Xuanqing Guard

The Ministry of War consists of one chief officer and two deputies. The chief officer is Yang Yansi, Minister of War, while the two deputies are Xu Hong, Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Wen Mingju, Vice Minister.

According to the customs of the Jingjiu Dynasty, the Minister acts as chief officer, with the Left ranking before the Right below him. Thus, Wen Mingju occupies the lowest position in the hierarchy of the Ministry’s posts.

Yang Yansi needs no further introduction—he is among the highest-ranking bosses in the Jingjiu Dynasty.

Vice Minister Xu Hong also has much to talk about, but what’s widely known is that Xu Hong is Yang Yansi’s foremost confidant; the two have been close for over sixty years—a bonds forged through life and death. It is precisely for this reason that the Emperor called them to his side during the "hunting" excursion.

Wen Mingju’s position, however, has always been awkward. He did not emerge from the military ranks, but from the Imperial Palace Guards. Though the word "army" is attached, the Guards are not subordinate to the Ministry of War, instead falling under the Inner Mansion and Royal Family, mainly responsible for garrisoning the Imperial Palace and serving as ceremonial escorts.

Wen Mingju belongs to those with decent cultivation talent and luck; after following the Emperor for many years, he became a familiar face and landed in the Emperor’s pocket. Later, the Emperor posted him to the Ministry of War, where he climbed one rung per year, jumping directly from Flag Officer of the Ministry to, three years ago, sitting in the Vice Minister’s seat.

With Wen Mingju’s background and suspicious promotions, it’s naturally impossible for him to win wide respect; in the Ministry, he’s basically a "statue"—pleasant to look at, but useless.

Everyone knows Wen Mingju stands behind the Emperor, so they treat him with "neither offense nor attention."

Wen Mingju also understands his predicament, knowing he’s the Emperor’s planted eyes in the Ministry; whenever decisions are made, he’s present but never offers opinions, only relaying what he hears to the Emperor, or delivering messages from the Emperor to Yang Yansi. His role as a tool comes naturally.

With Yang Yansi and Xu Hong taken away on the Emperor’s hunting trip, Wen Mingju became the highest authority in the Ministry of War. In the past, nobody cared about this, since Wen Mingju would never stir trouble and everyone felt at ease. But this time was different.

The Emperor personally instructed Wen Mingju to "fully cooperate with the Xuanqing Guard’s investigation," and Wen Mingju of course would not dare defy; having seized temporary control of the Ministry’s power, he offered the most forceful support to the Xuanqing Guard.

Be it issuing authorization documents, opening limited access to the Document Library for investigation, or covering up for lower-ranking personnel so they couldn’t secretly report to Yang Yansi and Xu Hong, far away on the city outskirts—Wen Mingju handled it all.

Wen Mingju was well aware of what would become of him for acting so—it essentially meant digging his own grave in terms of staying in the Ministry, and he would soon have to step down as Vice Minister and transfer elsewhere. But Wen Mingju had no choice; he was the Emperor’s man, and even if commanded to die, could not shrink away, let alone at a "small scene" like this.

Still, when Wen Mingju received the latest collaborative investigation paperwork handed up from the Xuanqing Guard, his heart couldn’t help but tremble.

"Review all documents related to the Wind Howl Battalion, as well as Xu Hong’s personal records... This... This investigation is now targeting Xu Hong?!" Wen Mingju felt things were getting far more intense than he had imagined.

"My lord, the Xuanqing Guard are still waiting outside. Shall I ask them to return and wait for word?" The deputy came in, head lowered, to report.

"No need. Take my hand seal, bring the Xuanqing Guard to the Document Library to collect the materials. Remember—assist them with all your power. Understand?"

"Understood, sir."

What’s done is done; what’s there left to worry about? If you’re choosing a side, do it thoroughly. The Emperor himself has fought for an extra day for the Xuanqing Guard; with the Ministry’s power in his hands, Wen Mingju must help them to the utmost. He even hopes they’ll uncover something crucial, for otherwise, his exit will be problematic, and he’ll more likely be hidden away by the Emperor than simply transferred elsewhere.

Outside the door, the one waiting was Wang Jian, who had come in person. Because the investigation involved Junior Third-Grade officials and military personnel’s organizational records—absolutely confidential matters of the Jingjiu Dynasty—even with the Ministry’s full cooperation, the Xuanqing Guard wouldn’t be given stamped copies this time; they could only review the materials inside, not take them away.

Not long after, the Vice Minister’s deputy emerged from the Public Office, face cold, instructing Wang Jian to follow, saying Lord Wen had already agreed.

Wang Jian also kept his face stiff and expressionless; from the moment he entered the Ministry of War’s Government Office, he could sense the omnipresent, needle-like gazes—everyone seemed hostile toward him, including the deputy who showed no friendliness. Without Vice Minister Wen’s support, Wang Jian probably wouldn’t even have gotten through the Ministry’s main gate.

"Waist token, paperwork, investigation details—fill everything out and hand it to me, then wait over there." The Records Room staff acted strictly business.

The deputy interjected: "Lord Wen said they’re to have priority, expediency for emergencies."

"Expediency for emergencies? Everyone coming for investigations claims urgency. Wait your turn."

Wang Jian thought to himself: Trouble. If he has to wait, it’ll be most of the day—he can’t afford that. So he quickly pleaded with the deputy, asking to see the Vice Minister, hoping to use Wen Mingju’s authority to pressure the Document Library staff.

The deputy was reluctant but couldn’t refuse, since he knew whose side his Vice Minister stood on. Ultimately, though, it didn’t get that far—the deputy whispered a few words to the library staff, and Wang Jian was granted priority. Still, Wang Jian heard plenty of muttered curses under breath.

Curse all you want—he had no time for quarrels; the mission mattered most.

He followed them into the Document Room’s review area, then waited nearly half a stick of incense before someone arrived carrying a thick pile of documents, set them on the table, gave Wang Jian a few instructions, then stayed by, arms folded—clearly there to supervise, to prevent unauthorized stamping.

Wang Jian wasn’t sure if this was standard procedure, nor did he ask; he took up the documents and immediately began reviewing them.

First up were the Wind Howl Battalion records. Wang Jian quickly went through them, memorizing as he read, and upon finding key information, would use his Thousand-Mile Sound to relay it back. This wasn’t stamping copies, so the supervisor said nothing.

Far away in Fengri City, the "Little Ghost, Ghost Gate, Judge" trio began analyzing and organizing Wang Jian’s transmissions in real time, and Shen Hao could also continuously receive the same information.

According to the records, the Wind Howl Battalion was founded in Jing Old Calendar year 87. At the time, it wasn’t called that—it began as an ordinary Mixed Battalion, based on the organization then known as "Jingxi Army, Wood Phase, A Array, 3-5 Mixed Battalion," an utterly unremarkable unit within the Jingxi Army’s structure.

Later, in spring of year 88, Jing Old Calendar, on the second day of the second month, war broke out in the south, and this Mixed Battalion was sent along with the Jingxi Army as reinforcements to Hai Xia, undergoing adaptation training there and entering wartime planning. The commander of the Jingxi Army’s reinforcement force at the time was Xu Hong.