Castle of Black Iron

After hearing Zuoqiu Mingyue's proposal, Zhang Tie instantly agreed with it...

It only took Zhang Tie less than 10 minutes to dismiss Meng Shidao and appoint Tang Ling as the new premier. Additionally, Tang Ling was requested to take office in Xuanyuan Hill right now. Zhang Tie was more efficient compared to those major officials and officers who had to discuss all kinds of issues in the Nine Heavens Palace over these years.

"As Li Yunji, the former justice minister, also one of the nine ministers of Taixia Country, is involved with the case of Royal Alliance, he has already been dismissed and put behind the bars. The position of the justice minister couldn't be vacant. Do you have any proper candidate?" Zhang Tie's voice reverberated around the palace soon after he fixed the position of premier.

After hearing Zhang Tie's words, all the others on the spot remained silent. As the new justice minister had to deal with a major criminal case of Royal Alliance and Jinwu Palace, nobody knew what Zhang Tie was thinking about at this moment. Therefore, they all waited for Zhang Tie to make a decision.

The position of the justice minister was now a pair of scissors in Zhang Tie's hand. As for whether this pair of scissors was suitable or not, it depended on its owner.

Zhang Tie waited there for half a minute. When he found that everybody in the palace was silent, he continued.

"Now that you're silent, I will directly appoint the justice minister..." Zhang Tie said with a smile. Meanwhile, he looked around those major officials and officers who were standing in the palace. When the others were guessing whom Zhang Tie wanted to appoint as the new justice minister, Zhang Tie called out an unpredictable name, "Where's Xue Bingdao, the assistant of the minister of rituals (the head of nine ministers)?"

After hearing Zhang Tie's words, many people fixated onto a Class II official (being closely inferior to Class I officials and officers like the three councilors and the nine ministers of Taixia Country) who was standing in a relatively front position among the officials.

In his 50's, the assistant of the minister of rituals had a beautiful beard, a fair face and stable temperament. Now that he could take this office, he must be a shadow knight. After hearing his name being called out, he looked a bit surprised. Closely after that, he took one step forward and replied while holding a jade plate. "I'm here, Lord!"

"From today on, you're the justice minister of Taixia Country!" Zhang Tie said calmly without any explanation as he watched Xue Bingdao.

After being silent for a few seconds, Xue Bingdao bowed deeply towards Zhang Tie before replying, "Yes, Lord!"

Many people in the palace were greatly shocked by Zhang Tie's appointment. They could understand why Zhang Tie dismissed Meng Shidao; however, they were completely confused by this appointment. Xue Bingdao appeared to not have any connection with Jinwu Palace. He was absolutely nobody for Zhang Tie. Why would Zhang Tie suddenly have Xue Binhao carry this heavy burden by appointing him as the justice minister?

Many people didn't get Zhang Tie's point; however, some understood it immediately. The commander-in-chief, the councilor of public works, Lord Guangnan, Lord Yi'an and some of the nine ministers got Zhang Tie's point first as they all watched Zhang Tie with great admiration. Xue Bingdao also understood it too.

Xue Bingdao was not exceptional among those major officials and officers in the palace; however, he had one advantage over all the others. Before entering Xuanyuan Hill, Xue Bingdao once served as the provincial governor of Xuanzhou Province for over 4 decades. Xuanzhou Province was a big province where Taiyi Fantasy Sect's base was located. As the provincial governor and the provincial governor's clan of Xuanzhou Province, even though Xue Bingdao and Xue Clan were not members of Royal Alliance, they could never avoid having relationships with Taiyi Fantasy Sects or those major sects which propped up Taiyi Fantasy Sect. At this moment, it was a good piece of news for the three flurried top sects and those major sects across the country that supported the three top sects that Zhang Tie appointed Xue Bingdao as the justice minister of Taixia Country. It meant that Zhang Tie didn't want to wipe out the three top sects by force; instead, he would keep them alive. Additionally, he could stabilize the overall situation facing Taixia Country to the utmost degree by making this decision.

Zhang Tie's saber became a stick. Therefore, many people preferred to be beaten by a stick rather than hopelessly face that saber at the risk of their lives and losing their clans without any hesitation.

"Over 1,000 knights of the three top sects are still being in the prison of Iron-Dragon Sect. After a while, the Supreme Court should assign people to take over all the knights of the three top sects in Youzhou Province and deal with them in accordance with laws. However, in the past a few months, Iron-Dragon Sect got a lot of secrets about the details of a major case in Mojiang City, Songzhou Province many years ago. At that time, the three top sects set a trap to intimidate and ambush Zhao Yuan in Mojiang City in order to get his secret methods. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yuan's power was far greater than they could imagine. Later on, Zhao Yuan killed many knights and broke out of the predicament. Even the entire Mojiang City was destroyed in the battle. Those who should claim responsibility for the tragedy in Mojiang City should be Royal Alliance and the three top sects!"

Zhang Tie then sighed. "As an alchemist master, Zhao Yuan should be serving humans on the battlefield at this moment; however, he's always being sworn by the public and wanted by the supreme court because of the tragedy in Mojiang City. It's time for the supreme court to clarify his innocence!"

Before knowing Royal Alliance, Zhang Tie also thought that his master Zhao Yuan should be responsible for the tragedy in Mojiang City. However, after knowing the hideous nature of Royal Alliance, Zhang Tie started to doubt the truth of the tragedy in Mojiang City. This time, after Iron Dragon Sect captured so many knights of the three top sects, Zhang Tie asked his men to interrogate those knights tentatively. As was imagined, they indeed got the details about the tragedy in Mojiang City. Actually, it Royal Alliance was the culprit of that tragedy. His master Zhao Yuan was the greatest victim in the tragedy. His sufferings were difficult to put in a nutshell. When Zhao Yuan witnessed all of his family members being killed by the young owner of Heavens Holding Pavilion in Mojiang City, Zhao Yuan almost lost his marbles with stimulation. Therefore, he usually behaved like a madman later on...

When Zhang Tie thought that the famous alchemist master was thrown out of the Zhao Mansion by the guards like a mad beggar in Whitedragon Town, Hidden Dragon Island, he almost dropped off tears out of pity.

Today, in the Nine Heavens Palace of Emperor Xuanyuan's royal palace, Zhang Tie determined his mind to clarify his master's innocence and expose the truth of the tragedy in Mojiang City to the public.

After having the supreme court cancel off its wanted circular about Zhao Yuan, Zhang Tie felt relieving his burden as his master Zhao Yuan could finally show up in Xuanyuan Hill aboveboard. He finally could do something for his master.

...

After adjournment, Zhang Tie independently met Xue Bingdao, the new justice minister in a study room of Nine Heavens Palace.

"Do you know why I have appointed you as the justice minister of Taixia Country?" Zhang Tie watched Xue Bingdao and asked him, sitting behind the desk.

"Yes, I do!" Xue Bingdao said straightforwardly, "Lord, do you want to keep them alive in case of more trouble in Taixia Country because of Royal Alliance?"

"Glad you know!" Zhang Tie nodded as he continued, "As for this case of Royal Alliance, you will be responsible for dealing with it!"

"Lord, I'm waiting for your guidance!"

"If they tell the truth, they will receive a lighter sentence; if they refuse to confess, they will face harsher punishment; the chief criminal will be severely punished; those being forced to do it will be pardoned. Neither punish those innocent people nor let them go. All of these are my requirements!" Zhang Tie flicked the desk as he specified with profound eyes. "Concretely, there're three points. Firstly, from now on, the three top sects of Royal Alliance will not set the position of owner or suzerain anymore. If they want, Xuanyuan Hill will appoint proper people as their owners and suzerains. It's the necessary price that the three top sects shall pay for their intention to rule the country. Secondly, the three dongtians of the three top sects must be taken over the top four armies of Taixia Country in the following 100 years. All the preferential policies for reassuring the three top sects across the country shall be canceled off. Thirdly, half of the properties of major clans in Royal Alliance shall be confiscated. Meanwhile, none of the descendants of these major sects in the next five generations are forbidden to be officials and officers. Those who have already been serving as officials and officers shall be demoted for consecutive three levels and shall not be promoted for the rest of their lives. Additionally, they're forbidden to serve as provincial governors, prefectural magistrates or local main officials or officers!"

"The latter two points are reasonable. As for the first point, it might arouse great turmoil among the three top sects. If so, it would be in contradictory with your original intention..." Xue Bingdao said with a worried look.

"Count the quantity and cultivation levels of those disciples and knights in the three top sects and tell those elder knights in the three top sects, if the three top sects want to select their owners and suzerains, they must behave righteously for the sake of humans. They must show me three times the number of heads of demon knights and fighters if they want to atone for their crimes. Any top sect which meets this demand first could select their own owners and suzerains!"

"Lord, It turns out that you have long been considerate about your decision." Xue Bingdao sighed with moods. Closely after that, he left there.

After Xue Bingdao left there, Fang Qingming appeared in front of Zhang Tie with a frown as he said, "I suggest you to keep Meng Shidao in Xuanyuan Hill with an excuse; instead of having him return to the Gobbling Province. If Meng Shidao leaves here so easily, the Gobbling Party would definitely bring us great trouble in the future!"

Fang Qingming had been conferred as Zhang Tie's adviser who helped Zhang Tie deal with major events.

"I am letting him go back to the Gobbling Province on purpose!" Zhang Tie watched Fang Qingming as he said slowly and calmly, "Now that the Gobbling Party was born in Gobbling Province, I will let it die in Gobbling Province too. However, the holy war counts the most. We'd better sweep over the demons in Taixia Country first!"

...

Tang Ling served as the chief minister of the interior...

The case of Royal Alliance started to enter the ending stage...

The armies of Taixia Country resumed Ganzhou Province, Liangzhou Province, Yuzhou Province and Anzhou Province consecutively. The battle situation facing the west territory of Taixia Country started to be reversed. The whole country was in hubbubs.

After making arrangements for personnel affairs and preparations, the entire country had been running at its full speed for ending the holy war. It was the first time for the slogan that "resume homeland and eliminate demons" to spread across the country since the holy war broke out...

On May 1, the 933rd year of Black Iron Calendar, Zhang Tie made an oath convention with a corps of about 500,000 Zodiac guards and over 100 battle general in Xuanyuan Hill. After that, they left for the frontline by airboat with the hope of hundreds of millions of people in Xuanyuan Hill...

"We will never come back if we don't bury all the demons into the ground!" Zhang Tie declared to all the officials, officers, generals and soldiers on the rostrum. Closely after that, the army of 500,000 soldiers, over 100 generals and Zhang Tie bottomed up their glasses of liquor.

"Kill demons! Kill demons! Kill demons..."

All the 500,000 people roared in unison on the drill ground...