The Prince Can Do Divination-Chapter 66 - 62: Seven States and Thirteen Counties, the Third Prince Takes Command of the Army

Chapter 66: Chapter 62: Seven States and Thirteen Counties, the Third Prince Takes Command of the Army

"If you want to read, the best place to go is the Wenyuan Pavilion."

In a rare turn of events, Qi Muxue began offering Lu Mingyuan a plan.

"The Wenyuan Pavilion is the Great Yan’s main repository for the Royal Family’s books, also known as the Three Pavilion Secret Hall. It’s said to hold tens of millions of volumes. The pavilion in the eastern corridor is the Zhaowen Book Collection, the southern corridor holds the Jixian Book Collection, and the western corridor has the Historical Records Library. Each is overseen by a Scholar responsible for the collection, but their rank is low—only Senior Ninth Grade."

Lu Mingyuan listened and nodded slightly.

This position of Scholar was equivalent to a low-level librarian civil servant in later eras, the kind who barely made it onto the official payroll.

He raised an eyebrow at Chen Ke and asked, "The Wenyuan Pavilion, with its collection of tens of millions of books. What do you think?"

Although it was only a Ninth Grade official position, Chen Ke was extremely moved. He performed a deep bow and said, "I, Ke, was orphaned at a young age. Besides Elder Mr. Qi, no one has ever treated me with such kindness. I, Chen, will never forget Miss Qi’s gracious recognition or Your Highness’s recommendation for as long as I live!"

"In the future, with but a single word from Your Highness, I will go through fire and water!"

Lu Mingyuan chuckled. "Show some ambition. You’re a Confucian Scholar, after all. Even if someone has to go through fire and water, it won’t be your turn. Whether or not you can make a name for yourself is up to you. Strive to establish your own teaching and become a founder. Whether you can actually achieve it doesn’t matter—just set the goal first."

"Establish my own teaching and become a founder..."

As Chen Ke heard those words, a glimmer of hope flashed through his eyes.

Right after Lu Mingyuan said this, he noticed that the wisp of cyan qi that had been on the man’s face suddenly flared, becoming as brilliant as a blinding sun.

However, only Lu Mingyuan could see this scene.

Only after Qi Muxue and Chen Ke had left did the nearby Hong Wan speak, her voice slightly hoarse.

"Your Highness, this man was expelled from the Academy. That means his knowledge and talent are inferior to those of ordinary scholars. Why are you willing to help him?"

Lu Mingyuan gave a faint smile and said, half-jokingly,

"Because people who are orphaned at a young age are never simple."

He returned to his hall to find a stack of what looked like newspapers on the table. Zi Yun explained, "Your Highness, this is today’s mansion report."

Lu Mingyuan glanced at the mansion report, scanning it briefly, and smiled faintly. "Well, things have certainly been lively recently."

...

「The Sixty-Eighth Year of Yong’an, the Vernal Equinox.」

The torrential rains across the Great Yan had finally been brought under control, but most of the towns and counties, especially in the Seven States and Thirteen Counties, had been submerged, turning into vast marshes.

The rebellions that had raged for half a month had not been quelled. On the contrary, they had grown more stubborn, spreading to various States and Counties where the rebels occupied mountains and declared themselves kings.

The most severe case was in Brahma State, where a strange Daoist calling himself Venerable Rakshasa appeared. His Cultivation was not low, and he claimed to have been sent by the Celestial Kingdom to save the common people from their suffering. He had eight great disciples under him, all of whom were formidable. They formed the largest and most obstinate force, and the Court referred to their leader as the Rakshasa Demon Venerable.

The Confucian Scholars, monks, and Qi Cultivators of the Three Academies rushed about in all directions, trying to exterminate these Demons who had suddenly emerged.

The Great Yan Army was dispatched to various regions to suppress the rebellions, but with limited effect. The rebels employed hit-and-run tactics, refusing to engage in direct confrontations and successfully bogging down the army.

Instead, the rebel forces, acting as if according to a premeditated plan, waited until the Great Yan Army was scattered before regrouping their forces to strike, catching the Court completely off guard.

The Rakshasa Demon Venerable pressed his advantage, establishing the Rakshasa Celestial Country and enfeoffing his disciples as the Eight Great Celestial Kings. He used twisted scriptures and dogma to control the populace, and his power grew ever greater.

When Emperor Yong’an learned of this, he was furious. If not for his poor health, he likely would have led the imperial army into battle himself once again.

The Holy Emperor dispatched one of the Great Yan’s Four Great Tributors—Ren Tu, a Celestial King of the Military Family—to eliminate this menace.

True to his name, Ren Tu’s methods were exceedingly cruel.

On the day of his arrival, he buried two hundred thousand fanatical followers alive, showing no regard for the lives of the populace. That day, a malevolent Evil Qi soared to the heavens, and black clouds blotted out the sun.

With a single palm strike, he shattered a hundred-li-long section of Fanzhou City’s wall and killed the Rakshasa Demon Venerable on the spot, annihilating both his body and Divine Soul.

However, his eight great disciples scattered and fled to every corner of the Great Yan, where they continued to wreak havoc.

When news of this reached the Imperial Capital and spread throughout the Great Yan, scholars everywhere began to impeach Ren Tu, denouncing the heartlessness of the Military Family and condemning his act of burying people alive.

Emperor Yong’an, pressured by public opinion, had no choice but to recall him.

Left with no alternative, he could only mobilize three hundred thousand of the Imperial Capital’s elite troops, reinstate the Third Prince, and appoint Lu Guangyao as commander-in-chief to march across the Great Yan and wipe out the remaining rebels.

The above report is from the Great Yan Mountain and River Mansion Report.

...

「Prince Jin’s Mansion.」

Lu Guangjing looked at the mansion report in his hand and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"Father, oh Father, it seems you couldn’t resist reinstating Lu Guangyao after all."

Beside him, the Cyan-robed Scholar Gongyang Hu gently waved his Feather Fan and said, "The Holy Emperor is worried. If he were to entrust such a large army to another General or Marquis Mansion, he fears it would create a hidden danger. Even if the rebellion were successfully suppressed, he would have no further rewards to grant them, and they might become the next Prince Zhenbei. By reinstating the relatively simple and honest King Chu, he doesn’t have to worry about this problem. Plus, he can act as a Governor."

Lu Guangjing chuckled. "No matter what you say about Lu Guangyao, he returned to the Capital City on imperial orders and delayed Lu Changfeng, which can be considered a merit. He does possess considerable military talent, commands immense prestige within the army, and is fiercely loyal with no rebellious thoughts. He is indeed an excellent choice."

"But behind him stand the Seven Great Marquis’s Mansions. Even if Lu Guangyao himself is unwilling, can you guarantee that his subordinates won’t get any ideas?"

Gongyang Hu thought for a moment. "Your Highness means to say that someone within the Seven Great Marquis’s Mansions wants to rebel?"

"Even if they don’t, we can give them a little push."

Lu Guangjing said meaningfully.

"I understand. Your Highness remains as thorough as ever."

Lu Guangjing narrowed his eyes. "Of the Great Yan’s Four Great Tributors, two are currently guarding the Great Wall at the border. Only the Sword Venerable and Ren Tu are in the Capital City. And since Ren Tu was forced to return due to public pressure, he is no longer a threat to be feared. We must make good use of this opportunity to eliminate the Third Prince."

"The Infinite Faction’s power and influence in the army are limited, after all. What specific actions can we take to make the Seven Great Marquis’s Mansions develop the will to rebel? I fear it will be quite difficult," Gongyang Hu asked.

Lu Guangjing waved his hand. "No matter. ’The Teacher’ will also make a move this time. With him overseeing things, what is there to fear?"

Hearing the Second Prince mention "The Teacher"...

Gongyang Hu’s expression changed instantly.

This was the Second Prince’s silent backer, one of the first to bet on him, a man with a uniquely discerning eye.

This person was once a Saint’s Disciple but later betrayed his master, established his own sect, founded a new teaching, and became a patriarch. He ascended to the Upper Three Grades, reaching the Thirteenth Realm. Though not a Saint, he was said to be on par with one.

He now lived in seclusion in one of Nan Zhou’s Small Countries, his whereabouts unknown.

A Twelfth Realm Saint had once tried to find this former traitorous disciple to clean up the sect, only to be schemed against until his Daoxin shattered, causing him to fall four consecutive Realms.

Many of the talented individuals within the Infinite Faction were recruited by this very Teacher.

In fact, more than half of the Second Prince’s skills, including his mastery of the Dragon Slaying Skill, had been taught to him by this man.

If this Teacher were to make a move, it was hard to say whether the Third Prince would even be able to keep his life this time.

After all, Lu Changfeng was still breathing, alive in the Great Prison. If this Teacher had been the one to act, Lu Changfeng would have long since met his end on the Yellow Springs, with no chance of surviving to this day.

...

Just a bit of good news: this book has been featured on a major recommendation list! It will likely be monetized in about two weeks, on the Friday after next. I’m starting to stockpile Chapters, so don’t worry. I’ll do a mass release for the launch so everyone can binge-read to their heart’s content.