Chapter 751: Zheng Guoxi, the Philanthropist Qiao [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Upon hearing this, Wei Shou was already furious and his eyes were red with anger.
If he hadn't been somewhat restrained, he would have grabbed Qi Cang by the collar long ago and demanded an explanation: "What do you mean?"
"What do you mean? Guess?"
Wei Shou's biggest fear was that Shen Tang's previous guess would come true, and this was exactly the kind of thing that Zheng Qiao, that madman, would do. He couldn't help but point his finger at Qi Cang and curse, "You hawk-nosed, hawk-eyed bastard, you're definitely not thinking anything good. Can't you and your former master act like normal people for once?"
Qi Cang sneered, "Who cares what kind of person I am?"
Looking at his former master's body, mostly buried in the pit, he felt a pang of sorrow. Because of the rudimentary conditions, Zheng Qiao hadn't even had a coffin, let alone a straw mat. He was hastily laid to rest, the filthy soil directly contacting his body. Zheng Qiao, in life, had been extremely fastidious about cleanliness, unable to tolerate even the slightest stain. He looked at the other's face and let out a long sigh.
He had killed many people in his life, but he was always the one who killed and never buried them; he had rarely built graves for others himself. Lacking experience, he planned to spend some time making sure Zheng Qiao's grave was sturdy.
Wei Shou: "..."
Qi Cang added a handful of soil to the pit and said sarcastically, "You all formed a grand dragon-slaying scheme just to seize the national seal from him, didn't you? The king knows what you're thinking, so he's doing what you need and what you're anxious about."
Wei Shou's heart skipped a beat.
She hadn't even noticed when Chen Tang was squatting by Zheng Qiao's pit. Her expression was cold: "Need what others need? What kind of need?"
"The king does not wish to favor one over another, so naturally everyone will receive a share!" Qi Cang's smile was strange, his eyes filled with a hint of resentment.
Shen Tang pointed at Zheng Qiao's nose and asked Qi Cang expressionlessly, "Do you know what I want to do right now?"
What are you doing?
"Scatter his ashes!" Actually, what Shen Tang wanted to do more was rush to the Yellow Springs, grab Zheng Qiao first, then grab him by the neck and give him a few more beatings, so he would know why the flowers are so red. She said hatefully, "Has he lost his mind?"
Shen Tang had been worried that Zheng Qiao would pull this stunt ever since he discovered that the broken sword contained the imperial seal. He was so angry that his eyes turned red: "A scourge will live for a thousand years!"
This 24K lunatic knows fairness and justice; he's been working hard to kill every living person, both before and after his death.
Shen Tang said angrily, "The perpetrator caused an avalanche to drown him, but instead of splitting mountains and filling seas, he just crashed headfirst into the ball at his feet and died!"
She doesn't dare to think about how chaotic things are outside now.
Qi Cang looked at Shen Tang with indifferent eyes.
"So, shall I wait until Lady Shen has vented her anger before burying him? Otherwise, digging up his grave and whipping his corpse back and forth would be a waste of energy."
The person is already dead; do whatever you want with the corpse.
Shen Tang's face nearly contorted as she gritted her teeth and squeezed out two words.
"Need not!"
She needed to hurry back and reorganize her troops. Kang Shi's force had the Imperial Seal, and Shen Tang's force also had the Broken Sword. The only saving grace was that both sides had reliable personnel to back them up, so even if it attracted the covetous eyes of the allied forces, they should be able to hold out for a while.
Before leaving, Shen Tang looked at Qi Cang.
Qi Cang is still diligently building a tomb for his former master.
"Why isn't Lady Shen leaving?"
Shen Tang asked, "Those two stone carvings..."
"Lady Shen is indeed meticulous. These are just two small stone carvings. Are you worried that there is something else inside them, or that my lord did not die completely? If you are worried, you can grind the corpse and the stone carvings to ashes. I will not stop you." Qi Cang took out the two lifelike stone carvings from his bosom and handed them over, with an expression that said, "Take them if you want."
Shen Tang said, "That's not what I meant."
Qi Cang withdrew his hand and put the stone sculpture back into the lining of his clothes.
"Could it be that you can't bear to part with this old man and want to recruit him?"
Wei Shou's forehead veins throbbed as he sneered, "Qi Yanqing, have some shame! With all your past achievements, besides Zheng Qiao, who else would want to use you? Aren't you afraid of being bitten back?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Cang shrugged and waved his hand dismissively, as if brushing away a few annoying flies: "If there's nothing else, see the guest out!"
Before leaving, Shen Tang left a few words: "Qi Yanqing, tell Zheng Qiao that what others cannot do, I, Shen Youli, can definitely do. The world he has disrupted will eventually be set right in my hands! If he wants to be reincarnated, let him wait a few years."
"At that time, there will be no more 'Zheng Qiao' in the world."
After saying that, he led Jiang Sheng and the other two away from the place.
As they reached the foot of the mountain, Wei Shou frequently looked back.
"Is our lord just going to let Qi Yanqing go like this? There might be something fishy about those two stone carvings..." If the four of them joined forces, they might have a chance to capture Qi Cang, who was fighting alone.
Shen Tang: "Are you worried that there might be the imperial seal inside the stone carving?"
Wei Shou said, "It's not impossible."
To everyone's surprise, Shen Tang was very certain: "No."
Although her awareness of the Imperial Seal wasn't as sharp as it was when she was drunk, she couldn't possibly let it slip away from her sight. Zheng Qiao and her companion arrived almost immediately, and judging from Zheng Qiao's reaction, the other side hadn't had time to pull any tricks.
Wei Shou asked in bewilderment, "Then why did our lord mention it?"
Shen Tang said, "It's just a bluff."
Wei Shou: "..."
At this moment, Ning Yan said wistfully, "Those two stone carvings were carved by Zheng Qiao himself. I remember that his mother's birthday was approaching, so he specially asked Xing Ning to help him find a beautiful jade. Beautiful jade is rare, and he was afraid that his skills were not good enough and he would ruin it, so he found a stone to practice on."
As for why birds and fish?
[Promising his mother the rest of her life—]
Fish leap freely in the ocean, birds soar freely in the sky!
The boy wanted to take his mother away from the filthy inner court of the royal palace.
Shen Tang said, "It seems the gift wasn't delivered."
Ning Yan tugged at the corners of her mouth, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, and sighed, "He spent his mother's birthday in great sorrow."
After Shen Tang and the other three left, Qi Cang took out a stone carving from his pocket.
"untie!"
A scholarly air emanated from the stone carving.
The writing flowed smoothly, transforming into a gray floral stationery sheet.
The bottom right corner of the decorative stationery features playful birds and fish.
Qi Cang read the first few lines of text at a glance.
This was Zheng Qiao's hastily left message before his death. The content wasn't complicated; it simply told Qi Cang the location of the last imperial seal. This seal was originally intended for Qi Cang, but because of Shen Tang's appearance, Zheng Qiao had a sudden, interesting idea and arranged another place for the seal. If Qi Cang was willing, he could help deliver it, and also take revenge for Qi Cang in the process.
If you are unwilling—
[You may use it.]
Anyway, by the time Qi Cang saw the last words, Zheng Qiao was already dead. What could the dead do for the living? He didn't care about the raging flood behind him; he just wanted to find some fun for himself after death.
Qi Cang noted down the address and the destination.
His lips twitched violently.
That's why people say Zheng Qiao knows how to play the game; when it comes to stirring up trouble, no one in the world can compare to him.
"What would I need a piece of the imperial seal for?"
With neither manpower nor territory, the Imperial Seal was a hot potato. Compared to taking the Imperial Seal for himself, Qi Cang felt that the fun arranged by Zheng Qiao was more interesting, and he could also get revenge on some old grudges.
While pondering, he came up with an idea.
The burial project was completed before nightfall.
Qi Cang quietly closed the wooden door, took one last look at the lonely, dilapidated academy in the mountains, and jumped down the mountain without looking back.
What the world doesn't know is that Zheng Qiao has more quirks than stars.
One of them is "hatred of being unique".
If there is—
Either destroy it completely.
Or we can create an exact replica.
With a few leaps, Qi Cang's figure completely disappeared.
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
Ganzhou experienced unprecedented chaos during the day.
This story begins with Jiang Sheng's sword strike.
Almost the instant Zheng Qiao's head rolled, the various forces, who had been completely bewildered by Zheng Qiao's kite-flying tactics, suddenly became as lively as if celebrating the Lunar New Year. The reason was simple: the moment the Imperial Seal lost its holder and had no successor, various colored lights shot into the sky.
These lights, some near and some far, are hostile to each other.
Near the light, everyone could feel an immense, overwhelming pressure pressing down. Those with weaker cultivation were even unable to stand, and for a moment, some even felt an urge to submit…
Within the radiance, the dragon's roar was clear and resonant.
"What happened?"
"What's wrong?"
What was that noise just now?
All the factions were completely baffled by this turn of events.
After a period of chaos and fighting, the leaders of the various factions seemed to have been punched in the head, nearly losing their ability to think. Their minds were filled with questions: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? What is this thing in front of me?
Those who reacted quickly had their confusion replaced by greedy ecstasy.
Holding the object in both hands, he laughed heartily: "The national seal—hahaha, this is the national seal? This really is the national seal!"
Such a treasure should be acquired immediately to ensure peace of mind; only then should the origin of the Imperial Seal be investigated!
His subordinates were also flushed with excitement.
"Congratulations, my lord! Congratulations!"
"This is Lord Tianyou!"
Who could have imagined that the Imperial Seal they had so painstakingly pursued would appear in such an unexpected way? After the initial euphoria, everyone regained their composure. Who didn't know that the Imperial Seal was the Allied Forces' ultimate goal? If other forces found out about this, things would be dire!
Leave this place before the news leaks out!
This was everyone's first thought.
But soon, they saw their lord's face turn pale.
Why?
As mentioned before, the two national seals from opposing factions would resonate with each other within a certain range. After their lord eagerly absorbed the seals, he was horrified to discover hostility emanating from all directions. His internal energy surged abnormally, his dantian churned violently, and his emotions were stirred, making him unable to suppress the urge to fight. They might have seen pigs run, but surely they'd eaten pork before?
This feeling is clearly—
"Report—My lord, strange phenomena are occurring in various places!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was first stunned, and then completely dumbfounded.
For a moment, everyone's thought process was surprisingly the same.
"Zheng Qiao, I curse your ancestors for eighteen generations!"
As the regent, Kang Shi sensed something amiss the moment the lights rose from various places, forcibly suppressing the stirrings of the imperial seal within him. He quickly realized that Zheng Qiao was behind it all, deliberately separating the imperial seal and scattering it in different locations.
In other words—
Our side was thus exposed.
Gong Xichou took a sip from his water pouch, wiped the water off with the back of his hand, and said indifferently, "Hmph, what's there to be afraid of? Anyone who dares to come and die, I'll kill them one by one, or two by two!"
Kang Shi closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.
He said, "Let's get out of here quickly."
If we wait any longer, we won't be able to escape even if we want to. The Guoxi system is such a terrible setup; if we don't keep our distance, we're like a light in the dark, a sitting duck. We need to escape, get out of this place of trouble!
Gongxi Chou asked, "Where is Mama?"
"My lord, don't worry, someone will take her down with them!"
No one should die first, not even our lord.
Gong Xichou responded with an "oh".
Without hesitation, Kang Shi immediately ordered his troops to regroup and withdraw from Ganzhou. He only had about ten thousand men on his way, and even with Gongxi Chou in charge, his forces wouldn't last long.
This day was chaotic.
Some people want to escape, while others don't.
The timid starve, the bold feast.
Nobody ever has too many Imperial Seals.
Why not seize this opportunity to nip our opponent in the bud before they recover, instead of waiting for them to recover and nurturing a future threat? Huang Lie looked at the national seal floating in his palm and revealed a sinister smile. He knew this was Zheng Qiao's doing; even in death, this man was still plotting against him. However, he would be the final victor, and Zheng Qiao's wishful thinking was likely to fail!
"Someone come here!"
"My lord!"
Huang Lie waved his hand and ordered, "Gather the troops!"
How could those other worthless scoundrels and clowns be worthy of this supreme treasure? The hunt officially begins!
"Your humble servant obeys!"
Just a day ago they were allies fighting side by side.
They completely broke off relations the next day.
Little did they know, their profit-driven nature was exactly the kind of spectacle Zheng Qiao wanted to see—good for them to tear each other apart, and make it even louder!
However, the world still underestimated this madman.
Shen Tang and his three companions went to intercept Zheng Qiao's head, leaving Chu Yao and his group to manage the rest of the troops. Everything went smoothly at first, until the scouts captured several suspicious-looking commoners. Upon questioning, the soldiers discovered that these people's speech and behavior were unlike those of ordinary people.
So he reported the matter to Chu Yao.
To everyone's surprise, Xie Qi discovered a familiar face inside.
Upon seeing that Xie Qi was the real person, the other party immediately burst into tears.
Xie Qi quickly helped them up: "Don't cry, let's talk this out. What happened that makes you all look so disheveled?"
Xie Qi vaguely remembered the few who had fled; they were all from noble families, but due to Zheng Qiao's indiscriminate suppression, they had lived extremely repressed lives for the past few years. They spent their days either at home or making friends with a few commoners, finding solace in nature.
"Shizou, thank goodness you're alright..."
Xie Qi's heart skipped a beat: "What does this mean?"
After piecing together the information, Chu Yao and his companions finally learned what had happened. Before launching a decisive battle against the allied forces, Zheng Qiao, under the pretext of guarding hostages to prevent defections from the rear, arrested all the former officials of the Xin Kingdom—those who had either offended him or impeached him.
In fact, it is quite normal for hostages to be guarded in the rear while fighting on the front lines. While it's called guarding, it also implies protection.
This method can greatly prevent generals from being turned against their cause.
Zheng Qiao was eccentric and frequently caused trouble. After a while, many former officials of the Xin Kingdom realized that Zheng Qiao's actions were all bark and no bite. Compared to directly killing people, Zheng Qiao preferred to see his enemies living in constant fear.
He was narrow-minded and depressed.
Those with an open mind can eat and drink as they please.
If Zheng Qiao falls from power one day, it won't matter.
When the monarch dies, the subjects surrender.
No one expected Zheng Qiao to take such an unconventional approach this time, arresting and imprisoning all the former officials of the Xin Kingdom. The plan was that if he died and strange phenomena appeared in the sky, a pit would be dug and he would be buried alive. He euphemistically called this—
To be buried alive with one's spouse!
When the monarch dies, the ministers perish; not one of them should escape!
Xie Qi's face twitched violently after hearing this.
Where is he/she?
Let's see if there's any way to salvage it.
(￣▽￣)／
I'm so tired from the May Day holiday...
Zheng Qiao (stomping his feet and shouting on the road to the underworld): They all have to die! They all have to die! They all have to die!
(End of this chapter)
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