Chapter 1132: A friend comes from afar, though far away, he shall be punished. [Seeking monthly votes]
"So it was these two?"
Zhai Le stared at the intelligence report, lost in a memory.
"...Hehe, I vaguely remember."
To be precise, it left a deep impression.
His initial impression of the two stemmed from a trip to a sacred mountain and sea place many years ago, where his elder brother had tried to extend an olive branch to Gu De.
The southeastern continent is dominated by small countries. These countries are small in size and population, and their national strength is mostly comparable, lacking the power to overwhelmingly defeat one another. If they were to fight each other, no one would benefit. Therefore, they simply band together for mutual support, agreeing not only to non-aggression but also to join forces against larger powers when necessary. This cooperative behavior is not only used for self-defense but also in other areas, such as the Sacred Land of Mountains and Seas!
How can a nation retain its talent if it cannot open the sacred mountain and sea? This matter is almost a matter of a nation's continuation and survival. Individual small nations, lacking sufficient national fortune, cannot open it independently; therefore, the Southeastern nations jointly organize it, allocating quotas based on the proportion of national fortune available each time. Zhai Huan's coup and usurpation of the throne meant that the Qu Kingdom was never recognized by this alliance and was repeatedly harassed.
The sacred land of mountains and seas refused to let Qu Guo play there.
Qu Guo sacrificed its national destiny but didn't get a spot.
He's a complete sucker.
This incident also became the trigger for Zhai Huan's military campaigns abroad. Qu State fought a battle with several of its neighbors, finally bringing peace, but a grudge was formed from the start. In the second Mountain and Sea Holy Land event, Qu State contributed its national fortune but only received half of the normal quota. Zhai Le immediately wanted to quit. Did they think the people of Qu State were monkeys? Was playing them once not enough, and now they were doing it a second time? Had they not been taught a lesson yet?
Zhai Le was stopped.
【Zhai Xiaofang, don't cause trouble for the master.】
[Yu Guilong, you call this causing trouble? These old bastards outside are practically squatting on my head, taking off their blouses and peeing on me. I just get angry and you blame me for causing trouble? Are you even a man? Don't you have any backbone?]
Zhai Le was furious.
I used all the swear words I'd ever learned to curse those old bastards.
Yu Haidao: [You acted impulsively and killed someone. Could you kill ten or eight, a hundred or a thousand? Even if you don't care about your brother, you should think about the students of Qu Kingdom still here. If they perish here, is it worth it?]
Because it was a joint event hosted by multiple countries, the venue was naturally not within the territory of Qu Kingdom. The member states of the alliance took turns being the host each time. To compensate for the losses of the previous host country, the host country would receive more slots. This time, the host country even fought with Qu Kingdom.
He's going to overturn the table; Qu Guo and his group won't be able to leave alive.
Zhai Le was so angry that his chest heaved rapidly.
He slammed his fist into the table in fury, smashing it to pieces. Looking at the dust scattered on the floor, he gritted his teeth: "These old bastards, just you wait!"
These two humiliating defeats cannot be washed away without the blood of this old scoundrel.
The Qu Kingdom received half the number of places as expected, meaning that over half of the scholars in this batch were unable to enter the Mountain and Sea Sacred Land. The scholars were outraged; some criticized the Southeast Alliance countries, while others, unaware of the true nature of the situation, harbored hatred towards the Qu Kingdom—three of whom were members of the Zhai clan, and all three had secured their places. Even if they had earned their places through merit, how could the scholars, feeling cheated, possibly believe it?
The envoys from various alliances watched the farce with amusement.
Zhai Le was in a complete mess.
Explaining the situation clearly would be tantamount to openly breaking ties with other nations, and whether their group could leave alive would be uncertain; without a clear explanation, the scholars' emotions could not be appeased. At this moment, Zhai Le even felt like tearing his enemy to pieces, making the scene extremely ugly. In the end, it was the dean of Quqing Academy who stepped in to help.
[This year, there were unexpected changes at the Mountain and Sea Sacred Ground, resulting in a shortage of places. It was indeed our failure to properly inform everyone, causing you all disappointment. To compensate for your loss, after the Mountain and Sea Sacred Ground closes, you can go to Quqing Academy. The entire academy awaits you.]
These words caused an uproar among the crowd.
What kind of place is Quqing Academy?
It is a renowned university that everyone in the Southeast Continent aspires to attend.
The academy's original founder came from a poor family. It is said that he gained a great deal in the sacred land of mountains and seas. Before going there, he was just an ordinary scholar, but after leaving, he became a genius who had perfected the way of the scholar. He was well aware of the hardships of studying. When he traveled to a place, he chose a site to build an academy and took the name "Qu Qing" (meaning "clear canal") from the saying "How can the canal be so clear? Because there is a living source."
With him in charge, many students from impoverished families came to the academy. He selflessly shared the sacred texts he had collected and copied throughout his life, and answered their questions. At the same time, he actively interacted with various families, borrowing precious rare books from them.
The dean's deeds also attracted many scholars who were tired of the infighting in the chaotic world. A group of like-minded people learned from each other and made progress together. As time went on, Quqing Academy became more famous.
They held a transcendent status in the eyes of scholars in the southeast.
Also, out of respect for Quqing Academy, the country where Quqing Academy is located has been at peace for many years. Everyone tries their best not to fight with it, but if it takes the initiative to act recklessly, then there is no room for negotiation.
Zhai Le never expected that Quqing Academy would get involved in this mess.
Fortunately, the promises were effective.
The previously boisterous scholars immediately quieted down, their faces beaming with undisguised joy. Even those who had secured a place cast regretful and envious glances their way. This demonstrated that the allure of entering this academy rivaled that of the sacred land of mountains and seas. A potential problem vanished without a trace, and the young man who had stepped forward, Zhai Le, gave him a grateful look.
Thank you! May I ask your name, sir?
"The accomplished come first. How could I, Gu, possibly bear the title 'Sir'? General, simply call me Gu Yourong." Beside the young man was another strikingly handsome young man. This young man's clothes appeared simple, but his refined and noble air was clearly not something cultivated by ordinary people. Zhai Le secretly analyzed the two, then heard the first young man say, "Senior Brother Zhai, how have you been lately?"
[Senior Brother Zhai?]
[Zhai Yuewen, Yuewen's senior.]
Zhai Huan had been invited to study at Quqing Academy for two or three years, but Zhai Le didn't pay much attention to this experience because he was still very young at the time, spending his days playing in the mud with a snotty nose. Only after learning the whole story did Zhai Le realize that Quqing Academy's fate was likely to extricate his own family from trouble. Zhai Le said, "Brother, you've been in good health these past few years."
Gu De: [It's good that you're healthy. The teacher mentioned Yuewen a while ago, saying he dreamt of Yuewen when he first arrived.]
When Zhai Huan's health was mentioned, Zhai Le became less enthusiastic and abruptly changed the subject: "...This young man has an ethereal and refined appearance, pleasing to the eye at first sight. I wonder if he is a student of Quqing Academy? Would you be so kind as to introduce us?"
The young man took the initiative to introduce himself.
Xiahou Yu, courtesy name Zikuan, has met with General Zhai.
Upon hearing Xiahou Yu's surname, Zhai Le wisely swallowed his words about poaching Xiahou Yu's talent. Through pleasantries, Zhai Le learned that both men were scholars heading to the Sacred Land of Mountains and Seas, which surprised him. He had assumed they were both instructors leading teams from Quqing Academy!
Quqing Academy holds a special position, with a few fixed spots available. Talented students are sent in early to gain experience and maximize their potential. In the history of the academy, Gu De and Xiahou Yu are considered "elderly."
Gu De had clearly seen that look in his eyes more than once.
He explained the reason with a smile.
[My talent is limited, unlike my fellow students who can afford to be a few years late. Zikuan wanted to join me, which is why I kept putting it off. This year, I finally satisfied the teacher, so I'm giving it a try.]
Zhai Le listened somewhat perfunctorily.
He always knew that the words of these scholars could not be trusted.
Oh, except for his older brother.
The final result was as expected.
Gu De, who claimed to have limited talent, performed brilliantly in that year's class, sharing the spotlight with Xiahou Yuneng, both of whom were still commoners.
Being a nobody means being unclaimed and thus able to attract followers.
It's hard to say about Xiahou Yu, but there's still hope for Gu De.
Zhai Huan wrote a personal letter to the headmaster of Quqing Academy, subtly inquiring about Gu De's whereabouts and his interest in entering officialdom. He spoke cryptically, but how many scholars were truly foolish? Gu De politely declined, rejecting not only the offers from Qu State, but also from his own country and two of the more powerful nations in the Southeast Alliance.
The reasons and wording should be consistent.
He only wanted to stay at Quqing Academy as a teacher and carry on the legacy of his predecessors; the treacherous official career was not suitable for his personality.
Zhai Le then stopped paying attention to this person's movements.
Unexpectedly, seeing that name again after so many years would be right now. Zhai Le sighed, and the fleeting glimpse of that mountain path that day flashed through his mind. The young man on the mountain path was completely different from the Gu De he had seen back then, no wonder he didn't recognize him at first glance.
This intelligence report includes not only Gu De, but also Xiahou Yu.
"Things have really changed."
Zhai Le knew that the envoy he had sent years ago had been beaten up by students from Quqing Academy. Ha, he did it on purpose. Before the envoy's departure, Zhai Le had specifically hinted that he shouldn't be polite. Ideally, he would foster cooperation between the two countries; if not, he would at least give himself a reason to start a war. Quqing Academy was the protector of this country; if Zhai Le wanted to harm this country, he would have to put in some effort.
I just didn't expect Quqing Academy to be so cooperative.
The envoy merely raised the cooperation terms a bit higher and made them more demanding in court, then spread the word among the scholars, and the students of Quqing Academy took the bait. The Qu Kingdom envoy was then ganged up on by them. Hehehe, the envoy must be laughing in his sleep.
Qu used this incident as a pretext to launch an attack and exert pressure on the royal family.
Zhai Le only knew that Quqing Academy had handed over the culprit.
The royal family dealt with the culprit.
But Zhai Le didn't care who the culprit was or what his name was.
When the envoy returned, he only said that a teacher from Quqing Academy, out of excessive protectiveness, had volunteered to confess his guilt, and was hastily pushed out by the royal family to be a scapegoat. When the envoy mentioned this teacher, his eyes held admiration, sighs, and even mockery.
Zhai Le asked him what he was laughing at.
The messenger said, "That teacher is too naive."
It is better to be born in a time of peace and stability than in a time of chaos. And throughout history, how many days have there been in a time of peace and stability?
After figuring all this out, Zhai Le rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
If it were a matter of gratitude, he truly owed them a debt, and it was both morally and logically his duty to repay it. But from a standpoint of principle, the victor is king, the loser is villain; he was also their enemy. Zhai Le unconsciously scratched his hair, muttering, "But a great debt of gratitude can turn into a great enmity..."
This is really difficult to handle.
The trusted aide asked cautiously, "My lord, is it necessary to—"
As he spoke, he made a gesture of eliminating the root of the problem.
Zhai Le looked at the intelligence on the table, his peach blossom eyes flashing with a strange light: "One suffered the extreme punishment of being imprisoned, and the other's Dao heart collapsed. Even if they have a great grudge against me, they can't make a fuss."
The confidant replied, "I understand."
Zhai Le sneered, "What do you know?"
His confidant looked at his smile and felt a chill run down his spine.
He said tremblingly, "The Lord is merciful."
Zhai Le replied, "I only know how to nip it in the bud."
The death penalty doesn't mean there's no hope for the rest of his life. If Xiahou Yu comes to his senses and stops being so naive, and gives up his life, wouldn't that leave a hidden danger for himself? Gu Dedao was devastated. Who knows when he'll have an epiphany and piece things back together?
Perhaps it has already been glued back together.
Otherwise, how could he have escaped unscathed from Er Ya's arrow?
Perhaps even his appearance that day was for a purpose!
kindness?
Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.
Considering their past kindness in rescuing us, we may spare their lives.
Zhai Le then looked at the third intelligence report, this one belonging to Shen Tang under her current alias. Compared to the previous two, this report could only be described as shabby. It stated that this body had no name, was the byproduct of a night of pleasure between a prostitute and a client in a certain place, and had been unable to terminate the pregnancy despite several failed abortions. The child lost its mother at birth and was adopted by a prostitute who was on good terms with the mother's biological mother.
Besides malnutrition, her thinning hair was also due to the fact that she had her scalp torn apart by the woman and her relatives who came to catch her in the act of adultery while protecting an elderly prostitute. Afterwards, she was forced to steal to pay for the prostitute's medical treatment, but was caught within two days. Zhai Le sneered as he read the contents: "Just a frail ten-year-old child, how could she possibly carry away three thousand taels of silver?"
Even framing someone requires some thought.
Having witnessed too many shady schemes over the years, Zhai Le saw through the trickery at a glance. Most of the money in the warehouse had already been embezzled by these scoundrels, and they were just struggling with the accounting when they stumbled upon a fool. Without hesitation, the fool pinned all the losses on her.
Born to a prostitute, a bastard child raised by a prostitute.
No one cares how she died, even if she did.
No matter how much we planned, we never expected the country to perish so quickly.
The tool used to settle accounts didn't have time to be executed, and the Qu Kingdom was about to reopen a muddled and confusing wrongful case. By a twist of fate, she survived. As for the claim of being the granddaughter of a renowned physician and having a family background in traditional medicine, that's all nonsense this child is spouting!
These words couldn't possibly have been her idea either.
The only possibility is that it was authorized by Gu De and Xiahou Yu.
What are their intentions? What do they want to achieve?
Zhai Le gazed at the daylight outside, his eyes cold and menacing.
"Remember to make it clean."
"Your subject obeys!"
Let's put it another way—
Shen Tang grinned broadly as she received the double reward. She refused help from others and insisted on holding it in her arms herself.
This heavy weight really fascinated her.
After Kangguo fought Beimo, it went on to fight Gaoguo. How much money did Xun Zhen burn through her? How much debt did he leave her with? Shen Tang didn't even have the courage to look at the exact amount. She thought she would have to pay off her debts until she died, and that she would never own a penny of her own in this lifetime!
To everyone's surprise, the money Zixu earned wouldn't be deducted! She unilaterally and officially declared that [Zixu Wuyou] is the most awesome way of the literati, and Tu Nan is the head of the literati!
No! Yes! One!
However, this joy did not last long.
Noticing the little tail following her, her smile faded.
"No way, Zhai Xiaofang is going to snatch back even this small reward?"
"If you can't handle the game, then don't play!"
|ω`)
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