With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

In the following days, Lin Ye led everyone to visit the fellow villagers from Xiang County who had been stranded in Yun County.

I saw with my own eyes that they were indeed ostracized by the people of Yun County and lived a difficult and impoverished life.

As the lord of Xiang County, Lin Ye distributed some money and grain to these people on the spot and publicly expressed his welcome to their return to Xiang County.

Li Liang stood by and watched without interrupting or expressing his opinion.

On this day, Lin Ye and his party prepared to set off for Yun County, which was more than 100 miles away from the town. The Chen family, the lords of Yun County, lived there.

Yesterday, the Chen family sent a messenger to the town to inform Lin Ye to go to the county seat, saying that the head of the Chen family was waiting for him in Yun County.

As you travel further into Yun County, the terrain becomes increasingly flat, the mountains gradually thin out, and rivers crisscross, meandering like ribbons across the vast fields.

Yun County is about the same size as Xiang County.

In fact, the area of ​​each county in this world is roughly the same, because each region relies on the suppression of lairs to maintain stability. Lairs of the same grade can suppress roughly the same range, so the size of each county's territory is also similar.

Yunxian County has long been known as a land of fish and rice, with fertile soil and convenient irrigation, making it extremely suitable for cultivation.

Unfortunately, the area has few mines and is not suitable for mining and smelting. Instead, it has focused on agriculture and fishing, perfecting the skills of planting and fishing.

Thanks to the dense network of rivers, Yun County has not only reclaimed vast stretches of fertile land on both banks, but also established fishing grounds on many wide bodies of water, using bamboo fences to raise aquatic products. Boats shuttle back and forth among them, and the fishing industry is thriving.

As the group traveled along, the most common sights were vast fields of farmland and shimmering fishing grounds, with occasional villages nestled among the fields and river bends, their chimneys emitting wisps of smoke, creating a peaceful and tranquil pastoral scene.

Lin Ye observed carefully and discovered that the scenery along the way was truly close to the daily life of ancient farmers in his memory.

They work at sunrise and rest at sunset.

In the fields, farmers toiled diligently; in the fishing grounds, fishermen cast and retrieved their nets. Everyone was engaged in their own tasks, and everything was orderly and efficient.

The people here, from their complexions to their clothing, exude a sense of composure and contentment at having enough to eat and wear. Their skin is mostly a healthy tan, without any signs of hunger or haggardness.

Although the clothes were not fancy, they were neat and fit well, and the fabric was durable and wear-resistant, indicating that the family was well-off and lived comfortably.

Children chased and played along the ridges of the fields, while women washed clothes by the stream. Laughter and cheerful voices filled the air, and few signs of sorrow were visible.

As Lin Ye traveled along, he sighed inwardly. This was what a prosperous agricultural era should look like: the land and water nourished people, the rivers and lakes provided bounty, and the people were content with their livelihoods, able to maintain a solid sense of abundance and tranquility.

The others in the group looked on with envy, recalling the scene in Xiang County six years ago, which was not much worse than this place.

Because the Chen family led the way, the journey was smooth and uneventful. They traveled according to plan each day, and the Chen family had already arranged food and lodging for everyone along the way, handling everything perfectly.

It is easy to see that the Chen family, which has been in business for fifty years, has a good grasp of all parts of the territory and has formed a fixed reception procedure.

Lin Ye watched with envy, wondering when the Lin family could develop to such an orderly and well-prepared state.

Along the way, Lin Ye also met the main target of his trip—the third-rate Taoist soldier Crocodile Armor Stealth Guard.

When they passed a large river, the group took a boat from the Chen family to cross the river. Along the way, they saw three crocodile-armored guards swimming slowly, and three martial artists standing steadily on their backs to patrol the waterway.

The Crocodile-Armored Submersible resembles a giant crocodile, its body covered in hard, dark blue-black scales, fine and dense like iron, gleaming with a cold, hard sheen under the water. Its limbs are short, thick, and powerful, with webbed toes that move silently yet with tremendous thrust. Its head is flat and long, with a pointed snout, and its eyes are covered by a transparent, tough membrane.

The three warriors standing on him wore non-slip boots, their bodies as steady as rocks, not swaying as the Crocodile Armor Guard moved.

The person in the middle holds a long pole to probe the water depth and current speed, while a short knife hangs from his waist on his left to scan the underwater area on both banks, and a signal gong is held on his right in preparation for an alarm.

The crocodile-shelled creature's scales rub against the water, producing a low, rustling sound. Its nostrils occasionally peek out to breathe, its movements composed and unhurried. With its thick back, it is as stable as a small boat, allowing it to scout along the shore or dive briefly, using its scales and breath-holding ability to detect underwater hazards.

According to the Chen family, these three crocodile-armored guards, accompanied by three warriors, are the river patrol officers of the territory, and it is customary for them to work in groups of three.

Originally, each group would be followed by a boat for support in case of unforeseen circumstances.

However, since the new head of the family, Chen Cheng, took office, considering that there had been no attacks by monsters in the water for many years, he withdrew the accompanying boats.

The retention of river patrol officers today serves more as a deterrent, reassuring merchants passing through; it is more symbolic than practical.

After listening, Lin Ye thought of the treacherous blue pythons that roamed the waterways of Xiang County, and compared them to the calm waterways of Yun County, the difference was like heaven and earth.

He understood even more clearly why having a lair could lead to the appointment of a lord.

Firstly, the territory of this world is too vast for feudal dynasties to govern, so they can only use the system of investiture to divide and rule.

Secondly, and most importantly, the lair can not only suppress monsters and stabilize the territory, but also ensure long-term peace and stability in the area under its rule, which is the fundamental reason.

On this day, as the group approached Yun County, they could see the majestic city wall standing on the plain in the distance.

The city wall is five zhang high, thick and solid, much more imposing than Xiangxian County.

I've heard from the Chen family that the city wall was originally only three zhang high, but six years ago, when Xiang County was breached, the Chen family reinforced and raised it by two zhang as a precaution.

The city gate was decorated with lanterns and colorful flags and red ribbons, which fluttered in the wind, conveying a sense of joy and hospitality.

A number of people were already standing at the entrance. The leader was a man in his forties, who was tall and strong with a full beard and an air of boldness and authority.

Two guards stood beside him, their auras steady; they appeared to be second-rate martial artists.

Lin Ye glanced around briefly, then looked at the three true disciples beside him.

Before they arrived, he had them change out of their sword sect uniforms and into ordinary guard uniforms, so that outsiders wouldn't be able to tell they came from the Qingyuan Sword Sect, and it would also save face.

At this moment, the three stood tall and composed, their demeanor in no way inferior to that of the two second-rate martial artists on the other side.

Upon seeing Lin Ye's convoy, the leading man strode forward and laughed loudly, "This must be Lord Lin of Xiang County? I am Chen Cheng, the gentleman of Yun County, greetings to Lord Lin!"

Lin Ye quickly dismounted and returned the greeting with a cupped hand. "Lord Chen, you are too kind. I have long admired your name. It is my pleasure to meet you today."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, exchanging pleasantries about the recent state of governance and local customs.

Then, Chen Cheng extended his hand in invitation, "Lord Lin, please—we have prepared a banquet and lodgings, please come into the city for further discussion."

Lin Ye smiled and agreed, walking side by side with Chen Cheng toward the city gate.