Chapter 91, The Newly Appointed Governor

Translator: StarReader

 

Daoist Han Shan called out, “Honorable Mr. Zhao!” The leaders were visibly shaken, their faces etched with astonishment as they eagerly gazed towards the courtyard entrance.

 

A man clad in a resplendent fourth-grade vermilion official’s robe, his waist adorned with a silver badge of office, entered the courtyard accompanied by more than ten middle-aged and young military officers dressed in armor, each carrying a precious blade. They were flanked by over forty elite soldiers, armed with spears and heavy armor, exuding a formidable aura that filled the entire courtyard.

 

“Honorable Mr. Zhao, you’ve finally arrived! Without your presence, this humble magistrate finds it quite challenging to manage,” Magistrate Wang said, his face flushed red as he hastily used his clean official’s robe sleeve to wipe down the seat beside him, his body bent in obsequious servility, ready for the new Wu Region governor to take his seat.

 

Governor Zhao Juzhen was a tall and imposing figure with an air of scholarly nobility. Despite being unarmed and untrained in martial arts, his presence commanded respect. He nodded towards Magistrate Wang and Daoist Han Shan, then surveyed the gathered clan leaders with a stern gaze.

 

“I am Governor Zhao Juzhen,” he announced, “newly appointed to govern the Wu Region. I greet you, brave warriors of Wu!”

 

“Zhao Juzhen?” whispered the leaders among themselves. “The third son of the renowned Zhao Clan from the Tang Dynasty?”

 

Their faces paled at the realization, showing great reverence for this man who had earned such an illustrious reputation.

 

Name recognition held weight here. These small group leaders might command respect within their county or town, but in the Wu Region’s expansive thirteen counties, they were merely a drop in the bucket.

 

Take Daoist Han Shan, for instance, the revered master of the Han Mountain Daoist Temple. His name echoed through the Wu Region for decades; he was its universally recognized first transcendent. The seven Grandmasters of Wu were all renowned figures in their own right, envied by every martial disciple in the region.

 

Yet, place them within the vast expanse of the Great Tang’s hundred-plus regions and fifteen hundred counties, and they remained but local luminaries, little known beyond Wu’s borders.

 

The Zhao Clan, however, was a different story. In the Great Tang court and across its hundred regions, it was a household name, a prestigious noble house.

 

All four Zhao brothers were high-ranking officials, scholars, and warriors alike, serving as ministers in the court.

 

The eldest, Zhao Zichen, helped draft imperial decrees and participated in key decisions.

 

The second brother, Zhao Heping, held the post of Teaching Chancellor, instructing students at the National Academy.

 

The third brother, Zhao Juanzhen, was a charismatic scholar-warrior, arriving by ship to take up his post as governor of the Wu Region.

 

The youngest brother, Zhao Yichen, served as the Commander of Anxi, defending its borders in times of crisis.

 

Four years ago, he had single-handedly repelled an invasion of ten thousand enemy troops at Anxi, solidifying the Zhao Clan’s renown throughout the land.

 

Though the Wu Region was but a corner of the Great Tang’s southern lands, its leaders were not ignorant of world affairs. They knew well the Zhaos’ reputation.

 

Even Wu’s first transcendent, Daoist Han Shan, treated the newly appointed Governor Zhao with utmost respect and courtesy.

 

The local leaders, who had long held sway over their respective counties, now looked upon Zhao Juanzhen with reverence and awe. Unlike their usual boldness around Daoist Han Shan or Magistrate Wang of Gusu City, they were cautious in Zhao’s presence.

 

“It’s the Zhao Clan! Governor Zhao is here!”

 

“No wonder! We need a commander to lead our forces. With Zhao as our strategist, we stand a chance!”

 

The chiefs praised him enthusiastically.

 

This year’s Wu Region martial competition was nominally hosted by Magistrate Wang and Daoist Han Shan. However, behind the scenes, it was newly appointed governor Zhao Juzhen orchestrating everything. Governor Zhao, fresh in his post, had covertly gathered disciples from various groups across the Wu Region to the foot of Vaulting Mountains under the guise of Daoist Han Shan’s name during the Laba Festival hunt.

 

Additionally, thousands of naval soldiers lay hidden around Vastest Lake, ready to launch a surprise attack on Whale Gang’s hideout at the West Cave Island. With a governor from a prestigious family strategizing and leading the operation, confidence soared among the leaders.

 

“Months ago,” Zhao Juzhen began, his gaze sweeping across the room filled with big and small leaders, “Whale Gang intercepted official grain headed north, disrupting the western front. The court is furious. My top priority as governor is to eliminate this blight from the Wu Region.”

 

He continued, “Two weeks ago, I arrived in the Wu Region, keeping my arrival secret while planning with Daoist Han Shan and the Wu Region’s four Grandmasters. Troops, ships, supplies—everything is ready. Tonight, at Xikou Town by Vastest Lake, we have over ten thousand disciples prepared to depart. Will you join me in wiping out Whale Gang?”

 

Daoist Han Shan of Han Mountain stepped forward. “As Wu Region’s martial leader, I pledge a hundred Daoists and disciples from various groups to support Governor Zhao. We’ll lead the charge up Misty Peak and eliminate Whale Gang, taking down their leader, Liu Hong.”

 

The crowd echoed their agreement, eager to follow Zhao Juzhen and Han Shan’s orders. They had initially shown little interest due to low confidence in victory, but eliminating Whale Gang was always their goal.

 

The Whale Gang pirates seized control of strategic waterways, including the Vastest Lake and the Grand Canals. The court, long weakened, had lost its grip on these territories, relying now on local groups to maintain order. Once the Whale Gang was defeated, their lands would be divided among the victors—a vast profit.

 

With Governor Zhao Ruizhen directing behind the scenes and Daoist Han Shan leading the charge, victory seemed certain. No group leader shirked from this battle.

 

Any martial groups not participating in the siege would likely be punished, losing their footing in the Wu Region.

 

“I too wish to fight for Governor Zhao!” declared Magistrate Wang, his face flushed with excitement, body quivering.

 

Zhao Ruizhen cast a glance at the portly official, then addressed the assembled leaders. “Midnight is upon us, the perfect time for an ambush. Our joint forces of four thousand court naval troops and ten thousand Wu Region martial warriors will be led by Daoist Han Shan, with Li Shuo, Han Pingshan, and Sun Baihong serving as joint commanders. We march tonight towards Vastest Lake’s West Cave Island!”