Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 107 Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard! A Perfect Ending! [10,000 words update, please subscribe to all chapters]

Two days later.

Beijing.

The first to arrive were not Jiang Xuan and his group, but the imperial secret agents of the Dragon Guard Manor.

"Father, Wei Zhongxian is dead. He was killed by Jiang Xuan, the Right Commander of the Thousand Household!"

Duan Tianya, Gui Haiyidao, and Shangguan Haitang returned to the Dragon Guard Manor at the same time to report to Zhu Wushi.

Clearly, they were also acting on Zhu Wushi's orders to intercept and kill Wei Zhongxian, but they did not find an opportunity to make a move.

However, they also witnessed the battle between the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Wei Zhongxian's retainers, and the masters of the Green Robe Tower, and now they recounted the details to Zhu Wushi.

"Qingyi Tower..."

Listening to the reports from Duan Tianya and the other two, Zhu Wushi frowned slightly and said, "In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, during the factional struggle between the eunuch faction and the Donglin faction, the Qingyi Tower appeared in the capital. I never expected that it was actually Wei Zhongxian who was controlling it behind the scenes..."

As he spoke, he looked at Duan Tianya and the other two and asked, "Did the grandmaster who fought Cao Zhengchun escape?"

“That’s right. This man fought Cao Zhengchun for nearly a hundred rounds without a clear winner, but was ambushed by Jiang Xuan and wounded with a single blow. He then fled with serious injuries!” Duan Tianya nodded.

"A single strike severely injures a grandmaster? Is this the power of intent?"

Zhu Wushi narrowed his eyes slightly, muttered to himself, then took a deep breath, looked at the three of them, and instructed, "That person should be the owner of Qingyi Tower. Find a way to investigate his identity. Also, from now on, we need to send someone to keep an eye on Jiang Xuan, the Imperial Guard."

"Yes, foster father!"

The three clasped their hands in greeting, and then Shangguan Haitang asked, "Godfather, what about Cao Zhengchun?"

Cao Zhengchun?
Zhu Wushi snorted coldly and said, "This man is the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial. I fought with him five years ago. He is not to be feared, but he is quite ambitious. Now that Wei Zhongxian is dead, he probably wants to take control of the Eastern Depot. I will not let him have his way."

"Yes, foster father!"

Upon hearing this, the three realized that Zhu Wushi had his own plans, so they stopped asking questions and turned to leave.

Not long after the three left, a figure dressed in dark red brocade robes stepped out from the side and bowed respectfully to Zhu Wushi: "Lord Divine Marquis."

Zhu Wushi seemed to have known of this person's existence all along, and said calmly, "Did you hear what I just said?"

"Yes," the man replied respectfully.

Zhu Wushi coldly said, "You've been lying low for so many years, it's time for you to do something."

"Cao Zhengchun wants to compete for the position of Director of the Eastern Depot, but I will not let him have his way."

"I will recommend you to the Emperor and send people to help you eliminate the other competitors of the Eastern Depot."

"If you still can't take control of the Eastern Depot after all this, I will personally depose you."

A flicker of fear crossed the man's eyes, and he quickly bowed and said, "Yes, Lord Divine Marquis, please rest assured, this servant has all the intelligence and incriminating evidence against Wei Zhongxian and the Eastern Depot over the years."

"With these trump cards in hand, as long as the Divine Marquis helps me get rid of the others, I will definitely be able to persuade the Emperor to take control of the Eastern Depot and serve the Divine Marquis."

Zhu Wushi's expression softened slightly, and he nodded, saying, "As long as you successfully accomplish this task, I will pass on the next level of the Absorption Technique to you."

The man was overjoyed and immediately prostrated himself, saying, "Thank you, Lord Divine Marquis!"

"Go."

Zhu Wushi waved his hand, turned back to look in the direction of the palace, his eyes flashing, cold and piercing.

Since I cannot take that position for the time being, I will first take control of the government!
Once I take that step, with a single command, all will submit, both inside and outside the realm.

Then, let's see how you, old man, will stop me!
……

Imperial Palace, Qianqing Palace.

Looking at Xu Panxing's gruesome corpse, Zhu Youjian frowned, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and his face was extremely gloomy.

After a long while, he waved his hand, and two guards quickly carried the body away.

bang~
A vase was smashed without warning.

"waste!"

Zhu Youjian's face was grim: "The reason I sent him was to give him a chance to make a contribution, and to help me restrain Jiang Xuan."

"That good-for-nothing dared to act on his own initiative, leading men alone to ambush and kill Wei Zhongxian. Now he has met a tragic end, his head separated from his body, and he has ruined my important plans."

"It's true that there is not much success and more than failure!"

Wang Chengen gently comforted him, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Although Lord Xu has alerted the enemy, isn't there still Commander Jiang?"

"Since Commander Jiang only sent people to bring the bodies back, and did not abandon the mission, it means that he must be confident."

"Moreover, with Eunuch Cao secretly monitoring us, there's no need to worry about him playing any tricks. Your Majesty only needs to patiently wait for news."

"I hope so!"

Zhu Youjian took a deep breath and said, "I don't have many people I can use right now, and now another one has died. Although Xu Panxing is useless, he did serve me from the beginning."

"I originally planned to clean up the Embroidered Uniform Guard after he finished this matter, and let him take control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to check and balance Jiang Xuan."

"Now, I am forced to choose Jiang Xuan!"

Wang Chengen's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "Your Majesty, if you want to control the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you don't necessarily have to choose from within the Embroidered Uniform Guard itself. Moreover, Jiang Xuan isn't the only capable person among the various commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

Zhu Youjian frowned: "Whom can I still use in the court now?"

"Even the Imperial Guards and Palace Attendants responsible for protecting me now have countless spies planted within them. Who can I trust?!"

"As for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, apart from Xu Panxing and Jiang Xuan, the rest are all eunuchs, I..."

At this point, Zhu Youjian suddenly stopped.

Then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "You mean, Pei Lun, the former commander of the garrison?"

Wang Chengen nodded: "Your Majesty, Pei Lun is indeed a capable man."

"He discovered the incident of the late emperor falling into the water by following some clues. However, he was also self-aware and only investigated Lu Wenzhao before stopping, without directly implicating the emperor."

"This also shows that this person is very measured in his actions."

"But isn't this person on good terms with Jiang Xuan?" Zhu Youjian frowned.

Wang Chengen smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you come from a noble family and may not understand the thoughts of these common people. For power, they will do anything."

"As long as the Emperor bestows favor upon him, what does it matter if he is on good terms with Jiang Xuan?"

"Having found a way up, he naturally knew who his master should serve."

"Moreover, as far as I know, Jiang Xuan has a cousin named Yin Cheng, who works under Pei Lun."

“Jiang Xuan has no father or mother, and his only relatives are Yin Cheng and her son. As long as you control the lives of these two, you don’t need to worry about him turning against you in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he nodded and said, "I understand."

"However, whether he can handle this wealth depends on whether he can get rid of Wei Zhongxian for me this time and bring back Wei Zhongxian's treasure..."

Suddenly, a young eunuch rushed in and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Commander Jiang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has returned and is requesting an audience outside the palace!"

"You're back so soon?!"

Zhu Youjian stood up in surprise, then immediately overjoyed, and waved his hand, "Summon them!"

"Yes!"

……

"Your subject Jiang Xuan pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"This old servant, Cao Zhengchun, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Inside the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, Jiang Xuan and Cao Zhengchun bowed simultaneously.

"I love you!"

Although Zhu Youjian was somewhat surprised that Jiang Xuan and Cao Zhengchun had returned together, he did not ask any further questions. He quickly waved for them to stand up and then eagerly inquired, "Lord Jiang, how is it?"

Hearing the tension in Zhu Youjian's tone, Jiang Xuan didn't say anything more, just waved his hand and called out, "Bring him in!"

There was a commotion outside the hall.

Four captains carried a huge coffin and slowly entered the hall.

Zhu Youjian's heart skipped a beat. Ignoring whether this action would affect the auspiciousness, he stared intently at the solid wood coffin and stammered, "Could this be...?"

Jiang Xuan raised his hand to indicate: "This is Wei Zhongxian's body. The Emperor will recognize it at a glance."

Zhu Youjian suppressed his excitement, slowly stepped forward, and gently peeked into the coffin. His gaze froze instantly.

Immediately, Zhu Youjian's breathing became rapid, his gaze fixed on the old face in the coffin that often haunted his dreams.

"Okay! Okay..."

"That eunuch is finally dead! Good riddance!"

Zhu Youjian was so excited that he trembled all over, and tears welled up in his eyes.

He suddenly slammed his fist on the edge of the coffin, turned around and said, "Lord Jiang, you did a good job on this!"

In his excitement, even his voice became a little hoarse.

Wang Chengen immediately stepped forward to pat Zhu Youjian's chest and soothe him, while also secretly glancing down at the corpse in the coffin.

But when he saw that bloody, pale old face, he was so frightened that he trembled and quickly turned his head away.

Jiang Xuan calmly cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty flatters me. It is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Jiang Xuan paused for a moment, then continued, "Moreover, this matter was not accomplished by me alone. If it weren't for Eunuch Cao's assistance, I wouldn't have been able to eliminate Wei Zhongxian so smoothly."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun, who had been eagerly watching Jiang Xuan, breathed a sigh of relief and was overjoyed.

Brother Jiang is so righteous!

Zhu Youjian glanced back at Cao Zhengchun, then took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, turned back to sit on the dragon throne, picked up his teacup, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then asked, "Lord Jiang, tell me how you got rid of this eunuch."

"The minister obeys the order."

Jiang Xuan nodded and then began to recount the events.

Aside from a few things that couldn't be said, which were mostly omitted, Zhu Youjian was told everything else, including the fact that Qingyi Tower had gotten involved and that Cao Zhengchun was helping to deal with Huo Xiu.

Zhu Youjian listened, nodding occasionally.

Even from Jiang Xuan's brief explanation, he could tell how dangerous the matter was.

Adding to Xu Panxing's failure, a total of three to four hundred Imperial Guards died in the attempt to kill Wei Zhongxian.

Keep in mind, these are all elites from the five core research institutes!

After listening to Jiang Xuan's account, Zhu Youjian frowned and asked, "Lord Jiang, do you know what kind of organization this Green Robe Tower is?"

Jiang Xuan said, "Your Majesty, the Green Robe Tower is an assassin organization in the martial arts world that makes a living by offering bounties for killing people. Over the years, they have committed numerous crimes and are also the most wanted criminals by the court."

"I see!"

Zhu Youjian nodded, his eyes somewhat cold, and said, "That old traitor Wei Zhongxian actually colluded with this group of Jianghu villains. It was truly not unjust for me to kill him!"

Then, he let out a long breath, looked at Jiang Xuan, his expression softened, and said gently, "Lord Jiang, you handled this matter very well. I am aware of the dangers involved."

"As for Xu Panxing, I originally ordered him to act with you, but I did not expect him to be so ambitious and acted alone, causing the deaths of so many Imperial Guards. He deserved to die, and I will deal with this matter myself."

"As for those Jinyiwei who died, their compensation will be tripled."

Jiang Xuan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is benevolent and righteous. Your subject thanks Your Majesty on their behalf."

Zhu Youjian nodded, then changed the subject, saying, "But you don't know, there's another thing I asked you to do..."

Jiang Xuan knew what he cared about, and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, although Wei Zhongxian is cunning and has many escape routes, and has moved Jiang's treasures ahead of time, I have already ordered people to investigate. At the latest, Wei Zhongxian's treasures will be brought back tonight."

"good very good!"

Zhu Youjian finally breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face. He nodded and said, "Lord Jiang, you have resolved two worries for me. In addition, you helped me quell the palace coup and protect me as I ascended the throne. During your trip to Hangzhou, you also retrieved the register of the shrine for me. Only then was I able to dismiss Wei the eunuch."

"I will remember all these great achievements."

"You deserve the greatest credit for my successful ascension to the throne!"

"I am not a ruler who is incompetent in rewarding and punishing. You may ask for any reward you desire, and I will grant it to you."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun and Wang Chengen, who were standing nearby, both changed their expressions slightly, feeling that Jiang Xuan's favor towards the emperor was excessive.

Jiang Xuan, on the other hand, suddenly looked somewhat frightened and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "To be loyal to the emperor is the duty of this humble subject. How dare I ask for any reward?"

Before possessing absolute strength, Jiang Xuan was clearly very aware of when to step forward and when to bow down.

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Jiang Xuan without saying a word, as if he wanted to see through this young talent who made him somewhat wary and even cautious.

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became deathly silent.

After a long while, Zhu Youjian suddenly smiled and nodded, saying, "Lord Jiang is right, but as I have said, I am not one to be indiscriminate in rewarding and punishing. If merits are not rewarded, who will dare to serve me wholeheartedly in the future?"

The atmosphere suddenly relaxed.

Zhu Youjian smiled and said, "Lord Jiang, you have made great contributions. I want to promote you to the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so that you can take charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for me. However, since the eunuch faction has not yet been dealt with, I cannot dismiss officials on a large scale. There is no one else I can appoint to this position."

"Now that Wei Zhongxian is dead, it's time to deal with the remaining eunuch faction members."

"Tomorrow, I will arrange for someone to impeach Xu Xianchun, Cui Yingyuan, and other eunuchs in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The rest is up to you."

"You should understand what I mean, right?"

Jiang Xuan was startled and let out a long breath.

After plotting in secret for so long and doing so many things, wasn't it all for this day?

He's determined to become the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Even Jesus couldn't stop it, I'm telling you!

Suppressing his excitement, Jiang Xuan bowed deeply and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, this humble servant understands what to do!"

"Okay, let's go."

Zhu Youjian smiled and waved his hand.

Jiang Xuan bowed and left.

After watching Jiang Xuan leave, Zhu Youjian turned to look at another person in the hall: "Cao Zhengchun."

"This old servant is here!" Cao Zhengchun hurriedly stepped forward.

Zhu Youjian asked, "According to Lord Jiang, you also deserve credit for killing Wei Zhongxian. How would you like me to reward you?"

Cao Zhengchun was overjoyed, but he suppressed his excitement and chose the same words as Jiang Xuan: "Serving the Emperor is my duty, how dare I ask for a reward?"

"Oh? You really don't want it?"

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Since that's the case, then I really won't reward you."

"Ah this..."

Cao Zhengchun was dumbfounded. Why was he being treated differently here?
A mischievous glint flashed in Zhu Youjian's eyes, and he said, "I'll give you one more chance. Think carefully before you speak."

"However, speaking of which, it seems I have nothing left to reward you with. You are already the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the number one eunuch. If I were to reward you further, would I really do something like Wei Zhongxian and bestow upon you the title of 'Nine Thousand Years'?"

"The slaves dare not!"

Cao Zhengchun's expression changed, and he immediately knelt down, drenched in cold sweat.

"Okay, get up."

Zhu Youjian smiled and raised his hand, saying, "I was just saying it casually. On the day of the palace coup, you stood up to support me and resist Wei Zhongxian, which already proves your loyalty."

"The Emperor's Holy Might."

Cao Zhengchun felt a sense of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and slowly stood up.

Zhu Youjian nodded: "Speak, besides the official position, what else do you want? I will do my best to satisfy you."

"This……"

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flickered, then he gritted his teeth, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this servant wishes to take charge of the Eastern Depot on Your Majesty's behalf and oversee the entire realm!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chengen, who was standing to the side, turned green with embarrassment.

Well, you filthy lackey!

We knew you were here for our sake!

Zhu Youjian frowned slightly: "You want to go to the Eastern Depot?"

Cao Zhengchun respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, this old servant entered the palace at a young age and has honed his martial arts skills over the past fifty years, all for the sake of serving Your Majesty."

"If this old servant were to take charge of the Eastern Depot, I would surely be able to reorganize it and train a group of elite imperial guards for Your Majesty. In this way, I could not only monitor the world for Your Majesty, but also protect Your Majesty's safety. I beg Your Majesty to grant this old servant's request!"

“Your Majesty…” Wang Chengen’s expression changed slightly as he looked at Zhu Youjian.

Zhu Youjian frowned, glanced at the two servants, and hesitated for a moment.

After pondering for a long time, he waved his hand and said, "Let me consider this matter further. You may go back now."

"Wang Chengen, go and summon the imperial physician to examine Wei Zhongxian's body."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun was immediately disappointed, but dared not say anything more, and respectfully cupped his hands: "Yes."

Wang Chengen breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Wei Zhongxian defiantly, snorted, and left to carry out his orders.

……

Beizhen Fusi.

Commander Xu Xianchun, Northern and Southern Garrison Commanders Cui Yingyuan and Wei Liangqing, Commander-in-Chief Ouyang Nian, and Commander-in-Chief Yang Huan sat together in one hall.

The atmosphere was extremely serious.

"My godfather is dead!"

After a long silence, Cui Yingyuan spoke, his face grave, "News just came from the East City that Jiang Xuan's men carried a coffin into the palace. That must be my godfather's body!"

Xu Xianchun nodded with a stern face.

Although Xu Panxing and Jiang Xuan left the capital in secret, with so many people leaving, their whereabouts could not be concealed. Furthermore, their route out of the capital was compared with Wei Zhongxian's route.

It's obvious what they're going there to do.

They just didn't expect Jiang Xuan to act so quickly.

Wei Zhongxian returned to Beijing less than seven days after leaving.

But what returned was a corpse.

"We can't wait any longer!"

Cui Yingyuan gritted his teeth and said, "My godfather is dead. Next, I'm afraid it will be our turn. The Emperor will never let us go!"

"Brother Cui is right, we absolutely cannot sit idly by and wait to die!"

Wei Liangqing echoed his sentiments, though he was also very anxious.

He was Wei Zhongxian's nephew.

Wei Zhongxian died, and he was the one most worried about being purged.

"So what do you want to do?"

Xu Xianchun asked in a deep voice, "The Emperor already has leverage over us; resistance will only lead to our death!"

"Not resisting means certain death!"

Wei Liangqing said anxiously, "Lord Xu, why don't you understand?"

"Since the young emperor has leverage over us, when he kills us is entirely up to him, isn't it?"

"The reason he targeted my adoptive father and Lord Tian first was to strike at the leader of our faction and deter us from making any rash moves."

"Now that our godfather has fallen, and Lord Tian and Lord Guo are also gone, we have lost our greatest backer in the court."

"If we continue to sit and wait for death, we will all die sooner or later!"

"Then what do you intend to do?" Xu Xianchun asked, frowning.

"A last-ditch fight!"

Wei Liangqing gritted his teeth and said, "We still have one more trump card!"

"What's your trump card?" Everyone looked at him.

"army!"

Wei Liangqing took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "During the years that my godfather has been in power, he has cultivated countless people, especially in the military, many of whom are his adopted sons and grandsons."

"With the addition of the imperial court, the Eastern Depot, and eunuch faction members across the country, we still have a chance!"

"If they don't want to die, they only have one path left: to continue their rebellion!"

"As long as we can persuade them and have military power in hand, we won't have to worry about the young emperor not compromising!"

"At that time, we'll either change the emperor... or we'll hold the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, just like our adoptive father, and continue to wield power and enjoy wealth and glory!"

A look of madness flashed in Wei Liangqing's eyes.

"This……"

Upon hearing this, everyone frowned.

Although it seems unrealistic, upon closer reflection, if we could really persuade those people in the military to take control of the troops, it might not be impossible.

After all, the most important thing for a country is military power.

All eyes turned to Xu Xianchun: "Lord Xu, what is your opinion?"

Xu Xianchun nodded calmly and said, "Just as Lord Wei said, we can give it a try."

"it is good!"

Wei Liangqing was overjoyed and stood up, saying, "Leave the Five Cities Garrison to me; I'll go and persuade them!"

Cui Yingyuan nodded: "I'll go and make contact with the people from the Eastern Depot and the Palace."

"As for the officials in the court, I'll leave that to Lord Xu."

"no problem."

Xu Xianchun nodded.

But as soon as they left, his face darkened instantly: "A bunch of idiots!"

rebel?

Even the Grand Eunuch failed, what chance do you think you few small fry have?
And do you think the Emperor wouldn't think of what you can think of?

Do they really think the emperor is a fool?
If I were to team up with a bunch of trash like you, I'd probably die even faster!

Xu Xianchun snorted coldly, got up and left.

……

East Factory.

Upon receiving the intelligence, Zhao Jingzhong breathed a sigh of relief. "Dead... good thing he's dead! Good thing he's dead..."

"With him dead, I'll have no more constraints!"

He was already aware that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been ordered to leave the city to intercept and kill Wei Zhongxian, and he had been anxiously waiting for news.

Even if the emperor didn't kill Wei Zhongxian, he wouldn't let Wei Zhongxian continue to live.

Only when Wei Zhongxian is dead will he have a chance to rise to power!
Zhao An, the young pageboy beside Wei Zhongxian, was his doing. If the Embroidered Uniform Guard failed, Zhao An would also find a way to kill Wei Zhongxian.

Now that Wei Zhongxian is dead, it suits his purposes perfectly.

Next, we need to plan how to compete for the position of head of the Eastern Depot!

Right now, the entire Eastern Depot is in disarray. Those who were in charge, supervisors, and clerks are either dead or have run away. What's left are just a bunch of good-for-nothings, not worth mentioning.

The only ones qualified to compete with him for power were the second-in-command Gu Jinfu and the third-in-command Liu Xi.

These two not only have many skilled guards under their command, but they also control the Eastern Depot's intelligence and secret agents over the years, making them extremely powerful and posing a great threat to him.

Furthermore, regarding the eunuch faction, although the emperor had said, "Only the ringleaders will be punished, and those who were coerced will not be questioned."

But he also had to find a way to gain the emperor's trust.

Otherwise, even if he could win against Gu Jinfu and Liu Xi, he might not have a chance to rise to power.

stomping on...

Just then, a guard from the imperial guards rushed in, handed Zhao Jingzhong an invitation, and whispered, "Your Excellency, this is from Commander Cui of the Northern Garrison, inviting you to Mingyue Tower for a chat tonight."

"Cui Yingyuan?"

Zhao Jingzhong frowned, opened the invitation and examined it carefully. His brows furrowed even more: "Discuss important matters? At this time, what important matters could we possibly discuss? Could it be..."

Suddenly, Zhao Jingzhong's expression changed slightly, as if he had thought of something. A smile gradually appeared on his lips as he murmured, "If that's really the case, it's truly crazy and audacious!"

"But why would we go and die with you?"

"It's like a pillow being delivered to someone who's about to fall asleep... I'm just struggling with how to gain the Emperor's trust, so I'll use you lot as my stepping stones!"

A chill flashed in Zhao Jingzhong's eyes.

the other side.

The second-in-command, Gu Jinfu, and the third-in-command, Liu Xi, also received invitations from Cui Yingyuan at the same time.

They weren't fools; they could naturally guess Cui Yingyuan's purpose.

At this time, how dare we invite them to a banquet to discuss important matters? What are these so-called 'important matters'? Need I say more?

They either discussed how to protect themselves, or they discussed how to... rebel!

But in the current situation, if someone still dares to carry out such a rebellious act, it would be nothing more than a death throes.

With Wei Zhongxian dead, the tide had turned.

Without a leader, how can this rabble resist?
Not to mention that the various factions within the eunuch party have long been infiltrated and turned against the emperor by his men, each harboring their own ulterior motives.

Under these circumstances, resistance would only hasten death!
Cui Yingyuan and his ilk, facing utter desperation, have gone completely mad and lost their reason.

But they are different.

After all, the emperor had said that only the ringleaders would be punished, and those who were coerced would not be questioned.

Even if the emperor is in power, he still needs people to do his work.

Now, the majority of people in the court and even throughout the country are members of the eunuch faction. He can't possibly kill them all. Who will serve the emperor then?
Moreover, they were just eunuchs.

Even if they succeeded in their rebellion, they wouldn't be the ones to become emperor.

Therefore, it's better to accept reality and think carefully about how to gain the emperor's trust and strive for more benefits.

Almost at the same time.

All three decided to attend the banquet.

If Cui Yingyuan and his associates really dare to be so crazy and commit such a treasonous act...

They used this incident as a stepping stone to gain the emperor's trust and regain power!
……

"Is everything packed?"

Night falls, at the entrance of a mansion in the western part of the city.

Several carriages were ready to depart, with guards armed with knives standing guard beside them.

Xu Xianchun, dressed in a simple long robe, walked out of the mansion and asked in a deep voice.

"Reporting to Master, all the valuables have been packed up, but there are still some jade artifacts and antiques that haven't been packed up yet," the steward replied respectfully.

"We don't need those anymore. Once we leave the capital, we'll have plenty more!"

Xu Xianchun waved his hand, stepped onto the first carriage, and ordered, "Let's go!"

The convoy began to move forward, quietly heading towards the West Gate in the darkness.

Xu Xianchun looked wary, occasionally lifting the curtain to look around, even though he had already taken care of the people on duty on the street tonight.

However, unexpected events are inevitable.

Whether they can successfully escape depends on tonight.

He is self-aware.

As one of the five core members of the eunuch faction, he has done countless things for Wei Zhongxian that have angered both heaven and man over the years. Even if the emperor lets him go, the ministers in the court will certainly not let him go after they take office.

Therefore, his only way out was to escape the capital before the emperor took action.

Anyway, he has accumulated a lot of wealth over the years. Even if he doesn't become an official, he can live a wealthy life in peace and comfort by leaving the capital and going to a remote place.

As for rebelling with Cui Yingyuan and others, that would undoubtedly be courting death.

He would never do such a foolish thing.

soon.

The convoy skillfully dealt with the patrolling officers and imperial guards on the streets and arrived smoothly at Xibianmen.

The city gates were already closed, and the guards were the officers of the Five Cities Garrison.

The convoy was stopped as soon as it approached the city gate: "Halt! What are you doing?"

Xu Xianchun looked somewhat nervous. He stepped down from the carriage, raised his waist token, and said in a deep voice, "I am the Commander of the Northern Garrison, ordered to leave the capital on official business. Open the city gates immediately!"

"This...Greetings, Your Excellency!"

The head captain's expression changed slightly. He quickly saluted, then glanced at the carriages behind him and the sword-wielding retainers. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "May I ask, sir, do you have an imperial edict as proof?"

"Be bold!"

Xu Xianchun shouted, "My Northern Garrison Command is away from the capital on official business. What imperial edict do I need? Do you expect me to go to the palace right now and ask the Emperor for one? If I disturb the Emperor and delay important matters, will you take responsibility?!"

"Young ones don't dare!"

The captain's expression changed, and he quickly lowered his head.

Xu Xianchun's expression softened slightly. He tossed out a silver ingot and said, "Take this money and have some wine. Hurry up and open the door. Don't delay my business. What do you know, you little captain?"

"……Yes."

Upon hearing this, the captain dared not say anything more, waved his hand to signal his subordinates to open the door, and then bent down to pick up the silver.

But at that moment, a voice suddenly came from the side:

"This silver is a hot potato. If you take it, you might lose your head tomorrow."

Everyone was slightly startled and quickly turned around to look.

Hoof-clack, hoof-clack...

From the shadows behind the trees and beside the city wall, a group of figures carrying swords and armor slowly rode out.

The leader was a tall, imposing man in a white flying fish robe, exuding extraordinary heroism.

"Jiang Xuan?!"

Xu Xianchun's expression changed drastically, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes: "You... what are you doing here?"

"Ugh……"

Jiang Xuan sighed and slowly rode forward: "Lord Xu, why bother? I pointed out a long and bright path for you, but you refused to take it and insisted on taking a shortcut. Is money really more important than life?"

Xu Xianchun feigned composure and said in a deep voice, "I don't understand what you're talking about, Commander Jiang. I'm here on official business, and you dare to obstruct me?"

Jiang Xuan slowly walked up to him, looking down at him quietly: "Whether you are acting on orders or fleeing from punishment, you know the answer yourself."

"presumptuous!"

Xu Xianchun coldly retorted, "You, a mere commander, dare to interfere in my affairs!"

He turned to the city's garrison commander and shouted, "Open the gate!"

The captain seemed somewhat at a loss, glancing at Xu Xianchun, then at Jiang Xuan and the others, his lips trembling: "My lord..."

"Stubborn."

Jiang Xuan shook his head and waved his hand.

Choking, choking, choking—

One by one, long swords were drawn from their sheaths.

A dense swarm of Imperial Guards instantly surrounded the convoy.

Xu Xianchun panicked, took two steps back, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Lord Jiang... Lord Jiang, are you really so heartless as to cut off my livelihood?!"

“Lord Xu, if I give you a way out, I will have no way out myself.”

Jiang Xuan remained calm and waved his hand again.

A group of Imperial Guards rushed forward instantly.

With countless blades pressed against their necks, none of the Xu family retainers dared to resist, and they were quickly brought under complete control.

Xu Xianchun was also bound by two Imperial Guards. His face was filled with panic. He looked at Jiang Xuan and said, "Jiang Xuan, I don't want the money anymore, you can have it all... I just beg you to spare my life!"

Jiang Xuan calmly shook his head: "This money is too hot to handle, I dare not take it."

"Besides, if you leave, how will I inherit your position?"

Xu Xianchun's face turned pale, and he was utterly desperate.

"take away!"

Jiang Xuan waved his hand, and the crowd immediately seized the Xu family members, put them in the carriage, and left in a grand procession.

"grown ups."

Xu Longqing leaned close to Jiang Xuan and whispered, "According to our spies, Cui Yingyuan has arranged to meet with the three top officials of the Eastern Depot at Mingyue Tower tonight to discuss something. Should we...?"

"Ignore them, they're just a bunch of dying ghosts struggling in their death throes."

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "We've captured Xu Xianchun enough. We have to leave some for the others. Let's go."

"Yes."

Xu Longqing nodded.

The two then rode away.

Behind them, a group of city guards were drenched in cold sweat, their faces filled with relief at surviving a disaster. Only after Jiang Xuan and the others had gone far away did they dare to breathe heavily.

……

The next day at the imperial court.

Before the officials could report their cases, Zhu Youjian announced that Wei Zhongxian had committed suicide in Fucheng County out of fear of punishment.

At the same time, in front of all the officials, he announced that Xu Xianchun, Cui Yingyuan and other members of the Jinyiwei eunuch faction were guilty of a number of crimes, including corruption, indiscriminate killing of civilians, plotting rebellion, and fleeing to avoid punishment.

These people were all dismissed and imprisoned, and handed over to the Northern Garrison for investigation.

Subsequently, he acted arbitrarily, overruling all dissenting opinions.

Jiang Xuan, the Right Commander of the Imperial Guard, was appointed as the new Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; Pei Lun, the Forward Commander of the Imperial Guard, was appointed as the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Garrison...

The news sent shockwaves through the imperial court.

This immediately caused a huge uproar throughout the capital.

Countless forces were shocked, and countless people cheered with joy.

And this news is spreading rapidly along the surrounding areas.

Within a single day, countless carrier pigeons flew out, delivering the message to the ears of various factions.

After Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne and Wei Zhongxian was demoted, undercurrents began to surge throughout the Ming Dynasty.

Among them were those with lofty ambitions who wanted to make a name for themselves during the political turmoil of the Ming Dynasty; those with ulterior motives who wanted to take advantage of the situation to create chaos; and those who had been persecuted by the eunuch faction and were preparing to take the opportunity to take revenge by assassinating Wei Zhongxian and those members of the eunuch faction...

But before many could act, Wei Zhongxian died on the way.

Now, after another purge, the core members of the eunuch faction have been completely wiped out.

The rest are unlikely to cause any significant trouble.

It can be said that the eunuch faction, which had wreaked havoc on the government for nearly two hundred years, has now been wiped out.

However, whether the government can return to the emperor's hands remains to be seen.

Whether the Ming Dynasty can restore stability and quell the internal and external turmoil remains to be seen.

Jiang Xuan didn't care about these things.

On the very day that Zhu Youjian dismissed and imprisoned Xu Xianchun and others, the imperial edict and appointment documents were also delivered to the Right Office.

This award was not only for him and Pei Lun, but also for the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard, including the Northern and Southern Garrison Divisions, which underwent a major purge.

From the commander to the centurion.

Some were demoted, while others rose to power.

In addition to his promotion to Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Pei Lun's promotion to Commander of the Northern Garrison,

Among their subordinates, there were also various rewards and honors.

Jiang Xuan's three centurions, Lu Jianxing, Xu Longqing, and An Jianqing, have all been promoted to commanders of the five core units.

Pei Xing, Ding Xiu, Jin Yichuan, and others were promoted to centurions.

These were all reported by Jiang Xuan when he handed over the property of Wei Zhongxian and Xu Xianchun.

Zhu Youjian was very accommodating and approved it readily.

After all, including Xu Xianchun's several cartloads of treasure, the total value exceeded 30 million taels of silver, equivalent to ten years of tax revenue for the Ming Dynasty.

How could Zhu Youjian not be happy?

Moreover, the abilities and strength of Jiang Xuan's subordinates were well-known within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Even Zhu Youjian himself had heard of the names of Xu Longqing and Lu Jianxing, so he naturally had no reason to refuse.

Therefore, three of the thousand-household positions in the five core institutes were held by people under Jiang Xuan's command.

The remaining two, I heard, one was sent in by Zhu Youjian, and the other was one of Xu Panxing's men.

That's politics; it's nothing more than an exchange of interests.

In addition, the Southern Garrison Command has also seen a significant change in personnel. The new Garrison Commander is said to be a man named Luo Yangxing, who is also a hereditary member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and belongs to the neutral party.

What surprised Jiang Xuan the most was that even Yin Cheng had been promoted.

Zhu Youjian personally selected him and transferred him to the imperial court, making him a centurion, which was the commander of the imperial guards, specifically responsible for protecting the palace.

How could a mere bannerman have such an honor and be valued by the emperor?

Moreover, how could Jiang Xuan not know how capable Yin Cheng was?

This move was clearly Zhu Youjian's attempt to use Yin Cheng to control him, employing both kindness and threats to make him focus on doing things for him.

However, even though Jiang Xuan knew Zhu Youjian's thoughts, he didn't take it seriously.

He had no intention of rebelling and becoming emperor himself; with the emperor in the palace, he couldn't rebel.

Given his current status and position, as long as he doesn't do anything that would anger the heavens and the people or cross the line, Zhu Youjian would not dismiss him without cause.

Therefore, Jiang Xuan was not worried at all about Zhu Youjian using Yin Cheng to threaten and control him.

On the contrary, given Yin Cheng's personality, if he were to enter the palace as a guard of the Imperial Guard, he would be under constant surveillance by the Emperor, which might prevent him from causing too much trouble and would also avoid any danger.

As for Pei Lun, he was purely arranged by Zhu Youjian to check and balance his power.

After all, the Northern Garrison Command is in charge of investigating cases, arresting criminals, and managing imperial prisons. They can bypass him, the commander, and report directly to the emperor.

Clearly, in Zhu Youjian's view, as long as Pei Lun was subdued, then he, as the commander, would have no secrets left to him.

Although Jiang Xuan was unhappy about this, he could understand it.

After all, the Embroidered Uniform Guard wielded such great power that the emperor wouldn't feel at ease unless he had some leverage over them.

Jiang Xuan will make appropriate concessions.

Specifically, it depends on how far Pei Lun can go.

After taking power.

Jiang Xuan acted swiftly and decisively, spending three days readjusting the internal positions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and stabilizing the situation.

He then turned his attention away from the flattery and sycophancy of other officials and the factional struggles in the court, and focused on another matter.

Several months later, Rama's internal skills are about to be perfected.

This also means that his martial arts realm is about to experience another breakthrough!
……

That night, dusk was thick.

In the room, Jiang Xuan was completely immersed in a medicinal bath tub, with only his neck and above exposed.

Inside the wooden tub, the medicinal liquid was boiling and bubbling as if being cooked, with thick white steam rising out, creating an atmosphere as if one were in a fairyland.

This was caused by Jiang Xuan's internal energy.

at this time.

Rama's internal energy circulates at full speed, driving internal force to flow through various meridians along the sequence of Rama's internal energy, stimulating blood vessels and acupoints, like lighting up stars within the body, gradually connecting them.

Subsequently, it nourishes the blood and vital energy, which in turn replenish the physical body, while the vital energy is quickly transformed into internal force, nourishing the meridians...

This forms a cycle.

The medicinal liquid in the bathtub gradually diluted and thinned as it boiled, its medicinal power seeping into the body through the skin's pores, where it was refined and absorbed by the internal energy...

In the process of repeated operation, the progress of the Luo Mo Internal Skill system quietly increased to 10,000 points.

Martial Arts: Rama Internal Energy (Perfected)

Just like when the first movement technique, "Chasing the Wind Step," was perfected, Luo Mo's internal energy also reached its limit after it was perfected, and the progress bar disappeared.

But the changes in Jiang Xuan did not stop.

As the internal cultivation progressed to perfection, the immense internal energy quietly compressed and broke through the last 'Foot Jug Yin Liver Meridian'.

At this point, the eight extraordinary meridians and the twelve regular meridians were completely opened.

At this moment, all the meridians in the body are like a woven net, densely packed, crisscrossing, and completely connected, forming the body's great circulation.

Internal strength is perfected, and meridians are unblocked.

This is already the realm of perfect innate cultivation!
Rumble…

The internal force flows like a mighty river, ceaselessly.

at the same time.

In the upper, middle, and lower burners, streams of intense heat and warmth emerge; this is the 'Wei Qi' (defensive Qi).
At the center of the chest, wisps of pure energy linger; this is the 'ancestral energy'.
During the circulation of Qi and blood, there is also a boiling of gas within the blood, which is called 'Nutritional Qi'.
Different kinds of energy also rise from the five internal organs and six bowels; this is called 'the energy of the internal organs'.

Ultimately, the four types of Qi—Wei Qi, Zong Qi, Ying Qi, and Zang-Fu Qi—flow into the body's meridians and merge with the internal Qi.

The five elements blend together!

Just like when the Ren and Du meridians were opened, the energy was transformed into internal force.

That internal force, which combined the four types of supreme yang energy, gradually transformed into a more powerful and refined gas as it circulated through the meridians.

True Qi!

Unlike internal energy that has not yet been transformed, this true energy is more domineering and powerful, like acquired internal energy, and is full of violent aggression. However, its power is far beyond what internal energy can match.

Moreover, unlike internal energy which can damage the meridians and body, this true energy also contains the nourishing function of internal force and will not cause any damage to the body.

Unlike internal energy, which can only exist in the meridians and blood vessels, it can circulate throughout the body, entering the muscles, bones, skin, and even the internal organs.

It will never disappear as long as it is not released from the body and can be stored in the body for a long time.

This is the true energy of a grandmaster!
"Hoo..." Jiang Xuan slowly opened his eyes and exhaled his last breath.

Feeling the true energy within his body thriving and dancing throughout his body, a look of enlightenment flashed in his eyes.

No wonder lifespan increases significantly after reaching the Grandmaster level.

As long as you preserve your inner energy and avoid fighting with others, your body will be nourished by that inner energy.

A grandmaster martial artist can live to be at least 120 years old!

Moreover, with true qi infused in the body, various mundane diseases will no longer afflict one. Even if injured or poisoned, one can quickly recover with true qi, and one's physical condition will be greatly improved.

This will naturally prolong bodily functions and extend lifespan.

This effect is far beyond what one can achieve by cultivating the Rama internal energy technique, simultaneously nourishing oneself with qi and blood and internal strength.

After all, the perfection of Rama's internal energy is the limit, but there is no upper limit to the cultivation of true qi.

"Next, just follow the steps to convert all your internal energy into true qi, and then open up your upper dantian, and you will become a grandmaster!"

According to Cao Zhengchun, after becoming a grandmaster, one must cultivate true qi, refine muscles and bones, increase the upper limit of true qi, and open the nine orifices of the human body.

Each time an acupoint is opened, one is promoted one rank.

It is still the process of body refinement and qi refinement.

"However, by practicing the Rama Inner Power, I have advanced the body refinement stage. With my current physical strength, I should be no weaker than most grandmasters... or even those grandmasters with protective qi. Even without using my sword intent in close combat, I will certainly not be afraid!"

Jiang Xuan murmured.

He looked down at his body.

As the steam inside the wooden tub gradually dissipated, his skin slowly turned from red to white.

It also has a faint golden and translucent color, like steel, seemingly indestructible!

As you stretch your body slightly, the friction between your muscles and bones immediately produces a series of buzzing sounds within your body, deep yet loud, like the roar of a dragon or the howl of a tiger.

Vajra Body, Thunderous Roar of Tiger and Leopard!
This is the miraculous effect brought about by the mastery of Rama's internal energy!
(End of this chapter)