NOVEL NEXT Ch. 6
Chapter 6: Accountability
At the founding of the Great Zhou, its western border had been the Burial Dragon Mountain Range.
But as the strength of Great Zhou gradually grew, it began to increase contact with the nations of the Western Extremes.
Thus, from under the Zhenlong Pass, the Anxi Prefecture began expanding toward the Western Regions, and its territory grew increasingly vast.
All of this should have been a sign of prosperity. Yet, unfortunately, a powerful Jin Kingdom arose in the north, forcing Great Zhou to focus its strongest armies there.
Moreover, with the rise of the Western nations led by the Great Liao, the Anxi Prefecture — Great Zhou’s enclave in the Western Regions — gradually became unstable.
Adding to this, during the rule of the former Prince of Anxi, two small Western nations were recklessly annexed, worsening the situation further.
The addition of those two nations not only soured relations with Great Liao but also greatly increased internal instability.
The peoples of those nations, scattered across Anxi Prefecture, clashed culturally, giving rise to countless problems.
One matter after another piled up — until Anxi Prefecture became what it was today.
“Your Highness, there is something this subordinate is unsure whether to speak of.”
Seeing Jiang Zhaoming silent, Gulanda spoke softly.
“Speak freely.”
“The thirteen counties in the western part of Anxi Prefecture were formed over eight hundred years through the successive annexation of four small nations. The people of Great Zhou there are less than one-tenth of the population, and their culture differs greatly from ours.”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoming raised his brows, understanding the meaning behind Gulanda’s words.
In a world where powerful cultivators could live for hundreds or even thousands of years, a few centuries of Great Zhou’s rule was far from enough to truly assimilate other nations.
The thirteen western counties of Anxi Prefecture were, in truth, flesh Great Zhou had swallowed but not yet digested.
Thus, if Great Zhou were to spit out that piece of meat — returning freedom to those four nations — everything would likely settle down.
There would be no more need to resist the western nations; the Anxi Army could return unimpeded, suppress all uprisings with overwhelming might, and restore peace to Anxi Prefecture.
Otherwise, if this turmoil continued, even the Westerners who had joined Great Zhou thousands of years ago might no longer stay loyal.
To solve all of this required only one thing — for Jiang Zhaoming, the Prince of Anxi, to issue a single decree acknowledging the independence of those four nations.
Such a move would bring temporary peace, yes — but what of the people within those thirteen counties who still identified as citizens of Great Zhou?
Moreover, Jiang Zhaoming’s position alone forbade him from such an act.
His compromise would represent Great Zhou’s bowing of the head — emboldening the Great Jin and Great Liao even further.
Thinking it through, Jiang Zhaoming spoke in a deep voice:
“Among the thirteen counties, there are still subjects of Great Zhou. I am the Prince of Anxi of Great Zhou — how could I abandon them? If those traitors dare to rebel, I shall cut them down myself!”
After settling matters within the city and reviewing the Anxi Prefecture’s documents, night had already fallen.
Returning to his bedchamber, Jiang Zhaoming took out the Dragon Ranking token and infused it with his blood energy.
【Pacified the rebellion in Anxi Prefecture City — gained 10 Imperial Destiny Value, to be recorded on next month’s Dragon Ranking】
【Received allegiance of the Black-Armored Army — gained 6 Imperial Destiny Value, to be recorded on next month’s Dragon Ranking】
Letting out a long breath, Jiang Zhaoming put away the token and lay wearily on the large, faintly fragrant bed.
Having gained sixteen Imperial Destiny Value in a single day, his mood brightened somewhat as his consciousness sank into his mind.
Within the River of Fortune, Jiang Zhaoming appeared aboard a much larger ship.
【Name: Jiang Zhaoming
Cultivation: Tempering Bones Realm · First Layer
Innate Talents: Peerless Beauty (Green), Extraordinary Constitution (Blue)
Life Fate: Imperial Authority (Red)
Remaining Fortune: Blue ×2, Green ×6, White ×6
Divine Artifact Repository: …】
Seeing his fortune increase — especially with an additional blue fortune — Jiang Zhaoming’s spirits lifted instantly.
【Your approval level in Anxi Prefecture City has reached Level 1 — gained White Fortune ×1】
【Your approval level in Anxi Prefecture City has reached Level 2 — gained White Fortune ×5】
【Your approval level in Anxi Prefecture City has reached Level 3 — gained Green Fortune ×1】
【You have gained the attention of Jiang Xuanhao — gained Green Fortune ×1】
【You have gained the recognition of Jiang Xuanhao — gained Blue Fortune ×1】
Jiang Zhaoming drew in a sharp breath — Jiang Xuanhao was his Imperial Father’s name.
To think that his father not only noticed him but even acknowledged him made Jiang Zhaoming both surprised and flattered.
Yet after the initial joy came unease. How had his father observed him?
“If the existence of the Black-Armored Army and such anomalies were to be discovered… while it wouldn’t endanger me directly, it would still be troublesome.”
After calming himself, Jiang Zhaoming pondered again — how had his father seen him?
Thinking carefully, he recalled the Dragon Ranking jade tablet.
That tablet had directly recorded the events in Anxi Prefecture City today — events he had not yet reported.
How did it know?
Clearly, the jade tablet possessed some form of surveillance ability.
“It seems that in the future, whenever I deal with matters related to the River of Fortune, I must set the tablet aside.”
After glancing at the surface of the river, he left without fishing and went to rest instead.
Mainly because his remaining fortune was limited, and with Anxi Prefecture’s situation being so complex, every blessing of fortune had to be used wisely.
The next morning.
While Jiang Zhaoming was still asleep, the doors of his bedchamber were gently knocked upon.
“Your Highness, the Prefect has returned with the Prefecture City troops. Would you like to come and see?”
Hearing Gulanda’s voice from outside, Jiang Zhaoming quickly rose and dressed.
When he opened the door, Gulanda, waiting in the hall, immediately said, “Your Highness, please follow me.”
Jiang Zhaoming nodded and followed her to the main hall.
Before he even entered, he saw two people kneeling outside the hall’s doors.
One wore light armor, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old; the other, a middle-aged man in the court robes of Great Zhou.
Gulanda whispered by Jiang Zhaoming’s ear, “Your Highness, that is Lord Prefect, and the other is the Prefecture City’s military commander.”
The Prefect of Anxi Prefecture was named Fan Kang, and the commander of the Prefecture City troops was Yan Chen.
From their posture, Jiang Zhaoming could tell they had come to plead guilty.
After all, given the chaos in the Prefecture City, the two could hardly escape blame.
Had he not arrived at just the right time, the city might already have fallen.
“Rise, both of you. Let us speak inside.”
The two, however, lowered their heads even further. Fan Kang’s voice trembled as he said, “The chaos in Anxi Prefecture was due to this subordinate’s negligence. I beg Your Highness to punish me.”
“The turmoil of Anxi Prefecture is already understood by this prince. It was not entirely your fault, and I will not harshly blame you for it.”
Before either could respond, Jiang Zhaoming’s tone shifted.
“However, the Prefecture City nearly fell, and neither of you managed to lead the army back in time. I must still give the people an explanation.”
Seeing the two grow uneasy, Jiang Zhaoming signaled Qin Wei to open the hall doors.
“As for what punishment shall be meted out — let us discuss it inside.”
With that, he turned and entered the main hall.
Once inside, Jiang Zhaoming sat upon his royal seat. On the table before him still lay stacks of unread documents.
Fan Kang and Yan Chen followed him in, intending to kneel again, but were stopped by Qin Wei.
Thus, they could only sit behind the lower desk.
Jiang Zhaoming did not speak immediately.
Instead, before their eyes, he began to review the recent years’ documents of Anxi Prefecture.
The two waiting below gradually grew tense, their eyes occasionally flicking toward the young Prince of Anxi above.
The composure of Jiang Zhaoming’s methods, and the natural majesty emanating from him even in silence, exerted a pressure that neither the seasoned official Fan Kang nor the Divine Power Realm expert Yan Chen could easily bear.