Chapter 032 – A Nation Within a Nation
“Between brothers, let me give you a number.” Crossing his two fingers, Cai Ze made the 十 character which represented the number ten. “All it takes is ten taels of silver, I’ll help you secure a spot. That mostly involves transferring your household registration and filing it with the Blood Blade Sect. Once it’s approved, you can purchase property in Silver Creek with a residency permit.”
Li Yuan nodded. “All right, I’ll come find you in a while with the silver. I’m counting on you.”
“No problem.” Cai Ze laughed heartily.
Moments later, Madam Yun returned with a second young woman in tow. The newcomer, all graceful curves and demure smiles, walked up to Cai Ze and greeted him sweetly, “I’m Wan’er, sir. Delighted to make your acquaintance.”
Spreading his legs apart, Cai Ze motioned her over, and Wan’er promptly perched on his lap. Madam Yun, meanwhile, settled back onto Li Yuan’s thigh. Two men, two women, drinking and flirting without restraint.
After a few rounds of wine, Cai Ze let his guard down completely.
“You’ve heard of the Red Lotus Rebels, right, brother? Let me tell you something. Even if the Red Lotus Rebels break through Gemhill County, they still won’t touch Silver Creek. Because Silver Creek is the heart of the Blood Blade Sect. They can occupy other townships without issue, but trying to seize Silver Creek would mean picking a fight with our superiors. And they’re not that stupid.”
“Your sect, the Blood Blade Sect?”
“I’m both a bailiff and a disciple of the Blood Blade Sect,” he replied with a booming laugh.
“I’m impressed. But may I ask, who’s above the Blood Blade Sect?”
“You don’t need to know that...” Cradling Wan’er in one arm and a cup in the other, Cai Ze went on, “This empire is really just the largest martial force under the heavens, and it was only the largest in the early days of its founding. Once the experts in the imperial capital can’t suppress the powers of the jianghu, and when famine, disasters, and chaos push the people past their limits, any major faction might rise up against the empire. But that’s got nothing to do with our Blood Blade Sect.
“The county magistrate and the captain serve the imperial court. Fighting to the death is their duty. And if common people don’t have a faction backing them, they have to defend themselves. Otherwise, when the Red Lotus Rebels sack the county, they’ll loot and burn everything in sight. But as for us, we don’t have to get involved. The empire has its laws, and the martial world has its rules. Each sect claims its own territory, a land within the land, a nation within a nation.