The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 302: Chapter 299: No Less Than Xu Dingchun

While it’s true that a hero’s origins don’t matter, a Martial Artist can’t succeed just by training blindly. The adage ’a great master produces a great disciple’ is a far more common truth.

Bai Yuan’s master was Dong Wanjun, now a high-ranking official of the junior second grade, and Bai Yuan himself had become the Lingzhou General. The influence of this lineage at Court was already beginning to show.

Having spent a long time in the Imperial Palace, the old eunuch possessed extraordinary insight. He understood the immense potential of this master and disciple, and knew he had to treat them with due importance.

He chuckled. "Lord Bai, His Majesty also has a verbal decree he wishes this old servant to convey."

A verbal decree?

Bai Yuan was taken aback.

It wasn’t just him; Kong Sen and the other Ling Province officials at his side were also stunned.

Only high-ranking ministers who enjoyed the Emperor’s profound favor ever received a verbal decree.

The old eunuch began to speak slowly: "No less than Xu Dingchun in his prime. He can become a pillar of our state."

At these words, the shock on everyone’s faces was beyond description.

Who was Xu Dingchun?

Grand General of the North, the Empire War God!

If the current Emperor hadn’t been wary of his accomplishments overshadowing the throne, Xu Dingchun would have very likely been appointed as one of the Three Ducal Ministers, the highest position a subject could attain.

This showed the sheer extent of his strength and the loftiness of his status.

Moreover, these words came from the Emperor himself, giving them immeasurable weight.

Envy flashed in Kong Sen’s eyes.

He had considered it only natural that Bai Yuan became the Lingzhou General. But to receive a verbal decree from His Majesty—and one with such high praise—that made him unable to sit still.

In Xuan Yang, how far an official could go depended entirely on the words of that one man: the Emperor.

Leaving a good impression on His Majesty the Emperor already put one ahead of ninety percent of all other officials.

A limitless future!

Kong Sen even felt a pang of jealousy.

The officials in front of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office wore varied expressions. Those who had backed Bai Yuan were naturally beaming, their long wait finally over. But the moods of those who had sided with Kong Sen, especially Chen Danian, were far darker.

Chen Danian was now filled with regret.

He was now Kong Sen’s number one supporter. In the future, he would surely be ruthlessly suppressed by Bai Yuan’s faction.

How the tables have turned.

Afterward, the old eunuch offered some token words of encouragement to the assembled Ling Province officials before being escorted by Bai Yuan to an inn in the city.

Bai Yuan brought the old eunuch’s party to the Divine Mansion Sect’s inn in Huanglong City.

The old eunuch’s smile widened. He had chosen to stay an extra day for the express purpose of building a good relationship with this promising young official.

Bai Yuan and the old eunuch entered a private room on the top floor of the inn.

The view from the top floor was superb. While it lacked the gentle beauty of a Jiangnan Water Village, it possessed a rugged grandeur seldom seen in the Central Plains.

"Eunuch Chang, this is Ling Province’s unique rice wine. It has a special flavor."

No feast is complete without wine.

Rice wine wasn’t considered particularly precious; even some farmers in Ling Province could afford it.

But the rice wine Bai Yuan presented was, of course, exceptional.

This wine was brewed with Spirit Rice. It was fiery on the palate and could get a Martial Artist drunk.

Accustomed to the strict etiquette of the palace, the old eunuch lifted his cup, first inhaling its aroma, then taking a small sip. A glint appeared in his eyes.

"What strong wine!"

He couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

You couldn’t find such a fiery spirit in the Central Plains. It truly suited the robust character of the Northern Territory.

With the wine to liven things up, the atmosphere in the room naturally became convivial.

The inn’s Shopkeeper had actually prepared a dozen Dancing Girls, but at the little eunuch’s signal, they did not enter the room to perform.

Although these old eunuchs had been castrated, their bodily functions all but lost, it didn’t mean they disliked the company of women.

It was rumored that a Chief Eunuch from the Ritual Department kept several hundred beautiful maids in his Capital City residence. No one in Ling Province knew if this was true, but Bai Yuan had to be prepared for all possibilities.

’There are foot fetishists in the world, after all. Who could say for sure what someone’s particular tastes might be...’

The rice wine was extremely strong. After just half a jin, both Bai Yuan and the old eunuch were feeling a bit drunk.

The old eunuch was in an excellent mood. Humming a little tune from the Capital City, he leaned back lazily on a soft couch.

"Lord Bai, there is a matter you need to pay more attention to."

"Although the Profound Sun Decree has never forbidden Jianghu People from serving as officials, your previous fourth-grade rank was inconsequential. Now that you are a third-grade official, it would be best to make a choice. Don’t let it hinder your future. To be frank, His Majesty has never been fond of such arrangements."

Bai Yuan nodded.

It was just like with Old Dong; once he became the Lingzhou General, he was no longer a Peak Master of the Divine Mansion Sect.

"Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch Chang. I will not forget this kindness."

Seeing Bai Yuan was so perceptive, the smile on the old eunuch’s face grew wider.

Compared to other officials, the eunuchs of the Ritual Department actually knew more about the ins and outs of the palace.

So when delivering a Holy Decree, they would often reveal some of the Imperial Palace’s rules to those they favored.

Especially useful for local officials...

These rules weren’t exactly secrets, but they were matters of the Imperial Palace, and local officials had almost no way of learning them.

But coming from the old eunuch, this information became a significant favor.

This was one of the old eunuch’s favorite methods for currying favor with officials—a trick that was tried-and-true and usually very effective.

With a bond established, the atmosphere naturally became more harmonious.

The two of them drank together until the latter half of the night. The old eunuch was then helped back to his room by a little eunuch, swaying unsteadily.

Bai Yuan clutched his head.

’This wine really is strong.’

Just as his steps became a little unsteady and he was preparing to leave the room, a little eunuch appeared at the door with a grin.

It was the very same little eunuch who had come to Huanglong Prefecture before.

"Congratulations, Lord Bai."

Speaking of which, this little eunuch had been present for both of Bai Yuan’s promotions. He was something of a lucky star.

"Thank you, Eunuch Huang. I had my subordinates prepare a small gift. It’s already been sent to your room. I hope you won’t find it lacking."

Hearing this, the joyful expression on the little eunuch’s face intensified.

His eyes were filled with envy.

The last time he came to Huanglong Prefecture, Bai Yuan was merely a fifth-grade official. Now, upon meeting again, he had become a Third-Grade Official.

That rate of promotion was truly terrifying.

It was a rare sight in the entire Xuan Yang Dynasty.

The little eunuch said, "Lord Bai, I heard you have been collecting Cultivation Techniques from all over the world. The Big Red Qilin Duan Yi bestowed by His Majesty can actually be used to exchange for Cultivation Techniques in the Inner Treasury."

"It can be used like that!"

Bai Yuan was overjoyed.

The rewards in the Holy Decree this time, besides the official position, were a thousand taels of Gold and that Big Red Qilin Duan Yi.

The official salaries for Xuan Yang Court officials weren’t high on paper, so a thousand taels of Gold was a considerable sum, especially for the so-called ’un-corrupt’ officials.

But what official wasn’t corrupt? So gradually, rewards of Gold became more symbolic than substantial, serving only to represent the Emperor’s favor.

As for the Big Red Qilin Duan Yi, it was much like the Gold—a symbol of the Emperor’s boundless grace.

Many great clans would compare the number of imperially bestowed Duan Yi they possessed to show off their family’s prestige and heritage.

Bai Yuan had originally considered it a useless item. He never imagined it could be exchanged for a Cultivation Technique—this was a delightful surprise.

The little eunuch said, "If Lord Bai is busy with official duties, this humble one can do it for you. After returning to the capital, I can send back a list of the Cultivation Techniques."

"Then I must thank you, Eunuch Huang."

Bai Yuan suddenly felt that his earlier gift had been more than worth it.

The situation in Ling Province was currently special. As the Lingzhou General, it was almost impossible for him to leave Ling Province unless the conflict subsided.

But if the little eunuch handled it for him, he could save a lot of time and obtain the Cultivation Technique much earlier!

...

「The next day.」

The old eunuch left Huanglong Prefecture with his grand procession of carriages.

After seeing the old eunuch off in the early morning, Bai Yuan went straight to the Huanglong Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t been to the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office in quite some time.

"Lord Bai."

"Lord Bai."

...

The officials entering and leaving the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office all bowed respectfully when they saw Bai Yuan.

Their expressions were a mixture of fear, envy, and delight.

Just as Bai Yuan walked into the front courtyard of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office, he bumped right into Chen Danian.

"Lord... Lord Bai."

Chen Danian awkwardly cupped his hands at Bai Yuan, then fled as if escaping.

It was true that he hadn’t made a move against Bai Yuan’s subordinates, but it was also true that he was Kong Sen’s number one supporter.

It would be for the best if Bai Yuan didn’t settle accounts with him; he didn’t dare hope for more.

The political arena was often like this. The winds were ever-changing. One might be riding high today, only to be scorned by all tomorrow.

Picking sides was a science.

Chen Danian had no intention of getting promoted further anyway. He could only accept his bad luck and keep his head down from now on.

Bai Yuan took a few more steps and saw Yang Fangyu already waiting in the front courtyard.

"This is truly satisfying!"

Yang Fangyu burst into laughter, feeling this exhilarated for the first time in months.

The Prefect governs internal affairs, the General commands external affairs.

According to the Profound Sun Decree, the Ling Province City Guard Army was entirely under Bai Yuan’s command. In addition, the Demon Slayer Guard and the Patrol Office also had to obey his orders.

This was no small amount of authority.

Perhaps in the peaceful water villages of Jiangnan, a Prefect could hold sway over a General.

But in the war-torn Ling Province, the General’s authority was undoubtedly greater than the Prefect’s.

Previously, because the position of Lingzhou General was vacant, Kong Sen was able to mobilize the City Guard Army with ease.

But now that Bai Yuan was the new General, if Kong Sen wanted to deploy the City Guard Army, he would have to get Bai Yuan’s approval.

Furthermore, the Demon-slaying Guard General was already part of Bai Yuan’s faction, leaving Kong Sen with pitifully few armed forces to command.

Ling Province was already in chaos, which was both a problem and an opportunity.

As long as one could suppress the Demon Sects and monsters in Ling Province, it would be a great accomplishment.

But now, that accomplishment had absolutely nothing to do with Kong Sen.

Bai Yuan said, "A couple of laughs is enough. No need to be so loud."

Having said that, he couldn’t help but start laughing himself.

Although he had appeared calm before, he had naturally been displeased. Now that he had turned the tables on Kong Sen, he of course felt refreshed and invigorated.

"Brother Yang, send more men to monitor the Demon Sects’ activities recently."

"Right."

Yang Fangyu nodded.

He had been stifled for months. Now, he could finally stretch his limbs.

Bai Yuan had just been promoted. If a major disturbance were to break out now, he would surely be criticized, and the matter might even reach the Capital City. Therefore, they had to be extremely cautious.

"By the way, how is Kong Sen?"

At the mention of Kong Sen’s name, Yang Fangyu’s expression became even more smug.

"I hear he didn’t come to the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office today."

Since taking office, Kong Sen had always been extremely proactive, always the first to arrive at the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

But today, he was uncharacteristically absent. It was impossible that this had nothing to do with Bai Yuan.

Perhaps Kong Sen felt powerless to continue fighting with Bai Yuan and had decided to simply shut himself in at home.

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