Yang Ling

"But... according to what you said, Brother Shen, shouldn't the two great families have expanded the number of tenant farmers even further, making sure they had enough food and drink and could live decent lives? Why have they ended up creating so many refugees instead? Aren't they cutting their own foundations out from under themselves?" Zhao Hu asked, puzzled.

Shen Zhui sighed. "That is precisely where the Li Family's sinister nature lies."

"Our dynasty has manifested gods and Daoist arts to oversee the world. In truth, most people still worship the orthodox gods enshrined by the Son of Heaven."

"Moreover, I looked through the Heyuan County annals. Twenty years ago, Heyuan County's city limits covered only nine-tenths of what they do today."

"In other words, the city has been continually expanding. Since those living within the city enjoy the absolute protection of the City God Temple, most of them naturally go there to offer sacrifices."

"Unless the county magistrate in a given place is incompetent or colludes with others, allowing the authority and prestige of the aristocratic clans to overwhelm the government within the city. In that case, both the government and the City God Temple become mere decorations."

"It isn't that such situations don't exist. Take the Capital Cities of those princes and marquises, for example. I suspect most of them know only that there are princes and marquises, and not that there is a Son of Heaven."

Zhao Hu frowned and patted his head. "Brother Shen... you've got my head swimming. Can you just tell me directly how the County Governor plans to turn things around? When can we leave the city?"

Shen Zhui said helplessly, "Simply put, the County Governor wants to begin by investigating the landholdings and registered households concealed by the great families, weakening their strength and thereby eliminating the Yin God. That is the purpose of the Destroying Sects and Temples operation."

"I suspect the Li Family used the County Governor's order as an excuse to publicize the household registrations of those who had concealed themselves to evade taxes and drive them out, while still keeping the landholdings firmly in their hands."

"This resulted in those tenant farmers becoming free in name, yet losing their fields. Worse, they still had to pay the poll tax according to the law."

"At the same time, they told the tenant farmers that this was all the County Governor's order, that the County Governor had driven them from their homes. Thus, all the refugees' resentment was directed at the County Governor and the imperial court!"

"If this continued, and they bribed officials up and down the chain before impeaching the County Governor for poor governance and inflaming public anger, the County Governor would either be transferred or dismissed. The prestige of the imperial court and the temples would suffer as well."

"Once the new county magistrate arrived, the families could put on a cooperative front and take the refugees back in. Not only would all their previous losses be recovered, they would rise to an even higher level because of it!"

"As for how to turn the situation around..." Shen Zhui sank into thought.

"The most direct method, of course, would be to fight our way out of the city, wipe out the Li and Yang Families' headquarters, and destroy the true bodies of their Yin Gods. Then there would naturally be enough supplies and farmland to pacify the refugees."

"But the County Governor has issued a ban," Zhao Hu said anxiously.

"Then all we can do is wait and watch," Shen Zhui said, shaking his head.

"We'll see whether the County Governor is transferred first because of public resentment."

"Or whether the County Governor turns public resentment around first and obtains irrefutable evidence of their crimes."

"As long as the ancestral Yin Gods of the two great families are weakened to a certain degree and can no longer shelter those evil deeds, the County Governor can request that experts be sent here and uproot both great families!"

"After all that, we still have to wait." Zhao Hu was somewhat disappointed.

Shen Zhui also shook his head slightly, filled with emotion.

He guessed that Wei Wenhe wanted to show weakness to the enemy and wait for the two great families to go too far, exposing their vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, the two great families were thinking of ways to bring Wei Wenhe down.

In theory, if this move could work, the County Governor should have done it three years ago, before he had revealed his abilities.

A leader capable of developing a family to this point could not possibly be a fool.

There had to be a reason he had not done this. But why had he dared to do it now?

"There are probably many things I don't know. I hope the County Governor is confident he can resolve the current predicament."

Shen Zhui sighed inwardly. Even if the County Governor ultimately got his wish, many innocent people would probably starve to death.

If the County Governor failed in the end, then the people here would likely meet a miserable fate.

He did not dare pin his hopes on the next county magistrate being as upright and incorruptible as Wei Wenhe.

The county government office, the main hall.

With his hands behind his back, Wei Wenhe stood before a map of Heyuan County. His face showed neither sorrow nor joy, as though he were lost in thought.

Wang Long stood quietly to the side, not even daring to breathe too heavily for fear of disturbing his junior fellow disciple's thoughts.

After a long while, Wei Wenhe finally turned around.

"Senior Brother, what terms did that Yang Ling offer you?"

"Childish nonsense. It isn't worth mentioning."

"Senior Brother, would you like to hear what terms Yang Ling offered me?" Wei Wenhe asked with a smile.

Wang Long was somewhat surprised. "That Yang Ling actually came up with such a fanciful proposal?"

"Senior Brother, take a look."

Wei Wenhe waved his hand. A golden envelope flew from his sleeve and hovered before the two of them.

The envelope shimmered with golden light, like a leaping flame, dazzlingly bright.

"Ancient Tomb Document?" Wang Long was slightly startled. Fifty years ago, someone had excavated a large pile of golden sheets from an ancient tomb in the ruins. They had the power of instant communication, an extremely long effective range, and could conceal the locations of both communicating parties, causing a sensation for a time.

Later generations imitated them according to the Daoist inscriptions upon them. From then on, these one-use communication Daoist papers that carried a golden glow came to be known as Ancient Tomb Documents.

"Shiu~" A streak of azure light shot from Wei Wenhe into the paper, which then slowly began to burn.

Within the golden flames, a human figure emerged.

The figure was clearly visible: a middle-aged man dressed in an ornate Daoist Robe, with his hair piled high atop his head.

"Lord Wei." The man in the ornate Daoist Robe cupped his hands in salute, then noticed Wang Long's presence and turned to salute him as well.

Wei Wenhe merely nodded lightly in acknowledgment, while Wang Long stared coldly at Yang Ling.

Yang Ling did not mind. He opened his mouth and said,

"Lord Wei has governed Heyuan County for three years, achieving remarkable results and loving the people as his own children. He is deeply beloved by the common folk and valued by his superiors. In only three short years, the county has taken on an entirely new aspect. Setting aside personal prejudice, even Yang Mou must offer Lord Wei my admiration. Truly, heroes emerge in their youth; no wonder you are a young master from an Aristocratic Clan of the Capital City."

"Say what you came to say." Wei Wenhe's tone was indifferent.

"Since Lord Wei has opened this letter, Yang Mou will get straight to the point."

Yang Ling cupped his hands again and said earnestly, "Lord Wei comes from a prominent family and possesses extraordinary talent. Your honored teacher and ancestor, Master Xuan, is furthermore a sage of the present age. Since the imperial court has already reached its conclusion, Yang Mou would ask Lord Wei to show mercy."

"Of course, Lord Wei naturally disdains associating with people like us. If Lord Wei is willing to continue serving in office, then our Li and Yang Families will do everything in our power to help you advance."

"According to Liangzhou's custom of reviewing officials once every five years, once winter passes, the Liang Prefecture Government will begin discussing the promotion of county officials throughout the region. If Lord Wei is willing, the position of Left Vice Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau will belong to no one but you."

Before Wei Wenhe could speak, Wang Long gave a cold laugh. "What an audacious claim. You, Yang Ling, actually dare to make such wild promises—guaranteeing that someone will rise directly from Principal Seventh Rank to Principal Sixth Rank! Aren't you afraid people will laugh their teeth out?"

Yang Ling neither grew angry nor annoyed. He smiled lightly. "Yang Mou naturally lacks that ability, but someone does possess it. Of course, the main reason is that Lord Wei himself is capable. If Lord Wei agrees, with our assistance, a special promotion within a year or so is not impossible."

"What if I no longer wish to serve as an official?" Wei Wenhe asked lightly.

When Yang Ling saw Wei Wenhe speak, joy flashed across his brows. He immediately waved his hand, and an object appeared in it.

"Lord Wei, please look."

"What is this...?" Wang Long stared at the object in Yang Ling's hand, his expression shifting between suspicion and astonishment.

"The Yang Family Head is truly generous." Wei Wenhe let out a soft sigh.

"The qualification token for the Nine Nether Secret Realm—and not merely that, but the Five Dragon Token, which grants access to an area near the core. Truly impressive."

"The Nine Nether Secret Realm? The Five Dragon Token?" Wang Long's eyes widened.

The Nine Nether Mountain Range bordered Heyuan County, though only a small section touched it, and that section was merely the extremely safe outer perimeter.

But the Nine Nether Mountain Range itself covered a vast area, almost comparable to the territory of ten prefectures!

Within it were no shortage of Outer Sects, Demonic Cults, and Ancient Ruins. The Nine Nether Secret Realm was a ruin discovered many years ago.

The Nine Nether Token flew out of that ruin automatically once every twenty years. Whoever obtained a token could carry it into the ruins and explore.

There might be treasures or inheritances of ancient cultivation arts. The Nine Nether Secret Realm encompassed an extraordinarily broad range of cultivation levels.

From innate cultivators to Divine Ability Realm experts, all could benefit from it.

If someone were willing to sell this Five Dragon Token, even a Spirit Bridge Realm expert would be willing to buy it at any cost.

Silence fell. No matter how much Wang Long hated Yang Ling at that moment, he would not advise Wei Wenhe to refuse.

Because with this Five Dragon Token, perhaps his junior fellow disciple could walk a path straight to the heavens.

At that moment, Wang Long felt both pride and sorrow.

He was proud that even though there was already a current within the imperial court opposing the Destroying Sects and Temples operation, and even though the two great families currently held the upper hand, they were still willing to offer such an enormous benefit to beg his junior fellow disciple to leave.

This was the greatest affirmation of their efforts over the past three years.

What saddened him was that this affirmation came from their enemies, while the Liang Prefecture Government sent criticism from time to time. Moreover, although the Five Dragon Token was in Yang Ling's hands, they had only seen it from afar at an auction in the Capital City.

The golden flames danced, their tongues slowly devouring the remaining paper.

When the fire was about to consume eighty percent of it, Yang Ling bowed once more.

"What Yang Mou seeks is nothing more than to protect our ancestors' foundation. As long as Lord Wei agrees, Yang Mou can send someone to deliver the token right now."

"At the same time, the trouble in the city can be resolved in the blink of an eye. During Lord Wei's final year in Heyuan County, none of the families, great or small, within Heyuan County will violate a single law!"

"Take a guess, everyone—will Wei Wenhe agree? And is Yang Ling truly sincere? Finally, please vote and add this to your collections~"