Chapter 97: The Orphan of Zhao

The Right Protector did not dodge but half-squatted with his sword, preparing to leap onto the carriage. Yet the carriage halted three meters away.

Chen Mu asked, “Who are you, and what grudge do I hold against you?”

The Right Protector pointed his sword at Chen Mu. “What grudge does my Zhao family have with you? Why did you murder my father and second uncle?”

Chen Mu frowned. “You speak of the private army chaos between the Zhang and Zhao families? They gathered private forces to kill me, so could I not have slain them?”

The Right Protector’s fury only grew. “It was you who forced us! You have been continuously suppressing the great families, denying us any path to survival! You hoard wealth without pause, while my Zhao family merely earned a modest sum, and you fabricated charges to confiscate our family!”

Chen Mu was amused by this inversion of right and wrong. “Heh, you truly reverse black and white! I gather wealth to fill the national treasury and strengthen the nation!”

“As for your Zhao family, when the residents along both banks of the Yangtze suffered calamity, you colluded with the county magistrate, pocketed salaries, and withheld supplies—this is profiting from national disaster and must be severely punished!”

“You now rob relief grain, which is treason and demands the extermination of your nine clans!”

The Right Protector pointed at Chen Mu and took two deep breaths.

“Chen Mu, if you are a man, stop hiding behind the guards and speak! Dare you duel with me alone?”

Chen Mu smiled faintly. “What is there to fear?”

The guards nearby quickly tried to restrain him.

“Your Highness, this cannot be allowed!”

“Your Highness, you are a prince of inestimable value—why argue with a rebel?”

Chen Mu waved his hand. “No need to worry. I am merely toying with him.”

After several exchanges, Chen Mu had gauged the opponent’s strength and felt confident of victory.

The Right Protector saw Chen Mu descend from the carriage; fighting spirit flared anew in his eyes. He raised his sword and charged.

Chen Mu tossed the scabbard aside, gripped the sword with both hands, and swung it forward, chopping down onto the Right Protector’s blade.

Chen Mu stared at the Right Protector, who stared back. In the clash of strength, Chen Mu prevailed, driving the opponent back.

The Right Protector retreated half a step, then advanced again. His long sword swept horizontally, as if he meant to split Chen Mu in two.

Chen Mu jumped aside, then raised his sword high and treated it as a blade, chopping toward the Right Protector’s sword.

Their blades clashed. The Right Protector’s sword was pressed to the ground, and Chen Mu followed with a flying kick that struck the man’s face.

The Right Protector was sent sprawling more than a meter away; the sword in his hand clattered to the earth.

Chen Mu advanced, his long sword pointing straight at the Right Protector’s throat.

The Right Protector shouted hysterically, “If you have the courage, kill me! The Yin-Tang Organization will overthrow Daxia sooner or later!”

Chen Mu replied calmly, “Of course I will kill you, but Daxia will only endure longer with my help.”

With that, Chen Mu thrust his sword forward, and the Right Protector fell dead.

On the other side, the clash between the guards and the Yin-Tang Organization had ended. The Yin-Tang forces left dozens of corpses and fled on horseback.

The guards did not pursue but returned to Chen Mu’s side.

Chen Mu ordered the wounded tended, the battlefield cleared, then led the men driving the carriage to the easternmost county town of Dongyuan, Qingqu County.

This county held special ties with Chen Mu; he had visited it many times before, and the former Qingqu County captain had become commander of the guards in the Crown Prince’s mansion and chief of the dark guards.

Thanks to effective water control upstream, Qingqu County no longer faced flood threats. Chen Mu arranged the distribution of Northeast rice and patrolled the area before preparing to return.

On the journey back, besides distributing Northeast rice along the way, an important task was epidemic prevention.

Chen Mu knew from the historical records that a great disaster must be followed by a great plague.

Because the viruses and bacteria in the water spread with the floods across the land, and the countless dead bodies scattered across mountains and fields were sources of contamination.

Moreover, the people in the disaster zones, unable to eat their fill or stay warm, had weakened resistance and were more prone to infection.

Although this time Daxia’s disaster claimed fewer lives and sufficient grain, clothing, and tents had been provided, one still could not be careless.

Starting from Qingqu County, Chen Mu spread knowledge of epidemic prevention, instructing everyone to maintain hygiene, avoid wild animals, and drink only from known water sources. They should eat the grain distributed by the authorities and drink from well water.

Along the way, Chen Mu also left behind many Northeast rice seeds for the people to plant in the paddy fields after the floods.

When Chen Mu returned to the capital, all the wanted fugitives had been captured, the people of the Zhang and Zhao families had been exterminated in nine clans, and the county magistrates who deserted mid-battle had been executed.

Although there were many elderly and children among the Zhang and Zhao families, Chen Mu felt no pity for them.

Perhaps they were innocent, but retaining such people would only breed more Right Protectors and endanger more innocent lives.

Weren’t the fallen guards, the grain transport cavalry, and the carriage drivers innocent?

In this era, the only way to prevent such rebellion was through extermination in nine clans.

To make this era more civilized, one could only continue accelerating the advancement of productivity.

After the relief, many extra Northeast rice remained. Part was stored as national reserve grain, the other part was brewed into wine.

The wine workshops remained state-owned enterprises, continuing to enrich Daxia’s national treasury.

Time soon came to winter. Daxia’s citizens ate mutton from the Xiongnu tribute, seasoned with chili peppers from the Persian tribute, and drank rice wine brewed from Northeast rice, living in great warmth.

Chen Mu sat at home eating hotpot with his two wives.

Mei Ling’er placed a slice of mutton in Chen Mu’s bowl. “Husband, try this. The grassland mutton is so delicious.”

“Mmm, let me taste it.”

Chen Mu picked up the mutton, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth. Indeed, it was delicious. The mutton and sauce were naturally free of pollution; the muttony, spicy, and salty flavors combined, and after eating, one still wanted more.

Liu Susu smiled and said, “It is all thanks to Husband conquering so many tributary states that Daxia can enjoy these delicacies.”

Chen Mu nodded. “Those tributary states also gained benefits. The Luosha Kingdom now has cotton clothes and eats chili peppers; there it is much colder than here.”

As they chatted, Li Biao entered.

“His Highness, His Majesty has issued an edict summoning you to the palace for discussion, claiming there is a military promotion.”

Chen Mu was stunned. “Who still dares to attack Daxia?”

The Eastern Yue in the southeast had already been absorbed into Daxia; the northern Luosha, Donghu, and Xiongnu, as well as the southern Nanyuan and Persia, had all become Daxia’s tributary states.

To the west lay plateaus and deserts—vast uninhabited lands.

Where did this military emergency come from?

Chen Mu set down his chopsticks and rode quickly to the imperial palace.

Seeing Chen Hangtian, Chen Mu bowed and asked, “Father, what is the military emergency?”

Chen Hangtian pointed to the envoy beside him. “Persia seeks aid.”

Chen Mu turned and recognized the man; he was a Persian supervisor responsible for overseeing the state.

Back then, when Chen Mu had conquered Persia, he had fought only halfway, then randomly found a Persian who could speak Daxia and made him king, establishing a new regime.