Earl Ying

012 Earl Ying

Not all thaumaturges belonged to the Sky-Toppling Observatory. After a thousand years of development, the thaumaturge system had become relatively mature. Although it could not compare with the Dao Sect's several-thousand-year history, some minor branches had nevertheless emerged and developed independently.

Most had been secretly nurtured by Aristocratic Clans and great families. Only they possessed the financial and material resources. They did not merely cultivate thaumaturges, either; they also raised cultivators of the Dao Sect, commonly known as Daoists.

What they passed down through their families were scholars, whose power system came from the Academy.

Knowledge was power!

In this fantasy world, that saying was literally true. Ever since the Academy's literary sage had spoken the laws of Heaven and Earth and created [Words of Power], written symbols and language had possessed the greatest might.

When Ming Shu entered Earl Ying's residence, his entire body seemed to be wrapped in some kind of power. It was completely different from how it had felt on the street. Had all of Qing Shui County been shrouded in some strange power?

Ming Shu was somewhat surprised, and it showed. He turned his head sensitively to look back outside, but saw only the tightly shut gates.

It turned out that the door-god paintings on the outside of the gates truly possessed special power. The backs of the doors were also covered in patterns, though he did not know what purpose they served.

The entire residence was enveloped by a great formation. Only those living inside would not be affected by the strange power.

Ming Shu and Old Zhao followed the steward to the reception hall.

Earl Ying worked here. The furnishings were not particularly ornate, yet they were filled with nobility. Whether furniture or decorations, everything was an extremely valuable antique.

An Eight Immortals table and grand tutor's chairs had been placed in the main hall, though it seemed Earl Ying had no intention of inviting Ming Shu to sit there.

Bamboo blinds hung along the side of the reception hall. As soon as they approached, they caught the scent of incense.

Behind the bamboo blinds stood a very large writing desk, with several stacks of documents arranged in perfect order on top.

Some of the documents followed the same format, while others varied in length.

There were two uniform formats. One was the standard format used throughout the Immortal Dynasty, resembling memorials to the throne: a stiff front and back cover, with folded sheets of paper inside on which one could write.

They were the same size as memorials, but inferior in color and quality.

The other uniform format was simpler. It consisted only of folded sheets of paper of the same size. However, each one had a sheet of paper in a different color pasted onto its cover.

Perhaps this was to distinguish their importance, or perhaps to distinguish different regions.

This method of classification was enough to show that Earl Ying was truly a man who got things done.

A man sincerely determined to climb higher.

Unfortunately, he had chosen the side of King Chu, who had been defeated outside the palace gates, instead of staking everything on the new Emperor. That put him in a very awkward position.

What he worried about most now was when the Emperor would settle accounts with him.

He had to seize the time and strike first, before the reckoning reached him—or before he was dragged into it.

Ming Shu and Old Zhao stood quietly in the middle of the hall, waiting for Earl Ying to finish reading the document in his hands.

He pondered for a long while, wrote something on it, and then placed it in another pile. At the same time, he gave low instructions to the attendants beside him while writing a few lines on another sheet of paper and ordering them to deliver it.

Earl Ying was probably going to work through the night. Several attendants behind him came and went, delivering documents, letters, and the latest intelligence.

Some were responsible for organizing the things on the desk, while others ran off to look through various materials.

It was obvious that they were Earl Ying's longtime subordinates, men who worked with him smoothly and effortlessly.

For a great nobleman with a title to be placed in such an awkward position, it was no wonder he wanted to make a move.

While Ming Shu carefully observed Earl Ying, Earl Ying also looked him over several times.

"Although our family has fallen from grace, descending from Duke of England all the way to an earl, it seems that by my generation, even the earldom will be impossible to preserve. There's nothing much to introduce about myself. What about you? Do you have a new identity yet?"

"Zhang Mingshu!" The youth simply stated his name.

Earl Ying nodded.

"My family has had many years of friendship with your maternal uncle's family. Before, they often transported goods around this area, visited me several times, and helped me quite a bit."

Earl Ying opened another document and continued reviewing it.

He was not a local official. Taxes, litigation, agriculture and water conservancy, and public security were all the work of local officials. Nobles with titles like him ranked somewhat higher than the gentry.

At the same time, they possessed some supervisory authority and could submit memorials directly to the Immortal Dynasty. They also had a certain degree of authority over the allocation of taxes.

A large portion of the land taxes from certain nearby towns actually belonged to the local nobles.

They did not possess these rights merely because their ancestors had rendered outstanding service. It was also because they currently possessed formidable martial strength.

With supernatural power existing in the world, it was not only the local troops who held power. These great families and local nobles also possessed tremendous strength.

Identity, status, and strength were all intertwined.

At times, they could secretly wield their power to disrupt a region. They could also do the opposite, helping the Immortal Dynasty pacify unruly elements throughout the land.

The ranks of nobility in the Immortal Dynasty were as follows: First Rank Prince, Subordinate First Rank Successor Prince, and Principal Second Rank Commandery Prince;

Subordinate Second Rank Duke of England, Principal Third Rank Commandery Duke, and Subordinate Third Rank County Duke;

Principal Fourth Rank Marquis, Subordinate Fourth Rank Earl, Principal Fifth Rank Viscount, and Subordinate Fifth Rank Baron.

Unless someone possessed exceptional merit, each generation would generally inherit a title one rank lower.

Thus, it was not that Duke of England's descendants had been useless. The requirements were simply too harsh.

Even the Emperor's own sons had to be periodically purged, sent away to live as commoners. Not to mention this group of nobles.

They were simply unwilling to accept it.

Therefore, many people came up with schemes to change the heavens. They placed their bets early. If the prince they supported ascended the throne and became the final victor, they would not only preserve their rank—they might even rise higher.

Merit from following the dragon.

Although Earl Ying had not said much at first, focusing on his own work, Ming Shu had already learned a great deal during this time.

And the unusually composed young man opposite him had also piqued Earl Ying's interest. He decided to set aside his work and have a conversation with him.

Old Zhao was asked to leave. The attendants also withdrew.

Only Earl Ying and Ming Shu remained.

"I only know the general outline of your situation. All I can say is that you're extraordinarily lucky. You must be very confused, wondering what meaning there is in heading east."

"Tonight, I'll tell you how I see things. For now, you don't need to concern yourself with matters outside. The people to the north set down the powder keg, but I'm holding the fuse. I still want to live a few more days."

After giving Ming Shu a small town, in theory, Ming Shu would have to rely on that place's land and population to find a way to live.

Whether through exploitation or plunder, neither was a long-term solution.

And Ming Shu had no capital at present, making it unrealistic for him to develop any industry.

There was another premise: natural and man-made disasters continued without end, and the troubled times had already slowly begun. Hiding away could not guarantee his safety, so hard power—in other words, military force—still had to be given special attention.

Without capital, Earl Ying could provide venture investment. A thousand taels of silver was nothing to him; Ming Shu could take it and gamble.

In fact, that money was merely a drop in the bucket of the Zhang Family's properties in this area that he had taken over.

What Ming Shu did not know was that his maternal uncle's family had actually been betrayed to death by their teammates.

Before the late Emperor confiscated the Zhang Family's assets, those partners had already hollowed out its properties in various places. The only problem was that the dead could no longer testify.

Earl Ying looked at the tender young man before him and casually made a small investment. Perhaps, in the future, it might bring him an enormous surprise in return.

Besides, he would soon be leaving this place. His current identity and properties would both have to be abandoned, so there was nothing he could not bear to part with.

Surviving was the most important thing.

King Chu had already suffered one defeat. Next, he needed King Chu to hold out in the south until the situation reversed. The coming years would not be easy for anyone.

Afterward, there would be no opportunity to come north and place another bet.

Earl Ying had invested in quite a few young people before. The Ximen Family near the western side of Qing Shui County, for instance, had recently given him an enormous surprise.

It had also forced him to make plans in advance to escape and leave this place.