Chapter 854: The Favored One is Fearless [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Zhao Dayi, you—"
The general's eyes were bloodshot, like copper bells, blazing with a murderous intent that seemed to want to skin Zhao Feng alive. If an ordinary person were to be glared at like that, coupled with the overwhelming killing intent of a martial artist, they would tremble with fear, if not terrified. However, Zhao Feng was no pushover, and this pressure was nothing to him. On the contrary, the angrier his old enemy became, the less he could touch him…
He was getting happier and happier!
It's even more refreshing than drinking a bowl of ice water on a sweltering summer day.
Zhao Feng stroked the bronze mace that had accompanied him in battle for many years with his scarred hands, lazily lifted his eyelids, and glanced at the person sideways: "What are you yelling for? We don't have that kind of close relationship. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave!"
He gave a perfunctory fist salute, then turned around and loudly rebuked the people behind him: "What are you lazybones doing standing here? If this batch of grain is delivered late, the lord will blame us, and you will all be in deep trouble!"
After he finished speaking, he raised his voice again.
"Take these prisoners and leave!" Zhao Feng didn't even turn his head or explain the interception to the others.
Zhao Feng's soldiers were inexplicably scolded.
Not only were they not angry, but they also laughed and begged for forgiveness.
Even Zhao Feng, who had been keeping a straight face, was amused. The next moment, he became serious again, raised his bronze mace, and threatened fiercely, "Are you leaving or not? If you don't, we'll have to bring you to military court!"
Zhao Feng didn't bring many men with him this time to escort the grain supplies. A portion of his troops were also tasked with ensuring the safety of the supplies, so they were no match for Tianhai's group. At this moment, they were outnumbered. However, Zhao Feng wasn't worried at all; he was certain that the enemy wouldn't dare to make a move.
Would he dare to make a move?
Doesn't this give our lord an excuse to attack Tianhai?
Wu Xian ruthlessly offered up the heads of his subordinates, precisely to quell the potential conflict between the two families and to prevent Shen Tang from using Zhao Feng and his group as an excuse. If he lost his temper, Wu Xian's previous sacrifices would be in vain, and he dared not!
Despite having a plan, Zhao Feng was wary of them. He first sent his troops with the prisoners (soldiers) to leave, while he covered their retreat. Even after Zhao Feng rode away, Tianhai and his group did not make a move—although some of them were holding back until their palms bled.
"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"
"General, this is clearly Zhao Dayi stealing our military merits and bullying us first... We have lost many brothers, and the bandits were about to be executed when Zhao Feng suddenly appeared and abducted them! If we swallow this insult today, how will we stand in the future?"
"This matter must not be let go easily."
The military general was seething with rage.
Just as everyone was venting their anger, the leading general vomited a mouthful of blood. Before his flanks could even approach to check on him, he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva with a "pui!" and wiped the residue from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. His chest heaved violently with rapid breathing, and his teeth chattered from the intense emotions: "Zhao Dayi insulted me, so naturally I cannot let this go!"
Yes, we can't just swallow this insult!
He abruptly pulled on the reins and turned the vehicle around: "Go!"
Regardless of how upset Wu Xian was upon receiving this news, Zhao Feng was overjoyed. For a while afterward, he still felt like he was in a dream. He chuckled and asked those around him, "Did you see his face just now? It was all black, blue, red, and green!"
The promoted subordinates grumbled.
Is this still a human face?
Alas, our own general is not highly educated.
Zhao Feng recalled his old enemy's gritting, contorted face, and slapped his thigh, laughing heartily: "I bet he'll be so angry he won't be able to sleep for several nights. The more he thinks about it, the angrier he gets. He'd better be so angry he could explode his meridians!"
This kind of person deserves this kind of retribution.
Although the possibility is slim, what if it is?
Zhao Feng stroked his thick beard, as if even the whiskers exuded pleasure: "I've been dealing with him for so many years, and this is the first time I've made him suffer like this! The way he can't vent his anger is truly a sight to behold..."
He smacked his lips several times as he spoke.
With a deep sigh of regret, he lamented, "It's a pity I don't have Gong Su's painting skills. Otherwise, I would have used my brush to paint the bandit leader's blood on the paper and looked at it with my meals every day."
It's no wonder Zhao Feng was so happy at that moment.
When he was under his predecessor's command, he suffered from their rudeness every day, and almost every time he was the one who knew better and backed down. As the saying goes, taking a step back opens up a vast sky, but for Zhao Feng, it was taking one step back and then retreating step by step. It's only because he has a strong heart that he didn't become depressed.
As pleased with himself, he still had to explain what had happened.
Although Zhao Feng felt perfectly justified in taking the head, it was undeniable that he had gotten a bargain. Moreover, based on Zhao Feng's understanding of those people, they were petty and would undoubtedly exaggerate their crimes when they returned. The lord needed to prepare a contingency plan in advance.
Several hours later—
Zhao Feng led his men to deliver the grain safely.
The person in charge of taking over the grain and fodder was his daughter.
Of course, now that he's in the military, he's a colleague.
Zhao Wei led her men to count the grain supplies, and only after verifying that everything was correct did they stamp the document, marking the successful acceptance. She noticed that Zhao Fengwu's armor was still stained with blood, and his personal guards looked as if they had been in battle. She couldn't help but ask with concern, "General Zhao, did your journey go smoothly?"
"Smooth sailing, and we even managed to snag a rabbit along the way."
Zhao Wei felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this.
Zhao Feng asked her, "Do you know where our lord is?"
After Shen Tang's bad luck ended, relying on the formidable physique of a martial artist, she completely shed her wooden cane and led her troops to the front lines. Of course, she didn't come to the front lines to fight, but rather to take Qin Li with her and map out wherever the fighting took place.
Besides the construction plan for the model counties, another major project was the diversion and dredging of the Miaojiang River. Due to the Dragon-Slaying Bureau's operation of freezing the river, artificial ice jams occurred, causing flooding in counties on both banks. While local officials certainly bore responsibility for this, failing to regularly dredge the river and reinforce the dikes, there were also issues with the river's course being irrationally designed…
The terrain of Yanzhou is flat, and it is adjacent to the Miaojiang River, the most important river in the northwest of the continent. Wouldn't it be a pity not to make good use of it? If the land is cultivated properly, it may be possible to revitalize the entire Yanzhou region and make it the largest treasure trove of grain production under her rule!
The terrain of the neighboring Ganzhou is not so advantageous.
However, Ganzhou was once the capital of several major powers in the Northwest Continent, boasting impressive economic and cultural achievements and making it a key area for development. Unfortunately, Shen Tang's energy is limited, and he is preoccupied with numerous matters, so for now, he can only focus on ensuring his basic needs are met.
When Zhao Feng arrived, Shen Tang's tent was filled with various maps. Besides her and Qin Li, several other strangers sat with uneasy expressions. Judging from their clothing, some were ordinary old farmers, some were dressed in plain white clothes, and some were local officials.
When Zhao Feng entered the tent with the clanging of his armor, everyone except the local officials looked tense, some even leaning back slightly in fright, their legs trembling. Shen Tang raised his eyes and smiled faintly: "The righteous one has arrived? Do not be afraid, this man is Zhao Feng, a fierce general under my command, and a rare man in the world who is both loyal and righteous."
Zhao Feng clasped his hands in greeting before rising, his old face flushing slightly. Having lived for so long, aside from his parents, no one had ever praised him so generously. Those inside the tent relaxed considerably upon hearing this, bowing and exchanging pleasantries with him one after another. Zhao Feng was not arrogant, returning each greeting with impeccable politeness that made them feel flattered. Shen Tang noticed the bloodstains on his armor: "Did you encounter any obstacles on this journey?"
Zhao Feng laughed heartily: "My lord, it's not a bad thing."
After saying that, he turned and asked the people outside the tent to bring the things up.
A wooden box, just the right size to hold a head.
Before the others could react, the wooden box was opened, revealing a bloody head. The old farmer screamed in terror.
When she came to her senses, she knelt on the ground in fear and trembling, begging for mercy, afraid that Shen Tang would be angry and punish her. She was originally an ordinary self-cultivating farmer in Yanzhou. Because her family's farmland was next to a branch of the Miao River, she spent half of her life tending to the crops and the other half studying the river. In her old age, she had the idea of passing on her experience.
However, her idea was ridiculed by her neighbors, and even her children and grandchildren did not understand it, because she was illiterate, lost her husband at a young age, and could only farm and weave cloth. She had only these two skills in her entire life.
Whether it's farming or weaving, which family doesn't know how?
As for her experience with river channels, that's even more absurd. These things are handled by those above her; what does she know? She's not even good at her primary job of farming; she's had very few good harvests in the past few decades. What experience could she possibly offer to future generations?
However, the old farmer was somewhat stubborn.
Carrying her savings for her funeral, she made bamboo slips herself and asked literate people in town to write on them for her. The stacks eventually piled up higher than a person. She delivered the items to the government office, but no one wanted them. First, the handwriting was illiterate; second, the old farmer was illiterate, spoke incoherently, and her words were unclear; eighty percent of the dozens of rough scrolls were irrelevant and nonsensical, making them very difficult for the clerks to decipher; and third, this old farmer was just an old farmer.
The old farmer could only take the bamboo slips home in disappointment.
If the floods hadn't come so suddenly this year, her precious farmland, the culmination of her life's work, would have been burned as firewood long ago. Because her farmland was too close to the riverbank and not on high ground, it was the first to be affected. Even though the whole family went down to try to save it, they couldn't do it.
The only saving grace was that no one was injured or killed.
But, without a harvest, people will starve to death.
The old farmer didn't know whether she, being an old woman, would starve to death first, or whether her descendants would outlive her, resulting in a white-haired person burying a black-haired one... As for those warlord wars, those were none of her concern. She thought they were very far removed from her life, but then a group of people suddenly showed up at her door, a familiar-looking clerk took her away, and these people even stole her books that she had used as firewood...
Trembling with fear and unease.
Seeing her pitiful state, the clerk let slip a word of it.
It turned out that the higher-ups were looking for people with experience in flood control. This important person was quite special; the nominees included both local officials and farmers. To fulfill their obligation, the old farmer was brought up. The clerk reassured her that it was just a questioning session.
Upon hearing this, the old farmer's face turned ashen.
When the group was taken to the military camp, they saw elite soldiers patrolling back and forth, and the camp was filled with a chilling, murderous aura. Even the officials were terrified, let alone the ignorant old farmer. When she saw Shen Tang, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
I could hardly believe my eyes.
Where did such a beautiful girl come from in this cannibalistic military camp?
This girl was not only beautiful, but also had a gentle yet authoritative voice. She asked them if they were used to the military camp, if they liked the food, and if their families had any difficulties after the flood... Her gentle words touched their hearts and made them lower their guard.
However, this only applies before Zhao Fenglai arrived.
Seeing that she had frightened the old farmer, Chen Tang, the beautiful young lady, turned her joy into anger. She got up and helped the old farmer up herself. Then she turned around and pretended to be angry and scolded Zhao Feng: "Don't you even know that there are distinguished guests here? Quickly close this filthy thing, don't frighten people."
Zhao Feng also knew that Shen Tang was not really angry.
He closed the box and asked, "My lord, guess who this is?"
Shen Tang smiled and reassured the old farmer, then gave Zhao Feng a look and went outside the tent to speak. The moment she stepped out, the innocent gentleness on her face vanished, and her voice, previously trembling, loosened: "Is this head Huang Xiguang's?"
If he weren't a heavyweight, Zhao Feng wouldn't be laughing so hard his back teeth showed.
Zhao Feng chuckled, "My lord is incredibly insightful! It's just that the acquisition of this head was rather complicated, and I'm afraid it will require my lord's intervention."
Shen Tang understood immediately.
"You stole it from Tianhai?"
Zhao Feng clapped his hands: "My lord is exceptionally intelligent!"
Looking at the barely suppressed smile on Zhao Feng's face, Shen Tang sighed inwardly—smiles are conserved; the happier Zhao Feng is, the more annoyed the other side is: "Just tell me the situation briefly. As long as we have even a little bit of a reason, we're in the right!"
Fortunately, Zhao Feng's situation isn't bad.
Shen Tang straightened up even more: "Even if you're unreasonable, you can still stir up trouble. Besides, we're completely in the right. Do you really think those guys from Tianhai are so capable that they'd let the duck that was already in their mouths escape and fly into yours? In war, luck is also a form of strength. What right do they have to cause trouble? Don't worry about this. If Brother Zhaode brings it up later, I'll handle it for you. My righteousness is truly a good general, a fierce general, and a lucky general. He's made a great contribution at this critical juncture, and I can just squeeze Brother Zhaode for a good amount of money, saving him a lot of trouble later..."
She never hesitates to praise her own people.
Even kindergarten children can get little red flowers, so why would she, as the ruler of a powerful force, be stingy with a little bit of saliva?
She and Wu Xian were, after all, allies.
Even if their side had achieved many victories, they couldn't keep all the spoils for themselves. They also lacked a pretext to attack Wu Xian. The division of the spoils between the two sides after the battle was a foregone conclusion. However, how to divide the spoils was another matter entirely. Before breaking away from Wu Xian, Zhao Feng's faction had helped him defend the camp, incurring Wu Xian's indebtedness. Now, they had stumbled upon a huge windfall.
If Wu Xian had any shame at all, Shen Tang would have been able to use this hard-earned merit to share more of the benefits, while Wu Xian, out of gratitude, couldn't say much.
A decent person cannot do anything dishonorable.
Zhao Feng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
well--
Having lived half my life, this is the first time I've known what it feels like to be so firmly favored. This is the kind of lord you should choose!
Zhao Feng was in high spirits and walked with a brisk pace.
Shen Tang's face regained its innocent and gentle smile. She cleared her throat, found the right tone to speak, lifted the curtain, and returned to her tent to continue her discussions with the local experts...
|ω`)
I stayed up all night yesterday. My baby, nicknamed "Leather Jacket," is teething and developed a fever in the middle of the night. The fever kept recurring during the day, even though he seemed fine overall and his temperature never exceeded 38 degrees Celsius. When he gets fussy, it's hard to control him if the adults aren't paying attention. I thought I could just use physical methods to reduce the fever and buy some fever-reducing medicine for young children, but my mom wouldn't let me catch up on sleep. She insisted I take the baby to the hospital. So I passed the responsibility to my brother. When we got back from the hospital, the baby's fever was just from teething, and the prescribed medicine was the same old thing…
(End of this chapter)
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