Chapter 1118: Annexing the High Kingdom (Part 5) [Requesting Double Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang felt like her mind was in a knot.
“Shao Mei’s scholarly way is to ‘steal what others desire,’ so your completion ceremony wouldn’t be—” Yuan Liang, who shared Liao Jia’s wicked ways, no, his ideals, flashed through her mind. As the master of these two, she had to be honest, they were both equally wicked! From this, she deduced that Liao Jia’s completion ceremony was most likely related to harming others for personal gain. So, Shen Tang boldly hypothesized, and then carefully verified, “Could it be a completion ceremony where you infiltrate a third party, stealing their achievement the moment they reach completion?”
That's what you call "taking what others like"!
If she guesses correctly, Liao Jia's way of being a scholar has truly taken "maliciousness" to a new level! The severity is even greater than when Yuan Liang disrupted the ceremony for the successful ascent, and the two sides are definitely destined to fight to the death!
Liao Jia was initially surprised, then revealed a subtle, sly smile.
"Your Majesty understands me best!"
Some details are not quite right, but the general idea is correct.
Alas, the path to perfection for scholars is actually somewhat related to their own abilities; Liao Jia had some guesses even before knowing the details of the ritual. Taking what others desire inevitably involves the seven emotions and six desires.
What are the seven emotions?
Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire.
What are the six desires?
Life, death, ears, eyes, mouth, nose.
Regardless of the reason, the difficulty would certainly be considerable, and Liao Jia dared not spread his speculation, fearing it would cause unnecessary panic among his colleagues. He certainly didn't intend to harm them, but he couldn't overcome their disbelief. The most unscrupulous officials in the Kang Kingdom's court were none other than Qi Shan and Chu Yao! These people were capable of scheming against their colleagues for their own benefit, especially Qi Yuanliang!
Liao Jia had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.
Once he figured out the correct conditions for the completion ceremony, he was truly troubled—what percentage of the population were scholars and literati? Of these, how many possessed the Way of the Scholar? And among those who possessed the Way of the Scholar, how many were qualified to glimpse the gate to completion?
How many of these people are absolutely certain of a successful outcome?
Shen Tang sighed and rubbed his forehead: "There's no need to praise me for that."
To be honest, even as the lord, she felt guilty.
To use a simple and blunt analogy—
The path to becoming a successful scholar involves taking the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), with a strict requirement of achieving the admission score for Tsinghua and Peking Universities. Liao Jia is a special case, forced into becoming an unregistered Gaokao candidate. To get into Tsinghua or Peking University, he must either secretly change another candidate's exam paper to his own name, or hack into the Gaokao system and change the score of another candidate who meets the requirements to his own. Either way, he can reap the benefits and smoothly enter Tsinghua or Peking University. _(:з」∠)_
As for that unlucky candidate, what happened to him?
I'll just repeat a year and take the exam again.
What will the exam be like in the second year? How difficult will it be?
It's all up to fate!
This analogy is so powerful it makes your blood pressure spike just hearing it.
Shen Tang tried hard to shake the analogy out of her mind, otherwise she really wouldn't be able to help Liao Jia. Facing Liao Jia's expectant little eyes, she forced a smile: "Well, you're a little late."
Liao Jia expressed slight regret.
"Has Mei Jinghe completed the ceremony?"
Shen Tang shook her head.
Liao Jia said, "So it failed? What a pity, but that's normal. Perfect ceremonies rarely succeed on the first try."
Shen Tang nodded and then shook her head.
She scratched her cheek with her fingers, her shifty eyes filled with guilt: "Shaomei, well, it's a long story. I was thinking of getting rid of Mei Jinghe's son, so I made three abdication edicts with Wu Xian, forcing her to start the ceremony ahead of schedule. If you had come more than half a month earlier, you could have made it in time for this ride."
Who knew Liao Jia had such a need?
If she had known this would happen, she would have changed her plan.
Secretly assist Mei Jinghe in achieving a perfect ritual, then let Liao Jia reap the rewards just when Mei Jinghe thinks he has succeeded. The blow after such great joy will surely be even more disheartening.
What a pity, what a pity, Liao Jia arrived too late.
Liao Jia: "..."
What struck Liao Jia even more was that the evening banquet was for Ning Yan to complete her scholarly path. He instantly became listless, and even the flowers at his temples wilted. Deeply affected, he looked dejected, gulping down wine, a classic case of drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
Those unaware of the situation might have assumed that Liao Jia was dissatisfied with Ning Yan.
To prevent such a misunderstanding, Shen Tang, as the lord, stepped in to smooth things over. She didn't reveal how Liao Jiawen's path to perfection could be completed, only that his completion ceremony was related to Mei Jinghe. Shao Mei knew that Mei Jinghe's ceremony had been disrupted, and that she herself had missed a valuable opportunity, which was why she was upset, not because she had any grievances against Tu Nan.
Everyone looked at Liao Jia with sympathy.
Liao Jia's arrival was ill-timed; what a pity.
Ning Yan asked worriedly, "Is it really necessary to have Mei Jinghe?"
In certain special circumstances, the completion ceremonies of two scholars may indeed overlap, either resulting in mutual assistance and joint completion, or a fierce competition where one must advance. Mei Meng is an enemy of Kang State, and their positions are opposed. If it's the latter situation, that's fine; but if it's the former, wouldn't Liao Jia's completion ceremony be subject to constraints?
If Mei Meng doesn't cooperate, things will never be perfect?
Ning Yan was worried about this matter, and Luan Xin was also distressed upon hearing it. He subconsciously leaned forward slightly, glancing at Shen Tang out of the corner of his eye.
They were afraid that Shen Tang or Liao Jia would give them bad news.
Shen Tang hesitated for a moment: "Well, it's not that Mei Meng is the only one who can be chosen, but if we have a choice, it would be better to choose her."
It's good for Liao Jia, and it's good for everyone.
We can't let Liao Jia betray his colleagues, can we?
The path to becoming a scholar requires perfect timing, favorable location, and harmonious relationships. Each failure means a change in the assessment content and a higher level of difficulty. Even one's own parents wouldn't willingly relinquish their precious spot for perfection and have to take the exam again themselves. Shen Tang also didn't want Liao Jia to harm his own people; if he was going to cause trouble, he should harm his enemies.
Ning Yan sensed something strange. As perceptive as she was, she vaguely guessed the truth and carefully chose her words, saying, "However, Mei Jinghe should have fled back to Qi State by now. We don't know the content of her second ceremony, nor do we know when she will begin the second perfect ceremony... This matter is indeed difficult to handle."
Shen Tang also sighed.
He began to complain in his heart.
You're saying Liao Jia is "taking what others like," so why insist on stipulating that he can only take the fresh, hot-off-the-press Perfected Scholar's Path? Why can't he take other Perfected Scholar's Paths that have already been created?
Shen Tang can catch one for him.
For example, there's this old man named Wei Lou.
The main idea is to make the best use of resources.
The officials toasted each other, some getting a little tipsy, and Ning Yan, as the protagonist, was toasted repeatedly—though her colleagues congratulated her verbally, they were secretly a little envious. The perfection of the scholar's way is a height that many people can never reach in their entire lives; they were filled with envy.
Ning Yan has a good alcohol tolerance and drinks without refusing any drinks offered.
She wasn't entirely passive; when others offered her wine, she would urge them to dance. Even if she couldn't dance, she would sing a little tune or recite a couple of poems. Civil officials were somewhat reserved, but military officers were very forthright.
Qian Yong placed the wine cup on the table.
With a flick of his sleeve and a quick tuck into his waistband, he stretched out his arms, shook his head, and swayed his hips as he left the stage. His colleagues drew their swords, strummed their blades, and began to sing, tapping on the table. The tunes were all improvised.
The crowd applauded and cheered.
Wei Shou curled his lip, threw down his chopsticks, flipped off the field, and then leaped off with a nimble, tiger-like pounce, drawing even louder cheers from the sidelines. Wei Shou challenged, "Qian Shuhe, let's have a contest."
Goodness, they're getting ready for a dance battle.
The guests at the banquet spontaneously divided themselves into two camps.
You bang the gong, I beat the drum; the atmosphere is very lively.
Gongxi Chou watched as the two burly men danced and sweated profusely. Every step they took was powerful and dynamic, sometimes resembling the strides of dragons and tigers, and sometimes like the flight of phoenixes. The shadows cast by the candlelight on the ground looked like fierce beasts probing and attacking each other, containing explosive power.
After watching for a while, I also felt itchy to try it myself.
He shouted, "Me too!"
The military officers' dance was anything but graceful and slender; their steps were wide and sweeping, the rhythm passionate and unrestrained, primarily intended to display their power and strength. Ji Moqiu tried to stop them, but Gong Xichou had already vanished. Everyone was having a great time, and Shen Tang didn't call for a stop.
The central region was in chaos. She quietly approached Liao Jia and comforted her, "Shao Mei, don't be discouraged. We are now a large and powerful nation. Can't we find a suitable sucker? If we really can't find one, we can wait until the war in Gao Kingdom is over and then see how things go. We can intercept Mei Jinghe's family."
Let's also teach the Qi Kingdom a lesson.
Shen Tang calculated the time in her mind.
At this moment, Cui Hui and Miao Ne should already be on their way to Qi State. In the candlelight, her eyes flashed with a chilling calculation: "Hmm, Mei Jinghe is indeed suitable."
Liao Jia nodded: "Thank you, my lord."
He was just trying his luck.
Having missed the opportunity with Mei Jinghe, Liao Jia planned to take a long vacation to search for suitable candidates in other regions. Compared to his colleagues, Liao Jia's scholarly pursuits were rather useless; for so many years, he had only been able to annoy Qi Shan and bring misfortune to his unfortunate lord, offering almost no advantage on the front lines. Liao Jia wasn't so obsessed with military achievements, but while there was no first place in literature, there was in martial arts, and as a scholar with a literary heart, he didn't want to lose to anyone, much less be dragged down by the newcomers who would enter officialdom in the future.
This kind of distress is not unique to him.
Chu Yao was the same.
Since there's finally a glimmer of hope, we have to give it a try, no matter how difficult it may be.
Shen Tang patted his shoulder: "Want to try it too?"
As he spoke, he looked at the noisy crowd.
All the military generals were extroverted.
Even with limbs stiff as if in casts, their synchronized movements didn't hinder their unrestrained dance, making them stand out. Gongxi Chou was completely at ease in this situation, like a giant, twisting snake. If Ji Moqiu were to play the flute for him, the atmosphere would be even more captivating. Most of the civil officials were reserved, but one inadvertently joined in the fun.
Shen Tang's head was throbbing from the noise, but she didn't stop it to spoil the mood.
Occasionally, it's necessary to let loose and relieve stress.
While the Kang Kingdom was in a state of chaotic revelry, the Gao Kingdom delegation was restless and unable to eat, finding the food tasteless and unappetizing. The lively banquet was irrelevant to them; they only found the noise unbearable. When they requested an audience with Shen Tang again, Shen Tang looked at them with a half-smile. His gaze seemed to see right through their deepest secrets.
"If I may be so bold as to ask, what are your thoughts, Mr. Shen?"
"There's nothing to consider." Shen Tang's response was utterly blunt, watching the envoy's sudden change in expression with amusement. "I originally thought that your aristocratic families, having survived for generations, had long since mastered the art of human relationships, but I never imagined—tsk, it turns out it's seven parts destiny and three parts skill. Now, shouldn't you be begging me for a way out? How could you be so foolish as to try to bargain with me? You need bargaining chips at the negotiating table! Chips that can't be taken away are chips; chips that can be taken away are just easy prey!"
"Gao is already trapped like a turtle in a jar, let alone you, my lord."
"An army marches on its stomach." The Gao envoy, his back soaked with sweat, still stubbornly insisted, "The Shen Kingdom's rule is still relatively new; every day this battle is delayed, our supplies will..."
Shen Tang waved her hand: "That's you guys."
She sat up straight with a smile: "Kangguo has no shortage of food."
Then he uttered words that instilled despair: "Let alone delaying for another three to five months, even another three to five years, the impact wouldn't be significant. But if you try to bargain with me, demanding my land and my people, the impact will be terrible. Under the vast sky, all land belongs to the emperor! You want to seize my things, and you think it's for my own good?"
Haha, are you out of your mind?
Shen Tang tossed her empty wine cup a short distance in front of the envoy. The cup shattered with a crash, shards flying everywhere. Her eyes held a darkness deeper than the night, a gaze that could plunge one into an icy abyss: "When my iron cavalry tramples the Gao Kingdom to the ground, what belongs to me will only belong to me. You wish to abandon darkness for light, and you are welcome to do so. Forget about anything else. Envoy, do you have any further doubts?"
The messenger's body stiffened, and he dared not move an inch.
An imposing aura, like that of a mountain, was pressing down on my shoulders.
He was certain that if he uttered a single word that displeased Shen Tang, this overwhelming aura would completely crush him, turning his internal organs into a bloody pulp. Under the ever-present shadow of death, the Gao Kingdom envoy forced out the ugliest smile of his life.
"Clearly, undeniably!"
Shen Tang was satisfied: "Yes, that's good."
See, isn't this much easier for communication?
The Gao Kingdom delegation departed the next day, bringing back the worst news. Shen Tang paid no heed to the plight of those noble families. She simply proceeded methodically, deploying troops in three columns, advancing directly towards the Gao Kingdom's border. This battle, she wouldn't stop until she decided to!
The civil and military officials under his command were greatly encouraged by this.
During this period of truce between the two armies, they were all about to lose their temper.
Even after winning a battle, being forced to rest on the spot and watch helplessly as the remnants of the enemy escaped back to regroup was a feeling worse than death. They could tolerate their colleagues taking more credit than they did, but they couldn't stand the credits growing legs and running back to headquarters.
The moment the word "war" was mentioned, everyone became more eager than the last. They argued until they were red in the face and their necks were bulging; where was the harmony of that joyful dance battle from the previous night?
If you step on my foot, I'll spray you in the face.
There is only one core principle—
My colleagues are all noobs, but I/my mom is the best at fighting!
Shen Tang: "..."
In Kangguo, belligerence was also a virtue.
The army's departure was too commotion to be kept secret from Wu Xian.
He suddenly sent someone to request an audience with Shen Tang.
Shen Tang took some time to meet Wu Xian. It had only been a little over a month since their last meeting, and Wu Xian seemed to have aged more than ten years. His back was no longer as straight as it had been in his youth, and he exuded a sense of decadence and weariness. His appearance had also become much more disheveled. Shen Tang sighed and said, "The army is bitterly cold, unlike the luxurious palace where Brother Zhaode lives. If you are not comfortable, I will have my men find you a different place to stay."
Wu Xian didn't waste time exchanging pleasantries with Shen Tang.
Before Shen Tang arrived, he had prepared himself mentally for a long time, and some things were not as difficult to say as he had imagined: "It's not for this, but I have a request. My concubine, Mi Shi, and her two sons and two daughters... I hope that Lord Shen can consider our past friendship and spare their lives."
Six years after the disaster, I built a farm by sprouting beans.
Author: Song of Thorns
A heartwarming and healing farming story.
P.S.: Thorn's new book will be available on May Day! Time flies! Even Pigeon has started a new book, boohoo. Mushroom's new book is still in the works...sigh.
P.S.: WB is giving away keyboards! Anyone interested can participate (the keyboard is free, but you have to pay for shipping; I think this time it's Dareu sugar cubes?).
PPPS: Double rewards start at the end of the month, please vote with monthly tickets.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
