Chapter 1075: Civil and Military Affairs Reversed (Part 4) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

The commotion on Shen Tang's side subsided faster than Wu Xian had anticipated. Furthermore, Gu Chi "forced" everyone to listen to his innermost thoughts; even the dim-witted Wu Xian could guess that his secrets had been leaked. Otherwise, how could Shen Tang's troops have reacted so quickly and adapted so well?

They were well-prepared, and their plan to catch the enemy off guard was doomed to fail, with the gains falling far short of expectations.

Wu Xian mentally reviewed his own forces.

They secretly wondered who had betrayed them and leaked the information.

A fleeting chill ran through his eyes.

Since his two sons began their power struggle and infighting, Gao Guo's internal affairs have gradually slipped out of Wu Xian's control, leaving him mentally and physically exhausted. His trump card, which he considered his absolute trump card, failed to produce the expected results, causing Wu Xian to experience a rare moment of self-doubt.

Could it be that I am truly lacking in destiny?

"Imperial Preceptor, what should we do?"

Wu Xian thought about it and realized that everyone was a suspect.

"In war, one must wait for the enemy to reveal a weakness, seize the opportunity, counter their moves, and adapt to changing circumstances." Any unexpected event can occur on a vast battlefield. Even a celestial being cannot allow the enemy to develop according to one's own rules and pre-planned strategies. "Shen Youli has the ability to know my capabilities in advance and take countermeasures, so what? Does Gao Hui have to be intimidated and turn back because of such a reason? The initiative is in our hands. Our preparations over the past few days have only been more thorough than Shen Tang's, which is an advantage that cannot be ignored."

They get easily startled by the slightest surprise and are constantly suspicious.

How exactly did Wu Zhaode manage to survive to this day?

In truth, Wu Xian simply wanted reassurance and to rule out the possibility that the Grand Preceptor wasn't the traitor who leaked the secrets. In the years since the Kang and Gao kingdoms were established one after the other, Wu Xian had barely slept a wink. Outsiders all said the relations between the two countries were stable, but only Wu Xian knew the immense pressure he was under. He knew Shen Youli was restless and would never be satisfied with an incomplete Northwest.

Once they expand outwards, will I become her collaborator?

Or was it she who first kicked away the stumbling block? This worry was always like a sword across his neck, constantly threatening his life.

Day after day, year after year.

No one shared his burdens; his wives and concubines craved wealth and luxury; his son, even before his death, was already eyeing him covetously; and his officials, both civil and military, were like greedy vultures waiting to devour him. His body had nowhere to rest, and his soul had nowhere to find refuge.

But Wu Xian did not choose to sit idly by and wait for his fate.

He meticulously planned for this, even going so far as to negotiate with a powerful enemy, promising to elevate the Eternal Life Sect to the status of the state religion upon success. He even offered a taste of the benefits beforehand, honoring the Eternal Life Sect as the national teacher of the High Kingdom. In his view, the Eternal Life Sect was easier to deal with than Shen Tang—the former, no matter how powerful, was merely a disorganized cult, while the latter was backed by a thriving and powerful nation.

As long as Shen Tang isn't the death knell, it would be much easier to eliminate a cult after it has served its purpose; Wu Xian's plan was quite shrewd.

Gao Guo was well prepared for this battle.

Wu Xian gestured to his confidant with his eyes.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to clear away any obstacles!"

"allow!"

This trusted confidant was also a member of the Wu family, though somewhat distant from Wu Xian's branch. His biological father had died early, leaving only a widowed mother and a dozen or so acres of meager land. The elders of that branch of the Wu family, worried that the widow might seize the land or remarry with her assets, leaving the children to suffer, decided to take back the land after some discussion. The able-bodied men of that branch would cultivate it, providing the widow and her children with a small annual stipend. This stipend was barely enough to support a woman, let alone a mother and children. One day, the widow, unable to endure the hardship any longer, abandoned him and ran away.

Of course, they didn't manage to escape.

The elders of that house saw this and persuaded the person to return.

He had heard from somewhere that Wu Xian, the head of the Wu clan, was known for his wisdom, kindness, and generosity, so he traveled a long way to seek refuge with him. Wu Xian, seeing that he was of good character and intelligent, took him in and raised him as his adopted son. Thus, the orphan and widow finally had a way to survive. He remembered the great kindness of his patriarch every day and remained utterly loyal.

Today is the day he can repay his debt of gratitude!

Normally dressed in simple scholar's attire, he now donned martial armor and looked imposing, brandishing his sword and standing at the front of the battle, challenging the Kang Kingdom army: "Kang Kingdom rats, do you dare to accept the challenge!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a beam of purple light shot out.

"I'll take care of this, you old lady!"

This person was none other than Yu Weiheng.

Shen Tang initially did not intend to let Yu Zi participate in the battle.

Yu Zi's martial arts skills were only average; she could take on eight thugs at once, but the battlefield wasn't a street brawl where a single sword or gun could take a life. However, a remark from Ji Moqiu changed her mind: "...I think Lady Yu is more suitable."

How do you know?

"Simply because the enemy's way of the scholar is limited."

It cannot completely overturn the two systems one-to-one. The most obvious drawback is that even the most talented scholar cannot become a high-level martial artist after transformation. Martial courage levels have an upper limit, the highest being the tenth rank of Left Vice Minister. There are restrictions on martial courage levels, but not on martial energy reserves. The higher the martial courage level, the smaller the difference between each rank, making martial energy reserves a crucial factor.

And this is precisely Yu Zi's advantage.

Even if her martial arts skills are mediocre, she can still defeat a master with a flurry of punches.

Watching Yu Zi excitedly charge into battle, Shen Tang felt a mix of emotions—she never dreamed that one day Yu Zi would be a general of Kang Kingdom. Just as she couldn't imagine that the officials of the three provinces and six ministries would be like Wei Shou and Qian Yong; the thought alone made her dizzy.

"A woman?" The general sent by Gao Guo did not expect his opponent to be Yu Zi. He felt that he had been underestimated and was immediately furious. He spurred his horse and charged forward with his spear, ready to kill Yu Zi on the battlefield.

Shen Tang frowned as soon as she saw his movements.

"You're very skilled."

Military generals go into battle to kill the enemy; all fancy moves can be discarded. Scholars, on the other hand, are less decisive and lack that distinctive, bloodthirsty aura. The general sent by the Gao Kingdom was a scholar temporarily converted, but anyone with discerning eyes could see that, aside from slightly clumsy movements, he resembled a proper warrior. In a head-on confrontation, Yu Zi would likely suffer a great loss.

"We lack experience in this area."

Watching the two locked in combat, Wei Shou yawned, realizing for the first time what a true battle of wits was like. He felt none of the passion and ferocity of a duel, as if he'd been castrated; he only found it tedious. Meanwhile, someone nearby commented sharply, "You hit me, I hit you. These two young men have a certain Zhou Dynasty etiquette to them; they're strangely polite. They're full of openings; kill them!"

Wei Shou wished he could rush over and fight this battle for Yu Zi.

It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is!

Chu Yao watched with great interest.

In the past, duels were battles between the strongest individual generals on both sides. The speed was fast, the noise was deafening, and the spectators mostly only heard the dense clanging of metal, sparks flying, and dust billowing. Often, they couldn't even make out the figures, let alone their movements. It was tiring to watch, and morale was low. Now, slowed down many times, the viewing experience is epically enhanced.

“If you want to die, you can leave. Now that you’re going to fight, your performance is even worse than Wei Heng’s.” Chu Yao’s evaluation of Yu Zi was harsh, and he wasn’t much more polite to Wei Shou either. “At least Wei Heng could see things clearly.”

Wei Shou: "...The Gao Kingdom made thorough preparations in advance, and the 'military generals' they sent were far more experienced than ours."

No matter how abundant Yu Zi's martial energy was, if she couldn't hit her opponent or dodge the enemy's killing moves, it would all be for naught. Wei Shou thought this problem would stump Chu Yao, but to his surprise, the man devised a solution after only a moment's thought. He rode to the central army to discuss the matter with Gu Chi.

In war, shamelessness is a virtue, and to ensure Yu Zi's victory, a little cheating is acceptable. The two huddled together, whispering and discussing their plan, and soon reached a conclusion.

Wei Shou was curious about what these two cunning fellows were up to.

Then they heard Gu Chi's inner thoughts again.

It also allowed him to witness the talent of the novelist "Five Elements Lacking Morality," who wrote on the spot with ease and mastery.

The impromptu writing topic was still Yu Zi's battle against the enemy general of the Gao Kingdom.

Each move and technique is written clearly and concisely.

Shen Tang: "..."

Wu Xian: "..."

Two countries and three armed forces: "..."

The eerie voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Caught off guard, the Gao general paused for a moment. Taking advantage of this, Yu Zi concentrated her martial energy into her broadsword and slashed heavily at the opponent's face. Unfortunately, she was a step too slow and the blow was blocked by the back of the blade.

Subsequent attacks all failed.

As scholars and gentlemen, both were skilled horsemen, but their ability to control their warhorses in mounted combat was riddled with problems. Either the horses wouldn't move as they pleased, or they would charge at the wrong speeds, resulting in frequent mishaps. Finally, they tacitly agreed to abandon their horses and fight on foot. Listening to Gu Chi's "live broadcast," Yu Zi felt increasingly irritated and her temper flared, making it impossible for her to control or restrain her martial energy.

Abandoning technique, she chose a novel approach—indulging in the loss of control over her martial energy, which directly caused the surrounding天地气 (heaven and earth energy) to become agitated, thus generating a wave of energy. Yu Zi dragged this wave of energy along, raising her sword to slash horizontally and vertically, like a wild bull charging straight at her enemies.

Sparks and lightning streaked all the way.

Wherever it passed, the wind swept away the clouds.

Qian Yong glanced at it and found it an eyesore: "This isn't a duel between generals; it's more like thugs fighting, completely without any strategy."

To say that they're like mad dogs biting each other would be an exaggeration.

Qian Yong had lived most of his life and this was the first time he had ever seen a duel of such low skill and in such a noisy environment. The funniest thing was that Gu Chi was even giving a serious internal commentary to the scene! The duel was neither intense nor tense, and the soldiers watching from all three armies couldn't muster any morale.

It was like a group of eunuchs going to a brothel, completely unmoved.

"Gu Wangchao, can you stop for a second?"

No sooner had Qian Yong finished speaking than the tense situation changed.

Yu Zi struck the enemy general in the neck with a single blow; the blade pierced through his armor, seeped into his flesh, and penetrated deep into his collarbone. This attack caught him completely off guard. Furthermore, the scholar's pain tolerance was lower than that of a true martial artist, and this temporary martial artist, in his agony, made a wrong judgment based on instinct. Seeing that his back was exposed, Yu Zi excitedly dragged her blade and gave chase.

Military generals like Wei Shou and Qian Yong would want to cover their faces in embarrassment upon seeing this.

Experienced generals don't casually pursue enemies who expose their backs. Who knows if it's bait to lure them in? If she can't resist the temptation and takes the bait, the enemy will most likely launch a surprise attack, killing her with a spear through the head! Clearly, Yu Zizhen is too reckless!

and--

"That general from Gao State is weak too." Yu Zi's blade slashed at his neck, but to an outsider, it didn't appear as if he hadn't tried to block; rather, it seemed as if he had deliberately left his vitals exposed, offering them to Yu Zi's blade. This scene was so convincing that anyone who saw it would immediately think it was fake. Qian Yong asked, "Or is this person actually one of our own?"

This is the only explanation.

The water diversion is too obvious.

If Qian Yong had such doubts, what about the people of Gao State?

"A traitor!"

"The traitor betrayed us!"

Those who accompanied Wu Xian on the expedition were all aware of the plan and had begun acclimatizing beforehand. The carefully selected "military generals" had also undergone meticulous training. While the man on the field couldn't match the skill of a true warrior, he could easily subdue a flustered scholar who had become a mere warrior within ten moves. Since the start of the war, this man had not only failed to reap any rewards but had also brazenly and openly cheated in public! If he wasn't the traitor who leaked information, then who was? Wu Xian began to waver.

The Imperial Advisor was certain: "It wasn't him."

Wu Xian's expression softened slightly: "How do you know?"

The Imperial Advisor pointed to his own head and asked, "Didn't you all listen carefully to the voices coming from your heads? Why don't you listen?"

Everyone assumed these inner monologues were just trash talk from the other side, meant to annoy them, and chose to ignore them, paying no attention to their content. Since the Grand Tutor had reminded them, they could only endure their discomfort and listen. The content was still a factual description of the duel, the two fighters exchanging blows, accompanied by a few words describing the moves and the environment. It was utterly boring, making everyone drowsy.

Wu Xian asked, puzzled, "What's wrong with it?"

"Didn't you notice any synchronization issues?"

These inner voice messages do indeed describe the two combatants in real time, taking almost every detail into account. However, if you watch the combat while listening to the inner voice messages, you'll find the two somewhat awkward. The pace of the inner voice messages is faster than what you see.

To be more precise—

Having anticipated Gao Guowu's actions, Yu Zi only needed to pay close attention to always find an opportunity to strike!

Wu Xian was not a fool.

With a little reminder, they understood the crux of the problem.

My mind raced, trying to figure out how to block out my inner thoughts.

The Imperial Advisor's response was: "No."

If he could block it, he would have blocked this thought immediately. Why would he tolerate it constantly seeking validation in his mind? The other party's projecting of their thoughts was a result of the scholar's way being out of control; ordinary methods of using words wouldn't work...

Either ignore it or listen.

Gu Chi used this method to help Yu Zi cheat, and Wu Xian naturally couldn't stand idly by. Upon learning of the cheating method, Wu Xian immediately used the beat of war drums to spread the news. The Gao Kingdom's military generals received the message and quickly devised a strategy to counterattack.

Yu Zi wasn't the only one who could hear his inner thoughts.

He heard it all clearly.

Without the voice warning, Yu Zi's advantage vanished.

He was able to turn the tables and use his inner voice to counter Yu Zi!

Unexpectedly—

The speaker seemed to know their attention had been drawn back, and decisively changed the subject: "[Lin Daiyu punches the bully of Zhen Guanxi]".

[But then Daiyu saw him holding a knife in his right hand and grabbing Zhen Guanxi with his left. How could Zhen Guanxi submit? He tried to twist and escape between her legs, but Daiyu immediately flew into a rage, delivering a vicious kick to his stomach. Her fist, as big as a bowl, slammed down, and she yelled: "Hmph! You're a good-for-nothing! If you beg for mercy, I might spare you. But you're still incorrigible. Today I'll teach you why flowers are so red!"]

_(:3」∠)_

There's a monthly ticket post in the book review section (it's from March 10th to 3rd; the one from the 20th still has slots available, but other monthly ticket activity posts are already full). There are still over a hundred monthly ticket slots left. Participating in the activity and voting will earn you Qidian coins! The activity ends in five days, so it would be a shame to waste any slots. Try to fill them all before the activity ends. Don't miss out on these website perks! (*^▽^*)

P.S.: I walked around the Old Summer Palace and the Summer Palace in high heels today, and my feet are killing me. My biggest takeaways today are: first, my feet are tired; second, it's good that feudalism was overthrown; and third, some debts must be repaid one day.