Chapter 364
Chapter 364
“Brother-in-law, the position of Zhenyuan's City Lord has been vacant for so long that I had no choice but to reside in the manor and manage its affairs. It's all for the best now. The City Lord's Manor finally has its true master, so I can cede my place and depart.”
As soon as Su Lin finished speaking, he led dozens of his subordinate officials out. Shen Lang and Li Qianqiu clearly saw a supreme master following behind Su Lin. He was a monk, and he looked vaguely familiar. Upon closer inspection, he somewhat resembled Gohae Dhuta, the High Priest of the Snow Mountain Sacred Temple. Noticing Shen Lang’s gaze upon him, the monk looked at Shen Lang and spoke.
“Are you Young Master Shen Lang?”
“I am. And who might you be, Great Master?”
The monk replied, “I am Gonan Dhuta of the Great Calamity Temple, a follower of the Void Sect.”
The Void Sect had countless followers, its influence stretching across half the world. This religion used ancient Buddhist sutras from before the last collapse as its scriptures. However, over a thousand years of development since its founding, numerous factions had formed within this 'Buddhism.' There was the Heaven-Reaching Temple, which emphasized spiritual cultivation, and the Hanging Temple, which stressed noble virtues. These two temples held an unparalleled status in the Eastern world, possessing numerous scriptures and true masters on par with the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. These sects were generally gentle and noble, focusing on transcending the sufferings of the mortal world.
In contrast, the Great Calamity Temple was incredibly unique. Its dhutas did not take wives, but they could have concubines and were not entirely celibate. They also possessed numerous esoteric bedroom arts and scriptures on the Dao of Yin and Yang. This sect emphasized martial arts and sorcery. For these reasons, many prominent noble clans became its followers, and the Great Calamity Temple developed at a ferocious pace in the Eastern world.
However, decades ago, Emperor Jiang Li dealt a devastating blow to the Great Calamity Temple, and after eliminating Jiang Li, the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty struck them again. On the matter of this sect, both the Yan Emperor and Emperor Jiang Li were in complete agreement. As a result, the Great Calamity Temple currently wielded no power within the Great Yan Dynasty.
In the Western Regions, however, they had amassed great power, even becoming the state religion of several nations. The Saiman tribes and the State of Jiang were both within the Great Calamity Temple's sphere of influence. The Kuyeong Sacred Temple of the Saiman and the Snow Mountain Sacred Temple of Jiang were branches established by the Great Calamity Temple. Gohae Dhuta had been the high priest dispatched by the temple to the Snow Mountain Sacred Temple in the State of Jiang. Now that Gohae Dhuta was dead, the Great Calamity Temple, unwilling to relinquish its power in the territory of Jiang, had dispatched Gonan Dhuta.
Shen Lang asked, “What was your relationship with Gohae Dhuta?”
Gonan Dhuta replied, “Gohae was my junior brother.”
Shen Lang continued, “I heard Gohae Dhuta committed heinous treason in the State of Jiang and was struck down by heavenly punishment. What a true pity.”
“Patron Shen, our Great Calamity Temple believes in the cycle of karma. It is merely not yet time for retribution to come around. I ask that you, too, wait patiently.”
The words were a clear threat. A monk, speaking of vengeance with every other word. It was precisely because of such doctrines that the Great Calamity Temple had been expelled from the Eastern world. They possessed not a shred of Buddhist compassion. The Heaven-Reaching Temple and the Hanging Temple had long tried to excommunicate the Great Calamity Temple from the Void Sect, but it was no easy task. Having recently suffered a blow with the collapse of their power in the Snow Mountain Sacred Temple of Jiang, the Great Calamity Temple had colluded with the Su Clan to reclaim power, which was why Gonan Dhuta was now by Su Lin’s side.
Su Lin, the Chief Administrator of Zhenyuan City, led everyone away from the City Lord's Manor, feigning to cede the place to Shen Lang. Hundreds of warriors assembled in formation, protecting Su Lin’s party in the center as they departed.
Su Lin said, “Brother-in-law Shen Lang, my Chief Administrator's Office is not far from here. I shall invite you as a guest soon.”
Everyone in Zhenyuan City had always known the location of the Chief Administrator's Office, but not the City Lord's Manor. For Su Lin was the true ruler of Zhenyuan City.
Shen Lang replied, “Excellent, excellent! As it happens, this younger brother has several matters on which I wished to seek your guidance, elder brother.”
Su Lin walked forward, then suddenly stopped and turned back to Shen Lang. “By the way, brother-in-law. Tomorrow at dusk, I will host a welcoming banquet for you at my office. Will you come?”
“A treacherous feast?”
Su Lin nodded with a smile. “Yes, a treacherous feast. Will you come, brother-in-law?”
“Then how many people may I bring?”
“Bring three.”
Shen Lang nodded. “Very well. I will be there. Tomorrow at dusk, you said?”
“Indeed!”
Under the protection of the supreme master Gonan Dhuta, Su Lin led his dozens of officials and hundreds of warriors toward his Chief Administrator's Office three *li* away with great pomp. The entire Zhenyuan City Lord's Manor was instantly deserted.
“Let's enter the manor!”
At Shen Lang's command, the Amazon Army and his warriors entered and occupied the magnificent City Lord's Manor.
* * *
As soon as Shen Lang’s party occupied the City Lord’s Manor, they were given a hostile welcome.
“Master, all the food in the manor is rotten. What's more, it's been soaked in excrement. There are three wells, but two of them are filled with excrement and even contain decaying corpses. The stench is unbearable, and they are unusable. The last one appears to be clean.”
After hearing the report, Shen Lang commanded, “Fill in the well that looks clean, and dig a new one further away.”
Thirteen said, “We have to dig a new well? This area is close to the harsh Western Regions. Although the great snow mountains aren't far, there is little water underground. It will take days of digging to find any. What will we drink in the meantime?”
Shen Lang asked, “Where is Wu Ye?”
A moment later, Wu Ye entered.
“Young Master Shen, this city is filled with hostility towards us.”
Shen Lang could feel the murderous instinct radiating from Wu Ye. Nearly a decade as a gladiator had left her with animal-like instincts. Right now, she was like a wolf that had entered a dangerous thicket, surrounded on all sides by people who sought to kill her at any moment.
Shen Lang said to her, “Wu Ye, take a few dozen of your subordinates right now and go to the nearby shops to buy water, grain, vegetables, and meat.”
“Those shops have likely been paid off by the Su Clan. They won't sell to us.”
“Try anyway.”
“And if they still refuse?”
“I, as the lord of this manor, am trying to buy goods with money and goodwill. If they refuse to sell, then they are the ones in the wrong.”
“And after that?”
“For them, there will be no 'after that'!”
“Understood!”
Wu Ye led several dozen female warriors out to the shops to purchase supplies.
Inside the City Lord's Manor.
The Sword King, Li Qianqiu, was still helping Big Dummy with his martial arts training. Big Dummy's days had become even more miserable than before. While they were traveling, he only had to train for seven or eight hours a day. But now that they had finally arrived in Zhenyuan City, his training time increased to fourteen hours daily. The Sword King intended for Big Dummy to perform one hundred thousand sword thrusts a day. The number alone made Shen Lang's head ache.
*It's a good thing I don't have to practice martial arts. Relying on my in-laws for a comfortable life is the best!*
Shen Lang ascended to the highest point of the City Lord's Manor and gazed into the distance. The Marquis of Zhenyuan's estate was merely thirty-five *li* away, close enough to be seen from here. The estate was built with unparalleled grandeur upon treacherous terrain. Both the Jin Clan and the Su Clan were noble houses with centuries of history. The Jin Clan's castle was built on a mountain, as was the Su Clan's. However, the mountain here was higher, making the Marquis of Zhenyuan's estate far easier to defend and more difficult to assault than the Jin Clan's castle. Shen Lang looked upon the Su Clan's fortress and shuddered inwardly.
*How... how in the world was this built?*
The peak where the Marquis of Zhenyuan's estate stood appeared to be thousands of meters above sea level, its slopes precipitous and sheer. And upon such a place, this massive and solid fortress had been constructed. Upon closer inspection, Shen Lang saw that the Su Clan's fortress was far larger than the Jin Clan's, at least twice its size. Furthermore, the thickness of its ramparts and walls far surpassed even those of Raging Tide City. A fortress so thick and sturdy atop a mountain... It was a miracle of architecture.
Generations of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's family had continuously reinforced and expanded the fortress, resulting in the miraculous completion of this wondrous structure and its current scale. Built so astonishingly large and solid, if they were to close the gates and defend, not even an army of ten thousand could breach the city. Moreover, the fortress was built in a style closer to Western architecture, using little wood and mostly massive, stacked stones. Looking at the fortress, Shen Lang narrowed his eyes.
*Today, I'll kill the merchants. Tomorrow, all the officials and garrison troops of Zhenyuan City. A hundred today, a thousand tomorrow, the day after... If I keep killing like this, perhaps in a month, I can wipe out the entire Su Clan.*
* * *
Inside the Marquis of Zhenyuan's estate.
Su Nan stood before a tall, large window in the fortress, gazing at the Zhenyuan City Lord's Manor dozens of *li* away. The distance was too great to make out any people, so he certainly couldn't see Shen Lang, who was at that very moment looking back at the Marquis's estate. But from the high vantage point of the Su Clan's fortress, he could look down upon all of Zhenyuan City.
“Uncle.”
Su Lin, the Chief Administrator of Zhenyuan City, entered and immediately knelt on the floor. Su Nan asked him.
“Has Shen Lang entered the Zhenyuan City Lord's Manor?”
“Yes.”
“Where is Zhang Chong?”
“Zhang Chong will enter White Night County in about two days!”
Su Nan nodded. Just then, another elder entered the room. He was Su Nan’s older brother, Su Quan. Su Quan spoke.
“My Lord, all forces have been assembled and are ready to act at any moment. We have eight thousand of the clan's private soldiers, six thousand bandits from the Three-Eyed Wilds, five thousand from the Western merchant coalition, and two thousand warrior monks from the Great Calamity Temple, for a total of twenty-one thousand men.”
Twenty-one thousand men. Su Nan showed no reaction to the number for a moment, then asked him, “What of the garrison in Tianxi Province? Did the Central Military Command not send troops?”
Su Quan replied, “The Central Military Commander of Tianxi Province did not give a clear answer. On one hand, he speaks of his loyalty to the King, while on the other, he insists he will never forget his friendship with you, my Lord.”
Su Nan said with contempt, “An indecisive lackey.”
Su Quan continued, “The ten thousand-strong garrison in Tianxi Province has long since been bought by us and is riddled with openings. Every officer from the rank of Centurion and above has accepted our money.”
Su Nan stood before a large map. His gaze was not on Zhenyuan City or White Night County, but on the State of Jiang, located in the border region between the states of Chu and Yue. His army of over twenty thousand was already fully assembled and could launch their campaign at any time, sweeping through half of Tianxi Province in an instant. So when was the right time to strike? That depended entirely on the states of Jiang and Chu. Once the civil war in Jiang was quelled, the great army of Chu would move to pin down Zhong Yao's Western Army of over one hundred thousand. When that happened, no one in Tianxi Province would be able to stop the Su Clan, and Su Nan could seize half the province within a month. At that point, the Su Clan and the State of Jiang would become one. While it couldn't be called a kingdom, it would at least be on the level of a duchy.
So, would the Great Yan Dynasty simply stand by and watch the State of Yue be divided? They most certainly would. Right now, Wu and Yue were at war, and Chu and Yue were vying for supremacy. Was there any conflict among the vassal states of the world that did not have the Great Yan Dynasty's machinations behind it? Under the pretext of determining a hegemon, the various states were wallowing in the bloody mire of war. And because of this, the new government of the Great Yan Dynasty would be thoroughly perfected. First, they would push aside the old, established aristocrats within the empire, then separate civil and military authority, and thoroughly implement the province-and-county system to concentrate all power in the hands of the emperor alone. The current situation was a golden opportunity for the Great Yan Dynasty.