Chapter 722: Finding a scapegoat [Seeking monthly votes]
He no longer had any scruples when faced with an enemy.
Thinking of this, Gu Chi's relaxed eyebrows and eyes held a hint of a smile, and he said playfully, "My lord, the blood feud of many years is about to be avenged. How can anyone not be happy about this?"
This is an even more joyous occasion than the four great joys of life. If it weren't for the lord's permission, we would drink three large cups of wine!
Shen Tang thought of something else at an inopportune moment.
"If Tao Shenyu really cheats on Zheng Qiao with her, wouldn't we be in danger?" Her actions would be completely controlled by Zheng Qiao's side, which would be like walking into a trap. One wrong move and we would be overthrown. Or could we turn the tables on her?
"The enemy is in the open while we are in the dark. We can indeed use Tao Shenyu to counter Zheng Qiao's troops. However, Tao Shenyu's betrayal of the allied forces is one thing, and whether Zheng Qiao is willing to trust Tao Shenyu is another. A suspicious person cannot easily entrust his trust."
What's more, this person is Zheng Qiao.
A person who lives constantly amidst betrayal and lies.
Shen Tang tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table, closed her eyes and pondered for a moment: "Wang Chao's words are not wrong. How can we know that a cheap man like Tao Shenyu, who can be seduced with benefits, won't be lured away by more bargaining chips? Zheng Qiao won't trust him easily. Even if Tao Shenyu betrays us, Zheng Qiao's side will confirm it before taking action. This gives us room to maneuver..."
Mind reading, this scholar's way of thinking, is incredibly useful!
The only drawback is that it takes a lot of effort. Gu Chi has to carry medicine with him all year round, and if this continues, it may affect his lifespan.
Shen Tang: "Wu Hui previously said that he had a general idea of perfecting the way of the literati. Have you made any progress yet?"
The Way of the Scholar is easy to awaken but difficult to perfect. Different people have different ways to achieve perfection, and it can only be explored by the scholar himself. Jiang Sheng's experience is of no reference value. When a scholar has mastered the Way of the Scholar to a certain level, he will naturally know how to perfect it. As an outsider, Shen Tang can only watch anxiously.
Actually, Shen Tang was still a little puzzled.
Gu Chi keeps the Path of the Scholar active 24/7. If this were a game skill, it would be like AFK grinding for experience all day long, yet he still doesn't have enough experience points. Isn't that absurd?
Is he not familiar enough with the ways of the scholar?
Gu Chi looked disappointed: "Not yet."
Shen Tang comforted him, "Don't rush, take it slow. If there really is no progress, we will vigorously train physicians and doctors in the future. There are countless medical classics, treating your body will be a piece of cake. As long as the path of the scholar is not perfect, it is not perfect."
Gu Chi laughed and said, "That won't do."
The pursuit of a perfect scholar is the common goal of top-notch scholars, and even Gu Chi, who is sickly, is no exception.
Gu Wangchao was no less capable than anyone else in his life.
Tao Shenyu was completely unaware that his secret had been exposed, and that an invisible knife was at his throat, ready to take his life. Upon returning to his tent, he secretly consulted with several trusted confidants: "...I would like to ask you all to come up with a plan..."
Zheng Qiao's men secretly persuaded one of his trusted confidants to make contact with Tao Yan, offering him irresistible terms that seemed tailor-made for him. Although tempted, Tao Yan suspected a trap and said he needed to go back and think it over. For the past two days, he had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep, his dreams filled with images of his homeland's mountains and rivers.
He dreamt of the pavilions, terraces, and waterways where he had once lived, and of the warmth and beauty of women, of the extravagance of spending money like water, and of the arrogance of commanding a large following. But when he opened his eyes, all he remembered was the humiliation and bitterness of his time hiding from Xinjiang.
He once stood high above, looking down upon the masses of ants.
Now he lives such a miserable life, risking his life for a piece of land to settle down, racking his brains to deal with people and even fawning over them. But he was born into a high-ranking family; he was born noble!
He was born to stand at the height he was meant to stand, to sit in the place he was meant to sit; power, status, and wealth were within his grasp. Zheng Qiao promised to return everything he had lost due to the destruction of his kingdom.
How could Tao Yan not be moved?
He joined this damned Dragon-Slaying Alliance, endured several insults and attacks from that brute Shen Youli, wasn't everything he did just to reclaim the treatment that nobles deserved? For Tao Yan, as long as the result is right, the process doesn't matter.
"...But the tyrant Zheng Qiao is fickle...If he goes back on his word after the deed is done, we will be unjustly vilified...What should we do?" The conditions offered by Zheng Qiao not only tempted Tao Yan, but also those around him. Zheng Qiao promised to promote them according to their merits after the deed was done, but such a pie in the sky might just kill them.
Tao said, "That's exactly what I'm worried about."
At this moment, the trusted confidant who had been persuaded earlier spoke up.
"It is true that Zheng Qiao is bloodthirsty and tyrannical, but most of those who die at his hands are merely figureheads, with little real power. If our lord goes along with Zheng Qiao, with our abilities and strength, he will not only not give us important positions, but he will also not dare to treat us lightly. Most importantly—if he goes back on his word today, who will believe him in the future?" Only by keeping the promises he makes will people be willing to risk their lives for him.
He then asked the crowd another question.
"...Have any of you heard of Zheng Qiao's massacre of meritorious officials?"
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.
The Queen Mother, who supported Zheng Qiao, was always treated with utmost respect by him. However, after the King of Zhi rebelled, the Queen Mother, who remained in the Geng Kingdom's royal family, disappeared. He also frequently rewarded the officials who helped Zheng Qiao ascend to the throne and assist him in destroying the Xin Kingdom.
Even if the military generals occasionally made disrespectful remarks, he never used it as an excuse to strip them of their military power. He was willing to govern the country together with the military generals. If Tao Yan were to submit, he would be considered a force to be reckoned with. It was unlikely that Zheng Qiao would go back on his word.
Not only would they not, they might even take Tao Yan as an example and stage a "moving a tree to establish trust" stunt, so Tao Yan could put his mind at ease.
Tao Yan closed his eyes in deep thought, seemingly hesitant, but in reality, he had long been inclined towards the wealth and glory that were within his grasp. However, he did not want to be criticized as a lackey of a tyrant, just as he had been dissatisfied with Gu Chi's grandfather and father but did not want to bear the name of killing his master.
After returning home, he discussed the matter with his wife, Madam Feng, and said, "Madam, there is something I would like to hear your opinion on."
Feng had just returned from an inspection of the troops and was still wearing her light armor. After hearing the whole story from Tao Yan, she frowned and said, "My lord, this is probably not a good idea."
Tao Yan was taken aback and asked, "What's wrong with it?"
There was a hint of displeasure in his words.
Feng's reasoning was simple: "First, Zheng Qiao has barely escaped the Dragon Slaying Bureau, but he is also severely weakened. Will those wolves under his command still obey his orders? How long can Zheng Qiao's promises last? Second, being dependent on others and serving as a subject is not as comfortable as being independent."
Tao said, "Such short-sightedness is the view of a woman. Although it is comfortable to live independently, without a stable foundation, it is no better than a stray dog... Have you forgotten how hard it has been to maintain this for the past few years? I know you are strong-willed and unwilling to be inferior to anyone, but this matter is not so simple... Moreover, submitting to Zheng Qiao is only temporary. I want to use Zheng Qiao to gain a foothold, so that you will not have to work so hard."
Tao Yan's rebuke displeased Feng Shi greatly.
But she couldn't openly refute it.
She sat down with her back to Tao Yan, angrily saying, "Judging from what you're saying, Master, you clearly have a plan. If that's the case, why come to listen to the foolish opinions of a 'shortsighted woman' like me? I, a woman confined to the inner quarters, certainly don't know as much about the world as you do, hmph!"
"How could you say that, Madam?" Tao Yan coaxed her gently when he saw her anger. "Madam is not only my right-hand woman, but also my trusted confidante. How could I, Tao Shenyu, not inform Madam of such an important matter?"
Ms. Feng twisted her shoulder to avoid his hand.
Tao Yan shamelessly continued, "My wife has worked so hard all these years, and I have seen it all. How can I not feel sorry for her? If we can take this opportunity to find a good place to secretly gather strength, we can raise our flag again in the future and surely restore our homeland."
"At that time, you will be the only queen."
"...This can be considered a comfort to my father-in-law's spirit in heaven."
Feng seemed somewhat persuaded, but remained cold: "Raise your flag and rebel again in the future? Hmph, with the Dragon Slaying Bureau's allied forces so powerful, why does the young master need to go to such lengths and make a fuss?"
Tao Yan sighed and said, "My wife doesn't know how hard I've worked. Since joining the alliance, I haven't made any great contributions, but I've certainly been diligent and conscientious. But look at what that brute Huang Lie has done! He's repeatedly protected that Shen Youli and allowed her to humiliate me... Even if we succeed in slaying the dragon by following Huang Lie, what benefits will I gain if Shen Youli stirs things up?"
Feng's expression shifted slightly.
But he still asked, "Could he really have such great abilities?"
Tao Yan said, "Madam, don't forget that the man surnamed Gu is still working under Shen Youli. He won't let go of any opportunity to suppress me. Rather than waiting to be retaliated against after slaying the dragon, it's better to strike first and use Zheng Qiao to take them down!"
When Gu Chi was mentioned, Madam Feng was finally persuaded by Tao Yan.
Although Zheng Qiao is not a kind person, joining him will not be dangerous for the time being. However, Gu Chi, an enemy, is always thinking about how to avenge the six lives of the Gu family, which will surely become a great threat.
Lady Feng said, "What you say is very true, my lord."
Tao Yan gently patted the back of her hand: "My wife understands me."
Although Tao Yan agreed to secretly defect to Zheng Qiao under the lure of the bait, exchanging information between the two was not easy, and using a bluebird to deliver messages was even more impossible. So, for a bird to fly carelessly to Zheng Qiao's side would be tantamount to having "I betrayed you" written on its forehead.
The message could only be delivered by manpower, carefully avoiding the eyes and ears of the Allied forces. A round trip would take as little as four or five days, or as long as half a month.
By the time Zheng Qiao received the news, Shen Tang had already led his troops out.
Yes, that's how efficient she is.
I volunteered yesterday, I'm preparing today, and I'll set off tomorrow.
Tao Yan's complexion was rather dark.
"What is Mr. Shen's intention in doing this so hastily?"
Shen Tang retorted, "The key to military campaigns is speed. We need to reach our destination before Zheng Qiao's troops can react. Do you need to dress up and fuss? If you're so afraid of dying, go tell Alliance Leader Huang to send someone else. Even Uncle Qian is more decisive than you."
Tao Yan was speechless, unable to express his bitterness.
He just uttered a harsh remark in anger.
After Tao Yan left in a huff, Shen Tang clicked her tongue in disgust.
"Zhizong, do you think he looks like him?"
Lu Ji asked, puzzled, "What does it look like?"
Shen Tang chuckled: "Like a vicious dog that relies on its master's power, he's a wise man when he has no one to back him up, but he becomes arrogant as soon as someone supports him. Before, when I scolded him, he was as cowardly as a grandson, but now he's even learned to talk tough."
Lu Ji was speechless.
But involuntarily, I imagined what a vicious dog looked like.
There is indeed a resemblance...
Shen Tang led most of his elite troops westward along the Miao River, traveling day and night. In order not to arouse the enemy's suspicion, they took remote mountain roads. Fortunately, the terrain in Yanzhou was flat, so Tao Yan's group did not fall behind, but they still suffered a lot.
The journey that originally took ten days was compressed by half.
The march felt like it was going at double speed.
Tao Yan was worried that his side would miss Zheng Qiao's troops, so he wanted to delay. He sent someone to negotiate with Shen Tang, and the reason he gave was also very high-sounding: "I know that Lord Shen is young and ambitious and eager to make merit, but if we march so vigorously, we will be exhausted. What if we encounter the enemy troops on the way?"
Condemning Shen Tang while simultaneously using moral blackmail.
Unfortunately, Shen Tang is an immoral person.
She retorted sarcastically, "How could the men and horses be exhausted? My scribes have been using their spiritual powers to restore the soldiers' strength. They can hold on for three to five days without sleep. Once we successfully infiltrate the enemy's rear, they can rest properly then. Could it be that you don't even have a few scribes under your command?"
His eyes were filled with the thought, "No way, no way, you don't even have a few literary masters?"
Tao Yan: "..."
He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to keep up.
Once they entered the territory of Ganzhou, he wanted Shen Tang dead!
Qianzhou, Ooshan.
Zheng Qiao deployed a large force here to deter the Dragon Slayer Bureau's allied forces, and the effect was remarkable. The allied forces did not make any move for several days.
When Zheng Qiao received news that Tao Yan had secretly surrendered and that Shen Tang was going to personally lead a surprise force to land elsewhere, he raised an eyebrow.
"Is this news true? Has Tao Shenyu really surrendered?"
Zheng Qiao's face seemed to hold a mocking expression.
A hint of mockery flickered in his eyes.
The minister who went to persuade Tao Yan to defect bowed and accepted.
"really."
Zheng Qiao's gaze at the minister was subtle, as if asking if he was someone so easily fooled? Shen Tang, holding the imperial seal, didn't stay far away from him but instead came close to launch a surprise attack—what was the difference between that and suicide? Tao Yan was either feigning submission and playing a trick within a trick, or Tao Yan had been exposed and deceived.
In short, he didn't believe it.
but--
The minister's reply left Zheng Qiao speechless.
Shen Tang really led his troops away, and he left very quickly! When he was about to return to report, he saw the tail of that surprise force.
Zheng Qiao: "..."
He silently rose, carefully examined the map, calculated the normal marching distance, and then gazed again towards the allied forces. He could still sense the imperial seal; it had never moved far away or near… Could it be that Shen Youli did not possess the imperial seal?
Did I misunderstand from the beginning?
Senior Brother Yan An chose Shen Tang simply because this young man is passionate, kind and loving. Even when he was transferred to Longwu County, he was able to do his job well, benefit the people, and not for his own benefit.
For the first time, Zheng Qiao truly understood what fantasy was.
(ノ￣▽￣)
My mom went for an IV drip again this afternoon, saying she felt a bit better. The doctor also prescribed calcium supplements, saying that she has high blood sugar and is prone to calcium deficiency... I'll take her to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University to check her cervical spine once she feels better.
P.S.: Did you all know that my darling Yunji has started a new book? It's a fantasy novel!!!
P.S.: If you have monthly passes, you can participate in the monthly pass post in the book review section. Each monthly pass is worth 200 points, first come, first served, so don't waste them!
(End of this chapter)
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