Chapter 1008: Mei's Startled Crane [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Liao Jia became interested upon hearing this.
He shuffled closer to Gu Chi, clutching the mat beneath him, and listened intently with a smile: "Unexpected? How unexpected is this fat fish?"
“The Southwest Branch’s people are infiltrating Wu Xian’s inner court.”
Gu Chi made a big mistake right from the start.
"Wow, they're really going all out, aren't they?" Liao Jia said, then wondered if he had misunderstood, and pressed for details, "What identity is this person using right now? The threshold for joining the Pantheon is not low; at the very least, anyone who can join is a talented individual."
Talented people are often also aloof and arrogant.
Although Wu Xian was a regional ruler and had a reputation for chivalry in his youth, he couldn't escape the ravages of time. The middle-aged Wu Xian looked somewhat greasy and easily swayed, which led him to make several major mistakes. Was it worth it for the people of the Southwest Branch to suffer such humiliation for him? Liao Jia carefully recalled the relevant information about Wu Xian and did not remember that this person had homosexual tendencies.
Liao Jia probed, "Could it be that you're disguised as a eunuch?"
It was normal for a eunuch to infiltrate the inner court.
Gu Chi: "A woman."
Liao Jia frowned: "Wu Zhaode, this cow dung, is he trying to seize by trickery and force?"
Or should she infiltrate the inner palace as a maid?
Either way, it sounds quite humiliating.
Despite the passage of many years since the first female scholar/warrior appeared, the overall number of female scholars/warriors remains small. It's not that the ruler isn't trying, but rather that martial arts training requires a large supply of nutritious food, and vigorous blood and energy are more conducive to strengthening muscles and bones. Literary training also requires reading and writing to build a foundation. Studying medicine is one way out, but it takes too long.
The Mo family, on the other hand, are not picky eaters.
However, it's not something you can just step into the Mohist school. The things that Mohists like to tinker with require strong calculation and spatial imagination abilities. If you can't even handle that, you probably won't even get close to the Mohist school in your entire life.
Therefore, female practitioners are rare.
Why make such a huge sacrifice for Wu Zhaode?
Liao Jia had considered the possibility that the Southwest Branch's informants might infiltrate through the palace concubine's connections, but Wu Xian was no pushover. He heavily relied on powerful families within the Gao Kingdom while simultaneously maintaining strict vigilance against them. If a complete stranger were to be sent in through a powerful family, given Wu Xian's cautious and suspicious nature, wouldn't he investigate thoroughly?
However, Liao Jia overlooked Lady Mi.
The woman with the lowest status in Wu Xian's harem, yet the most favored.
Gu Chi glanced at Liao Jia with disdain. Liao Jia's wild imagination was both boring and melodramatic: "What do you mean by 'seizing by trickery'? Even if Wu Zhaode is useless, he can still distinguish between life and sex. Why would he bring a woman of unknown background into the inner court? I suspect it's the younger sister of Lady Mi. Comparing her words with those of the palace servants, she's the most suspicious. Wu Xian even specially sent people to investigate her background..."
The investigation results showed that there were no problems.
Lady Mi did indeed have a younger sister who was sold to Sibao County, and was eventually bought by the steward of the Mei residence. At that time, the governor of Sibao County was surnamed Mei. As a member of the Tianhai Wu clan, Wu Xian had also dealt with that Governor Mei and knew some things about the Mei residence.
Wu Xian deliberately tested this person.
The other party answered fluently and without a single mistake.
Some of the questions were quite tricky, and only the old servant of the Mei family would know the answers.
Lady Mi listened from the side, wiping away tears.
Who could have imagined that their sisterly bond, forged after their separation years ago, would never be broken, with Wu Xian playing a crucial role in connecting them? If she had known about this connection sooner, perhaps the two sisters wouldn't have missed each other for so many years. Wu Xian and her sister both tried to appease her.
Liao Jia grinned: "Wu Zhaode believed it?"
Gu Chi smiled knowingly: "He didn't completely believe it, otherwise why would he keep an eye on it right under his nose? In time, even the most cunning fox will show its tail. It's just that Wu Zhaode is somewhat disregarding the lives of his concubine and son, using them as bait."
Liao Jia pondered and thought about it.
"...Knowing this is useless." At most, they know that the Southwest Branch used Lady Mi's son to manipulate the infighting between Wu Xian's two legitimate sons, but that's all they know. If Wu Xian doesn't die, that illegitimate son is just a son.
Even if Wu Xian dies, it will be difficult for him to ascend the throne.
The maternal families of the other half-brothers are not to be underestimated.
If Liao Jia had been sent by the Southwest Branch and was allowed to choose someone to support, he would have chosen the one with the higher chance of winning, rather than the one with "congenital disabilities," which would only make things more difficult for him.
Gu Chi: "It's useful. Think about it, the Mei residence!"
The prompt is given, and the pronunciation of "梅" is emphasized.
Liao Jia was still in the dark.
He couldn't react either.
Gu Chi reads other people's thoughts without restraint every day, and knows a lot of messy information, which Liao Jia doesn't have.
Helpless, Gu Chi had no choice but to reveal the answer himself.
“Lu Shousheng used to stay at the Mei residence for a while.”
Liao Jia was even more confused: "This has something to do with General Lü again?"
"Over the years, how many matchmakers have tried to arrange marriages for Lü Shousheng? What excuse did he always use to refuse? The person he has in his heart happens to have the surname Mei. Lady Mi's suddenly appearing sister claims to be a maid in the Mei residence and also takes the surname Mei from her master." Gu Chi pointed out the problem, "Don't you find it strange? How can there be such a coincidence in the world? It's not uncommon for maids to be educated, but to be educated to the point of being able to cultivate and condense one's literary mind is a privilege that even women in the family rarely enjoy."
Educational resources have always been scarce.
These resources were always prioritized for the male members of the family. If a male member was incompetent or lacked talent, these resources would then be allocated to a promising pageboy to accompany him in his studies—after all, talent is like opening a blind box, largely dependent on luck. Even aristocratic families could not guarantee that every generation would have offspring capable of cultivation, so this was a necessary measure to delay the decline of the family.
A prime example is Chu Yao.
From a young age, the brothers are fostered to develop a bond of brotherhood with their companions. If the companions have a conscience and remember the kindness and care shown to them by their master, they will be willing to help each other when they grow up, and some will even be devoted to their master. If resources are plentiful, more companions can be trained.
It's rare for a daughter to be born into an arranged marriage.
Not to mention the maids around her daughter.
The Mei family is wealthy and powerful, so they can't afford to squander their wealth like this. Of course, it's also possible that the maid was exceptionally talented and self-taught.
In addition, he discovered another piece of compelling evidence.
"Lady Mi's younger sister is named Mei Jinghe. It is said that this was the name given to her by the Queen herself when she and three other maids first met her. She then adopted this as her formal name, and later, when she gathered her literary heart, the four characters 'Mei Shi Jinghe' were also written on her literary heart seal."
Gu Chi's eyes shone as he spoke.
"Lu Shousheng's poisonous spider, whose maiden name was Mei Meng."
In this war-torn era where social norms were relatively open, a woman's given name was not taboo. It was common for women from aristocratic families to give handkerchiefs embroidered with their names to the scholars they admired before marriage, and for the two to be mutually attracted. Compared to her name, Mei Meng, outsiders were more familiar with her other nickname—Poisonous Spider.
When people from Sibao County occasionally mention her existence, they usually refer to her as "Poisonous Lady," and very few remember her real name.
Liao Jia murmured the two names.
"A thatched cottage nestled among pines leans against a rock, beneath which blooming flowers adorn the terrace. Who knocks on the rustic door, startling the crane from its dream? The moon shines bright, a friend arrives from a thousand miles away. Startled crane, startled crane's dream!" Liao Jia clapped his hands in admiration, "This name is truly elegant and unique. It seems it must be the same person!"
Aristocratic families are very particular.
Servants generally have to avoid speaking to their masters.
If the queen's name is "Meimeng," how could she name the new maid "Jinghe"? Even if the maid was originally named "Jinghe," the master could have changed her name.
"Should we be on guard against General Lü?"
Liao Jia worried that Lü Jue, blinded by love, might be turned against him. Throughout history, many heroes have fallen victim to the trap of a beautiful woman. He didn't want to doubt his colleague's loyalty, but the allure of a "white moonlight" (a term for a woman's first love) was astonishing, and it was hard to guarantee that Lü Jue wouldn't do something foolish.
"Why not sacrifice General Lü's male charms to lure people in?"
"With perseverance to unite one's literary heart, join the Gods' Society, help Wu Zhaode's illegitimate son reap the benefits, and scheme against the women of Kang and Gao, it's unlikely that one will be hindered by worldly love. With power in hand, even if a man runs away, one can break his legs and bring him back, whether two or three legs depends on one's mood. With no power or influence but only love in hand, even if a man is philandering, one can do nothing to him."
Gu Chi also wrote in his novels that power and love are the servants.
Only love with power can remain forever young.
Gu Chi choked: "That makes sense."
Using Lü Jue to lure Mei Meng might be a waste of time and effort!
Liao Jia narrowed his eyes dangerously and offered a suggestion: "Forget it, let's take advantage of General Lü's ignorance and secretly send someone to eliminate Mei Meng, as if she never existed. Otherwise, losing one of our generals because of her would be a real loss."
Even if the truth eventually comes out to Lü Jue... a general who is clueless and doesn't care about the big picture isn't indispensable.
Liao Jia's already wicked and sinister smile looked even more chilling.
Gu Chi said, "We'll discuss this matter again."
We can try to gauge Lü Jue's opinion later.
Most importantly—
Gu Chi rolled his eyes at Liao Jia: "Mei Meng spends most of her time in the side hall of Lady Mi's palace, rarely venturing out. Assassinating her would mean infiltrating Wu Xian's heavily guarded inner court. Why not just assassinate Wu Xian?"
The assassination of Wu Xiancai was called a one-step operation.
Mei Meng is hiding in the inner palace, presumably also intending to protect herself.
Liao Jia's smile froze: "That's true..."
If we can't kill her now, Mei Meng's whereabouts will be unpredictable later, and it won't be easy to catch her again. Mei Meng is in the shadows, while we are in the open; who knows when she might run off to reunite with Lü Jue? Therefore, we still need to keep an eye on Lü Jue.
Liao Jia was so distressed that she wanted to scratch off the flower pinned to her hair.
Gu Chi: "We can take the initiative."
The identity of an ex-lover can be a powerful asset if used well.
Who says sowing discord can't have its own set of tactics?
Lü Jue's beauty might come in handy someday.
Fearing retaliation from the "righteous men" of Gao, Gu Chi and his companion set off on the second day of the mourning period. At this time, public opinion in Gao was entirely in Wu Xian's favor. Teahouses and taverns were abuzz with talk of Shen Tang's wickedness and treachery, his betrayal during the national mourning period. Many were filled with righteous indignation, and the anger even extended to Kang people who made a living in Gao. Gu Chi watched coldly, his gaze falling on a few people stirring up trouble, before disdainfully looking away. Was this all Wu Xian could do?
He snorted and prepared to go back and give Wu Xian a surprise.
Liao Jia also noticed the situation on the roadside.
He scoffed, "Wu Zhaode has a thick skin."
Then she turned her gaze to Gu Chi.
"What are Wangchao's plans to do?"
The unspoken meaning—
What kind of storybook does Gu Chi plan to write in response this time?
The true identity of "Five Elements Lacking Morality" was no secret among the high-ranking officials. Many single ministers were used by him for amusement and profit. Chu Yao was so angry that he secretly withheld his salary from the Censorate. Qi Shan and a few others were even more impolite, directly drawing their swords and storming over, throwing a storybook featuring themselves in Gu Chi's face. Looking at the swords held to his neck, Gu Chi remained elegant, calm, and unperturbed.
Explain with emotion and reason.
We need to seriously educate these unsophisticated people about the methods of controlling public opinion.
In short, it all boils down to one sentence—
He did all this for the sake of his lord!
Everyone: [...]
How could Gu Chi utter such heartless words with his eyes wide open? The protagonist of every storybook is the Lord; they are at most entertained within their own series, while the Lord is always present.
How could the emperor tolerate Gu Chi's rebellion?
Bai Su suppressed the urge to snap someone's neck, her smile chilling: "This general wants to hear how the Imperial Censor uses his silver tongue to distort the truth! If you don't give everyone a convincing reason today, you'll lose all three legs!"
As a result, Gu Chi escaped unscathed.
He can make fun of whichever colleague he wants.
He not only entertained his colleagues but also made a fortune from their storytelling. His stories were full of novel plots, featuring men, women, and even mules—truly bizarre and exciting. Almost every one of them was adapted by opera troupes and sung in the streets and alleys. This forced Shen Zhilin and others, who loved to spend their days watching operas with friends, to give up their hobby. The actors on stage were all familiar faces, and they sat in the audience, feeling so embarrassed they wanted to tear their toes off.
Over the years, they have witnessed Gu Chi's power.
Any new policy or personal agenda can be smuggled into the story, and while ordinary people shed tears for the protagonist, they are also forced to undergo a brainwashing.
If washing once isn't enough, wash twice.
If two attempts fail, then launch a carpet bombing campaign.
Gu Chi said, "Let's write something that adults like to read."
Liao Jia: "???"
Gu Chi stretched, a hint of excitement showing on his frail face: "In the past, the Lord has repeatedly warned that for the sake of the physical and mental health of the people of Kangguo, and for the sake of future generations, it is forbidden to write anything below the neck. Surely the Lord can't stop me this time?"
What writer of a storybook doesn't include erotic content?
Oh, he can't write.
The Lord said that if he dared to write, all his books would be banned!
Liao Jia: "..."
He chuckled twice: "Then should we find someone else who can draw?"
Gu Chi isn't afraid at all that his descendants might find out that he's the one who's "lacking in virtue" in the Five Elements? How can he be so reckless?
Hehe, Gu Chi could be even more outrageous.
"Someone with good drawing skills?"
An industry tycoon immediately came to Gu Chi's mind.
"I do have a good candidate in mind."
The master hasn't drawn fire-avoidance diagrams for many years, but his legend still lives on. What if that generation knew he was making a comeback, teaming up with the hottest [Five Elements of Immorality]? Gu Chi dared not imagine how much money this work could earn him.
Liao Jia also recognized the person from his eyes.
His lips twitched: "Aren't you afraid Qi Yuanliang will kill you?"
Fighting in the Northern Desert while enduring enemy fire, and having to find time to be exploited by Gu Chi and return to his old ways, painting a fire-avoidance picture featuring Wu Xian as the main character—what kind of psychological trauma must that be? Even though Liao Jia had a grudge against Qi Shan, he felt sorry for the latter.
Shouldn't this be considered a workers' compensation claim?
ヾ(ゞ)
How did I come up with the idea of naming the poisonous spider "Mei"? It was really difficult to come up with a name. But I'm a naming genius, I'm so talented.
(End of this chapter)
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