Cao Ying’s willow-leaf eyebrows were tightly furrowed. There was no need to guess Lin Zhao’s intention; he was here about the enfeoffment of a new River God for the Xi Jian River. After all, the previous River God, Lin Xingchu, was someone he regarded as an aunt. The Grand Shang Dynasty enfeoffing a new River God now felt a bit like discarding a millstone after grinding grain, so one could imagine how angry Lin Zhao must be.
Huang Qingning frowned, mentally rehearsing his words and considering how to resolve the matter gracefully. The power on the Snow Region Heavenly Lake was considerable now, and it was not advisable to openly confront them.
Among the three overseers, only Zhao Shutong said, “Please, have him invited in.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Outside the grand tent, Lin Zhao’s expression was calm. As he strode in with a guard, his gaze swept across the faces of the Grand Shang officials. They immediately grew uneasy. Never mind whether this young man was a reincarnation of Lin Baiyi; even if not, he was now the master of the Snow Region Heavenly Lake, with powerful cultivators like Xu Zhi, Mu Zha, and Tang Guangjun under his command, not to mention tens of thousands of formidable Xueyu cavalry. Who dared to underestimate him?
“Marshal Lin…”
Zhao Shutong called out. Lin Zhao nodded in response.
“Young Hero Baiyi.”
Huang Qingning and Cao Ying spoke almost in unison. Their way of addressing him was quite telling. In essence, the Shan Hai Division and the Xiu Yi Xuan only acknowledged Lin Zhao’s identity as the white-robed sword cultivator, but not his identity as Lin Baiyi of the Snow Region Heavenly Lake. After all, acknowledging it would have enormous implications. Lin Baiyi, who saved the entire human world a century ago and slew the thirteenth-realm great demon Bai Lan with his sword, was still the commander-in-chief of the human race’s armies, even in death. If his identity were acknowledged now, would the Grand Shang Dynasty be required to return millions of troops to his command? Would they welcome Lin Baiyi back to Baidi City and treat him with the honors befitting a commander-in-chief?
But this matter was too significant. Thus, Huang Qingning and Cao Ying could only proceed with extreme caution. After all, Lin Zhao was more than just Lin Baiyi. He was also the junior brother of the fourteenth-realm military sword immortal Ding Muchou, the “Brother Lin Zhao” of Su Qingjiu, the peak twelfth-realm cultivator of Changming Mountain, a close friend of Lin Wanhua of Fusu Great Wall, and a disciple of the Confucian Sage Qin Suihan. He also had intricate ties with the literary circles of the Confucian school. Mishandling any of these relationships could lead to turmoil in the court.
…
“I heard,”
Lin Zhao said, looking at everyone, “that Baidi City intends to enfeoff Chu Jun, the former Minister of War from a century ago, as the new River God of Xi Jian River?”
“…”
Cao Ying frowned, not daring to speak.
Huang Qingning, cunning and experienced, looked up and said, “Please, Young Hero Baiyi, understand that the candidate for the enfeoffment of the mountain and river deities is currently only provisional and not yet finalized as Old Marshal Chu Jun. Furthermore, the selection of candidates is made by the civil and military officials in the court and decided by the Emperor’s vermilion brush. Therefore, we officials are not entirely clear about the specific details.”
Huang Qingning’s words were a blend of softness and hardness. Firstly, he admitted that a new River God was indeed to be enfeoffed. Secondly, by stating that the candidate was not finalized, he implied that it might not be Chu Jun, leaving Lin Zhao with no specific point to attack. Thirdly, by attributing the selection process to the court and the Emperor, he was implicitly telling Lin Zhao that the Snow Region Heavenly Lake had no right to interfere; this was an internal affair of the Grand Shang Dynasty.
“Director Huang.”
Lin Zhao looked at him and smiled, saying, “Be careful the next time you pass by the Snow Region Heavenly Lake. The feng shui there isn’t good. It would be unfortunate if a sudden sword energy were to strike and sever your head.”
“…”
Huang Qingning had not expected Lin Zhao to speak like this, nor had he expected him to be so audacious.
Yet, not a single official from the Shan Hai Division dared to speak harshly to Lin Zhao. Some even looked at him with admiration, which disheartened Huang Qingning.
Cao Ying frowned, “Young Hero Baiyi, what do you intend to do?”
“Nothing in particular.”
Lin Zhao pointed to the ground and said with a smile, “You intend to build a new River God shrine here, correct? Then I can inform you now: even if you build it, I, Lin Zhao, will certainly smash it!”
He raised his eyebrows, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said sternly, “My aunt, Lin Xingchu, is not dead. She is at the bottom of the Xi Jian River, and I can feel that she is still there! As for Chu Jun, whom you intend to enfeoff, I have never heard of him when I was managing the affairs of the Snow Region Heavenly Lake a century ago. Even if he was the Minister of War, he was not among the renowned generals. What merit does he have to be the River God of Xi Jian River!”
He gritted his teeth and said angrily, “For centuries, my aunt Lin Xingchu wielded her sword by the Xi Jian River, eradicating many fifth-realm cultivators from the Northern Four Tribes for the human race. Now that she has been missing for only a short while, you are already planning to enfeoff a new River God. I must ask, have the consciences of the princes and ministers in the Grand Shang court been eaten by dogs? Did my aunt’s protection of the human world with her sword at Xi Jian River not protect your realm? Wen Shuyang told me back then that after defeating the demon race, the Grand Shang court would govern the world with fairness. Is this what you call fairness?”
Saying this, Lin Zhao stomped his foot fiercely. Immediately, wisps of golden military armor encoffment inscriptions rose around them, emanating a murderous aura. He didn’t know what effect this stomp would have, but he was so enraged at the moment that he simply wanted to stomp. As a result, the entire human encampment on the southern bank was enveloped in a strong military killing intent. Even Huang Qingning and Cao Ying, both twelfth-realm cultivators, felt a slight suffocation. At this moment, they no longer doubted Lin Zhao’s identity. Apart from that Lin Baiyi, who else in the world could possess such a killing intent?!
“Today, my words are spoken.”
Lin Zhao pointed at everyone and said, “If your Grand Shang Dynasty wishes to enfeoff a new River God, then so be it. But I will never stand idly by. Allow me to relay a saying from Mr. Qin from back then: Misfortune and fortune have no doors; they are brought upon oneself. I hope you all will take care!”
With that, he clasped his hands in farewell and turned to leave the grand tent.
“Marshal Lin!”
Zhao Shutong drew her sword and chased after him. The others stood there, dumbfounded and at a loss.
…
On the surface of the Xi Jian River, Lin Zhao walked on the water, with Zhao Shutong following beside him.
“I’m sorry…”
Zhao Shutong said, “I did my best in the court, but the matter of enfeoffing a new River God is being pushed by two powerful ministers, Lin Yan and Zhao Qiyang. More than eighty percent of the civil and military officials in the court are leaning towards them. Therefore, neither I nor His Majesty can do anything. We can only follow the wishes of the masses and enfeoff Chu Jun as the new River God.”
“Your Highness, I do not blame you.”
Lin Zhao frowned and said, “However, when the Grand Shang Dynasty enfeoffs Chu Jun as the River God of Xi Jian River, I will definitely be there. At that time, regardless of what I do, I hope Your Highness will not blame me.”
“You intend to… act recklessly?”
Zhao Shutong looked at his handsome face, a hint of panic in her eyes.
“Mm.”
Lin Zhao smiled faintly. “If the Grand Shang Dynasty can act recklessly, why can’t I?”
Zhao Shutong sighed. “The construction of this River God shrine has cost eight thousand golden zhi coins from the national treasury. If you act recklessly, these eight thousand golden zhi coins will be wasted.”
“So what?”
Lin Zhao’s eyes reddened. “My aunt Lin Xingchu is still here, she must be! And now you want to enfeoff a new River God. This is seizing my aunt’s Great Dao, seizing her life. Can I stand by and do nothing? Moreover, what is the value of my aunt to the human world, which can be measured by a mere eight thousand golden zhi coins?”
“…”
Zhao Shutong looked somewhat helpless. “Shutong does not wish to stop Marshal Lin. In fact… deep down, Shutong wishes she could stand by Marshal Lin’s side and help you draw your sword and fight. Shutong is simply distressed by the wasted golden zhi coins, which could have been put to better use.”
Lin Zhao frowned and said, “Your Highness, I want to ask you a question.”
“Mm, Marshal Lin, please ask.”
“When it was decided whether to enfeoff a new River God for Xi Jian River, and whether that enfeoffment was for Chu Jun, what was Wen Hao’s stance?”
“…”
Zhao Shutong pursed her red lips. A complex expression flickered in her beautiful eyes. She looked up at Lin Zhao, then quickly lowered her head, afraid to meet his clear, unblemished, and slightly angry gaze.
“Just tell me the truth.” Lin Zhao said.
“Mm, actually…”
Zhao Shutong gritted her silver teeth and said, “Actually, Wen Hao made no statement. The faction of veteran officials loyal to the former emperor is represented by Ju Yang Gong Lin Yan. And Wen Hao’s wife is precisely Zhang Yu’an’s daughter. In fact, Wen Hao’s standing in court is precisely due to the strong support of Lin Yan and Zhang Yu’an. Therefore, on this matter, Wen Hao’s stance would inevitably be aligned with Lin Yan’s. He also supports the enfeoffment of a new River God and the removal of the old River God, Lin Xingchu.”
“I fear you may not get your way.”
Lin Zhao frowned. “My aunt Lin Xingchu’s position as River God was not enfeoffed by the Human Emperor, but by heaven and earth. Lin Yan and Zhao Qiyang, these two old officials, are likely to bring trouble upon themselves this time.”
“Mm.”
Zhao Shutong let out a sigh of relief. “Regardless, if Marshal Lin comes on the day of the enfeoffment ceremony, Shutong will definitely stand by your side.”
“Thank you.”
Lin Zhao soared into the sky on his sword, clasped his hands in farewell to Zhao Shutong, and said, “Your Highness, I shall take my leave and return to prepare.”
“Mm.”
Zhao Shutong smiled and nodded, clasping her hands in farewell.
…
At the bottom of the river, deep within the earth.
The River God Niang Niang, clad in golden armor, had refined the dragon horn. The golden River God Sword in her hand had been restored to its former glory, and her power was even greater than before. She lay in the cracks of the earth’s foundation, her golden eyes gazing up at the river. She saw everything Lin Zhao had done. At this moment, she closed her eyes, and two lines of tears fell.
My little Zhao, in this world, he is the only one who truly cares about me.
“Ah?”
Beside her, Xiao Ke, a thirteenth-realm flood dragon demon, looked up at the movement on the river and said with great indignation, “These ungrateful humans are so disappointing! Niang Niang, you have guarded the Xi Jian River diligently for hundreds of years to protect the human world, and now they want to enfeoff a new River God. What utterly shameless scoundrels! When Niang Niang emerges from the restriction, I will eat them all in one go! Especially that little shrew Zhao Shutong, she looks so tender and fair; she must taste delicious!”
Lin Xingchu glanced at it.
Instantly, Xiao Ke knelt and kowtowed, banging its head until it buzzed. “Xiao Ke misspoke. I almost forgot that if Zhao Shutong’s ancestors’ graves were to sprout auspicious smoke, she might have a chance of becoming Little Master Lin Zhao’s future Dao companion. I hope Niang Niang will not take my ramblings to heart. Or perhaps… Niang Niang, you could kick me to vent your anger?”