Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

Page 379

"You want a skilled swordsman or a wandering knight?" Luo Chen asked.

"Yes."

"Damn it...where am I supposed to find this for you?" Luo Chen scratched his head, but still agreed, "I understand, I'll be careful."

Luo Chen had long felt he lacked generals; compared to Cao Cao and Sun Quan, he had few. He wanted to join forces with Liu Bei, mainly because he valued Liu Bei's three valiant generals, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, but Liu Bei refused. The matter had dragged on until now, and perhaps the only solution was to seek help from the system again.

Luo Chen returned to his room alone and activated the system in his mind. He couldn't remember the last time he'd accessed it. His control level had soared to 200, roughly equivalent to his control over a large area of ​​land in Hexi and north of the Xiongnu. His internal cultivation level had reached 120. Luo Chen gave a wry smile. It seemed his improvement over the past few years hadn't been as significant as his territorial expansion. No wonder, he'd already grown in all the necessary ways; his mind was mature enough. How could he improve further? Years of warfare hadn't allowed him to read many books. He'd long forgotten his original passions for history, philosophy, and the like. He picked up a pen and habitually wrote down some orders.

They can't compare to Cao Cao, whose profound classical learning, coupled with his great talent and ambition, allowed him to write, "An old steed in its stall still aspires to gallop a thousand miles." Modern people are far inferior to the ancients in terms of classical learning.

Such high stats qualify him for a mid-level general platoon. However, Zhang Juzheng doesn't need chivalrous figures; his intelligence network is too vast, so a slight adjustment is clearly warranted.

First, let's address the shortage of mid- to high-ranking generals in the capital and Yizhou. Now that the Luo army has entered the era of artillery, we should select generals from the Song Dynasty onwards, with the Ming Dynasty being a good choice. However, Qing Dynasty generals with long braids might seem odd. Luo Chen immediately thought of Qi Jiguang. Wasn't Qi Jiguang one of the most famous generals of the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty? Moreover, he fought in the south, so he should have naval experience, and his army was specifically equipped with musket teams, indicating he had no problem using firearms. However, Qi Jiguang was a national hero with great fame, so he probably wouldn't be cheap. But now Luo Chen was rich; he could have whoever he wanted. He immediately searched his mind for the name Qi Jiguang, and the system "dinged," as if it had just been officially activated. It surprisingly changed its previously emotionless tone, speaking in a rather enthusiastic voice: "Welcome back to System 0.1."

"I thought you'd only ever have a machine voice... I didn't expect you could express emotions... or maybe you already had emotions," Luo Chen muttered. Having emotions meant this thing was extremely intelligent. Having an extremely intelligent, non-self entity residing in one's mind was a bit creepy, and quite absurd. However, wasn't Luo Chen's arrival in this era itself an absurd thing...?

A side note at the end: A big celebration to this novel reaching two hundred chapters! I never expected to write so much… After writing for so long, it was originally a system novel, but it seems to have faded, becoming quite hardcore… Not necessarily incredibly captivating, but so be it… Er Yuehe is someone I emulate; his novels about emperors like Yongzheng and Qianlong have a very hardcore feel.

Chapter 201 Searching for Important Officials

Sure enough, there was Qi Jiguang, and the required stat was 30, quite high. Had the system raised its price as Luo Chen's strength increased? Luo Chen didn't care and immediately selected it. A long-awaited light appeared, and a middle-aged general appeared, clad in fine armor, a Ming Dynasty uniform, his entire body tightly wrapped. The Ming Dynasty uniform was indeed superior to any previous uniform; Qi Jiguang's was practically covered in thorns. The helmet tightly covered the vital parts of his head, even obscuring his face and forehead, revealing only his eyes and mouth.

"My lord!" Qi Jiguang formally bowed.

"No need for formalities," Luo Chen said. "Why are you dressed so conservatively? Can I see your face?"

Qi Jiguang took the helmet and tucked it under his arm. He was indeed a handsome man, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and medium height. He appeared strong and powerful, yet possessed a refined air. After all, Qi Jiguang was a cultured man, not a roughneck.

"Becoming a marquis is not my desire; I only wish for peace on the seas," Luo Chen murmured to himself. Ten years ago, Qi Jiguang was also a young man with lofty ambitions. He came from a military family. In fact, when he recited this poem, he was already a mid-level general, as his father's title was hereditary. He was the son of a cadre, a member of a privileged family. Later, he spent some time in the north, and then served under Hu Zongxian, the governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the south. In the south, he achieved brilliant victories, including the famous Nine Victories at Taizhou. It can only be said that, in a corrupt central government and with a weak army, he, along with Hu Zongxian, Xu Wei, Yu Dayou, and others, worked diligently and finally created a miraculous feat. After years of painstaking effort, he quelled the pirates—truly admirable! However, this young man who said he wouldn't be granted a marquisate still managed to curry favor with Zhang Juzheng. With this powerful backer, he was highly valued, his official rank soared, and he became one of the top generals in the court at the time. He even served as the Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong, holding the same rank as ministerial-level officials such as the Minister of War and the Vice Minister of War.

Luo Chen was even a little worried about what he would say if he ran into Zhang Juzheng. Would the two of them recognize each other? However, the system should have already selectively removed a lot of things to avoid such an embarrassing situation.

Qi Jiguang was definitely going to be transferred to the south to take charge of a major mission. They needed to find another general in Guanzhong. However, following Luo Chen's thought process, if a hero like Qi Jiguang, who drove out foreign invaders, was chosen, then who else in history had been a great hero in driving out foreign invaders… naturally, Huo Qubing was the first name that came to mind. Luo Chen immediately searched for Huo Qubing, and there were 30 results. Luo Chen immediately selected them, clicked confirm, and another bright light appeared, showing Huo Qubing in Han army cavalry uniform. Compared to Qi Jiguang, who was covered in thorns, Huo Qubing clearly had much less iron on his body.

"My lord," said the dashing young man. This young man, who had dominated the north and achieved unparalleled feats, perhaps Heaven favored him too much, forever etching his image in people's minds as a youth. From then on, people of his time and those who read history afterward forever imagined him as a young, dashing, and spirited figure.

"Good." Luo Chen was overjoyed, as if he could see this young general leading his iron cavalry across thousands of miles.

Regarding chivalrous thieves, one would naturally choose figures like the retainers from the pre-Qin period. Based on Luo Chen's limited recollection, Jing Ke was a good choice, but according to historical records, while this guy was passionate, he was inevitably unlucky. There were also figures like Gao Jianli. Luo Chen did a quick search: Jing Ke 25, Gao Jianli 15—great fame makes a difference. Luo Chen immediately selected them all. He didn't calculate the values ​​while selecting; with so many, there was no need for meticulous calculation.

Two beams of light appeared, and two swordsmen with flowing robes and long hair, carrying swords, appeared before him. Luo Chen was momentarily stunned. "My lord!" the two called out in unison.

“Very good, very good…” Luo Chen was overjoyed.

Intelligence systems can't rely solely on chivalrous individuals. They need someone familiar with this kind of espionage system, and Luo Chen's first thought was the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He sifted through his limited memory, and it seemed the most famous Embroidered Uniform Guard commander was Lu Bing. It was said that this man was relatively upright and didn't do much wrong. He had an excellent relationship with the Jiajing Emperor. In the end, he was even awarded the prestigious titles of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and Junior Tutor, becoming the only person in the Ming Dynasty to hold all three of these high-ranking positions. However, in such a treacherous environment, amidst frequent political maneuvering and the back-and-forth between Xia Yan, Yan Song, Gao Gong, and Xu Jie—each a master strategist—Lu Bing remained steadfast, firmly holding the important position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Besides his extraordinary relationship with the Jiajing Emperor, it was also because this man was undoubtedly a shrewd and calculating individual.

Luo Chen calculated that the four of them had already used up 100 energy points. They had 100 left. Xu Shu had also suggested he establish a navy, which would definitely require several 243 naval commanders. The artillery needed to be expanded; Sun Yuanhua alone probably couldn't handle it. Besides, it wasn't appropriate to put him in command of the artillery now, as Sun Yuanhua also needed to focus on research. While the cannon was good, it was still somewhat cumbersome and needed optimization. More importantly, they needed to develop muskets and other firearms as soon as possible.

As Luo Chen pondered this, he selected Lu Bing, whose value was 25. A bright light appeared, and the general in the Ming Dynasty Imperial Guard uniform appeared before him.

“My lord,” Lu Bing said calmly.

Luo Chen glanced at Lu Bing; his eyes were deeply sunken, making it impossible to see what was in them. Lu Bing's expression was calm and gloomy. Luo Chen stared at him coldly, suddenly feeling a strong sense of distrust. Was this kind of person really being entrusted with highly confidential intelligence work? But since he came from the system, he was supposed to be free of personal motives and guaranteed loyalty.

“Alright.” Luo Chen nodded. Looking around, he saw that the small inner room was already crammed with five people—more than all his high-ranking officials in Chang'an combined. They were clearly to be assigned to various posts for emergency response tasks.

Chapter 202 Nighttime Attackers

Luo Chen felt quite exhausted. He had been traveling day and night for the past few days, and upon arriving in Chang'an, he immediately met with several ministers without a moment's rest. "You may all leave," Luo Chen said to them.

"Return them to where?" Jing Ke asked. Indeed, they haven't been assigned positions or lodgings yet…

"Anywhere...anywhere in the Prime Minister's residence will do." Luo Chen was too lazy to make any arrangements. He simply waved his hand, and the five people took their leave one after another.

Luo Chen wanted to go to sleep and rest immediately. For some reason, he suddenly thought that since he had used so much of his control power, why not use his internal cultivation power...? Moreover, internal cultivation power could be exchanged for various technical books and personnel, plus it could give him some powerful special abilities. Speaking of special abilities, his explosion techniques and armor protection techniques seemed to need upgrading. Like that armor protection, it disappeared after a while; last time on the grasslands, it almost cost him his life. Luckily, he had special blood, otherwise the wolves that pounced on him would have killed him instantly. As for the explosion level, it should be able to control the explosion intensity according to the situation, or even be more intelligent, able to determine the most reasonable explosion intensity based on the situation, comprehensively judging the objective circumstances and Luo Chen's own desires.

"Ding!" Luo Chen opened the system again. He found the "Explosion" option in the section corresponding to Internal Cultivation Power. Sure enough, there was a settings icon in the lower right corner of this function. Luo Chen opened it and saw two additional options: "Adjust Explosion Intensity" and "Intelligent Adjustment." Adjusting the explosion intensity required 10 Internal Cultivation Power values, while intelligent adjustment required 35 values… Damn, it was expensive, after all, it was intelligent analysis. Luo Chen checked both options. As for the armor protection, Luo Chen found it in the lower right corner as well. He opened it and saw the options: Extend Time to One Hour; Extend Time to Infinity; Protect One Circumference; Protect One Circumference Plus Top and Bottom; Extending the time to one hour required 20 values, while extending the time to infinity… required 50.

"What the hell! It's so dark!" Luo Chen couldn't help but mutter.

"Select to extend the time to indefinitely, and you can add all the services for daily living~" the system suddenly said in a purely sales tone. "It provides clothes, food, living room, etc. You can live there, and it's absolutely safe."

Damn it... According to the system, I bought this with 50 stats, and even if I mess it up, it's fine; I can just retreat into the armor. There's nothing anyone can do about it. That's actually kind of appealing... but Luo Chen isn't very interested right now.

"The armor is only valid for a limited time and will disappear once the time is up... It can only be reactivated after at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn~" The system continued to encourage him when it saw that he wasn't interested. "Think about it... If you were in the enemy's rear, in extreme danger, you would need this to safely return to Chang'an."

It's not too late to deal with it if we encounter a dangerous situation... Luo Chen thought to himself. After all, an hour is long enough, and he can easily open the system to expand it.

"Oh." The system seemed to understand his thoughts perfectly, and gave a cold "oh."

Luo Chen immediately checked the box to extend the protection time to one hour. Protecting the entire perimeter, including the top and bottom, required 30 points, which Luo Chen also checked without hesitation. After all, protecting his life couldn't be left unattended. Otherwise, someone might throw torches or fire arrows from above, and he'd be dead.

That night was a shopping spree. Luo Chen calculated that he had 75 points of Control Power and 25 points of Internal Cultivation Power left. Luo Chen cursed inwardly, "I can't do without technology. If I need technical personnel in the future, I'll have to use Control Power to exchange for them. I have 25 points of Internal Cultivation Power left, which is probably enough to buy one or two books."

After finishing these matters, Luo Chen collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. He was exhausted, just as exhausted as he had been commanding battles on the front lines for days and nights. Suddenly, he seemed to be disturbed by a commotion. It sounded like a huge collapse. Luo Chen was startled and barely opened his eyes. Instantly, he gripped his sword. A tall man with long hair and long clothes stood there, his sword gleaming in the moonlight. Luo Chen was startled, a deep sense of panic washing over him. Everyone fears death, but on the battlefield, in broad daylight, surrounded by soldiers, even fighting wolves wouldn't have made him so panicked. The key was that it was late at night, and he was sound asleep when suddenly a tall man with a sword rushed into his bedroom. Wouldn't that be terrifying? Luo Chen almost staggered back a step, nearly collapsing into the corner of the bed. This posture seemed panicked and terrified, and not a wise choice, as it hindered his swordplay and escape. But that wasn't the case, because Luo Chen didn't need to practice his swordplay or escape. He has explosives. Run to the corner, so there are no blind spots; the attacker will have to rush at you head-on, unable to ambush you from behind. Once the attacker charges at you head-on, Luo Chen guarantees to blast him into the air.

Unexpectedly, the tall assassin said, "My lord, do not panic, I have already captured the murderer."

Luo Chen was taken aback. What the hell? Yan Qing? Yan Qing wasn't that tall, and his hair wasn't that long. Luo Chen pointed at the oil lamp on the table and silently chanted "explode." Sure enough, it was intelligent; there was a very slight "poof," like a small firecracker, and then the oil lamp was lit. In the dim light, Luo Chen saw that it was Jing Ke. This guy had long hair, his clothes fluttering, quite dashing. He held a sword in one hand and was pulling a man in black with the other. The man in black was clearly injured. There was someone watching warily at the door; it must be Gao Jianli.

"My lord!" Yan Qing seemed to hear the voice and rushed over. Seeing the two men with swords, he was terrified. It was all over! His lord! He was the personal bodyguard general! "My lord!" Yan Qing shouted (Zhao Nuohao), not even having time to grab his short arrow, he drew his dagger and lunged at Gao Jianli. But Gao Jianli was no pushover; he leaped lightly, landing beside Yan Qing and thrusting his sword. Yan Qing was startled and hastily dodged, but Gao Jianli had anticipated this. Instead of thrusting, he seized the opportunity to kick Yan Qing hard. Yan Qing stumbled and fell to the ground. Gao Jianli aimed his sword at Yan Qing's chest and thrust again.

"Stop!" Luo Chen shouted. "Stop, all of you!"

Gao Jianli hesitated for a moment and did not make a move.

"They're all on our side!" Luo Chen shouted.

Jing Ke and Gao Jianli were alright, being newcomers. Yan Qing, however, was greatly surprised. How did two retro-dressed fellows suddenly appear, wielding swords and protecting their lord? But Luo Chen routinely recruited oddly dressed, unfamiliar people as generals or important strategists, so everyone was already used to it.

Chapter 203 Attack on the Prime Minister's Residence

Yan Qing jumped up, slightly calming his startled and flustered state. He had indeed been terrified when he first saw two strangers burst into his lord's inner chamber. These two tall, old-fashioned fellows were indeed formidable… their swordsmanship was truly exceptional. Yan Qing saw a scrawny figure in black being carried by Jing Ke. Looking up further, he saw a large hole in the roof; it was likely that the tall swordsman had smashed it open…

Yan Qing had suggested that Luo Chen reinforce the inner chambers, but Luo Chen disagreed, saying that the Prime Minister's residence was so secure that it wasn't necessary. And now, someone has actually come over.

The commotion outside resumed. Luo Chen glanced at the group of people, all of whom looked bewildered. Yan Qing kicked the injured attacker hard: "Who sent you! Speak!"

The attacker sneered, "Fuck you!"

Enraged, Yan Qing kicked him again. The black-clad attacker was knocked heavily to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, the assassin roared, "Kill the traitor Luo Chen! Luo Chen is here! Come quickly! Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Before Yan Qing could make a move, Gao Jianli struck the assassin hard on the back with the back of his sword. "Thud!" The heavy impact sent the assassin sprawling to the ground, as if his voice had been abruptly cut off. Only those inside the house could hear a faint whisper: "Kill the traitor! Kill the traitor!"

So familiar, all too familiar. Luo Chen gave a bitter laugh. There had been a time when someone had also shouted, "Kill the traitor Cao! Kill the traitor Cao!"

The shouts of battle outside grew louder. One could even faintly hear, "Kill the bandits!"

Yan Qing clearly understood that it was definitely some people in the Chang'an court who couldn't stand Luo Chen's control of the government and wanted to kill Luo Chen that night!

The Prime Minister's residence usually had about three hundred guards. However, due to Luo Chen's northward campaign against the Xiongnu, which drew away tens of thousands of Imperial Guards, and Zhang Juzheng's transfer of many more, along with Lin Chong's transfer of tens of thousands to protect the Science and Technology Bureau, the Imperial Guard's main camp now only had a little over ten thousand troops. They weren't located next to the Prime Minister's residence, as the residence was in the center of Chang'an city, and there simply wasn't enough space to build a camp accommodating tens of thousands. Therefore, the Imperial Guard's main camp was initially located outside the inner city of Chang'an, right next to it. In the outer city and its suburbs, there were four or five other large camps, with approximately one hundred thousand troops garrisoning the capital. Therefore, the maximum number of guards in Chang'an was never more than two hundred thousand, and now it was only a few hundred thousand, mainly due to the significant transfer of Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards were responsible for the defense of the Prime Minister's residence, the Imperial Palace, and the streets of the inner city. Generally, the capital's garrison troops did not enter the inner city. Because Luo Chen returned in the evening and Zhuge Liang was summoned for a talk, no one arranged to increase the number of troops defending the Prime Minister's residence. The current defense force of over three hundred men was only there because Luo Chen wasn't living there; there were only some office staff. Now that Luo Chen was back, they had completely forgotten to increase the defensive strength.

Without a word, Luo Chen drew his sword and went out. The sounds of battle cries were deafening from all sides, and torches and fire arrows were constantly being fired into the air; some houses were already ablaze. A group of people were ramming down doors, and many more were trying to climb into the Prime Minister's residence from various directions. The Prime Minister's guards, numbering over three hundred, were scattered and struggling to hold them off.

“There are still a lot of people…” Luo Chen said to Yan Qing beside him.

"My lord, be careful," Yan Qing said. He saw an arrow with a burning tip land a few meters away from Luo Chen.

Qi Jiguang, Huo Qubing, and Lu Bing also arrived. "Someone is plotting a rebellion!" Qi Jiguang exclaimed. "Has the capital camp received the news? Has anyone been sent over?" Qi Jiguang asked bluntly upon seeing the escalating situation, completely ignoring Yan Qing's surprised gaze. "So blatantly, the capital camp must have received the news, but they've probably blocked the road, intending to kill our lord."

"Shall I go out and take a look?" Yan Qing asked. "The Imperial Guard camp should be able to see the fire. I'll go out and see what's going on. I can get here in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"No, you should go to the capital garrison camp instead. Although the Imperial Guards camp can defeat these people, they probably can't wipe them out completely because there are too few of them. They know you and are easy to mobilize. Otherwise, if someone else goes, they might not obey orders."

"Now I order Yan Qing to take full command of the capital's garrison! Immediately mobilize troops, and impose martial law on Chang'an!" Luo Chen said sternly, unfastening his sword and handing it to Yan Qing: "Anyone who disobeys his command will be executed on the spot!"

Yan Qing took the sword, bowed deeply, and quickly ran to the other side of the wall, easily vaulting over.

"Not bad," Qi Jiguang, Huo Qubing, and others said enviously. To be given full command of the capital's garrison in a time of crisis was an immense sign of trust. This general must be Luo Chen's most trusted confidant. —Although not really; Luo Chen hadn't put them in command simply because they were unfamiliar with the Chang'an garrison.

"Gao Jianli!" Luo Chen shouted sternly.

"Yes, sir!" Gao Jianli immediately bowed and obeyed the order.

"Go, go and see where those guards have gone. Don't interfere with them, just come back and report when you see them."

"Understood." Gao Jianli responded, and upon reaching the base of the wall, he lightly leaped and flipped, not needing to climb the wall at all, but instead flying out in a semi-circle.

What followed was purely observation. Luo Chen listened to the deafening shouts outside, and arrows flew in relentlessly. But not a single attacker broke through the defenses. Many rebels were shot dead as soon as they climbed the walls. Their identities could not be discerned from their clothing; they were all dressed in black or plain clothes. They were probably just some diners.

The fact that so many people and so much armed force could be secretly gathered in the capital, right under Zhuge Liang's nose, not only shows the organizer's considerable power but also indicates that the capital's defenses were extremely lax. It's easy to see that the guards of the Prime Minister's residence were absolutely negligent; in fact, an assassin had managed to infiltrate Luo Chen's inner chambers. Fortunately, with experts like Jing Ke and Gao Jianli, the assassin was instantly subdued. Otherwise, Luo Chen and Yan Qing were both exhausted and fast asleep, and the attack might very well have succeeded. Someone on the roof in Pingcheng would certainly have heard Luo Chen sleeping. But this time, he was simply too tired, and it wasn't until Jing Ke threw the man down with a loud thud that Luo Chen woke up.

Chapter 104 The Rebels' Attack

"Tsk tsk!" Qi Jiguang couldn't help but comment, "This is a dereliction of duty by the Imperial Guards! A dereliction of duty! Who is commanding the Imperial Guards? Such a large Prime Minister's residence, only a few hundred soldiers are stationed here, it doesn't make sense!"

"The command of the Imperial Guard must be investigated!" Lu Bing said in a low voice.

Luo Chen didn't answer. As regent, Zhuge Liang clearly held full power over the Imperial Guard. However, Zhuge Liang was certainly innocent; after all, he was regent, and who in such a high position would rebel? Besides, Luo Chen had personally invited Zhuge Liang. Despite these thoughts, Luo Chen still felt a vague unease. Indeed, human nature was unpredictable. This Zhuge Liang hadn't left the system and hadn't consumed Luo Chen's blood. No one dared to say with absolute certainty that there were no problems.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Luo Chen scolded.

"My lord..." Jing Ke watched Gao Jianli go off to carry out his mission and felt a little itchy. "I'll go out for a stroll and catch the mastermind to avoid trouble later."

Luo Chen glanced at Jing Ke and thought that this suggestion was not bad. It would save them trouble later. Since Jing Ke was so powerful, they might as well just capture him.

“Okay, go ahead.” Luo Chen nodded in agreement.

"What arrogance!" Lu Bing exclaimed incredulously. Qi Jiguang and Huo Qubing were also skeptical.

Jing Ke did not argue with them, but simply bowed to Luo Chen and, like Gao Jianli, gracefully flipped away.

"A court official actually dares to rebel! I can't believe it!" Lu Bing muttered again. "Could it be that a regional prince is supporting us? My lord should be wary of potential rebellions in some areas," Lu Bing suggested.

"The country has not yet agreed to unification..." Luo Chen said with a wry smile. "Besides, I am not the emperor, I am the prime minister of the Han emperor."

"The Prime Minister?" Lu Bing was greatly surprised. He was even more confused: "What's going on? Doesn't the Han Emperor care about anything?"

"Never mind..." Luo Chen was too lazy to explain. "Go report to Zhang Juzheng in a few days, and he will arrange a job for you."

"Who is Zhang Juzheng?" Lu Bing asked.

"Director of the National Intelligence Agency, strategist level, Situ," Luo Chen said lazily.

"National Intelligence Agency? I've never heard of this agency... What does it do..." Lu Bing was even more confused.

"Go back to your old ways!" Luo Chen said impatiently. "Don't ask! You'll find out when the time comes! Also, this is a coup, you don't need to worry about it, just stay by my side. Without my orders, don't participate in any purges. You don't understand the situation, and you'll easily cause trouble."

"Then...where do I report for duty?" Qi Jiguang, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but ask when he saw that this guy named Lu Bing had found a job. "Where do I go?" Huo Qubing asked.

"You'll go out and become generals," Luo Chen said lazily. "I'll talk to you then. Go and find out for yourselves, and you'll know what's going on."

"Yes." These two were generals, so it was only natural for them to become generals. Since it was their old profession, the only question was where they would go. Neither of them cared.

As they were talking, Gao Jianli suddenly flipped back into the wall with a "whoosh." He was completely unharmed, and it's estimated that his clothes weren't even dirty.

"How is it going?" Lu Bing asked impatiently. Among these people, Jing Ke and Gao Jianli were oblivious to the coup; they were merely following their masters' orders. Qi Jiguang and Huo Qubing, although aware of the seriousness of the situation, were not looking at it from a professional perspective. A professional spy like Lu Bing, specializing in preventing rebellions, inevitably analyzed the situation from a counter-insurgency perspective, and found it quite interesting.

However, Gao Jianli ignored him and walked up to Luo Chen, saying, "The Imperial Guards have already been mobilized. I saw them make arrangements to reinforce the Prime Minister's residence from all directions. But the rebels have already made preparations and blocked the roads. Now the Imperial Guards are clearing the roads and dealing with the rebels who are trying to stop them, and they are rushing here desperately."

"How's it going?" Luo Chen asked.

“They’re moving very fast,” Gao Jianli said. “The rebels are no match for the Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard is moving very fast and should be here soon.” As he spoke, Gao Jianli glanced at the horizon, where the sky was beginning to lighten and turn blue. “They will definitely be here before dawn.”

"Okay," Luo Chen said calmly.

Under the relentless assault of the rebels, the heavy wooden gate of the Prime Minister's residence finally began to loosen. The inspector hurriedly gathered dozens of men to reinforce the gate, while others drew their swords and took out bows and crossbows, ready to engage in hand-to-hand combat as soon as the rebels rushed in.

Upon seeing this, Qi Jiguang, Lu Bing, and others drew their swords, ready to protect Luo Chen.

However, Luo Chen felt quite tired, and there was no point in standing like this. "Let me know when the Imperial Guards come, I'm going to sleep," Luo Chen said, and then went back to his inner room.

The generals exchanged bewildered glances; this was incredibly indifferent. Nevertheless, they followed.

"Where did Jing Ke go?" Gao Jianli asked Qi Jiguang. He felt that Qi Jiguang was easier to talk to and had a kind face.

"That guy dressed similarly to you? He said he was going to capture the rebel leader and went out alone." Qi Jiguang noticed that Gao Jianli wanted to go with him and said, "I think it's better for you to stay by the lord's side and protect him..."

.. ..... ...

Luo Chen was too tired to talk anymore, so he went back to bed and fell asleep.

It felt like he'd slept for a long time, or perhaps only a quarter of an hour, before Luo Chen was shaken awake again. Just as Luo Chen was about to get angry, Qi Jiguang, who had woken him, said with difficulty, "Um, my lord, the rebels have broken in. You'd better get up..."

Luo Chen went outside and saw that it was still dark; it seemed he hadn't slept for long. Gao Jianli, Lu Bing, Huo Qubing, and others had already joined the battle. The rebels, as if injected with stimulants, were gathering in ever-growing numbers, rushing forward frantically. The rebels who had been climbing the wall saw the gate open and all ran to it. Shouts of "Kill the rebels! Kill the rebels! Cleanse the court of traitors! Kill the villains!" were deafening.

The guards who were originally scattered all rushed over, trying to block the opening, but they were clearly struggling. The two sides engaged in a chaotic battle.