Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave kneeled beneath a full moon on the deck of the Sea Dragon. He was already getting tired of this kneeling business. If he were a believer in omens, he might think that this fight would most surely be his loss. His personal heraldry was that of the sun, while the symbol of the Great Chu—the moon—was high overhead, at its brightest. Despite this, as Argrave looked at Commander Yuan who kneeled with his sword placed on the ground at his side, he felt only confidence. The man’s face was hidden behind a demonic mask, but he suspected the same confidence was mirrored behind it.

As predicted, Ji Meng watched this bout, surrounded dually by his honor guard and Argrave’s own Veidimen royal guard. Patriarch Dras, Galamon, Durran, Anneliese, and from on high, even Rook—he’d gathered quite an audience. It was enough to fray the nerves, but Argrave’s will had grown strong from years of constant use and abuse.

The emperor lifted his hand, ostensibly acting as arbiter for this bout, then lowered it and declared, “Begin.”

Commander Yuan grabbed his blade and lunged, performing an incredibly quick draw. The moment that the blade left the scabbard it already glinted with magic, and a powerful blade of electricity sought Argrave’s neck. But just as Yuan already attacked, Argrave already defended—using his practiced casting speed, he’d a ward prepared faster than the lightning could travel.

Almost leisurely, Argrave reached for the weapon he’d placed beside him. It was Rowe’s staff, bestowed upon Anneliese, who’d lent it to Argrave temporarily. Would Rowe hate him for this? Yes. Was it moderately unfair? Perhaps. Did Argrave care? Anyone that knew him could guess the answer. The moment that his hand clenched around it, he could feel the power contained within this weapon—Veid’s very heart—course into his magic, strengthening it.

Great Chu had common spellcasters, common swordsmen, but traditionally the best among them were trained to perform both roles. Their weapons required an abundance of raw magic to use, yet there was an argument they were both more efficient and faster than spells. Yuan’s blade created waves of power easily equal to A-rank spells, judging from the impact Argrave’s ward had taken.

Commander Yuan sprinted across the deck, closing the distance between himself and Argrave with unnatural speed. The commander’s boots conjured gusts to give him incredible bursts of speed. Argrave saw the commander’s left hand glow with a mana ripple while the right prepared to stab forth his weapon elegantly, concentrating its power to break the ward. In response, Argrave merely sent out blood echoes. He had them cast nothing more than simple C-rank spells. Wind, fire, and water interrupted Yuan’s run, but to his credit, he regained his composure after being struck once and used enchanted gear to ward himself.

A stab from Yuan’s blade bridged the gap remaining and shattered Argrave’s ward, then the full might of an S-rank lightning spell erupted toward where Argrave stood. He was surprised that the man wasn’t holding back at all, but merely used [Echo Step] and swapped places with one of the blood echoes behind Yuan. Argrave responded equally fiercely—an A-rank [Burst], infused with his black blood. The spell rocked out with power every bit as fierce, if not magnitudes fiercer, than what had targeted Argrave. The wards Yuan made shattered, and he was hit with much of Argrave’s might.

Argrave knew his foe was well-equipped, so chose not to relent. All of his blood echoes unleashed the B-rank [Arc Whip], sending coiling lashes of electricity upon his foe. He was wise to be unrelenting. Yuan recovered and blocked with another ward, then dispelled it and slashed at Argrave again—once, twice, thrice. Another [Echo Step] removed him from harm, yet Yuan did a very wide swing, catching onto Argrave’s method to dodge. He sought to catch each of the echoes around him.

But then, he should’ve looked up.

Argrave teleported above Yuan, where his blood echo had prepared a B-rank sword of blood. Argrave merely fell down upon the commander as though his name was Aerith instead of Yuan. Blood magic, formed of black blood, and enhanced by Veid’s heart… few things could truly resist it. He plunged the sword into the man’s back, and it pierced enchanted armor and flesh both.

“It’s over,” Ji Meng said before things could progress, presiding over the whole affair.

Argrave looked at the old emperor, then dispelled the blade of blood and stepped away from the commander. He pried the weapon from Yuan’s hand, cast it aside, and then kneeled down to heal his former foe’s wound before he bled out internally or externally. When that was done, Argrave rose.

“There might be some blood left in your lungs,” Argrave informed his former opponent, now turned into his patient. “Let it remind you of your duty to the son of heaven should you cough it up.”

Argrave looked upon everyone that’d been watching. His own people seemed proud. The commanders and the emperor’s honor guard seemed a little mortified—it might be said Argrave was never even put on the backfoot. It came to him, then.

Argrave had become a force to be reckoned with.

He had everything he needed. His black blood gave him the advantage of power, [Echo Step] gave him the best mobility anyone could ask for, and after long bouts with both Orion and King Norman, he had enough experience to hold his own well enough. He’d been putting gods in his sight, and somewhere along the way, he got past just about everyone else.

Last, Argrave’s eyes fell upon Emperor Ji Meng. The man was neither mortified, nor proud, nor amused. The only thing Argrave saw from him was scrutiny, judgment. Perhaps he was wondering if he could beat Argrave, now. Regardless, the emperor gained composure, and turned his gaze to address the sizable crowd.

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“Does anyone else intend to contest our Grand Commandant?” Ji Meng surveyed the crowd. “No? Then to conclude, we will say only this.” He looked at Yuan, then at Argrave. “It was a good fight, Grand Commandant Sun. We expect performances of the same level henceforth.”

#####

“One of the reasons that Commander Yuan lost that fight was something that he may have mitigated.” Argrave looked between the eight commanders. He sat on a chair, while they kneeled—he figured it’d be fine, since he’d just beaten their toughest guy up. “He lacked critical information. Doubtless you understand its value, having risen to your current station.”

Each of the eight nodded.

“What we need, then, is information. While we’re acquiring some of our own, we’re sorely limited without an abundance of insiders. A deity that works for me has a large network of contacts, but none of them bear the same importance in the Great Chu that you do. More than your armies, your title is what I need, for now.”

Argrave wasn’t lying to them anymore. While Veidimen and several agents that Elenore trained scouted the whole of the Great Chu with druidic magic, the influence of the imperial court wasn’t something that could be easily perceived from above. He needed Great Chu natives in prominent positions for what Argrave, Elenore, and Anneliese had planned.

“I need your titles because I intend to attack the veins of the Great Chu, and conquer it back from the imperial court. From what I know, your people are leagues ahead of ours, financially speaking. Your use of paper money has allowed trade to prosper. And because trade prospers, you can support vast cities in places where local agriculture alone cannot support the population.” Argrave tapped the ground before him with his foot to emphasize his next words. “Our focus will be Grand Imperial Bank.”

Some of the commanders looked extremely alarmed, while others were entirely unaffected by this news. The difference, Argrave suspected, was between those who understood the importance of the Grand Imperial Bank to the health of the entire nation, and those who did not. The Grand Imperial Bank was wholly owned by the imperial court, and served as both a central and public bank. That simple fact gave them the keys to much of the country.

The Great Chu was far ahead of Vasquer. All of their major cities had sewage, running water, continent-spanning postal systems powered by magic, and vastly efficient transportation methods in manmade canals that might be compared to trains in speed. Paper money, while totally to all in Vasquer, was common here. And it tied the people of this vast empire to the government extremely closely.

Gold notes, silver notes—ostensibly they could be exchanged for gold or silver at any time, but in reality, Argrave and Elenore both doubted the system was without weakness. Soldiers were paid in these notes. Food was sold for these notes. Public transportation required these notes. Landowners, farmers, wealthy families, governors, commanders; each and all were expected to pay taxesnot in grain or gold, as was common in Vasquer, but in gold and silver notes.

The Great Chu, simply put, ran on paper.

It had tremendous benefits. As Argrave said, it was partially responsible for great metropolises blossoming where ordinarily such a thing would be impossible. Excellent transportation coupled with highly convenient trade allowed food and other such resources that generally limited a city’s population to become non-issues. Paper money was undoubtedly convenient, but its purchasing power was backed by the government—one institution within the government, most specifically.

“The Grand Imperial Bank does more than simply lend money. It’s also responsible for storing people’s balances, creating more notes as needed, and preventing fraud,” Argrave explained. “It handles everything, from stock in companies, to—”

“Tampering with the empire’s finances could have devastating effects for the whole of the Great Chu,” one commander explained with a clenched jaw. “It’s a carefully tuned machine that, if gone awry, could have a rippling effect that consigns millions to starvation and poverty. Cities in remote regions like Nanji cannot hope to—”

“I’ve discussed this matter at length with the emperor,” Argrave cut in. “We aren’t speaking of destroying the Grand Imperial Bank.”

“You said we would conquer it,” the commander continued. “And conquest brings damages.”

“That’s a matter that the emperor is well willing to focus on once this calamity has passed by the Great Chu.” Argrave looked between them. The well-informed commanders still looked ill at ease, while those not in the know were growing alarmed by their peers’ insistence on the importance of the bank.

Commander Yuan looked at each of them and said evenly yet loudly, “Has the emperor not stated clearly enough for each of you that the imperial court has, for the first time in its history, been wholly compromised by the divine? You would bicker over money? Can the son of heaven not provide for his people, once calamity has passed? Has he not toiled, rising from the fields to claim his mandate? Will he not feed and shelter them even at the cost of his own fortune?”

Argrave nodded in quiet agreement. To say something positive about Ji Meng, he certainly wasn’t callous toward the people. When hard times came, he had a reputation for aiding them. Yet when the good times came, he’d expect the same loyalty from them on the field of battle. Perhaps it was because Ji Meng viewed the people as his people, and simply took good care of what was his. Regardless, Ji Meng was liked.

“I go with this only because I know how well it works,” Argrave explained, thinking of Erlebnis and how he’d been crippled after they had robbed his vault. “The Grand Imperial Bank is the foundation for so much of the imperial court’s power. Wrested from their hands, it can serve the son of heaven long enough for him to reestablish his primacy. I can assure you that our emperor would not allow this plan to pass did he not believe it necessary.”

Commander Yuan bowed low, placing his head on the ground. “I am the humble servant of the Grand Commandant.”

Apparently, Argrave needed to stab his subordinates more often—Yuan was the most enthusiastic. In time, each of the other seven commanders mirrored Commander Yuan’s expression, giving their fealty to him as Grand Commandant. With their support, Argrave supposed it was time for a hostile takeover of a state-owned central and public bank.

Perhaps next time, they’d not put all their golden eggs in one basket.