Chapter 1006: The Dog Marks Its Territory in the Cat's Nest [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"His surname is Lü, his given name is Jue, and his courtesy name is Shousheng..."

The leader snatched the intelligence from the assassin's hand.

The assassin, noticing the leader's knuckles turning white from clenching his fists, forced a smile and said, "This person's strength is unknown, but with my abilities, it might not be easy to bring him here."

If the other party were just an ordinary scout, it would be fine; with some covert maneuvering, one could cripple them and bring them back when they were alone. But the other party is a general, and a general with many military achievements at that.

With insufficient manpower, we fear we will be unable to break through the enemy's lines.

The leader seemed not to hear him.

He murmured the words "guard life".

If it were merely a striking resemblance, it wouldn't prove it was the same person. However, upon hearing Lü Jue's name, she was almost certain that this person was indeed Li Li from back then, the one she had longed for for so many years. She had always believed he was dead; after all, he was just an ordinary person. Sibao County had changed hands several times and suffered from war, while he was merely a lowly slave. Despite possessing great strength and some martial arts skills, he was ultimately just an ordinary person unable to cultivate.

Unexpectedly, he is still alive and doing well.

Her gaze as she looked at the painting held a hint of reminiscence.

Until the killer brought her back to her senses.

He tentatively asked in a soft voice, "Chief?"

She suddenly snapped back to reality, only then realizing with a start that she had unknowingly reached out to touch the face of the person in the painting, her fingertips quickly retracting as if licked by flames. Suppressing her emotions, she ordered, "It's nothing. Go and thoroughly investigate this Lü Shousheng. Find him as many as you can."

Seeing this, the assassin vaguely guessed what was going on.

He had heard rumors about some leaders before.

It is said that the chieftain was once married, and she and her husband were deeply in love. However, the relationship between their families deteriorated to the point of irreconcilable conflict, and the couple was forced to divorce. Heartbroken, the chieftain gradually indulged in sensual pleasures. When news arrived of her ex-husband's death in battle, she was devastated and began to abandon all love. Just then, her hometown was captured by a warlord, so she fled south with her elder brother. Many talented young men in the capital aspired to high office, but none of them caught her eye, let alone secured a place. Could this chieftain's erratic reaction be...?

A logically sound guess came to the assassin's mind.

The leader's ex-husband is likely not dead, but severely injured and missing. He may have suffered amnesia during this time, missing the leader for over a decade. Now, they meet again in this situation. There's a fair amount of information about Lü Jue, neither too much nor too little.

The assassin was efficient and quickly gathered a group of them.

Ninety-nine percent of the cases were related to military merits in battle, and a small portion involved personal privacy. The assassins had all reviewed the cases before delivering them: "Leader, your subordinates are incompetent and have not been able to find any information about Lü Shousheng's wives, concubines, and children."

The meaning is to remind the leader that Lü Jue is still a bachelor.

Perhaps, this person still has the leader on their mind.

The leader showed no reaction, but instead carefully reviewed the numerous battles, large and small, that Lü Jue had participated in over the years. The investigation revealed a timeline that began with Shen Youli's emergence from seclusion, with no mention of her prior experiences. This was understandable; before his rise to prominence, Lü Jue was merely an insignificant ant in a chaotic world, unknown to anyone unless he himself proclaimed it.

The leader read it for the entire time it takes for an incense stick to burn before finally raising his hand to close the book.

As the leader's confidant, the assassin enjoys more privileges than others.

For example, he dared to probe the leader's gossip.

"Does the leader have a past relationship with this person?"

"Yes, I know him."

The assassin probed again: "Could you possibly turn them to your side?"

If we could turn someone against us, we'd be winning big. It would be like planting a pawn in the heart of Kangguo without lifting a finger!

The leader turned his gaze towards them: "Turning them into a defection?"

The assassin said, "It always hurts to turn an old friend against an enemy."

If we could turn enemies into friends, we wouldn't have this problem.

How could the leader not see through his cleverness?

He shook his head: "Others might be able to be turned, but he can't."

How will the leader know if he doesn't try?

The assassin recalled the intelligence he had read, which contained no mention of "loyalty and righteousness." This person's current strength was unclear, but judging from early records, he was not strong, and his talent was likely mediocre. His current high position was mostly due to his early association with the Shen family, barely managing to squeeze into the ranks of the founding confidants. However, the military is the most cruel and naked place in the world.

Ultimately, it comes down to strength and military achievements.

Those who rely on clever tricks like Lü Jue will eventually be ousted.

Being ostracized and neglected is a terrible feeling.

The leader appeared to mediate, appealing to emotions and reason, reminiscing about their past loving times, and then snapped his fingers and they were back.

His suggestion earned him a cold warning from the leader.

After a long silence, the leader finally sneered and mocked, "Because he knows better than anyone that if ants don't want to be trampled to death, they must control power, status, and strength. Persuade them to surrender and turn them against their cause? Throughout history, how many generals who surrendered on the battlefield have been respected?"

Very few surrendered generals were not suspected and were given important positions.

A general who is not given important responsibilities has reached the end of his life.

The assassin didn't know why his leader was so certain, but he gleaned some sensitive information from her remark; his previous guesses seemed to be off. Lü Jue was definitely not the leader's ex-husband.

The leader ordered the assassins to send all the intelligence back.

Only the copied portrait remained.

The assassin trembled with fear.

Judging from this situation, it seems like the leader is the one who's really caught up in it.

Before he could think any further, he heard the leader's sinister and dangerous voice, which made his heart almost stop: "Don't think about so many random things. Do you think you can't hear me?"

The assassin chuckled, "...Boss..."

He wasn't a professional killer himself.

Rather than assassins, they were more like bodyguards protecting the leader, one of the personal guards bestowed upon the leader by the king.

Their professional skills are definitely inferior to those of professional assassins.

For example, in terms of managing public opinion, they always get caught red-handed.

The leader seemed to be talking to him, or perhaps to himself: "I look forward to seeing you among the prisoners one day."

Back then, she and Lü Jue were separated by her elder brother.

Both of them learned a painful lesson from this.

Lü Jue yearned for power, status, and strength, to live with dignity and no longer be humiliated or looked down upon. His past status didn't even qualify him to be her male concubine or plaything, let alone develop genuine feelings. As for her, the lesson she learned was far more profound and deeply ingrained.

Only absolute power can silence the eldest brother.

Only absolute status can keep people by one's side.

She can control her people, her possessions, and even herself! That's the allure of power.

The Lü Jue that was lost back then can now be won back with my own hands.

The assassin cleverly reminded her that Lü Jue was still alone, which was completely unimportant to her. Whether Shou Sheng remained alone waiting for her or enjoyed life with beautiful wives and concubines, becoming a prisoner, becoming her spoils of war, would only lead to the same outcome.

The assassin observed the coldness in the leader's eyes.

She rejected her ex-husband's guess again; this didn't seem like a long-awaited reunion of lovers, but rather like a spider eyeing its unsuspecting prey before a hearty meal. The murderous intent in her eyes outweighed any affection.

The leader warned again: "Do you still want your head?"

If you really want to eat him, first cut open his brain and use it to plate the food.

The assassin shrank back and quickly retreated.

——

The skills of the medical practitioners in the medical field are indeed remarkable.

Once the toxins are completely removed, all that's left is to replenish the blood and rest.

The unconventional scholar was able to get out of bed the following evening.

Cui Xiao also passed on the intelligence he brought back to Qin Li.

This time, he didn't forget to bring his sword fan.

His former colleague, who had only managed to stay upright thanks to his cane, easily recognized the person blocking his way by the fan: "Choi Sun-hyo, why did you suddenly appear? You almost startled me."

Cui Xiao rolled his eyes in front of him.

"If I don't come out, you can walk past me."

You can't even see a living person? You must be blind.

The unsophisticated scholar: "How can you blame this on me?"

Cui Xiaodao: "At least the emperor has never overlooked it."

The unconventional scholar: "..."

Heh, so you're here to show off your lord, huh?

After the Battle of Chaoli Pass, Qin Li resigned from his post at the victory banquet and joined Shen Youli's group to switch sides. Most of those close to Qin Li left with him, but a few stayed, including him. It wasn't for any other reason; he simply felt that Shen Youli had a bad personality.

I heard that this man frequently overturned tables and kicked chairs during the alliance meeting, punched and kicked his ally Tao Yan, and passionately insulted his enemy Zheng Qiao, which shows his quick temper. Gong Su can tolerate this violent temper, but he can't. There's no guarantee that this kind of lord won't lose control of his emotions and beat his subordinates one day... He just wants to earn a living peacefully and doesn't want to know how tough his lord's fists are.

Gong Su guessed that Wu Zhaode was holding a grudge.

They finally managed to contact themselves.

As a marginal figure with little presence, he was assigned to the equally insignificant eldest son, who at the time had few respectable people around him, making it easy for him to gain important responsibilities.

Five or six years have passed in the blink of an eye.

There have been no further reports of Shen assaulting anyone.

I occasionally contact Gongsu, and Gongsu says, "What is good for you, Master?"

Good, good, good! Even the smallest strand of hair is perfect!

The unconventional scholar stared blankly at the storybook that had been circulating from Kang State. The storybook implied that a certain king and a certain junior tutor had been having an affair for many years, a love affair filled with torment and passion. They would gaze at each other tenderly during court sessions and whisper sweet nothings afterward. The junior tutor, Qin, was described as having unparalleled beauty and handsome appearance, and was obedient and shy to the king. Although there was nothing in the story that adults would understand, the writer's bold and novel writing style was undeniable.

Every time I picture Gong Su's aloof face...

Looking at the phrase "What is it like, my lord?", he could already picture a tender, blushing scene. He had never imagined that his old friend could be such a virtuous wife and mother—no, a virtuous husband and father! In the words of a storyteller, it would be a pity if this man didn't have children.

There's a series of these bizarre stories!

Unmarried men and women, and even mules that have become spirits.

This story also pioneered an unprecedented serialized chapter format, with the down-on-his-luck scholar cursing while secretly having someone buy it for him at a high price. He said absentmindedly, "Oh right, right, your lord has the sharpest eyes; he can recognize your face even without looking at the fan."

Cui Xiao did not want to argue with him.

"Gong Su replied..."

The unsophisticated scholar looked around: "Is Gong Su nearby? I received news that Gong Su has been given the important task of overseeing the country."

This is a regent!

Generally, only descendants or blood relatives can hold this position.

The bizarre tale of "The Five Elements Lacking Morality" doesn't seem like mere speculation.

Cui Xiao: "Gong Su is still in Fengluo and hasn't come yet. However, he replied that he has already informed Qi Yuanliang about this matter. The Southwest Branch will be dealt with, and this matter should be resolved by the person in charge of the Northwest Branch."

What message did Qin Li relay to Qi Shan?

The first person to see it was not Qi Shan.

It was Shen Tang who helped him open the letter.

As soon as she finished reading, her eyes turned a little strange.

With a pen tucked behind his ear, Qi Shan leaned most of his body over the table, intently staring at the huge map below.

"Did Qin Gongsu use some foul language again?"

When Qin Li wrote letters to himself, he always included a few personal remarks.

Unfortunately, Young Master Qin's vocabulary for cursing was limited; he only used the same few phrases over and over again, which Qi Shan could recite by heart. Shen Tang held the letter and chuckled, "Gong Su didn't curse anyone, he just said that a few dogs from the southwest came and peed in your cat's den to mark their territory, and the stench was unbearable. He told you to find someone to deal with it so that your cat's den wouldn't become a dog's den."

Qi Shan raised her head: "Isn't this unpleasant to listen to?"

Then he put down what he was holding.

Wiping his hands with a handkerchief: "People from the Southwest Branch? Heh, that's to be expected. Members of the various societies of the Gods Society love this kind of work the most—suppressing any faction that shows signs of growing too powerful. People from the Southwest Branch, are they preparing to challenge me?"

Gao Guo's sudden madness was most likely related to this.

"It also says that Wu Zhaode's two sons committed suicide."

Qi Shan raised an eyebrow: "What does Your Majesty mean?"

Shen Tang: "At least send the right wreath. My brother's son died, and I can't go to the funeral, but sending someone to watch the spectacle is fine too. By the way, tell my brother that when you hold your son's funeral, don't forget to prepare extra coffins for yourself. After we defeat the Northern Desert, we'll attack them!"

I've had several matches with Bei Mo recently.

However, these were all small-scale conflicts.

Shen Tang tried to take a step further, but the other party retreated, leaving her feeling like she was only scratching the surface. Bei Mo didn't seem to have lost her nerve; rather, he seemed to be plotting something.

ヾ(ゞ)

I suddenly wanted to say something, but then I inexplicably forgot. Let me think about it.

Ah, I remember now.

Tangmei wanted to illustrate Gu Chi's stories, but was politely declined.

(End of this chapter)