Regarding the matter of Five Immortals Mountain, the Emperor and his various ministers had deliberated for several days.
In the end, there was only a long sigh.
Each harboring their own thoughts, they dispersed in haste.
It wasn't until this morning that a carriage slowly drove into the South Gate of Chang'an City.
The carriage looked unremarkable, and having traveled all the way here, it hadn't attracted anyone's attention.
It only stopped when it reached the entrance of the Demon Suppression Headquarters.
The carriage curtain was lifted.
A man and a woman stepped down, both appearing middle-aged. Their expressions were anxious, and upon alighting from the carriage, they headed straight for the main gate.
"May I ask... is this the Demon Suppression Headquarters?"
The Demon Suppression Guards on duty at the gate saw the two were dressed strangely and initially wanted to reprimand them.
But upon seeing the tally hanging from their waists, they swallowed the words that had reached their lips.
"It is."
Having received a confirmation, a look of joy appeared on the man's face. He exchanged a glance with the woman beside him, and then actually knelt directly on the ground.
"We are envoys from the Small Vassal State. Our nation has suddenly encountered a great disaster; demons are running rampant. We implore the General Bureau to dispatch troops to our aid!"
With these words, the Demon Suppression Guards on duty at the gate were stunned.
The Great Tang's national strength was flourishing, its might subduing the four seas. There were indeed several Small Vassal States in the surrounding areas that paid tribute year after year, coming to court annually.
This Small Vassal State was one of them.
However... logically speaking, all matters concerning vassal states needed to first pass through the Court of State Ceremonial, then be reported to the Secretariat, and finally be decided by His Majesty's vermilion brush.
Although the Demon Suppression Division held immense power, it only managed the demons and ghosts within the Great Tang's borders.
Since when was it their turn to manage the trivial affairs of overseas vassal states?
The Demon Suppression Guards muttered to themselves, but dared not show the slightest bit of it on their faces.
"The two envoys should please rise first."
He gave a gesture of support and said in a deep voice: "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by a lowly Demon Suppression Guard like me. Please wait here for a moment while I go inside to report."
Upon hearing this, the man wanted to say something more, but his sleeve was pulled by the woman beside him, who shook her head slightly at him.
"This... very well..."
After only a moment, that Demon Suppression Guard returned from inside the gate. With a trace of apology on his face, he shook his head at the two: "Unfortunately, the several Commanders within the General Bureau are not currently in the office, and the Right Demon Suppressing Envoy is also tied up with official business and has not returned to the office..."
After saying this, he paused, seemingly afraid that the other party did not know the procedure, and kindly advised: "The two envoys, why not first go to the Court of State Ceremonial, submit the credentials, and then have it approved by the Secretariat? That way..."
Before he could finish, the man smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Sir... it is not that we are being rude or failing to respect the rules of the Great Nation, but the demonic atmosphere in our country is overwhelming; it is an urgent crisis. Our people are hanging by a thread, and in the blink of an eye, there is a danger of our country being destroyed and our people dying. If we still have to go through the Court of State Ceremonial, reporting layer by layer, it will take at least ten days or half a month..."
"By that time, it would be the day our Small Vassal State's national destiny is severed! What help would there be to seek? What news would there be to report?"
This... the Demon Suppression Guard looked troubled.
He was only a gatekeeper; how could he make such a decision? But looking at the expressions of the two people before him, for a moment, he actually didn't know what to say.
Just at this moment, at the end of the long street, a figure in black robes stepped through the morning mist.
The young girl was about to step into the gate of the General Bureau.
Seeing the two people kneeling on the ground out of the corner of her eye, her footsteps paused slightly. Her brows furrowed lightly.
"What is going on?"
The Demon Suppression Guard on duty at the gate heard the voice, looked up, and upon seeing this ancestor-like figure, his face instantly turned pale. He hurriedly bowed and saluted.
"Your... Your..."
Before he could explain the situation, the two from the Small Vassal State were already sizing up the newcomer.
Although they did not know who she was, nor what status this woman held in the Great Tang court, the aura on her body... A big shot! Absolutely a big shot!!
The man didn't care about any etiquette or rules and knelt directly before Jiang Yuechu.
"My Lady! Please save us! The Small Vassal State... the Small Vassal State is about to perish!"
"State your business."
The man, like a drowning person clutching at the last straw, said: "Half a month ago, a sudden storm rose on the East Sea. Two... two great demons came from the sea. We thought they were just passing by, but we never expected that those two Beasts would break directly into the Small Vassal State's imperial palace, kill our sovereign, and devour our people..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuechu frowned slightly and interrupted: "What Realm?"
"Uh... responding to My Lady, one of them is an old turtle. It breathed in the wind and clouds above the imperial city, its aura covering the sky and sun. It once spoke human language in public, calling itself... Pengxuan Great Sage. Several Martial Venerables of our country in the Mountain Gazing Realm were not even a match for a single exchange before that Beast and were instantly swallowed into its belly..."
Daring to call itself a Sage. That means it is in the Burning Lamp Realm.
She had originally been thinking of going to the Western Regions to continue wandering around... she didn't expect there to be an unexpected joy here.
Although the Small Vassal State was far away, for her current speed, going back and forth wouldn't take much effort.
Jiang Yuechu nodded slightly, her heart becoming increasingly heated. She interrupted the other party's subsequent weeping and pleading.
"Let's go. We can discuss other things on the way."
The words fell. Everyone present was stunned.
"My... My Lady?"
The man opened his mouth hesitantly: "We don't need... we don't need to dispatch troops?"
Jiang Yuechu tilted her head slightly and asked in confusion: "I am going to kill demons, not to fight a war. Why bring so many people? It would just be in the way."
The Demon Suppression Guard on duty at the gate felt his heart jumping with fear. Although he knew that the Grand Princess was terrifyingly powerful and had entered the Burning Lamp Realm at a young age... who could guarantee that nothing would go wrong? Moreover, these weren't demons within the Great Tang's borders... why take such a risk?!
The Demon Suppression Guard hurried a few steps forward and, biting the bullet, blocked her path.
"Grand Princess... this matter is no small affair. Crossing the sea to launch a long-distance expedition against a Demon Sage, should... should we report to His Majesty first?"
He deliberately emphasized Jiang Yuechu's identity, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the two envoys from the Small Vassal State, who were full of shock.
The two envoys were struck as if by lightning. The Grand Princess?!
The Small Vassal State was suspended overseas, a long distance from this Chang'an City. They had hurried all the way here, managing to arrive within half a month. Their minds were filled with the tragic sight of their country being destroyed and their homes lost; where would they have the leisure to ask about anything else?
The two naturally knew very little about this so-called Grand Princess.
But even so, the Grand Princess of a dignified Heavenly Dynasty, a person of noble birth. Hearing that a vassal state was in trouble, she didn't even frown. She even dispensed with the tedious formalities of reporting and flatly stated she would go alone.
This kindness. This boldness. While the two envoys felt it was unbelievable, a sense of bitterness and being moved surged in their hearts. This is the aura of a Great Nation!
Thinking of this, ignoring the Demon Suppression Guard's gaze from the side that was almost ready to eat them, they performed a kowtow ceremony again.
"Your Highness's great kindness, the entire nation of the Small Vassal State will never forget it!"
Jiang Yuechu lowered her eyes slightly and said helplessly: "Alright, save that for later. Let's get on the road first."
"Eh?"
Jiang Yuechu couldn't be bothered with nonsense. With one hand for each, she grabbed the two envoys by the back of their collars, and her figure shot up from the ground.
Boom!!! A wave of air exploded. The three turned into a golden stream of light, instantly tearing through the morning mist, and flew straight towards the horizon.
Leaving behind only a cold voice that echoed in front of the gate of the Demon Suppression Division.
"Trouble you to help me report to the palace... I won't be going back to eat today."
"..."