Chapter 1292: Deceiving the Heavens (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

One second ago, I thought, "What storms haven't I weathered in my life?"

The next second, such a crazy move was truly unprecedented.

Zixu Tang's actions caused a localized earthquake in everyone's eyes, leaving them like a goose being choked, unable to utter a word for a long time. For a moment, they didn't know whether to be curious about why their lord had collected these things, or shocked that their lord intended to use them for something big. Who expands their territory with just two boxes of men's underpants?

He Xin took a deep breath and told himself to stay calm.

He Haogu, you've been involved in several brawls among the court officials, so you've seen it all. Don't be so surprised by everything you see. Even the most shocking and bizarre things are possible for this group in Kangguo.

If you really can't calm down, you can push your older brother out.

The only saving grace was that the court attendant was not present.

If the imperial recorder were here, he would have easily recorded this in the daily log, making it a part of history, and both the emperor and the owners of these trousers would have been "famous throughout history." Everyone must die, but not in this way. Just thinking about it makes my eyes go black.

[I have a question: Where did all these trousers come from?]

I pray in my heart that this matter has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord.

Having such a group of strange and eccentric colleagues is already a source of inferiority. If the emperor were to also go mad and become a perverted lover of trousers, He Xin couldn't even imagine how many stereotypes later scholars would hold when mentioning the Kangguo dynasty.

A fan of chaotic court battles, a master of attacking his colleagues, a pioneer of the "calf-nose trousers" tactic, and a ruler and his ministers who are more difficult to control than a pig during the Lunar New Year...

Fortunately, God heard the congratulatory message's prayers.

Shen Tang said, "[Before Gong Xichou and Shao Chong returned to Kangguo, they spent some time as wandering knights in the central region. These trousers were all spoils they won from challenges. I never expected them to come in handy at a time like this. It's strange, really, that the wandering knight circle in the central continent has such a peculiar rule. However, after carefully learning the story behind it, I found that this rule is actually quite humane; the original intention was actually to use trousers as a substitute for heads."]

As expected of the Central Region where powerful families thrive!

Even the wandering knights are so polite and civilized when they fight.

Upon hearing this, He Xin suppressed his unusual expression, replacing it with admiration: "Using this as a substitute for the head? It's truly a benevolent and ingenious idea! A martial artist's training is arduous; to lose one's life in a meaningless private fight would cause grief to one's family, be unfilial to one's parents, unjust to one's wife, and unkind to one's children… Using a trouser as a substitute for the head is indeed the best of both worlds."

A true man should die with meaning.

To die for the sake of violence and intimidation is clearly the most worthless way to die.

Shen Tang also agreed with He Xin's statement: "There are some outdated ideas in the Central Continent that I cannot agree with, but this rule for wandering knights is good."

We could consider introducing a circle of wandering knights from within Kangguo.

Wandering knights often act with impunity, their violence escalating rapidly and sometimes resulting in murder, severely impacting public order. Furthermore, this group is a mixed bag; some highly skilled and daring martial artists commit murders and then roam freely, disrupting not only law and order but also local governance.

There is currently no way to completely eliminate Shentang.

Confiscation of prohibited weapons?

How can I accept this?!

This might restrict ordinary wandering knights, but it wouldn't work on those with martial prowess; they could conjure all sorts of weapons simply by possessing martial energy. The wandering knight rules of the Central Continent gave her some inspiration. Perhaps she could find a different approach, starting with standardizing the rules of combat and restricting the occasions for duels. Martial prowess warriors are naturally combative; rather than violently suppressing them, perhaps a gentler, more persuasive approach would be better?

He Xin also thought of this.

He pulled a palm-sized scroll from his sleeve, then quickly added a line to it with a charcoal pencil, intending to bring it up at the court assembly when the opportunity arose. Gu De and his companion were stunned by He Xin's actions, yet couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect.

Someone who always keeps work in mind, how could they be a bad person?

They felt reassured to have such colleagues to work with in the future.

"My lord intends to use these trousers..." Xiahou Yu felt extremely embarrassed and awkward as he said this, but his lord's serious and businesslike demeanor only made him seem awkward. "...To use these tokens to attract their owners?"

That's roughly the plan.

The victor is king, the loser is a bandit.

Xiahou Yu asked worriedly, "What if they become enraged?"

There are also those who default on their debts.

Shen Tang said, "[There's no need to worry about that. They shouldn't be that shameless. I heard Gong Xi Chou say that when he was searching for his elder brother, Ji Mo Qiu, the two brothers often missed each other due to the cruel twists of fate. The only clue was that his elder brother and his companion, Shao Chong, challenged powerful figures in various places, and Gong Xi Chou pursued them all the way. Many of their targets were defeated by the brothers one after the other.]"

In other words—

Many of the defeated soldiers lost two pairs of trousers.

A pair of calf-nose trousers is equivalent to a life.

If you can renege on a debt with one life, how can you still have the nerve to renege on a debt with two lives?

Martial artists are generally loyal and trustworthy. Even if they wouldn't bring their families to join him, they'd still be willing to fight for Shen Tang if he showed them his token. Most importantly, they're willing to come! Once they arrive, Shen Tang is absolutely confident he can keep them and win their hearts! The hardest part is always the beginning!

Xiahou Yu: [...]

Suddenly, he felt a pang of sympathy for these defeated men.

The thought of the immense profits these trousers would bring in the future, solving their immediate crisis, transformed them from mere trousers into something far more valuable. The group copied down the names on the trousers, compiling them into a register. The more Xiahou Yu copied, the more alarmed he became! The people listed on the trousers were no ordinary individuals!

Several of them were people he knew very well.

Shen Tang wasn't surprised at all: "That's normal. Gong Xi Chou is arrogant and prefers high-level matches; he doesn't like 'smurfing' (playing against weaker opponents) unless it's for business. For private fights, he prefers stronger opponents, tougher and more resilient, so he can easily overpower them without worrying about killing anyone."

Those who are too weak will be reborn after a few slaps.

Ji Moqiu needed to familiarize himself with the power of the [Enlightenment] technique, and he also tried to choose opponents of similar or stronger strength to stimulate his potential under pressure. The brothers' ideas were surprisingly in sync, saving Shen Tang a lot of trouble.

What's even more ingenious is that they challenged their opponents as wandering knights, without any affiliation to any faction, so the outcome was purely voluntary.

If a general from Kangguo were to challenge a similar opponent, involving a power struggle, the defeated might prefer to sever his own meridians rather than admit defeat. Losing to an individual is acceptable, but losing to a hostile force is unacceptable!

Shen Tang took the roster and went to pay a visit.

The invitation for a visit was a simple trouser.

Adhering to the principle of proximity, Shen Tang's first target was a county marquis, whose fief was right next door. It was said that this county marquis next door was exploiting the local tenant farmers to support his private retinue, but he also provided them with a certain degree of protection.

Overall, they can barely make ends meet.

Shen Tang originally intended to annex this area.

I didn't expect that person was on the list, so that saves me a lot of trouble.

Looking at the trousers with his name on them after so many years, dark memories of the past flooded back, and he felt like his world was collapsing. No wonder he had no luck on his hunt today; was bad luck waiting for him here? He gripped the edge of the trousers tightly, his face shifting between black, white, blue, and red, his eyes bloodshot and misty.

The unbearable memories suffocated him.

Who delivered it?

[She is a woman I don't know.]

[A female ruler? A woman? Are you sure it's not a man?]

The county magistrate felt as if he had come back to life. He steadied himself and ordered someone to invite the Queen: "Remember, be respectful!"

He didn't want to lose his third pair of trousers!

[What brings the Queen with these tokens?]

With his weakness in the other's hands, the county magistrate dared not make a scene. To be as approachable as possible, he had to lower his voice, speaking softly and gently, afraid of angering Shen Tang and attracting that damned little beast.

Shen Tang said, "Of course I have something to ask of you."

The county magistrate was surprised to hear this: [Do you have a favor to ask?]

He raised an eyebrow, a quiet joy welling up inside him. Could it be that the little beast who took his trousers had perished?

If that's the case, perhaps they can renege on their debt.

His gaze fell on the short-sleeved trousers, but his mind was preoccupied with whether to destroy the evidence. Shen Tang, however, paid no heed to his thoughts: "This was a gift from my dear friend. He's currently tied up with other matters, so he gave it to me, saying it would solve his immediate problem. We're in the early stages of establishing our organization, and our staff is short-handed. I'd like to ask the county magistrate…"

The magistrate scoffed upon hearing this: "If your close friend were here in person, I might give you some face, but what makes you think you can?"

Not just anyone can make him admit defeat by waving a pair of trousers at him!

Shen Tang asked, "Does the county magistrate not want to acknowledge it?"

The county magistrate mocked, "It's the same knife: thirty strong men wielding it versus a three-year-old child dragging it. Which would the Queen fear more?"

He recognized it as a token.

He doesn't recognize people!

Want to gain benefits from tokens?

It's better to let the true owner of the token come and say it in person.

Shen Tang: [Does the county magistrate think I'm a three-year-old child?]

The county magistrate hummed a tune through his nose.

He didn't say anything, yet it was as if he had said everything.

Shen Tang was mentally prepared for this scene. She slowly rose and looked down at the county magistrate a few steps away: "Please enlighten me!"

The county magistrate flew into a rage upon hearing these four words.

[How dare you, a mere woman, speak such words to me, the Marquis?]

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow: "I am no mere nobody."

The magistrate sneered repeatedly: "What will happen if you lose?"

Shen Tang said, "What good would it do to give you the sash?"

What would I do with your sash? I want you! My current wealth is not an insult to you!

After losing the third pair of trousers—

He couldn't help but burst into tears inside.

How dare I, a mere county magistrate, have my trousers stolen by four damned bastards? This is utterly outrageous!

Shen Tang looked at the neatly folded, brand-new silk trousers sewn with snow-white pearls the size of longans and asked a question.

Wouldn't silk be uncomfortable to wear next to the skin?

It doesn't absorb water at all; cotton is much more skin-friendly.

Also, who would sew a string of pearls onto a trouser?

Looking at the location of the pearl, Shen Tang's expression turned strange.

[Lord, you really haven't used this one?]

The county magistrate looked so humiliated he was almost in tears.

This is a custom!

Since the perverse custom of using a calf-nose trouser as a substitute for the head arose that year, the county magistrate, though he had no more defeats, still harbored a sense of urgency.

It was as if by some strange twist of fate that someone prepared something brand new.

To show off his status, he followed the trend and sewed a string of pearls.

This trousers wasn't meant to be lost to anyone; its existence was a reminder that he couldn't suffer the same humiliation a third time! Looking at these trousers every day, he worked diligently and practiced relentlessly. His progress over the past few years had indeed been far greater than before.

Unfortunately, they still ran into a brick wall.

Shen Tang nodded, agreeing to follow local customs.

Having defeated her opponent, she then had someone pull out a second pair of short-sleeved trousers bearing the county magistrate's name. The county magistrate jerked as if electrocuted, leaping to his feet, his tiger-like eyes fixed intently on the second pair. A thought flashed through his mind: [What is your relationship with these people?]

Why would both of them end up in this person's hands?

Shen Tang said: "Of course, they are my officials."

The county magistrate's expression at that moment was incredibly complex, ultimately freezing in a blank. He closed his eyes, exhaled a breath as if making a desperate decision, and said, "So be it. I didn't expect these people to all be so devoted to you. Being their colleague isn't a waste."

Now it was Shen Tang's turn to be surprised.

Her original intention was to have someone do short-term work for her.

Judging from what they said, they were prepared to work for a long time.

By fighting, you can recruit your opponent to your side and also take over their local business. This is a way to make a fortune!

However—this token—

As the county magistrate spoke, he began to stammer.

To show his sincerity, Shen Tang returned the three items: [This matter is known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me; no one else will know.]

The county magistrate stubbornly replied, "I am not one to be a sore loser."

After a while: [What is the current strength of the eccentric hero, Qiu?]

His lifelong wish was to one day get his revenge.

Not only should we blame Xia Chou and Ji Mo Qiu for their trousers, but we should also demand the pair they took off on the spot, only then can we avenge this humiliation!

Shen Tang: [The Eighteenth Rank Grand Chancellor.]

County Magistrate: [...]

Shen Tang seemed to hear the sound of the spout opening.

Shen Tang gave him ten days to pack his things and arrange his men, while she herself rushed off to the next family. Not everyone required a battle like the county magistrate; some were straightforward and readily agreed to help for a while, after which they would regain their freedom and redeem their tokens, while others were hot-tempered and gloomy, wanting to kill to silence witnesses.

Shen Tang showed no mercy to the latter.

My dearest friend wants to hold a grand ceremony to establish a new sect. He's chosen an auspicious day and invited friends, relatives, and acquaintances from all walks of life. During the ceremony, it's inevitable that they'll reminisce about past achievements... Imagine a group of prominent people gathered around admiring a trousers bearing their own autographs and tiger tally seals. Among these people might be acquaintances or enemies of the trousers' original owner.

You are despicable and shameless!

Humans are destined to die, but they cannot die in society.

Shen Tang quickly made up for the shortcomings of the military generals through various means.

Some of the original owners of these trousers were already dead, some had gone far away, and some were missing, but the remaining ones were enough for Shen Tang to command. She remarked, "The military generals carefully selected by Brother Ji Moqiu are indeed quite capable."

Back then, the two brothers only challenged martial artists at the thirteenth-level or higher martial arts realm. Several years later, these individuals had also improved their skills. In terms of overall average quality, they were even better than the core group of military generals from Kangguo! With quality in place, why worry about quantity?

|ω`)

Although Zixu's side did not have any very strong martial artists in charge, there were a dozen or twenty unlucky guys with an average rank of thirteen or higher.