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墨書 Inktalez
This was definitely something that Sun Zizhao thought long and hard about before deciding to grant Lu Chen a noble title directly, rather than starting him off in a lower official position. In the past, Lu Chen was afraid of being criticized, but recent developments and his actions have shown that he is no longer an unknown figure; instead, he has become a prominent person beside Sun Zizhao, possessing formidable abilities.
No one is clear on just how powerful Lu Chen's abilities are, and no one dares to fully understand him. This indicates that Sun Zizhao has put considerable thought into this matter, solely to bestow a title and rewards upon Lu Chen.
After all, Lu Chen's mindset is exceptional, and he quickly reacted by standing up to accept the decree and express his gratitude. From now on, he is the Loyalty Duke of the Daiwa Dynasty and also holds the position of General of Military Affairs, wielding significant power. In addition to his title, Lu Chen received generous rewards.
These rewards include a mansion in Baiyang City covering dozens of acres, along with various servants and maids.
He also received vast tracts of fertile land, directly utilizing the tax revenue from a hundred thousand households. Just how many households does that represent?
On the surface, a hundred thousand households seems like a lot. For instance, the Korean Chu Family in the Western Seven States controls thirty thousand households across the entire region. Now, Lu Chen alone has a hundred thousand households, which is one-third of what the Korean Chu Family possesses.
However, while a hundred thousand households may seem substantial, it is largely due to the poor quality of land in the Western Seven States compared to the wealthier eastern and southern regions of Central Plains. In contrast, managing thirty thousand households is much more challenging. The Eastern Seven States are different; for Lu Chen to enjoy a hundred thousand households there is not particularly significant. Moreover, Sun Zizhao is currently building a treasury largely funded by the Sun Family's wealth, so there is no need for concern about finances.
After various complicated ceremonies for establishing the nation, the Daiwa Dynasty was officially founded, and from that point on, Sun Zizhao became Emperor He.
After some time had passed, it seemed this event had already faded into memory. However, as news spread rapidly afterward, people everywhere were astonished—including those at the Great Zhou Court and various lords and kings around them—who expressed surprise at the establishment of the Daiwa Dynasty. If it was merely hearsay before, now it had truly come to fruition.
At its inception, the Daiwa Dynasty faced countless affairs needing attention; the entire nation was bustling with activity.
In contrast, the situation appeared to have settled into an ordinary period of peace. However, this was misleading; tensions still persisted. The Great Zhou Court had been somewhat anxious but now seemed remarkably calm.
This left Lu Chen feeling perplexed and worried because the Great Zhou Court had acquired the Human Book. They had calculated everything in the nearby mountains and forests of Central Plains to obtain it and then toyed with everyone involved. That incident could be considered a victory for the Defender of the Realm.
Lu Chen's concern was that after obtaining the Human Book, the Great Zhou Court would begin to reflect on its mistakes and rectify various oversights, gradually ushering in an era of calmness. This was undoubtedly a terrifying signal that no one wanted to see happen—including Lu Chen and other lords—because the Earth Book should never have fallen into court hands.
The contents of the Earth Book are about governance methods that can accelerate national development, unlike the Human Book which only concerns itself with killing and strategy.
In this state of worry, time continued for quite some time without any significant actions from Lu Chen—such as expanding his territory—because it seemed that the situation was already set. Any reckless expansion would be seen as armed aggression and would make him an enemy of all. In such circumstances, it is believed that no one would want to wade into murky waters or provoke trouble.
If you lack virtue and lose your moral standing among your subordinates, then it is only natural that you will face their attacks; no one will sympathize with you.
This situation persisted for over half a year until time passed quickly again. It can be imagined that indeed an Earth Book changed the Great Zhou Court, extending its lifespan by several years and leaving many feeling regretful and disheartened.
At this moment, news arrived that the Qi Kingdom and Korea had both established themselves as empires, shocking the entire Central Plains.
Including the Daiwa Dynasty, the whole court was in an uproar, with discussions everywhere. It seemed that the Qi Kingdom and Korea could no longer hold back. With both nations declaring themselves empires, it was equivalent to the entire Central Plains being fragmented.
Among them, only the Prairie King remained inactive, still a vassal of the Great Zhou Dynasty, nominally belonging to it.
Aside from that, there were the Great Zhou Dynasty, Daiwa Dynasty, Great Qi Dynasty, and Korea, forming a situation of four nations standing equally, creating unprecedented chaos in the Central Plains that was a feast for the eyes.
If we were to rank these four major dynasties by strength alone, the largest would naturally be the Great Zhou Court, followed by the Qi Kingdom.
On the surface, the Qi Kingdom only had five states, but its foundation was profound. The Qi Kingdom had harbored such ambitions for several generations and only under Huangfu Yi's leadership did it truly unleash its potential. The Qi Kingdom was also very wealthy and had a strong military with countless famous generals. Behind it loomed support from a Major Sect, which was none other than the Yin Yang Gate.
The Yin Yang Gate held a prestigious reputation in the Dao Realm, being the foremost power. With the Yin Yang Gate backing the Qi Kingdom, it was only natural that after the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Great Qi Dynasty would emerge as the most powerful force, with a large population and wealth sufficient to bear the name of a great nation.
The third place naturally belonged to Sun Zizhao's Daiwa Dynasty, which controlled seven states in eastern Central Plains. It had a large financial group, the Sun Family, as its economic backbone and also boasted Lu Chen as a formidable figure, allowing it to secure third place in terms of strength.
Lastly was Korea, occupying seven states in the west. Due to its mountainous terrain, including the famous Killing Green Mountain, agriculture was difficult there.
The mountainous regions hindered economic development; thus Korea appeared vast but was actually impoverished. Although it looked large on the surface, Korea had fewer troops and could not be compared to the other Three Kingdoms. However, this did not mean Korea was easy to bully.
Korea had two Western nations as allies who relied on each other due to their geographical proximity.
In earlier times, there were rumors that the Korean Chu Family from the Western Seven States frequently interacted with Gaochang and Luzhan and engaged in unusual trade involving military supplies. Furthermore, there was an important point: behind Korea loomed shadows of the Star Gate, a relationship that was obscure and difficult for ordinary people to discern.
Now that four nations stood equally divided over Central Plains territory openly challenging the Great Zhou Dynasty's authority, this situation persisted for some time without change. Even Lu Chen found it strange; it had been a long time since there had been any movement from the Great Zhou Court. This was certainly not normal behavior; given its claim to legitimacy, it would not allow such circumstances to go unchecked.
As night fell in Boyang City within the Loyalty and Righteousness Marquisate, Lu Chen sat alone in his study reading. Most of his time was spent handling state affairs and fulfilling his duties as a Marquis. While many believed that Marquises were idle figures, Lu Chen was anything but.
Lu Chen was not only busy but exceedingly so; his workload far surpassed that of other officials at court. He also assisted Emperor Sun Zizhao in alleviating concerns and occasionally served by his side. He was undoubtedly one of the busiest Marquises in history; if he claimed second place in busyness, no one would dare claim first.
If Lu Chen were truly rewarded with land like those from the Great Zhou Court or Qi Kingdom and stationed in his fief without access to the capital city, it would have been a mistake; Sun Zizhao would never issue such an order.
Lu Chen understood this well but bore no grievances. He remained dedicated and continued contributing to the development of Daiwa Dynasty.
Before long, someone came to report, a Youth clad in armor. It was clear that he frequently visited the Marquis's residence, moving with ease and encountering no obstacles as he made his way directly to Lu Chen's study.
"Master, there is new information. The Great Zhou Court will not sit idly by while the four nations are in a standoff; they have already taken action." The visitor was Lian Dashuang, who now held the position of Left General, a second-rank official in the court, second only to Lu Chen.
To facilitate Lu Chen's work, the Emperor Sun Zizhao had arranged for Lian Dashuang to be by Lu Chen's side, further integrating military and political affairs.
Over time, Lian Dashuang could enter the Marquis's Residence without facing any inquiries, easily gaining access.
"Haven't I already told you? If we are in the Marquis's Residence, you should stop calling me Master. Where has your memory gone?" Lu Chen reproached Lian Dashuang, imparting a deep lesson. Since they were in the court, they needed to maintain a courtly demeanor.
Lu Chen's master, Li Shian, was a rationalist who revered Confucian ideals and acted with integrity, never speaking of strange or supernatural matters. Lu Chen inherited Li Shian's thoughts and teachings and was naturally a successor of Rationalism. Thus, Lu Chen took certain matters very seriously, showing no signs of unruliness; he appeared as if he belonged to a scholarly family.
"Yes, Marquis. I understand," Lian Dashuang replied with his head bowed. He had become accustomed to calling him Master, and now that he needed to change his address suddenly, it felt unfamiliar. In the heat of the moment earlier, he had forgotten himself.
"What has happened that made you rush to find me like this?"
Lu Chen sat upright at the desk, gently setting down the scroll in his hand as he asked Lian Dashuang.
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