Chapter 1482: Hasty (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Is it really a small matter that Wu You was killed?
Those present were either Shen Tang's confidants or skilled in both civil and military affairs, so they naturally knew that she had two avatars of her literary energy that were kept in the wild year-round. These two avatars were also quite special, as they could operate independently of their original bodies for extended periods. Apart from the clearly identified "Zixu," very few knew the whereabouts of the "Wuyou." Court officials who knew the inside story dared not let their guard down and frequently warned their families and students to be careful.
Some officials even privately admonished their wayward sons: "You're a hopeless case, but you still have to be a law-abiding citizen. Your wealth and status depend entirely on me; hindering me is ruining your own future."
One may indulge in eating, drinking, and merrymaking every day, but one must not abuse the family name, much less break the law or disregard human life. Who knows if the embodiment of the Lord is watching coldly from some hidden corner? Other rulers spend their days in the royal court, relying entirely on reports from officials in various regions to report on events outside. Even the most enlightened monarchs can become complacent and lose their senses, but this living ancestor of their Kang Kingdom is different.
She herself traveled around incognito, and also had the Censorate inspect and supervise her everywhere. The Censorate also had a mysterious and elusive person named Cui Xiao.
These are like a tight band around the head of a monkey for officials.
At most, Tang Sanzang's recitation of the Tightening-Headband Mantra would make the monkey writhe in pain, but when their lord recited the Tightening-Headband Mantra, it could directly cause a person's brains to explode.
The officials both respected and feared Shen Tang, and were even more terrified of the elusive Wu You. Some even secretly complained about Ning Yan and Yan An. If Yan An hadn't had such a scholarly way of thinking, Ning Yan wouldn't have been affected, and the emperor wouldn't have been implicated as well.
Ultimately, it's all Yan An's fault.
Are you saying Wuyou is dead?
Everyone remained outwardly composed, but their inner thoughts were in turmoil.
At that moment, someone let out a soft scoff: "Tch—"
Following the sound, they saw it was none other than the Imperial Censor Gu Chi. Some who had felt a brief moment of pleasure froze, avoiding Gu Chi's eyes—thanks to Wei Lou, Gu Chi's scholarly ways were now an open secret, and over the years, many had tried to bring him down. After all, they were human, not puppets, and could not be constantly on guard against Gu Chi, nor could they remain perfect forever.
I tried it out a few times, but the results were not satisfactory.
Not only is he the head of the Censorate, but he's also a powerful minister favored by the emperor. It's already a miracle that Gu Chi didn't use the Censorate to destroy them. If they want to bring Gu Chi down, they'll first have to undermine the emperor's trust in him. Without destroying his foundation, Gu Chi won't fall.
So, these people could only watch helplessly.
As time went by, they gradually got used to it.
They were only cursing Gu Chi in their hearts; could Gu Chi really kill them over that? A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Who hasn't cursed their boss and their family a few times in the workplace? Gu Chi could only watch helplessly, even if he disapproved. This time was no exception.
"Why is the Prime Minister laughing at us for no reason?"
"Nothing much, I just suddenly thought of something funny."
Gu Chi wanted to roll his eyes when he heard this title. Of all the titles, he hated this "Auxiliary Minister" the most. In his opinion, it was no different from a derogatory term. Gu Xiang was Gu Xiang, and he hated it when people called him "Auxiliary Minister." At first, everyone didn't know what he was angry about, but after a while, they figured it out. So those who couldn't stand him liked to make sarcastic remarks about him from time to time.
"Since this is such a joyous occasion, I wonder if the Prime Minister would be willing to share in it?"
After he finished speaking, his sleeve was carefully tugged at by his colleague next to him.
He gestured for him to stop provoking Gu Chi.
Calling someone "Minister" twice in one day, isn't that just asking for trouble?
He tried to smooth things over, saying, "Yatai, don't be angry. He was so shocked by the Lord's injury that he spoke nonsense in a moment of confusion. Please forgive him."
Gu Chi pouted and turned his head away, refusing to look at those two annoying old faces.
"Let me borrow your handkerchief to wipe your mouth, so the lord won't worry." Compared to the two mean-looking old faces of her stepfathers, Qi Shan's face was quite pleasing to the eye, especially in her battle-worn and weak state, which made her look pitiful.
Qi Shan: "..."
Maintaining her sour expression, she grabbed a handkerchief and hastily wiped away the bloodstains.
Gu Chi: "...Tch."
Some people may appear to be in pain, but they are secretly enjoying it.
Gu Chi's action made Qin Li withdraw his outstretched hand and turn his attention back to his master. Shen Tang was, after all, a military general with abundant qi and blood, possessing the legendary pure yang body. The backlash from the transformation was quickly suppressed by her, and her complexion gradually returned to its rosy hue: "Wu You and Meng Yuan encountered a few troublesome old men on the way, but fortunately, Meng Yuan is safe now."
Its illusory form temporarily dissipated and it returned to its original form.
In Shen Tang's view, it was nothing more than being seriously injured while fighting monsters and returning to the resurrection point. The only trouble was that the time spent running around the map was too long.
She calmed her surging martial energy and transformed back into nothingness.
Wu You stood in front of Shen Tang, and the two seemed to be looking in a mirror.
"There's something I need your help with."
Wu You and she are one, so there's no need for further instructions.
She cracked her knuckles, making a teeth-grinding sound: "No problem. I've been feeling really frustrated today, and I was just looking for a place to vent my anger."
Using her "Miraculous Hands and Divine Skill," Wu You transformed into the likeness of an enemy general, perfectly mimicking his appearance, aura, and strength. If Wu You deliberately imitated the enemy general, it's estimated that only those who lived with him day and night could find any flaws in her imitation in a short time. The enemy general watched in astonishment as Wu You gradually transformed into his likeness. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have doubted whether he was a twin born of the same mother.
Shen Tang said, "Let's keep him under guard for now."
"To avoid any unforeseen complications, why not just kill them directly?"
A martial artist with such strength and courage should either be killed or recruited.
The one thing you absolutely cannot do is offend someone and make an enemy.
"The aristocratic families in the central region have a long history; we can't guarantee they don't possess something like a life lamp." A life lamp is an ever-burning lamp created using the aura of offspring as a catalyst. It's not very useful; it can only be used to monitor whether a target is alive. If someone is killed here and the life lamp goes out there, the elaborate disguise will be exposed in no time.
To be on the safe side, let this person live for a few more hours.
Upon hearing this, the enemy general's expression stiffened for a moment.
He didn't have a life lamp or anything like that, but he had some connection with the deputy general guarding the camp, who could sense whether he was alive or dead.
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
"Are all scholars who have reached the pinnacle of their art this ruthless and unreasonable?" Luo San, covered in blood, floated in the air, wielding a large sword, his eyes fixed on the battlefield below. The vegetation here was licked by the flames, and as far as the eye could see, it was a sea of fire, leaving the enemy soldiers nowhere to hide.
Everything that could be forced out had been forced out.
Chu Yao not only revealed their hiding place but also the types and numbers of troops, as well as their ambush lines. The information was so detailed that it was as if Chu Yao had been eavesdropping on the enemy's battle plan from under their sand table. Luo San was unfamiliar with the Kang Kingdom's troops; he wasn't responsible for leading the army, but only for killing the enemy's most troublesome generals. Once he had killed those, he was done.
Wei Lou was the one who coordinated the encirclement.
He said, "It's not just the way of scholars that is unreasonable."
Young people today are even more unreasonable.
Shen Youli's order was that none of these ambush soldiers should be left alive. She didn't assign the task to her own trusted confidants; Qi Shan, Qin Li, or Kang Shi could have done it. Instead, she appointed a centenarian to perform this heinous and destructive task.
In Shen Youli's eyes, was he a fierce and ruthless person?
The two landed on a charred, empty field.
Heat was rising from beneath my feet.
If an ordinary person stood barefoot on it, their soles would be roasted in just two breaths. Rain clouds gathered overhead, and the mountain air was filled with a nauseating stench of burning flesh. The raging wildfire consumed all the vegetation and continued to burn, fueled by the corpses. Wei Lou watched this scene, akin to purgatory, without a ripple in his heart. At that moment, an enemy soldier's martial energy barrier was shattered, and he was kicked into the fire.
This fire was no ordinary fire; it ignited upon contact with anything.
A living person can turn into a human torch in just a few breaths.
A piercing scream came from the firelight.
He endured the excruciating pain, writhing and rolling on the ground, but before he could reach Wei Lou's feet, a sword thrown by Wei Lou pierced his throat, pinning him firmly to the ground. His limbs twitched twice, and he fell completely silent. Even the battle-hardened soldier found the sight unbearable to witness.
"Lou Jun, Zhan has been caught—"
A vanguard general came treading on scorched earth.
Wei Lou glanced at him coldly: "What war?"
The military officer said, "They surrendered voluntarily, laying down their armor..."
Holding a weapon means continuing to fight, while voluntarily abandoning one's armor and weapons means surrendering and submitting. At this point, it's not appropriate to kill the person.
Wei Lou said, "Really? You saw it?"
The general felt a chill run down his spine after hearing the two cold questions. He opened his mouth, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something.
Wei Lou sneered and asked, "Military orders are as firm as mountains, General, are you aware of that?"
If this person were one of his men, he would have been flogged long ago.
The military order was given before the departure, so why are you asking for instructions now? "Leave no survivors"—are those four words really that hard to understand?
The military officer clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.
Wei Lou commented sarcastically, "This person won't last long. How come Shen Youli's staff is full of naive and pedantic fools?"
Who says that if the enemy lays down their weapons, they won't be killed?
Killing him would be against morality?
For thousands of years, the rites and music have collapsed. The chaos of the last two hundred years has broken through those rules time and time again. Who still cares about rules?
Luo San said, "I think it would be good to ask."
This shows that Kangguo was indeed rebuilding order and restoring ritual and music.
Wei Lou neither confirmed nor denied this.
He said he would leave no survivors, and he truly meant it—he left not a single one alive.
All the corpses they could collect were burned to ashes as fuel, each one meticulously examined. Even Luo San couldn't help but glance at them with disapproval. Wei Lou was leaving no survivors; the old man was truly ruthless. But he quickly changed his mind. In terms of moral bottom line, Wei Lou couldn't even come close to the Central Allied Army. At least Wei Lou still had some semblance of humanity; these Allied soldiers had completely abandoned all compassion…
"No wonder they said we couldn't leave any survivors; now I understand."
The hundred or so disease carriers who infiltrated the ambush were merely the visible trap; the real trap was that all the ambush soldiers were infected. Before setting out, they had sworn an oath, vowing not to return until the ambush was broken.
The problem lies in the blood oath ceremony process.
Once we take these prisoners, things will get really complicated.
Even Wei Lou had to sigh.
"People's hearts have really changed." Thinking back, I was never this inhuman in the past; even my most disgusting opponents didn't act this way. In just over a hundred years, the young people these days have become so dirty-minded.
Luo San: "..."
The Allied forces split into several groups. The furthest supporting force realized they had been exposed as soon as they saw the firelight on the horizon and fled in advance. This decision made them one of the few survivors. It wasn't until dawn that a few remaining soldiers managed to sneak back.
Among them were generals who were not disguised.
"Get out of the way—all of you get out of the way—"
Covered in blood and charred beyond recognition by the flames of war, Wu You struggled to control her warhorse, appearing utterly exhausted. Before the horse could even break through the Allied trenches, she lost her footing and fell from its saddle. Seeing the commotion, the sentry on the watchtower quickly rang the bell. A moment later, the gates swung open, and a lieutenant rushed out from the ranks, heading straight for Wu You.
He cried out urgently, "General!"
He staggered off his horse and helped Wu You up.
Wu You wanted to say something, but a mouthful of blood choked him.
She stammered, "...The...the Allied forces have betrayed me!"
The deputy general, anxious and tearful, wanted to ask something more, but Wu You suddenly lost consciousness. Seeing this, the deputy general quickly helped Wu You onto the horse, mounted himself, and rushed back for treatment.
What did his general mean by saying "the Allied forces have betrayed us"?
A night passed, and not a single message came back.
Judging from the general's disheveled appearance, he must have been in a fierce battle.
The deputy general had just taken the man back when the Allied forces arrived shortly after receiving the news. Among them, the leader of the alliance, surnamed Zhao, looked the most displeased, seemingly not expecting "him" to return. However, he verbally instructed the army doctor to give "him" a thorough examination, displaying obvious concern and worry.
What exactly happened yesterday?
"Yes, General Wang, why do you look like this?"
What everyone was most concerned about was the situation at Kangjun's camp.
As long as the allied forces could successfully infiltrate the Kang Kingdom's camp, regardless of the outcome, their objective would be achieved. They could then patiently wait for news of a mysterious plague to spread from the Kang Kingdom's camp, reaping the benefits later. However, only one general returned overnight, causing unease among those with guilty consciences.
The lieutenant said, "This humble general would like to ask why my general, upon returning, immediately declared 'the allied forces have betrayed us' without offering any explanation?"
Wu You, feigning unconsciousness: "..."
I can't help but give this straightforward old general a thumbs up.
Well done, isn't this like an old man hanging himself?
His own general had brought back news that the Allied forces were in trouble. Instead of keeping his troops in check, he confronted them directly and demanded an explanation. Wasn't he afraid that the Allied forces would break off relations and send both master and servant away?
General Wang brought a lot of personal guards with him. Without them, the two of them would be commanders without any troops. How could they possibly challenge the Central Allied Forces?
The Allied soldiers' expressions froze.
He chuckled awkwardly, "What are you saying, old general?"
"When have we ever wronged General Wang?"
The lieutenant flew into a rage. Despite his advanced age, his voice was full of vigor: "If you have nothing to hide, why are you avoiding my gaze and not daring to look me in the eye? Are you implying that the general has wronged you?"
The group frowned, seemingly surprised by the old man's stupidity.
Can these questions be asked face-to-face?
Wu woke up coughing at just the right moment.
If she doesn't wake up soon, and this lieutenant says a few more words, forcing the Allied forces to kill her to silence her, how will she be able to watch the show?
Upon hearing the commotion, the lieutenant hurriedly knelt down to help him up, his fierce eyes filled with tears.
"General—"
With his help, Wu You stood up and patted the vice-general's hand to reassure him. Having not expected the vice-general to be so fierce, Wu You had to temporarily change his strategy, straightening his back and staring intently at the allied leader, wondering if he could behead him at this distance.
Sensing the presence in the shadows, she abandoned the idea.
(`)
The raffle is scheduled for the 15th.
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