Chapter 725: Lord of Xaodou

The jukebox swallowed Ye Sangge's soul, and water gurgled incessantly inside its tank.

Li Li Banfeng rubbed the jukebox's belly: "Wife, what's wrong with you?"

"Your humble servant feels like vomiting—"

Gurgling!

A cloud of dust spewed from the horn—the jukebox truly vomited.

"Zhao Zhao Xiao Wan, what's going on?" Xiang Xiang Hongying asked anxiously. "Are you pregnant?"

The jukebox swayed its large horn: "This soul is strange."

Xiang Xiang Hongying scolded: "Zhao Zhao Xiao Wan, you're wrong here. Look closely—it's Ye Sangge's soul. Even the soul of the Founder of Joy Cultivation doesn't suit your taste. You're too picky."

"Do you think I don't recognize this is Ye Sangge? It's not that his soul is bad—it's mixed with something!" Halfway through, the wife vomited again.

Li Li Banfeng grew concerned: "Wife, what's mixed in? Is there poison in his soul?"

The jukebox waved its needle: "Husband, don't worry—it's just a mess of seasonings. Eating it won't harm you. Ye Sangge's soul is packed with oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar—he's no longer a living person; he's more like a first-class weapon."

"No wonder."

Li Li Banfeng recalled his battle with Ye Sangge: every order from Lan Qiao Yi raised Ye Sangge's combat intensity, his entire execution like a machine.

Thinking of Ye Sangge's appearance, he didn't look like a Joy Cultivator at all.

"Did Neizhou turn him into a shrimp?"

The jukebox swayed its large horn: "No. Ye Sangge founded Joy Cultivation, gained the Peddler's approval, and the Peddler gave him medicinal powder, making him the world's second Dao sect."

"But Ye Sangge felt Joy Cultivation was useless, constantly losing to other Dao sects, so later he also cultivated Transformation Body Cultivation and became a giant shrimp."

Li Li Banfeng thought carefully: "No wonder Ye Sangge's battle tactics are so obvious—he uses Joy Cultivation techniques to control, and Body Cultivation methods to fight. Is this the standard for high-level Joy Cultivators?"

The jukebox said: "High-level Joy Cultivators don't use this method. Joy Cultivation has powerful techniques too—it's just that Ye Sangge looked down on the sect he founded, took a wrong path, and ended up with low combat power, not even ranking as a leader among Joy Cultivators."

Xiang Xiang Hongying thought: "Individually, Ye Sangge is weak, but on the battlefield, he still has some ability. His techniques deploy quickly and cover wide areas. In our army, he earned many battle merits."

Li Li Banfeng froze: "Ye Sangge was in your army?"

Xiang Xiang Hongying nodded: "Ye Sangge was the first Dao sect founder to defect to the imperial court."

"The first to defect, earned so many battle merits, yet turned into a first-class weapon?" Li Li Banfeng lifted Ye Sangge's head and studied it for a moment.

The jukebox said: "When I ate his soul, your humble servant still heard him repeating one phrase."

"Which one?" Li Li Banfeng was curious too.

"He said: 'Your servant has fulfilled his duty.'"

Li Li Banfeng sighed: "Ye Sangge was this loyal? I must convey his loyalty to Old Lan Qiao."

After tidying up the corpse, Li Li Banfeng returned the jukebox and Xiang Xiang Hongying to his personal dwelling.

The jukebox still felt nauseous, so she rested in the second chamber; Xiang Xiang Hongying and Jiu'er prepared for battle in the main chamber, on guard for any threat.

Li Li Banfeng went to Did Honglian for another contract paper.

Did Honglian handed him one: "That kind of brutal contract is too hard to forge. This one is of inferior quality."

Li Li Banfeng didn't mind: "Inferior is fine. Let's see if Old Lan Qiao dares to try."

Leaving the personal dwelling, Li Li Banfeng carried the head out of the mansion.

At the mouth of the sixth street to the right lay a withered branch.

Beside the street stood a carpenter's workshop, its entrance stacked with two bricks. Li Li Banfeng walked in.

The workshop was large; the front hall held cabinets, chests, tea tables, and writing desks—all kinds of furniture.

Banfengzi stood by the wall, pointing to the back courtyard, where Lan Qiao Yi and Nian Nian Shangyou were both inside.

In the back courtyard stood a pond, beside which was a dragon-bone waterwheel.

Lan Qiao Yi feared Ye Sangge's failure and was seeking a backup plan.

He considered fleeing from Tianyi City, but the mechanism controlling Tianyi City was in Jin Jin Ruitang, where Li Qi and Ye Sangge were fighting—he and Nian Nian Shangyou couldn't enter and couldn't control the city.

The only remaining escape route was to team up with another first-class weapon against Li Li Banfeng.

This waterwheel was a first-class weapon placed by Xie Gong in Tianyi City. Nian Nian Shangyou helped install it but didn't know how to use it.

He had stood on it for a long time, turning its parts smoothly, drawing water from the pond.

After pumping water for a long while, the waterwheel showed no change. Lan Qiao Yi grew anxious; Nian Nian Shangyou was anxious too, but had no idea what to do.

"Lord, Master Xie ordered me to place this weapon here, but never taught me how to use it. I truly don't know how to operate this waterwheel."

"My lord, Senior Xie ordered me to station the weapons here, but he never told me how to use them—I truly don't know how to operate this waterwheel."

Nian Nian Shangyou panted heavily, his gills nearly flipping up: "Lord, I've given my all."

Lan Qiao Yi snapped: "You're a martial cultivator—can't you even muster this much strength?"

Li Li Banfeng said: "I doubt speed alone matters. Maybe if you step slower, when the water flow matches, the waterwheel will activate."

"How slow is right—" Lan Qiao Yi looked at Li Li Banfeng, lips pressed tight.

Nian Nian Shangyou glanced at Li Li Banfeng, then at the head in his hand, lowered his head, and kept stepping.

Li Li Banfeng waved to Nian Nian Shangyou: "Come down. Let's discuss how to step properly."

"Yes!" Nian Nian Shangyou stepped off the waterwheel, wiped sweat, and said to Li Li Banfeng: "Your Highness, this first-class weapon was sent by my master to you. We're testing it for you here—see if it works."

Li Li Banfeng praised: "Master Nian, I knew you were thorough. I knew you were loyal to your master."

Nian Nian Shangyou bowed quickly: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Li Banfeng lifted Ye Sangge's head and looked at Lan Qiao Yi: "He's loyal too. Even dead, he reminded you: 'Your servant has fulfilled his duty.'"

Lan Qiao Yi nodded: "He truly was loyal."

Li Li Banfeng's expression turned mournful: "I can't bear to lose such a loyal man. Why don't you go with him?"

Lan Qiao Yi's face grew sorrowful: "Your Highness, speak reasonably. If you can't bear to lose him, why should I be the one to go?"

"I can't bear to lose you either—so you two can go together!" Li Li Banfeng thought this logic was flawless.

Lan Qiao Yi fell silent for a moment, tears falling: "Your Highness, I can't bear to lose you either. I'd rather not go—"

Elder Lan Qiao Yi fell silent for a moment, tears falling: "Your Highness, I can't bear to part with you—I'd rather not go—"

"If you don't want to go, sign the contract!" Li Li Banfeng pulled out the contract paper—the judge's pen had already written the terms.

The contract had three stipulations:

First, the Shang State must never launch war against Pulu Province.

Second, the Shang State must never launch war against Xao City.

Third, the Prince of Prince Pingyuan may travel freely through the Shang State, without interference or harm.

After reading the three clauses, Lan Qiao Yi shook his head: "I am not a man without backbone. I will not sign this contract."

"Fine. Let me see your backbone." Li Li Banfeng drew his sickle.

Lan Qiao Yi drew his dagger, and while Li Li Banfeng hadn't risen, he pierced his finger and pressed his thumbprint.

Li Li Banfeng took the contract and called Nian Nian Shangyou over: "Master Nian, where exactly are we going now? Are we heading to Xaodou?"

"Yes—to Xaodou—" Nian Nian Shangyou lowered his head and answered softly.

Li Li Banfeng reminded him: "Why not go check Jin Jin Ruitang again? Don't make a mistake."

Nian Nian Shangyou nodded: "Your humble servant will go inspect immediately."

Nian Nian Shangyou had originally ordered Tianyi City to sail around the sea, then return to Chaoge.

Given the current situation, he dared not entertain other thoughts—he immediately redirected Tianyi City toward Xaodou.

Lan Qiao Yi pondered the contract's terms, sighing: "Your Highness, your cunning surpasses mine. I am humbled."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "Brother Lan Qiao, your plans are flawless. Why humble yourself? Three heads on one body—you outmaneuvered Xie Gong and Zhu Jin, and neither knew until death. That alone earns my admiration.

The altar was destroyed; everyone thought you were spent, near death—even the Waizhou were fooled. Had I not prepared the contract in advance and fought Ye Sangge to the death, today no one would have buried me. Isn't that true?"

The altar was destroyed; everyone thought you were drained of strength and near death, even the Waizhou were fooled—had I not prepared the contract thoroughly in advance, and then fought Night Ye Shengge to the death, no one would've been left to bury me today. Isn't that the truth?

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Brother Lan Qiao, are you especially regretful? If only you'd brought a stronger first-class weapon—"

"You'd have won outright."

Lan Qiao Yi sighed deeply: "Finding a first-class weapon that obeys only me, not my two brothers, was already impossible. How could I demand more power? In this world, nothing is ever perfect."

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "True. It seems you've had many hardships."

Lan Qiao Yi sighed: "There's hardship now—I must vent to Your Highness. My body has changed. If anyone discovers the truth, I can no longer serve as Chief Cabinet Minister. All my promises to you would be void."

"Brother Lan Qiao speaks wisely," Li Li Banfeng said with a considerate smile. "So keep your transformation secret. If anyone finds out, you must still hold onto your position as Chief Cabinet Minister. If you lose it, prepare your affairs well—don't end up with no one to bury you."

Lan Qiao Yi looked helpless: "Your Highness's contract terms are flawless—too harsh for me. If I strictly abide, I cannot hold this position."

Li Li Banfeng walked to the pond, touched the dragon-bone waterwheel: "Brother Lan Qiao, didn't I just tell you? Don't be modest. Every contract in this world has loopholes. If you can't exploit them, you'd never have reached Chief Cabinet Minister.

How you exploit them depends on your skill and courage. We have time. We'll keep trading moves.

Slowly, we'll outmaneuver each other.

But remember one thing: when doing business in Pulu Province, you need capital. When you profit, laugh. When you lose, don't cry."

Lan Qiao Yi looked up and sighed: "In this deal, I've lost."

Li Li Banfeng lowered his gaze, watching Lan Qiao Yi: "Don't pretend you didn't win. You were meant to die at your brothers' blades. Now you're alive, rid of two burdens, free to act without oversight—you've won big. Still calling yourself a loser?"

Lan Qiao Yi said: "The one who won the most should be the Prince, wouldn't you say?"

Li Li Banfeng paused: "Say that again. I didn't hear clearly."

Lan Qiao Yi softened his tone: "Your Highness, forgive me, I meant—"

"I wasn't speaking to you," Li Li Banfeng raised a hand, silencing him. "Say it slower."

Lan Qiao Yi didn't understand—there was no one else here.

Li Li Banfeng said: "Go to the outer room. Bring me the bucket from the second shelf."

Li Li Banfeng said: "Go to the outer room and bring me the bucket from the second shelf."

Lan Qiao Yi said: "Your Highness is speaking to me?"

Li Li Banfeng frowned: "Is there anyone else here?"

Lan Qiao Yi went to the outer room and brought back a wooden bucket.

Li Li Banfeng told Lan Qiao Yi to place the bucket at the water channel's outlet, then stepped onto the waterwheel himself to begin drawing water.

Soon, the bucket filled; Li Li Banfeng ordered Lan Qiao Yi to pour the water into the storage vat.

Lan Qiao Yi had never done such coarse labor, and having just transformed from a three-headed being into a single-headed one, he staggered under the weight of the bucket.

He poured it into the vat.

Just as he was about to catch his breath, Li Li Banfeng called out: "Quick, bring back the bucket."

Lan Qiao Yi returned the bucket; Li Li Banfeng drew another bucket and ordered Lan Qiao Yi to pour it into the vat.

They repeated this process eighteen times; Lan Qiao Yi grew so exhausted his face turned blue, and Li Li Banfeng nodded: "That's enough."

Lan Qiao Yi asked: "What's enough?"

Li Li Banfeng stepped off the waterwheel and waited a moment, as the dragon-bone waterwheel creaked and groaned.

The waterwheel became its body, the dragon bones became arms, the channel became one leg, and the treadles became two feet—the dragon-bone waterwheel stood up.

This was a Class One weapon!

But why would Li Qi use it?

The dragon-bone waterwheel bowed its body toward Li Qi, awaiting his command.

Lan Qiao Yi was even more confused: this was a Class One weapon brought from Chaoge—why would it obey Li Qi?

"We've made a good profit this time," Li Qi instructed the waterwheel. "Watch Old Lan Qiao!"

The waterwheel moved closer, looking down at Lan Qiao Yi.

Lan Qiao Yi dared not move.

Li Li Banfeng left the carpentry workshop to study with Nian Nian Shangyou how to operate Tianyi City.

Tianyi City was indeed swift; within half a day they reached Xiaodu. Under Li Li Banfeng's control, Tianyi City opened its mouth, and the three entered Xiaodu together.

Like Chaoge and Haocheng, Xiaocheng had nine gates.

Li Li Banfeng asked Lan Qiao Yi: "What special significance do the nine gates hold?"

Lan Qiao Yi replied simply: "It's ancestral custom—every Shang capital must be built according to ancestral law."

This construction pattern was too complex for Li Li Banfeng to believe it was merely ancestral custom.

Before entering the city, Li Li Banfeng feared Lan Qiao Yi might be recognized, so he smeared Lan Qiao Yi and Nian Nian Shangyou's faces with mud from the bottom of a pond.

Nian Nian Shangyou didn't mind—he actually liked the taste.

Lan Qiao Yi suffered; the foul stench of the mud made him nauseous.

But once inside the city, Li Li Banfeng realized he'd overestimated the risk.

Though Xiaocheng was an old capital, the city was far from desolate.

Haocheng had altars—the foundation of Shang ritual law.

Xiaocheng stood at a transportation hub—the foundation of Shang commerce.

Behind the first gate lay nothing but factories.

Behind the second gate lay nothing but workshops.

The layout of these two gates matched Chaoge almost exactly.

Beyond the third gate, the layout changed.

In Chaoge, the third gate held taverns and restaurants; in Xiaocheng, it held rows upon rows of shops selling clothing and cloth,

furniture and décor, gold and silver jewelry, ceramics and paintings, gears and springs, herbs and tonics—anything you could imagine.

The streets teemed with people, shoulders brushing, none paying attention to Lan Qiao Yi or Nian Nian Shangyou.

Li Li Banfeng was quite pleased with Xiaocheng: "Now this looks like a real city. I thought you'd left me another empty town."

Nian Nian Shangyou smiled humbly: "Since we had an agreement, my master naturally wouldn't break his word."

Lan Qiao Yi clenched his teeth and said nothing.

It wasn't that he wanted to break his word—it was because this was Xie Gong's doing, not Lan Qiao Yi's arrangement.

Xie Gong never intended for Li Qi to reach Xiaodu alive, so he never planned to empty Xiaocheng.

Even if Lan Qiao Yi had been in charge, he couldn't have emptied Xiaocheng in such a short time—it was Shang's commercial center, with a population exceeding Haocheng and only slightly less than Chaoge. How could so many people be removed so easily?

Still, Lan Qiao Yi wasn't overly concerned. Xiaocheng held high status in Shang; even if the imperial court issued an edict, Li Qi would struggle to establish himself here.

If he chose to retreat, he'd be lucky. If he persisted, Xiaocheng might become his grave.

Li Li Banfeng walked as Nian Nian Shangyou explained.

The fourth gate held many guild halls—places for negotiating major deals, where goods like coal,

stone, and timber couldn't be displayed in Xiaocheng; deals were sealed in the halls without ever seeing the merchandise.

The fifth gate housed the city's scholar-officials.

The sixth gate housed ministers and Physician.

The seventh and eighth gates held various government offices; the ninth gate was the former imperial palace grounds.

Xiaocheng had once been the capital, so it had an imperial palace—but no one lived there permanently; only staff were assigned to clean it regularly.

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Where does the governor of Xiaocheng live? Is there no marquis's mansion here?"

Nian Nian Shangyou shook his head: "Xiaocheng has no governor, no dukes or marquises—it's directly governed by Chaoge."

That meant Xiaocheng had never been granted as a fief.

"But you can't leave everything to Chaoge to handle."

Nian Nian Shangyou replied: "There are two ministers here—Yu Yu Yunqiu and Ao Ao Shuangqian. Minor matters are handled by them, jointly with over thirty other ministers."

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Where are my three Class One weapons?"

Nian Nian Shangyou said: "All three are in the imperial palace. I'll take Your Highness to inspect them."

"That can wait. How many scholar-officials are in Xiaocheng?"

Nian Nian Shangyou estimated: "About ten thousand."

"What about commoners?"

Nian Nian Shangyou thought for a long while: "Over three hundred thousand."

"How many slaves?"

Nian Nian Shangyou truly didn't know—who cared about slave numbers?

After long thought, he answered: "Several million."

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "Truly a great city. Go summon all these people to the imperial palace."

Nian Nian Shangyou froze, confused by Li Li Banfeng's meaning.

Li Li Banfeng said: "Hurry up—getting so many people won't be easy."

Nian Nian Shangyou said: "Indeed, it won't be easy. I lack the means to do it."

Li Li Banfeng smiled: "You're just as humble as your master. As Grand Secretary Nian, arriving in Xiaocheng, wouldn't every minister owe you a favor? Wouldn't every office obey your orders? Have them help you get it done." Nian Nian Shangyou glanced at Lan Qiao Yi.

Lan Qiao Yi asked Li Li Banfeng: "Your Highness, what is your purpose in this?"

Li Li Banfeng frowned: "What purpose? I've come to take up my post here—shouldn't others know? Shouldn't there be an inauguration ceremony? Otherwise, who will recognize me as governor?"

Nian Nian Shangyou thought a moment: "Informing the ministers will suffice."

Li Li Banfeng refused: "Am I only the governor of ministers? Don't commoners, peasants, and slaves fall under my rule?"

Nian Nian Shangyou opened his mouth to argue further, but Li Li Banfeng waved him off: "Enough talk—go do it!"

Nian Nian Shangyou looked at Lan Qiao Yi. Lan Qiao Yi had no reply. Reluctantly, Nian Nian Shangyou hurried through the city to notify everyone. Li Li Banfeng and Lan Qiao Yi wandered the imperial palace. Though an old capital, its grandeur remained—over a hundred palaces, ten thousand rooms.

After half a day, Nian Nian Shangyou returned: "The ministers, scholars, and commoners will arrive shortly.

Slaves can manage at most thirty percent."

Li Li Banfeng was dissatisfied: "Thirty percent is too few."

Nian Nian Shangyou shook his head: "Your Highness, thirty percent is already too many—there isn't enough room in the palace for them all."

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "Have these people come first. Prepare the ceremony—also ready the imperial edict and the official seal."

Nian Nian Shangyou hurried off. There wasn't time for a complex ceremony; he could only hastily arrange simple music and rites.

When everyone gathered, the courtyard before the great hall was packed. Ministers stood at the front, scholars behind them, commoners lined the outer walls of the palace, and slaves filled the eighth gate.

Lan Qiao Yi stood on the pavilion, gazing at the sea of people below, thinking Li Qi's actions were absurd.

What good was this spectacle? You stand alone before the hall reading the edict—what else is it but a farce?

Li Li Banfeng had no intention of reading the edict himself.

He ordered Li Banfeng Bing and Li Banfeng Chou to pose as guards and open the great hall's doors—but he himself did not step out.

The projector displayed images of Lan Qiao Yi, Xie Gong, and Zhu Jin, slowly walking out of the great hall.

Real Lan Qiao Yi watched from the pavilion, stunned: "Is this illusion? What is he trying to do?"

Nian Nian Shangyou beside him trembled with his eight whiskers, unable to offer any explanation.

The projector's images were utterly lifelike; no one in the crowd could detect a flaw, and none dared to stare directly at Lan Qiao Yi.

The image of "Lan Qiao Yi" stopped before the great hall and began reading the edict:

"Prince Prince Pingyuan, virtuous and talented, loyal and fearless. His contributions to national stability and the prosperity of the state are extraordinary, his achievements illustrious. We hereby bestow upon Prince Prince Pingyuan the territory of Xiaocheng, to honor his merit and magnify his glory.

Xiaocheng's fertile lands stretch a thousand li; its mountains and rivers are majestic—a land blessed by heaven. May Prince Prince Pingyuan uphold loyalty and righteousness, love his people as his children, govern diligently, defend the borders, and ensure the people live in peace and prosperity, sharing in the blessings of eternal peace."

Each word rang out, thunderous—clearly audible even in the first gate.

Where did such noise come from?

The projector has no such ability; this is a technique Li Li Banfeng borrowed from his wife using the methods of the Deep Courtyard.

All present erupted in shock.

When Nian Nian Shangyou informed them, they still did not believe the imperial court would really cede Xao City, let alone give it to a commoner from Like Puluozhou.

Now they had to believe it—this was an edict personally read by Grand Secretary Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi.

"Where does this leave me? I shall bear eternal infamy!" True Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi's eyes were bloodshot as he lunged toward the pavilion to make things clear.

Nian Nian Shangyou blocked Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi: "Lord, you must not!"

Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi cannot go out.

A Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi with only one head cannot yet be seen by others.

This is a silent loss!

He must swallow it, whether he likes it or not!

Li Li Banfeng stepped out of the grand hall and took the edict from "Lan Qiao Song Zhiyi's" hands.

Under the projector's glow, Li Li Banfeng wore a sapphire brocade robe, a golden silk spider-patterned belt around his waist, and a jade-inlaid gold crown—his own design of a Prince's appearance, modeled after a sunflower seed.

Standing before the grand hall's entrance, Li Li Banfeng spoke two sentences:

"From this day forward, I am the Lord of Xao City!"

"From this day forward, Xao City abolishes the slave system!"

PS: Li Banfeng, you just don't understand the principle of gradual progress!