369: The three states are in chaos, and this is just a small request of yours?

Wu Prefecture, Yue Province, and Lan Province, these Three Prefectures, were once fertile lands more than ten years ago, rich in aquatic products and with abundant rice harvests every year.

Wu Prefecture even stood shoulder to shoulder with Qing Province, unrivaled in its prominence.

But for reasons unknown, ten years ago, various disasters suddenly began to plague them: massive floods, earthquakes, fires, plagues, locust infestations, and even demon scourges. The common people were living in dire straits; millions died, with their deaths officially recorded, and tens of millions suffered from various disabilities.

The true numbers are impossible to calculate.

The Imperial Court had also dispatched the Demon Suppression Division, and even the army, to suppress these issues, and requested the Heavenly Destiny Observation to assist in investigations. This continued for several years, consuming an astronomical amount of resources.

Not only was there no result for a long time, but the Three Great States became even more chaotic.

The Three Prefectures, with a population of hundreds of millions, now, after just over ten years, collectively have less than ninety million people.

Countless people have relocated, mysteriously disappeared, or starved to death.

However, the governors of the Three Prefectures, and even the Pacification Envoy, reported that the Three Prefectures were generally peaceful, the disasters had been mostly quelled, and the population had recovered to seventy percent of what it was more than ten years ago, with everything thriving.

They only needed the Imperial Court to continue providing large allocations of funds to achieve full recovery.

After secret investigation by the Shadow Guards,

it was revealed that they were actually defrauding the Imperial Court's fiscal transfer payments. A portion of the Three Prefectures' finances, which were originally meant to be transferred to the Western Border or the north as support, had now become recipients of aid.

This had severely impacted the Great Chu's national destiny and would accelerate the Great Chu's decline. The Chu Emperor naturally could not let it go unchecked. Afterwards, he successively sent five special envoys; four of them died mysteriously, and one returned severely injured.

The Chu Emperor felt angry, but had nowhere to vent it.

What appeared to be natural disasters and demon chaos was, at its root, a power struggle between the Imperial Court and the local authorities.

As the Dynasty approached its end, local authorities sought to break free from control, but the Imperial Court would not allow it.

The Three Prefectures, bordering foreign nations, held a strategically vital position.

And the hundreds of millions of people in the Three Great States were merely pawns forcibly sacrificed by the local authorities in their struggle against the Imperial Court.

After several attempts, the Imperial Court had no one left to send, and no one dared to go.

Even those who were not afraid of local strong powers would, with a slight misstep, follow in the footsteps of the previous four special envoys and die an unnatural death.

The Chu Emperor needed a peerless treasure blade to cut through the chaos of the Three Prefectures.

To end this chaotic situation that had lasted for over a decade.

This matter originally wouldn't have fallen to Chu Jiang; his strength was too low. Dealing with small fry and rogue demons in the west was no problem for him.

But once he entered these three treacherous Great States, it would be like a lamb entering a tiger's den, most likely resulting in his death and the loss of a good blade that had yet to fully mature.

But now, the Chu Emperor had changed his mind.

Chu Jiang already possessed Heavenly Ranking level combat power; he was no longer weak and was capable of fighting on a true chessboard without being defeated.

Asking him to play low-level games would be a waste of his talent.

Bang!

Chu Jiang finished reading the contents of the golden scroll. He hadn't expected that among the Eastern Ten States, which had always been prosperous, there were three Great States secretly turbulent and so chaotic.

The complexity of the forces involved was unimaginable.

However, the greater the difficulty, the easier it was to gain benefits.

[Ding]

[Mission triggered: The Border Three Prefectures are plagued by frequent disasters and rampant demons. Please, Host, quell the chaos in the Three Prefectures within three years. Reward: Three catties of Ten Thousand Year Cold Marrow, one mysterious Puppet.]

Another mission triggered?

Not bad.

Chu Jiang rolled up the scroll and said solemnly to the Chu Emperor, “Your subject is willing to go to the Border Three Prefectures to cleanse the heavens and earth, and suppress the demonic rebels!”

Crucially, these Three Great States were surrounded by demons, and there must be many Great Demons—this was his opportunity to rise.

“With such ambition, how can a great task not be accomplished!”

The Chu Emperor nodded in satisfaction and continued, “Tell me what you need for this journey, and I will try my best to fulfill it.”

“For this journey, there is no need for any scruples. No matter who is involved, kill without mercy!”

The Chu Emperor's expression turned cold. These Border Three Prefectures, sucking the blood of the Imperial Court, harming the common people, and deceiving those above and below, had already become rotten to the core.

Now, there was no need to talk about Imperial Court politics or regional balance; only Ironblood suppression could deter people's hearts.

Only with Chu Jiang, this fully matured treasure blade, could the chaos of the Three Prefectures be cut off and completely pacified.

“Your Majesty, I only have a few small requests!”

Chu Jiang also didn't stand on ceremony; feigning compliance with him, he was waiting for this moment.

“Your subject currently needs top-grade Heaven And Earth Treasure of the fire attribute for Cultivation.”

“Your subject's Cultivation has reached a Bottleneck. If I can obtain the advanced Cultivation Technique of the Azure Wood Emperor Skill, your subject will have more confidence in pacifying the chaos of the Three Prefectures.”

“Also, the large number of Demon Suppression Guards who followed your subject, suppressing rebels throughout the west, suffered heavy losses. The pensions, rewards, and recruitment funds… the Demon Suppression Division's coffers have been emptied. Your subject used his own savings to distribute them and told them that it was Your Majesty's grace. They are all willing to die for Your Majesty.”

“But after several campaigns, your subject's savings have been depleted, leaving me utterly destitute and unable to continue supporting them…”

These words made it very clear: if you want me to do things, you must provide money and resources; otherwise, I cannot guarantee efficiency.

At this, Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong was stunned. Good heavens, these are your 'few small requests'…

If one were to carefully examine the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division and Chu Jiang's rise,

four big words would certainly come to mind.

Utter nonsense.

The Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division rampaged through the west, destroying major local sects, annihilating the Zhennan Royal Family, and enforcing the Dao across provinces to slaughter sects and eliminate factions, clearing out vast amounts of resources and various assets, making them incredibly wealthy.

They barely lost any Demon Suppression Guards, and the number of Demon Suppression Guards had more than tripled, exceeding ten thousand, comparable to the Eastern Great States.

As for everyone being willing to die for His Majesty, that was an outright lie. Yun Province had already become Chu Jiang's private territory, and the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division actually only recognized him, Chu Jiang, having been built into an impenetrable fortress.

Yet he still cried poverty; his thick skin was truly boundless.

And a top-grade fire attribute supreme treasure, and the advanced chapter of the Azure Wood Emperor Skill, one of the three great Imperial Cultivation Techniques.

Oh my goodness.

Are these really 'small requests'?

Hearing Chu Jiang's requests,

the Chu Emperor's eyes were as still as an ancient well, and he said faintly, “The Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division has served the country with outstanding merit, and indeed deserves reward…”

Then, he looked at Chu Jiang and continued, “As for the top-grade fire attribute Heaven And Earth Treasure that my dear subject desires… Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong, go to the Imperial Treasury later and select some for my dear subject Chu.”

“Regarding the complete version of the Azure Wood Emperor Skill, our Great Chu's ancestral teachings forbid it from being passed to outsiders. But if my dear subject can pacify the chaos of the Three Prefectures, I will break this rule for my dear subject and endure the curses of my ancestors. What is there to fear?”

“Everything, for the sake of the people under heaven!”

This old man.

The Oscar for Best Actor goes to you.

“Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!”

Chu Jiang's eyes narrowed. The Chu Emperor didn't agree to all of his requests, but kept one dangling, holding it over him.

The meaning was clear: if he wanted the complete Azure Wood Emperor Skill, the chaos of the Three Prefectures must be completely resolved.

However, he hadn't expected the Chu Emperor to agree to all of his requests; even if he could, he wouldn't.

This is how an Emperor operates; if he gives you everything you want, how can he control you?

That's why he made several requests, expecting at least two to be granted. Agreeing to only one would seem insincere.

A top-grade supreme Yang item and the advanced chapter of the Azure Wood Emperor Skill—he would grant one, and either way, it would be a huge gain.

The two sides had a cordial and friendly conversation in the Golden Luan Hall, reaching a consensus.

At noon.

Chu Jiang held a Storage Pouch in his hand as he left the Golden Luan Hall.

Returning to the Department of Minor Affairs.

Inside the Golden Luan Hall.

“Your Majesty, this child is insatiably greedy and ambitious, growing too quickly. I fear he will bite back in the future; we must be on guard!” Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong said in a deep voice.

Looking at the Chu Emperor beside him.