Chapter 250: Qin Li, Qin Gongsu [Two-in-One]
but--
Before that, Gong Xichou still had to deal with some annoying "little rats." Gong Xichou pursed his lips, his gaze slightly darkening, carefully sensing several martial auras locked onto him. A disdainful sneer rose from the corner of his blood-stained mouth: "You think you're worthy? Get lost!"
With a sweeping halberd, the shockwave formed by his voice and martial energy rippled outwards from him. Ordinary soldiers struck head-on instantly had their skulls explode, blood flowing from their seven orifices, while the valiant warriors who charged forward were sent flying as if struck by a massive cauldron.
Those who were stronger weren't in such a sorry state.
But his warhorse neighed in pain.
Gong Xichou looked around and challenged, "Come at me all at once?"
One of them felt deeply humiliated, his face flushed with anger: "You arrogant little thief!"
Having said that, he drew his knife and charged out first.
Gong Xichou looked at the martial arts warriors surrounding him.
His murderous intent surged!
The impatient martial artist hadn't even seen Gong Xichou's movements clearly when he vaguely saw a dark green phantom flash past his eyes. Immediately afterward, he felt a chill in his throat, and a powerful spurt of blood stained his vision, causing the world to spin.
strangeness--
Why has his field of vision become so low?
Why does it feel so cold?
Who's grabbing their own hair?
Why……
Until he caught a glimpse of a familiar-looking headless body falling down, his pupils trembled, and he stared at it in disbelief. Even as his consciousness faded, his large, round eyes remained open.
silence!
Utter silence!
One move!
Just one move!
Gong Xichou's face was mostly stained with blood, but he didn't bother to wipe it away. Instead, he arrogantly raised the head he was holding in his left hand—the head's eyes were wide open, showing the shock of its owner in the face of death—and said casually, "Come on?"
"Gong! Xi! Chou!"
After a brief moment of shock, one of them roared.
He shouted, "Give me back my brother's life!"
Gong Xichou looked at the man's appearance, and indeed he did resemble the head in his hand somewhat; they were most likely brothers. He casually tossed the head to his warhorse, which raised its head, opened its mouth, caught it, and tossed it back, accurately slinging it onto its saddlebag.
Seeing his brother's head treated this way, the man was deeply agitated. The pain of losing a brother, intense hatred, and anger at being humiliated... all these negative emotions combined to cause his martial energy to erupt at a level far exceeding his usual level.
However, this "far superior" assessment is based on his own opinion.
Before Gong Xi Chou, the difference between the two was merely that of an "ant" and a "slightly stronger ant," and whether it would take "one move" or "three moves." He laughed heartily: "I can't repay your brother's life, but I can generously send you to see him!"
That laughter also carried the sonic attack of a pneumatic spring.
Even ordinary soldiers who get close will at least experience dizziness and tinnitus.
Almost all the martial artists of the eighth rank or above were dispatched to intercept and kill Gong Xichou. As a result, one of them was beheaded in a single encounter. It has to be said that this was a great disgrace—after all, Gong Xichou had fought two consecutive battles against generals!
Logically speaking, both physical strength and martial energy should have been reduced by more than 50%.
They thought their opponent was a spent force, barely holding on, but the moment they clashed, they realized how wrong they were. The pressure Gong Xichou exerted on them was no less than facing an insurmountable mountain, let alone overthrowing him!
On the battlefield, the fighting continues.
The shouts of battle rose straight to the sky.
Martial and literary spirits ran rampant.
The biggest advantage of the Allied forces is that they have a large number of literary scholars. Although their skill levels vary, they are not bad as a whole. On the other hand, Gong Xichou is a lone wolf in battle, and almost no literary scholar can work well with him.
Only a few military clerks helped to maintain appearances.
Even so, the two armies almost fought to a draw.
Ultimately, the problem lies with Gong Xichou.
With such a fierce and invincible commander, coupled with the great advantage of dueling, the morale of the more than 10,000 soldiers was so strong and their sharpness so keen that no one dared to look them in the eye. When they fought, they were like mad dogs.
It tore apart the literary defenses built by several strategists of the allied forces, like a sharp knife determined to pierce the heart of the allied army's central camp, a sight that terrified everyone who saw it.
Alliance Leader Wu Xian watched the battle unfold closely, his expression grave.
He knew the Allied forces' first battle might not go smoothly, but he didn't expect it to be this bad. Was Gongxi Chou really that troublesome? How many fierce and brave generals like Gongxi Chou were under the command of the Zhi King rebels? No, no, no—Gongxi Chou must be an exception.
If the Prince of Zhi had such deep resources, he wouldn't have lost to Zheng Qiao in the struggle for the throne. Thinking about it this way, I felt much more at ease.
The scholar in the black robe suddenly said, "My lord, why not create a fog?"
Alliance Leader Wu Xian sighed, "This is the only way for now."
He didn't want to reveal his strength too early.
However, his troops were the main force of the Allied forces.
After such a fierce battle, his family's wealth was the biggest victim.
When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one.
There's no time to worry about anything else now.
The scholar in the black robe cupped his hands and said, "Yes."
Before long, the battlefield situation changed again. As the two armies fought, a strange, thick fog rose up around them, engulfing both the enemy in front of them and their comrades nearby. It was pitch black, causing panic.
These people did not include Wu Xian's troops; as soon as they saw the familiar thick fog, they knew that the strategist had made his move!
As expected—
A familiar voice reached everyone's ears.
“Kan is 213 feet long, then turns to Zhen.
Some people also heard: "Dui 2, one hundred and forty-six zhang."
"Three hundred and fifty-seven feet away..."
Upon receiving the order, the soldiers acted without hesitation, moving freely through the thick fog, avoiding the battlegrounds, and their movements were unaffected.
The dense fog would impair the vision of ordinary people and low-level martial artists, but high-level martial artists, with their keen senses, could still move freely even in the thickest fog, relying on their sight and hearing. For a moment, the balance tipped in favor of the Allied forces.
Gongxi Chou repelled the enemy general with a single blow, then sneered with displeasure, "A mere trick, yet you dare to show off in front of me!"
After speaking, he waved his hand and summoned his Martial Tiger Tally.
The valiant warriors who were besieging them tried to stop them but failed.
at the same time--
Kang Shi and his companions took advantage of the thick fog to paddle.
It's not that they don't want to have fun, but rather—
There are only a little over two hundred people at most, what are they wasting their time on?
Our lord is still seriously injured and unconscious.
Although Qi Shan was still awake, he looked deathly pale and eerie from excessive blood loss, as if he were about to faint and meet his maker at any moment. The allied forces, numbering in the tens of thousands, could easily blend in and go about their business without being noticed.
Seeing the thick fog rising, Kang Shi said, "Is this a maze?"
Gu Chi said, "It's more like a fog maze."
Qi Shan took some pills to heal her internal injuries, and with the help of Gu Chi and the other two channeling their spiritual energy into her, her depleted dantian greedily absorbed it, circulating wildly throughout her body, which made her feel much better.
He shook his head: "It's neither a maze nor a fog maze."
Kang Shi and the other man looked at him.
Qi Shan said, "This is the 'Way of the Scholar' of Qin Rites."
"Qin Li?"
Qi Shan coughed twice, clutching his chest, and felt the tightness in his chest dissipate considerably. A bit of color returned to his face, and he didn't look so frightening anymore. He continued, "It's Qin Gongsu, the strategist beside Alliance Leader Wu Xian."
Kang Shi then remembered that Wu Xian, the leader of the alliance, always had a scholar in a black robe by his side. It turned out that this person was named "Qin Li" or "Qin Gongsu".
Qi Shan paused for a moment: "Don't underestimate him."
"How come such a scholar's way of life is not well-known?"
Kang Shi had only caught a glimpse of Qin Li from afar and knew nothing about the man, not even his name, which he was only now learning. This kind of scholarly way of life seemed tailor-made for the battlefield; why was he so unknown?
Qi Shan said, "He likes to play dirty tricks."
Kang Shi: "..."
Is there something wrong with what I'm saying?
In terms of underhanded methods, it seems that praying for good deeds has more authority?
Although he didn't ask aloud, his eyes said it all, making Qi Shan almost gasp for breath.
Kang Shi was also afraid of upsetting people and causing them harm.
He quickly composed himself.
Qi Shan was finally somewhat satisfied and said, "It's right that Qin Li has no reputation. He's never been one to show off; he's talented but doesn't flaunt it. Before entering officialdom, he even lived in seclusion in a temple, practicing Buddhism with his hair intact for several years. He only came out of seclusion for certain reasons."
Gu Chi delivered the final blow.
"This 'certain reason' isn't you, is it?"
Qi Shan wanted to hit someone after hearing this, but gritted her teeth and said, "No!"
Don't try to pin all the blame on him.
Looking at the thick fog, Gu Chi asked, "What's the reason for that?"
The way of the scholar is not something that appears out of nowhere.
This is not merely a unique personal ability, but also a question that scholars must ask themselves: What is one's true nature? What path do they pursue? Or what does their heart most yearn for? The outward manifestation of ability is inextricably linked to oneself. Looking at the thick fog shrouding the battlefield, Qin Li is no ordinary person...
Qi Shan: "..."
He came out, and it was indeed related to him.
However, the relationship is only indirect.
The previous lord of Qishan was a relative of Qin Li within five degrees of kinship. He tried his best to recruit Qin Li, but to no avail.
Over time, it became an obsession.
So Qi Shan came up with a terrible idea to force Qin Li to come out of seclusion.
Because of this incident, the two became enemies.
After that, their personalities clashed, and the conflicts escalated.
Gu Chi: "..."
Even a fool could tell that Qi Shan's methods were either malicious or immoral; otherwise, Qin Li wouldn't have remembered him for so long, unable to resist feeling disgusted whenever he saw him, without any attempt to hide it.
Gu Chi: "So why has he now joined Wu Xian's side?"
Qi Shan said, "The country is destroyed and the family is ruined."
In this world, the only thing that can make people homeless and wander is war. Even if Qin Li returns to the temple, he will not be able to find true peace. Since he has already committed so much killing, he might as well go all the way and kill his way through this world.
Gu Chi: "..."
He was speechless.
However, Qi Shan had some untold secrets.
The former lord whom Qi Shan and Qin Li jointly served initially did indeed have the aura of a powerful ruler. He purged corruption, regardless of personal relationships, reduced the heavy taxes on the people, cut unnecessary miscellaneous taxes, advocated justice for the people, and sought out virtuous and capable people...
In fact, even without Qi Shan's "bad idea," Qin Li was already interested in taking up an official post—people were just observing, afraid that this relative, who was not even within five degrees of kinship, was just putting on a show, so they set up a probationary period—and it turned out to be just a show.
This lord became reckless after his power stabilized.
His long-suppressed nature began to surface, and he started to indulge in pleasure, becoming moody and irritable, and most annoyed by the advice of Qi Shan and others.
Some people were severely beaten as a result, and nearly died from their injuries.
What Qi Shan found most unacceptable was that this person, flattered by a villain and believing in some unknown evil doctrine, used placenta as medicine to make "an elixir of eternal youth and longevity".
Since then, it has only gotten worse.
Simple placenta carts were no longer enough to meet his needs.
He wanted to see more obvious medicinal effects!
Therefore, women were dissected alive to extract infants for medicinal use.
Qin Li, who tried to stop this, was nearly killed by a sword.
Although he survived, he was stripped of all his rights and confined to his home. Qin Li felt that things were about to get out of control.
They planned to gradually cultivate another suitable successor. They couldn't allow the hard-won stability to crumble again.
Both were acts of obstruction, but Qin Li, being a close relative within five degrees of kinship and Qi Shan's long-time crush, was treated with some leniency. However, Qin Li was not so kind to Qi Shan. Qin Li was confined to his quarters for obstructing Qi Shan once, while Qi Shan was flogged more than ten times for doing so.
The executioners were quite ruthless.
If Qi Shan hadn't been a scholar with a refined and cultured mind, he would surely have lost his life after that beating. The former lord continued to do as he pleased, and the other confidants who tried to dissuade him suffered even worse fates. They were either beaten to death, pierced through the heart with a sword, or had their hearts cut open. He also ordered people to search for pregnant women.
It was this incident that finally made Qi Shan decide to kill.
Qi Shan could not control his scholarly ways, nor could he decide when his lord would die. But perhaps his eagerness affected his scholarly ways, and before Qin Li could make any arrangements, the former lord was gone just like the previous lord.
Overnight, without their leader, the sons, uncles, and nephews who were qualified to compete for the throne... all became restless, some raising armies, some forcing the emperor to abdicate, and some launching sneak attacks...
Add to that the powerful clans and noble families that the former lord offended after he went astray, and good heavens, things immediately descended into complete chaos.
Qin Li was sitting at home when the country was destroyed and his family perished as if from heaven.
Yes, that's how the country fell.
The spies planted by the neighboring country immediately spread the news of the former lord's sudden death. Taking advantage of the chaos and infighting among the group, they launched an attack with lightning speed!
They miraculously conquered the entire territory in just over a month.
Therefore—
The destruction of the kingdom was somewhat related to Qishan.
If Qi Shan hadn't been so anxious, things might not have turned out this way.
However, Qi Shan doesn't think so.
The threat of internal strife has always existed, but it has been hidden by appearances. Given the tyranny of that former lord, it was only a matter of time before he was overthrown.
Even if things get to that point, neighboring countries will still take advantage of the situation.
Gu Chi had a rough idea of what was going on, but he didn't say anything.
Kang Shi's attention was focused on the thick fog.
He became secretly on guard.
Wu Xian, the leader of the alliance, will be a formidable rival in the future.
If Qin Li alone possesses such abilities, what other trump cards does he have?
Each of the three had their own thoughts.
Then, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
Beneath the thick fog, all is Qin Li's domain!
Therefore, he was the first to discover this.
The battle did not unfold as he had anticipated.
"It's Gongxi Chou again!"
Hearing this, Wu Xian, the leader of the alliance, turned his head.
"Gongxi Chou?"
Qin Li: "My scholarly way is ineffective against him, how could that be?"
Gong Xichou said that nothing is impossible.
Snakes don't walk by their eyes.
('')シ┳━┳
Goodness, thinking of a name is such a hassle.
The name Qin Li was difficult to choose because the courtesy name "Gong Su" was chosen first. After much deliberation, it was decided whether to use "Su" meaning "respectful in appearance and heart" or "Su" meaning "to govern with courtesy" (if it were the former, it would be the same as Lu Su, so after thinking about it, I chose the latter).
Hehe, I had the pleasure of trying out a BOX white switch keyboard today. I even built it myself (of course, I bought a pre-assembled kit, so I just installed the switches and keycaps). It's a bit quieter than the blue switch keyboard, but it's very crisp and the feel is a bit softer. Thumbs up!
(End of this chapter)
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