When the imperial decree of the Court's reward arrived, the evening glow in the sky seemed as if a palette of colors had been tipped over, spreading freely. The intertwining of orange-red and golden hues painted half the sky in a dazzling dream-like spectacle, adding a touch of magnificence to the day that was about to end.

This painting appeared to be a celebration of the impending rewards for Xu Qing.

It belonged to the category of Heavenly Human Sensing.

A military scribe accompanying them hurriedly documented this scene.

In the future, if Xu Liushou becomes a supreme figure above all, this will be valuable firsthand historical material, akin to a family heirloom!

The eunuch delivering the decree was Zhang Kun, a small eunuch who had a close friendship with Xu Qing and had now gained the old Emperor's trust. In the Ritual Supervision, he had begun to stand out, becoming a rising new star.

Behind this was actually the old Emperor's usual technique of balancing power. The Chief Eunuch of Ritual Supervision, Chen Zhong, was very influential at present. The old Emperor needed someone to hold him in check but did not want to suppress Chen Zhong too much to avoid unnecessary turmoil.

Thus, Zhang Kun, with his humble background and shallow experience, but having connections with Xu Qing, became the suitable choice. Moreover, Zhang Kun was also one of the adopted grandchildren of an elder eunuch in the Imperial Palace, which added some leverage to his promotion.

The content of the Court's decree was full of high praise for Xu Qing's achievements in significantly breaking the headquarters of the Fang Immortal Dao at Old Port. Not only was he promoted and granted titles, but he was also rewarded with many precious treasures. Among these, the title of "Marquis of Champion" was particularly eye-catching.

However, Xu Qing did not pay much attention to this. The deeper meaning behind the title was far less significant in his mind compared to the stability of the Southern Ocean situation and the expansion of the Great Yu Dynasty's influence overseas. In his view, these honors and wealth were just fleeting clouds, with real endeavors waiting to be explored in the future.

After accepting the decree, Zhang Kun took advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention to stealthily hand over a family letter to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing received the family letter, slightly pondering, a complex expression appearing on his face.

At this moment, a scout, after being informed, hurriedly entered the grand hall. He looked flustered and somewhat urgent, kneeling on one knee and reporting: "My lord, the Western Ocean pirates, having heard of our army's significant defeat of Fang Immortal Dao, are showing signs of restlessness. According to reliable information, they seem to be uniting with some native tribes of the Southern Ocean, indicating a potential attack on the Old Port of Fang Immortal Dao, which we have not yet taken over."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's expression remained calm, with little surprise. In his eyes, Westerner behavior is always like this, fearing power but not respecting virtue.

Unless they are thoroughly taught a lesson, not only will business be impossible, but they will also suffer from their wanton plundering.

He lightly tapped the armrest of his seat, pondering for a moment, and said, "Notify our currently selected local agents and have them assist in gathering detailed and comprehensive intelligence on the Western Ocean pirates and those native tribes. I want to know their troop deployments, weapon arrangements, and action plans without missing a single detail."

Standing beside him, Meng Yuxuan interjected: "Marquis, these agents have just come over to pledge allegiance and have not yet established a stable base. It's uncertain how reliable they are." Known for his caution in military affairs, Meng Yuxuan always focused on details. In his view, rashly entrusting such an important intelligence-gathering task to these new recruits carried considerable risk.

Xu Qing smiled slightly, a confident and composed smile: "After this matter, we naturally will know which among them are unreliable." His words were brief but carried deep meaning.

Meng Yuxuan suddenly realized and couldn't help but admire Xu Liushou's strategy.

However, he still harbored some concerns as the task involved was significant, and any mistakes could lead to severe consequences.

Xu Qing knew what he was worried about and continued: "Assistant General Meng, I understand your point. You mean to say, as military strategy states: 'Military is a major affair of the state, the place of life and death, the path of survival and annihilation, it must be diligently examined.' But rest assured, if there is indeed an unexpected event, this marquis will also provide cover."

His tone was firm and forceful, showing a kingly disposition that everything was under control. Moreover, he had always kept his word; if something happened, he would take responsibility proactively and never shirk responsibility.

No one doubted the newly minted Marquis of Champion, the Wenqu Star of the era, Xu Liushou's words. Because Xu Qing had never shirked responsibility and would even take responsibility for his subordinates voluntarily. This was also a crucial reason why Xu Qing gained full recognition from the Imperial Navy, his commitment and magnanimity earning the unwavering loyalty of the soldiers under his command.

Meng Yuxuan then cupped his hands, his concerns slightly eased. To be honest, in his view, Xu Liushou's move might increase damages to the Imperial Navy. However, in the long run, it was indeed an excellent way to stabilize the Court's rule over the Southern Ocean.

Using Xu Liushou's words, this strategy is called cleaning the house before hosting guests. At present, while just beginning to take over Fang Immortal Dao's rule in the Southern Ocean, many lurking threats and hostile forces remain hidden.

If they do not take some actions to lure the enemies out, these hidden adversaries will undoubtedly conceal themselves and secretly undermine the Great Yu Dynasty's governance foundation in the Southern Ocean.

Only Xu Liushou in the Great Yu Dynasty had such boldness. Because if they cannot strategically handle this snake-out-of-the-hole tactic, the Southern Ocean situation could fall into chaos, and previous efforts may come to naught.

Xu Qing set the general direction, but the details still need to be unified through consultation with his left and right aides.

These matters require a significant amount of time and energy and need careful planning.

Xu Qing now vividly applies the thinking of great people.

In strategy, one can despise the enemy, but in tactics, one must pay as much attention to the enemy as possible!

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