Chapter 4 : Planning after checking the situation
While a path to join Shrek/ Tang san is also a way for me to raise, unfortunately, it is not possible to do so with my talent and circumstances.
To change my fate, I need to start now rather than wait for some many years for Tang san to come and piggyback on him. Even then, it is almost impossible considering I can't even enter Shrek with my talent.
Besides, I have an advantage in raising my status through Dai Weisi. I have a clear background being born in an orphanage funded by empire. Even being a servant of his mansion.
Of course, this same advantage exists with joining the second prince Dai Huo or third prince Dai Mubai. But they are simply too disadvantaged.
One Dai Huo is the son of the emperor's second wife, a civilian cultivar who rose to a food type soul saint. Everyone knows a food type soul master at her cultivation can run an army. Obviously, the Emperor tied her to the Star Luo empire by marrying her.
So, marriage= Sex= Child.
But the fact remains the second prince's support is only from his single mother, who might be powerful but can't surpass the old family like the Zhu family supporting Dai Weisi.
It would take a complete fool to back Dai Mubai at this point. Even Dai Mubai's mother is supporting his full-blooded brother, Dai Weisi fully.
At best Zhu family, led by their mother, the empress will be neutral towards any conflict for the throne between him and Dai Weisi.
The fact remains Dai Weisi is the oldest and, just by that virtue, already amassed support of many nobles.
[ Supporter list
Dai Weisi = Zhu family, most of the older noble families.
Dai Huo = Mother [ a civilian food type soul saint], a large array of civilian soul masters, a part of military officials.
Dai Mubai= Zhu family [Neutral if goes against Dai Weisi], existence is not yet revealed since his martial soul is not yet awakened.]
Yep, Dai Mubai has not yet awakened his martial soul. I can say so with certainty, because his existence is not revealed to most people. In fact, only my canon knowledge and my proximity to the vacation house allowed me to see the signs of his existence. That and the fact that Ning Rong's age is public knowledge that allowed me to place the timeline is at.
Dai Mubai is a year younger than me.
Apparently, the Dai family elder council will not allow the existence of any Dai family heir [child with White tiger martial soul] to be revealed until they had at least one soul ring. It was the same with both the first and second prince.
Time to make some preparations and plans.
——Time Skip : 2 years [ Overall, 2 1/2 years since martial soul awakening——-
————Dai Family vacation Mansion————
It feels weird to be the guest of the same place I used to work as a servant. Well, the guest is stretching it a bit. I am more like a messenger.
Supporting a side in conflict between two sides is not simple. You can't just join because you want to. You need to show enough benefits.
I naturally can't give benefits to a fucking prince. But I can help him gain benefits, the kind that is enough to bring him down from his palace to his vacation house once more.
Looking at the empty room, I am nervous as fuck. After all, just a few months back, I couldn't even dare enter this room, but I am sitting in it right now. Only now did I understand while the blacksmith association is looked down upon by the spirit hall and top sects. Only they, filled with soul masters, dare to do so.
Blacksmiths, while still having a status lower level than soul masters in soul land. It is only comparative.
Like I said before, Blacksmiths have a significant impact on armies of both empires because they supply the weapons and do the maintenance for the soldiers' equipment and war machines.
Me, being the sole disciple of a branch head and a young intermediate smith, had enough clout to act as a messenger.
""HAIL! PRINCE DAI WEISI""
The loud announcements pierced my ears enough to make them ache as the prince entered.
I bowed to show my respect. "Hail, Prince Dai Weisi. I am sure the empire will grow magnificently under your light."
A low key compliment will always give a good impression. Especially for powerful, rich kids like the prince.
He smiled and nodded while sitting in his seat. Just that, and he had no other response, leaving an awkward silence where I had to keep standing while he and his friends took a seat.
I don't know his reason for silence. Perhaps it is my background or my sudden rise or whatever that made him give this power play. It was childish, but irritating enough.
I took it in stride due to experiencing enough in the 6 years spent in this life.
So, I observed his companions. Obviously, the girl with black hair and black pupils is his fiancee- Zhu Zhuyun. But, seriously. Is she really 12 or 18 years? A 12-year-old with a C-cup, I have seen everything now.
[Note: Mc is not a pervert or lolicon. I could only write like this to better impact the early maturation of soul masters as depicted in canon.]
Then there is Ju Lian, the civilian genius of my age with innate soul power 7. I kinda envy this guy. If I had his talent or even full innate soul power, I would have been recruited as a friend, like an equal.
Not like this.
The other kids are more or less noble kids with decent talent.
"Zhang Kun, it must be fate that we meet again."
"Yes, my prince. It seems fate is really smiling at us."
Yeah right, I am sure that the Head servant gave all the information he has, including the fact I was the first one to be awakened 2 1/2 years back. The only reason he is bothering to do this is because I came representing the blacksmith association.
While the blacksmith association is officially neutral, it is pure stupidity to remain neutral, especially when the future emperor is being decided.
So, in the history of the Star Luo empire, the blacksmith association always chooses a prince to help him win over the military.
The prince leaned back and said with derision and disgust, "So, did the up jumped merchants quote their price at last?"
The last 2 years of my life were comfortable because of the blacksmith association. So, obviously, it had a prominent place in my heart. The insult towards it angered me, but all it led to is bitterly swallowing it back. I am sure my clenched fists and stone faced expressions gave me away, but it seems the spoiled nobles seem to enjoy it, even the prince.
It seems I underestimated how much soul masters look down on other professions.
I finally spat out in a neutral tone, "My prince. The military is a hard place. They don't believe in words, but in action. Since there are no wars, you can't show merit to win them over."
The prince snorted, but finally took me seriously.
In this era, where information and education are restricted, any understanding of politics can be considered as a genius.
That is true even among nobles. Frankly speaking, especially among spoiled rotten nobles who are too drunk on their power to bother with these.
"So, the actions that can win them over are simple. Logistics like money and benefits."
Before they could interrupt me with more insults, I continue by saying, "Those things can only be given by the Emperor. So, there leaves only one critical thing- food. I am sorry, my prince, but the second prince has already won them over with food."
Especially in the peace time like this, food is more important than weapons. Because armies are too costly to keep maintaining. Especially in soul land, where soul masters require special food. Which 2nd prince's mother can give.
So, frankly speaking, the first prince needs blacksmiths association a lot. Even more than 2nd prince. Unfortunately, this implication pissed him off.
SMACK
ROAR
I saw the prince get up in anger with blood-red eyes with two yellow soul rings rising from him. The sheer pressure is incredible enough to bring me to my knees.
"Are you blacksmiths threatening me? Or are you thinking me a fool? Do you think I don't know of the people in other blacksmith branches' operation that bastard half brother of mine for the same offers?"
I grit my teeth and continued, "Yes, my prince, I know. That's why I was fighting for your interest with my teacher. I absolute confidence in bringing the blacksmith section to your side and maybe even force the army to be neutral."
He keep looking at me while I said, "The dangerous thing for you is that the army is filled with a vast amount of civilian soul masters who share some sort of comrades with 2nd prince because of his mother's background as a civilian soul masters. Added to the food provided, it is impossible for them to stand on your side. Especially because of their collective envy and resentment towards nobles surrounding you."
That ignited the nobles kids in the room.
"You dare?"
"Up Jumped upstart! I will have whipped for this insult."
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The insults went on and on. Initially, the anger on Prince's face grew, but the moment the insults came, he was like a balloon which got poked and deflated into thinking.
After all, the so called lukewarm response from the army regarding him is a well-known fact in the mansion.
Every servant gossiped about his tantrum when they refused him despite him [The Great next emperor] actually flattered them [His subjects] on with conducting a martial soul awakening 2 years ago.
The noble kids going as far as death threats proved I am talking the truth.
I finally got to the most critical point of the discussion, looking at his gloomy face. "Thankfully, the higher-ups in the army are nobles who love to see you on the throne. So, while you can't win over the army, it shouldn't be a problem to keep them neutral with my idea of gifts and obviously quality weapons, to only them and their followers."
Frankly, I didn't ask the critical question from her of people, considering her portrayal in canon, " You must know Zhang Kun, we are not fools. The second prince, despite his an unfortunate background of a civilian mother, the fact remains that he is surnamed Dai and a prince in the race for throne. What we can give, the second prince, Dai Huo, can also give despite with some difficulty. So, you essentially forcing the price up between us and the second prince."
I smiled and said, "That is true, princess."
I continued nonchalantly under their angered gaze, "That is the intent of the blacksmith association."
"Greedy merchants of war."
I wearily have to agree with that. But, I took out the ace of mine, "But, you my prince can provide something the second prince can't due to your level of influence in nobles. Status."
I took my hammers out while keeping my hands away from the prince to show my friendly intent.
"I am an ordinary Tiger- Assault soul master, level 1O. And my prince this is my way to make the blacksmith fulfedgedly support you."
I have only raisen 3 levels in 2 years despite the increase in intensity of training, resources and even cultivation method. Fuck, I even succeded on capturing Purple Qi. The reson for delay in growth of levels is this.
[Zhang Kun
Age : 8 years 6 months
Soul power Level : 10 [Soul power continously being compressed] ]
I readied my hammers and called out to Ju Lian, "Brother Ju Lian, You must have gotten a soul ring by now. I would like to request a spar with you. Believe me, It will over soon."