Chapter 283: The Visitors Are Not Friendly [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang counted the time on her fingers.
"Your Excellency came down so quickly?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Gu Ren is amazing! His efficiency is so high!
Gu Chi hadn't expected the unexpected joy to come so quickly and suddenly: "Indeed, it's a full ten days earlier than expected."
According to his discussion with Qi Shan and the others, he should have received his appointment letter around the end of the month, at which point the bandits they had gathered would be barely passable. This sudden turn of events, a mix of surprise and shock, makes it hard to say whether it's good or bad…
As the joy faded, Shen Tang regained her composure and couldn't help but prepare for the worst. She said anxiously, "As the saying goes, 'where there's smoke, there's fire.' We have no connections in court, and we're from the Allied Forces. Given Zheng Qiao's temperament, he shouldn't have acted so decisively, especially a full ten days ahead of schedule—could this be a trap? Gu Ren and Wu Xian wouldn't stoop so low as to betray me..."
However, it's hard to say.
When it comes to "interests," it's not uncommon for fathers and sons to turn against each other, and brothers to fight amongst themselves. Shen Tang's relationship with those two was merely a verbal "brotherly" bond, and they hadn't known each other for very long. If those two figured something out, they might suddenly turn around and stab her in the back…
Shen Tang's mind was filled with thoughts of Gu Ren and Wu Xian betraying her, and all sorts of conspiracy theories bubbled up like ink. She was so engrossed in these thoughts that she felt sorry for Gu Chi, who was suffering from this close-up mental attack. It took her a long time to recover: "It's not that serious."
Gu Ren and Wu Xian, the two...
If we're really talking about character and integrity, they're all above average. Although Gu Chi can't hear Gu Ren's thoughts, judging from Gu Ren's past reputation and deeds, he has a certain level of discipline and principles in his actions. As for Wu Xian, he's easily influenced, has a somewhat impulsive temper, and is prone to acting rashly when his emotions run high; he's not a threat.
These two are really going to betray us...
That must be Gu Ren.
For some reason, Gu Chi felt a sense of apprehension towards Gu Ren, but couldn't muster any negative emotions. At worst, he remained neutral. Furthermore, given Gu Ren's reputation and achievements, ordinary people would naturally feel a sense of goodwill towards him...
It's rather strange.
It is speculated that Gu Ren's scholarly ways are at play.
He fell into deep thought, then noticed that the light in his field of vision was blocked, and Shen Lang's small hands were waving from side to side in front of his eyes. Gu Chi brushed them aside with his fingers and said, "I wasn't distracted."
Shen Tang, with a "see if I believe you" expression, chatted casually with a smile: "You weren't daydreaming? Then who were you thinking about so intently?"
Gu Chi said, "It is Gu Ziyi."
"Gu Ren? What happened to him? You suspect he betrayed me?"
Gu Chi's lips twitched, and he explained, "No, I'm just curious about his philosophy of the scholar—"
"His way of the scholar?"
Gu Ren possessed the ways of a scholar, which Chen Tang found unsurprising—although the ways of a scholar were a rare skill even among literary figures, it was a standard requirement for outstanding individuals, so it wasn't surprising that Gu Ren had one—she was simply puzzled as to why Gu Chi suddenly missed him.
Gu Chi said, "I can't hear his inner thoughts."
Upon hearing this, Shen Tang asked, "Is he intentionally wary of you?"
Gu Chi shook his head: "It shouldn't be."
Previously, few people knew about his scholarly way, and even those who did know rarely could consciously empty their minds like Shen Tang at all times—it was fine for a short while, but concentrating on doing so for a long time was extremely exhausting.
Gu Chi was certain that Gu Ren had blocked him.
Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand: "That's interesting..."
Gu Chi said, "There are some speculations at the moment."
What guess?
Gu Chi countered, "Doesn't my lord think Gu Ziyi's luck and popularity are a bit too good? His sworn brothers each have their own strengths, and they all respect him. One or two might be considered lucky, but twelve in a row is beyond the power of 'luck' to describe. Strangers are delighted to see Gu Ziyi..."
After thinking about it carefully, Shen Tang realized it was true. She guessed, "Perhaps his scholarly path is the 'Dragon Pride Halo'?"
Gu Chi: "What is that?"
Shen Tangxu covered her mouth and joked, "Long Aotian's aura! Even Gu Ren's body trembled, and all the heroes bowed down in worship."
Gu Chi: "..."
Gu Chi: "...It doesn't have to be that bad."
If Gu Ren possessed such extraordinary scholarly talent, he would have already led the allied forces to sweep through Sibao County, and Wu Xian wouldn't have been the leader. Gu Chi knew that Shen Tang's words were mostly a joke, but there was one thing she might have hit the nail on the head—
Gu Ren's philosophy of the scholar may influence some people's impressions and feelings about him.
It may seem like a trivial matter, but its strength lies in its subtle and pervasive influence.
It might be very useful in a critical moment.
so--
Shen Tang asked, "Did Gu Ren betray me?"
Gu Chi stood up and said with amusement, "Whether it's an unexpected joy or a bolt from the blue, we'll know once we see the person."
Making wild guesses here is pointless.
As it turns out, Gu Ren and his companion were both innocent.
After receiving their rewards, they packed their belongings without delay and left the Ganzhou Qushan County where the imperial palace was located, heading to their respective territories, fearing that if they were even a step too slow, they would be killed by the fickle Zheng Qiao. Gu Ren, in particular, had several sworn brothers under his command who had a deep grudge against Zheng Qiao. If they were to be in close proximity to Zheng Qiao and breathe the same air, they might one day be unable to resist going to the imperial palace to assassinate him.
Each one of them is like a firecracker holding back its flames!
And the appointment was issued so quickly—
It was entirely because of an unexpected person.
Enjoy your meal.
Although Zheng Qiao didn't take Shen Tang seriously at all, Yan An was still worried and specially dispatched someone to find out who Shen Tang and Shen Youli were. The messenger carried an official document and the seal of the Prefect of He County, traveling day and night.
However, the envoy did not expect that Shen Tang would not enter the territory of He Yin, but would stop and rest at the border of He Yin.
"Which one of you is Mr. Shen?"
The envoy's party consisted of fifteen people.
One scholar, one sixth-rank official, two fifth-rank officials, and the rest were all second-rank scholars or lower-ranking officials—there wasn't a single ordinary person among them. Even Chu Yao couldn't help but twitch slightly at this sight, sensing something was amiss.
The area around Heyin was small, poor, and chaotic.
If a normal person goes to take up a post, it's hard to say how many years they'll live. The higher-ups might not even care. They'll just send an order. Why make such a fuss? Chu Yao composed himself, carefully and thoughtfully settled them in, and then sent someone to invite Shen Tang over.
While it was described as meticulous and thoughtful, it was really just so-so.
So many people were hiding deep in the mountains, using tents as shelters, and their material conditions were so-so. At most, they would offer the messenger some old tea and wine to moisten his throat and warm him up. Their treatment was simple and meager.
These people didn't complain much.
The leading scholar looked around.
As far as the eye could see, many elderly, women, and children were bent over, working—gathering firewood, boiling water, or sewing warm winter clothes; there were hardly any able-bodied young people to be seen. If it weren't for their relatively good spirits, one might mistake them for having wandered into a refugee camp…
The leading envoy took a sip of tea, narrowed his eyes, and a strange light flickered in them: "These are the commoners that Lord Shen took from Sibao County? There seem to be more than rumored..."
Chu Yao stood to one side and said respectfully, "There are many starving people on the road. My lord couldn't bear it and brought along as many as he could."
The envoy lowered his eyes, murmured softly, and said, "...There are many starving people... Lord Shen is very kind. If there were more people like Lord Shen within the territory of Geng Kingdom, perhaps peace could be expected..."
Chu Yao did not respond.
In fact, as long as there is a ruler like Zheng Qiao, even if there is a "good person" like Wu Lang, they can all be wiped out.
Zheng Qiao's ability to turn a bad hand into a near-perfect win is truly admirable, but his downfall from that winning advantage is entirely his own doing. The fact that the people of Geng and the remnants of Xin haven't been cursing and stabbing people day and night is a testament to their good manners.
The envoy decided not to expect Chu Yao to say anything.
While waiting, the messenger's gaze fell on Chu Yao. Seeing that Chu Yao looked young but mature, yet had an unusually striking head of long, gray hair, he casually asked a question.
"How should I address you, sir?"
Chu Yao said, "My surname is 'Chu'."
I cannot disclose the name.
Upon hearing this, the envoy asked, "Is it Chu Yao?"
Chu Yao's heart trembled violently.
Because his restoration of the Literary Heart could easily expose the Imperial Seal in Shen Tang's possession, he had always concealed his former identity from the outside world, with only a few close friends knowing about his past. The moment the newcomer spoke, he uttered this name, which instilled fear in everyone.
However, Chu Yao did not hesitate for a moment.
They looked at the messenger with suspicion and surprise.
How did the messenger know?
The messenger didn't answer but instead asked, "Which 'yao'?"
Chu Yao smiled and said, "The 'yao' in 'to bring glory to one's ancestors'..."
The messenger then asked, "Where is the script?"
Chu Yao said, "His courtesy name is Wu Hui."
The envoy looked at Chu Yao, who remained calm and even pretended to be weak so that the envoy could secretly test him with words: "Judging from the faint aura of literature emanating from you, you must be a scholar with a literary heart."
Chu Yao said, "My strength is too weak to make a fool of myself."
The envoy said, “Your name reminds me of someone who was once famous throughout the Northwest many years ago; he was also from the State of Chu.”
"Is the messenger referring to the three heroes of our homeland?"
"motherland?"
"I was once a citizen of the State of Chu. After the State of Chu was destroyed, my father changed my name, which was also a way of expressing his hopes for the state..." At this point, realizing that the State of Chu had been destroyed for many years, and even the State of Xin, which had destroyed the State of Chu, was gone, and now the State of Geng ruled, he knew he had spoken out of turn and swallowed the rest of his words with timidity.
The messenger could understand his feelings.
But they didn't give up.
Then he asked, "Where is your literary monogram?"
Except in very special circumstances, monograms are always worn on the person; they are a symbol of status and rank, similar to the official seal worn by officials. In some more particular countries, this is even a customary social etiquette.
It is very impolite not to wear one's monogram.
"My strength is meager, my literary talent is scarce, and my rank is not high, so maintaining this monogram is quite difficult for me." After saying this, Chu Yao was already ashamed and his face turned red with embarrassment. However, under the watchful eyes of the envoy, he still "laboriously" produced the monogram.
The silver-gray monogram is a floral pattern.
The lowest rank of the ninth grade, the monogram is rough and blurry.
This is a very typical example of "weakness".
The envoy glanced at it and gestured for Chu Yao to put it away. Seeing Chu Yao's gloomy expression, the envoy pursed his lips and gently explained, carefully comforting him, saying that he had no intention of making things difficult and hoped that Chu Yao would not take it to heart; he was just a little curious.
Chu Yao asked, "Has the envoy also heard of those three?"
The envoy nodded: "I have heard of it, and my heart yearns for it."
Therefore, upon hearing "Chu Yao," which is both pronounced and written the same as Chu Yao, he acted so "rudely"—he said this, but only he knew what he was really thinking. He then mentioned Gong Shuwu in casual conversation, implying that he wanted to meet him.
Chu Yao: "..."
They've come with ill intentions!
But he couldn't stop people from seeing it.
Just then, Gong Shuwu returned from his patrol.
Upon seeing the envoy's appearance, a fleeting, almost imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes.
Because of the angle and distance, the messenger did not notice.
The envoy was just as curious about Gong Shuwu.
On the way here, he learned that Gong Shuwu was a tenth-rank Left Vice Minister—previously unknown, he only gained some fame after the fall of Xiaocheng and the battle within the city. After that, he had been following Shen Tang, quietly training troops, with little presence, a background character.
Knowing that Gong Shuwu's background was simple, the envoy was somewhat tempted—Gong Shuwu was not old and was in his prime. Once he reached his peak, he could maintain that for another twenty years or so, at least reaching the thirteenth rank of the middle-level cultivator.
Zheng Qiao has no shortage of brave and skilled warriors, but the more the better.
However, unsurprisingly, he was politely declined.
The reasons are also valid—
Gong Shuwu retorted, "Forgive me for being a mere warrior who is ignorant of etiquette. What does the messenger think is the reason I have remained a widow until now?"
messenger:"……"
Without a doubt, this is Zheng Qiao's fault.
The envoy, sensing the situation, remained silent.
Just then, Shen Tang arrived on his motorcycle.
Gong Shuwu breathed a long sigh of relief.
If he doesn't disperse his firepower soon, he might be exposed.
If Kang Shi were here, he would find that the envoy's appearance and build are not unrelated to Yan Xingning, who had come to find him before; they are exactly the same.
Shen Tang rode his motorcycle back at breakneck speed.
His forehead was covered in sweat, and he was panting heavily.
She jumped off the back of the mule on the motorcycle.
Upon seeing this, the messenger knew that this person was Shen Tang.
At the age of twelve, the monogram on his waist was as clear as crystal, belonging to the lowest rank of the ninth grade.
Although he was a scholar with a refined mind, he possessed extremely high martial arts skills.
The information above matches up.
But what about the later parts—
Looking at Shen Tang's not-so-tall stature and rather thin figure, the envoy was skeptical of this part of the content.
Without seeing it with his own eyes, relying solely on hearsay, he simply couldn't believe that Shen Tang could fight Gong Xi Chou back and forth on the battlefield.
"Jun Shen."
Shen Tang wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve: "Greetings, envoy."
The messenger took out the dispatch document, verified Shen Tang's identity, read Zheng Qiao's decree, and then handed over the seal of the Prefect of He County, offering a few words of encouragement on behalf of Zheng Qiao. As for the rest—in extraordinary times, cumbersome formalities are always kept to a minimum.
The smooth progress of the matter made Shen Tang feel dazed. Out of courtesy, he asked the envoy to stay for a while, at least for one more meal.
The envoy politely declined.
He had important business to attend to back home.
Without resting for long, the messenger and his men left.
Shen Tang looked at Chu Yao and Gong Shuwu, whose expressions were not good, and asked, "Did that envoy test you for something?"
Chu Yao: "They don't even check household registrations that thoroughly. I'm worried he might suspect something, and I don't know if I've managed to fool him."
Shen Tang played with the official seal, turning it around.
He casually remarked, "If he hasn't managed to fool us, then let him suffer some kind of accident. Everyone gets hurt when they're out and about; it's normal to be unlucky enough to lose your life, don't you think?"
Unexpectedly, Gong Shuwu poured cold water on the idea: "This method might work against others, but it won't work against him. Does my lord know who this person is? His name is Yan An, courtesy name Xingning, a prodigy who perfectly mastered the way of the scholar from a young age. If you kill him now, he can immediately plot against you from a thousand miles away."
Shen Tang: "???"
"Yan Xingning's literati way is completely fictitious."
(End of this chapter)
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