Yama Strife

On Yama Island, within Iya Prefecture.

People had gathered together to discuss the administration of various regions and the situation on the island.

Seated at the head of the hall was the Yama Queen, Chiba Oriko. As the fifteenth ruler, she had governed Yama for more than twenty years. Before Dong Sheng openly rebelled, the kingdom had been fairly steady. Yet after the contest between so many factions, she was clearly beginning to struggle. Not only had she grown several sizes thinner, but she also spoke less and less during meetings, more often allowing those she trusted to make decisions in her stead.

Wuyue Yao was one of them.

Although she had returned to her homeland a month ago, this was her first visit back to Iya Prefecture since going to the mainland.

Compared with a year ago, considerably more people attended the meeting, and the noise was far greater. This showed that the situation was turning for the better—Dong Sheng's momentum was no longer what it had once been. Though they might not achieve total victory in a short time and wipe out the rebel lords entirely, at least Iya and its surrounding regions would no longer face the enemy's threat.

Yet she did not feel the slightest joy.

Before long, the discussion returned to the matter of population migration.

"Your Majesty, I do not believe this can continue any longer." A middle-aged man in a gray long robe was the first to speak. "Jinxia demands that twenty thousand people be relocated every year. That means over a thousand from each town. If we send them all away, who will till the fields? Who will defend the kingdom? Besides, Jinxia is merely one city. Can it truly take in so many outsiders? The officials and commoners under my rule