Chapter 856: Gentlemen, I cannot agree (Part 1) [Requesting monthly votes]

"Brother Zhaode is looking for me?" Shen Tang mentally calculated the time and smiled lightly. "I've been so busy these past few days that I've forgotten about important matters. Brother Zhaode is quite patient. I thought that after the incident with Dayi, he would be restless in a couple of days."

Huang Lie's three younger brothers were killed and captured.

This means that Huang Lie's hard-earned power over the years has now crumbled without a foundation. His remaining forces, without a leader to rely on, have scattered, and the common people who were deceived and followed Huang Lie have also fled. Ganzhou is already in his grasp; only the final takeover procedures remain. As one of the meritorious officials, Wu Zhaode also has the right to a share of the spoils, but Shen Tang makes no mention of this.

This is not a good omen for Wu Xian.

Shen Tang has recently been undertaking sweeping reforms in various counties and prefectures of Yanzhou, without consulting Wu Xian, clearly treating Yanzhou as her own territory. If Wu Xian continues to remain silent, and Shen Tang continues to feign ignorance and send people to clean up the mess in Ganzhou, then he won't get anything good when he tries to ask for help later. Furthermore, with Zhao Feng taking credit for Tianhai's victory, Wu Xian has arrived.

Shen Tang and her colleagues had a pretty good grasp of Wu Xian's intentions, and Qin Li, who had assisted Wu Xian for many years, had a much better understanding of them. So, she gladly accepted the invitation.

Shen Tang also specially brought Qin Li and Zhao Feng with her.

Emmm...

Of course, she didn't mean to disgust people.

If Wu Xian wanted to use Zhao Feng's undeserved military merit as a pretext, then naturally both parties would have to go to court. She couldn't just listen to Tianhai's side of the story; she also needed to hear what the incredibly lucky Zhao Feng had to say. It was perfectly reasonable for her to bring Zhao Feng to the appointment, but Qin Li—

The newbie (and newbie) period for all new members!

It's perfectly reasonable for Shen Tang to take him wherever he goes, and someone as magnanimous as Lord Wu would understand.

When they appeared, Wu Xian's lips twitched violently.

Shen Tang pretended not to see it, and continued to smile as she inquired about Wu Xian's recovery. She explained that if the army lacked good doctors and medicine, even though her family was poor, she was willing to do her best for her brother's well-being. Her sincere concern moved everyone who heard her.

Wu Xian's smile was slightly forced: "Thank you for your concern, Sister Shen. These days I have been taken care of by the physicians in my family, and my recovery is going well. However, I am getting on in years and my energy is not as vigorous as that of a young person. If I were Sister Shen's age, I would be able to go hunting and galloping around by now. Alas—time really does wait for no one."

He originally intended to play the victim and imply that she shouldn't go too far in her behavior, and that as a patient, he shouldn't have extreme emotional swings.

Shen Tang, however, seized the opportunity to press the matter further, her almond-shaped eyes filled with worry: "Brother Zhaode is in the prime of his youth, why would you feel so old? My life has been unfortunate. I lost my parents at a young age, and my brothers and sisters died one after another. I have been wandering alone ever since. It was only with great difficulty that I have a brother like Brother Zhaode. If something were to happen to you, I would truly be all alone in this world."

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

What man in the world doesn't love to see a beautiful woman weep?

Don't be fooled by Shen Tang's perpetually bare-faced appearance; her natural features are exceptionally beautiful. Her eyebrows are naturally dark, her lips naturally red, and her features are more defined and striking than most. Even without makeup, she surpasses the average person by a wide margin. If she were to dress up even slightly, she would outshine all the beauties in the imperial harem.

A person with beauty but no power will be admired by ordinary people, but plundered by the powerful and wealthy, who will only allow this flower to bloom in their own homes.

But what about those who wield power and are also beautiful?

Ordinary people will be afraid, while the powerful will pursue her power.

Beauty?

That was just the most inconspicuous label on her.

Wu Xian belonged to the "powerful elite," and Shen Tang's beauty was overshadowed by her power. At this moment, however, she revealed a rare vulnerability, drawing Wu Xian's attention to this seemingly insignificant label. More captivating than a beauty's tears was a beauty standing at the pinnacle of power, her tears flowing freely.

Even Wu Xian was stunned for a moment.

In an instant, he realized what was happening and subconsciously softened his tone.

"Don't worry, Sister Chen, I'm in good health."

Shen Tang patted her chest, her eyes sparkling with a fleeting smile: "Then I'm relieved."

After saying that, she finally sat down in her seat.

When Wu Xian came to his senses, the atmosphere inside the tent was slightly strange.

The expressions on their own people's faces were as black as the bottom of a pot, and the faces of Shen Tang's people were also very unfriendly, with a hint of an impending storm.

Wu Xian: "..."

I couldn't help but slap myself in the face.

Having seen countless beauties, how could Wu Xian have been so distracted by his ally, Shen Tang, that his mind had gone completely blank for a moment? This realization deflated Wu Xian even before they got to the main topic of their meeting. Shen Tang, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed.

However, their inner thoughts are quite rich.

With a dramatic, measured tone: "Tsk tsk, power, indeed, is a woman's best cosmetic procedure. My peerless beauty, enough to shame the moon and shame the flowers, enough to make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, will still find someone to appreciate it."

Gu Chi: "..."

Today's meeting was to reach a preliminary agreement on dividing the spoils of war, and Gu Chi was naturally present. However, before he could even get down to business, he was bombarded with a bunch of self-praise from his lord.

If the occasion weren't so inappropriate, Gu Chi would have covered his ears.

He couldn't help but send a secret telepathic message to Shen Tang: "What's so good about being admired by an old man like Wu Xian, who has a harem full of women?"

Shen Tang responded: "A truly virtuous person sees the brilliance beneath the surface, while a vulgar person only sees the outward appearance. Wu Zhaode is vulgar; Wang Chao and I are the true gentlemen. However, too many people appreciate the brilliance of my soul beneath my outward appearance, and occasionally I need some vulgar praise to brighten my mood. Wang Chao, what do you say?"

Gu Chi: [...]

Sigh, how is he supposed to respond?

Qin Li noticed that Gu Chi's expression suddenly turned grim and couldn't help but cast a worried glance at him—although Gu Chi's image as a refined and frail gentleman in his mind had crumbled, the two were still colleagues. If Gu Chi was truly in trouble, he wouldn't stand idly by.

Gu Chi only responded with a forced smile.

Why does he look so pale?

Because I was disgusted by my lord!

Today, another person who will be disgusted by Shen Tang is Wu Xian.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wu Xian steered the conversation towards the matter of Zhao Feng stealing Tianhai's military merits. Because Zhao Feng was a former employee who had now joined his current ally, Wu Xian's tone was very mild. It was as if he were simply asking a question without any ulterior motive…

Shen Tang was taken aback: "Is that so?"

He turned to look at Zhao Feng below, put down his teacup, and said in a serious tone, "Dayi, when did this happen? Tell me everything, don't hide a single word!"

Zhao Feng stepped forward, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and exuded righteousness and passion!

"Reporting to my lord, the so-called 'stealing of allies' military merits' is completely fabricated. On that day, I was ordered to supervise the delivery of provisions. When we reached a mountainous area, a scout reported that there were enemy soldiers ahead. To protect the provisions, I led my men to capture them. After the battle, these men came out and claimed the goods as theirs. How could I possibly accept that? These men had their names written on their bodies."

Shen Tang listened and nodded.

"Oh, so you mean you didn't see Brother Zhaode's troops before Dayi took action? You were only informed after capturing the enemy?"

Zhao Feng nodded emphatically: "That's right!"

Shen Tang had already expressed his stance to Zhao Feng, and he was full of confidence.

"Brother Zhaode, how can this be considered robbery?"

“Sister Shen, it’s not that I’m being unreasonable,” Wu Xian sighed softly, speaking to Shen Tang in a casual tone, “This matter shouldn’t have come to you, but military officers value merit above all else. In order to force them into the encirclement, Tianhai also lost some troops. Even if Da Yi hadn’t made a move, these stray dogs wouldn’t have been able to escape the net. They were exhausted and defeated, and in the end, Da Yi took their heads, making all their previous efforts go to waste. How could the generals let this go?”

“Brother Zhaode, I do not agree with what you said.”

Shen Tang, however, was not swayed by Wu Xian's tactics.

She said in a gentle but undeniable tone, "Military generals risk their lives in battle. Surviving on the battlefield isn't solely due to strength; luck also plays a part. Otherwise, why congratulate them on 'prosperous military fortune'? The generals of Tianhai painstakingly planned the encirclement, but in the end, the enemy still managed to break through, which shows that the enemy was lucky. But this luck was ultimately no match for righteousness."

How can you say that military merits were stolen by luck?

"Furthermore, this wasn't something he actively sought out and secured; he just happened to be passing by, and the enemy just happened to run into him. As a military commander, he naturally prioritized the safety of supplies, and killing the bandits was his duty. It's impossible for him to ask where they came from or who they were before taking action. All of you here are seasoned and valiant generals; it's not normal for you to win a battle but return empty-handed."

It was all luck!

Zhao Fengwu's fortunes are flourishing; military achievements come to him like a gift from heaven.

Others weren't so lucky; they could only watch helplessly.

They spent ages attacking the bandits and only managed to reduce them to low health. What does that tell us? It shows they lack strength and damage output. While others can take down a boss with a single strike, this group has been fighting for ages and is still barely alive—it's like they're only scratching the surface.

If the scraping was done faster, Zhao Feng wouldn't even have a chance.

In conclusion, Zhao Feng's military merit is entirely justified.

The generals of Tianhai should not voice any objections.

You dare to boast about that little bit of gua sha output?

Wu Xian was speechless, his heart heavy with unease at Shen Tang's righteous and assertive speech. A thousand words stuck in his throat, and the faces of the Tianhai generals turned ashen. One of them, indignant, tried to stand up and argue, but was quickly silenced by those around him.

Shen Tang seemed oblivious to all this, and said with a smile, "However, our two families are closely related, so why bother with such distinctions? The generals have worked hard, and the soldiers also need to be rewarded—Brother Zhaode, how about this, I'll cover these losses?"

She acted generously and was easy to talk to, almost as if her face was plastered with the slogan, "I'm a nice guy, come and cut me!"

Wu Xian felt even more pent-up anger.

A military officer in Tianhai slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

Who cares about your stuff?

Shen Tang was startled by the sudden sound, her shoulders trembling. Her personal guards immediately drew their swords and stood in front of her, their posture suggesting, "If you want to harm my lord, you'll have to step over our dead bodies first." Wu Xian didn't want things to escalate further…

Today, if even one person from Tianhai were to brandish a weapon at Shen Tang, it would be tantamount to handing her a ready-made pretext for launching an attack. What kind of martial prowess does Shen Tang possess? A mere sixteenth-rank Grand Master. Without prior preparation, do they really think they can hold her here?

Wu Xian, with a stern face, scolded the dumbfounded general: "You scoundrel, how dare you be so disrespectful! Apologize to Sister Chen!"

The military officer's face turned ashen, and he clasped his hands in apology.

He hadn't expected Shen Tang to react so strongly, escalating a simple conflict into a violent confrontation. He was just a bit loud and resentful, but he had absolutely no intention of killing.

After observing for a while and confirming that the general had no further moves, Shen Tang waved his guards away, saying, "You may leave. This is Brother Zhaode's camp. What danger could I possibly be in? Your actions have frightened people. This is all a misunderstanding."

This little incident caused Tianhai to miss the opportunity to bargain. Shen Tang was only willing to promise some compensation for the losses, but giving up military merits was out of the question! Wu Xian, that old fox, chose to temporarily put aside this topic and instead brought up the division of territory.

Shen Tang seemed oblivious to his hint.

He asked, "Brother Zhaode, which counties in Ganzhou do you want?"

The term "Yanzhou" is not mentioned at all.

Wu Xian's face nearly contorted.

What use would he be to govern a state?

Giving him all of Ganzhou wouldn't help, since there's Yanzhou in between. How can an enclave be governed? Wu Xian wants to claim a portion of Lingzhou, especially Shangnan and Yiru, which Gu Renzhang has managed for many years. This way, it can be connected with Tianhai, making offense and defense more effective.

Thus, Xu Jie's position as the River Governor was also included.

Even though Xu Jie was somewhat alienated from him, the situation was too oppressive, and Xu Jie couldn't escape his grasp or go far. On this basis, he would also receive two more prefectures in Yanzhou. He didn't need anything else. From a territorial perspective, Wu Xian's demands weren't excessive.

He completely ceded Ganzhou to Shen Tang.

Not only was it not excessive, but the attitude on the surface was also very humble.

Wu Xian even promised Shen Tang that if she agreed to the plan, he, as an ally, would send troops to help her attack Kunzhou. This was entirely out of love and without expecting anything in return; it was his support for his sister as an older brother. This was a huge opportunity!

Shen Tang sneered inwardly. She was always the one making empty promises to others, but she never expected that one day she would be the one to receive such a promise from someone else.

Although Wu Xian's proposed solution seemed like she had gotten a great deal, Shen Tang and her think tank were not stupid.

Agreeing to this plan would do far more harm than good.

Firstly, Shen Tang's territory has an excessively long border, forming a long and sharply curved "C". Once it takes over Kunzhou, it will face the border pressure from the Northern Desert. Secondly, the territories it has been allocated are war-torn, and rebuilding these places will require countless manpower, energy, and financial resources. Shen Tang does not have enough resources to recover, and its progress in the next few years will be delayed.

The dozen or so counties, large and small, centered around Shangnan Commandery and Yiru Commandery, had been spared the ravages of war for many years under the management of Gu Ren and Zhang He. Their combined wealth and population surpassed that of an entire prefecture. In chaotic times, provisions and able-bodied men are paramount, and Wu Xian's appetite was considerable.

But Wu Xian showed enough "sincerity".

He didn't want the entire Ganzhou; he only needed two insignificant small counties in Yanzhou. Lingzhou was originally his home turf, so it was reasonable for him to want Yiru and Shangnan within Lingzhou. For this, he even promised to help Shen Tang fight Kunzhou... As an ally, Shen Tang really couldn't say "no." After all, her reputation was so good.

Shen Tang remained silent for a long time.

At this moment, Qin Li stepped forward and bowed.

Wu Xian felt a slight chill run down his spine, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.

Shen Tang asked him, "Does Gong Su have something to say?"

Qin Li's phoenix eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was full of resentment and shame. He suppressed his anger and spoke accusingly.

"I believe that the matter discussed between the Lord and Lord Wu is inappropriate. Shangnan Gu Ren is a true gentleman of our time, and he and his sworn brothers are all true heroes. In the Dragon-Slaying Scheme, he spared no effort to eliminate treacherous officials and kill tyrannical rulers, but unfortunately he was murdered by villains! The world sighs with regret! Such a hero still has descendants. How can we seize his family's wealth and take advantage of his orphaned children and widowed mother who are helpless? In my opinion, Shangnan and his former subordinates should be inherited by their sons! Only in this way can the alliance between the gentlemen and Lord Gu be truly demonstrated..."

|ω`)

Oh dear, where are Gu Ren's relatives?

P.S.: I was browsing Xiaohongshu today and saw a book recommendation post with an interesting comment: "[Is this what the emperor calls loving the female lead? He feels sorry for her and sends her to fight on the border?] _(:з」∠)_" It seems like the emperor is out of touch with the times. Letting a princess hold military power and fight wars, isn't that pampering? He's spoiling her rotten.

P.S.: Actually, what I don't understand even more about some novel settings is the portrayal of unfavored princes and heirs. They all go to the frontier to join the army and fight for their future, returning after a few years... no, that's military power! Military power! Military power so great it can lead to rebellion! Which emperor wouldn't rack their brains to hold onto it? Military power, which even the crown prince dreams of, is the standard for unfavored princes and heirs. And the reasons are always the same: the hardships of war, the possibility of death, being unfavored, being left to fend for themselves... Who wants military power and the support of soldiers and generals without risking their lives? Do they really think that with the imperial tally in hand, they own the world?

(End of this chapter)