Chapter 138: Take it slow! [Seeking monthly votes]

Signature?

To write books and produce works?

Lin Feng instantly became incredibly energetic, his grape-like eyes sparkling as if twinkling with starlight. Chu Yao watched from the side, unsure whether to let it go or to intervene.

What is this "pig castration manual"?

If this story were to be passed down to future generations, and they saw the signatures "Chen Tang" and "Lin Feng," and then checked their identities, backgrounds, and genders... Chu Yao couldn't bear to imagine that scene.

Shen Tang was very generous and said with a smile, "Xiao Fang and Ban Bu also contributed. When you write it down later, you should also mention their contributions."

Chu Yao: "..."

Let's skip that.

Lin Feng felt that his husband was indeed amazing, knowledgeable and skilled, so he looked at Shen Tang with even more respect and admiration.

With the piglets needing to recover from their injuries, Shen Tang's days became visibly more boring. Fortunately, she had Zhai Le as a companion. The antics of the two together were far more than just one plus one equals two; there wasn't a single thing in the entire bandit stronghold that they couldn't do.

Of course, they weren't just playing house with mud.

They either went hunting in the mountains together or sparred in a makeshift training ground. One didn't rely on martial prowess, and the other didn't rely on literary talent, yet they always managed to draw. They competed in swordsmanship, archery, strength, reaction speed, and jumping height... always working up a sweat.

Qi Shan and the other person witnessed all of this.

They looked at each other, speechless and choked with emotion.

Qi Shan: This is... this is a girl?

Chu Yao: I'm not blind, I don't believe it.

It wasn't that they refused to believe it; the facts before them were simply unbelievable. Qi Shan even felt that this person was less troublesome than all her previous "exes" combined.

"I just hope the time comes soon." Qi Shan rubbed his temples. Young Master Shen wasn't driven crazy by boredom, but the two of them were going to go crazy first.

Chu Yao said, "I will go down the mountain tomorrow to take a look."

With just one spark and one opportune moment, the entire Northwest would be completely engulfed in the quagmire of war. Those who did not wish to be dragged down and strangled had no choice but to rise against the tide and carve out a path to survival.

——————

"Phew—it's a pity that Brother Shen is a scholar with a literary mind; otherwise, the two of us could have set up a sand table battlefield and fought a battle."

Zhai Le was soaked in sweat, looking as if he had just been pulled out of the water. To cool off, he loosened his collar, exposing most of his shoulders.

Brother Shen was sweating about the same as him. Perhaps it's because scholars are all particular about etiquette, preferring to die of heat rather than let their collars be covered properly. Zhai Le encouraged him twice, but Brother Shen didn't dare to do it.

Shen Tang: "Sand table battlefield? Is it fun?"

These two terms were familiar, but judging from Zhai Le's meaning, they seemed to be somewhat different from what she thought of as "sand table" and "battlefield".

Zhai Le recommended: "It's fun, of course it's fun."

The so-called "sand table battlefield" is a "game" that requires both literary and martial prowess to play—combining the strength of both sides to construct an "alternate space" built from the spiritual and martial energies of consciousness. In this "alternate space of consciousness," each side defends a city and leads an army.

The "alternate space game" of the literati is in the form of a chessboard, while the "alternate space game" of the warriors is a sand table with rugged terrain.

After Zhai Le explained it this way, Shen Tang immediately understood.

Isn't this the encrypted spell that was written on paper?

[Viewed from the side, it's a mountain range; viewed from the front, it's a peak; its appearance varies depending on distance, height, and perspective.]

She tried to crack the code, but unfortunately, she didn't know how to play. She thought this world lacked entertainment, but she never expected to be able to "play games online."

Interesting (*▽*)

Unfortunately, one was a scholar and the other a warrior, so they couldn't get started.

Shen Tang lay on the haystack with her hands behind her head, lazily squinting her eyes, and muttered, "Aren't we different now?"

In reality, fighting is happening, and constructing a "different space of consciousness" is also fighting.

Zhai Le chuckled, "It's different, how could it be the same? When you and I fight, we're just comparing the strength of ordinary men, at most a 'battle of generals on the battlefield.' It's not worth learning from a one-man army. It's different when two armies clash, that's a battle against ten thousand men, that's what I want!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang teased, "Learning to be an enemy of ten thousand? So Xiao Fang has the ambition of a tyrant... Hmm, commanding thousands of troops, that's certainly a scene that gets one's blood pumping just hearing about it..."

Men or women.

No one could refuse it.

Well, she couldn't refuse either.

Zhai Le muttered, "That's why it's a pity."

Few of his peers could match his taste as much as Brother Shen. He couldn't truly compete with Brother Shen, and he was itching to do the same...

Shen Tang murmured, "No need for regrets."

Perhaps one day that day will come.

Zhai Le said, "By the way, I'm going back tomorrow."

I wonder if my brother has finished his business yet. Sigh, if you ask me, there's really no need for him to get involved in Xiaocheng's affairs.

——————

"My lord."

Shen Tang was about to go back to her room to take a shower.

I ran into someone I didn't expect on the way.

It turned out to be Tanuki, whom I hadn't seen much for the past two days.

"What's up?"

Tanuki took a deep breath, her facial muscles tensing with tension, her fists clenched unconsciously, and she hesitated for a few moments.

"Was what you said that day, my lord, true?"

Shen Tang said, "If you believe, it exists; if you don't believe, it doesn't."

She didn't speak definitively. Even though she knew she possessed the "Imperial Seal," she had no idea where it was or how to use it. She might not be able to help Tanuki, but if she could subdue it... there might be unexpected surprises.

Shen Tang asked with a smile, "What, have you changed your mind?"

Li Li said, "Yes."

Shen Tang didn't want to know what changed Li Li's mind; as long as it was beneficial to her, there was no need to delve into anything else.

"Since that's the case, then you should follow Banbu and learn properly. I'll ask him to help you later. How much you learn depends entirely on yourself."

Gong Shuwu and Gong Wen are also potentially unstable individuals. The main reason they're currently following them is because of Qi Shan's manipulation, coupled with being desperate and having no other choice.

But he was, after all, from the Gong family, and a ninth-rank, fifth-level official, a highly sought-after martial artist. Once the northwestern kingdoms were thrown into chaos or the regime led by Zheng Qiao collapsed, that would be the day Gong Wenhai had a chance to rise to prominence, and he might not be willing to stay in Shen Tang's shallow pool.

Therefore, it is important to make plans early.

Tanuki was taken aback: "Is that all?"

Shen Tang said, "That's all."

"As for when you will be able to comprehend the 'Qi of Heaven and Earth,' we will wait for the right opportunity." Shen Tang smiled mysteriously, seemingly confident, and said, "However, you must remember one thing—sincerity is the key to success."

If one cannot sense the "qi of heaven and earth," it must be because one's heart is not sincere enough. Shen Tang has even prepared a way to shift the blame.

True loyalty comes from the heart, not just lip service.

Tsk tsk—

This meager, makeshift group was cobbled together by sheer chance. They're fine as bandits occupying a mountain stronghold, but when it comes to actual warfare, they're no match for any small, insignificant force.

It really is a case of "starting with a national seal, and everything else depends on fighting."

Aside from the "Imperial Seal," whose whereabouts are unknown, she truly has nothing. Even without experience, one knows how incredibly difficult it is to build a force without any foundation or background!

What do these two men see in her?

Could it be—

Do they simply enjoy the hellish difficulty level?

"Tsk, build high walls and store up grain, take it slow."

When it comes to farming, the most important thing is patience.

|ω)

1. Tangmei teases Xiaofang for having the "ambition of a hegemon" and commanding thousands of troops because the "enemy of ten thousand men" part is from the "Biography of Xiang Yu" in the Records of the Grand Historian: "To defeat one man with a sword is not worth learning; to defeat ten thousand men is worth learning."

2. "Build high walls and store up grain," this was the advice of Zhu Sheng, the strategist of Zhu Yuanzhang, who started with only a bowl of rice. Of course, in the context of this story, storing grain is not about stockpiling weapons; one must make their own granary. Therefore, while farming, one must also develop military strength.

3. While writing, I suddenly realized that Tangmei really likes to "cross the river and then destroy the bridge".

(End of this chapter)