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Chapter 408: A Single Hair Move That Affects the Whole Body (Part 2)
Chapter 408: A Single Hair Move That Affects the Whole Body (Part 2)
Since you have given this command, I will do my utmost."
Among the three factions in the court, the True Martial Sect had always been closer to the Chu faction, and Zhou Mingzhe and Xi Zhichang, master and disciple, also had a personal relationship with Mu Chunyang.
Due to the previous incident involving Han Qingtao and the Nation of the Human Realm, not only did the Shu Mountain Sect of the Great Ming Dynasty sway in the wind, but Mu Chunyang and the True Martial Sect also found themselves in a precarious situation.
Zhou Mingzhe had complex feelings towards Mu Chunyang as well.
But when it came to this first-rate master of the Great Ming Daoist Sect who had reached the ninth level of perfection, he knew that his abilities were still necessary.
However, the specifics of how to utilize him required careful consideration.
Mu Chunyang remained as calm and modest as ever.
Even though he vaguely sensed that a familiar person was present, his expression as the Sect Master of the Great Ming True Martial Sect remained unchanged as he calmly took his leave from Zhou Mingzhe's residence.
Zhou Mingzhe, on the other hand, headed towards a side hall.
There, his student, Xi Zhichang, was entertaining two guests on his behalf.
Like Mu Chunyang, both guests had their roots in the Daoist Sect.
One was dressed in plain cloth and hemp shoes, a simple attire that identified him as a member of the Shu Mountain Sect of the Great Ming Dynasty.
The other wore a dark green Daoist robe, clearly marking him as a member of the Great Ming True Martial Sect.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting, esteemed Daoists," Zhou Mingzhe said as he entered.
"Teacher," Xi Zhichang said, rising to greet him along with the two Daoists.
"With Mu Zhenren accompanying the army on the northern expedition, the True Martial Sect will be relying on Wei Daoist to lead in his stead," Zhou Mingzhe said with a smile.
Elder Wei Jingyi of the True Martial Sect bowed to him and said, "I am fearful of not being up to the task. I seek your guidance and advice, Your Excellency."
Zhou Mingzhe sat down and smiled, "Loyalty and patriotism will be witnessed by the sun and the moon."
"I will heed your teachings, Your Excellency," Wei Jingyi replied.
Zhou Mingzhe turned to the Shu Mountain Sect Elder and said, "The same goes for the Shu Mountain Sect and Elder Mo. I expect the same loyalty and dedication."
Elder Mo Qingshi of the Shu Mountain Sect wore a solemn expression as he replied, "I will follow your teachings, Your Excellency. Rest assured, everyone in our sect detests the traitor Han Qingtao. We have been loyal to the Great Ming Dynasty from the beginning, and our hearts are as clear as the sun and the moon!"
Zhou Mingzhe nodded, "Elder Mo, your words carry great weight, and I believe what you say."
He smiled and said, "Your sect's treasures are only temporarily kept by the court."
Mo Qingshi said solemnly, "The treasures of Shu Mountain are the treasures of the Great Ming Dynasty. It is more beneficial to the country for the court to control them. When the court issues an order, everyone in Shu Mountain will obey without question.
Moreover, the name of the Cosmos Sun and Moon Pot should belong to the country. I often remind my fellow sect members of this."
Zhou Mingzhe smiled and nodded, "Elder Mo, your heart is with the Great Ming Dynasty, and your achievements in the Dao are admirable."
His gaze swept across Mo Qingshi of the Shu Mountain Sect and Wei Jingyi of the True Martial Sect, and then he spoke, "The reason I summoned you today is to seek your help in another matter."
"Please instruct us, Your Excellency," said Mo Qingshi and Wei Jingyi.
Zhou Mingzhe said, "In my daily efforts to assist the Prime Minister in sharing the Emperor's burdens, I have neglected my studies. In recent years, I have made some progress, and I would like to seek your assistance in evaluating my findings."
He nodded to his student, Xi Zhichang, who then presented some documents to Mo Qingshi and Wei Jingyi respectively.
As the two eighth-level elders, one specializing in artifact refinement and the other in pill concoction, perused the documents, Xi Zhichang couldn't help but recall a previous conversation with his teacher, Zhou Mingzhe, about Prime Minister Chen Yu's northern expedition.
"Those who employ military strategy should aim to win a thousand or even ten thousand miles away," Zhou Mingzhe had said, leaving a deep impression on Xi Zhichang.
At this moment, Mo Qingshi and Wei Jingyi were growing more astonished as they continued reading.
This Lord Zhou, despite claiming to be preoccupied with state affairs and having little time for scholarly pursuits, was clearly aiming to achieve great things in the realm of ritualistic cultivation.
Up to this point, including ritualistic cultivators, Confucian scholars had not been known to engage in direct combat like martial cultivators. However, when it came to deciding the victor, they ultimately had to rely on their own abilities.
It was unrealistic to expect top scholars like Chen Yu, Zhou Mingzhe, Liu Chong, and Gao Ming to remain seated in the rear while their disciples of lower cultivation levels, sixth or seventh, fought against the Khan of the Grassland or Buddhist Masters from the Western Regions. Moreover, they had to ensure that their disciples would emerge victorious.
Ultimately, direct confrontations between top experts were inevitable, and only then would there be room for the next level of cultivators to compete. This principle applied to the cultivation world of the Great Ming Dynasty as well.
But now, Lord Zhou...
"I appreciate your input on the relevant rituals, and I welcome your collective wisdom," Zhou Mingzhe said with a smile.
"Your Excellency is too kind. We will do our best," Mo Qingshi and Wei Jingyi said hastily.
Later, Xi Zhichang bid farewell to his teacher and returned to his own residence.
As the second-in-command of the Ministry of Rites and a rising star in the Chu faction, Xi Zhichang had already paved his way to the Cabinet. Although he was respectful to his teacher, Zhou Mingzhe, he himself was now a towering figure in the Great Ming court, with a constant stream of visitors seeking audiences.
All other guests had been turned away, except for one who waited for his return.
"Please forgive me for making you wait, Brother Shi Zhen," Xi Zhichang apologized.
The middle-aged scholar who had waited was named Nie Zhongjie, and he was from the Guicang.
During the Great Ming Dynasty's crackdown on the remnants of the Small Ming Court, Nie Zhongjie had made outstanding contributions.
"Not at all, I had nothing better to do, and it's no trouble to wait for Brother Fan Guang," Nie Zhongjie said.
After exchanging greetings and taking their seats, Xi Zhichang said, "Please forgive my boldness, but I have a question for you. Some people who came out of Tianli mentioned that in the human world occupied by the fake Tang Dynasty, there seems to be another branch of the Nie family who practice heretical demonic arts?"
Upon hearing this, Nie Zhongjie's expression turned gloomy, "To be honest, there is some truth to that. It is my fault for failing to discipline my unfilial and rebellious son."
Xi Zhichang said, "Brother Shi Zhen, please don't get me wrong. I don't mean to blame you, and I hope that your son will realize his mistakes and return to the right path.
The reason I invited you here today is to discuss the situation in Tianli.
Currently, the court prioritizes the northern military campaign, and for the time being, the southwest region connected to Tianli will maintain stability without any major changes.
However, we must plan for the long term, for the next ten or even a hundred years. Therefore, some preparations should be made now."
"Brother Fan Guang, you are absolutely right," Nie Zhongjie said, "Although I am not talented, I am willing to contribute whatever little strength I have."
From Xi Zhichang's words, Nie Zhongjie understood that the Ming court would not be making any major moves publicly.
Instead, most of the related matters would be handled by the people.
Nie Zhongjie, owing to his distinguished service, was bestowed with honors. However, to truly enter the official ranks of the Great Ming Court, one must embark on the path of imperial examinations.
While his own cultivation in Confucian principles is profound, his current focus is on nurturing the talents of his clan's youth.
The Nie clan has already established a connection with the Chu faction, but the future trajectory remains to be seen.
Nie Fang...
As the name crossed his mind, Nie Zhongjie's expression remained calm, but countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
.................
In the mortal realm of Great Tang, at the Celestial Master's Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun was conversing with Ji Chuan, who had arrived from the Great Tang Shushan Sect.
"Have Yuan Qingci, Li Miaozhen, and the others from the Great Ming Shushan Sect not been conscripted for the northern campaign?" Lei Jun asked.
"That is the case thus far," Ji Chuan replied.
"Do they intend to seize this opportunity to reclaim the Qiankun Riyue Hu and other treasures?"
"They do not harbor such intentions. Although the Great Ming Dynasty has concentrated its forces for the northern campaign, their remaining strength is still formidable," Ji Chuan said.
As for inviting the Great Tang cultivators to assist, Yuan Qingci, Li Miaozhen, and the others had also remained silent.
With limited interactions thus far, they were also quietly observing each other.
Although Lei Jun held unfavorable views of the Confucian elders of the Great Ming, he had no intention of interfering in this war either.
That would be equivalent to relieving pressure from the monks of Sumeru.
"As the saying goes, a single move can affect the entire body," Lei Jun remarked as he casually handed a talisman decree to Ji Chuan.
After perusing the decree, Ji Chuan looked up and asked, "Has the Sumeru Treasure Department retreated in the mortal realm of Great Han?"
Not only the Sumeru Kamadeva Department operating in the Great Ming's mortal realm but also the one in the Great Han's mortal realm was feeling the pressure.
Among the Five Departments of Sumeru's Vajra Division, the Diamond Department had previously collapsed, with the Lotus Department losing their main sect, the Zongga Monastery, as well as the Solitary Cobalt Vajra Pestle and the Amida Peacock Throne falling into the hands of the fallen. They had also lost the White Mahasattva, incurring heavy losses.
In this situation, the remaining three departments were naturally becoming more cautious in their actions.
The Great Ming Dynasty had made it clear that they intended to concentrate their might in the northwest to wage a decisive battle.
The Sumeru Kamadeva Department had no choice but to consider the long-term implications.
While the Five Departments usually operated independently, they couldn't help but maintain frequent communication and make preparations in advance during these special circumstances.
"The Sumeru Treasure Department has retreated, and the gains made in the Great Han Dynasty's mortal realm over the years have almost been lost overnight," Ji Chuan said. "What is the situation with the powers of the southern wilds and the Dakuang Temple, which were active in the Great Han territories?"
"The influential clans and the twelve eminent houses have also become more restrained, no longer displaying their former vigor," Lei Jun replied. "In contrast, the Dakuang Temple is becoming increasingly aggressive."
Upon hearing this, Ji Chuan couldn't help but feel speechless.
Originally, it was a tripartite power struggle involving the Sumeru Treasure Department, the twelve eminent houses, and the Dakuang Temple. Now, with the Sumeru Treasure Department willingly retreating, the balance had suddenly shifted.
The twelve eminent houses had no intention of directly replacing the Great Han Dragon Tiger Mountain and engaging in bloody battles with the Dakuang Temple.
On the surface, they wouldn't simply walk away and leave the Han Imperial Court to its fate.
However, their actions were tantamount to that, and they seemed unable to hold back the Dakuang Temple's advance.
Of course, the heads of the eminent houses had their own justifications.
"Those monks from the Western Regions can't be relied upon. They fled and abandoned us, their allies, leading to the 'heavy casualties' we suffered. The court ought to severely punish them..."
This was indeed a case of one move affecting the entire body... Ji Chuan massaged his temples.
However, he wondered how this would influence the Han Emperor and the Han Crown Prince.
The Great Han Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Sumeru Treasure Department, and the influential clans had all collapsed.
Now, the Han Imperial Court had to directly face the rebels of the Dakuang Temple.
Lei Jun had no intention of interfering in the Great Ming Dynasty's northern campaign. He focused on his cultivation in the mortal realm of Great Tang, occasionally gathering intelligence on the war's progress through his junior disciples like Chu Kun, as well as Ji Dongquan, Xiao Chunhui, and Zhang Hui.
In a rare show of unity, the Great Ming Dynasty had mobilized a large number of cultivators for this campaign.
Their advancement wasn't swift, but it was steady.
The Confucian cultivators became stronger with each battle, and their characteristic of establishing firm footholds before advancing further was fully utilized by Chen Yu and the others.
Whether it was the northern barbarians or the Sumeru Kamadeva Department, both sides boasted an abundance of powerful cultivators.
The alliance between the two was particularly eye-catching.
However, the Great Ming Dynasty had revealed an even more astonishing war potential in this campaign.
The Chief Grand Secretary, Chen Yu.
The third-ranking Grand Academician, Sang Yan.
The fourth-ranking Grand Academician, Liu Chong.
In addition to these three current Grand Academicians, several retired Grand Academicians had also rejoined the campaign.
On top of that, there were the True Warrior Pavilion's Master, Mu Chunyang, and the Bodhi Temple's Abbot, Guang Shu.
Just the presence of these top cultivators was staggering, let alone the countless others.
The Great Ming's formation resembled a movable majestic mountain, first pressing against the Northern Grasslands before turning its might towards the Western Regions and the Sumeru Buddhist Sect.
"Their momentum and strength are undeniable, but with this rate of advancement, they'll probably only be able to push the enemy back to Sumeru and seal their gates," Lei Jun commented after hearing the latest updates from Chu Kun.
If the Great Ming Dynasty wasn't greedy, this would be considered an initial achievement of their strategic goal of pacifying the northwest.
Given how the Western Regions Buddhist Sect valued Sumeru Mountain, they wouldn't risk undermining the stability of Sumeru Mountain by ambushing the Great Ming forces.
With the rare unity within the Great Ming, their opponents would have to endure this bout of pressure.
Sumeru Mountain would probably choose to close its gates and weather this storm.
"I initially thought so as well," Chu Kun said, his tone turning peculiar. "But according to the latest intelligence, the Great Ming forces have successfully seized a void gate leading to Sumeru and are continuing their fierce assault."
Lei Jun: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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