Chapter 1601 IF Scenario: What if Shen Tang woke up earlier (15)
Ji Mo Cong was about to say that she didn't feel tired when she heard familiar footsteps. The chubby little Shan called out "Grandma" in a clear voice as she moved towards her. She bent down to catch the mischievous girl who was deliberately running faster: "Xiao Shan, why did you run over here?"
This is not a safe territory for our tribe.
Pretty baby girls are easily taken away.
Gong Xiyao pouted and kissed Ji Mo Cong on both cheeks a few times.
She said, "Xiaoshan came with his mother."
Besides my mother, there were also some aunts I knew.
Ji Mo Cong brushed the dust off her cheeks and said earnestly, "Even so, you can't just run around. They're digging a well here, and it would be dangerous if you accidentally fell in."
Wei Cheng saw that Gong Xiyao was beautiful and lovely, and he felt a fondness for her. He asked, "Is this young lady a junior member of Cong Jun's family?"
Ji Mo Cong: "Yes, it's my granddaughter, her name is Xiaoshan."
Gong Xiyao craned her neck, her eyes almost glued to Wei Cheng's bizarre skull. She had never seen anyone look like this before. She immediately pointed to his eye sockets with delight and said, "They're bright."
Wei Cheng lowered his guard. He was really afraid that his inhuman appearance would frighten the other party. Seeing that the child was not like ordinary children who would squeal and cry when they saw him, he was even more delighted: "She is indeed a strong child. If you are not worried, I will have Wu Zu take her to play somewhere else and will not let her run into the construction area."
Ji Mo Cong said, "What's there to worry about?"
He patted Xiaoshan on the back of the head and told the child to be good.
Gong Xiyao's eyes remained fixed on Wei Cheng's eye sockets. While Wei Cheng was instructing the skeleton soldiers, her chubby little hand reached out. Curious about her intentions, Wei Cheng didn't raise his hand to stop her, but instead raised his palm slightly to prevent her from losing her balance. As a result, the cold flame from his eye socket landed in her palm. Gong Xiyao even curiously squeezed it; it was soft and very elastic.
Glistening saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Her teeth were a little itchy.
Now it was Jimo Cong's turn to be embarrassed.
She demanded that the little brat immediately return the soul flame, but Gong Xiyao, stubborn as ever, refused. He put his little hands behind his back and started playing hide-and-seek with her. Wei Cheng stopped him, saying, "It's alright, let her play if she wants. This thing isn't that fragile."
Ji Mo Cong: "How about I trade you a Gu worm, Grandma?"
Gong Xiyao thought for a moment: "Will it also glow?"
Ji Mo Cong said, "Yes, it will glow."
Gong Xiyao hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement, but she wanted to see her great-grandmother's Gu worm first. Wei Cheng watched from the side, always feeling that this child was cunning despite her young age. Sure enough, when she received the glowing, entirely green Gu worm as promised, she turned and ran towards the skeleton warriors, ordering, "Hurry, hurry, hurry—"
The skeleton soldiers moved in response.
He picked up Gong Xiyao and disappeared in a flash.
Ji Mo Cong chuckled: "Where did this child learn his cunning from?"
Looking at Wei Cheng with a complicated expression, he said, "Lord Wei shouldn't have indulged her."
Wei Cheng said, "Kids are more likely to be lively and lovable. If they are honest and dull, they will suffer in the future."
He didn't see it as a big deal.
After a while, his tone became somewhat strange.
"...But being too lively isn't good either." He never expected to see into Gong Xiyao's mouth...that cluster of soul flames was like his eyes; he could see the surrounding environment through it. This brat, being greedy, stuffed it into his mouth and bit into it.
Ji Mo Cong couldn't help but smile.
The skeleton warriors returned just as evening was approaching and they were finishing work.
A beautifully sculpted child sat on the arm of the headless skeletal soldier, whose missing head had been removed and held in Gong Xiyao's arms.
"Tsk, a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger."
Wei Cheng raised his hand and grabbed the soul flame that Gong Xiyao had hidden in the inner pocket of his saliva bag. It flew back to his eye sockets. He readjusted the position of the flame, and the vision of his two "eyes" finally returned to normal.
Gong Xiyao looked around: "Where's Grandma?"
Wei Cheng took her from the skeleton soldier: "Your great-grandmother has taken people to dig a well in the neighboring village. You'll see her later."
He wasn't made of flesh and blood, and to make Gong Xiyao more comfortable in his arms, he deliberately donned full armor. However, the cold, hard armor could easily hurt the child's delicate skin. After thinking for a moment, he reached out and pulled the beast tail from his waist, letting her cushion it. The fluffy beast tail immediately attracted Gong Xiyao's attention: "There wasn't any just now!"
Wei Cheng: "If it's not used often, it won't transform."
He is more pragmatic.
The armor pieces only need to serve a concealing and protective function; other superfluous decorations are generally not deliberately altered. Most martial artists of this era maintained a similar style; in their view, altering the armor was one thing, but wearing a beast tail was just pretentious.
It looks so flashy and gaudy.
Although the beast tail could be used to wipe away blood, a vigorous flick of the blade could also shake off the blood, so in Wei Cheng's opinion, its decorative value outweighed its practicality. Gong Xiyao hugged the fluffy beast tail, wishing he could bury his face in it and rub it against it: "I want one too."
Wei Cheng: "Then you have to become a Martial Warrior."
Gong Xiyao: "What is a 'martial courage warrior'?"
Wei Cheng: "Just like me."
Gong Xiyao: "..."
The little girl frowned, looking troubled and conflicted. After a long while, she looked down at the beast tail with reluctance and said, "But it won't look good like this."
Without her plumpness, she'd become a tiny skeleton. Would her great-aunt and the others still like her? But she really couldn't bear to part with her beautiful, big tail. She was secretly torn, not even noticing when her great-aunt took her away: "What's going on?"
He doesn't seem very interested.
Gong Xiyao said, "Grandma, even if I lose Rou Rou, you, Mom, and Uncle will still love me just the same, right?"
Ji Mo Cong: "..."
What's the problem?
She had never imagined that her granddaughter had body image anxiety; this was quite novel. Could it be that her uncle had made a careless joke that Xiaoshan overheard? Ji Mo Cong managed to get the child to talk and learn the whole story.
"Xiaoshan wants to become a martial arts master?"
Gong Xiyao hesitated: "...I don't know."
For her, this decision was still too difficult.
"Then we'll make a decision when we've thought it through."
"Um……"
Even the most energetic child is exhausted after a day of playing wildly, and Gong Xiyao soon fell into a sweet sleep in Ji Mo Cong's arms. Ji Mo Cong briefly instructed the others to finish work, then carried the child back to the county government. There, she encountered Wei Lou, a carrier pigeon perched on his shoulder, his face inexplicably gloomy. Perhaps too engrossed in his work, Wei Lou didn't even notice her arrival until Ji Mo Cong was a few steps away.
"Congjun?"
Wei Lou casually put away the letter.
The carrier pigeon on my shoulder also flapped its wings and flew away.
Ji Mo Cong immediately recognized the carrier pigeon as belonging to Ji Sunyin and asked, "Has something happened to Asheng?"
Wei Lou said, "No."
However, his inner thoughts were not as calm as they appeared on the surface.
As Ji Sunyin's chief strategist, he naturally needed to keep a close eye on the situation under his lord's command, and the two communicated quite frequently. In his recent letter, Ji Sunyin mentioned something—the number of refugees gathering outside the city was increasing. Given the current weather, they would surely freeze and starve to death if left unattended. Relying on his allies, whose granaries were overflowing, Ji Sunyin discussed increasing the number of refugees accepted.
Ji Sunyin had been copying Shen Tang's homework. Although he didn't copy everything verbatim, he learned the key points. As long as they could get through the winter, these refugees would become farmers under the rule by the following spring.
Overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
However, the dispatched scouts reported something.
The refugees encountered a hunter on their way.
Many warlords, who relied on their powerful armed forces, faced food shortages in the winter. When food was scarce, they needed to obtain food, and refugees from enemy-controlled areas became one of their targets. These refugees, fleeing from their predicament, were like migrating fish, crowding together in one area like lambs to the slaughter.
The scene when the scouts returned with their report was truly shocking.
Ordinary refugees are almost powerless against warriors with warhorses, armor, and sharp blades, and can only be at their mercy.
Based on this, some people brought up the old story again.
What should we mention?
A special type of Gu worm.
The first time it was mentioned was when the troops under his command were insufficient and facing encirclement by several enemies. Lord Ji Sunyin inadvertently mentioned its existence. Fortunately, the crisis was overcome, and Ji Sunyin did not mention it again, after all, its side effects were too great.
The second mention came a few days before Gong Xiyu arrived.
That time, it was his civil and military officials who first brought it up, but the lord hesitated and suppressed the matter: "The situation hasn't gotten that serious yet."
This method should not be used unless absolutely necessary.
The sacrifice was far too great.
The third time, which is the one mentioned in the letter.
The person who made the suggestion was Lord Ji Sunyin.
The lord said he received news from the scouts, so he led his troops out of the city to meet the refugees who were coming to seek refuge along the way. He witnessed a horrific one-sided massacre. The soldiers who raised their swords could hardly be called human; they were merely beasts in human skin.
As the blades fell, refugees lay dead in pools of blood.
Their blood stained the entire river red.
Their bodies covered the ground.
The enemy's supply wagons were laden with spoils of war.
This is simply...unfair...
Why grant extraordinary powers to only a very small number of people?
God, this is so unfair.
Why are these people given the confidence to do whatever they want?
What if these refugees also had the ability to fight back?
Ji Sunyin even subtly expressed his dissatisfaction with "gods".
[Would the situation be different?]
For the first time, Wei Lou, who usually ignored the gods, did not respond. He was only thinking of Shen Tang; Shen Jun seemed to know nothing about it.
What is the significance of her coming down from the clouds?
It seems nothing has changed.
While Wei Lou was in a daze, he saw Ji Mo Cong.
He suddenly had an impulse to ask her if she felt the same way. In the end, he forced himself to hold back.
In his reply, he advised Ji Sunyin to consider the matter carefully.
Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back.
Using such extreme methods might yield significant results in the short term, but the ultimate price would be devastating, tantamount to sending these refugees to their doom. If the Gongxi clan had remained hidden, it would be fine, but now that they have emerged, any disturbances caused by Ji Sunyin will not escape their notice, and it might bring disaster. After much deliberation, Wei Lou finally persuaded his lord to abandon the plan.
Even if—
Wei Lou wholeheartedly agreed.
If we can achieve rapid unification, sacrificing some people is not out of the question.
Allowing this absurd order to wreak havoc on humanity will only result in greater casualties.
For several days in a row, Wei Lou had been preoccupied with something on his mind. Although he concealed it very well, Shen Tang still managed to catch it keenly: "You have something on your mind?"
Without hesitation, Wei Lou replied, "No."
Shen Tang's eyes were filled with disbelief.
She said, "I'm not some little kid like Xiaoshan, do you think I can be so easily fooled? If you have something on your mind, then you have something on your mind. If you have any difficulties, then tell me. You know, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly. You, as someone involved, can't see through it, but perhaps I can help."
Wei Lou's lips twitched slightly.
Shen Tang sat on the eaves and patted the spot next to her.
He gestured for Wei Lou to sit down and talk slowly.
Wei Lou: "..."
He was internally resistant, but his body was honest.
So he told Shen Tang about the warlords hunting down refugees, which made Shen Tang furious: "What? How could they be so beastly?"
"Actually... it's not surprising anymore."
He recalled his early experiences with his nephew, Wei Cheng.
At that time, the entire tribe was besieged. Many people in the city starved to death rather than surrender, simply because not surrendering meant starvation, and surrendering meant certain death. Those outside the city were so hungry that their eyes were practically glowing green. Wei Lou had seen a lot, but he still couldn't take it in stride.
Shen Tang: "..."
Wei Lou: "I've always wanted to know how to establish order within a herd of beasts... Shen Jun, can you give me an answer?"
Shen Tang looked at Wei Lou, who rarely opened up about his inner thoughts.
"You should establish order in the crowd."
The out-of-control horde of beasts—
Shen Tang suddenly stood up, drawing a puzzled look from Wei Lou.
"Go, call for help!"
Seeing that she was acting on a whim, Wei Lou disregarded his own sorrow and pain and followed up in confusion: "What do you mean, calling for someone?"
Shen Tang: "It's the dead of winter, a perfect time for hunting."
Ji Sunyin's side cannot accommodate so many people.
But it's different for her.
Not only was there enough place to live, but there was also food.
Ji Sunyin should thank her for sending people to snatch him away.
“Didn’t you say how to establish order among the beasts? I thought about it, and at first I thought these beasts were beyond saving. You shouldn’t be thinking about establishing order, but about humanely annihilating them. But then I thought, poultry are all domesticated from wild beasts.”
"Let's make an example of them first, and tame those that can be tamed."
"Let wild beasts regain their humanity and become domesticated poultry."
"If you still don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Wei Lou quickly followed: "You're already deploying troops?"
Shen Tang retorted, "Does confiscating property require consulting the almanac?"
She can hit whoever she wants.
Whether I call today or tomorrow depends on her mood.
Her mood today is just right.
Wei Lou understood her intention and was immediately at a loss. Going to war isn't something you can just do whenever you want; the preparation of supplies, provisions, and personnel takes time. Did Shen Jun consult with logistics before making this impromptu decision to go to war?
Jimo Cong and several others said they didn't need it.
Even without provisions, it would take at most half an hour to muster all the men.
"Alright, let's meet outside the city!"
Wei Lou: "..."
Luo San was the most excited when he heard the news.
He also selected fifty of his men, leaving the rest to guard the house.
"My lads, your chance to make a name for yourselves has arrived!"
They spend all their time clearing land and building houses; they're so idle they're practically lazy.
He will use his strength to let his lord know—
She stumbled upon me by accident; how much of a bargain did she actually gain?
When Wei Cheng arrived after receiving the news, he only saw the dust kicked up by the fleeing army. Qin You and the others noticed that the county government's manpower was inexplicably reduced, and that's when they inquired about where everyone had gone. Wei Cheng: "..."
How should I put it?
(σ)σ:*☆
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
