Luo Zhi passed away, and Crown Prince Ci lost his life. His third son, Luo Chang, succeeded him as Marquis of Luo.
[Luo Chang (twenty-fifth-generation descendant): Power struggles: 73; governance: 80; managing people: 81; command: 67; martial prowess: 80; military strategy: 78; eloquence: 81; scholarship: 85; charisma: 91.]
Part of the shackles had broken, raising the attributes of the ruling house's children in Luo State slightly. They were much better than Luo Zhi's.
[Clan Head's Prestige: ① Royal House: friendly; ② Royal Clan: friendly; ③ feudal lords: friendly; ④ army: friendly; ⑤ State People: respectful. Clan Prestige: ① Royal House: respectful; ② Royal Clan: respectful; ③ feudal lords: friendly; ④ army: respectful; ⑤ State People: respectful.]
Luo State's prestige still blazed like the midday sun, entirely unaffected by the defeat.
Zhou State had lost. The Luo Clan had not!
Most of the peace treaty's terms had little effect on Luo State. There were no reparations. It ceded land to the Royal House, but that land was empty: the State People had long since returned to Luo State with their families in tow.
The states had anticipated this situation. That was also why they had given Luo State an exclave. They had spared the ruling house and the Ducal Clan, and even turned a blind eye to the people of Luo State returning home. They had exhausted every measure of benevolence and duty. Luo State could stay put in peace.
Do not make the Sage King intervene again. Leave mortal affairs to mortals.
As for not serving the Royal House, that had even less effect. The Ducal Clan and State People of Luo State had never wanted the ruling house to keep assisting the Royal House in the first place.
As for Luo State's army, after exterminating