Chapter 886: The Arrival of a Deity

Editor: Henyee Translations

In the tent, Chu Qingzhi sat behind a desk, examining the map of the eastern border. The eastern border comprised twenty cities, over a hundred counties, and thousands of villages across its vast territory, which was largely impoverished and sparsely populated.

The fief of the King of the eastern border was located in She City, the largest and most prosperous city in the eastern border.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Resting her head on one hand, Chu Qingzhi pondered for a moment before saying, “Jinghong, let’s go to the poorest city in the eastern border.”

Tang Jinghong shifted his gaze from the documents to the map, “The poorest is Liang City, located near the border with Chen’an Country. It’s the most chaotic due to being at the crossroads of the two nations. Setting up camp there is indeed appropriate.”

Chu Qingzhi pointed at Liang City on the map. Addressing its challenges would set a precedent for other cities, “Then, it’s settled for Liang City.”

Outside, Meng Shengdong reported, “General, Miss Chu, the prince requests an audience.”

Tang Jinghong said, “Let him in.”

Dong Dengyu entered without beating around the bush, “The Emperor has agreed to let Miss Chu go to Chen’an Country to deal with the smallpox outbreak. Could I perhaps go ahead first?”

He had just received a pigeon-carried message from his father. The palace was infected, putting the entire nation at risk.

Tang Jinghong couldn’t possibly let Chu Qingzhi go to Chen’an Country alone, “The Emperor has already sent help to your country. The situation will soon be under control.”

Dong Dengyu insisted, pointing at Chu Qingzhi, “I trust no one but Chu Qingzhi.”

Unmoved, Tang Jinghong stated authoritatively, “If you’re asking for help, show the proper respect. Qingzhi cannot go to Chen’an Country with you alone.”

Dong Dengyu’s mood darkened, “Tang Jinghong, you’re just a general. You can’t decide on such major matters.”

Tang Jinghong calmly met Dong Dengyu’s gaze, “The Emperor has entrusted all matters of the eastern border to me. Are you saying I can’t make decisions?”

Dong Dengyu stormed off, “I will petition your Emperor about your autocratic decisions and have you removed from your post. Just you wait!”

Tang Jinghong responded indifferently, “Feel free.”

Chu Qingzhi inwardly mocked Dong Dengyu’s sudden shift from cowardice to righteousness. Men were indeed fickle.

…

Inside a tent, Dong Dengyu swept all the teacups off the table in a rage, his hands pressed against the desk, his face contorted with anger, “Tang Jinghong doesn’t take our nation seriously at all.”

The captain of the guards asked, “Prince, what shall we do next?”

Dong Dengyu snapped, “How should I know? If I did, would I be here fuming?”

The guard suggested, “Should we kidnap Chu Qingzhi?”

Dong Dengyu gave him a disdainful look, “Are you brainless? A hundred of you couldn’t defeat Chu Qingzhi. Do you believe that?”

The guard then proposed, “What about using drugs? Or a scheme?”

As if speaking to an idiot, Dong Dengyu lost all hope in his guard captain, “Chu Qingzhi is a renowned divine healer, immune to all poisons. Your schemes would only backfire.”

Retreating, the guard admitted defeat, “This won’t work, that won’t work. I’m out of ideas.”

Dong Dengyu, “…”

Not a single capable man under his command, all useless!

…

In the tent, Jiang Zhanglin was reading a book by the bright lamp, his noble aura undiminished in the serene setting.

Fan Jingxu and Yan Zihao entered, the former sitting beside Jiang Zhanglin, the latter hanging clothes before quietly going to bed, a man of few words.

Fan Jingxu, curious about Yan Zihao’s silence, “Zihao, going to bed so early?”

Feeling unwell, Yan Zihao glanced towards Fan Jingxu, “I’m not feeling well. I’d like to rest.”

Showing concern, Fan Jingxu advised, “Then rest well. Don’t let it affect tomorrow’s journey.”

“Okay,” Yan Zihao said, no more words exchanged.

Fan Jingxu and Jiang Zhanglin shared a look, opting for silence to allow Yan Zihao to rest, and returned to their books.

The flickering light added a sense of oppression to the room.

…

Scouts returned on horseback with urgent news, “General, a giant rock has appeared in a canyon three miles ahead, blocking the path for people and animals alike.”

Tang Jinghong, with furrowed brows, inquired, “How large is the rock?”

The scout detailed, “About five meters high and three to four meters thick, completely blocking the canyon. If we take a detour, it would add seven days to our journey, and the alternate route cannot accommodate the transport of supplies.”

Tang Jinghong pondered, “Can we break the rock?”

The scout considered, “It’s possible, but it would likely take four to five days.”

It seemed their adversaries had already made their move.

Tang Jinghong internally concluded that if they couldn’t overcome this obstacle, their mission to the eastern border would become a public embarrassment.

Chu Qingzhi stepped forward, “Let me handle it.”

Remembering that Chu Qingzhi was akin to a celestial being, Tang Jinghong agreed, “What do you need?”

“A hundred soldiers, each armed with a shovel and a basket,” Chu Qingzhi requested.

Tang Jinghong immediately ordered the troops, and within a quarter of an hour, a hundred soldiers were assembled, ready to follow Chu Qingzhi to the canyon under the guide of the scout.

…

Elsewhere, in an inn, two individuals discussed their plans.

“I’ve placed a huge rock on their path. Clearing it would take at least four to five days. If they choose to detour, the carriages can’t pass. Let’s see how Tang Jinghong and Chu Qingzhi deal with this.”

“Are you sure it will delay them for four to five days?”

“Absolutely. That rock is the hardest type. Breaking through it won’t be easy.”

“Then let’s wait and see. If you manage to hold Tang Jinghong back for four to five days, dampening their spirits, our lord will surely reward you.”

“Indeed.”

As they spoke, a thunderous noise echoed from the canyon. The rock they mentioned shattered into countless smaller stones, heaped in a pile.

Chu Qingzhi, having taken a few steps back, commanded, “Clear it away.”

“Yes.” The soldiers looked at Chu Qingzhi as if she were a divine being, amazed by her power to pulverize the giant rock with a single palm strike. Her internal strength seemed unfathomable.

After inspecting the surroundings for any suspicious individuals, Chu Qingzhi was slightly disappointed to find no one around.

As the soldiers cleared the rubble, they couldn’t help but glance up at Chu Qingzhi standing atop the canyon. Under the moonlit night, her flowing hair danced with the breeze, her figure outlined by the moon behind her, resembling a deity descended to earth. At this moment, their vision of a celestial being took on a tangible form.