Chapter 923
Hongyun City Only 3%
He paused, his tone becoming somewhat playful, "However, Mr. Zheng, you've swallowed up the Huang family's assets and occupied Baishi City. Under the laws of Dingzhou, this won't be easy to explain."
“So, I, Zheng, have come today.” Zheng Yi gestured to Han Wuhen.
Han Wuhen quickly wiped away his sweat, opened the mahogany box, inside which were neatly stacked dozens of thick account books and stacks of glowing bronze land deeds.
“This is a detailed list of the three iron mines, two medicinal herb fields, and all the shops and mines around White Stone City.” Zheng Yi pointed to the ledger. “I don’t know how much the Huang family concealed before. But this ledger I brought shows that every piece of iron ore produced and every medicinal herb harvested is traceable. Fifty percent of the profits will be delivered to the Domain Lord’s Mansion by Hongyun City on time every month.”
Tuoba Hong's eyebrows shot up, and he leaned forward slightly: "Fifty percent? The Huang family used to only give up twenty percent, and I had to go to great lengths to investigate. Mr. Zheng, I don't quite understand your approach."
"This 20% is rightfully the Domain Lord's Mansion's. The remaining 30% is a favor I, Zheng, would like to ask of the Domain Lord." Zheng Yi looked at Tuoba Hong, his eyes calm yet powerful.
"Tell me about it." Tuoba Hong leaned back in his chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest.
“Hongyun City needs to build a road,” Zheng Yi said, emphasizing each word. “We want to build an official road that runs directly from Hongyun City to Dingzhou City. This road will not only pass through Baishi City, but also cross the wasteland in the southwest. After the road is completed, the Domain Lord’s Mansion will take 70% of all commercial taxes and tolls, while Hongyun City will only take 30%.”
Tuoba Hong was stunned. He had thought Zheng Yi would ask him to suppress the Qingyun Sect, but he did not expect that the other party would talk about road construction.
"Build a road? That wasteland is teeming with monsters and bandits, more numerous than weeds. Building this road would require an astronomical amount of manpower and resources. How are you, Zheng Yi, going to fill this hole?"
Zheng Yi smiled and pointed to the box in Han Wuhen's arms. "The Huang family has enough spirit stones, and Hongyun City has enough soldiers. As long as the Domain Lord nods and grants Hongyun City the trade rights and priority mining rights along that road, I, Zheng, will handle the rest."
Tuoba Hong fell silent. His tiger-like eyes were fixed on Zheng Yi, as if trying to discern ambition or conspiracy in the young man's face. But all he saw was an almost cold-blooded rationality.
“Mr. Zheng, you built this road not just for business, but also for other reasons, right?” Tuoba Hong asked slowly.
"Lord of the Domain, with the road open, the troops of Dingzhou can reach the border within three days. With the road open, the refugees in the wasteland can become laborers for Hongyun City and taxes for Dingzhou. More importantly," Zheng Yi paused and lowered his voice, "with the road open, the trade within this vast area will no longer be decided by the Qingyun Sect."
"Snapped!"
Tuoba Hong slammed his hand on the armrest, making the teacup lid jump.
"Good! Hahahaha! Well said!" Tuoba Hong stood up and strode over to Zheng Yi. "In this Dingzhou region, I've long been disgusted by those hypocritical cultivators. They occupy spiritual veins and monopolize resources, yet they won't even give my heavy cavalry a single pound of pig iron. Zheng Yi, I've decided to be your friend!"
He turned to his adjutant at the door and roared, "Go, bring out that jar of 'Tusu' that I've been saving! Mr. Zheng is here today, no one is allowed to leave, let's drink to our hearts' content!"
Han Wuhen finally breathed a sigh of relief and slumped into his chair, feeling that his clothes were completely soaked.
After several rounds of drinks...
Tuoba Hong, his face flushed from drinking, put his arm around Zheng Yi's shoulder and pointed at the black-armored heavy cavalry in the courtyard, saying, "Brother Zheng, tell me the truth. If Mo Ku goes back to ask for reinforcements and the Qingyun Sect really sends down a Golden Core stage expert, how do you plan to deal with it? Although I can help you stop them, those old Taoists are very stubborn. If they really go crazy, they may not give the Domain Lord's Mansion any face."
Zheng Yi held his wine glass, his eyes clear and without a trace of drunkenness. "Domain Lord, cultivators seek the Dao, but the Dao requires spirit stones to pave the way. The reason the Qingyun Sect can dominate White Stone City is because the Huang family can provide them with sufficient support. Without the Huang family, without these resources, how much influence would Mo Ku have within the sect?"
"You want to... cut off their roots?" Tuoba Hong lowered his voice.
“It’s not about cutting off their roots, it’s about giving them a new patron.” Zheng Yi took a sip of wine. “As long as Hongyun City offers more than the Huang family, and as long as Hongyun City can convince the Qingyun Sect that it’s not worth fighting us for Huang Yifei, then half the battle is won.”
"What about the other half?"
"The other half is with you, Domain Lord." Zheng Yi turned to Tuoba Hong. "Once this 'cooperation' between you and Hongyun City gets out, the Qingyun Sect will have to think twice before trying to harm me. Do you really want to completely break ties with the Domain Lord's Mansion in Dingzhou?"
Tuoba Hong was stunned for a moment, then pointed at Zheng Yi a few times and shook his head with a smile: "You, you're not inviting me to drink, you're treating me like the stone lion at your city gate."
"You flatter me, Lord. Since it is a cooperation, it should be mutually beneficial. I guarantee that in one year, the treasury of Dingzhou Prefecture will be twice as full as it is now."
"Double? If you can really do that, I'll give you the entire territory of White Stone City, and I'll even make you, Zheng Yi, a 'Deputy Domain Lord'!" Tuoba Hong picked up a large bowl. "Come on, drink this bowl!"
The two men toasted each other, and in their conversation, they had already finalized most of the details of the official road. Tuoba Hong even issued a handwritten edict on the spot, allocating five hundred craftsmen and a batch of rare black iron weapons to Hongyun City.
"Mr. Zheng, what do you plan to do with that Huang Yifei?" Tuoba Hong put down his wine bowl and asked abruptly.
Zheng Yi put down his cup, his fingertips gently stroking the rim of the bowl. "Killing this kind of person would be giving him a quick death. Keeping him alive, letting him continue to cause trouble in the Qingyun Sect, letting him suffer in disappointment and fear, is more useful than anything else. As long as he's still around, Mo Ku will always be roasted over a fire."
"Brilliant, truly brilliant." Tuoba Hong gave a thumbs up. "I used to think that killing someone was just a matter of beheading them. Now it seems that you scholars are the ones who kill without shedding blood."
At this moment, Han Wuhen whispered a reminder from the side: "Sir, it's getting late. On our way back, we still need to go to White Stone City to inventory that batch of newly transported red copper."
Zheng Yi stood up, cupped his hands in farewell, and said, "Lord of the Domain, I apologize for disturbing you today. I will be waiting for you at the banquet in Hongyun City at any time."
"Haha, good! When the official road breaks ground, I will personally go to cut the ribbon!" Tuoba Hong escorted Zheng Yi all the way to the gate of the mansion.
Watching Zheng Yi's carriage disappear into the distance, Tuoba Hong stood on the stone steps, his previously drunken eyes instantly sharpening.
"Lord, is this person... really reliable?" the deputy general of the personal guard asked in a low voice. "He is, after all, just a mortal martial artist, yet he was able to kill Huang Zhenyuan with a single finger. His identity is probably..."
"Does his identity matter?" Tuoba Hong watched the carriage disappear at the end of the long street. "What matters is what he has. The way he looked at Dingzhou wasn't like he was looking at territory, but more like he was looking at an unfinished blueprint. This kind of person is either a madman or a true saint. Since he can bring me spirit stones and a road, I don't care who he is."
He turned and walked back, his tone turning cold. "Pass down the order. Send a message to Mo Ku of the Qingyun Sect. Tell him that Hongyun City is a key trading hub supported by the Domain Lord's Mansion. Before he starts construction, let him check who owns the land."
Inside the carriage, Han Wuhen lay sprawled on the cushions, fanning himself incessantly. "Sir, my goodness! I really thought Tuoba Hong was going to slam his fist on the table and kill someone. That voice of his was so loud, my ears are still ringing."
Zheng Yi looked at the receding street scene outside the window and said calmly, "Tuoba Hong is a martial artist, and the kind of person who hates beating around the bush the most. If you offer him enough benefits and give him enough face, he will be your most reliable backer."
"What about the Qingyun Sect? If Mo Ku really brings back a group of experts, can the Domain Lord's decree stop them?"
“It can’t stop it.” Zheng Yi withdrew his gaze, his eyes becoming somewhat profound. “The imperial edict can only block the obvious troubles. We’ll have to put out the fires that are burning underneath ourselves. However, with this layer of protection, at least we can buy ourselves about half a year of peace. Half a year… that’s enough.”
He pulled a blueprint from his sleeve; it was a plan for the future expansion of Hongyun City, densely covered with array nodes.
"After returning to the city, have Elder Liu use up all that red copper. The city walls need to be raised by three feet, and black iron essence needs to be mixed in. I want to make Hongyun City the first dead city in this wasteland... one that even immortals can't fly into."
Zheng Yi's voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling determination.
The carriage gradually accelerated and drove out of the bustling city of Dingzhou.
Meanwhile, in the distant Qingyun Sect...
Mo Ku was kneeling in the main hall of the sect, tearfully accusing an old man with white hair and beard.
"Sect Leader! Hongyun City not only slaughtered the Huang family, but also openly humiliated our sect! Under Zheng Yi's leadership, they have completely fallen into the demonic path! We beg the Sect Leader to send the 'Thunder Cloud Cavalry' down the mountain to wipe out this villain!"
The old man didn't speak. He was holding a mid-grade spirit stone that originally belonged to the Huang family in his hand, his eyes wandering in the crystalline blue light, lost in thought.
A gust of wind blew in from the entrance of the main hall, bringing a chill.
And in the wind, one could faintly hear the sounds of craftsmen from Hongyun City chiseling stones and repairing roads.
Each hammer blow was solid and heavy.
On the official road from Dingzhou back to Baishi City, Zheng Yi looked at the sunset in the distance, which resembled a blood-red sunset, and suddenly said to Han Wuhen, "Fatty Han, once the road is repaired, I want to open the largest academy in the world in Dingzhou."
Han Wuhen was stunned: "An academy? One that teaches literacy?"
"No, teach them how to be human, and also teach them... how to kill."
Zheng Yi withdrew his gaze, and the carriage gradually disappeared into the distance on the wasteland, leaving behind two deep ruts.
The wind blew from the edge of the wasteland, carrying the desolation and dry chill unique to late autumn. There was no sun today; large, leaden-gray clouds piled up in the sky, pressing down very low, as if you could reach out and pluck a handful of damp mist.
On the black rock walls of Hongyun City, torches roared in the wind, their flames flickering and licking the grease-soaked wooden handles.
Guo Tianyou braced his hands on the cold battlements, his eyes fixed on the northern sky. He wasn't wearing his usual worn-out wolfskin coat, but instead donned a full set of dark red bone armor. This armor weighed eighty pounds, but it fit him like a layer of skin.
"Damn it, why does the weather look so eerie?" Zhao Sanhuai strode over from the horse path, carrying a newly sharpened, thick-backed horse-chopping sword in his hand. The nine iron rings on the back of the sword made a crisp clanging sound with his steps.
"It's not that the heavens are evil, it's that people have arrived." Guo Tianyou didn't turn around, but simply raised his chin towards the due north direction.
Zhao Sanhuai looked in the direction he was pointing, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
Far below the clouds in the distance, the once leaden-gray horizon was now swirling with an eerie bluish-purple light. This light was not the glow of dawn, but an extremely sharp, chilling radiance. As the light drew closer, a restless, anticipatory atmosphere, similar to that before a thunderstorm, began to fill the air.
That was the pressure generated by hundreds of cultivators simultaneously activating their true essence to forcibly dispel the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The warning gong on the city wall was struck, its urgent and shrill sound instantly shattering the morning tranquility of Hongyun City.
"Everyone, get on the wall! Load the crossbows! Prepare the ballistae!" Guo Tianyou suddenly turned around, his rough voice drowning out the sound of the wind and the gong.
The entire city wall resembled a massive war machine awakened. Hundreds and thousands of soldiers poured out of the hiding places and barracks, their footsteps chaotic yet orderly. Heavy ballistae, requiring five or six strong men to draw, were pushed into firing positions, and thick iron bolts were locked into their slots with a sickening "click-click" sound.
Han Wuhen also climbed up the city wall. Today, he wasn't wearing his brocade robe, but rather a leather armor that was clearly two sizes too small; the straps around his stomach were almost bursting. He was clutching a long, rectangular sandalwood box tightly in his arms, panting heavily as he ran.
"Commander Guo... Commander Guo! Where is the master?" Han Wuhen slumped down under the battlement, panting heavily.
"The master is still in the study at the back. He said it's time to prune these orchids. He'll come over once he's done." Guo Tianyou glanced at the box in Han Wuhen's arms. "Did he bring the Domain Lord's edict?"
"We brought it! This is our lifeline!" Han Wuhen patted the box. "The Qingyun Sect really dares to bring such a large force? Don't they have any shame?"
"If the money is right, even gods would come down to steal it." Zhao Sanhuai spat into his palm and gripped the knife handle tightly. "Fatty, if a fight breaks out, you better step back and avoid getting covered in blood."
Before the words were finished, the distant clouds were suddenly torn apart from the middle by an extremely violent force.
Three enormous spirit boats, each tens of meters long and entirely crafted from azure spirit wood, emerged slowly from the clouds like three floating mountain peaks. On either side of the boats stood hundreds of cultivators clad in azure robes, their flying swords flashing against the dark sky, creating a blinding sea of light. (End of Chapter)