Chapter 1058: Stay Vigilant! [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"Borrowing the lightning tribulation?"
Chao Lian was so shocked by these four words that he was speechless.
The earth-shattering power of that day seemed to reappear before my eyes.
The destructive power it generated was even more overwhelming than facing an invincible enemy! No matter how powerful an enemy is, it is ultimately flesh and blood, a mortal being, and its limits are unimaginable. However, heavenly lightning belongs to the might of heaven; even a twentieth-rank Marquis is merely a slightly stronger ant before it. Yet Sixth Brother claims that there is now an ant capable of harnessing the might of heaven?
Fang Yan said, "Hmm."
"Really?" Chao Lian didn't want to question his sixth brother.
“How could this be fake? It’s almost certainly true.” Fang Yan didn’t really want to recall the past. “When I treated He Haogu back then, I learned a bit about them. He Shu’s study has a rare copy of the Words of Power, which is said to have been written by the Great Teacher of Virtue.”
"A great and virtuous teacher..."
"Yes, it's that sorcerer who's shrouded in mystery for many people." Fang Yan interrupted Chao Lian's next few words.
What Chao Lian wanted to say was, "Who is the Great Teacher of Virtue?"
"Why is he a demonic Taoist?"
Fang Yan said calmly, "People are already shouting 'The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise,' but Qingzhi thinks 'who is the Azure Heaven'? How many incompetent and tyrannical rulers who only receive sacrifices but do nothing are being cursed along with him? He's being cursed to death by people pointing fingers at him. If we don't call him a heretic, should we call him a good teacher? His life story is recorded in the margins of some rare books. It is said that he can heal people with talismanic water and has hundreds of thousands of followers."
Chao Lian quickly changed the subject: "Can talismanic water cure people?"
Fang Yan struck Chao Lian on the head with the rolled-up horsewhip in his hand.
"Save people with talismanic water? If talismanic water could save people, how about I give you a bellyful of it every time you step into your coffin? What heals them is medicine, of course! So many commoners have no money, no land, no food, and nowhere to seek medical help. Some aren't even sick, but just starving. Talismanic water might be medicine, or it might just be a bowl of thin porridge. The commoners would be grateful, but which 'heaven' would like such people?"
"I definitely won't like it."
Fang Yan scoffed, "Not only do they dislike it, but they also regard it as a monstrous flood, and any related spiritual words can be designated as forbidden books."
"Therefore, He Shu and this great and wise teacher..."
Regardless of what the common people think, at least in the eyes of the class that controls the vast majority of the resources for incantations, this Great Teacher of Virtue absolutely deserves the label of "heretical Taoist." Why would He Shu, born into a noble family, idolize such a "heretical Taoist" and even collect related forbidden books?
Chao Lian thought for a long time before finally managing to utter a single sentence.
"He's a good person."
"No!" Fang Yan answered decisively, "As I said before, both brothers are ill, but He Shu's condition is more unusual."
He had a feeling when he saw those two brothers back then.
Compared to congratulatory letters, He Shu should be getting medical treatment.
Chao Lian's curiosity was piqued by his words, and he was itching to know what to do.
Fang Yan steadily steered his warhorse, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon: "The way of the scholar is to question one's own heart, but isn't it also to question one's own desires and obsessions? Do you think someone who takes 'great fortune for all under heaven' as the way of the scholar would follow the rules and regulations?"
Orthodox literati tend to explore their true nature, seeking, understanding, and elevating themselves, finding the correct "Tao" in the struggle with their inner self/desires. He Shu is different, or rather, all literati of this school are different; their initial positioning is that of the master of their inner self/desires. Awakening to perfection is a complete process of struggle, entanglement, and control.
Chao Lian asked, puzzled, "Is there... a difference?"
Fang Yanfeng said calmly, "The difference is huge. People change. Can the people and things they like be the same at six, sixteen, twenty-six, and thirty-six? As long as you're human, your true nature will change with time. Therefore, some people's initial and perfect stages of the Way of the Scholar are completely different. He doesn't make this difference. He clearly defined the 'Way' from the beginning, and honed his Way of the Scholar based on this 'Way.' Who can guarantee that the 'Way' pursued at thirty-six is the same as that pursued at six?"
When one's true nature is contrary to the Tao, one is prone to trouble.
Either the person has gone mad, or they've become useless.
Chao Lian: "Since the harm is so great, then why..."
Fang Yan said, "You're cultivating very quickly."
Didn't you see that they had perfected the way of the scholar?
Chao Lian: "..."
Seeing Chao Lian's bewildered expression, Fang Yan said with an unwillingness to say more: "Once the two armies clash and you face He Shu, you will understand why I said this. For the Great Teacher of Virtue, hundreds of thousands of followers are not his original intention, but for He Shu, that is his goal. But in the end, it is someone else's path, not his own. It is easy to lose control if it is not one's own."
Fang Yan did not think highly of He Shu.
However, these are all his deductions. Perhaps He Shu has overcome these hurdles and completely subdued his own nature? In any case, an opponent with unknown abilities and a perfected scholar's path is worth taking seriously. Unbeknownst to Fang Yan and his companion, two hours after the main army set off, another inconspicuous contingent of troops secretly followed.
This army was naturally not from the enemy country of Gao.
They belonged to the Kang State.
Fang Yan and his men were unaware of this before leading their troops to reinforce Shangnan. Not only were they unaware, but even Yun Ce, who was leading the troops, only learned of it after the order was given. This force numbered only three thousand, which was not small, but it was not many in this war.
If he had ordered his troops to speed up their march, they might have been able to catch up with Chao Lian's forces. Why did he have to make this trip himself?
The lord did not send out any of the young soldiers from the original Southern Camp.
If there is a real lack of high-level martial arts masters, Shao Chong is more suitable than himself. Yun Ce also keeps the enemy's 20th-rank Marquis in mind.
A rank 20 Marquis must first surpass him before he can harm his lord.
I immediately wanted to reject the order.
Shen Tang said, "Yuan Mou, listen to me first."
She interrupted Yun Ce before he could speak: "Yuanmou, this battle report was indeed sent by Shan Xiao, but can you guarantee that it contains only the information Shan Xiao wanted to convey? Or, from the moment Qingniao sent the letter until it reached me, there was no possibility that a third party interfered or read it? Don't trust intelligence too much, even if the person who sent it is a trusted confidant."
Shen Tang did not doubt Cui Xiao, nor did she doubt the other two.
But this does not mean that the intelligence is necessarily true.
A true lie is always a mixture of truth and falsehood.
"Nine parts truth and one part falsehood is the essence."
Yun Ce was taken aback when he realized, "My lord means—"
Maintaining a high level of vigilance regarding intelligence is a quality that every military officer's advisor should possess, but this intelligence had passed through the hands of his lord, was issued by Cui Xiaofa, and was vouched for by Qi Shan and another person. His first reaction was that there was no problem—but does that make it credible?
This thought made Yun Ce break out in a cold sweat.
"It's not just my idea, but also the idea of Tu Nan and the others." Don't forget, there's an old scholar named Deng in the enemy camp whose abilities are unknown. This old Deng is from the same era as Yun Da. Ordinary people can become shrewd, let alone someone whose main position is a strategist. Playing mind games is his specialty.
Shen Tang's smile carried a hint of coldness as she made a throat-slitting gesture: "If this is true, then your three thousand soldiers will be icing on the cake, helping Qingzhi and the others clean up the battlefield. If the enemy is playing a trick on us, then we'll go with the flow and send them all—to meet the King of Hell and drink the soup of oblivion!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Yun Ce immediately accepted the military order.
He not only saw the three thousand soldiers who were already fully prepared, but also Bei Qiu in his smart light armor. Besides Bei Qiu, there were also a dozen or so familiar Mohists from the Imperial Workshop. Bei Qiu had arrived a little earlier than him and was somewhat irritated: "Yuanmou, you're too slow."
Yun Ce lowered his voice: "Why is Zhoukou here too?"
Bei Qiu's attitude was cold and hard: "The Lord's order is to have the Imperial Workshop cooperate with you in a surprise attack on the enemy's rear end."
In fact, Shen Tang's original words were "to strike at the heart of the enemy."
It's just that my personal understanding is flawed.
Seeing her cold attitude, Yun Ce wanted to ask something but was stopped by her sharp gaze. He forced himself to say, "However, the actions of the Imperial Workshop are mostly auxiliary, so this operation is probably not suitable."
This time, the goal is to cut off the enemy's retreat and encircle them.
Bei Qiu and these Mohists were better able to utilize their talents in He Yin County.
This earned him a glare.
"Are you capable of withstanding heavenly lightning?"
Yun Ce was puzzled by the sudden change of topic and honestly replied, "It depends on how strong the heavenly lightning is; anything too strong won't work."
The power of heavenly thunder is still too great for a mortal body.
Bei Qiu sneered: "I can! The army marches out—"
Although Yun Ce was worried, he knew that military orders that had already been implemented could not be changed without authorization, and his lord must have had her reasons for making such an arrangement. Watching Bei Qiu's departing figure on horseback, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth. A dozen or so Mohists stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, ostensibly to comfort him, but actually to fan the flames and watch the drama unfold. Everyone knew that the Grand Craftsman and General Yun had been having a conflict recently, but the two did not seem to have broken off relations.
Conflicts that don't lead to a complete falling out are just a way of showing affection.
They naturally weren't worried.
Of course, it's not that I'm worried the two of them will never see each other again, but rather that the Imperial Workshop will lose a hardworking and dutiful son-in-law.
Such a useful son-in-law from the Mo family is hard to find! They also heard that Yun Ce's strength improved rapidly after the battle in the Northern Desert, making him practically the most eligible bachelor! Such a good catch can only rot in the pot of the Imperial Workshop! Uncle Bei Qiu even bumped Yun Ce's shoulder with his shoulder.
Yun Ce replied politely, "Uncle-Master."
She said, "Young people are still too young. Once the war is over, you two can take a break and have some fun together for a couple of days. As long as you take good care of each other, all conflicts will disappear. The Mo family prefers things that are good quality, inexpensive, practical, and durable, understand?"
Yun Ce didn't really understand.
However, this is my uncle's teaching, so there must be some truth to it.
He nodded in acceptance: "Mm."
The uncle patted his hard breastplate, looking pleased.
"This child is teachable; that's right."
Yun Ce accepted his master's teachings, but also expressed his concerns: "This is good, but it can't truly resolve Zhou Kou's inner conflict. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by my master, but I don't know why Zhou Kou is angry. They were fine before..."
When the two met for the first time after the Battle of the Northern Desert, Yun Ce saw Bei Qiu crying tears of joy, but then he turned around and became angry.
It's not that they're angry, but rather that they don't want to talk to me anymore.
This troubled Yun Ce.
The uncle said, "If you don't know, just go ask."
Yun Ce said with a bitter face, "Wouldn't that make her even angrier?"
He didn't even know why she was angry; wasn't he just asking for trouble?
“…You young people are so conservative, sigh, all of you are blockheads.” Uncle sighed and shook his head, stopping the topic under Yun Ce’s gaze that still wanted to ask more questions, and changed to deception, “Perhaps, Zhou Kou would prefer to see your magnificent figure on the battlefield killing enemies and gaining military merits.”
Yun Ce thought about it and agreed.
Honestly, he felt the same way.
Personal matters can wait until the war is over.
Yun Ce shook his head, suppressing his extraneous thoughts.
Three thousand soldiers followed Chao Lian's troops at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, a distance that would allow them to be detected by enemy scouts while also deceiving the hidden enemy. In addition to reinforcing the troops in Shangnan, Shen Tang also made reinforcements in other areas.
Even after doing all this, I'm still not at ease.
The recruiter asked, "Has Mei Jinghe made any moves these past two days?"
"No, my lord." The people monitoring Mei Meng did not find anything unusual, nor did they see her in contact with any suspicious persons.
From the moment Mei Meng revealed herself, all her subtle actions ceased. She spent her days chatting with Cui Hui, touring Fugu City together, or enjoying drinks at their temporary lodging. The two women's relationship rapidly warmed, resembling that of close confidantes.
They lived a comfortable and pleasant life.
It was completely unimaginable that a major war between the two countries was about to break out.
Those who were monitoring her were starting to feel resentful.
Shen Tang asked, "You haven't had contact with strangers?"
"No, my lord."
Shen Tang thought for a moment and said, "Keep an eye on her. If Mei Meng shows any signs of trying to escape, there's no need to report it. Just kill her on the spot."
If the other party is not dead, then it means her life is not meant to end.
"Yes, sir!"
That's what they said, but Shen Tang didn't hold out much hope. It wasn't that she thought Lü Jue would be a hindrance, but rather that Mei Meng's willingness to reveal herself meant she must have other trump cards. Her relationship with Gao Guo was also ambiguous, and she was unaware of the specifics of the cooperation between Qi Guo and Gao Guo.
There are too many variables involved.
She rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.
In truth, Shen Tang hoped more than anyone else that Cui Xiao's intelligence report hadn't been tampered with, because tampering with it meant the three's whereabouts might be exposed, a price she wasn't willing to pay, and an outcome she didn't want to see. As for Qi Shan, Luan Xin, and Cui Xiao, let alone any harm to all three, even if just one of them perished, she would wage a war of annihilation against Wu Xian.
"Have Yuanliang and the other two noticed anything?"
She gets a headache just thinking about it.
How can we notify the three people in a timely manner?
Meanwhile, Qi Yuanliang lay stiffly on the ground. His face was deathly pale, devoid of color. The military doctor examined his pulse and shook his head: "This stubborn illness is deeply rooted, and the root cause cannot be found. Moreover, it just so happens that she is menstruating... This aggravates her weakness of both qi and blood deficiency. It's difficult."
I was already very sick, and now it's even more difficult.
There's no hope. Just wait to die.
He Shu couldn't bear it and said, "Please save her."
"Perhaps a physician from Kangguo could help."
That's as good as saying nothing at all.
Even if they conquered Kang, it would be difficult to capture skilled physicians, and even if they did, the girl's condition wouldn't improve by then. The military doctor had never seen anyone bleed so profusely. The blood gushed forth like a fountain, soaking her skirt and shoes.
But this is a military camp, after all.
Where can I find menstrual pads for women?
The girl was drenched in sweat from the pain, veins bulging on her forehead, clearly enduring immense suffering. He could only prescribe some painkillers and soothing medication; the rest she had to bear on her own. The issue of a woman's menstrual cycle was embarrassing for the strange man, so he didn't linger in the tent for long. As soon as they left, the girl, who had been biting her lower lip while unconscious, muttered a curse: "Chen! You! Li!!!"
Having her is truly a blessing!
(ノДＴ)
It's February 29th, the end of the month that only comes around once every four years. The next time I want to vote for Shiitake Mushroom on this day, I'll have to wait four years. I'm begging for your votes, kneeling before heaven and earth! Speaking of which, I used to mistake it for Tiankui (天葵), but then I realized it was Tiankui (天癸). I've been mistaken about it for so many years!
PS: Another friend has started a book! It's Erqian's, "Little Lucky Baby Disliked? The Whole Capital Spoils Me with Their Lives" by Erqian.
The little sister I found will be adorable once you take good care of her!
(End of this chapter)
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