Chapter 35

Guchen Sha had figured out that the Southern Border Governor was under the influence of Prince Gu Fansha. Despite committing a grave mistake, he refused to admit his guilt and even dared to defy Lou Baoyue, making it a battle between two parties.

If Lou Baoyue couldn't handle this person, her authority would be completely undermined.

"What, Third Prince, are you going to protect this man?" Lou Baoyue didn't even bother to call him "Third Highness" anymore. She had grown up studying the royal lineage and called many of the princes by their nicknames.

"Baoyue, this person is still useful. Besides, he is a provincial governor. Even an imperial envoy must first report to the emperor and await his command before dealing with him. At present, our army needs his help in gathering supplies. If the military affairs are delayed, neither you nor the Nineteenth Prince can afford the consequences." Prince Gu Fansha, the Third Prince, remained expressionless but clearly stated his intention to protect this man.

The Southern Border Governor was not the least bit afraid and spoke loudly, "I still have military duties to attend to. If the imperial envoy has no further business, I will take my leave and return to mobilize troops and gather experts to suppress the heretical cult in the three counties."

With that, he turned to leave.

Lou Baoyue only sneered and pulled out a token from her chest. Instantly, a brilliant light shone, and the words "As if the Emperor were present" appeared on it.

"Father Emperor!"

Prince Gu Fansha almost couldn't believe it, but he immediately left his seat and knelt before the token.

Guchen Sha was also greatly surprised and left his seat to kneel down.

All the officials also knelt down. The previously defiant Southern Border Governor collapsed to the ground, terrified.

"Third Prince, the Emperor has entrusted me with full authority to handle any matters. My orders are now his commands. Do you dare to defy them?" Lou Baoyue asked.

"I dare not, Father Emperor." Prince Gu Fansha knew that this token was as good as the Emperor being present. No matter how strong his martial arts or how great his power, he dared not act rashly and could only submit to orders.

"Southern Border Governor, you are so arrogant and have committed a grave mistake. I intended to execute you on the spot, but the Third Prince has pleaded for you. I will spare your life and give you a chance to atone for your sins. Now listen carefully: you and your troops will be under the command of the Nineteenth Prince, Duke of Chengu. You are to suppress the heretical cult within a month!" Lou Baoyue's tone shifted, unexpectedly sparing the Southern Border Governor and involving Guchen Sha, a move that was as unpredictable as a master's strike, leaving a deep impression of depth and mystery.

"Lou Baoyue is dragging me into this, not letting me stand aside and watch the show." Guchen Sha inwardly acknowledged her skill but had to agree. This was not only an opportunity to earn merit but also a chance to eliminate the heretical cult and practice martial arts, which was a good thing.

"Yes, yes, yes..." The Southern Border Governor felt as if he had been given a reprieve. "I will obey the imperial command."

At this moment, Lou Baoyue took out the token, and her words were as good as the imperial edict, truly "As if the Emperor were present."

"If you fail to suppress the heretical cult within a month, I will have you beheaded!" With that, Lou Baoyue put away the token.

At this point, Prince Gu Fansha, Guchen Sha, and the other officials stood up.

"I still have military duties to attend to. If the imperial envoy has any further business, please instruct me. If not, I will take my leave." Prince Gu Fansha, embarrassed, didn't want to stay any longer. He had intended to give Lou Baoyue a hard time, but he was caught off guard, never expecting the Emperor to give her the "As if the Emperor were present" token.

With this token, he could only be suppressed and dared not disobey.

"Prince Fansha, you may leave. I need to keep a few officials to discuss the suppression of the heretical cult in Xianzhou. This must be completed within a month to ensure a stable rear for the army's campaign against the barbarians." Lou Baoyue immediately called out the names of seven or eight governors.

These governors all submitted, no longer daring to be troublemakers.

"Nineteenth Prince, this is your chance to earn merit. If you can suppress the heretical cult within a month, I will certainly recommend you for the top credit in my report." Lou Baoyue turned to look at Guchen Sha.

"The heretical cult harms the people. Even without any merit, I am duty-bound to act." Guchen Sha bowed. "There is no time to waste. I will set out immediately. Every delay could mean more lives lost to the heretical cult."

"Your willingness to act is a blessing for the people." Lou Baoyue said, "I will lend you the Emperor's Cold Dragon Armor and Fire Sword. With these, you can protect yourself even against the Black Bat."

"No need. Relying on treasures to protect oneself does not truly hone one's martial arts. Only in life and death can one break through to the Dao realm." Guchen Sha refused.

Lou Baoyue now looked at Guchen Sha with new respect. "If that's the case, I await your good news."

"Nineteenth Prince, let me brief you on the current situation in the three counties." The Southern Border Governor hurriedly approached, trembling with fear.

"Head to the Southern Border Province immediately!" Guchen Sha waved his hand.

It took seven or eight hours to travel by water to the provincial capital of the Southern Border Province. The city walls were built of huge stones mixed with iron, towering over ten zhang high, with iron cannons and crossbows set up on the walls, making the defenses extremely tight. The people in the city moved about as if they were in a state of emergency, with no joy in their faces, all living in constant fear.

While such defenses could withstand a large army, they could not prevent skilled assassins from infiltrating.

For example, the Black Bat, which could come and go without a trace, was difficult to resist without a similarly powerful Dao realm expert.

In the governor's residence, the Southern Border Governor complained, "Nineteenth Prince, I am in a difficult position. The heretical cult in the three provinces is full of experts, and I am powerless against them. I can barely use the army to seal off the area, preventing the cult from spreading to the provincial capital, which is already a strain. I have few experts under my command, while the other side has Dao realm experts. I must also guard against being assassinated by the cult, and I can't sleep at night. Nineteenth Prince, be careful at night as well."

"Has the situation deteriorated to this extent?" Guchen Sha looked at the map, the sand table, and the distribution of the army, as well as the information on the heretical cult in the three counties. The more he looked, the more he felt a headache. It was extremely difficult to suppress the cult. Moreover, if the cult launched attacks, assassinated army leaders, and spread propaganda, several counties could fall in an instant, leading to more civilian deaths and the cult's growing strength, eventually affecting the provincial capital.

If the provincial capital fell, he, as a prince, would have no place to stand and could easily be thrown into prison by the court.

He could either refuse this mission and stay out of it, or take it and make things worse, leading to his own demise.

The Southern Border Governor knelt down. "Nineteenth Prince, save my life. If I fail this mission, I will surely die. Moreover, if the entire provincial capital falls, you will also be held responsible."

"Enough talk. How many experts do you have under your command?" Guchen Sha began to take stock.

"I have two Grandmasters, over a dozen Martial Arts Grandmasters, and thirty warriors." The Southern Border Governor said, "The two Martial Arts Grandmasters were hired at great expense to protect me and will not participate in the fight against the cult. As for myself, I am also a Martial Arts Grandmaster and can handle a few."

Martial Arts Grandmasters could serve any powerful family and had no need to rely on a governor, who was just an official and would leave after a few years, unlike a powerful family.

As for Dao realm experts, who could absorb the essence of heaven and earth, their material needs were greatly reduced, and they could practice in remote mountains, living freely. Why would they serve a powerful family? Unless they had a specific purpose.

Moreover, even if a Dao realm expert served the emperor, the status they would gain would be far greater than that of a provincial governor. How could they serve a mere governor?

However, having these experts in a province was still quite good, enough to suppress any rebellion in normal times, but it was far from enough to deal with the heretical cult and the barbarians.

"Why didn't Prince Fansha personally suppress the heretical cult?" Guchen Sha's voice was stern.

"The prince initially led the army to attack the barbarian temple and had no time to deal with this. By the time he returned, the situation had already deteriorated and involved the evil god. To avoid heavy losses, he held back and only strengthened the defenses, waiting for the spring army to arrive and the Emperor to lead the campaign, which would sweep away any demons and devils." The Southern Border Governor muttered.

"So, even the Third Prince has no confidence?" Guchen Sha sensed the severity of the situation from the Southern Border Governor's words.

What did it mean to avoid heavy losses?

It meant a lack of confidence.

Prince Gu Fansha had many experts under his command, was a Dao realm expert of the fourth or even fifth transformation, and had the support of the powerful Fansha family. If he dared not act rashly, what chance did he have?

"It seems the heretical cult in the three counties is not just the Black Bat but also has stronger experts hidden among them." Guchen Sha felt a sense of being set up by Lou Baoyue, but the heavy pressure did not make him lose confidence; instead, it filled him with determination. He instructed, "Given this, your actions are not excessive. First, we must prevent any unrest around the provincial capital. I will think carefully and also gather experts."

"Gather experts?" The Southern Border Governor was puzzled. He knew that the Nineteenth Prince was poor, had no maternal clan, and no power. Where could he find experts to gather?

But then he thought, the princes were all unfathomable. The Nineteenth Prince had been acting crazy for a long time but suddenly rose to prominence in the past six months. Wasn't this a case of being silent for ten years and then making a stunning appearance?

To become a provincial governor, his vision and martial arts were not low. His confrontation with Lou Baoyue in the hall was also for the sake of Prince Fansha, which was understandable.

"Leave." Guchen Sha waved his hand.

"Then, Your Highness's safety?" The Southern Border Governor quickly asked.

"You only have Grandmasters. What use are they against the cult's assassins? They would just die in vain. No need for any precautions. Let the assassins come. I need to hone my martial arts. On the way here, I even encountered the Black Bat trying to assassinate me but managed to repel him." Guchen Sha coldly said, "Leave."

"Yes!" The Southern Border Governor dared not say more and silently left.

He returned to his study, and several people came in and knelt. "Governor, what are your orders?"

"Send a message to the Third Prince about the Nineteenth Prince's situation. The next move will depend on the Third Prince's instructions." The Southern Border Governor looked worried. "The three counties have become a heretical cult altar. If the Nineteenth Prince acts rashly, there will be serious problems, and I will also become a pawn. This matter needs to be carefully planned."

Guchen Sha sat in his study, alone, with all the guards withdrawn.

"Why hasn't Long Yuyun come yet? According to reason, she should have received the news by now." He was deep in thought when his ears twitched, and a fragrance filled the room. Someone had entered, and it was Long Yuyun.

"You're in trouble this time." Long Yuyun's first words were ominous. "Do you know who the big figure is in the heretical cult in the three counties? A barbarian divine envoy, already at the sixth transformation of the Dao realm, who has refined his qi into a powerful force and achieved innate power. He is the mastermind behind the construction of the heretical cult altar, aiming to use it as a base to corrupt the entire Southern Border Province. If you leave now, you might still escape with your life. Otherwise, within ten days, the provincial capital will also fall."