With Fei Luoya's recognition, the territory of Eastern Mount Yue was entirely and undisputedly in the hands of the Li Family.
After settling the affairs of the six major clans and determining the locations and outputs of the various spirit fields, the return to Mount Lijing was finally scheduled.
In the front hall of the Mount Yue Palace, Li Yuanxiu wrote down his thoughts on a fabric sheet for a while then drafted his speech. He then put down his brush and glanced at the time, whispering, "Pingyi, bring the maps... let's go and pay our respects to the elders together."
Li Pingyi tightened his sleeves and took a scroll of maps in his hands, before following closely behind Li Yuanxiu. He appeared to be slightly nervous. They walked through the long corridor flanked by clan guards who stood silently, holding their weapons without even a glance sideways.
After walking a while, Li Yuanxiu and Li Pingyi entered the palace's rear hall and saw Li Feiruo respectfully standing at the doorway. Li Pingyi slightly looked up and softly called out, "Aunt."
Li Feiruo, Li Pingyi's paternal aunt, had been married off when Li Pingyi was very young and had only returned home during festivals or rituals. Each visit, she discussed the affairs of Mount Yue with her elder brother Li Xiewen, and by the next day, these discussions would have been compiled and placed neatly on Li Xuanxuan's desk. Although Li Pingyi was not very close to her, he still smiled and greeted her.
"Young Family Head, Yi'er," Li Feiruo acknowledged them softly before they all entered the hall together.
Inside, Li Yuanxiu saw that the seat at the head of the hall was empty. On the left sat a middle-aged man with sharp features and equipped with a golden bow, who was joking about something. It was Li Xuanfeng. To the right was his own father, Li Xuanxuan, who listened intently and nodded in agreement from time to time.
Next to him was his third uncle Li Xuanling, who, currently at the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, was expected to break through within the next few years. He held a jade slip and nodded slightly upon seeing Li Yuanxiu.
Chen Donghe and Li Qiuyang sat quietly next in line, not daring to speak. Further down sat Li Xiewen and other influential clan uncles. The elders of the family were not here due to their age, so those present were relatively younger but still held significant positions within the family.
"Greetings, Seniors," Li Yuanxiu and the others began. After waiting a while at the bottom of the steps, someone flew into the hall with the wind, prompting everyone to stand and greet him in unison.
"Welcome, Clan Uncle/Ancestor/Second Uncle!"
"I am late. Thank you all for waiting..." Li Tongya said as he settled into the seat at the head of the hall and nodded at Li Yuanxiu, who stepped forward. His tone was solemn and serious when he spoke.
"Our Li Family now fully controls Eastern Mount Yue, and we have gathered 54 spirit items worth 32 Spirit Stones, and seven Embryonic Breathing Realm dharma artifacts and shamanic tools worth over 40 Spirit Stones."
Li Yuanxiu paused. Having already reported three Qi Cultivation Realm dharma artifacts to Li Tongya privately, he skipped them in the list thus avoiding provoking idle talk among the clan uncles.
He then changed the subject, saying, "Currently, our Li Family needs to submit a tribute every five years consisting of 1,000 jin of Spirit Saddies, 100 White Essence Fruits, 300 jin of Yellow Jade Spirit Rice, and 25 Spirit Stones, along with various other spirit goods worth a total of 50 Spirit Stones.
"The native yield of Spirit Paddies on Mount Lijing is around 1,300 jin. Since we acquired the territory of Eastern Mount Yue, there's been a shortage of manpower, and the productive spirit fields there currently yield about 1,000 jin... After distributing the clan allowances to the cultivators, we can have a surplus of 800 jin of Spirit Paddies every five years. The main income, however, comes from the ebony mine, bringing in about 30 Spirit Stones every five years."
Li Yuanxiu made a gesture, and Li Pingyi unrolled a map. Li Yuanxiu detailed the distribution of the spirit fields, their fertility, and sterility as the elders listened intently.
Li Tongya thought to himself, This doesn't even include talismans and miscellaneous items like Wuzha Spirit Silk... If those were counted, the income could reach 40 Spirit Stones. With the 30 Spirit Stones we have in reserve, in a few years, we could afford to commission a formation for Mount Huaqian!
Observing the junior members below, Li Tongya nodded slightly and spoke warmly, "This occupation of Eastern Mount Yue required effort from all present... The family will reward you according to your contributions when we return to the town."
The crowd thanked him in unison. The clan uncles below whispered among themselves and exchanged glances, until finally, one of the minor sect cultivators stood up. He was a third stage Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator and looked up hesitantly before speaking.
"The acquisition of Eastern Mount Yue territory is largely due to the efforts of our Qi Cultivation Realm elders. We merely played a supporting role and dare not claim credit... However..."
As he stood up, Li Qiuyang, the head of the minor sect cultivators, looked startled and somewhat angry, clearly taken aback by the unfolding events.
Li Qiuyang clenched his teeth, and Chen Donghe, who was beside him, placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head gently.
The minor sect cultivator suddenly fell to his knees and said earnestly, "Now that Eastern Mount Yue is wholly ours, we beseech the elders to abolish the Mount Yue royal lineage and its governance system to ensure control under the Li Family... and prevent any loyalty conflicts from the royal heirs!"
While this minor sect cultivator was still speaking, Li Qiuyang suddenly had an epiphany and sighed silently. Without a word, he hung his head in dejection.
The struggle for benefit is inevitable , Li Yuanxiu thought to himself with his back facing the speaker.
He was fully aware of their intentions. With the Li Family's towns and villages already under the administration of his several illegitimate half-brothers, who were quite cunning, these minor sect members naturally lacked the power to compete with them. Hence, they turned their attention to the lands of Eastern Mount Yue.
Having previously hinted multiple times and having firmly chastised them, my clan brothers were still not deterred, seeking yet another gamble in the presence of our granduncle...
Li Yuanxiu narrowed his eyes. If the royal lineage of Eastern Mount Yue was removed and the territory directly administered by the Li Family, the numerous towns that might emerge would naturally tempt these individuals to propose a significant candidate to test the waters.
Moreover, this individual is a junior... Even if something were to go awry, there would be enough room to navigate through it.
After the minor sect cultivator had finished delivering his prepared speech, Li Yuanxiu gave a slight smile without turning his head. He spoke softly.
"The land of Eastern Mount Yue has been through numerous wars... the people are in turmoil, it is a turbulent time. For the Li Family to take over now is merely inheriting a mess that drains resources, consumes food and craftsmen, and would require further resources to manage a group of officials who capitalize on the chaos..."
Li Yuanxiu stepped forward, his implications causing the faces of the clan uncles to change. His gaze swept over the faces of the various clan uncles, compelling them all to lower their heads.
He smiled and continued, "My family is interested in the spirit items and spirit fields of Mount Yue. Now that we have obtained these, during this time of great resentment among the people, it would be better to let Shamoli govern over them. Let the blame for grievances fall on the King of Mount Yue, and the backlash on Shamoli. When Mount Yue changes its customs and the people's strength is restored, we can gradually absorb more territory. By that time, the people's lives will have improved, and they will recognize these as the merits of the Li Family."
Hearing this, Li Tongya, sitting at the head of the hall, smiled in approval and nodded subtly. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he declared firmly, "The royal family of Eastern Mount Yue is nominally a vassal, but actually a puppet of ours... This matter is settled. No further discussion is needed."
"Yes," was the collective response.
Li Tongya, one of the highest-ranking and strongest in the family, respected as an elder and nicknamed the 'Grand Elder of the Li Family,' spoke softly but decisively. Hence, his statement prompted everyone to stand and agree, settling the matter with finality.
The minor sect cultivator awkwardly returned to his place. The smaller branch members exchanged glances and all sighed softly, realizing the futility of their aspirations.
Li Yuanxiu briskly turned the page on the matter, adding, "From the second lunar month until today, we've been stationed in Eastern Mount Yue for twenty-seven days. Thirteen clan members have committed violations of indulgence... nine have abused their powers for personal gain, and seven others committed various smaller offenses."
"Those who incited troops are to be stripped of their ranks and imprisoned, and from squad leader upward, all are to be executed if they could not dissuade their subordinates..." Li Yuanxiu paused here as his voice trailed off, his tone hinting at the gruesome nature of the punishments. This made some of the younger members flinch.
He continued, "Those who accepted bribes are to be stripped of their positions, and those who offered bribes are to be imprisoned or executed—never to be employed again."
Li Yuanxiu then concluded the rest of the administrative matters. Li Tongya nodded and assigned a few people to stay in Eastern Mount Yue to oversee the spirit fields and manage the local cultivators.
"The matters of Eastern Mount Yue are concluded; withdraw the troops and return home," he said.