CHAPTER 828: CHAPTER 503: FIRE GOD

Red Flame Saint Armor... Xu Zhenguan was not unfamiliar with this name.

Six hundred years ago, at the end of the dynasty, the world was in chaos, compounded by the Ksitigarbha Dharma King of the Western Regions hunting down Daoist magicians, causing many sects to quietly vanish.

Along with them, numerous magical artifacts and divine weapons also disappeared in that part of history.

"It is said that the Zoroastrianism tributes the ’Fire God’, and their sect’s holy relic is a treasure armor suppressing object. As long as other town treasure magic artifacts are melted into it, the mana within this armor can be continuously enhanced. If Prince Heng masters this item, with the resources of the Prince Heng, it would be enough to nourish the Red Flame Saint Armor to an astonishing degree. Even if Prince Heng’s cultivation is not high, just by relying on the power of this armor, it would be enough to run rampant in the Worldly Realm." Ma Yan handed the document to a female official, who then presented it to the Empress.

Xu Zhenguan picked up the document with elegant, jade-like fingers, unrolled it expressionlessly, scanned the text, paused for a moment, then raised her forehead again, closed the document, and cast her gaze over the ministers:

"So, what do you all think should be done?"

Yuan Li cupped his hands, speaking seriously:

"According to the time, the Divine Mechanism Camp should have reached the front lines by now. With the combined efforts of the Divine Machine and the Five Armies’ two camps, establishing a foothold should not be difficult. However, if we wish to swallow the Qingzhou Rebel Army whole, it will not be easy.

We believe that we should dispatch skilled generals to support them and bring back Junior Guardian Zhao... Proceed with caution."

The other ministers remained silent, tacitly agreeing to this proposal.

Xu Zhenguan stayed silent, her gaze deeply fixed on several military ministers of the Privy Council. She understood that the Red Flame Saint Armor was merely an excuse; the key issue was that these ministers did not trust sending Zhao Douan to quell the rebellion.

This was her first battle since returning, crucial and allowing only victory, not defeat.

Entrusting this critical campaign to Zhao Douan, who had never led troops, was something the military ministers of the Privy Council were the first to be unwilling to accept —

It was not only a question of Zhao Douan’s ability to lead troops but, more deeply, a fear of "falling from favor."

The Li Party rebellion had caused two commanders of the imperial guard to defect, and as the court’s chief military office, the Privy Council had to take responsibility.

Amidst the rebellion, the Empress bypassed the commanders of the Privy Council, placing her trust solely in Zhao Douan.

This action in itself represented many layers of meaning.

Therefore, in today’s minor Court Meeting, Yuan Li, as the civil servant brought forward, actually represented the interests of the military ministers within the court.

"Your thoughts have been noted by me," Xu Zhenguan observed everyone’s expressions, her expression calm as she casually tossed the document aside, saying blandly:

"I am the Emperor; my words are as good as gold. Once generals are appointed, how can they be changed on a whim? For the Qingzhou Army battle, since it has been entrusted to Mr. Zhao, there is no need for you to bring it up again."

Everyone’s expressions changed slightly, and the military officers of the Privy Council were astonished, raising their heads, not expecting the Empress’s response to be so decisive and allowing no room for doubt.

— Since her return from the sealing ceremony, Her Majesty’s conduct has become increasingly iron-fisted.

This thought rose in everyone’s minds.

"As for the treasure armor held by Prince Heng," Xu Zhenguan paused slightly, her lips curling slightly upward, "I believe Mr. Zhao will have a way to deal with it."

The Red Flame Saint Armor corresponded to the "Fire God" and was indeed dangerous. However, during her escape, the Empress had long known that Zhao Douan held the "Mystic Turtle Seal," a corresponding "Water God" path.

...

...

"Prince Heng, where are you heading?"

On the official road, Zhao Douan rode on horseback, squinting his eyes and locking firmly onto Prince Heng, who was driving the carriage ahead.

Behind him, a whole team of Divine Machine Camp elites simultaneously raised their firearms, blocking every possible escape route for Prince Heng.

With just one command from Zhao Douan, they could turn him into a sieve.

"Zhao... Douan!" Prince Heng’s forehead broke into a cold sweat as he recited this name with a venomous glare.

Yet his body cleverly retracted mostly into the carriage.

Zhao Douan looked down at the King of Qingzhou with a perplexed gaze:

"It really is as I expected, quite strange indeed. The front lines are still locked in fierce battle, the Qingzhou Rebel Army has not yet surrendered, why is Your Highness fleeing first?"

He was very surprised!

Zhao Douan had led men on a flanking maneuver, launching a surprise attack on the camp, intending to capture Prince Heng alive, but all he found inside the rear tent were several corpses.

Fortunately, although Prince Heng was also a cultivation martial artist, his strength was weaker than Zhao Douan, who was beyond the Worldly Realm, so with the "Fengyue Treasure Mirror," he barely managed to track his direction, catching up with the carriage on fast horses and intercepting them here.

Prince Heng panted heavily, almost curled up within the carriage, shouting: "Zhao Douan! Look at who this is?"

As he spoke, he forcefully dragged Mrs. Xiao out of the carriage with one hand, held her in front of him, a blood-stained blade pressed against her fair, smooth neck.

"Ah—" Xiao Donger, feeling dizzy from the bumpy ride, was suddenly dragged out and screamed. When she saw Zhao Douan ahead, this family head of the East Lake Xiao Family, who was also the court’s new policy’s number one imperial merchant, froze in disbelief, her eyes widening as if she had realized something:

Was it Mr. Zhao leading the army to defeat the Qingzhou Army?

But wasn’t he rumored to have disappeared along with the Empress? Could it be...

Zhao Douan also showed a surprised expression: "Your Highness has quite a taste, fleeing in defeat without bringing a single trusted aide but taking Mrs. Xiao along. It seems the weight of the East Lake Xiao Family is greater than I imagined."

Posing as a Green Robe coachman, Prince Heng, who lived a life of luxury, with his delicate white skin, panted heavily and sneered: "Enough with the distractions! Zhao Douan, withdraw immediately, or else I will treat this flower harshly! You wouldn’t want your beloved to die here, would you?"

No, how can you slander someone out of thin air? Zhao Douan froze for a moment, then his nerves tightened, thinking to himself: This old traitor is trying to set me up!

Mrs. Xiao, who was being held hostage, also paused, suddenly reacting and scolding: "I am but a broken flower and a withered willow, having never had any inappropriate relations with Mr. Zhao. Xu Heng, stop spouting nonsense!"