Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect-Chapter 1055 - 535: Appointing the General (Part 2)

Chapter 1055: Chapter 535: Appointing the General (Part 2)

Not only did the Nangong Family mobilize a large force, the court also sent no small number of people. Not only did they rely on a thousand troops, the Three Constellations also granted five hundred concubines and maids at once, and even directly brought a pile of Jade Scrolls of the Princesses for a marriage to Nangong Che, completely following the specifications of the Feudal Lords’ standards, truly giving the Nangong Family, a group of exiled criminals, due face.

With Li Hu meticulously arranging things, the altar ceremony was naturally well prepared, the altar consisting of three levels, representing the ’Heaven, Earth, and Human’ triad. The base level was nine zhang wide, symbolizing the Nine Provinces, the middle level was six zhang wide, representing the six directions, and the top level was three zhang wide, reflecting the three lights. Each layer was three zhang and six chi high, together forming a full circle of 360 degrees. The altar body was built with white tiger patterned gray bricks, with copper pillars of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise erected at the four corners, each one zhang two high, exhaling and inhaling clouds of vapor.

The top layer was adorned with a Xuan Yue screen, with a painted map of the twenty-eight constellations’ divisions, fronted by a nine chi Yellow Halberd, a red silk marshal flag placed to the left, and a bronze tiger token to the right. Thirty-six piece chime bells hung in the east, twelve building drums stood in the west. Below were nine sets of halberd racks, holding 180 Imperial Honor Halberds, with the blades pointing northward, gleaming coldly under the sun. Military officers wore Xuan Armor, while civil servants donned crimson gauze deep dresses, standing in formation on either side of the seventy-two steps. The Observatory set up a sundial platform, awaiting the auspicious time.

Thus until the Hour of Mao, when the chimes and drums sounded in unison, Nangong Che ascended the hall and the steps, each step eliciting a synchronous shout of "Hehe!" from the Imperial Vanguard below, thundering like a storm. Upon reaching the platform’s top, the Great Priest presented the Jade Scepter with white thatch to him, an envoy facing south proclaimed an edict, and the Great General bowed thrice, accepting the talisman and seal. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Chen Xuantian watched the ceremony with a smiling face from the crowd below, since he was not a subordinate of the Nangong Family. There was no need to put on a disguise and perform, all calculations were completed, and he only needed to eat at the banquet during You Hour, finding an opportunity to slip away.

"May I know the esteemed name of this master?"

Then a junior civil servant from the court’s delegation inconspicuously sidled up to Chen Xuantian, watching the spectacle together.

Chen Xuantian glanced at the man with a mustache, short in stature, also a smiling official, clasped hands and saluted,

"I am the humble monk Wu Lian, a countryman from Jing Lake, at the service under the General’s command."

The mustached civil servant also bowed in return,

"I am Wang Xunzhi, a subordinate official from Langya County."

Chen Xuantian blinked,

"Could it be that you are of the lineage of Duke Shixing from Langya, a confidant secretary of the Assistant General?"

Wang Xunzhi touched his mustache and smiled,

"The master is well-informed and insightful, I am impressed. However, what is the master’s relationship with the patriarch from the Death Gate?"

Chen Xuantian chuckled,

"I have no idea what Wang Yuan is referring to about the patriarch from the Death Gate, I have never heard of him."

Wang Xunzhi chuckled,

"In the ’Book of Heavenly Officials’, there is a record, when tackling corruption among our officials, six qualities must be inspected: one is Virtue, two is Ability, three is Respect, four is Integrity, five is Law, and six is Argument.

The ’Serving the Law Vital’ holds five precepts: non-killing, non-stealing, non-adultery, non-lying, and non-drinking, for preventing misconduct and deterring evil, they are fundamental to self-restraint and progression to ascend to immortality, the root of holding the law.

Yet I wonder what the master means by taking such a Dharma Name; none of the six virtues, no observance of one among the five precepts, what could it possibly signify?"

Chen Xuantian clapped his hands,

"Wang Yuan put it very well. I think the same."

Seeing this is a clever fellow, Chen Xuantian immediately put his hands away without engaging further.

Encountering such an anomaly, Wang Xunzhi could only smile, looking towards the General Worship Platform, seeing the Young General, strictly following the rites, receiving the seal and sacrificing to heaven,

"I wonder what the master thinks of your Young Master’s caliber?"

Chen Xuantian gave a thumbs up,

"Naturally, top-notch, quite remarkable."

Wang Xunzhi slipped a treasure note to him.

Chen Xuantian glanced at it, oh, a hundred gold, then looked at him,

"Is it really true?"

Wang Xunzhi smiled and added another note.

Chen Xuantian thought for a moment, shook his head,

"A flowery pillow, filled with straw, grand ambitions with shallow talent, lacking discernment."

Wang Xunzhi couldn’t help but laugh,

"That caliber is indeed quite immense then."

Chen Xuantian nodded,

"Isn’t it so, you people know how to choose, the most gullible ones are the easiest to hoodwink.

Whatever you say he believes, daring to dream of anything, daring to attempt anything.

Perhaps your Assistant General is somewhat similar?"

Wang Xunzhi sighed bitterly,

"If it were truly so, it would be easier, but my General genuinely intends to get things done, so we cannot just sit idle, engaged in idle talk."

Chen Xuantian patted his shoulder,

"I see, no wonder you made the effort to come. Then the following matters are in Wang Yuan’s hands,"

"Master, please wait."

Wang Xunzhi grasped him,

"My eyelids have been twitching incessantly lately, fearing disaster in the coming days, pray Master could help ease my mind."

Chen Xuantian rubbed the treasure notes in his hand,

"Left eye twitching signifies wealth, right eye twitching signifies disaster, isn’t it responding right as it should here."

Wang Xunzhi chuckled,

"Is that really all? There wouldn’t be any more changes in today’s plan, would there? Why do I remain unsettled, feeling something is off?"

Chen Xuantian scanned the people around.

Wang Xunzhi said,

"Master needn’t worry, our Langya Wang Family lacks nothing but money, I have bribed everyone that can be bribed, but this trick of spending money to ward off disaster doesn’t seem to work well, pray Master guides me, what exactly have I overlooked?"

Chen Xuantian dropped the pretense, flipped his sleeve,

"As long as you follow my plans faithfully, naturally all will be well. If you love taking the initiative so much, what need is there to inform me? Go by each’s skills, play however you wish!"

Wang Xunzhi looked at him, accompanying with a laugh,

"Master, what are you saying, now that the arrow is on the string, it must be shot, this isn’t just a discussion with you if there are any oversights,"

Chen Xuantian returned a fake smile, holding Wang Xunzhi’s wrist in reverse,

"Oh, so it’s just a discussion, you should’ve said earlier, then I too wish to discuss with Wang Yuan.

Your Wang Family, why do you always hold onto Nangong? Is there perhaps some hidden agenda here?

Could it be feigning public interests for personal vendetta, planning to seize this opportunity, publicizing private enmity, disregarding the great affairs of the Assistant General?"

Wang Xunzhi remained composed,

"Misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding! Although one stroke cannot write two Wang characters, but back then harboring animosity with the Dou Family, vying for the position of Great General, it wasn’t exactly my family’s branch!"

Chen Xuantian nodded,

"I know I know, that branch is the Five Generals and Ten Marquis, brothers wielding power, holding exclusive military power, beside they govern the country. Your branch is slightly lesser, not yet up to the fourth generation, Three Ministers, but just father, son, brothers being either Situ or Si Kong, isn’t that right."

Wang Xunzhi nodded continuously,

"Yes, yes, my family comes from civil servants, a bunch of bookworms who can only write splendid articles and extol the prosperous era. We lack the ability for decisive victory on the battlefield, you will have to excuse us."

The two of them exchanged fake smiles for a while, suddenly a great cheer erupted all around, it turned out to be Nangong Che, holding the Commander’s Seal, raising a sword to heaven, proclaiming generous reward to the army from high platform, marking the completion of the ceremony.

Then Chen Xuantian released his hand,

"Since Wang Yuan is so worried, how about I help you one more time, take care of that Li Hu, to prevent him from ruining your plan. How about it?"

Wang Xunzhi bowed in thanks,

"The Twelve Tiger Ministers, all wise and courageous, utterly loyal Death Soldiers. Having the Master’s help, Xunzhi is grateful,"

Chen Xuantian chuckled, turned to leave, suddenly turned his head and asked,

"Is Royal Brother really just a subordinate official?"

Wang Xunzhi smiled,

"In the General Mansion, talents abound, rowing against the current; those who do not advance will fall back, let me join the Master in mutual encouragement."