Chapter 566: Understanding

Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Understanding

Zuo Yuliang’s hands were steady; every movement had reached the pinnacle of skill. With Shen Hao’s keen eyesight, he could clearly see that the wax laid down by these hands was spread in perfect, even layers, with not a single spot missed.

"This set of battle armor has been with me for nearly twenty years now. It’s seen its fair share of battles, big and small, and it’s taken plenty of damage as well. Now, even after all these repairs and patches, it can still be used, but it’s just not the same as new armor. I keep it mostly for the memories. But you know, if you don’t take care of this thing often, rust will eat through it in no time. Less than half a year, and it would all fall apart."

"Actually, new armor is no different. Hah—even the best things, if left unattended, will rot into an unsightly mess."

Shen Hao kept his hands at his sides and nodded in agreement, but in his heart he vaguely sensed that Zuo Yuliang’s words carried a deeper meaning. Was he making an allusion to something?

"You’ve worked cases in this region before, stirring up quite a fuss, even causing some major disruption, but what’s your perspective on the current situation here?"

"In my humble opinion, the situation to the south appears to be growing more and more tense. As for specifics, I’m afraid I couldn’t say—I simply don’t know enough about the conditions both inside and outside the southern passes." Shen Hao pretended not to hear the barbs in the other’s words, while also making it clear that, regarding the south, he was now ’completely in the dark.’

"Heh, to use only ’tense’ to describe the current state of the south has become quite inaccurate. The edge of the blade is already poised. The Southern Barbarians are no longer peacefully holding their lines at White Head Gorge, Jianchuan, and Hu Zhu Yuan. There have been more than twenty skirmishes since July, both big and small. Yet, the past ten days have been unnaturally quiet—can you guess the reason?"

Zuo Yuliang did not wait for Shen Hao to answer; he hadn’t asked for a reply in the first place. Instead, he continued on his own: "It’s like two men fighting—first comes the cursing and shoving, testing the waters, and then both preparing their strength for a real blow."

"You’re saying...it’s imminent?"

"Of course. The Barbarian Race has reached a point where they must keep going, riding a tiger they cannot dismount. In order to establish a Royal Court, they have risked everything, showing their claws before us to draw our attention. Now their goal is essentially within reach. The moment our main forces march outside the border, that’s the day their Royal Court rises from the ground. At that point, a great war will be unavoidable.

At the earliest, within five days; at the latest, before the end of the month, the Southern Barbarians are sure to make a major move. They can’t afford to wait any longer."

Upon hearing this, Shen Hao’s heart skipped a beat, but he then felt a sense of relief, as if thinking: ’So, what’s bound to come will finally come.’ The stalemate on the southern front had lasted so long; now, it had surely come to the time for escalation—not surprising. He just hadn’t expected to run into it himself at such a time.

Whether in five days or before the end of the month, Shen Hao fully trusted Zuo Yuliang’s judgment. That meant some of his previous preparations were now flawed; he would have to adapt his plans alongside the shifting situation.

"That’s why His Majesty has redefined the Inspector’s powers. For us in the Border Army, this can only be for the better. With war looming, waxing the armor leaves is one way to prepare, and reshaping the rules and regulations internally is another. Wouldn’t you say that’s about right?"

"Marshal Zuo speaks truly. This time, my purpose in joining the army is precisely to serve as a correcting hand, to ensure all our internal rules and systems can operate reasonably and smoothly."

"A correcting hand? Not a bad way to put it. But I fear some people’s mistakes aren’t so easily corrected."

"Above us stands the law, below us the military regulations, with each role’s responsibility clearly outlined. Item by item, we’ll scrutinize: encourage where there are no faults, amend those that exist. I have confidence my duties can be discharged properly and will not cause Marshal Zuo any undue trouble."

Zuo Yuliang looked at Shen Hao twice, then, with a faint smile, nodded and said no more. He turned to the desk, opened a drawer, and took out a document long since stamped with his signature, handing it to Shen Hao: "I hope you won’t let me down. Nor your teacher."

"I shall keep it in mind!"

With Zuo Yuliang’s signed document, Shen Hao had at last completed all procedures for officially taking up his new post. He saluted deeply, then took his leave.

How to put it? Zuo Yuliang’s first impression on Shen Hao was of a man with deep scheming. His words truly bore that flavor unique to Civil Servants—fond of veiled barbs and leaving matters ambiguous, demanding interpretation or guesswork. Otherwise, one would easily miss much of the meaning hidden within.

Even after stepping outside the pass, and all the way back to the official residence at Beach Stone, Shen Hao was still mulling over Zuo Yuliang’s words.

It seemed Zuo Yuliang was deliberately, or perhaps unintentionally, testing and guiding him. He mentioned the maintenance of armor over and over—was this an allusion to the Border Army being the ’armor’ on the Jingjiu Dynasty’s body? And the Military Supervisor’s job was armor maintenance; whether the result was good or bad, no one cared before, but with war about to break out, those responsible for ’maintenance’ must be watched closely—lest their actions do more harm than good.

"Find me a copy of the internal statutes for the Military Supervisor. All other matters can wait. I need to study the local situation before discussing anything further."

Li Jiang and Zhang Ye assented in response, then withdrew.

Soon, a thick copy of the Military Supervisor’s internal statutes was delivered to Shen Hao.

This was the newly revised statute for Military Supervisors from the past fortnight, with clear markings showing which were inherited from prior regulations and which had just been amended, as well as side-by-side comparisons between old and new.

Clearly, not everyone in the Inspectorate was just drawing pay while waiting to die—there were quite a few who actually got things done. At the very least, this summary was put together very well: clear at a glance, and it saved Shen Hao a great deal of time.

After a careful read, Shen Hao realized the Military Supervisors were likely unpopular among the Military not just because they made the soldiers feel constrained; the statutes themselves had plenty of glaring flaws.

First of all, the statutes made it clear that a Military Supervisor must have studied in the ’Military Dao Hall’ of the Great National Academy and also possess at least Post-Qi Refining Realm cultivation. Only then could one reach the threshold for becoming a Military Supervisor.

This suggests Civil Servants set great store by the system of Military Supervisors; those selected were the true ’scholar-warrior’ elites.

Especially that ’Great National Academy’—it embodied the very peak of scholarship in the Jingjiu Dynasty, and the ’Military Dao Hall’ instructed in the Way of Warfare.

It might be said these Military Supervisors were by no means ignorant of military affairs; at the very least, they knew far more than an outsider like Shen Hao.

Second, among the Military Supervisors’ statutes was one stipulation: ’In any situation, first report, then act.’

These two points together were enough to daunt even an outsider like Shen Hao—let alone those long-suffering Generals within the Military! No wonder they couldn’t stomach these Supervisors.

As the saying goes, ’a half-filled pot sloshes and makes the most noise.’ These so-called scholar-warriors, chosen from among countless Civil Servants, might well be learned in the art of war, but there’s a world of difference between discussing battle on paper and waging it in the field. Speaking glibly is nothing like confronting death. Moreover, the Military Supervisors have no command authority; all they can do is ’make hand signs from the sidelines.’ How could they possibly get along with Generals who have clawed their way up from the mud and blood?

And what of this rule—’in any situation, first report, then act’? Is that not the epitome of rigidity and inflexibility? If everything requires prior approval before a response, where is the chance to ’seize the opportunity’ in battle?