Chapter 640 - 202: Red Makeup Evolves Again

Although Marquis Fengjiang was made an example of, there were still many who harbored their own ulterior motives.

This might be acceptable in other cities, but a Border City was different.

It was close to the Great Yue Country. If a Duke stationed there made any secret moves, it was highly likely they were colluding with the Great Yue Country.

The situation was neither trivial nor earth-shattering.

But a great dike can collapse from a single ant hole.

Even Shen Bai understood this principle; the Saint Martial Emperor couldn’t possibly be unaware.

If that were the case, Shen Bai felt there had to be another reason behind it.

After Shen Bai voiced this, the Saint Martial Emperor slowly nodded.

"How could I not know? But at times, I am also helpless."

"Since you are to be appointed the Daoist Si of Lingyun Dao, I will explain the matter to you in detail."

"First is the identity of the Duke. The Duke entrenched in Lingyun Dao was one I ennobled as the Marquis of Ren De. He fought alongside me to conquer the realm during the chaotic wars."

"I named him ’Ren De’—’Benevolent Virtue’—because he embodied benevolence and righteousness. His loyalty was unmatched. On several occasions, during life-or-death battles, it was he who pulled me from the jaws of death."

Shen Bai was slightly surprised. "In that case, the Marquis of Ren De should be close to Your Majesty. Why would things be like this?"

Shen Bai found this part hard to understand.

If the Marquis of Ren De truly had rebellious intentions, he would have likely acted on them long ago. He wouldn’t have saved the Saint Martial Emperor from the brink of death so many times.

Now the Saint Martial Emperor was saying the Marquis of Ren De was a problem. If so, saving the Emperor in the past would have been pointless.

The Saint Martial Emperor nodded and said, "The Marquis of Ren De harbors no rebellious intent. He and I were brothers in life and death. However, during a crucial battle, he died on the spot while saving me."

As he spoke of this, a rare trace of sorrow flickered in the Saint Martial Emperor’s eyes.

This horseback emperor deeply valued both personal loyalties and his subjects.

The brother who had saved him was now buried beneath the yellow earth. The memory still brought him a pang of grief.

This sorrowful memory even caused the Saint Martial Emperor to cough a few times, his face turning a little pale.

Eunuch Chen immediately stepped forward and gently patted the Saint Martial Emperor’s back, helping him recover.

Shen Bai narrowed his eyes. "Does Your Majesty mean to say that the current Marquis of Ren De is someone else?"

The Saint Martial Emperor picked up a nearby Handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth. "Correct. The original Marquis of Ren De had a younger brother who also fought alongside me. I gave the title to him."

"In honor of the Marquis of Ren De’s righteous sacrifice, I bestowed upon his family a Gold Token."

"As long as the Gold Token exists, its bearer can be spared from death, provided they have not committed any acts of rebellion against the Court."

Listening to the Saint Martial Emperor’s words, Shen Bai’s brows furrowed.

Connecting the dots, he felt like he was beginning to understand many things.

"So, Your Majesty means that the current Marquis of Ren De is protected by the Gold Token. Unless he shows clear signs of rebellion, no one can touch him—and even Your Majesty is unwilling to act."

The Saint Martial Emperor nodded. "A gentleman’s word is his bond, let alone the word of an Emperor. If I were to act against him or undermine him now, the entire world would be watching."

"I do not care for my own reputation, but I care for the hearts of the people of the Great Zhou Country. Sometimes, a battle is not just a contest of strength. Public opinion and the people’s morale also determine the course of a conflict."

"The previous dynasty collapsed precisely because it lost the hearts of the people."

Shen Bai mulled it over and found the Saint Martial Emperor’s reasoning to be quite sound.

After all, if he were to move against the current Marquis of Ren De, who had shown no obvious signs of rebellion, the people’s trust would be shaken.

The Great Zhou Country was already in a state of turmoil. If the people’s morale suffered even a slight Vibration at this time, the country could collapse even more severely.

"Then what about the previous Daoist Si?" Shen Bai asked.

The Saint Martial Emperor said, "He was transferred to another post. In truth, Lingyun Dao has had many different Daoist Sis. They were all secretly collecting evidence of the Marquis of Ren De’s rebellion, but they never gathered enough to form a complete case. That is when I thought of you."

"Rest assured, on this trip, you won’t have to face the same dangers as in Nanxing Prefecture. Lingyun Dao is not as chaotic as Nanxing Prefecture was."

"You only need to help me gather evidence on the Marquis of Ren De."

Hearing this, Shen Bai stroked his chin and said, "If it’s just a matter of gathering evidence, I can’t guarantee I’ll succeed."

As the saying goes, it’s best to state the unpleasantries upfront.

That was just Shen Bai’s way.

If he were sent to just go in and start killing, it might have been simpler. But being asked to go gather evidence... he couldn’t guarantee he would be able to do it.

The Saint Martial Emperor nodded. "I am aware of that. I will not force you. You only need to go and take a look for me."

With these words, Shen Bai was relieved.

He agreed.

"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

Having received his reward and needing to depart for his post in Lingyun Dao immediately, Shen Bai planned to spend some time with Qin Shuang today before heading out.

The Saint Martial Emperor nodded, then seemed to remember something and added, "If you find evidence and the Marquis of Ren De tries to destroy it, or even moves against you, you have my permission to act first and report later."

This was tantamount to a Holy Decree, and it was also the Saint Martial Emperor’s answer to Shen Bai’s earlier concerns.

It meant that if Shen Bai encountered danger or special circumstances, he had the authority to strike first.

Shen Bai nodded. "I understand, Your Majesty. Eunuch Chen, I will take my leave now."