Chapter 120 Qin Shi Huang Arrives Here?! It turns out the First Emperor himself has come! ...
Just as it was time for Jiang Ge to start his shift, he met Bai Qi, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and others.
These people all exuded an air of determination to make a big splash.
It was as if they were about to attack the city at any moment.
Zhuge Liang arrived a little late, his face etched with exhaustion. Alas, the burden of Shu Han rested entirely on his shoulders.
I simply cannot let go.
What if it's gone if I let go?
Jiang Ge couldn't help but ask with concern, "Prime Minister, would you like to rest for a few days?" She could accept it if someone else were in charge.
Anyway, it's possible that Jiang Wei will come, which is also good.
Zhuge Liang first shook his head and then said, "Thank you for your concern, Magistrate Jiang. I am in good health."
Upon hearing this after landing, Zhou Yu couldn't resist and brought his handsome face right up to him, so beautiful it was startling.
"Brother Kongming, you should take a rest at your age."
Jiang Ge was already used to the witty remarks in Zhou Yu's words, and he looked at Zhou Yu's attire with no surprise. Today, Zhou Yu was wearing a magnificent robe specially bestowed upon him by Sun Quan, which fully displayed the noble demeanor of the Grand Commander of Jiangdong.
His outer robe was made of the finest brocade, its base color as serene as a lake in late autumn, yet subtly shimmering in the sunlight. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with intricate river wave patterns in gold thread; each wave was so finely detailed it resembled real flowing water, shimmering slightly with his movements, as if surrounded by shimmering light. A white jade belt cinched his waist, its warm, lustrous texture contrasting beautifully with the dark gold robe, further enhancing his noble and extraordinary appearance.
Embroidered on the hem of the garment is a black bird with outstretched wings. The bird's feathers are outlined with silver thread. When the garment flutters as the wearer walks, the bird seems about to take flight, so lifelike.
His headdress was also exquisite, made of ebony and inlaid with a piece of green jade, on which were carved intricate cloud patterns, echoing the patterns on his robes. Two dark red silk ribbons hung down from the back of the headdress, swaying gently in the wind, neither ostentatious nor lacking in majesty.
This magnificent attire, neither excessively extravagant nor lacking in the majesty of a commander-in-chief, perfectly accentuated Zhou Yu's charisma—possessing both the composure of a scholar-general and the sharpness of a commander, every gesture exuding the most dazzling elegance of Jiangdong.
Who is the person in Songyang County who loves to decorate the most?
That would be none other than Zhou Yu.
She changes into a different gorgeous outfit every day; she's practically a "miracle Yu Yu" in Songyang County.
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, smiled calmly, and said:
“Gongjin, you are mistaken. Although I am a few years older, I am not yet incapable. I have heard that you have been working hard lately, and I am worried day and night. You must be careful—” He paused slightly, his eyes full of meaning, “Don’t let anger get to your heart and damage your liver and spleen.”
These words, seemingly out of concern, are actually a veiled criticism of Zhou Yu for still being unable to change his impetuous nature.
Zhou Yu's eyes darkened, and he was about to retort when Zhuge Liang calmly added, "Moreover, governing a country is like playing chess. While the young are certainly full of vigor, they are easily tempted to lose the initiative due to greed for victory. What does Gongjin think?"
What do you think?
Just as Zhou Yu was about to retort and expose Zhuge Liang's secrets, Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, who had been watching the commotion from the sidelines, finally stepped forward to break up the fight.
"It's early morning and everyone's a colleague, let's take a break."
The two men each pulled one of them, quickly widening the distance between them. Even Qin Shubao couldn't understand what Magistrate Jiang was thinking—how could he put Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu together?
It's alright to try and break up these two, but if it were Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, they wouldn't.
"Once everyone is here, hurry up and get to your posts. Zhang Baichuan brought most of the troops today, leaving only a small number to guard the city. These troops are all in your hands."
These words immediately made Huo Qubing's eyes light up upon landing. Troops? Entrusted to you?
That's it—
"Magistrate Jiang, I think these troops should be allowed to choose which general they want to follow." Huo Qubing was full of confidence, and he never hesitated when it came to vying for power.
Only after hearing these words did Bai Qi leisurely raise his eyes to look at Huo Qubing properly. This guy really is a little wolf cub.
Even though he had heard about Huo Qubing's deeds, he was not intimidated by him. They had established different achievements in different dynasties, and it was impossible to judge who was superior or inferior. Bai Qi disdained such comparisons.
"Magistrate Jiang, you are wise!" Qin Shubao bowed. Yuchi Jingde stepped forward, his towering figure blocking the morning light: "That's exactly right! Let the young men choose for themselves!"
If the soldiers aren't allowed to choose their own elite troops, they'll only be able to pick up the leftovers and weak soldiers that Bai Qi discarded, which will inevitably lead to low morale. A true army values quality over quantity; how can a truly formidable force be content to lag behind?
Throughout history, the key to building a strong army has always been elite troops. Even a renowned general like Bai Qi would struggle to reverse a decline if his forces were weak and exhausted. Soldiers without the will to win are like meat being cut with a dull knife, a waste of resources. Therefore, selecting the best soldiers and training them rigorously are essential to forging an invincible army that strikes fear into the hearts of the enemy.
Moreover, on the battlefield, where life and death hang in the balance, who would want to stand shoulder to shoulder with mediocre people?
In any case, no one wanted to.
During the stalemate, Wei Zhongxian arrived gracefully.
"What's wrong? I'm late today." He wasn't well-liked in Songyang County; apart from Jiang Ge, few people were willing to talk to him.
As for the reason, it's quite simple.
Wei Zhongxian thought he had hidden his true intentions well, but in reality, everyone in Songyang County knew. He kept hoarding the wages without spending them; who didn't know what he was thinking?
Isn't it just that they want to pocket it all?
He's so used to corruption and bribery that he only thinks of himself when it comes to matters concerning the people. Zhu Yuanzhang probably didn't punish him enough.
Seeing that no one spoke, Jiang Ge explained the scene that had just happened. Seeing that Jiang Ge was paying attention to him, Wei Zhongxian hurriedly went to Jiang Ge's side.
Regardless of whether Jiang Ge needed to be served, Wei Zhongxian had already adopted the full posture of a servant—hunched over like a shrimp, his face full of wrinkles and a smile, even his voice trembled slightly. This demeanor made it seem as if he was about to unleash all the serving skills he had honed over the decades.
"Why should Magistrate Jiang bother with such a trivial matter?" Wei Zhongxian rubbed his withered hands, his eyes darting around. "Since all of you gentlemen dislike those old, weak, and disabled soldiers, why not... why not give them all to this old servant to do as he pleases?"
These words were spoken with great tact, saving face for everyone present while concealing his greed beneath a veneer of humility.
The crowd naturally didn't respond and began searching for Zheng He. Where was Zheng He?
Someone needs to come and put Wei Zhongxian in check.
It is said that Zheng He and Zhu Di arrived.
A flash of white light appeared, and Zhu Di, dressed in a black casual robe with a rhinoceros horn and jade belt around his waist, exuded an aura of majesty despite the lack of luxurious decorations. Compared to Zhu Yuanzhang's true dragon aura, Zhu Di possessed more of the murderous intent honed on the battlefield.
Upon seeing Zhu Di enter, Wei Zhongxian trembled violently, his old face instantly draining of all color. He hastily knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the gold bricks, holding his breath like an old fox being watched by a tiger. His habitually flattering eyes were now fixed on the ground, but his peripheral vision kept darting towards the tips of Zhu Di's boots, his thin back trembling slightly beneath his casual clothes.
"This old servant pays his respects to Emperor Chengzu..." His voice suddenly became high-pitched and trembling, all the cleverness he had displayed in front of Jiang Ge vanished. Wei Zhongxian knew very well that this man was not someone to be easily fooled. His fingers, pressed against the brickwork beneath his feet, unconsciously dug into the cracks in the bricks, and a layer of cold sweat had already seeped onto the back of his neck.
"Magistrate Jiang."
Zhu Di stood with his hands behind his back, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet it caused the atmosphere in the hall to freeze. He did not rush to deal with Wei Zhongxian, who was kneeling on the ground, but instead nodded to Jiang Ge first. He knew better than anyone that sometimes ignoring the situation was more chilling than taking immediate action.
Wei Zhongxian's forehead remained pressed against the cold ground, but cold sweat had already seeped down his back. He could feel Zhu Di's gaze, sharp as a knife, lightly sweeping over him before casually moving away. This deliberate neglect terrified him more than direct punishment.
Zhu Di sneered inwardly; this old eunuch was nothing more than an untamed knife.
Though the blade is sharp, it is ultimately an inanimate object. Now that it has fallen into Zhu Di's hands, he has countless ways to slowly refine it.
With everyone present, he naturally wouldn't lash out at this moment. His usually stern face was now beaming with smiles, a few fine lines appearing at the corners of his eyes, as he warmly exchanged pleasantries with the people from Songyang County. He said in a deep voice, "Sanbao has been working hard these past few days and is feeling a bit unwell, so I will temporarily take over his duties for the next few days."
Whether his reason was true or false, everyone knew the answer. However, no one dared to call him out on it.
Du Fu and Kui Shun arrived quietly at some point.
Django glanced around and noticed that Blackie was missing. Although Blackie wasn't usually the first to arrive, he had never been late either.
It's still so long.
Could something have happened?
Yuchi Jingde frowned and carefully counted the people again. He found that Hei Fu was indeed missing, and his heart tightened. He blurted out, "The tyrant wouldn't have killed Hei Fu, would he?" The tyrant he was referring to was, of course, Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng. The title came out of his mouth so naturally, as if it were already deeply rooted in his bones.
For a military general like Yuchi Jingde, the image of Qin Shi Huang as a tyrant was deeply ingrained and could not be easily erased with a few words. Even as time has passed and history has turned page after page, the legends about burning books and burying scholars alive, as well as the harsh laws and severe punishments, are still passed down orally among the people, leaving a shadow on the impression of this emperor of all ages.
Upon hearing this, Qin Shubao shook his head, maintaining a rare composure: "Impossible." He said firmly, his eyes gleaming with rationality. As the most composed member of the Tang Dynasty team, he always saw things from a more comprehensive perspective. "How could someone as valuable as Hei Fu be killed?"
He paused, then used a perfectly apt metaphor: "Even when you've used up the millstone, you have to use it first before you can kill it." This statement was profound, causing everyone else present to fall into deep thought.
Indeed, given the First Emperor's great talent and ambition, he would never have made such a shortsighted decision. What Hei Fu possessed was nothing short of an untapped gold mine for the Qin Empire, priceless indeed.
"The millstone hasn't been removed yet," Qin Shubao added, his tone certain.
He understood the mind of emperors all too well, knowing that even the notoriously harsh First Emperor would weigh the pros and cons when faced with interests. Hei Fu's existence meant too many possibilities for Qin—new technologies, new tactics, even new ways of governing. These were not things that could be easily discarded.
Upon hearing these words, Yuchi Jingde's tense expression eased slightly, but the worry between his brows had not completely dissipated.
Just as everyone fell silent, a white light appeared in the middle of them.
The white light gradually faded, revealing a man dressed in a dark black robe, a leather belt embroidered with gold cloud patterns around his waist. The robe was made of the finest silk, gleaming faintly in the sunlight. His sleeves were wide, with delicate dragon patterns embroidered at the cuffs, swaying gently with his movements, exuding both solemnity and majesty. The collar and edges of the robe were trimmed with dark red brocade, understated yet luxurious.
His face was resolute, with sharp, sword-like eyebrows and deep, piercing eyes that seemed to see right through people. His nose was high and straight, and his lips were tightly pressed together, exuding an undeniable air of authority. His skin was fair, but not sickly; rather, it radiated a noble air born of someone who had long held a high position and rarely experienced the sun.
Although it was just everyday clothing, every detail of his attire revealed his nobility and power as the ruler of the empire. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and his every move exuded an intimidating aura that made people dare not look him in the eye.
Everyone was taken aback at first, then their hearts trembled – the First Emperor himself had arrived?!
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Author's Note: Judy: "Seriously, Zheng-ge, your entrance was a bit pretentious [eye roll]"
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