Chapter 269: Top-Level Timing Technique, Learn Within Three Years?

Xiao Ming walked out quickly and saw ten soldiers in blue armor standing outside the door.

The leading general was extremely tall, fully three meters. At such a height, he should have looked thin, but this man actually seemed a little fat. His arms were thicker than his waist, appearing disproportionately massive.

Xiao Ming had never heard of this "Dragon Martial Marquis," but this person clearly wasn't to be trifled with. Beside him stood a young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes. His presence was extraordinary, as if a sword had been thrust into the ground.

The eight soldiers behind them stood tall and straight, exuding a powerful aura. Even with onlookers pointing and whispering, they remained motionless, their gaze fixed forward.

"This humble official is Xiao Ming, the manager of the East Dragon Inn. I apologize for not coming out to greet you, Dragon Martial Marquis. Please, punish me, Marquis." Xiao Ming hurried over to bow, his attitude very respectful.

"Lord Xiao, I ask you, is Zhao Xing, the Marquis Yuan Rang and Left Director of the Twin Island Dragon Horse Bureau in Chongming Prefecture, staying at your inn?" Bai Zhengyang asked.

He stated Zhao Xing's official title and noble rank to avoid any confusion with people of the same name.

"They're actually looking for Zhao Xing?"

Xiao Ming paused, then quickly plastered on a smile: "Yes, Marquis Yuan Rang is here."

Bai Zhengyang's face lit up upon hearing this: "Take me to him at once."

Xiao Ming cupped his hands: "Please wait a moment, General. Allow me to inform Marquis Yuan Rang first."

Bai Zhengyang waved his hand: "No need. Just take me directly."

Xiao Ming hesitated: "But what if Marquis Yuan Rang is out..."

Bai Zhengyang smiled: "No matter. I will have my men stand guard outside his door and wait for his return."

Xiao Ming was secretly astonished and grew even more curious about Zhao Xing. Who exactly was this person to be held in such high regard by a Martial Marquis?

At this moment, the adjutant had found Zhao Xing's check-in information and transmitted a message: "Sir, I've found it. Zhao Xing, the Marquis Yuan Rang and Left Director of the Twin Island Dragon Horse Bureau, is staying in the Listening Rain Pavilion in the North Courtyard. He checked in the day before yesterday at 10 AM, booked for a month, and is accompanied by a cat, a dog, and a sheep."

"I also inquired just now, this Marquis Yuan Rang recently achieved astonishing results in the martial arts competition held in our Great Zhou."

Hearing this, Xiao Ming immediately understood.

"Marquis, please follow me."

Zhao Xing was about to go out to visit Governor Fan Hongyi and Wang Xuanyi, the Director of the Agricultural Bureau and concurrently Director of the Dragon Horse Bureau. However, just as he stepped out, he saw two low-ranking officials rushing towards him.

"Excuse me, sir, are you Zhao Xing, Lord Zhao, the Left Director of the Twin Island Dragon Horse Bureau?"

"That's me." Zhao Xing nodded.

"Sir, you have distinguished guests."

"Oh? Do you know their identities?"

"It's Bai Zhengyang, the Dragon Martial Marquis, a general from the Azure Dragon Army," replied the messenger. "He's already on his way to the North Courtyard."

"I understand. You may return and report."

"Yes, this humble official takes his leave."

"If Bai Zhengyang is here, then Long Xiao must be here too." Zhao Xing pondered for a moment, then decided to simply wait at the door.

Bai Zhengyang was Bai Mingchuan's younger brother and Bai Yunwu's seventh son.

After the competition, Long Xiao had sent him a message saying that someone from the Bai family would come to find him. As for the reason... Long Xiao had kept him in suspense, only saying it was a surprise.

"Dragon Martial Marquis Bai Zhengyang, that name sounds a bit familiar," Zhao Xing murmured, closing his eyes.

"Oh, it's him."

Bai Zhengyang had died during the tumultuous period of Prince Liang's rebellion, and he was the highest-ranking general to die in the East Sea region in Zhao Xing's previous life.

In his past life, he had joined Prince Liang's faction, and one of his tasks was to follow Prince Liang's heir to the East Sea to incite the aquatic tribal chiefs to rebel together.

The East Sea had four major aquatic tribal chiefs, who had been granted the surnames Bai, Tang, Ao, and Hong by the Great Zhou. This was because aquatic tribes traditionally had only personal names, not surnames.

Their naming customs were also peculiar; they not only added their grandfather's and father's names in the middle of their own names, but sometimes even their mother's.

Even after being granted surnames, they retained this custom. For example, there was once a naval general.

His grandfather was named Zhang Yunhai, his father was named Feilong, and his own name was Ze.

So, his full name, as registered by the government, was Zhang · Yunhai · Feilong · Yufei · Ze.

Why was Yufei added? That was his mother's name.

This caused considerable headaches for the Great Zhou government registrars at the time.

It wasn't until the reign of Emperor Wen, after more than a thousand years of cultural assimilation efforts, that the naming culture of the aquatic tribal chiefs was gradually replaced by that of the Great Zhou.

Of course, some unaligned aquatic tribes still retained this tradition. In his previous life, when Zhao Xing was an island lord fighting aquatic tribes, it was like a never-ending battle.

He would defeat one, only for an identical one to appear.

Furthermore, he found it hard to distinguish between the aquatic people, experiencing face blindness. After completing a task, an identical task would appear, with no discernible difference unless he looked closely, which made Zhao Xing question his sanity.

Among the four allied aquatic tribes, the Bai family was the first to submit. During the time of Emperor Taizu, they pledged allegiance along with Bi Xia Yuan Jun (Princess Youruo's maternal grandmother).

The Tang and Ao families submitted during Emperor Wen's reign, while the Hong family submitted the latest.

The reason Zhao Xing remembered Bai Zhengyang was primarily because when Prince Liang's heir went to incite the aquatic tribal chiefs, the rebel general offered Bai Zhengyang's head as a pledge of loyalty.

And this rebel general was none other than Hong Yuanshou, the younger brother of Hong Yuanba, the current commander of the East Sea Army.

Originally, Hong Yuanshou had intended to kill Bai Mingchuan, but failed, so he settled for killing Bai Zhengyang instead.

The Hong family had submitted late, only doing so during Emperor Jing's reign.

Now, with his own younger brother in rebellion, having killed a Martial Marquis and committed numerous atrocities, there was no turning back for him.

Emperor Jing was not like Emperor Wen; under his rule, rebellion meant the extermination of one's entire clan, differing only in the manner of death.

Since death was inevitable either way, Hong Yuanba could only join Prince Liang's cause, hoping to carve out a chance for survival.

If Prince Liang could establish himself, and a stalemate lasted for a few years, perhaps the Hong family could even be re-recruited into service.

However, this gamble ended up sending his entire clan to the execution block.

Of the four aquatic tribal chiefs in the East Sea, only the Bai, Ao, and Tang families remained.

"In my previous life, the East Sea didn't cause much trouble, but this life, the situation in the East Sea is much more severe. I wonder if the Hong family has already sided with Prince Liang," Zhao Xing mused.

Hong Yuanba was the nominal commander of the East Sea Army, but in reality, he only commanded his own tribe.

This position was largely honorary, as the four aquatic tribal chiefs rotated holding it every hundred years.

When Prince Liang rebelled in the 35th year of Jingxin, it was precisely five years before Hong Yuanba was due to step down, a timing that was, coincidentally, perfect.

"Marquis Yuan Rang!" Just then, a voice reached Zhao Xing's ears.

Opening his eyes, he saw a squad of soldiers approaching. Bai Zhengyang was easy to spot because of his colossal build, far beyond that of an ordinary person, immediately indicating he wasn't from the Great Zhou.

"Greetings, Dragon Martial Marquis." Zhao Xing cupped his fists.

"Hahaha, I've long heard that Marquis Yuan Rang is extraordinarily valiant. Seeing you today, you're even more impressive than rumored by a third!" Bai Zhengyang laughed heartily as he approached.

"Dragon Martial Marquis, you flatter me. Please come in."

"Please."

Inside the Listening Rain Pavilion, Zhao Xing led Bai Zhengyang and Long Xiao to sit in the living room, while the other soldiers waited outside.

"Marquis Yuan Rang, we are both military men, so I'll be direct." After sitting down, Bai Zhengyang intended to get straight to the point.

"Please speak, Dragon Martial Marquis."

"I am here on behalf of the Azure Dragon Army to invite Marquis Yuan Rang to join the military as a general."

The Dragon Martial Marquis continued: "If you join, you can independently command an army of up to 50,000 soldiers. You will immediately be appointed a military general of the senior fourth rank, and you can choose your specific position."

"Regarding salary, the Azure Dragon Army pays ten times the average. Furthermore, our army frequently has military assignments; if you join, advancing ten ranks in honorific titles within ten years would not be difficult."

"Marquis Yuan Rang, if you are a member of the Azure Dragon Army when you enter the Dragon Court Ancient Land in the future, there will be additional benefits, which I am not at liberty to discuss in detail here."

"If you agree, you can assume the position immediately; there's no need to wait for next year's official selection."

The aquatic tribal chiefs enjoyed many privileges, and even the appointment of officials was entirely at the discretion of Bai Yunwu, a conferred king.

A single word from him meant there was no need to wait until next year; as soon as Zhao Xing arrived, the process of promotion and receiving imperial favor could be completed immediately.

Zhao Xing's current position was junior fifth rank. The Azure Dragon Army was directly offering him a senior fourth-rank position, which was equivalent to a five-rank promotion.

Moreover, this promotion would not affect his future advancement. If Zhao Xing were to transfer from military to civil service within the Azure Dragon Army, his transfer would still be based on the senior fourth rank.

Honorific titles were like bonuses or dividends. The Great Zhou's expansion overseas had never ceased. In the East Sea, their primary focus was on subduing the unaligned aquatic tribes and the various Eastern Desolation tribes.

Therefore, there were quite a few battles to be fought in the East Sea. Of course, once the Pacification of the Barbarians War began, the East Sea Army ceased its expansion.

Undeniably, serving under an aquatic tribal chief was a fast track to promotion, and many desired official positions in their territories.

However, aquatic tribal chiefs struggled to retain officials because, while officials wanted to go there, they didn't want to stay indefinitely.

A five-rank promotion was undoubtedly a generous offer, yet Zhao Xing still intended to refuse.

This was because he hadn't yet begun his soul-refining cultivation.

If he, not being of the fourth rank, were to become a fourth-rank official, the nation's destiny would forcefully elevate his cultivation realm, which went against Zhao Xing's plans.

The cleansing by destiny brought about by official promotion was finite. Each time, Zhao Xing had to ensure it was applied either to his 'destiny' or his 'lifespan'.

"Dragon Martial Marquis, you are straightforward, so I will be too." Zhao Xing cupped his fists: "Joining the military is no longer part of my plans. I am unwilling to serve in the army again."

"It has nothing to do with the generous terms offered by the Dragon Martial Marquis; my aspirations simply lie elsewhere."

Hearing this, Bai Zhengyang was slightly stunned.

He had expected this mission to be relatively easy. After all, the Azure Dragon Army's offer was exceptionally generous—a five-rank promotion, something many dreamed of.

Furthermore, Zhao Xing was originally a military agricultural officer, so it should have been easy to persuade him. How could this be?

Bai Zhengyang exchanged a look with Long Xiao.

Seeing this, Long Xiao helplessly transmitted a message: "Seventh Uncle, Zhao Xing is my good brother, we're all family. He wouldn't play games with you. If he can't go, he can't go."

Bai Zhengyang still wouldn't give up: "How could this be?"

Long Xiao thought for a moment: "Perhaps his previous military experiences disheartened him. Seventh Uncle, he and I were both transferred to the East Sea together."

Hearing Long Xiao's explanation, Bai Zhengyang understood.

A talented military agricultural officer from the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, who should have had a brilliant future, was instead suppressed by Prince Liang's faction and transferred to the East Sea to raise horses. It was normal for him to be disheartened.

Seeing Zhao Xing's resolute attitude, Bai Zhengyang knew this recruitment attempt was likely to fail.

However, he still didn't give up. When bidding farewell, he used official business as an excuse, intending to stay for a few more days.

He also left Long Xiao behind, hoping he would persuade Zhao Xing and see if he could change his mind.

After the others left, Long Xiao looked at Zhao Xing: "Where's Aotian?"

Zhao Xing smiled: "Bai Zhengyang left you here to be a lobbyist, not to pet cats. What's wrong with you?"

Long Xiao waved his hand: "Why would I persuade you? Chen and I came to the East Sea because of your idea. If you don't want to go, you naturally have your reasons."

"I've already come up with an excuse to report to Bai Zhengyang."

"What excuse?"

"That you were persecuted by Prince Liang's faction, became disheartened, and no longer wish to serve in the military."

"That's a good excuse," Zhao Xing said, waving his hand. He was about to call the civet out to reminisce with Long Xiao, but as he turned, he heard a whoosh and saw a figure pounce forward. Long Xiao had also vanished from his spot.

"Thump!"

A cat and a man tumbled onto the grass.

"Meow!!!"

"Haha, Aotian, I've missed you so much!" Long Xiao hugged the civet's neck, continuously stroking its fur, extremely happy.

"Meow," the civet kept meowing.