As the morning mist dissipated, Esnia was once again bathed in bright sunshine. The rising sun cast a golden glow upon the buildings of the imperial capital, symbolizing the unparalleled splendor of this administrative and economic center of the Fast Empire. The streets teemed with people, and the sounds of the marketplace rose and fell—hawkers' cries and the sounds of bargaining—adding immense vitality to this vast city. At this time, the people of Fast were thoroughly enjoying the glory and wealth brought by the powerful empire.
The headquarters of the Eastern Garrison Commander was a vast complex located near the eastern city market of Esnia. It employed traditional axial symmetry in its architecture, with a triple-deep layout and living quarters for soldiers on both sides. Most of the garrison troops were stationed in the outer fortress outside the capital when not on duty; only soldiers on duty would reside here.
The full title of the Eastern Governor is the Eastern Gate Admiral of the Guard Army of Esnia, the capital of the Fast Empire. Because this title is so long and difficult to pronounce, it is usually simplified to Eastern Governor except in formal occasions.
The Governor's office was located in the last hall, which was paved with carved floor tiles. Above the hall hung a plaque with the four magnificent golden characters "City Guard Hall" written by Emperor Fast, which shone brightly in the sunlight.
Everyone knew the imposing presence of this place; orders issued from here directly impacted every aspect of the imperial capital, Esnia. This was not only where affairs of the Eastern District were handled, but also where the commanders of the other city guards frequently gathered to assist with matters of the capital. However, since Andre III vacated the position of Eastern Commander, the place had become much quieter, its former bustling activity replaced by birdsong in the courtyard.
The long-locked back gate is finally about to open, and this city guard hall is about to welcome its new master.
Old Yu was a veteran orderly who had served in the Eastern Governor's Office for decades. Knowing that a new Eastern Governor was coming today, he arrived at the Eastern Governor's Office early in the morning, opened the back gate, and cleaned the main hall of the city guards, waiting for the arrival of the trusted Eastern Governor.
At exactly eight o'clock in the morning, Old Yu, who was standing outside the back gate, saw a man wearing the same uniform as him walking over. Although the man's clothes were a bit old, they were very clean and neat, and they had a special charm on him.
"Good morning!"
The man nodded to Lao Yu in greeting, then stood beside him and chatted casually with him.
"Could it be that he's a newly assigned orderly from the military?"
Old Yu had such doubts in his heart, but seeing that the man was easygoing and witty, he quickly put away his guard and chatted with him about the gossip and interesting stories of the city guards.
At this moment, Garrick Stonewall, Suchon, and the other generals arrived at the city guard hall, taking the first step in getting to know each other. Seeing is believing; the men who had previously been ostracized and looked down upon by the military officials became quite familiar with each other amidst exclamations of amazement. Now they were simply waiting for the arrival of the new Eastern Governor, Aurelian Dragon.
At 9:45, the sound of rapid hoofbeats finally rang out outside. When they reached the back gate, the neighing of horses rang out continuously, and the riders jumped off.
Old Yu and the man standing at the door could see very clearly that a man dressed in the magnificent imperial military robes and eighteen beautiful female guards were coming. This procession was definitely dominated by women, and as they moved, a waft of intoxicating fragrance wafted over, causing the soldiers who were busy saluting to take a few deep breaths.
This new Governor-General is truly intriguing, exactly as rumored. This thought immediately arose in Old Yu's mind. The man beside him frowned slightly, muttering something under his breath. Before Old Yu could ask, the man had already started walking inside.
Old Yu wanted to call out to the man, but at that moment the drums of the Eastern Governor's ceremony were already sounding in the city guard hall, and the generals were beginning to line up to pay their respects. He could only shake his head at the man's back.
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Aurelian Dragon rushed into the hall, which could hold hundreds of people, like a gust of wind, saying, "I'm so sorry, I forgot the time for the ceremony!" He saw Garrick Stonewall and Suchon's strange expressions, smiled, and then walked to his seat in the hall.
Behind him were Cynthia's fifteen goddess warriors, two Golden Phoenix Guards carefully selected by Phoenix Vane, and Obsidia Shade, Aurelian Dragon's personal bodyguard. To outsiders, this was an incredibly alluring personal guard, and the man who possessed such a force must have a particular fondness for women. However, those who hadn't experienced it firsthand could never imagine how terrifying their combat power was; this combination of women was undoubtedly one of the most formidable forces on the continent.
Even Garrick Stonewall and Suchon, who were somewhat prepared, were taken aback by the Aurelian Dragon, let alone the other generals who had never encountered it before. Seeing the row of beautiful female guards standing behind their commander, everyone in the city's guard hall felt a very strange feeling. What kind of path would this man lead them down? In any case, they were now on a ship called "Aurelian Dragon," and the captain was this man of unknown depth.
"Greetings, Lord Governor!" The generals in the hall bowed formally to Aurelian Dragon according to the etiquette of the Fast army.
Aurelian Dragon glanced around at the assembled generals. Apart from Garrick Stonewall and Suo Chong, two familiar faces, the rest were all strangers to him.
"Where is my military advisor?" Aurelian Dragon asked immediately after taking her seat.
The assembled generals looked around and suddenly realized that from the beginning, they had not seen any officer identify himself as Shi Yixin, the military advisor to the Eastern Governor.
"This humble general is here!" A steady voice came from the back of the hall.
Aurelian Dragon and his generals looked toward the source of the voice, where a man of average build, dressed in the standard uniform of the Fast Army, was striding toward the hall.
"Isn't he one of the two orderly standing at the door just now?" All the officers immediately recognized the man's stance and couldn't help but wonder, "Is he the one known as 'General Shi Yixin'?"
Shi Yixin, the commander of ten thousand cavalry, known as the "Strong-willed General," was thirty-five years old. He was upright and serious, meticulous in handling problems, and extremely principled. He insisted on following the rules in everything he did. These were all virtues, but unfortunately, extremes can be reversible. People who are too principled do not know how to be flexible and become a stumbling block for some people. As a result, the military put this dignified commander of ten thousand cavalry in a very leisurely position, almost idle.
Aurelian Dragon looked at Shi Yixin who walked up to her, recalled the information she had obtained yesterday, and immediately had a general understanding of this man.
"I hope you will continue to guide me in the future!" Shi Yixin said loudly, giving Aurelian Dragon a standard military salute.
Aurelian Dragon noticed the wariness and coldness in Shi Yixin's eyes. He stood up, stared into Shi Yixin's eyes, and said seriously, "I am new here and know nothing about the affairs of the capital. I should be asking General Shi for advice. Please, General, take a seat!"
A goddess warrior behind him brought over a chair, and after Shi Yixin thanked her, he sat down with Aurelian Dragon.
Aurelian Dragon said to Shi Yixin, "I feel extremely honored to have someone like General Shi as my military advisor!"
Just as Shi Yixin was about to say something, Aurelian Dragon waved his hand and said, "I know that with your abilities, General, a mere military advisor to the Eastern Governor is really beneath you. I am not very knowledgeable and hope that you can do your best to help me."
Shi Yixin couldn't figure out what this man with a bad reputation wanted. He was so polite and humble from the beginning. Shi Yixin could only solemnly say, "Please rest assured, sir, I will do my best to do my job well."
"No, it's not just your own business!" Aurelian Dragon said seriously, "I want to entrust the daily affairs of the Eastern Governor to the General."
His words were astonishing. The generals in the hall were naturally taken aback, and Shi Yixin was even more shocked. This was something he had wanted to do but had never dared to hope for.
In the military structure of the Fast Empire, the duty of a military advisor is to assist their commander in handling all affairs, and only when necessary to act in place of the commander. Even so, because power is universally desired, no commander is willing to relinquish any of their authority. Therefore, the duties of a military advisor have degenerated into a position with only the right to speak, but no real authority, almost equivalent to that of a staff officer. If the Fast Empire's regulations did not also include the function of managing the seal of office on behalf of the commander, this position might have been abolished. In fact, there are already voices within the military calling for the abolition of the military advisor position and for the commander to personally manage the seal.
"My lord, this is absolutely unacceptable! How could I possibly..."
Aurelian Dragon interrupted Shi Yixin and said sincerely, "I believe in the general's abilities and I am confident that he can handle the matter properly."
A complex expression flashed across Shi Yixin's eyes. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "Why, why do you have so much confidence in me? Doesn't Your Excellency know that the military has high hopes for me..."
Aurelian Dragon laughed and said, "We don't need to worry about the military affairs. I'm very happy that the general is willing to take on this mission, because I know very well what I'm capable of."
Shi Yixin stared at Aurelian Dragon for a long time, as if trying to determine the truthfulness of the man's words, or as if he was unable to accept it because it was too sudden. The lobby was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Aurelian Dragon looked at Shi Yixin with a smile, but then saw him suddenly step forward and kneel down on the ground, saying in a trembling voice, "I am deeply grateful for your high regard, my lord. I am willing to do my best to help you."
Aurelian Dragon was overjoyed and stepped forward to help Shi Yixin up, laughing, "With the general's words, I can now relax and slack off!"
Shi Yixin respectfully replied, "You flatter me, sir!"
Aurelian Dragon turned to the officers and said, "As you all know, from now on, Military Advisor Shi will be in charge of all daily affairs." The officers responded enthusiastically. Aurelian Dragon knew he had at least made the right first step; his demonstrated approach to personnel management had given the officers some confidence in him. At this moment, a strange light shone in Shi Yixin's eyes; he felt he had finally found a place to use his talents.
"Since you'll all be working with me from now on, let's get to know each other first!" Aurelian Dragon said, returning to her seat and looking at everyone. "Let's all introduce ourselves!"
Such an opening remark surprised everyone, but seeing that Aurelian Dragon looked very serious, they couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.
"Let me start!" Seeing that no one below reacted, Aurelian Dragon smiled and began to introduce herself.
Aurelian Dragon finished her introduction in a few words, and then said something that surprised the generals below.
A stir ran through the generals; they had never heard of such a novel ceremony for the Eastern Governor to establish his headquarters. The events of this morning were stranger than anything they had ever encountered before, yet upon reflection, they were quite intriguing. It seemed their commander was indeed extraordinary!
"Let me make it clear first, if you fail to do that job well, you will be severely punished!"
Sitting to the side, Shi Yixin had calmed down from his initial excitement. After hearing Aurelian Dragon's words, he couldn't help but smile and interject with a comment.
"If you can't even do something like this, then you might as well go home and sleep with your wives!"
Unexpectedly, the supposedly serious and upright "General Shi Yixin" would say something so witty, which made everyone laugh. At this moment, Suo Chong, who knew a bit about Aurelian Dragon, also added a comment with a grin.
"Hehe, it's okay to go home and sleep with my wife, as long as I write 'going deep into the grassroots to understand the people's sentiments' in the report, isn't that enough?"
Aurelian Dragon nodded repeatedly and laughed, "That's right, General So is a very clever man. This is absolutely possible, it's feasible!"
The officers burst into laughter. Such a superior was a rare find, and working under such a man would certainly be very interesting.
After the laughter subsided, the generals began to think seriously, because this situation presented both a challenge and an opportunity for them. Previously, in other organizations, their work was assigned by their superiors, but now they had chosen their own jobs. If they didn't perform well, they could only blame themselves for their lack of ability.
The discussion began, and to Aurelian Dragon's surprise, very few people actually wanted to be "Eastern Governor Observer." One person in particular caught his attention, and from Phoenix Vane's earlier introduction, Aurelian Dragon knew that this person was Tiber Slowhand, whom the military called "the Hundred-Defeat General."
Tiber Slowhand only said one sentence to Aurelian Dragon: "I have no merits other than having lost battles." This statement piqued Aurelian Dragon's interest. To be able to introduce himself so directly and to evaluate himself so frankly—this man was quite an oddball!
Tiber Slowhand, also known as the "Idiot General," was famous in the military for his slow reaction time since he joined the army. In the war against Parri, he suffered eighteen consecutive defeats, which angered the general at the time so much that he almost had him executed. Fortunately, although he was defeated, he did not lose many of his men, so he was later sent back to the military headquarters and put on hold.
It was nearly noon when this unprecedented grand opening ceremony concluded. Aurelian Dragon's actions had demonstrated his exceptional qualities to his generals and won them their support. He had executed this move brilliantly, making his men feel comfortable and at ease working under him.
"A scholar will die for one who understands him." For these generals, encountering such an enlightened superior who allowed them to fully display their talents was an extremely rare opportunity.
That noon, Shi Yixin returned home and his wife was very surprised by his expression. She knew that her husband had been idle for many years, which made him, who was full of talent, gradually become depressed. But now, from the doubt and unease when he received the mission, to the worries when he left home in the morning, to his current radiant and energetic appearance, the speed of his transformation surprised her greatly.
What kind of magic did that womanizing, dissolute man, cast on his husband?
Madam Shi, who rarely asked about her husband's affairs, couldn't help but ask, "Is the new governor of the East treating you well? What kind of treatment has he given you?"
The enthusiastic soldier, beaming with joy, said to his wife, "So it turns out the outside world's assessment of him was all true!"
This made his wife even more puzzled, but she soon understood what her husband meant, because he was clamoring to move the family to the Eastern Governor's Office, and he looked as happy as a child when he spoke.
※ ※ ※
Prince Elnario repeatedly examined the report in his hands, his face displaying an inscrutable expression. This surprised the man standing before him; he had expected his lord to be furious, but instead, he remained completely calm.
Setting down the report, Prince Elnario looked up and said, "Since Lady Fire has made this decision, let's leave it at that. Inform our people to fully support her actions!"
"Your Highness!..."
Prince Elnario waved his hand to stop his subordinate from speaking, and said in a deep voice, "Just do as I command!"
The subordinate silently bowed to his lord and then left the room.
"Hmph, the bigger the commotion, the better. Let's see how long he can hold the position of Governor of the East."
Prince Elnario watched his subordinates' retreating figures and muttered coldly to himself, "How many hearts can this flame of Esnia illuminate?"
But his thoughts didn't linger for long before the second person entered.
"How was it? Wasn't this morning quite interesting?"
Upon seeing the person who had arrived, Prince Elnario's eyes lit up, and his tone was filled with eagerness.
"Your Highness!" The man who entered bowed respectfully and began to give a detailed report.
"How could this man do such a thing!" Prince Elnario uttered through gritted teeth after hearing the story. "What kind of freak is he?"
※ ※ ※
Meanwhile, Gilmans, who was worrying about Gongsun Sanniang's matter, received a report from his subordinates and burst into laughter.
"I never expected the Aurelian Dragon to pull something like this. I wonder if Prince Elnario will feel like he's tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead?"
Gongsun Sanniang also said with considerable surprise, "Aurelian Dragon's move was indeed brilliant. Those unruly fellows are actually quite capable people. Could he have subdued them just like that?" As she spoke, a hint of worry crept into her voice.
Gilmans reached out his large, fat hand and gently patted Gongsun Sanniang's small hand, saying, "Little darling, don't worry so much. Nothing has happened yet. If something really serious were to happen, it's still uncertain whether these people would side with the Aurelian Dragon."
"Besides, it's much better for those people to be under Aurelian Dragon's command than to be under Prince Elnario's. Otherwise, they might end up being used by Prince Elnario one day, which would only increase his power."
Gongsun Sanniang rolled her eyes at him and said with a charming smile, "My lord, you have such a kind heart. I knew I hadn't chosen the wrong person!"
Gilmans chuckled and pulled the alluring woman into his arms, kissing her before saying, "The only problem now is that if you can't find Madam Sorenblade's people, you won't be able to take the top position in the Gongsun family, and you won't be able to use the Gongsun family's vast power."
Gongsun Sanniang said with distress, "It's all those idiots from Wenjianzhai's place. I never thought they would let my eldest sister escape. They only managed to capture her two personal maids."
Remembering something, Gilmans asked, "What about the two maids? Maybe we can get information about your eldest sister's whereabouts from them."
"The Twelve Star Swordsmen are interrogating them right now, there's no need for you to say anything." Gongsun Sanniang gave a flirtatious wink, and as if suddenly remembering something, added another sentence.
"Those two little women are really pretty. They're such a good deal for those twelve bastards."
"What?" Gilmans said regretfully, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Giving it to those guys is such a waste!"
"I knew the adults would say that!"
Gongsun Sanniang smiled charmingly, her small hands slowly stroking Gilmans's chest, then she opened her mouth and blew a breath onto Gilmans's face.
"Now, are you tempted, sir?"
"Tempted? I'd rather devour you, you slut, first!"
Gilmans laughed as he stood up and carried Gongsun San Niang into the inner room.
※ ※ ※
The strange words and actions of the newly appointed Governor of the East, Aurelian Dragon, quickly became known to the public thanks to the gossip of those with ulterior motives. Many people were immediately intrigued; such a man, if not unique, was certainly extremely rare. Everyone eagerly awaited to see what this man would do next.
Even the person involved himself was unaware of this, because his actions today laid a considerable foundation for him to recruit talent in the future, and many insightful people began to consider the possibility of serving him.