In the kingdom of Great Jin, a new city had risen alongside the capital, Jin City.
It remained unnamed and its population comprised entirely of remnants of the former Han Dynasty.
The naming of the city should have been a simple matter, yet this very triviality had nearly sparked infighting amongst the city's prominent families.
Exasperated, they finally sent representatives to the capital to seek the wisdom of Fan Li, their Emperor.
Within the Great Jin Imperial Palace, Fan Li, still in his private chambers, heard the clamor emanating from the main hall. The raised voices were unfamiliar, clearly not belonging to his close advisors.
Great Jin might be a fledgling kingdom, but the imperial palace was a place of authority, not to be treated with such disrespect. Such disorderly conduct before the throne would be a capital offense in any other kingdom.
Fan Li's face darkened. He had been in a foul mood lately. Despite the benefits of cultivating within the Dragon God Palace’s training chamber, and despite his five bodies cultivating simultaneously, his progress remained stalled at the Golden Core realm.
He could feel his Golden Core growing stronger, his power far exceeding that of a typical Golden Core cultivator. Yet, he couldn’t form a Nascent Soul. He was both puzzled and frustrated.
Empress Yao Guang’s Xirang gambit had granted him a few years of respite.
Emperor Jiajing, obsessed with obtaining the divine earth, remained confined within the Great Ming as his agents scour the land for any trace of it.
The world was at peace, a deceptive calm before the inevitable storm. This was a crucial period for Fan Li, a time to cultivate diligently and close the gap between himself and the Great Vehicle experts. But with his cultivation stagnant, his mood was as dark as a thundercloud.
“His Majesty arrives!”
A high-pitched voice announced through the Golden Luan Palace.
The Great Jin imperial palace now boasted over three hundred eunuchs, all former servants of the Han Dynasty, loyal to the memory of Emperor Liu Xie, unwilling to serve the kingdoms of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, or Sun Quan.
Learning of Great Jin’s existence, they had flocked to Fan Li, the former Emperor’s son-in-law, serving him with the same devotion they had shown Liu Xie.
“We, your humble servants, greet Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!” Several voices rang out, followed by the rustling of robes as they knelt in unison.
“Uh… this… We greet Your Majesty.” A dozen more followed suit, but their hesitant tone and disorganized movements betrayed a lack of respect.
Fan Li settled onto the Dragon Throne and looked over the assembled officials with and unreadable expression. He seemed unconcerned by the earlier commotion and disrespect.
The officials rose and formed several small groups.
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Great Jin, in its infancy, lacked a formal court structure. Such disarray was, perhaps, to be expected. But Fan Li knew these factions held little regard for each other.
Beside the throne stood Qin Shun, a young eunuch. Of the three hundred who had pledged their loyalty, Fan Li had chosen him for his quiet competence.
He caught Qin Shun’s eye and gave a subtle nod. Understanding, the eunuch announced, “Speak if you have matters to discuss. Otherwise, court is dismissed.”
The assembled officials stirred, eager to present their grievances. But before they could speak, Chancellor Wang Ban stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, I present a report on the kingdom’s recent population growth and land cultivation efforts.”
“Proceed.” Fan Li nodded.
Of those present, only Wang Ban, Hu Zongxian, Yu Shenzi, Jing Wudi, and Huang Longshi were familiar faces. The remaining dozen or so, a mix of young and old, were representatives of the prominent families from the new city.
To Fan Li's surprise, while they had pledged their allegiance to Great Jin, acknowledging him as their Emperor, their demeanor was decidedly arrogant.
They saw the former Han Dynasty, despite its fall, as a once-great power that had rivaled both Great Chu and Great Ming.
Great Jin, in their eyes, was a mere upstart, a single city clinging to existence. And its Emperor, Fan Li, a Golden Core cultivator, the son-in-law of their former Emperor, was treated with a condescending familiarity, like a junior.
This had bred a sense of arrogance amongst the Han families. They harbored no thoughts of rebellion, but they believed Great Jin’s prosperity depended entirely on their support, on their recognition of them as the kingdom’s cornerstone. They had come to the capital to vie for the right to name the new city, and to secure their positions within the Great Jin court.
Wang Ban began, “Your Majesty, our kingdom’s population has increased by two hundred and eighty thousand. One hundred and ten thousand belong to the Nanyang Zhang Clan, seventy thousand to the Zhuo Commandery Lu Clan, forty thousand each to the Fufeng Dou Clan and the Nanyang Yin Clan, and twenty thousand to the Shanggu Kou Clan. Great Jin’s total population is now nearly two hundred and ninety thousand.”
A few snickers erupted from behind Wang Ban, clearly originating from the five prominent families.
“Silence!” The elders of the five clans quickly reprimanded their juniors, offering a perfunctory apology to Fan Li with a slight bow.
Fan Li sat upon the Dragon Throne and smiled.
The clan elders misinterpreted his gesture as a sign of forgiveness. They were mistaken. He was merely signaling to Jing Wudi, his loyal general, that he would not resort to violence within the Golden Luan Palace over such a minor incident.
A true Emperor ruled through both benevolence and might. Welcoming the five clans into Great Jin was an act of benevolence. Ensuring their complete submission would require a display of might.
“Continue, Chancellor Wang,” Fan Li said.
Wang Ban ignored the earlier laughter and continued his report. Though a Great Vehicle expert, he concealed his cultivation, his unassuming appearance resembling that of an ordinary citizen.
“Since the completion of Jin City, I have overseen the cultivation of new lands. To date, Great Jin possesses 500,000 hectares of arable land, and over 20 spirit stone mines have been discovered.
Of these, the Imperial Hospital has requested 150,000 hectares for medicinal herb cultivation, and 3 mines for alchemical purposes. The remaining resources will be allocated to the kingdom’s armory and granaries, unless Your Majesty decrees otherwise.”
Wang Ban’s second report silenced the five families. Great Jin’s population of nearly two hundred and ninety thousand consisted almost entirely of their own members.
500,000 hectares of cultivated land? Over 20 spirit stone mines?
These were monumental achievements, projects they had played no part in. How had this been accomplished with such a small initial population? Either it was a blatant fabrication, or… Great Jin possessed hidden strength.
Fan Li, satisfied, nodded. “You have done well, Chancellor Wang.”
Only Wang Ban who has mastery of mechanical arts and commanded 5,000 Nascent Soul automaton, could achieve such a feat, transforming a desolate land into a thriving kingdom. Even other Great Vehicle experts would struggle to replicate his accomplishment.
Fan Li observed the astonishment on the faces of the five families’ representatives. Don't worry, he thought, this is just the beginning.
As if echoing his thoughts, the Traitor System activated.
“New side quest issued: Benevolence and Might. “
“Quest objective: Subdue the five prominent families and ensure their complete loyalty. “
“Quest reward: The Emperor’s Staircase.”