CHAPTER 355: CHAPTER 75: BANDITS? LORD?

In recent months, Viscount Mo’er’s days have been somewhat vexing.

First, he was duped by the "Beast God" of Kalan Peak, with no word on the promised annihilation of Fengdan County by the "Beast God".

In a fit of anger, he smashed the "Beast God" statue and stopped worshiping the "Beast God" altogether.

The disappearance of his long-serving housekeeper Batesin, on whom he relied to manage his territory, forced him to face a mountain of affairs and account books every day, leaving him no time for flirtatious banter with the singers in his mansion.

Fortunately, just yesterday, his housekeeper Batesin returned but brought back an immensely bad piece of news.

"Xuanwu Crystal Cannon?" Viscount Mo’er was so scared that his legs went weak, and he sat down on the ground.

The Xuanwu Crystal Cannon in Fengdan County was capable of directly targeting Bailu County.

"Lord, that Xuanwu Crystal Cannon is indeed in the Lord Mansion, I assure you. I made a great effort to escape and bring this news to you," the old housekeeper Batesin said, shaking his head and sighing, "I also heard that the Young Lord of Fengdan County used that Xuan Crystal Cannon to kill the Beast God of Kalan Peak, and from what I understand, the Young Lord’s subordinates include several Pill Masters who are adept at using poison,"

It’s no wonder there had been no news from Kalan Peak recently if even the "Beast God" could be slain by a Xuan Crystal Cannon; thinking this, Viscount Mo’er found Batesin’s words all the more credible.

He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, constantly wringing his hands, unsure of what to do, as his County Guard Army had lost the majority of its strength in several conflicts.

He had thought to use the Beast God against Fengdan County, but now the Beast God was gone, and the other party had acquired the Xuanwu Crystal Cannon. Putting all these pieces together, that mysterious Young Lord seemed excessively sinister.

"This is bad, what if he decides to bombard the Lord Mansion with the cannon while I am asleep one night," he thought, becoming even more agitated, "And what if he sends someone to poison me? If only I had known he had so many formidable methods... I should have ingratiated myself with him like I did with Blood Sakura Duke Yue Nian back in the day, treating that Young Lord with the utmost reverence."

Viscount Mo’er was filled with regret. In the days that followed, he was restless, fearing being blown up by the Xuanwu Crystal Cannon in his sleep and worrying about being poisoned when awake.

For several consecutive days, he was thus preoccupied, his demeanor becoming increasingly distraught.

One day, the worried old housekeeper Batesin approached him, "Lord, this can’t go on, even the citizens have heard about the Xuanwu Crystal Cannon in Fengdan County, and there’s much speculation every day. Some of them have already fled to Fengdan County overnight."

How could Viscount Mo’er, kept in the dark, know that on the very day the old housekeeper Batesin returned, a great many notices appeared on the streets?

The content of the notices was very appealing:

Fengdan County offers free housing to settlers, encourages cultivating fields, and residents relocating to Fengdan County within this month will enjoy tax reductions for more than three years.

Any infants born in Fengdan County from other counties will be treated as local residents, and when of school age, will have the opportunity to enter the Alchemist School or Martial Artist School based on merit.

The Lord Mansion offers handcrafters with special skills a salary of ten Gold Coins per month, hiring them unconditionally.

All children born in Fengdan County, employed by the Lord Mansion, regardless of gender or age, need only to work for fifteen years before they can enjoy a pension for life from the Lord Mansion. One person working entitles the whole family to the civil rights of Fengdan County.

For merchants, hunters, and the like conducting business or hunting within Fengdan County, a complete exemption from tolls is granted.

At first, the people of Bailu County didn’t believe the announcements, but as more and more of them entered Fengdan, good news started to spread back home. From the smokeless and bright Blue Snow Candles used by every household to the field-hoarding Stone-eating Fragrant Pigs.

Some of the populace could not sit still any longer and began secretly moving their families out of Bailu County, especially as the defenses of the region were weak at the time, and the Lord there was negligent.

"What? This has actually happened? This is an overt act of population plunder. How dare he, I must—I must report this to Wo Hua Imperial City," Viscount Mo’er choked mid-sentence, unable to proceed or retreat, nearly suffocating.

The exploitation of Blue Snow Field and the refinement of new types of Dark Beasts have brought stable income to Fengdan County.

Now, the difference between Bailu County and Fengdan County is the population.

In a Canglong Continent where technology is backward, all labor and development rely on people. Thus, when Viscount Mo’er learned that Fengdan County was blatantly snatching people from his own domain, he finally couldn’t bear it any longer.

He thought of the last resort, which was the Wo Hua Imperial City.

It’s stipulated in the imperial edicts that Lords may regard the populace and land of their feudal territories as their property.

"I must send an urgent report to Wo Hua Imperial City tonight, informing our wise sovereign. That impostor in Fengdan County, not only does he masquerade as a descendant of the Duke Mansion, but he also dares to defy the iron laws of the Empire, forcibly snatching my citizens," Viscount Mo’er was delirious, muttering nonsense: "Beetsin, immediately draft a letter for me, clearly listing all the misdeeds of that fake Lord."

"Yes, Lord," Beetsin proceeded to write a letter promptly, just like the countless times he had reported on the annual performance of the territory before, still read by Beetsin, and signed by Viscount Mo’er in the end.

With a grand stroke of Viscount Mo’er’s pen, old Beetsin bowed and took his leave, sending the letter to Wo Hua Imperial City.

About five days later, the Ministry of Revenue in Wo Hua Imperial City received a letter, which essentially stated that Viscount Mo’er had been tirelessly dealing with the affairs of the domain year after year, contracting an ailment as a result, and for the purpose of recuperating, entrusts the affairs of the territory to the housekeeper Beetsin.

"That guy Viscount Mo’er just likes to find excuses. When has he ever taken pains over the affairs of Bailu County?" an official remarked.

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue in Wo Hua Imperial City, many miles away, were unaware of the changes that had occurred between Fengdan County and Bailu County. They had long since been accustomed to Viscount Mo’er’s limited competence in managing Bailu County.

"As long as the taxes are paid on time, it doesn’t matter who the Lord is," said a plump tax official.

"Have you heard? Fengdan County hasn’t paid taxes for a long time now. It’s said that the Imperial City plans to dispatch a new tax official there. If taxes are still unpaid, the Ministry of Revenue will seal off the territory and appoint a new Lord," the tax officials, who made a fortune in the Imperial City, weren’t keen on scaling mountains and ridges to collect taxes in the Xuan Beast Ridge area. Only the unlucky new tax officials would be assigned there.

"Who would be reckless enough to go there? I’ve heard that the Xuan Beast Ridge has been restless lately, unless a Dragon Rider knight is willing to accompany them," the plump tax official picked up a seal and stamped it, approving Viscount Mo’er’s request.