I Seriously Didn't Want to Be the Martial Alliance Leader

After hearing Guan Zhenshan out, Chen Yuan nodded in understanding.

’These details weren’t in the original story.’

In Chen Yuan’s eyes, this struggle between the Mansion and the Secretariat was a sign that the Great Xia Court was losing control.

Using the Imperial Secretariat to divide the power of the Xuan Ce Mansion was actually a good thing. At the very least, it allowed the central government to control the generals who commanded troops.

Once they became self-sufficient, what was the difference between them and regional warlords?

But with the Court in turmoil, even if these generals didn’t intend to become warlords, they were likely tempted to seize more power for themselves.

However, this conflict within the Court was creating obstacles for Chen Yuan.

Right now, that Eagle General, Wei Chaoge, was mixed up with Zuo Tianyuan. According to Lu Li’s intelligence, Wei Chaoge had even brought many experts from the army, significantly bolstering the Nine Swords Alliance’s strength.

"My lord, are you planning to move against the Nine Swords Alliance?"

Chen Yuan nodded. "Zuo Tianyuan and I have a feud over the death of his son. He also used his connections in Qin Province to try and have me killed."

"Now that I’m in charge of the White Tiger Hall, I naturally wanted to deal with him once and for all, but I didn’t expect people from the Court to get involved."

There was no need to hide these matters from Guan Zhenshan.

Guan Zhenshan was one of his own. When the time came to move against the Nine Swords Alliance, Chen Yuan planned to ask the Celestial Star Ranch for help.

Just then, Guan Zhenshan seemed to think of something. He was about to speak but held his tongue.

"Master Guan, if you have something to say, just say it."

Guan Zhenshan hesitated for a moment before saying, "I do have an idea. Since Zuo Tianyuan is colluding with the Court, why can’t you, Lord Chen, also find someone from the Court to team up with?"

"And who would I find?"

Guan Zhenshan said, "The Flying Dragon Institute, which is under the Imperial Secretariat, is responsible for horse administration. The Steward of the Flying Dragon Institute, Feng Tianbao, also known as ’Nine Dragon Spear,’ is a Grandmaster Level figure with a Primordial Pill Realm cultivation. He once came to the Flying Horse Pavilion to purchase warhorses, and I’ve had dealings with him."

A little over a month ago, Feng Tianbao sent someone here and bought out all the warhorses at my Celestial Star Ranch.

He also said the Flying Dragon Institute was in desperate need of warhorses and asked me to acquire another batch from the Grassland. Their Steward, Feng Tianbao, has even gone to You Province personally to find new sources."

"I was originally planning to use this opportunity to negotiate a big deal, but then we were raided by the Hu Yan Tribe. Now I actually owe the Flying Dragon Institute a batch of warhorses."

"Since Feng Tianbao is in You Province, you, Lord Chen, could team up with him to suppress the people from the Vigorous Martial Army."

Chen Yuan nodded, then asked with some confusion, "That is a good idea. Why were you so hesitant before?"

"Because that Feng Tianbao is a eunuch. I was afraid you’d be concerned about your reputation if you allied with a eunuch."

Chen Yuan was taken aback. "The Steward of the Flying Dragon Institute is a eunuch?"

Guan Zhenshan nodded. "The Imperial Secretariat has always been under the direct control of the Great Xia Royal Family, personally overseen by the Emperor."

"Therefore, the stewards of the many institutes under the Imperial Secretariat are either members of the Royal Family or trusted eunuchs."

A strange expression crossed Chen Yuan’s face.

’A eunuch who uses a spear, and with a nickname like ’Nine Dragon Spear’... He must have some kind of obsession.’

But Chen Yuan didn’t care. Teaming up with a eunuch was nothing; he was secretly a remnant of the Ming Sect, after all.

"Master Guan, since that’s the case, I’ll have to trouble you to help me contact this Steward of the Flying Dragon Institute, Eunuch Feng."

Guan Zhenshan nodded. "Rest assured, my lord. I’ll get right on it."

With that, Guan Zhenshan turned to leave, but he paused and looked back. "Oh, right, Lord Chen. When you meet the Steward of the Flying Dragon Institute, whatever you do, don’t call him Eunuch Feng. He hates that title more than anything. Just call him Steward Feng."

Chen Yuan was slightly surprised. ’A eunuch who doesn’t let people call him a eunuch? How strange.’

While Guan Zhenshan went to contact him, Chen Yuan continued to cultivate peacefully within the White Tiger Hall.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Meanwhile, inside the Nine Swords Alliance headquarters.

Zuo Tianyuan was mobilizing all the disciples of the Nine Swords Alliance, using their connections to purchase warhorses from all over You Province.

You Province had no shortage of horses, but the large-scale warhorse trade was controlled by the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance.

One of these factions, remnants of a long-fallen dynasty, dreamed of restoring their nation and had never respected the Court. The other was one of the Seven Alliances of the World, which had also risen to power by rebelling against the Court.

Therefore, Zuo Tianyuan couldn’t go through these two channels to procure warhorses for the Court; he had to rely on his own means.

The Nine Swords Alliance had a diverse membership, consisting mostly of Independent Martial Artists from various regions. Each had their own strange set of connections, making it surprisingly easy to acquire a large number of warhorses.

As a steady stream of warhorses was delivered to the Nine Swords Alliance, a middle-aged man in his early forties standing beside Zuo Tianyuan nodded in satisfaction. He wore Profound Gold Wolf-Devouring Armor, had a thick beard, and a rugged appearance.

"Alliance Leader Zuo, you truly have a wealth of talent under your command. To think you could procure so many warhorses even after bypassing the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance."

"Rest assured, after this deal, there will be plenty more business to come. From now on, you, Alliance Leader Zuo, are a friend of our Vigorous Martial Army, and Grand General Yuwen will remember you."

This middle-aged man was Wei Chaoge, an Eagle General and a trusted subordinate of Grand General Yuwen Tai of the Vigorous Martial Army.

Zuo Tianyuan smiled, adopting a very humble posture.

"It is my honor to be noticed by Grand General Yuwen."

These words from Zuo Tianyuan were both flattery and the truth.

The Court had over a dozen Grand Generals with official titles, and Yuwen Tai was definitely the most famous among them.

Originally, the Vigorous Martial Army was considered below average among the Court’s titled armies.

But ever since Yuwen Tai took command, he ate and lived alongside his soldiers every day. Despite being a Grand General, he always led the charge in every battle, slaying enemy commanders and capturing their flags. Afterward, he would ensure all spoils were distributed fairly among the entire army, earning him immense prestige within the Vigorous Martial Army.

He then led the Vigorous Martial Army on campaigns across the land, quelling rebellions everywhere, and transformed it into one of the Great Xia Court’s elite forces.

It could be said that nearly half of all rebellions against the Great Xia Court in recent years were suppressed by Yuwen Tai and the Vigorous Martial Army.

Some in the Court even said that if the Vigorous Martial Army weren’t busy suppressing the Southern Border Barbarians, the Sun-Swapping Alliance’s rebellion in Yan Province would have been crushed long ago.

Furthermore, Yuwen Tai’s own strength was formidable. Over a decade ago, he had already reached the Peak of Nine Realms Celestial Profound. Within the Great Xia Military, he was considered the one most likely to break through the limits of the Ninth Realm and reach the Venerable Realm.

For such a legendary figure to remember a local strongman like Zuo Tianyuan was indeed an honor, not an exaggeration.

"You have a smooth tongue, Alliance Leader Zuo. But Grand General Yuwen has said that we of the Vigorous Martial Army don’t mistreat our friends. We will purchase this batch of warhorses at a fifty percent premium over the market price."

Wei Chaoge suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Actually, even at a fifty percent premium, the Vigorous Martial Army isn’t losing out much."

"In the past, the number of warhorses allocated by the Court was sufficient, but the quality was inconsistent. We had to bribe those damn eunuchs at the Flying Dragon Institute just to get good horses."

"We’d rather spend that money on you, Alliance Leader Zuo, than give it to those damn eunuchs."

In truth, the bribery itself wasn’t the issue. The Vigorous Martial Army simply didn’t want to be at someone else’s mercy in such a critical matter.

Just then, Zuo Tianyuan suddenly said, "Besides producing horses, You Province is also rich in mineral resources."

"I can also help the Vigorous Martial Army acquire large quantities of rare minerals to forge weapons and armor."

"You could say that as long as it’s something Grand General Yuwen needs, my Nine Swords Alliance will find it for him, no matter how difficult."

Wei Chaoge paused, then looked at Zuo Tianyuan with a half-smile. "Alliance Leader Zuo, are you looking to be recruited into the Court’s service?"

"My Nine Swords Alliance has never rebelled, so how can there be talk of recruitment?"

Zuo Tianyuan gave a bitter smile. "I only wish to prove that the Nine Swords Alliance is useful and beg for Grand General Yuwen’s protection, just so I can survive."

Wei Chaoge frowned. "Who wants to kill you? The Murong Family? Or the Sun-piercing Alliance?"

’This Zuo Tianyuan fellow is quite useful. He’s sensible, knows when to advance and when to retreat, and he gets things done. With him in You Province, he can help the Vigorous Martial Army procure many supplies. It could even be said that the army could become self-sufficient, even without the Imperial Secretariat. If someone tries to make a move on him at a time like this, they’ll be making an enemy of the Vigorous Martial Army!’

"Neither. It’s someone from Zhenwu Hall."

"Zhenwu Hall? Your Nine Swords Alliance is located on the border of Youning, but your influence in You Province is greater than in Ning Province. Why would you have provoked Zhenwu Hall?"

Zuo Tianyuan sighed. "My son, Zuo Feiyu, made an enemy of Chen Jiutian—the number one figure of Zhenwu Hall’s younger generation, currently ranked twelfth on the Hidden Dragon Rankings."

"At the Furnace Opening Assembly, that Chen Jiutian killed my son, leaving me grief-stricken."

"But in a clash between the younger generation, life and death are decided by fate. He was less skilled, so there was nothing to be said. I endured it."

"However, this Chen Jiutian is narrow-minded. Even after killing my son, he still won’t let my Nine Swords Alliance off the hook."

"Now, he has become the Hall Master of the White Tiger Hall, one of the Four Martial Halls of Zhenwu. With so much power in his hands, I’m afraid he could move against my Nine Swords Alliance at any moment."

Ever since Zhu Xinwu’s death, Zuo Tianyuan knew it was no longer a question of whether he wanted to kill Chen Jiutian, but whether Chen Jiutian would let him live!

The man already possessed combat strength comparable to a Grandmaster and controlled the White Tiger Hall, with countless experts under his command.

Although the Nine Swords Alliance had grown strong, how could it possibly compare to the White Tiger Hall, one of the Four Martial Halls of Zhenwu?

So, from that moment on, Zuo Tianyuan began plotting. First, he had to ensure his own survival. Then, he would find a chance to kill this Chen Jiutian!

But heaven had not abandoned his Nine Swords Alliance. Just as Zuo Tianyuan was looking for an opportunity, Wei Chaoge appeared.

Factions in the Jianghu were untrustworthy, and relying on the Court was just as precarious.

Moreover, Zuo Tianyuan’s earlier speech had been a deliberate display of weakness.

If he had directly asked Wei Chaoge to help him kill Chen Jiutian, he would have seemed tactless and greedy, overreaching his position.

But by only begging for his life and adopting an extremely humble posture, he would instead provoke the other party into offering help on their own initiative.

The Vigorous Martial Army was arguably the Court’s strongest military force, and its members, like Wei Chaoge, were all incredibly proud.

Having risen from humble beginnings, Zuo Tianyuan knew exactly how to deal with people like that.