"Do you need someone to accompany you to sleep tonight?"
Lu Qiongxi now seemed like the chief steward of the palace. Duncan was willing to delegate power, and she managed everything both inside and outside the palace impeccably, with daily arrangements never repeating.
Duncan's expression gradually became serious. He shook his head slowly and said, "We'll talk about it later."
"Gather the experts in the palace to the side hall."
"I have some instructions."
It's time to get down to business.
Given the current national strength of the South Han, they had no capacity to invade places like the Southern Tang. Hundreds of thousands of people were eager for food; how could they deploy troops at this moment?
However, they couldn't remain idle; they could start by dealing with small enemies to develop their strength.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qiongxi's expression became solemn. Under Duncan's command, she was tasked with controlling the eunuchs throughout the South Han, selecting those with potential to teach martial arts. They had amassed over a hundred experts, with some arranged separately as another force apart from the Ming Cult.
"Yes." Lu Qiongxi signaled her two sisters to wait in the side hall, then quickly departed.
Only she could grasp a hint of Duncan's schemes.
In the current South Han, public opinion somewhat resembled the change of an emperor who cared for the people but still indulged in debauchery and neglected state affairs. As for Lu Qiongxi, rumors about her were rampant, with some mischievous people claiming she was skilled in bedroom arts, enchanting three emperors to the point of having their souls turned upside down, jokingly calling her a senior official across three dynasties.
She bore all the infamy herself.
But this burden was hers to bear because she belonged to the demonic sect, and she was very clear about her position. She was merely a pawn in His Majesty's hand, and whatever role he wanted her to play, she would play it well.
She had even gathered a group of beauties, quietly spreading whispers in the martial world, with the entire hedonistic branch of the demonic sect being absorbed by His Majesty.
Another debauched and tyrannical emperor, but fortunately, he could get some real work done, although he never attended state affairs.
Even though the imperial examination system was reinstated, people like Li Fengji faced awkward situations within the literati class due to having been castrated, representing both eunuchs and court eunuchs, embodying the tradition of the Southern Han's heavy reliance on palace eunuchs.
Everything appeared as if there was just another emperor on the throne.
Duncan sought not reputation, but a period of developmental time.
Not long after,
dozens of pale, beardless eunuch experts gathered on one side of the side hall. Most had three-star marks, with some four-star marked attendants, but none had yet reached the Innate Realm.
The South Han had over ten thousand eunuchs, many of them literate and not even fully utilized.
Among them, there would inevitably emerge one or two experts of the caliber of a certain unrivaled Oriental master.
Duncan sat on the dragon throne, surrounded by several attendants and palace maidens, all chosen by Lu Qiongxi. He continued Liu Chang's policy of relying heavily on palace maidens, with nearly the entire inner palace being under Lu Qiongxi's faction, though they had no power to govern.
Those who disobeyed were dead.
If Lu Qiongxi couldn't do her job well, naturally, there were other palace maidens eager to take her place; competition among the demonic sect's seductive women was fierce.
With many teachings in Duncan's grasp, nurturing them was not difficult.
"I wish to quell the rebellious forces in Jiaozhi, and I leave the full power to you. Can you accomplish it?"
Duncan looked down at Li Fengji, kneeling before him. He was indeed a talent, having been a top scholar and learned martial arts faster than others.
A surge of rapture filled his heart.
It had come.
Finally, it was here!
The opportunity to be enshrined in the annals of history had arrived.
Li Fengji immediately raised his head, eyes resolute. "If I can draw six thousand elite soldiers, and still cannot capture Jiaozhi, I shall present my head to Your Majesty."
He knew the formidable strength of the Red Army's elite troops.
Duncan slowly shook his head. "I can give you at most two thousand men, and you can also recruit local militia."
"Additionally, I'll prepare some experts for you."
Experts?
How expert?
Li Fengji looked puzzled. Duncan clapped his hands, and a Chan Daoist with a zombie-like face appeared, the aura of demonic boding filling the air, sending chills down one's spine.
The living could be used, the dead could be used, and even the living dead could be used.
Duncan did not pick and choose in his affairs; as long as they were useful, that was enough.
A demonic sect expert from the Dao Entrance Realm.
The Chan Daoist entered, ignoring all others present, and knelt respectfully before Duncan, saying, "Your Majesty."
Duncan said casually, "Against the southern wizards, can you handle it?"
Chan Daoist sneered dismissively, "Just a minor trick, I can break it with a flick of the wrist."
That day, the Southern Border Wizard's flying head technique amused his zombie-like face into a smile.
That will do.
Duncan looked down calmly at Li Fengji before him and said, "I'll give you half a year."
"Quickly go make your preparations."