Chapter 1498 (1497): Agricultural Drones (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Qin Li: "..."
Sometimes you really can't blame Luan Gongyi for having a problem with Gu Chi.
This guy always finds a way to annoy his colleagues.
What was wrong with me back then? How could I have thought Gu Chi was such a proper gentleman? This guy isn't even acting anymore—no, he's clearly too immersed in his role. Qin Li closed her eyes in slight despair to avoid being assaulted by the sight.
If one eye is blinded, the other must be saved.
"Even rulers and their subjects should be mindful of social distancing."
Shen Tang used one hand to push Gu Chi's head away.
"My lord is heartless, not even willing to show this much pity." Gu Chi tilted his head, ignoring his lord's disdain, as the dog sneaked up to Qin Li. "How could it be just one? First came the sun, then heaven, and Yuanliang existed before Chi. It should be a pair!"
Qin Gongsu is too biased towards Qi Shan.
The criticism goes that misjudging Gu Chi was due to some kind of blindness, but isn't misjudging Qi Shan for the same reason? To be honest, Qin Li is indeed rather inept at judging people; he's either deceived by one person or misjudged another, a classic example of his dark history, like Wu Xian. It's only because fate took pity on him and allowed him to encounter Zhao Feng and others; otherwise, this young master Qin would have been fooled countless times throughout his life.
Qin Li: "..."
In a fit of anger, localized torrential rain occurred.
Someone's carefully styled high bun was knocked down.
Gu Chi, with his crooked hair ornament on, wiped the rain from his face expressionlessly and gave a smile that made anyone want to punch him: "Young Master Qin, please don't be offended. I spoke inappropriately. It's not necessarily a pair. Perhaps I've been mistaken about the same animal several times."
Shen Tang heard the noise and looked over.
All she could see was her Junior Tutor Qin chasing after her Imperial Censor, hacking at him.
In ancient times, the King of Qin ran around a pillar; now, Yatai runs away.
"What are you saying, one pair and one sword?" Shen Tang didn't find it funny; she just felt that Gu Chi was truly capable. Among all the officials, apart from Qin Li, who had PTSD with Qi Shan and would occasionally have post-traumatic stress disorder, only Gu Chi could force the dignified and composed Qin Li to draw his sword.
It's obvious at a glance that Gu Chi provoked someone first.
Shen Tang never liked to get involved in such chaotic situations, because taking sides with either side would be wrong, so it was better to remain neutral—even a master of impartiality has his limits. She would only occasionally spare a glance to keep an eye on things, secretly blocking Qin Li when Gu Chi couldn't escape, and secretly hindering Gu Chi when Qin Li couldn't catch up, ensuring that neither could gain the upper hand and both were just wasting their energy.
Yeah, I'll stop running when I get tired.
Gu Chihui would turn the tables and, as soon as he could catch his breath, he would accuse the villain: "Your Majesty, are you just going to watch him kill me? Aren't you going to give him a taste of his own medicine?"
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Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand and said, "My two beloved ministers, are you still vigorous despite your advanced age?"
To be so energetic even after turning forty—isn't that more vibrant than those over thirty office workers who suffer from backaches and fatigue?
Gu Chi: “(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻”
Just moments ago, the Lord was teasing Qin Li for his poor judgment of character, but the Lord immediately taught him a lesson about what it means to have met the wrong "master," which is infuriating!
This was the first time Shen Tang had ever seen someone express an emoticon so vividly with such ferocious facial features, their eyes filled with regret.
In response, she could only blink her almond-shaped eyes innocently, deliberately raising her voice to speak, her tone barely concealing her laughter: "You all know your place, and your colleagues are very close. How could this possibly lead to someone's death?"
Gu Chi: "..."
Qin Li: "..."
My lord, aren't you just adding fuel to the fire?
Scholars are not martial artists, and there are different levels of martial prowess. Gu Chi is frail and sickly, while Qin Li prefers quiet and dislikes activity; their physical strength is about the same. Qin Li couldn't really stab Gu Chi, so he chased him until he was almost dead before stopping, though his eyes were blazing with anger.
Shen Tang pointed to the sky and said, "Oh dear, the cloud is about to drift by."
Qin Li looked up and saw that it was indeed so.
He glared fiercely at Gu Chi: "That scoundrel has ruined my plans!"
Gu Chi appeared to be full of resentment, but once he returned to his tent, he laughed so hard he stomped his feet. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was crowing a rooster.
"Qin Gongsu, haha, Qin Gongsu's composure isn't all that great either. I thought only Qi Yuanliang could make him break down like this, but actually I can too." On days without battle, teasing colleagues is quite fun. Gu Chi couldn't wait to conjure a bluebird with his fingers, eager to share this good news with Qi Shan. The more upright a person is, the more fun it is to play with them; no wonder Qi Shan likes to trick honest people.
Even a prayer for kindness is met with a cold response.
"Be careful he doesn't hold a grudge."
Qin Gongsu was a straightforward, meticulous, and principled man. If he weren't like that, he wouldn't have been dissatisfied with Wu Xian and had tolerated him for so many years.
He had only lied to him once back then, yet Qin Li had relentlessly smeared him for over a decade. Even if Qi Shan sneezed, Qin Li would suspect him of poisoning the air. Even after the two reconciled, Qin Li would still bring up the old grievances from time to time.
"Don't bully people too much."
"Tsk tsk tsk, don't bully people too much~"
"The emperor favors Duke Su of Qin more."
Other rulers favored sycophantic ministers, but his own lord, deep down, pitied the "weak" and preferred the honest and obedient. Especially compared to Gu Chi's frivolous talk and dissolute behavior, Qin Gongsu appeared all the more delicate and frail. Many colleagues couldn't understand it; Qin Li only appeared honest and obedient on the surface. When he drew his sword to kill or smoked someone with his pipe, his ruthlessness was in no way inferior to anyone else's. They truly didn't know where their lord's strange impressions of him came from—was it simply because he could kill so shrewdly?
Stereotypes are unacceptable.
"...Who told the master to have such a fetish? She just loves the 'good girl' type." What goes around comes around. Gu Chi was just feeling smug about how he had made Qin Li lose his composure, and then Qi Shan broke his composure with just a few words.
Qi Shan: "..."
Looking back, Gu Chi's self-positioning is quite accurate.
Gu Chi stared in silence at the bluebird that had sent Qi Shan's reply. He wondered, could someone as heartless as Qi Yuanliang really be considered a decent person?
No way!
Looking back at Qi Yuanliang's deeds, was his ex-wife also a respectable woman?
Gu Chi: "That's why they say colluding with each other is perfectly in sync."
He didn't dare let the three parties involved know this, fearing he wouldn't be able to withstand their combined efforts. Qin Li shifted his focus to farmland management, and the work that should have been his was distributed among them. Some was done by Qin Li's subordinates, and some was assigned to Gu Chi and others. Rainfall would have to wait until the farmland was cleared of pests, so Qin Li monitored the cloud formations while waiting for good news from Lin Feng.
"The God of Agriculture possesses divine power, bestowing upon us the blazing fire—"
Lin Feng was kneeling on one knee in the field.
"Fire, help me!"
She made a hand seal with one hand while pressing her other palm firmly against the soil.
A peach-pink aura surged from her palm, nimbly seeping into the ground and instantly transforming into four ten-foot-long peach-pink dragons that spewed fierce heat waves. Moments later, wisps of white mist rose from the fields, and even those standing near the field ridges could clearly feel the air temperature rise. The mist swirled outwards from her, spreading across the nearby fields until it enveloped half a mountain.
After a long while, sweat beaded on her forehead.
Adhering to the principle that herding one sheep is just as good as herding a flock, Shen Tang simply took the opportunity to order his men to remeasure and plan the farmland. They were encouraged to clear land where possible, as it was a convenient task. However, they did encounter resistance. A group of men dressed in coarse linen, armed with weapons, resolutely blocked Shen Tang's troops. When his men inquired, they were told that the land and mountains belonged to owners, and outsiders were not allowed to enter.
Lin Feng's brain almost froze for a moment.
"Didn't we properly explain our identities to them?"
"I've already told them, and they know it too."
"You knew and still tried to stop it?"
Lin suspected that his subordinates had lied about it.
Even the toughest of them would cower at the sight of Kangguo's heavily armed soldiers, right? These weapons weren't just for show; a single disagreement could mean the end of a life. The squad leader in charge of clearing the area was also bewildered, wondering how these unruly civilians dared to jump out and confront them head-on.
"I will go and deal with these troublemakers right away."
Lin Feng waved his hand: "No need, take me to see."
At a glance, she was certain these weren't tenant farmers or ordinary independent farmers; their rosy complexions far surpassed those of the former two. They seemed more like private soldiers kept by someone. A personal inquiry confirmed Lin Feng's suspicions with their answers.
They were indeed private soldiers kept by a local powerful clan.
Their daily tasks consisted of training soldiers and patrolling the mountains to prevent commoners from poaching or stealing firewood. If caught, they would either be beaten to death or taken to the authorities. If they were beaten to death, it would just be a human life, and they would be buried on the spot on the mountain. But if they were taken to the authorities, their families might even be sold off.
This shows how arrogant these people usually are.
Of course, they didn't think they were being arrogant.
They were simply protecting the patriarch's property from being stolen.
Any hilltop visible to the naked eye, regardless of its greenery, belongs to either the government or private individuals. Soldiers or bandits alike are not allowed to enter. Their firm stance stems from two reasons: firstly, the clearing team is small, and secondly, it's an unspoken rule in warfare that these fields must eventually be returned to their original owners. Lin Feng said, "This is your last chance. Leave this place and do not cause trouble."
"You little wench, you have quite the big mouth."
These private soldiers patrolling the mountains often only rotate every few months or half a year.
They were kept in the dark; how could they know that everything had changed outside?
They wouldn't admit defeat until they saw the coffin, but upon seeing Lin Feng, they knew she was beautiful, and all they saw was her fair skin and delicate figure. They secretly thought this young woman was far more attractive than the prostitutes they usually went down the mountain to find. Seeing seven or eight strong young men surrounding Lin Feng, their instincts kicked in, and they suppressed their arrogance. They controlled their hands, not daring to lay a hand on her, but unfortunately, they couldn't control their mouths, and ended up taking advantage of her.
Lin Feng asked again, "Which family?"
The men said, "How dare you question our master?"
"Like master, like dog. How dare they be so arrogant just because their three clans are worthless?" Lin Feng disliked forcing people to do things against their will. If they refused to tell their master, fine. She swept her hand over their mouths and said, "Cut them off and bury them on the spot."
Normally, Lin Feng would patiently reason with them.
We're in a rush right now, so we'll use our hands instead of our words.
Her actions caught the patrolling band of soldiers completely off guard. They never dreamed that Lin Feng would kill and bury them so readily. Before they could even utter a word, someone from behind smeared their mouths, and their necks were cut, blood gushing out. Lin Feng turned and swept his gaze over the group, making them too afraid to look him in the eye. Lin Feng: "Now you know what to do next time you encounter a similar situation, right?"
For ordinary people, just drive them away.
"If there are still such people on the nearby hills, there is no need to report it."
These lackeys should be killed.
"Your humble servant obeys."
This little incident didn't take much time, but it still reached Shen Tang's ears. Some people privately felt that Lin Feng's actions were too ruthless. Of course, this wasn't purely directed at Lin Feng, but rather because they believed that Kangguo was now following a path of benevolence and needed to consider its reputation.
Lin Feng's actions were unauthorized.
The situation in the central part of the mainland is different from that in the northwest.
Kangguo could use bloody methods to subdue local forces in the Northwest because local power structures changed rapidly, leaving little time for long-term cultivation and deep-rooted influence. When Shen Tang led her troops, she could simply kill them without much resistance. In the Southwest, the Cui family acted as a mediator, using their superior military strength and the tactic of eliminating the most rebellious families to deter others. The remaining weaker factions, even if unwilling to submit, had no choice but to obediently bow their heads. These people knew how to be pragmatic; even if Shen Tang ordered them to take turns sleeping in her bed, would they dare refuse?
In the central continent, aristocratic families held sway.
They take their social circle very seriously.
It's probably not something that can be deterred by simply killing them.
What if they truly have backbone? What if they'd rather die a glorious death than live a shameful life? What if they'd rather forge alliances with relatives and allies to secretly fight against Kangguo to the bitter end? These people control seven or eight tenths of the writers in the central continent. Offend them, and who knows how they might secretly slander the emperor, fabricating all sorts of anecdotes and rumors to defame and smear him. Physical punishment can be swift and decisive, but not spiritual punishment.
Even though he said Lin Feng wasn't, Shen Tang didn't show favoritism.
The former's concerns were indeed somewhat valid, but his words and actions also revealed the weakness, compromise, and naiveté of his social circle. Shen Tang asked a completely unrelated question: "Are you skilled in archery, my dear minister? Do you enjoy hunting in the mountains during your days off?"
"Archery? I know a little bit about it."
He claimed to know a little, but his face betrayed his pride. His archery skills were considered outstanding among his friends. As for hunting, Kangguo was known for its strong martial spirit and martial virtues, and civil and military officials often enjoyed gathering with friends to relax in specially designated hunting grounds when they had nothing else to do.
Have you ever hunted a large insect?
"No, not really. Large tigers are not commonly seen in the mountains."
Actually, the animals have all been hunted by others. Those hunting grounds have to release wild animals into the mountains every year to ensure the hunting experience for their customers.
"Great tigers are wild and untamed, but they are revered as mountain kings by the people, so they must possess some spirituality. In my opinion, between the Central Allied Army and its affiliated tribes, who is more beastly than the mountain kings?"
"The Central Allied Forces can only be considered... somewhat humane?"
Shen Tang said, "Isn't that settled? Every dog has its own way of being leashed. When dealing with someone who is somewhat human, you have to first use force to subdue their animalistic nature before you can awaken the humanity in their bones. Ling De's approach was certainly decisive, but you can't say she did the wrong thing."
Kangguo wanted both fame and the lives of his enemies.
Upon hearing this, the official simply sighed deeply and said no more.
The Allied forces attempted to use the locust plague against Kangguo, but this crisis also brewed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As this minister said, the Central Continent values family lineage, and large and small families have already claimed almost all the land they can divide, and they are very stubborn—this can also be seen from the fact that their private armies dare to block Kangguo soldiers. Even if Kangguo invades, they do not think that their assets will change hands, nor are they worried that Kangguo will not return them.
If Kangguo dares to annex, they will dare to band together and resist.
If you can't beat them openly, can't you at least trip them up secretly?
The Kang Kingdom's court doesn't have enough manpower; even if it swallowed the central continent in one go, it wouldn't be able to digest it all and might be dragged into a protracted local war. War is expensive; can the Kang Kingdom's treasury support a long period of preparation and fighting? Shen Tang knows in his heart that it can't.
However, things are different now.
These fields have become breeding grounds for locust eggs.
Their original owners also took the opportunity to flee.
She has the final say on how the remaining assets are divided.
Having opened the floodgates, the same property can be divided according to the old rules the next time it's encountered. Shen Tang didn't keep it all for herself; she merely redistributed the seized land, enough to give her and Kangguo a significant advantage in the unspoken public opinion arena. How could this not be an opportunity?
(ノ_；＼(｀ロ)／
The Lingzhu Zha I received fell and its head fell off, boohoo.
P.S.: Yesterday's joke has been playfully supplemented.
The protagonist: He's not afraid of being hunted down for fabricating gossip about ancient sages, since his own life is only a hundred years, while those sages can easily go into seclusion for three to five thousand years. By the time they have the ability to cross over and attack, he'll already be in reincarnation (relying on his short lifespan to do whatever he wants).
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