Chapter 1266, Emperor Lands Takeover
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, âHow do we reply?â
Wu Qianqiuâs face shook, looking pained, âWeâre 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?â
âThink of something!â
âI have. We tried everything we could think of, threats and rewards, but nothing works. We donât have any more people, theyâre gone. Weâre from the Sacred Mountains, yet why are they leaving us?â
Xu Tianchuanâs face twitched and grimaced, âIt 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 weâve done? Weâve always been focused on searching for the missing people, so why are the rest leaving us? Something is afoot for sure!â
âYes, these wretched people should die for not living up to our goodwill.â
Qu Xiangfengâs eyes flashed as he spat, âIâve never worked harder in my life. Yet theyâre still ungrateful? Humph, elder brother, I say weâre 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 theyâll run then. Humph!â
Xu Tianchuan slammed the table, âAll you know is killing. What use would that do? Instead of running, theyâre dead.â
âWhat do you suggest, elder brother?â
Xu Tianchuan squinted, âWhere are they going anyway?â
âA few live in remote areas while most go to the Demonic Emperorâs domain.â
âThe Demonic Emperor?â
Xu Tianchuan muttered, âThe Demonic Emperor is dead, with no one governing them. Yet theyâre 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 weâre still united here. Thereâs no war so thereâs no reason to run away, especially over there.â
They were wrong about one thing, even without Zhuo Fan, the Demonic Emperorâs lands would still be stronger even with their infighting.
Xu Tianchuan slapped the table, again, âLetâs go see Zhuo Fan!â
âElder brother, what for?â
âTo help us with the chaos.â
Qu Xiangfeng shook his head, âThat will mean weâre as useless as the Eight Emperors say! Itâs a disgrace!â
Xu Tianchuan mocked, âYou 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. Weâll still earn the credit for it. We have to do something or this yearâs transport of resources to the Sacred Mountains wonât happen. When our masters and senior uncles come and find out the mess weâre in, wonât we disgrace ourselves by calling back the Eight Emperors? Then the Sacred Mountains will have no reason to replace them and weâll be the laughingstock for ruining those old guysâ plans.â
Qu Xiangfeng gave a heavy nod.
A month later, the three walked in with their heads held high into Devil Mountainâs main hall. Zhuo Fan welcomed them with a smile and a bow, âYoung masters, you honor us with your visit.â
âEnough crap, we need you for something.â
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 Fanâs face twitched, âHa-ha-ha, how may I be of service?â
âNothing much, we just encountered a slight setback in our lands. Can you handle it?â
[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 Emperorâs 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, Theyâd 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 didnât voice them.
[Since I canât touch you, Iâll just control you, humph.]
Zhuo Fan put on a sinister smile, âIt canât be easier.â
Xu Tianchuan asked, âYou can make the fleeing people return and pacify them?â
Zhuo Fan nodded, âItâs very easy. When it comes to pacifying, Iâm quite good at it. You can see for yourself how thereâs not the slightest trouble even with the inflow of people into the Demonic Emperorâs domain.â
âThen weâll leave it to you. Bye!â Xu Tianchuan stood and left in a good mood, already celebrating his win.
Zhuo Fan rushed to say, âWait.â
âWithout 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 peopleâs trust and make things smoother.â
âEasy, weâll call you whatever you want!â
Xu Tianchuan clapped his hands, âFrom now on, you are the Great Steward of all the Eight Emperorsâ lands. Your word is our word. Weâre behind you all the way. Anyway, itâs in your hands now. Do it well and youâll be rewarded. Fail and itâs off with your head.â
Zhuo Fan nodded with a smile, âUnderstood!â
The three of them left in joy.
Zhuo Fan called Li Jingtian over, âItâs time for us to take all the Eight Emperorsâ lands. You know what to do.â
âWorry not, Steward Zhuo, weâre doing as you asked and taking care of all incoming people into the Demonic Emperorâs domain, instilling in them the highest opinion of the Luo clanâs honor and kindness. As long as we take them back, we will soon take all the power of all the lands, he-he-heâŠâ
Zhuo Fan nodded, âGo!â
He used the three useless bums of the Sacred Mountains to get his hands on all the lands. For whoever had the peopleâs ear had the world. And to win their ear, one needed to get their respect.
All who received the Luo clanâs care went back home at the clanâs request, proclaiming its honor and kindness. Thus, all the suffering people branded the clan as their savior.
The Luo clanâs 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 clanâs 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 Mountainâs 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 hurtâŠ