapter)