Published: February 12, 2025
Scab City, or rather the Bourbon Free Territory, actually had the existence of nobility, which surprised Ye Zhongming.
Of course, if these two words were used in the local language, they would not be called nobility. After Ye Zhongming learned more, he realized it essentially meant the same thing.
In the early days of the city's establishment, the city council held all the power, responsible to the council of the free territory above and to the city below.
Naturally, the latter could be described as exercising power and authority, which was not an overstatement. Hence, the council members became the most prestigious people in the city. Over time, a large family formed around them as their core.
Most of the council members had lifelong tenures, but as they interacted, conflicts inevitably arose. Some members would certainly face exclusion, resulting in occasional changes in the council's composition.
The majority of these excluded members were directly eliminated without a trace, while some managed to survive tenaciously, gradually forming their own power.
In cases where it was impossible to eliminate these individuals for various reasons, they became exceptionally unique existences within the city.
As they grew stronger, even the city council had to share some power with them, leading to the emergence of a new noble class.
Opposition and cooperation were inherently linked to interests; when both sides reached an acceptable distribution of rights, it was no longer merely about confrontation. Most of the time, they would cooperate. Even when conflicts arose, they would not openly sever ties, as they needed to ensure that the entire city remained under their control; this was their territory, and it could not be destroyed by their disputes.
Thus, the noble class was recognized, slowly forming an unbreakable and unique group.
Years later, these individuals constituted the power hierarchy of the Bourbon Free Territory.
The great noble mentioned by the commander-in-chief, Xuan Cun, had ancestors who were once members of the city council of Scab City and even held the position of chief member. Later, they were excluded from power struggles, but due to their vast family influence, they eventually became nobles.
These nobles, with their long-standing heritage, sometimes embodied living history.
So when the commander-in-chief spoke those words, Ye Zhongming believed him.
Of course, he didn't go by himself but brought the commander-in-chief along.
With this person as a protective charm, on one hand, the city guard would temporarily not hold him accountable, and on the other hand, he could more easily meet this great noble and gain the right to see the diary.
The commander-in-chief, with his broken arm, limped alongside Ye Zhongming to the home of the great noble Xuan Cun. As the leader of the city guard, he was undoubtedly a big figure in Scab City. Upon seeing him, the servants immediately rushed to inform their master.
A moment later, a spirited old man appeared before Ye Zhongming and the commander-in-chief. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the great noble Xuan Cun understood their intent.
He looked at the commander-in-chief’s injured arm with suspicion, but didn’t ask. Both their identities made it inappropriate to discuss certain matters openly, as it could lead to awkward misunderstandings and enmity.
“Regarding the diary, this…”
Xuan Cun hesitated, not because the diary was particularly important, but because nobles often considered some things very secretive and valuable, even if they didn’t know the reason for that value.
They always sought to maintain an air of mystery and distance to enhance their family's perceived 'depth' in the eyes of outsiders.
His hesitation was not because he regarded the diary as a treasure, but rather that he didn’t want to assist without reason.
The commander-in-chief indeed held a high position, but Xuan Cun’s status was also considerable, backed by a large family that, when it came down to it, was much stronger than the commander-in-chief.