Chapter 683: Garrison Commander Wei Yuanyuan [Two Chapters Combined]
The moment the thought crossed Shen Tang's mind, she lost her nerve.
Why?
She has way too many single guys under her wing!
Single people don't even have partners, let alone children!
Shen Tang's resentment was so deep that Gu Chi could hardly pretend he hadn't heard it.
He said, "It's no use for my lord to think about these things."
Shen Tang retorted, "How is it useless?"
Gu Chi chuckled and explained the situation to her using his fingers.
The civil and military officials under Shen Tang's command are either too old or too young. The older ones each have their own reasons for being single, and few of them have children, such as Jiang Sheng and Luan Xin. However, their children are not old either, and the lord would not exploit even children. The younger ones are still children themselves, so how can they consider starting a family and having the lord exploit them?
Shen Tang was once again troubled by her uneven academic performance, and said, "...Alas, in that case, Hanzhang is still the most promising one."
Xun Dinghao's eldest son found it quite convenient to use.
Gu Chi smiled and offered an idea.
"It's hard to keep an eye on your own fence, so keep an eye on other people's."
"Stealing talent from Wu Zhaode and his group?"
That sounds like a good idea.
Zhao Feng's daughter is under his command, and others are fine too!
Gu Chi's lips twitched slightly as he said, "No, what I mean is that we can do some ideological work with the military officers of Yonggu Pass."
Shen Tang clapped her hands: "Yes, and so are they."
They were considered one of our own, so the level of cooperation was even higher.
Without hesitation, Shen Tang subtly inquired about the families of the children, asking about each one in detail. She wasn't interested in their sons, because if a boy had any talent for martial arts, his father would have forced him to train rigorously in the coldest and hottest winters before he even had a chance to stand firm; there was no possibility of him slipping through the net. But the daughters were different; each one was like an unopened blind box. Before the tests, no one knew what their talent or aptitude was. The outcome was uncertain; they were all potential dark horses!
The first person Shen Tang sought out was General Jiang.
The very first sentence was a landmine.
"Does the old general still have any unmarried daughters?"
General Jiang paused in stroking his beard.
With an extremely embarrassed expression, he said, "Although martial arts masters can still be useful at my age, and there are many examples of people having children late in life, but... I'm afraid my wife at home is not up to the task..."
Shen Tang: "..."
General Jiang thought that Shen Tang suspected him.
He hurriedly said, "My wife has suffered with me through thick and thin. I'm not an ungrateful wretch. How could I abandon my wife who shared my hardships? If she's really the only one, she hasn't had her period for over ten years. How could she possibly have an unmarried daughter?"
Shen Jun is making things difficult for himself and his wife!
Shen Tang: "...Um, I asked the wrong question."
So she simply changed her question: "Does General Jiang have any granddaughters in his family who enjoy wielding swords and spears?"
General Jiang was a straightforward person.
Hearing this, he finally understood Shen Tang's meaning and laughed heartily, "Shen Jun, are you worried that we old bones and old-fashioned ideas will hinder the future of the women in the clan? You can rest assured, absolutely not! Everyone wants an extra pillar in the family! An extra pillar means an extra layer of security! What's wrong with the daughters? Once they can cultivate, they will still be martial artists, capable of fighting and killing, and able to earn military merit. Why would we restrict them from cultivating... Don't worry, don't worry!"
General Jiang patted his chest loudly.
Ever since they learned that women could also cultivate, the generals of the Yonggu Pass faction, including General Jiang, began to scrutinize their own unmarried daughters and granddaughters.
Those with natural talent trained alongside them, while those without learned the moves to improve their health. Perhaps with a bit of luck, they too could cultivate a small amount of martial energy. A martial spirit flourished.
Shen Tang was slightly taken aback: "Really?"
General Jiang asked, "Why would I lie to Lord Shen?"
Shen Tang: "..."
I didn't realize that I was just too slow to react.
Hearing this, she was quite tempted. These were the future "leeks"... no, the backbone of the army. She smiled broadly and patted General Jiang, recommending, "Once they've mastered their skills and want to join the army, this is the best place for them!"
General Jiang: "...That's natural."
He left the main tent still completely bewildered.
Why did Shen Jun call him over?
Currently, only women under Shen Jun's jurisdiction can cultivate; they cannot from other places. If one wants to join the army, Shen Jun's side is definitely the first choice. Was this special instruction perhaps out of concern for someone like Miao Shu? General Jiang hadn't gone far when he encountered Kang Shi. He had worked with Kang Shi before and had a fairly good relationship, so he made a point of asking him about it to get a sense of what was going on.
After hearing the whole story, Kang Shi laughed and said, "General, you're overthinking it. My lord is probably worried about the lack of capable successors in her ranks."
General Jiang: "..."
Thinking about it that way, it really is true.
In fact, the situation was better than Shen Tang had imagined.
While many of her direct descendants are indeed single, most of Chu Jie's faction has families. Aside from a few who are single due to various reasons, like Chu Jie, most others have wives and children. Although not every child has martial arts talent, the number is still considerable. If they can inherit their fathers' skills, even if they don't become formidable warriors, they can still contribute to Shen Tang's success.
This reassured Shen Tang.
Looking at it this way, her fence isn't actually that bare.
These little seedlings will one day grow into towering trees!
She would endure all hardships before that!
A storm is brewing before her, and she must brave it!
Chaoli Pass.
Just two days ago, he received news that the Dragon Slaying Bureau was disbanding, and today he received intelligence that it would continue. The garrison commander remained expressionless; he knew this wasn't so simple. It was most likely a conspiracy by Huang Lie and his group, a monkey show they put on.
"General, what will we do next..."
The garrison commander slammed his wine cup down on the table.
"Stay put, don't go out."
The official worriedly said, "But what about the king..."
The garrison commander's face immediately darkened: "A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders! Why not take advantage of such a good location as Chaoli Pass? What advantage does running out to fight others have? Zheng Qiao is just a ruler; what does he know about military campaigns?"
Subordinate: "..."
His fighting style was to defend as a form of offense. Outsiders thought he was timid, but once he made a move, he would definitely take a big chunk of the enemy's flesh. Ever since he took over Chaoli Pass from the previous garrison commander, he was determined to hold it to the death, since there was a natural barrier to rely on.
With the rear stable, there's no need to worry about the supply lines being disrupted.
As long as the Chaoli Pass remains unconquered, the conflict can continue indefinitely.
Unfortunately, the military supervisor sent by Zheng Qiao liked to interfere.
Heeding the slanderous advice of the former commander's confidant, he planned the previous night raid. And what was the result? The raid failed, and his own side suffered heavy losses. Then the supervising officer feigned death, pushing him out as the scapegoat.
However, there are still some benefits.
The military supervisor kept a low profile, finally getting some peace and quiet. Otherwise, the constant nagging about sending troops would be incredibly annoying!
The subordinate official then worriedly asked, "But what about the military supervisor...?"
"If he acts on his own again..." the garrison commander snorted, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his brown eyes, "then kill him!"
The official's heart skipped a beat, but his worries remained.
With a pained expression, he said, "This humble general is worried about the general."
What are you worried about?
They were worried that the defending general would be questioned.
Blindly avoiding battle and stubbornly holding out is a sign of incompetence.
The garrison commander snorted coldly, completely unconcerned.
"Do I need your concern?"
The Allied forces also gathered intelligence on the Chaoli Pass.
Huang Lie frowned: "There's some bad news. The garrison commander of Chaoli Pass this time is surnamed Wei, named Shou, courtesy name Yuanyuan."
Shen Tang almost burst out laughing when she heard the name.
"Wei Yuanyuan? That's a rather... childlike name."
Wu Xian frowned, looking distressed: "His name is childlike, but this guy is a tough nut to crack. He's been famous for years, and his specialty is defense. If he's determined not to come out, he can stay in seclusion for years. He can wear us down..."
The other side will definitely not accept the challenge.
"Unless we force a siege and abandon the duel."
Without a sufficient boost in morale, how can we possibly capture Chaoli Pass?
While it's possible, the losses would be too great.
Upon hearing this possibility, everyone inside the tent turned pale.
Shen Tang inexplicably thought of Qiu Cheng from before.
He asked, "Can't we trick them into coming down?"
Wu Xian shook his head heavily: "No, it's very difficult."
The previous garrison commander, though formidable, wasn't without weaknesses. The allied forces, working together, captured Chaoli Pass, though it was later lost. At least they gained valuable experience. Now, with Wei Shou in command, this is a tough nut to crack!
Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand and said, "How about I give it a try?"
Huang Lie thought she had some brilliant plan.
Shen Tang: "I have an unparalleled tongue!"
She's a pro at challenging and insulting people!
Huang Lie: "..."
A disdainful sneer came from the corner.
They clearly took Shen Tang's words as a joke.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't Tao Yan but Qian Yong. She said meaningfully, "Qiu Wenyan couldn't resist the provocation and ultimately gave up defending the city to fight me. This shows that fighting a war isn't just about fists; you also need to use your brain. Don't you think so, Uncle He?"
Uncle Qian's face turned a deep liver color.
Before the meeting adjourned, Shen Tang asked Huang Lie for a report on Chaoli Pass, planning to hold a major meeting upon returning to discuss countermeasures against Wei Shou, that eternal scoundrel. In warfare, the most troublesome opponent is one with maxed-out defenses, impossible to break or even scratch.
The intelligence was simple.
Wei Shou was born into a different ethnic group.
It is said that his appearance is different from others, with brown hair, light brown pupils, and unusual facial features. Because his fighting style is different from ordinary people, he has been given the nickname "battlefield slacker".
"All the intelligence provided by Alliance Leader Huang is here."
Huang Lie was quite generous, providing very detailed intelligence, including not only the garrison commander but also a defense map of Chaoli Pass and a summary of the experience gained from the first capture of Chaoli Pass. However, this intelligence was useless in front of someone who preferred to cower in fear…
It's no use!
Xun Zhen and his team carefully studied the defenses of Chaoli Pass.
Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand and complained, "This encounter with Wei Shou at Chaoli Pass is like a turtle finding another turtle in its shell, a shell inside a shell. If the lure doesn't work, we'll most likely only have one option left: a direct assault. I'm worried we'll have to use lives to open the breach..."
Xun Zhen said, "Not necessarily."
"Well, unless absolutely necessary, Hanzhang should still..."
Shen Tang didn't want to fight this battle and have to pay off the loan for the rest of her life.
This is just the first step. There are still many tough battles ahead. We can't afford to deplete our future reserves here.
Xun Zhen smiled and said, "My lord, rest assured."
Shen Tang: "If only we could dig that far..."
One trick is all you need to succeed.
But that was clearly unlikely; the structure of Chaoli Pass prevented anyone from digging into its base. Rather than trying to pass through by ground, it was better to consider an aerial assault. While Shen Tang was worrying and everyone was discussing a frontal assault strategy, Chu Yao looked at Wei Shou's intelligence report several times, seemingly troubled.
But after a while, his brows relaxed again.
Shen Tang paid special attention to his expression.
"Is there any countermeasure for Wu Hui?"
"I don't have a solution, but I saw someone I know."
"This Wei Yuanyuan?"
All eyes turned to Chu Yao.
Chu Yao nodded: "Yes, it's him."
"Based on your understanding of him, is there any flaw in his character?" Shen Tang had known Chu Yao for four or five years, but she had never heard of any of his friends named Wei Yuanyuan. Judging from the situation, Wei Yuanyuan was most likely a friend Chu Yao had made in his youth. Shen Tang immediately changed her question, "Could he be turned against him?"
Chu Yao: "It's unlikely that we can turn him to our side."
If someone can be easily turned or provoked, they're not a lifelong tortoise. In terms of patience, he hasn't yet met anyone stronger than Wei Shou: "However, based on Yao's understanding of Wei Shou, the other party isn't without flaws, but these flaws still need to be verified."
"verify?"
Chu Yao rolled up Wei Shou's intelligence report: "It's been more than twenty years since I last saw him. People change, and Wei Shou is no exception. His weakness may no longer be a weakness. My lord, I want to find an opportunity to see him."
Shen Tang naturally had no objections.
However, she was very curious about how Chu Yao knew Wei Shou.
Chu Yao recalled for a moment and said, "We became friends after a fight. In his youth, he was a rogue and wandering swordsman on the northern border. Later, he unexpectedly joined the army, took a godfather as his adoptive father, and went south with the army. Unfortunately, the war was lost, his adoptive father was killed, and he was captured."
Wei Shou chose to surrender in order to save his life.
Afterwards, he inquired everywhere to find out who had won against him.
Chu Yao was then entangled with the other party. Since they were both teenagers and got along well, they enjoyed a period of harmony. In fact, his turtle-shell tactic was somewhat related to Chu Yao.
Thinking of this, I smiled bitterly to myself.
Isn't this a case of shooting oneself in the foot?
Having not seen each other for over twenty years, Chu Yao wasn't sure if Wei Shou still remembered him, so he sent someone to shoot a letter towards Chaoli Pass. Of course, Huang Lie was also informed of this letter to avoid unnecessary trouble, such as charges of treason.
The soldiers guarding the city saw that there was a letter on the arrowhead and dared not delay. They hurriedly presented it to Wei Shou, and it finally reached him.
Upon hearing that a letter had been shot from beyond the pass, Wei Shou sneered, "Could it be that this rabble is trying to bribe someone? Just a letter to get rid of them? Shouldn't they be sending boxes of real gold and silver instead?"
His face darkened slightly upon seeing the words on the envelope.
He immediately slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Who delivered this letter?"
[To be opened by Wei Yuanyuan]
First, he hates it when people call him by his given name.
Secondly, he hates being called Yuanyuan the most.
Is the sender of this letter being provocative?
The subordinate shrank back and said, "I don't know."
The other party sent a letter, with no other information.
Wei Shou's eyes twitched slightly. Suppressing his anger, he opened the envelope, took out the letter inside, unfolded it, and read it quickly.
His expression shifted from suspicion to surprise to astonishment.
"Chu Liangliang? He's still alive?"
Subordinate: "..."
The name Chu Liangliang has a touch of childlike charm.
(.)
I'm only 500 orders away from 10,000! I estimate it will take another month and a half to get the 10,000-order badge... Sigh, it's really not easy.
(End of this chapter)
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