Chapter 1328: A Deceptive Maneuver (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

"Could this captain be a descendant of some Marquis Che?"

Shen Tang had known Xiahou Yu for several years and knew that the latter disliked making boastful claims without certainty. Since he had mentioned the position of Commandant of Shanyong County, this man would definitely prove useful. Shen Tang couldn't help but think of Gongyang Yongye; it seemed that this old man had also helped the Southwest Allied Army because of favors related to his descendants. This possibility was not small; 20th-rank Marquis was rare, but they certainly had many descendants.

The unwritten rule in the martial arts world is: if you can't beat someone, call for backup.

Xiahou Yu replied, "No."

Shen Tang became even more curious, her curiosity piqued: "It's neither this nor that, so what is their relationship?"

Xiahou Yu, however, made a startling statement.

"That is the real Lord Chehou."

Shen Tang let out a sound: "...Huh?"

No, even if there were errors in the battle reports, it couldn't be so great as to mistake a 20th-rank Marquis for an 11th-rank Right Attendant. Shen Tang had also carefully reviewed the battle record and basic information of that captain from Shan Yong County. Who would assign a Marquis to this position?

She did not rush to question Xiahou Yu.

He simply asked, "What's the inside story here?"

Xiahou Yu explained tactfully: "I also discovered his story from the Dean's belongings. I only knew that he had a fairly good relationship with the Dean before. When I was sorting through the Dean's belongings, I found several letters that he hadn't had time to reply to. The letters mentioned that he suffered from a chronic illness, which seemed to be related to the mishap he had when he was advancing in his cultivation and killing his good intentions. This caused his cultivation to drop to the eleventh level right-level, and he could no longer make any progress... After this incident, he went into hiding in the countryside."

Hiding in the countryside is the best way to save one's life.

Anyone who can cultivate to his level must have some enemies.

Whether it's an enemy or a political foe, they can all take his life.

In chaotic times, even so-called prodigies are rapidly becoming disposable commodities, and many unfortunate souls perish halfway through their lives. His disappearance is not surprising. His contemporaries all assumed he died in some remote corner of the world, and the next generation didn't even recognize him.

After Xiahou Yu submitted to Shen Tang, Shen Tang noticed that he still missed Quqing Academy, so she specially spoke to Zhai Le and allowed her to send someone to collect his old belongings, just as a memento for Xiahou Yu and the others. It happened to be his birthday, so even a gift was not required.

The relics filled more than a dozen truckloads.

The vast majority were purchased from villagers in nearby villages.

After the great fire years ago, nearby villagers rushed over to scavenge for scraps, taking everything that wasn't completely burned, even using it as kindling. When Shen Tang sent people to buy it, the villagers initially thought he was just settling accounts. It wasn't until they discovered these scraps could actually be exchanged for money that they went door-to-door informing the villagers of their lucky finder. Xiahou Yu carefully stored these away, unexpectedly discovering several bamboo slips with the dean's handwriting among them. Following the clues, he found the unmailed letters. Piecing the bamboo slips together, he discovered the contents were quite interesting.

He remembered this Commandant of Suginag County.

According to the dean, the other party was an old acquaintance of the first dean.

The establishment of Quqing Academy also benefited from Fang's efforts.

When Xiahou Yu was teaching at the academy, he was unaware of this captain's abilities, only assuming he was an unremarkable eleventh-rank right guard. One can imagine how surprised he was to see the dean's correspondence with him—a reclusive master was right beside him!

As he spoke, he watched Shen Tang's reaction: "I remember when the dean was still alive, he would come to the academy for a few days every summer. I met him a few times, but we didn't exchange many words. It would be inappropriate to rashly go to his door to persuade him."

Xiahou Yu made a point of explaining.

It wasn't that he didn't want to subdue the enemy without a fight; it was just that the captain had a relationship with the dean, not with him personally. To think that such a small favor could persuade the enemy to surrender was utterly delusional. Even a Right Guard of the Eleventh Rank couldn't bear the humiliation of surrendering, let alone an old general who was theoretically a Marquis. Gold and silver might not convince a brave warrior, but fists certainly would!

Shen Tang didn't care about that at all: "...According to Zi Kuan, this person was indeed glorious for a time, but that's all in the past... Or is it that he has some way to break through the limitations in a short period of time and exert strength far exceeding that of the eleventh-rank right-hand man?"

She hesitated slightly when she asked that question.

The Commandant of Shanyong County was able to break through the ceiling and briefly unleash his original strength, which certainly qualified him to be a savior, but he also qualified to beat her up. After all, Shen Tang had to defeat him first before he would possibly submit to her and become her savior.

Xiahou Yu confirmed Shen Tang's guess, but also reassured her that they only needed to arrange an opponent of level eleven or higher. In other words, Shen Tang couldn't personally participate in the match.

"...Could it be that he gets stronger when facing stronger opponents?"

How strong is the opponent, and how much of your own power have you unlocked?

Like Chu Yao, Xiahou Yu never hesitated to praise.

"My lord is wise; that's pretty much the gist of it."

“Something’s not right. If he can become stronger when facing stronger opponents, he’s no different from a real Marquis Che. None of his opponents could defeat him. Why did he retire back then?” There’s no need to worry about persecution from enemies or political adversaries. Doesn’t he still have all the power he needs?

"It seems there is a time limit."

The dean mentioned this point in his communications with the other party.

A flash of inspiration struck Shen Tang.

She said confidently, "A time limit? I'm afraid it's more than that."

Martial artists of the same level rarely prolong the battle; a simple time limit is insufficient to force an opponent to retreat, unless it's only a few seconds or tens of seconds, in which case they are truly rendered useless. Shen Tang boldly speculated that there might be other stringent restrictions involved.

She quickly discovered the problem with the mechanism: "...The stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes. How does that mean? Suppose his opponent is an eleventh-rank right-hand man, and his strength recovers to a twelfth-rank left-hand man. If I then send a thirteenth-rank middle-hand man, can we kill him in a two-on-one fight? Or will his strength recover even further because of this thirteenth-rank middle-hand man? Is there a limit to the number of times he can recover?"

Without restrictions, he would still be invincible.

If there are restrictions, what is the maximum number of attempts?

Can I exploit bugs?

Xiahou Yu was nearly dumbfounded by what he heard. He hadn't actually considered the questions his lord was pondering; he had only deduced the best conditions for dealing with the enemy based on the captain's past battle records—the higher the martial arts realm, the greater the difference. If their side sent an eleventh-rank right-guard, the enemy's strength would at most recover to a twelfth-rank left-guard. Even if they were a rank higher, it wasn't impossible for them to challenge someone of a higher level. The difference in individual martial arts was insignificant on the battlefield and wouldn't affect the overall situation.

He said with shame, "My lord, please forgive me, I was unaware of this."

Shen Tang said, "Why should Zikuan blame himself?"

Xiahou Yu's intelligence was very timely. If he hadn't mentioned it, and I had rashly engaged in combat with him, wouldn't I have been completely bewildered? He had promised to wait for the right update on the eleventh, but instead, he attacked my vital points right away. If I had been careless, I could have been seriously injured by the sixth brother.

Shen Tang did not intend to place her hopes on this person for reinforcements.

When she decided to send Lin Feng and others, she had already prepared a backup plan.

Hearing this, Xiahou Yu was no longer worried and focused on preparing for the battle at Shanyong County. Shen Tang learned from him that this captain had this connection with Quqing Academy, so she thought about changing the battle plan.

Gu De dismissed her idea: "This person cannot be persuaded."

Even if the dean himself were to intervene, it would be impossible.

Shen Tang said, "I never expected to succeed in persuading them."

I just wanted to sow discord a little.

"First of all, few people probably know the true identity of this captain. If I were that king, and there was such a captain in a local prefecture or county, even if he couldn't perform to his full potential under certain conditions, I would still treat him with great respect. The purpose of spending a fortune on a man is to recruit more people to serve me."

Shen Tang could deduce something from the fact that the other party was only the Commandant of Sugeng County—there were definitely not many people who knew his identity, at least not including the king and the governor of Sugeng County. In the battle records that could be found outside, this commander was an old man with little talent and was mediocre. He had never fought a few battles that exceeded his own strength. He was useful but not indispensable.

The previous governor died from a stray arrow wound that festered during the battle, and the current governor of Suginaga County has only been in office for a few days.

Due to the short timeframe, the two parties lack a foundation for mutual trust.

Xiahou Yu said, "Leave this matter to me."

He had exchanged a few words with the other party, and they had a sliver of affection between them.

Shen Tang rejected Xiahou Yu's offer: "Zikuan is not suitable."

For certain special reasons, Xiahou Yu did not reveal his origins to the public; only some old friends who had been recruited knew that he had resumed his cultivation. If the Commandant of Shanyong County recognized him, he would know that the faction he served possessed at least one imperial seal. Shen Tang's power in the central region was merely that of a local warlord, clearly lacking the foundation for establishing a state.

Being too suspicious would make his situation even more dangerous.

This matter then fell to Gu De.

Shen Tang also assigned him an extra task.

After listening to the whole explanation, he began to question his own existence: "Is my lord really sure he wants to do this?"

Shen Tang smiled slyly and said, "Why don't you give it a try?"

This was also the first time she had used this tactic.

Inspired by jellyfish essence.

Seafood, once frozen, can be used for trade or for surprise attacks. Shen Tang plans to send some elite troops to infiltrate the tribute of freshwater seafood, catching the enemy completely off guard. When the time is right, these men can launch a surprise attack from the rear, where defenses are lax, opening the city gates and launching a coordinated attack from within!

Gu De hesitated: "But..."

Shen Tang countered, "You Rong would be wary of food?"

"...at most, we might suspect that the food was poisoned."

Instead of doubting that food can magically transform into a living person.

Before this, no one would have used the Martial Spirit Totem in this way, and no one would have imagined that the enemy was mixed in with the ingredients.

What's more, it was a batch of frozen ingredients.

"Isn't that settled?" Warfare is all about surprise attacks, and only the sixth brother can have the last laugh.

Gu De: "..."

Shen Tang said regretfully, "If I had thought of this method earlier, many battles would have been easier to fight in the past."

She too was stuck in a mental rut.

Gu De: "..."

I feel a strange sympathy for my lord's future enemies.

While Sugyong County was hindering Shentang's power, the transportation of grain supplies in the area also became a problem, as grain supplies within the territory had long been in short supply. The price of food among the common people was soaring, and ordinary people had to brave the cold to go fishing in the river. Even the garrison soldiers in the county relied on this road to get some meat.

Fish have almost disappeared from the river sections within the territory.

The next batch of grain will not arrive for another half month.

While those outside suffered from hunger and cold, it did not affect the upper class's ability to eat and stay warm.

Under these circumstances, the appearance of a strange caravan attracted attention from all sides. Upon entering the city, all the wooden barrels on the wagons were confiscated. When opened, they were found to be filled with fish preserved in ice. A variety of river fish, enough to make anyone's stomach rumble.

Each fish was covered with a layer of glistening ice and snow.

The guards immediately found an excuse to attack.

The young man in the lead calmly reported his background.

The guards knew they couldn't afford to offend him, and with some skepticism, they reported the news up the chain of command. Meanwhile, the Commandant of Sugyong County was training his troops, worried about the shortage of provisions in his camp, when his subordinates reported that someone had delivered a large amount of food, claiming to be an old friend of his.

The captain found it laughable at first.

"What trick is it now?"

He didn't remember having an old friend who sold fish.

He hadn't wanted to meet her at first, but changed his mind after hearing her introduce herself: "A student of Quqing Academy? Which one?"

"Student Gu Yourong greets the Commandant."

The captain was actually over 150 years old, but outwardly he appeared to be just a middle-aged strong man with white hair and beard and brown scars on both cheeks. He was tall and robust, with a straight back, and even sitting there he looked like a solid little mountain.

"When did you become a fishmonger?"

Does his dean know he's selling fish?

The captain, a man of wide experience, immediately recognized that the young man before him was there to persuade him, and refused without hesitation. Unexpectedly, his voice and attitude were very gentle: "I do have some connections with your Quqing Academy, but not with you youngsters. Matters on the battlefield are decided on the battlefield. Don't engage in any underhanded schemes or tricks. I despise such empty talk the most."

As long as Gu De knows when to leave, he will pretend nothing happened.

Gu De forced a smile: "This is not for lobbying."

The captain raised his voice slightly: "Oh?"

He watched as Gu De took out several letters from his sleeve.

"Here's what happened. While searching for old items from the academy among the common people, I unexpectedly discovered several private letters that hadn't yet been sent... At the time, I didn't know they were private letters and just thought they were the academy's belongings, so I opened them, only to find that they were signed by you."

The captain accepted it with some skepticism.

I can tell when it happened just by looking at the date and content of the signature.

"You've read them all?" Aside from normal communication between friends, the rest of the letters contained the Dean's answers to the Captain's questions and numerous solutions to his chronic ailments. These letters weren't even sealed with sealing wax, so it's unknown how many people had seen them.

Gu De nodded in agreement: "I've seen it."

They were completely unconcerned about the murderous intent emanating from their opponent.

The captain said, "If you've seen it, you won't live."

Gu De sighed and said, "Did the Commandant think that I had not anticipated this matter before I came? Since you dared to come, you must have been prepared."

His words piqued the captain's interest.

"You dared to come even knowing it was a dead end?"

"How does the Commandant know that I am not here to survive?"

The captain leaned forward slightly, exuding an intense sense of pressure: "If it's for survival, then you're willing to betray your lord?"

If someone betrays you on the spot, nine out of ten times it's a scam.

The captain said, "I don't believe you."

Gu De remained unhurried: "Does the Commandant still remember why Quqing Academy was burned down? Who forced the Dean to commit suicide by self-immolation? Her association with the State of Qu touched a raw nerve with the students of Quqing..."

"...How many people did you bring?"

The topic of the captain changed very quickly.

Gu Dedao said, "I only have a little over two hundred trusted followers."

These so-called confidants were all ordinary people, a fact the captain could easily ascertain with a simple investigation. These people were not capable of orchestrating any coordinated inside-outside attack.

What's going on with those fish?

"The grain and provisions are strictly guarded. Even if someone tries to cover for the younger generation, it's easy for her to find out if they're moved. These river fish are a bit easier to find out... Although they're not of great use, they'll last us a few more days."

(ノ▽｀*)ノ

It's almost the end of the month again, remember to remind Mushroom to start a monthly pass event post.