Chapter 668: The Meeting (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

That's the logic, and Luan Xin naturally understood it too.

But he had one more question to ask.

"Wangchao acts so presumptuously, aren't you worried that one day he'll turn on you one by one?" Luan Xin asked this question with a calm expression, but his dark eyes held an unfathomable complexity. "Is he criticizing you as a sycophantic and obsequious minister?"

Gu Chi laughed nonchalantly and said, "So what if he's a treacherous minister?"

This rhetorical question almost stumped Luan Xin.

After careful consideration, he concluded that as long as Gu Chi didn't care about his reputation, being criticized as a treacherous minister wouldn't really harm him; he could even live quite well. If that's how people of his time viewed him, what about how future generations would evaluate him?

"When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away." Luan Xin stared straight into Gu Chi's eyes, not blinking for a moment, not allowing him to dodge or hide, and said in a firm and powerful voice, "Wang Chao is not afraid of ending up like this one day? The end of treacherous officials is never good."

Gu Chi laughed: "Is Gongyi worried about me?"

Luan Xin did not give a reply.

Gu Chi didn't care.

He surprisingly said, "Isn't it better to cook the dog after the rabbit is caught?"

Luan Xin's pupils dilated in shock: "???"

"When the world is at peace, strategists perish. If that's the case, then the killing of the hunting dog after the rabbit is dead is a good omen. I do not desire such a scholarly way of life. If one day I truly end up like a bird that has been discarded after its foes are all gone, then that is fate." Gu Chi's brows showed no signs of distress, only open-mindedness and ease, with a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Besides, she is the lord, she would not do such a thing."

Luan Xin found the statement both absurd and laughable.

What a naive idea!

He couldn't believe those words came from Gu Chi's mouth.

Luan Xin said calmly, "Looking at the tide, one cannot see through people's hearts."

Gu Chi retorted, "It is justice that cannot understand our lord."

Luan Xin: "..."

He probably hadn't expected Gu Chi to be such a die-hard fan of Shen Tang. Whether or not he accepted this recommendation was another matter; Luan Xin was currently very eager to know the answer to one question: "Gu Wangchao, so you're saying that the matter of Wenyan Gong was also at your behest?"

Gu Chi feigned ignorance: "What?"

Luan Xin: "Did you instigate the death of Wenyan Gong?"

Gu Chi said innocently, "Wenyan Gong committed suicide. How could it be at my behest? Justice cannot be so unjust as to pin something completely unrelated on me just because I took it upon myself to kill a few soldiers who violated military discipline. That would be a terrible injustice."

Luan Xin's expression clearly showed disbelief.

He suddenly brought up something: "I have heard something—that day when we attacked Xiaocheng, it was you who ordered the arrows to be shot at Gongxi Chou!"

Upon closer examination, Gu Chixia has indeed employed quite a few underhanded tactics.

Gu Chi tucked his hands into his sleeves and said righteously, "Why didn't you ask the whole story? I instructed Shousheng to ambush Gongxi Chou that day, but Wenyan Gong on the city wall also ordered his men to shoot arrows at our lord. If it weren't for Gongxi Chou helping to block them..."

Speaking of this, Gu Chi felt a toothache.

These two helping each other catch stray arrows on the battlefield is absurd no matter how you look at it. It's unprecedented, if not unparalleled.

Gu Chi not only failed to achieve his goal, but also got himself into a lot of trouble.

Luan Xin finally understood: "So you decided to kill me?"

Gu Chi was confused and asked, "Why is Gongyi so certain that I did this? Wenyan Gong committed suicide, and his wife can testify to that. Clearly, he was afraid of being punished by the Qiu family patriarch later, and in his fear, he drew his sword and committed suicide..."

Luan Xin naturally wouldn't believe it.

"On the day the ransom arrived, you sent a message to Wenyan Gong: 'The Qiu family has sent the ransom, and tomorrow they will send someone to escort Wenyan Gong and his family there.' Gu Wangchao, can you explain what this 'tomorrow' means?"

Gu Chi remained outwardly calm, but inwardly his scalp tingled slightly.

He hadn't expected that even with such a secretive operation, Luan Xin could detect something amiss, while Qiu Cheng's other former officials remained completely oblivious. He continued innocently, "Tomorrow is just tomorrow, isn't it? How did it become ironclad evidence that Chi instructed the forced suicide of Wenyan Gong in Gongyi's mouth?"

Luan Xin: "It was precisely because of the urgency that Wenyan Gong was misled into thinking that the Qiu clan chief would persecute him, and guessed that what was sent was not only the ransom money, but also a letter urging him to hurry up. Such an implication led him to commit suicide in fear. Gu Wangchao, is that right?"

Gu Chi: "..."

Having come this far, he stopped pretending and laid his cards on the table.

He's taken the blame for more than one thing for his lord.

Even one more wouldn't crush him.

The smile on Gu Chi's lips vanished little by little, replaced by cold indifference: "Yes! So what? Does Gongyi think I've done anything wrong? Wenyan Gong shot our lord with a cold arrow first!"

Luan Xin clenched his fist in his sleeve: "He has already lost. Sending him back to the Qiu family will not give him any chance to make a comeback. He will not pose any threat to our lord at all. Demanding ransom money and driving someone to their death, is Wang Chao not afraid of being exposed? Instead, he is implicating our lord's reputation?"

Gu Chi's attitude was very straightforward.

"If that day ever comes, I will apologize."

Gu Chi glanced at Luan Xin out of the corner of his eye before quickly looking away.

Tsk, now I finally understand what Luan Xin's inner conflict is.

It's not that I'm afraid of having a grudge, it's that I'm afraid of not knowing when the grudge was formed, like Qiu Wenyan, who died in a daze.

“One should fulfill one’s duties in one’s position.” Gu Chi straightened his back and spoke eloquently, “Justice should understand this principle better than I do! I, Gu Wangchao, have acted with a clear conscience throughout my life. If Justice wants revenge for the former master, then let him come at me!”

Whoever backs down first is a coward!

Luan Xin uttered each word clearly: "Gu! Chi!"

Gu Chi said calmly, "I dare not say that I will definitely win, but it doesn't matter if I lose. Anyway, I'm the only one in my family. Even if I am utterly defeated and my family is wiped out, I only have one life!"

See, being single has its advantages; you can act without any worries.

He currently has the advantage, so there's no need to panic.

Seeing Gu Chi's nonchalant attitude, Luan Xin didn't know whether to be angry or relieved.

Wenyan Gong had been kind to him, and he had helped him plan for years to repay that kindness, developing some affection for him over time. Wenyan Gong wasn't a particularly good lord, but he wasn't a complete failure either. In his view, Wenyan Gong's defeat was inevitable, a natural consequence of the times, the only difference being when, but not necessarily a loss of life.

Previously, it was suspected that it was done by Lord Shen Tang.

Luan Xin tested her repeatedly, and these tests inevitably involved long periods of contact and communication with Shen Tang, even heart-to-heart talks. He admitted that he wavered during this process, even uncontrollably making excuses for himself, claiming that Qiu Cheng's death was not at her behest…

Now that the truth has come out, he no longer needs to waver, nor does he need to face the difficult question of how to choose if Shen Tang is the murderer.

Luan Xin: "You will reap what you sow sooner or later."

Literary figures should not place their whole heart and soul on anyone.

Shen Tang was the first to realize that Luan Xin and Gu Chi were getting closer, and it happened within a day. Guess how she found out? Gu Chi, who was still harassing Luan Xin at his house on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, came over on the fifth day to bark at her, a single woman: "You two broke up?"

Shen Tang was hiding and preparing to cook a small hot pot.

When Gu Chi came over, she had no choice but to reluctantly give him half.

However, additional ingredients need to be prepared for two people.

The slices of meat on the table were all sliced ​​by her own hands.

Each piece is crystal clear. Just pick it up, dip it in the prepared broth for a few seconds, and it will be incredibly tender and delicious.

She also made shrimp paste, peeling the shrimp herself and pounding the shrimp meat by hand. When Gu Chi arrived, Shen Tang was carrying two silver-white copper maces weighing about 100 pounds each, rhythmically pounding a piece of pork. It should have been beef, but oxen were rare, and Shen Tang didn't want to let an ox become lame or go crazy and die just for a moment's pleasure... so she reluctantly used pork instead.

Gu Chi tucked his hands into his sleeves, waiting to be served.

He asked, "What do you mean by 'broke up'?"

Shen Tang: "They didn't break up. Are you still mooching off him, eating, drinking, and staying at his place? Or did he finally give up and kick you out?"

Gu Chi almost choked.

"Heaven and earth bear witness, Chi was clearly wronged in this disaster on behalf of our lord!" He wasn't just freeloading; he was clearly trying to keep an eye on Luan Xin and extract more information. Everything he did was for our lord, and yet she's harming herself instead.

Shen Tang listened attentively as he pounded the pork.

After listening to Gu Chi's explanation, she put down the copper mace.

He carefully washed his hands, collected the pounded meat paste into a copper basin, shaped it into round meatballs, and placed them one by one into the broth prepared by the chef. Distracted, he replied, "I see. No wonder Gongyi always seemed so stubborn. I tried several times but couldn't get him to talk. I didn't expect he'd discovered the clues to the old rookie's death… It was indeed my carelessness that gave me away. But, Wangchao, you weren't entirely innocent either. Who wrote 'death' on their palm back then?"

Shen Tang wrote it, and Gu Chi also wrote it.

They were in cahoots, and neither of them is innocent.

Gu Chi nearly had a heart attack: "My lord!"

They are not innocent, but the hatred is directed at him!

"Isn't my lord worried about the pond?"

Shen Tang laughed and said, "Why worry? He's already given you a way out. Isn't that 'you'll reap what you sow'?"

Luan Xin believed that Gu Chi's antics would eventually backfire, so there was no need for him to take action or set up a plan. He only needed to push things along at the right moment, showing a rather passive attitude towards revenge.

Furthermore—

Shen Tang laughed and said, "Wang Chao, don't worry, I've got your back!"

Even without protection, Gu Chi is unlikely to be at a disadvantage.

Gu Chi couldn't help but say sourly, "...My lord is really carefree. If it weren't for yesterday's accidental incident where Luan Gongyi convicted me, this debt would have fallen on your shoulders sooner or later. Such a hidden danger, yet my lord isn't worried at all..."

Just how much does our lord like Luan Gongyi!

What are you worried about?

"I'm worried he'll be unfaithful."

“I don’t care whether he’s loyal or not. To put it more bluntly, it doesn’t matter where his heart is, it’s where his body is that matters. So what if he’s betrayed his conscience? As long as what he does is impeccable.” Shen Tang laughed magnanimously. “He even wavered.”

Gu Chi: "???"

Shen Tang said, "He wavered after only a month or so of being with me. How could he possibly have any ulterior motives after all these years? Even if that old rookie lecher is truly my deceased white moonlight, how can the dead fight against the living? Besides, doesn't Wang Chao think it's extremely interesting to watch such a loyal and righteous person struggle and waver, getting caught in the mire of worldly emotions? Even if he betrays me, he's suffering endless torment and pain in his heart..."

The more emotional you are, the more easily you are swayed by your emotions.

Gu Chi: "...I sympathize with Luan Gongyi."

My ex-husband was a complete scumbag, and his scumbag nature was crystal clear.

The current lord is a scumbag woman, so scumbag that it's impossible to guard against her.

"...Perhaps Chi should sympathize with himself first."

Shen Tang has already prepared the hot pot ingredients.

He laughed and said, "Fresh hot pot, I apologize to you."

Shen Tang had the head chef prepare two types of soup bases early in the morning: a mushroom soup and a spicy soup, with as many seasonings as possible.

Gu Chi recognized mushroom soup but not spicy soup. After examining it closely, he asked, "Why did you add the spice powder to the soup, my lord?"

Chili peppers are available now, but they are mostly ground into powder and used as a flavoring agent. Shen Tang discovered this by chance from Shen Zhi.

Shen Tang explained, "This is chili pepper. Drinking it can warm you up, but if you have a sensitive stomach, you should avoid it, as it can easily cause irritation to your anus."

Having heard so much of Shen Tang's inner thoughts, Gu Chi understood the other meaning behind the chrysanthemum. His lips twitched slightly, yet he still stubbornly persisted. He chose the spicy soup, tentatively taking a sip. Instantly, the spiciness shot straight to his brain; his tongue felt hot, painful, and numb, a fire surging through his throat and into his internal organs. He coughed for a while before feeling better after drinking the goat milk Shen Tang offered.

"If you don't like it, let's try a different soup base."

Gu Chi declined, "No need."

While my eyes were blurry from the spiciness, I was also enjoying the hot pot immensely.

Shen Tang: "..."

Shrimp paste and pork meatballs are Gu Chi's favorites.

He ate hot pot at Shen Tang's place for several days, from the fifth to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, and successfully experienced what it means to have hot pot at home.

On the eighth day, the government office was unsealed, but Gu Chi was nowhere to be seen.

When Qi Shan asked, Shen Tang said, "I ate too much spicy hot pot and got an upset stomach, so I asked for half a day of sick leave early."

I like to eat vegetables.

Qi Shan: "..."

Luan Xin: "..."

After work began, everyone became even busier.

Those with strong abilities generally start with a "half-hearted" attitude.

Shen Tang, the lord, took the lead in rolling the ball.

After all, they don't have much time left.

The most important thing is spring planting. If it is delayed, it means that the harvest of Sibao County for the whole year will be affected. The sharp reduction in land tax is only one aspect. More seriously, the pressure on food will increase, and more common people will starve to death. Without food, many things cannot be done.

This is not what Shen Tang wanted to see.

Everyone knew how much she valued farming, so they dared not delay.

Despite rushing around, some things were finally finished before spring plowing.

For example, land records, planning, and land reclamation... these were all done by Luan Xin and Gu Chi working together, and back then, no one gave each other a friendly look. For example, the county-wide physical examination was handled by Doctor Dong and Luan Xin, and the good candidates selected were sent to Longwu.

For example, the optimization and experimental planting of cotton varieties, with the combined efforts of Shen Zhi and Lin Feng, involved over 150 generations of iterations, finally yielding a batch of relatively stable drought-resistant, large-boll cotton varieties. Other varieties are still in the experimental stage, but progress is being made. While individual quality is good, the combined effect on a single cotton variety is not progressing as well as expected. Luan Xin was also involved in this project.

He also had to go to the government office to be on duty every few days.

Luan Xin felt that "being indecisive" was not enough.

The second is preparation for war.

Prepare the provisions and soldiers needed for the expedition.

Who should go into battle and who should stay behind to guard the house needs to be carefully considered.

Shen Tang didn't want to consider it so early, but—

"Huang Lie sent a letter informing us of the rendezvous time. It seems he wants to finish things off in one fell swoop."

_(:з」∠)_

Shiitake thought he was a master of staying up late, but little did he know that Leather Jacket was the real expert. He stayed up until 6 a.m. yesterday, without crying or making a fuss, just babbling away. His old mother couldn't stay up any longer...

(End of this chapter)