Free Web NovelChapter 140: Chapter 107: The Changshan Mountain Finale (Part 2)
In today’s Changshan County, Chen Sheng’s will was law. He might not remember who sent him gifts, but he would certainly remember who didn’t.
Under this invisible pressure, the various families spared no expense, terrified their offerings would prove insufficient to satisfy the Changshan Evil God. Chen Sheng even received nearly ten Elemental Crystals—an extremely rare commodity!
Including what he already had, his total number of Elemental Crystals now exceeded thirty.
Such a fortune was tantamount to having scraped Changshan County clean of all its finest resources.
As far as Chen Sheng knew, even in the Prefecture City—a place teeming with hidden experts—an Innate Martial Master who possessed dozens of Elemental Crystals would be considered quite wealthy.
After all, based on the official court stipend, an ordinary Martial Master at the early Chaoyuan stage of the Innate realm received a mere four Elemental Crystals per year.
In the back hall of the county Government Office, a charcoal brazier burned brightly.
Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang sat facing each other, a small table between them. On the table, a pot of mellow wine was being warmed, its fragrant aroma mingling with the deepening twilight outside the window.
"The transfer order from above has arrived."
Wu Kuang picked up the wine pot and filled a cup for both Chen Sheng and himself, his tone laced with complex emotions. "The Jingwu Bureau wants you to depart immediately and report to the Prefecture City."
As he spoke, Wu Kuang raised his wine cup. His gaze fell upon Chen Sheng’s young, chiseled face, and he shook his head with a sigh.
"To be honest, when I promoted you to Vice Commander, I thought highly of you, but I never imagined you’d reach such heights in such a short amount of time."
His words were tinged with a clear reluctance to part.
Only now that Chen Sheng was truly on the verge of leaving did Wu Kuang realize just how great a loss it would be to be without such a formidable and decisive subordinate.
Chen Sheng could have risen to prominence without Wu Kuang, that was certain. But without Chen Sheng, Wu Kuang’s ambitions to establish control in Changshan—to sweep away the powerful clans and pacify the water bandits—would have been nothing more than a pipe dream.
Their success was mutual.
But Wu Kuang also understood in his heart that a small pond like Changshan could never contain a Flood Dragon like Chen Sheng.
To force him to stay would only stifle his future.
"Sir, I will never forget your grace in recognizing my talent and promoting me."
Chen Sheng raised his cup, his expression solemn and his tone sincere. freewebnoveℓ.com
These words came from the heart.
Wu Kuang may have been greedy, but ever since Chen Sheng became Vice Commander, he had never given him trouble over money. On the contrary, he had offered his support at critical moments on multiple occasions.
It was precisely with Wu Kuang as his patron that he had been able to act freely against the Seven Stars Gang and the Gao Family, allowing him to get to where he was today.
Wu Kuang waved a dismissive hand and downed the wine in his cup.
"Let’s not speak of such things today. You’re about to head to the Prefecture City. It’s a den of dragons and tigers, but also a place of great opportunity. Before you go, I have some heartfelt advice for you. Whether you choose to listen, and how you ultimately act, is entirely up to you."
"Please speak, Sir. I am all ears," Chen Sheng said solemnly.
"I’ve seen how you operate. You’ve always been domineering and harsh, ruthlessly decisive. In Changshan, that was an effective way to establish your authority, and there was nothing wrong with it. But the Prefecture City is not this small county. It’s teeming with hidden experts, the powers there are deeply entrenched and complex, and there is no shortage of Innate Powerhouses."
Wu Kuang’s tone grew grave. "When you get to the Prefecture City, you must remember to rein in your ferocity. Be cautious, and plan your moves carefully."
He then leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.
"Most importantly, you must stick close to Envoy Nie. Though my old connection with him as Captain Nie might open a door for you, whether you can truly earn his favor will depend on how you conduct yourself.
The Nie Family is a true Noble Clan. Their roots run deep, extending beyond Ning’an Prefecture to the whole of Yunzhou. If you can win Envoy Nie’s favor and gain his protection, then even when facing the local powers of Ning’an Prefecture—some of whom have been entrenched for centuries—you’ll have a patron you can rely on and won’t need to be overly fearful..."
In his parting words, Wu Kuang held nothing back, confiding everything he knew to Chen Sheng: the Nie Family’s background, the power dynamics in the Prefecture City, and his own hard-won experience as an official.
He repeatedly stressed that the Prefecture City’s political waters ran deep. Relying solely on one’s official government position to act as brazenly as he had in Changshan was simply not an option.
Finding a powerful patron was crucial, and seeking the patronage of Envoy Nie was without a doubt the quickest and most reliable path.
With a calm expression, Chen Sheng listened intently, nodding from time to time.
’The Celestial Book’s [Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil] ability had already hinted at this. Compared to taking a post in the Military Preparation Army, joining the Jingwu Bureau and earning Envoy Nie’s favor was the truly wise choice.’
"There’s one more thing..."
Wu Kuang paused, his tone slightly hesitant. "About Madam Yang..."
He knew all too well the powerful allure a mature, charming beauty like her held for a hot-blooded young man like Chen Sheng.
But Madam Yang was a remarried woman, after all. Taking her as a concubine for occasional comfort would be one thing...
But to become infatuated, or worse, develop genuine feelings for her—that would be a great misstep.
If Chen Sheng wanted to climb higher, he would inevitably need to secure a marriage alliance to gain more resources and a stronger backing. The Changshan Yang Family could not provide him with the support he would need.
It wasn’t his place as a superior to say such things, but his high hopes for Chen Sheng compelled him to bring it up.
"Rest assured, Sir. I understand the proper way to handle this."
Chen Sheng pondered for a moment before nodding slowly. ’He had his own plans for Madam Yang. When it came down to it, their relationship had been built more on mutual benefit than on love.
Now that he had fulfilled his promise to help the Yang Family rise, it was time for their relationship to come to an end.
Besides, bringing her with him before he had established a firm foothold in the Prefecture City would be unwise. Leaving her comfortably settled in Changshan was the best choice for both of them right now.’
