Castle of Black Iron

Chapter 844: Leaving Youzhou City

Chapter 844: Leaving Youzhou City

Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem

Zhang Tie woke up on October 12th. After staying in Youzhou City for less than 2 days, he had returned to Golden Light City by an airship of Huaiyuan Palace.

During the 2 days, as the new dean of the supreme court in Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie visited the supreme court and learned about his responsibilities and the obligations of his subordinate agencies although he took a passive attitude towards his work.

The position Tingwei was difficult to understand for those who came to Taixa Country from other sub-continents; however, as long as they knew the meaning of the two Hua characters respectively, they would easily understand the responsibilities of this position.

The character "?" means fairness. Those being broad-minded fit the character "?". Guards in armors were "?". Literally, "??" referred to those who safeguarded fairness. According to the explanation of Siberians, "??" could also be translated into a fashioned term——messenger of justice. Zhang Tie thought that if a country could name the most solemn official position as the messenger of justice, this country definitely carried a deep-rooted romatic gene.

The supreme "??" agency in Taixia Country was the supreme court; those on state-level were called court temple; those on prefecture-level were called court yamun; those on city-level were called court administration; those on county-level were called court branch; villages and towns didn’t have "??" agency. As the dean of the supreme court of Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie ruled all the court temples across Youzhou Province.

Court temple contained three subordinates: first, prison temple, which literally was in charge of the prison system across Youzhou Province; second, judgement temple, which was responsible for the judgment and litigation across Youzhou Province; third, penalty temple, which was responsible for arresting criminals, deterring evil forces and maintaining local security. Due to the three subordinate agencies, court organ was also named Three-Temple Yamun in Taixia folklore. The main officers of courts at different levels were called heads of three temples.

The dean of the supreme court in Youzhou Province was Class 5, who would be paid by 75000 kgs’ grains a year and be awarded the silver seal and cyan ribbon.

The supreme court in Youzhou Province was located on an avenue 1.5 miles away in the west of White Tiger Complex. Although being smaller than that of White Tiger Complex, it still occupied about 200,000 square meters. Being solemn, it manifested the majesty of the supreme court everywhere.

When Zhang Tie asked about his compensation in the supreme court, he was shocked by the answer "1,000 shi 1 per year".

"Is Youzhou’s fiscal income so poor? How could they just deliver grains to the dean of the supreme court?"

Zhang Tie knew that ancient Hua officers’ compensations were not in terms of gold or silver coins; instead, they were measured in terms of shi of grains. Zhang Tie had not imagined that he would have such a day either. Zhang Tie became confused, ’Although Youzhou Province is the lower province of Taixia Country, its officers should not be that embarrassed. Does Taixia Country really treat officers as its civil servants? Referring to the historical facts, the so-called civil servants were nothing but the biggest humor in the human history before the Catastrophe.

After Zhang Tie asked that, he found that all those beside him in the supreme court looked weird while their faces turned red.

"Ahem...ahem..." An officer in the court coughed twice after a short while before replying Zhang Tie, "Lord, you might not know it’s different here than many countries in other continents, although your compensation was about 1,000 shi a year, it’s not grains, but golds! In this lower province, even the lowest Class 9 officer could enjoy 120 kg of golds a year."

’Golds? Is my compensation about 1,000 shi golds a year? 2,400,000 gold coins a year? It would take my father over 200,000 years to work in Blackhot City. How rich is Taixia Country? Officers’ compensations could be measured by shi of golds? Perhaps, only Taixia Country could make it in the human world...’

When Zhang Tie occasionally heard the word "shi receiver", he was confused about its meaning. When he heard the explanation, he understood it right away, ’shi receiver is a graceful appellation to officers from Taixia folklore. Even the lowest Class 9 county magistrate could have 120 kg, namely 2,400 gold coins a year. It seems that Taixia officers live pretty well.’

However, although Taixia officers’ compensations were high, all of them had to register their family properties from the chief procurator general, the prime minister and the premier of the state council to the village constable in their regimes. Taixia Country would punish those corrupt officers severely by letting them swallow the golds that they had accepted as bribes. If they were not dead, they would be set free; if they were dead, their family properties would be confiscated. Those who reported the corrupt officers could gain all the family properties of the corrupt officers. Therefore, very few officers in Taixia Country dared take bribes of over 10 gold coins.

Finding that Zhang Tie became silent, they thought that Zhang Tie was complaining that the compensation was too low.

"As Youzhou has just promoted to a province, the lord’s compensation is indeed a bit low. But as the lord is still young, you will have an infinitely bright future. With the lord in Youzhou Province, the evil forces in Youzhou Province would be deterred. If Youzhou Province has a good social security, the lord will get a good comment. After that, the supreme court even the imperial court would present your annual bonus, which was usually several times more than that of your compensation, including priceless treasures. Even our subordinates could be benefited from it!"

...

After staying in the supreme court in Youzhou City for a short while, Zhang Tie had left Youzhou City on the second day.

Court agencies had existed in Taixia Country for over 800 years, during which period, all the regulations in these agencies had been established. All of their daily operations were referred to concrete regulations. Even if Zhang Tie was not there, the supreme court of Youzhou Province could also run normally.

As the dean of the supreme court in Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie had the right to appoint many officers in the courts across this province; however, Zhang Tie was not interested in it. Additionally, Zhang Tie didn’t need any helper on his side; therefore, Zhang Tie just handed it over to the head and the other elders of Huaiyuan Palace. Zhang Tie didn’t care whether the officers on different levels in the court temples were from disciples of Zhang Clan, through exchanges with other major clans in Youzhou Province or selected from local people. He knew that Huaiyuan Palace would consider it well for himself.

Those who loved power might rack their minds to consider about it; however, Zhang Tie didn’t love power. He knew that the biggest power for a knight didn’t come from outside but from long-term accumulation of his own power. Peaches and plums didn’t speak, however, there were always paths under them which were caused by travelers who were attracted by their fragrance and beautiful scenery.

As the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province had just been fixed, everything was back on the right track. Zhang Tie estimated that he didn’t need to concern about anything in the supreme court for the time being. After making some rules for the supreme court, Zhang Tie left for Golden Light City by airship.

...

On the noon of October 14th, soon after Zhang Tie left Youzhou City by airship...

"Clan head, Elder Mushen has already left Youzhou City by airship!" An officer bowed and reported to Zhang Taixuan in the Bright Palace of the Provincial Governor’s Mansion.

"Hmm, I know!" Zhang Taixuan replied with a glassy-eyed look. After that, he put down a document and asked calmly, "Has Elder Mushen left any words in the supreme court yesterday?"

"Elder Mushen just requested the supreme court to make a brief report to him monthly. Elder Mushen said that he once encountered Zhu Liang the Fierce Wolf who was wanted by the supreme court in the open waters of Qiongzou Province before he came to Youzhou Province. Zhu Liang was being chased by two bounty hunters. However, he still didn’t change his cruel and fierce personality. Therefore, Zhu Liang left a deep impression in Elder Mushen’s mind. Elder Mushen requested the supreme court to pay special attention to those figures on the wanted list and the messages about them. He told us to prevent any figure on the wanted list from entering Youzhou Province to make troubles here. He would like to know every message about those figures on the wanted list the moment we received it."

After hearing this, Zhang Taixuan slowly waved his hands towards that officer. That officer then lowered his body and slowly left the Bright Palace by moving backward...

When that officer left the Bright Palace, Zhang Taixuan faintly rubbed that odd-looking, colorful finger ring once again. After thinking about it for half a minute, he picked up his document once again...

...

After boarding the airship, Zhang Tie didn’t feel like enjoying the scenery below; instead, he directly entered his cabin and took out his earth crystals to cultivate.

Zhang Tie was greatly shocked by this competition for the position of the provincial governor of Youzhou Province. He also felt a bit sense of crisis; especially in the wrestle with the last demon knight in the Heavens Ball. That demon knight was so powerful that Zhang Tie almost showed his trump card. Therefore, as long as he was free, Zhang Tie would enter cultivation.

Previously, in order to reduce the consumption of his earth-element crystals, Zhang Tie spent half of his spiritual energy in consuming earth-element crystals while the other half of his spiritual energy in capturing those swimming multi-faceted crystals in the elements realm at the same time. After this competition, Zhang Tie had changed his cultivation method and realized the fault of his "frugality". He spent all of his spiritual energy in forming 18 hands so as to carry the earth elements from the earth-elements crystals at the same time. In this way, he would consume earth-elements crystals quickly at an efficiency which was almost two times higher than that before.

’As Taixia Country has numerous powerhouses, I might meet dangers in the future. I should absorb my present earth-elements crystals as fast as possible so as to reinforce my battle strength in the shortest period. As for the earth-elements crystals...I will consider about it after consuming all of my reserves...’ Zhang Tie thought.

In such a high efficiency, it only took Zhang Tie 2 hours to use up one earth-elements crystal...

By contrast, it would take other knights 1.5 days to use up one earth-elements crystal. Zhang Tie’s high efficiency was really shocking.

...