Chapter 1435: We've already fought, what else can we do? [Seeking monthly votes]
Su Shiyi Lu did not expect that the person who came was Ji Moqiu.
He didn't have much contact with this person.
The few times we had contact were just a quick greeting when we bumped into each other on the street.
Compared to the arrogant Gong Xi Chou, Ji Mo Qiu, the older brother, was indeed much easier to get along with. He was also a shamanic healer, and his clinic in Feng Luo was quite famous among the powerful and influential. Some of the wealthy and powerful people Su Shi Yi Lu knew liked to consult this young man for their unspeakable troubles. You get what you pay for; his fees weren't cheap, but his medical skills were superb, and his medicine was effective.
Having witnessed the skills of those medical practitioners, Su Shiyi's attitude towards doctors changed from initial contempt to respect. Martial arts masters are always fighting and killing; perhaps one day they'll need their help to save their lives. Offending them is practically suicide.
"May the young master of Jimo be well."
Ji Moqiu nodded in return: "Greetings, General Chiwu."
Su Shiyi glanced behind Ji Moqiu, somewhat disappointed. Ji Moqiu had only brought a hundred men with him, including more than thirty military doctors, which was not what Su Shiyi had expected: "Young master, you only brought this many men? What are the lord's orders?"
Ji Moqiu: "His Highness ordered me to deal with the sewage."
These military doctors came to provide assistance.
Su Shiyi Lu didn't expect this answer: "Sewage? Can the High Priest solve the problem of tampered water?"
He's a shrewd person; he even changed how he addressed Ji Moqiu.
"Hmm, I'm fairly confident."
Su Shiyilu's heart suddenly burned with passion, and his eyes shone.
Ji Moqiu wasn't unreasonable; seeing Su Shiyilu's reaction, he knew the other had something to ask him for help with. He didn't bring it up, waiting for the other to ask for it first. Su Shiyilu couldn't resist and started fawning over Ji Moqiu.
Chu Jie's forehead veins throbbed slightly as he watched.
Barbarians are barbarians; they don't understand any social cues at all.
Although there was no concrete evidence, there were many rumors circulating among the people, and some court officials even submitted memorials suggesting that the emperor take Ji Moqiu into the inner court. All of this determined that Ji Moqiu would never be employed by the emperor and would never be able to get married normally: "Don't you know who he is? Don't get too close to him."
Su Shiyilu chuckled and gave Bai Chujie a look: "What do you know?"
His enthusiasm for Jimo Qiu was not without reason.
Shiwu… no, it should be said that the western border west of Wuzhou is a vast but sparsely populated area, and further west lies the eerie Black Sea. The closer one gets to the Black Sea, the more turbid the energy of heaven and earth becomes, the root of which lies in the waters of the Black Sea. Su Shiyilu sighed deeply: “…If the environment of the western border were better, or if the area near the Black Sea were more fertile, Shiwu wouldn’t have had to be like this back then.”
It is said that those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water.
The western border of Shiwu is also near the sea, yet it can't get any food.
If the land in the western border could sustain people, the common people of Shiwu wouldn't have to gaze at Yonggu Pass year after year. These two old rivals, serving in the same court and fighting side by side, could finally open their hearts and speak their minds. Su Shiyilu said, "Just like a lotus chasing the sun, people are the same. Wherever there is food to fill their stomachs, people will gravitate towards it."
Knowing that the countries within the pass are far stronger than themselves, and that the Ten Crows have been used as experience points for centuries, the Ten Crows still refuse to give up their schemes. Are they really overestimating themselves? The countries within the pass are like a blazing fire, and the Ten Crows are a group of refugees barely clothed. They know that getting too close to the fire will burn them, yet they still grit their teeth and approach it. Isn't it because if they don't get close to the fire, they will freeze to death in the harsh environment? They have no choice but to do it.
Chu Jie remained silent for a long while before saying, "I disagree."
The food Su Shiyilu mentioned came from the countries within the pass.
They filled their stomachs by plundering rather than trading.
Before Kangguo, no one believed that the Ten Crows could be well-behaved; their restless ambitions could not be concealed at all.
Even now, the military generals of Wuzhou, led by Su Shiyilu, have not truly submitted; it's just that the prosperity of Kangguo doesn't give them the chance to harbor ambitions. Chu Jie knows that given the opportunity, Su Shiyilu could still become an enemy.
Su Shiyilu wisely stopped the argument from escalating and steered the conversation back on track: "If the western border is improved and the Black Sea can sustain people, the common people of Wuzhou will have more places to make a living in the future. Men will be able to support their families, and women will be able to settle down and raise children in peace."
No matter where you are, prosperity depends on population.
The environment in Wuzhou is not as good as that in the interior, so it is difficult to retain people.
If things continue like this, he suspects that within a century, the Wuzhou Zhechong Prefecture won't even have enough staff. In that case, Kangguo might actually be able to annex and assimilate the Ten Wu tribes. Chu Jie, hearing Su Shiyilu's sighs, gave him a rare look out of the corner of his eye—this concern wasn't unfounded; that's exactly how the royal court's policy works.
Chu Jie said, "If you have this plan, just ask directly."
Su Shiyilu chuckled: "Aren't you going to tell on me?"
"I'm not that petty," Chu Jie said, walking away. As long as Su Shiyilu was a colleague, he would treat him as one. If they ever became enemies, Chu Jie would rightfully take his head and end their bitter feud.
Su Shiyi Lu: "...Hmph, always saying one thing and meaning another."
His face was beaming with a smug smile.
Even when Ji Moqiu told him that the Black Sea in the Western Territory was beyond their current capabilities to purify, Su Shiyilu was not annoyed. Instead, he waved his hand and said optimistically, "The High Priest is an outstanding person with unlimited potential. Just because we can't do it now doesn't mean we can't do it in the future."
Where there is hope, there is something to look forward to.
In particular, when he saw Ji Moqiu use his magic to plant a strange plant in the river and then use his own divine power to accelerate its growth, his hope immediately materialized—as the thumb-thick vines took root, grew, and twined in the river, it grew into a "tree" that three or four big men could hug in just half a day. The turbid air in the world faded away at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the river water gradually became clear.
Ji Moqiu, dressed in an elaborate and intricate high priest's robe, stood by the river, emanating a soft, pale green light. A faint red mark appeared between his brows. The entire process lasted two days, and Ji Moqiu's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.
Su Shiyilu jumped into the river and swam around.
He deliberately ventured closer to the deepest part of the river, and when he returned to the shore, he exclaimed in surprise, "The High Priest is truly amazing! This time, when I went into the water and came into contact with the river, my Dan Palace no longer felt that strange, slight burning sensation."
Ji Moqiu: "..."
These brave warriors are truly reckless.
He raised his hand and gathered the withered branches of the divine tree onto the shore, purifying them completely with a burst of divine fire. The blackish-gray powder left from the fire vanished without a trace in the wind. He said calmly, "That's it. This matter is settled; I should return to report to His Highness."
Su Shiyilu was unwilling to agree.
His eloquence was far superior to Ji Moqiu's: "Why is the High Priest in such a hurry? Our scouts have already found out their marching direction and are preparing to march over and collect their debt! But we must also be wary of the Allied forces repeating their old tricks; polluting the water source once will lead to a second time."
Who knows how many cards they still have up their sleeve?
Rather than having Ji Moqiu travel back and forth, it would be better for him to accompany the army directly.
Ji Moqiu opened his mouth: "But..."
Su Shiyilu: "Does the High Priest not want to be recognized through legitimate means? If you can achieve merit this time, I will definitely petition for a title for you."
For example, making the name of the high priest legitimate.
"And there's Marshal Chu and Military Advisor Kang."
Su Shiyilu made grand promises to Jimo Qiu.
"To petition for an official title?" Ji Moqiu thought it meant to request an official title for him, and a rare blush appeared on his fair cheeks. He hesitated for a few moments before agreeing, "That would be fine too."
Ji Moqiu doesn't care about titles but values recognition.
It would be a good thing to gain the approval of His Highness and his trusted advisors.
_(:з」∠)_
It's definitely not because I was beaten in the past and developed psychological trauma.
"Report—General, battle report from the front!"
Perhaps it was a stroke of good fortune, with heaven and earth conspiring together. The water problem was easily solved, and good news kept coming in one after another. The scouts sent out gathered more accurate information about the enemy's whereabouts. Judging from their marching formations and morale, they were likely on a forced march.
Sending troops to intercept and kill them at this time would greatly increase the chances of victory.
Su Shiyilu hurriedly went to find someone: "Old Chu, there's work to be done!"
Military merit waits for no one!
The army had been at peace for the past few days, with those who needed to rest recuperate doing so, and even the usually overcrowded wounded soldiers' camp was now mostly empty. The entire army was fully prepared and ready to go, awaiting only one order. Upon receiving the news and confirming its accuracy, Chu Jie immediately ordered everyone to vie for military merit.
Watching Kang Shi mount his horse with great spirit, Ji Moqiu thought of how His Highness had been tormented by bad luck. He secretly gripped his wooden staff and said somewhat dryly, "If they are just a rabble, then I will take care of eliminating them for the strategist."
As a last resort, Kang Shi should observe and command from the sidelines.
Kang Shi: "...My lord...how is it over there?"
Ji Moqiu honestly replied, "Not really."
He dislocated his hand while stretching in the morning, broke his ribs while sneezing during lunch, and fell off a cliff while patrolling the camp at night.
Various unexpected events made Wei Lou want to give up.
[Which true emperor isn't a chosen one blessed by heaven? Even if he's blessed with good fortune, shouldn't he be plagued by pitfalls every three steps and disasters every five, with ox-headed and horse-faced demons always ready to arrest him?] If Wei Lou hadn't been so skeptical of ghosts and gods, he would have had to retreat even if he were plagued by bad luck.
He also said something hurtful.
No wonder so few officials and soldiers come to join you.
The scholars of this era still held superstitious beliefs about the "Son of Heaven".
Shen Tang's experiences don't seem to indicate that he was destined to be an emperor.
All of this was thanks to Kangxi.
The culprit scratched his nose sheepishly, looking guilty.
However, Kang Shi quickly forgot about these emotions.
The army quickly pursued the troop that the scouts had discovered. As soon as the two sides clashed, Kang Shi noticed something was wrong: "This troop doesn't seem to be the same one we fought before, and there's no one I recognize in it."
There was no familiar atmosphere inside, unlike in the previous battle.
However, once the slap has been delivered, who cares which enemy it was? As long as it's an enemy and brings them military merit, that's all that matters; other details can be settled after the battle.
After a night of fierce fighting, the dawn light blurred the smoke from the battlefield, and Ji Moqiu, covered in blood, wiped his red-tasseled spear.
The almost tangible bloody killing intent emanating from him had not yet dissipated.
Su Shiyilu was shirtless, with layers of white cloth wrapped around his waist and abdomen. The wound on his right chest rose and fell with his breath, and a plump white Gu worm clung to the wound. The torn flesh was healing at a visible speed. Chu Jie and several of his lieutenants, on the other hand, were not seriously injured.
The group continued to curse the scouts for their unreliability.
Last night's ambush was met with two powerful bursts of energy from the enemy ranks, nearly stunning them. If Ji Moqiu hadn't been present, Chu Jie would have needed Kang Shi's cooperation to take them down. Both sides seemed bewildered, but having already started the fight, they couldn't simply withdraw halfway.
Anyway, they're not one of our own.
Chu Jie's glorious record has been further enhanced with another kill.
Another person was seriously wounded and captured by him.
While waiting for the physician to apply the medicine, Su Shiyilu cursed and swore, specifically cursing Chu Jie for his shameless martial arts skills!
This guy's martial arts intent is practically a bug!
Those below Chu Jie's cultivation level are capable fighters, those of equal strength are capable fighters, and even those above Chu Jie's cultivation level are still capable fighters, and capable of taking down their opponents. Except for those at the twentieth rank of Chehou, Chu Jie has a chance to take the heads of those at other cultivation levels. How can anyone else compete for military merit with that?
Chu Jie said quietly, "Envious?"
It was earned with one's life. Even if Su Shiyilu was not convinced, he could still be beaten half to death. Maybe with a bit of luck, he could awaken the will of a martial artist.
Su Shiyi was so angry he wanted to bite someone. Kang Shi came over excitedly and shouted from afar, "Haha, guess what we got out of the interrogation? Our luck has turned! This group of soldiers was actually going to support Shibao. We've intercepted our lord's mission."
The Allied forces in the Central Region received information about the battle at Stone Fortress and dispatched troops to provide support.
This is the first batch of elite vanguard troops.
Su Shiyilu curled her lip: "Is that all you've got?"
"There are quite a few twists and turns in this story, and we ended up getting a good deal."
Kang Shi's smile remained unchanged, as if he had found money on the street.
This is no different from finding money.
This elite vanguard battalion joined up with the remnants of Kang Shi's forces, obtained intelligence from them, and this intelligence misled the Allied vanguard battalion reinforcements, leading to a misjudgment of the location of Kang Shi's troops.
Thus, last night's farcical encounter took place.
Kang Shi contacted the wrong person, and the other side was so angry they were cursing.
Both sides underestimated the strength of the other.
Even more unexpectedly, Chu Jie, that ruthless man, recovered in just a few days and, with his overpowered martial arts prowess, went on to claim more kills, adding another achievement to his illustrious resume. Kang Shi also obtained crucial intelligence from this vanguard battalion's reinforcements, regarding the Allied forces' support plans. Kang Shi couldn't help but see this as a huge, lucrative opportunity.
It was still a piece of fatty meat that was forced into my mouth.
It would be a shame not to take a bite.
Su Shiyilu was itching to try it.
He kept glancing at Chu Jie out of the corner of his eye, secretly adding fuel to the fire: "If we report this news, we can't keep this meat all to ourselves."
The competition among military officers was no less intense than that among civil officials.
It is even more bloody and cruel.
If a military general doesn't seize the opportunity to gain military merit during chaotic times, it will be much harder to do so once the world is at peace. He brought many young men from Wuzhou with him this time; if he could monopolize the spoils, he could reap a considerable profit. However, if he reported this to his lord, and the lord sent people to divide the spoils, the amount of merit he would receive would be significantly less. Thinking of this, Su Shiyilu gave Chu Jie a fawning smile.
"Good brother, Brother Chu, what do you say?"
Chu Jie refused to become sworn brothers with Su Shiyilu, and coldly retorted, "If the Lord holds me accountable for concealing the truth, will you take the blame for me?"
"Conceal the news? Of course we can't conceal it! Wouldn't that land my brother in jail?" Su Shiyilu was quite adept at flattery. He said, "We must report the news, but that doesn't prevent us from capturing and killing all the villains as soon as our lord receives the news! I've already calculated it for my brother, and we can handle this batch! The men of Wuzhou are willing to be the vanguard for my brother!"
"The opportunity to fight cannot be delayed."
The enemy wouldn't wait for them to relay messages back and forth.
When the time is right, act decisively. So what if the Lord questions us?
What else can we do after we've already fought?
Chu Jie was so disgusted that he got goosebumps all over.
(*￣︿￣)
I need some tips on how to resist ordering a late-night snack in the middle of the night...
(I can't help it, I always do it)
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