Ye Jingyu said no more nonsense; since the Third Young Master had arranged everything for them, they would simply follow his instructions… However, having his hand held by an eunuch felt inherently awkward, but knowing he would have to deal with these palace officials sooner or later, he forced himself to cast aside that slight discomfort… Heading east from the city gate, after about fifteen minutes of travel, they arrived at a sprawling farm estate. The surroundings were filled with rice paddies, bisected by a broad avenue wide enough for eight horses to gallop abreast.

Lush green willows lined both sides, emanating a deep, rustic countryside scent… Crossing the avenue led them to a grand manor, where Luo Ruofeng, clad in robes of pristine white silk, was personally waiting at the entrance with a group of people to welcome Ye Jingyu and his entourage… Seeing such a reception, even though Ye Jingyu knew it was merely a tactic by Luo Ruofeng to win loyalty, his heart was still moved. To completely set aside his stature to welcome guests as a host—this alone spoke volumes of his character… “Brother Ye, it has been several days since we last parted.

I have missed you dearly…” Spotting Ye Jingyu from a distance, Luo Ruofeng approached with a warm smile, greeting them loudly as he advanced toward Ye Jingyu’s party… “The Young Master is too kind. Jingyu is merely an obscure outsider from the wild fringes; how can the Young Master personally greet me?

This does Jingyu a disservice!” Ye Jingyu swiftly dismounted, his voice brimming with genuine emotion… The others also dismounted, though being Northern Wilderness barbarians, they held no concept of a ‘Young Master.’ Xiao Tao Tao, in particular, seemed oblivious, her bright green eyes fixed firmly on the hindquarters of a fine steed, seemingly contemplating where best to take a bite… “Haha, Brother Ye, you are being too modest. We are brothers now; such formalities are unnecessary.

Come, come, let us inspect your lodgings. If they do not please you, I shall have new ones prepared immediately…” Luo Ruofeng smiled gently, moving forward to take Ye Jingyu’s hand.

He then politely nodded to Chi Yixiu and the others before leading Ye Jingyu into the manor grounds… Chi Yixiu and the rest naturally said nothing. They would do as Ye Jingyu instructed and remain still when he did not.

As for Xiao Muzi, he had already darted ahead to scout the path… Dan Yun Estate covered over three hundred mu, with more than a hundred mu dedicated to farmland and supporting over fifty tenant families. In scale, it was smaller than the former Ye Family Estate.

Yet, possessing such a large private farm in the valuable real estate of Yun Jing city was a testament to Luo Ruofeng’s capability… While the manor’s decorations were not excessively opulent, they were certainly far from plain. The floors were paved with bluestone, interspersed with rare flora, masterfully carved rockeries, wooden pavilions, elegant waterside galleries, and towers—every comfort was present.

Furthermore, dozens of graceful maids were assigned to the residence; to live here was undeniably a great luxury… This alone demonstrated the high regard Luo Ruofeng held for Ye Jingyu… Upon entering the main hall, maids had already prepared the finest Tieguanyin tea and fresh fruit. Luo Ruofeng invited Ye Jingyu to sit beside him, then said congenially, “Currently, the city of Yun Jing is riddled with the eyes and ears of your royal brothers.

It would be too conspicuous for the warriors to enter the city rashly. I propose we arrange for them to stay here temporarily while you accompany me into the city.

What say you, Brother Ye?” “The Young Master’s foresight is meticulous; we shall follow your plan,” Ye Jingyu replied calmly, lifting a cup of Tieguanyin and taking a slow sip… “That is excellent. This estate is not excessively large, nor is it small, but it can comfortably house several hundred people.

With the grain in the storehouses and the pigs and sheep in the rear courtyards, there is enough provision for the heroes for three months. If they wish to venture into the city, they can do so in batches,” Luo Ruofeng continued smoothly… “The Young Master need not concern himself with them; as long as they have meat to eat and wine to drink, that is sufficient.

Xiu, you will remain here to oversee the brothers. Qi, you and Meng will accompany me into the city,” Ye Jingyu instructed… Hu Yanqi was different from the other Northern Wilderness people; he was astute and exceptionally quick-witted, having offered Ye Jingyu many valuable insights during the journey—nothing like an ignorant savage.

Moreover, at one meter eighty, while taller than most, he was not conspicuously tall, making him the best choice to stay close. As for Hu Yanmeng, well… to have such a beautiful woman not by his side—how could he possibly justify that to himself… “Yes…” Chi Yixiu, Hu Yanqi, and Hu Yanmeng all responded in unison… Chi Yixiu obeyed because he had received the tribal chief’s command before setting out: defer entirely to Ye Jingyu.

Hu Yanqi and Hu Yanmeng considered Ye Jingyu their savior for rescuing the Hu Yan tribe and were sincerely his bondsmen… Seeing Ye Jingyu arrange the remaining personnel so swiftly, Luo Ruofeng nodded lightly… Then, he proceeded to brief Ye Jingyu on the current political climate in Yun Jing… Not long ago, the Shu Yun Kingdom endured an internal upheaval. Although this seemed to inflict tremendous damage, it actually served to completely unify the previously fragmented kingdom, greatly boosting its national strength.

Luo Xiaofeng, energized, was preparing to enact a grand reform across Shu Yun… The focus of this reform was the bureaucracy. The small nation of Shu Yun, with its population of just over five million, hosted hundreds of thousands of civil and military officials—an almost unimaginable figure, meaning nearly one official for every fifty citizens.

This was clearly an unsustainable structure. Countless officials were incompetent men who attained their positions through familial connections, using court salaries to pursue personal agendas.

This imbalance had long drawn Luo Xiaofeng’s dissatisfaction, but his primary obstacle had always been the Three Great Sects. Now that those sects were eradicated, he intended to address the corrupt officials… Consequently, the entirety of Yun Jing was gripped by anxiety.

Every prominent family worried about the erosion of their power, constantly communicating amongst themselves and showering the Empress and Young Masters in the palace with gifts, hoping to safeguard their inherited influence… Conversely, many talented individuals lacking strong backing, who previously felt their skills were wasted, now saw a resurgence of hope for their future given the Sovereign’s new direction. Yun Jing had practically become a magnet for all the elite talent across the entire Shu Yun Kingdom… They yearned for the Sovereign’s recognition, eager to display their capabilities to the world… Among these hopefuls were scholars of profound erudition, martial masters of formidable cultivation, Grandmasters, and even Soul Masters whose power was truly extraordinary.

The several Young Masters of Shu Yun had already begun their subtle campaigns, vying fiercely to recruit these promising individuals…