Chapter 365: Refugees and Bandits (Part 4) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
The letter was circulated once.
The same thought popped into everyone's mind.
Perhaps, maybe, possibly... Shen Jun is really stupid?
Who would let someone else guard their house for them?
Aren't you afraid that once you come back, your home will be gone?
This thought swirled in their minds, and the shrewd, fox-like scholars of the literary world realized something was amiss. At this point, these scholars abandoned any talk of stances, factions, or interests, and each expressed their differing opinions.
Opinion 1: Shen Jun is an upright and honest gentleman, a rare find in the world.
Opinion 2: Shen Jun is cunning yet appears simple-minded; we must be wary of him.
The first opinion is mainly held by scholars from the Tianhai aristocratic families who have a good impression of Shen Tang. Putting aside everything else, Shen Tang's ancestral spirit wine is indeed useful and has been very helpful. In addition, Shen Tang helped Tianhai out of the shadow of the epidemic without holding a grudge. They are more inclined to believe that Shen Tang is a genuine gentleman. We should not use narrow-minded thinking to speculate about his magnanimity. Doing so would be a mistake.
To put it more bluntly, you can't assume everyone is black-hearted just because you are. I'm specifically implying that Qin Li is black-hearted.
Because Qin Li holds the second opinion.
But not many people share his thoughts.
Qin Li: "..."
Qin Gongsu was truly speechless.
Why do these people believe that there are truly virtuous people in the world?
If Shen Youli were a renowned scholar, Qin Li would believe she was a true gentleman. But she was the head of a small faction, a ruthless person who transformed He Yin in less than a year. Without some thunderous methods, she could not have gained a foothold and turned He Yin into a one-man show.
Even though he didn't have many supporters, Qin Li still wanted to share his opinion: "My lord, this is an open strategy!"
A conspiracy is something that happens covertly, and you can guard against it if you're careful; but a conspiracy is something that takes advantage of the situation and is calculated openly and honestly, and it's hard to avoid, or even impossible to avoid, so you can only face it head-on. Wu Xian is now in this situation.
Wu Xian observed the differing opinions of his subordinates, remaining expressionless and not favoring either side: "A calculated scheme?"
"Our lord and Lord Shen are known to the public as 'close friends'..."
When Qin Li uttered those four words, Wu Xian felt slightly guilty. The saying "three men make a tiger" is truly deadly. What was originally a lie was spread around and marketed as true. Even he himself was stunned when he heard it and gave a vague answer.
“My brother Shen truly treats me like an elder brother…”
Shen Youli probably thinks so too.
Qin Li suddenly straightened his expression and said, "My lord, you are mistaken! My lord, you might as well think about why Lord Shen went to war this time. It was to drive out the bandits and to rescue the innocent common people who have suffered from the bandits. He is righteous and benevolent."
"Occupying the moral high ground" in various senses.
Wu Xian was trying to do two things at once and almost made himself laugh.
Then Qin Liyi’s righteous and forceful voice came again, making Wu Xian’s expression solemn.
"Only with a just cause can one 'raise banners and divide troops, sweeping away all obstacles with the wind and lightning.' Lord Shen has all the advantages of 'popular support.' The world knows his noble character and respects and trusts his lord, his 'elder brother.' In this situation, if the lord helps in this matter, should anything happen in Heyin County—such as a mass attack by refugees or bandits—can Heyin County fall?"
This question hits the nail on the head and gets to the heart of the matter.
The answer is as obvious as a lice on a bald man's head.
In this situation, the only option is to hold on and fight to the death.
We must defend to the death, even if it means sacrificing our own food, manpower, and supplies!
Moreover, they defended it at all costs.
Otherwise, people will only think Wu Xian is a hypocrite, a true villain, deliberately shirking his duties. Lord Shen trusted you so much, and you deliberately lost his stronghold. Tell me, isn't this what you secretly hoped for?
Even if Wu Xianzhen tries her best, there will still be a lot of doubts.
In Qin Li's view, this letter was an extremely vicious and irresistible open conspiracy, putting someone on the spot to be roasted. It couldn't help but remind Qin Li of the "evil scheme" Qi Shan had used in his "Wenxin Yanling" (a type of spiritual writing).
[If danger is upon me, it is upon others; therefore—if I am in danger, others are in danger. If others do not wish to be in danger, they must lend a helping hand to relieve my predicament.]
Upon closer examination, isn't this similar to the unethical practices of construction sites?
Qin Li was secretly grinding his back molars.
Haha, it's true that "evil schemes" can never be reformed.
Qi Shan, far away in He Yin, was struck hard in the knee by an arrow.
Wu Xian pondered for a moment.
It must be admitted that Qin Li's conspiracy theory makes perfect sense. From this perspective, it is indeed an open conspiracy.
but--
Ren Shenyouli's personal image is just too good.
Wu Xian's heart pounded, torn between two conflicting opinions. Just then, an advisor who opposed Qin Li spoke up. He didn't engage in conspiracy theories; he simply asked a straightforward question: "If Lord Shen truly intends to do this, who would dare risk their life?"
Aren't you afraid that your hard-earned assets will be seized by someone else? It's not that he's criticizing his lord's integrity, but rather that his lord actually has no integrity at all.
They can even kill, cripple, or maim their own brothers.
Without morality, one cannot be morally coerced. Similarly, if Lord Wu Xian were thick-skinned enough to silently swallow the position of Governor of He, even if Shen Tang returned with his troops, he could only watch helplessly, jumping up and down in frustration, unable to do anything about it.
As for infamy?
No one's reputation in this world can be worse than Zheng Qiao's.
Zheng Qiao was a wolf in sheep's clothing; he acted as a dutiful son and puppet to the Empress Dowager of Geng, gaining her full support to ascend the throne. After taking power, he turned his back on her and kicked her to the curb. Despite his terrible reputation, he still ate, drank, slept, and enjoyed boundless pleasure.
It's nothing compared to how our own lord has turned against us.
Even if Shen Jun hadn't asked the lord to help defend He Yin from bandit attacks, would the lord have just stood by and watched He Yin fall, endangering Tianhai? Qin Li is cunning, so he sees no one as a good person.
With Shen Jun being so frank, our lord doesn't have to worry about finding an excuse to help later, isn't that great?
These two are gentlemen at heart, why are they scheming against each other?
Qin Li's face turned pale from this guy's long and eloquent rebuke, and flames of anger danced joyfully in his eyes.
Seeing the tension between his subordinates escalating, Wu Xian had no choice but to make a win-win decision—he agreed to send troops to help Shen Tang guard the crystal, but Qin Li was put in charge of the matter and given full authority to handle it.
Whether it was an open scheme or genuine honesty, Wu Xian was careful not to offend either side.
only--
He never expected that Shen Tang's cunning was as dense as a beehive! Because the same request to guard the crystal was sent to a group. Not only him, but Gu Ren and Zhang He also received it. They immediately summoned their respective advisors and think tanks to discuss the matter.
His expression was conflicted, as if he had been constipated for seven or eight days.
What on earth is going on here?
Zhang He had business dealings with Shen Tang in medicinal herbs (profiting from herbal exploitation), and he also used Shen Tang's spirit wine to repeatedly weaken the toughest families in Yi Ru, either by suppressing them or by appeasing them, with remarkable results.
Both sides share the same interests in dealing with displaced people and bandits; they're practically in the same boat, so it's impossible for them not to send troops. Furthermore, Zhang He values his reputation highly, and if he's going to help, he'll go all out.
As for Gu Ren, it goes without saying.
If it weren't for the generous help from others during the epidemic in Shangnan, who knows what the final outcome would have been? How could we have recovered? In addition, there's the matter of the thirteenth brother, Shaochong. Both publicly and privately, they have been kind to Shangnan and to Gu Ren.
Gu Ren held a "family meeting" with his brothers.
After some discussion, they sent out the twelfth brother Chao Lian, the thirteenth brother Shao Chong, and the sixth brother, who had met Shen Tang a few times before.
The first two were skilled military commanders, adept at leading troops to quell bandits and refugees, while the latter possessed superb medical skills and was intimately familiar with military affairs, making him ideal for guarding Heyin County. The three families departed at different times, but arrived almost simultaneously.
The first question was: "What are you doing here?"
The reply was: "It's Mr. Shen, blah blah blah..."
The happiest person was none other than the messenger from Luxia County.
Shen Jun really wasn't lying to him.
If I said it would be at most two days, it really will be at most two days.
He summoned 15,000 to 16,000 elite soldiers, all clad in armor and brimming with spirit. Their gleaming blades and imposing aura of superior numbers practically screamed, "I can take on ten of them!" The messenger was so moved he almost cried.
Shen Jun is a good person to get along with; he really steps up when needed!
However, the three responsible persons were not in a good mood.
All three families had good relationships with Shen Tang, but that didn't mean they had good relationships with each other, especially since they had all accepted Shen Tang's request to guard the city and protect the crystal. This meant that the three families would have to cooperate in defending the city for the foreseeable future.
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
What the hell are you doing?!
Qin Li twitched his lips, swallowing the elaborate curses.
Gu Chi, as the representative of He Yin County who was receiving everyone, had a rather amused look in his eyes, his peripheral vision wandering over Qin Li and Qi Shan—because Qin Li was cursing people, out of ten sentences, four were cursing Shang Nan, four were cursing Yi Ru, and the remaining two were cursing "evil schemes".
Now the Heyin County is truly secure.
You can't lose it even if you want to.
They firmly believe that this utterly despicable scheme was Qi Shan's terrible idea. Alas, he's once again taking the blame for his lord.
Gu Chi secretly drifted off into his own thoughts.
Why is it that no one can see through the true nature of our lord?
As the host, Shen Tang naturally had to host a banquet to welcome the reinforcements who had come from afar, and that they would quickly set out for Luxia County after a short rest the next day. The banquet was called a "welcome feast," but in reality, it was just a way to discuss the next battle strategy while eating.
Speaking of "welcoming guests and washing away the dust of the journey", one cannot help but mention the food served in the government office. As a native of the land of China who was born with the talents of "foodie" and "farming", Shen Tang not only worked 996 (working 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week) but also did not forget to improve the quality of the government office canteen.
After all, eating well can really improve work efficiency!
Unfortunately, the ingredients are limited, and the variety of dishes is not great.
Even so, it was enough to surprise everyone a little.
Shao Chong and Chao Lian, along with other brave martial artists, were very accommodating. They devoured the food and added several bowls of millet to the table.
Qin Li finished his meal slowly and put down his chopsticks. According to the letter Zhao Feng sent back, this year was a bumper harvest in Heyin County, and a lot of land tax was collected from various places... Therefore, he proposed that Shen Tang be in charge of the military expenses during the period when the soldiers were guarding Heyin.
Is that too much to ask?
Logically speaking, it's not excessive.
It is indeed unethical to borrow troops from Tianhai to guard the home and make people bring their own food. Not everyone is like Zhao Feng, who owes Shen Youli a life and is forced to work for free to repay the debt.
but--
Qin Li was too young to understand what "vicious involution" meant.
I have no idea how hateful this thing is!
Before Qin Li could give his hints—for example, the Tianhai soldiers couldn't carry much food and supplies during their forced march, and Shen Tang, as the host, was mainly responsible for these expenses—the boy named Shao Chong interrupted with a smile: "That's alright, we brought enough. If we're short, we can share some."
Chao Lian, however, understood the legal implications.
He and Sixth Brother tugged at Shao Chong's sleeve at the same time. Shao Chong asked in confusion, "Sixth Brother, Twelfth Brother, why are you two pulling me?"
Shao Chong has a very high level of affection for Shen Tang.
Despite his rough appearance and lack of intelligence, he knew that he was being tormented by the Gu worms less and less, thanks in part to Shen Jun. His elder brother had taught him to be grateful, so he had his personal retainers bring him enough food.
Each warhorse carried a large sack of grain.
The soldiers sent by Tianhai had no food, but he had food.
What's wrong with everyone sharing it?
Chao Lian didn't even have time to cover his mouth.
Sixth Brother's smile was so awkward it almost spilled out of his mouth.
While giving Shao Chong a meaningful look, he smiled at Qin Li and said, "Hehe, the kid doesn't know any better, doesn't know any better..."
Qin Li's lips twitched.
Because of Shao Chong's interruption, Qin Li couldn't continue speaking. The envoy from Yi Ru, seeing the situation, swallowed his words about requesting supplies. He could only turn back and ask his lord for another round of reinforcements, hoping it wouldn't be too long.
Otherwise, we'd suffer a huge loss!
Paying out of his own pocket to protect the opponent's base!
Who would believe that if I told them?!
Shen Tang, as the host, seemed oblivious to the subtle tension between the three parties, generously expressing her joy and gratitude, and bringing up the past alliance of Sibao County. Qin Liyan offered only perfunctory responses, while Shao Chong responded enthusiastically.
The envoy from Yiru remained silent, watching the drama unfold.
Yi Ru did not participate in the battle of Sibao County.
The three families brought a total of 15,000 to 16,000 troops this time. Half of their elite troops went to reinforce Luxia County, while the remaining troops, which were relatively weaker, stayed behind to guard Heyin County to prevent refugees and bandits from raiding their homes.
Upon hearing the number, Shen Tang slapped his thigh in delight.
She said, "By gathering our four families' more than 10,000 elite troops, we will surely be able to repel the bandits and protect the safety of Luxia County!"
Qin Li: "...???"
Gu Ren's sixth brother: "...???"
Yi Ru's envoy: "...???"
More than 10,000 elite troops?
Although the mainland is currently fragmented and divided into hundreds of kingdoms, a force of over ten thousand soldiers is not insignificant, and each soldier is an elite force. They can easily defeat a group of four or five times their size of refugees and bandits. Even against a force six or seven times their size, they can make the enemy think twice before retreating.
but--
Of the troops brought by the three families, half of their most elite forces were deployed, roughly 7,500. Adding Shen Tang's forces, the total was a little over 10,000—Qin Li strongly suspected this "over 10,000" might just be a fraction—in other words, Shen Tang only contributed 2,500 troops. Trading 2,500 for 7,500 elite troops from the three families to defend the city, and even then, it was a fight to the death…
The expressions on the faces of the three families were a colorful mix.
Gu Chi's ears were filled with all sorts of curses.
He silently picked at his ear and continued to pretend he was deaf.
So how could such a despicable scheme have come from that scoundrel Qi Bushan?
Even malicious schemes have their limits _(:з)∠)_
At least, one can voice the treacherous schemes and plots of Qi Bushan. But one can only swallow the bitter pill of one's own lord's open schemes.
They get taken advantage of for nothing and still have to smile and watch the other person pull up their pants.
Of the three, Qin Li was the one who most wanted to vomit blood.
He suspected that of the "two thousand five" mentioned by Shen Tang, how many were actually soldiers under Zhao Feng's command...
(End of this chapter)
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