Chapter 1185: Stirring Up Trouble (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Liao Qian thought he had made himself very clear.
However, he clearly didn't understand Liao Jia's thought process.
"Whether you refuse or not is not something you or she can decide." The last trace of a smile on Liao Jia's face disappeared without a trace, replaced by an irresistible forcefulness and domineering attitude. "I am merely informing you, not soliciting your wishes. Your sister is most comfortable with a club, which is not unacceptable, but she must be able to choose a club, not just have a club to choose from."
Liao Qian felt that this person was being unreasonable.
"Can't you understand human language?"
Liao Jia said, "You can only listen to me."
Liao Qian laughed in anger at these words: "Just ask, on what grounds?"
What right did this so-called uncle/aunt, who was practically unrelated to them, have to boss his siblings around? Where was he when they were almost eaten? If he wasn't there then, he should at least stay away now. Liao Qian, mindful of Liao Jia's status, dared not harbor any murderous intent and could only stop short of killing him. He snorted coldly, preparing to distance himself from this madman. Just as he took a step, a sword was held against his neck, the cold blade almost touching his skin.
Liao Qian's anger rose from his heart!
Liao Jia said, "Because you have no choice but to comply."
He showed Liao Qian what true choice really means through his actions!
“A choice is one that allows room for maneuver; a choice without room for maneuver is merely a compromise.” Liao Jia ignored the other party’s face, which was ashen, and said in a playful tone, “Repaying a debt of gratitude is my business. You have no right to choose; you only have the option to compromise with me.”
We don't need their opinions.
As for what to do, just listen to his few beautiful words.
"I am a valiant warrior!"
Killing a single scholar with the Literary Heart skill is as easy as playing around, isn't it?
Liao Jia raised an eyebrow, ignoring his threat, and instead scoffed in a contemptuous and provocative tone, "Try it!"
Liao Qian: "..."
If Liao Qian initially had some confidence, he was completely at a loss after seeing Shen Tang silently take a small step towards Liao Jia. Shen Tang's action hinted at only one thing—her relationship with this red-robed monster was probably more than what it appeared to be!
He had no choice but to change his strategy, inwardly cursing Shen Tang.
If he had known this would happen, he would have preferred to rot in the Cui family!
Liao Qian suppressed his anger: "Didn't you say that my mother was kind to you? Is this how you repay the offspring of your benefactor?"
Liao Jia showed no intention of putting down his longsword.
"She only entrusted your elder sister to my care before she died, not you." Faced with the questioning, she not only showed no guilt but also spoke with righteous indignation: "You are indeed her offspring, but you are still that man's bloodline. Your biological father is the one who killed her! If you obey me, you are the offspring of my benefactor. If you don't, then you are the son of my enemy. Don't you understand this simple truth?"
Liao Qian: "..."
He said that people in chaotic times all have mental problems.
I've run into someone who's completely out of their mind!
Despite the throbbing veins on his forehead, and the palpable killing intent emanating from Liao Jia, Liao Qian had no choice but to compromise.
"My sister won't agree."
Liao Jia scoffed at this and made another explosive statement: "As long as she doesn't want to see your head, I think she'll be willing."
Liao Qian: "..."
I suddenly became curious about the connection between the red-robed monster and his mother.
How can you be sure that your mother was kind to you, rather than hostile to you?
The persuasion had a somewhat satisfactory effect; Liao Jia sheathed his sword and asked Liao Qian to write a letter to summon his elder sister. He said that if he wanted to take her away, he would definitely do so. Liao Qian could only reluctantly agree.
The thought that he had been forced to compromise, thus aligning himself with the Red-Robed Monster's twisted logic, filled him with rage—that was one reason. Secondly, the other party's claims of being his uncle/aunt were only partial, and the authenticity of the will entrusting his daughter to them was questionable. He must be out of his mind to let his sister be taken away by such a person. His agreement was merely a delaying tactic, but surely a seasoned veteran like Liao Jia could guess that?
Liao Qian: "Your sister is not young anymore, how can you help her?"
Liao Jia: "That's not something you should worry about."
Liao Qian: "..."
Judging from what I've heard, this red-robed monster is doing quite well.
Liao Jia gently reminded him, "You'd better not get any funny ideas. You don't want to experience my methods firsthand. Back then, I hated your father for his heartlessness towards your mother and for discarding your elder sister like trash, which made it impossible for me to bring her out of the inner palace. Times have changed, and it won't be difficult to take your elder sister away without your consent. Unless you are as heartless as your father!"
These words were indeed somewhat ambiguous.
Liao Qian felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this.
My mother was a woman from the inner palace? Doesn't that mean my elder sister and I are both of royal lineage? Thinking back on the many hardships I endured in my childhood, I can't help but sigh at the unpredictability of life. What good is royal blood? In chaotic times, it can also become food on our plates.
Judging from the red-robed monster's words, the other party had also coveted his mother? No wonder, no wonder the other party had such strange logic! He recklessly said, "Like father, like son, that's hard to say."
The next instant, he felt a real killing intent.
The red-robed monster's eyes clearly showed his murderous intent. Liao Qian subconsciously took a half step back, his martial energy surging in his dantian, his fighting spirit almost spiraling out of control. The red-robed monster's killing intent wasn't threatening; he genuinely wanted to kill him. Just because of that one word of agreement?
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, Shen Tang stepped in to intervene.
“This is not the place to discuss this.” Shen Tang subtly suppressed Liao Jia’s urge to draw his sword, lest he do something he would regret for the rest of his life in a moment of impulsiveness. “Your Excellency… well, it is a joyous occasion that you have found the son of an old friend. We should hold a banquet to celebrate and drink a large toast.”
The real Liao Qian was right there. It would be awkward for Shen Tang to call him by the pseudonym Liao Jia had borrowed, and she couldn't call him by his real name either, so she could only gloss over it. Liao Jia suppressed his emotions with reason and warned Liao Qian in an indifferent tone: "Don't let me hear the same thing twice. If I do, I won't care if you're her son or not!"
He felt extreme disgust for the other half of Liao Qian's bloodline.
This child has truly learned from his biological father; Liao Jia won't give him any face.
Liao Qian: "..."
The four of them returned to the government office in silence.
Shen Tang asked the kitchen lady to prepare some dishes that Liao Jia was used to eating, and also arranged for more than twenty jars of pure, undiluted spirit wine. Just the aroma of the overflowing wine was enough to make one feel a hazy intoxication. It made Liao Qian temporarily forget his previous unpleasantness, and after taking a small sip, he felt even more like cursing.
Is this spirit wine the same thing as the spirit wine from the monthly stipend?
They're completely different!
He couldn't help but take two more sips, and when he looked up and saw the red-robed monster drinking silently, he couldn't help but ask the question that had been weighing on his mind for many years.
"Mother, what kind of person is she?"
Liao Jia came to his senses and realized that he was asking him.
This question stumped him. His memories of that person were so distant that they were faded and blurry, and he couldn't come up with any specific words to describe her. Liao Jia said instinctively, "She was a renowned scholar, learned and intelligent, kind and gentle, yet decisive and ruthless. Hmph, if she were a man, or if she had been born more than twenty years later, there would be fewer than two people in the world who could overshadow her."
Liao Qian asked, "And his appearance?"
Liao Jia said sarcastically, "Appearance? I never expected that the person who asked such a shallow question would be her son. However, considering what kind of scoundrel your father was, it's not surprising. In the face of absolute talent and ability, appearance is the least important thing. One's will should be as high as the heavens and as broad as the earth. There are always some scoundrels who can only see the outer appearance."
Liao Qian: "..."
He couldn't resist insulting his biological father in every three sentences.
It seems that the biological father, whom I've never met, is indeed not a person.
“I asked her what she looked like just to see her. In the past, when I thought of my mother, all I could picture was a blank face.”
Everyone has a mother, and he and his sister naturally do too.
Liao Jia remained silent for a moment.
He softened his tone: "I'll paint a portrait of you later."
Liao Qian became increasingly certain that the Red-Robed Monster harbored different feelings for his mother, unsure whether to pity him or mock him. Liao Qian then inquired about his parents' identities, but Liao Jia was reluctant to answer. At this moment, Cui Mi interjected, "In the last fifty years, there have been four royal families with the surname Liao in the southwest, each originating from a different branch. But to match Zun Guang's age, there should only be two such families in different countries."
The two countries were originally one, but were split apart due to internal strife among their sons, and both were destroyed shortly afterward. Though called a royal family, they were essentially two tiny kingdoms. Based on Liao Jia's attire and the few words she revealed, Cui Mi could basically confirm this.
Liao Qian silently noted it down, preparing to look it up.
Liao Jia glanced at him indifferently.
"Does Cui Erlang have anything he cherishes?"
The question was abrupt, and Liao Qian was puzzled, while Cui Mi's smile froze. He knew that Liao Jia was warning him not to say anything more.
Liao Jia gave a mocking smile.
His features were rather subtle. When expressionless, he exuded the refined elegance of a scholar; but the moment the corners of his lips curled into a smile, he instantly transformed from a rustic gentleman into a treacherous villain—a face that made you want to slap him. Three parts cunning, seven parts lewdness!
Cui Mi: "..."
He looked at Shen Tang, who was sitting at the head of the table.
The latter remained as steady as a mountain, showing no intention of making decisions for him.
Cui Mi's feelings at this moment were exactly the same as Liao Qian's not long ago; the two were in the same boat! He could only suffer in silence.
Fortunately, Liao Jia did not stay for long.
They disappeared on the third day.
Liao Qian breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that the red-robed monster was gone. When he returned to his room, he saw an unfamiliar scroll on the table. The scroll was brand new and of luxurious quality. He opened it with a complicated expression. The person in the painting was only in his early twenties, with her hair styled in the bun of an unmarried woman.
Her appearance wasn't particularly outstanding or stunning; in fact, it was quite ordinary.
The few pieces of information all seemed strange.
How could someone of ordinary appearance attract the emperor's covetousness? In the southwest, it was common for women to marry upon reaching marriageable age, creating a conflict between the woman's attire and age in the painting. It wasn't until Liao Qian opened the letter beside him that things became clear.
All doubts have been answered.
Liao Qian muttered, "He really is a bastard."
He took the letter and went to see Shen Tang.
"Does Magistrate Shen know where that person went?"
Shen Wuyou Tang buried himself in official documents: "It's not the right time to know yet. When the time is right, you will know."
Liao Qian had no choice but to give up.
In this vast sea of people, there's nothing he can do if his lord doesn't speak up.
He followed his routine every day, going to his shifts and practicing his cultivation. Watching the exorbitantly priced grain he'd borrowed at 5.2 percent being planted in the fields, he couldn't understand it. Winter was approaching; was it really rice planting season? Others shared the same question, but dared not speak out due to Shen Tang's consistently ruthless methods.
This batch of grain went down the drain; they'll learn their lesson then. As long as the government pays monthly salaries on time, who cares about anything else?
One by one, they all adopted an indifferent attitude, ignoring the fact that it didn't concern them.
Liao Qian was, after all, a young confidant whom the Cui family had painstakingly cultivated, originally intended for their eldest son, Cui Xiong. His abilities were naturally commendable. He was exceptionally perceptive of outside intelligence; even in this remote, impoverished region, he vaguely sensed something strange—had something major happened outside in the past few months?
"Has Erlangjun received any news from the clan recently?"
He turned to Cui Mi to inquire about the news.
Cui Mi glanced at him sideways: "What do you want to know?"
Liao Qian said, "I just feel that things have been strange lately."
It seems that we rarely hear news about aristocratic families anymore.
In the past, the marketplace was often abuzz with gossip about how talented and eloquent a young man was, or how beautiful and charming a lady was, or how a family was enjoying great wealth and power, or how someone had hosted a spectacular banquet... there were even rumors of romantic entanglements among the young men. The common people were quite interested in these stories.
Lately, it's been unusually quiet and deserted.
Cui Mi thought he was going to ask something.
Leaning back, with his elbows bent and his hands wrapped around the swing ropes, he ate some snacks and casually replied, "We're all too busy taking care of ourselves."
"Too busy to take care of themselves?"
Cui Mi said, "Everyone's eyes are crossed like cocks now."
"Cross-eyed?"
Cui Mi said, "Yes, the families that used to live in peace suddenly started to dislike each other. The court is in chaos, with new drama unfolding every day. It's a mess, and it's quite a spectacle just thinking about it."
How could this be?
Cui Mi slurped up a mouthful of steamed egg custard.
"From what my elder brother said in his letter home, it seems that each family has lost something, something very serious. Everyone suspects that their rivals planted spies in their own homes to steal it. They're living in fear and paranoia. How can they possibly care about saving face?"
"Did you lose something?"
Cui Mi guessed, "These are aristocratic families, but how many of them have clean hands? I reckon these things would make them stick their shit-covered asses out in public. Nobody can afford to lose face like that!"
Liao Qian: "..."
He just wanted to know how these deadly things were lost.
Who stole it again!
Cui Mi said, "My brother said it might be the king's doing."
Liao Qian knew this was impossible.
If the ruler truly possessed such control, she wouldn't have been locked in a power struggle with the aristocratic families for so many years, struggling to implement even a new policy. If it were truly her, she could simply reveal the item and have the aristocratic families obediently comply. Why wait until now, creating such widespread panic? Cui Mi said, "The truth isn't important. What's important is that the item was truly lost, and whether it was lost without anyone noticing. The ruler has indeed consolidated considerable power during this period, making her the prime suspect."
Cui Mi has been somewhat troubled lately.
The letters from his elder brother, which initially inquired about his well-being, gradually shifted to seeking advice on how to interact with women. His fiancée was gaining increasing favor with the king; what should he do? His fiancée's favor meant that his former confidante, Mei Meng, was losing some of the king's attention. Would this invite Mei Meng's retaliation?
Cui Mi: "..."
Liao Qian asked worriedly, "Will this affect us?"
"This place is so tiny, it's not even enough to be a pawn for big shots! Instead of worrying about how the power struggles above will affect us, we should be thinking about whether the rice we plant this time of year will cause a famine next year..."
Liao Qian agreed wholeheartedly: "Second Master is right."
at the same time--
Shen Tang, who had changed into her fluffy winter clothes early in the morning, slammed her hand on the table and said, "I'll repeat myself, what is the meaning of these people? Have they gone against the Heavenly Gang? Do they want to use these few people to waste my hundreds of thousands of yuan worth of roundworm medicine? What the hell? They only sent a few people?"
"They didn't pay for the medicine..."
After flipping the table, Shen Tang strode away.
The court attendant and others had to run like the wind to catch up.
"This is a New Year's gift for you."
Shen Tang only cared about one thing: "New Year's gifts? They know it's almost New Year's! Don't they know they can't go through the New Year in debt? Has the money for the roundworm medicine been settled? If not, am I supposed to go and ask for it?"
One of the benefits of becoming a major power—
Some neighboring small states come to the Gongbai Wharf.
Besides gold and silver jewelry, there were also beautiful women, and even daughters of the imperial clan. Given Shen Tang's gender, the candidate became a son of the imperial clan.
This time, the gift was given in a different way than usual.
The person was sent through diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, and after going through a complicated process, the person was delivered to Shen Tang as a state gift!
It has happened before, but never on this scale.
This year is exceptionally different.
An envoy from another country openly stated the purpose of their tribute in the court, almost catching Chen Tang off guard.
The official in charge of the "state gift" was aware of his mission. He neither resisted nor flattered Shen Tang, and his appearance was indeed exceptionally handsome. When he met Shen Tang, a fleeting look of amazement crossed his eyes. Besides him, there were more than twenty other dowry attendants.
"I am willing to sacrifice myself to protect the friendship between our two nations~" After the court session ended, Gu Chi, wrapped in heavy winter clothes, imitated the tone of a "state official" in a high-pitched voice, "Tsk, this is the first time I've seen the emperor leave behind his civil and military officials and just walk away after the 'court session' has ended. I'm quite angry."
Bai Su placed the teapot filled with clean snow on the stove, her tone flat: "He doesn't even give gifts to people he doesn't truly care about. In the past, none of the women who were sent away for political marriages were so proud and arrogant as to say such things... He really thinks he's something special."
The Lord felt only humiliated.
Gu Chi said, "It's not good to start a war during the New Year."
The lord was furious, while his colleagues rejoiced.
Everyone's inner voice is screaming, "Let's fight!"
Bai Su: "It's because military merit is so rare."
Warfare requires a just cause; you can't just attack whomever you want. The other side has delivered a ready-made excuse, so it would be a shame not to seize the opportunity to launch an attack. Perfect timing, let's test the attitudes of the countries in the central continent.
We can't even wait for spring; there are still months until the Lunar New Year.
My colleagues all wanted a quick resolution.
Gu Chi: "That excuse is a bit weak. The emperor may not care, but he still has to consider his reputation in history books."
The pretext for sending troops to destroy a country was that the other party had given him a man.
That sounds a bit outrageous.
He gets beaten up whether he offers women or men; he's hard to please!
Shen Tang decided to send an envoy to ask for the money first.
Let's settle the bill for the roundworm medicine first, and we can discuss whether or not to administer the treatment later.
Before he knew it, the New Year was approaching, and Cui Zhi began to worry about the New Year's arrangements for his entire family. He had to oversee all matters, big and small, within the clan, and keep a close eye on the chaotic state of the court. Lately, he felt like he was on guard duty with both eyes even while sleeping! He also had to find time to keep an eye on the neighboring countries.
Then--
He saw an outrageous message among a bunch of messages.
"Kangguo sent an envoy, Wan, to the neighboring country of Zhen. Envoy Wan and..." Cui Zhi blinked, carefully deciphering the words, and questioned his existence, "No, they've already started fighting? Did Qi Yuanliang do this?"
|ω`)
Today I drove my practice car on the road, and my companions and I were wondering how to read the fuel gauge. Why was it different from the training car? We couldn't see a fuel level indicator; shouldn't there be bars or something? After driving about 40 or 50 kilometers, still puzzled, we went to a gas station and asked the staff how to do it. They boldly told us to fill it up with 92 octane.
Then……
Watching the numbers jump wildly, I was speechless as I saw the fuel gauge finally show some bars.
Good grief, we were out of gas before.
After filling it up, it tastes exactly like the training car – the familiar flavor.
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