Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 93 Wenren Yue's Invitation

There is an unbreakable ironclad rule between Lin Xuan, A Luo, and Tian Qingluan.

As long as he and Tian Qingluan are alone together for more than fifteen minutes, A'Luo will definitely appear.

Similarly, whenever he and A'Luo were alone for a while, Tian Qingluan's figure would inevitably appear from somewhere.

After Tian Qingluan disrupted things, the vaguely ambiguous atmosphere that had been floating just moments before vanished instantly.

Lin Xuan got up and went to the courtyard to continue his cultivation.

A Luo turned to look at Tian Qingluan on the wall. Their eyes met in the air, and then looked away from each other.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Lin Xuan arrived at Jingbian Division early.

These days, his spiritual practice has been quite effective.

Now, using his mental power to retrieve light objects remotely is no longer difficult for him.

Moreover, he has already made basic progress in the 'Shocking God Technique'.

The ability to retrieve objects from a distance means that mental energy can leave the body, and all of a sorcerer's attack methods are based on the ability to separate mental energy from the body.

His rapid progress was due to both his diligent practice and the complete version of "Starry Sky Technique" given to him by Youmeng, along with its detailed annotations.

Upon arriving at the Jingbian Division, Lin Xuan planned to first archive some intelligence, and then return to his duty room to meditate.

After quickly processing a few less important pieces of information, a figure strode in.

Wu Baihu was radiant with health and walked with a brisk pace; the smile on his face was impossible to hide.

Lin Xuan stood up and asked with a smile, "Does Your Excellency have some good news?"

Wu Baihu laughed twice and said, "Haha, nothing can be hidden from you!"

He stroked his short beard and said, "A letter has come from above, saying that I am to be transferred back to the capital. The transfer order is already on its way. I have wasted more than ten years in Sizhou. Finally, I can go back!"

Lin Xuan clasped his hands in a fist salute to him and said, "Congratulations on your promotion, sir!"

Commander Wu laughed and said, "I have to thank you for this..."

He knew very well that the fact that he hadn't been promoted in Sizhou for so many years meant that the higher-ups didn't value him at all.

Only after Lin Xuan helped him defeat Shen Qingya did he officially come into the sights of those above.

After Shen Qingya messed up his job, he finally got his wish and became a centurion.

A centurion of the seventh rank is already worth the effort from above.

The reason for transferring him back to the capital this time is to fill a vacancy as a centurion in a garrison in the capital region.

Commander Wu looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "Would you be willing to go to the capital with me and continue working under me? The opportunities in the capital are far greater than in Sizhou. With your abilities, your future in the capital is limitless..."

Inviting Lin Xuan to go to the capital was partly to repay him.

Secondly, he also hoped that he could still have such a capable subordinate after arriving in the capital.

As soon as Wu Baihu finished speaking, a figure outside the duty room felt a surge of tension.

Lin Xuan looked at Wu Baihu but did not answer immediately.

If his goal is to get promoted, then going to the capital with Wu Baihu would indeed be a better choice.

After all, he was one of his close associates, and he should follow his leader when he was promoted.

Otherwise, once he leaves, a new leader will take over the Jingbian Division, and as the former leader's protégé, I might have to go through the same things I experienced the previous two times.

But Lin Xuan's goal was not to get promoted.

With more than two months left until his appointment with Youmeng, it was impossible for him to leave the Southwest at this time.

He couldn't possibly carry the mandala and run that far.

If the Gu worms revive and Mandala isn't around, wouldn't he be doomed?
Lin Xuan clasped his hands in a fist salute to Commander Wu again, and said apologetically, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Lord Wu. However, I have many concerns in Sizhou and cannot leave with you. Please forgive me..."

Outside the duty room, Wenren Yue finally felt relieved.

Wu Baihu sighed and said, "It's a pity. Since you have no intention of leaving, I will not force you."

Lin Xuan's work is very much to his liking. Once he gets to the capital, he may not be able to find such a considerate subordinate.

However, since Lin Xuan was unwilling, he couldn't force her.

This minor regret was quickly replaced by the joy of promotion. He gently patted Lin Xuan's shoulder and said, "After I leave, I won't be able to protect you anymore. Take care of yourself..."

Lin Xuan clasped his hands in return, saying, "Thank you for your care these past few days, sir."

After Wu Baihu left, Lin Xuan walked out of the duty room and saw a figure disappear around the corner of the corridor.

Wu Baihu is gone, but Wenren Baihu is still here.

Although Lin Xuan guessed that she probably wouldn't stay here for long, Lin Xuan also didn't plan to stay any longer.

Once Youmeng helps him resolve the problem of the Gu worms, he can go anywhere in the world without having to return to Sizhou.

Wu Baihu's information was very accurate; just three days later, his transfer order arrived in Sizhou.

He will be appointed as a centurion in a garrison in the capital region. Although his rank will not change, it is a promotion within a promotion, as he will be moved from the remote southwest to the heart of the capital region.

At the gate of Sizhou City, Lin Xuan watched Wu Baihu and his family leave.

Although the two did not get along well at first.

However, for a considerable period afterward, Lin Xuan relied on his protection to gain a foothold in the Jingbian Division.

Shen Qingya called him a traitor, but in officialdom, people like Wu Baihu are the truly reliable superiors.

Upon returning to Jingbian Division, Lin Xuan had just sat down when a clerk entered the duty room and respectfully said, "Commander Lin, Commander Wenren requests your presence."

Lin Xuan had no choice but to get up and go to Wenren Yue's duty room.

Before he could even bow, Wenren Yue said, "Please sit down."

Lin Xuan sat down in a chair opposite her and asked, "What are your orders, sir?"

Wenren Yue was silent for a moment before saying, "I'm leaving too."

Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback and asked in surprise, "Is Your Excellency also returning to the capital?"

He had expected Wenren Yue to not stay in Sizhou for long, but he hadn't anticipated that she would leave after only two months. Even if it was just for her to gain experience, it was still a bit too fast.

Wenren Yue shook her head and said, "It's not returning to the capital, it's being transferred to Bozhou."

Lin Xuan was taken aback again upon hearing this.

Living in the southwest, it's impossible not to have heard of Bozhou.

In the southwest of the Dayong Dynasty, local chieftains held sway, and the imperial court's control over the local areas was weak, and even this control was hierarchical.

In places like Sizhou, where the imperial court had established county and prefectural offices, garrisons, and local officials dispatched by the court, it was already considered a place with relatively high control by the imperial court.

Tusi (local chieftains) like the Tian and Yang families were willing to acknowledge the imperial court's rule over the area, and in return, the court granted them certain privileges.

Bozhou, however, is entirely different.

The entire Bozhou and several surrounding prefectures were entirely the territory of the Tusi (chieftains). These Tusi did not allow the imperial court to establish prefectures; instead, they set up their own government offices, formulated their own laws, and appointed officials from their own families. The imperial court had no way to intervene.

Each chieftain family was a complete local emperor in their own territory.

Small and medium-sized chieftains could easily gather hundreds or thousands of people, while large chieftains, such as the Yang family of Bozhou, had tens of thousands of troops on standby and could expand to more than 100,000 at any time, making them a major headache for the imperial court.

The Tian family was considered a large chieftain in Sizhou, but in Bozhou, any other chieftain was several times larger than the Tian family.

Although the imperial court established border pacification offices in places like Bozhou, they were basically just for show.

Even the minor chieftains of Sizhou could bully the Jingbian Commandery, let alone the real local emperors.

Wenren Yue has a powerful background, so why would her family let her go to such a dangerous place?
Wenren Yue noticed his confusion and, after a moment of silence, said, "This was originally a court secret, but there's nothing wrong with revealing it to you, because this matter arose because of you, and I came to the Southwest because of you..."

Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback: "Me?"

Wenren Yue looked at Lin Xuan and said softly, "The chieftains in the southwest are separatist and do not submit to the court's rule. The Yang family of Bozhou, the Song family of Shuidong, and the Xi'an family of Shuixi are even more rebellious. The court has long wanted to stabilize the southwest and abolish the chieftain system. Your proposal of the new salt law has given the court the opportunity to reorganize the southwest. The major families in the capital send their sons to the southwest, simply hoping to get a share of the credit. Including me, everyone is here because of you..."

Lin Xuan lowered his head and fell silent.

He knew from the beginning that the New Salt Fazs was a big deal, but he never expected that what was initially just a helpless move to deal with his boss's difficult behavior would become the butterfly effect that triggered this series of events.

Wenren Yue continued, "Currently, the three major chieftains are constantly clashing over salt profits, and the salt administration in the southwest has undergone a major upheaval. The imperial court has taken the opportunity to subdue many small and medium-sized chieftains, and I believe that the day when it takes action against the three major chieftains is not far off. My family sent me to Bozhou to gather intelligence on the Yang family there..."

She was silent for a moment, then finally looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "Would you... like to come with me?"

Lin Xuan never expected that what he said to A Luo yesterday would come true.

(End of this chapter)