Chapter 1224: Chapter 1224 - Capítulo 1224: 1209: Scheming for Reward
Capítulo 1224: Chapter 1209: Scheming for Reward
Jiang Hao stared intensely at Ye Zhen’s gigantic copper bell-like eyes, his eyelids fluttering heavily, barely turning the fierce light in his eyes into a hearty smile.
“Good lad, your skills are impressive! You look like a hero who has fought in blood and corpses, much stronger than my useless son!”
“Not bad, you’ve got guts! You’re a true hero!” Jiang Hao praised Ye Zhen vigorously, while the guards and sailors around them displayed expressions as if they had seen ghosts.
Jiang Hao, who was usually protective and domineering, when did he become so agreeable?
The reactions of those around were all caught by Ye Zhen’s discerning eyes, and he immediately realized that something was amiss; when things deviate from the norm, there’s always something strange.
“Brother Ye, if you have the chance, please guide my unsuccessful son more often. Come, the princess and the Grand Steward have invited us!” With fan-like palms, he lifted Jiang Changzhong as if he were a little chick, and beckoned Ye Zhen to follow him as he strode towards the upper deck cabin.
Carried by Jiang Hao, Jiang Changzhong stared at Ye Zhen with an extremely venomous gaze, a few vegetable leaves glaringly noticeable on his shiny bald head.
Soon, under Jiang Hao’s lead, Ye Zhen arrived at the best cabin of the entire Red Maple Ship, where Princess Jie Youu was seated in the center, adorned in a luxurious tasseled long skirt, with a few glittering jade pins on her high bun, making her appear exceptionally noble.
Chief Manager Guo, dressed in Qing Yi, was seated below, with a perpetual harmless smile on his shrewd old face.
“Princess, you were looking for me?” Ye Zhen clasped his fists in greeting upon entering the cabin and stood below.
“Grand Steward Guo mentioned that tonight, at the hour of Chou, the fleet will reach a sea area closest to the land, roughly five hundred miles away. At that time, we shall leave the fleet and return to the Commandery. Prepare yourself for a night departure!” Princess Jie Youu instructed.
“Haha, I hope the Princess will forgive us, our sea ship draws quite a depth, and the area closest to Xitian County is filled with reefs, lacking suitable channels and ports for docking, hence we cannot send the Princess ashore!” Chief Manager Guo cheerfully explained.
“It’s alright, I understand!” replied Princess Jie Youu.
Nevertheless, Chief Manager Guo glanced at Ye Zhen, then continued, “To express my apologies and also for the Princess’s safety, I plan to send two guards to accompany Guard Ye in escorting the Princess back to Xitian County.”
Princess Jie Youu also glanced at Ye Zhen, albeit with a hint of hesitation in her expression.
Chief Manager Guo chuckled aloud, “Though under the rule of our Great Zhou, the customs are simple, and the realms are peaceful, spies of the Demon Clan and Demon Race occasionally infiltrate. The Princess’s beauty can easily attract wrongdoers, and since the Princess’s previous guards have all perished, leaving Guard Ye as the sole survivor, should anything unexpected happen, he might be overwhelmed. Hence, I intend to send several guards along. Of course, if the Princess is unwilling…..”
“With such kindness from Chief Manager Guo, how could I possibly refuse! Though, I must impose on Chief Manager Guo once again!” Princess Jie Youu interjected with a trace of unease before Chief Manager Guo could finish.
“Haha, serving the Princess is my duty; perhaps in the future, when I trouble the Princess, I won’t feel too ashamed!” Chief Manager Guo’s words were exceptionally eloquent.
Thus, after a brief conversation, Ye Zhen was dismissed back.
Returning to the cabin filled with the stench of sweat and feet, Ye Zhen indeed followed Princess Jie Youu’s instructions, sitting cross-legged to reserve his energy.
On the surface, he appeared to be engaged in cultivation, but Ye Zhen’s mind was wholly occupied with today’s events.
The unfounded provocation from Jiang Changzhong, the forced subdued fierceness in Jiang Hao’s copper bell-like eyes, the bizarre expressions of the surrounding guards and sailors, and Chief Manager Guo’s benevolent suggestion—all left Ye Zhen with a nagging sense that something was wrong.
While Chief Manager Guo’s well-meaning suggestion seemed normal, the mannerisms of Jiang Changzhong and Jiang Hao did not sit well.
However, with such scant clues, Ye Zhen couldn’t deduce anything concrete after pondering for a long time.
Suddenly, a surge of divine sense from Ye Zhen, dispersing in the surrounding water spiritual power, detected Jiang Hao entering Chief Manager Guo’s room.
Given the recent incident with Chief Manager Guo summoning Jiang Hao, Ye Zhen’s instinctive response was to extend his divine sense attached to the water spiritual power towards them, curious about what Chief Manager Guo wanted with Jiang Hao.
Yet just as Ye Zhen’s divine sense followed Jiang Hao into Chief Manager Guo’s cabin, at the instant Jiang Hao turned back to close the door, a burst of talisman light exploded from Chief Manager Guo’s palm.
In an instant, a surge of spiritual power akin to a shock wave reverberated within the cabin, shattering all the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.
The divine sense Ye Zhen had attached to the water spiritual power was naturally obliterated without a trace.
Had Chief Manager Guo not done this, it would have been fine, but now, Ye Zhen was certain that Chief Manager Guo was discussing something extremely secretive with Jiang Hao.
Initially, it could have been ignored, but now, it was imperative to hear it.
In other circumstances, Ye Zhen would have been helpless against Chief Manager Guo’s tactic.
However, being on a sea vessel mainly constructed from precious wood, there existed a suitable environment for a Little Demon to perform its art.
“Little Demon!”
With a low call, the Little Demon within Ye Zhen’s Yimu Spiritual Vein quietly extended from his body, tracing along the wooden planks where Ye Zhen sat cross-legged.
The next moment, the voice inside Chief Guo’s cabin was relayed to Ye Zhen’s Spirit Palace through the Little Demon.
“What were the results of the probe?” Chief Guo’s voice was somewhat cold.
“Chief, that boy may not look impressive in terms of cultivation, but his combat power is rather formidable. Suddenly, he even injured Changzhong. Even if Changzhong used his Soul Artifact, he might not be able to easily take him down!” This was the voice of Jiangg Hao. “Of course, with Young Master’s Ninth Stage Establishment Realm cultivation, he should be able to handle this Ye person.”
“Oh?”
Chief Guo let out a long “oh,” his voice turning somewhat sinister, “‘Should’ is not a word I like! And besides, this matter is of great importance. I’ve been out handling matters for decades and finally encountered such a perfect opportunity; absolutely no mistakes can happen.
At that time, you better go personally!”
“I go personally?” Jiangg Hao’s expression froze for a moment.
“That’s right, only if you go personally can I feel at ease! Jiangg Hao, you wouldn’t want your descendants to be slaves for generations, right? As a Cavalryman,
Xitian Commandery has already raised the reward for capturing Princess Jie Youu to the Cavalryman level two years ago, which is already the fourth-highest merit rank in Great Zhou, and it’s also the highest rank that a small commandery like Xitian can grant without Military Department verification.
With the merit rank of Cavalryman, even if Yu’er enrolls in the direct Imperial Guard, at the very least, holding a position leading over one hundred and fifty people in the Capital Guard will be more than sufficient. If he joins the Border Army or various town armies, commanding five hundred people as a General-in-chief is a simple matter.
With some military merit, he could be promoted to a Captain commanding thousands!
In Great Zhou, nobility isn’t granted without military merit, but if you have thousands under your command, would you fear not earning enough military merit to become a noble?
Once granted nobility, even if it doesn’t benefit me, at least among my descendants, there will finally be one branch that won’t have to be slaves for generations, who can become nobles, commanding servants and maids!”
At this point, Chief Guo’s voice had become somewhat agitated, and he panted like a bellows.
“So, what does the Chief mean?” Jiangg Hao was somewhat puzzled.
“You and I are both low-born, and we won’t be able to escape in this lifetime! But our descendants, who live in the shadows, can!
Your two illegitimate sons are adults, aren’t they?
Have them both follow Yu’er; if an opportunity arises, they can use military merit to achieve status!” Chief Guo said.
“Truly?” Jiangg Hao’s voice rose in excitement.
“Why else do you think I’m scheming?
“But Chief, my illegitimate sons aren’t very promising, and even though Young Master Yu has exceptional talent, he hasn’t entered the Dao yet. Even if he gains merit, I’m afraid rushing into the army will be…”
“That’s exactly why I want you to follow along!
When you disembark tonight, a few days later, the fleet will encounter a group of greedy and powerful Water Demons. In an apparent slip-up, you and your two illegitimate sons will be counted among the fallen, do you understand?” Chief Guo’s voice dropped suddenly.
Jiangg Hao was taken aback, but then smiled in realization, “I understand. The Chief wants me, after Young Master Yu receives the merit, to join the army with him and protect him…”
“Exactly, at the appropriate time, contact me privately, and I’ll use the family’s influence to give you some convenience. Your rise to power is imminent…”
…..
By this point, Ye Zhen’s expression had already turned as dark as water.
From the moment Jiangg Changzhong intentionally caused trouble, Ye Zhen knew nothing good would come of it. But he hadn’t expected Chief Guo to actually plot for Princess Jie Youu’s bounty.
Moreover, according to Chief Guo, the reward had already increased, and the merit rank was no longer the Cavalryman that Princess Jie Youu had mentioned, but a higher rank of Cavalryman.
Ye Zhen himself didn’t care about the merit rank of Cavalryman, but it was Ye Zhen’s first step in establishing himself on the Primordial Continent.
Most importantly, the Psychic Spirit Pill, urgently needed for cultivation, was only issued by the officials of the Great Zhou Empire and the Heavenly Temple. Compared to the mysterious and hard-to-enter Heavenly Temple, becoming an official or soldier of the Great Zhou Empire seemed the quickest way to obtain the Psychic Spirit Pill.
Ye Zhen didn’t know about the Cavalryman rank, but according to Princess Jie Youu, even a scattered merit like Golden Cavalry Guard could receive three Psychic Spirit Pills as a yearly stipend.
One would imagine an even higher rank of Cavalryman would receive more.
But most importantly, only by obtaining even the lowest tier of merit, Iron Cavalry Captain, would one be qualified to purchase Psychic Spirit Pills from the official institutions of the Great Zhou Empire.
And it’s even a limited quota qualification!
At midnight, amidst the booming sound of waves crashing against the great ship, shouts rang out outside the cabin, “Guard Ye, we’ve arrived at our destination, prepare to disembark!”