Great Calamity Is Approaching

The Zhang Mansion was vast. The East Courtyard covered four mu, its iconic structure a serene, elegant, and towering pavilion.

The West Courtyard was even larger, spanning twenty mu, with continuous houses and well-arranged courtyards.

Officials of all sizes in Hua County, along with the Zhang Family's disciples and former officials, resided in the West Courtyard.

Because the yamen was too small, they conducted their official business directly from their homes.

"Ji Cheng, our troop strength has reached its limit. If we recruit more, the small Hua County won't be able to support them." In the West Courtyard of the Zhang Mansion, a group of people were handling government affairs.

Fine wine and delicacies were laid out before them as they listened to a singing girl perform and reviewed reports submitted from various regions.

Seated in the main seat was a beautiful young man, slender and delicate, with a face like powdered goose eggs, dressed in a pale yellow Shu brocade robe.

He held a small, inch-long blade, meticulously trimming his eyebrows in a mirror.

The scholars seated below had long grown accustomed to his flamboyant behavior and could only wait silently for him to finish.

This man's surname was Zhang, his given name Xin, and his courtesy name Ji Cheng. Although he was the fourth eldest, he was the full brother of the Family Head, making him a direct descendant of the main clan, and thus his status was vastly different.

Because his eyebrows were like painted ink, he was known as 'Young Master Eyebrow Painter,' and no one dared to disturb him while he was grooming them.

With the Family Head currently absent, Zhang Feng had charge of all military affairs in Hua County, while Young Master Eyebrow Painter single-handedly controlled government affairs.

After a long while, Young Master Eyebrow Painter finally put down his small knife.

The scholars below cupped their hands again and reported on government matters.

Young Master Eyebrow Painter, still admiring himself in the mirror, asked, "Between me and Wei Jie of the Hedong Guard, who is more beautiful?"

"..." The scholar was taken aback, thinking to himself: Wei Jie is the most beautiful person in the world, even Immortals are infatuated with him. How dare you compare yourself to him?

However, he smiled and replied, "Young Master, your appearance is exquisite; Wei Jie cannot compare."

Young Master Eyebrow Painter's lips curved slightly. He beckoned a maid to bring water forward and meticulously washed his hands, then dried them with a silk cloth.

Only then did he reply, "The matter of conscription is handled by Second Uncle. Why ask me?"

The scholar said, "Many martial artists have gathered in the city again. General Zhang Feng has had a sudden whim to train another thousand elite soldiers, which is absolutely out of the question."

"The city already supports two thousand subordinate troops. The daily expenses for people and horses are considerable, and we are confined to this corner of the land. If this continues for long, our Zhang Family will be unable to make ends meet."

After the Governor of Qingzhou, Gou Xi, suffered a great defeat, he had completely lost control over the various prefectures and counties of Qingzhou.

The powerful clans in each prefecture and county, leveraging their local influence, could recruit their own armies and appoint officials.

The Zhang Family was the undisputed authority in Hua County; the county magistrate, commander, and clerks were all Zhang Family members.

All officials were either clan members or disciples of the Zhang Family.

Over the years, they had invested heavily to build a force of two thousand non-agricultural elite soldiers, divided into two units, each with a thousand men, further divided into five companies, each with two hundred men. These were the 'subordinate troops.'

They were all composed of martial artists, mostly of the third-rate. Second-rate martial artists could serve as officers or military marquises.

Below the subordinate troops were the garrison soldiers, one hundred men per garrison, composed of young and strong militia. They were taught some basic martial arts, all of the low-grade variety.

Half of the year was spent on farming and garrisoning land, and the other half on drills. They were mostly stationed in fortified manors in the countryside and were self-sufficient.

The number of these non-agricultural garrison soldiers in all areas of Hua County combined was about five thousand.

However, with the Zhang Family's fear of the Tu Fa Clan to the north, their numbers were still increasing.

Thus, the Zhang Family had at least seven thousand troops. In times of war, if their subordinate servants and menial servants were all armed, their troop strength would be immeasurable.

The population of the eight villages in Hua County was less than seventy thousand, and most of them were old and weak. The taxes were extremely heavy, and the people's strength was exhausted. Of course, the Zhang Family also had over twenty thousand enslaved tenant farmers, who bore the brunt of production.

But for Hua County, with a population of less than one hundred thousand, supporting two thousand non-agricultural martial artists was already the limit; supporting three thousand was almost impossible.

Unless, nearly a hundred Zhang Family members were willing to lower their living standards.

However, no one even mentioned this matter.

Young Master Eyebrow Painter calmly said, "The current situation is tense, and the Tu Fa Clan could move south at any time. Second Uncle's desire to train another unit is also for defending the country."

"The rise and fall of the world rests with us. Everyone, state affairs are of utmost importance."

The scholar listened and felt somewhat speechless. If state affairs are of utmost importance, then they should propose a solution.

He looked at the financial expenditure report in his hand, his head aching. In reality, they were already unable to make ends meet, but the Zhang Family had a strong foundation.

He then advised, "If that is the case, why not seize Fei City?"

The Zhang Family's frantic mass recruitment was naturally aimed at achieving great things. If they could continuously expand, their troop strength could certainly keep increasing.

But the surrounding powerful clans were doing the same. Coupled with everyone's desire to save face, powerful clans everywhere were recruiting soldiers and stockpiling grain, consuming resources without replenishment. No one dared to provoke anyone, yet they were mutually vigilant.

Young Master Eyebrow Painter asked, "The powerful clan of Fei County is a long-standing friend of our Zhang Family. What reason do we have to seize it?"

The scholar said fiercely, "After we seize Fei City, we will find a reason."

This implied that they should seize it first, and finding a reason would not be difficult.

"Uh..." Young Master Eyebrow Painter thought for a moment, "That's not appropriate. Let's discuss it after Eldest Brother returns."

The scholar sighed and then said, "Then please open the clan treasury and use the grain and wealth stockpiled by the Family Head."

"Absolutely not! The treasury contains enough for three years' worth of supplies. That was Eldest Brother's strict order." Young Master Eyebrow Painter refused decisively.

The scholars below looked at each other. It seemed that achieving great things was merely an ideal, and defending the city while observing the changes in the situation was the reality.

No matter how many soldiers are raised, they won't step out of the city when the enemy attacks.

At this moment, an old man offered advice: "Ji Cheng, you can raise the price of medicine again. Many wandering knights have gathered in the city, and they've also contracted the epidemic. They're quite wealthy, so you can get..."

"Fine, let's raise the price one more time," the Young Master Eyebrow Painter agreed decisively before he could finish.

"Absolutely not!" the scholar quickly stood up. "This plan can only be used once, not twice. The people in the city can no longer afford medicine. Profiting from this is like drinking poison to quench thirst!"

"Zhou Shi! Stand down." The Young Master Eyebrow Painter called him by name.

Zhou Shi said helplessly, "If my lord aims for great things, he should raise an army to attack the Hu, conquer counties and prefectures, uphold justice, and establish a foundation."

"If he aims to defend himself, he should manage the people, open the treasury to win their hearts, and protect the family business."

"If neither of these is done, it can be said that he is unrighteous from above and unbenevolent from below. Great calamity is approaching."

The Young Master Eyebrow Painter was somewhat displeased and was about to get angry, but seeing his beautiful reflection in the mirror, he thought that anger would cause wrinkles and became calm again.

He said gently, "We'll discuss what you said when Eldest Brother returns. Do you have any other good strategies?"

"..." Zhou Shi sighed and left angrily.

Seeing him leave, everyone continued to discuss how much to raise the price of medicine.

All the medicine in Hua County was monopolized by the Zhang Family.

Therefore, as long as the epidemic raged in the city, everyone, whether it was the army, merchants, common people, or wandering knights, had to buy medicine from them.

The Zhang Family had so many subordinate troops. Since they were martial artists, it wasn't enough to just feed them; they also needed pay and even rewards.

Those martial artists who got sick and had money would definitely buy medicine. When the Zhang Family seized the opportunity to raise prices, it was equivalent to getting the reward money back.

The epidemic was a natural disaster, so people wouldn't think about where their money was going. They would only feel how good the treatment was as Zhang Family subordinates.

In this way, they both won the hearts of the soldiers and made money.

Martial artists were already strong and healthy, and with medicine, they would be fine. Therefore, their combat power wouldn't even be lost, which could be considered a triple benefit.

Even though the epidemic spread quickly, causing panic and forcing many common people to sell their homes to afford treatment.

However, as long as the army remained stable, they wouldn't be able to stir up trouble.

The Zhang Family had done this more than once; it was a tried-and-tested method.

"Let's do it this way." After the discussion, the Young Master Eyebrow Painter stood up and tidied his clothes. "Are there any other government affairs to handle?"

Everyone thought: Since you've already stood up, there aren't any more.

Just as they were about to disperse, someone suddenly brought news from outside.

"Not good! Rebels are gathering in the city to cause chaos, numbering in the thousands. They're already heading towards the East Market!"

"What!" The scholars were in an uproar.

They had just been discussing that rebellion wouldn't cause much trouble, and now someone was actually rebelling.

The Young Master Eyebrow Painter remained very calm and asked the messenger, "Where is my Second Uncle?"

"I am here!" Shen Leling, holding her sword, swaggered in.

Everyone quickly bowed. Seeing her covered in blood, they were startled again.

The Young Master Eyebrow Painter quickly went to meet her. "Second Uncle, who injured you?"

At the same time, a white jade talisman hanging high in the hall emitted a sound like metal and stone.

Everyone was shocked: "There's a demonic aura!"

Shen Leling's heart also sank. As expected, one couldn't underestimate the Zhang Family; they had a magic artifact!

This jade talisman was more exquisite than bronze contracts or iron tokens, and it should be the Zhang Family's most important treasure.

However, Shen Leling's expression remained unchanged, and she said resentfully, "That's right! I was injured by a monster. The leader of the rebels, though appearing like a commoner, is definitely not an ordinary person!"

"That monster is very powerful, and it incited a group of rebels. They have already occupied the East City Training Ground."

"If the soldiers hadn't risked their lives, I would have nearly died at the hands of the monster."

Everyone was stunned: "Monster?"

They didn't suspect anything for the moment, as being injured by a monster would cause one to be tainted with demonic aura, which would dissipate soon.

So Shen Leling said urgently, "Yes! Immediately dispatch the internal troops to block them first, and prepare more demon-subduing methods!"

The Young Master Eyebrow Painter quickly ordered someone to fetch talismans and talisman arrows from the mansion, and also to prepare more cinnabar and other evil-warding items.

Noble families weren't easily invaded by just any monster. The Zhang Family had not only three major magic artifacts but also various talismans.

The one that measured demonic aura was just one of them; there were also talismans to resist spell harm, subdue demons, and suppress ghosts.

Although these talismans couldn't directly unleash offensive spells, if a monster touched them, it would be in for a tough time.

After giving the orders, the Young Master Eyebrow Painter asked suspiciously, "Why would a monster help rebels? Where did this monster come from, and what exactly is going on?"

Shen Leling said, "I led five hundred elite soldiers to eliminate the rebels and discovered that they had a bronze contract passed down from the Old Ancestor. It seems Zhang Quan's plan failed, and the Water Nymph of Laoshan has returned for revenge."

The Young Master Eyebrow Painter heard this and wanted to frown, but he quickly stopped himself, maintaining his composure. His expression was relaxed, and his tone was neither warm nor cold.

However, his tone was quite urgent: "It's damnable that Zhang Quan lost the heirloom! Fortunately, this water demon is ignorant of its own limits and dares to cause chaos in the city. We must reclaim the heirloom."

Shen Leling said again, "I didn't see the Water Nymph of Laoshan, so it might be another monster."

"Hmm, we still need to be careful. Maybe there are two monsters, one fighting head-on, and the other being the Water Woman, who can transform into a human and try to infiltrate the army."

"Let's agree on a secret code first!"

Young Master Eyebrow Painter nodded and said, "Second Uncle is right. Let's use 'Eyebrows Like Ink Painting' as the secret code."

Shen Leling's eyelids twitched slightly. What kind of joke is this?

She looked at him, his eyebrows truly were like ink painting. He's constantly reminding everyone how beautiful his eyebrows are, isn't he? she thought.

Whatever, it's fine.

She glimpsed the scholars bringing out talisman paper and felt wary of the jade talismans hanging in the hall. This place is not suitable for staying long, she thought.

So, Shen Leling took out the military order and shouted, "I'm going to the west of the city to mobilize troops right now!"

"You immediately gather the clan members from each fortified manor and bring troops to reinforce us! We must reclaim the Old Ancestor's heirloom!"

Facing military matters, Young Master Eyebrow Painter was not flustered at all. He retorted, "Is there a need to make such a big fuss? There are two thousand elite soldiers in the city."

Shen Leling shouted loudly, "The five hundred elite soldiers from the east of the city have been annihilated! The guards on the city wall have also been wiped out. We have effectively lost the eastern city wall."

"What!" The entire hall erupted in an uproar. Out of a total of two thousand subordinate troops, a quarter were lost?

Young Master Eyebrow Painter also hadn't expected such a crushing defeat. Just some bandits, and they're this formidable?

His expression remained calm, but he hurriedly picked up a brush, wrote a document, and immediately had it sent to each fortified manor.

Then, he called for a maidservant to bring water to wash his hands and said calmly, "I will go invite my father out of seclusion. Second Uncle, you quickly go mobilize the troops."

He scanned the scholars and disciples, "You all go ahead first. Subdue the demons and defeat the rebels. If you can reclaim the Bronze Contract, you will be credited with a great merit! Each will be rewarded with ten gold coins and a thousand mu of land."

"Remember, if you are outnumbered, the treasury cannot be lost either. You must defend to the death and await Second Uncle's rescue."

Everyone quickly responded. Many scholars, carrying various talisman papers and talisman arrows, led hundreds of subordinate troops and family soldiers from the mansion, and set off immediately.

The rebels were attacking from the east of the city. They would have to break through the East Market first before they could attack the treasury.

Only then could they reach the magnificent garden of the Zhang Mansion, and they would first arrive at the East Courtyard where Zhang Suwen was.

Thinking of this, Young Master Eyebrow Painter was not only not flustered, but even a little excited. "Rebels are actually rebelling and attacking from the east. This is great."

He showed an expression of admiration. "Finally, I can see Father make a move again. Mere small bandits can be destroyed with a flip of his hand. That scene will surely be beautiful."

p.s. Sorry.