The moment the weather began to clear, news that Duke Wanghai had bowed his head spread throughout Profound Candle Prefecture.
Cart after cart of gold, silver, and jewelry was transported to the Coastal Army barracks in Half-City District, while emergency meetings were held in the secret chambers of the various merchant guilds and noble families.
Zao Yu led his army to surround the Duke's residence.
The Bronze and Iron Guards were held at gunpoint.
They ordered the duke to come to the gate.
They sent money and daughters to become marriage relations.
Any one of these things was enough to make the entire Profound Candle Prefecture tremble three times.
As meritorious subjects who had helped Emperor Lie revive Radiance three times, the Wanghai Huyan Family had endured for a thousand years. Their reputation had never faded, and they had stood firm like pines, outliving countless thousand-year-old noble families and princes. They had vaguely become the uncrowned rulers of East Sun and Profound Candle.
The prefect of Profound Candle Prefecture and the governor of East Sun District both made visiting Duke Wanghai their first task upon taking office. Without Duke Wanghai's permission, not a single decree of theirs could leave their study.
Of course, one important reason Duke Wanghai had survived to this day was that they never kept all the benefits for themselves. His relationship with the various noble families and merchant guilds was intricately intertwined. If every transaction in Profound Candle Prefecture had to contribute a share to send money to the Silver Blood Society, then every sum of money the Silver Blood Society received had to contribute a share to Duke Wanghai.
The Silver Blood Society had only gradually risen over the past century, after all, and was merely an alliance formed by the Eighty-Eight Merchant Guilds.
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