Otherworld Advance Team-Chapter 1762 - 1755: The Literary System of the World

"Regarding the above four points, may I request permission to travel to the imperial capital to discuss with my father. During this period, I kindly ask all of you to stay at my humble abode as a sign of the Yichuan Clan’s hospitality." Yichuan Fei knelt and bowed, speaking loudly.

"Thank you, Young Mansion." Luo’er nodded lightly, this time not assisting Yichuan Fei to rise.

In fact, Yichuan Fei’s response surprised Luo’er a bit. He thought Yichuan Fei would unhesitatingly agree to his requests, but never expected him to propose discussing it with his father first.

Because in his subconscious, Luo’er always felt that Yichuan Fei actually had the authority to promise the conditions himself.

Although he appears to hold a leisurely position, everyone acquainted with his identity knows Yichuan Fei embodies immense power.

He is the eldest son of a powerful minister, a member of the Royal Family, and a close aide to Emperor Wu. Any one of these statuses alone would be sufficient to gain significant power and honor for a lifetime, and Yichuan Fei possesses all three.

Even though the Dongsheng Empire seems outwardly unified but inwardly divided, both the Wen Family and the Wu Family still regard the Bailong Clan as the Empire’s sole legitimate royal line.

Thus, even if Emperor Wu has become a mere figurehead, his decrees still have restrictive influence on the Wu Family’s powers.

After all, no one dares to defy the heavens by openly resisting Emperor Wu’s rule. Such actions would lead the East Prosperity Nine States into another round of upheaval, where the Wu Family would first engage in internal struggle to vie for new rankings.

Therefore, even if the Wu Family desires to overthrow the current order, they must follow protocols and seek out a scion of the Bailong Royal Family to oppose the reigning Emperor Wu.

Of course, whatever they conceive, the Wen Family faction is also able to think through, and often even more thoroughly.

Under the control of the Wen Family faction, it remains extremely difficult for the Bailong Clan to expand its lineage. The current Emperor Wu has only fathered two daughters; barring any unexpected incidents, it is likely the next Emperor Wu would be chosen among these two princesses.

Moreover, the Emperor’s Sect, established by Emperor Wu as a special agency, holds the ancestral duty of eliminating heirs threatening to Emperor Wu.

Therefore, diligently operating, the Emperor’s Sect has nearly expunged all Bailong Clan members not under the Wen Family faction’s control, ensuring no one can threaten the current Emperor Wu, thus impacting their hold on power.

It is precisely due to this concentrated power that the Wen Family faction can boldly reform the inheritance issues of the Dongsheng Empire, rejuvenating the entire Empire, extending its dynastic rule for over two hundred years.

Prior to the Dongsheng Empire, hardly any dynasty established in Kyushu lasted over two hundred years; the average duration was slightly over a hundred years, akin to a single Yuan Dynasty.

The newly born dynasties typically began to suffer severe ailments within fifty years, becoming irrecoverable by seventy to eighty years, forcing noble families to engage in mutual attacks and compromises to reestablish a new dynasty.

And the most ironic aspect was because of the rapid dynastic changes, the descendants of the fallen dynasties hardly ever met a favorable fate, leading these noble families to refrain from actively seizing power to proclaim emperorship. Instead, they collectively discussed and endorsed smaller or even humble families to ascend as imperial royal families.

Among the existing noble families in Kyushu, aside from the newly emerged Yichuan Clan and the Anxiang family composed of migrants, the notable clans in other states and counties have survived several dynasties. They occupy regional territories, incessantly promoting new royal families to establish dynasties, destructing them and then rebuilding, continuously repeating the cycle.

It is by this tradition that when the Wen Family faction emerged on the historical stage, their stability was something these regional noble families found difficult to adjust to.

After all, they were accustomed to days of appointing emperors in the morning and exterminating remnants by evening; suddenly facing a stable life made them uneasy and disoriented.

Nonetheless, it was this stability that made numerous eminent families willingly accept the Wen Family faction’s rule. After all, hearts of people are interconnected, settling for the current situation; no one wishes to live perpetually in turbulent times.

The greatest contribution of the Wen Family faction lies in establishing an avenue for societal advancement outside the cultivation system. Those incapable of cultivation can still attain official positions through studying and examinations, achieving upward mobility in social class.

The opening of pathways for social mobility nearly instantly depicted the Wen Family faction as saviors in the eyes of most ordinary people, who naturally gained broad popular support.

Even though the high ranks of the Wen Family imperial court remain controlled by noble families, the Advance Team even witnessed how, thanks to the Wen Family’s selection process, increasingly more civilians could become imperial officials, such as Xihe and others.

The second contribution of the Wen Family faction is the establishment of a ritual system. They use an effective set of feudal etiquette to restrain everyone from top to bottom, from Emperor Wu down to slaves.

Etiquette commands Emperor Wu to fulfill his heavenly duties; being the Son of Heaven means performing the works of the Son of Heaven. The etiquette mandates officials to loyally assist the nation, not failing Emperor Wu above, while pacifying the populace below. The rituals civilize the populace from barbarism, completing human duties, each settled in their destiny. Etiquette restrains warriors with rules, forbidding the use of military force to destructively harm civilians.

Although the establishment of the etiquette system could not achieve immediate effects, it significantly influenced Kyushu’s political and cultural life over a hundred years.

Thus the ruler knows to set an example, not hoarding personal gain for dominion over the world. Ministers know their duties, not receiving court salaries without serving Kyushu. The populace recognizes kindness, acting according to their role. Warriors learn restraint, not using force to transgress prohibitions and wreak havoc throughout the world.

Even now, the internal conflicts within East Prosperity Nine States remain difficult to reconcile, but compared to before the Dongsheng Empire’s establishment, these conflicts have become relatively lighter, at least not immediately inciting popular revolts leading to the Empire’s hundred-year demise.

After the banquet concluded, Luo’er and Yichuan Fei reached a preliminary agreement. Luo’er returned to his residence, and Yichuan Fei hurriedly prepared to head to the capital to report to his father.

He had just gotten ready to depart when he heard chaotic noises emanating from the estate, so he furrowed his brow and called for the housekeeper to inquire, "What is causing such commotion?"

"Replying to the Young Lord," the housekeeper cautiously said, "That Yichuan Lai has caused trouble again..."

Hearing this name, Yichuan Fei immediately felt a headache, touching his forehead and asking, "What trouble has he caused this time?"

Yichuan Lai is Yichuan Qing’s younger brother and also Yichuan Fei’s second uncle. However, this second uncle is usually unlearned and idle, frequently provoking various annoying troubles which Yichuan Fei must clean up each time.

"He had an illicit affair with a performer, resulting in a pregnancy. This matter was known by the Luzun Clan’s Young Master, Luzun Lan, who came here demanding an explanation." the housekeeper said.

"This second uncle, can’t he just control his third leg?" Yichuan Fei said angrily.

The Luzun Clan is a great family in Tong State and an ally of the Yichuan Clan. To strengthen connections, the two clans have even established marital ties. However, the choice of people was less than ideal; Yichuan Lai loves to indulge, and the Yichuan Clan doesn’t dare to openly offend the Luzun Clan, so Yichuan Fei frequently needs to mediate.

It must be noted that Kyushu in East Prosperity is unlike Earth’s feudal society; the presence of the cultivation system means the gender gap is relatively narrow, women are not dependent on men, and men do not have the right to multiple wives. Thus, both genders must abide by chastity.

Especially since Luzun Lan hails from a great family in Tong State, any marital discord involves the relationship between the two families, so handling it requires extraordinary caution.

However, cursing wouldn’t resolve issues, so Yichuan Fei, led by the housekeeper, arrived at the main hall.

At that time, the main hall was already crowded with people; Luzun Lan had barged in with a group of servants, throwing Yichuan Lai and the pregnant performer on the ground. If not for the nearby armor-clad soldiers of the Yichuan Clan, Luzun Lan would probably have commanded the servants to swarm and beat the pair.

"Greetings, Second Aunt." Yichuan Fei hurried to Luzun Lan, respectfully bowing and saying.

"Young Lord is too courteous." Originally furious, Luzun Lan’s demeanor transformed upon seeing Yichuan Fei, displaying a respectful expression and responding courteously.

Despite Yichuan Fei respectfully calling her Second Aunt, she would not dare to pressure him with her seniority. After all, Yichuan Fei is not only her nephew but also the Emperor Wu’s own nephew, a relationship she cannot compare with.

Luzun Lan is over forty, with fair skin and beauty, voluptuous yet not as easily bullied as she might appear.

She possesses cultivation at the early stage of the Jiedan Realm; thus, defeating the entirely ordinary Yichuan Lai is as effortless for her as beating a dog. So, she always manifests a strong presence in her household.

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