Chapter 1090: What Do You Know About Loyalty to the Emperor? (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Despite being mentally prepared, Wu Xian's lips still twitched upon hearing Shen Tang's shameless remarks, his expression more complex and convoluted than a ball of yarn. Everyone knows that gold and silver are good things, but who would talk about them so openly? Even if one loves money to death, one must remain reserved, even uttering a few curses about the stench of money to demonstrate one's refined taste and distinction from ordinary people.
Shen Youli, on the other hand, immediately started asking for money.
As the ruler of a country, even if he were to become a prisoner, his true value would be immeasurable by gold and silver.
It's uncivilized to talk about money all the time.
He asked, "As the ruler of a nation, how could you lack money?"
Shen Tang said, "I'm so hungry, I'm going crazy from lack."
Wu Xian: "..."
Shen Tang continued to grin, completely unconcerned about the court official's crestfallen face. He even put his elbow on Wu Xian's shoulder in a rather intimate manner: "To be honest, Brother Zhaode, when Kangguo was first established, we were really dirt poor. We had to stretch every penny in half. Even I, as the ruler, didn't have any savings at the end of the year. We had to tighten our belts from the beginning to the end of the year. Isn't that what you call being short of money?"
Wu Xian then noticed the fabric on Shen Tang's body.
It's really not that expensive.
Not only Shen Tang, but also most of the civil and military officials under her command dressed simply, with their clothes decorated mainly with inconspicuous dark patterns, exuding a rustic charm. This was completely the opposite of the civil and military officials in the Gao Kingdom court.
Which of the officials who entered the service of the Gao Kingdom had a weak family background?
Even military generals, who are stereotyped as "big and rough," appreciate beauty and extravagance, let alone civil officials from aristocratic families.
Shen Tang remained calm in the face of Wu Xian's gaze.
She continued, "Thinking about my entrepreneurial history makes me want to shed a tear. Sigh, I worked hard for five or six years to ensure that every household had some surplus food, so that the people in the area wouldn't go hungry or starve all year round, and the local granaries would finally be places that rats would turn away from. All my savings over the years, snap, were wiped out by a Ponzi scheme."
Wu Xian's eyes narrowed.
He didn't understand Ponzi schemes, but he could guess the meaning from the context. He realized that Shen Tang was settling accounts with the grain supplies in Jinli County.
Wu Xian reminded Shen Tang: "This situation was not orchestrated by Gao Guo."
Could it be that the Northern Desert set a trap to steal the grain?
Shen Tang nodded: "It's true that Gao Kingdom didn't set a trap, but the grain was burned within Gao Kingdom's territory. Bei Mo sent this batch of stolen goods to Gao Kingdom, and then transported them back to Bei Mo under the guise of a wealthy merchant within Gao Kingdom. I contacted Brother Zhao De immediately, but after waiting and waiting, I only received the bad news that the grain had been burned. Whether this grain was really burned or not, you and I are not children, we know the truth perfectly well."
As she spoke the last sentence, her tone turned cold.
Wu Xian: "..."
At this point, there's no point in making excuses.
He chose to remain silent.
Shen Tang sighed sincerely, "We've all seen the tragic sight of corpses piled up everywhere, and we've all seen people driven to desperation resorting to cannibalism. You should know better than anyone how difficult it is to ensure that everyone has enough to eat, and how hard it was for me to accumulate this little bit of wealth..."
So, she really was poor.
We lack money, we lack food, we lack everything.
Wu Xian closed his eyes and endured the throbbing pain in his temples.
"In that case, let's not beat around the bush, how many do you want?"
“Only children make choices; adults want it all.” Shen Tang chuckled and spoke under Wu Xian’s wide, angry glare. “We want money and wealth, but not much—the entire nation’s wealth will suffice. We want cities and land, but not much either—every inch of land within the Gao Kingdom’s borders! As for the rest, like Brother Zhaode’s life, that depends on whether you want to live or not.”
Wu Xian realized he'd been tricked: "Shen Youli, do you think I, Wu Zhaode, am a coward who's afraid of death?"
Shen Tang quickly waved his hand to signal Wu Xian to calm down.
“Brother Zhaode, don’t be angry.” Her eyes were full of cunning, with a clear understanding that saw through everything. Her words were so sharp that they made people give up. “I didn’t mean to humiliate you. It’s just that the current situation—to put it bluntly, Brother Zhaode has probably been abandoned. Even if I’m willing to offer a bargaining chip to let Gao State exchange you for me, if I offer too low, I won’t be willing to accept it. If I offer too high, your ministers probably won’t be willing.”
Wu Xian angrily said, "Even if I am incompetent, I am still the ruler of a country."
How can you just abandon someone like that?
Shen Tang said, "People are naturally inclined to seek advantage and avoid harm."
One sentence almost choked Wu Xian to death.
From a purely self-interested perspective, Wu Xian could indeed be abandoned—rather than incurring significant losses to bring him back, it would be better to install his son as the new ruler. This would minimize losses while also saving face for loyal ministers and generals, a win-win situation.
He understands the reasoning, but he's just heartbroken and refuses to accept reality.
If he were to admit it, it would be tantamount to admitting his incompetence in managing his subordinates and the growing estrangement between him and his ministers, who would not even be willing to pay money to redeem him.
It would be better to kill him than to admit this to Shen Tang in front of him.
Wu Xian fell silent again.
Seeing Wu Xian's face turn ashen, Shen Tang chuckled insincerely, "Of course, this is just my opinion. There are always loyal subjects in this world who value morality over personal gain. Nothing is absolute, so Brother Zhaode, you don't need to take my words to heart."
Unfortunately, these words did not improve Wu Xian's expression.
Judging from Shen Tang's witty remarks, her attitude was very clear—she refused to negotiate! There could only be one outcome in the war between the two countries: Kang Kingdom would annex Gao Kingdom! No matter how many bargaining chips Gao Kingdom offered, it would be useless.
Having sorted things out, Wu Xian looked at Shen Tang with even more complicated eyes: "...Since you've made your decision and are determined to fight to the end without negotiating with Gao Guo, why bother saying all this to me? Do you want to see what I look like as a prisoner? Just for the spectacle? Or do you hope to hear me beg for mercy and live? Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you. There's no need to humiliate me like this!"
“No, no, no, I’m not telling Brother Zhaode these things for these reasons.” Shen Tang’s smile became a little cunning. “I want to advise Brother Zhaode to write a decree of succession and abdicate the throne to one of the children, so that the Gao Kingdom won’t have to send an envoy on a trip.”
In any case, none of Gao Guo's ministers truly wanted to welcome Wu Xian back.
Instead of wasting time negotiating and pulling each other along, Wu Xian should just give them a way out. It would save them trouble and Shen Tang would be more at ease.
Wu Xian: "..."
Shen Tang asked curiously, "Brother Zhaode, why are you looking at me like that?"
Wu Xian bluntly stated: "Let's see if you have a brain disorder."
Did Shen Youli make this decision with her butt?
Why didn't Kang Guowen and Wu Qi stop them?
As long as Wu Xian remains the rightful ruler of Gao, regardless of whether the Gao court genuinely welcomes him back, they must outwardly feign sincerity and work tirelessly for him. In this way, Shen Tang can use Wu Xian as leverage to make Gao hesitant to act against him. Once Wu Xian abdicates to his son and becomes the retired king, a new emperor brings a new court, and Gao will have fewer concerns. A retired king who abdicated through legal procedures and is now deeply entrenched in enemy territory is simply dead. From any perspective, this decision is unfavorable to Shen Tang.
Wu Xian then asked, "Or do you have another scheme in mind?"
Shen Tang wished he could raise three fingers to the sky and swear: "I have lived an upright life and have never conspired! How could Brother Zhaode assume such a thing about me?"
Wu Xian: "..."
Even though it was a tense moment, he inexplicably laughed, as if he had heard some funny lame joke.
Shen Youli?
A life lived with integrity?
This fellow may be handsome, but he's shameless.
Although Shen Tang's proposal was tempting, Wu Xian didn't readily agree. He needed to carefully consider the conspiracy behind it. He'd rather believe the matchmaker's smooth talk than Shen Youli's nonsense.
Wu Xian was taken away, and Shen Tang sighed and complained, "...Wu Zhaode is utterly cunning when he should be, but he's quite clever when he shouldn't be."
He simply wanted to give Mei Jinghe a surprise.
Why doesn't Wu Xian grant her wish?
Clearly, Wu Xian did not help others achieve their goals.
Fortunately, he's not the focus today.
Shen Tang still has a lot to do.
"Have all the prisoners been counted?"
What are our casualties?
"What kind of medicine is the wounded soldiers' camp lacking?"
These were all matters that Shen Tang needed to oversee, especially the latter, which concerned lives and deaths. The scarce medicinal herbs needed Shen Tang's cooperation with Lin Feng to replenish them. After arranging these matters, the next step was to clean up the battlefield, centrally burn and bury the enemy corpses, and properly settle the remains of the fallen soldiers. These would be brought back with the troops when the army returned to the capital.
As for rewarding meritorious service?
This matter will be arranged for last.
After Shen Tang finished discussing with everyone, it was already dark outside the tent.
Looking up again, only Gong Xichou remained in the tent, having waited for an unknown amount of time. Gong Xichou never kept anything from Shen Tang, and Shen Tang immediately knew he had something to say, just as she did have something to ask—the list of high-ranking prisoners of war from the Gao Kingdom was being reviewed, and the name of the Grand Preceptor of the Eternal Life Sect was not on it, nor was his body found.
They were never seen alive, nor were their bodies ever found.
Shen Tang guessed that they had most likely run away.
But neither of the Gongxi Chou brothers spoke first, so there must be some other reason: "Gongxi Chou, is there something else?"
Gong Xichou said, "Hmm."
Shen Tang put down his official duties, stood up, and said, "Lead the way."
After giving a few brief instructions to her guards, Shen Tang followed Gong Xi Chou out of the camp. Along the way, countless speculations arose in her mind. Before she could process them all, they arrived at their destination.
Shen Tang turned her head and glanced at the camp not far away.
Surprised: "So close?"
It was indeed very close, right below the battlefield where the two countries were fighting.
"How come there's a secret passage here? It looks quite novel." Shen Tang's height is alright, but Gong Xi Chou's size is quite cramped. In some sections, he can only crouch sideways to pass through, and there are also damaged parts along the way. Watching Gong Xi Chou roughly clear the way, Shen Tang's heart was pounding, and he reminded him, "Be gentle. If the secret passage collapses and buries us alive, see if your older brother won't beat you up."
Gong Xichou brushed the sand off his head.
He casually remarked, "He can't smoke. If we get buried, he'll definitely be buried too, buried even deeper than us."
Shen Tang: "..."
She observed the shape of the tunnel: "This tunnel doesn't look like it was dug by a person, but rather like it was crawled out by some kind of animal."
“Mama has a good eye; this is indeed my martial arts totem.”
Shen Tang: "...What happened?"
Gong Xichou said, "What else could it be? Wasn't my brother chasing that old bastard? That old bastard is like a slippery eel, impossible to catch. We finally set up a trap to catch him like a turtle in a jar, but who knew Wei Cheng would intercept him halfway..."
Shen Tang frowned with worry: "Wasn't Weicheng sealed off?"
Gong Xichou pointed upwards: "In this battle, the number of people who died on the ground is almost equal to the number of people sleeping underground. Wei Cheng feeds on resentment and death energy, so how effective can a hastily placed seal be? If Mama hadn't intervened midway to help people pass on, what would have escaped wouldn't just be Wei Cheng's martial energy incarnation, but his true self. These rank 20 Marquises are truly despicable creatures."
He was a genius, and his whole life was spent disgusting his enemies.
In his early years, he didn't suffer much loss while serving under Tang Guo.
The more their strength increases, the more setbacks they suffer.
The enemies he encountered were either incarnations of Gong Cheng, an 18th-rank Grand Chancellor or a 20th-rank Marquis who had received the "Enlightenment," or the actual 20th-rank Marquis. This put him in several perilous situations!
Gong Xiqiu always felt that he had been cursed.
The thought of Wei Cheng only fueled my anger.
Shen Tang agreed with Gong Xi Chou's assessment; the 20th-rank Marquis Che, who sided with the enemy, was indeed universally disliked. The threat of Wei City, if not resolved, would remain a threat: "Can Wei City be truly redeemed?"
The melody "Crossing the Soul" truly has the power to help souls find peace. Wei Cheng has no connection to the living. If it can help him find peace, she would be willing to let Shen Tang hold a 49-day funeral for Wei Cheng.
Wei Cheng refused to be allowed to pass on, so she resorted to physical violence.
"You want to perform a ritual to help me pass on to the afterlife?"
Shen Tang: "..."
In the darkness, before she heard Gong Xichou's reply, she heard a strange male voice, whose owner identified himself as Wei Cheng.
Yes, that is, the person she wants to help pass on to the afterlife.
Gong Xichou's reply came slowly.
There's no need to perform a ritual to help him pass on to the afterlife right now.
Shen Tang quickly understood why it was unnecessary.
If she had a system that could see everyone's stance, then Wei Cheng, whom she was seeing right now, would definitely be a neutral yellow name!
Wei Cheng, who had fought to the death not long ago, was now standing at the corner of the secret passage, having overheard a great deal of Shen Tang's words.
Shen Tang's expression changed for only a moment before she regained her composure.
She had no doubt that Gong Xichou would harm her.
so--
Either this Gongxi Chou is fake;
Either Wei Cheng has lost his mind.
Shen Tang chose the latter.
The Wei Cheng before them was not the real Wei Cheng, but rather an avatar of Wei Cheng. It wasn't even wearing armor, nor did it wield any weapon.
Seeing that Shen Tang did not attack rashly, Wei Cheng nodded.
He commented, "Hmm, composed, he's got some substance."
Shen Tang frowned: "What's going on?"
Gong Xichou wasn't good with words, so asking him to explain would be too difficult for him; everything would have to wait for Shen Tang to see for himself. If he had to summarize it, he could only think of one sentence: "The uncle and nephew have fallen out."
Shen Tang paused in surprise: "They've turned against each other?"
Wei Cheng, standing ahead, issued a warning in an annoyed tone.
gloating in front of him?
"Do you two think I'm invisible?" If it weren't for the consideration, I would have buried these three bastards alive here to save myself from this humiliation.
Gong Xichou snorted, clearly unafraid.
Shen Tang: "..."
Even with his ultimate ability activated at point-blank range, Wei Cheng couldn't bring himself to kill him?
It seems that the uncle and nephew have truly fallen out.
Shen Tang's heart skipped a beat, and he frowned, pondering the real reason for the falling out between the uncle and nephew—both of them were at the top of the power pyramid, so there was no issue of unequal distribution of benefits, because they could easily obtain any amount of profit they wanted. For such people, the only thing that could cause them to turn against each other was a conflict of ideals and morality.
However, they've weathered over two hundred years of trials and tribulations; if there were truly a clash of ideologies and morals, it wouldn't have waited until now. Therefore—
Shen Tang also used her ultimate skill at close range.
"Was the person who cooperated with the Pantheon back then your uncle?"
_(:3」∠)_
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