Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Shadow Guard

In the Underground Palace, Zheng Yi once again met the elderly eunuch who had previously received him in Xiaochengzi.

“Old servant Chen Liancang, pays respects to Your Majesty!”

Seeing Zheng Yi arrive, the leading elderly eunuch quickly kneeled down.

“Chen Liancang…”

Zheng Yi speculated, “Are the Shadow Guards present?”

“The Shadow Guards are present!” Chen Liancang hesitated and asked, “Your Majesty? The new batch of Shadow Guards hasn’t matured yet, why…?”

So they are indeed here!

Zheng Yi stated directly, “Two months ago, Yang Xuansu rebelled, and all the Shadow Guards died in battle. I intend to gather a new batch of Shadow Guards to serve as protectors.”

“According to Your Majesty’s command, mobilizing the Shadow Guards requires the Shadow Order…”

“However, Your Majesty, the new batch of Shadow Guards will take another year to complete their training. Mobilizing them now would be unwise.”

“Why is it so slow?”

“Your Majesty, cultivating Shadow Guards requires selecting those with exceptional Root Bone under the age of six for early training.”

Chen Liancang explained, “From a young age, they undergo castration, strength training, consumption of medicine to stimulate potential, and cultivation of specific techniques, all of which require time.”

“The minimum Martial Arts Cultivation must reach the Third-grade Realm, and they must complete specific tasks… all of these need time.”

Zheng Yi was inwardly moved, no wonder this is where the Royal Family trains its Death Warriors.

A pity.

Previously, those Shadow Guards were ordered to death by him; otherwise, they could have been a force in his hands.

But those Shadow Guards had a great chance of recognizing his identity, so they had to die!

He then asked, “How many Shadow Guards are currently being trained?”

“In response to Your Majesty, there are thirty-three males and sixteen females, a total of forty-nine people.”

Chen Liancang commented, “However, in a year, only nine will qualify to become Shadow Guards.”

“More than half of these forty-nine will die!”

Zheng Yi remained indifferent, it seems there is competition everywhere.

“Train them well…”, Zheng Yi said, “Now that Great Yu is in need of people, as long as their loyalty is ensured, the difficulty of their tasks can be reasonably lowered.”

“This…”

Chen Liancang hesitated but eventually said, “Understood, I will heed Your Majesty’s command.”

“If that’s the case, just give me half a month, and I can bring Your Majesty twenty Shadow Guards.”

“Good, I’ll be waiting for your good news!”

“Take me to inspect the Shadow Guard training base.”

“Understood!”

Led by Chen Liancang, Zheng Yi and others continued towards the depths of the Underground Palace.

This is a palace covering an extremely large area, over thirty meters deep, with more than thirty palaces and over a hundred rooms present here.

Inside it are not only places for living but also structures like underground crystals and training grounds.

At this moment, dozens of little eunuchs were practicing in the training field.

“Your Majesty, the Shadow Guards train separately, males as eunuchs, females as palace maids.”

“Males are castrated from a young age, cultivating the technique ’Celestial Yin Child Skill’, with external training in Tendons and Bones Shattering Hand, and Gale Swordsmanship.”

“Females are also selected from a young age to enter the palace, taught palace rules, cultivating the Heart Method of the Pure Maiden, with external training in Plucking Plum Hand, and Jade Maiden Swordsmanship.”

Where are the female Shadow Guards?

This thought suddenly crossed Zheng Yi’s mind.

He had only ever seen male Shadow Guards, eunuchs in other words.

And the females?

Are they all in the Harem?

Protecting the Empress Dowager, Empress, and various palace consorts?

These people also constitute a force.

After observing the male training ground, they moved to the female training ground.

As expected, unlike those smelly eunuchs, each female training here is at least pretty, and some, with slight grooming, could become great beauties.

And there is an exotic fragrance in the training ground, and everyone is training arduously.

“Chen Liancang.”

“Old servant is here.”

“The Shadow Guards are entrusted to you, I hope that in half a year, you can deliver satisfactory candidates to me.”

“Understood, Your Majesty!”

“By the way, provide me with a list of the currently surviving Shadow Guards.”

“Understood.”

It was easy to obtain the list of currently surviving Shadow Guards from Chen Liancang.

Unfortunately, all the male eunuchs are dead.

Only six female Shadow Guards remain.

Just as Zheng Yi expected, these six female Shadow Guards were all stationed within the chambers of the Empress Dowager, Empress, and several other palaces.

Each consort has one entrusted to her.

Zheng Yi quietly summoned these six, each was given their guarding tasks.

Three days later, Xu Mujun’s army set out, with Zheng Yi personally seeing them off.

After a series of cumbersome rituals, Zheng Yi held Xu Mujun’s hand and said:

“Xu Qing is about to embark on an expedition, I have nothing else to give but a poem to see you off.”

“This humble servant will wash his ears and listen!”

“The great wind arises, the clouds fly, My might reigns over the land, returning to my hometown. How can I not have brave warriors to defend the four quarters!”

Zheng Yi recited a poem from his previous life and said, “The journey is long, I hope Xu Qing will take care. If you can crush Wudu, I promise to grant you the eternal guard of the Northern Border!”

“I, along with Luan’er and the child in her womb, await your triumphant return!”

Eternal guard of the Northern Border?

Is this a promise?

“Rest assured, Your Majesty!”

Xu Mujun was moved, surprised by the Emperor’s talent.

The great wind arises, the clouds fly!

What an imposing poem!

A warrior dies for the one who understands him.

He immediately pledged, “This humble servant will surely crush Black Mountain Pass and advance directly to the Wu Country Imperial Court!”

“Then I await your good news!”

“Your Majesty, the Cabinet formation has established preliminary matters, but the specific appointment of ministers still relies on Your Majesty.”

Zheng Yi replied, “I understand.”

“Your Majesty, this humble servant takes my leave!”

“March out!”

“Woo~!!!”

As the sound of the horn blared, Xu Mujun rode out first.

Subsequently, ten thousand Dragon-soaring Army, twenty thousand Imperial Guards, cavalry, and other conscripted forces gradually followed behind Xu Mujun, trekking into the distance.

Numerous ministers and officials looked at the figure of Xu Mujun from afar, unsure of their thoughts.

Back at Qiankun Hall, Zheng Yi met Xu Qingluan, who had been waiting there.

At this moment, she was four months pregnant, her belly slightly rounded.

Zheng Yi hurriedly went up to her: “Luan’er, you’re not feeling well, why did you come personally?”

Xu Qingluan’s eyes were slightly red as she said, “I, I just wanted to see my father once more.”

“Rest assured, Luan’er, Xu Qing will certainly be alright.”

“Mm…”

“I haven’t visited Luan’er’s palace in a long time, and Luan’er seems more tender,” Zheng Yi said as he held her small hand, “Tonight, I will come to your palace.”

“Your Majesty~”

Xu Qingluan coquettishly protested, “I’m still with child.”

“It’s nothing.”

Zheng Yi said, “I asked the Imperial Physician, four months of pregnancy doesn’t significantly affect such matters, I’ll be careful.”

“Your Majesty~”

4th Year of Zhengyong, May 12th.

An official submitted a memorial, enumerating one hundred and thirty-six items of incriminating evidence against Yang Xuansu for treason, corruption, dereliction of duty, and so on.

Every piece of evidence was irrefutable, leaving no room for dispute.

4th Year of Zhengyong, June 11th.

Emperor Zhengyong decreed the confiscation of Yang Xuansu’s property, the execution of his Nine Clans, to be beheaded after the autumn!

His subordinates and others had their respective dispositions.

Notices were posted, and countless residents gathered outside the Imperial Palace at the bulletin board wall to watch.

A scholar read aloud: “Prime Minister Yang Xuansu, though heavily favored by the Emperor, harbored a double-heart, committed the grave crime of treason, execution of Nine Clans! To be beheaded after the autumn…”

“Wow~!”

The crowd immediately gasped in amazement, a surge of people excitedly discussing.

“The Prime Minister is going to have his Nine Clans executed? This is a monumental event!”

“Deserved! That Yang Xuansu deserves to die…”

“This time, the Emperor is going to have heads rolling once again…”

At this moment, another eunuch dressed in red slowly walked out of the palace gate, holding an announcement.

Two little eunuchs quickly took the notice from the eunuch and posted it on the announcement wall.

“Is there another announcement?”

“What is it this time?”

“Elder Master Liang, could you read it for us…”

An elderly man dressed in a scholar robe rubbed his eyes and came closer to observe. His expression changed.

At the same time, someone who could read suddenly shouted, “Immortal Seeking Order!!!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep