Chapter 1245: Eight Thousand vs. Forty Thousand, the Advantage Lies with Me (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"What's wrong with raiding someone's base?"
Shen Tang calmly defended herself.
"How can fighting a war be considered raiding a base? All's fair in war, and it's better to be a lone wolf than a short-lived one! If you had the chance, wouldn't you raid a base? Is that even possible? I don't believe it!"
Stroking the silver whip that had been rolled up several times, Shen Tang sat back on the rock, then reached into her bosom and pulled out a plump, glistening black-red plum. She wiped it on her sleeve, took a bite, and the sweet and sour fragrance spread across her taste buds. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly in happiness.
"There are more fruits in the south."
As she chewed, she turned to Qin Li and asked if he wanted to try some. Qin Li politely declined, but she then recommended it to Gu Chi, who obliged. The two, the emperor and his minister, munched on plums in front of the indignant prisoners, offering their comments after every few bites.
"As expected of a plum raised at great expense by the royal court, its taste is indeed different from the ordinary ones." There are also plums in Kangguo, which are all quite large, but they tend to be hard and astringent. This one in my hand is different; it has a perfect balance of sweet and sour and is full of juice, which is Gu Chi's favorite.
He put away the pits he had finished eating.
After the war, I'll plant it in the yard and secretly ask the people from the Ministry of Agriculture to help it ripen so we can eat it every year. Gu Chi looked at the pale-faced group and sneered, "I heard there's a touching story behind the plum tree that Wang Ting is raising."
Shen Tang was so focused on eating that she didn't know anything.
After breaching the enemy capital's royal court, a palace eunuch who hadn't escaped offered up the following: "What story could a plum tree possibly have?"
Gu Chi said, "This plum tree originally belonged to a farmer. There was a child in the farmer's family who was exceptionally talented. The child was being taught by the young master of a wealthy family in the area. When the young master was reciting incantations, it triggered an auspicious omen from heaven and earth. The plum tree in the family, which had died, came back to life and was full of fruit. Every fruit was sweet and juicy. Just a light sniff of the fruit made one feel light and healthy. Wealthy families were vying to buy it..."
Shen Tang didn't want to hear this tedious stuff: "Get to the point."
Gu Chi said, "Those who seize by trickery and force will have their families destroyed and their lives ruined."
It happened to be the birthday of the king of this country. Upon hearing of this, he instructed his men to buy the strange tree at a high price. The farmer's family refused, and coincidentally, all five members of the family died. The plum tree was then transplanted to the royal court, and the fruit it bore each year was exclusively for the royal family's consumption.
Shen Tang shook his head and sighed, "No wonder the country was destroyed."
He took another bite: "It must be a sign from heaven."
The prisoners kneeling below were enraged, their eyes blazing with fury. They never expected Shen Tang to utter such shameless words. The white-haired old man at the head of the group had a sharp and rigid face, and his eyes were filled with hatred as he looked at Shen Tang, as if he wanted to devour him alive: "Our late lord satisfied his appetite by killing only five people, but you—our two nations have no enmity whatsoever, yet you ordered the slaughter of ten thousand people, burning, killing, and looting. Which is more heinous?"
Shen Tang was stunned by his bizarre logic.
Qin Li, who had been resting with his eyes closed, was also startled and opened them.
"First of all, I didn't slaughter ten thousand. Under normal circumstances, when casualties reach twenty percent, morale is almost completely collapsed! How many soldiers does a mere small country have? If I dare to slaughter ten thousand, you'd better give me that chance and not collapse so quickly. Secondly, you actually think it's normal to kill five people to satisfy your appetite?" Shen Tang pointed to himself. "Finally, how could the two countries be without any enmity? You've both joined the Dragon Slaying Campaign to attack me. If I don't raise my sword to cut you down, am I supposed to reach out and pat your dog's head and praise you?"
Old Deng straightened his chest, his face ashen: "Kangguo's wickedness surpasses even that of Jie of Xia. What's wrong with us protecting ourselves? Our country is innocent."
Shen Tang chuckled: "I am a barbarian."
"I'll hit you if I want to. Giving you a reason is giving you face. Since you're ungrateful, don't blame me for being rude." Shen Tang couldn't help but shake her head inwardly, realizing for the first time that she was actually "more wicked than Jie of Xia." These old bastards are really slandering people with their eyes wide open!
I originally wanted to see if there were any capable people available.
In the end, it would have been better not to meet at all.
When they met, he was given a good scolding.
Shen Tang waved his hand: "Drag him away and fertilize him."
The faces of the people below changed drastically, and they were dragged away one by one.
You could hear the cursing even from a great distance.
Tan Ting watched as the dozen or so people were dragged away from him. Before he could speak, Shen Tang said, "Ahem, those 'Wofei' and stuff were just to scare them. Wangchao has already gathered the information they wanted from them, but the specifics of how to handle them will have to wait and see."
If someone hasn't committed any heinous acts and refuses to submit, as long as their crimes don't warrant death, Shen Tang might spare their life, as long as they don't continue to court disaster. Those who have committed heinous acts? Ha, scatter their ashes and use them as fertilizer!
Tan Ting frowned: "Your Majesty's actions are perhaps too benevolent."
Shen Tang: "This..."
Tan Ting quickly realized the problem: "Qi Yuanliang acts unconventionally and has never done any good deeds in his life. However, he is quite good at being strict with others and lenient with himself. While a reputation for benevolence can certainly bring benefits, valuing it too much can also be a constraint."
He had heard Chu Shangjun mention that Qi Yuanliang, as a semi-imperial tutor, had tried over a decade ago to subtly guide the young prince to learn those benevolent yet outdated rules of conduct. Tan Ting initially didn't believe it, but now she had no choice but to. What was there to explain about using human soil? They'd already killed a large number of people; why would they care how the corpses were disposed of?
Shen Tang: "..."
Qin Li's lips twitched. Gu Chi, unconcerned about his image, mercilessly mocked the person left behind to oversee the country. It was convenient that Qi Yuanliang wasn't present; he didn't need to worry about the person in charge objecting.
Shen Tang: "..."
Having conquered one country, Shen Tang did not continue to attack the next.
The allied forces from the southwestern countries will definitely come, so the priority now is to prepare in advance to give them a surprise. Otherwise, how could Shen Tang have time to see these prisoners? Fortunately, not all prisoners are so hateful; some are opportunistic and, seeing that their homeland is doomed, have decisively surrendered to Shen Tang to save their own lives—these "smart people." With their cooperation, the arrangements are much easier to make.
only--
When one of them mentioned using the Imperial Seal to repair the border barrier, Shen Tang shrugged and said, "The Imperial Seal? I've already lost that thing. What's the difference between carrying it and carrying a locator? If we don't have the border barrier, we don't have it."
The former officials who had surrendered turned pale.
"Lost, lost?"
They really wanted to know where it was lost and whether it was too late to find it.
Shen Tang casually said, "I just threw it into a stinky ditch."
They were refusing to reveal the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal.
The news of the loss of the Imperial Seal filled the surrendered men with deep regret. Had they known that the man surnamed Shen was so unreliable, they would have thought more carefully before surrendering and wouldn't have made their decision so hastily. Without the Imperial Seal's support, Shen Tang's army fighting in foreign territory was like water without a source or a tree without roots; how could they possibly withstand the elite Allied forces?
Some people simply don't believe Shen Tang's nonsense.
He whispered rebuke in private: "You actually believed her nonsense?"
Who would just throw the national seal into a stinking ditch!
"They're probably testing us..."
His guess was half right.
Shen Tang didn't take them seriously, so why would she waste her energy testing them? Throwing it into the ditch was indeed a ruse; she had secretly given the real Imperial Seal to Cui Xiao. Only with the Imperial Seal in Cui Xiao's hands could their whereabouts be perfectly concealed. This Imperial Seal still had great uses.
Only a handful of people knew that Cui Xiao had met with her.
The chaos in the southwestern continent has only just begun.
Qin Li alone was worth more than the most elite scout army. Shen Tang received the news as soon as the Southwest Allied Forces entered his territory. She calculated the time and exclaimed, "How anxious they are! A day earlier than expected!"
I have to get back quickly.
Everyone was afraid that Shen Tang would go crazy and dig up their hometown.
Shen Tang said, "Let's go and meet the so-called dragon slayer!"
Qin Li also brought Shen Tang some good news.
"General Qian feigned a bad start to the battle, luring the enemy into a false sense of security, and then achieved a great victory." This was also the first major victory on the main battlefield since the start of the war. Qin Li omitted the enemy casualty figures mentioned in Qian Yong's report and said, "It's a good omen."
Shen Tang sharpened the knife a couple more times.
"It's definitely a good omen. The main battlefield is on enemy territory, so we can fight more freely!" She was still stingy and reluctant to let the main battlefield be on her own turf. Her deliberate decision to lead her troops around the enemy's rear to lure out their main force was partly due to this consideration. Such a large-scale military confrontation could completely change the battlefield terrain, which also meant that years of hard work on infrastructure would be wasted, and everything would have to start from scratch.
Shen Tang had only taken two steps when he asked, "What are the enemy's casualties?"
Qin Li knew he couldn't hide it any longer, and he inwardly broke out in a cold sweat for Qian Yong: "Seventy percent of the enemy was wiped out, and the river stopped flowing..."
Shen Tang stopped in her tracks: "Seventy percent?"
As mentioned before, with casualties reaching around 20%, morale was essentially collapsed except for the elite troops with unwavering resolve, and combat strength began to crumble, thus tilting the balance of the war. Qian Yong's claim of annihilating 70% of the enemy is clearly suspicious. Shen Tang dislikes indiscriminate killing. Given Qian Yong's cunning and treacherous nature, he certainly wouldn't have exaggerated the figure; even if he did, he would have understated it.
"There's more to the story?"
Qin Li said, "There was an internal traitor, which almost ruined everything."
Shen Tang: "..."
Qin Li sighed, "After all, Ji Shou is here."
Shen Tang: "..."
Don't be fooled by Qin Li's nonchalant tone; the real situation is far more perilous. Qian Yong, having made a solemn pledge, felt no nervousness whatsoever. He planned to open the floodgates undetected, ensuring the enemy's utter rout. He would then send his men by boat, armed with harpoons, to spear these drowning foes ashore one by one.
Everything is ready, except for the east wind.
But he forgot the old saying, "Man proposes, God disposes." On the night the floodgates were opened, Qian Yong led his troops in a state of high alert, waiting for the enemy camp to be flooded before launching an attack.
This good mood didn't last long before it came to an abrupt end.
A commotion arose outside the tent.
Qian Yonggang, fully armed, asked, "What's all this commotion?"
A hurried voice came from outside the tent: "General—"
Qian Yong then saw Ning Yan... no, one of Ning Yan's incarnations, approaching with a gloomy expression, with someone else being escorted behind her.
What happened?
The man being held captive was covered in blood, with blood flowing continuously from his abdomen.
Qian Yong felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing the location, and upon seeing the blood-stained sword in Ning Yan's hand, it wasn't hard to guess who had done it.
What crime has this person committed?
Was it worth it for her to destroy the opponent's dantian with her sword?
Such brutal methods are beyond measure, no matter how deep the hatred.
"This person tampered with the timing and volume of the sluice gate opening, and colluded with others to set up an explosion when the sluice gate was opened. Fortunately, it was discovered early enough to avert the damage. Otherwise, today it wouldn't be the enemy taking the bait, but us being flooded."
Upon hearing this, Qian Yong's mind went blank.
His overwhelming aura crashed down on the traitor.
Ning Yan blocked with her sword to prevent Qian Yong from killing the witness carelessly: "General, this man is still useful."
Qian Yong could only forcibly suppress his murderous intent.
At the same time, I'm curious how the traitor slipped up.
The people at the reservoir were all trustworthy; Qian Yong had even sent his own people to supervise and ensure everything went smoothly. But the person who arrived was "Ning Yan." "Ning Yan's" expression was somewhat strange.
This brings us to Kang Shi.
Partnering with Kangshi will inevitably lead to trouble.
Kang Jishou was aware of his own weakness and specifically asked Ning Yan to keep an eye on things. Ning Yan dispatched an avatar disguised as an ordinary guard to secretly use mind-reading magic. At first, nothing seemed amiss, until she discovered that one person was completely silent. She realized that the person was consciously controlling their thoughts, and there was definitely something fishy going on! She suddenly launched an attack, ordering her men to capture the person, only to find that she had actually caught a big fish!
There's a traitor!
The traitor's infiltration can be traced back to before the reservoir was built.
"The traitor has been lurking for so long?"
Qian Yong was also unsettled upon hearing this.
"Who sent them?"
Good heavens, I almost died without even knowing why?
Ning Yan said, "The simple interrogation didn't yield many clues. Based on the timeline, the spies were planted before the Gao Kingdom war... There is one person who is very suspicious, Mei Jinghe."
The traitor froze upon hearing the name.
Qian Yong thought for a moment, then rubbed his temples.
While it may seem suspicious, Ning Yan wouldn't speak rashly without certainty. Mei Meng's ancestral home is in the Northwest Continent. She had a wide circle of friends and an astonishing network of connections during her youth. She had been operating in the Qi Kingdom in the Southwest for many years and was also the vice president of a branch of the Gods Society. It was indeed possible that she had made arrangements in advance.
"So, the existence of the reservoir has been leaked for a while now?"
Qian Yong inwardly thought that Shen Tang was also unreliable.
How could such a large reservoir possibly be kept secret?
Ning Yan said, "Half and half."
What does this mean?
“Mei Meng knows, but that doesn’t mean the southwestern countries know. Judging from the information gathered by our scouts, the enemy is not currently on alert... The reservoir explosion may not have been part of their plan.”
Qian Yong grinned: "They're not on the same page."
Otherwise, why not share such important information?
"It's better if they're not of one mind."
It's also possible that time was tight and there wasn't enough time to communicate.
Ning Yan had not heard of Mei Meng appearing on the front lines.
Qian Yong looked at the traitor and felt a headache coming on.
"So, should we still proceed according to plan?"
He couldn't afford to gamble with the leaked information.
"want!"
Two voices, one male and one female, rang out simultaneously.
The woman was Ning Yan, and the man was Kang Shi, who had rushed over. The latter had a determined look in his eyes: "Let's gamble on their time!"
If we delay for two days, the enemy will be able to exchange all kinds of information.
Why not take a gamble tonight?
The veins on Qian Yong's forehead throbbed under his helmet.
What gambling? Do you think war is a gambling table?
Unfortunately, he couldn't afford to offend either of them, so he simply gave up—if something really went wrong, he would push the two of them out to take the blame and bear the consequences, even if it meant his own death: "Kang Jishou, you take responsibility?"
Ning Yan said, "I'll take it!"
()
The extra chapter is over 1,700 words long.
(The art style may have changed after many years. Regarding the evil act of aliens falling from the sky and forcing everyone to accept education... Thirty years old is the perfect time to enjoy the best years of school.)
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
