Transmigrating to the Primordial Era as a Peerless Great Witch, Changing Fate in the Primordial Worl

The projected Wei Xiaobao deliberately restrained most of his power.

They used only the moves of the "Great Vajra Fist" and Shi Poyan to counter each other, exchanging punches and kicks in a rather "lively" manner.

It demonstrated both exquisite techniques and remarkable strength.

After about twenty or thirty moves, Wei Xiaobao spotted an opening, feinted with his left hand to deflect Shi Poyan's punch, and then struck him in the chest with his right palm as fast as lightning.

Shi Poyan felt a gentle yet overwhelming force coming from him, and involuntarily staggered back five or six steps before finally regaining his footing.

He knew perfectly well that the other party had already shown mercy; if they had really used their strength, he would probably have already coughed up blood and been injured.

He steadied himself, his face showing no anger, but rather an expression of sincere admiration. He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Wei Xiaobao, saying loudly, "Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy's martial arts are indeed superb. This humble general is completely convinced of my defeat and admires you greatly."

Wei Xiaobao stepped forward, offered his hands in a gesture of support, and said with a smile:

"General Shi, there's no need for such formalities. Our exchange is merely for entertainment; there's no question of winning or losing."

"General, you are exceptionally brave and your boxing skills are powerful and fierce; I admire you greatly."

He paused, deliberately putting on a stern face, yet still smiling, and said:

"I think it's too formal to keep calling him 'Imperial Envoy' here."

You are older than me and a meritorious soldier who defended the country's borders. Why don't we address each other as brothers? If you don't, then you are looking down on me as your brother.

Upon hearing this, Shi Poyan was first taken aback, then a hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.

He was by nature straightforward, and seeing that Wei Xiaobao was an imperial envoy, a city lord, and highly skilled in martial arts,

Yet they were so generous and unpretentious, even addressing me as a brother.

The slight resentment in his heart caused by losing the competition vanished instantly.

He stopped being coy and laughed heartily, cupping his hands in greeting, saying, "Not at all, not at all."

It is an honor for me, Mr. Shi, to receive such kindness from Brother Wei.

From now on, in this Yangzhou area, if Brother Wei has any requests, I, Shi, will have no objections.

Thus, through Wei Xiaobao's somewhat deliberate, clever, and subtle efforts to befriend Shi Poyan, the highest-ranking military officer guarding Yangzhou, he quickly developed a close relationship with him and forged a rather good friendship.

This stems from both the recognition of his abilities and Wei Xiaobao's sincere attitude of setting aside his pride.

To most of the officials present, this scene was simply a good thing, as they saw the imperial envoy as approachable and adept at befriending military generals.

However, one person's expression unconsciously darkened amidst the cheers and compliments of the crowd, though he quickly forced a smile to cover it up.

This man was none other than Li Zhirong, the prefect of Yangzhou.

He was the highest-ranking civil official in Yangzhou City.

Shi Poyan, as the governor, was the highest military commander.

The two men belonged to the civil and military branches respectively. Although their powers overlapped, they were largely parallel and there was no clear superior-subordinate relationship. They often checked and balanced each other and engaged in power struggles.

Now, the newly arrived Lord Wei, with his special status and greater power, has become close friends with Shi Poyan, who holds military power, as soon as he took office.

This undoubtedly disrupted the original power balance in Yangzhou, putting Li Zhirong under immense pressure and threatening pressure.

This means that in the future officialdom of Yangzhou, Wei Xiaobao is very likely to form an alliance with Shi Poyan.

And he, the prefect, will likely be marginalized, or even completely suppressed.

Li Zhirong's mind raced, but he dared not show too much dissatisfaction on his face.

After all, the two on the stage were, one was the imperial envoy city lord, who held the imperial sword and enjoyed the emperor's favor.

One was a powerful general who held military authority, neither of whom he could easily offend.

He could only bury his unease and apprehension deep in his heart, raise his wine glass, force a smile, and join the crowd congratulating Wei Xiaobao and Shi Poyan.

But a shadow had already settled over the depths of his eyes.

He knew that things were probably really about to change in Yangzhou.

I must come up with a solution as soon as possible.

The projected Wei Xiaobao did not linger long at the lavish yet subtly turbulent welcoming banquet hosted by Prefect Li Zhirong.

She also refused the other party's seemingly enthusiastic "retention."

As soon as the banquet ended, accompanied by Shuang'er, he went straight back to the "City Lord's Mansion," a grand mansion that had been meticulously prepared for him in advance.

Located in the southeast corner of Yangzhou, the mansion is a quiet oasis amidst the bustling city. It covers a vast area and is complete with pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and winding corridors, exuding the exquisite beauty of Jiangnan gardens and the extravagant charm of wealthy merchants.

Wei Xiaobao didn't appreciate this much; what he needed was a stable base that he could completely control.

Back in the inner courtyard, under Shuang'er's meticulous and considerate care, he bathed and changed clothes, drank a hangover soup, and the slight intoxication and noise from the banquet quickly faded away, and his mind returned to clarity.

Without the slightest delay, he immediately ordered someone to summon five hundred personal guards led by Zhao Yun.

He already had a plan in mind.

The situation in Yangzhou is just beginning. Although it seems to have the protection of an imperial edict and the title of city lord, its foundation is not yet stable.

Prefect Li Zhirong's attitude was ambiguous, and local forces were deeply entrenched. Although Shi Poyan could be befriended, he was ultimately a military officer of the imperial court, not a private soldier.

To truly establish oneself here and realize one's ambitions, one must possess a private force that is absolutely loyal and powerful enough.

These five hundred guards were his initial and core group.

It's time to properly "nurture" it, completely win its heart, and forge it into a truly sharp blade.

Upon receiving an urgent summons from the city lord, Zhao Yun dared not delay and immediately assembled his troops.

Before long, five hundred guards dressed in uniform tight-fitting clothes and with steel swords at their waists, led by Zhao Yun, lined up in an orderly and solemn manner in a very spacious training ground in the front yard.

The setting sun cast a golden-red glow on the bluestone ground, making these men, mostly from the Beijing garrison and with resolute faces, appear as if they were cast in iron.

Shuang'er stood quietly a few steps behind Wei Xiaobao, her expression calm.

Wei Xiaobao stood with his hands behind his back on the steps, his face serious, his eyes sharp as lightning, slowly scanning every face below the stage.

He observed carefully, as if trying to imprint everyone's expression in his heart.

The area was completely silent, with only the rustling of the wind through the trees.

"My lord has summoned us urgently. What are your orders?"

Zhao Yun stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a loud and respectful voice.

Wei Xiaobao did not answer immediately.

He took two steps forward, stood at the edge of the steps, and looked down at Zhao Yun and the dark mass of guards once more.

The invisible pressure of silence made the atmosphere in the room even more tense.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears, carrying an unprecedented seriousness and penetrating power.

"Brothers, I am not talented, but I have been trusted by the Emperor and served as the chief of the Imperial Guard for a period of time."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, meeting the eyes of some of the old guards who had served in the palace and were familiar with him.

"During that time, I spent a lot of time with many brothers. Because of this, I know that we guards, despite our glamorous appearance and the title of the emperor's personal guards, actually face many difficulties."

His tone was simple, as if he were having a casual chat, yet every word he uttered struck a chord with these lowly martial artists.

"It's difficult for an ordinary guard to rise above others."

To expect to be looked up to by those truly powerful figures is nothing but wishful thinking.

And the sacrifice, perhaps only a sum of compensation from the imperial court, is the value of a guard's entire life.

Many of the guards below the steps had their eyes flicker slightly and their lips pressed tightly together.

These are realities they don't want to think about in their daily lives, but cannot avoid.