You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

This was the first time Lu Zuo had seen Chen Wu so distraught, and he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Chen Wu, who are these people?"

"Return to Your Majesty."

Chen Wu realized he had lost control of his emotions, straightened his expression, turned around and cupped his hands: "Blood Child, Ghost Elder, and Snake Bone Granny are elders of the Three Calamities Sect of Miao Jiang."

"Sane Cult?"

Lu Zuo had never heard of this sect before.

"Exactly."

Chen Wu nodded: "This sect is skilled in many evil techniques such as blood magic, poison, witchcraft, etc."

"Decades ago, they roamed the Miao region, but were eventually wiped out by Lady Xian in conjunction with various Miao tribes."

Lady Xian, the Holy Mother of Lingnan?

Although the Song clan's base was in Lingnan, it did not have the absolute dominance that Dongyang had.

In fact, Lingnan was divided into two main forces: one was the Han Chinese group led by the Song Clan, and the other was Lady Xian, the leader of multiple ethnic groups including the Li and Miao.

Li Cheng'an told him an unverified rumor that Lady Xian had once competed with Fu Cailin, a master swordsman from Goryeo, and ultimately won by half a move.

He has no title of "Grandmaster" because he has no unique martial arts philosophy and has never taken on any disciples.

On the surface, Lady Xian was also a subject of the Great Chen Dynasty.

However, like the Song clan, the Zhang family, Nantong, and Dongyang, she neither obeyed orders nor decrees, and was only nominally subordinate to the Chen state.

"His Majesty."

While pondering, Gu Han added, "Although this matter was recorded in the Black-Clad Guard's secret files, there is another version of the story circulating in the martial arts world."

"Legend has it that Lady Xian fought against the Three Calamities Sect for ten years, but not only did she fail to eliminate them, she gradually lost ground."

"Their leader, the Three Calamities Ancestor, fought against Lady Xian several times and defeated her each time, but he could not kill her."

"But for some reason, nineteen years ago, the Three Calamities Sect suddenly suffered a major disaster. The sect leader, elders, and even the disciples all perished in a great fire."

"Ten years later, the city lord of Haifang City was inexplicably wiped out by the combined forces of Blood Child, Snake Bone Granny, and Ghost Lord."

"Including the garrison soldiers, their warriors, and family members, a total of over three thousand people were wiped out overnight!"

"Only then did people realize that there were still remnants of the Three Calamities Sect alive."

"Of course, Snake Bone Granny and Ghost Grandfather were originally disciples of the Three Calamities Sect."

"As for the Blood Child, he had never appeared before. He was identified as a disciple of the Three Calamities Sect because he acted with these two people."

Lu Zuo pondered for a moment, then asked, "How strong are these three?"

"Your Majesty, when they appeared in Haifang City nine years ago, they had already entered the initial stage of the Three Realms. Even if they haven't reached the Great Perfection yet, they won't be much different now."

Chen Wu paused, then said, "But..."

"Even though they are newcomers to the Three Realms, they are no ordinary Three Realms masters."

"The most formidable aspect of these individuals is their 'poison,' which is incredibly difficult to defend against!"

poison?

Lu Zuo glanced at his poison attribute, which was already 1236 points.

The gun is easy to hide, and the dark arrow is hard to prevent.

These three are too skilled in poison. If they were to infiltrate the city and spread poison everywhere, Nantong would collapse without a fight!

And myself...

He really had to run away and disappear into the world of martial arts.

"Chen Wu, Yue Qing."

"You two are to dispatch additional spies and scouts to closely monitor the movements of the Dongyang army, and report back on everything, no matter how small."

"In addition, try to contact the Black-Clad Guards' spies and make sure to confirm that Xue Tong and the others are in the Dongyang Army."

The two men cupped their hands in greeting and said in unison, "Yes."

Lu Zuo pondered for a moment, then asked, "Yue Qing, how many troops does Nantong still have available?"

"Your Majesty, in this battle, the Divine Martial Army suffered over three thousand dead and more than eight thousand seriously wounded, while the Nantong Military Equipment Bureau..."

"There are about 18,000 left, and I am currently working on the count."

Lu Zuo: "So, in other words, our army's current strength is at most less than 80,000?"

Yue Qing nodded: "This is the total troop strength. At least five thousand troops should be stationed in each county town, otherwise Nantong will become an isolated city once the war begins!"

"Your Majesty, is it really impossible to draw troops from the military headquarters in various regions and from the capital?"

Lu Zuo shook his head: "I have not a single soldier to mobilize."

As emperor, he actually controlled a considerable number of troops, including the Imperial Guard, the Five City Garrison Commands, the Five Great Camps, the Southern Xu Navy, and the Border Army.

The total troop strength is over 800,000!

Currently, the only force that can be mobilized is the Divine Martial Battalion...

Of course, the state of the Nanxu Navy and the border troops after Li Chengyang's reorganization is still unknown. It is hoped that Ren Zhong can quickly take control of the situation and prevent any trouble from arising.

Fleeing into the martial world and becoming a fugitive was Lu Zuo's last resort.

But these days won't be too easy...

Just think of Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty, and you'll know how miserable life would be for a deposed emperor who had to flee into the world.

They lived in anonymity, constantly on edge, and were frequently hunted down. A single misstep could mean certain death, and they lived their entire lives in worry!

After thinking for a moment, Lu Zuo spoke in a deep voice: "The current situation is clear. Dongyang not only has a much stronger military than ours, but the strength and number of its experts are also far beyond what our army can match."

"To win, the first priority is to stabilize the situation in Nantong."

"What our army lacks most right now is time!"

Yue Qing nodded: "Your Majesty has hit the nail on the head regarding our army's weakness, which is indeed of paramount importance."

"I believe we should assemble a team of skilled warriors and recruit martial artists from the Jianghu to harass the Dongyang army day and night."

"but……"

"At most, it can only delay things for three to five days, and there are quite a few experts in the Dongyang army."

"This move will likely cause us heavy losses!"

Lu Zuo stared at the map on the table without speaking, feeling a sense of déjà vu about the current situation, as if he had seen or heard of it somewhere before.

After a long while, he finally raised his head, his eyes flickered slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Yue Qing, go and post notices immediately to recruit skilled martial artists."

"Also, send someone to summon Jiang Che, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Ironclad Escort Agency."

"As for the others, they should do what they're supposed to do."

"The news of the Dongyang army's invasion should not be publicized for the time being."

Having said that, Lu Zuo waved his hand and said, "Go down."

"We take our leave."

The group bowed respectfully, responded, and then turned to leave.

Lu Zuo leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and fell into deep thought.

"The situation is extremely critical..."

"Whether the problem lies in the capital, in Nanxu, or on our own side, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"And Dongyang..."

He opened his eyes, then bent down to look at the map, his mind turning to Wang Shouren, the great master of the School of Mind during the Ming Dynasty!

"Perhaps we could follow the example of the sages of the past..."

As I was pondering, I heard a soft footstep.

Lu Zuo looked up and saw a tall, straight young man with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, handsome features, and an extraordinary demeanor walking in with a soldier.

"Your Majesty, Song Que has arrived."

Upon seeing Lu Zuo again, Song Que felt a strange mix of emotions.

He had previously tried to recruit him and bring him under his command, but now... it's ridiculous!

"Your subject, Song Que, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

He paused for a moment, then knelt down and performed the full kowtow.

"Rise."

Lu Zuo waved his hand and got straight to the point: "Song Que, Shen Xun of Dongyang has raised an army of 180,000 in rebellion and is approaching Nantong. They will arrive soon."

"As the eldest son of the Song family of Lingnan, I would like you to write a letter and send it back to Lingnan, instructing the Song family to lead troops to aid Nantong."

This……

The Song clan focused solely on developing Lingnan and never participated in the power struggles between other aristocratic families and the emperor.

Even though he was the eldest son and the designated heir, he might not be able to persuade his father to send troops.

But Song Que would never say such a thing; he wasn't stupid!

Or rather, it was only when facing Fan Qinghui that this future Heavenly Blade would make a mistake...

"Serving the country is a matter of course."

"I will write to my father as soon as I return..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Zuo waved his hand to interrupt him, pointing to the table and saying, "The situation is urgent now. The brush, ink, paper and inkstone are ready. You can write here."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Song Que stepped forward, picked up his brush, and soon finished writing a letter to his family. He blew the ink dry and handed it to Lu Zuo.

The latter reached out and took it, glanced at it a few times, and after confirming that there were no problems with the contents of the letter, his expression suddenly darkened. He got up from his seat, leaned in front of Song Que, and his fingers flew across the screen!

bang bang bang...

After a series of muffled thuds, Lu Zuo sealed off more than a dozen major acupoints on Song Que's body.

"His Majesty!"

Song Que's eyes widened, his face full of confusion: "What do you mean?"

"The Song family will not easily send troops, but if the life of the heir is in my hands, the probability of them sending troops will be much higher."

Song Que's expression changed. "You want to take me hostage?"

A tyrannical ruler!

absurd!

He could hardly believe that the ruler of a country could be so despicable.

But Lu Zuo didn't care about all that.

What's with all this talk about being despicable? Does he have any other choice right now?

"Before the war ends, I apologize for the inconvenience of Song Qing in the prison cell for a few more days."

"As long as the Song family sends troops and the war ends, I will not only release you, but also record your merits and bestow rewards upon you!"

"but……."

He paused, not continuing, and looked towards the door, ordering, "Men, lock Song Que in the dungeon and keep a close watch on him."

Even if Lu Zuo didn't say it, Song Que knew it in his heart.

If the Song family doesn't send troops and the war is lost, they will be the first to die!

……

No sooner had Song Que left than Jiang Che arrived.

"This humble subject, Jiang Che, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise."

Lu Zuo waved his hand and said, "I summoned you here to discuss two matters."

"Firstly, Lin Yue has already been killed by me."

Jiang Che had just stood up when his body suddenly trembled, but it wasn't entirely unexpected.

From the moment he met Lu Zuo, he had a vague idea of ​​Lin Yue's fate.

He joined the rebel Du Wen and looked down on and despised the emperor all the way.

What way could she possibly survive?

"well……"

"Heaven's sins may be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins are unforgivable."

"Although Lin Yue comes from a poor family, she has picked up the air of a spoiled brat from aristocratic families... Sooner or later, this day will come."

He sighed softly, bowed, and asked, "Your Majesty, what is the second matter...?"

"I would like to ask you, are you willing to serve me?"

poof...

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Che knelt down, cupped his hands, and said in a deep voice, "This humble subject, Jiang Che, is willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty, even unto death!"

For a child from a poor family, this was an opportunity he had longed for.

Moreover, the emperor had saved his life, so he had no reason to refuse, whether out of sentiment, reason, or for his future.

Lu Zuo gave a soft "hmm" and asked, "There's something I find strange. Why does your escort agency use the name 'Ironclad'?"

"Your Majesty, I am from the Ironclad Sect of Nantong, and this escort agency was only established with the support of my sect."

I see, that explains why they chose such a strange name...

Lu Zuo then asked, "How many people are there in the Ironclad Sect?"

"Your Majesty, there are approximately seven hundred Ironclad Disciples."

Lu Zuo's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "How skilled are you?"

"Most of them are no better off than ordinary people."

"My mentor, the leader of the Ironclad Sect, entered the Innate Realm last year."

Lu Zuo: "If I were to order you to recruit members of the Ironclad Sect, how confident are you in your ability to succeed?"

"Your Majesty, the disciples of the Ironclad Sect are all from humble backgrounds and have long yearned to serve the court and make contributions."

Very good!

Lu Zuo's eyes lit up: "Jiang Che, heed the imperial decree!"

"This humble subject is here!"

"I hereby appoint you as the 'Military Recruitment Envoy,' temporarily granting you the rank of fifth grade and a silver seal. Your sole responsibility is to recruit talented individuals from the martial world and incorporate them into the Ironclad Sect."

Fifth rank?

Jiang Che looked up in surprise. He had suddenly risen to prominence!

"My lord, thank you Your Majesty!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

After Jiang Che left, Lu Zuo handled various matters and formulated many temporary management policies.

It wasn't until late at night that he put down what he was doing and headed to his bedroom.

The enemy outnumbers us, and the enemy is strong while we are weak.

Before the official start of the war, the only way to win is to weaken the enemy's strength as much as possible and strengthen one's own!

At the same time, one's own strength is also very important!

On the battlefield, a Three-Element Warrior is a humanoid weapon, a primordial beast, capable of easily tearing apart battle formations and smashing open city gates.

And the entire Nantong...

He's just a single Tri-Element Martial Artist!

.......

Backyard, bedroom.

With a creak, the door slowly opened.

Lu Zuo stepped inside and saw that Shen An's wife was already lying quietly on the couch, her eyes covered with a blue ribbon, waiting for his arrival with an air of complete acceptance.

This makeup, this posture...

He knew without even thinking that it was Lu Qingyuan's arrangement.

After all, he often made Lu Qingyuan wear masks, ribbons, and other such things.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

[Missed the morning court session; internal strength +5.]

[Enchanted by beautiful women, internal strength +1.]

[Excessive indulgence in lust, bonus reward: Cultivation +1333.]

[Humiliating a subject grants an extra reward: Poison Path +27.]

[Leading a rebellion, utterly absurd, Dao Enlightenment +2.]

[Reusing a wicked concubine can bring ruin to a country; calligraphy +10, painting +10, chess +10, musical instrument skills +10.]

"That's a bit too little..."

"At this rate, when will we ever achieve mastery of the Three Elements?"

No matter how much one's martial arts skills improve, one still needs to cultivate oneself to break through the martial arts realm.

The former refers to an increase in quantity.

The latter is a transformation in quality.

However, the deeper one's internal strength, the stronger one's skill, and the higher one's attributes, the easier it is to cross that barrier.

Lu Zuo was unaware of this from the sidelines.

However, he guessed that once his attributes reached a certain level, he might not need to cultivate anymore, as quantitative changes would directly lead to qualitative changes.

The more one's martial arts skills increase, the more their various attributes will also improve.

We need to get serious...

"Someone come here."

With this in mind, he shouted towards the door, "Bring Lu Qingyuan here."

"The Tyrant Who Reigns in the Heavens, You Don't Understand My Happiness" is sparking a reading frenzy. Haven't you read it yet?