Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Chapter 399: 202, Hexi Prefecture (Please subscribe!)_2

After the establishment of Hexi Prefecture, the local influential forces throughout the territory could judge and approve themselves, only needing to submit to the Yongdu Main Altar from the Prefectural City, and then they would be able to issue the entry seals and enjoy the same treatment as the other local influential forces in Yongzhou."

As soon as Hou Yuduan's voice faded, the hall fell silent for a good ten breaths before erupting into a wave of cheers that rose and fell in succession.

"For the second option, Master Yue wholeheartedly approves!"

"Master Gao also agrees to establish Hexi Prefecture."

"Of course, it's about establishing Hexi Prefecture."

"I agree as well, establish Hexi Prefecture!"

...

For Hexi Prefecture, the Prefectural Governor would be elected by themselves, and all governance within the prefecture would also be decided by themselves. Aside from setting up the Prison Admin Department, as long as taxes were normal, the Holy Church would not intervene. Just these few conditions alone meant that anyone who didn't choose the second option must have had a problem with their brain.

"Good, just as I expected, everyone's views coincide with mine. It seems that establishing Hexi Prefecture is indeed what everyone wishes for.

However, you must all be aware that such generous treatment will surely not be given to us by the Holy Church for nothing!"

With that one sentence, Hou Yuduan immediately sobered everyone up quite a bit, as someone promptly asked aloud, "Fifth Young Master, please tell us, what exactly are the conditions? As long as we can establish Hexi Prefecture, as long as the conditions are not excessive, I think everyone should be able to agree."

"This is the third matter Mr. Hou wishes to speak of today!" Hou Yuduan slightly revealed a smile, extended three fingers, paused for a moment, looked down at the crowd, and inquired, "You should all be aware that the conflict between our Holy Church and Xuzhou is not yet over, right?"

Hou Yuduan distinctly felt that as soon as he finished speaking, the fervent atmosphere that had just filled the room immediately dipped.

Clearly, these people must have guessed what he was about to say next.

The condition that the Holy Church has allowed us to establish Hexi Prefecture is this: the Hou Clan at the forefront, together with all the local influential forces from the three counties, will form an army of twenty thousand warriors, marching out with the Holy Church's grand army to campaign in Xuzhou.

Additionally, all the money, grain, and supplies needed by this grand army will be our responsibility; the Holy Church won't be involved. In return, any territory we conquer on our own can later be brought under the jurisdiction of Hexi Prefecture, and the Holy Church will not interfere!"

Although Hou Yuduan's tone was somewhat uplifting, the expressions of the others in the room had already become somewhat ambiguous.

"An army of twenty thousand Martial Artists, all of whom must have completed at least five levels of body refinement. Out of the twenty-eight local influential forces, our two clans can gather at most four to five thousand people who have reached that level. It wouldn't be bad to send out half of them. Counting the Gao Family, our three families together could muster up six thousand people. That still leaves a shortfall of fourteen thousand. Let's say the Hou Clan, being slightly more powerful, contributes four thousand. The remaining ten thousand would be divided among the twenty-five third-level forces, with each needing to supply four hundred people. This might be somewhat difficult..."

Hearing Ke Jiangyun's voice transmission, Yue Wenzhu nodded slightly and similarly condensed a strand of True Qi, responding via voice transmission, "Even the top third-level forces have at most seven to eight hundred Martial Artists who have completed five levels of body refinement; ordinary ones have around five hundred, while the weaker ones might only have three to four hundred. We can hardly expect people to send all their elite disciples to the battlefield. A twenty-thousand-strong army, if forcefully cobbled together, would almost strip the three counties of all their able-bodied manpower..."

At this point, Yue Wenzhu suddenly stopped, hurriedly turning his head to share a glance with Ke Jiangyun. In each other's eyes, they saw a flicker of alarm.

Possibly, this could have been their intention all along...

"Since all of you just agreed to the second option, deciding to establish Hexi Prefecture, then this third matter can be carried out together..."

"Fifth Young Master, wait, having given it some more thought, we feel that merging into Xingnan Prefecture might not be such a bad idea after all."

"Right, right, right, there's no need to choose the second option.

"While Hexi Prefecture may sound prestigious, it might not actually bring much benefit. Merging into Xingnan Prefecture, perhaps, might not be so bad."

"Makes sense, makes sense, merging into Xingnan Prefecture seems like an option too..."

...

The voices of the crowd became lower and lower, as they all noticed the smile on Hou Yuduan's face on the high platform was slowly disappearing at a visible rate.

"So it seems that you all think merging into Xingnan Prefecture is better than establishing Hexi Prefecture. Mr. Hou will confirm once more, I advise you all to think clearly before you answer!"

This was the most threatening sentence Hou Yuduan had uttered all day, and he also released a hint of his Scholar Realm aura.

Feeling Hou Yuduan's formidable aura, those below who originally wanted to speak were frightened into silence. More people fully awoke to the realization that establishing Hexi Prefecture was in fact the only option presented by the Hou Clan.

Even if they wished to merge into Xingnan Prefecture, the Hou Clan would not permit it...

For a moment, the crowd exchanged glances, then, as if by unspoken consent, all their gazes settled on Yue Wenzhu, Ke Jiangyun, and Gao Haicheng at the very front.

At this moment, the only people who could remain calm under the intense pressure of Hou Yuduan's aura were these three. Or to put it another way, they were the only three clans with the courage and capability to dissent against the Hou Clan. The rest could only hope that these three powers would lead...

Little did they know that while everyone placed their hopes on these three clans, the pressure Yue Wenzhu and his peers felt at that moment was even greater than theirs.

Yue Wenzhu looked at Hou Yuduan, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Not to mention that the three clans united could face the Hou Clan squarely—even his Famed Sword Sect alone did not fear the Hou Clan. However, the problem was that today's banquet was organized under the pretext of the Holy Church's name. It was very possible that what Hou Yuduan was proposing was in fact the will of the Holy Church.