"Aurelian, how can I possibly say anything to you after such a thing has happened?"
Andre III glared angrily at the Aurelian Dragon before him, while Prince Elnario and Gilemans watched with strange expressions, seemingly enjoying the spectacle.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die a thousand deaths! I have truly failed to live up to Your Majesty's trust!"
Aurelian Dragon appeared extremely apprehensive and put all her effort into acting.
"Because the incident happened so suddenly, the city guards were already too slow to react, so..."
King Andre III waved his hand. "Tell me, why were you so slow to act?"
Aurelian Dragon glanced at Prince Elnario beside him, who immediately felt a sense of unease.
"Because according to His Majesty's regulations, I must inform the military headquarters before I can deploy the armored cavalry outside the city. This naturally makes me a step slower in terms of time!"
Upon hearing this, Prince Elnario thought to himself: "Good lad, he actually thought of shifting the blame to the military." The regulation Aurelian Dragon mentioned was added after Prince Elnario complained to King Andre III following Aurelian Dragon's sudden attack on the Sword Pavilion in the south of the city with armored cavalry. Its purpose was to limit Aurelian Dragon's power to mobilize troops.
"Lord Aureliand is mistaken. The deployment of armored cavalry takes time, and if Lord Aureliand can arrive at the Eastern Governor's Office in time when the incident occurs, there will still be enough time."
Prince Elnario's words were a veiled criticism of Aurelien Dragon for being idle and not handling official business at the Governor's Office.
Aurelian Dragon naturally understood Prince Elnario's meaning, and just as she was about to speak, Andre III spoke up.
"Stop talking. In short, this incident has caused great damage to the reputation of our Fast Empire. Aurelian, you don't need to give any reasons. I don't care what methods you use, you must eliminate all unstable factors within Esnia and ensure the smooth progress of the wedding ceremony next month. If there are any more mistakes, you will bear the consequences!"
Aurelian Dragon replied with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, I think you should just dismiss me from my post! Unexpected events can happen, and this task is simply too much..."
King Andre III glared at him. "You… say no more. Just do as I command!"
※ ※ ※
After leaving the Emperor's council hall, Gilemans suddenly called out to the Third Prince Elnario, who was secretly angry.
"Your Highness Elnario, His Majesty doesn't seem to be truly angry with the Aurelian Dragon! On the contrary, His Majesty has given him considerable power and freedom."
Prince Elnario glanced at Gilmans's portly, businessman-like face. The Left Minister of Fast was squinting, concealing all his thoughts.
"You old fox, don't think I don't know what you're thinking! That lucky scoundrel got a huge advantage, do you think I can't see that? Do I need you, you fat pig, to remind me?"
While cursing inwardly, Prince Elnario still looked at Gilmans expressionlessly and said calmly, "Lord Left Minister, your men are active in the western suburbs quite frequently. Be careful that this Governor of the East doesn't discover them!"
A cold glint flashed in Gilmans's narrow eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, chuckled, and replied, "Your Highness Prince Elnario is certainly well-informed. I wonder if Your Highness's people have any inside information about this attack?"
The conversation between the two was interrupted by a passing woman. Watching the female official walk away gracefully, the two men simultaneously let out a cold laugh and hurried away, each lost in their own thoughts.
※ ※ ※
"Lord Aureliand, please let me be your lackey!"
Aurelian Dragon, who had just stepped into the front hall, was stunned when she heard such a sentence. She stared at the cold-faced, thin man in front of her, unable to recover for a long time.
Rutu's face remained unchanged as he quietly watched Aurelian Dragon, without revealing even the slightest fluctuation in his expression. It was truly unexpected that those earth-shattering words had come from this man.
"you mean..."
Aurelian Dragon suddenly walked up to Rutuxian and stared directly into his eyes.
"Sir, you need a dog that can't make a sound, but it bites a lot!"
Rutu, in his monotonous voice, uttered another incomprehensible statement, prompting Aurelian Dragon to smile and murmur, "Interesting, very interesting!"
"To prove my abilities, if you would give me a chance, I will ensure that all of Esnia's movements are under your control!"
"Such arrogance!" Aurelian Dragon gestured for Rutu to sit down first. "How do you plan to achieve this?"
Knowing that Aurelian Dragon was already interested, Rutu replied without hesitation, "I know all the big and small local bullies in Esnia. If we organize them, then no one in this city can escape our net."
"What if someone disagrees?" Aurelian Dragon said softly.
Without hesitation, Rutu replied, "It's simple, anything that gets in the way should be dealt with as soon as possible!"
"You are a heartless man!" Aurelian Dragon suddenly said with a stern face.
"Yes, if Your Excellency wants to succeed, you need someone like me," Rutu said as always. "I will show Your Excellency how useful I am!"
"You knew I'd use you?" Aurelian Dragon stared into Ruth's eyes, as if trying to find something in the man. But he was disappointed; the man didn't reveal the slightest hint or flaw.
"Your declaration when you established your office in the East that day gave me great confidence in you, and I believe you will give me such an opportunity."
What kind of opportunity do you need?
"Convenient and affordable!"
Rutu first uttered four words, one word at a time, which startled Aurelian Dragon.
Do you know the weight of those four words?
"That's why I've come to rely on you, because I need a lot of space and freedom! And only someone like you could give me that opportunity!"
Aurelian Dragon slammed her hand on the table. "Fine, what's your name?"
"Jiangmen Lutuxian!"
"I can give you this opportunity, but you have to prove to me that you deserve it." Aurelian Dragon stared intently into Rutukian's eyes. "Within three days, you will dig Yusuf out for me!"
A fiery blaze suddenly ignited in Rutu's eyes, which, combined with his icy expression, made him look terrifying.
"If three days isn't enough, I can do it within five days, because I need some time to get the manpower in place!"
"Alright, five days it is!" Aurelian Dragon readily agreed. "Just let me know if you need any assistance."
※ ※ ※
After seeing Ruth off, Aurelian Dragon returned to the inner room, where Phoenix Vane and the others were having a very pleasant conversation with Madam Sorenblade.
Upon seeing Aurelian Dragon, Phoenix Vane stood up and said with a smile, "Aurelian, have you finished talking with Rutu?"
Aurelian Dragon smiled and nodded, then looked at Madam Sorenblade and said, "Why is Rou Niang dressed like this today?"
Lynette Quill chuckled, glanced at Madam Sorenblade's sharp attire, and said to Aurelian Dragon, "Let me introduce you."
"An introduction?" Aurelian Dragon looked at Madam Sorenblade with a puzzled expression, then turned to Lynette Quill and said, "Does she need an introduction? Don't we already know each other?"
Lyra Draconis pouted, "You blind fool!"
Phoenix Vane smiled and said, "Aurelian, you don't know, Rou Niang is actually Madam Sorenblade, the head of the Gongsun family. She was ambushed by the enemy on her way to Esnia..."
Aurelian Dragon clapped her hands. "No wonder! I always felt that Rou Niang's aura was not that of an ordinary dancer. It turns out she is the head of a sword-dance family! I was truly blind to her true worth!"
Lyra Draconis muttered under her breath, "Hindsight is 20/20, all they do is spout nonsense!"
But Aurelian Dragon didn't hear it, because at that moment Madam Sorenblade formally greeted him, and he was busy returning the greeting! Aurelian Dragon had long heard of the mysterious Gongsun family, and now he finally had the opportunity to see their leader—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
After a brief discussion, Madam Sorenblade rose to take her leave. She needed to first ascertain how many members of her household had already switched sides to her sister's, in order to determine the next course of action. More importantly, she needed to find a way to rescue the two maids who had been captured, both of whom Madam Sorenblade had painstakingly trained.
After Madam Sorenblade left, Phoenix Vane asked Aurelian Dragon, "You promised to take Rutu under your wing first?"
Aurelian Dragon nodded and replied, "He is a kind of person I have never met before. I have a feeling that he will become an indispensable part of us."
Phoenix Vane opened his mouth, but said nothing more. The Aurelian Dragon had already made his decision; let's see what the outcome will be.
※ ※ ※
This man, Rutukian, who would later be known as one of the three loyal dogs of the Aurelian Dynasty, was indeed very shrewd. Although Shi Yixin, who had just joined the army, complained to the Aurelian Dragon the very next day that Rutukian had taken a large sum of money from him, and that the generals of the Eastern Governor's Office, such as Lucian Swiftfire and Garrick Stonewall, disliked working with this cold-faced fellow, Rutukian subsequently achieved remarkable results, surprising everyone. Leveraging the formidable strength of Fan Tong, who was sent by the Aurelian Dragon to assist him, he used a combination of coercion and enticement, employing various methods to quickly mold the previously disorganized local forces of Esnia into a formidable power. This newly emerging unofficial force of the Eastern Governor's Office immediately became a force to be reckoned with against Esnia's original major powers.
At this time, Aurelian Dragon also had no free time. He needed to have a force that could be deployed at any time, and this idea was becoming a reality. He didn't want to rely solely on mobilizing the city guards to handle emergencies, because that would require several procedures, and more importantly, it wouldn't be a force that truly belonged to him.
In the Fast Empire, few people truly have the right to possess their own military force, but many high-ranking officials go to great lengths to build their own private armies, differing only in the strength of their forces. They possess anywhere from dozens to thousands of soldiers. Those like Prince Elnario and Gilemans possess unimaginable private armies, capable of deploying four or five thousand retainers at any time.
Aurelian Dragon's current position allows him to have his own personal guard, as permitted by the Emperor. Previously, with Phoenix Vane's Golden Phoenix Guard present, Aurelian Dragon hadn't considered this possibility, but now, thanks to Phoenix Vane's reminder, he realizes the matter has reached a point of utmost urgency.
The Eastern Governor's Office issued a notice recruiting a personal guard, which caused a sensation in Esnia and the news quickly spread throughout the entire territory of Fast.
"This guy really doesn't refuse anyone!"
Prince Elnario repeatedly examined the report in his hand. In just two days, over a thousand people had come to the Eastern Governor's Office to enlist. According to the military system of Fast, only the eldest son of a knight could inherit his father's knighthood; other sons would not have the status of a knight and would have to fend for themselves. If they joined the army, they would be as commoners, so it was uncertain how long they would have to wait. Now, the Eastern Governor's Office was openly recruiting personal guards. Considering the Eastern Governor's Office's status in the Fast army, and more importantly, regardless of who they were, regardless of their rank, as long as they met the required standards, the Eastern Governor's Office would accept them. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and naturally, there were countless people eager to join.
While it was understandable for idle young men to flock to the Eastern Governor's Palace, Prince Elnario was puzzled by the fact that even many promising knights with unfulfilled duties wanted to join the Aurelian Dragon's light infantry regiment. His own personal guard didn't have many knights, and the treatment and equipment there were among the best. The Aurelian Dragon, on the other hand, had only assembled a light infantry regiment, one of the weakest units on the battlefield, barely even qualifying as a field force.
The report from his subordinates made Prince Elnario sigh to the heavens. He couldn't believe Phoenix Vane's influence had reached such a level. Why would this stunning beauty, whom he couldn't have, go to such lengths to help a country bumpkin?
Upon receiving this news, Gilmans was more surprised than displeased. However, he quickly devised a plan: to have some of his subordinates defect to Aurelian Dragon, hoping to gain more control and, at the very least, keep track of Aurelian Dragon's movements.
When Aurelian Dragon realized something was amiss, he was puzzled and, upon investigation, angrily seized the source of the information.
"How could you spread such a rumor? It's outrageous!"
But the man who was scolded showed no fear or regret whatsoever. He replied with his characteristically ruthless demeanor, "Sir, you should see how obvious the consequences of this are. The number of applicants has increased dramatically, and their quality has also improved significantly. In addition, with our control and management of various sects in the martial arts world, a large number of people should be joining your ranks."
"You…" Aurelian Dragon didn't know what to say for a moment. The man in front of her was indeed right, but not many people could accept such a direct way of expressing himself.
"If there is nothing else, please allow me to take my leave. There are still many things to attend to."
With that, the gaunt man gave Aurelian Dragon a crisp military salute and turned to leave. Watching Rutu's retreating figure, Aurelian Dragon couldn't help but wonder if taking such a man under his command was a right or wrong decision.
However, Phoenix Vane, who was directly involved, did not fly into a rage like her other sisters when she heard this. Instead, she shook her head and smiled wryly, then said to Aurelian Dragon, "Aurelian, you've found a good subordinate!"
Aurelian Dragon could only smile sheepishly, secretly deciding that if that damned man didn't produce results that satisfied her, she would fire him immediately.
But his wish had no chance to come true. There was still one day left before the time he had agreed with Rutu, which was the day that the Eastern Governor's Infantry Regiment formed by Aurelian Dragon was to be established. The expressionless man found Aurelian Dragon, who was about to give a speech in front of everyone.
"I've found Yusuf's whereabouts. Let's move in and arrest him now!"
"Let's hold the inauguration ceremony first!" Aurelian Dragon straightened his clothes, pondering how to make a good impression on the soldiers who had joined his ranks.
"Speed is of the essence in war. He also believes that the lord will definitely attend this ceremony and will be less vigilant. This is a great opportunity. More importantly, he seems to be in close contact with a group of mysterious figures. They have been very active these past few days. If we strike first, we might run into trouble."
Rutu stood ramrod straight, staring fearlessly at the displeased Aurelian Dragon, displaying an aura of relentless determination.
"Aurelian, you should go." Phoenix Vane appeared behind Aurelian Dragon and said softly, "Leave things here to me."
At this point, Phoenix Vane smiled mischievously, "Since you've already spread the word, I, as the person involved, should at least show my face!"
Aurelian Dragon smiled sheepishly, then glared at the culprit. But the man who should have reflected most deeply showed no remorse; perhaps he simply lacked any sense of emotion?
Rutu bowed to Phoenix Vane, then silently looked at Aurelian Dragon with an urging gaze.
Aurelian Dragon thought for a moment and said to Phoenix Vane, "Can you arrange it?"
This remark drew an unexpected number of eye-rolls. Not only did Lynette Quill and Lyra Draconis glare at him, but even Obsidia Shade and Cynthia standing beside him rolled their eyes. If there was anyone here who was the most trustworthy, it would be Phoenix Vane. And if there was someone who was the least trustworthy, it would naturally be Aurelian Dragon.
Even Rutuxian, who had just met them, deeply felt this atmosphere, but he kept all his thoughts to himself, and no change could be seen on his face.
Perhaps to others, Aurelian Dragon, as the male head of the household, had lost face, but the man, who never cared about such things, simply laughed and turned to Rutukian, saying, "Let's go!"
Rutu bowed silently to Phoenix Vane and the others, then turned and followed Aurelian Dragon out of the hall. As he left, a strange feeling suddenly rose within him, as if a pair of eyes were watching him from the shadows, trying to see right through him.
Seeing Ruto pause slightly before quickening his pace, Lyra Draconis whispered to Phoenix Vane, "Sis, this guy is worth watching."
"Oh, what do you mean?" A strange light flashed in Phoenix Vane's phoenix eyes. Could this man have ulterior motives towards the Aurelian Dragon? If so, his actions just now were unwise.
"No!" Lyra Draconis knew what Phoenix Vane was thinking and quickly explained, "He is indeed very loyal, but he is too persistent in his beliefs, and his senses are too sharp; he may possess extraordinary skills."
"That's good. I thought my gut feeling was wrong," Phoenix Vane breathed a sigh of relief. "We should get going, let's go!"
※ ※ ※
Phoenix Vane had her own plans. She had to build such an army without attracting the attention of Prince Elnario, Guilliman, and others. With such a small number of people and a light infantry formation, they would find it insignificant, lest she become too prominent.
Prince Elnario, the third prince, held most of the military power in Fast. He also had a personal guard of more than three thousand armored cavalrymen, plus a large number of ordinary retainers. It can be said that his strength in the Fast Empire was second to none.
Secondly, there are the Longlance Knights of Gilmans and the Holy Knights of the Temple, both extremely powerful private armed forces. Although not part of the Fast army's organization, their combat strength should not be underestimated. In an era where strength determines everything, the size of one's power is directly proportional to the size of one's military force, and conversely, the strength of one's military force ensures the consolidation of one's power.
Phoenix Vane was well aware of this, so she wanted to train the Aurelian Dragons' first real fighting force into a formidable force that was second to none, without attracting attention. To do this, she needed the help of another person.
When Phoenix Vane appeared before those who had answered the call, the commotion she caused surprised even her generals. Shi Yixin, Lucian Swiftfire, and Garrick Stonewall were witnessing for the first time the status and influence of this beautiful war goddess in everyone's hearts. Therefore, they were not too uneasy about the absence of the real commander. At this moment, they understood that the real protagonist of the day was this exceptionally intelligent and beautiful woman.