Origin Paradise!

"Gentlemen have been spending large sums of money to support temples, and bandits have grown stronger in Yi, Xu, Yang and other prefectures. If the court competes with the people for profit, there will be endless troubles in the future. Some people should not try to gain favor by making a fuss."

Unlike Emperor Wu of Liang's first act of donating himself to a Buddhist temple, which was resolved by aristocratic families pooling their money, this time the chief minister and others chose to increase taxes. The summer and autumn taxes had just been paid when a "golden body tax" was added, causing bandits to rise up all over the country and many local officials to be dismissed. It was a lose-lose situation for both aristocratic families and the imperial power.

"It is beneficial to the country and harmless to the people," said the Imperial Secretary.

"National affairs are not something you can simply dismiss as harmless!"

“This is absurd; he is sure to be the one who harms the country.”

There was a sudden buzz of discussion in the court.

An aged voice came from the dragon throne, beneath the curtain.

"Xie Qing, what do you think?"

When Chief Minister Xie stepped forward, the Xie family behind him was the head of a prominent clan.

"I believe it is worth a try."

Grand Secretary Pei opened his eyes and said, "Perhaps it's worth a try," meaning "You might as well give it a shot." Because of the difference in the number of terrestrial immortals, given the current situation, the confrontation would not take place in the imperial court.

"With your words, I am at ease."

Emperor Wu of Liang slowly said, "The monk Kuchan is hereby appointed as a lecturer on the scriptures. Prince Yong is hereby appointed as the Salt and Iron Commissioner to inspect both banks of the Yangtze River from this day forward, and to carry a register to record the locations of salt and iron mines for future use."

In an instant, the court was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The presence of two terrestrial deities greatly enhanced the imperial family's foundation.

The upheaval surrounding the state monopoly on salt and iron was about to begin.

Emperor Wu of Liang chose to send a prince from the imperial clan, and the so-called record was nothing more than a list for a future purge. Prince Yong was now a powerful figure in the world, with his military might at its peak, and very few in the forty states of the north and south dared to forcibly obstruct him.

Prime Minister Xie secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He was not sure if his younger brother could withstand the combined forces of Xiao Qingzhi, Prince Yong, and the old monk Kuchan. However, losing the salt and iron would be an unbearable blow to any aristocratic family, a sin that would be condemned for generations.

"Let's adjourn the court," Emperor Wu of Liang said calmly.

Before the officials could see him off, the emperor, who had reigned for decades, had already risen and left, making no attempt to hide his disgust for the current court, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.

Grand Secretary Pei sighed softly, "He's not pretending anymore."

"Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty." The Imperial Secretary greeted him, a slight smile on his face. If the government-run operation could proceed smoothly, their [Reading Guild] would definitely rise rapidly and gain enormous power.

Chapter 568 Going Down to Yangzhou

Three days later, in Dongyang County, Qingzhou.

Prince Yong's Mansion.

The journey from Jiankang, the capital, to Dongyang was long. Generally, the imperial court would send decrees or documents to the imperial residences in various prefectures via cloud-carved eagles, and then have them relayed by special eunuchs.

Given that Dongyang was the capital of the prefecture and it was not wartime, this imperial decree was sent directly to the Prince's residence.

"A governor overseeing both the north and south of the Yangtze River?"

In the pavilion of the Prince's Mansion Garden, Jiang He put down the ancient book of Fu Shi and carefully examined the imperial edict.

The Salt and Iron Commissioner of the Sixteen Prefectures was a temporary position, ranked as a first-rank official, but with virtually no power.

The job was to record the location of salt and iron mines, which meant reporting on them. Once a powerful family in a region controlled the salt and iron mines, they would become a key target for crackdown.

In fact, each major family basically has its own salt fields and mines. The former is used to maintain daily needs, and the latter is used to forge armor and weapons. Both are indispensable. Therefore, the investigation focuses on those small and medium-sized families that are not well-known. Even if the court were to make changes, it would not be able to start a war with the main partners of the "co-governance of the world" right away.

Jiang He casually tossed the blank Salt and Iron Record on the ground.

"Aren't you going to behave?"

Outside the pavilion, Pei Xuanran, who had been gracefully wielding her sword, suddenly stopped. Her voluptuous figure swayed as she put down her ordinary iron sword, tidied her hair with her delicate hand, and her expression remained indifferent.

Because noblewomen from Pei's maternal family came to inquire about information, she was occasionally granted the privilege of going out to rest.

"It's quite humorous that he could bring up something so offensive, something that involves no personal feelings and no reward."

Jiang He chuckled as he picked up the Fu Shi Classic. Since his arrival, he had rarely been idle, and his Dragon Spear Technique had been fully upgraded to the Immortal level.

Pei Xuanran gritted her teeth and said, "What about you and me?"

Jiang He looked up in surprise, "You don't want to live anymore?"

Pei Xuanran was somewhat indignant and said coldly, "According to the identity given by the Origin, I am at least the Queen Consort and First Wife. What kind of image is it to keep me locked up in the Hidden Soldiers Chapter every day?"

"The princess is also a mortal."

"As you said, you've taken pleasure with me so many times, shouldn't you give me something in return?"

Pei Xuanran felt she had been taken advantage of; the other party had been taking advantage of her without any compensation, and she could have made some demands.

Jiang He seemed to be deep in thought, and said, "What exactly gave you the illusion that I'm easy to talk to?"

boom!

The dominance emanating from the source of her bloodline erupted, and Pei Xuanran's face turned pale. She immediately knelt on the ground, her Duke-level source bloodline directly corresponding to her Epic-level rank.

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; you should be grateful you're alive."

Jiang He's eyes were calm.

If he were caught by arrogance, his fate would be roughly the same as the other party's. Putting himself in the other's shoes, this guy probably had the idea of ​​escaping and was planning to put it into action.

"I'll give you half of the Robbery Sword Technique."

Pei Xuanran raised her exquisite and beautiful face, a hint of provocation on her expression. Her figure, which made one's blood boil, was as tempting as a ripe fruit.

Jiang He remained silent, only flicking her finger lightly. A small black sword shot out from her fingertip, invisible and colorless, yet it pierced right through the beam when it struck it.

Pei Xuanran's face was pale, her eyes filled with confusion and fear. She couldn't help but cover her cherry-like mouth with her hand as long-forgotten memories flooded her mind.

Jiang He shook his head and said, "You can be very obedient at times. The Sword of Calamity and the Life of Calamity, as well as your lineage in the Divine Court world, are no secrets to me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hidden soldier's seal was put away by Pei Xuanran.

The legendary Calamity Sword Technique is not a martial art, but a skill, encompassing the entire process from the birth of one's innate Calamity Sword to its mastery.

[Name: Natal Calamity Sword]

[Category: Skills]

[Quality: Perfect]

[Effect ①: Ultimate Sharpness/Durability/Destruction]

[Effect ②: Crimson Moon - Seize Domination, seal one of the target's abilities. Success depends on rank, and the specific time depends on the comparison of the two sides' spirit values.]

[Note: Different beings will give birth to a unique innate calamity sword with different attributes. Calamity symbolizes both plunder and tribulation. This sword can be upgraded by plundering treasures or abilities of the moon attribute, with the highest quality being legendary.]

For Yu Jianghe, this sword technique can serve as a supplementary means, and there is absolutely no need to master it as a main skill.

"A legendary, immortal, and epic legacy, the foundation of the Holy Martial Arts Ceremony still needs to be strengthened."

Not long after, two vicious soldiers belonging to the Vanguard Army carried Yuan Changling's body over, along with two immortal weapons, including a red fish, one of which was a ransom.

Jiang He pierced the corpse's heart and extracted its blood. He had tried to repeatedly use the Time Ring to refresh the progress, but the mysterious realm symbolized the essence of life's blood, which was clearly not something that could be repeated infinitely.

[Note: Your Immortal-grade Sin Poison has been upgraded to LV50, awakening the ultimate ability - Deep Sin. The poison intensity is increased by 100%, the poison lethality is increased by 50%, and the poison's onset period is halved.]

"Pure toxicity enhancement."

Two Immortal-grade weapons were fed to the Eternal Dragon Spear; three more are needed to upgrade it.

[Hint: Your signature weapon has been upgraded; it's as heavy as a small artificial island, yet effortlessly powerful]

Jiang He took out the Dragon Spear. As he released it, the spear, containing extreme weight and sharpness, pierced the ground and continued downwards. The pavilion collapsed, the surrounding area shook violently, and cracks instantly covered the garden.

He retrieved his spear and said to the two fallen thugs, "Send Pei Yuye here."

"clear."

Two quarters of an hour later, when Pei Yuye arrived, he found Prince Yong handling the remains of Yuan Changling.

"Your Highness, he is, after all, a prince of the imperial family. We should be lenient with him. It would be disgraceful if word got out," Pei Yuye said helplessly.

Jiang He clapped his hands, and Yuan Changling immediately began to move. Because he had lost his blood essence and his soul had perished, this armored man had the physical body and melee skills of a complete hero, but he could not activate his abilities.

A fully-fledged hero is basically unbeatable, but can bully sub-heroes; it's almost the same no matter who they fight.

The combination of Iron Man technology, Evil Puppet technology, Great Golem technology, Howler surgery, and Fortune Puppet technology makes this a masterpiece of alchemy.

The ability to create a masterpiece signifies that one's overall skill level has reached the pinnacle of mastery. The recent intensive study on Fushi Ancient Books has yielded remarkable results.

"Ah Si, you stay by Lao Hei's side and remember to find a mask."

"Here."

Ah Si clasped his hands in acceptance of the order and left the spot.

Pei Yuye stood there stunned for a long time upon seeing this, before managing a weak smile.

"Your Highness, you truly possess extraordinary abilities."

Jiang He casually reassured him, "The auxiliary materials needed to make an armored guard are countless."

That's the truth. He had to dismantle most of the non-offensive facilities in his alchemy tower to barely put everything together.

“There’s a copy of the Salt and Iron Records on the ground. You should have heard the news by now. All the aristocratic families in Southern Liang are listed, and then they have to pay 100,000 taels of silver. Your Pei family will cross out your name,” Jiang He said. “Go back and inform everyone in Qingzhou.”

He had no intention of serving the emperor; rather, he would rather take this opportunity to plunder money, provisions, weapons, or even martial arts techniques.

If everything is written down, it will be crystal clear who didn't give it to whom.

As for angering the emperor, anger damages the liver, so having the imperial physician replenish it will suffice.

Pei Yuye's expression turned strange. He wasn't so concerned about the money, and said, "Your Highness, are you not planning to support the Crown Prince anymore?"

To defy the emperor, one must side with a powerful family. The leaders of this faction are the Wang and Xie families, the former known for their refined culture and the latter for their military strength. Both have close ties with the eldest prince.

“Right now, the Crown Prince needs my support,” Jiang He said calmly. “Those who lack strength are just opportunists, and besides, this is only a one-time cooperation.”

If someone is timid and submissive before a battle, and remains the same after winning, then what was the point of his fight?

Pei Yu took his leave after observing the proper etiquette. As a terrestrial immortal and a powerful vassal king, Prince Yong had the right to act recklessly. In other words, the more greedy, lustful, arrogant, and unambitious he was, the more acceptable the palace officials would be to him. After all, before the new emperor ascended the throne, he had a certain legitimacy to inherit the throne.

Within just a few days, the whole of Qingzhou was in an uproar.

……

The capital city, the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

"Nearly one million taels of silver, twelve volumes of top-tier martial arts manuals, countless paintings and antiques, and three hundred thousand shi of grain..."

In the study, the Crown Prince, unusually pleased, said, "Brother Yong, you don't even want to compete for Father's favor!"

Grand Secretary Pei tucked his hands into his sleeves and replied, "His Majesty's high regard for you means that you will be drawn into the great vortex of the capital and have to betray His Highness. Prince Yong and His Highness are brothers and respectful to each other, so naturally they would not do such a thing."

To stand against powerful families for the emperor is the path of a lonely official. The only chance for survival is to become emperor himself, or to be invincible like the old master Lu Tianzhen.

The latter is widely considered extremely difficult, and with Xiao Qingzhi, the second most powerful woman in the country, in the palace, there is really only one way to survive, and the price is to become enemies with all the princes vying for the throne.

“My brother is dutiful, and I, as his elder brother, cannot be any less so.”

"Your Highness, why not present that battle sword listed on the Divine Weapon Ranking? In my humble opinion, gifts should either be something that pleases you or be exceptionally valuable; otherwise, it is better not to give anything at all."

"Your Excellency's words..." The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment, then said, "That is not true. Prince Yong is not yet of age, and it would be difficult to keep something too precious. It would be more appropriate to send him some exquisite items."

Grand Secretary Pei's lips twitched. This Crown Prince was able to maintain his high position today because of the current Empress and his unwavering obedience to the Emperor. However, he was not particularly outstanding in other aspects.

"Quickly, summon the Imperial Secretary and the Bee, Hemp, and Sparrow."

A moment later, the eunuch led five people in.

Unlike the Imperial Secretary and the Reading Guild, which rely on the native forces of the World Mission, the Bee, Hemp and Sparrow is the strongest assassination guild in the third tier of the Battlefield of All Beings.

Bee Gate: Specializing in poisons and hidden weapons.

Ma Men: Skilled in disguise and deception, he approaches his target and then assassinates him.

Yanmen: Focuses on light footwork and is responsible for high-difficulty pursuit missions.

Sparrow Gate: Primarily composed of women, using their beauty to lure and kill targets.

The guild has four branches, totaling a hundred members. All the leaders are Gold-level experts. After arriving in this world, the four leaders broke through to the level of Sub-Hero. With their special physiques and the assistance of the Crown Prince's forces, they were able to complete some of the super-large-scale chain missions without being unable to do so.

"I wonder what instructions His Highness the Crown Prince has for me today?" The Imperial Secretary replied, "I will certainly listen attentively."

"It's hardly a matter of instruction," the Crown Prince waved his hand and said, "Do you all know the Prince of Yong?"

The four leaders exchanged glances; the answer was actually quite clear—a world-class BOSS nearing completion.