Human Clan Defender

In the Capital City's Imperial Palace Court Hall, civil and military officials were gathered.

On the foremost imperial throne sat a figure in a dark robe, emblazoned with mountains, rivers, the symbols of the state, and the Sun and Moon in the heavens. He wore a coronet, and his sharply chiseled, angular face revealed temples tinged with grey.

Even so, as he sat upon the imperial throne, he constantly exuded a formidable aura, making others afraid to meet his gaze.

Emperor Qin!

Gu Xuanji!

At this moment, the court hall was nearly silent, save for one person who stepped forward to report.

"Half a month ago, a million-strong Barbarian Clan launched a massive attack on the Great Wilderness Prefecture. Within a few days, eighteen cities were breached, resulting in over two hundred thousand soldiers killed in battle and more than a million civilians wounded or dead.

Later, City Lord Nangong Yu of Xuan City, leading the Black Tiger Army, resisted and managed to halt the Barbarian Clan's offensive momentum.

Currently, the Barbarian Clan's momentum is fierce, and the Great Wilderness Prefecture has limited military strength. Nangong Yu has therefore specifically petitioned the Imperial Court, hoping they can dispatch reinforcements."

Having spoken, the man respectfully retreated.

Gu Xuanji looked towards the officials below; his expression remained largely unchanged.

"What opinions do you all have regarding the Barbarian Clan's attack on the Great Wilderness Prefecture?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty!" An elder with a goatee stepped forward from the side, cupping his hands as he replied. "Our Great Qin is a superior nation, incomparable to the Barbarians. The Barbarian Clan's invasion of the Great Wilderness Prefecture clearly shows their disrespect for Great Qin. This servant believes we should strike with thunderous force to annihilate the million Barbarians and demonstrate the might Great Qin deserves. Otherwise, others will easily look down upon us!"

As he finished speaking, another person quickly stepped out.

"This servant agrees with Grandmaster Wen. Great Qin is a superior nation; how can we allow the Barbarians to run rampant? For years, we have tolerated their looting of the borders and not sent troops to attack the Barbarian Desolation because their influence has always been minimal. But now, the Barbarians dare to attack the Great Wilderness Prefecture, their ambition to destroy our Great Qin is blatantly clear. We must not retreat from this matter; we must drive every last one of them out of the Great Wilderness Prefecture."

"This servant seconds the motion!"

"We all second the motion!"

The officials in the court hall were unanimous in their decision regarding reinforcements.

In their view, the Barbarian Clan had no right to challenge Great Qin. The fact that Great Qin had not attacked the Barbarian Desolation was already a courtesy. Yet now they dared to invade the Great Wilderness Prefecture—it was akin to courting disaster.

Commander Wei Gao cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "This servant is willing to lead troops immediately to reinforce the Great Wilderness Prefecture."

"Hmm." Gu Xuanji nodded slightly but did not immediately agree. Instead, he turned his gaze to an elderly man who had been standing there from the beginning, calm and composed, showing no intention of joining the discussion.

"Prime Minister Fu, what are your thoughts on this Barbarian invasion?"

Upon hearing this, the previously silent elder slowly cupped his hands.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, in this servant's view, the Barbarian Clan's invasion of the Great Wilderness Prefecture must have other backing. Although the Barbarian Clan is currently collaborating with the Demonfolk of the Eternal Alliance, the Eternal Alliance alone should not be enough to give the Barbarians such courage. Moreover, if the Barbarian Clan is cooperating with the Eternal Alliance, they surely have other contingency plans. After all, Demon Evil are not human. If it truly comes to a falling out, the Barbarian Clan would not be able to withstand them."

Upon hearing this, many were lost in thought.

They had considered this issue before, but no one had voiced it. After all, with the Barbarian Clan invading the Great Wilderness Prefecture, the priority was to dispatch troops for suppression; other matters could be considered slowly after quelling the Barbarians.

Gu Xuanji mused for a moment.

"Indeed, the Barbarian Clan's invasion this time came without any warning, yet they were evidently prepared for a long time."

With that said, he looked in another direction.

"Did the Demon-Subduing Division send any forewarning?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Demon Evil have recently been causing havoc throughout Great Qin. All Demon-Subduing Divisions are fully engaged in suppressing them, so we have not received much other news." Dongfang Zhao cupped his hands in response.

As the Defender Envoy of the Capital Demon Suppression Division, he was no ordinary Defender Envoy and was usually able to attend court sessions. However, most of the time, Dongfang Zhao was merely going through the motions and rarely interjected.

"I trust the intelligence capabilities of the Heavenly Inspection Guard. If the problem does not lie within Great Qin, then it must be elsewhere. I hope to receive some useful information within a month. Can the Demon-Subduing Division achieve this?" Gu Xuanji's tone was flat.

Dongfang Zhao's expression remained unchanged as he bowed his head and replied, "We dare not disobey Your Majesty's command. The Demon-Subduing Division will certainly investigate this matter with all its strength and strive to deliver news to Your Majesty within a month!"

"Not 'strive.' You *must*," Gu Xuanji emphasized.

"This servant obeys the decree!"

"Furthermore, the Barbarian Clan's invasion of the Great Wilderness Prefecture is a provocation to Great Qin's majesty. If Great Qin does not act, others will inevitably look down upon us. Wei Gao, step forward to receive your orders!" Gu Xuanji's face suddenly turned solemn, his voice icy.

With that said, Wei Gao stepped forward.

"Your servant is here!"

"I order you to lead the Fire Qilin Army to reinforce the Great Wilderness Prefecture. Cooperate with Nangong Yu to ensure that every single one of those million Barbarians is left behind. Can you accomplish this?"

"This servant will certainly not disgrace the imperial decree!" Wei Gao accepted the order gravely.

"Good!" Gu Xuanji nodded in satisfaction. "I hope to hear news of victory from the Great Wilderness Prefecture soon. If there are no other matters, court is dismissed for now!"

「 」

After leaving the court session, Dongfang Zhao, feeling out of place among the other civil and military officials, departed the Imperial Palace alone.

He returned to the Demon-Subduing Division.

Zhou Yuanzheng was already waiting there.

"How did it go? Were there any changes at this court session?"

"His Majesty has ordered our Demon-Subduing Division to uncover, within one month, what other powers besides the Eternal Alliance are backing the Barbarian Clan." Dongfang Zhao shook his head slightly as he recounted the day's events.

By the time he finished speaking, Zhou Yuanzheng's face had darkened.

"If the Barbarian Clan dares to attack the Great Wilderness Prefecture, they must be well-prepared. Finding the powers behind them will not be easy. One month? Isn't that too tight!"

Regarding this, Zhou Yuanzheng also felt a trace of dissatisfaction rising within him.

"His Majesty's decision today seems to be targeting us, doesn't it?"

"It's normal to be targeted." Dongfang Zhao seemed to have anticipated this, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Ever since the Demon-Subduing Division was established, its influence has grown steadily. Among the court's civil and military officials, how many do not harbor apprehension or fear towards the Demon-Subduing Division? His Majesty's somewhat subtle suppression of the Demon-Subduing Division is also within reason."

When achievements overshadow the ruler, suppression is inevitable.

If there were no suppression, and the Demon-Subduing Division were allowed to continue undisturbed, Dongfang Zhao would have more to worry about.

Now, Gu Xuanji's public suppression of the Demon-Subduing Division in court actually brought him a sense of relief.

This suppression means the Demon-Subduing Division is still a force to be reckoned with, not easily dismantled.

Otherwise, if the Imperial Court truly wanted to eradicate the Demon-Subduing Division, it would certainly not reveal any hint beforehand.

Ultimately, the Demon-Subduing Division is unlike other entities; it cannot be uprooted at will. Removing it would entangle many affairs.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuanzheng's expression eased slightly.

"Are you suggesting that His Majesty is suppressing the Demon-Subduing Division now to create an opportunity for the Imperial Family?"

"Perhaps." Dongfang Zhao shook his head slightly. "No Martial Artist has yet broken the great limit of their lifespan. His Majesty has been on the throne for seventy-three years, and his remaining time is short. The Demon-Subduing Division is at its zenith, like the midday sun; a New Emperor, upon ascension, might not be able to keep it in check. Weakening part of the Demon-Subduing Division's strength in advance is actually advantageous for the New Emperor. I am just concerned that the events of today's court session are not the end of it. There may be other, subsequent measures targeting the Demon-Subduing Division. If mishandled, those could lead to tremendous trouble."

Attending to a ruler is like accompanying a tiger.

No one ever knows when a single misspoken word might bring disaster upon oneself.

Powerful as the Demon-Subduing Division may seem, it was established under the auspices of Great Qin.

If the Imperial Court were determined to destroy the Demon-Subduing Division, the Division would find it very difficult to resist.

To put it another way, even if the Imperial Court doesn't annihilate the Demon-Subduing Division, merely dealing with some of its members would be enough to make them suffer greatly.

Zhou Yuanzheng understood and heaved a deep sigh.

He was also aware of Dongfang Zhao's difficult position. That was why, for almost every court session, he let Dongfang Zhao attend, rarely involving himself. After all, when it came to navigating social intricacies, Dongfang Zhao was more temperate. Zhou Yuanzheng, with his own impulsive nature, might make a rash move at any time, inevitably causing greater trouble.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yuanzheng then said, "So you didn't bring up Shen Changqing's matter at the court either?"

"His Majesty is also aware of this matter. If he doesn't bring it up, I cannot either. Let's consider it temporarily set aside. Later, if our Demon-Subduing Division provides internal rewards, it should appease everyone," Dongfang Zhao shook his head.

Slaying a Barbarian Clan General is indeed a meritorious deed that cannot be overlooked.

In the past, this act alone would have been sufficient for promotion and ennoblement. For anyone else, the Imperial Court would certainly not lack in bestowing honors. But Shen Changqing is a member of the Demon-Subduing Division, which makes the situation entirely different.

The Demon-Subduing Division has been gaining considerable momentum recently, and the Imperial Court wishes to curtail its influence somewhat, so there's no way they would grant any further rewards.

Of course, if I were to bring it up publicly in court, Gu Xuanji wouldn't give nothing, but doing so would undoubtedly place the Demon-Subduing Division in an even more precarious position.

Therefore, not mentioning it is actually for the best.

Everyone understands implicitly, and the matter will thus pass.

Zhou Yuanzheng said, "If only the Demon-Subduing Division provides the rewards, I worry he might feel dissatisfied. For a Martial Artist who has reached the Tiger Leopard Thunderous Roar at such a young age to become disillusioned with the Demon-Subduing Division would be a considerable loss."

"Rest assured, the Demon-Subduing Division still has some foundation; we will definitely not be stingy with what he deserves," Dongfang Zhao was clearly prepared. "Speaking of which, I plan to have him enter the Hidden Heart Pavilion."

"The Hidden Heart Pavilion?" Zhou Yuanzheng looked surprised. "Those old fogeys in the Hidden Heart Pavilion, haven't they gone some time without taking anyone new? If you arrange for Shen Changqing to enter, they might not agree!"

When it came to the most difficult people to deal with in the Demon-Subduing Division, it wasn't the Defender Envoys, but those old relics in the Hidden Heart Pavilion.

Dongfang Zhao gave a slight smile.

"Don't worry, the people of the Hidden Heart Pavilion will not refuse Shen Changqing's entry."