Chapter 615 – Shangyang County? My (Five)
Feng Zhen wore an expression that screamed apathy.
“If I believe this black-hearted guy again, I might as well have left my brain at home.”
In response to Feng Zhen’s sarcastic remark, Wei Ci chuckled in silence.
With the shifting power dynamics in Shangyang County, aside from the Feng Clan, all other noble families were itching to make a move.
Why is that?
It’s clear as day that Jiang Pengji is currently short on hands, especially capable ones.
Given the current difficulties in education, most scholars come from noble backgrounds. In other words, if Jiang Pengji wants to gather talented individuals, she’ll undoubtedly have to pick from these clans, giving them a golden opportunity to meddle in Shangyang County’s governance.
As long as they seize most of the power, Shangyang County will still belong to them, not that outsider Jiang Pengji.
In many households, similar conversations echoed, all centering around Jiang Pengji.
“That Liu Xi is just a mischievous child. How can we possibly obey his orders? What a pipe dream! If Liu Zhi took the lead, I might consider it, but his son? Hmph, just a wet-behind-the-ears brat. Does he really think he can do whatever he wants just because he has a few soldiers?”
These nobles completely failed to understand what had gotten into the Feng Clan, to actually hand over the vast Shangyang County, as if they were under some spell or curse… Regardless, this was their chance to step up; who wouldn’t want to move up a notch?
The Feng Clan made a blunder, but they wouldn’t.
One person chimed in, “The master speaks true. Liu Xi is still quite young, naive in both action and thought. It’s a grave mistake for the Feng Clan to entrust Shangyang County to someone like him. With the meager manpower he has, how could he possibly govern two counties?”
In the end, if things get chaotic, won’t he still be forced to gather talented individuals to fortify his ranks?
Taking advantage of this opportunity, they might just reverse the roles and outmaneuver Liu Xi.
Not to mention Shangyang County, they could very well end up taking the territory Liu Xi had previously established in Fengyi County too.
Many noble families harbored such thoughts. Previously, they were oppressed under the weight of the Feng Clan; now that a young and inexperienced brat was in charge, did they think they wouldn’t have a chance? With Liu Zhi not around, they weren’t worried about being unable to handle a mere child.
One by one, they anxiously awaited, anticipating Jiang Pengji’s staff shortages to finally give in and seek their assistance.
At that point, it would be the perfect opportunity for these nobles to showcase their talents.
Feng Gui, hailing from a prominent noble family, had seen his fair share of these scheming tactics and was worried that Jiang Pengji might not grasp the situation in Shangyang County. He offered a kind reminder.
While he wouldn’t pledge allegiance to Jiang Pengji, offering a word of caution was harmless.
Feng Gui did not lay it all out too bluntly but simply hinted.
“After this phase, many nobles will be sending tribute to Lan Ting…”
Jiang Pengji replied, “I’m so busy I don’t even have time to sleep. Who’s so foolish as to send me tribute?”
Even if they did send it, she wouldn’t have the leisure to attend.
Feng Gui chuckled, “Lan Ting is, after all, a person of Hejian and not a local noble of Shangyang County. Now that you have taken charge, although you don’t hold the title of governor, you certainly have the governing power. To manage an entire county, you must place your own confidants in positions… But, doing so will inevitably tread on the interests of those local nobles, so it’s normal for them to seek you out for information…”
If Jiang Pengji never made an appearance, it would create unease in people’s hearts, leading to unexpected troubles.
Feng Gui continued, “I say this just to give you a heads-up, so you won’t stumble later on.”
The Feng Clan relinquished Shangyang County, but that doesn’t mean Jiang Pengji has fully conquered the place. She still needed to untangle the intricate network of interests among the local nobles. If she mishandled it and angered them, they might resort to violent non-cooperation, meaning no one would manage the county’s affairs. Even if she took just half a day off, it could lead to unrest, so she should be prepared mentally.
The audience, following the drama, began to feel confused. Why was Feng Gui speaking so mysteriously? What riddle was he hinting at?
【Today’s Movie】: Can someone in the live stream explain what Feng Gui is saying? I can’t understand it at all! Is there something wrong with my IQ? Even if I don’t get their conversation, I can sense a storm brewing…
【Wonder Woman】: Why do I feel like Feng Gui’s statements make perfect sense? In simpler terms, the host is an outsider in the dragon’s den of Shangyang County, and aside from the Feng Clan, there are still a lot of influential figures. If she doesn’t manage them well, she could be in for trouble… I think Feng Gui is just cautioning the host about this.
In their time, Shangyang County should be considered one of the leading cities.
In such a place, even a minor official could wring out a hefty fortune.
【Trench Assault】: True, the local nobles are quite a hassle. They’ve been in Shangyang County for years, and for an outsider to seize complete control over it, she’ll definitely need to place her own people in key positions. That means those local nobles will have to concede their rights and benefits. Stealing from them is as bad as killing their parents, let alone their power over family development.
【Wanru】: No way, is it that complicated? But why didn’t the host face these issues when conquering Fengyi County?
【Anti-Japanese Ghost Buster】: Did you forget? In Fengyi County, the four counties—Maolin, Xiangyang, Jiao Ping, and Cheng’an—who wasn’t ravaged by the Green Garment Army? The wealthiest, besides local gentry, were the nobles, and since the Green Garment Army bandits raided them, who else would they target?
It’s because the Green Garment Army had already wiped out those nobles that when Jiang Pengji rebuilt Fengyi County, she faced no resistance.
Shangyang County is different; the noble factions are still very much intact.
If Jiang Pengji dares to touch their interests, conflict is bound to arise.
Unless… Jiang Pengji is willing to stand in the same trench as them.
【The Protagonist is So Cool】: So you’re saying the Green Garment Army isn’t useless; they helped the host deal with the local powers? What should she do now? Maybe she should test their bottom line first; if they can be placated, then feign cooperation.
If Jiang Pengji isn’t one for compromises, the audience’s advice could have been her best shot.
Feng Gui dropping this information actually served to subtly hint at how tricky the local nobles are, urging her not to clash with them head-on.
Too bad, Jiang Pengji was never one to yield easily, let alone be threatened.
If these noble families could behave themselves, she wouldn’t touch them, but if they misbehave… Heh!
After a moment of contemplation, she said, “Thank you for letting me know about this, Huizhang… I already have a plan in mind, and I’ll discuss it further with a few gentlemen later.”
Feng Gui nodded, and the two tacitly moved on from the subject as if they had never discussed it.
Turning back, Jiang Pengji called Feng Jin and the others for a small meeting.
