Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie had been accompanying his wives and kids in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory over these months. Everything was fine in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. Those bloody figures in Yangui Mountain Range had been killed and captured by the disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect and the garrisons in the 10 cities of Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. Those bloody figures only raided some independent hunters’ houses and a couple of villages in Yangui Mountain Range and caused a casualty of hundreds of people. Although Taixia Country was suffering from large-scale crop failure this summer, Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory had a bumper harvest. Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory was a completely a Shangri-la compared to the rest of Taixia Country.

After those bloody figures entered Yangui Mountain Range and caused some casualties, Zhang Tie had sent an order to move all the other hunters and their families out of Yangui Mountain Range; additionally, he selected a region to build fortresses so that these hunters and their families could live near cities. Besides, all the hunters could enjoy higher compensation than being hunters as the rangers of Yangui Mountain Range under the control of Zhang Tie. Some old hunters with rich experience were even invited into the encampment of Fire-Dragon Corps and recruited as coaches for teaching those fighters of Fire-Dragon Corps to fight and survive in woods.

As the prices of grains had increased by two times, the bumper summer harvest in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory made those commoners, dignitaries and local seniors pretty happy. As a result, the entire Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory looked vigorous and boisterous.

In this case, if not being told about the worse situation facing Tongzhou Province by his elder brother, Zhang Tie could barely imagine about that the current situation in some provinces of Taixia Country could be so severe.

In the second half of last year, the catastrophe of bloody figures broke out in Tongzhou Province. As a result, over 10 prefectures in the core inflicted region turned bloody and became full of smokes.

In the core inflicted region of the bloody figures, those cities being protected by high city walls were suffering the minimal damages; however, those towns and villages outside the cities were severely damaged. After being invaded by bloody figures, all the towns and villages had been burned into ashes while numerous corpses were exposed in the wild.

Due to the panic of bloody figures, commoners swarmed into cities. However, cities could hold a limited population. Not all the people outside the cities were allowed in. As long as local authorities made limits in population entering cities, many people would be blocked outside cities. Over 1,000 conflicts had been aroused from the end of last year to now.

Large troops of bloody figures had been scattered by force. However, bloody figures had a greater sphere of activity. Some independent bloody figures would kill passers-by in the wild or farmers in farmlands occasionally. Therefore, the panic caused by bloody figures had not been completely eliminated until now.

Facing such a worse situation, the prices of grains in Taixia Country had started to roar since the end of last year. Additionally, Tongzhou Province was suffering a large-scale crop failure this summer. Those places being violated by bloody figures would cause large-scale wasteland in the wild. As a result, fewer grains would be supplied; even commercial circulation was severely influenced.

When more and more people entered cities, living resources started to reduce. However, they didn’t make enough money. Farmers suffered from a crop failure while revenues which were related to agriculture in all aspects declined greatly. However, the living cost was skyrocketing. Although the official authorities across Tongzhou Province were relieving people in stricken areas, some local places were almost in the worst scenario.

A transfer materials storage warehouse and an orchard that Jinwu Business Group invested in Tongzhou Province were rooted by insurgents and caused some casualties. As it was Jinwu Business Group’s first time to meet such an accident, Zhang Yang went to Tongzhou Province to deal with it himself.

After hearing Zhang Yang’s words, Zhang Tie started to realize that some places outside Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory were in a much worse situation than he could imagine. Some places might be as worse as being raided by demonized puppets in Waii Subcontinent.

“How about the loss of Jinwu Business Group in Tongzhou Province?”

“It’s a small loss. Over 3 million gold coins in total. Jinwu Business Group lost over 100,000 vials of all-purpose medicaments, some stored grains, medicines and some other commodities in its warehouse in Tongzhou Province. Additionally, the business group’s orchard also suffered from a loss…” Although over 3 million gold coins might be an astronomical figure for other business groups, it was not a big deal for Jinwu Business Group and Zhang Yang. “But a capable director in Jinwu Business Group, some bodyguards who were inspecting the warehouse and some lads of the business group who looked after the warehouse were killed by insurgents. When I arrived at Tongzhou Province, those principal insurgents had been captured and beheaded in the public by the local judicial court. After that, the riot was pacified…”

Zhang Tie shook his head as this was not a good omen. Although the authorities in Taixia Country still had a strong control over local places and could suppress the riot rapidly by beheading the principal criminals, now that such a malignant riot happened, it indicated that some local places in Taixia Country had been in a worse scenario after being stricken by bloody figures and grains shortage.

Some ambitious guys who wanted to make a fortune when the country was in trouble as a whole or some guys who were always indignant or were in their low ebbs had started to stir up troubles. They might not be driven by Three-eye Association or Heavens Reaching Church on their back but be driven by human nature. There were so many people in Taixia country. Not all of them were good people. Perhaps many people would not do something excessive in normal times; however, when in catastrophe; especially in some extreme occasions, many people would expose their dark and ugly side.

Zhang Tie had seen too many such things after experiencing the extermination of Waii Subcontinent.

Even in peaceful times, there were also thousands of notorious gangsters on the wanted list of the Supreme Court of Taixia Country such as Zhu Liang the poisonous wolf. When facing major issues, these people might still be clear-minded and knew that they were on the human side when facing demons. For instance, Zhao Yuan Zhang Tie’s master directly sought for his own road in the realm of gods. Of course, he would not add fuel to the flames in Taixia Country; however, some greedy and vicious guys who were obsessed by wealth might do something stealthily to help deteriorate the situation as a fish in troubled waters on the opposite of humans.

Zhang Yang’s words reminded Zhang Tie at once. Besides demons, Heavens Reaching Church and the Gobbling Party, he might face some unimaginable enemies and situations.

If the same riot happened in Fire-Dragon Prefecture, would he kill those insurgents or not?

The two brothers talked as they approached the main mansion. On the way, all the maids, servants even guards of Zhang Mansion hurriedly stopped from a few meters away as they bowed towards the two people the moment they caught sight of Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang; especially those maids who were greatly shocked by Zhang Tie’s young look.

Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang had long been much different than before. Jinwu Business Group had become the biggest business group in the northeast military region. Zhang Yang played a decisive role in the northeast military region; however, Zhang Tie had been well-known across the world.

As Zhang Yang and Zhang Tie grew more and more famous, the domestic rules grew increasingly stricter. More and more qualified people were employed by Zhang Mansion.

Even the stewards in Zhang Mansion could barely see Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang walking shoulder to shoulder in the mansion, not to mention those maids and male servants.

“Ahh, that’s the second young master. He’s so young. He looks younger than me. What a handsome teenager!” A beautiful maid in a green skirt hurriedly lowered her body to one side at the side door of a garden a few meters away from the two brothers. Not until Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang walked far away did she silently stick her tongue out and tell the other beautiful maid in a pink skirt.

The two maids were both carrying a basket, which contained some fresh flowers that they had just cut off from the garden. It seemed that the two maids were especially here to cut off fresh flowers so as to adorn them with the rooms.

“Watch out, our second young master is a knight. I was told by a guard that our second young master’s cultivation base has reached a mysterious realm. Therefore, he could maintain his young look…” The maid in pink skirt whispered.

“Ahh, I wonder whether second young master needs maids or not…” The maid in the green skirt muttered with a faint blush as she saw Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang turning to the other side of the rockery and fountain in the far.

“Hah, little girl, are you falling in love with the second young master? But I suggest you to stop thinking about that!” The maid in the pink skirt let out a sigh. She looked at the tiny breast of the maid in the green skirt, then moved her eyes onto her breast which only deserved a small grip before saying in a frustrated way, “Never dream about approaching the second young master. As you’ve just come here, you might not know that second young master favors plump and enchanting women most. In normal times, the second young master doesn’t even feel like throwing a glance at us!”

“Second young master favors that sort of women?”

“Of course, all the members in the mansion know that. You’ve not seen the wives of the second young master. Among the wives of the second young master, Madam Linda is more mature and plump. It’s said that most of the women that second young master brought back from a subcontinent are like that. Even the princess of Lord Guangnan that second young master brought back is said to be mature and beautiful. Haven’t you discovered that even those maids of the second young master are much plumper…”

“Second young master prefer cougars!” The maid in the green skirt widely opened her watery eyes as she poured out straightforwardly. At the same time, she lowered her head and threw a glance at her breast as she realized that her dream was crushed in the blink of an eye…