Chapter 613 - 295: Great Success in Marrow Cleansing

"Director Xia Lingfeng," Situ Mu said, turning to him.

"At your command, my lord." Xia Lingfeng bowed respectfully.

Situ Mu smiled, his tone affable. "You have served as the Director of the Linji Prefecture's Demon Suppression Department with great diligence and dedication. You achieved great merit in the recent clearing of the Black Lotus Sect Headquarters, and on behalf of the Sect, I wish to commend you."

Xia Lingfeng bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Lord Situ."

"There is no need for such formality." Situ Mu nodded slightly, then turned to City Lord Jiang Botao and offered a few words of generous praise.

Next, Jiang Botao introduced the Directors and Vice Directors of each Government Office one by one. Situ Mu then spoke a few cordial words with each of them.

Situ Mu had a background as a civil servant and hadn't achieved any remarkable political feats during his tenure. However, he was extremely familiar with the various Government Offices, to the point that he knew the specific affairs within each one like the back of his hand.

He first questioned Qin Qiyuan, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, asking in detail about the army's garrison situation, the configuration of various military branches, and even details like what kind of Battle Arrays they practiced, the frequency of their drills, and how the various Battle Arrays were coordinated.

Qin Qiyuan had been in charge of the Protectorate Army for over a decade and knew it like the back of his hand. He naturally answered with ease, his replies exceedingly detailed and meticulous, prompting the other officials to nod repeatedly in approval.

However, after listening carefully, Situ Mu pointed out that Qin Qiyuan's answers had many oversights and errors in various details.

He did not blame Qin Qiyuan, but instead carefully explained how to remedy the issues and make improvements.

The precision and rigor of his analysis greatly shocked Qin Qiyuan, who felt ashamed of his own incompetence. Everyone present could clearly sense that if Situ Mu were the Commander of the Imperial Guard, he would undoubtedly be far more capable than Qin Qiyuan.

His questioning of Jiang Bohai, the Director of the Finance and Households Department, was even more meticulous. He asked about the population of Linji Prefecture, the annual birth rate, tax revenues in coin and grain, the number of corvée laborers, and how the department should manage logistics during a disaster.

Jiang Bohai's answers were riddled with mistakes and omissions, a clear sign of his incompetence. Even the two Vice Directors under him, known for their capability, could only manage to give vague answers.

Situ Mu still did not blame him, patiently pointing out his errors and offering detailed advice and suggestions.

It was much the same for the other Government Offices. Even Shen Mingyuan, the Director of the Salt Transport Department, who was known for being quite meticulous about his office's affairs, discovered many areas for improvement after receiving Situ Mu's guidance.

Throughout it all, Situ Mu maintained a friendly and easygoing smile, yet his approach was meticulously rigorous.

All the officials were deeply shaken and sincerely impressed.

Chen Cheng was also secretly filled with admiration.

Situ Mu's knowledge was truly profound. When handling matters, he wasn't bound by convention but was flexible and adaptable, truly living up to his title as a Literary Dao Grandmaster.

In Chen Cheng's estimation, even the great sages of ancient times from his other world, figures like Yi Yin and Guan Zhong, were likely no more capable than this.

A person like this would be more than qualified to serve as the Prefect of a State City or even the Su State Inspection Envoy. For him to come to Linji Prefecture and serve as the Director of the Inspection Department was a true waste of his talent!

After Situ Mu had met with the main officials of each Government Office, he ordered everyone to disperse. He then led Xiao Nianci, Chen Cheng, Xia Lingfeng, and Jiang Botao to the Chief's Office in the Tower.

Situ Mu took the main seat, his expression turning serious as he began to share some news.

The Taiyi Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sutra of Ultimate Sect have officially entered Sanmen Prefecture. They have established sect residences in the Prefecture City and have each occupied a county under Sanmen Prefecture's jurisdiction.

Although the Great Dao Sect still occupies the Prefecture City and the other five counties, it cannot stop the other three sects from scrambling for various resources within Sanmen Prefecture's territory.

This situation arose because a month ago, Liu Fufeng, the Sect Leader of the Taiyi Sect, broke through to the Qi Meridian Fusion Realm and became a Martial Arts Grandmaster. In one fell swoop, he upended the political landscape of the Five Northern States, which had previously lacked a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

In addition, the Blood Moon Sect and the Sutra of Ultimate Sect have also released news that they each have a Supreme Elder in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Qi Meridian Fusion Realm. They are expected to succeed and become Martial Arts Grandmasters within three to five years.

The two Supreme Elders of the Great Dao Sect have also been in seclusion for many years, but they are still many years away from reaching the Qi Meridian Fusion Realm.

Every time a Martial Arts Grandmaster rises, they use their martial power to aggressively annex surrounding sects and seize various resources. The situation the Great Dao Sect faces is already precarious.

Fortunately, Liu Fufeng still needs at least ten years to consolidate his cultivation. Neither the Blood Moon Sect nor the Sutra of Ultimate Sect wants to see the Taiyi Sect's power grow any further, so they have been constantly constraining the Taiyi Sect's outward expansion.

The Great Dao Sect still has time to consolidate its various resources and expand its armies to avoid being annexed by the Taiyi Sect.

However, even if the Great Dao Sect can rely on its large army to contend with a Martial Arts Grandmaster and avoid being annexed, it still won't be able to stop the Taiyi Sect from seizing territory.

Once Liu Fufeng emerges from seclusion, the Great Dao Sect will have no choice but to avoid a direct confrontation, cede some of its territory, and defend only a few key Prefecture Cities.

Linji Prefecture is remote, and its population and resources are far inferior to those of other Prefecture Cities, so the Great Dao Sect never paid it much attention.

However, with the Great Dao Sect adopting a defensive posture, Linji Prefecture is perfectly suited to serve as an area of strategic depth. It has become the Sect's crucial rear guard, thus growing in importance.

That is why the Sect sent a person like Situ Mu to Linji Prefecture to stabilize the situation.

After Situ Mu finished relaying this news, he began to arrange various specific matters, giving detailed instructions to Xiao Nianci, Xia Lingfeng, and Jiang Botao.

After the three of them had left one after another, Situ Mu kept Chen Cheng behind alone.

Looking at the calm and composed young man before him, Situ Mu pondered for a long moment before speaking with a warm smile:

"I have carefully investigated your past. When you served as a constable and then a Chief Constable in the City Guard Department, you earned a great deal of merit.

"Especially during your time in Lishui District, you showed exceptional composure while handling the case at Qingshui Pier."