"The Emperor, under the mandate of Heaven, decrees: The northern borders have been frequently invaded by enemy states, with constant beacons of distress signaling from all corners. The situation at the frontier is critical, and my heart is greatly troubled."
"Lord Chongwu, loyal and brave, and with remarkable strategy, is hereby appointed as the Grand General of the Northern Defense. He will march north imdiately to guard the border, protect the lands of the Great Yan Empire, and display the imperial majesty of our nation. This is the imperial command!"
The fat eunuch read the decree slowly and clearly. Only then did Lord Chongwu realize what was happening, and could not help but sneer inwardly.
No wonder his lost cultivation had inexplicably recovered in recent days—turns out, the court needed him to charge into battle.
They used him to the fullest when needed, and cast him aside when not.
Lord Chongwu felt a wave of despair.
"Accept the decree, Lord Chongwu."
The fat eunuch's voice rang out again, his squinty eyes smiling as he looked at Lord Chongwu, then added:
"Please do not disappoint His Majesty's kind intentions..."
Fang Yuan silently looked at the scene, knowing that among these uninvited guests, the one who looked the most approachable—the eunuch—was likely the most powerful.
Because written above his head was: [Dongchang Chief Eunuch: Liu Dong]
The Chief Eunuch of Dongchang? In dramas, those who hold this position are usually top-tier experts.
Seeing that Lord Chongwu had not responded, Ji Congyun's expression turned anxious. Every person aboard the flying boat was tense, afraid that if Lord Chongwu suddenly decided to turn over the table, it would be only the Chief Eunuch who could possibly put up a fight.
As a forr peak figure of the Yan Kingdom, Lord Chongwu's combat strength was no joke.
Everyone present was waiting for Lord Chongwu's answer. After a mont, they saw Lord Chongwu's eyes dim, and he knelt and said, "I thank the Emperor for his great kindness."
With Lord Chongwu's response, everyone aboard the flying boat breathed a sigh of relief. It ant Lord Chongwu had compromised.
Liu Dong swiftly appeared before Lord Chongwu, handing him the decree, and then instructed:
"Please, Lord, set off quickly. The situation at the northern border is... urgent."
Lord Chongwu didn't respond imdiately but instead asked, "Then what about my Jianghai Prefecture...?"
"The Emperor has stated that Jianghai Prefecture is still your fief, and the court will not interfere," Liu Dong said with a smile.
"Moreover, if you achieve success in defending the border, His Majesty is willing to grant you more land. Who knows, he might even give you a province..."
The Yan Kingdom has a three-tier system: county, prefecture, and province. Above the prefectures, there are provinces. However, upon hearing this, Lord Chongwu's face betrayed no emotion.
Even if they truly gave him a province, to him, it would just be a slightly larger bone to gnaw on.
"I understand." He simply said, "I will depart once I finish my affairs."
"That is excellent." Liu Dong nodded, then suddenly shifted his tone. "By the way, His Majesty has heard that you have been nurturing so talented individuals?"
Lord Chongwu's brow furrowed, and a bad feeling surged within him. "What if I have?"
"Well," Liu Dong began, "His Majesty has also expressed a desire to nurture talent, and would like to select a few from your group to bring to the capital and train in the Imperial Academy. What do you think, Lord?"
Upon hearing this, the young geniuses from Jianghai Palace couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The Imperial Academy was the highest institution in the Yan Kingdom for training young warriors, and only the very best of the best could enter!
There, they would have access to the finest training resources in the entire kingdom!
"And if I refuse?" Lord Chongwu's face turned grim.
"If you do not wish, His Majesty will not force you," Liu Dong replied, lowering his posture.
"However, I think it's important to give the young ones the opportunity to make their own choice. What do you think, Lord?"
Lord Chongwu's face remained expressionless, and after a brief mont of tense silence, he finally said, "Fine!"
By now, Lord Chongwu understood. His secret plan to find and nurture the host of the national fortune had already been discovered by the royal family!
What they called "selection" was simply nonsense, they were targeting Ye Chuan!
If the Emperor insisted on taking Ye Chuan away, Lord Chongwu had no good way of stopping him. But now, this old eunuch had given Ye Chuan the opportunity to choose for himself.
That was a chance!
Lord Chongwu had faith in Ye Chuan. He had taught him for three years, and during that ti, they had almost always been together, and Lord Chongwu had passed on all his teachings to Ye Chuan as though he were his own son.
Seeing that Lord Chongwu had agreed, Liu Dong didn't bother to hide his intentions anymore. He imdiately turned his gaze to Ye Chuan:
"Young Master, would you be willing to join our Yan Kingdom's Imperial Academy?"
Ye Chuan's face imdiately showed hesitation and wavering. His gaze shifted between the serious Lord Chongwu and the smiling Liu Dong.
One side was Lord Chongwu's favor, and the other offered a broader future...
After so inner turmoil, Ye Chuan finally spoke, "I am willing to join the Imperial Academy!"
With that, he lowered his head.
Lord Chongwu trembled, clearly shocked that Ye Chuan had made such a choice!
All the effort over three years had gone to waste in that mont...
"Junior, you..." From afar, Duan Shuang couldn't believe what she was seeing. Ye Chuan had once promised to protect her for a lifeti... and now...
Ji Congyun aboard the flying boat sneered, "A good bird chooses the best tree to roost on, this is not surprising."
"Well, it seems this young master has made his decision!" Liu Dong also laughed:
"Lord, you wouldn't go back on your word, would you?"
"Take him away..."
Lord Chongwu's gaze darkened as he waved his hand, no longer looking at Ye Chuan.
There was nothing more sorrowful than a dead heart.
Yin Fifteen, Qin Hai, and the others from the Chongwu Guard also showed a trace of unwillingness in their eyes.
They all knew how deep and heavy Lord Chongwu's affection and hopes for Ye Chuan had been.
"Then thank you, Lord." Liu Dong bead, but he didn't stop there. He turned to Fang Yuan:
"And this young master, would you also be willing to join the Imperial Academy?"
Fang Yuan hadn't expected that the old eunuch would be interested in him as well. Looking into the eunuch's kind eyes, he refused flatly:
"Not interested."
As soon as he spoke, everyone, including Lord Chongwu, looked at him in surprise.
To reject such a huge temptation? And to reject it so decisively?!
But rembering Fang Yuan's unyielding attitude earlier, this decision indeed seed to match his character.
Liu Dong was equally surprised. He continued to persuade:
"Please consider carefully, young master. The Imperial Academy is the highest institution in the kingdom. Only by joining it will you have a higher starting point..."
"No need to consider," Fang Yuan interrupted the old eunuch:
"I've had enough of all these formalities."
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