novelraw Chapter 2217 - 2216: The Balance of Power in the World
Chapter 2217 - 2216: The Balance of Power in the World
Long Fei neither agreed nor disagreed.
He instead asked the City Lord, "With the Demon Clan causing such trouble, is there no one in the court to aid you?"
The City Lord rubbed his palms together and laughed dryly, "To be honest, right now the Demon Clan is rampant in Shu State, and all the experts of the state city are defending it. The court is also short-handed; how could they possibly spare anyone to deal with small places like us?"
Long Fei inquired further, "I heard that the Great Tang Empire not only reveres the Daoist Sect but also the Buddhist Sect. In the capital city of Chang’an, there is a Chang’an Academy. It gathers experts and disciples of both the Buddhist and Daoist Sects, and they are all elites of the Great Tang Empire. If they all came out to exorcise demons, there shouldn’t be a lack of manpower, right?"
The City Lord looked around and whispered to Long Fei, "Honestly, if this were in the past, Chang’an Academy would certainly send people to help. But times have changed. I just received a confidential letter saying that the Emperor is unwell and might pass away soon. The situation in Chang’an City is unpredictable, and there may be major upheavals. The elites in Chang’an Academy are coveted by all major forces, so how could they leave Chang’an to help us right now?"
Long Fei didn’t know much about the mundane world here, he only heard that currently the Filial Emperor is in power in the Great Tang Empire.
Before the Filial Emperor, there was the Martial Emperor’s glorious age, the Literary Emperor’s governance, and the Fierce Emperor’s founding of the state.
This is already the fourth generation of emperors.
This Filial Emperor has a frail body and relies heavily on the Empress to manage court affairs.
Could it be that this Filial Emperor is going to pass away so soon?
Long Fei had a feeling that this historical trajectory is somewhat similar to the small world he came from.
Although the eras are different between the two worlds, in this world, each emperor’s reign is calculated in ten thousand years.
However, some destinies indeed develop in similar directions.
He asked the City Lord, "What kind of moral conduct does this Empress have?"
The City Lord clasped his fists with reverence, "Wise in culture and strength, there’s nothing to criticize. Honestly, the governance over these years relies entirely on the Empress’s support. She suppresses the power of aristocratic clans and promotes poor scholars, which allowed me to rise from a poor family to become a City Lord. Regardless of what others say about her, I personally support her in my heart."
"Is that so?"
Long Fei smiled slightly. It was clear that the City Lord was a beneficiary and supporter of the Empress.
It seems there are many in the court like the City Lord.
He asked the City Lord, "If that’s the case, what’s the problem now in the court? The Empress is wise and powerful; if the Filial Emperor were to pass away, wouldn’t it be a smooth process for her to assist the Crown Prince to ascend the throne?"
The City Lord poured a cup of wine for Long Fei, took a sip, and said forlornly, "With each new emperor comes new officials. With the Crown Prince in power, things naturally won’t continue as they were with the Filial Emperor, allowing the Empress to hold sway over court affairs. Those supporting the Crown Prince now are mainly the pioneering ministers and the aristocratic clans of the Great Tang Empire. The Empress’s promotion of poor scholars naturally makes her their enemy. The Empress and the Crown Prince’s factions are now like water and fire!"
Long Fei nodded and asked, "What is the attitude of the cultivation world?"
The City Lord said, "Most are on the Crown Prince’s side. No matter how strong or wise the Empress is, she is still a woman. No one wants a hen crowing in the morning, with a woman ruling over men, right?"
"Indeed!"
Long Fei chuckled, sharing a drink with the City Lord and talking openly.
The City Lord seemed to view him as an outsider, so he spoke freely.
He poured out to Long Fei everything that’s unsightly and unfair in the court, as if Long Fei were his dear brother.
He told Long Fei about the era of the Martial Emperor.
For poor scholars to enter the court as officials was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Although there were both literary and martial examinations in the court, these paths were entirely controlled by the noble families.
If not a descendant of theirs, even if they passed the exams, they wouldn’t recommend or promote poor scholars in the court.
It wasn’t until the era of the Filial Emperor that the Empress carried out significant reforms, promoting talent and elevating poor scholars to important positions.
Now the court is divided into two factions, fiercely opposed to each other.
The power of the aristocratic clan is already overshadowing the poor scholars.
If the Crown Prince comes into power, I’m afraid this City Lord position of mine will go to someone else, and I’ll have to retire early and return home.
After hearing this, Long Fei took a sip of wine and casually asked, "Is the Empress’s surname Wu?"
The City Lord’s eyes widened upon hearing this, and he quickly looked around, clasping his fists in admiration, "You truly have foresight, Daoist. The Empress’s name and status are so noble that few in the world know her surname. To boast, this official shares the same ancestry with her."
"Could it be that destiny is indeed at work here?"
Long Fei glanced at Wang Xiaoya; if it weren’t for the fact they were consuming Tiger Demon’s meat, he might think he’d traveled through time.
Wang Xiaoya asked the City Lord, "Is your surname Wu as well?"
The City Lord shook his head with a dry laugh, "No, my surname is Wen, with the given name Chang!"
Wang Xiaoya chuckled lightly and asked, "Then how can you consider yourself of the same lineage?"
The City Lord laughed, "Since ancient times, Wen and Wu aren’t separate, aren’t they of the same lineage!"
"Haha, that’s an interesting interpretation!"
Wang Xiaoya was amused by him.
Long Fei also smiled and straightforwardly told the City Lord, "Honestly, our destination is Chang’an City. We can’t stay in your Jiangyang City."
"This...this..."
The City Lord stood up abruptly, bowed deeply, and anxiously implored for them to stay, "Jiangyang City is in dire straits. Please, Daoist, for the sake of the people’s lives in the city, remain here and protect it!"
Long Fei reassured him, "Don’t worry, before I leave, I will think of a strategy for you. Right now, the Demon Clan’s trouble suggests a grand scheme behind it. Even if we safeguard you, it can’t protect the people of the world. Only by reaching the Capital City and reporting this matter to the court, convincing them to help, can the threat of demons be completely resolved."
"Daoist, your thoughtful consideration and farsighted approach leave me in awe!"
The City Lord didn’t expect that Long Fei was thinking about these matters.
He was only concerned about Jiangyang City and did not consider the people elsewhere, truly narrow-minded.
Long Fei told him, "Your Jiangyang City, nestled against the mountains and rivers, is an excellent location for a defensive formation. Tomorrow morning, gather a hundred thousand men to receive my orders here. I will set up a grand protective formation against demons, and even if a million demon soldiers attack Jiangyang City, they won’t break through."
"That’s great, that’s great!"
Upon hearing this, the City Lord quickly bent down in a bow again.
He gratefully asked Long Fei, "Daoist, do you require anything in return? Our city has some surplus provisions, just ask, and I won’t haggle!"
Long Fei laughed heartily, "As a cultivator, helping the world is only natural; why ask for compensation? If you have faith, distribute these things to the people of the city, let them live better lives."
The City Lord was completely impressed by Long Fei, earnestly bowing and saluting, "Daoist, you are indeed extraordinary, I am in awe. Rest assured, if Jiangyang City survives this calamity, I will open the granaries, hold a grand feast for the city’s people, and ensure they are well-clothed and fed for a year, I will keep my promise."
Long Fei nodded, and after chatting with the City Lord until dawn, they parted ways.
After returning, the City Lord hurriedly ordered troops to be mobilized, gathering a hundred thousand soldiers from the city to follow Long Fei’s command at this location.