Xuanqing Guard Chapter 126: Mobilization

Hongling: the longest feather on the wing of a bird called the "Red Eagle".

The Red Feather Urgent Report is a special ergency order affixed with this Hongling feather. In the Jingjiu Dynasty, this is the highest level of urgent ssage. It carries the authority to open city gates and clear streets. Intercepting a Red Feather ergency is a capital offense, punishable by death for the perpetrator and their entire family.

Normally, Red Feather Urgent Reports are sent upwards, rarely downwards. When a Red Feather order cos from above, the correct term is "Red Feather Urgent Order".

Red Feather Urgent Reports must be received by the highest-ranking officer present. Upon receipt, imdiate handling is required; no delay is allowed.

Since the garrison was on alert, all personnel were assembled. The shrill whistle shocked everyone—this hadn’t been heard in years. Could it be that fighting has erupted sowhere again?

Many people curiously craned their necks to look at the ssenger rushing inside, speculating what could possibly have happened.

Tang Qingyuan was on duty as Defense. Hearing the whistle, he activated his Body Technique to intercept the ssenger proactively.

"Tang Qingyuan, Hundred Households of Li City Xuanqing Guard," Tang Qingyuan declared his identity imdiately upon encountering the ssenger.

The ssenger was efficient. He took out a roll of portraits for careful comparison, then inspected Tang Qingyuan’s Waist Token. After verifying everything, he allowed Tang Qingyuan to sign for the order and handed over a directive before departing.

Once in hand, Tang Qingyuan’s brow twitched—the wax seal on the order was from the Fengri City Thousand Households Station! This was not an urgent report but an urgent order.

He avoided the crowd and opened the Red Feather Urgent Order alone. After reading it quickly, Tang Qingyuan couldn’t help but chuckle; the opportunity he had waited for over a month had finally arrived.

"Sound the drum. Summon all General Flag officers to the great hall for discussion—imdiately!"

Fifty drumbeats: latecors receive twenty strokes, absentees are to be executed. This is the military’s favorite thod for ergency assembly. The Xuanqing Guard originated from the military, and many practices are inherited. However, assembly by drumbeat is very rare; Tang Qingyuan wasn’t planning to chop off anyone’s head, just make it clear to all that this was an extraordinary event.

The sound of war drums instantly sent chills across everyone, just as Tang Qingyuan anticipated. The Flag Officers rushed out of the Public Office towards the great hall, while the Xiaoqi and Warriors hurriedly began organizing their soldiers. No one knew what was about to happen; better to be prepared than caught off guard.

At the twentieth drumbeat, all seven General Flag officers were present. After roll call, they entered and sat at their respective positions, seeing Tang Qingyuan’s stern expression and refrained from questioning.

At fifty beats, the drum ceased. Tang Qingyuan rose and declared, "Received order from the Thousand Households Station. Effective imdiately, Li City will deploy two General Banner Battalions for assignnt. My Hundred Households’ Personal Soldiers are included in the selection."

He glanced at those below and continued, "The Black Banner Battalion is specifically required to participate. The C Flag will also accompany. Shen Hao, Chen Tianwen—is there any issue with you two?"

Shen and Chen quickly stood and responded, "No problem!"

"Good. The rest stay and defend Li City according to warti ergency protocols. Command responsibilities will temporarily shift to Trial Hundred Households Liu Chuan, with Wang Cheng assisting..."

Tang Qingyuan wasted no words, swiftly laying out all arrangents. He sought no opinions and invited no debate; these were orders—execution or death. No negotiation.

The others rose to accept, though their feelings varied. Envy and jealousy were inevitable; anything within a Red Feather Urgent Order was bound to be remarkable. Participation ant gaining credentials—pity that they hadn’t attracted Tang’s attention.

The most disgruntled was Wang Cheng, the Trial Hundred Households. Not only was he excluded from Tang Qingyuan’s mission, even in defense he was rely "assisting", feeling deeply sidelined.

"Alright, dismissed. In the ti it takes to burn a stick of incense, I want all troops assembled outside!"

As soon as Tang Qingyuan finished speaking, Shen Hao and Chen Tianwen bolted out. The ti allowed was very tight; they dared not delay.

Outside, the sound of bugles, pounding footsteps, and shouted commands quickly followed—the Black Banner Battalion and the C Flag were forming up and leaving their posts. All personnel assembled, fully ard, each equipped with three sets of standard Talismans. High-power Talismans like the Thunder Charm were issued to Xiaoqi units—three sets each!

Proceeding entirely according to warti protocols.

When Tang Qingyuan, hand on sword, walked out the gates of the Xuanqing Guard, more than four hundred n stood in perfect formation outside.

"Report! Black Banner Battalion: 126 personnel present. C Flag: 131 personnel present. Personal Guards: 200 present."

"Move out!"

Four hundred n split into four columns, double-timing toward the city’s Teleportation Array.

With the Red Feather Urgent Order, the Teleportation Array instantly initiated warti protocols, draining energy from all subordinate arrays to form a massive collective teleportation formation. After confirming the destination, they sent all four hundred n in two waves.

From receiving the Red Feather Urgent Order to Li City Xuanqing Guard’s more than four hundred n deploying rapidly to the targeted location, less than half an hour had passed.

...

Shen Hao had been bewildered at first, but quickly recovered his composure. From Tang Qingyuan’s gaze, he received an unspoken affirmation, steadying his nerves.

The Red Feather Urgent Order—this is a direct command from above!

Still, Shen Hao had thought they would first rendezvous with the elite from the Fengri City Thousand Households Station. But instead, after erging from the Teleportation Array, they found themselves in a completely unfamiliar place. Only after seeing a stone tablet outside the array did they realize it was a place called "Shi Family Castle", with surrounding architecture like a small city.

"Shi Family Castle? We’re in Jingzhong?!"

Beside Shen Hao was Chen Tianwen, whose knowledge far surpassed that of Shen, the outsider. He imdiately knew their location.

"Explain."

"Tsk—Shi Family Castle is a small town near Jingbei, best known for its preserved eggs. You must have eaten ’Stone Castle Rice’? The preserved eggs in it co from here."

Chen Tianwen quickly whispered an explanation to Shen Hao.

Upon hearing this, Shen Hao finally recalled so impression of Shi Family Castle.

Once outside the Teleportation Array, the local Xuanqing Guard imdiately arrived to liaise, and outside the small city stood large numbers of soldiers.

Unlike the garrison soldiers familiar to Shen Hao, the soldiers assembled here were far better equipped; nearly every man wore thick leather armor, and their weapons were inferior magical artifacts with armor-piercing capacity.

What unsettled Shen Hao even more was seeing nearly a thousand mbers of units ard with bows or carrying heavy crossbows—Breaking Arrow teams!

Looking at the banners above these soldiers: fiery red, a blazing fla emblazoned in the center.

"The Jingnan Army?! Why are they here? And..." Shen Hao gazed across the massed troops outside the city, "I’d say there are at least ten thousand people here!"

Upon reaching the designated area, Tang Qingyuan ordered imdiate rest and himself followed a ssenger hurriedly into the army ranks.

Up to this point, none of the Li City Xuanqing Guard had received specific information about the deploynt. Where were they going? For what purpose? No one knew.