Chapter 1215: Propelling the Fire Forth [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
A martial artist of Gong Xi Chou's strength and courage, if he were to unleash his speed and fight alone, would arrive at his destination in no time at all.
Even though Shen Tang discarded over three hundred burdens, greatly slowing down the overall march, the efficiency was still considerable.
Therefore, he had questions.
"Does Mama really want to save her?"
If it really meant to save someone, he would really do his part.
If he doesn't want to save her, then he'll just go through the motions.
We need to discuss this with him, so that Gong Xichou doesn't go out and put in a lot of effort only to end up with nothing to show for it. That would be such a waste! Shen Tang was just about to tell him about this: "You've come at the right time. I was just about to give you some instructions. Just focus on your training!"
Gong Xichou pointed to himself: "Seriously?"
Shen Tang said, "I've already made arrangements. If you don't fight seriously, your lifelong reputation could be ruined!"
Gongxi Chou didn't like hearing this.
With his naturally arrogant face, he uttered the most arrogant words: "Hmph, in this world, the only ones who can make me suffer are Mama and that old codger hiding in the shadows. Below the rank of Marquis, I am your equal... at most, Yun Yuanmou will join in to share a piece of the pie. Aren't the southwestern kingdoms all just a bunch of chickens and dogs?"
Gong Xichou added another patch.
"With my elder brother here, I stand out from the crowd!" He is a rare martial artist who enjoys exclusive support. Although his military achievements and status are not as high as those of Chu Jie, the number one general, who doesn't admire his martial prowess? If you're not convinced, you can come and prove your strength.
Shen Tang couldn't stand seeing Gong Xi Chou so smug.
"The High Priest seems to favor me more?"
Gong Xichou could deliver a fatal blow with a single rhetorical question.
"You think you can easily go to the battlefield and fight generals now?" No matter how much the eldest brother favors Mama, it's useless. Mama doesn't even have a chance to participate. Therefore, he is the only one—the one and only!
Shen Tang: "..."
Gong Xichou felt a mixture of smug satisfaction and annoyance at seeing her humiliated expression. For the people of Kang, having a ruler who worked tirelessly day and night should be a good thing, but for Gong Xichou, it wasn't so comfortable. He had invited Mama to spar five times, and she had refused him four times. The only time she agreed, she couldn't fully enjoy it, and he had to rack his brains to find a suitable place for the sparring.
After several attempts, I no longer wanted to contact her.
Gong Xiqiu's snake-like eyes spun around, and Yun Ce became a "good value for money" alternative—not weak, making rapid progress, and with a good temper, even able to tolerate Gong Xiqiu's bad temper.
"I knew it! Being someone else's lord is such a hassle!"
He had the capital to go solo long ago, but he was never willing to because he knew all along that being called "Lord" wasn't an easy job. Having so many people following you and calling you "Lord" might sound great, but they were also counting on you to pay their salaries and support their families!
A fanatical martial artist like Gong Xichou, whose mind is filled with martial arts, would never want to sit on a mat all day reviewing memorials and scheming against others. He prefers to solve problems and deal with those who cause him problems through violence!
The thought of being confined to a desk like Mama if he became a "Lord" made Gong Xi Chou realize that becoming a "Lord" wasn't necessarily a must. He'd rather call someone else "Lord" and be free to fight any battle he wanted, than watch someone else fight! Besides, he no longer called Shen Tang "Lord," calling her Mama in private and "Your Highness" in official matters, just like his elder brother.
Gong Xichou said with a hint of pity, "You have to worry about people every day, and you don't have time to do things that make you happy."
If you're a free agent, you can fight however you want.
"You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?" This time, Shen Tang did not break down as usual, but instead revealed a meaningful smile. "On the contrary, you should not be too proud this time, or you will run into a brick wall."
Gong Xichou didn't take Shen Tang's words to heart. As soon as he got back, he inquired everywhere: "Brother, have you heard of any skilled fighters in the southwest who are as strong as me and can give people a good time?"
Ji Moqiu has never cared about these things.
He said, "I don't know."
Ji Moqiu genuinely didn't know.
Gongxi Chou is a powerful military general. Even though he doesn't usually manage affairs, he enjoys a special status among military officers because of his strength and reputation. Logically speaking, Ji Moqiu, as his elder brother, has a mysterious level of strength and is also the high priest of the Gongxi clan with divine power. He should naturally be the target of Kang State's recruitment. Chu Jie has hinted at it several times, but he said he was not interested and declined all offers.
He only accepted the invitation from the medical department and often walked in the inner court.
Gong Xichou said, "Mama said there are opponents in the southwest who can give me a serious fight. Is that true, or is she just kidding me?"
Ji Moqiu raised his eyelids.
"You'll see when you get beaten up."
Gong Xichou: "..."
Looking at her younger brother, who seemed much gentler in the past two years but had actually grown more temperamental than intelligent, Ji Moqiu said, "To be honest, there are some. I heard our teacher mention that there were several exceptionally talented martial artists in the Southwest Continent, but unfortunately, they either lacked luck or met the wrong people, and their whereabouts became unknown. Perhaps they perished somewhere, or perhaps they became disheartened and went into seclusion, no longer caring about worldly affairs. If they were still alive, you really need to be careful. It's never wrong to be cautious."
"How old are the people that Teacher Big Brother mentioned?"
Ji Moqiu recalled the bedtime stories he had heard, added and subtracted to calculate the time, and estimated somewhat uncertainly: "The youngest must be in his seventies, and the oldest, around a hundred? Back then, they were considered prodigies who appeared out of nowhere in the Southwest Continent..."
Those who have cultivated to this level are all extraordinary talents.
Gongxi Chou was also like that.
"Seventy years old? One hundred years old? No wonder I've never heard of that..."
In chaotic times, talent is replaced every ten years or even less. Even a septuagenarian or a centenarian, if they cannot remain invincible or occasionally slay an opponent to refresh their reputation, will be forgotten long ago. Precisely because of this, Gong Xi Chou's expectations for the Southwest Continent are even lower.
"A hero doesn't dwell on past glories, nor on the present, but only on the past. Isn't that just a sign of a generational gap? The southwestern kingdoms have no new faces to offer. It's truly boring."
Ji Moqiu suddenly had a whim: "Shall I offer you a prayer or ask about your well wishes?"
The high priest is essentially a charlatan, able to inquire of the gods about the fortune or misfortune of a matter through prayer rituals. The gods might answer if they're in a good mood, but refuse if they're not. Ji Moqiu also wanted to see how Gong Xichou's luck would be on this expedition.
His intuition told him that his younger brother might suffer a setback.
Gong Xichou understood the implied meaning and proudly raised his chin: "Pray boldly and without worry, let's see which villain can stop my martial arts!"
Ji Moqiu even offered his prayers and inquired about it.
Gong Xichou came closer and watched his elder brother pick up three foxtail grasses from the ground—tools that Ji Moqiu had just grabbed to pray and consult the gods. He looked at them from all angles but couldn't figure out what they were.
But he could read his older brother's expression: "Fierce?"
Ji Moqiu used his martial energy to burn the foxtail grass to ashes.
The look in her eyes as she gazed at her younger brother held a hint of sympathy.
He sighed, "It's a very bad omen."
Gong Xichou was not afraid at all; on the contrary, he became interested, and his eyes gleamed with excited anticipation: "Good, this is good!"
Ji Moqiu shook his head: "Don't be too happy yet."
According to the results of the prayers and inquiries with the gods, Gongxi Chou will suffer a great loss this time, and more than once. The prayers from the dog-tail grass indicate that the enemy is old, has an elemental advantage over Gongxi Chou, and faces great misfortune in the southwest. However, his life is not in danger, so Ji Mo Qiu is not worried, simply assuming that Gongxi Chou has been beaten up in a fight. As long as he doesn't die so badly that even his soul cannot be reattached, there's no need to panic.
Even in death, one's family is reunited in the realm of the gods.
Besides, he didn't die.
Ji Moqiu took out a box of Gu worms and told Gong Xichou that these things could save his life in a critical moment. Gong Xichou opened it but found that the Gu worms were brightly colored and were not the healing Gu worms he recognized. Ji Moqiu: "If you can't beat them, eat them."
"Can it heal the injuries?"
"No, it's forcing you to fight with your back against the wall."
This is a highly potent Gu worm used to unleash martial energy at its extreme. Ordinary martial artists cannot use it, as it might cause them to explode and die. However, someone of Gong Xi Chou's strength is not a concern; it allows him to unleash power far exceeding his usual level. Once the enemy is dead, isn't it safe?
Gong Xichou: "..."
Following Shen Tang's orders, Gong Xi Chou scaled the wall and left overnight.
They had to climb over the wall; A Dou was a sensitive child and would throw a tantrum if he couldn't see people. Xun Ding and Gong Xilai were both on tenterhooks, fearing that Gong Xi Chou would raise a lawless troublemaker, but Gong Xi Chou seemed to enjoy it and repeatedly stepped in to support A Dou.
[The children of the Gongxi clan only have six years of happy days. Why restrict them?] Gongxi Chou didn't think there was anything wrong with spoiling his children; he had been raised the same way. The elders truly spoiled them, but they were also truly ruthless. The Gongxi clan's education couldn't produce spoiled brats. [They only see how much the children are being spoiled now, but don't they think about how many beatings they'll endure later?]
Even if you want to be a playboy—
Only those with exceptional strength are qualified to be playboys.
Is A Dou's qualification something that's been chewed up by a dog?
She has no hope in this lifetime.
Gong Xilai and Xun Ding were at their wits' end, watching their daughter wailing loudly with a strong voice. They couldn't soothe her no matter what they tried, and even the wet nurse dared not approach. Although A Dou was only three years old, her height and strength far surpassed that of her peers; even an adult could be pushed and stumbled if not careful. Xun Ding grew increasingly worried. If his daughter's aptitude was so poor, what about his own?
Are they just there to make up the numbers?
The beautiful dream of a loving father and a filial daughter shattered amidst the daughter's incessant wailing. The father laughed and threatened, "Your second uncle isn't home right now and won't be back anytime soon. No one will back you up! Adou, if you keep making trouble, I'll have your mother take your pants off and beat you."
A Dou, this child, could be described as mediocre, yet also clever; he was adept at changing his tune depending on the situation and how he treated people. Seeing that Gong Xi Chou couldn't be summoned, and with his father smiling as he looked at his backside, A Dou gradually quieted down, obediently looking up at his father.
"Father, hug me."
We'll complain when my second uncle comes back.
No one knows a daughter better than her father, and Xun Ding knew what tricks A Dou was hiding in his darting eyes, so he sneered inwardly.
Want to file a complaint?
Even Liu Shan (A Dou) needs to have this kind of memory.
The father and daughter enjoyed a rare moment of tender affection, a testament to their loving father and filial daughter.
As is well known, igniting a fire is also an art.
A skilled instigator can not only easily achieve the set goals, but even exceed them. When it comes to instigating trouble, Liao Jia is second to none; even Shen Tang can only rank third. Gongxi's enemy is still halfway there, but he has already found a way to let Qi State know that Kang State has received a request for aid and will send troops.
The Kang Kingdom, on the other hand, openly and legitimately deployed its troops.
The army is estimated to number around 100,000.
"One hundred thousand? One hundred thousand, to guard the borders of a tiny country?" The Qi State civil official almost vomited blood in anger. "Have you ever thought that's possible? Even a blind man could see what she was thinking! One hundred thousand troops, ask yourself, did she use that many troops when she attacked Gao State? Did that tiny country save her parents? Why would she go to such lengths?"
How much military supplies would it take to build 100,000 troops?
Why waste so much military supplies to help a small, unrelated country?
Clearly, his true intention was not what he seemed!
Kangguo is determined to fight them this time!
Unfortunately, the Qi state couldn't issue a proclamation rebuking Shen Tang for meddling in other people's business; if they did, their previous plot to raid Shen Tang's homeland would be exposed. Ultimately, this was Qi's own fault for being dishonest. So even though the victim had solid evidence, and even though everyone could see what was going on, Qi insisted on denying it and instead used attacks on Kang's ambitions to unite the southwestern states. However, a force of 100,000 was indeed a major headache.
It's not that the southwest can't afford to send more troops, it's just that they can't raise enough supplies right now, and starting a war rashly would result in heavy losses.
All of this stems from the loss of that confidential letter!
Otherwise, the State of Qi would not have been put on the hot seat.
"It's not that there's no way to break the deadlock."
A gentle, flowing voice dispelled everyone's worries.
The ministers looked at Cui Zhi, who asked them a somewhat foolish question: "Gentlemen, what pretext will Kang use to send troops?"
"Did you miss what I said, Lord Cui?" the military officer who was at odds with Cui Zhi said sarcastically. "Then let me repeat it to you—the You Kingdom sent an envoy to borrow troops from the Kang Kingdom, and the Kang Kingdom agreed, using this as an excuse to try to take over the southwest."
"So, Master Cui understands?"
Cui Zhi showed no anger on his face, but calmly uttered a sentence.
"If that's the case, what if the You Kingdom no longer exists?"
Kang State naturally lost its excuse. If it wanted to cause trouble, Qi State could take this opportunity to gather the southwestern states together and seek wealth and power amidst danger. If it couldn't get what it wanted, it would drag Kang State down!
We'll die together!
The military officer snorted, dismissing Cui Zhi's suggestion with considerable disdain: "Won't they use the pretext of restoring the You Kingdom?"
If we use the name of restoring the country, some uninformed outsiders will praise Kangguo for its righteousness. There might even be some dim-witted people who admire this noble cause and run to Kangguo. Wouldn't that be even more disgusting?
"Only when the royal family is still alive can the You Kingdom be restored."
Cui Zhi spoke the most bloody words in the calmest tone.
"Gentlemen, where are the royal family members of the You Kingdom?"
The courtiers: "..."
Their expressions varied, but inwardly they all gasped in shock.
Who would have thought that Cui Zhi, who is usually quiet, is actually a ruthless person? It's true what they say, a dog that bites doesn't bark, and this is a perfect example.
The military officer who had been so frivolous earlier also toned down his behavior, inwardly cursing that those from noble families were all the same—they looked respectable, but were actually ruthless killers. Cui Zhi looked around and asked in surprise, "Isn't this what you all think?"
They all think the same thing, but they just don't want to say it themselves.
"I've heard that Kangguo is full of talented people, and this time they've even sent a man named Gongxi Chou to lead the charge. General Qi has fought against him before..." Cui Zhi tossed the topic to Qi Cang, who didn't even bother to lift his eyelids. "General, are you confident?"
Qi Cang: "Fighting a war isn't something that can be done by one person fighting alone."
So what if he can't beat them? There are just too many of them.
What if you can't win even if you outnumber them?
It's okay, he can still die.
|ω`)
I visited Chimelong Safari Park in the afternoon, and it wasn't as big as I imagined. The cable car was a good deal, and the queue wasn't too long. The train was a bit ridiculous, though. The queue wasn't slow, but it was still incredibly long. Even at 3 or 4 pm, there were still so many people, and I was sweating buckets.
Ice cream is 35 yuan (the Qin Shihuang chocolate flavor in Xi'an is only 20 yuan), I'm heartbroken (the taste is okay), but since I'm already here, I think I should try it.
When traveling, you always have to bring back a couple of panda fridge magnets, keychains, and that baseball cap with the triplets pandas perched on it... After doing the math, this expense is more expensive than the entrance fee _(:з」∠)_
I told myself I wasn't going to buy anything before I came in.
P.S.: The Didi ride was ridiculous; it was the first time I'd ever gotten carsick on an electric car. Didn't the driver notice that his car was swaying back and forth rhythmically? It felt like constantly pressing the accelerator and then the brake... for a full hour and twenty minutes. I threw up as soon as I got out of the car...
P.S.: Pandas are the cutest! So chubby and soft, so adorable. As I watched them from outside the fence, all I could think about was how many years they'd be sentenced to for stealing a panda…
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