According to the establishment of the Beastmaster-level soul master corps in the Sun and Moon Empire, each soul master corps has three division leaders, one chief and two deputies.
Xia Xuanchen, who was also Wang Yiheng's deputy, blinked, as if he was unable to react due to the bomb thrown by his comrade.
He subconsciously turned his knowledge-seeking eyes to Wang Yiheng, but what he met was the same doubtful look from the latter.
The moment their eyes met, the two completed the communication in tacit understanding.
"Division Commander, didn't you arrange this?"
"Shit, I thought you were going to join forces to force me to have a baby. You didn't know beforehand that he was walking alone?"
No need to speak, the two of them understood each other's meaning just by looking at each other.
(The name Xia Xuanchen later appeared as the leader of the Evil Lord Soul Tutors who succeeded Wang Yiheng, but the first time he appeared was as a supporting player of the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Tutor Academy who was used as a sacrificial flag by Huo Guai during the second competition)
There was a strange silence in the main hall of the court meeting, but the parties involved did not seem to feel embarrassed.
Wenjie still held the wat tablet and looked at the old emperor on the dragon throne with bright eyes, as if he was upright and worried about national affairs.
The rest of the ministers in the court were all silent at this time. Apart from being shocked by this seemingly whimsical firecracker and planning to wait and see for a while, they were also a little unsure about which god Wenjie represented behind him.
We are all colleagues, and our moral standards are basically at the same level. Let alone those misleading words such as "out of righteous indignation". There is only one question that everyone is thinking about - who does Wenjie represent, and what is his purpose?
Seeing that the scene was in a state of silence, the minister in charge of finance finally couldn't help but step out of the queue first.
"Your Majesty, this year's fiscal budget has been set as early as the beginning of the year. Now that there is such a huge expenditure, I am afraid that the national treasury will be unable to support it."
"It doesn't matter. Qin Tianjian has already predicted that this year's weather will be smooth and disaster-free. There will be no major disasters. We can use some of the disaster relief budget saved in the past two years."
(There is indeed an organization like the Qintianjian in Douerli that is set up to divine the weather, although it was only mentioned once as a backdrop and became a real eunuch)
At the end of the courtiers' team, among the eunuchs whose presence was almost non-existent, the people from the Qintian Prison felt like they were breaking out in a cold sweat.
Good weather and no disasters...that's what they say at the beginning of every fucking year! Everyone who wears court clothes knows not to take it seriously, it is just to get lucky and say some auspicious words.
As far as the scientific level of Douluo Continent is concerned, weather forecasting within a week is difficult. Predicting this year's climate every New Year is at best a ritual.
But at this time, it was obvious that someone was taking it seriously, and the people in Qintian Prison immediately fell into a state of bewilderment - after all, they could not clarify that they were lying.
Fortunately, the finance minister never expected these capons to play any role. He just said solemnly:
"Whether it will cost money or how much money will be spent, professionals like me have done a lot of professional and accurate calculations. Deputy Division Commander Wen, as a military attache, you want to interfere with how the national finance is spent. You have gone overboard."
Wenjie's pupils shrank when he heard this, as if he had a histrionic personality attack and said in surprise:
"It's strange. You said that this year's fiscal budget cannot afford it. I'm just giving you some personal opinions on how to solve the problem based on the situation. You don't consider whether my suggestions are feasible, but you only focus on some shortcomings behind your sincerity. It’s so inappropriate to be entangled in everything.”
Wang Yiheng could not wait to step forward and pull the exaggerated Wenjie back, but seeing that neither His Majesty nor the Crown Prince had opened their mouths to set the tone, he could only hold back his legs that were about to move.
However, the minister responsible for handling military affairs saw that the debate on the court was turning into a personal attack, gritted his teeth and decided to step forward to put out the fire.
"Deputy Division Commander Wen, the Military and Administrative Department only has so many people. If we modify the plan so suddenly and carry out large-scale military activities, I'm afraid we won't even be able to find the people to formulate the plan."
"It's easy for you to touch your lips like this. I'm afraid that in order to support such a large-scale transfer, half of our country's military machine will be shut down. The available people in the Military and Political Department cannot be transferred from other places..."
Although the Sun Moon Empire's military organization ranked first in the Douluo Continent's competition, it is still in a very primitive state. There is no trace of an organization similar to the General Staff. In the future, it will have to rely on the Empress and God of War. personal wisdom.
"I've also considered what you said."
Wenjie nodded in agreement, but then turned serious.
"But as far as I know, the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs has institutions in the west that are not much smaller than those in the east. I don't know how many elites who graduated from prestigious schools are wasting their years in the west, depressed and unhappy, and unable to achieve their ambitions..."
"It's enough to use them all. Otherwise, why would we leave them to write and draw on the map of the west? Study how to use the army to resist the invasion of sea soul beasts?"
"Or is it that the Western Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs is busy discussing what to do if another continent hits from the west? Are you treating the Sun and Moon Empire as cabbage? Can you wholesale the second piece?"
The military minister's output rhythm was temporarily interrupted.
The Western Agency of the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs...that is really a famous sinecure agency. It is usually used to arrange some of the rich and powerful children who have gone to prestigious schools to become gilded but have not developed any abilities at all, or to distribute those who have been marginalized in internal struggles. loser.
Having always been in a daze towards the west, which has no neighboring countries and only a sea, I am afraid that the only serious business of the Western Department of the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs is to occasionally suppress various rebel armies.
Wenjie's series of weird self-destructive low-EQ Dharma eyes made the atmosphere in the Chaohui Hall even more obscure and difficult to describe. Everyone had their own thoughts and calculations.
Finally, His Majesty the Emperor, with his heavy eyelids drooping, had some reaction.
"Prince, what do you think of what Wenjie said?"
Xu Tianran, who still had a look of surprise on his face and seemed shocked by the army's behavior of walking alone, seemed to have finally come to his senses after hearing this, and shook his head repeatedly:
"The military is the most important weapon of the country. Such important military affairs can only be done by asking the Holy Father to judge."
The emperor shook his head slowly, as if his head might fall off if he tilted it hard.
"After all, you are the crown prince of my Sun and Moon Empire. How can I rest assured that you are so ignorant of military affairs after a hundred years?"
Xu Tianran sighed secretly in his heart: "If I were so proficient in military affairs, my father might not be able to trust me anymore before I die."
"Deputy Division Commander Wen has a saying that is quite right. If you dare to raid Mingde Hall today, you will dare to attack and kill all your beloved ministers tomorrow. I am afraid they will dare to assassinate me the day after!"
The old emperor said in a deep voice, but listening to his voice, it seemed as if something was blocked in his throat.
"My dear friends, are you still willing to share my worries?"
All the ministers in the audience said in unison: "I am willing to share your Majesty's worries!"
But if you ask them how they want to share His Majesty's worries at this time, they will definitely be unable to hold it in for a long time.
"Prince, please tell me, how should we deal with the opinions of Deputy Division Commander Wen?"
Why are you still holding on to me?
Xu Tianran suppressed a little annoyance in his heart and excused himself:
"Father, military and national affairs are by no means a child's play. You should think twice before acting. You should also give your ministers some time to think about it. It is better to discuss it in a few days."
"Okay, then I'll listen to you, Prince, and we'll discuss it again in three days."
The ministers breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't need to express their opinions on the spot. It would be much more comfortable to just leave some time for them to connect with each other.
After the court, Jing Hongchen returned to Mingde Hall and was anxious. He felt as if he was surrounded by an invisible net again, and the smell of conspiracy entered his nose.
"Grandpa...why are you so gloomy again? Is it possible that the funds for the reconstruction of Mingde Hall have been blocked?"
Meng Hongchen, who had just brought Ye Guyi to see the Mingdu auction house's ability to devour wealth like a gold-selling cave, returned to Mingde Hall and found that Jing Hongchen's condition was obviously not quite right.
"It's more troublesome than that..."
Looking at his most beloved granddaughter, Jing Hongchen directly told her about the incident that had taken place near the end of the dynasty.
"Wenjie... I'm not very familiar with it, but you are right, grandpa, this is too abnormal. What do you think, grandpa?"
"Me? From the perspective of Mingdetang and I, it's all right. No matter what His Majesty decides in the end, it won't have any important impact on us. But grandpa is worried that there is something he doesn't know that makes me make a mistake. Causing disaster.”
Jing Hongchen was still worried about the person behind the scenes who couldn't see clearly. Ming Detang may be considered an arms dealer, but Jing Hongchen himself is not a warmonger.
The main reason is that he himself has no further hope, and his current hope is to completely consolidate the status of the Hongchen family after his children are promoted to titled Douluo.
So... even if we really want to fight, it's best not to do it now. At least we have to wait until those little guys are mature enough to be able to take a big bite of the war dividend cake.
Anyway, part of the armaments will be steadily updated every year. This is the golden rice bowl that Mingdetang has always held. Jing Hongchen's desire to make war fortune is not very strong.
"Hall Master!"
Just when Jing Hongchen was frowning, there was a knock on the door, and someone delivered the latest news.
"Mr. Kong invites you."
…………
Shrek City, night.
Huo Yuhao looked at the decorations of various stores in Shrek City, wandering around as a tourist.
“It feels the same as when I came here a few years ago.”
Huo Yuhao put his hands in his pockets and said to Xiao Hongchen, who was acting as a tour guide next to him.
In order to save his first travel expenses, he sold grilled fish in Shrek City for a while. It cannot be said that he knew nothing about Shrek City.
It's just that times have changed, but his mentality has changed a lot from what it was back then.
For example, in order to save his first pot of gold, Huo Yuhao could only drool over the various attractive products in Shrek City and could not pay for them at all. By the time he left Shrek City to run away, he was not willing to buy anything except a few necessary supplies.
Now... I still haven't bought anything.
Huo Yuhao had become accustomed to treating certain things that he could only covet in the window display as daily intermittent supplements, and he really couldn't think of spending money to buy them. After all, he could eat and drink them with public funds after he returned home in a few days.
As for some good things special to Shrek City, Yan Shaozhe hasn't given a clear and specific answer yet. It's obviously delayed, but Huo Yuhao doesn't pay too much attention to it. He can finally get something. Check it out before leaving. Just look at what's missing and make up for it.
As for the more famous auction houses such as Starlight Auction House, Gu Xiao Hongchen said that there was nothing worthy of attention in the past few days.
The two passed a street corner, and the originally noisy street seemed to have pressed the mute button. Not only did the various noises disappear for the most part, but the atmosphere also became somewhat mysterious and seductive.
There is a kitsch fragrance in the air.
Huo Yuhao turned around and saw that the width of the alley on his right was obviously half narrower than a normal street. The source of the series of changes was this alley.
On the second floor of the building where the alley connects with the main road, several strings of huge red lanterns are hung, looking inexplicably festive, as if they are inviting people to come in for a meal.
Huo Yuhao pointed to the strings of huge red lanterns and said:
"Smile, what kind of place is this? I feel like it's nothing..."
Noticing that Huo Yuhao was twisting and turning, he accidentally arrived at this place, Xiao Hongchen's expression changed, he quickly stepped forward and held down Huo Yuhao's head, and stretched out his hand to block Huo Yuhao's eyes.
"This is the notorious red light district. If you dare to enter a place like this, I will fight for you on Meng's behalf!"
Hearing this name that confirmed his guess, Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched, but then he smiled.
"Have you forgotten that I have mental detection capabilities? You don't even need to open your eyes to... I'll blanch you!"
Huo Yuhao's expression suddenly changed. The flying soul guide that was originally hidden behind his back was instantly activated. With the sound of breaking wind, the two wings stretched out at a speed beyond the normal speed driven by the soul power.
"ah?!"
Xiao Hongchen was confused by Huo Yuhao's sudden exclamation, but what made him even more confused was yet to come. Not only did Huo Yuhao suddenly activate the flying soul guide, but he also hugged his waist with force. , take him to the ground as fast as possible!
Just a moment after the two figures left the ground, their original location was enveloped by a violent explosion.
"Huo Yuhao, have you provoked someone to assassinate you again?"
Xiao Hongchen, whose mind was racing, suddenly asked.
"Why aren't we trying to manipulate you?"
"Nonsense, I've been in Shrek City for so long, anyone who wants to deal with me has already done it!"
Although Huo Yuhao kept talking trash, he did not stop moving. The flying soul guide took him and Xiao Hongchen quickly away from the original explosion zone.
A string of huge red lanterns fell from the second floor next to the alley with a bang, and a series of exclamations and curses echoed throughout the alley.
Pedestrians on the street began to flee in all directions the moment the explosion sounded. The disorderly scramble to escape exacerbated the chaos and triggered a series of stampedes.
Xiao Hongchen swallowed his saliva, with a lingering look of shock in his eyes.
"No matter who of the two of us is attacking... if they dare to use force in Shrek City, will they risk their lives?"
(End of chapter)
