Adjustment

Inside the Divine Domain of the Land God Shrine, Fang Ming sat upright in the seat of honor, his expression majestic. Red and white light flickered around him, and waves of pressure occasionally surfaced, making his subordinates secretly tremble with unease. At this moment, all his subordinates were present, along with four newcomers, each of whom carried an extraordinary air. They all bowed. "Greetings, my lord!"

Fang Ming nodded. "You may rise."

"These four are the Ancestral Spirits of the county seat's Four Great Families: Zhou Si, Wu Hongyu, Zheng Jing, and Wang Deng. They have now joined my ranks. From now on, you should all make an effort to get along with them." Fang Ming introduced them to his subordinates.

At his words, his subordinates were stunned. The Four Great Families of Anchang had been passed down for hundreds of years, with formidable strength and intricate connections. In Anchang County, they could be called local kings.

The Ancestral Spirits of these four families were all renowned for answering prayers. To think that they had also been recruited by their lord! Xie Jin and the others gained an even greater understanding of their lord's power and offered their congratulations. "Congratulations, my lord! Congratulations!"

They then exchanged greetings with the four newcomers.

Looking at the four men, Fang Ming couldn't help feeling very satisfied. These Ancestral Spirits had once headed prominent county families, and their reputations had soared while they were alive. They were now worshipped after death, so naturally, they had all been outstanding figures of their time. Their innate destinies were pure red, and they could be put to excellent use.

After recruiting Zhou Si, Fang Ming had gone to the other three families and naturally used the same approach, offering them the same terms as the Zhou Family. They had submitted. After all, the four families were closely allied; it wouldn't be strange if they had already discussed things in secret. Once everyone had finished exchanging greetings, Fang Ming spoke again. "Zhou Si, Wu Hongyu, and Wang Deng are capable and well-versed in their fields, with quick minds and nimble pens. I appoint them Court Clerks. They will first work under me and familiarize themselves with the affairs of the office."

"Zheng Jing once served as a military officer. I appoint him Captain of a Fire Squad. He will establish two squads, and may recruit his own soldiers. For now, he will be under Xie Jin's command."

Zhou Si, Wu Hongyu, and Wang Deng had all been scholars in life. As Ancestral Spirits of prominent families, they also wielded great influence, so Fang Ming had no choice but to give them the position of Court Clerk right away. In truth, even that wasn't enough; he would have to promote them further later. But they had only just joined his ranks, and had no other options at present, so he could still keep them in check.

Zheng Jing, on the other hand, had served as a military officer in life and earned military merit. He was just the man to bolster the Yin Army. He had risen to the Principal Seventh Rank as a military officer, and had a bright future ahead of him. He was the perfect partner for Xie Jin, serving as his deputy.

As the appointments were announced, none of the subordinates could find fault with them. Fang Ming sighed inwardly. That was how the rules of this world worked. If these four men lacked such standing, then even if they had been born with exceptional talents, promoting them at once to positions above those held by his longtime followers would have stirred resentment, even if the others accepted the decision outwardly. They would inevitably cause trouble afterward.

But now, they were the famous Ancestral Spirits of the county's most powerful families, and everyone accepted them wholeheartedly. Even a county magistrate had to recruit most of his subordinates from the Four Great Families. If a clan head or family patriarch were summoned to serve, he would have to begin at an official rank; Subordinate Ninth Rank was the lowest possible starting point. Fang Ming had no choice but to act this way. It all came down to strength. The four men represented four families that could directly or indirectly influence nearly four thousand people—twice the number of Fang Ming's current followers. They were also the biggest landowners in Anchang County, with vast tracts of land in the countryside and a strong voice in local affairs. Both Fang Ming and the county magistrate had to take them into consideration.

As the appointments were announced, Fang Ming was about to say something else when a figure suddenly stepped forward, fell to his knees, and knocked his head against the floor again and again. Though he was a Yin spirit, he still battered himself until he bled. "This subordinate knows he is guilty! ... I inadvertently leaked news about my lord before, and have regretted it ever since. I beg my lord to punish me severely!"

It was He Dong. Seeing him act so sincerely contrite, Fang Ming sneered to himself. He had been able to let the news slip before, and now that it had leaked, he came out to kneel and beg forgiveness with such deference. Heh...

But now was not the time to show it.

"I govern this region and command both the Yin and Yang realms. I must reward and punish fairly, to set an example for all. He Dong! Since you have violated my laws, do not blame the law for coming down upon you." Fang Ming's voice was cold, and the people below him felt a chill in their hearts.

"I hereby strip He Dong of his post as Records Clerk and Court Clerk and demote him to laborer. He will no longer manage the accounts, and I revoke his divine art. Guards! Drag him away and give him twenty heavy strokes!" This time, Fang Ming was truly furious. If He Dong hadn't helped him recruit the Four Great Families and earned a little credit for it, he would have wanted to beat him to death on the spot. Even so, he would not go easy on him!

This was the first time Fang Ming had severely punished a subordinate. The others watched, seized by a chill, but Fang Ming paid them no heed. He raised a hand, and He Dong's official robes vanished, turning into a white garment. A divine-art talisman was pulled from his body, leaving He Dong deathly pale. He knew that losing his position was nothing, but being barred from managing the accounts meant he had been kicked out of the inner circle. From then on, his fate would be uncertain. But at that moment, all he could do was endure it.

Yin Soldiers immediately dragged He Dong out of the hall and laid him in position. The wooden rods came down in a flurry. The sharp smacks made everyone in the hall feel as though they had fallen into an icy pit. The four Ancestral Spirits were even more terrified, their faces twitching...

He Dong clenched his teeth and somehow endured the twenty strokes. His form had already grown unstable, yet he still couldn't leave. He struggled to crawl back beneath the hall and knelt to give thanks. "Thank you for your mercy, my lord!" This was required after receiving punishment. If he failed to do it, it would mean he harbored resentment, and he could be beaten to death on the spot.

Fang Ming nodded and waved for He Dong to withdraw. Seeing the four Ancestral Spirits with their heads bowed and bodies slightly bent, their manner utterly deferential, he knew he had made an example of He Dong. He then reassured them. "Your four families may be changing their faith, but you need not abandon the worship of your ancestors. Convert the central hall in each ancestral shrine into a Land God shrine. The two side halls may still be used to worship your forebears, and the incense may continue burning without interruption!"

The four Ancestral Spirits thanked him for his grace.

Ancestor worship was a matter of filial piety, and Fang Ming naturally couldn't abolish it. Besides, it was the foundation of feudal rule. Governing through filial piety and promoting it could save the administration a great deal of manpower. A feudal empire ruled over a vast territory, and once it reached the countryside, the emperor's arm was too short to reach. All it could do was promote filial piety and let the villages govern themselves to a degree.

If people were supposed to show filial respect to their elders, then their superiors—and even the emperor—were elders above elders. They should bow their heads and obey, working hard without complaint. That was the true meaning of filial piety as a tool of feudal rule.

Fang Ming had no intention of changing the system, so he simply made use of it. After all, if a subordinate was willing to abandon his ancestors to serve Fang Ming, then if Fang Ming ever fell into danger, that subordinate wouldn't think twice before abandoning him too.

"Guo Sheng, you have worked tirelessly these past few days, and you write with skill. I hereby relieve you of your post as Fertile Land Office Clerk and appoint you Records Office Clerk, in charge of the accounts. I hope you will perform your duties faithfully and not bring ruin upon yourself!"

Fang Ming flicked his hand. The Earth Escape divine art he had taken back from He Dong flew into Guo Sheng's body, replacing the Fertile Land Divine Art. Guo Sheng bowed and thanked him. Managing the accounts meant joining the inner circle. Though Guo Sheng hadn't been promoted in rank, that was only because he hadn't served long enough. He understood that his lord was grooming him, and was overcome with gratitude.

"Wang Liulang, you'll have to work a little harder and take over Guo Sheng's duties as well!" With another gesture, the Fertile Land Divine Art that had belonged to Guo Sheng flew into Wang Liulang's body. Wang Liulang now possessed both the Fertile Land and Child-Gifting Divine Arts.

"Thank you, my lord!" Wang Liulang was still completely baffled, but he bowed all the same. Fang Ming smiled. This was how he groomed someone: by letting Wang Liulang become more familiar with the land-related divine art. Later, he could naturally promote him to become a Land God in his own right. At the same time, this appointment also made up for assigning Zheng Jing to Xie Jin's command.

Managing the accounts made Guo Sheng Fang Ming's chief steward, and it was an important position. He Dong was indeed well versed in bookkeeping, but now that the four Ancestral Spirits had joined, they would surely be given important roles. He Dong also had old ties with them. If they worked together, they might even deceive Fang Ming himself, so he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

Even if He Dong hadn't committed this offense, Fang Ming still couldn't have left him in charge of all the accounts. Guo Sheng was talented and had followed him for a long time. He had worked hard to learn the job and could naturally manage the accounts well. His innate destiny was pure red, so he could rise in rank as Fang Ming advanced and keep pace with him.

As the appointments were announced and the four Ancestral Spirits accepted their orders, four great swaths of white cloud appeared above the Fortune, broad and solid. They continually transformed into wisps of white energy that flowed into the Golden Seal. Fang Ming was overjoyed, knowing that this was the result of gaining the service of the four families. Once the Golden Seal was filled, he would surely be promoted.

Deep in an unnamed mountain range.

A mountain peak stood tall, shrouded in faint white mist. Green slopes and layered ridges covered its heights, creating a magnificent vista. Cranes cried from the mountainside, white apes offered fruit, and a profusion of flowers bloomed at its foot, filling the air with a strange fragrance.

It truly looked like the dwelling place of immortals.

At the summit stood a cluster of buildings, one tier upon another. Palaces and bamboo halls were laid out with exquisite precision, scattered like stars across a board and radiating an indescribable fluctuation.

A young man in a Daoist robe, about twenty years old, with red lips and white teeth and a graceful, unrestrained air, was walking toward the central hall. Along the way, every Daoist novice who saw him greeted him with a bow. "Senior Brother Yuheng!" The young man wore a warm smile and returned each greeting. He seemed to be well liked.

Before long, he arrived and announced, "Master, Yuheng requests an audience!"

"Come in." The voice was clear as jade, yet seemed to carry an irresistible force.

Yuheng entered and saw that the great hall was extremely spacious. A single meditation cushion sat in the center, with a middle-aged Daoist seated upon it. The man had ordinary features and a rosy complexion that seemed to glimmer faintly.

Yuheng bowed respectfully. Though his master looked middle-aged, he was already eighty years old. Yet his body was still light and strong, like that of a young man.

That was the result of his profound cultivation. This Daoist was none other than Clear Void, one of the only two True Persons at White Cloud Temple.

"Yuheng, you are a core disciple of my lineage and have already received the true transmission. You can divine good and ill fortune. Can you guess why I summoned you?" Daoist Clear Void asked once Yuheng had risen.

"Is there news of progress in suppressing the bandits in Linjiang Prefecture?" Yuheng could divine good and ill fortune, but he could hardly use the ability on himself, so he could only make a guess.

"The matter in Linjiang Prefecture has already been entrusted to your Uncle Master Qinghe. Although the ghosts are cunning and avoid battle, they should be wiped out before long. We need only wait for good news. As for your divination, you must take it a step further before you can divine your own fate. That step is no easy feat. You must understand..." Qinghe was the other True Person. He had gone to help Wu Qi suppress the bandits and had yet to return to the mountain.

The middle-aged Daoist then gave him a few essential pointers. Yuheng listened and felt as though he had been struck by a sudden flash of insight. The bottleneck he had been stuck at seemed to loosen. That was the privilege of receiving the true transmission: his master could guide him at any time, and answer his questions whenever he ran into difficulties.

Only after his disciple had grasped the lesson did Clear Void continue. "I called you here today because I have another matter that troubles me." He handed Yuheng a letter of intelligence. It was a message sent from Anchang County by a bluebird.

Yuheng took it and read it carefully. He immediately understood. "Master, do you want me to go down the mountain and investigate this matter?"

"Wu Prefecture is under the jurisdiction of White Cloud Temple. If anything uncanny happens there, it is our duty to resolve it. The matter of the Land God described in this letter is highly suspicious. I would go myself, but unfortunately..."

Clear Void stopped there, and Yuheng understood. His master had to remain at the sect to protect its foundations. His uncle master was also too busy to leave, so they could only send a disciple. Yuheng accepted the order. "Rest assured, Master. This is a trifling matter; there's no need for you to make the journey. I will get to the bottom of it!"

"Do not be careless. Earlier, I used the Art of Observing the Heavens and discovered that the workings of fate had become muddled, though I do not know why. There are still twenty years before the age of chaos, so this sign should not have appeared. But since it has, we must pay closer attention to supernatural occurrences throughout Wu Prefecture. What's more..." A trace of worry surfaced on Clear Void's face.

"I see!" Yuheng understood. They had sent a True Person to deal with the Evil Ghosts, which had seemed like making a mountain out of a molehill. Now he knew there had been a reason.