Chapter 1438: Gu Insect Sugar Pill [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Before Xu Jie could even write a letter to Shen Tang to apologize, Shen Tang already knew that Xun Zhen had intercepted her private stash of money. Don't ask her how she knew; the answer was that Jiang Sheng's words, "His Majesty has signs of financial loss today," immediately made Shen Tang think of this terrible news.
Jiang Sheng was initially surprised that Shen Tang still had unexpected wealth when his luck was down—although the windfall was gone, it had still happened—after hearing the details, he understood the situation, but he was afraid that his master would hold Xun Zhen accountable for this.
It was rare for him to speak up for his colleague.
"Although Hanzhang's actions were presumptuous, his intentions were not bad. In addition, the Ministry of Revenue has been facing difficulties recently. I hope Your Majesty can be lenient in your punishment."
As the Minister of War, he was quite familiar with the situation of the Ministry of Revenue.
In recent years, Kangguo has frequently waged wars abroad. The accounts of how many people were mobilized, how much grain was used, and how much compensation was given after each battle all passed through Jiang Sheng's hands. He was very aware of the pressure Xun Zhen was under. Although he was annoyed by the procedures of the Ministry of Revenue and disliked Xun Zhen's increasingly stingy personality, if the Minister of Revenue were replaced, Jiang Sheng would be the first to object.
Of course, no one dared to take over the Ministry of Revenue.
Shen Tang sighed and said, "What can I blame him for? If I really could blame him, would I have waited until today? It's just that he won't even let me see what those millions of taels look like, which is really cruel."
She just wanted to see what so much money looked like.
“Even if he didn’t do it, the Emperor wouldn’t see it,” Jiang Sheng said honestly. After all, Xun Zhen was using Shen Tang’s private treasury for the war, which was her personal savings. Even Shen Tang herself didn’t know how big the deficit was. If this windfall went into the private treasury first, it would only be taken away by God. So it would be better to put it into the national treasury first, at least it could be used for emergencies.
If we owe God a debt, then we'll just leave it there for now.
Shen Tang: "..."
Jiang Sheng's words were quite hurtful.
"...However, is the Ministry of Revenue really facing such difficulties lately?" Among the officials, Xun Zhen was definitely not the most cunning or shrewd, but he was not a fool either. Shen Tang entrusted this matter to Xu Jie without the king's approval, but it was still a royal order!
Strictly speaking, Xun Zhen's actions were a violation of the king's orders.
Jiang Sheng thought for a moment: "It's difficult."
Which member of the royal court doesn't ask the Ministry of Revenue for money?
The war in the southwest was such a financial disaster that Xun Zhen regretted it; he was just throwing money into a bottomless pit. If he had known the southwest war would end like this, he would have preferred to attack the central region first. Now, he was in a bind, and Kang State couldn't abandon the southwest. Not only could they not abandon it, but they also had to continue investing manpower and resources.
Most of Kangguo's troops were concentrated in the central battlefield.
Of the troops remaining in the country, aside from those guarding the northwestern states, only a small portion can be deployed to the southwest. Recruiting troops in the southwest is imperative, not only for defense but also for local stability. Furthermore, sufficiently capable individuals are needed to oversee the region.
Regarding the latter, Xun Zhen spoke with Cui Zhi.
According to the information Jiang Sheng received, progress is not going well.
Ultimately, it all comes down to not having money.
Those southwestern ethnic groups who had outwardly submitted to Kangguo were all watching the spectacle with amusement, and more or less tried to trip up Xun Zhen.
Xun Zhen needed to find a legitimate reason to launch an attack and silence public opinion. Especially at times like these, it was crucial to have a "just cause."
Shen Tang's last bit of resentment dissipated completely.
"Sometimes I still envy Ji Sunshi."
They can start killing without a second thought, without even asking why. They can scare away these tough guys with their killing spree, and that sounds incredibly satisfying.
But Shen Tang couldn't.
Because what she sought was not a fleeting moment of glory.
"...Why is it so simple for some people in the middle of society to be into dancing?"
"It's nothing more than personal relationships and leverage."
Kang Guo has no connection with these reclusive individuals, so asking them to come out of seclusion for help would require a substantial reward, wouldn't it? The central branch has been operating for so many years; they have countless connections. Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment: "Speaking of which, didn't we capture several?"
She finally remembered the monk and the others.
Yesterday, Chu Jie also sent over a prisoner.
Jiang Sheng said, "These people are not to be trusted."
Sending them to the southwest to hold the line would be even more troublesome if they turned against us.
With the war pressing, coercion is far more effective than appeasement. It's better to gamble with their lives than their consciences! They might sacrifice their conscience for their lives, but they won't sacrifice their lives for their lives. Unless we get their vitals!
Shen Tang said calmly, "That's simple."
The emperor and his minister were of the same mind.
When the monk and the others received the news, they sat up with a start. He turned to Gongyang Yongye and said, "I have a bad feeling about this. Lord Shen has kept me waiting for so many days, why is he suddenly asking to see someone? Tell me, is it a blessing or a curse?"
Gongyang Yongye: "How would I know?"
Perhaps it was for recruitment purposes.
but--
He glanced coldly at the group, knowing these old fogies were difficult to deal with and unlikely to submit easily. Even if they did, they wouldn't truly serve Kangguo. However, they could still be used as expendable resources against the Central Allied Forces: "The men have been brought."
There was no serious preparation as expected.
A woman whose appearance was considered too striking by the crowd sat at a table in a plain, fitted outfit, her posture sloppy and unnatural. A pile of things lay on the table. When the group arrived, she was rummaging through something. While she searched, another young man in a wide robe sat at the lower part of the table, tidying things up as well. They only looked up when they heard the noise.
Shen Tang pointed downwards, instructing the soldiers to arrange the seating.
"Please be seated, gentlemen."
The group secretly examined the furnishings inside the tent.
The furnishings that catch the eye can only be described with one word—
Low emotional intelligence, poverty.
High emotional intelligence, simple and elegant.
Aside from its size, the furnishings here are probably inferior even to those of their subordinate generals. If it weren't for Shen Tang sitting there, one would have thought Gongyang Yongye had brought the place to the wrong place. However, no matter how simple the tent is, having Shen Youli sitting there is worth more than any trophy.
Kang Guo had killed his former temporary colleague who refused to surrender right in front of them. Circumstances were against them; these men weren't fools to have survived this long, and they certainly wouldn't be courting death. They greeted Shen Tang briefly, addressing him as "Lord Shen," and the atmosphere remained relatively peaceful. Shen Tang asked, "How have you all been in the camp these past few days?"
"The food and daily necessities are adequate."
For a prisoner of war, this was considered a courteous treatment.
Shen Tang: "Have you all decided where to go?"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment: "..."
Get straight to the point in just two sentences?
The lack of polite greetings left the group unsure of Shen Tang's attitude and what she was planning. They had no choice but to proceed with extreme caution. The monk even glanced at Gongyang Yongye out of the corner of his eye, hoping the old man could offer some hint. The latter, however, was lost in thought with his eyes lowered.
What's the point of looking at him?
The monk: "..."
"Gentlemen, there is no need to be nervous; this is just a normal inquiry."
One man stepped forward, bowing respectfully, and appealed to their emotions: "We were coerced and deceived by treacherous people, which led us to commit a grave mistake. Lord Shen is willing to spare our lives, and we should repay him with a great debt. However, we are old and frail, while Lord Shen is a man of exceptional talent in both literature and military strategy. How could his troops lack capable men? If possible, we wish to return to our hometowns and retire, never to concern ourselves with worldly affairs again."
If Shen Tang spares their lives, they can guarantee they will not obstruct Kangguo again. If further negotiations are needed, they are also willing to prevent their acquaintances from interfering, making it a win-win situation. Why choose a lose-lose scenario when a win-win is possible?
Shen Tang disagreed: "You are all martial arts masters, in the prime of your lives, so how can you say that you are old and frail?"
That excuse is too flimsy.
"Furthermore, retiring to one's hometown is not appropriate. The Central Allied Forces have gone too far in bullying us. This war is a fight to the death, and the flames of war will sooner or later spread to the entire Central region, which will likely disturb your peaceful days."
The group was somewhat bewildered by her words.
Judging from the first sentence alone, they would think that Shen Tang was being sarcastic and mocking them for being ungrateful and not wanting to die, and that they should change their minds. But after hearing the second sentence, they felt that Shen Tang's words had a hidden meaning.
Judging from their attitude, it doesn't seem like they're unwilling to release him.
Shen Tang: "To retire into seclusion, one must naturally find a quiet place."
“What Mr. Shen said makes sense.”
"I do have a good place to go; would you gentlemen like to hear about it?"
Several people nodded.
Shen Tang: "How is the Southwest?"
The group: "..."
For the central continent, other places were remote rural areas, and the southwestern continent was the countryside within the countryside. In their minds, the northwestern continent, thanks to the efforts of the Kang Kingdom in recent years, was far more prosperous than before, and although not as prosperous as the central continent, it was still quite good. The southwestern continent, on the other hand, was a poor and desolate place, full of poisonous insects and miasma.
It doesn't seem like the best choice for retiring to a secluded life.
The southwestern continent is now under the control of Shentang.
She told them to go to the southwest, clearly not intending to release them. It's unclear whether her purpose was to imprison and control them or to recruit them through appeasement.
One person politely declined, saying, "No matter how good the Southwest is, our relatives and friends are all in our homeland. The world is unstable, and we cannot abandon it."
"Are there still relatives or friends alive?"
Shen Tang did not answer, but looked at the group with a half-smile.
The group: "..."
Seeing the terrifying aura emanating from Shen Tang filling the air, Gongyang Yongye, who had been looking down at the pattern on his cuffs, finally received a look from his old friend: "Shen Jun, don't frighten them anymore. I know these people well; they are all straightforward. You can tell them what you want to say directly, and I will do my best to help."
Life is also very important.
Gongyang Yongye also discovered that the people of Kangguo had a completely different way of thinking than those in the central region. If they were to die because of communication problems, it would be a bit of a waste for these old men to die.
Shen Tang raised an eyebrow slightly: "Gentlemen, you are all masters of this era, soaring dragons in the sky. How could you possibly look down on a shallow pool? I don't want to make things difficult for you. It's always better to make a good connection than a bad one. However, you still have relatives and friends around. Yesterday, you helped the Central Allied Forces out of personal favor. Who knows if you won't come out of seclusion again in the future because of relatives and friends?"
It's almost as if she doesn't believe their nonsense.
The group felt their character was being questioned, but they couldn't refute it.
Going back on one's word is nothing new.
"I won't make things difficult for you, and you shouldn't make things difficult for me either. Before this battle ends, none of you should leave the territory of Kang Kingdom, that's the first point." Perhaps because not many powerful figures have voluntarily submitted over the years, Shen Tang has no interest in recruiting them, completely adopting an attitude of "if I gain it, it's my fate; if I lose it, it's my fortune," emphasizing not forcing anything. "Secondly, since you are all prisoners, if I easily release a few of you, how can I face the soldiers who fought bloody battles on the front lines? In that case, let's follow the rules of the army."
When two opposing forces are locked in a power struggle, they will buy and sell prisoners to each other.
Shen Tang would never accept the Central Allied Forces' ransom, so the prisoners would have to find their own way to redeem themselves.
They've all been through wars; they shouldn't be unaware of this principle.
The group gradually realized what was happening and became mentally prepared.
Rather than saying they were to retire to the southwest, it's more accurate to say that the southwest currently needs them for some business. Afterwards, Kang State will grant them their freedom. It seems very simple, but considering their cultivation levels, there's likely a trap involved.
Their thoughts went through several twists and turns.
"It's only natural to talk business when it's business and military when it's military."
Shen Tang gave Ji Moqiu a wink.
The latter took out a box made of Phoebe zhennan wood from his sleeve.
The box contained several small, candy-like trinkets.
The others couldn't figure out what the object was, but their intuition made them wary. Only Gongyang Yongye guessed that the sugar pill contained a Gu worm.
"Shen Jun, what's this?"
"Gentlemen, you are all highly talented. It would be inappropriate to force you to swear oaths of martial prowess. I will have the High Priest refine these Gu venoms, and you can consume them." The simplest way would be to put their lives on Shen Tang's shoulders, but this method could easily push them to the brink and lead them to desperate measures. Shen Tang's purpose was simply to use them. After that, they could go wherever they wanted.
She's a germaphobe; not just anyone's life is tied to hers.
Ji Moqiu seemed oblivious to their darkened faces, explaining with a faint smile, "This Gu worm has only a three-year lifespan, after which it will naturally pass away. Taking it is equivalent to placing a restriction on your dantian. After three years, you are free to decide whether to stay or leave..."
This is already a fairly lenient proposal.
They are now prisoners of war, and their residence has been sealed off.
As long as they cooperate, they can have relative freedom.
How can we believe this is true?
They had all experienced or heard of the Gu calamity in the Wu Kingdom to some extent, and were extremely wary of Gu worms. Regardless of whether this thing was real or not, it couldn't be ingested casually. Just then, Gongyang Yongye, who was standing nearby, cursed and picked up a Gu worm and ate it.
"You're already prisoners, why are you still talking so much nonsense?"
He chewed the sugar pill twice.
The ingredients of the outer sugar coating can be analyzed in minutes.
"Good stuff, it's all very nutritious."
Monk: "...Why would you eat it?"
Gongyang Yongye was not a prisoner of Kang State.
"We're letting you test the drug, do you want to take a look?"
As the Gu worm entered his throat, Gongyang Yongye quickly noticed something extra in his dantian. He focused his mind and examined his inner self, and sure enough, he found a small creature clinging to his Martial Gallbladder. The once smooth and lustrous surface of the Martial Gallbladder was gradually covered with complex and mysterious patterns.
This should be the restriction.
Gongyang Yongye said to Ji Moqiu, "Shall we give it a try?"
Ji Moqiu never expected him to do this: "The Gu worms are not easy to refine, and each one is worth a thousand gold pieces. How could you eat them?"
He made a hand seal to activate the Gu worm, and the patterns on the surface of Wu Dan flickered twice.
Once the gate is closed, the martial energy within the meridians instantly loses its source.
Gongyang Yongye clenched his fist.
"It's really sealed off?" she exclaimed in surprise.
The effect is much gentler than the restrictions imposed by the Mohist school.
Even with Gongyang Yongye testing the Gu on himself, the others were still hesitant to consume it. The sorcerer even subtly expressed his willingness to serve Shen Tang. Once they were on the same side, they wouldn't need to eat this stuff, right? In the end, only one person chose to eat it, while the others followed the sorcerer's example—working for someone else was only temporary; the company might go bankrupt one day, and indiscriminately consuming Gu worms was risky.
Gu worms are elusive creatures.
You can fall victim to it without even realizing it.
Rather than waiting to be secretly and secretly attacked, it's better to endure for now. When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one; there's no need for further hesitation.
Shen Tang: "..."
Oh no, are Gu worms really that scary?
|ω`)
I'll start fasting tomorrow; tonight I'll just eat some rice noodles.
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