Chapter 23 Declaring Sovereignty

Chapter 23: Asserting Sovereignty

Yellow sand blotted out the sky as the neighing of warhorses and the battle cries of soldiers echoed across the Gobi Desert.

Jiang Shuoye’s attention was initially on the High Priest, but once the cavalry unit charged forward, he could think of nothing else.

His dark eyes reflected the cold gleam of weapons; horses reared on their hind legs, and spears clanged resonantly.

His heart pounded violently. The scene Jiang Shuoye had envisioned countless times in his mind was now unfolding before his eyes.

The cavalry formation was still somewhat disorganized, but it was leaps and bounds better compared to before.

Jiang Shuoye felt that even if the Northern Desert Army were to face the Tatars now, they would no longer be overpowered. With further training, the Northern Desert cavalry might even turn the tables against the Tatars.

—"You only need to protect the people of the Northern Desert."

This was the High Priest’s expectation for Jiang Shuoye, but now, a fire seemed to ignite in Jiang Shuoye’s eyes.

He believed that with such a Northern Desert Army, he could not only protect the people of the Northern Desert but also push Great Ning’s borders hundreds of miles further.

If he dared to be even bolder...

Jiang Shuoye gazed into the distant north, where lush grasslands stretched, inhabited by nomadic Tatar tribes with strong armies, and beyond lay even vaster lands.

The cavalry formation had already advanced far into the distance. The hundred-man commander, leveraging the stirrups, stood up on his horse and waved the fluttering standard of the Northern Desert Army.

At his command, the cavalrymen turned their horses around and galloped back toward the military camp.

Though only a hundred strong, they moved with the momentum of a thousand troops. Watching them charge back from afar, the blacksmiths and other soldiers standing on the ground felt their blood boil.

This was the new cavalry, the new Northern Desert Army!

The blacksmiths’ eyes welled up with emotion.

They had lived for generations in the border towns of the Northern Desert, and their deep affection for the army guarding the region needed no explanation.

The garrison had always protected the civilians well, never letting them face the Tatars’ swords.

This was true of the Qin Family Army since Emperor Wu’s time, and it remained true of the Northern Desert Army that had arrived seven years ago.

Unlike the blacksmiths, the soldiers who had not yet received the new equipment were itching for action. If they too could be equipped with stirrups and saddles, they believed they could be just as valiant as their comrades.

Chu Jiubian was also quite satisfied.

Although these soldiers did not yet appear exceptionally strong, with an outstanding commander like Jiang Shuoye training them and modern training methods, the Northern Desert Army was sure to become a formidable force in time.

However, an army of 80,000—if it even reached that number—was still somewhat insufficient.

Previously, the "Potential Believer Cards" had shown two vassal princes with armies of 50,000 and 30,000 respectively. The Qin Family Army had been divided into various units like the Imperial Guard and the City Defense Force, yet it still numbered 50,000.

Qin Xiao also had 10,000 private troops unknown to others.

Compared to these forces, a border army of only 80,000 seemed inadequate.

Eventually, Jiang Shuoye would need to recruit more soldiers. However, given his current poverty—even having to patch his pillow—recruitment would be a difficult task.

Moreover, the Northern Desert Army was no "nobody." Those in the imperial court were watching closely. If Jiang Shuoye attempted to recruit soldiers, it would not go unnoticed, likely bringing him trouble.

Even equipment like saddles and stirrups would soon be known to the powerful figures in the court with their vast networks.

But Chu Jiubian had anticipated this when he provided those items. Strengthening oneself to make others wary was far more intimidating than hiding one’s capabilities.

Besides, neither the Northern Desert Army nor Chu Jiubian had the luxury of playing weak. They had been under scrutiny from the very beginning.

Thus, they had to grow stronger, so that others would think twice before challenging them.

"Silver saddles gleam on white horses, swift as shooting stars."

Chu Jiubian smirked slightly. When news of the Northern Desert Army’s new saddles and stirrups reached the capital, those in power would surely understand what the "silver saddles" referred to.

He had just recited such verses at the auction, and now, far away in the Northern Desert, soldiers were already equipped with saddles.

The shrewd officials in the capital would inevitably connect the two events.

Once they realized Chu Jiubian might have ties to the Northern Desert Army, their imaginations would run wild.

Would they think this "deity" had contacted Jiang Shuoye right under their noses? Or would they suspect that other mysterious forces behind him had already entered the world?

Such an elusive, untraceable mystery would undoubtedly spark imagination and intimidation.

That said, enhancing the Northern Desert Army’s current strength and recruiting more soldiers were two entirely different matters.

Those in the court, including Qin Xiao, might tolerate Jiang Shuoye improving his soldiers’ capabilities, as it contributed to border stability.

But they would not allow him to expand his army.

Any sign of recruitment would be met with resistance and pushback from various factions.

Therefore, recruitment would have to be postponed. Only when the southern frontier ventures flourished, and Chu Jiubian gained a firmer footing in the court, could they proceed without hesitation.

Chu Jiubian turned his gaze to Jiang Shuoye on the screen.

Jiang Shuoye was discussing with the blacksmiths about producing more equipment, including horseshoes, to see if they could be made as well.

No wonder he had no time for a nap, being so busy.

Satisfied with the progress, Chu Jiubian no longer felt the need to summon Jiang Shuoye into the Divine Realm.

He closed the screen and opened the system interface.

There were now just over a hundred Faith Points, with the cumulative total nearing three hundred.

But Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but feel that the rate of Faith Points collection seemed to have slowed, not as easy as it was initially.

"Host, as your reputation grows, the conditions for collecting Faith Points will become more stringent. This is to ensure your continued motivation. Thank you for your understanding."

Chu Jiubian’s fame had spread. As his poems circulated more widely, more people would learn of him, and more would believe in his "celestial" identity. Faith Points would increase even without active effort.

The system, wary of complacency, had made the collection conditions increasingly strict.

It was understandable.

But for Chu Jiubian, this was not good news.

He opened the system marketplace again and browsed the food section.

This category covered basic daily necessities, so prices were very low. For instance, refined grains like rice and fine flour cost only one Faith Point for 100 kilograms, while coarse grains like brown rice cost one Faith Point for 200 kilograms.

Chu Jiubian frowned slightly.

It was now the season for harvesting early rice in the south, and many people were relying on the harvest to put food on the table.

Yet, at this critical time, the south hadn't seen any rain. The people would likely face poor yields or even total crop failure, which would mean drought was inevitable.

If it truly came to that, Chu Jiubian could perhaps directly purchase some grain from the system and give it to Situ Zhaoling.

The Southern Frontier was also affected by the drought. If the Southern Frontier King had such a stock of grain, grain prices in the region could be stabilized and prevented from skyrocketing.

As a result, Southern Frontier grain merchants would head to areas like Sichuan and Huguang, where prices were higher, to sell their grain.

Once they all arrived, there'd be more grain in these areas, and prices would drop.

By then, people with extra money would be able to buy grain.

The court could also purchase more grain from these merchants, open the granaries for distribution, and by around October, the northern harvest would come. With grain taxes collected and redirected to the south, they could essentially get through the drought.

However, to achieve this, Chu Jiubian would need a lot more points. His current hundred-plus points were simply insufficient.

It seemed he still needed to find a way to expand his influence further.

This would also be helping Qin Xiao and the young emperor.

When the time came, he could make a good deal with Qin Xiao and have him handle expanding the influence.

After thinking it through, Chu Jiubian felt the drought wasn’t so difficult to resolve after all, and he felt more at ease.

Then he looked through the weapons section.

From the simplest daggers and stun guns to later pistols, and even those advanced weapons he still didn’t have permission to view, the required Faith Points were ridiculously high.

After looking around, his gaze settled on a "Glock 19" pistol.

While filming a police drama once, he had trained with the military for two months and used this exact model.

It had low recoil, held 15 rounds, and was easy for beginners to use.

Chu Jiubian had pretty good aim; with this gun, he could regularly hit at least the ninth ring.

Although he hadn’t explicitly rejected other factions, his position as "Grand Tutor" had almost publicly put him with Qin Xiao.

That made him not as safe as before.

Who knew if someone might get impatient, deciding it was easier to take him out than to win him over?

So, it was necessary to get some means of self-defense.

A pistol might be too much—not just in terms of lethality, but even the sound of a gunshot would be enough to freak these ancient people out, especially in an era without fireworks even existing.

But he was a "god," so having some supernatural methods was entirely justifiable.

Besides, if one bullet could deter those hiding in the shadows and make them hesitate before targeting him, it might be worth it.

Chu Jiubian looked at the price: 99 Faith Points.

After a moment, he still closed the system interface.

He could buy it when he needed it.

After leaving the Divine Realm, Chu Jiubian opened his eyes.

As he got up from the bed, he suddenly got dizzy and his vision went dark, and he nearly fell back. He caught himself by grabbing the bed frame.

He took a moment, waiting for the dizziness to pass, then slowly exhaled.

He really envied those who soul-transmigrated—his body transmigration had even brought along his low blood pressure.

He felt a burning sensation in his stomach. Rubbing his temples, he grabbed an outer robe, putting it on as he walked out of the bedroom.

Just as he was about to tell Xiao Xiangzi to prepare lunch, he saw someone sitting at the desk in the outer room.

Qin Xiao was resting with his eyes closed but opened them at the sound of movement, looking toward the bedroom door.

Their eyes met.

Qin Xiao’s gaze drifted downward, settling on Chu Jiubian’s chest.

On the pure white inner garment, spots of crimson had seeped through, like plum blossoms scattered on snow.

It was blood.

Following Qin Xiao’s gaze to the bloodstains, Chu Jiubian’s eyelids fluttered slightly. "I’ll change clothes," he said.

With that, he pulled his outer robe closed and turned back into the bedroom.

As he moved, the collar of his inner garment shifted briefly, and Qin Xiao glimpsed what seemed like a few faint, thin lines on the young man’s chest.

They looked like scratches.

Qin Xiao glanced outside, and Xiao Xiangzi, who was waiting under the corridor, hurried over.

"Bring the food," Qin Xiao said.

It seemed the young master was awake.

Xiao Xiangzi quickly acknowledged and went to give the order.

Chu Jiubian heard the commotion outside. By the time he changed and came out, Shuiqing Shuiyun happened to be bringing in the food.

The two quietly set the table with bowls, chopsticks, and dishes, then bowed their heads and left the room.

Chu Jiubian sat on the stool and, noticing Qin Xiao also had a set of utensils in front of him, asked, "Haven’t you eaten yet?"

"I have," Qin Xiao picked up his chopsticks. "I’ll keep you company for a bit."

Chu Jiubian gave a light laugh.

Qin Xiao looked up at him.

Chu Jiubian’s light-colored eyes held no particular emotion, yet they seemed to hook one’s gaze, making it hard to look away.

"Do you know why I fell into your arms back then?" His voice was soft, the tone slightly lifted, and the question came abruptly, even somewhat inexplicably.

Qin Xiao watched him quietly, as if trying to see past the surface into something deeper.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because..."

Chu Jiubian deliberately drew out his sentence, locking eyes with Qin Xiao for a few breaths before smiling faintly and saying, "Because you have great strength."

Qin Xiao also laughed.

"Let’s eat," he said, and served Chu Jiubian a bowl of soup, placing it beside his hand. "Be careful, it’s hot."

"Is this how you usually take care of His Majesty?"

Outsiders probably wouldn’t know that this powerful regent, who wielded power over the court, was actually so attentive.

Qin Xiao hummed in agreement.

Chu Jiubian didn’t bother with formalities either and began eating on his own.

"How was your duty today?" Qin Xiao asked casually.

"Not bad, quite leisurely."

"Leisurely?" Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "If you have nothing to do this afternoon, come with me to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to review memorials."

Chu Jiubian paused while reaching for food, his searching look fixed on Qin Xiao’s face.

Does this man have some kind of mind-reading skills?

Otherwise, how could Qin Xiao suggest it himself in the afternoon, just when he had been thinking about it this morning?

Originally, Chu Jiubian had thought he might need to offer something in return, but now it seemed unnecessary.

But that was the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the most heavily guarded place in the entire palace.

How dare Qin Xiao bring an outsider like him inside?

He didn’t believe Qin Xiao trusted him.

"Another bowl?" Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian finished his soup and said, "No need."

He rinsed his mouth, then took out a handkerchief to wipe his lips.

After that, as if performing a magic trick, he conjured two white pills out of thin air and handed them to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao had watched as the two pills suddenly appeared, and he felt a slight tremor in his chest.

Was it magic?

He threw his head back and swallowed the pills, then took a sip of tea.

These pills were indeed extraordinary. Qin Xiao had suffered many injuries in the past, many of which were actually lighter than the two stab wounds on his shoulder, yet the subsequent bouts of pain had been more severe than this injury.

He was certain it was because of these pills.

After taking the medicine, the pain from the wounds would lessen.

The imperial physician had also said the wounds were healing well; despite the hot weather, there were no signs of worsening. It couldn’t be that Qin Xiao’s body was unusually resilient—it had to be the effectiveness of the pills.

If such medicine could be used on soldiers, perhaps there would be fewer casualties.

"Are these really impossible to reproduce?" he couldn’t help but ask again.

"Didn’t I say it before? Be good to me, and there will be plenty of these pills."

Qin Xiao lightly tapped the table, deep in thought.

"Let me teach you the second use of saltpeter," Chu Jiubian suddenly said.

Qin Xiao was only stunned for a moment before asking, "What do we need to prepare?"

"Saltpeter, rush pith, sulfur, rosin..."

The process of making a fire igniter was more complex than that of ice. Chu Jiubian explained the preliminary preparations to Qin Xiao, such as drying and pounding the rush pith, and asked him to have someone take care of it.

Actually, sweet potato vines or cotton would be better, but Great Ning didn’t have these two materials yet, so they had to use substitutes for now.

Later, he would definitely cultivate sweet potatoes and cotton—these were the two most useful crops for ensuring the people’s basic needs.

These preparations would take at least a day or two. Moreover, with light rain expected for tomorrow, the task of drying the rush pith would have to be postponed. By the time they could actually start, it would likely be several days later.

Qin Xiao wasn’t particularly concerned anyway. After all, Chu Jiubian wouldn’t go back on his word, so waiting a few more days was fine.

Chu Jiubian's credibility in Qin Xiao’s mind was quite high.

Qin Xiao didn’t have the habit of taking afternoon naps, and Chu Jiubian had already "slept" earlier, so after the meal, the two went together to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Along the way, Qin Xiao walked leisurely, even taking Chu Jiubian to the Imperial Garden under the pretext of "walking off the meal."

Countless probing glances came at them from all directions.

It was likely that news of Chu Jiubian’s entry into the Hall of Mental Cultivation would soon spread throughout the capital. By then, even more people would surely try to make contact with him.

After all, if he could enter the Hall of Mental Cultivation—even if, like other officials, he only entered the conference hall in the eastern courtyard through a side gate to discuss matters, with secret guards watching from the shadows—what if?

What if Chu Jiubian, as the Grand Tutor, was different and could access the main hall where the emperor resided, or even the western courtyard where Qin Xiao lived?

Everyone knew that the secrets related to Qin Xiao’s actual power were hidden in the western courtyard.

Qin Xiao had already allowed Chu Jiubian to stab him twice; taking him to the western courtyard might not be such a difficult step.

But this also demonstrated how much Qin Xiao trusted Chu Jiubian. Many would likely assume that the two had reached some kind of understanding or partnership.

This cooperation seemed solid enough that Qin Xiao dared to bring Chu Jiubian into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Under such circumstances, if members of other factions rashly approached Chu Jiubian with offers of cooperation, wouldn’t they essentially be feeding their intelligence to Qin Xiao?

They could, of course, try to recruit Chu Jiubian with terms that wouldn’t reveal their strength, but it would be difficult to win him over that way.

To take a risky gamble or to proceed with caution?

The choice became a dilemma.

Chu Jiubian shot a sidelong glance at Qin Xiao, roughly understanding the other’s intention in purposely bringing him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

This was meant to completely eliminate any chance of him cooperating with other factions.

At the auction, Qin Xiao had pretended to be magnanimous, giving him opportunities to meet others, but now he was playing the card of marking his territory.

Qin Xiao’s clumsy act might not have been effective at other times. People would still seek out Chu Jiubian, gambling in the hopes that success would bring rewards far outweighing the risks.

But at this ambiguous moment, Qin Xiao's move was very effective.

Currently, the capital is on the brink of chaos, in the calm before the storm.

Everyone is on high alert, thinking twice before they act.

They don't know if their words or actions might become weapons others use against them.

As a result, all factions are afraid to take risks, preferring to play it safe.

Xiao Huaiguan’s earlier stunt at the auction was a test, as everyone saw.

It won't be long before the conflicts within the court come out into the open. By then, Chu Jiubian will have to make a clear decision: whether to continue aligning with Qin Xiao or to throw his lot in with someone else.

Originally, Chu Jiubian had hoped to boost his reputation and accumulate more Faith Points before burning all his bridges with other factions.

But now, that plan has fallen through.

It’s likely that the leaders of the major noble families already want him dead.

He absolutely had to spend those 99 points on buying the gun.

Chu Jiubian gritted his teeth in frustration, swearing Qin Xiao would pay him back for every last point.

Upon entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the two headed straight to the council chamber in the eastern courtyard.

The hall was lined with two rows of wooden chairs facing each other, separated by a central aisle, with a side table by each chair.

At the head of the aisle, facing the door, was a large desk with a spacious rosewood chair behind it, cushioned by a tall, soft cushion.

Chu Jiubian sat down in the chair closest to the desk, while Qin Xiao sat opposite him.

Soon, Qin Zhaoyang came in, followed by several young eunuchs, who carried two desks and placed them in front of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian respectively.

Normally, Qin Xiao would sit directly behind the main desk, only taking a lower seat when leading other ministers here to discuss state affairs, leaving the position behind the desk for Baili Hong.

But from now on, he'd probably be stuck in this lower seat.

The young eunuchs set out prepared brushes and ink on the desks and then withdrew.

Qin Zhaoyang divided the stack of memorials on the desk into two parts, giving one pile to Qin Xiao and the other to Chu Jiubian, before retreating into the shadows as if vanishing from the room.

Chu Jiubian was tempted to glance up at the beams, wondering if the hidden guards were lurking there as often depicted in novels.

But he restrained himself, not wanting to appear ignorant.

Chu Jiubian picked up a memorial and opened it.

Memorials followed a strict format and were written on paper, which was actually a lot more convenient.

However, with so many memorials submitted daily, and many officials repeatedly submitting them, that must cost a pretty penny in paper. He wondered if these expenses were being embezzled from the court.

Chu Jiubian carefully read the contents of the memorial.

It was submitted by Prefect Lv Yuan of Hexi Prefecture, who began by inquiring after the emperor’s and Prince Ning’s well-being before mentioning the construction of river embankments.

The entire memorial was filled with praise for Prince Jiannan.

It commended his gentle demeanor, his decisiveness in handling matters, and how smoothly the embankment project was progressing under his guidance, as well as the joy it brought to the people.

It seemed efforts were already underway to quietly build Baili Hai’s reputation.

Still, it was good that the embankment construction had begun properly. The rainy season was coming soon, and the embankments needed to be completed before then.

With this in mind, Chu Jiubian looked up at Qin Xiao and said, "The heavy rains in Northern Zhili will start on July 12 and last for at least four days."

His weather forecast currently only showed heavy rain for the last four days of the next thirty days, with no visibility beyond that. However, he suspected the rain might last even longer.

Qin Xiao looked up from the memorial, his brow furrowed.

"The embankment construction in Hexi Prefecture should be completed before then," Chu Jiubian added.

"Mm."

Qin Xiao showed no doubt about the weather forecast. "You can draft the reply."

Chu Jiubian picked up a brush and wrote his response on the first page of the memorial.

The reply would later be transcribed onto a new sheet of paper by Qin Zhaoyang and the eunuchs of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, after which the new document would be sent back to the local authorities.

It had been a long time since Chu Jiubian last used a brush, and the brush, ink, and paper were all of poor quality. His writing was awkward, and the characters looked somewhat worse than usual.

After finishing, he set the memorial aside to let the ink dry.

His movements were fluid, elegant, and natural.

Once done, he looked up and, unsurprisingly, met Qin Xiao’s gaze.

Qin Xiao had not taken his eyes off him since earlier.

"What, regretting bringing me here?" Chu Jiubian asked.

"No." Qin Xiao smiled faintly. "I wanted to apologize to you."

Apologize?

Chu Jiubian was taken aback.

"Sorry for using you again," Qin Xiao said, his expression casual but his eyes sincere, much like when he had allowed Chu Jiubian to stab him.

Chu Jiubian understood.

He was referring to earlier, when Qin Xiao had paraded him around the palace before returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Qin Xiao continued, "Don’t worry. I’ve arranged for twenty hidden guards to protect you at all times."

Chu Jiubian was undoubtedly being watched by many now, all eager to eliminate him as a variable.

As the instigator, Qin Xiao naturally felt responsible.

What use was an apology after the fact?

Chu Jiubian inwardly cursed Qin Xiao for his hypocrisy but wasn’t particularly angry.

After all, their relationship was one of mutual exploitation. Chu Jiubian could use Qin Xiao’s connections to enter the court, and Qin Xiao could, in turn, find ways to claim this "remarkable talent" for himself.

Such a relationship, bound by interests, could be both solid and fragile.

But for now, at least, they were in the same boat.

If they were to have a falling-out in the future, neither would show the other any mercy.

Good.

Meeting Qin Xiao's gaze, Chu Jiubian smiled and said, "Offering twenty men right off the bat—Your Prince Ning is truly generous."

Qin Xiao replied, "I suppose you have your own means of self-protection, but if you feel it's not enough, I could assign you two hundred more."

"No need." Chu Jiubian would be insane to want two hundred people watching him day and night.

Still, Qin Xiao was indeed generous, and Chu Jiubian believed he could genuinely provide two hundred men to watch him.

This showed that the other party certainly had no shortage of capable fighters—what he lacked were people who could talk and get things done.

Otherwise, tasks like drafting replies to local officials wouldn’t fall to Qin Zhaoyang and the eunuchs in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, doing the grunt work of copying responses from the memorials; they could simply leave it to the Hanlin Academy.

Even those trivial memorials wouldn’t need to reach Qin Xiao in the first place.

Of course, these memorials actually were initially sent to the Six Ministries, where simpler ones were processed before those requiring decisions from the emperor or Qin Xiao were forwarded.

But now, almost none of the Six Ministries had Qin Xiao’s allies. The officials there seemed to hold grudges against him and were more than willing to mess with him in such matters.

After all, it was no skin off their nose—at worst, they could brush it off with "subordinates failed to review thoroughly" or "I truly couldn’t make a decision," and Qin Xiao couldn’t do much about it.

So, when it came down to it, he still lacked the right people.

If only the Da Ning Dynasty could have his own Hanlin Academy—a secretariat fully dedicated to serving the emperor, far more efficient than relying solely on Qin Zhaoyang.

But where could one find so many capable, obedient individuals who weren’t part of the nobility cliques?

The Da Ning Dynasty didn’t even have civil service exams...

Chu Jiubian paused abruptly, his heartbeat quickening.

He was now the Vice Minister of Personnel—after all, he was literally in charge of this.