This Is a Struggle Between the Realm and the Imperial Family

This Is a Struggle Between the Realm and the Imperial Family

That dossier also laid out someone's views.

Behind these rebellions lurked the shadows of sects and aristocratic families. Beyond the rebellions, all manner of churches worshipping evil gods had sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain. Likewise, most of those churches had certain powers backing them.

The root cause was that the Martial Saint, invincible beneath heaven, had not shown himself for thirty years.

Some suspected that the Martial Saint's allotted lifespan had run out and that he had passed away in meditation. As a result, all of Great Xia had entered an age of storms and turmoil, while every faction quietly began to harbor disloyal thoughts.

That person had further put forth a view: once it was confirmed that the Martial Saint had passed away, the realm might return to an era when heroes rose together. Thus, the root of these rebellions was a struggle over military authority.

They sought to exhaust the current court's strength, leaving it unable to suppress the uprisings in time. This would then trigger regulations loosening military authority, allowing the various garrisons and regional armies to act at their own discretion and freely expand their forces. It would likewise grant aristocratic families and sects permission to recruit more disciples and retainers.

Once the restrictions on military authority were lifted, every faction would have sufficient strength to suppress rebellions and illicit shrines of evil gods across the land.

When Jiang Ning read this, he finally understood completely.

Why had so many rebellions erupted throughout Great Xia in the past year alone?

This was plainly an opposition between the entire realm and the imperial family, not an opposition against the court.

The court was a regime formed by countless factions.

Loosening military authority represented a community of shared interests for everyone apart from the imperial family.

Whether or not they harbored ambitions, every faction hoped to strengthen itself. Once strong, they could advance and scheme for greater things; if they retreated, they could choose a stronger side to join and sell themselves at a good price.

Jiang Ning also understood why the Inspection Office had been established with the speed of thunder, and why the Martial Saint had been placed in charge of it.

Forcing the imperial family to loosen military authority was plainly an open scheme.

An open scheme that would leave the imperial family with no choice but to loosen military authority. If it did not, the rebellions would continue, the illicit shrines of evil gods would continue, and the court would lack the strength to suppress them. Great Xia's foundations would inevitably be shaken, and it would still enter an age of storm and turmoil.

To contend against the great tide of the realm, nothing less than the Martial Saint personally standing guard would have been enough to establish the Inspection Office.

And once the Inspection Office was truly established, it too would be drawn into the great tide of the realm.

At that moment, countless thoughts ran through Jiang Ning's mind.

He pondered for dozens of breaths.

Huu—

Only then did Jiang Ning begin breathing again.

Do I still have a choice?

The chaotic age I previously guessed was not about to arrive. It has already arrived! If I do not join the Inspection Office, what other faction can I join?

The Inspection Office is, at the very least, a temporary refuge. As long as it gives me some time, I will be able to gain a foothold in Luoshui County through martial arts.

Right now, only by joining the Inspection Office can I gain that time.

And only the Inspection Office can give me the fundamental methods needed to advance in martial arts.

A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. The Inspection Office remains the largest tree in the realm for now. It will not fall anytime soon, and neither will Great Xia, which has stood for more than eight hundred years since its founding!

As he considered these matters, Jiang Ning finally made his decision.

He then set down that dossier and picked up another, one that recorded intelligence on Luoshui County.

Since he was in Luoshui County, he could not ignore such intelligence about it.

With only a cursory glance through the dossier, Jiang Ning understood.

These two dossiers had most likely been sent by Constable Wang, who commanded the garrison outside the city.

The intelligence recorded in them was far too extensive and detailed. Other than Constable Wang, who commanded the garrison outside the city, who else could have sent such detailed information to Wang Jin?

In Luoshui County, it was no secret that Wang Jin and Constable Wang were blood relatives. Many people knew it.

Constable Wang was very likely Wang Jin's younger brother.

The reason Constable Wang could sit on the wall and watch the dragons and snakes of Luoshui County vie for supremacy—

Was not merely because he commanded those hundred elite troops stationed outside the city. The entire city guard of Luoshui County was also under his command.

With one hundred elite garrison troops and more than five hundred city guards, his power in Luoshui County was no weaker than that of the county magistrate or the local strongmen led by the three great families.

The county magistrate controlled the county commandant and the chief clerk. Within Luoshui County, he held both military and civil authority, commanding more than seven hundred constables, head constables, yamen runners, and the like.

Of these, as far as Jiang Ning knew, the decisive factor was the county magistrate himself. His elder brother had vaguely learned of this before.

Aside from these two factions, there were the local strongmen led by the three great families: Cao, Liu, and Xie.

That faction was tangled and complex. Jiang Ning knew little about it, only that no one in Luoshui County could escape the influence of those three great families.

Afterward, Jiang Ning carefully read through the dossier concerning Luoshui County.

The dossier was thick and felt rather weighty in his hands.

In the blink of an eye.

The crescent moon hanging high in the night sky gradually sank toward the east.

[Upon reading books this time, Literacy experience increased by 48 points.]

[Skill]: Literacy (First Limit Break 196/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory)

Jiang Ning turned to the final page of the dossier and slowly withdrew his gaze, only to see the prompt before him.

Roughly three hours gave me 48 experience points. The efficiency of gaining experience from what I read tonight was higher. There must be some pattern to it, but it will not be easy to figure out.

The thought flashed through Jiang Ning's mind, and he shook his head.

Then he closed the dossier and returned it to its original place.

This dossier records the major factions and experts of Luoshui County in such detail. It truly must have been sent by Constable Wang. Without someone of his position, how many people could secretly investigate Luoshui County so thoroughly?

Even Xu Yunfeng is recorded within it! He is only one step away from attaining martial rank. That is somewhat unexpected!

Jiang Ning's gaze drifted as he sank into thought.

According to the dossier, every faction has long known about the Inspection Office.

But that makes sense. Even Wang Jin knew, so how could the major, deeply entrenched factions not have learned of it early on?

The end of the dossier also urges Wang Jin to actively cooperate with the establishment of the Inspection Office. Though the Inspection Office carries danger, it also carries opportunities.

It says the Inspection Office most likely represents the Martial Saint's will. That Martial Saint has not appeared for thirty years, yet there is a high chance he is still alive. Perhaps he will reveal himself before long.

At that thought, Jiang Ning murmured inwardly.

If that is truly the case, joining the Inspection Office really is a good choice.

For me, the benefits clearly outweigh the drawbacks.

Then he thought again of the two people mentioned in the dossier.

Jiang Ning rubbed his forehead and pondered silently.

Cao Bin. Xu Yunfeng.

Why is Xu Yunfeng targeting my elder brother so fiercely? There must be some entanglement of interests involved! But what interest could it be? My elder brother is such an insignificant figure, merely an unranked constable. Could he truly have such a great influence on the county magistrate?

Could Cao Bin have chosen my elder brother merely to satisfy his own selfish desires?

And is Xu Yunfeng handling this matter so diligently because of the Inspection Office's impending establishment?

If that is the case, then this matter is still fairly easy to resolve. I only need to face pressure from Cao Bin and Xu Yunfeng.

After thinking for a long while, Jiang Ning returned to his senses and shook his head.

Forget it!

There are too few clues. I will not think about this any further!

The most crucial thing for me right now is to attain martial rank within three months. Only then can I join the Inspection Office.

The Inspection Office is guarded by Great Xia's sole Martial Saint. If he is still alive, then he is the largest tree beneath heaven.

Since the Martial Saint is personally standing guard, that is enough to prove the Inspection Office's importance.

Joining the Inspection Office would be like a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate for me. I must seize this opportunity!

Not only would my status rise, but cultivation methods, secret arts, and precious medicines would surely be plentiful as well.

Speaking of sects, what sect could possibly possess foundations deeper than the court of Great Xia?

When the time comes, with the Inspection Office's status behind me, every crisis will resolve itself.

And with the Inspection Office's resources, I can continue to grow.

This is killing several birds with one stone.

Thanks to Heyuan for the two monthly tickets, thanks to 299585 for the monthly ticket, thanks to the two readers with numerical usernames for their monthly tickets, and thanks to 20190405181833303 for the 500 reward.