NOVPUBThe court had ordered that within five days, everyone from the Governor Mansion, from top to bottom, must relocate and move to the Capital City.
At this moment.
It was the fourth day, late afternoon.
Shortly after sunset, the golden sky gradually dimmed, replaced by a dark blue curtain that covered Liangzhou City, the giant of the Northern Territory. Lamps lit up one after another in the households, and the night market was still lively, especially within the Flower Street, where festive lights blinked incessantly, everything was just as it used to be in Northern Liang, peaceful yet intertwined with poverty.
Inside the Immortal Crane Tower.
Today was the last night before Chen Sansi, the current Supervisor of Northern Liang, was set to depart. Therefore, a banquet was held to entertain his subordinates and old associates as a farewell ritual.
The old troops from Po Yang, Zhao Kang, Feng Yong, Liu Jinkui, Xiong Qiuan, Wang Li, Xu Bin, Wu Da, and others, even Zhao Qiao who was in charge of logistics was present; only Zhu Tong was still locked up in the dungeon.
In addition to these, Deputy General Chu Shixiong from the Hongze Camp, Assistant Generals Xiao Zheng, Xia Cong, You Jike, Meng Dingxin, and Dong Yulin were also all present.
The dinner table was filled with fine wine and dishes.
The wine, from the Cultivation World, was Spiritual Wine; the meat was from an Exotic Beast personally hunted by Chen Sansi in the Luotian Mountain Range; even the vegetables were fresh autumn wild greens, gathered with much effort.
After the third round of drinks.
Chu Shixiong, already somewhat tipsy, stood up with his wine cup held respectfully and said, "Lord, I toast to you!"
As he started to speak.
Xia Cong and the other four Assistant Generals also stood up.
During their speeches.
They all appeared moved.
It seemed they hadn't expected to attend a "farewell banquet" themselves.
"Supervisor!"
After Chu Shixiong drained the wine from his cup, he switched to a Big Bowl and raised it high, "I, old Chu, know that we who came from the Capital City have always been outsiders in your heart, not comparable to the brothers from Po Yang.
"But it doesn't matter!
"I truly admire you!"
"Yes." 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑝𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Meng Dingxin added, "Supervisor, unbeknownst to you, General Chu was supposed to be a Main General in the Black Armor Army directly, but he refused. He volunteered to come to Liangzhou to assist you as a Deputy General."
"Supervisor, you jest!"
Chu Shixiong, tipsy, began to speak his mind, "I, Chu, also come from a military officer family, having studied military strategies since a young age. When I first saw the Hongze River's drastic changes during the Ming State Battle, I was astonished. Later, at Hu Lao Pass, when three thousand broke through one hundred thousand, I made up my mind to follow the Supervisor and learn military strategies no matter what.
"But to be honest, I did have my doubts. Could the Lord Governor, so young, really command these spectacular battles?
"However, after Langju Xu Mountain, I was completely convinced!
"Lord, you are a born Master of War!"
"During Guan Du when I followed the Supervisor, even on the last day when our supplies were exhausted, I never felt we would lose. Neither did the brothers from the Hongze Camp, and as expected, the Lord Governor counterattacked from an impossible situation.
"Fighting under Lord Governor's command is truly thrilling!"
"Supervisor, upon entering the Capital, sooner or later you will return. Then, we will follow the Supervisor into life and death, onto the battlefield!"
"Right!"
Xiao Zheng seconded, "Maybe in a few years, our Great Sheng Dynasty will expand its territories, and it will still be Lord Governor leading our Northern Liang Army."
"Supervisor!"
Chu Shixiong emphasized, "I, Chu Shixiong, won't say much else, but as long as the court commands, and war is necessary, even if you order me to face death, I will not frown!"
"It seems..."
Chen Sansi, rotating his wine cup in hand, looked over them and said, "You all are indeed loyal and brave subjects of the Great Sheng Dynasty."
"Of course."
Chu Shixiong, thumping his chest, proclaimed, "My Chu Family has received the Emperor's grace for three generations. Alive, I am a General of the Great Sheng Dynasty; dead, I'll be a Ghost General. My lifetime vow is to follow Lord Governor and serve the court loyally!"
"To the Great Sheng, to the Supervisor!"
"To the Great Sheng, to the Supervisor!"
"..."
The five men shouted in unison, clinking their bowls together and then all gazes fell simultaneously on the man in the white robe, waiting for his move.
"Good."
Chen Sansi also switched to a Big Bowl and gently tapped it with theirs, but his words were different, "To the Great Sheng, to the loyal and brave!"
Upon finishing his words, he drank half of the wine from his bowl and poured the other half on the ground.
Chu Shixiong and the others assumed it was out of respect for the brothers who had died on the battlefield and did the same, then emptied the wine in their bowls.
The banquet...
ended.
Chu Shixiong and the others, drunk to the core, supported each other, humming the Northern Liang Army's songs, and headed towards the military camp.
...
At the Governor Mansion.
The back mountain!
Shortly after the banquet had ended.
Zhao Kang and the others gathered here.
They were also somewhat tipsy: "Lord, you called us here late at night, is there something you need?"
"Heh, keep drinking."
"The Lord is leaving tomorrow, we've got to drink merrily."
"Lord, speaking for myself, could you perhaps secure us a position in the Capital City?"
"If that's really not possible, how about even being a guard at the 'Duke Mansion'?"
"Indeed, with you leaving, staying in Northern Liang doesn't hold much appeal for us."
"..."
Chen Sansi, sitting in a pavilion by the lake, quietly listened to them finish, then finally spoke: "Lately, how have you all been?"
"Lord, are you referring to our cultivation levels?"
"Clang—"
Zhao Kang suddenly drew his He Miao Long Sword, showing off bursts of Gang Qi, "Lord, both Wu Da and I have reached Mysterious Phenomenon!"
"Thanks to Lord's favor, I too have achieved Meridian Passage!"
"Yes, starting from Po Yang, whenever the Lord had resources, he would distribute some to us. Nearly five years have passed, not to mention the 'Spiritual Rice Medicine Ointment' along with various treasure medicines and Immortal Pills, even the least talented among us should have made some progress."
In the blink of an eye.
It had been five years.
With the aid of numerous precious resources, even the mediocre could at least achieve Meridian Passage.
