Chapter 1599 IF Scenario: What if Shen Tang woke up earlier (Thirteen)
"How does Mr. Shen intend to deal with those who don't know what's good for them?"
"I want to send them a recruitment poster by express delivery."
Wei Lou thought of Luo San, who had been lured in by that recruitment poster, and his lips twitched inwardly. He then asked, "What will Shen Jun do if they receive the recruitment poster but ignore it?"
He still can't understand how such a bizarre job posting could attract someone like Luo San; it's utterly absurd and bizarre. It's like sitting by the river taking a nap and having a hundred-pound fish jump into your arms.
One Luo San was already unexpected.
It's impossible for any normal person to be lured in by this kind of recruitment poster.
Shen Tang said, "Ignore them? If they ignore you, then I'll go to their door and ask them why they're ignoring me. What level are they? How many dishes have they eaten? Why are they ignoring my recruitment poster?"
Ji Mo Cong nodded: "That's right."
Wei Lou's usually stable blood pressure was showing a subtle upward trend.
This kind of behavior and attitude is absolutely that of an evil god!
Wei Lou disagreed, saying, "If you want scholars to come to you, treating them with courtesy and respect is the most basic thing. How can Lord Shen be so rude and barbaric? If those scholars know this, how can they serve Lord Shen?"
"Is Your Excellency trying to say that forced relationships are never sweet?"
Wei Lou felt a sense of relief when he saw that she could understand human speech.
If someone can communicate, they might not be considered an evil god.
But her next words were: "A forced relationship might not be sweet, but it will certainly quench my immediate thirst. I'm short-staffed right now; I just need someone to help me with administrative tasks and finish their job duties. As for their moods when they go to work—whether they're happy or cold-faced—I don't care at all. Did I cultivate this strength to reason with them? Wrong, it's to shut them up and make them listen to my reasoning!"
Ji Mo Cong: "Your Highness's words are indeed the truth."
Wei Lou: "..."
No need for diagnosis, you evil god!
Unexpectedly, Shen Tang turned the tables and said, "It's strange, your lord didn't recruit you based on the phrase 'treating the virtuous with respect,' so why do you think I should treat the virtuous with respect?"
Wei Lou and Ji Sunyin were not on friendly terms from the beginning.
It carries a hint of "persecution" to some extent.
Shen Tang continued, "Besides, your lord also believes in using force to stop war. To put it bluntly, isn't it just about using force to solve problems that can't be solved by other means? If you can subdue someone with strength, why waste words? Wouldn't all my strength be wasted?"
Ji Mo Cong: "Your Highness is absolutely right."
Wei Lou glanced sideways at Ji Mo Cong.
If Shen Tang farted, these men and women from the Gongxi clan would applaud and cheer. Talking to them is infuriating.
He sneered, "Then you try and see if it works!"
Shen Tang has always been known for her strong and decisive actions.
We acted on it without hesitation.
only--
Wei Lou still needs to find some time to write the recruitment poster.
Wei Lou's blood pressure started to fluctuate again from anger.
Shen Tang summoned the county magistrate and asked if there were any renowned but unaffiliated scholars in the nearby counties, as he intended to recruit them. The magistrate was not optimistic. He believed that the more talented a person was, the more arrogant they were, and even if they were to take up an official post, it would be to serve warlords who could bring them and their families benefits. Shen Tang's territory was not large, and his reputation was not among the high-ranking families, so he was afraid he would be turned away.
He thought this in his heart, but dared not say it aloud.
He made an excuse that he would go back and check.
When he returned home, his daughter saw the worry on his face and asked him what was wrong. Because of what had happened before, the county magistrate had a much different opinion of his daughter. He did not subconsciously categorize her as a woman from the inner quarters of the household, but instead explained the whole story in detail: "Your father was hesitant for a moment."
"Is Father worried that Magistrate Shen will suffer a setback?"
"If the magistrate suffers misfortune outside, he may take it out on his father."
Those literary scholars and intellectuals were all arrogant and haughty. The local powerful families, relying on their abundance of talented individuals, considered themselves favored by heaven and never took local officials seriously. The wealthy landowner whom Shen Tang had killed disregarded the county magistrate, not only because he controlled vast amounts of local land, forcing the government to defer to him when collecting taxes, but also because of his connections.
His daughter, however, disagreed with his opinion.
“The magistrate is currently in need of capable and pragmatic people. Father should do his job well and gain the magistrate’s trust as soon as possible to solidify his position. When the magistrate’s cause is accomplished in the future, no matter how many new people come, they will not be able to shake the merits of your early service. If you are negligent in your actions because of this concern, the magistrate will only be more displeased when he finds out.” She explained to the county magistrate in detail, and the latter finally understood.
"Thank goodness for my son, otherwise I would have been confused."
"Father, there is something else..."
That night, the county magistrate scrambled to see Shen Tang, his expression one of panic.
"What's wrong? Did you see a ghost on your way home?"
The county magistrate swallowed hard: "This is probably scarier than seeing a ghost."
Shen Tang suddenly became interested and couldn't wait to grab a handful of melon seeds and give them to the county magistrate: "Come, come, don't rush, tell me slowly."
County Magistrate: "I would like to recommend someone to the magistrate."
The person he introduced was his daughter.
The county magistrate's daughter, who had just reached marriageable age after suffering a great calamity, had become haggard after being humiliated by the landlord's son. However, after months of careful recuperation, she had finally regained some of her former plumpness. Shen Tang recognized the face: "Why did you bring your daughter here?"
The daughter bowed gracefully: "This humble woman greets Your Excellency."
A hidden passion lurked deep within her eyes.
It was as if sharing the same air as Shen Tang made her feel content.
Shen Tang first gestured for her to stand up, then stared at her for a full three or four breaths before saying, "There's something wrong with your daughter."
The aura surrounding him was somewhat similar to that of Wei Lou.
Over the past few months, Shen Tang has come to understand that this world's power system is extremely sexist, with only men able to become scholars or warriors, excluding women from this system. She suspects that the rules of this world's power system are related to the imperial examinations and martial arts examinations; otherwise, its pathological state is truly inexplicable.
The county magistrate's daughter said, "Your Excellency has discerning eyes."
She possessed a refined, scholarly air that was usually reserved for men.
Shen Tang asked her, "When did these signs first appear?"
"It was probably after the magistrate took over as county magistrate."
Shen Tang understood her meaning: "You mean the root of the problem lies with me?"
"Besides you, my lord, I would not consider anyone else."
Seeing that Shen Tang showed no anger or intention to drag his daughter away and burn her alive as a demon, the county magistrate's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
Compared to his daughter, the latter had a clearer and more organized mind: "I beg you to bring me here, Father, firstly for my own sake, and secondly because I am worried that my situation may not be an isolated case."
These special cases need protection before they can grow up.
Just as a young animal needs to stay with its mother to grow up healthily, only by growing up can it have the strength to fight against the wind and rain, and even if it leaves its mother, it can still dominate the mountains and fields. She believed that Shen Shijun was that mother animal.
Shen Tang said, "You're very thoughtful."
She wasn't sure if the woman's speculation was true or false, but she didn't want to gamble on the possibility, so she immediately consulted with a trusted member of the Gongxi clan who was on standby for twelve hours. She had indeed chosen the right person for this matter.
What would be an enormous workload for others is a trivial matter for those skilled in making Gu poison, which can be completed in three to five days.
This is even more difficult than recruiting talent through posters.
The recruitment process, particularly the poster-based recruitment, has been progressing very slowly.
All the posters sent out disappeared without a trace, and no one responded.
Shen Tang said with a stern face: "If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!"
Since these melons wouldn't come down on their own, she had no choice but to force them. It just so happened that it was winter, and the frequency of warlord battles had decreased significantly, allowing ordinary people to catch their breath in the cold winter. So, Shen Tang asked Ji Sunyin for a few people and went to their door to kidnap them.
Ji Sunyin: "..."
His first reaction was that this couldn't be done.
My second thought was to check who the kidnappers were, including but not limited to the high priests of Yunda, Qin You, and Weicheng...
In addition, there is the prince who is suspected to be a rank 20 Marquis.
What's so difficult about capturing a few literary scholars one-on-one?
Even if they are discovered, they can escape with their men in a matter of moments.
And so—
The kidnapped literary figures: "..."
Because Shen Tang needed capable administrative staff with both practical skills and domestic administration expertise, the county magistrate racked his brains, gathering every available piece of information to compile a long list. Those fortunate enough to make the list included people from both prominent and commoner backgrounds, and now they were all Shen Tang's "prisoners." When they realized their predicament, they were all furious and lost all composure: "Who did this?"
Shen Tang kicked the door open: "I did it!"
Everyone: "...And who are you?"
Shen Tang crossed her arms: "You don't even know who I am, so who gave you the audacity to ignore the recruitment posters I sent out? Do you know how much it costs to produce a poster? Even if you're going to refuse, you should at least give me a reply! Since you didn't even reply, don't blame me for tying you all up and asking you questions—what gives you the right to refuse me? Do you know whose offer you rejected? You rejected a top-tier offer from a future human lord!"
Everyone: "..."
They didn't know what Oufel was, but they could guess its general meaning from the context of Shen Tang's sentences, and they were so angry that their faces turned ashen.
"He's absolutely insane!"
I never imagined I would be kidnapped for such an absurd reason!
One of the victims was even more surprised to see a familiar face with Shen Tang, and immediately shouted Wei Lou's name in disbelief.
Then he looked at Shen Tang as if he had seen a ghost, his facial features contorted.
Wei Lou's heart was filled with mixed feelings at this moment.
She cursed the guy inwardly for being stupid. He had written a letter in advance to warn others, and when Shen Tang came to visit, he had gone with her, and nothing would have happened. Now look what happened, before the second visit even came, Shen Tang kidnapped him one-on-one by force.
What kind of good treatment can someone who's been kidnapped receive?
Shen Tang glanced at Wei Lou and the other person a few times.
He asked, "Is it someone you know?"
Wei Lou looked away: "Not familiar with them."
Upon hearing this, an acquaintance broke down and launched into a tirade, hurling very harsh insults.
Shen Tang raised her hand and silently cast a [Silence Silence], forcibly muting the person's microphone. Not only was the person whose microphone was muted startled, but Wei Lou on the side was also surprised. Wait, is this how [Silence Silence] is used? Shouldn't this be used to interrupt the enemy's incantation?
Shen Tang sat down in a chair that others had brought over, looking very imposing.
"I'm not some unreasonable devil. You must have your reasons for rejecting my offer, but I'm not one to be wronged. If you reject me, I'll have to see if you have the right to reject me. Otherwise, I'll be very angry!"
The last few words were filled with a chilling murderous intent.
Everyone genuinely felt the oppressive and coercive aura emanating from him, their faces turning ashen. They were now convinced that Shen Tang was an unreasonable madman, and that if they angered him, they would likely face certain doom.
What do you intend to do?
Shen Tang crossed her legs, swirling a gleaming gold goblet in her hand, and sipped a mouthful of rich, fruity grape juice: "I'll just have to see how deep you all are. If you're unfathomable, possessing the talents of a hidden dragon or a phoenix, then being rejected by you isn't something that humiliates me. But if you don't reach that level, you'll have to pay an equal price for the humiliation you've caused me!"
As she spoke, she gently clenched her fist.
The solid, thick-walled, pure gold goblet crumpled in her hand like paper, sending a chill down everyone's spine. Their bodies were clearly not as robust as the goblet: "That's just sophistry!"
Shen Tang laughed and said, "But I am strong!"
How to seize it, and what to seize, is up to her.
Shen Tang stood up gracefully.
"Go and hand out the test papers to them!"
After he finished speaking, people filed in carrying tables and trays.
Shen Tang paused and turned around, her smile so radiant it was almost blinding, but her words were laced with venom: "Gentlemen, you all pride yourselves on your great talents, so you must disdain collaborating with others or having someone else write your exams for you. I won't be arranging for anyone to proctor your exams."
It all depends on their self-awareness and pride.
Wei Lou was so angry at Shen Tang's actions that he almost laughed.
"Aren't you afraid that the forces behind them will come after you?"
Shen Tang said nonchalantly, "It's not that I underestimate the blood ties of wealthy and powerful families, nor that I underestimate their importance. It's just that in the dead of winter, who would risk everything for a clan, for the sake of a confidant, and raise hundreds or thousands of soldiers to fight me?"
An army marches on its stomach.
The underlying costs are staggering.
Even if they came knocking, they would only send a group of people to negotiate and test whether Shen Tang was willing to pay the ransom to return the people. Using force was almost impossible. As long as they didn't bring the army, what was Shen Tang afraid of? Heh, he would naturally detain them one by one.
"...They won't do anything for you sincerely."
Shen Tang turned her head away, her eyes cold: "I need sincerity? I only want their bodies and labor. As for sincerity, even if they're willing to offer it up, it depends on whether I'm willing to accept it."
"If they secretly sabotage us..."
Shen Tang: "Kill!"
You can slack off or skip work, but you can't harm her.
Wei Lou: "...Evil God."
Shen Tang turned around and put her hands on her hips to look at him: "This is the second time. Why do you always call me an evil god? I admit that my behavior is a bit arrogant, but a young man who is not arrogant is not a good young man. Besides, if I try to be nice to people who don't care about me, what will happen to the people who follow me? Wouldn't they be even more inferior and lose face?"
Wei Lou swallowed the question that had been lingering on his tongue: "The moment you show weakness, that's the moment they abandon you."
This kind of forced submission is not sustainable.
“Black cat or white cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat. When they realize that only I can give them the best cat food, they won’t leave no matter how unpleasant things were at first.” Shen Tang leaned closer to him and chuckled. “Do you know about hostage identification syndrome? Although it may be fake, the victims can indeed succumb to the temptation of profit when they are unable to resist or struggle.”
Just like Wei Lou.
Isn't it also struggling amidst countless tangled threads?
“The Beast King will be abandoned by the pack when she is old and frail.” Shen Tang stretched. “I’m still young.”
|ω`)
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
