The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 543 - 311: Struggle to Cross

Chapter 543: Chapter 311: Struggle to Cross

Jiachen Year, the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, Jiu Ling respectfully writes:

Dear Brother Yan,

Since our hurried parting, time has swiftly passed, and already several months have elapsed. Recalling last month, my family was in grave danger. Thankfully, Brother Yan hastened to our rescue. I keep this memory in my heart and am endlessly grateful...

Before the window, Li Yan perused the letter from Yan Jiuling.

In this era, information circulated slowly.

It took a while for the incident at Yichang to reach Yan Jiuling in the Capital, causing a fright that made him want to return to Ezhou immediately.

Of course, his father, Yan Bo Nian, had anticipated this and had sent a servant with a sternly worded letter, instructing him to prioritize his examinations and reassuring him.

Though unable to return, he still wrote several letters, both to his parents and brothers and to Li Yan.

This letter discussed many things.

First of all, naturally, a series of thanks. From the text, one could see how scared Yan Jiuling had been.

Then, various observations and intelligence followed.

Yan Jiuling was clever; he knew what mattered more to Li Yan, so he shared many details he learned in the Capital without reservation.

Just as Li Yan had predicted.

The Yan family was hardly considered a major clan in Ezhou, and even in Yichang, they were only moderately influential. However, because of his grandfather’s "Ten Strategies of National Defense," Yan Jiuling’s status was immediately elevated.

The Emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty had adopted two of these strategies.

Whether it was "opening sea trade" or "repartition of land ownership," both had a profound impact on the current situation in the Divine State.

No revolution could occur without theoretical support.

With the substantial financial backing of the Sea Opening Sect, Yan Jiuling’s once-ignored grandfather had suddenly become a figure at the level of a State Preceptor.

Anyway, they could brag as much as they wanted.

So, when Yan Jiuling first arrived in the Capital, he quickly became a person of interest. Officials and wealthy merchants of the Sea Opening Sect vied to invite him to countless large and small banquets.

People from the Local Faction schemed to find faults, and several banquets featured public criticisms and questions.

In such a situation, the Yan family had no way out.

Fortunately, Yan Jiuling was adept at thinking. On his journey to the Capital, he traveled through various places and had far more insights than those who were merely good at talking.

He not only managed not to be puzzled but also proposed many insightful opinions.

This was extraordinary.

The Sea Opening Sect had intended to promote him, and now they treasured him even more. Even the Emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty had asked for his name.

Also, because of this, Yan Jiuling came into contact with many pieces of intelligence that ordinary people could not access and gained an in-depth understanding of the situation in Great Xuan.

The Great Xuan Dynasty was now at a critical juncture.

Land annexation in various places had become severe, accompanied by the expansion of local power in the states. It was common to form cliques for personal gain, and they even secretly colluded to influence the policies of the court.

The national treasury was depleted, and even the posting stations could no longer be maintained...

These officials were untouchable, for touching them would lead to chaos in the regions...

Military expenditures at the court were also insufficient, with some military commanders secretly smuggling armaments—some to buy food to maintain troop stability, others to bribe superiors, hoping to advance further...

The Emperor of Great Xuan was also ruthless and had thought of many methods.

He enhanced the power of the Captain Bureau, using its severe laws to suppress officials. While this cleared some personnel, it led to greater backlash...

He tried to balance and divide the local powers, which only led to greater chaos and almost sparked another disturbance like that of the Maitreya Sect...

If this continued, the Great Xuan Dynasty might lose control and decline within a few decades, with hostile nations eyeing it covetously.

And sea trade was the Emperor’s key lever.

The rise of the Sea Opening Sect caused the Local Faction to start splitting, stirring up trouble in the court battles and bringing out much troublesome mess.

Most importantly, the national treasury began to refill.

With money, everything became negotiable.

The Emperor of Great Xuan first moved the military forces at various borders, controlling military power firmly through several changes of commanders.

And this repartition of land ownership was also a reorganization of the military forces. The emergence of new gunpowder further enhanced his capability.

One could say, as long as he won this war, the Emperor’s prestige would reach another peak.

By then, there might be another violent struggle...

Aware of this, the wise men of the court also saw the situation. Although of different alignments and positions, they all agreed on one point, Divine State was on the brink of transformation.

Either a rebirth from the ashes to continue the Qi Fortune or a fall into decline.

There was no second path available.

All the chaos in Divine State today stemmed from this.

Just two months before the new firearms were devised, a Grandmaster broke into the imperial palace at night, intending to assassinate the Emperor of Great Xuan. He was repelled by the president of the Divine Fist Association, who was also a Grandmaster, Huo Yin.

Yet the identity of this Grandmaster remains a mystery...

Moreover, not only in Ezhou was there turmoil caused by the Heavenly Saint Sect, forces of Evil Cultivators wreaked havoc in Xiangxi, western Guangxi, and on the seas of Min State.

Thus, the court both used Daoist certificates to control the people of the Mystical Sect and vigorously developed firearms...

Apart from the situation, Yan Jiuling also shared much of what he had seen.

Lin Yu, the plump young master of the Lin Family from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, had met with him. The two hit it off immediately, and since both had connections with Li Yan, they became close friends.

Originally passionate about the history of mountains and rivers and folklore, Yan Jiuling, after witnessing many events, changed his mind and intended to enter the court to pursue a path of managing family and state affairs...

As for the plump young master Lin Yu, true to his curious nature, he followed him around various mansions, discovering many treasures...

Besides this, Yan Jiuling specifically mentioned another matter.

Due to the theft of the plans for new firearms from the Ministry of Industry, and the need to explore ore veins for new gunpowder, many overseas rare treasures and mechanical techniques were transported into the Capital...