Chapter 1374: The Central Branch (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Should we revisit the old stories of the Wu Kingdom?

Shen Tang looked at the words in the letter, lowering her eyes to conceal her murderous intent.

With Wei Cheng and his nephew having witnessed it firsthand, she knew all too well how the Wu Kingdom had fallen. Back then, the Gods had interfered, causing internal discord within the Wu Kingdom; were they now trying to repeat the same trick? She couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, fearing that Tan Ting's disappearance was related to this. As for the other conjecture that Qi Shan had vaguely mentioned in his letter—

[Tan Ting's prolonged absence from contact raises suspicions of defection.]

Without concrete evidence, Shen Tang was unwilling to be suspicious of his own people, much less to easily doubt their stance.

When trust is breached, outsiders have an opportunity to take advantage.

She pondered for a moment, then picked up her pen and wrote a reply to Qi Shan. She ordered that all available resources in central China be used to investigate Tan Ting's whereabouts!

In short, we need to see the person alive or dead!

"We still need to find a way to get in touch as soon as possible, in case we're too late..." Shen Tang subconsciously snapped her brush in half, and after hesitating for a long time, she still took the initiative to contact Avatar Nobody. She originally wanted Avatar Nobody to look for a good opportunity to infiltrate the Northeast Continent, mainly to gather intelligence. If there was any spare capacity, they could take advantage of the chaos to secretly recruit talents and incidentally make things difficult for the Qu Kingdom to encroach on the Northeast Continent.

It seems too late now.

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Shen Tang chose to find Tan Ting first.

If he really did betray them as Yuan Liang feared, as long as he had his reasons, as long as he didn't plot against Kangguo, or as long as he followed Xu Shu's example of remaining silent and offering no advice, Shen Tang could accept it. This situation couldn't be blamed on him; it was because she wasn't strong enough to protect her own subjects. By the time she came to her senses, she had already finished writing her reply to Qi Shan: "Sent to the capital with utmost urgency."

Little did Qi Shan know that reading this reply would incite intense jealousy.

When the Lord was young, he abhorred betrayal and treachery. Even if the other party had a genuine reason, he would never use them again, and even if he didn't eliminate them completely, he would never see them again. Unexpectedly, as he grew older, he relaxed his standards, and the person who made him break his rule was not him.

For the first time in a long time, Qi Shan and Gu Chisheng felt similar emotions.

Why should he be an exception?

_(:з」∠)_

Before she knew it, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn. Having received the news, Luan Xin had already arranged for his men to prepare for departure. When her personal guard came to inform Shen Tang, she had just finished writing the last stroke of her pen, and had only just finished reviewing yesterday's memorial: "Already outside the city?"

She only had time to quickly wash her face before leaving the city to see him off.

Luan Xin set off very discreetly; apart from a few officials under his jurisdiction in the Ministry of Personnel who knew he was going out, the others were unaware. Seeing Shen Tang hurrying towards him, he exclaimed in surprise, "Why has Your Majesty come?"

Before leaving the city, he went to say goodbye to his lord.

The eunuch replied that the emperor's inner palace was still lit, and that he had been reviewing memorials all night. Luan Xin, not wanting to disturb him, left a message for the eunuch to convey. Who would have thought that the emperor would actually come?

Shen Tang: "Justice is on its way, and I am worried."

She doesn't have many precious children, and she would go crazy if even one of them were lost.

There are some things that need to be said in person before she can feel at ease.

Having served as ruler and subject for many years, Luan Xin naturally knew when his lord would conceal his emotions and when he would reveal his true feelings. No subject could resist his lord's undisguised sincerity and enthusiasm, and Luan Xin was no exception: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will return soon."

"May your literary career continue to flourish."

Seeing the two people whose faces were filled with undisguised affection and whose atmosphere was sticky, Luo San inexplicably understood what Gu Chi, that young man, was thinking.

The old man complained, "Wangting must be very lively."

Luan Xin didn't understand what Luo Sanzhi meant by "excitement." Although the civil and military officials had personal grudges and occasionally had minor frictions, they were generally united and could face external problems together.

Luo San said, "When a man in a high position has three wives and four concubines, whether the women in the inner quarters are after fine silks and satins, their children's future, or a vague and illusory true heart, they will always scheme and fight around this man. Among them, those who plot for true love are the most foolish."

There is only one true heart.

Nobody wants to receive the least genuine affection.

“True love is the strongest shackle in the world. It seems invisible, but once you put it on, it is hard to break free.” Luo San said seriously, “However, promiscuous men and women will be criticized for being frivolous and dissolute, while promiscuous rulers will only be written about in history books.”

“…My lord, that’s not being promiscuous.” Luan Xin rarely spoke too quickly, but he realized his mistake as soon as the rebuttal came out. He immediately corrected himself, saying, “The relationship between ruler and subject is even better than that between blood relatives and brothers. How can the word ‘promiscuous’ be used to desecrate it? Lord Luo’s words are inappropriate.”

Luo San said, "As long as the meaning is conveyed, that's fine."

There's no difference between power struggles within a family and power struggles in politics; they're essentially the same. What's the difference in status or hierarchy? Aren't they both about scheming against one person?

Given Empress Shen's ability to control her ministers, if she had a harem, she could easily subdue any number of men she could put in.

Luo San remained silent for a while, then muttered to himself.

He said rather displeasedly, "Then what am I?"

Luan Xin: "..."

At the critical moment, his survival instinct kicked in, and he swallowed back the words "considered nameless and without status." Luo San wasn't one of those colleagues who only talked the talk; if he really angered this guy, he wouldn't even know how he died. Receiving no response, Luo San didn't continue the topic, perhaps realizing that the analogy had insulted him.

Ten miles outside the city, at the pavilion, one can vaguely see people inside.

Luo San recognized the person at a glance, but by the time Luan Xin noticed and looked over, the person had already quietly left. Although he didn't see the person's face, it didn't stop Luan Xin from guessing the person's identity—Gu Chi.

Luan Xin: "..."

"Isn't he a colleague who came to see you off?"

"They're colleagues, but also half enemies."

Luan Xin had mixed feelings; he hadn't expected Gu Chi to come and see him off.

"An enemy?"

"The hatred for killing my lord." If it weren't for the portrait in his study, he would have almost forgotten what his late lord, Wen Yan Gong, looked like. It wasn't just Wen Yan Gong's voice and smile that had faded, but also the deep-seated hatred within him. His animosity towards Gu Chi had almost become a habit.

Luo San: "The royal court is indeed very lively."

——

Gu Chi is a diligent wife.

Even during his recuperation, he did not forget to write.

When Bai Su returned from training, she found the window open, scattering manuscript papers all over the table. She picked them up and glanced at the outline, her brow furrowing. Gu Chi had been lazy this time, writing two versions of the same story, one for male and one for female.

One version is about a man who retires from the military and marries a charming widow; the other is about a woman who retires from the military but suffers amnesia and is pursued by a charming widower, ultimately being kept as a mistress by the woman without any status or recognition—a truly explosive story. The former was poorly written, while the latter was practically a carbon copy of Luo San's character.

Bai Su bent down and arranged the manuscript paper according to the page numbers.

"Don't make a sound when Luo Hou kills you."

How many officials in the court haven't been cricketed by Gu Chi?

Gu Chi pinched his nose and gulped down a bowl of herbal medicine in one go: "If he wants to hit me, I'll go to the palace and ask the Lord for help. I'm familiar with the process of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. No matter how charming he is, can he compare to the years of friendship between the Lord and me?"

Luo San is capable of beating them both up.

Gu Chi was still preoccupied with the fact that Shen Tang had tricked him.

Bai Su: "...That's not how you use words."

Gu Chi argued vehemently, “Isn’t appearance just as important to a lady of the inner quarters as strength is to a martial artist? Since they are equally important, how can ‘still charming’ not describe a powerful but aging martial artist? I think it’s quite appropriate.”

He was deliberately trying to disgust Luo San.

Anyway, Luo San didn't know that he had written the storybook.

It's more likely that he simply couldn't see the storybook.

Bai Su: "..."

It's truly remarkable that the Censorate has remained so well-organized under Gu Chi's leadership for so many years. If we disregard the explosive plot summary, the new story is quite interesting; Bai Su can see many of her colleagues reflected in the characters. Just then, a servant announced the arrival of a distinguished guest—Chu Yao. She happened to witness the touching scene of the female protagonist regaining her memories and weeping with her family of men and women. Feeling guilty, she quickly put away her manuscript, afraid Chu Yao would discover it.

Gu Chi straightened his clothes: "Coming to visit someone in the hospital? What a rare guest."

It was expected that Chu Yao would be in the second volume, but that didn't stop Gu Chi from being incredibly jealous. He said he didn't care, but inside he was more furious than anyone else. He thought Chu Yao had come to visit him while he was sick, but found that the other party was empty-handed and had an inexplicably serious expression. Gu Chi also stopped being playful and solemnly led Chu Yao to the study, closed the door, and set up a barrier to prevent eavesdropping: "What's wrong?"

I had a dream last night.

Gu Chi relaxed his shoulders: "I don't know how to interpret dreams."

Chu Yao's next sentence made Gu Chi pause in pouring tea, the tea spilling over the rim of the cup: "This is no ordinary dream, but a sudden breakthrough."

The high-ranking officials all knew that Chu Yao's approach to the scholarly path was utterly useless.

They are useless on the battlefield.

It's euphemistically called "a glimmer of hope after despair," meaning it can foresee some future crises and avoid them. However, it's a passive skill, not under Chu Yao's control, and he hasn't been able to perfect it yet. In terms of practicality, it's far inferior to the abilities of Cui Zhi's second son, Cui Mi. But Chu Yao's career doesn't depend on it. Even without it, it doesn't affect his ability to oversee the country and accompany the army on campaigns. Over time, no one has paid much attention to it anymore.

Now they suddenly come to my door saying that the way of the literati has been revived...

I'm just talking to myself...

This gave Gu Chi a bad feeling: "Am I going to die?"

This sickly body finally couldn't hold on any longer?

Can a traditional Chinese medicine doctor save him?

"No," Chu Yao shook his head, paused for a moment, and tentatively asked, "Does Gongyi still not know the cause of Qiu Cheng's death?"

Gu Chi understood the implied meaning.

"Of course he doesn't know. Only a handful of people know... Why would those in the know willingly reveal it to Justice?" Even so, the power of words is incredibly mysterious, capable of tracing back to the past. "Given his temperament, this is bound to happen..."

He stopped talking.

The Kingdom of Wu was also conquered from within.

The Kang Kingdom is currently at its zenith, much like the Wu Kingdom was in its past. Its central faction is rallying its forces to undermine unity, and it's likely they'll stop at nothing to achieve it. Qiu Cheng's death is precisely the point of breakthrough.

Gu Chi thought of Tan Ting, who had been out of contact for a long time, and felt worried.

He suddenly opened his eyes: "I'll go intercept Luan Gongyi."

Chu Yao grabbed his wrist with such force that Gu Chi almost stumbled, and shouted, "Why are you stopping me?"

"If we don't stop him, are we just going to watch him be led astray?"

Qiu Cheng, that old man, isn't very capable and has a terrible personality, yet he personally rescued the young Luan Xin from a desperate situation. How powerful is the "white moonlight"—especially a deceased one? Having written so many stories and witnessed so much of human nature, how could Gu Chi not know? And Luan Xin is a stubborn person who sticks to his principles.

"His alienation from the Lord will affect the Lord the most!" The great cause of unification is imminent; only by pressing forward can we have a chance of success. If that momentum is lost, all our efforts will be in vain and it will be too late! Gu Chi doesn't want to have worked so hard only to have our hard-earned achievements overturned.

"You can't stop them! You can stop them for a while, but can you stop them forever?"

If you're a thief for a thousand days, how can you guard against thieves for a thousand days?

If you doze off, the enemy can take advantage of the situation.

Gu Chi felt a tightness in his chest from anger: "Couldn't stop him?"

His dark eyes turned bloodshot until his gaze fell on the sword at his side. He snatched it away and fastened the sword belt around his waist as he walked away: "If you can't solve the problem, then solve the person with the problem!"

Chu Yao secretly thought that something was wrong.

He wasn't going to let Gu Chi go crazy.

Gu Chi was still a patient and could not be subjected to violence. Seeing that things were not going well, Bai Su stood in the doorway with her sword drawn: "Wang Chao?"

"Shao Xuan, get out of the way!"

Gu Chi's condition seemed off. His pale complexion was gone, replaced by a dark, bloodshot look, and his eyes were filled with a fierce intensity. Without a doubt, if Bai Su hadn't been blocking his path, Gu Chi would have drawn his sword immediately. Bai Su cast a questioning glance at Chu Yao.

What exactly did the two of them say that made Gu Chi act so strangely?

Chu Yao gripped his sword tightly: "General Bai, let him go."

Bai Su did not move aside: "What's the cause and effect?"

"I'll explain to the general myself later." Chu Yao was furious. He wanted to see if Gu Chi would really go crazy and solve the problem.

Gu Chi snatched a warhorse and headed straight out of the city.

He arrived at Shili Pavilion first, and Chu Yao followed closely behind.

Wasn't he a colleague who came to see you off?

They were colleagues, but also somewhat of enemies.

Gu Chi glanced at him from afar, then looked away just before meeting Luan Xin's gaze, sheathing his sword which he had drawn a little. On the way back, he remained silent. Chu Yao had anticipated this outcome, and simply rode after him, saying, "The internal strife in the Wu Kingdom back then stemmed from mutual suspicion. Suspicion from one side could be resolved, but suspicion from both sides was utterly insurmountable."

Gu Chi remained silent.

"Guess why I sought you out first instead of the Lord?"

A thunderbolt seemed to explode in Gu Chi's ears. He stared intently at Chu Yao: "You mean, the crux of the problem lies with me?"

This time, it was Chu Yao's turn to remain silent.

Isn't the answer obvious?

Chu Yao said, “A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. We have served in the same court as Gongyi for many years, so you should know his character. Even if Gongyi truly knew that Qiu Wenyan’s death was at the emperor’s behest, he would not harm the emperor; self-destruction is more likely. I know you don’t want the emperor to suffer setbacks, but have you considered that the emperor cares about you as well?”

It would be better if Gu Chi did nothing.

Once done, the blow to the Lord will be doubled.

"This 'light at the end of the tunnel' is about you."

Gu Chi snapped back to reality upon hearing this, only to realize with a start that his back was covered in cold sweat, his undergarments clinging to his skin, and he felt an itch all over, as if a thousand ants were crawling on him. He stared at the sword in his hand, his vision flickering, and in a daze, the sword seemed to transform into a giant snake coiled around his wrist, its head raised high—

A chill ran straight up to the top of my head.

After a long silence, Gu Chi murmured to himself, "I won't kill Luan Gongyi, but since he's interfering with the Lord, let him kill me. A life for a life, I'll repay Qiu Wenyan's debt of life for the Lord!"

(。-ω-)zzz

I finally slept earlier today. (3[▓▓] Go to sleep)

I'll try to resume normal update times tomorrow.