Chapter 1402: Combat Reconnaissance (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Kangguo, capital city, Fengluo City.
Shen Tang returned to the royal court reeking of alcohol.
But inside the palace, they saw someone who shouldn't be there.
She first suspected she had gone to the wrong place while drunk, took a step back, looked up at the plaque, and made sure she hadn't gone to the wrong door before pushing the door open and entering: "At this time, a man and a woman alone in a room, can I assume that the high priest is preparing to offer himself to me?"
If the censor found out that Ji Moqiu had appeared in the palace late at night, Shen Tang could easily imagine the scandalous news that would spread like wildfire. Perhaps the officials would even force Ji Moqiu to enter the palace, and even if he didn't, he could forget about remarrying.
Ji Moqiu still carried the coolness of the night breeze.
Faced with Shen Tang's drunken teasing, Ji Moqiu simply stepped forward and helped her sit down. Shen Tang sat cross-legged for a while, closing her eyes to suppress the heat caused by the alcohol. When she calmed down, she opened her eyes and saw Ji Moqiu's figure overlapping, two heads, one real and two illusory, swaying in front of her. She shook her head, vaguely hearing a voice in her head filled with water: "Don't drink too much next time."
Ji Moqiu opened the hangover soup bowl.
Shen Tang stared at the thing for a while, his right hand twice emptying its grip: "...It's all the fault of Wei Louluo and those other guys...those old men, at their age...still so competitive, why do they have to compete in drinking? It made me want to throw up."
Seeing this, Ji Moqiu took the initiative to bring the hangover soup to Shen Tang's lips.
If she were to do it herself, at least half of the bowl would be wasted.
"It's one thing for those brutes to be so keen on drinking contests, but why did Your Highness also get drunk?" Ji Moqiu watched as the hangover soup was completely gone. He pressed his cool fingertips against his burning forehead, gathering his divine power at his fingertips and circulating it through his meridians to relieve the discomfort caused by drunkenness.
Shen Tang glanced listlessly at the roof beam.
"I don't know, I just suddenly have a strong urge to drink."
There were indeed some unusual things happening today.
In the first few years after her transmigration, Shen Tang would get drunk easily, and even children could outdrink her. Later, after eliminating her evil thoughts, Shen Tang's alcohol tolerance was completely unrestricted. However, she disliked the effects of alcohol on her brain, so she always drank only a little, occasionally indulging herself but using her martial energy to neutralize the alcohol and keep her mind clear. Tonight, for some reason, she just wanted to get drunk.
Gongyang Yongye and the other old men probably wanted to see her make a fool of herself, so they kept urging her to drink and play drinking games. She didn't remember how much she drank, only that when she climbed out of the restaurant window, her legs were wobbling and she was seeing double.
Shen Tang relaxed her grip and rested her head on his lap.
If Ji Moqiu hadn't had such amazing hearing, he probably would have missed Shen Tang's almost-mouthed murmur: "I feel inexplicably unhappy."
Mingming, Gongyang Yongye, and the others became increasingly excited as they drank more.
Shen Tang did the opposite.
She carefully reviewed recent events; although progress hadn't been smooth, it wasn't serious enough to make her emo. Shen Tang couldn't understand it, and she worried that she might be ill—after more than a decade of ups and downs, developing a mental illness wouldn't be surprising: "Am I depressed?"
Ji Moqiu: "No."
He knew why Shen Tang was in low spirits.
"Your Highness...did you see snow tonight?"
Ji Moqiu clearly felt Shen Tang's body stiffen for a moment before hearing her sigh deeply: "Yes, it's Meng Yuan's sister... I can't condone her actions, but when I saw her commit suicide, I inexplicably felt that it shouldn't have happened..."
She had the opportunity to embrace hope, even if that hope was shrouded in thorns, and that embracing it would inevitably leave her wounded, yet Shen Tang still hoped the other party would comply with her wishes. In the end, she embraced death, and stubbornly took many innocent lives with her…
Shen Tang sat up straight: "Why did it have to come to this?"
She was still very drunk and forgot to tell Ji Moqiu what had happened. But she said nothing, and the high priest knew why; he had seen similar scenes countless times: "Every time a believer walks toward death, it snows in the temple."
The timing of events will truly reflect the mood of the gods.
Shen Tang was stunned for a moment, then regained some clarity.
"...But they are not believers."
Ji Moqiu: "But they are born with divine blood."
Rather than divine blood, it's more like a mark, much like how pet owners put tags on their pets with their information. If the pet goes out, outsiders will see the tag and know it has an owner: "Divine blood is not inanimate; if Your Highness does not acknowledge or agree to it, the scattered divine blood can be retrieved at any time."
Without the tacit approval of the gods, could a group of humans still extract gene fragments from her and implant them into other life forms?
This special gene can be extracted, transferred, and continued, and it hasn't been recovered for thousands of years. Does the significance behind this need further explanation?
Shen Tang grabbed a handful of her hair, turning her already loose hairstyle into a bird's nest: "Having divine blood doesn't mean you're a believer..."
Suddenly remembering something, he awkwardly shut up.
Based on limited memory, this deity was rebellious and willful, and she only liked people with personality, regardless of whether they believed in her or not. The more temperamental a person was, the more she liked them.
It's only natural to feel down when a little one disappears.
Shen Tang, with his chaotic mind, drew the above conclusion, then questioned, "That's not right either. If it's sad and snowy when someone of this bloodline dies, then why haven't I heard of such an anomaly more than a few times?"
Before the gods held their reckoning, this group was quite large.
If it snows every time someone dies, and it snows regardless of the season, then local gazetteers should record it frequently.
Ji Moqiu: "Because His Highness saw it this time."
A pet that ran away from home dies outside, and the gods, not seeing it, naturally won't give any celestial feedback. Ji Moqiu was originally preparing to take off his clothes and go to sleep, but the wooden staff kept moving restlessly. He calculated with his fingers and realized what was wrong, so he specially cooked a hangover soup.
"...So that's how it is. I thought it was Dou E's injustice."
In terms of injustice, they are indeed comparable to Dou E.
I just never expected the root of the problem to be with her.
After sweating profusely, Shen Tang regained her senses. Moving around, she found the sticky sensation uncomfortable, as if ants were crawling all over her body. She got up and asked the palace servants to prepare hot water, intending to take a bath before going to sleep.
The guard on the roof beam: "..."
Why hasn't the high priest left yet?
Shen Tang, who was about to take off her clothes, also turned her head to look at Ji Moqiu.
However, Ji Moqiu simply reached out his hand, and Shen Tang, seeing his movement, subconsciously handed him her clothes. A few moments of silence followed, and Shen Tang realized that he was about to help her bathe: "High Priest, this... isn't it a bit inconvenient for you?"
What's inconvenient about it?
Ji Moqiu skillfully folded and hung up the clothes.
"You are His Highness, and also the King."
There are no men and women, so there is no distinction between them.
Whether she is a princess or a ruler, all beings other than her are non-human. Non-humans have neither the right nor the courage to harbor primal urges towards her body. Ji Moqiu did not see anything inappropriate or suggestive in this act.
Shen Tang: "..."
She was used to having guards on duty around her and palace maids and eunuchs in various palaces, but Ji Moqiu... well, this was the first time.
Looking at the steaming water, she belatedly realized that Ji Moqiu seemed to be in a bad mood: "Can you tell me why?"
He answered Shen Tang's questions.
"Once Your Highness has unified the land, let us reclaim the divine blood."
"Take back...the divine blood?"
Ji Moqiu sprinkled various colored powders into the bath like he was brewing soup, causing the water to swirl between red and green before finally turning a milky white that looked quite appetizing. As he sprinkled, he said, "The calamity that led to His Highness's last demise was caused by his own clan..."
Your Highness has always been unrestrained in keeping "pets," and this time you have tacitly allowed divine blood to be left to roam freely outside, raising a large number of them.
Fortunately, these "pets" were disappointing, living a miserable life and not causing Her Highness too much trouble. If they had seized even one opportunity, they would have already fled this planet and wreaked havoc somewhere unknown. In the end, all these consequences will be attributed to her.
Shen Tang was somewhat confused by what she heard.
"...Is it that serious?"
Ji Moqiu's voice was unusually cold and sharp: "Leaving aside Your Highness's 'faithful followers,' if Your Highness sends envoys from other countries, and those envoys cause any great trouble, shouldn't the blame be placed on Kang Kingdom?"
Shen Tang nodded: "Then Kangguo will definitely pay for it."
Following this logic—
When a pet causes trouble outside, the owner is the one who has to pay the price.
Heaven may punish "pets," but before punishing "pets," it must first settle accounts with the owners of "pets."
"Your Highness doesn't want to fail the tribulation again, does he?"
"Look at what you're saying, 'I've never succeeded before?"
Ji Moqiu's lips curved into a strange, unsettling smile.
"His entire clan failed."
The success rate of the entire household registration booklet in overcoming the tribulation is zero.
This record would be phenomenal in any era.
Shen Tang: "..."
Ji Moqiu seemed to have said something similar before, and hearing it again was still very impactful. But she didn't know how to reclaim the divine blood. Ultimately, she was just Shen Tang, not the deity Ji Moqiu spoke of. He said he would reclaim it after unification; it was too early to bring that up now.
What would happen if the divine blood were withdrawn?
What happens to people who carry this special gene?
Will those people die?
"No, it's just that I lack divine favor."
"It's like losing one layer of luck buff?" Shen Tang was relieved. "After saying all this, what does the High Priest want?"
She's acting strangely today, but Ji Moqiu seems even more so.
The high priest remained silent, only turning his head to press his cool cheek against Shen Tang's damp palm. The rising steam from the bath veiled his eyes with a thin mist, but could not conceal the piety behind his dark, star-like eyes: "Your Highness, I beg you to see through this calamity and grant me your blessing day and night."
His words, when heard by Shen Tang, were automatically translated as follows—
I strive to be the first college student in the village to successfully overcome the tribulation.
_(:з」∠)_
Shen Tang, who was originally very confident, suddenly felt soothed.
The office worker was gently awakened by palace servants after only an hour's sleep. Half-opening her sleepy eyes, she let the servants help her wash and dress, and even ate breakfast in a daze. The high priest's hangover soup was very effective, but the headache from the hangover still caused her great suffering.
I have this inexplicable urge to hug my blanket and go back to sleep.
"Can't I sleep a little longer?" Just like in the TV series, a eunuch is sent out to shout "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court is adjourned." The civil and military officials look at each other speechlessly, and then Shen Tang can get half a day off in a perfectly reasonable way. The plan is perfect.
Unfortunately, working people have to work 007.
There were few controversies at today's morning assembly.
More than twenty officials stepped forward one by one to present their memorials. The proceedings were discussed, agreed to, and rejected as appropriate, and the court meeting smoothly came to an end. Generally, Shen Tang would ask a couple more questions, and if there was anything else, they would continue; otherwise, they would disperse and go to the corridor for a meal to replenish their energy.
Until an official reluctantly crawled out.
The core message is the hope that the Lord will pay attention to ethics.
Some things cannot be properly stated if the name is not correct.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you bestow upon the Jimo clan the title of Attendant-King."
It would be disgraceful for someone to spend his nights in the Empress's palace without any official title or status.
Don't ask him how he knows these things.
Because he discovered during his shift last night that there was a problem with the registration time for Ji Moqiu's entry and exit from the palace, and given the widespread rumors about the emperor's relationship with Ji Moqiu's brother, the official felt that as a subject, he had a duty to remind the emperor—if you sleep with someone, remember to take responsibility.
You can't do something like lifting up someone's skirt and then ignoring them.
Shen Tang: "..."
Clang, clang, someone's ceremonial tablet fell to the ground.
The expressions on the faces of both civil and military officials were quite remarkable.
Chu Yao lifted the hem of his official robe with one hand while bending down to pick up the tablet on the ground, and happened to make eye contact with another person.
The Grand Tutor's tablet lay quietly on the ground, one corner of it crushed.
Shen Tang finally understood what it meant to be unable to clear one's name even after jumping into the Yellow River: "...I know you are in a hurry, but please don't be anxious."
"Without eliminating external enemies and quelling internal troubles, how can one have a home?"
"The Lord's family affairs are also the affairs of the state!"
This is not "starting a family", this is "establishing a nation"!
Shen Tang: "..."
What was originally going to take half a month suddenly became incredibly fast, like a progress bar being fully loaded, and everything was completed in just three days. The Ministry of Revenue stopped making things difficult, the Ministry of War stopped dragging its feet, the Ministry of Works gave them whatever they wanted, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice pretended to be very busy, and the Ministry of Personnel released this year's performance evaluation indicators for all officials six months in advance—some officials faced the most challenging test questions in history.
The harmony between civil and military officials was unprecedented.
Shen Tang: "..."
If we had known each other like this from the beginning, none of this would have happened.
Despite the complaints, Kangguo's response was indeed swift, taking less than a month from planning and mobilization to the deployment of troops. The army was divided into three routes, setting off one after another. Martial law was declared in advance at various front lines to guard against enemy attacks on passes—if the Central Alliance had previously harbored some probing intentions, after Tan Ting's sister blew up that mountain, these people couldn't wait a moment longer.
Shen Tang also learned about this from the cheetah warrior.
[...Over the years, the central branch of the powerful families has spent enormous sums of money penetrating deep into the countryside, gathering all their bloodlines in the Northeast, Southeast, and Central regions. Everyone is here now. The Southwest and Northwest, due to certain special reasons, have not yet been infiltrated...]
Is this all?
Madam Shen can attest to this: 【Yes.】
Shen Tang didn't quite believe that only these people existed, but upon further reflection, it made sense. The main society of the Gods' Guild had spent thousands of years secretly exterminating this group, weeding them out time and again. Add to that the unique nature of their lineage—failing to produce a female offspring meant the extinction of the branch. Over time, this group truly had very few members left.
The central branch could only turn its attention to the northwest and southwest regions.
This battle is no longer simply about eliminating the Kang Kingdom, which wants to unify the continent, but also about the special bloodlines living within the Kang Kingdom.
"...I'm giving you a chance to save your life. Get Mengyuan to the front lines as quickly as possible. Some people deserve to pay for their blood debts!" Wu You didn't kill the Cheetah Warrior. After speaking, he looked at Tan Ting, "Mengyuan, can you pull yourself together now?"
Tan Ting pulled the dagger from the corpse and wiped the blood from it with her palm: "I will wipe out the entire Central Branch, leaving not a single one alive."
|ω`)
I think I'll be opening a keyboard giveaway link in the afternoon, maybe for Xiao Qiao 100 Vitamins?
P.S.: I really want to get a Qiankun coin bracelet, but I don't know what weight would be suitable.
P.S.: I showed a friend the beginning of her new book; I heard it's her eleventh edition...
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