Chapter 47 Imperial Privilege Granted
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On Red Maple Mountain, Xu Feng and Red Lotus sat facing each other.
Neither of them spoke first. Xu Feng had noticed something unusual the last time he came to Red Maple Mountain, but the feeling was even stronger this time.
There were numerous experts on Red Maple Mountain, certainly far more than just Red Lotus. It now appeared that all of them belonged to the imperial court. No wonder they did not look like bandits in the slightest.
“Should I call you Miss Red Lotus, or should I address you as Your Excellency?”
“There is no need for such formality between us. We should continue to treat each other as we did before.”
Seeing this, Xu Feng no longer stood on ceremony.
“Was it your doing that I became a Vice Hundred-Household Officer of the Brocade Guard?”
Imperial rewards were not cabbages sold at a market. Without someone recommending him, even with his status as a provincial graduate, it would have been impossible for him to receive a position of the sixth rank.
Xu Feng understood this perfectly well.
He had no other connections within the imperial court, so the only possible explanation was Red Lotus.
Red Lotus did not conceal the matter. She nodded openly and admitted it.
“It was indeed I who recommended you to my father. After learning of your deeds, Father also thought very highly of you. I have only just arrived and know little about Gusu. With your assistance, the road ahead will be much easier.”
So that was how it was. Red Lotus’s family background must be extraordinary—she was very likely a member of the imperial nobility.
She was even more formidable than he had imagined.
“Is the Brocade Guard a newly established organization of the imperial court? Why have I never heard of it before? I only knew of the Six Gates.”
Xu Feng continued questioning her.
This concerned the balance of power within the court. The new emperor had ascended the throne only a few years ago, and his control over the government could not yet be complete.
After all, Xu Feng was a modern man. Having been exposed to vast amounts of information every day, he had acquired a certain understanding of politics simply through constant immersion.
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“The Brocade Guard was indeed established only three years ago. It answers directly to His Majesty and is under no one else’s authority. At its head is the Commander of the Brocade Guard, who receives orders directly from the emperor.”
“The Six Gates wield enormous influence, the imperial court is corrupt, and the officials are bound together in countless factions. His Majesty may be young, but he is unwilling to become an ineffectual emperor.”
At this, Xu Feng raised an eyebrow. He more or less understood what Red Lotus meant.
The previous emperor had died unexpectedly of illness, and the new emperor had been elevated to the throne halfway through by others. His control over the court was extremely weak, which was why he had conceived the idea of establishing the Brocade Guard.
The new emperor intended to use this opportunity to strengthen his control over the court. Once he understood this, Xu Feng immediately realized that it was also an opportunity for him.
The Brocade Guard was the emperor’s sole force. It would surely receive enormous support. If he could earn more great merits, promotion and wealth would be the simplest rewards. There would certainly be no shortage of cultivation resources either, which would be of immense help in increasing his strength.
“What do you think? I haven’t deceived you, have I? Follow me, and I absolutely won’t let you suffer.”
Red Lotus smiled as she spoke. She had thought highly of Xu Feng from the very beginning. He was a provincial graduate, possessed formidable strength, and, most importantly, had taken on the identity of the Masked Revenant and slain numerous wicked criminals.
Most important of all, his origins were clean. He had no ties whatsoever to the various factions within the imperial court. There could be no better candidate to recruit. The emperor needed precisely this kind of man.
“Don’t try to fool me. You merely conscripted me to fill a vacancy. It isn’t as simple as you make it sound. Opportunities will indeed exist, but people will also keep their eyes on us.”
“Those nobles in the court must already regard the Brocade Guard as a thorn in their side. If I’m not mistaken, life has been difficult for you lately.”
Red Lotus let out a long sigh. Xu Feng had hit the mark exactly.
He truly was not easy to deceive. The emperor had not occupied the throne for long, and many people in the court did not take him seriously. Even if he had established the Brocade Guard, what difference could it make?
Whenever they went out to investigate cases, they encountered obstacles at every turn. The Six Gates, in particular, had never regarded them with any respect.
This could already be seen from the fact that when Red Lotus first arrived in Suhang, she did not enter the Brocade Guard’s headquarters. Instead, she settled on the mountain and posed as a bandit in order to conceal her identity.
Under normal circumstances, she should have moved in forcefully and announced her existence to everyone. Why else would she sneak about and establish herself as a mountain chieftain?
“We’re not as weak as you imagine. After all, we answer directly to the emperor. No one dares look down on us.”
The Great Shun court was not very different from the dynasties of Chinese history.
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Although the emperor was the nominal decision-maker, the scholar-officials and nobles within the court were also forces that could not be ignored. Moreover, the Great Shun Dynasty had already stood for more than three hundred years.
In many places, long-standing abuses had festered into serious maladies. If the emperor had known nothing but how to indulge in food, drink, and pleasure, that would have been one thing—he could simply have turned a blind eye to everything. But the emperor was unwilling to live an ordinary and meaningless life.
Therefore, the first people they had to confront were these scholar-officials and nobles. Only after that could they deal with the abuses that needed to be swept away.
“I thought you would recommend that I join the Six Gates. I had already prepared myself to take up a post there. Just look at how powerful those people are. They don’t even need to spend money on food, drink, or entertainment, and whenever they walk down the street, everyone who sees them has to make way.”
Xu Feng sighed. He was merely venting. Now that he had already boarded this pirate ship, he could only follow it all the way to the end.
Red Lotus had proclaimed the imperial edict before so many people. The Six Gates had almost certainly learned of his existence by now. Even if he defected to them, they would treat him as a spy and dispose of him. He would never meet a good end.
“Hey, don’t be so gloomy. What’s so good about the Six Gates? Those wretches abandoned their original ideals long ago. You’ve dealt with them before—you should know exactly what they’re like.”
“I know you’re not that kind of person. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have slain the Violet-Robed Constable of the Six Gates outright back then. The name Masked Revenant is still prominently displayed on the Six Gates’ bounty list.”
There was no denying that she was right. Xu Feng disdained colluding with those vermin from the Six Gates. If he were truly asked to join them, he would have to think it over very carefully.
Living among those people would be a torment. Xu Feng’s convictions had never changed. He would use the Human Emperor Banner to hunt criminals and increase his strength, but he would never slaughter the innocent or harm a good person.
“What else can I say? I’ve already boarded your pirate ship. Do you really think I can jump off now?”
The corners of Red Lotus’s lips curved upward. There were not many capable people under her command, but at last she had gained a promising young man.
“Enough. Don’t complain. The benefits offered by the Brocade Guard are quite generous. Your identity token and uniform have already been prepared. You can take them with you later.”
“If you can distinguish yourself through meritorious service, you may choose any cultivation manual or secret art you wish. Divine weapons and priceless armaments will be yours in whatever quantity you desire. Surely that doesn’t tempt you?”
Whether she meant to or not, Red Lotus had indeed seized upon Xu Feng’s weakness. These were precisely the things he lacked at present. Moreover, he had suddenly been pushed into the center of the storm. The strength of a Martial Ancestor could no longer give him peace of mind. Only greater power could ensure his survival.
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