150 Regulation

A flash of light blinded Cha Ming as the Lightning-Gathering Formation collapsed. It was his fourth failure today, which was surprising given that he'd successfully built the formation five times over the past week. He couldn't help but stress over the mounting costs of production.

It's just money, Cha Ming thought. The only one who'll worry about it is Wang Jun.

Yeah, who asked him to be so cheap? a voice said in his mind.

"Another failure?" a worried elder said as he walked in. "Perhaps it would be best if you came back tomorrow?"

Cha Ming nodded. "Tomorrow would be best. Luck just isn't with me today." As he walked away, he couldn't help but complain inwardly about the extra stress he'd been feeling these days.

I'd feel a lot better if he shared more with me, Cha Ming thought. He won't even tell me why he's in Songjing to begin with. Shouldn't a bigshot like him be lording it over in Gold Leaf City?

What else isn't he telling you? the same voice whispered.

He was joined by Huxian as he exited the Lei family premises. "How was your day?" he asked Huxian.

"It would have been a lot better if Wang Jun didn't freak out when I broke a few things," Huxian said. "Why does he have to be so stingy? It's like he doesn't trust us."

Cha Ming couldn't help but be indignant at his brother's treatment.

Who does he think he is, treating you both like that? the voice whispered. Isn't it just money?

A soft pulsing alerted him of an incoming call, which he promptly ignored. It was likely Wang Jun and his usual demands.

Cha Ming and Huxian wandered aimlessly for a few hours before returning. He was greeted at the front door by none other than the second young master of the Wang family.

"We need to talk," Wang Jun said.

"We don't," Cha Ming replied, making his way toward the guest quarters.

An invisible force reached out and restrained both him and Huxian. "I'm afraid I have to insist," Wang Jun said.

Cha Ming rolled his eyes. "If it pleases His Royal Highness."

Wang Jun frowned but released his bindings. He brought both Cha Ming and Huxian to his office, where he looked at them with concern.

"Did anything happen to you since we came to Songjing?" Wang Jun asked.

"How is it any of your business?" Cha Ming snapped.

"With how much your personalities have changed, how can it not be my business?" Wang Jun said. "Your performance has been slipping with each formation you make. That's not like you. Your material costs are rising exponentially."

"So it's all about money." Cha Ming smirked. "The mighty Wang Jun, pinching every penny."

"You know that's not it," Wang Jun said.

"Do I?" Cha Ming asked. "What's the real reason you're in this backwater country? It can't be about money. You and your bigshot family have more than enough of it."

"It's complicated," Wang Jun said. "But I'll explain it to you once we figure out what's wrong with you."

"Always orders and never answers," Cha Ming barked. His temper was soaring, and so was Huxian's.

"Protector Ren, please restrain them," Wang Jun said. At his command, a cloaked figure appeared out of nowhere. Dozens of gold chains shot out and entangled both Cha Ming and Huxian, sealing their qi and physical strength.

Cha Ming panicked as his strength left him, and so did Huxian. Countless thoughts flitted through their minds as they tried to process what was happening. It wasn't long before they were both overwhelmed with anxiety and fear and could hear nothing but constant whispers that brought them closer and closer to the edge of their sanity.

Wang Jun is greedy. Why should you trust him? You need to relax. It's okay to make mistakes. Everything would be fine if it wasn't for that greedy fool. What are his goals?

The voices echoed endlessly as they entered a semi-conscious state.

"Protector Ren… Church of Justice…" said a voice that sounded like Wang Jun's. "I'm not welcome… Only you..."

Cha Ming felt a faint wind rustle his robes as the blurry scenery around him changed.

"Who…?" he heard. The voice was distorted and barely intelligible.

"Protector Ren… Conglomerate," another voice said. "… Inflicted… treated… possible."

Cha Ming felt weightless as he was carried through a massive opening in the blurry building.

"… beyond my ability," another voice said. "… chaplain."

"… hurry," the first voice urged.

Cha Ming fell onto a soft surface. Huxian, who was shivering, was nuzzled up against him and whimpering. He was the only other creature that Cha Ming could still make out clearly. Suddenly, a small light appeared up above. It looked like a lantern, but it was bright like the sun.

"… state of mind," a gentle voice said. "… confuses karma… drive a person to madness."

Cha Ming shivered at these words, recalling the seeds of doubt that had been growing inside him since they'd arrived in the city. His surroundings grew colder with each passing second.

With a gesture from a blurry figure, the warm light enveloped him. His mind relaxed as invisible threads collapsed and burned away. Slowly, his obscured surroundings became clearer. He and Huxian were lying on a bed in a small room, and a man with golden robes and a golden lantern appeared before them. He was a core-formation cultivator, and the lamp was a core treasure. Little by little, the voices in their minds faded away into nothing.

The golden-robed man's realm was much higher than his. He didn't even have to probe out with his resplendent soul—it was as though the man wanted to announce his late-core-formation cultivation to the world. A thick jade merit halo surrounded him, one that that was several times thicker than most in the Alabaster Group.

"How are you feeling?" the man asked gently. He wore his black hair in a topknot and bore the appearance of a Confucian scholar.

"Much better now," Cha Ming said, orienting himself. "Many thanks. I've not been myself lately."

"It's not a problem," the man said. "As a chaplain of the Church of Justice, it is my duty to fight against these spiteful things that should not exist in this world."

Cha Ming sat up and adjusted his robes. "My name is Du Cha Ming, and this is my brother, Huxian," he said, motioning to the sleeping fox. "How many I address you?"

"Just call me Chaplain Chen," the man said. "Would you mind telling me how you landed in such a miserable state?"

Cha Ming thought for a while as he processed his memories over the past week. "This is just speculation, but Huxian ate some scraps of meat dropped by Zhou Li, and our behavior gradually worsened over a period of two weeks. Our condition deteriorated once Huxian ate some more of this meat in an alley. What happened to us?"

"A curse," Chaplain Chen said. "This Zhou Li is the crown prince's advisor?"

Cha Ming nodded, causing the man's frown to deepen.

"As an oracle, he should know better than to dabble in such dark arts. I'll have to look into this."

"I doubt it's dabbling, and it's not like he hasn't done worse things," Cha Ming said. "It's a known fact that either he or the crown prince hired forces from the Obsidian Syndicate to fight in the north."

The chaplain grimaced. "I sense your words are true. The Obsidian Syndicate is a vile group. It's filled with evil creatures that think wrong is right and the heavens are hell."

"I've seen these devils myself," Cha Ming said, pointing toward his own eyes, which glowed with a faint jade light.

"Interesting," Chaplain Chen whispered. "Please follow me. I wish to verify something."

Cha Ming grabbed the unconscious Huxian and followed the man as they wandered through a hall filled with pews. Commoners and cultivators alike kneeled in prayer to the tall statue of a goddess. The smell of incense wafted through the large building, which was filled with tinted windows and glass art. Each piece was manipulated and refracted light, making the church a symphony of iridescent lighting.

"To which god do you pray?" Cha Ming asked as they walked.

"We worship Goddess Xihe, the ancient mother of the ten suns," the man explained. "She bathes the world in her protective light, and through her illumination, we see the truth and banish darkness."

They passed by a smaller chapel where armored men were kneeling in adoration before the statue of a woman surrounded by ten globes of light.

"This way," Chaplain Chen said as he led them through a door to the side. They entered a small library, which was filled to the brim with books. A middle-aged librarian woke up with a start as they walked to his desk.

"Exalted Chaplain, how may I be of service?" the librarian asked with a guilty expression.

"Where can I find the book on unconventional eye techniques?" the chaplain asked.

The librarian thought for a moment before leading them to a dusty corner of the library. He pulled out a thick book with tattered pages and handed it to the chaplain.

"That will be all," the chaplain said. The man bowed and retreated.

The chaplain flipped through many pages before arriving at an entry entitled "Eyes of Pure Jade."

"A technique created by the Jade Emperor, who fought valiantly against the devils. He created 108,000,000 inheritances, ten for each lesser realm. They can detect both merit and sin, angelic and devil characteristics. They can also develop Devil-Sealing Intent and awaken a deeper inheritance. A pity."

"A pity?" Cha Ming asked.

"Your eyes have share traits with our inquisitor abilities, but they aren't what I'm looking for," the chaplain explained.

"Which is?" Cha Ming said.

"I am looking for spirit detection abilities," the chaplain said. "Inquisitors can detect aggregate sin and differentiate truth and lies. Given sufficient talent, they can detect devilized humans and angelic endowment. However, this only applies to living beings. Evil spirits are exempt.

"Unfortunately, there have been strange happenings in the city that can only be caused by ghosts and their impure ilk. Things like hauntings or possessions have become commonplace. If we were on good terms with the Buddhists, we could ask for their help. Alas, we were estranged centuries ago, and we rarely collaborate. We foolishly decimated nine tenths of their numbers a few decades ago for the sake of the 'common good.'"

The chaplain shook his head and led them back to a room where Protector Ren stood.

"I owe you two favors," Cha Ming said to the chaplain, "one for saving my life, and another for saving my brother's."

"You owe me nothing," Chaplain Chen said. "I was doing my duty."

"Regardless, if you find yourself in need of formations or talismans, you can find me at the Jade Bamboo Auction House," Cha Ming said.

Huxian followed him, still trembling slightly from the experience. Protector Ren escorted them back to the auction house and immediately left for the palace.

***

How did it go? Wang Jun sent to Protector Ren mentally. The man had just walked into the assembly hall where the ministers were currently deliberating.

Full recovery, he said. And it seems like Cha Ming and the Church of Justice hit it off well.

Wang Jun nodded. Good. They aren't people that can be drawn in with money alone. They want truth and trust. Unfortunately, the questions they ask are insensitive. It's like they believe they are entitled to complete and unfalsified information.

In all fairness, they aren't hypocrites, Protector Ren said. They don't lock their doors, and they answer any question asked, even if they are uncomfortable with the answer. They'll even talk about the inquisition a few centuries ago. They will tell you the whole, unabridged truth and express their sincere regrets about their order's actions.

Wang Jun sighed. The complete truth doesn't belong in polite society. Few people have the mental fortitude to handle it. They are fickle and prefer to remain ignorant.

And what about your friend Cha Ming? Protector Ren asked. Can he handle it?

Wang Jun pondered how to bring up the sensitive topic. The cat was out of the bag, and even if his friend wasn't himself, everything had a source. Wang Jun's goals in the Song Kingdom were definitely in the back of Cha Ming's mind.

Sighing, he turned his attention back to the proceedings. They began the final hearing on an issue that had been beaten to death over the past week.

"I would like to call forward Minister Gong to offer testimony," Sima Liang said toward the throne.

The king was conspicuously absent, and so was his loyal servant. The crown prince sat on a small chair beside the throne.

"Minister Gong, if you please." The crown prince motioned.

The middle-aged minister bowed before speaking. He was a foundation-establishment cultivator, and his voice easily projected across the entire court.

"My prince, the people are suffering," Minister Gong said. "They feel unsafe in these turbulent times. Despite your best efforts to stabilize the nation during your father's ill health, the people cannot understand how hard you toil. Therefore, they seek to arm themselves to prepare for the unlikely event of a conflict. They seek lifesaving medicines and treasures to protect their family members.

"Unfortunately, the price of food and weapons has become increasingly steep. At first, it was only a premium of thirty percent over the list price, a reasonable number when facing uncertain times. However, supply has dwindled. Greedy merchants have been trickling their wares into overcrowded shops. They are taking advantage of the common people. Now only the rich can afford to protect their families. I beseech the crown prince to take charge of the situation for the good of the nation."

The crown prince, who was seated on the throne, frowned. "I have stated before that this is a very serious issue. Prices increases are normal, but there are limits. What are the latest figures?"

"Sometimes double the list price!" Minister Gong said in an exaggerated tone.

Wang Jun rolled his eyes. This price was likely obtained from one of the minister's own shops. He knew for a fact that they hadn't grown to that extent."

"That's very serious," the crown prince said gravely. "Is there anyone else who would like to testify on this matter?"

As though by prior agreement, half the ministers looked toward Wang Jun.

"Since the aim is to target me, I will naturally give my opinion," Wang Jun said.

"Our aim is not to target, only to protect the people," one of the ministers said indignantly.

"Yes, I'm sure that is your aim," Wang Jun said. "This is why you have all unloaded your personal holdings at an average of 1.45 times the market price before trying to institute a price ceiling at 1.3 times. Oh wait, in your case it was 1.67 times, Minister Bing. Am I mistaken?"

The minister blushed, not knowing how to reply.

"Need I also remind the ministers that those purchasing weapons so readily are those with the least faith in the kingdom's stability? Why should you enable these troublemakers? My humble Wang family only seeks to make profit by supplying what the people demand at a reasonable price. Right now, the reasonable price is much higher than historical figures. I am sure that most of the ministers here can attest to this."

The crown prince frowned. "I do not wish for the common people to become implicated in your money-making schemes. Is there anything else you would like to add?"

"Certainly, Your Highness," Wang Jun said. "But to do this I need to tell you a story. Have you ever heard of the Huangfu Kingdom?"

"Of course," the crown prince said. "It was a kingdom that suffered economic collapse 265 years ago. To my knowledge, their political situation was entirely different from ours. How is this case relevant?"

"Our Wang family has found this case to be useful when educating our family members," Wang Jun said. "I will share our family's analysis with you, as it may shed some light on the current situation."

He looked over all the ministers in attendance, evaluating their expressions before continuing. "The Huangfu Kingdom was peaceful and widespread. It occupied a fifth of the continent, and its ruler was benevolent but forceful. One day, he decided that he'd had enough of unstable prices. After all, his kingdom was ordained by the heavens; shouldn't everyone be happy under his reign?

"Therefore, the king stated that no goods could sell at what he called usurious prices. He capped maximum prices at 1.2 times their historical average, which became known as the list price. The merchants readily agreed—after all, such a move would choke out their smaller competitors. It was very favorable for large-scale sellers who could purchase goods more cheaply than their competitors."

Wang Jun sighed. "The peaceful times didn't last. One year, there was a drought. Food became extremely scarce. To balance supply and demand and line their pockets in the process, the merchants applied for an exemption to the price sealings. But the king was steadfast. He prevented them from selling at greater than 1.2 times the list price. In response, many merchants turned to the black market to offload their dwindling stockpiles. The king had these merchants executed as an example and distributed their goods amongst the people.

"The famine intensified. People were starving, despite there being enough food to go around. The king, in his benevolence, imported massive quantities of food, which he distributed throughout the nation. Yet despite these efforts, people still starved. As a side note, the merchants who'd had enough with the situation left the kingdom for better pastures. They went to the other four fifths of the continent. Due to this, the empire was faced with a distribution problem."

One of the ministers let out a loud snort.

"Is there something you would like to add, Minister Sima?" Wang Jun asked.

"I just find it amusing that you are threatening to pull the Wang family out of the Song Kingdom," Sima Jiang said. "I suggest you just get on with it and save us all from this boring speech."

"You misunderstand," Wang Jun said. "The issue with the merchants is hardly worth mentioning, which is why I mentioned it as a side issue. Would you please allow me to continue?"

The crown prince nodded.

"After the merchants left, there was naturally a distribution issue. But it wasn't something the nation couldn't remedy. The greater problem was that, at one point, there was ten years' worth of food stockpiled while half the kingdom went to bed hungry.

"The king wasn't sure what to do, but he remained adamant about pricing. He investigated and discovered that due to the price ceilings, the black market had grown so large that it eclipsed the normal market. Tax revenues plummeted as people began trading food and other resources using unofficial channels. The issue had nothing to do with merchants. Instead, it was the people themselves that were selling their food at three times the list price. Eventually, food got so expensive that people were forced to shoulder usurious loans for the sake of feeding their children.

"Meanwhile, the ministers and nobles hoarded food. Once they had ten times the food they needed, they began using it to control their subjects. Prices spiraled upward as people starved. Food became the new currency, rendering the kingdom's fiat money system worthless.

"Soon, influential noble clans used their stockpiles to purchase entire cities. Before the king knew it, his kingdom had been taken over by a handful of noble houses. His coffers were full of worthless money, and he was helpless to prevent the black-market transactions. Eventually, the noble houses banded together and overthrew him. They used their chokehold over the food supplies to continue extorting the people.

"The situation continued for a full year. As the famine passed, the people remained hungry. Eventually, the peasants had enough, and they rebelled against their rulers. The noble families were overthrown, and the kingdom shattered into thirteen pieces, which are now known as the Desperate Lands, the most impoverished places on the continent. They are devoid of morality and think little of laws. Naturally, my Wang family was one of the early merchants that sold their stock and left before the true crisis began."

The court was silent. Wang Jun could hear the heavy breathing of the officials as they pondered their future actions. The crown prince's expression was cold. A man of his intelligence understood that Wang Jun had just sown mutinous seeds among his loyal ministers.

"Things as they are," the crown prince said, "I still move to instate a price ceiling at 1.3 times the list price. Are there any objections?"

"I naturally object, Your Highness," Wang Jun said. "If the price cap is any lower than 1.7 times the list price, I will refuse to sell. I would rather use them to recruit able-bodied men into our Wang family. In this way, I can better protect our assets in the Song Kingdom."

"Anyone else?" the crown prince said coldly.

"If I might add," said Prime Minister Rong, who had remained silent this whole time. "I believe that Second Young Master Wang's story is worth considering. But I understand that you wish to comfort the people in these trying times. Why do we do things this way? Let's meet halfway at 1.5 times the market price. At the same time, let us exempt magic and core treasures, which are only important to noble families. If they want to arm themselves to the teeth, they should pay a sufficient price.

"At the same time, let us also institute gruel stations in the various prefectures to maintain public order and prevent the common people from starving. This benevolence will be well remembered by the masses. What are your thoughts, Second Young Master Wang?"

Wang Jun hesitated before nodding. "That is marginally acceptable. I would continue selling lower-level weapons and other commodities at this price."

The crown prince visibly relaxed with this suggestion. It wasn't for nothing that the prime minister had kept his role for twenty years.

"Then it's settled," the crown prince said. "Please ensure that these controls are implemented as soon as possible, and make sure that no one goes hungry. A kingdom must serve its people before anything else."