The Great Seminary

Chapter 186 Unsheathing
Because of the unexpected delay in staying in the True Dragon Kingdom, and now that everything has improved, Zhang Gui naturally cannot waste any more time.

However, before leaving, he specifically instructed his secretary to summon his two generals, Song Wenhua and Sang Gui, to his side.

"This accident can truly be described as a blessing in disguise."

I inexplicably fell down and spent so long recovering from my injury, which caused me a lot of suffering, but I also gained many benefits.

Leaving aside other points, let's just talk about one aspect that benefits the country.

I increased the limit of my fossilized corpse warriors from 108 thousand-man armies to 136.

Furthermore, I also sensed that the individual 'Stone Corpse Warrior's' abilities should have improved as well.

But its effects can only be gradually revealed through actual combat and killing.

"Your Majesty, a sharp weapon hidden in its sheath will not reveal its edge, no matter how sharp it may be."

"These 'Stone Corpse Army' have been honed by you for so long, it's time they showed off."

Sang Gui said in a deep voice upon hearing this.

"General Sang Gui, this time our thoughts have coincided."

I also think it's time for our True Dragon Kingdom's professional troops to leave this secluded outer ocean island.

"Go to the Eastern Continent and give some of the traditional great powers a little bit of shock from the 'barbarians'."

Zhang Gui said with a smile.

Sang Gui, who had only been speaking casually, suddenly widened his eyes.

"Your Majesty actually has this intention!"
Since our True Dragon Army is making its first appearance in the Eastern Continent, we should be quite arrogant.

"Your Majesty, please grant me permission to muster three 'A'-class 1,000-man armies..."

"Lord Sanggui is getting a little too excited and has gone too far."

Three thousand stone-ranked warriors could withstand tens of thousands of heavily armored cavalry and could easily leap over the walls of ordinary county towns as if walking on flat ground.

Without the obstruction of passes, traversing a province might be difficult.

They could easily capture several county towns, but destroying a prefectural capital was a simple matter.

This isn't a public appearance; it's an attempt to provoke a national war!

After decades of struggling in the world, whether by chance or good fortune, Song Wenhua was able to rise to a high position in just two or three years.

Besides being knowledgeable, quick-witted, practical, and naturally capable of planning big picture, another important quality is knowing one's limits.

Therefore, he rarely got involved in military affairs before, and after becoming prime minister, he would fall silent at the mere mention of the word "soldier".

Unexpectedly, he interrupted Sang Gui's words in a completely different way this time, and made a very serious and unrestrained criticism, which made Sang Gui stunned.

But Zhang Gui smiled knowingly.
"General Sang Gui, please don't misunderstand. Lord Song isn't doing this to you, but rather because he's afraid I'll act impulsively."

So, it was only after this unexpected event that I understood the famous saying of Zhao Zhusha, the founding emperor of the Song and Ming dynasties:

The saying "The founding emperor is the very foundation of the nation" is absolutely true.

I was clearly the founding emperor who advocated a hands-off approach to governance, with the prime minister managing the balance of yin and yang and hardly concerned with trivial matters.

Despite the country having neither internal nor external troubles, the unexpected collapse still caused widespread panic throughout the nation.

Leaving aside others, just the two of you, you came to see me several times a day recently.

So now that I'm much better, I do have some feelings about this and I'm planning to do something big to boost public morale.

Let everyone understand that our True Dragon Kingdom is not made of paper or clay, and will collapse at the first sign of wind and rain.

And using war to cultivate the nation's indomitable will is indeed one of the plans to boost morale.

But the future is not the present.

I would never rashly launch a large army now, raising my banner and setting foot on this rotten muddy land of the Eastern Continent.

"So, what does Your Majesty mean?"

"What I mean is, let's go and give them a good beating first, and make some profit."

At the same time, it has initially created the impression in the minds of our true dragon citizens that the country's military strength is not weak.

Prince Zhen did a very good job in this regard.

Regardless of how the battle was fought, as long as there are results, everything is negotiable. So, Old Sang, that thing you mentioned before...

Using the Xuanzhi Mountains as a base, they attacked the nearby Shijia Farm.

Let's launch our plan now to recruit righteous troops in the impoverished and lowly western Guangdong.

Remember, whether it's liberated serfs or recruited volunteers, aside from teenagers and able-bodied men and women, those who are married and have children should all be moved to the True Dragon Kingdom.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I know which kind of people to relocate to the True Dragon Kingdom and which kind to leave in the Eastern Continent as a smokescreen."

Zhang Gui nodded. "That's excellent."

Those who wish to migrate to the True Dragon Kingdom, please send them to Mushroom Valley, where I will relocate them.

Our troops sent to the Eastern Continent were also dispatched in the same manner; in short, Mushroom Valley was the key point.

As for the rest of the details, Old Sang, you'll be in charge of them all.

I only remember a little bit.

The mastermind behind this entire affair was Zhang Jiuqing of the Zhang family in Pingyang.

These words were cryptic, but seeing that Zhang Gui didn't intend to explain further, Old Sang Gui didn't ask any more questions.

But then, with an uncontrollable look of excitement on his face, he suddenly knelt down, raised his head, and roared:

"Old Sanggui will not let Da Shi Jinxing down!"

Seeing Sang Gui's behavior, Zhang Gui didn't lecture him this time. Instead, he stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Old Sang Gui, do you crave war that much?"

“Da Shi Jin Xing, my father told me this ever since I was three years old and could hold a stone knife.”

The most exhilarating thing in the world is to cut off the head of an enemy and bathe in his hot blood.

Sang Gui still firmly believes this to this day!

"I didn't realize that old guy had supermale genes."

A thought flashed through Zhang Gui's mind, but he clicked his tongue in praise:

"Lord Song is skilled in literature, and you, Old Sang, are proficient in martial arts. With such talent, why should we worry about the failure of our True Dragon Kingdom's great cause?"

After giving his instructions, Zhang Gui originally planned to have Lao Song and Sang Gui stay for another meal to say goodbye.

But seeing the two of them, one was thinking about how to allocate military funds in preparation for an invasion of the mainland.
One is so busy making plans, organizing troops, and boosting morale that there's no time to deal with one's own affairs, so there's no room for coercion.

He ate lunch alone, then used his divine power to disappear from his bedchamber.

By evening.

The figure has appeared on the stone-paved road of Youyufang in Pingyang Town, Ming and Song Dynasties, Dongzhou.

The whole town was brightly lit, like a festival.

He felt a little strange, but didn't pay much attention to it.

Anyway, I'm only going home this time to see my mother; other trivial matters are none of my business.

But Zhang Gui's reluctance to meddle in other people's business doesn't mean that other people won't come looking for him.

He strolled leisurely across half the street, dressed simply and wearing a straw hat to shield his face from the sun.

Yet, after the sun had set and she finished her work, she washed her face and back with cool well water, and comfortably changed into a loose linen garment.

The old neighbors, who were drinking strong tea and enjoying the cool breeze with palm-leaf fans at the entrance, recognized him.

"Oh dear, you've returned from the great expedition! Greetings, greetings!"

"Uncle Hua, you first called me 'Great Scholar,' then 'Captain,' then 'General,' and now 'Great Expedition.' You're not far from becoming a steamed bun."

"Can you please just stop for a second and call me Zhang Gui, Guizi, or Guige'er?"

Zhang Gui gave a casual reply and continued forward.

However, the pace slowed down more than tenfold because of the constant chatting with old neighbors in the old street.

(End of this chapter)