Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 625 - 4: The Shock of the Military Minister of Agriculture Brought by Mr. Zhao (15,000) _6

Chapter 625: Chapter 4: The Shock of the Military Minister of Agriculture Brought by Mr. Zhao (15,000) _6

When Long Xiao was at the seventh rank, he killed Qian Shougang using only a fifth-level formation.

If he had ridden the Purple Lightning Horse, all the soldiers within the blood-gas formation would have their attacks imbued with Thunder Power.

The life force of Purple Lightning was incredibly resilient, and it could even share the rider’s damage. Even outside of the formation, Purple Lightning’s kicks were immensely powerful, easily lethal to sixth ranks.

Among middle-grade battle beasts, though Purple Lightning wasn’t highly ranked, it was very favored by the army.

This was mainly because it could integrate with battle formations, making it more popular than fifth and fourth-ranked exotic beasts.

However, the Purple Lightning Palace here was just a mere facade.

Around eighty years ago, there were no Purple Lightning Horses present here anymore.

"Building the Purple Lightning Palace cost a lot, the palace made from Thunder Stone is suitable for nurturing Purple Lightning."

"The expansion of Great Zhou incurs quite a cost too," Zhao Xing mused to himself.

Why did the Purple Lightning Palace no longer have Purple Lightning Horses?

Of course, it was due to the burdens brought by war.

Emperor Jing’s two-hundred-year reform, his greatest achievement, was the military action against the Southern Barbarians, which led to the expansion of Jiutian Yingyuan Mansion.

But he also depleted some of the reserves left by Emperor Wen.

In Emperor Wen’s era, the 895th year (counting from the beginning of Emperor Wen’s reign, not that Emperor Wen lived for 895 years).

Rest and recuperation led to an abundance in various resources.

Zhao Xing flipped through the county records of Twin County. By the end of Yong’an, the Purple Lightning Palace here still had 1,532 sixth-ranked Purple Lightning Horses and 98 fifth-ranked Purple Lightning Horses.

Thanks to the foundations laid by Emperor Wen, during the Cheng’an and Yong’an periods, the number of Purple Lightning Horses continually increased.

Twin County, just a county, had so many middle-grade battle horses.

But at the beginning of Dingxin, the amount of Purple Lightning started to decline instead of increase.

By the mid-period of Dingxin, the numbers plummeted.

By the end of Dingxin, the Purple Lightning Palace here was sealed because there were no more Purple Lightning Horses, all had been dispatched to the front lines!

Emperor Jing was like that, and Emperor Wu was even more terrifying.

"Fortunately, the previous accumulation was enough. Otherwise, by Emperor Wu’s era, there would be no reserves left to squander," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "If I were to be the Grand Minister of Agriculture for Emperor Wu, I would not agree to his extravagance. We need to spend cautiously."

...

Following Zhang Tao, they soon arrived outside the ’Heavenly Horse Palace.’

At this time, there were no horses inside the Heavenly Horse Palace.

Because they had all been let out to roam.

"A total of 365 Heavenly Horses, but all are mixed in color, not a single pure-colored Heavenly Horse," Zhao Xing reviewed the feeding records.

Heavenly Horses were a general term for winged horse exotic beasts.

Normally, the Heavenly Horses housed in the palace should be middle-grade Divine Horses.

Since it’s called the Dragon Horse Guard, horse-type exotic beasts were naturally the mainstream.

But currently, in the Heavenly Horse Palace, all 365 Heavenly Horses were low-grade.

Because their bloodlines were impure, their feathers and fur were mixed in color.

The highest grade among them was still just a two-colored seventh-grade Heavenly Horse.

"Zhang Tao, do you know who is the Minister of Agriculture responsible for the Heavenly Horses today?" Zhao Xing questioned Zhang Tao. "If you can’t answer this, I’ll pursue the negligence of your duty."

Zhang Tao hurriedly responded, "Reporting to you, Sir. From October 15th to December 20th, the affairs of the Heavenly Horse Palace are managed by Lords Ling Ruoxue and Cao Jiang."

"As for the feeding, it is personally overseen by Tao Anchun, the justice Director of the Divine Feeding Palace. He arrives every day at the start of You hour after the Heavenly Horses return to the palace."

"He personally watches the Heavenly Horses finish their food before leaving, without missing a day for three years." Zhang Tao cautiously answered.

"You pass." Zhao Xing said, "You may go now, but remember not to sleep during your watch next time."

"Yes, sir." Zhang Tao gratefully retreated.

Guarding the Spring Palace might not pay much, but it was a stable job with little work.

His family had been in Twin County for generations, working this job for generations, close to home with little burden, he didn’t want to lose it.

"Tao Anchun’s work ethic is quite good. For three years, he has come to Tuquan Palace daily to inspect," Zhao Xing pondered.

He approached Zhang Tao to understand the situation at the Dragon Horse Guard from the ground level.

If subordinates like Tao Anchun and Dong Yuanqiu were deemed unreliable, he would seek Princess You Ruo to replace them.

Mr. Zhao, while not looking for luxury, insisted that his people be aligned with him.

Skill was secondary, but the attitude must be correct!

...

Zhao Xing wanted to see the Heavenly Horses first, but waited until a quarter past the start of You hour, and the Heavenly Horses still had not returned to their nest.

At this time, Tao Anchun, as Zhang Tao had said, arrived in front of the Heavenly Horse Palace in a cargo flying boat.

"Mr. Zhao? What are you doing here?" Tao Anchun was somewhat surprised to see Zhao Xing.

"I have just exited seclusion and came to check on the Heavenly Horse Palace," Zhao Xing smiled, "Mr. Tao, I appreciate your hard work. Why bother feeding them yourself? Let your subordinates handle it."

Hearing Zhao Xing’s uninformed remarks, Tao Anchun felt a flash of disdain, but did not show it on his face, "Mr. Zhao, you might not know, Heavenly Horses are picky eaters. To get them to shed their mixed colors, they need to be fed with fifth-rank fine food."

"Every five days, we need to change their diet to balance the Five Elements nutrients in their bodies."

"If not properly fed, they won’t grow, and they may even fall ill."

Zhao Xing was aware, but he deliberately asked to test Zhang Tao’s words or see if Tao Anchun staged this for show.

Next, he asked a few more questions under the guise of seeking advice. Seeing Tao Anchun’s fluent answers, Zhao Xing was convinced that Tao Anchun was indeed diligent in his duties.

"That’s odd, why haven’t the Heavenly Horses returned to their nest today?" In the middle of their conversation, Tao Anchun suddenly looked puzzled.