Gao Qiu knew that he didn't have much time left to live, so he began to make arrangements for his afterlife.
As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father. He knew his son's moral character very well. As long as he, the head of the family, was gone, the huge family fortune would soon be squandered by his son.
Therefore, Gao Qiu planned to find a reliable person to support his son.
He fell in love with Zhang Shixun.
Gao Qiu, who was well versed in the ways of the world, knew that if he wanted Zhang Shixun to protect the Gao family with all his strength, it would not be enough to rely solely on the little affection he had accumulated in his daily life. What's more, the Gao family did not have much affection for him, and it was more of an exchange of interests.
Therefore, we must offer something of sufficient value in exchange for Zhang Shixun's promise.
Zhang Shixun also vaguely guessed Gao Qiu's intention, but he was unwilling to reveal it and waited for the old fox to tell him.
Gao Qiu was ill and finally couldn't bear it any longer. "Shixun, everyone on this list has a contract with me. No matter whether I am alive or dead, as long as someone finds them with my token, they will give them their full support."
Zhang Shixun said, "Contracts are unreliable. They can be torn up at any time when necessary. How can such a wise man as the Grand Marshal still believe in them?"
"Of course I don't believe it." Gao Qiu smiled slightly. "To prevent these people from breaking their promise, I have recorded all the shameful things they have done in their lives. Once they break their promise, these ugly deeds will be exposed to the world."
"General, there's a saying that goes, 'If you have no shame, you're invincible.' But what if someone throws all their eggs in one basket and doesn't care about their dignity?"
"Haha! I thought of that, too." Gao Qiu laughed triumphantly. "When I signed the contract with them, I made them take a chronic poison. If they don't take the antidote within a year, they will die from the poison."
Holy crap! There's this trick?
Zhang Shixun was dumbfounded.
What a wicked old man he is. In order to completely control someone, he actually resorts to such despicable and vicious methods.
"General, I have to admire your methods. It's really... really..."
"Really? Just finish your words and don't hesitate."
"I mean, you've really planned everything."
"Yeah?"
"Um!"
Gao Qiu looked at him with amusement and sneered, "You must be cursing in your heart. Gao Qiu is such a despicable and shameless person. He is too insidious. I must stay away from him."
Zhang Shixun knew he couldn't hide it from him, so he laughed and said, "That's what the general said, I didn't say it."
Gao Qiu didn't want to play rhetoric with him anymore, so he said frankly, "The most important thing between people is honesty and trust. Since I let you see this list, it means I trust you, so of course I won't hide anything... To be honest, I didn't let them drink poison."
"If it's not poison, then what is it?"
"The eunuchs took the Kidney-Boosting and Yang-Strengthening Pills, and the others took the Black Chicken and White Phoenix Pills."
Zhang Shixun was stunned at first, then burst into laughter.
The old guy is so mean.
Gao Qiu waited until he had finished laughing before continuing, "From today on, this list will be handed over to you... Dalang, give the list to Shixun."
Zhang Shixun didn't reach out to take it, but shook his head and said, "I don't need this thing."
Gao Qiu said coldly, "You'll need it."
"I don't need it."
"If I say you need it, then you need it."
This is starting to become unreasonable.
Zhang Shixun was silent.
Gao Qiu slowed his tone and said, "Shixun, the Song Dynasty is in danger. You, a half-immortal, possess considerable magical powers and a heart of compassion. You will not sit idly by and watch the Song Dynasty suffer this disaster... I am certain that the one who can save the Song Dynasty is none other than you."
"It's too late!" Zhang Shixun smiled bitterly. "If the Emperor had listened to my advice, he wouldn't have ended up like this. At this point, even with my lofty ambitions, I'm powerless to reverse the situation... General, the Zhao Dynasty is doomed. It's all our own fault. No one can save us."
Gao Qiu didn't seem surprised after hearing this. He was silent for a while and then asked, "If the Song Dynasty is really finished, what will you do?"
Zhang Shixun did not answer. He couldn't say that he would replace him, right?
"Shixun, I am a dying man and have no connection with the court anymore. For the sake of our friendship over the years, please tell me the truth."
Zhang Shixun hesitated for a moment, then replied, "The Song Dynasty is finished, so what? It's no big deal. A blank slate is a good place to write."
Although Zhang Shixun's words were obscure, Gao Qiu understood them.
"I understand, so you should take this list. It will be of great help to your future career... Don't rush to refuse. Listen to what I have to say."
"Go ahead and talk. I'm listening."
"To put it bluntly, the people on the list are all shrewd people."
"Yes! I believe this. You have a sharp eye and you can never be wrong in judging people."
"You are still young and inexperienced. You can't just rely on those so-called magical powers. If you want to achieve great things, you must have someone to assist you. You know this without me having to tell you."
"Yeah! Many hands make light work."
"Since you understand everything, why do you reject this list?"
"I like to do things in an upright manner and don't like to play tricks."
As soon as these words were spoken, Gao Qiu completely understood that Zhang Shixun was unwilling to accept this list, and this was the crux of the problem.
"Shixun, if you want to achieve great things, you must fight against others. Relying solely on open tactics won't work. For example, if you encounter the Jin soldiers, with your strength, a head-on confrontation will definitely leave you with a bloody head, right?"
“That’s right!”
"You will definitely use sneak attacks, sabotage, underhanded tactics, whatever means necessary."
"This is how we should treat our enemies."
Having said this, Zhang Shixun already knew what Gao Qiu was going to say next.
"Captain, I understand what you're saying, but I wouldn't feel comfortable using these people on the roster the way you do."
"That's fine. You can use these people your way, but I still suggest using my method first. The reason is simple: once they know their lives are safe, they won't be so stubbornly loyal to you. People are just like that... Shixun, if you're undecided, you can consult Wang Dong and then make a decision."
Gao Qiu paused for a moment, then continued, "If you really don't want this list, I won't force you. At worst, I can just burn it."
Zhang Shixun did not ask Wang Dong about his plan. He was sure that if he asked Wang Dong for his opinion, he would definitely accept it with joy.
Thinking of this, he suddenly had an idea. It would be a good choice to give the roster to Wang Dong and let him be responsible for it.
He has an incredible surveillance system in his hands, and with the people on the roster, he can maximize its effectiveness.
That's a good idea.
Just leave it to Wang Dong.
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