The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 385 Cloud surge
On the thirteenth day of the tenth month of the twenty-fourth year of the Jiajing reign.

Huguang Provincial Administration Commission, Xiangyang Prefecture.

At the foot of Wudang Mountain.

Gao Anyu dismounted, shaded his eyes with his hand, glanced at the mountain gate ahead, and turned to speak.

"Brother Cao, I still don't understand."

"Aunt Zheng, Commander Wang, and Brother Gu stayed in Nanjing to stabilize the situation, but shouldn't we go to Shuntian with Uncle Li? Why did he send us to Wudang?"

Cao Hanyan led the horse to the side of the road, tying it up as she spoke.

"Because our martial arts skills are too poor."

"Things happened too fast and too quickly. If we stay by the side of the garrison commander, we will be a burden to him, both in terms of speed and fighting."

Upon hearing this, Gao Anyu's expression turned dejected. Seeing this, Cao Hanyan smiled and comforted him.

"Brother Gao, there's no need to belittle yourself. We've come to Wudang for a reason... You know who our opponents are this time, right?"

Gao Anyu nodded, counting on his fingers.

"Yes, civil officials, military officers, eunuchs, and Yingzhou."

Cao Hanyan drew her sword, examined it from head to toe, and after confirming that the blade was sharp, she sheathed it and strode toward the Wudang Sect's mountain gate, speaking as she walked.

“That’s right. This matter is no longer limited to the martial arts world, and the methods they have used are not as simple as drawing a sword and drawing blood.”

"Yingzhou has three advantages: being a celestial being, possessing the Xuanlan martial arts, and having an appearance identical to that of the Zhenfu Envoy. Using any one of these three points can easily stir up the entire martial arts world."

"The Ming Cult's dissemination of the 'Wedding Dress Divine Skill' last year, which attracted martial arts figures to gather in Shuntian, is still fresh in our minds. Naturally, the Commander-in-Chief is worried that they will repeat this tactic—that is why we came to Wudang."

Gao Anyu nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

If these matters were explained in detail, they would probably be endless even within the Wudang Sect, so Cao Hanyan only gave a brief explanation, which he naturally couldn't understand.

But he felt that since Cao Hanyan and Li Miao had both done it, it must be the right thing to do, so he would just listen to them and there was nothing more to ask.

The two then arrived outside the gate of Wudang Mountain.

A young Taoist priest emerged from inside the gate, quickly walked up to the two men, and bowed, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize, but I have important matters to attend to at Wudang Sect today and it is inconvenient to entertain guests. Please leave."

Cao Hanyan frowned and reached out to take out her waist token.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard... what urgent matter is it?"

When he revealed his identity, the young Taoist priest's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jinyiwei?"

"Why are you two only arriving now? The Garrison Commander has been here for quite some time. Our Wudang Sect's most important matter is receiving the Garrison Commander. Are you two unaware of this?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Hanyan's expression changed drastically!
He stepped forward, stood close to the young Taoist priest, put his arm around him, and asked in a low voice.

"Which military governor, the Northern Military Governor or the Southern Military Governor?"

The young Taoist priest seemed to realize something and replied in a low voice.

"You jest, sir... The Southern Garrison Command doesn't get involved in the martial world, so which other garrison commander could there be? It's naturally the garrison commander of the Northern Garrison Command, Lord Li Miao... Is there something wrong with that?"

"Of course not!"

Cao Hanyan had already gripped the hilt of the knife.

As expected, Li Miao's prediction was correct!
With the Wudang tradition, if the visitor were to disguise themselves, they certainly wouldn't be able to hide it. Even without martial arts skills at the Celestial Realm level, Wudang would be able to see through it at a glance.

Similar appearance, transcendent realm... who else could it be!
Yingzhou!

Cao Hanyan asked urgently.

"Young Taoist priest, do you have any influence within the sect?"

The young Taoist priest replied in a low voice.

"Indeed, my humble Taoist practice is insignificant; the current sect leader is my senior uncle."

Cao Hanyan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright… Little Taoist priest, listen carefully. The garrison commander has never been to Xiangyang. We just parted ways two days ago. He is currently on his way to Shuntian and there is absolutely no way he could come to Wudang.”

"The garrison commander inside your gate is a fake!"

He spoke with absolute certainty, expecting the young Taoist to be shocked and prepared to explain, but to his surprise, the young Taoist became visibly excited.

"I knew it!"

Li Miao waved excitedly.

"I told you it was fake, but Master and Uncle-Master wouldn't listen to me! Come, gentlemen, I'll take you to Master right now and explain this to him!"

After saying that, he led Cao and Gao into the doorway.

Cao Hanyan asked as she walked.

"How did you know, young Taoist priest... that the garrison commander was a fake?"

Li Miao said without turning her head.

"Because that fake one praised my Taiyi Xuanmen Swordplay! Lord Li doesn't know how to praise people; he only points out where I'm lacking, never anything good about my skills!"

"I haven't been able to improve my swordsmanship in the last six months. When I heard he was coming, I deliberately went up to him and asked him to point out my flaws. But he just smiled and praised me. I don't believe he would praise me!"

"The 'Lord Li' who knows how to praise people is definitely a fake!"

Cao Hanyan looked embarrassed.

It seems this young Taoist priest named Li Miao does indeed know Li Miao. But his method of judgment… should we call it childlike innocence, or just a lucky guess? Yet, it's something he can't refute.

After walking for a while, the three arrived at a secluded courtyard in Wudang.

Li Miao knocked on the door, and without waiting for a reply, pushed the door open and went in.

"Master!"

"I told you I was right! That Lord Li is definitely a fake! I've brought witnesses, now you should believe me!"

"Hey, Uncle-Master, what are you doing here too?"

Cao Hanyan and Gao Anyu followed them in.

Inside the courtyard, Li Miao had already run to a stone table and was talking animatedly to the two Taoist priests on the table.

Cao Hanyan looked closely.

Two Taoist priests, one fat and one thin, were sitting facing each other drinking tea. When they saw Cao Hanyan and Gao Anyu enter, they squinted at them.

It was Zhiqing, the leader of Wudang Sect, and Zhisheng, the master of Limiao.

Two of the most outstanding masters from the Wudang Sect are actually here.

Cao Hanyan stepped forward and bowed.

"Greetings, seniors. I am Cao Hanyan from the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"The situation is urgent, I—"

Before he could finish speaking, Wudang Sect Leader Zhiqing waved his hand with a smile, interrupting him.

"Oh, Lord Cao, there's no need to be in such a hurry. You must be tired from your journey. Please have some tea."

Cao Hanyan had no interest in drinking tea and was about to continue speaking when she suddenly realized—how come the two top experts of the Wudang Sect are both here? Shouldn't the Wudang Sect Leader receive the Imperial Guard Commander who has come here?
Is it possible...

Zhiqing said with a smile.

"My lord, there is no need to be anxious. If it is about that fake garrison commander... hehe, I will take you to the back mountain to take a look later."

“My grandmaster is having a long talk with him right now.”

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Wudang Mountain, back mountain, cave.

"I am the king who governs the changes of the heavens and the earth..."

"I am the king who governs the changes of the heavens and the earth..."

Two voices were echoing inside the cave.

The ragged old Taoist priest sat cross-legged on the stone bed, muttering incoherently.

In front of him, a figure who looked exactly like Li Miao sat cross-legged on the ground, also muttering incessantly, but his face was extremely pale, as if he were having a nightmare.

Footsteps could be heard outside the cave.

Zhiqing and Cao Hanyan stepped inside.

Zhiqing bowed to the old Taoist priest.

"Uncle Master."

The old Taoist opened his cloudy eyes and looked at Zhiqing with a blank gaze, but did not reply.

Zhiqing called out again, and only then did his gaze finally focus.

"What's the matter?"

Zhiqing said with a smile.

"Lord Li, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, requests your presence in Shuntian."

"Oh."

After a long while, the old Taoist priest slowly nodded.

Whether it was because of his momentary distraction or not, the fake Li Miao sitting cross-legged in front of him suddenly opened his eyes and squeezed out a sentence from his throat.

"You...don't want the Xuanlan cultivation technique...why bother...Innate Realm, Heavenly Cycle, Cover...don't you want...the Heavenly Cycle Transformation..."

"Transform...me into...king..."

His eyes slowly closed again.

The old Taoist priest stared at him for a long time before turning to look at Zhiqing.

"Do you want the Xuanlan cultivation technique?"

Zhiqing smiled and shook his head.

"Different road non-phase plan."

"Oh."

The old Taoist priest closed his eyes.

"I will depart tomorrow."

"In that case, this disciple will take his leave."

Zhiqing bowed and led Cao Hanyan out of the cave.

(End of this chapter)