Chapter 1195: This Time It Was Great (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
What Qian Yong could think of, the ruler of Zhenguo, who had been the ruler for many years, could naturally think of as well, and he could even think of more.
There isn't much mascot needed to appease the Zhen Kingdom.
If a princess who harbors resentment towards him survives, then he, the deposed ruler of Zhen Kingdom, will be dispensable. If he were to fall into the hands of Qian Yong, he might be unable to live or die! Thinking of this, the ruler of Zhen Kingdom turned paler than a corpse that had been in the morgue for three days, which made Qian Yong extremely happy, and he clapped his hands and laughed.
"Haha, are you scared to death?"
The King of Zhen Kingdom feigned composure and said, "I am willing to live and die with Zhen Kingdom. If it weren't for your despicable interference, why would I be here being humiliated by you? My son, as a member of the royal family, should live and die with the country. He will not be swayed by your words, much less turn against his father and me as you wish... You should give up on your attempt to sow discord! You despicable villain!"
Qian Yong chuckled and shook his head with a hint of sarcasm.
"Sigh, if the border defenses of Zhen Kingdom were even 30% as tough as your words, they wouldn't be so easily defeated. When you said 'you'd live and die with Zhen Kingdom,' did you mean you'd jump off a tall building? Hahaha, that kind of behavior only fools idiots. Not to mention that such a height wouldn't kill you, even if it did, would your will to die be so firm that you could suppress your body's instinct to survive?"
An ordinary person would surely die if they jumped.
But is this classmate an ordinary person?
No matter how much he indulged in beauty and neglected his cultivation over the years, it cannot change the fact that he was capable of cultivation, and that he was cultivating using the nation's destiny.
Qian Yong ruthlessly tore away the fig leaf of the Zhen Kingdom's ruler.
The latter's face turned pale and then red, and he became furious with embarrassment.
Clearly, Qian Yong had hit the nail on the head regarding his most secret thoughts.
Qian Yong sneered: "What kind of person are you? Do you think I don't know?"
He then said with great interest, "Speaking of which, I haven't met your daughter yet? She's my niece by seniority, so I should go and see her."
He not only wanted to go see it himself, but also wanted to bring others to see it.
For his own amusement, Qian Yong ordered his men to seal the mouth of the King of Zhen, so that the king could only listen and look, but could not speak!
Qian Yong had initially intended to mock his enemy's daughter, but seeing the child, roughly the same age as his own, pale-faced, with her forearm and below completely severed, blood seeping from the wound and soaking the bandages, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. Despite the severe blood loss, she was fortunate; Shen Tang had assigned three physicians to Qian Yong's troops, and only now could one spare to pull her back from the brink of death. She had regained consciousness, but her spirits were low…
The physician said, "This young lady is determined to die."
Qian Yong found it strange and couldn't understand her logic: "Have the will to die? No way, you managed to struggle to survive with such a big wound, and now that you've been given a second chance at life, you're starting to have the will to die?"
The physician carefully explained to Qian Yong.
"...General, not everyone can be so open-minded as to accept disability." Not to mention that the young girl is not yet of marriageable age, has been raised in seclusion since childhood, and has a simple and sensitive personality. How could she accept waking up to find that both her hands are gone and her arms are left with only slanted cuts?
Let alone young ladies from noble families, many soldiers in the military camps cannot overcome this hurdle—even if medical practitioners can restore a severed limb, this opportunity must be waited for. Before receiving treatment, they must live with their disabled bodies, and those with weak wills are easily led astray.
Qian Yong said sheepishly, "It was my oversight."
The physician wrote a prescription and left.
He also had to rush elsewhere to treat wounded soldiers—no matter how quickly and smoothly the battle in Kangguo was fought, it was impossible to have zero casualties.
Qian Yong frowned as he looked at the lifeless princess. She was like a living, breathing piece of wood, utterly limp, and his arrival hadn't brought her to her senses. Qian Yong pulled over a small stool and sat down with an air of authority: "You're nothing like your father."
After a long while, the former princess's numb eyes showed a hint of emotion.
She asked in a hoarse voice, "Did my father die for his country?"
Qian Yong crossed his arms and said, "He jumped off the city wall."
Tears welled in the former princess's eyes, and the pent-up emotions in her heart seemed to dissipate at that moment. She hated her father, hated his incompetence, hated his heartlessness, hated his bullying of the weak and fear of the strong... He still had the strength to wield his sword, but instead of charging towards the enemy, he fell upon the weak.
This action disgusted and abhorred her.
Hearing that the other side had jumped to their deaths in the city, my negative emotions subsided considerably.
Regardless, my father was strict with others and with himself, and he barely managed to maintain the last vestige of dignity of a ruler...
So what else could she possibly blame the other party for?
She sighed softly and raised her half-arm: "I don't know who the general is or what he wants to do with me, but—a scholar can be killed but not humiliated! My father died for his country, and as a descendant of the Zhen royal family, I should have some use. I am not someone the general can humiliate and abuse at will. Besides, I am already crippled. With the general's status, what kind of beautiful women wouldn't you have?"
The former princess knew that her words were of no use.
When the Kingdom of Zhen was still in power, she was a princess.
With Zhenguo gone, she was nothing more than a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
The title of former princess only adds to the pleasure of others conquering her; her past status and position are all meaningless.
Qian Yong retorted with ill intent: "Does Your Highness think that the height of the city wall is enough to kill anyone? Since he can't be killed by jumping, whether he jumps off the city wall or a cliff, isn't it all just for show? Just for this one performance, even a ruler of a fallen kingdom can gain a good reputation."
As soon as she finished speaking, the former princess suddenly sat up straight.
A flush of rage painted her cheeks with an unhealthy hue, and her once bright eyes were now crisscrossed with bloodshot veins. Qian Yong could see two flames raging within her eyes as the former princess spoke through gritted teeth, each word uttered with venom: "He's not dead!"
If she still had hands, she would clench her fists tightly, so tightly that her knuckles would turn blue and white! The former princess felt that her anger was about to burn away the air in her chest, and a strong sense of suffocation was about to overwhelm her.
Her teeth chattered so hard her voice cracked with rage: "How could he live! How could he have the audacity to live like this!"
Qian Yong watched silently as blood flowed freely from the severed wounds on her arms.
"I guess it's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death?" He chuckled inwardly, making sarcastic remarks aloud. "Murder kills others, but suicide takes one's own life. The difficulty of the two things is on completely different levels. It's easier to be lenient with yourself and strict with others than with yourself. Don't you understand such a simple principle?"
The former princess didn't need Qian Yong to stir up trouble at all.
She's so angry she's about to spontaneously combust.
Using the pretext of national righteousness to kill his wife and daughter, yet choosing to prolong his own life, what does that make the people who died at his hands? A joke! It only proves that he killed himself not for any ridiculous excuse, but purely because he couldn't tolerate his woman and bloodline falling into enemy hands and becoming a stain that humiliates him!
Overwhelmed by intense emotions, the former princess let out a mournful, ghostly laugh—mocking herself for being so stupid and foolish not long ago, having escaped death and still foolishly making excuses for the murderer's actions!
She's being a jerk!
All of this is the retribution she deserves!
Qian Yong was also worried about provoking people too much, which would make things less fun. While secretly enjoying the thought of how the Queen of Zhen Kingdom would react to these words, he comforted the former princess, saying, "Your father has been on the throne for so many years, it's understandable that he would be attached to the mortal world."
It took the former princess a long time to regain some of her composure.
She looked up and stared at Qian Yong with her scarlet eyes.
He asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Despite being a sheltered princess, she was well aware of the fate of royal women in a fallen kingdom. The fact that she woke up not to be abandoned in a brothel or given as a concubine to a meritorious general, but instead had a physician tend to her injuries, was highly unusual!
Something unusual must be going on!
Or is it that this military general admires the disabled?
Qian Yong had no idea what she was thinking at that moment: "Your Highness was quite clever just now, wasn't she? As long as you are a descendant of the Zhen Kingdom's royal family and there is no room for you to be replaced, His Majesty, considering that you are just a woman, will not only not be wary of you, but will also treat you well, to demonstrate his benevolence and virtue, so that the remnants of the Zhen Kingdom and the old officials can all see!"
He spoke with ill intent: "Does Your Highness understand?"
The King of Zhenguo is not dead yet.
Princess Wang Ji is not the best choice.
The former princess scrutinized Qian Yong for a long time, seemingly trying to see through his motives. Qian Yong asked, "Would Your Highness commit patricide?"
Parricide?
The two words struck the former princess's heart.
She said, "Impossible!"
He calmed his breathing and continued, "He was heartless and killed his daughter, but I am not a beast who disregards human ethics. How could I kill my father for this?"
Qian Yong smiled and added, "Your Highness, please don't rush to answer. Listen to what I have to say first before making a judgment. If I say that Your Highness follows the plan, not only will you be able to live a peaceful and worry-free life for the rest of your days, but your arms will also be able to recover completely?"
The former princess shuddered, incredulous.
Qian Yong looked her straight in the eye and said frankly, "That's right."
Limb regeneration is not uncommon.
However, there are few physicians in the medical field to begin with, and even fewer who have cultivated to this level. Limb regeneration is only a limited service provided to disabled soldiers, primarily those who have retired due to age, to ensure they can live normal lives after their service. The former princess had no merit or reward and would normally not be eligible for limb regeneration, but Qian Yong could help.
As the price for his help—
"Your Highness, to be honest, your father is my enemy."
The former princess felt a surge of fear: "Since he is your enemy, why don't you do it? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to kill him yourself?"
Qian Yong slowly shook his head, rejecting the former princess's suggestion: "That's pointless. If I were to kill him with my own hands, it wouldn't be revenge, because he would be the one who gets the satisfaction! I would be the one who feels wronged!"
Revenge should be thoroughly satisfying.
Qian Yong said, "Your Highness need not be troubled. Even if you do nothing, it doesn't matter. You can still live a stable life as the Princess of Zhen. What grudge can there be between a father and daughter?"
The former princess asked urgently, "What about my hand?"
Qian Yong said, "Keeping the severed arm will only make your father feel more guilty. Its existence will constantly remind him that he owes you, his daughter... Anyway, you will live a life of luxury from now on, with your hands being used for everything."
The former princess's pupils trembled slightly.
Qian Yong sat for a while longer before getting up.
"I am very busy, so I will not disturb Your Highness's recovery."
Qian Yong patted his behind and left.
A trusted subordinate quickly followed: "General, that lady seems to be a gentle and kind person, I'm afraid she won't do as I say."
Why go through all this trouble just to kill someone?
He said, "The King of Zhenguo is an eyesore to you. Why don't I take care of him for you? When the emperor investigates, he will only hold me accountable. At most, I'll be fined, dismissed, and given a beating..."
Qian Yong, who was ahead, suddenly stopped.
The lieutenant nearly bumped into him: "General?"
Qian Yong solemnly warned, "When you work under me, all you need to do is watch my expression! What you can and cannot do is up to me, not the master! Do you think you're Zhao Dayi? If Zhao Dayi oversteps his bounds, the master will only punish him with a tea party. If you act on your own initiative, you'll lose your head! Who gave you permission to be so clever?"
What does "at most a salary deduction and dismissal" mean?
Do they think that the cost is low enough to just kill the ruler of a defeated nation at will?
Is such reckless behavior a death wish? Aren't you afraid that one day, after the rabbit is caught, the hunting dog will be cooked, and this incident will become an excuse for Shen Youli to settle scores?
Lieutenant: "...This subordinate knows his mistake."
Qian Yong exhaled a breath of stale air: "Get up. This is not your fault. It's just that our lord seems too easy to talk to."
It's so good it makes you feel like you're floating on air.
The lieutenant stammered, "Since you have these concerns, why did you instigate that princess to commit patricide? If the lord finds out, won't he also hold you accountable? It's better to let this humble general take the blame!"
The King of Zhen must die!
We must avenge the general!
Qian Yong looked up at the sky and sighed, "Firstly, revenge is about destroying someone's spirit; secondly, I also want to see..."
"Look? Look at what?"
Qian Yong lightly patted his deputy's helmet and chuckled, "Look at how much I'm worth on the lord's side. Even as I get older, I still have a competitive spirit and a sense of curiosity... Hmm, just this once, don't let it happen again."
He's not like Qi Yuanliang; he doesn't have that many enemies.
The kingdom of Zhenguo is almost finished once the king dies.
The lieutenant was heartbroken: "...General, you've changed!"
The general wasn't like this back then.
Qian Yong kicked his tail.
"Stop talking nonsense and go count the spoils! When those leeches from the Ministry of Revenue arrive, they'll confiscate so many good things!"
Those people in the Ministry of Revenue were truly his lifelong enemies!
The lieutenant was kicked so hard he stumbled, clutching his backside as he ran away.
I said three days, and it's three days.
Along with the news of victory, Shen Tang received over a hundred crates filled with spoils of war, as well as news of the sudden illness of the King of Zhen. Shen Tang's attention was focused on the former, and he paid little attention to the latter's death, even though the news said the illness was a hoax…
because--
"The truth is not important."
Shen Tang never intended to let the ruler of Zhen Kingdom live.
They had long tacitly approved of Qian Yong's killing to seek revenge.
“However, the idea of a son inducing his father to kill is too morally reprehensible. If it gets back to the Censorate, Qian Shuhe won’t have a moment of peace for the next few years. This is the last time. Let’s treat this as an emergency and hold the funeral as if it were a sudden illness…” Shen Tang discussed with Gu Chi.
Let's put this matter behind us.
Shen Tang is more concerned about the developments in other countries.
On the day Zhen Kingdom was attacked, the royal court sent envoys to neighboring and allied countries to request military assistance. Unfortunately, the envoys had barely delivered the message when Zhen Kingdom was wiped out, a mere three days later. The countries that received the secret letter requesting aid were now essentially holding a ticking time bomb. Should they send troops under the banner of helping Zhen Kingdom restore its kingdom?
Should we send troops, or not?
|ω`)
These past few days I've been catching Rotten Tomatoes messing around. They actually fed the author's hard work to AI?! Are they crazy?! Even if it's a pile of crap, it's still crap the author painstakingly built word by word. How can it be turned into mangled pieces?! Damn it!
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