Chapter 1024: Chapter 1024: Hidden Dragon in the Abyss

Hanhai Prefecture.

The drizzling rain fell throughout the night, nourishing the vast farmlands around the Prefectural City, making the wheat in the fields lush and green, exhibiting an extremely good growth vigor.

The farmers working in the fields wiped the sweat from their foreheads, unable to hide the hidden smiles in their eyes.

Without any accidents, this year would again be a bumper harvest!

They unanimously turned their gazes toward the not-so-distant Hanhai Taoist Palace, revealing looks of awe and reverence.

Since ancient times, Hanhai Prefecture, located at the border of Great Liang, was a place of barrenness.

Continuous mountain ranges, arid climate, and frequent sandstorms left this place as mostly deserts and Gobi, save for a few oases, rendering it impossible to cultivate crops.

However, ever since this Taoist Palace was established, the days of rainfall in Hanhai Prefecture suddenly increased, and the rain was quite abundant, bringing endless vitality to the land.

Especially in the surrounding areas of Hanhai Prefectural City that were originally somewhat viable, large tracts of wasteland became available for reclamation!

Millions of refugees from the northern three prefectures thus were able to take root in Hanhai Prefecture.

Many privately say that the transformation of Hanhai Prefecture from barren land to a place with favorable weather is entirely due to this Taoist Palace.

And not only is Hanhai Taoist Palace the place of cultivation for Queen Wu Zhao but also the hermitage of the State Preceptor Wang Chen!

Two years ago, Princess Qingyun declared herself a queen, renaming herself Wu Zhao, and appointed Wang Chen as the State Preceptor. They raised their royal banner in both Hanhai and West Sea Prefectures, establishing the nation of West Liang, and formally announced their entry into the competition for the territories of Great Liang.

In the past two years, West Liang has fortified its lands, raised troops, diligently managed its internal affairs, not only successfully absorbed millions of immigrants from the northern three prefectures but also engaged in mutual trade with the surrounding prefectures, constantly growing in influence and strength.

Under the stable and prosperous rule of Queen Wu Zhao, West Liang exhibited the aura of an enlightened ruler, thereby attracting many talents to offer their service.

In the fragmented Great Liang, the nation of West Liang stood out uniquely, also drawing even more attention!

Including some eyes with ill intentions.

Inside the royal palace of Hanhai Prefecture, in the Imperial Study Room, Wu Zhao, who sat in front of the desk, rubbed her eyebrows and put down the documents in her hand.

Even though her Taoist Skill cultivation had reached a very high level, the long hours of reviewing memorials and dealing with the accumulated documents still left her feeling mentally fatigued.

Thinking of Wang Chen hidden inside the Taoist Palace, the queen showed a faint bitter smile.

Two years ago, in the newly built palace, she was given the name Wu Zhao by Wang Chen and gained partial control over the Mountain River Great Array. Then with Wang Chen’s support, she raised the royal banner.

As a result, Wang Chen secluded himself within the Taoist Palace that was transformed from the new palace, leaving all affairs to her to manage.

He also no longer controlled the military rights of the New Hanhai Army and the Firearm guards.

Over these two years, the former Princess Qingyun worked diligently and made great efforts, rapidly growing into a qualified Queen Wu Zhao.

Although she held great power, in her heart, her favorite time was learning and cultivating with Wang Chen in the Taoist Palace.

Alas, state affairs were heavy, and the time Wu Zhao could spend in the Taoist Palace was becoming less and less.

The thought was indeed disheartening.

“Your Majesty.”

At this moment, a guard hurriedly presented a secret report: “Urgent missive from Great Yan!”

“Hm?”

Wu Zhao’s phoenix-like eyes sharpened, and she immediately took the secret report to read.

After reading it, she huffed coldly and said, “Yan State still hasn’t given up; who knows what they’re counting on!”

In the past two years, West Liang spread its network of informants through channels like the Rain Flower Sword Sect and Fuqing Chamber of Commerce, apart from the many forces of Great Liang, both Great Yan and Great Qi had sent out a vast number of spies, in order to keep abreast of the movements of these two great nations at any time.

The intelligence that Wu Zhao had just received indicated that Great Yan was dispatching a large number of elite troops toward Hanhai Pass, and also requisitioning a massive amount of supplies, clearly gearing up to wage war again.

Two years ago, the Yan Army faced significant losses at Hanhai Pass, losing three Martial Venerables, and had to retreat with heavy casualties.

Wang Chen is actually making a comeback, leaving Wu Zhao quite puzzled.

According to previous intelligence reports, in the last two years, all that Great Yan had added was a new sixth-tier Martial Venerable.

Just a single Martial Venerable, even if leading thousands of troops, what ability would he have to take down the impregnable Hanhai Xiong Pass?

“Your Majesty!”

Just as Wu Zhao was carefully contemplating, another guard arrived in the Imperial Study Room to report: “Urgent news from Great Yan!”

Another secret report from Great Yan!

Wu Zhao immediately felt that things were getting serious.

And after reviewing the new secret report, she finally understood why Great Yan dared to invade Hanhai Pass again!

Wu Zhao could no longer sit still and immediately got up to head for the Hanhai Taoist Palace.

“Master!”

Inside the Cultivation Chamber of Hanhai Taoist Palace, Wang Chen slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to flicker with thunder and lightning.

He took a deep breath, waved his sleeves, and the sealed door of the chamber instantly opened.

Wu Zhao, who had been guarding outside the door, immediately revealed a sweet smile: “Master, did I not disturb your cultivation?”

In the whole West Liang, she was the only one who dared to do this.

Wang Chen shook his head, curiously asking: “What happened? You seem so anxious, that’s not good.”

“I know, calmness is needed in the face of significant matters.”

Wu Zhao replied with a grimace: “But Master, this time our trouble is big!”

In front of others, she was the dignified and majestic Queen Wu Zhao.

But alone with Wang Chen, she was still the innocent and naive Princess Qingyun!

Wang Chen took the secret report from Yan State handed over by Wu Zhao and after reading it, smiled: “I thought it was something serious.”

“But, but…”

Wu Zhao stammered: “Yan State now has cannons, and also support from Kunlun Taoist Palace.”

The secret report showed that not only had Yan State secretly cast a large number of cannons, but they also gained full support from Kunlun Taoist Palace.

Kunlun Taoist Palace was the number one Taoist Palace in the world, which had never interfered in worldly affairs before; their direct involvement this time was indeed perplexing.

Yet such news couldn’t be fake, as it would soon reverberate throughout the world.

“You have the Mountain River Great Array, you need not fear ten Kunlun Taoist Palaces.”

Wang Chen indifferently replied: “As for the cannons from Yan State, they will soon realize the difference between the original and the counterfeit!”

It was quite common for the secrets of cannons to leak out, given that the current scale of the West Liang Firearm guards far exceeded the past, equipped with hundreds of field guns, impossible to hide from prying eyes.

But casting cannons was not a simple matter, and the composition of the gunpowder had always been a closely guarded secret. Additionally, with Wang Chen’s continuous improvements, he did not believe the imitations produced by Yan State posed much threat.

“Original and counterfeit?”

Wu Zhao was confused but Wang Chen’s unconcerned demeanor still influenced her, and her mood relaxed immediately: “Then we don’t need to redeploy troops from West Sea Prefecture for reinforcement, right?”

“We need it.”

Wang Chen said meaningfully: “If the enemy can come, I can go as well. It’s time to thoroughly resolve this trouble.”

“Are you ready?”

——

The second update is here.