Chapter 1526/1525: The Grand Finale (Twenty-Eight) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

"You haven't slept all night?"

As soon as Shen Tang stepped out of the tent, he saw Qi Shan, who had been lingering there for a long time.

His clothes were damp with the morning mist, and his brows showed the weariness of a sleepless night. Faced with teasing, Qi Shan, who was usually reserved about his personal emotions, frankly admitted: "I was worried that if I lay down and fell asleep again, I would wake up from my dream."

He genuinely doubted that tonight was a dream.

How could anyone be as lucky as him?

A broken life finds two regrets repaired in a single day.

"Please forgive my arrogance, my lord, but I've dreamt of this too many times over the years..." Having tasted the initial joy of the experience, what followed was unease, fear, and even retreat. He was afraid that if he revealed the truth, this beautiful dream would end. Qi Shan, who never felt blessed with good fortune, was surprisingly timid in this regard. Until he met Shen Tang's smiling almond eyes, he mocked himself, "Good dreams are always the easiest to wake up from... I'm afraid."

"It's not a dream."

Shen Tang even gave him some advice.

"If Yuanliang doesn't believe me, I'll pinch you?"

Qi Shan refused, "Why is Your Majesty up so early?"

His attempt to change the subject was rather clumsy, but fortunately Shen Tang didn't pursue the matter further. She only complained, "It's not that I got up early; it's clearly that little darling in the tent who got up early. I was just sleeping when she climbed up from the foot of the bed and started scratching, hitting, biting, and nibbling at me."

She had no temper when Shen De was mentioned.

The little boy, who is only 2.7 feet tall, is bursting with energy.

Not only did she scheme against the female officials and maids who cared for her, pretending to be asleep to lure them away, but she also secretly got up in the middle of the night and sneaked into Shen Tang's tent to sleep with her mother. Shen Tang initially refused, after all, she knew her own sleeping posture, but she couldn't resist her coquettishness.

[Mommy, go to sleep.]

Shen Tang: [...It's not entirely impossible.]

I never imagined that a 2.7-foot-tall child would sleep so much worse than her.

One person has the entire big bed to themselves.

At first, she slept peacefully beside Shen Tang, but soon she started rolling around on the bed while sleeping. Shen Tang was cornered by her, afraid of accidentally crushing her. After finally managing to trap her, she managed to prop herself up on her arms and fall into a deep sleep. But in her half-awake state, she was tormented by two small hands, her carefully styled hair being pulled and messed up.

She deliberately ignored him, but to her surprise, the villain became even more arrogant and domineering.

They might as well treat Shen Tang like a big toy.

He wouldn't stop until he woke his mother up.

Shen Tang had always been grumpy in bed. After staring at Shen De for a while, she kept repeating to herself that he was the only son, the only son, the only son, and finally managed to restrain the urge to lift him up and discipline him. After giving up the tent, she had to call the maid in to help Ru Gui wash his face and get dressed.

After hearing the complaint, Qi Shan couldn't help but chuckle: "If Your Majesty were to wake Princess Yuan up while she was fast asleep, that would be a real case of bad temper in bed."

Unable to wake up naturally, Shen De vented her grumpiness by angrily clenching her fists and walking away quickly. If she accidentally fell, she would not allow anyone to help her. If anyone tried to help her, she would get very angry and slap their hands away. Several female officials and maids took turns trying to persuade her with kind words, but to no avail.

Shen Tang: "...It's really hard to coax someone who's gotten angry."

But you can't just let her wake up naturally after a good night's sleep and then start bothering her.

Shen Tang decided that she could not be bewitched by the cubs again next time.

"Speaking of which, is there really so much conflict between Yuanliang and Yu Guilong? Is there no hidden plot?" The two, who hadn't slept well either, went to the canteen early. They arrived early, and the canteen windows were still preparing. The guards at the windows served the two important figures their meals.

The rice porridge, mixed with minced meat and preserved eggs, had just come off the stove. The golden-brown steamed buns in the steamer were larger than a warrior's fist, exuding a soft, wheaty aroma. These, along with a few dishes of pickled vegetables and a bowl of unlimited pork bone soup, were enough to satisfy a meal, and would be considered a delicacy even during wartime.

Qi Shan slowly tore off pieces of steamed bun and dipped them in porridge to eat.

What hidden plot could there be?

"He helped Zhai Xiaofang because Zhai Yuewen saved his life. But to be considered a lifesaver, he has to be in trouble first and have his life threatened. This has nothing to do with you, does it?"

Qi Shan: "It can't be considered direct, it's indirect."

Shen Tang: "..."

Qi Shan argued vehemently, "When you're traveling, even a penny can be a stumbling block. I was short of money, so naturally I had to borrow from acquaintances. It's not like I didn't want to pay him back. I don't know what happened to him after he borrowed the money, I only know that he was quite unlucky and couldn't return to his mother's clan as planned. His mother's clan was one of the eight foreign tribes, and their military strength was no match for the countries in the southeast. It's normal that he was affected by the war between the two sides."

How did Yu Hai join the Southeast Branch?

It's unclear whether he joined first and then pulled Zhai Huan in, or whether Zhai Huan went in first and lured him in. However, the only thing that's certain is that Yu Hai isn't a die-hard hawk; in fact, to some extent, he's a fence-sitter, indifferent to whether or not to be attacked.

If Zhai Le wants to fight, he will make a plan to fight.

Zhai Le's plan was to not fight him if he wasn't going to.

Their stance is flexible and adaptable; they will not risk their lives to fight to the death with Kangguo because of the so-called "destruction of the country" or so-called "stance".

Qi Shan said casually, "When Zhai Xiaofang arrives, the master can negotiate with him by simply controlling him, without having to worry about Yu Guilong."

Yu Hai poses no threat.

In fact, Zhai Xiaofang doesn't need to worry too much.

If the ruler were Zhai Huan, it would be a real headache; if it were Zhai Le, it wouldn't be a problem. It's not that Zhai Le is incompetent, but the two brothers have completely different temperaments. Zhai Huan is the kind of guy who has nothing to lose and nothing to fear, the fewer concerns he has, the fewer weaknesses he has. But Zhai Le isn't like that; he has a family.

He was concerned about his family, his clan, and the common people.

He is full of weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

Where is Zhai Huan?

He had no family, and his treatment of his clansmen was lukewarm. Even now, rumors circulate in the Qu Kingdom's royal family that their late ruler was harsh and ungrateful to his people. As for the common people? In the eyes of those in power, they were less people and more living assets. Those in power wanted their assets to grow, so they had to manage them carefully, ensuring that the assets generated more money and the population multiplied. In truth, Qi Shan was even more wary of Zhai Yuewen.

But who could have caused Zhai Yuewen to die so young?

Tsk, that's a good death.

Shen Tang naturally understood: "Yes."

"Besides, Your Majesty should be wary of Zhai Xiaofang trying to sway people with her emotions." Compared to Qu Guo, Qi Shan was actually more worried that her own lord would be soft-hearted. If Zhai Xiaofang played the emotional card with her, and the two reminisced about the past and talked about their childhood ambitions, and the lord softened his heart and gave Qu Guo a chance to bargain, then that would be the end of them.

"Do I look stupid?"

"The Lord is a man of passion."

People with strong emotions are more likely to empathize with others.

Shen Tang: "...Actually, I have something on him that I can use against him."

With this leverage over him, Zhai Le has little room for negotiation.

Qi Shan asked in surprise, "A handle?"

"It's Zhai Yuewen."

"Zhai Yuewen?"

The Lord has no dealings with Zhai Huan, right? What incriminating evidence could there be?

Shen Tang: "Zhai Yuewen's true spirit was imprisoned on the Investiture of the Gods and only reincarnated a few days ago. If I don't tell you where he reincarnated, wouldn't it be like searching for a needle in a haystack for Zhai Xiaofang? Or she should just wait for Zhai Yuewen to regain his memories when the time is right and take the initiative to find him."

Zhai Le will definitely ask Shen Tang.

He was in a passive position because he had something to ask for.

Qi Shan disagreed: "How can such heavenly secrets be revealed?"

Will this have a negative impact on the Lord?

Shen Tang said, "Zhai Yuewen isn't Zheng Qiao. He won't suffer much in his reincarnation. So what if the information is leaked? It's worth it if a trivial handle can make Zhai Xiaofang back down."

Qi Shan retorted indignantly, "Even Zheng Qiao can be reincarnated?"

Shen Tang's expression was strange: "If he doesn't reincarnate soon, even the true spirits on the Investiture of the Gods will be unable to withstand it. This guy won't rest even after he's dead. He's quite adept at forming alliances and betrayals. Knowing that he will be dealt with by the true spirits on the list in this life, he tries to win over those who have been on the list for a long time."

The true spirits who have made it onto the list in recent decades are inherently rife with contradictions. Zheng Qiao is alone, so it's easy to deal with him whenever one wants. The other true spirits who formed cliques and made it onto the list are the real threats. The best approach is to deal with the biggest contradiction first, and then settle things with Zheng Qiao later. With this in mind, Zheng Qiao's situation on the Investiture of the Gods is actually not the worst.

Zheng Qiao stirred up trouble and sowed discord everywhere.

The more lively and fierce the fighting became, the less people remembered him.

Qi Shan: "...Reincarnated as a human?"

It would be unfair to directly commit adulthood.

Shen Tang did some calculations and found out where Zheng Qiao's reincarnation was now. Then she said, "No, he still has to endure several lifetimes of being cooked and suffering the calamity of being eaten before he can enter the human realm."

However, the Investiture of the Gods still needed him to do the work.

Even if one is reborn into the animal realm, it's a quick in-and-out process.

Even those who have entered the human realm also suffer from five deficiencies and three shortcomings.

"If Yuanliang truly asks, I'm willing to tell you where the other half of Yuanliang's true spirit was reincarnated~~~"

These words caught Qi Shan completely off guard.

"What do you mean, half true spirit?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"He didn't say anything!" Qi Shan bit into the steamed bun as if it were an enemy. If she had known, she wouldn't have insisted that Tan Qu live in this half-dead state yesterday. Reincarnation is only a little over ten years; she could wait.

Qi Shan's biggest worry right now is whether there will be any impact.

Shen Tang said, "It's just that my wisdom is clouded."

There will be no side effects such as physical weakness or premature death.

Qi Shan felt relieved upon hearing this.

Then, the Lord's seductive words seeped into his ears.

“Yuanliang can take him back in his next life and raise him.”

They can also adopt the other person as their godson.

Qi Shan was tempted by the idea of ​​her best friend calling her godfather for at least eighteen years, but still pretended to be reserved: "It's not a good idea."

If your best friend is reincarnated, it's okay to call him your godfather.

My best friend is now half of him, half of him. The half that was reincarnated is easy to fool, but the half that wasn't reincarnated is willing to fight me to the death, which is risky.

Qi Shan stirred the hot porridge: "How about his reincarnation as a lover?"

"Love and harmony."

Qi Shan sighed, "Then I won't bother you any longer."

My dear friend, our kinship in this life is shallow, and it is rare for us to be close and harmonious in the next life. How can I be so unreasonable and plunder? It is better to let nature take its course and leave it to fate.

However, we still have to ask.

He secretly ordered someone to keep an eye on things, just in case anything unexpected happened.

Zhai Le was much more efficient than expected. He received news of Shen Tang's appearance and immediately arranged for their departure. The official negotiation venue between the two countries was set in a small town. When Zhai Xiaofang arrived, she showed no signs of dejection; in fact, her expression was relaxed.

Shen Tang: "..."

Zhai Xiaofang seems to have a good attitude.

If this were an ordinary ruler, he would have become haggard long ago.

The taste of power is no less addictive than a sugar-coated poison; once you've tasted it, it's impossible to easily return to a lower position.

When Zhai Le first met Shen Tang, he didn't greet her. Instead, he went straight to the point and asked her, "Does the Investiture of the Gods really exist?"

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow: "Zhai Yuewen appeared in your dream?"

Zhai Le suddenly widened her peach blossom eyes, ignoring Yu Hai's frantic blinking and winking, and kept asking, "You really do? So you also know that my brother has been reincarnated? Which family did he reincarnate into? Was he a boy or a girl? Is his family still harmonious?"

Shen Tang: "So many questions?"

Zhai Le took a deep breath: "Many? Then I'll only ask one."

Shen Tang wanted to know what he could get out of him: "Tell me."

Zhai Ledao asked, "Could you please let my brother be reincarnated into my family?"

He and his wife could have another child.

Shen Tang: "..."

Qi Shan was only the godfather, but Zhai Le became the biological father? I don't really understand the quirks of you humans.

Zhai Le took a step back.

“Reincarnation into a courtier or clan is also acceptable.”

Shen Tang remained expressionless: "This is not something I can interfere with."

Of course, that's a lie.

The real reason is that she finds it troublesome.

Zhai Huan's reincarnation destiny was predetermined by the Investiture of the Gods. If Shen Tang were to alter it, the resulting chain reaction would cause the overall trajectory to deviate, and Shen Tang would have to make up for the shortfall in merit out of his own pocket. If Shen Tang could afford that, why would he need to keep Kang Shi by his side and restrict his movements? Most importantly, if the trajectory were to turn out well, the extra merit wouldn't be given to Shen Tang.

She wouldn't do a business that loses money.

"Then can you tell me where he was reincarnated?"

Looking into those peach blossom eyes that were once so affectionate when looking at dogs, now looking so pitiful, Shen Tang said without any mercy, "That's a different price."

Zhai Le: "That's all easy to discuss."

Yu Hai closed his eyes in despair.

Ever since Zhai Le realized he couldn't become the next president, he abandoned the vigilance he'd cultivated over the past decade, and his intelligence seemed to be declining. Who would readily expose their weaknesses and shortcomings right from the start?

But Zhai Le's next sentence gave him hope.

"Your Majesty is the parent of all the people under heaven. Parents love their children with utmost purity and devotion, and plan far ahead for them with all their heart and soul. I think that Youli, this father of the king... Heavenly Mother, would not be biased or partial, nor would he allow any of his children to suffer from hunger and cold."

Some people are born with the ability to "morally blackmail."

Or perhaps, the Shen Tang he knew was a compassionate person.

If it weren't for the need to appease his subjects, Zhai Le wouldn't have even bothered to negotiate, because it was completely unnecessary. Other rulers viewed their subjects as assets; those with ambition diligently managed their estates, while those without complacently indulged in squandering their ancestral wealth, living off their inheritance until it was all gone, since they could never finish it all in a short time. But in Zhai Le's eyes, Shen Tang was never one of those "other rulers"; she was different.

so--

Even without negotiation, she wouldn't let the common people suffer.

Shen Tang: "Your eloquence has surprised me."

Zhai Le made a gesture of invitation.

Did you bring any alcohol?

Shen Tang: "Enough is enough."

The two chose the rooftop of the highest point in the small town.

Climbing to a high vantage point and enjoying a drink becomes a unique and delightful experience.

only--

Shen Tang couldn't get up there.

In the end, they had to climb up using a ladder.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

She breathed lightly and brushed the dust off the hem of her clothes.

She didn't let anyone else take her up there out of respect for Zhai Le.

Zhai Le looked speechless: "What's wrong with your skills?"

It wasn't his imagination just now.

When he first met Shen Tang, he noticed that her aura was like that of an ordinary person. He initially thought she had returned to her natural state, but he didn't expect her to be a genuine ordinary person.

Shen Tang looked annoyed: "Isn't it all because of the Four Pillars of Destiny?"

Zhai Le recalled the frequent natural disasters and strange phenomena that had occurred during that period.

After a long pause, he managed to utter, "Thank you for your hard work."

I thought you would regret it.

At this distance, if Zhai Le were to launch a sneak attack, the others wouldn't even have time to react. Zhai Le rolled his eyes inelegantly: "I've only become the ruler, not a villain. I wouldn't go back on my word."

Shen Tang smiled but remained silent.

Regardless of whether Zhai Le meant it sincerely, at least he exercised restraint in his actions, upheld his principles, and did not take advantage of others' misfortune.

Zhai Le: "Do you still remember back then?"

He lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the inner city.

"You said, a bright moon shines on two idle people in different places."

This small town was remote and impoverished, with a small population and a poor economy. Although it had not been affected by the war, the people in the town fled or hid after receiving the news, leaving the inner city deserted. Earlier, he had sat with Shen Tang on the roof of a ruined house.

“But from now on, I’ll be the only one left who’s idle.”

|ω`)

(End of this chapter)