Chapter 1448: Isn't Chief Yu worried? (Part 1) [Requesting monthly votes]
Thump—thump—thump—
The knocking sounded especially frightening at that moment.
The two trembling servants standing guard by the door nearly lost their minds.
He dared not open the door, his face pale, his hands loosely pressing down on the wooden bolt, turning his head to anxiously wink at Lin's father, and mouthing the words in a low voice.
"Soldiers, there are soldiers everywhere outside."
This is terrible! Opening the door means death, not opening the door also means death.
Lin's father was so frightened that his heart skipped a beat.
If the soldiers outside are local troops, they might be there to settle scores with Lin Chun. If they are actually warlord forces secretly funded by Kangguo, then the danger could be averted. Even if we assume the soldiers outside have ill intentions, how long can a house full of old and weak hold out? They wouldn't even be enough to make a decent meal for the enemy if they searched the house. If they delay opening the door and anger the enemy, they might not even know how they died.
"open!"
In the blink of an eye, Lin's father made a decision.
Before the group outside could knock a second time, the servant answered in a trembling voice, "Please wait a moment, guests outside, we'll open the door right away."
When the door was opened, a group of burly men were indeed standing outside.
Anyone you pick out has shoulders twice the width of your own.
The leader stepped forward and greeted the servants with clasped hands. Her voice was somewhat rough, but not a deep male voice; it sounded more like a woman's, even the features beneath her helmet carried a touch of feminine gentleness: "Excuse me, is this the Lin residence?"
Lin's father stepped forward and said, "We are from a humble family and dare not call ourselves a mansion."
He carefully observed the man's armor and made a rough assessment of his strength. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled easily: "May I ask why the young general has come to visit so suddenly? Are you looking for someone or doing something?"
The young general said, "No, it's not that. The Queen instructed us not to disturb your residence, so I came here specifically to inquire."
When fighting a war, it's hard to consider all aspects.
She remembered Lin Feng's instructions while cleaning up the battlefield, fearing that some careless person might damage someone's yard or accidentally kill someone. As long as no one was killed, other minor problems could be remedied. Lin's father was speechless. Although he was somewhat prepared, he still wanted to ask to confirm his guess: "Who is the 'female ruler' that the young general mentioned?"
"It is Vice Minister Lin."
Lin Feng is like a brick; he can be moved wherever he is needed.
The Kang Kingdom's court comprises three provinces, six ministries, nine temples, and five directorates, and she holds four of them concurrently. Initially, she only held the position of Vice Minister of Revenue, but Shen Tang discovered that the young woman handled it with ease and was full of energy, so adhering to the principle that the capable should do more, she gradually added several more positions for her. Currently, she holds four positions, but Lin Feng has held more than twice as many other positions.
Despite holding so many part-time jobs, her position as Vice Minister of Revenue remained untouched.
Lin's father was unfamiliar with this and didn't immediately grasp the concept.
"Minister Lin is here again..."
Before he could finish speaking, he realized he was referring to Lin Feng.
The letter from my grandfather mentioned that Lin Feng held a high position in Kangguo and that Jian was favored by the emperor, but it did not mention what she was doing specifically.
Lin's father tried to think big, but he only thought that Lin Feng might serve by Shen Tang's side, respond to imperial edicts and offer advice, and perhaps even gain a place in the Secretariat. He never expected that Lin Feng's main profession would be in the Ministry of Revenue, and that he would be the Vice Minister of Revenue.
Is it appropriate for the Minister of Revenue of Shen State to be sent here?
Lin's father swallowed his doubts.
He said, "Everything was fine last night."
Lin's father thought this answer would appease the group, but to his surprise, the young general was very enthusiastic. He noticed that the inner wall of the courtyard had been smashed by a stone that had flown in from somewhere, and he turned around and asked someone to rebuild it.
She wanted to refuse but was afraid of offending Lin Feng and giving him something to talk about.
He could only force a smile and welcome the young general in.
This young general is also very straightforward.
She was building walls and patching tiles, and then she said that her house was simple and elegant, and that she had found a suitable ornament somewhere that would fit perfectly here.
Lin's father didn't get a word in edgewise, watching helplessly as the group of people brought the goods in. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he said, "This won't do, this won't do! I can't accept this without doing anything in return. This humble citizen cannot accept it."
Even a fool could see that this young general was trying to curry favor with Lin Feng.
Lin's father thought this kind of tribute was normal, but he didn't forget that the situation in Kang Kingdom was different from other places. If someone reported that Lin Feng had accepted bribes, this would be irrefutable evidence. When Lin Feng returned and saw the drastically changed house, he might even think that Lin Feng had accepted the bribes voluntarily.
The young general said, "Don't panic, Master Lin."
Lin's father: "..."
No, he can't help but panic now.
This agonizing ordeal only ended when Lin Feng reappeared. Lin's father hurriedly stood up to greet Lin Feng: "Lingde, is this young general your colleague? She—"
The words he wanted to say were swallowed back when he saw an unfamiliar face standing next to Lin Feng. Lin Feng looked at his father in surprise; the latter looked flustered, as if he had done something wrong, and hesitated, asking, "What does Father want to say?"
Lin's father said awkwardly, "No, it's nothing."
At this moment, the woman next to Lin Feng waved her hand and said, "You two can talk about what you have to say. Don't worry about me."
Lin Feng turned his gaze back to his father.
Lin's father, instead of being in a difficult position, whispered, "Your colleague had a lot of valuable items moved into her home."
Lin Feng said "Oh," and asked, "How precious could it be?"
After glancing at it twice, he said, "That's it?"
It's at most an improvement in living standards, nothing to do with being expensive. Lin's father was almost driven mad by his daughter, unsure whether to be frustrated that what he considered "expensive items" was only described as "just so-so" by Lin Feng, or angry that she didn't understand the subtle hints.
"It's a case of 'no reward without merit.'"
How can I not have made any contributions?
Lin's father: "..."
The lady who came with Lin Feng chuckled, making Lin's father extremely embarrassed. He repeatedly said, "Please excuse our honored guest."
The unfamiliar woman laughed and said, "If other officials' families were half as cautious as Master Lin, how much less work would the Censorate have to do?"
Many officials have been dragged into the abyss of corruption, with their initial downfall often coming from their relatives and friends. Can the officials themselves truly remember their original aspirations, and can their family members also adhere to the code of conduct for officials? Once the loophole is opened, and they are tainted with corruption, their downfall is inevitable.
Only then did Lin's father feel relieved.
But soon he realized something was wrong.
Lin Feng intentionally lagged behind the unfamiliar female ruler, accompanying her into the main hall as a follower. The female ruler, naturally, took the head seat at the head of the table, while Lin Feng sat below her. This gave Lin's father a vague idea of the unfamiliar female ruler's identity. Was she most likely the warlord leader supported by the Kang Kingdom in this area?
Lin's father had also heard Lin Chun say that the leader of the bandits was indeed a woman.
Lin's father instructed a servant to serve tea.
It wasn't our own aged tea that we used, but rather the fine tea that the young general had just given us. I don't know exactly how good it was, but it was better than what we had at home.
Lin Feng could taste the difference immediately.
The stranger, Shen Tang, was indifferent to whether the water was good or bad, as long as it quenched her thirst. She said, "We will stay here for two days. During this time, we need to use this place for a while, so that you and your daughter can reunite and enjoy family time."
Shen Tang did this to give the Lin family some rewards in a legitimate way. She was staying here in someone else's house, so she had to pay some "rent." She also planned to appoint Lin Chun as the prefect of this area. Given his personality, he probably wouldn't be as decisive as Lin Feng and would likely be unable to control people. That's why she wanted to show some people in the city that the Lin family was no longer what it used to be, indirectly giving Lin Chun some support.
Unaware of Shen Tang's plans, Lin's father readily agreed.
Lin Feng, however, was aware of it.
After Lin's father left, Lin Feng nestled against Shen Tang's knees and said, "Your Majesty has made plans for me; I do not know how to repay you."
The tender scene between the emperor and his minister was shattered by a single sentence from Shen Tang.
"Do more work."
Shen Tang patted her hair bun.
Lin Feng straightened up.
With her cheeks puffed out in anger, she said, "My most skillful incantation is no longer 'submerging in water and fire,' but rather 'being indecisive.'"
Shen Tang wasn't buying it: "All the officials in the royal court are like this."
Experience has shown that even the most difficult incantations become easier with practice. While one may not know other incantations when serving as an official in Kangguo, the skill of "Three Minds, Two Hearts" is essential and a required skill in the workplace.
Xiahou Yu outside couldn't help but chuckle.
Shen Tang said, "Come in."
After saying that, he added, "Never mind, I'll go out."
The room was too small to fit all these tall, burly guys.
She made do with holding the meeting in the courtyard; the space was still a bit cramped, so she could only manage a makeshift arrangement. None of the Lin family members or servants dared to disturb them in the front yard; just seeing that group of sharp-eyed elites made them tremble. Only when they realized that this group was disciplined and had no intention of harming them did they finally relax their long-held tension.
"Report—"
The scouts sent out brought back bad news.
This dampened everyone's joy at easily capturing the city.
Shen Tang said, "Speak."
The messenger handed over a secret letter with both hands. The letter contained no extra words, only a simple map with various arrows drawn on it.
Shen Tang immediately recognized that the map had been sent by Tan Ting through her informants. After reviewing it, she circulated it among the others, asking, "What do you all think?"
Don't be fooled by Shen Tang's use of the Wu Kingdom's mad dog tactics—a brutal assault on cities, focusing solely on destruction rather than defense, seemingly without a specific destination. In reality, they do have a goal. Restraining the central allied forces is only one task; another is to coordinate with the Qu Kingdom, aiming for both sides to converge and merge their defensive lines.
The more she does, the more attention she attracts.
To some extent, this can also cover up Qu Guo's actions.
only--
According to the intelligence sent back by Tan Ting, the Central Allied Forces are making every effort to contact the Kingdom of Qu, attempting to turn this ally against them...
Xiahou Yu: "The ruler of Qu State is not a short-sighted person."
He had a deep-seated hatred for Zhai Le, a hatred stemming from the destruction of his country and the killing of his teacher, and he felt he had to speak the truth. He didn't doubt the authenticity of the news, but he was also worried it might be a smokescreen released by the Central Allied Forces. Sending people to sow discord and divide was a perfectly normal tactic; one couldn't question an ally's innocence simply because they had contact with the enemy.
That's exactly the effect the enemy wanted.
“Zhai Xiaofang is indeed not, but that doesn’t mean the people around him aren’t. Sometimes, even a king can be coerced into making decisions against his will.” Shen Tang is single and has no family to worry about, so he can act as he pleases. But Zhai Xiaofang has a wife and children, and a large family whose lives and fortunes are tied to him. He is not as free as Shen Tang.
She is not worried if it is just normal negotiations between the two countries, but what if the two sides are negotiating as the Central and Southeastern Societies?
Yes.
It was not the Central Allied Forces that made contact with Quguo.
The Central Branch sent people to contact the Southeast Branch.
The two can represent completely different political implications.
Shen Tang was clearly more wary of the latter.
Over the years, the Pantheon has been recruiting and screening talent at the same time. In the end, those who remain are a group of arrogant and rebellious people whose thought processes are compatible. They wholeheartedly agree with the Pantheon's idea of being above all living beings and are mad to the core!
Once the two branch offices reach a settlement...
It was only a matter of time before Qu Guo's stance shifted.
Xiahou Yu volunteered to go on a mission to the State of Qu, and also to test the waters.
Others said, "If we go now, what difference will it make? It'll be like a louse on a monk's head. The people of Qu Kingdom will definitely find out."
Xiahou Yu had a ready excuse: "Qu State has used up a lot of its stockpiled grain. This time, I'll go and ask them if they have enough grain. They can't possibly send me back, can they?"
Sincere care from our allies!
One doesn't hit a smiling face, especially when the other side is an ally with ample supplies. If the Qu Kingdom still doubts Xiahou Yu's motives, then they're asking for trouble. Xiahou Yu was confident.
Shen Tang shook her head and rejected his request.
"No need for that, I'll send someone."
"Isn't the military force of the Kang Kingdom tied down in the Yudi Mountains?"
To handle this matter effectively, individual combat capabilities cannot be too weak; at the very least, they must be able to deliver intelligence promptly and safely in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Xiahou Yu has a certain understanding of the strength of Kang State, and he likely doesn't have the manpower to do this right now.
After saying that, he looked at Gong Xichou and the other two.
Or should we send either Gong Xichou or Luo Sha out?
Without their cooperation, the subsequent martial arts battles will be much more difficult.
Shen Tang said, "There is still one person we can use."
That's her.
To vanish into nothingness is the only way; the capable are often burdened with more work.
Wu You's mission was to investigate the forces in the Northeast Continent; the main body hadn't allowed her to build up her power there. With the entire continent engulfed in war, there wasn't much time for Wu You to slowly cultivate her influence. Therefore, sending a message to Wu You now would at least get her to make a trip.
Sensing the emptiness of Zixu's inner thoughts: "..."
The main body commands it, and its emanations also command it.
What's wrong? Is it some kind of cheap and despicable embodiment?
Lin Feng: "..."
When the ruler rolls up his sleeves, his subjects are all afraid.
Lin Feng, recalling his experience in the Kingdom of Qu, worriedly asked, "If the Kingdom of Qu is successfully persuaded, then the alliance—"
Shen Tang raised her hand to stop her from saying: "No."
It's impossible to succeed.
It wasn't because she had confidence in Zhai Le, but because she was extremely confident in her ability to frame someone: "Marriages can end in divorce, let alone an alliance between two forces. Even if Zhai Xiaofang gets a promise of peace in a corner from the Central Allied Forces and chooses the Allied Forces instead of me, it doesn't matter, as long as he can tolerate the hatred of his family's massacre! Then he can choose without worry!"
What is the most efficient and convenient way to break an alliance?
Of course it was a frame-up.
Her voice was indifferent: "I will do it flawlessly."
Having come this far, even Zhai Xiaofang couldn't stop her.
I will do it flawlessly!
The avatar Wuyou sensed the killing intent that arose simultaneously in both the main body and the avatar Zixu, and wiped away non-existent sweat from its forehead.
You two are both so cunning.
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
The central part of the society has been plagued by bad luck since the start of the war.
The carefully nurtured longevity vessel was destroyed, a large number of elite troops suffered heavy losses in the Yudi Mountains, and internal turmoil broke out within the branch, with many branch members dying mysteriously. Tracing the source, the investigation finally led to Tan Ting of the branch, but a manhunt and pursuit yielded no results.
"Right now, we can only hope that Yu Guilong is sensible."
(*｀)
"On a Sunny Day", not one of the 10 ancient romance novels.
Synopsis: A quirky young woman, brimming with martial virtue, is reborn before her mother's tragic death, and takes up her sword to avenge her grudge. [My friend is really diligent!]
P.S.: I chose Terre d'Hermes, and then customer service recommended Versace Elegance, saying it also smells quite nice. Hopefully, this blind selection won't be a disappointment.
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