Huo Yuhao from The Peerless Tang Sect is incredibly talented.

After the group returned to the study.

The emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire sat behind his desk, a blank silk scroll laid out before him. The ink had been ground, and the brush rested on the inkstone, a single drop of ink clinging to the tip, suspended in mid-air.

He didn't start writing immediately, but just stared at the blank silk, as if he were looking at something very important.

Huo Yuhao stood at the door, not urging him. Vina stood beside her father, holding her breath.

"Nephew," the Emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire finally spoke, his voice much softer than usual, "do you know why I'm entrusting Heavenly Dou City to you?"

"Uncle, please speak."

The emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire did not answer immediately. He picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write on the silk. He wrote slowly, each stroke meticulous and precise, as if he were writing about something very important.

"Tian Dou City, the capital of the Tian Hun Empire. It has a population of one million, and most of the powerful and noble people in the court live here. The nation's money, grain, and taxes are allocated from here, and news from all over the country is gathered here. I have been in charge of this city since the day I ascended the throne, for more than twenty years."

No, uncle, you're really capable! Not only do you rule the whole country, but you're also the lord of the capital!

Huo Yuhao was a little surprised. After all, he had cultivated in the outer heavens for ten thousand years and had seen many political systems. Apart from those that took cities as their country, other emperors would entrust the capital to their trusted confidants.

I don't say I haven't done it, but I've done very little.

The Emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire finished writing the first line, put down his pen, looked at the words on the silk, and said.

"I know how well I'm managing things. The numbers may look good, but people are uncomfortable. Taxes rise every year, and the people get poorer every year. The powerful and wealthy are getting richer, and the common people are suffering more and more. It's not that I don't know, it's that I don't know how to change it. If I touch the interests of the powerful and wealthy, the court will be in chaos. If it's in chaos, the Sun Moon Empire on the border will take advantage of the situation. If I don't do anything, the people will starve to death. I can't do anything, and I can't do nothing either."

After saying that, he continued writing, his handwriting becoming slightly heavier than before.

"I have been thinking about this for over twenty years, but I haven't come up with a solution."

He paused, then spoke as he wrote.

Why not learn from Emperor Wu of Han and directly reform the wealthy and powerful, making them like commoners, striving to achieve a climate where everyone has a prison sentence and everyone suffers hardship?

Huo Yuhao, standing to the side, couldn't help but complain inwardly.

The emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire looked up and glanced at Huo Yuhao.

"Now that you've taken office, in addition to the three points I mentioned before, you should also be aware of the forces in this city, lest you be set up by someone in concert."

He lowered his head and continued writing.

"The four major families are the most powerful forces in this city."

"First, the Li family. The number one family in Tiandou City. The head of the family, Li Chongwen, is the Grand Tutor of the current court. His disciples are all over the court, and half of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers are his students. The Li family controls the Tianhun Empire's banks, salt and iron monopolies, and mining. They own one-tenth of Tiandou's wealth."

The emperor paused for a moment as he wrote this.

"The Li family rose to power three hundred years ago when the Tianhun Kingdom was founded, and has been intermarrying with the royal family for generations. My empress is a woman from the Li family. Since I ascended the throne, the Li family has become very powerful, and important matters of the court must be discussed with the Li family first, and then with me. It's not that I don't know this, it's that I can't do anything about it."

"I understand. It's an external force, and a powerful one at that. If any emperor had any backbone, he'd be against you." Huo Yuhao had gained a preliminary understanding of this power.

"Secondly, the Wang family. The patriarch, Wang Dezhao, is the current prime minister and has controlled the military and political affairs for twenty years. The Wang family controls the Tianhun Empire's arms manufacturing, soul tool research and development, city defense engineering, and the construction of the Tiandou City walls. The Tianhun Empire's army, city defense, and weapons all rely on the Wang family. Without the Wang family, Tiandou City would be an undefended city. But the Wang family's knife can sometimes cut my hand. Two years ago, when the Sun Moon Empire invaded the border, the Wang family took the opportunity to demand three million gold coins for military expenses."

At this point, the emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire visibly gritted his teeth.

"Military-grade composite material with added civil engineering plastering, right?" Huo Yuhao silently labeled the Wang family.

"Thirdly, the Zheng family. The patriarch, Zheng Mingyuan, is the president of the Tiandou City Chamber of Commerce. He controls 60% of the grain shops, 60% of the cloth shops, and 50% of the restaurants in Tiandou City. The prices of grain, cloth, and housing in Tiandou City are all determined by the Zheng family. 30% of Tiandou City's taxes come from the Zheng family. 40% of the military rations for the Tianhun Empire are supplied by the Zheng family."

Huo Yuhao frowned. Food supply for the million residents of Tiandou City was a major problem.

"Fourth, the Lin family. The patriarch, Lin Wenyuan, is the top boss of the underground forces in Tiandou City. The casinos, brothels, smuggling, and black markets in the nine districts of Tiandou City are all controlled by the Lin family. On the surface, the Lin family is the largest caravan and horse dealership owner in Tiandou City, but in secret, they do all sorts of things. This force is the most mixed and the most murky. The Lin family is just a facade, and I don't know what forces are behind them, but I am certain of one thing: they definitely have people from the Hall of Worship behind them. However, after the miracle last night, they are currently the weakest."

A political broker and the head of a black market Soul Master organization. Huo Yuhao saw through his true nature in a second.

He put down his pen, picked up the token on the table, and handed it to Huo Yuhao along with the silk scroll.

Huo Yuhao glanced at the contents above.

Huo Yuhao, the young sect leader of the Body Sect, possesses exceptional talent and a magnanimous spirit. Since its founding, the Body Sect has stood shoulder to shoulder with the Heavenly Soul for three hundred years, sharing both triumphs and tribulations. In the early days of the nation's founding, the elders of the Body Sect fought alongside the founding ancestor of the Heavenly Soul, establishing their dominance and achieving unparalleled feats. In subsequent generations, disciples of the Body Sect have either participated in military campaigns, guarded the borders, or served in the court, their fates inextricably linked to that of the Heavenly Soul. The sect leader, Du Busi, has led the sect for decades, always dispatching disciples to aid the nation in times of crisis. Twenty years ago, when the Sun Moon Empire launched a massive invasion, thirteen elders of the Body Sect descended the mountain to aid the battle, their blood staining the battlefield, their bodies never to be found. Even now, whenever I think of this, I rise in the middle of the night, filled with sorrow and grief. Now, the young sect leader, upholding his master's command, has tirelessly entered the Heavenly Dou City to assist in governance. When I first met him, he was young yet composed, taciturn yet profound, standing like a pine tree, moving like flowing clouds, his every action measured and measured. Observing his talents, I found him to be knowledgeable in military affairs, governance, commerce, and education—proficient in everything. Even more remarkable is his heart for the people, his ambition for their well-being; his words and deeds are all based on the people's livelihood. I am greatly pleased and hold him in high regard.

Huo Yuhao is hereby appointed as the City Lord of Tiandou City, overseeing all matters within the city. All matters concerning security, including city patrols, apprehending thieves, capturing criminals, conducting trials, managing prisons, and administering criminal law, shall be decided by the City Lord, who may establish his own regulations and determine his own punishments. All matters concerning defense, including the opening and closing of city gates, repairing city defenses, training garrison troops, detecting enemy activity, and transmitting signal fires, shall be under the City Lord's command, who may formulate his own strategies and deploy his own troops. All matters concerning personnel, including the promotion and demotion of officials, the recruitment of servants, the assessment of salaries, and the reward and punishment of merits and demerits, shall be decided by the City Lord. The various departments of the Six Ministries established in Tiandou City shall also be subject to the City Lord's authority. Under the control of the city lord, all matters concerning resource allocation—including the city's granaries, treasuries, material reserves, and vehicles and ships—are subject to his authority and can be used independently without prior approval. All matters concerning people's livelihood and education—including the people's hardships, public opinion, disaster relief, and free schools and clinics—are under his jurisdiction; he may establish his own government offices and formulate his own policies. All matters concerning commerce and trade—including shops, markets, guilds, wharves, taxes, and price stabilization—are under his control; he may set price limits and ban hoarding. From the date of his appointment, all officials, servants, and soldiers of Tiandou City, from the prefect to the village head, are at the city lord's command. All city decrees, large and small, reach the Emperor and the people; the city lord decides all matters. I will not control from afar, nor will I interfere. The city's governance is my trust; the city's decisions are my adherence.

"Hehe, Uncle, don't worry. Watch my methods, I'll teach this Heavenly Fighting City a lesson."

Huo Yuhao spoke with great confidence.