Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 52 Fame Spreads Throughout the Land [Third Update, Please Read On!]

After comforting A Luo, Lin Xuan cooked two more bowls of noodles.

Having not eaten all day, the pastries he had just eaten were merely a small snack for him.

After lunch, A'Luo tidied up at home, while Lin Xuan went to the Jingbian Division.

He gave Aro a key to the front door so she could easily tidy up and clean.

As soon as Lin Xuan stepped into the gate of the Jingbian Division, he was greeted by a chorus of greetings.

Some banner officers even came out of their duty rooms to greet Lin Xuan.

"Lin Xiaoqi!"

"Lin Xiaoqi, good afternoon!"

Lin Xuan once received similar treatment in the Jingbian Division.

However, at that time, most people fawned over him.

But now, their faces show more of a heartfelt respect.

Lin Xuan returned to the duty room, and soon after, Zhang Hu and Chen Bao also arrived.

Zhang Hu looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "Are you really not coming with us?"

Lin Xuan shook his head and said, "I'll stay at the Jingbian Division. If you encounter any problems in the future, I can still help you. If we all leave, we'll be at the mercy of others..."

Zhang Hu and Chen Bao said no more and turned to leave the duty room.

A moment later, inside the duty room of the Hundred Households.

Shen Qingya put down the file in his hand, looked up at the two people standing in the hall, and said calmly, "You want to resign?"

Chen Bao clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to the centurion, my mother is old and frail and needs someone to take care of her. I wish to go home to serve her."

Zhang Hu then said, "I am of low ability and feel that I am not qualified to serve as a banner officer. I would like to ask for your approval, Commander."

Shen Qingya glanced at them and nodded, saying, "What the Jingbian Division needs are loyal and brave men who are wholeheartedly devoted to the country. Since you are unwilling to continue serving the country, I will not force you. You can settle your salary for this month with Deputy Commander Wu later..."

The two men clasped their hands in a fist salute at the same time: "Thank you, sir!"

Shen Qingya stepped out from behind the desk, looked at the two men, and his tone suddenly became stern: "The Zhenyue Skill is a closely guarded secret of the Jingbian Division. After you two leave the division, you must keep it strictly confidential and are absolutely not allowed to pass it on to outsiders. If you violate this rule, your cultivation will be abolished and you will be exiled to the front lines—do you understand?"

Zhang Hu and Chen Bao looked solemn and clasped their hands in a fist salute, saying, "We understand!"

Shen Qingya waved his hand and said, "Go."

The two bowed again and slowly left the duty room.

After returning to his desk, Shen Qingya signed his name on the two men's resignation letters and then affixed his seal as a centurion.

Lin Xuan was Wu's absolute confidant, and Zhang Hu and Chen Bao were Lin Xuan's brothers, so they were naturally classified as Wu's faction.

After the two men resigned, Deputy Commander Wu lost two trusted confidants. He was worried about having no one to use, so he was able to take the opportunity to promote two absolutely loyal confidants to the position, which can be described as a win-win situation.

Therefore, he did not stop the two from resigning.

He got up, walked to the door, and said, "Call Huang Yue over."

A guard standing at the door ran away, and a moment later, Huang Yue strode into the duty room and said obsequiously, "Lord Centurion, you wanted to see me?"

Shen Qingya leaned back in his chair and said, "Zhang Hu and Chen Bao have resigned, leaving two flag officer positions vacant. You should select two suitable people to fill these positions. Ability isn't important; loyalty is..."

Huang Yue was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately said, "I will take care of it right away!"

This is a great opportunity to make money. The positions of two banner officers can be sold for at least a thousand taels of silver. If Commander Shen makes a killing, I can at least get a share of the profits.

He turned and left the duty room, about to get things done, when he saw many flag officers and guards walking into the courtyard and gathering in the direction of the court.

Huang Yue, puzzled, also joined in.

Outside the Jingbian Sigong Hall, there hangs a huge silver mirror with the four characters "Jingbian Anmin" (meaning "pacifying the border and securing the people") written on it.

At that moment, the inscription on the mirror suddenly became blurry.

All the strokes are clustered together in the middle.

Some of the guards who had just arrived at the Jingbian Division were seeing this for the first time and looked puzzled.

The expressions of the banner officers, including Huang Yue, immediately became solemn.

The silver mirror above the Jingbian Sigong Hall is both a plaque and a telescope.

The telescope was used for transmitting messages. The command headquarters, thousands of miles away, could use it to send messages to local offices in real time. Every Jingye Division and Jingbian Division had such a telescope. However, this telescope was not used often; it was only used by the command headquarters in the event of a major incident.

The last time it was used was two years ago, when a commander-level official of the Jingye Division rebelled. The Commandery issued a nationwide notice, ordering local authorities to take this as a warning.

I wonder what big event will happen this time?
Upon learning the news, Shen Qingya immediately summoned everyone in the Jingbian Division to line up in front of the courtroom.

Unbeknownst to them, the same scene was unfolding simultaneously across the entire Dayong Kingdom.

All the officials and guards of the various prefectures, counties, and garrisons, from the lowest-ranking officers and guards to the highest-ranking officers and guards, including those of the garrison and the county garrison, lined up in front of the telescope, waiting for the mirror to change.

Finally, after a series of wriggling movements, the cinnabar on the telescope began to recombine, revealing several lines of clear writing that almost covered the entire surface of the silver mirror.

"Lin Xuan, the flag officer of the Jingbian Division of Sizhou, was of a loyal and pure nature, and was blessed with righteousness and courage."

At that time, a bandit stronghold was entrenched in Sizhou, ravaging merchants and causing chaos in the countryside. Lin Xuan, mindful of the safety of his comrades and indignant at the suffering of the people, bravely went alone to raid the bandit stronghold at night, breaking through enemy lines, beheading the ringleaders, and annihilating all the villains. He demonstrated the authority of our authorities, brought peace to the region, and his actions are deeply commendable.

Despite holding a minor post, he performed extraordinary feats, displaying unwavering loyalty, courage, wisdom, and bravery. He was truly a model soldier and a pillar of the army, and his heart was commendable and his actions exemplary.

To recognize his outstanding achievements, inspire others, and serve as a model for future generations, in accordance with official regulations, he is hereby awarded the 'Third-Class Medal of Peace and Tranquility'.

Under the telescopes of various departments, gasps of astonishment could be heard.

Although the contents of the telescope were brief, the events were explained in great detail.

A banner officer from Sizhou, single-handedly stormed a bandit's lair and killed an entire gang of bandits, earning him commendation from the Commander's Office.

If it were just a routine bandit suppression operation, the Commander's Office wouldn't have mobilized such a large force.

It is easy to imagine that the flag officer's journey was fraught with peril, with only a slim chance of survival.

Many flag officers expressed their incomprehension of this.

Why would a mere banner officer risk his life for a monthly salary of three taels of silver?
Even so, they still held this colleague in high esteem.

They admitted they didn't have that kind of courage. They were fine with collecting protection money on the streets, but going to suppress bandits alone... let whoever wants to do it do it!

Meanwhile, officials at the centurion level mostly stared intently at the words "Third-Class Order of Peace and Security," their eyes practically red with envy.

The Third-Class Order of Peace and Security is so prestigious that even for them, obtaining one is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The Order of Jing'an is divided into five classes. The fifth and fourth classes are relatively easy to obtain, as long as you accumulate enough merit.

But the Third Class Order of Jing'an is something you have to earn with your life.

With a third-class medal, as long as one's cultivation level is sufficient, there will be no obstacles before being promoted to a full-fledged commander.

Some people who have reached the fifth rank in strength are still stuck in the position of centurion because they lack such a medal.

What right does a mere banner officer have?
The various commanders and town magistrates, however, saw something different in this commendation order.

A minor officer in a remote border region wiped out a band of bandits. His achievement was not worth the Commandery's grand celebration, much less a third-class Medal of Peace and Order.

The Commandery had molded him into a role model.

From the lowest-ranking officers and guards to the highest-ranking officers and commanders, everyone only wanted to back down and shirk responsibility when faced with problems, but when it came to lining their own pockets, they were all incredibly eager to do so. Corruption was rampant, and one batch of officials after another was punished. It was precisely the time when we needed to set an example.

If the Commandery wanted to reward him, it would have been enough to send a message to the Sizhou Border Pacification Division.

This move, ostensibly a reward, was in reality a warning.

The commendation was given to that junior officer, while the reprimand was given to the local government offices. This was to remind them to learn from that junior officer, to remember their original aspirations, and to never forget their mission.

Sizhou Jingbian Division.

The courtyard was quiet.

Wu Baihu looked astonished. He had paid the inspector to report Lin Xuan's deeds, but he never expected that the money would be so worthwhile!
The Third Class Order of Jing'an—since the establishment of the Jingye Division, has no banner officer ever received such an award?

However, he wasn't envious at all; he was only happy for Lin Xuan.

Compared to Wu Baihu, Shen Qingya's expression was rather unpleasant.

This was originally a trap set for Lin Xuan, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great achievement for him...

Wenren Yue stood to the side, holding her sword, and looked away from the telescope.

Over the years, few people have caught her eye, but this banner officer under her command is one of them.

Even though his cultivation level was very low, she admired his strategy and courage...

(End of this chapter)