Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 565 By order of Marquis Qingyang Jun, we respectfully welcome Mr. Ji back to Qin!

The Great Qin Imperial City.

Qianyang Palace.

Below the jade steps, the ambergris incense carried by the bronze crane swayed gently, and the entire hall was silent.

Emperor Yuankang ran his fingertips over the "Yuncang Delivery Agreement" presented by the Eastern Wei envoy. When his gaze swept over the three characters "Jiyuntang," the tassels of his crown cast dappled shadows on his brow bone.

"To exchange a fortified city, where thirteen waterways converge, for a mere scholar." The emperor tapped his finger on the sandalwood imperial desk, startling the lowly official in the blue robe of the Censorate below the steps, whose knees went weak.

"If Zhang Qingyang were half as good at business as Yu Ruo..." The emperor pressed his palm down on the scroll and murmured softly.

Duke Lu Jun of Cheng raised his head, took a step forward, bowed, and his python robe and jade belt rustled: "Your Majesty, Ji Yuntang was a Confucian and Taoist master who entered Eastern Wei alone to create a map of the mountains and rivers of Eastern Wei."

"Such integrity cannot be measured by Yun Cang City."

Although the Duke of Cheng was a military officer and not aligned with the Confucian and Taoist officials, Zhang Yuan was in charge of the Zhen Tian Division and was a member of the Supervisory Department.

As the former commander of the Inspectorate, Lu Jun naturally had to speak up for Zhang Yuan's decision.

Moreover, Lu Jun knew that Zhang Yuan had a deep friendship with Ji Yuntang when they were at the Zhengyang County Martial Arts Academy.

For one person, I'd trade a city.

This is not just a personal matter, but a matter of great principle.

The dragon patterns on the Third Prince's black robe gleamed under the glass lamp. He gazed in the direction of the Wenyuan Pavilion, then suddenly knelt down, saying, "Your subject requests that Mr. Ji be appointed as the Grand Academician of the Wenyuan Pavilion."

"What Marquis Qingyang did on the battlefield was not personal favor, but to bring back the backbone of Qin's cultural heritage!"

Inside the main hall, the other officials looked at each other and bowed.

Wang Anzhi's expression was complicated. He sighed softly and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I agree with what the Third Prince said."

As the head of the civil officials, he did not want to see a scene where a city was exchanged for the return of a single person.

But he couldn't voice his opposition.

The third prince, who had always been trying to curry favor with civil officials, naturally seized the opportunity.

Not only could he befriend Ji Yuntang, who was about to return, but he could also curry favor with Marquis Qingyang.

It can be said that the actions of Marquis Qingyang this time have indeed greatly improved his reputation among the civil and military officials in the capital.

At the head of the table, Emperor Yuankang glanced over and slowly nodded.

"By imperial decree, Ji Yuntang is hereby granted the title of Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and bestowed with a purple python robe."

"Let Gong Yuzheng make arrangements to welcome him back to Qin."

At this point, he turned to look at Zuo Qian, the Minister of Revenue, standing below the main hall.

"How many streets and alleys can be built with the supplies transported from Yuncang City this time?"

How long will it take for the reconstruction of the inner three cities to take shape?

"Furthermore, my esteemed ministers, should Marquis Qingyang be rewarded or punished?"

Upon hearing this, the officials in the main hall showed eager expressions on their faces.

Fighting wars isn't just about gaining glory; it's also about making money!
As for how to deal with Qingyang Hou, everyone exchanged glances and lowered their heads.

Is this something that can be said casually?
That is the sharpest knife in Your Majesty's hand. How to arrange it is up to you.
----------------

Eastern Wei Dynasty.

A quiet and secluded residence in the southeast corner of the imperial city.

The green-scaled tile eaves took on a rusty, dark red hue in the twilight.

Two clawless and toothless Chiwen (a mythical beast) squatted on the eaves, their cracked eyes reflecting the half-withered wisteria in the courtyard.

“Sir, please look at this Wei Zi.” Yuwen Cheng’s fingertips traced the etchings on the stone table, and the coiled dragon pattern embroidered in gold thread on his cuffs rustled in the wind as if it were alive. “The year my mother passed away, it bloomed so profusely that it covered the entire west wall.”

Yuwen Cheng, the ninth prince of Eastern Wei, was not considered the legitimate son of the emperor. Although he was intelligent, he was not highly regarded by the emperor.

Ji Yuntang gently placed the teacup on the gnarled tree roots. As his wide sleeve brushed away the dust accumulated on the stone bench, a few specks of moss quietly turned green again.

The Confucian emperor of the Great Qin Dynasty gazed at the withered vines clinging to the glazed screen wall, his graying temples contrasting with the drooping petals of the wisteria: "Plants and trees have spirits; are they also remembering the Imperial Concubine?"

The Ninth Prince's mother, Consort Ci, Ying Qingping, was a princess of the Qin Dynasty who was married off to the Wei Kingdom as part of a political alliance.

The copper bells on the eaves suddenly trembled in unison.

Yuwen Cheng's fingers, which were resting on the stone carving, curled up almost imperceptibly, and the dragon jade pendant in his sleeve made his palm ache.

He gazed at the wrinkles on the old scholar's robe, ruffled by the wind, a hint of reluctance on his face.

"Sir, you're still the same..." The young prince chuckled softly, the dark gold cloud patterns on his black python robe swirling in the twilight.

"Since you were staying in the Great Wei, and Yuwen Cheng came to seek your studies, I never refused you." "I had intended to petition my father, the Emperor, to offer you an official position in the Great Wei, but alas..."

Yuwen Cheng shook his head, his face full of regret.

"When you said Zhang Erhe was a man of great righteousness, I thought it was just a joke in the martial arts world."

Ji Yuntang smiled slightly.

He never expected that Zhang Yuan would exchange a city for his return to Qin.

He had a personal relationship with Zhang Yuan, but that was not enough to make Zhang Yuan exchange Yuncang City for it.

It should be understood that the merit of capturing Yuncang City is far greater than the merit of exchanging the city for people.

"Report——"

Suddenly, the clanging of armor resounded outside the courtyard, and twelve black banners pierced the twilight.

Yuwen Cheng suddenly stood up and looked at the dark black banner.

Qin.

Ji Yuntang smoothed out the wrinkles in his robe sleeves, and behind him, withered wisteria branches sprouted tiny green buds: "What's meant to come will come."

"Gong Yuzheng, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites of the Great Qin Dynasty—"

"Xue Yannian, Captain of the Xuanlong Guard of the Zhen Tian Division—"

"By His Majesty's order."

"By order of Marquis Qingyang Jun, we respectfully welcome Mr. Ji back to Qin!"

The sound waves, carrying the cold light of the dragon scale armor, swept over the screen wall, and the hooves of eight hundred Xuanjia dragon riders pounded the blue bricks of the imperial city, sending sparks flying.

Gong Yu, dressed in a python robe and wearing a jade belt, stood tall and straight under the broken eaves, his imposing aura blending with the power of heaven and earth.

Yuwen Cheng looked at the gilded box that Xue Yannian brought over. The three characters "Ji Yuntang" on the "Yun Cang Delivery Book" inside the box resonated with the tea stains on the stone table.

"Does the prince truly believe that Yongtianzhou can be unified?" The prince clenched the blood-red jade pendant in his palm and whispered, "Just like this Wei Zi plant that has come back to life?"

Ji Yuntang accepted the dragon-patterned cloak handed to him by Xue Yannian. As the hem of the cloak swept across the stone bench, the last remaining bud on the withered vine quietly bloomed: "The Great Qin has endured for ten thousand years, combining civil and military prowess. Its ambitions extend far beyond Yongtian Continent."

It's not just Yongtianzhou!
Yuwen Cheng trembled and stood frozen in place.

As dusk fell, a light snow began to drift down. Gong Yu brushed the fallen plum blossoms from his shoulder and bowed meaningfully to the standing prince: "Before leaving, Marquis Qingyang asked me to convey a message—the plum blossoms in Xianliangyang of the Great Qin are more beautiful than those in the Eastern Wei."

"The garden where Princess Qingping once lived was filled with blooming flowers."

As the last rays of sunlight were swallowed by the Xuanjia armor, Yuwen Cheng discovered that the tea stains on the stone table had congealed into blood-red seal script: "When new vines cover the old tiles, we can warm wine and wait for old friends."

On the table, there was also a bronze token.

Ancient and simple seal script.

The mystery lies within.

……

Yuncang City.

The city lord's mansion, the martial arts arena.

Outside the courtyard wall, Feng Lin, the sect leader of Qingyun Sword Sect, Elder Li Tingyun, Duan Yun, the foreign affairs elder, and others had solemn expressions and unconsciously tightened their grips on their sword hilts.

"when--"

From the training ground separated by a wall, the clanging and clattering of swords could be heard, along with the mournful sound of a longsword trembling and falling to the ground.

Feng Lin's expression shifted, and he lowered his voice: "How many times has the Grand Elder been defeated?"

Beside him, Li Tingyun took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Twenty-seven times."

Beside him, Duan Yun's face tightened. He glanced at the other Grandmasters of the Qingyun Sword Sect beside him, his tone revealing a hint of anxiety: "Sect Master, the Grand Elder has suffered twenty-seven consecutive defeats. Is this Qingyang Marquis using this as an excuse to put pressure on our Qingyun Sword Sect—"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a melodious sword cry rang out from the direction of the training ground.

The sound of the sword rang out loudly, echoing through the sky and audible for miles around.

Outside the courtyard wall, Feng Lin and the other elders of the Qingyun Sword Sect stared wide-eyed at the soaring sword energy, their faces instantly turning red.

"Grandmaster, Grandmaster..."

"Our Qingyun Sword Sect has a Grandmaster!"

Unable to contain their excitement, the crowd rushed into the training ground.

(End of this chapter)