Chapter 1370: He's a Captain, and Also a Poisonous Fan (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Miao Ne's urgent message arrived before Luo San's.
This was within Shen Tang's expectations.
"Perfect timing, Gongyi is here too, let's take a look together." Shen Tang quickly skimmed through the contents, feeling both headache and relief. He was headache-inducing because the Central Continent's actions were always large-scale, but relieved because Miao Ne and the others had survived. Losing territory was one thing, but as long as the people were alive, they could be taken back eventually. As long as the green hills remain, there's always hope.
The worst fear is that the mountain will disappear, and so will the firewood.
Luan Xin, judging solely from his lord's expression, initially thought it was unexpectedly good news. However, after reading it, he discovered that aside from Miao Ne and a few others who were alive, everything else was bad news. Especially the mysterious archer who had ambushed Yuan Fu County—this person's abilities were terrifyingly powerful…
Other martial artists are human, but this guy has entered the realm of gods!
They are on a completely different level from others.
Even if his side had effective intelligence, they wouldn't be caught off guard if they encountered this person, but no matter how he looked at it, he felt that this person was a major threat who would cause incalculable losses to his side: "One arrow goes, another doesn't come? Are there any immortals in the mortal world?"
Shen Tang said, "Then even gods aren't reliable."
She always felt there was a paradox in this.
This arrow points to the past, which has already happened. But what about the future? It's known that Yun Da has strapped a time bomb to the future of this world. Forget sixty years, it won't even be ten. In other words, if the future is a future of destruction, whoever she shoots will die; if she doesn't, then the future winner will undoubtedly be Shen Tang.
Cui Mi can see fragments of what will happen in the future.
Even the unobscure ways of the scholar can lead to dreams of future information.
The existence of another martial artist who can advance a person's speed by sixty years with a single arrow is not surprising. After encountering this ability more often, Shen Tang realized it wasn't all that remarkable. It's worth taking seriously, but not something to be treated as a major threat. It's more of a scare tactic.
Luan Xin couldn't feel relaxed at all.
One student escaped, while the fate of the other remains unknown.
Why is this person imprisoned?
Judging from the urgent message, Miao Ne's side's attempt to demand Xiang Zhao's release was unsuccessful, and they were even mocked by the martial artist. Their own envoys were sent to negotiate the ransom, but the enemy either made exorbitant demands or had no intention of letting Kang State ransom Xiang Zhao at all.
Shen Tang could guess some of the reasons for Luan Xin's doubts.
Gongyang Yongye has a background that he has filed with the project.
"Go and ransom them first. If Lai and Qu are also among the prisoners, we'll accept their exorbitant demands. If they're not, then we'll discuss the rescue." Shen Tang vaguely skipped his question. It wasn't that she was unwilling to tell him, but the cause and effect of this matter were too complicated to explain, spanning a long period of time, and involving the Council of Gods and the old almanac from the end of the last human civilization.
Luan Xin volunteered.
"Your Majesty, may I handle this matter?" Luan Xin was a typical example of someone who did not compete or fight for power in the court. Due to the drawbacks of the scholar's way, Shen Tang rarely assigned him to tasks that required a high level of adaptability, let alone volunteered for such a task.
This unusual situation is likely due to what happened to the two students.
As a teacher, he couldn't sit still any longer.
Even if he couldn't stand up for the two due to the circumstances, Luan Xin still wanted to confront the enemy. Shen Tang considered for a few moments, and finally agreed to Luan Xin's request. Given their relatively weak intelligence, Luan Xin was indeed the most suitable candidate for envoy.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Gongyi. But let's not rush off. There's a trend of alliances forming in the central continent, unlike the previous situation where everyone was minding their own business. As my right-hand man, you'll also be a target of trouble. Make sure you bring enough men before you go."
In wars between two nations, each side has its victories and defeats, and it's normal for both sides to ransom their own prisoners. However, Kang Kingdom has just emerged from a major war in the southwest and is severely hampered by the chaotic economy of the southwestern continent, desperately needing to recuperate. Taking advantage of Kang Kingdom's unpreparedness, the enemy launched a surprise attack on various enclaves, capturing a number of prisoners as leverage. Meanwhile, Kang Kingdom has no equivalent number of prisoners, making it a seller's market.
Are they willing to do this "deal"?
Or are they using the guise of "discussion" to lure people in and then rip them off?
Or perhaps they're willing to do "business" but want to charge exorbitant prices?
The initiative is entirely in the hands of the enemy.
Kang Guo was hesitant to act rashly, and had no choice but to follow the other side's lead.
Just in case, Shen Tang would definitely make arrangements to ensure Luan Xin's safe return; otherwise, she would not let him go.
"Does the Lord intend to wait for General Gongshu and General Yun?"
Gong Shuwu has a unique form; he can still get a short-term living experience card sixty years ago, and his strength will be even greater sixty years later.
Wei Cheng has lived so long without a care in the world, there's no reason why Gong Shuwu couldn't. Perhaps a future arrow could even elevate him to the 19th rank of Marquis within the Pass/20th rank of Marquis of the Realm. Yun Ce, on the other hand, received Yun Da's [Enlightenment], the latter giving him cultivation that hasn't been fully absorbed yet, stored within his meridians, enough to offset the effects of the past arrow. As for the future arrow…
Yun Ce has the face of someone who will live a long life.
The two only need to be wary of the unknown third arrow.
Shen Tang shook his head, revealing a sly smile that Luan Xin didn't quite understand, just like a clever fox: "It's too late to transfer them over at the last minute. I have a better candidate."
"A better candidate?"
For the time being, Luan Xin couldn't think of anyone else.
Shen Tang couldn't help but chuckle: "Mm."
Luan Xin suppressed his worry: "When will this person arrive?"
"Judging by the distance, it should be soon. In a day or two, they should be coming to us on their own initiative." As the real person, Shen Tang naturally knew that the avatar had tricked Luo San into running errands, and also knew that Luo San had a mysterious obsession with "Xiahou's usurpation of the throne".
This kind of obsession has become somewhat pathological.
In the parlance of fandom—
"That's a toxic fan."
She's still an extremely dedicated and radical fan. Anyone with eyes can see that Shen Tang is the backbone of the Kang Kingdom. If she dies, the vast Kang Kingdom will follow the same path as the Wu Kingdom, with the northwest and southwest plunging back into war and warlordism. As a "subject" far removed from the Kang Kingdom's court, Xiahou Li has virtually no chance of suppressing such a situation. Luo San knows all this, but he doesn't care.
He only cared whether Xiahou Li could successfully take over the position.
He usurped the throne to become the ruler of a country, and could then gradually manage other affairs.
In fact, it's not just Luo San; most people in this world think this way—that a small country, existing in a corner of the world, is considered successful. The idea of unifying the world is unrealistic.
Luan Xin misunderstood: "Commander? Which commander?"
Shen Tang: "..."
Well, Luan Xin didn't exactly misunderstand.
Luo San was indeed the Commandant of Shan Yong County.
She is also a die-hard fan of Xiahou Li.
This time, they're not only going to deliver the Imperial Seal, but they're also planning to take the opportunity to get rid of me. I'd better not tell Luan Xin about the assassination attempt by the Twentieth-Rank Marquis, lest I frighten him. Seeing that it was getting dark outside, Shen Tang invited Luan Xin to stay for dinner.
"Your Majesty, I have arrived at the perfect time. Please invite me to dine with you."
Shen Tang heard his voice first, and then the palace maids announced the news. Gu Chi returned from his errands, covered in dust and looking somewhat tired, but his mouth was full of energy. Luan Xin couldn't stand his frivolous and unrestrained manner, his brows furrowing into a deep frown. He said, "This is disrespectful to the Emperor and shows contempt for His Majesty."
Gu Chi rolled her eyes, giving him a charmingly seductive look.
"Since the lord hasn't punished you, isn't it presumptuous of you to speak first?"
Shen Tang: "..."
Without a doubt, if Gu Chi said another word, Luan Xin would grab his official tablet and slap him across the face. Originally, Kang Kingdom only comprised the northwestern continent, and as governance in various regions gradually became more standardized, arguments and fights at court sessions decreased. However, with the southwestern region incorporated into the territory, court officials developed their own opinions on governance in different areas, often escalating into arguments that turned into battle. It's worth noting that during these court fights, these two had frequently resorted to underhanded tactics against each other, such as secretly pulling each other's hair ornaments, stepping on each other's feet, tugging at each other's sleeves, or even slapping each other across the face with their official tablets.
Luan Xin suffered from his slow reaction time.
However, as the Minister of Personnel, he was able to make up for this disadvantage.
Because the Ministry of Personnel had the most staff among the Six Ministries.
The Censorate is constantly impeaching this person and that person, so its officials don't have good interpersonal relationships, and their circle of friends is relatively narrow.
When the two sides are engaged in a group fight, they are considered evenly matched.
Shen Tang coughed lightly, first siding with Gu Chi to express concern for his long journey, then siding with Luan Xin to lightly tease Gu Chi about his less-than-appropriate attire. Luan Xin's comment about Gu Chi wasn't entirely because Gu Chi had interrupted the royal procession before the announcement, but more so because Gu Chi's current clothing was inappropriate.
A gentleman straightens his clothes and hat, and respects his appearance.
Gu Chi looked like he had rushed off from some idyllic paradise.
His clothes were askew, his sword belt wasn't fastened properly, and his sword was worn backwards.
If Qin Li sees this, he'll definitely impeach him!
Gu Chi glanced down, gave an embarrassed laugh and apologized, then borrowed a screen in the side hall from Chen Tang to adjust his clothes, hair, and sword belt. When he came out, the palace maids and eunuchs had already served the meal. There were three tables set out, each with three meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, and two soups, and each portion was very generous.
The Kang Kingdom, from top to bottom, pursues a simple lifestyle, even its imperial cuisine differs greatly from that of the previous dynasty. In the previous dynasty, an imperial meal consisted of at least thirty-six dishes. Each time, three portions were prepared: one for testing for poison, one for record-keeping for a few days, and only the third portion was delivered to the king's table.
Uneaten food is not thrown into the swill bucket.
Palace servants would secretly eat the food that had been touched, while those that hadn't been touched and were kept away from the emperor would be reheated and served at the next meal, or smuggled out of the palace to be sold. This collusion between those inside and outside the palace led to corruption. Don't underestimate these seemingly ordinary imperial dishes; the profits were enormous. Of course, the biggest profit margin was in the procurement: five taels for a single egg and ten taels for a single duck egg.
The emperor learned from the lessons of the previous dynasty and has been very strict in this regard.
She also dislikes extravagance and waste.
The rules of the Imperial Kitchen were forcibly changed, requiring only a balanced mix of meat and vegetables in sufficient quantities. Over the years, the Imperial Kitchen gradually figured out Shen Tang's tastes. Under normal circumstances, they would prepare a home-style meal of three meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, and a soup. However, when entertaining officials during festivals, they would follow the old custom.
When the emperor invited his court officials to dine with him, the Imperial Kitchen would prepare an extra table according to the officials' tastes and preferences. For example, Luan Xin would have a pot of wine on his table, while Gu Chi would have a pot of hot milk on his table—the emperor had specifically instructed Gu Yatai to cultivate his character and abstain from alcohol.
Gu Chi lost his appetite as soon as he saw this.
"My lord, can't you bring me a pot of good wine?"
"It's not that I want Wangchao to quit drinking, it's just that Shaoxuan said you've been weak and internally deficient lately...you need to take care of yourself and avoid alcohol and spicy food. How am I supposed to explain to Shaoxuan that you're asking me for alcohol?"
Gu Chi looked down and saw a table full of dishes that nourished yin and yang.
The amount is so large that even a normal person would bleed from their nose just by looking at it.
Gu Chi: "..."
It was humiliating, but there was no way to resist.
Luan Xin was naturally willing to dine with his lord, but the presence of the eyesore Gu Chi ruined his appetite. After leisurely finishing his meal, Luan Xin excused himself, saying he needed to go back and prepare something. Little did he know that as soon as Luan Xin left, Gu Chi relaxed and complained, "Eating with Luan Gongyi, even the finest delicacies taste like cardboard; it's so painful."
The effect is comparable to poisoning!
Shen Tang couldn't help but chuckle and said, "How could it be so exaggerated? However, you were indeed reckless this time. If it weren't for justice but someone else, they would probably have other ideas. What urgent matter made you rush here? You can't really be here to freeload off the imperial meal."
Gu Chi knew that his master understood him best.
His smile faded, replaced by a solemn expression.
"I overheard a traitor's thoughts, plotting against Your Majesty!" Gu Chi had heard countless similar thoughts, but judging by actions rather than intentions, he couldn't arrest and convict them all. However, the thoughts he had just heard were different; the person not only harbored malice but also planned to act! How could Gu Chi remain calm?
They rushed over to remind their lord to be careful.
Shen Tang immediately knew what was going on, but pretended not to know and said, "This person is very strong, how could he make you lose your composure like this?"
"A Marquis Che, he's at the twentieth rank of Marquis Che!"
Gu Chi was starting to question the meaning of life. These old fogies were either half-buried in the ground or had been buried for years, so why were they all popping up like mushrooms after the rain these past two years? And to make matters worse, one of them was an old man named Deng who harbored murderous intentions towards his master!
"This person will use the opportunity of presenting the imperial seal to launch a sneak attack on the emperor!"
Strike first to gain the upper hand; otherwise, you might alert the enemy, making it harder to catch them later. Gu Chi's plan is to have a personal guard disguise himself as the emperor and arrange for elite troops to ambush them in the palace's underground area, creating a trap so tight that even a 20th-rank Marquis could be captured on the first try!
Shen Tang smiled and said, "The plan is fine, but we won't need it."
As a shrewd person, Gu Chi saw that Shen Tang was completely unmoved by the fact that Marquis Che wanted to assassinate her, and he had several guesses in his mind.
The Lord should have known about this long ago!
Not only did she know, she was also completely confident! Victory was assured!
Judging from the situation, this ordeal will most likely end without serious harm.
Gu Chi's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he laughed, "Your Majesty already knew? Then do you know who sent him to assassinate you?"
“No one sent him, but he is Zixu’s man.”
Gu Chi was stunned: "Zi Xu's people?"
The lord's incarnation instigated those around him to assassinate the real lord?
Gu Chi had considered a thousand possibilities, but never such an abstract reason. Shen Tang smiled helplessly, "He's been plotting to have Zixu usurp my position. I try to explain, but he won't listen. He has his own self-consistent logic. What can I do?"
Hearing is unreliable, seeing is believing.
Shen Tang also planned to meet Luo Sanzhen.
The 20th-rank Marquis Che is proud and arrogant; only by addressing his specific weaknesses can he be subdued. Luo San's greatest weakness is that he is a career-obsessed, utterly obsessed individual.
And Shen Tang—
A true workaholic!
_(:ι」∠)_
Sometimes I think my mom is really amazing. To prepare for the New Year's look, like getting her hair dyed, she would leave at 10 am and come back at 10 pm, a full twelve hours!
They can sit still like this.
(End of this chapter)
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