Castle of Black Iron

If the Heavens Reaching Church was just a heresy, even though Zhang Tie made much greater achievements in Youzhou Province, he would not attract Commander Cheng here; however, Zhang Tie unveiled the existence of ”demons” in the Heavens Reaching Church. Therefore, the property of the Heavens Reaching Church was far more than a heresy...

Actually, it was a big event that shocked the entire Taixia Country.

On September 4th, Commander Cheng’s airboat landed in White Tiger Complex.

Zhang Taixuan, Zhang Tie, Elder Muyu and a lot of officials in Youzhou City were welcoming the arrival of Commander Cheng.

Zhu Dabiao, the grandson of the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province was also standing on Zhang Tie’s side.

As his grandson was captured by demons, Zhu Tong the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province followed Commander Cheng to Youzhou City too.

After coming out of the dungeon for only a few days, Zhu Dabiao’s face had turned oily smooth once again. In a white bear cloth and an Aleutian mink scarf, he was standing on Zhang Tie’s side while his face turned red due to cold.

The news that Zhang Tie cracked down the Heavens Reaching Church in Youzhou Province had been spread over the entire country; however, Zhu Dabiao was ignored in both public news or gossips.

The provincial governor of Yanzhou Province owed Zhang Tie a lot. If his grandson fell in the hand of the Heavens Reaching Church and demons, regardless of the result, Zhu Clan would lose their face due to the public opinions; if some bad guys took advantage of this event, Zhu Clan might have a lot of troubles.

’Taixia Country is not a Shangrila.’ This was what Zhang Tie learned during the past few months.

When the airboat slowly descended, all those on the ground were spirited, except for Zhu Dabiao who faintly let out a sigh.

”Aren’t you happy?” Zhang Tie turned around and asked him.

Zhu Dabiao had been staying in the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province these days. As he had been tortured so much in the dungeon of Jiang Mansion, he felt that nowhere else in Youzhou City was safe. According to his description, he was living in a deluxe hotel in Youzhou City; however, when he woke up, he found that he had come to the dungeon of Jiang Mansion. His bodyguards might have been killed. After such an experience, this guy would never go to other hotels in Youzhou City anymore.

The Provincial Court was also cleaning up the remnants of the Heavens Reaching Church these days. As the one who was abducted by the Heavens Reaching Church, Zhu Dabiao had touched that old d**chebag for a few times; therefore, he knew about the old d**chebag more or less. He then made a confession in the Provincial Court and stayed there for a few days so as to tide over this event.

During the period he stayed in the Provincial Court, Zhu Dabiao became familiar with Zhang Tie. They had the same likes and dislikes. Therefore, they dispelled their misgivings in the talk.

After hearing Zhang Tie’s question, Zhu Dabiao let out a sigh with a sorrowful look before replying, ”You might not believe in it. I’ve not seen my grandpa for 5-6 years. I might not have talked with him much. If not I was abducted in Youzhou City, he might not even know me.”

”Ahh? Are you kidding me?” Zhang Tie blinked his eyes. Based on his warm family atmosphere, Zhang Tie could not imagine what Zhu Dabiao depicted could exist in a family.

”My grandpa has 87 children. My dad ranks 63rd in the family. He’s not outstanding among the rest. Besides my mom, my dad married other 20-odd women. My mom ranks 14th among the women of my dad. I have 34 sisters and brothers and I rank 24th. Plus my dad’s branch, by last year when I left Youzhou Province, my grandpa almost had 800 grandchildren. The figure keeps rising. You tell me who I am?” Zhu Dabiao rubbed his face as he continued, ”The old thing is the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province. Besides handling documents, he would enter meditation. Therefore, I’ve met him less than 20 times since I was born. In most cases, I only saw him in the new year festival or when we offered sacrifices to our ancestors. I remember that the old thing talked with me when I was 6 years old. He asked my name in the Shrine Palace at that time. When he talked with me for the second time, I had already been 12 years old and awakened my first ancestral bloodline...”

’Old thing?’ Zhang Tie was wordless when he heard the ”respectful form of address” from Zhu Dabiao. Given his words, Zhang Tie finally knew why major clans always had different affections.

But it was reasonable. Nobody could look after each of his 80-90 sons well if he had. Although knights were powerful, they only had 24 hours a day too, unless the family was living in a tower of time. In the position of the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province, he had to handle public affairs, meditate, eat and sh*t; occasionally, he had to focus on either producing more babies or relax himself. Therefore, he had less time left in the day. Even if he had some time left, he had to divide it into 80-90 units. When the 80-90 people had babies, how much attention would the juniors get from him?

Zhang Tie knew that Zhu Dabiao’s words were not peculiar; instead, it was a common phenomenon in major clans of Taixia Country. It was too normal for a knight to have over 100 babies in a major clan. Sometimes, the continuation of a knight’s bloodline was not only related to the knight himself; but also to the multiplication of the entire clan; especially the knights who had awakened ancestral bloodlines had to assume responsibility to give birth to babies for the clan. It was not a joke.

Actually, after settling down in Taixia Country for a few months, Zhang Tie had already sensed the stress from Huaiyuan Palace. The elders in the Palace had already started to imply him to marry more concubines and have more babies. If not Zhang Tie had become an elder of Huaiyuan Palace and made a great meritorious deed in the competition for the provincial governor of Youzhou Province, he might have been f*cked by a lot of women arranged by the other elders.

”No way! Haven’t you just bought over 200,000 square miles’ land in Youzhou Provincie? It’s worth at least 20 million gold coins. How could you be so poor in your family?” Zhang Tie asked.

Compared to the patch of land that Zhang Tie bought on the side of Yanghe Prefecture, the patch of land that Zhu Dabiao bought was a bit more remote; therefore, it was cheaper. Additionally, given that he was the grandson of the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province, the Land Bureau of Youzhou Province had made a discount for him.

When Commander Cheng’s airboat was about dozens of meters above the ground, Zhang Tie, Zhu Dabiao, Zhang Taixuan and Elder Muyu walked forward.

”I’m the only son of my mom. That money came from my mother’s case-dough, my brothers, my friends, my mother’s father and my mother’s brothers. Given that I’m the grandson of the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province, the Yanzhou Bank even lend a loan to me!” As Zhu Dabiao explained, he silently daubed some pepper oil that he had prepared onto the place below his lower eyelids. In a split second, his eyes had turned red while his face had been covered with tears, ”For this trade, I even gotten my 9th younger sister’s ”lucky money” by cheating her. How poor I am! In order to be not found by her, I even dared not come back in this new year festival...”

’F*ck! How could this j*rk use a little girl’s lucky money as an investment?’

The moment the hatch door of the airboat was opened, before those inside came out, Zhu Dabiao had wailed mournfully and charged at that direction like having felt wronged in a gesture like how a young swallow returned to its nestle, ”Grandpa...”

At this moment, some figures appeared at the hatch door of the airboat, one was the commander of the Northeast Military Region, one on the side of Commander Cheng was Zhu Tong, the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province who had a high forehead, slim eyes and white snow hair on the temples. Behind them were the two young knights whom Zhang Tie had seen on the other bank of the river when he washed tablewares at the riverside.

”Welcome, Mr. Commander!”

All the officials of Youzhou Province bowed towards Commander Cheng while Zhu Dabiao instantly held Zhu Dong closely and burst out into tears, ”Grandpa...as grandson is low in battle strength, I fell into the hand of demons; thankfully, grandson always kept grandpa’s instructions in mind and didn’t lose face for Zhu Clan. I didn’t agree with the old d**chebag’s request and swear to not betray Taixia Country...grandson had determined to die for righteousness; I’ve not imagined that I was finally saved by the dean of the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province at the crucial moment...”

After hearing his grandson’s words, Zhu Tong faintly relieved his solemn face.

He then directly moved his eyes on Zhang Tie.

”When we found Childe Zhu, he was locked in the dungeon of Jiang Mansion by the shadow demon of Heavens Reaching Church. Although Childe Zhu’s clothes had been whipped into stripes, he still didn’t succumb to the demons. How righteous he was! Additionally, he kept swearing that old d**chebag in the dungeon. What an admirable man!” Zhang Tie said with a solemn look.

Although it was a praise, Zhang Tie was not telling a lie, though he omitted the later embarrassed deeds of Zhu Dabiao. Although Zhu Dabiao came from a major clan, he could still stand being tortured at the key moment, that was why Zhang Tie liked him. If Zhu Dabiao was a timid guy and was not righteous in the key place, even if Zhang Tie had saved him out of there, Zhang Tie would directly ignore him. How could he allow such a person to live in the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province?

After hearing Zhang Tie’s words, Provincial Governor Zhu completely relieved his solemn look. After slightly patting Zhu Dabiao who was crying aloud, ”These years, grandpa didn’t pay much attention to you. Sorry for what you’ve experienced. Through this event, I find that you have a bit of masculinity. Although you don’t have a talent, you have health. Hmm, not bad, not bad...”

...

In the hub of the White Tiger Complex, Zhang Tie’s words shocked Commander Cheng.

”Mr. Commander, I plan to resign the position as the dean of the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province!”

...