Chapter 688: Chapter 682, Chapter 683: Wanyan Xiaji: He Truly Is an Immortal God Descended to the Mortal Realm

During this period, he had tried thousands of methods, consulted numerous ancient texts and various books on saltpeter and sulfur. He had tested and retested the proportions of "Strange Thunder" materials, yet still had no leads.

Not only here, but the "Strange Thunder Workshop" secretly supported by Wanyan Xiaji also ended in total failure.

This made Yue Puzi feel very incompetent.

To push himself harder, he locked himself in the Alchemy Room for a month without leaving, dealing with all daily needs inside.

However, what was impossible remained impossible.

The power of the imitation Strange Thunder never reached his expected estimation.

The guards outside saw that there had been no movement in the Alchemy Room for a long time and thought something might have happened. Just as they were about to go in and check, they saw a pitch-black figure walk out.

The guards were all taken aback. Some even craned their necks into the Alchemy Room. It wasn’t until the figure spoke that they recognized it was Yue Puzi.

"Go tell the General, this poor Taoist has failed again. There must be some material that this poor Taoist overlooked. Unless this poor Taoist gets a complete Strange Thunder, the imitation’s power can only reach this level." Yue Puzi sighed.

"Yes."

...

The Great Khan’s bedroom.

Just after ending the morning court, Tuoba Hui, as the Great Khan of Jin Xia, ordered for Wanyan Xiaji to be called to his quarters.

"Minister sees the Great Khan." Wanyan Xiaji saluted Tuoba Hui.

"General Xiaji has arrived." Tuoba Hui raised his hand slightly, motioning for the eunuch serving beside him to offer Wanyan Xiaji a seat, then warmly said, "No need for formalities." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Tuoba and Wanyan were families on intimate terms, and Wanyan Xiaji was indeed a pillar of Jin Xia, which earned him Tuoba Hui’s respect.

"Thank you, Great Khan." Wanyan Xiaji took his seat.

After Tuoba Hui dismissed the others in the quarters, Wanyan Xiaji then asked, "I wonder why the Great Khan has summoned me?"

Tuoba Hui went to a desk, picked up a letter on it, handed it to Wanyan Xiaji, and said, "This is a secret letter from the Beidi Tribe."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Xiaji was taken aback. When he saw the contents of the secret letter, he was suddenly shocked, with a hint of disbelief and suspicion on his face: "Great Khan, this... this, the Beidi Tribe rebelling, this can’t be true, can it?"

Although Beidi indeed acted somewhat submissively and rebelliously towards Tuoba’s rule, they generally still submitted to Tuoba. Given the Beidi Tribe’s strength, it was simply too difficult to resist Tuoba. Rebellion was akin to striking a stone with an egg.

Unless the head of the Beidi Tribe had been kicked by a donkey, they wouldn’t rebel.

"I was also shocked when I first saw this secret letter. I have not treated Beidi poorly, yet they act this way towards me." Tuoba Hui said with heartache and bitterness.

"Great Khan, could there be some hidden truth in this? Should we send someone to investigate the Beidi Tribe? Otherwise, summon the leader of Beidi to the capital for confrontation. I believe the Beidi Tribe does not have the guts to rebel..."

"No need."

Wanyan Xiaji hadn’t even finished his sentence when Tuoba Hui raised his hand to interrupt, then said, "I have decided to appoint you, General Xiaji, as the marshal, to lead ten thousand troops to suppress the rebellion in Beidi."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Xiaji was stunned.

He understood that this wasn’t Beidi rebelling, but that the Great Khan no longer tolerated Beidi. After two years of recuperation, just as the country settled down, the Great Khan decided to act.

He also understood why the Great Khan made this decision.

After all, if not for the Beidi Tribe’s dilatory reinforcement last time, Haiyan Pass might not have been taken by the Chen Army.

For such an "unstable factor," which monarch could tolerate it?

"Yes." Wanyan Xiaji said.

Tuoba Hui glanced at Wanyan Xiaji, fearing he might overthink, and spoke in private: "I don’t want to make a move against Beidi either, but news just came from the Great Song. The Duke An, Chen Mo, who defeated our Eastern Army, has successfully supported the king, eliminated Prime Minister Lu Sheng, and Prince Chong Chu Yan, and Prince Huai Chu Yi, and was thereby promoted to King Wei.

Nowadays, the Great Song is dominated by him alone, and it won’t be long before the Great Song completely ends its internal turmoil. Once the internal chaos settles, given the temperament of the Song people, they will surely seek revenge on us.

If by then, Jin Xia is still like it is now, how can we withstand the Great Song?"

After hearing Tuoba Hui’s words, Wanyan Xiaji was speechless and took a long time to recover, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

In Wanyan Xiaji’s view, the Great Song was already beyond cure and was incurable. Although Chen Mo had temporarily repelled their invasion, the domestic situation could not be resolved in seven or eight years. During this time, Jin Xia could heal the wounds of the Eastern Army.

But he didn’t expect, how much time had actually passed.

What surprised him even more was that the "pacifying rebellion" was actually achieved by Chen Mo.

How could he be a match for Lu Sheng?

Before attacking the Great Song, they had investigated the Great Song.

Xu Guozhong and Lu Sheng were both suspected to be Second Grade.

Wanyan Xiaji also knew Tuoba Hui would not deceive him with this matter, so it could only be true. Thus, Chen Mo might also be a Second Grade.

"No wonder the Eastern Army collapsed so quickly back then." Wanyan Xiaji thought at that time, Chen Mo was already Second Grade.

Now, he fully supported Tuoba Hui in exterminating the Beidi Tribe.

To handle an external challenge, internal issues must first be resolved.

To face the forthcoming revenge from the Great Song, the instability represented by Beidi must be removed.

"But how old is Chen Mo..." In his thoughts, Wanyan Xiaji couldn’t help but think about Chen Mo again, finding it difficult to accept, even finally saying: "Could he truly be an Immortal God descended to the mortal world?"

The rumor among the Great Song people that Chen Mo was an Immortal God naturally also spread to Jin Xia.

With such vivid details, Wanyan Xiaji linked this series of events, even he was inclined to believe it.

"He was born in February, if not counting full age, he is already twenty-four." Tuoba Hui said.

"Only twenty-four." Wanyan Xiaji muttered, "Such talent, only an Immortal God could achieve."

...

End of April.

Great Song.

Celestial River.

Before the departure, Geng Songfu found Chen Mo and spoke of a major event which required Chen Mo’s agreement.

"The national treasury is empty..."

Chen Mo had known this since he was in Luonan.

Moreover, the over one million taels confiscated back then had already been used up.

Yet the Court was still waiting for silver, and a lot was needed.

Merely the revenue from the Four States and Fu Ze Restaurant couldn’t fill the gap.

After all, the Court faced the entire nation, not just those four states alone.

Moreover, the Four States still had to provide grain supplies for the northern Border Army, and the soldiers’ military stipends couldn’t contribute much to the Court either.

"Does Chancellor Geng have a solution?" Chen Mo knew that since Geng Songfu brought it up, he must have a solution.

"Open the sea route." Geng Songfu said decisively.

"Open the sea route?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.

"Prince, recently when organizing the Royal Treasury, I found an account book. This book recorded gains from overseas trade during Emperor Ling’s reign. Just that once, there was a profit of over thirteen million taels." Geng Songfu said.

Chen Mo was taken aback: "Over one million taels, so much? If I remember correctly, during Emperor Ling’s time, didn’t every overseas venture result in losses? It even led to an empty national treasury, prompting the civil and military officials to continuously petition to stop sea ventures, claiming it was harming the country. When the late Emperor ascended the throne, the officials still didn’t stop petitioning. Under pressure, the late Emperor had to order a halt."

Emperor Ling, the father of the late Emperor, and the previous previous previous Emperor of the Great Song.

"The Prince may not know, during Emperor Ling’s time, overseas ventures were indeed losses for the Court, but the Royal Family made profits, huge profits. The money from overseas trade never went into the national treasury; it all went into the Emperor’s Inner Treasury, whereas all costs for overseas ventures came from the national treasury. With expenditure but no income, couldn’t it be a loss? Moreover, each sea venture was a massive expense." Geng Songfu said.