Chapter 56: Chen Shuyao’s Decision, The Distribution of the Gains
At dawn, the elders who had been sent out to exterminate the clans returned one after another.
What surprised Li Xingge was that Chen Family Head Chen Shuyao had actually also returned to Qingfeng Valley with his men.
The moment Chen Shuyao saw Li Xingge, he respectfully cupped his fists and bowed.
“Chen Shuyao of the Chen family greets Family Head Li.”
Li Xingge raised a brow and said with a smile, “Family Head Chen, you are too courteous. Speaking of which, my Li Clan still owes you thanks. If you had not come to tip us off, my Li Clan would have been caught completely off guard by them.”
Chen Shuyao did not dare claim the credit and hurriedly replied, “With Family Head Li’s peerless might, Song Zhong and the others were nothing more than jumping clowns in your eyes.”
Li Xingge burst into hearty laughter.
The other elders were grinning from ear to ear as well.
After all, who did not enjoy hearing flattery?
“Family Head Chen, your assistance in this matter rendered immense service to my Li Clan. My Li Clan is a family that knows how to repay kindness. Of the gains obtained from wiping out the four families, Family Head Chen may take one-tenth.”
Li Xingge said with a smile.
Hearing those words, Chen Shuyao was thrilled beyond measure.
He had gambled correctly.
A tremendous risk had brought a rich return.
A tenth of the assets of the four great families was enough to raise the Chen family’s strength to a new level.
But he was still not satisfied.
He wanted to gamble on something even greater.
Then Chen Shuyao said, “Family Head Li, I have one more presumptuous request.”
Hearing that, a trace of displeasure arose in Li Xingge’s heart.
Could it be that Chen Shuyao was insatiably greedy?
Yet his expression remained calm as he said, “No matter. Family Head Chen, speak.”
But what Chen Shuyao said next left Li Xingge and the Li Clan elders all stunned.
“I, Chen, have long admired Family Head Li’s bearing. Now that I have had the fortune to meet you today, I find you even more astonishing than the rumors claim. I am willing to bring the Chen family under Family Head Li’s command and serve you loyally before horse and after saddle!”
A dignified Qi-Blood Realm family was actually volunteering to become his vassal?
Only after a long pause did Li Xingge recover from the shock. His face turned serious as he said, “Family Head Chen, are you joking?”
Chen Shuyao hurriedly shook his head. “How would I dare joke with Family Head Li? I only ask that Family Head Li grant this request.”
Li Xingge’s tone turned solemn.
“Family Head Chen, have you thought this through? If you become a vassal of my Li Clan, then you must obey my Li Clan’s orders unconditionally and may never betray us. Should you violate this, you will die, and your clan will be exterminated!”
Chen Shuyao did not hesitate in the slightest. Bowing deeply with cupped fists, he said, “Chen will never regret this. If I betray you, may heaven strike me down and earth destroy me.”
Li Xingge laughed and clapped his hands, saying “Good” three times in succession.
He walked to Chen Shuyao’s side and helped him up.
“Family Head Chen, as the saying goes, one who understands the times is a true hero. I believe you will never regret the decision you made today.”
Chen Shuyao’s face lit up with joy. He bowed three times with cupped fists, and after the third bow, he said with a solemn expression, “Chen Shuyao greets Patriarch.”
This was a decision he had reached only after repeated deliberation.
Now that the Li Clan had swept away the four great families, it had already taken on the air of a single overwhelming power.
In the future, it might not tolerate any family that had failed to submit.
With the Chen family’s strength, standing against the Li Clan would be no different from a moth throwing itself into the flame.
But if he took the initiative to become a vassal of the Li Clan, then he would be embracing Li Xingge’s thigh. He believed Li Xingge’s future would never end here, and that he and the Chen family behind him would surely be able to ride Li Xingge’s east wind and soar upward.
After the two chatted a while longer, Chen Shuyao finally took his leave.
The Li Clan had no time to rest either. The destruction of the four great families had brought immense gains, and the Li Clan needed to count, organize, and classify everything properly.
The next day,
the Li Clan’s Council of Elders convened in the council hall. Aside from the Sixth Elder, Li Yanzhao, whose injuries were too severe for him to attend, the other five elders were all present.
After the usual courtesies, the meeting officially began.
The Grand Elder spoke first.
“Family Head, elders, the full tally of the gains from destroying the four great families, as well as the casualties we suffered, has now been completed.”
“After the clan’s careful inventory, our gains from destroying the four great families are as follows: fifty thousand taels of gold, seven Yellow-Grade high-level cultivation arts and martial techniques, twenty-three Yellow-Grade mid-level cultivation arts and martial techniques, and one hundred and twenty-seven Yellow-Grade low-level cultivation arts and martial techniques.”
“We also gained eight mines, including two large iron mines and one medium-sized gold mine.”
“We gained three marketplaces, two hundred and seventeen shops, and other immovable assets worth roughly sixty thousand taels of gold in total.”
After hearing this, the elders all drew in sharp breaths.
This single confiscation from the four families was enough to multiply the Li Clan’s assets severalfold.
The Li Clan’s strength would expand at a terrifying pace.
After listening, Li Xingge pondered for a while before issuing his order.
“As for the mines, marketplaces, shops, and the like, anything that my Li Clan can take over, we will take over in full. Anything we cannot take over, all of it will be sold off.”
“As for the cultivation arts and martial techniques, a Clan Martial Pavilion will be established within the clan grounds. All of them will be placed inside it for the clan members to cultivate.”
“Do any of you have objections?”
“Family Head, your arrangements are thoughtful in every regard. We all agree.”
The five elders answered in one voice.
Seeing that none of the five elders objected, Li Xingge said, “Grand Elder, continue.”
The Grand Elder nodded and went on.
“Now that I have spoken of the gains, let me speak of the casualties. In this great battle, my Li Clan lost two Physical Body Realm cultivators and sixty-seven Body Tempering Realm cultivators. Thirty-one others were crippled.”
At once, everyone’s expression grew incomparably heavy.
Those fine sons of the Li Clan had now become nothing more than cold numbers.
Li Xingge sighed and said, “The families of those clansmen who fell in battle shall be given double compensation. If there are elderly, weak, women, or children among their families, the clan will support them all. As for those clansmen who were crippled, proper arrangements must be made for their future. We cannot allow the hearts of our clansmen to grow cold!”
“In addition, every person who participated in this battle shall be rewarded with ten taels of gold, and their cultivation resources for this month shall be multiplied fivefold!”
“Family Head is wise!”
The Grand Elder then continued.
“Among our vassal families, the Hao family lost one Physical Body Realm cultivator and eleven Body Tempering Realm cultivators.”
“The Jiang family lost one Physical Body Realm cultivator and seventeen Body Tempering Realm cultivators.”
“The Chen family lost one Physical Body Realm cultivator and twenty-seven Body Tempering Realm cultivators.”
After hearing this, the Third Elder, Li Xuanyong—who was usually stingy beyond compare—unexpectedly took the initiative to speak.
“Family Head, the three great families fought and bled for my Li Clan and suffered grievous losses. My Li Clan must reward them generously. Only then can we steady their hearts.”
The other elders also voiced their agreement.
After all, the losses they had suffered had cut straight to the bone. If they were not heavily rewarded, then next time they might not necessarily be so willing to risk their lives for the Li Clan.
Li Xingge naturally understood this as well. When it came to his subordinates, he had no intention of treating them unfairly.
“The Chen family rendered the greatest service this time, so we shall do as I previously said. As for the Hao and Jiang families, the elders may discuss the matter among yourselves and submit the final proposal to me. Make sure both families are satisfied.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“And what of the Zheng family?”
the Grand Elder asked again.
“As for the Zheng family...”
Li Xingge pinched the bridge of his nose and said with some pain, “Thirty percent of this operation’s gains shall be given to the Zheng family.”
If Zheng Lingjun had not launched that surprise strike against Song Zhong, Li Xingge would not have found it so easy to kill him.
And if Song Zhong had escaped, then the thought of having a Minor Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm enemy with no more worries left behind made Li Xingge’s scalp go numb just imagining it.
Although the Zheng family had not asked for compensation, if they did not ask, that did not mean he could afford to be ignorant of proper conduct.
The Third Elder instinctively wanted to object, but in the end he chose to remain silent.
After that, the meeting passed several more new clan policies in succession.
Only in the afternoon was this Council of Elders meeting finally brought to a close.