Shennong Dao Master

free𝑤ebnovel.com "..." Xia Jing always felt something was off about that statement, but he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.

Zhao Xing spoke the great truth, but the reality of officialdom wasn’t so straightforward.

"Forget it, you’ve already cast your vote," Xia Jing said, "I reckon no one will pay it any mind."

Who would dare? Prince Liang was about to take the stage, only a fool would pay attention to Zhao Xing’s memorandum now.

"Well done!" Long Xiao chuckled, "Zhao Xing, how did you write it? I now hold the title of County Councilor too, just don’t know how to write it. Teach me, I’ll add my bit too."

"You want in on this too?" Xia Jing was taken aback, "Are we still going to fight this battle or not?"

"If Prince Liang comes to power, why bother fighting?" Long Xiao snorted, "I’m afraid his Black Dragon Army will stab us in the back."

Xia Jing pointed first to himself then to Zhao Xing: "My father Xiahou, my honored teacher Liu Tianning, who would dare to stab us in the back?"

"I don’t care that much," Long Xiao said, "Anyway, since Zhao Xing has submitted his, I should also show some support. Liao Rulong, are you my brother or not?"

"Hahaha, Long Xiao is right, if we’re to submit memoranda, let’s do it together." Liao Rulong laughed heartily, waving his hand: "Strategist, prepare the ink and paper!"

Long Xiao gave Xia Jing a sideways glance, as if to say, are you brother enough?

Xia Jing said helplessly: "Fine, I’ll submit."

Zhao Xing spoke up: "Don’t force yourself."

Xia Jing, pointing at Long Xiao, laughed and said: "Fatty Long has already put it that way, if I don’t submit, we can no longer be brothers in the future. Come on, how did you write it? I’ll print it for you, you just need to stamp it."

"What’s all this commotion?" Just then, Chen Shijie walked in. "I thought I heard you mention Prince Liang, impeachment... What happened?"

"Old Chen, you’ve arrived at just the right time, we’re going to impeach Prince Liang," Long Xiao snickered, "I’ve long wanted to do this!"

Chen Shijie was more composed: "Does the Marquis know about this? Does Mr. Liu know? Does Xiahou know?"

"I’ve already spoken to my teacher," Zhao Xing stated calmly, "he doesn’t oppose, nor does he support, and he didn’t ask me why."

"I haven’t mentioned it yet," Xia Jing, stroking his chin, said, "it’s of no great concern, just a wind-and-rumor statement."

"Better left unsaid," Chen Shijie added, as silence leaves room for manoeuvre, it’s just a minor commotion among the young ones.

But at this time, Zhao Xing said solemnly: "Don’t take this matter as a joke."

"I truly intend to impeach Prince Liang and to see results from it."

"Xia Jing, if you still want to command the troops, you’d better not submit."

"Long Xiao, Old Chen, you should also think it through, be ready for demotion and dismissal."

Zhao Xing needed to make the stakes clear.

Continuing the fight, Xia Jing might not face any trouble, but as for Old Chen and Long Xiao, Zhao Xing hoped they could follow his lead and withdraw boldly from this maelstrom.

To impeach Prince Liang, even if that led to demotion and dismissal, it would be temporary. Once Prince Liang rebels in the future, those who opposed him would certainly be vindicated.

Now was the perfect window to distance themselves from the Southern Barbarian Battlefield with Prince Liang about to take charge.

If they waited to leave later, the cost would be greater.

However, Zhao Xing also respected the fate of others. If they indeed wanted to earn merit on the battlefield, he wouldn’t insist.

Without himself, Long Xiao had already become Marquis Shenxiao.

Old Chen hadn’t perished in the Ten Suns Cave Heaven, and Xia Jing could also inherit his father’s title.

Therefore, whether they wanted to advance or retreat with him on this matter, it was their own choice.

"I’d rather wait for Prince Liang to die of old age before coming out of retirement than fight under him," Long Xiao scoffed, "With someone like that as the Commander of Pacifying Barbarians, the Southern Barbarians will eventually win."

Zhao Xing looked at Long Xiao in surprise, not expecting him to think this way, but he was right; the Southern Barbarians were bound to win eventually.

"Prince Liang has no authority to strip titles," Chen Shijie stated, "At most he can only dismiss us, in which case I’ll still have my title and can retire."

"With all of you prepared like this, what’s the use of me fighting?" Xia Jing said, "Let’s impeach, I’ve got nothing else to do for three months anyway. I don’t believe writing a memorandum could do me any harm."

Only Liao Rulong decided to consult Yang An first, while the other three immediately wrote and submitted their impeachment documents.

...

In the nineteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, on the seventh day of the tenth month, the impeachment documents submitted by Zhao Xing and the others sank like stones in the sea.

Only Dantai Ming came to ask Zhao Xing what he truly meant.

Zhao Xing maintained the same righteous and stern stance.

An old hand like Dantai Ming didn’t doubt Zhao Xing’s motives.

Because during his internship in Cloud City, Zhao Xing had witnessed Shao Wanjie’s sins and corruption.

He had also experienced the grabbing of supplies in the war zone, where his anger led to the killing of Qian Shougang.

On the expedition to the Extreme Night Sea, he again faced assassination from Prince Liang’s fifth-rank vassal...

Moreover, he had Liu Tianning as a teacher.

What kind of man was Liu Tianning?

Without claiming impeccable integrity or a hatred for evil, the current Liu Tianning was at least relatively ’fair,’ otherwise he wouldn’t hold the positions of Inspector and transmission envoy.

Thus, Zhao Xing’s impeachment of Prince Liang was fully justified, and emotionally understandable.

...

On the 8th of October, Zhao Xing delivered another petition, still to no avail. It stirred no waves.

On the 9th of October, Zhao Xing’s words became more intense, filled with deep personal emotions; he even started to curse. Of course, it wasn’t the kind that cursed one’s mother—he wouldn’t dare to offend the relatives of Prince Liang, even with ten thousand times the courage, otherwise, wouldn’t that mean cursing Emperor Jing?

On the 11th of October, he impeached the prince, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

On the 12th of October, he impeached Prince Liang, with no response.

...

Afterward, Zhao Xing began to impeach daily, expanding the reach of his petitions. It didn’t matter who you were; if you were qualified to write to Emperor Jing, Zhao Xing would send them.

He even sent one to Ji Chen.

Receiving this letter, Ji Chen felt as if ten thousand horses were stampeding in his heart.

"This Marquis Yuan Rang must have gone mad!"

"He actually delivered the official document impeaching my father to me!"

"Look at what he’s written; he’s even encouraging me, his son, to sever familial ties and report my father..."

Ji Chen was so agitated that he laughed.

No matter how composed he usually was, at this moment, he could not hold back.

"Strategist, put pressure on the Military Department to keep this man quiet!"

"Also, send a message to Yang An, Liu Tianning, and ask them to rein in this Marquis Yuan Rang!"

Ji Chen was furious.

This kind of audacious behavior was a first for him.

The strategist, equally puzzled, said, "We already used an intermediary to inquire; Yang An seems unaware, while Liu Tianning either doesn’t want to deal with this matter or doesn’t know, letting it run its course, or perhaps he can’t control it."

"Can’t control it? Unaware?" Ji Chen said, "Then let others help them manage it!"

"How could my father’s majestic presence tolerate such insolence?"

The strategist pondered and said, "Previously, there were indeed some grudges between the Prince Mansion and him. He is also just twenty-three or twenty-four, energetic with youthful vigor is to be expected."

"What do you suggest, sir?"

"I have a high, middle, and low strategy for you to choose from," the strategist said with a smile.

"I would like to hear the details."

"The best strategy is to talk to Marquis Yuan Rang to see if he wants some benefits. Perhaps we can use this opportunity to reconcile past differences and win him over."

"With his potential and the background of Liu Tianning, it’s worth paying a price to turn an enemy into a friend."

Considering the options, Ji Chen asked, "And the middle strategy?"

"Sometimes, impeachment isn’t necessarily opposition. My lord is about to gain great authority; some voices of impeachment may not be a bad thing."

"To ignore and take no action. Let the Prince Mansion refrain from any involvement and allow him to do as he pleases—this is the middle strategy."

"Is the low strategy what you mentioned earlier?" Ji Chen said somewhat disheartened, "To suppress him, target him—is this, in your opinion, sir, the worst strategy?"

The strategist smiled without a word: "The young master’s comprehension has indeed grown."

"Ah, forget it," Ji Chen said, "we’ll go with what you suggest, sir."

...

In the barracks.

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Seeing Ji Chen’s reply, Zhao Xing felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping in his own heart.

"He’s incredibly tolerant."

"Despite my remarks against his father, he still calmly asks me if there’s any way to resolve this amicably."

"People from Prince Liang’s Mansion might be bad, but they’re certainly not foolish," Zhao Xing couldn’t help but remark.

Now, he found it somewhat difficult to extricate himself.

Because of the existence of Liu Tianning and Luo Hou King, the attitudes of the people from Prince Liang’s Mansion towards him tended toward reconciliation.

At worst, they simply ignored the matter.

Mr. Zhao was flabbergasted.

"Makes me feel a bit guilty towards this Ji Chen."

But with this kind of thing, where was there room for compassion or weakness?

After only a moment of hesitation, Zhao Xing decided to stick to the original plan unchanged.

Otherwise, he could only deliberately go to the battlefield to seek injuries and withdraw after being heavily wounded.

But that would be detrimental to his cultivation.

What he had risked his life to find and seize in Grotto Heaven, this Spiritual Beauty—if damaged, wouldn’t all be in vain?

"I still need to administer some strong medicine," Zhao Xing sat down at the desk.