TGPSAC – Chapter 90

After briefly introducing the reforms to the Imperial City Division and reading the imperial edict, Chi Wan had someone bring out the Embroidered Spring Sabers and Tang Sabers.

“Those at the rank of Baihu and above will be granted a Embroidered Spring Saber by me, the Commander and your Head Instructor. Those below the rank of Baihu will be granted a Tang Saber by their respective Baihu. As your instructor, I hope you will not tarnish the name of the Imperial City Division. Once you don the brocade robes and take up the Tang Saber, in life, you are a person of the Imperial City Division; in death, you are its ghost.”

“You might not believe me if I talk about promotions and raises, but starting today, the Imperial City Division School will accept your children for their education. Your wives may work in the Division’s industries. Should any of you sacrifice your lives in the line of duty, your parents, wives, and children will be cared for by the Imperial City Division. The school was established with the support of Her Highness the Princess Regent. All your school-aged children can be sent to study, to learn to read and write. As for whether they can become officials, that will depend on them.”

Everyone was stunned to hear this. How could such a good thing exist?

It was well known that when many soldiers died in battle, their families might not even receive a pension. It existed in name, but whether it ever reached the hands of the fallen soldier’s family was another matter entirely.

Moreover, their children could attend school. They were all from military households, and the children of military households could only become soldiers. But from what Chi Wan was saying, their children might even be able to take the imperial examinations. Everyone knew that to become an official, one had to study, write, and pass the exams. To become a military official required military merit, and many were uncultured boors.

The Commander did not state it explicitly, but this must be what she was implying.

Even if they couldn’t become officials through the examinations, just being able to read and write was a great advantage. In the army, literate people were always given important roles. To record anything, one had to know how to write. And those who did become military officials knew at least a few characters; otherwise, they wouldn’t even be able to read military manuals.

Furthermore, their partners could find work in the Imperial City Division’s own businesses, which was a definite guarantee. If they died in battle, the Division would raise their families. Such treatment was unheard of in all of Great Zhou.

Everyone stared fervently at Chi Wan, wanting to confirm the truth of the matter.

Chi Wan said no more on the subject, but continued, “All I ask of you is to put loyalty first and perform your duties well.”

“Remember your training slogan: Loyal to the sovereign, love the country, military orders are like mountains, achieve merits and establish a career, protect the home and defend the nation. Today, I will add a few more lines to that slogan.”

“For the Brocade Robe Guard of the Imperial City Division: First strike, then report. Imperial authority specially granted. Where the Son of Heaven’s sword points, we go even unto ten deaths.”

“The Flying Fish Robe, the Embroidered Spring Sabers—as long as you can achieve great merit, I will personally bestow your blade upon you. And this Merit Book in my hand currently holds only one collective first-class merit. I hope you will add new merits to its pages.”

The last time, for collectively going to Xuanyang Temple to fight the fire and escort Yu Jiuzhou back to the capital, Chi Wan had personally awarded them the medal of merit.

As Chi Wan’s voice fell, the ten thousand guards of the Imperial City Division knelt on one knee. For a moment, Chi Wan saw a sense of conviction in them.

In unison, they saluted. “Yes, Commander!”

Chi Wan’s gaze swept over the crowd. “Return to the city!”

“Return to the city!!!”

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An hour later, the sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps echoed through the capital. Not one person, but ten thousand, marching in perfect unison.

No one cleared the way; the people all consciously moved to the sides, watching this unfamiliar procession with great curiosity.

Chi Wan rode at the head of the column on a tall brown horse.

Everyone wore brocade robes. Although some lacked embroidery, they could all be uniformly called Flying Fish Robes. Each person carried a type of saber never seen before.

What was astonishing was that every person’s marching rhythm was identical—the height of their steps, the distance between them, everything was exactly the same. They all stared straight ahead, marching through the streets of the capital in complete silence, save for the sound of their footsteps.

Of the three divisions of the Imperial City Division, the Palace Guard Division served as the emperor’s personal guards, while the Embroidered Robe Guard operated in secret. In the future, only the Brocade Robe Guard would walk the streets. The common people would gradually grow accustomed to a force that oppressed only officials, never the populace.

Many who witnessed this scene held their breath, only beginning to discuss it after the procession had passed far into the distance.

“Where are this bunch of grunts from? I’ve never seen anything like them.”

“Don’t you dare call them grunts. These soldiers must be from the Imperial City Division. The one leading them is the Fuma; she’s the Commander of the Imperial City Division. I heard His Majesty decreed for the Fuma to reorganize the Division and establish three new guards within it: the Palace Guard Division, the Brocade Robe Guard, and the Embroidered Robe Guard.”

“The Three Imperial City Guards? What do they do?”

“The Palace Guard Division specifically protects His Majesty. I don’t know what the Embroidered Robe Guard does, but I’ve heard the Brocade Robe Guard can strike first and report later, with special authority from the throne. They dare to handle cases and do things that even the Three Judicial Offices wouldn’t.”

“How is that possible? Do they handle matters for us common folk too?”

“They do. Whether it’s officials or commoners, as long as it’s a matter of Great Zhou, they handle it.”

“Such immense power. Did all the civil and military officials in the court agree to this?”

“Isn’t that the truth? They say memorials of impeachment were flying everywhere, but Her Highness the Princess Regent suppressed them all.”

“That makes sense. Her Highness the Princess Regent would certainly support anything the Fuma does; she would never suppress it. But these men are dressed so well, much more imposing than the old Imperial City Division guards.”

The Imperial City Division guards had returned from their training. From this day forward, the capital would no longer be peaceful.

This news spread throughout the capital in a very short time and would soon reach every corner of Great Zhou.

In the restaurants and teahouses lining the streets, many people opened their windows to look down.

Among them were people from Beining and Nanyue. Their official delegations were said to be arriving in a few days, but some had already reached the capital ahead of time.

From a private room by the window of a teahouse, a voice emerged. “Which of Great Zhou’s troops is this? I’ve never seen them before.”

“Young Lord, I hear from the people below that it’s the Imperial City Division.”

“The Imperial City Division? That’s a relief. It’s just a capital force. If the entire army of Great Zhou were like this, I would have to advise my father to halt his plans.”

“Indeed, Young Lord. They may not look like they’ve seen battle, but they have a spirit that craves merit. We’ve seen plenty of veterans who have been on the battlefield, but these reckless youths who haven’t, yet show no fear of death, are truly alarming.”

Veterans had experience, but these young men who feared nothing as long as they could achieve merit were more terrifying. They had the mentality that killing one was breaking even, and killing two was a gain.

The young lord lifted his teacup. “No matter. If it’s the Imperial City Division, then given the edict issued by Emperor Shengyuan, the officials of the Great Zhou court are likely more worried than we are. No one wants a blade, a sharp one at that, hanging over their head.”

If the Imperial City Division only had its original authority, such a stunning debut wouldn’t be a big deal. But to make such a debut after gaining so much power was a clear deterrent to all officials.

Many with guilty consciences and weak nerves were probably already trembling in their homes.

The Three Imperial City Guards. The young lord thought for a moment. “Investigate this thoroughly. What exactly did the reorganization of the Imperial City Division entail?”

“Yes, my lord.”

Meanwhile, in a private room of the restaurant next door, a beautiful woman dressed as a man was savoring the delicacies of Great Zhou. “Don’t be so formal. Sit down and eat. In two days, we’ll have to move into the Court of State Ceremonial, and we won’t have this kind of freedom.”

“Your Highness, we should return to the delegation quickly. If General Duan finds out, he will surely be angry.”

“What’s there to fear? If he dares to be fierce, I’ll have Xi Wu place a Gu-insect on him.”

Princess Duan Jinxian of Nanyue was dressed in riding attire. Beside her was a woman in ethnic clothing, a round-collared robe with many small pouches hanging from her waist. This was Xi Wu, the Young Valley Mistress of Nanyue’s Insect Valley.

Despite the many items hanging from her person, Xi Wu’s expression remained unchanged. She was looking outside, her gaze fixed on the source of the marching footsteps.

Duan Jinxian followed her gaze and saw Chi Wan’s procession. She immediately leaned curiously on the windowsill. “What are these people doing?”

“They are the guards of the Imperial City Division. The one in the lead is Fuma Chi Wan.”

“The Fuma? I know of her. She’s the one you mentioned, one of the few young people to have achieved profound internal energy.”

“Mm.”

Duan Jinxian shook her head. “Xi Wu, you also have profound internal energy. She’s just like you, then.”

Xi Wu shot her a look. Did she really think people with profound internal energy were common? Besides, she should consider their ages.

She herself had only reached profound internal energy at twenty-three, and that was with the help of Gu-insects. Chi Wan was only twenty.

“Xi Wu, look, this Chi Wan is so good-looking,” Duan Jinxian said, her eyes shining as she stared at Chi Wan’s face.

She is very good-looking.

Xi Wu took a closer look and nodded in agreement, but she immediately suppressed the thought. “Your Highness, don’t you think these guards of the Imperial City Division give off a different feeling?”

“So what? Whether it’s our Nanyue or Beining, who doesn’t covet the fertile lands of Great Zhou? As long as there’s an opportunity, we’ll have to fight. At the very least, we can plunder some goods to take back.”

Duan Jinxian looked at the brocade robes. It was impossible not to be surprised. It was certainly not simple to train such a force. If they could be mass-produced, they might even be able to conquer Nanyue.

Xi Wu glanced at her. “Does Your Highness also wish to attack Great Zhou?”

“The people of Nanyue have always been self-sufficient. Though not wealthy, they live happy lives. Once war breaks out, how many common people will lose their families?”

Duan Jinxian stared at Chi Wan for a long time, only sitting back down after she was out of sight. “Xi Wu, do you want war?”

“I do not. I came with Your Highness this time to capture my martial uncle. My Insect Valley has never meddled in political affairs.”

“Sister Xi Wu, what do you think? If I told the Emperor of Great Zhou that if he gives me Chi Wan, I will guarantee that Nanyue will not invade Great Zhou, at least not while I’m alive, do you think the Emperor of Great Zhou would agree?”

Xi Wu froze. The water in her cup filled to the brim, but she stopped just in time to prevent it from overflowing.

She glanced at the outrageous princess before her. “Your Highness, the Princess Regent of Great Zhou will not allow it.”

“Can she defy the Emperor?”

Xi Wu shook her head. “I do not know, but I believe the Emperor would not agree either.”

Duan Jinxian waved her hand in exasperation. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”

This time, Xi Wu ignored her. Duan Jinxian huffed softly. “As my Fuma, Chi Wan would become the future King of our Nanyue. As Yu Jiuzhou’s Fuma, she can only ever be a Fuma.”

Duan Jinxian had always wanted to choose a good Fuma for herself, one who could strengthen Nanyue and allow its people to live in peace and prosperity.

As the Fuma of the Princess Regent of Great Zhou, Chi Wan was naturally on her list of candidates. This Fuma had once been unreliable, but she had since turned over a new leaf, and many of her actions could be called virtuous.

Moreover, as Xi Wu had said, reaching profound internal energy at the age of twenty was the mark of a genius.

Spies had also reported that this Fuma had provided many ideas to artisans, and the things that had already been produced proved the brilliance of her concepts.

Then there was the newspaper she started. It could be said that many officials worried the newspaper would portray them as treacherous ministers, to the point where they would be cursed and chased down the street.

The newspaper was a weapon that killed with the pen. It could also educate the populace, letting them know what the country was doing and the benefits of those actions, preventing them from being deceived and blindly opposing the court.

Whether it was the Imperial City Division, the newspaper, or anything else, they all proved Chi Wan’s capability.

What a pity that such a talent had been obtained by Yu Jiuzhou.

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Yu Jiuzhou had already learned of Chi Wan’s return to the capital with the Imperial City Division guards.

She had already witnessed the results of their training and simply felt that Chi Wan was skilled in both civil and military affairs; she could enter the Grand Secretariat or command troops.

She had given her full support to the Imperial City Division School and its logistical needs, hoping that their investigative abilities would be as stunning as their debut.

“Your Highness,” Dong Ying said, walking over quickly.

Yu Jiuzhou gave her a look, signaling for her to speak.

“Your Highness, A Baoping, son of the Beining Prime Minister, and Princess Duan Jinxian of Nanyue have entered the capital.”

The main delegations were still a few days away, but their leaders had arrived in the capital early.

Yu Jiuzhou only wanted to know if Fu Qing had come. “What about Fu Qing?”

“Commandery Mistress Fu Qing should still be with the delegation.”

“Should be?”

Dong Ying quickly asked for punishment. “Please punish me, Your Highness. The secret guards have not seen Commandery Mistress Fu Qing’s face for two days, but her silhouette has been seen in the carriage.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes narrowed. “Tell the Fuma to return early.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yu Jiuzhou had received a message—a provocation, to be precise. Princess Duan Jinxian of Nanyue had someone send word, asking if she could have the Fuma.

Hah! Daring to ask for my person.

But she was puzzled as to why Duan Jinxian was so insistent on having Chi Wan.

Then again, it wasn’t entirely without reason. Chi Wan was so outstanding, it was normal for her to be admired. She herself was the grand Princess Regent, with countless admirers. As long as Chi Wan’s heart belonged to her, it was fine.

And yet, Yu Jiuzhou felt a strong desire to see Chi Wan immediately. They saw each other every day, but she had gone to court early this morning. If Chi Wan didn’t return soon, they might not see each other at all today.

She was actually experiencing what it meant for a day’s absence to feel like three autumns.

---

At that moment, Chi Wan was standing in the Imperial City Division headquarters. The exterior was unchanged, but the interior was completely new, with an added imperial prison and separate areas for the three divisions.

The Palace Guard Division was stationed in the imperial palace; a small building in the headquarters would suffice for them. The Embroidered Robe Guard reported directly to her. There were more people in the shadows than in the open, so a single small building was also enough for those who remained visible.

The Brocade Robe Guard was the main force of the Imperial City Division, with nine thousand members. The remaining one thousand would serve the Emperor in the Palace Guard Division. They would not normally contact their families, but when they did, it would certainly be for a major event.

Of the twelve buildings in the Imperial City Division, the Brocade Robe Guard occupied nine. The central one, Building One, was the office of the Commander, Chi Wan, and was off-limits to ordinary personnel.

Of the three divisions, the Palace Guard Division was personally overseen by the Emperor. The Embroidered Robe Guard operated in the shadows, and besides Chi Wan, no one knew how many members it had or who they were. Only the Brocade Robe Guard served as the public law enforcement officers of the Imperial City Division.

Other than that, not much had really changed.

Chi Wan looked at the ten thousand people standing within the Imperial City Division. Before her stood a eunuch, who bowed to her. “Fuma, this servant is Li Bao, His Majesty’s newly appointed Vice-Commander of the Imperial City Division.”

“Mm. Vice-Commander Li, remember, in the Imperial City Division, you will address me as Commander. Also…”

She continued before Li Bao could respond, “The Brocade Robe Guard has nine thousand members. One thousand will serve as my personal guard. The remaining eight thousand will be broken up and reorganized into eight Qianhu Commands. Vice-Commander Huang will be responsible for this matter.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Then, Li Bao quickly spoke up. “Fu… Commander, His Majesty has instructed this servant to relay a message…”

“You are the Vice-Commander of the Imperial City Division. Aside from being a servant to His Majesty and the Princess Regent, you are not to refer to yourself as such again,” Chi Wan interrupted him once more.

Li Bao’s eyes widened in shock. He then lowered his head, a sour feeling in his heart. He was a servant. If he hadn’t become Wang Hai’s godson, the position of Vice-Commander of the Imperial City Division would never have been his. But this was the first time someone had treated him like a person.

“Commander, this subordinate relays His Majesty’s verbal decree: the Commander is to bring the Palace Guard Division to the palace tomorrow morning for His Majesty’s inspection.”

“This subject obeys the decree.”

Afterward, Chi Wan patted Li Bao’s shoulder. “You’ve just arrived. Follow Vice-Commander Huang and familiarize yourself with the Division’s affairs. Once you’re familiar, I will assign you tasks.”

She wasn’t just making empty promises. Li Bao’s arrival reminded her of the Eastern Depot. Eunuchs acted without scruples; they only needed to please the emperor and rarely had to worry about posterity.

Eunuchs coveted two things: power and wealth.

Actually, there was a third: dignity. Because they had never had it, they valued it immensely.

Such people were particularly ruthless. They were venomous snakes, but venomous snakes had their uses.

After arranging the affairs of the Imperial City Division, Chi Wan finally had a moment to drink a cup of tea. She was thinking about something. The Palace Guard Division had a thousand members, and nineteen of them had received top-tier ‘A’ ratings, yet their positions were only Baihu and probationary Baihu.

The Qianhu was the best of the best. The Palace Guard Division’s Qianhu, He Meng, and Vice-Qianhu, Chen Beijiang, not only had top-tier ‘A’ ratings in martial ability but also ranked near the top in other assessments.

This was why Chi Wan had assigned them to the Emperor’s side. Only clever people could survive longer by the Emperor’s side.

Before Chi Wan could finish her tea, Xia Qu was escorted in by the Brocade Robe Guard. “Commander, this person was acting suspiciously outside and was holding a crossbow. Should we execute them on the spot?”

Seeing that it was Xia Qu, Chi Wan almost laughed out loud. Did she really think the Imperial City Division was the same as before, that she could still dare to shoot an arrow with a message outside its walls?

She squinted her eyes with amusement. “No need. This person is from the Princess Regent’s Residence.”

The guards who had captured Xia Qu were embarrassed. So she was one of their own.

They quickly released Xia Qu. “Our apologies, our apologies. We thought she was a spy.”

Xia Qu got up wordlessly and stared at Chi Wan.

Seeing Xia Qu like this, the Brocade Robe Guards quickly made their exit, grumbling to themselves as they went: No wonder they say the Commander is afraid of her wife. Even a maid from the Princess Regent’s Residence is so imposing. Sigh, the Commander has it tough. That’s the Princess Regent we’re talking about, who wouldn’t be afraid? But Her Highness the Princess Regent really can’t be without the Commander, can she? Sending someone to fetch her the moment she gets back.

And so, the gossip that the Princess Regent couldn’t be without the Commander spread through the Imperial City Division, passed down from one generation of guards to the next, and was later even confirmed by Yu Jiuzhou herself.

Chi Wan looked at the stunned Xia Qu and asked, “What is it? Does Her Highness need something?”

Xia Qu finally snapped back to reality. “Her Highness asks the Fuma to return early.”

Chi Wan nodded. “Perfect. I’ve just finished here. Let’s go back together.”

Xia Qu followed behind her, acting a bit strange, and Chi Wan couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

Back at the Princess’s Residence, Chi Wan saw Yu Jiuzhou. After they had consummated their marriage, there was a slight awkwardness between them. It felt as if they were physically intimate enough, but their souls were not yet so attuned. It was like two progress bars, one moving too fast and the other too slow, leading to a strange feeling in their interactions.

But when she actually saw her, this strange feeling lessened considerably. Perhaps when they were together, there was no room for her to let her imagination run wild.

And when they slept together, there was certainly no spare energy for overthinking.

“Your Highness,” Chi Wan said, taking the initiative to approach and greet her.

Only then did Yu Jiuzhou raise her eyes to look at her. “Is that a Flying Fish Robe you’re wearing, Fuma?”

“The embroidery isn’t a flying fish, but the style is the same,” Chi Wan explained.

“It’s beautiful.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes were full of appreciation. Her Fuma’s appearance was flawless, especially in this attire.

There was a certain kind of clothing called a uniform. The brocade uniform accentuated Chi Wan’s heroic figure, making her look valiant and dashing, like a young general.

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “I’m a little embarrassed by Your Highness’s sudden praise.”

It was true; she was a bit embarrassed, as Yu Jiuzhou rarely praised people.

Chi Wan’s gaze fell upon Yu Jiuzhou. The beauty was nestled on a arhat bed, her posture lazy, like a proud cat that made one want to come forward and stroke its fur.

It was a mildly warm April, yet the brazier had not been removed. Thus, Yu Jiuzhou wore a simple green robe. When a gentle breeze blew, the fabric fluttered, and the pleasant sound of wind chimes tinkled nearby.

She felt as if she were looking at a goddess from the ninth heaven, one who stunned all of creation.

Chi Wan stared for a moment before quickly saying, “Your Highness is also very beautiful.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes held a hint of shyness. “Then the Fuma shall attend to me in bed tonight.”

Oh, right. A month had passed, and it was time for Yu Jiuzhou’s Rain and Dew Period again.

Last month, during Yu Jiuzhou’s Rain and Dew Period, they had shared a bed for three days, but her menses had come soon after, and she had kicked Chi Wan out.

Chi Wan thought menstruation was perfectly normal and couldn’t understand why she had been driven away. She later learned that the menstrual period was very difficult for Kun Ze women. Nobles used cotton wrapped in soft cloth, which required frequent changing. An accident could easily soil one’s clothes, and sleeping could stain the bedsheets.

Given Yu Jiuzhou’s personality, she would never allow her vulnerable side to be seen by others, and that included Chi Wan. That was why she had been kicked out of the room.

According to the timing, Yu Jiuzhou’s Rain and Dew Period was due in the next couple of days, so of course she would summon her to attend to her in bed again.

Chi Wan’s face flushed red. She coughed lightly, and suddenly recalling a line from somewhere, she couldn’t help but say, “Please be gentle with me, sister.”

Yu Jiuzhou: “?”

Who was supposed to be gentle with whom? The seemingly gentle and refined Chi Wan had been clumsy the first time, but she had gotten the hang of it by the second and was proficient by the third.

By the next day, Yu Jiuzhou had felt completely drained of energy, needing several days to recover.

As her menses were about to arrive, she had kicked Chi Wan out of the room. The next day, she had to walk by holding onto the walls.

Her hips had been thrust against too many times; she simply couldn’t stand up straight.

Yu Jiuzhou dared not imagine if she would have been able to get out of bed had they continued.

But Chi Wan felt nothing, still full of life and vigor. So what if she had internal energy! Of course, it was amazing.

Thinking about summoning Chi Wan to her bed tonight, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a less strenuous method.

Perhaps… she should go look through the palace instructional manuals?

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