Deep in Wanshan Ridge.
A concealed valley is ho to an extrely ordinary mountain village.
Inside a courtyard in the village, several people are scrutinizing the Martial Order.
If Luo Jingsong were here, he would definitely recognize these people.
For this is the base of the Tianquan Star Hall of the Star Moon Sect.
The four present are Hall Master Cui Kai, the adjunct Deng Maoqi, the accountant Ding Xuan, and the patrol bandit Kou Rong.
It was Kou Rong who had stealthily infiltrated Chongshan Pass with the Gu Yunjian to eliminate the turncoat Luo Jingsong. Regrettably, the Gu Yunjian’s strength was insufficient, and he was impaled to death by Yang Zhenshan’s spear.
Does the Martial Order have an impact on the Seven Stars Hall of the Star Moon Sect?
Of course, it does!
And the impact is significant.
The Seven Stars Hall of the Star Moon Sect originally belongs to the gray-area forces within Da Rong.
Their main focus is on amassing wealth, roping in bandits and bullies, local gentries and rich rchants as tools for extortion, charging tolls on roads, compelling innocents into prostitution in brothels, and operating gambling houses with usurious loans, among others.
Although their thods can’t be considered utterly ruthless, countless commoners have been victimized by them.
Once they fall under the supervision of the Martial Arts Temple, they will no longer be able to engage in such immoral acts, nor will they be able to continue supplying Silver Coin to the main hall.
Moreover, they have been more severely oppressed by the court than the Nanshan Sect in recent years.
Because it was the Military Suppression Departnt of the Ministry of Criminal Justice that suppressed them.
Back then, a docunt sent by Yang Zhenshan to the Ministry of Criminal Justice compelled them to take action, assigning the Military Suppression Departnt to investigate the reach of the Seven Stars Hall across regions.
In the past two years, the Seven Stars Hall has lost a considerable amount of strength due to the scrutiny of the Military Suppression Departnt.
It’s only recently that the Military Suppression Departnt has ceased targeting them.
The capabilities of the Military Suppression Departnt of the Ministry of Criminal Justice are limited; they can crack down on the peripheral forces of the Seven Stars Hall, but eradicating the Hall would be asking too much of them.
Now that the Military Suppression Departnt is no longer focusing on them, the court has co up with a new Martial Order.
"Let’s talk about it, what should we do next?" Cui Kai said with a headache.
He had finally had a couple of peaceful days, and now the court had thrown them another curveball, leaving him truly bewildered.
To resist is to court death, but not to resist would an the Seven Stars Hall has no reason to exist.
The Star Moon Sect established the Seven Stars Hall for the purpose of amassing wealth; if the Seven Stars Hall can’t do that, then it naturally has no reason to exist.
The other three looked at one another, all at a loss as to what to do.
...
In Ping Yuan Province, Fuzhou.
A thriving jungle reveals a corner of flying eaves, below which is a courtyard that looks extrely unique.
In a study inside the courtyard, a young man in a pale blue robe stands in front of a writing desk, penning bold characters.
Yan Huichun stands calmly by his side, watching the young man write.
The three bold characters are written with a powerful and majestic flair.
"Martial Order!"
"Heh, the court’s move is rather interesting!"
A mocking smile graces the handso face of the young man.
"Your Majesty, if the Martial Order is enacted, it would be extrely disadvantageous for us!" Yan Huichun said softly.
The young man placed the brush on the holder, and then gently blew on the large characters on the paper.
"Indeed, the Martial Order is unfavorable for us, which is why we must prevent the court from establishing the Martial Arts Temple and implenting the Martial Order!"
"How should we act then?" Yan Huichun asked in a soft voice.
The young man’s eyes narrowed slightly, a solemn expression on his face.
"When snipe and clam grapple, the fisherman profits; the court is the snipe, the worldly society is the clam, all we need to do is to throw out bait and let them fight over it, that’s enough!"
"Only—"
His eyes filled with reluctance, "Well, you can’t catch a wolf without giving up so grain!"
"Release the news about Cui Xian Valley!"
Yan Huichun was taken aback, "Cui Xian Valley, Your Majesty intends to?"
The young man nodded, "To gain sothing, one must give sothing up. Sacrificing one tree for three years of peace is worth it."
Yan Huichun considered for a mont, then responded, "Your subordinate will make the arrangents right away!"
With that, he bowed and exited the study.
anwhile, the young man walked to the window with his hands behind his back, gazing at the overlapping mountains, his eyes full of reluctance.
To gain, one must give up, yet parting is indeed painful.
...
The sumr in the Capital City is sowhat scorching; the sun is like a blazing furnace, relentlessly baking the vast expanse of the city.
But the Capital’s sumr is also unpredictable: half an hour ago, it was fiercely hot, but now a fierce wind blows, lightning cleaves the dark sky, and thunder rumbles, punctuated by a torrential downpour.
At Marquis Jing’an Mansion, Yang Zhenshan stands under the eaves of the front hall, watching the rain falling from the eaves.
"Master!"
Prince Dai approaches from behind, curiously asking, "Master, what are you watching?"
Today was the ti for Yang Zhenshan to teach his three disciples, but their training at the mansion was interrupted by a sudden downpour.
"Watching the rain!" Yang Zhenshan turns and says with a smile.
Prince Dai, not understanding, asks while looking at the pouring rain, "What’s there to watch about rain?"
Yang Zhenshan moves to sit by the tea table inside the hall; An Chenhui imdiately pours him a bowl of tea, "Master, please have so tea!"
Next to him, Prince An is engrossed in reading a scroll of "The Thirty-Six Stratagems."
As for Prince Dai’s question, Yang Zhenshan just smiles without replying.
He himself does not know how to explain!
Lately, he finds everything wondrous!
It’s not from never having seen it and feeling it’s novel, but rather, as if he has so distinct new insight, everything he sees feels different.
The instant a raindrop hits the ground, the burst of the droplet fascinates him.
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