Proofreader: Papatonks
In a refined study, Qu Xiangfeng was pacing around anxiously and was soaked in his own sweat.
Xu Tianchuan held a jade slip and muttered to himself. He ended up smashing it on the table to pieces, looking up with a frown, “How do we reply?”
“Reply to what?”
Wu Qianqiu’s face shook, looking pained, “We’re three months into our mission and the elders asked us about the situation. How do we answer? Everyone is fleeing from us. Many clans that mine and gather herbs all went into hiding. The resources have completely stopped being sent to the Sacred Mountains. How do we explain this to the elders?”
“Think of something!”
“I have. We tried everything we could think of, threats and rewards, but nothing works. We don’t have any more people, they’re gone. We’re from the Sacred Mountains, yet why are they leaving us?”
Xu Tianchuan’s face twitched and grimaced, “It has to be a ploy the Eight Emperors are playing. They want us to become laughingstocks. How else do you explain the ruined control after all the hard work we’ve done? We’ve always been focused on searching for the missing people, so why are the rest leaving us? Something is afoot for sure!”
“Yes, these wretched people should die for not living up to our goodwill.”
Qu Xiangfeng’s eyes flashed as he spat, “I’ve never worked harder in my life. Yet they’re still ungrateful? Humph, elder brother, I say we’re too lenient and need to be harsher. The next group of people that leave or stop gathering are to be killed along with their entire clan for ten generations, include the neighbors as well. Kill all of them. I refuse to believe they’ll run then. Humph!”
Bam!
Xu Tianchuan slammed the table, “All you know is killing. What use would that do? Instead of running, they’re dead.”
“What do you suggest, elder brother?”
Xu Tianchuan squinted, “Where are they going anyway?”
“A few live in remote areas while most go to the Demonic Emperor’s domain.”
“The Demonic Emperor?”
Xu Tianchuan muttered, “The Demonic Emperor is dead, with no one governing them. Yet they’re still going there? Steward Zhuo Fan must have some skill like they say, since he has the least chaotic area with no independent warlords present. We made slight mistakes here, but we’re still united here. There’s no war so there’s no reason to run away, especially over there.”
“Brother’s right!”
The other two agreed.
They were wrong about one thing, even without Zhuo Fan, the Demonic Emperor’s lands would still be stronger even with their infighting.
Pa!
Xu Tianchuan slapped the table, again, “Let’s go see Zhuo Fan!”
“Elder brother, what for?”
“To help us with the chaos.”
“You can’t!”
Qu Xiangfeng shook his head, “That will mean we’re as useless as the Eight Emperors say! It’s a disgrace!”
Xu Tianchuan mocked, “You call that disgrace? Zhuo Fan is but a steward, not one of the Eight Emperors. The Demonic Emperor used him for his assistance and so can we. We’ll still earn the credit for it. We have to do something or this year’s transport of resources to the Sacred Mountains won’t happen. When our masters and senior uncles come and find out the mess we’re in, won’t we disgrace ourselves by calling back the Eight Emperors? Then the Sacred Mountains will have no reason to replace them and we’ll be the laughingstock for ruining those old guys’ plans.”
Qu Xiangfeng gave a heavy nod.
A month later, the three walked in with their heads held high into Devil Mountain’s main hall. Zhuo Fan welcomed them with a smile and a bow, “Young masters, you honor us with your visit.”
“Enough crap, we need you for something.”
Xu Tianchuan grew impatient as he sat down on the main seat, the other two sat at his side.
[What do you think this is, your house?]
Zhuo Fan’s face twitched, “Ha-ha-ha, how may I be of service?”
“Nothing much, we just encountered a slight setback in our lands. Can you handle it?”
[Slight?]
[Morons, you call everyone jumping ship a slight setback? These guys have no idea of the severity of it all.]
The leaders all knew that population was production, fighting force and generated talent. The Eight Emperors looked at who was strongest in terms of lands, but it was actually population.
Who had the most people was the strongest.
The Eight Emperors fought for lands to gain their resources but also the people. The bigger the domain, the more people it could hold.
No matter how deep the grudges, they would never touch the common folk, only another Emperor’s men.
Once the population dropped, it would affect their position, their life and their fate.
[But these brats call the loss of people a slight setback. Humph, They’d have been killed ages ago if not for Sacred Mountains having their backs, regardless of being new Eight Emperors.]
It was also why Zhuo Fan only thought of the insults and didn’t voice them.
[Since I can’t touch you, I’ll just control you, humph.]
Zhuo Fan put on a sinister smile, “It can’t be easier.”
“Oh?”
Xu Tianchuan asked, “You can make the fleeing people return and pacify them?”
Zhuo Fan nodded, “It’s very easy. When it comes to pacifying, I’m quite good at it. You can see for yourself how there’s not the slightest trouble even with the inflow of people into the Demonic Emperor’s domain.”
“Then we’ll leave it to you. Bye!” Xu Tianchuan stood and left in a good mood, already celebrating his win.
Zhuo Fan rushed to say, “Wait.”
“Wha…”
“Without the Demonic Emperor, everyone is only listening to me because the Demonic Emperor had given me his power before he died. I am the Head Steward here, but to intervene in your lands, I will also need a name to earn people’s trust and make things smoother.”
“Easy, we’ll call you whatever you want!”
Xu Tianchuan clapped his hands, “From now on, you are the Great Steward of all the Eight Emperors’ lands. Your word is our word. We’re behind you all the way. Anyway, it’s in your hands now. Do it well and you’ll be rewarded. Fail and it’s off with your head.”
Zhuo Fan nodded with a smile, “Understood!”
The three of them left in joy.
Zhuo Fan called Li Jingtian over, “It’s time for us to take all the Eight Emperors’ lands. You know what to do.”
“Worry not, Steward Zhuo, we’re doing as you asked and taking care of all incoming people into the Demonic Emperor’s domain, instilling in them the highest opinion of the Luo clan’s honor and kindness. As long as we take them back, we will soon take all the power of all the lands, he-he-he…”
Zhuo Fan nodded, “Go!”
He used the three useless bums of the Sacred Mountains to get his hands on all the lands. For whoever had the people’s ear had the world. And to win their ear, one needed to get their respect.
All who received the Luo clan’s care went back home at the clan’s request, proclaiming its honor and kindness. Thus, all the suffering people branded the clan as their savior.
The Luo clan’s experts were assigned new posts to pacify the people, making it that much easier. In order to quash the panic, Zhuo Fan used his new title the entitled pricks gave him to remove their harsh laws with kinder treatment. He took out many of the clan’s assets to reestablish the people that had left.
Of course, Zhuo Fan did not forget to leave the right name behind when doing every good deed.
The Luo clan thus became the most respected clan everywhere.
When the clan also found some criminals that kidnapped people, their popularity was at an all time high.
The Sacred Mountain’s pricks were nothing compared to the Luo clan, who actually showed results.
The three ruled in name only, while the people only answered to the Luo clan. Zhuo Fan got his wish in uniting all the lands in just half a year, with the approval of those three.
This was far easier than imposing his own will on them.
The local rulers were more than happy the Luo clan came to govern them, making no trouble whatsoever.
They hailed them as their saviors from a world of hurt…
