85: Chapter 85 Heroes of the Fallen!

The Hall of Heroes is located in the northeast corner of the Imperial Palace.

It is a standalone courtyard with grey walls and black tiles, devoid of any decoration.

Above the courtyard gate hangs a plaque with the three large characters "Hall of Heroes" inscribed upon it.

These three characters were inscribed by the hand of the first Emperor of Great Xia, Grand Ancestor Xia Junhan.

Every year on this day, the Emperor comes here to pay his respects.

This is a rule established by the founding Emperor of Great Xia, Grand Ancestor Xia Junhan, which has never been broken in one hundred years.

Xia Chen walked into the courtyard with General Dian Wei.

The courtyard is paved with bluestone slabs, with moss growing in the crevices, making it a bit slippery to walk on.

The doors of the main hall were open, and inside were hundreds of memorial tablets.

From the founding heroes to the generals who died in battle in recent years, all are here.

The flames of the eternal lamps in front of the tablets flickered, causing the interior of the hall to alternately brighten and darken.

General Dian Wei stood guard outside the hall door and did not follow him in.

He knew this was the rule.

Only the Emperor may enter the Hall of Heroes; everyone else must wait outside.

Xia Chen walked in, picked up three sticks of incense from beside the offering table, and lit them from the eternal lamp.

Wisps of blue smoke rose, carrying the scent of sandalwood.

He walked to the offering table, inserted the incense into the censer, stepped back two paces, and bowed three times.

The hall was very quiet, with only the faint sound of the eternal lamps burning.

Looking at those memorial tablets, he couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart.

Although he didn't know any of these people, without them, there would be no Great Xia.

Since his Transmigration, being able to sit on this throne has relied not only on the System and luck, but also on the empire that these people exchanged their lives for.

Xia Chen quietly scanned the memorial tablets.

"System, check in for today."

[Ding! Current location of host detected: Hall of Heroes]

[Check-in successful!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: General Qi Jiguang!]

[Name: General Qi Jiguang]

[Cultivation: Land Immortal Middle Stage]

[Physique: Martial War Body]

[Physique Rating: ★★★★]

[Physique Description: This body is born for war and exists for the army. Those who possess this Physique are god-like at training troops and command armies with ease. The soldiers under their command will all fight to the death and strive to be at the forefront. Thousands of troops act as one.]

[Loyalty: Absolute]

[Specialties: Troop training, naval warfare, land warfare, military formation command, border defense]

[Character Evaluation: A famous Ming Dynasty general who resisted the Wokou and a national hero. He formed the Qi Family Army, swept away the Wokou, and ensured the safety of the people along the southeast coast. Later, he guarded the northern border and built the Great Wall, achieving great meritorious service. The world calls him "General Qi the Tiger".]

[System Special Note: General Qi Jiguang comes with his own troops, the Qi Family Army, totaling fifty thousand men.]

[The entire army has a minimum cultivation of Grandmaster Early Stage and a maximum cultivation of Peak Heaven-Human Realm. They can be summoned to a designated location outside the capital at any time.]

Xia Chen's previously dazed eyes widened instantly.

General Qi Jiguang!

It was actually the famous anti-Wokou general, General Qi Jiguang.

The Qi Family Army, the Mandarin Duck Formation, sweeping away the Wokou.

He didn't expect to actually check in and get this famous general.

At that time, the Wokou burned, killed, and looted, committing every evil, and the coastal people suffered unspeakably.

The imperial court sent many people, but none could handle them.

Later, General Qi Jiguang went; he trained troops, forged weapons, set up formations, and within a few years, he had beaten the Wokou to a pulp.

And now, Great Xia is facing the same problem.

The pirates from Dongyi Kingdom harass the coast every year, stealing grain and killing the people, and the Eastern Garrison Army can do nothing about them.

It's not that they can't beat them, it's that they can't catch them.

They ride fast ships, appearing and disappearing without a trace, running away after looting, as slippery as loaches.

Now that General Qi Jiguang is here, this matter will be easy to handle.

He specializes in fighting pirates and has done so his whole life; no one understands how to deal with this bunch better than him.

Xia Chen took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and walked out of the Hall of Heroes.

He had originally planned to properly train some soldiers first, wait until he could reinforce the coastal defense, and then send people to attack Dongyi Kingdom.

But now he has General Qi Jiguang.

That makes things easy.

General Dian Wei stood guard outside the door, and seeing him come out, asked in a muffled voice.

"Your Majesty, returning?"

Xia Chen nodded, and just as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped.

"Come out."

The air behind him distorted, and Commander Lu Bing's figure appeared out of thin air, kneeling on one knee.

"Your Majesty."

General Dian Wei's hand was already on his twin halberds, but seeing it was Commander Lu Bing, he let go.

Xia Chen turned around and looked at Commander Lu Bing.

"What is it?"

"Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard have sent word. There is movement at Tianya Academy."

Xia Chen didn't speak, waiting for him to continue.

"Headmaster Wen Yuan intends to gather the scholars in the capital to petition at the gate of the Imperial Palace."

"Asking Your Majesty to dismiss Minister of Personnel and Senior Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng and give an explanation to the scholars of the world."

"He also sent people to contact the other five major academies, wanting to cause trouble together."

"There is one more thing."

"The first Headmaster of Tianya Academy, Great-Grandfather Wen Liang, left behind a treasure before he passed away."

"Headmaster Wen Yuan is a descendant of Great-Grandfather Wen Liang, so that treasure is likely in his hands."

"As for what it specifically is, this subordinate has not yet found out."

"But according to people inside the academy, that treasure... can contend with a Land Immortal."

Xia Chen frowned slightly.

A treasure that can contend with a Land Immortal?

Great-Grandfather Wen Liang was a Land Immortal, so the things he left behind must not be simple.

If it really can contend with a Land Immortal, then there is trouble.

He is not afraid, though.

But if they are pushed too far, and that guy starts a massacre in Great Xia, causing destruction.

With the power of a Land Immortal, once he gets angry, it really would be a catastrophe for the people!

Xia Chen turned around, looked at the memorial tablets in the Hall of Heroes, and was silent for a while.

"Truly a group of corrupt scholars."

"Everywhere they go, they are things that corrupt the imperial court. It was like this before, and it is the same now."

The Disasters of Partisan Prohibitions of the Eastern Han, the Niu-Li Factional Strife of the Tang Dynasty, the Donglin Faction of the Ming Dynasty.

Which one was not caused by scholars?

Talking about petitioning for the people, full of benevolence and morality, but behind the scenes fighting for power and profit, forming cliques, and bullying the people more ruthlessly than anyone else.

Now this bunch of people wants to make trouble again.

If you don't let them make trouble, they say you don't respect scholars.

If you let them make trouble, they will definitely push for more.

Today they want to dismiss Minister of Personnel and Senior Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, tomorrow they will want to change the cabinet, and the day after tomorrow they will want to change the Emperor.

And later, this world might end up belonging to someone else.

"Since they want to tear off the mask, then don't blame Me for being ruthless."

"Commander Lu Bing, go find Princess Xia Qingci."

Commander Lu Bing raised his head, stunned for a moment.

"Tell her that the time for her to perform a meritorious service has arrived."

"Tell her to go to Tianya Academy and exterminate Headmaster Wen Yuan and those Disciples who try to resist."

"You will assist in secret."

"Headmaster Wen Yuan has that treasure in his hands, so keep an eye on it; don't let her die."

Commander Lu Bing hesitated: "Your Majesty, will the Eldest Princess... agree?"

Xia Chen glanced at him: "She will agree. If she wants to stay in Great Xia, she must work for Me."

Commander Lu Bing nodded: "This subordinate will go now."

He stood up, his figure flickered, and he disappeared into the air.

General Dian Wei stood to the side, having heard everything from beginning to end, and only then did he speak.

"Your Majesty, are those scholars really going to make trouble?"

Xia Chen nodded.

"Then shall I go and chop them all down?"

General Dian Wei said, his hand already reaching for his twin halberds.

Xia Chen glanced at him: "Chop what? A bunch of scholars with no power to truss a chicken; if you chop them, will it sound good when it gets out?"

General Dian Wei scratched his head and stopped talking.

He only knew that those people had made His Majesty unhappy, so they should be killed!

Xia Chen walked out of the Hall of Heroes, stood in the courtyard, and looked up at the sky.

The sky was very blue, the clouds were very white, and the sunlight felt warm on his body.

But on such a nice day, some people just had to go looking for trouble.

"General Qi Jiguang."

He silently repeated the name in his heart, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Fifty thousand Qi Family Army soldiers, with a minimum cultivation of Grandmaster Early Stage.

If this army were brought out, let alone fighting pirates, it would be enough to fight the Great Qian.

But there is no rush; first clean up the house, then go out and fight.

He strode out of the Hall of Heroes, with General Dian Wei following behind.

"Return to the palace."