——Time Skip: 2 years --------
[ Overall, 2 1/2 years since martial soul awakening]
————Dai Family vacation Mansion————
Everyone without exception had multiple choice or better termed, paths to rise in life. Of course, only those who were talented or hardworking or lucky enough could find them.
While a path to join Shrek/ Tang San was also a way for me to raise, unfortunately, it was not possible to do so. Especially, with my talent and circumstances.
To change my fate, I needed to start now rather than wait for some many years for Tang San to come and piggyback on him. Even then, it was almost impossible considering that I couldn't even enter Shrek with my talent.
Fucking hell, Shrek's entry recruitment were monstrous.
Besides, I had an advantage in raising my status through Dai Weisi. I had a clear background with me being born in an orphanage funded by empire.
The icing on the cake was that I was a servant from Dai mansion.
Of course, this same advantage exists with joining the second prince Dai Huo or third prince Dai Mubai. But they were simply too disadvantaged.
One, Dai Huo was 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 rank could run an army.
Obviously, the Emperor tied her to the Star Luo empire by marrying her.
So, marriage= Sex= Child.
But the fact remains that the second prince's sole support was from his single mother, who might be powerful but couldn't surpass an old family like the Zhu family, which was supporting Dai Weisi.
It would take a complete fool to pick Dai Mubai at this point. Even Dai Mubai's mother is fully supporting his full-blooded brother, Dai Weisi.
At best Zhu family, led by their mother, the empress would be neutral towards any conflict for the throne between him and Dai Weisi.
The fact remains Dai Weisi was 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 had not yet awakened his martial soul. I could say so with certainty, because his existence was 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 birth was public knowledge that allowed me to place the timeline.
Dai Mubai was a year younger than me.
Apparently, the Dai family elder council would 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.
So, after a lot of preparations and plans, I arrived as a guest to this vacation.
It feels weird to be the guest to same place I used to work as a servant. Well, the guest part was stretching it a bit. I was more like a messenger from blacksmith association.
Joining a prince's retinue was tough. The easiest path was the conflict for the throne.
However, supporting a side in conflict between two sides was not simple. You couldn't just join because you want to. You needed to show enough benefits.
I naturally couldn't give benefits to a fucking prince. But I could help him gain benefits, the kind that was enough to bring him down from his palace to his vacation house once more.
Looking at the empty room, I was nervous as fuck. After all, just a few months back, I couldn't even dare enter this room, but I was sitting in it right now. Only now did I understand while the blacksmith association was looked down upon by the spirit hall and top sects. It was because they were filled with soul masters.
Blacksmiths, while still having a status lower level than soul masters in soul land. It was 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 major branch's head and a young intermediate smith, I had enough clout to act as a messenger.
Of course, my relationship with head servant helped a lot in this task. His mistress count rose up, adding a widow while I gotten a meeting with Dai Weisi.
Ironic that a 15-year-old could decide the arms supply for a empire. But, considering the age and special nature of this world, it was acceptable. Besides, the prince only sets the direction of the deal. The on-point negotiations would be between trained negotiators from both sides.
Even so, the fact that the deal would decided by the prince was unbelievable for me. No wonder, each emperor of Star Luo empire was competent beyond words.
""HAIL! PRINCE DAI WEISI""
The loud announcements pierced my ears enough to make them ache as the prince entered.
I immediately 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 was 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 8 years spent in this life.
So, I observed his companions. Obviously, the girl with black hair and black pupils is his fiancée- 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 kind of 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 was bothering to do this is because I came representing the blacksmith association.
While the blacksmith association was officially neutral, it is pure stupidity to remain neutral, especially when the future emperor was 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 was bitterly swallowing it back. I was sure my clenched fists and stone-faced expressions gave me away, but looking at growing smirks, it seemed that the spoiled nobles 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 to divert this topic to his interest. After all, one needs foreshadowing before the plot happens in a story.
"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 were restricted, any understanding of politics could be considered as a genius.
That was true even more among nobles. Frankly speaking, it was the case especially among spoiled rotten nobles who were too drunk on their power to bother with these things.
"Of course, they prefer a glorious future foremost."
Before they could interrupt me with more insults, I continued by saying, "But those things can only be given by the emperor. So, there leaves only one critical way to win over the army- 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 was 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 could give.
So, frankly speaking, the first prince needs blacksmiths association a lot. Even more than 2nd prince. Because, not winning them over, means losing the army to second prince without a hint of struggle. After all, a civil war might be distinct possibility. But, it was a possibility.
So, he needed to properly hear my offer.
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 was incredible enough to bring me to my knees.
"Are your blacksmiths threatening me? Or are you thinking me a fool? Do you think I don't know of the people in other blacksmith contacted my brother with similar offers of selling arms?"
I grit my teeth and continue, "Yes, my prince, I know. That's why I was fighting for your interest with my teacher. I am 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 comradeship with 2nd prince because of his mother's background. 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 was a well-known fact in the mansion.
Every servant gossiped about his tantrum when they refused him despite him [The next emperor] actually flattering them [His subjects].
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 some of the key 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 featuring obviously quality weapons forged by master, to only them and their followers."
Of course, the cheap mass supply of arms to the entire army was a given. But, the custom made weapons, which were spirit refined to rival martial souls was a good gifts to win over vain nobles.
" You must know Zhang Kun, we are not fools. The second prince, despite 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."
Frankly, I didn't expect the critical question from her of people, considering her portrayal in canon.
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 had to agree with that. I was lucky that I managed to convince my teacher to be the messenger. After all, blacksmith association had the means to keep the military out of the conflict for the first prince. Of course, the exact opposite was the same for second prince.
Seeing their complex emotions and tight fist, I took out my ace, "But, you my prince can provide something the second prince can't be due to your level of influence on the 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 10. And my prince this is my way to get the blacksmith association full-fledged support."
I have only rose 3 levels in 2 years despite the increase in intensity of training, resources and even cultivation method.
[Zhang Kun
Age: 8 years 6 months
Soul power Level: 10 [Soul power continuously 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 be over soon."