Chapter 1442: Who to Look For? Lin Feng? (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Yang Ying was urgently summoned as soon as he came down from the battlefield.
The blood on the armor had not yet congealed and emitted a pungent, bloody smell.
She casually found a place to sit and sharpen her knife, but before she could even sharpen it a couple of times, she saw the lord's personal guards coming over, so she got up to greet them.
"Greetings, General. The Lord has summoned you."
Yang Ying's voice was slightly hoarse: "Is it urgent?"
If she's not in a hurry, she can simply rinse off before going to meet him.
The guard replied, "His Majesty didn't say."
Yang Ying pondered these four words carefully, trying to guess why the Lord had summoned her. She hadn't recently performed any great deeds, but she hadn't caused any major trouble either. Given the Lord's diligence—almost as if he wanted to stretch a day into three—he wouldn't usually call someone over specifically for ordinary merits.
She suppressed the vague anxiety in her heart.
She was afraid that the Lord would come looking for her because something had happened to her father.
Yang Ying sheathed his sword, said to his guards, "Please wait a moment, Your Excellency," and returned to his tent to retrieve a towel to quickly wipe the bloodstains from his armor. His mind was in turmoil, filled with various thoughts. When he came to his senses, the person was already waiting outside the tent for an audience.
A familiar voice came from inside the tent: "Shengmei, come in."
"This humble general pays his respects to His Majesty."
Yang Ying bowed respectfully with clasped hands.
Upon entering, she saw only the lord, Gu Yatai, Minister Jiang, and Ji Moqiu inside the tent; the remaining guards were hidden in the shadows. In other words, she was the only military officer summoned?
Despite her inner worry, Yang Ying managed to maintain composure on the surface.
Shen Tang pointed to the mat below and said, "Sit."
"Thank you, my lord."
Shen Tang felt somewhat helpless seeing her like this.
Yang Ying served as her personal guard for three years before being sent to the Zhechong Prefecture for training and cultivation. She was extremely brave on the battlefield and had a remarkable record. However, she was rather taciturn, serious about official matters, and very methodical. She rarely joked or chatted with others and strictly adhered to the relationship between ruler and subject.
If it were Tu Rong, Xu Quan, or Zhao Wei, they would know from this posture that there was no need to be too serious. Zhao Wei might even have asked to be offered a seat. Shen Tang didn't deliberately correct her. Yang Ying was just serious and meticulous when it came to official business, but in private, she was serious yet lively.
"I've come to you today to ask for your opinion."
Yang Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Please give your orders, my lord."
She had assumed it was some special mission, but to her surprise, her lord immediately asked, "Didn't the enemy have a female general skilled in archery during the attack on Stone Fortress? Does Shengmei remember her?"
Yang Ying naturally remembered.
In previous strategic meetings, Ms. Yuan was a key target of analysis. When her intelligence was released, her comrades were quite troubled by her abilities. If it weren't for Ms. Yuan's bad luck in repeatedly encountering opponents who were her natural enemies, she could have easily swept through the battlefield.
Yang Ying had privately lamented to Lu Ji that this man had chosen the wrong lord, a waste of talent. If Lady Yuan were willing to pledge allegiance to Kangguo, her only two rivals who could restrain her would become allies. With the terrifying power of the Arrow of Time, what opponent couldn't she annihilate? She would be a veritable military merit harvester, unmatched in either one-on-one duels or chaotic battles.
Lu Ji slapped his thigh while soaking his feet: "What a pity."
Yang Ying echoed, "That's right."
If given this ability, she might be able to defeat Gongxi Chou and kick Grand Marshal Chu within a few years, becoming the number one military meritorious person in Kangguo.
Although I'm doing well now, who would complain about not having enough military merits?
Her father also needed martial luck to break through to a higher realm.
With two top scorers in one family, their military achievements are simply insufficient.
Yang Ying asked, "Is the Lord's summons of this humble general related to her?"
The Lord spoke in the calmest tone, uttering the sweet words that made Yang Ying's heart race: "The Arrow of Time, do you want to learn it?"
Yang Ying's mind went blank for a moment before she recovered.
"Learn the Arrow of Time? Isn't this technique something only the Yuan family can master?"
Of course she wanted to learn it; it was a dream come true!
The only concern is the learning curve.
Shen Tang: "There's no such restriction. You can learn it if you want, but you need to think it through before you agree—the Arrow of Time consumes lifespan in exchange for power! The more terrifying its power, the greater the price it will take from you! Are you sure you can pay that price before you draw that bow! Sheng Mei, once the bow is drawn, there's no turning back!"
What is shot is an arrow, but what is lost is life.
Seeing Shen Tang's serious expression, Yang Ying also pondered for three breaths—after so many battle meetings, she was all too familiar with the side effects of the Time Arrow; this problem didn't need much thought. These three breaths of contemplation were for her father.
Can she afford to pay this price?
Yang Ying replied firmly, "This humble general is willing!"
Not only was she willing, but her blood was also beginning to stir prematurely.
No warrior in the world would not yearn for greater power; even dying on the path to pursuing ultimate power is a kind of happiness.
She came from a military family, and in an era when women were not allowed to cultivate themselves, she was already training in the army, learning martial arts from her uncles and elders. She was quite skilled at wielding a spear and a sword. As a child, she may not have understood her father and uncles' longing for death on the battlefield, but now she understands the meaning behind it all.
Shen Tang: "..."
Seeing the burning passion that had quietly ignited in Yang Ying's dark eyes, she quickly interrupted, forcefully cutting him off: "I'm not teaching you the Arrow of Time so you can use your life as a consumable to exchange for the enemy's head. They don't deserve it."
A look of bewilderment appeared on Yang Yingjun's face.
Let her learn, but don't let her fight?
Isn't this too contradictory?
Shen Tang coughed twice, thinking of Yang Ying's simple social relationships (compared to Qi Shan and other entangled enemies) and her decent popularity in the army. She was reluctant to let Yang Ying analyze her inner thoughts and schemes: "I'm letting you learn it to 'intimidate' her, not to 'kill the enemy.' As long as you're alive, as long as others know you can draw that bow!"
The goal has been achieved.
It can intimidate both the enemy and colleagues.
Yang Ying understood the first half of the sentence: "Although it can intimidate, it cannot kill the enemy if it does not fire its bow. The enemy will not be intimidated into submission."
“Holding a sword in hand without using it is different from not holding a sword at all. Sheathing a sword is not an act of cowardice, but rather a sign of restraint and wisdom. The same principle applies to putting arrows in a bag.” Shen Tang was also worried that Yang Ying’s stubborn personality might cause her to be uncooperative, so he added a few more words, subtly revealing his true purpose, “Shengmei, do you know how many reinforcements our army has sent for this battle?”
The phrase "several people" indicates that they were not ordinary prisoners of war.
Yang Ying said, "There are already five people."
Shen Tang then asked, "How strong are they?"
Yang Ying was about to answer when she suddenly paused, swallowing her words back as if she had thought of something. Shen Tang could tell from her reaction that Yang Ying had realized her good intentions, and continued, "Shao Xuan has already eradicated evil thoughts and achieved the sixteenth-level Grand Master status. With her cultivation level, combined with her age, and considering the years she truly embarked on the path of martial arts, her talent is comparable to Gong Xi Chou's."
Abundant martial arts resources are a great help, but her own talent, comprehension, and hard work are even more important, as Bai Su is still very young.
She was only in her early thirties.
Just think about Yang Ying's father, Yang Gong, what level of understanding he reached during the Battle of Xiaocheng, and what age he was. The difference becomes clear.
Given Bai Su's temperament, if given enough time, becoming a Rank 20 Marquis is within her grasp; everyone who knows Bai Su thinks so. The prerequisite is time, and that's what she lacks! How many geniuses has emerged on the continent in the past two hundred years? Even if it's one in ten thousand, a population of ten million could still produce ten thousand geniuses. But after two hundred years of fierce competition, how many geniuses have survived?
The cruelest thing is—
These geniuses didn't even survive; they were the ones who died!
"...But on the battlefield, no one can guarantee anyone's survival." No matter how talented, dying halfway through is unacceptable. Shen Tang had confidence in Bai Su, but even with that confidence, the gap couldn't be bridged in a short time. "...Shao Xuan's pressure will only increase in the future; she might be overwhelmed by it all alone..."
Yang Ying instinctively wanted to refute that it was impossible.
She has absolute confidence in Kang Guo and General Bai!
But these words remained stuck in my throat, unspoken.
The current Kang Kingdom is not a burden for Bai Su, but what about Kang Kingdom after absorbing the Central Continent, Southeast Continent, and Northeast Continent? Its population and land area will have doubled, and the current manpower simply cannot manage it all. The royal court will have to put in a lot of effort to truly control local forces. With twice the population, the conflicts will increase tenfold!
The conflict between civil and military officials, the conflict between scholars and commoners...
Feuds at work, feuds in private...
It all boils down to too many monks and too little porridge, a struggle for interests!
In such situations, the common practice is to form cliques, eliminate the weakest party, divide the spoils among them, and then fight for victory.
When His Majesty specifically mentioned Bai Su on this occasion, he was not referring to Bai Su alone, but rather to a certain camp that she represented.
Yang Ying's lips were pale.
She realized that she was also in this invisible camp.
When this thought arose, Yang Ying felt an invisible weight pressing down on her heart, almost suffocating her. She closed her eyes and pondered for a while, thinking to herself: [Could this be the invisible pressure that General Bai has been enduring all these years?]
Previously, it was assumed that Bai Su was obsessed with martial arts and had a devout heart for the Dao, so the allure of military merit was unmatched by worldly affairs. Now, thinking about it again, there might be other reasons behind it.
I hadn't realized it before, and Bai Su didn't mention it either.
Yes, the royal court has never been a harmonious group; every individual can be a hunter, and also prey in the eyes of others. Yang Ying clenched her fists tightly on her knees, exhaled a breath of stale air, and opened her eyes again with a resolute expression.
"This humble general understands, please grant me the Arrow of Time, my lord!"
Even a rank 20 Marquis would avoid the Arrow of Time, so those who practice this archery technique are, in a sense, also considered to be at least Marquis level.
Shen Tang said with satisfaction, "Approved!"
Gu Chi, who was standing to the side, was stunned by what he heard.
My mentor was not Shen Tang, but Ji Mo Qiu.
The secrets of the art should not be passed on to just anyone. Since it involves esoteric techniques, Ji Moqiu would also like to find a secluded place to teach it properly. He and Yang Ying got up to take their leave, and Jiang Sheng, seeing this, also prepared to get up, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Gu Chi's expression was strange.
He deliberately waited outside the tent for a short while.
After Gu Chi came out, they privately asked him if something was wrong.
Gu Chi said with a strange expression, "General Yang has been misled by the Lord's words and now sees all the officials of the royal court as monstrous floods. Although her concerns are valid, they are not that terrifying. If you only listen to her words, you would think that all the officials are ghosts."
If Yang Ying were just an ordinary henchman, the power struggles within the royal court would indeed be merciless towards her. But she herself is also incredibly large, has military merits, and is a general with a title. Ordinary underlings would be too busy currying favor with her to dare to bite her.
Yang Ying also had a father named Yang Gong.
Several of Yang Gong's former subordinates have also climbed to the middle management level.
What level of combat could possibly allow someone to devour Bai Su and her allies like prey? In a real fight, the female generals in the court would at most have their spheres of influence reduced, unable to seize control of the narrative for thirty to fifty years, let alone have their foundations shaken, preventing women from fundamentally cultivating. Our lord is still alive! What kind of combat could possibly kill our lord?
The ruler simply does not want a prolonged and severe imbalance that would affect policy.
This is also the root cause of Yang Ying's promotion.
Even if we take a step back and assume that the female generals of Kangguo will need another twenty or thirty years to truly become influential, what about female civil officials? The latter don't need such a long development period. Chu Yao has also expressed his desire more than once to have Lin Feng replace him, while he himself would take a step back.
Some officials may not have male heirs who can cultivate themselves, but they do have daughters. Wouldn't they be willing to pour all their political resources into their daughters?
No matter how much prejudice there is, one must kneel down in the face of self-interest.
Leaving aside other matters, Xie Qi's three daughters are a typical example.
I've never seen a family have three exceptionally talented offspring in the same generation.
This isn't just auspicious smoke rising from ancestral graves, it's a surge of auspicious smoke!
Jiang Sheng: "..."
If he had known that Gu Chi's reply was Yang Ying's inner thoughts and analysis, he wouldn't have asked. He doesn't have a penchant for prying into other people's privacy.
However, I have to say something: "The ghosts come from outside."
Outside of Kangguo, ghosts roam everywhere.
Gu Chi scoffed, "I'm not afraid of any number of ghosts that come."
Is the Censorate under the emperor's leadership ineffective?
He kills every evil spirit he sees!
Jiang Sheng forced a smile and patted him on the shoulder: "Let's encourage each other!"
The Central Allied Forces have been quite troubled lately. They failed to hold Shibao, and instead, the Kang Kingdom broke through, tying down their forces. Meanwhile, fires have been frequently breaking out in their own territory. The main forces starting these fires are two sides: one is naturally Zhai Le's Qu Kingdom, and the other is the emerging power.
Qu Guo is relatively easy to deal with.
As the ruler of a country, Zhai Le has too many things to consider. It is impossible for him to go bankrupt and fight a bloody war with the Central Continent. At least when the two sides start a war, there is a process of mutual probing, and sometimes they can even reach a tacit understanding.
That emerging power is different.
That's a complete mad dog!
They kill but don't bury; they beat but don't treat.
They'll fight wherever they can, and smash wherever they can.
Its combat style completely overturns traditional thinking and logic.
For example, how did these people ensure the supply of grain?
"...What nonsense are you talking about? Those lunatics have attacked? They're only forty miles outside the city?" The garrison commander felt like the sky was falling when he received the news! Just three days ago, he heard that these people had ravaged three counties of Lizhou, but were ambushed and surrounded by other counties of Lizhou and cities along their route during their retreat. And today they're at his doorstep?
Is he still dreaming?
Or is he deaf and misheard?
"Say it again, where are they?"
"Yes, it's forty miles outside the city."
The garrison commander checked several times to make sure he hadn't misheard, and then the world spun around him.
Not every commander has the same determination as Yang Gong to fight to the death, burning his alchemy palace to fight the enemy to the bitter end. Nor is every commander a hidden master like Luo San. He was just an ordinary martial artist, an ordinary tenth-rank Left Vice Minister.
In this era where the various forces have been integrated and absorbed by the King of Scrolls, and whose combat power has expanded, he can almost foresee his future.
But then the deputy general reminded him.
"I have heard that there are eighteen ranks of senior officers in the rebel army."
And there's more than one.
If there are scholars in our city who can suppress them, we can delay them for three to five days until reinforcements arrive. Otherwise, even with high walls and deep moats, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot when faced with these madmen! For a moment, a gloomy atmosphere filled the hall.
＿|￣|●
It's past midnight, and the urge to order a late-night snack is starting to torment me again.
But you have to resist the urge and take a break to touch the fish first.
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