Chapter 202: Consolidation of the Hammer Spirit--The Neutralizing Change (2/2)
Even with his decent cultivation level, it would still be a massive burden if he held the hammer in his hands all the time. He also had to get an excellent horse, or else he would not be able to ride a horse when he wanted to travel. He could not ask a bunch of soldiers to carry his hammer and follow him every time he wanted to go out, could he?
That was obviously out of the question.
For the first time since his return, Junior Leopard settled down inside the tent of the navy. He looked at his subordinates with a warm smile on his face.
”You have all worked hard in the past few months!”
”We have just done what we are supposed to do, sir! We are not tired!”
”I have largely understood what is going on here. Apart from the change in the Guard of Jiang City creating some trouble for us, everything else has been handled very well. Zhu Ba, why don't you marry your wife as soon as possible?”
”Ah? Yes!”
Zhu Ba did not expect that Junior Leopard would suddenly turn the focus on him. Furthermore, Junior Leopard was expressing concern about his personal matters and he was immensely grateful for it.
”Your Excellency, it's been so long. Supervisor Zhao should have arrived by now!”
'Supervisor Zhao is waiting outside the tent!” Jiang Xiao reported.
”Let him enter!”
”Yes!”
The Wu Family supervisor of Jiang City, Zhao Cheng entered the tent not long after.
”Zhao Cheng of Jiang City pays his respect to Elder Zhou!” After he entered, he bowed to Junior Leopard. However, he addressed him as an Elder instead of commander.
The Wu Family had great power and influence which the Navy of Jiang City could never measure up to. As the supervisor of the Wu Family in Jiang City, he was of equal prestige with the city magistrate. He paid his respects to Junior Leopard only because of his position as an Elder, not for his position as navy commander.
”I have already received the present you sent me. It's great. I'm very happy with it!” Junior Leopard slapped the hammer beside his hand and it gave off shock waves that everyone could feel.
”I don't dare to claim credit for it. The Family Head ordered the present. I was only in charge of delivering it!” Zhao Cheng immediately said. In the Wu Family, he was only a lowly supervisor. For things like these, he only contributed some manual labor at most and nothing he could truly claim credit for.
”Okay, let's not talk about these meaningless matters. I have a question for you. Who exactly is the new Garrison? Guard Ding hadn't even completed his term. How could he be replaced so easily? And there was no hint of the change beforehand!”
”This...” Supervisor Zhao hesitated, glancing at the various members of the Navy of Jiang City who were watching.
Wang Cheng and the rest were all men with years of experience. They naturally understood what he meant.
”Your Excellency, we...”
Wang Cheng stood up and brought his hands into a fist, wanting to excuse himself when Junior Leopard gestured for him to sit.
”Supervisor Zhao, everyone here is my trusted subordinates. You can speak your mind here!”
”Yes!” Since Junior Leopard had spoken, Supervisor Zhao did as asked. ”The surname of the new garrison is Zheng. He was originally a guard of the Prince Ning Mansion!”
”A guard of Prince Ning Mansion?” Junior Leopard's eyes became focused and the expressions of the seated navy leaders became unpleasant.
Prince Ning was the seventh prince of the current Emperor and the most outstanding and well-known of them all. He yielded a great deal of power and influence in the imperial court.
It must be admitted that the Emperor of Qian was not only a wise person but also good at producing heirs. With sons alone, he had 18 of them. Including his daughters of all ranks, he had more than 30 children.
The princesses were not much of an issue since they had to be married off eventually. But when there were too many sons, it was definitely troublesome.
This was especially true in a royal family. The more the number of sons, the more the trouble. The Qian Royalty was not an exception.
Seven of the princes had already come of age and Emperor Qian had arranged various positions for them, where they had a certain amount of authority. As they completed the tasks assigned to them, each continuously tried to expand their influence at the same time. The Crown Prince may have been long determined, but how many of those who ascended thrones were previously Crown Princes? Even the current Emperor was only a regular prince in his time. The future was unpredictable. The river may flow east for thirty years but flow west for the next thirty. These years, as the princes grew up, the struggle for power, whether covertly or overtly, happened continuously.
None of the princes were easy to deal with. All did everything in their power to place their collaborators in important positions. Trusted subordinates had their places, servants had theirs as well. The new garrison, Zheng Xi, was Prince Ning's guard.
Everyone's expression turned odd when they heard that Garrison Zheng was from the Prince Ning Mansion. The men all knew their limits. With their current power, it was impossible for the Navy of Jiang City to go against Prince Ning Mansion. They could destroy the navy with only a fraction of their power.
”What's a guard from the Prince Ning Mansion doing in Jiang City?”
Supervisor Zhao smiled wryly for a brief moment as if he had some opinion about Prince Ning himself. ”Looks like Prince Ning has set his eyes on Zhonghe Prefecture. Since Jiang City is the most important part of Zhonghe Prefecture, he sent Zheng Xi here to test the waters.”
”He wants to test the depth of waters here in Jiang City?”
”Zhonghe Prefecture as well,” Supervisor Zhao said. ”Besides Zheng Xi, 14 other men from the Prince Ning Mansion have entered Zhonghe Prefecture. Their positions aren't high, but like Zheng Xi, they are all placed in crucial places. I also heard that the imperial court wants to replace Admiral Li!”
”Replace Admiral Li?” Junior Leopard could not longer keep a straight face. He started out as Li Yuan's personal guard and his current position was thanks to him. On the surface, Li Yuan could be regarded as his backer. If Li Yuan left, he would be left without a backer. He had no friends, connections, nor understanding of the local culture in Zhonghe Prefecture. Besides, he had been rude to the Magistrate in the beginning. Once Li Yuan was gone, it would be a piece of cake for anyone to deal with him.
”Is this news dependable?”
”It's very likely.”
”Damn! This is really troublesome!” Junior Leopard furrowed his brow and cursed under his breath. ”Supervisor Zhao, you have a certain influence within Jiang City. Have you met Garrison Zheng? How is he?”
”He's much stronger than Guard Ding and quite the figure. He's no weakling either. I heard he's a Level Five expert!”
”A Level Five expert coming to Jiang City to be a Garrison?” Junior Leopard was stunned, finding it unbelievable. Experts of Bone-Forging Realm were a rarity, never mind a Level Five Expert coming from Prince Ning Mansion. Garrison Zheng had more than enough qualification to be the admiral of some faraway prefecture! Why would he be assigned here to be some lowly garrison?
”This is what we haven't been able to understand. Zheng Xi's cultivation level is not the highest. Among the other 14 men, even the weakest was at the peak of Level Three. The strongest was at Level Six, yet he was assigned to a lowly position in Jibei City!”
”Interesting!” Junior Leopard rubbed his chin. He thought for a moment and asked, ”What about Guard Ding? What happened to him?”
”He has been transferred to Yun City. His position is now one level higher, but he no longer has any real power!”
”I see!” Junior Leopard nodded.
This time, even he could tell that Prince Ning had his schemes about Zhonghe Prefecture. But even if he had these plans, he should not have been so obvious. Was he not afraid of being discovered to make his scheme so conspicuous by sending so many experts here?
Noticing the tense atmosphere, Zhu Ba could not help opening his mouth. ”Your Excellency, we don't have to fear him. Even if he is the Garrison of Jiang City, he has no power to take you down, does he?”
”That's true. But if the Admiral Li really leaves Zhonghe Prefecture and the new Admiral wants to get rid of me, he can do so in a single order!” Junior Leopard said slowly, his fingers tapping the handle of his hammer.
”Then what should we do?” Zhu Ba asked worriedly. The expression of the leaders of the navy, including Wang Cheng, changed as well. They understood very well that they owed Junior Leopard for the position and power of the navy today. It would not be easy to get another leader who was both powerful and generous like Junior Leopard. Once he was transferred away, the navy would lose everything even with their control over River Heart Island. They would not be able to get any benefits from it and they could just forget about the docks and goods yards as well. Even if Wang Cheng became the new Navy Commander, it would be impossible to retain their control over these places.
Therefore, they became panicked when they heard this.
”If the Admiral leaves, who will replace him?”
”The general of the imperial army, Wang Zheng. He's Prince Ning's brother-in-law!” Zhao Cheng said.
”Looks like Prince Ning is determined to take control of Zhonghe Prefecture!” Junior Leopard smiled wryly. ”Supervisor, what do you think? If the Admiral is really replaced, would Prince Ning's men let me continue as the Navy of Jiang City of Jiang City?”
”Of course not. Jiang City is located in a crucial position and River Heart Island is its throat. If Prince Ning really wants to exert his influence in Zhonghe Prefecture, he will never give up River Heart Island!” Zhao Cheng said.
”This is your speculation?”
”No, it's the Family Head's speculation!”