Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 335-345 A New Elixir Formula, Meeting an Old Friend

At the residence of the Duke of Yue, Li Cunxiao stared into deep thought as he looked at the still-wet imperial edict.

Li Yisheng acted swiftly and decisively. No sooner had he left the Prince of Jin's residence than an imperial edict bearing the seal of the Secretariat was delivered to his home.

The contents of the imperial edict were, of course, the military organization, money, food, and medicine that Li Yisheng had previously promised.

But at this moment, those weren't what he cared about.

"King Song."

He already held the nominal titles of Prefect of Songzhou and Military Governor of Xuanwu Army, so Li Yisheng's promise of the throne of the King of Song was naturally well-founded.

Li Cunxiao didn't know if the other party had made similar promises to others, but if Li Yisheng could really make him the King of Song after the recapture of Henan Province, he would undoubtedly have a huge advantage.

Even though he holds a royal title, he would not be inferior to Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu.

Leading an army independently means not having to share the credit with superiors, which means that a new faction or clique will emerge within the Hedong Army.

Li Cunxiao was a little confused. Did Li Yisheng really value him, or was he really determined to push him out to compete with the eldest and third brothers?
But what does he want?

The lifespan of a Grandmaster is sixty years longer than that of a Grandmaster. If Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu cannot break through, then with Li Yisheng's prestige, he will be able to intimidate the entire court, and no faction will be able to shake his rule.

A warrior with immense strength is completely different from an emperor who uses power to control his subjects.

"Perhaps it's because the structure of a triangle is more stable," Li Cunxiao thought to himself, unable to figure it out.

"Once I also break through to the Grandmaster level, what others think in the future will not matter."

"It is currently mid-October, and there is still a month and a half before the reign title is changed the following year."

"In a month and a half, we need to quickly recruit soldiers, complete the initial training, and also kill demons and refine pills."

"As for the people of Huayin County, although we can gather 6,000, training them from scratch will still take a bit of time."

"Or, how about we find a way to borrow some young men who are knowledgeable in battle from Changsun Fu and the others?"

"Powerful families have no shortage of resources. Otherwise, if they were all like Ye Chengxiao and Wei He, it would be too time-consuming for me to personally train them one by one."

With time running out and the task at hand, Li Cunxiao was immediately engrossed in his work.

Meanwhile, in Pingkangfang, east of Zhuque Avenue in the capital, people were equally busy.

Pingkangfang was a gathering place for famous courtesans in the capital, a place known for its romantic affairs.

However, at the same time, the neighborhood also housed the residences of many high-ranking officials and nobles, as well as the residences of the governors of the sixteen provinces and the rear residences of the military governors.

It can be said that this place is not only a brothel and entertainment district, but also a large commercial center, a residential area for political figures, and a symbol of high society.

Even prostitutes here are divided into different classes.

In the brothel alley, there are "Southern Music", "Middle Music" and "First Music", which together make up "Three Musics".

The most talented prostitutes lived in the "Southern Quarter" and "Middle Quarter," while ordinary prostitutes with mediocre talents could only live in the "First Quarter" near the city wall, mainly making a living by selling their bodies.

Today, it's clear that some extraordinary guests have arrived at Pingkangfang.

The "Zhongqu" and "Yiqu" were completely surrounded by soldiers as fierce as tigers and wolves. Every now and then, disheveled soldiers would emerge from among them, and then people from outside would come in.

The sounds of laughter, playful banter, and boisterous drinking blended together, causing Shi Jingsi, who was leaning against the railing, to frown.

"Eleventh Brother, what are you doing standing here? Come and have a drink with us!"

Li Cunshen held the glass cup, his face already showing signs of drunkenness.

His gaze shifted, noticing the shirtless soldiers. He seemed to understand, and with a smile, he grabbed Shi Jingsi's arm.

"My brothers have been away on campaign for more than half a year. But my godfather has given a strict order that they are not allowed to plunder or forbid women from joining the army."

"They're all strong and vigorous men, who could stand them?"

"Today was just a venting session, don't worry."

"Even if something goes wrong, aren't Big Brother's men here? There's a lot of people involved, so they won't be held accountable."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jingsi frowned even more deeply.

Following Li Cunshen into the private room, they found it even more chaotic and disorderly.

In early winter, the dancers wore light gauze, yet they still broke out in a sweat, making their snow-white skin appear even more radiant.

The source of this was Kang Junli, Li Cunjin, and other Taibao, whose powerful blood and qi emitted astonishing heat.

Each of them opened their arms wide, embracing each other, their expressions extremely unrestrained and dissolute.

When they were out in public, the Twelve Bodyguards were at each other's throats, but when they were visiting prostitutes, they were surprisingly harmonious, and they didn't even fight when they were in the same room.

"It's been a long time since I've seen such a sight."

Separated by a screen, the noise outside seemed to have no effect on this place at all.

Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu sat facing each other, with only a few plates of fresh fruit and a pot of fine wine on the table.

"Everyone has their own ambitions, just like traveling."

“In the past, there were fewer people, so it didn’t matter if we took the same route.”

"But when there are too many people, the road becomes narrow, and eventually, people have to go their separate ways."

Li Siyuan rarely showed a hint of melancholy, and memories of the past vaguely flashed through his mind.

"What my elder brother said is true. Some roads cannot be walked together."

"But even if you split into two paths, you can always tell that one of them is the right one."

"If anyone else comes to walk this road again..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Siyuan interrupted him:

"This path doesn't need a third person."

Li Cunxu smiled and poured two glasses of wine.

"Big brother is right, this path doesn't need a third person."

The golden cups clinked together, and the drink was finished in one gulp; the unspoken meaning was all there.

Just then, the outside suddenly became quiet. The two men's expressions changed, and they simultaneously stepped over the screen, only to see each other's confidants standing in the middle of a group of bodyguards, looking troubled.

"what's up?"

The two attendants were overjoyed and went to Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu's sides respectively.

Under the shield of true energy, no sound could be heard; only the opening and closing of its mouth could be seen.

Then Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu's expressions changed simultaneously.

This scene aroused even greater curiosity among the group of bodyguards, who even lost interest in the beauty in their arms and chased her all away.

"My two elder brothers, what has happened? Has Zhu Quanzhong raised an army again?"

"If that's the case, that would be great," Li Siyuan's expression changed as he looked at Li Cunxu and found that the other was in the same boat.

There was a lingering solemnity in both of their eyes.

His adoptive father (father) actually allowed Li Cunxiao to intercept taxes and even promised to bestow upon him the title of King of Song upon his return.

The front line in Hedong has now advanced to Xuzhou, Zhengzhou, and Huazhou, roughly a line from south to north.

East of Zhengzhou is Bianzhou, and further east of Bianzhou is Songzhou.

Zhu Quanzhong's main force is currently stationed in Xuzhou, east of Songzhou, and there are recent rumors that he intends to establish his capital in Pengcheng, Xuzhou.

Before the final battle even began, Li Yisheng had already given away strategic locations. What does this mean?
Recapturing the heartland of the two rivers is an immense feat!
Does this rivalry really need a third competitor to enter the fray?
"I'm afraid that if we push too hard, it will displease our godfather."

Li Siyuan was taken aback and remained silent, while Li Cunxu gritted his teeth inwardly.

Stealing chickens will not lose rice.

They all understood that Li Cunxiao had extensive connections in the capital due to his background and the six months they had worked together.

Now that Li Yisheng is about to ascend the throne, the Hedong faction will have to shift from its previous war-based model to a model that combines war and administration.

If Li Cunxiao had stayed in the central government, he could have quickly amassed a considerable force—no, he had already become a force—by leveraging this connection.

The other party is only twenty years old now, and in the future he will probably become the youngest grandmaster in history. At that time, who will be able to control him? That is why they did not want Li Cunxiao to take the position of Commander of the Palace Guard, and that is why the two of them racked their brains and strongly advocated for him to be sent to a post outside the capital.

Upon arriving in the wild and untamed southwestern lands, the first thing they did was sever their connection with the central government.

Secondly, being far from the front lines, Li Cunxiao would likely be unable to participate in the several major battles to come.

Although military achievements are not the only way to gain merit, they are currently the fastest and most important way.

By the time Li Cunxiao returned to court, everything had already been settled, thus killing two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately, his clever plan backfired, leading Li Yisheng to promise him a throne.

Looking across Hedong, there is still no one who has been granted the title of king. Once this news gets out, I'm afraid that people from the court will be knocking down the threshold of the Duke of Yue's mansion tonight!

Seeing that neither of the two leaders spoke, Kang Junli and the others were anxiously scratching their heads. But looking at their gloomy faces, none of them dared to utter a word.

However, not long after, other guards of the Taibao also rushed to see him, saying they had important news.

Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu both had a bad feeling.

As expected, after whispering among themselves, Kang Junli and the others exclaimed in surprise:

"What? The thirteenth prince is being made a prince?"

"King Song? Isn't this just giving away the greatest credit directly?"

"My godfather is unjust! We risked our lives to earn a mere county marquis title, while Li Cunxiao is nothing more than a bookworm. Why should he be granted such a position?"

Ignoring the surrounding commotion, Shi Jingsi grabbed his bodyguard by the collar and asked urgently:

"Where did this news come from? The Duke of Yue's mansion?"

"No, it was His Majesty who said it himself when he sent people to escort Duke Anle back to his old residence."

"The news has probably spread throughout the capital by now."

It was indeed my godfather's doing.

Shi Jingsi's eyes flickered, and a smile appeared on his lips.

In another month or so, Li Yisheng will ascend the throne and change the era name. Sending someone out to the capital at this time would normally be a dangerous sign.

After all, being far from the central government and in a remote, impoverished area, there was almost no opportunity to make a name for oneself.

But to everyone's surprise, Li Yisheng promised him a princely title, specifically the title of Prince of Song. This clearly indicated that Li Cunxiao would definitely have a place in the army that would lead the eastern expedition.

What initially seemed like a cold reception has now become a valuable experience before being entrusted with important responsibilities.

The twelve bodyguards, each with a different expression, had completely lost the atmosphere of their previous revelry.

After a long while, Li Cunxu finally took a step and walked away, with Li Cunshen and the others hurriedly following.

Li Siyuan let out a long breath and followed closely behind. Kang Junli and the others quickly picked up the clothes on the ground, calling out as they walked:

"Big brother, where are we going?"

"Let's go to the Duke of Yue's mansion to congratulate my thirteenth brother!"

"Brother, you didn't see how ugly Kang Junli and his men looked. Their long faces were practically dragging on the ground."

"Alright, alright," Li Cunxiao shook his head and chuckled as he watched Li Guangyi vividly imitate the scene of the Twelve Bodyguards coming to congratulate him a few days ago.

He picked up the wine pot, and Ye Chengxiao, who was standing next to him, immediately took the wine cup with both hands, feeling flattered. Wei He's reaction was much the same.

"How did your recruitment and training of the two soldiers go?"

Ye Chengxiao had just touched his wine glass to his lips when he heard this, so he immediately put it down again.

"The people of Huayin are all grateful for the life-saving grace of the magistrate and the great master Qici. When they heard that the magistrate intended to recruit soldiers, they all signed up enthusiastically, and now the number has reached seven thousand."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but secretly observe the other person.

He was still wearing the same purple robe, and his face hadn't changed, but his authority as a superior had grown even stronger, making Ye Chengxiao completely unable to call him "Senior Brother".

Since learning that he would be going to be sent to a post outside the capital with Li Cunxiao, he has had trouble sleeping for the past few days and has been practicing martial arts and reading non-stop.

In officialdom, the governor is addressed as "Your Excellency." Ye Chengxiao knew even better that the next time he returned to the capital, he would have to call him "Your Majesty!"

"So fast?" Li Cunxiao was slightly surprised.

"Six thousand is the limit for manpower. Any more and supplies along the way will be difficult. I plan to recruit the remaining men locally."

"In that case, these seven thousand men should be selected from the best of the best. As for the other one thousand engineering soldiers, we must select skilled craftsmen, regardless of whether they are blacksmiths, carpenters, or masons."

"They will be useful when they arrive in Wen and Fu prefectures."

"Yes!" Ye Chengxiao and Wei He clasped their fists in unison.

Just then, someone outside announced that Li Xian, the Imperial Clan Commander, had come to visit, so the two took the opportunity to say goodbye.

"Guangyi, what do you think of their performance as captains?"

While the servant was changing the tea, Li Cunxiao casually asked a question.

Previously, Ye Chengxiao and Wei He only served as captains in his personal guards, with no more than fifty men under their command.

When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Since the goal is to expand the army, one should naturally prioritize one's trusted confidants.

The two then transformed themselves into captains, each leading a battalion with two hundred soldiers under their command.

"Ye Chengxiao is quick-witted and good at inspiring people and boosting morale."

"Wei He is simple and honest, and does things in a very methodical manner, but he is valued for his strict military discipline and leading by example."

“I took a look, and the efficiency of their training is almost the same as that of the captains in Louguandao.”

"However, since my cultivation level is not as high as Huang Ting's, I'm afraid I won't be able to withstand the challenge of forming a battle formation."

Li Guangyi answered without hesitation, clearly having visited the military camps frequently and was intimately familiar with their conditions.

Li Cunxiao was naturally satisfied with this.

To him, Li Guangyi was his eyes and ears among the lower-ranking soldiers, and his spokesperson.

Once he arrives at his destination, he will gradually shift his focus away from administrative affairs and concentrate on cultivation and alchemy.

“Cultivation cannot be rushed. I am currently researching a new pill formula. If successful, our speed in training troops will be twice as fast as that of ordinary Dao soldiers.”

"Twice as fast? What about the cost?"

Li Guangyi was taken aback.

The Taoist military method is already an optimized version of the ordinary army.

By forgoing advancement after reaching the Yellow Court Realm, and supplementing it with even more expensive secret medicines, Dao soldiers can avoid the risk of falling into demonic possession and quickly build up their combat power.

But now my elder brother says that the new formula needs to be twice as fast?
Can they afford to support them?

"The cost will not be high, and may even be lower."

Li Cunxiao smiled mysteriously and touched the golden key given to him by Li Yisheng at his waist. Its color had become somewhat dull, as if it had been used many times.

As the two brothers were talking, a servant led the two guests into the hall.

The one in the lead is naturally Li Xian, the recently popular Imperial Clan Leader.

The young figure behind him seemed even more familiar.

"Senior Brother Siqi?" Li Cunxiao stepped forward in surprise.

"Didn't you leave with the headmaster? What brings you here this time?"

Looking at the young man before him, Li Siqi was filled with emotion, then a smile appeared on his face:

"This matter is still because of my junior brother."

"I?"

"If it weren't for Prefect Li, how could I have become the Governor of Qin Prefecture?"

(End of this chapter)