Chapter 1112: One by One [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang has three principles for dealing with people and situations.
Firstly, as long as she isn't embarrassed, it's others who are embarrassed.
Secondly, by draining others' resources, one enriches oneself!
Thirdly, he is self-willed and has the greatest self-confidence in the world!
The significance of the power of the Word of Power in "My Thatched Hut Is Broken by the Autumn Wind" is undeniable to any scholar. Many literary figures throughout history have attempted to cultivate it, but perhaps due to limited ability, or perhaps because the Word of Power possesses its own mysteries, it stands out as one of the more challenging to master among all Word of Power techniques. Effects such as "In an instant, the wind subsides and the clouds turn inky" and "In the eighth month, the autumn wind howls fiercely" are often used to influence the battlefield environment, summoning wind and rain to affect the enemy's formation.
Even the phrase "The children of Nancun bully me because I am old and weak" has been used in various ways, with effects including but not limited to weakening the enemy's physical strength, slowing down their march, and lengthening their reaction time. "Unmoved by wind and rain, as stable as a mountain" can help soldiers resist extreme weather on the battlefield, such as storms.
The only line that has never been mentioned is "How can I obtain thousands of mansions to shelter all the poor scholars of the world and make them rejoice?" It's not that no one dares to take on this big challenge, but rather that this line consumes too much literary energy. Back then, Shen Tang crashed on the spot after reciting just four words.
In addition, its side effects are terrifying!
Alas!
When did this house suddenly appear before my eyes?
Even if my humble abode is broken and I freeze to death, it would be enough!
The price of this incantation is the entry of extremely cold yin energy into the body!
A living person turned into a giant ice sculpture!
Legend has it that many years ago, a prodigy claimed to have mastered this magical word, attempting a shortcut to fame as quickly as possible. And what was the result? It truly exemplified the saying, "Suddenly, like a spring breeze overnight, thousands of pear trees bloom," with snow falling all over the city, reaching above ankle height.
As for that exceptionally talented person?
He was completely encased in three zhang (approximately 1.6 meters) thick ice from head to toe.
If the scholar hadn't used his literary energy to protect his heart and vital organs, and hadn't been thawed in time, he wouldn't have become a cripple but a dead man. From that moment on, people stopped arguing with this supposed power of words; after all, life was more important!
When He Xin first heard Shen Tang recite the first four words, his heart skipped a beat. But as Shen Tang magically altered the power of words, all that tension and anxiety melted into speechlessness. To blaspheme the power of words, to disrespect the sages—it would be a miracle if this power of words actually succeeded.
"The patriotism and concern for the people embodied by the sages of the past..."
He couldn't find words in the congratulatory letter that accurately expressed his feelings without offending his new boss, which was too difficult for him.
Qi Shan said, "It can be accomplished."
This isn't the first or second time the Lord has afflicted the power of words. At first, there was some reaction, but after it happened so many times, Qishan became used to it. For other scribes, altering the power of words might result in failure at best, or even backlash at worst, but for the Lord, it's just commonplace.
He Xin countered with a question: "Are you sure?"
His tone of voice had changed noticeably from before.
Qi Shan immediately knew that it was He Shu who had come out to make sarcastic remarks.
"Our lord doesn't want the stars or the moon. She just wants to exchange her incantation for a sturdy house. How can we refuse her?" Qi Shan had also heard about the great ice sculpture's deeds. "...The last person who tried to activate this incantation, what did he want? He wanted thousands of impregnable military shields. How much literary energy did he give up? If he didn't suffer a backlash, who would? On the other hand, our lord only wants a house. Ordinary low-level martial artists and Mohists can build a decent house in half a day by working together."
How much is a house worth?
After removing the land, all that's left are building materials and labor.
The land belongs to the owner; what is the remaining value of the building materials and labor?
so--
Theoretically, this incantation can succeed if Heaven approves.
Theory is one thing, but there's a gap between theory and practice.
After a few breaths, there was still no movement below. Qi Shan thought that the spell was about to fail, and began to draft a speech to comfort Shen Tang.
Until a miracle actually happened!
As gurgling streams of refined energy flowed forth, the uneven foundation was gradually submerged until it became smooth and level. The energy, initially a flowing liquid, solidified into hard stone bricks. These "bricks" were all the same size, fitting together seamlessly in a staggered pattern. Even the most skilled craftsmen would find it difficult to precisely control the size of each brick! Laying such a section would take anywhere from three to five days, or even seven to eight days.
Right now, it only takes the effort of one Word of Power!
The lady asked quietly, "Is that all?"
He Xin shook his head slightly: "Not yet."
After the foundation was paved with floor tiles, four equally tall circular wooden pillars rose from each of the four corners. As the pillars reached their apex, rows and rows of identical stone bricks began to be stacked between them. The process of stacking the bricks left space for the threshold, door, and window frames, before several beams were erected, the roof was built, and thatched roof tiles were laid on top. The entire process took about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Everyone had to watch intently, afraid of missing a single moment of the house's transformation from nothing to something!
With the last bit of work finished, the magical house was complete, and the extra spiritual energy no longer emanated from the ground.
Shen Tang clenched her fist in delight: "It's done!"
It actually worked!
Instead of celebrating immediately, she picked up a charcoal stick and wrote down a number on the cloth. This number represented all the literary energy consumed by this house! Shen Tang then found the exact area of the foundation and quickly jotted down a few hasty numbers.
"Next, we'll try two more!"
Shen Tang muttered to himself.
She needs as much data as possible to calculate the energy consumption required for each type of building material. The house she just saw was just a very ordinary one-story bungalow; although the space was large, it still needed to be rationally divided for future living.
Shen Tang planned to resolve this issue during the construction process, while also attempting to build a two-story house. A two-story house could accommodate more family members than a single-story house, with more living space per person, making it more comfortable to live in. The furniture inside the house would be left for the common people to provide themselves, which would also increase market demand.
She was immersed in a sea of calculations.
Before she knew it, most of the charcoal stick had worn away, leaving only a tiny bit of the end she was still clutching in her hand. Even so, she couldn't bear to replace it with a new one. Below the city wall, Bei Qiu and the others had also cleared the foundation next to the small house. This foundation was more than twice the size of the previous one. Having learned from their first success, they were much more skilled and efficient the second time.
"How I wish I had a spacious house with two small rooms..."
At the same time, she mentally noted that she wanted a two-story house.
"The two poor families who were sheltered here are now all smiles!"
This time, the incantation was activated much faster than the last time.
It only paused for two seconds before responding.
While printing the structure of the house with literary energy, Shen Tang tried to control the division of the interior space so that the shape of the house was no longer a boring square or rectangle, but even created rounded corners, and added patterns to the eaves tiles.
If it weren't for the lack of literary talent, people would still need to build an earthen kang (heated brick bed) for both the high and low.
After finishing, calculate the data again.
"Why doesn't the literary style match?"
After turning it over and over, they found that the gap was in the pattern. They were just short of telling Shen Tang that it was good enough to have a house to live in, why bother with all the fancy stuff?
She sighed, "...unfinished apartments are still the best value for money."
Whether it's a basic or high-end renovation, the overall quality is low and it's just a lot of unnecessary embellishment. It's just a few tile patterns, yet it took up almost an entire wall of her embellishment. Is that reasonable? It's not like it's some kind of exquisite craftsmanship! Shen Tang pouted and had no choice but to give up on the renovation.
From one room, two rooms, three rooms, and then four rooms.
Shen Tang discovered that the consumption of literary energy was not too great.
I don't know why, but I feel a chill deep down.
Holding the cloth covered with data, she exclaimed as if it were a priceless treasure: "My literary reserves are at their peak, theoretically enough to build fifty to fifty-five rooms. But this number is just a drop in the ocean for the disaster victims. How many we can build today depends on you all!"
Shen Tang's gaze swept over Qi Shan and He Xin.
“Everyone, make a list and come one by one.”
Those whose literary energy is exhausted should go down to recover, and then the next one should take their place.
He Shuwen's palace was completed and was quite durable.
His literary talent might even break his own record.
Shen Tang pointed to the pile of sacrificial offerings: "Although there are prisoners of war in the army, these prisoners are to be kept to reclaim wasteland, and cannot be used as sacrificial offerings for you. So let's use these livestock instead. Is that feasible?"
He Shu naturally had no right to refuse.
"I will obey Shen Jun's orders."
He wanted to see just how far Shen Tang could go this time.
Shen Tang assigned tasks to everyone.
Even Gong Xichou, a top-tier combatant, was dispatched to clear the foundation, while the other top performers stood by. Shen Tang quickly arranged everything, then reviewed the situation to make sure no one was left out: "Let's get to work!"
Hmm, is it really true that no one was left out?
Standing behind her, Ji Moqiu looked resentful, desolate, and aggrieved.
"Your Highness, what about me?"
Ji Moqiu's voice drifted into her ears, and Shen Tang slapped her forehead, saying embarrassedly, "Look at my memory, how could I forget the High Priest? Come, come, there's some for you here too!"
The power bank from Jimo Qiu has immense potential.
Ji Moqiu did not press Shen Tang's answer further.
When he received the inherited memories, he was mentally prepared—the princess before him was destined to ignore him, and all he had to do was stay close and absolutely not lose her! A few dark streaks appeared in Ji Moqiu's clear eyes, but they vanished in an instant.
Seeing that he had no complaints, Shen Tang felt guilty instead.
Ji Moqiu had repeatedly helped her a great deal, and even settled down the wandering Gong Xichou, making him an indispensable contributor. Yet, for some reason, she always subconsciously ignored his existence. She could even remember Cui Xiao, who was suffering from the scholar's way debuff, but Ji Moqiu was like a wisp of air with almost no presence.
Shen Tang reflected on himself, wondering if he had been too careless with people.
Fortunately, this high priest was kind and easygoing.
"Mama, everything's ready here!"
Gong Xi Chou, standing on the head of the Martial Courage Totem, cupped his hands to his mouth like a megaphone and shouted at Chen Tang, pulling her scattered thoughts back. Chen Tang snapped out of her reverie and made a gesture to Gong Xi Chou: "Power banks, let's build a house together!"
Feeling her dantian gradually filling up, Chen Tang stopped dawdling.
In pursuit of efficiency, she constantly tested the maximum number of houses she could build at once, starting with five and gradually increasing the number, evolving from a "small shelter" to a "medium shelter." The houses were all the same size and style, except for a high wall separating them. Don't underestimate this high wall; it plays a crucial role. With it, even if one house caught fire, the flames wouldn't spread rapidly.
This will buy precious time for firefighting.
Wide, straight avenues were left between each row of houses.
The entire area was paved with neat stone bricks, and drainage ditches were built on both sides of the main road. Shangnan County doesn't receive much rainfall each year; as long as nearby rivers are dredged and dikes are reinforced, there's basically no chance of flooding. Watching the houses gradually fill the city's ruins, a great sense of satisfaction welled up inside her. She wanted to build another row of houses in one go, but a hand gripped her wrist tightly.
Turning his head, he saw a pale, almost withered face, so pale that even the Black Mountain Demon would bestow a breath of yang energy upon him.
The other person's eyes were no longer bright; it was clearly He Shu.
He took a breath, his smile stiff.
"Shen Jun, do not exhaust the resources of the pond."
The Danfu Wengong Palace was suddenly emptied, and the unprecedented emptiness made his vision blur and he almost couldn't stand. If Shen Tang doesn't change the person, today's sacrifice might become He Shu himself.
Shen Tang: "Ah, so fast?"
He Shu's face was ashen, almost like the bottom of a pot.
But Shen Tang waved at him.
He took pity on her and said, "Very well, let's find someone else."
As he passed Qi Shan, the latter patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be discouraged, you've already done a great job."
He Shu ignored him and only gave a cold snort.
However, Qi Shan's literary talent did not last long.
Before long, he sat down next to He Shu to meditate and regulate his breathing.
Shen Tang was still shouting, "Who's next?"
Although the capital was mostly destroyed in the war and the common people were immediately relocated elsewhere, they were reluctant to leave their homeland. So, after the war ended, many common people returned to their homes.
With nowhere to stay, they could only take their belongings salvaged from the ruins, find a place to huddle at night, and tidy up the ruins during the day, picking out any building materials that could be reused.
The sun is high in the sky, and it's a time when there are many people.
With such a commotion on Shen Tang's side, how could we not pay attention?
(_)
Seriously, my mouse, which I've had for two years, accidentally deleted my draft due to a grudge. I can't even find the backup, and I've lost my perfect attendance bonus for the month. Oh well, it's all fate.
P.S.: I cleaned out the keyboard and found a bunch of keycaps. Ugh, when did I even buy all of these?
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