Chapter 866: Exploiting the Powerful Families (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Did Wu Zhaode really say that?"
Before anyone knew it, cold sweat appeared on the head of the family's face.
The muscles under the skin twitch uncontrollably.
After a long while, he finally exhaled intermittently, his trembling right hand groping for the handle of the armrest: "Are Wu Zhaode and that Shen Youli really so close that they can share the same pants, or is he afraid of that androgynous monster?"
"Wu Zhaode, you coward!"
As he spoke, he grabbed the handle and smashed it to pieces.
His eyes held a cold, sinister glint, like that of a venomous snake.
As the crumbs slipped from his fingertips, the retainer cautiously probed the patriarch's intentions: "Wu Zhaode clearly doesn't want to offend Shen Youli. Patriarch, what should we do? Even if we could produce evidence, would Shen Youli admit it? Though she hasn't claimed the title of queen, she possesses the aura of one; she's only one step away from ascending the throne and establishing her own kingdom. This matter alone could be enough to convict her of a grave offense of disrespect, resulting in the extermination of her entire clan..."
The patriarch reflexively shouted, "How dare she?"
These two words seemed to give him enough courage.
He abruptly rose from the mat, steeling his resolve: "Let's not even talk about the fact that she's not yet the ruler, hasn't even ascended the throne and established the country. Even if she were, so what? She's thinking of running away before she's even firmly established herself. Isn't she afraid of falling to her death? Take my private seal and contact the various factions to discuss this!"
What are we discussing?
It's not about discussing how much money to donate.
He wanted to eliminate them while Shen Tang's position was still unstable! This idea was extremely audacious, but not without a chance of success. Shen Tang had just emerged from several major battles, and the elite troops she had brought from Longwu County had suffered considerable losses. She had grown to her current size by inheriting the legacies of allies from the Dragon Slaying Bureau and capturing enemy prisoners. While her scale seemed enormous, there was a hidden danger—the spoils she hadn't fully digested! These allied legacies and enemy prisoners hadn't been truly tamed by her and could be turned against her!
The head of the family became more and more excited as he thought about it.
My mind raced.
Besides the point mentioned above, Shen Tang has another fatal hidden danger—her territory has expanded too much and too quickly all at once. She can only send people out to take over, leaving her with a weak force around her, which is precisely when her defenses are at their weakest! What a golden opportunity!
As long as he secretly contacts the powerful and wealthy families who are threatened and resentful by Shen Tang, and they all publicly submit to Shen Tang, boosting her arrogance and lowering her guard, then he can secretly launch a sneak attack! A surprise attack, catching them off guard! How could it not work?
The retainer listened to the master's plan.
He whispered, "This plan is good, but rumors have it that she has already advanced to the sixteenth rank of Grand Master. With such formidable strength, even if we launch a large-scale surprise attack, she could still escape alive. At that time, disaster may befall us. I urge you, parents, to think carefully."
The head of the family was displeased: "My mind is made up!"
He had naturally heard of Shen Tang's strength, but he wasn't afraid of a sixteenth-level Grand Master: "Regardless of whether Shen Youli is truly licentious or not, her fondness for beautiful women is undeniable..."
The retainer was taken aback: "What does the parent mean?"
The patriarch sneered: "Even heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman since ancient times."
How many powerful figures have fallen victim to the honey trap?
The retainers always felt that something was off.
The honey trap is usually used on men, but Shen Youli is a woman, and I've heard that she's a beauty that's rare in the world.
In terms of beauty, she seemed to surpass even the renowned beauty of the former king, Zheng Qiao. Shen Tang gazed at her face in the bronze mirror every day; could there truly be a beauty in the world who could bewitch her? The retainers were skeptical, but how could the head of the household not see the doubt on his face?
The master of the household mocked his retainers for not understanding the art of seduction.
The essence of the "beauty trap" lies not in "beauty," but in "humanity"! Even the most beautiful exterior will fade and love will wane. The initial allure of physical appearance is fleeting; once obtained, it's no longer cherished. A true "beauty trap" offers more than just physical beauty; it provides the target with emotions, a soul-stirring connection that the target desperately seeks—a unique and precious quality!
Any hero would fall for such a beauty, even knowing the road ahead is fraught with danger, willingly facing it all. Even in death, they would find immense satisfaction, for their empty hearts would be comforted and their souls fulfilled.
The retainers were dumbfounded.
Then he asked a very crucial question.
"Where can we find such a beauty?"
The one who seduced Shen Youli must have been at least a man, right?
The parent's confident expression paused for a moment, then continued, "Which of these young masters didn't come from prestigious families? They were all carefully raised from childhood. Shen Youli comes from humble origins, and her associates are either peasants or from poor families. What kind of insight could she possibly have?"
Have she ever met a true noble young master from a prominent family? He said this, but he wouldn't dare entrust such an important task to just anyone; the candidate's qualifications in every aspect had to be top-notch! They were absolutely capable of bewitching Shen Youli into their carefully woven web of love!
The retainers used the master's private seal to contact various households.
The voices within these aristocratic families are roughly divided into two factions.
One faction wanted to seize the opportunity to eliminate Shen Tang and avoid the humiliation of being blackmailed by her; the other faction wanted to avoid trouble, pay to settle the matter, and focus on winning the rankings. The former were from powerful and wealthy families with a strong sense of arrogance; the latter were smaller in scale, dared not gamble with their ancestral wealth, and did not want to take risks.
The two sides have not yet reached a consensus.
"Have you found out how much the Zhang family is going to offer?" The head of the "ranking faction," who was prepared to pay to avoid trouble, paced back and forth in the main hall. Hearing the footsteps of the person in charge, his eyes lit up, and he quickly grabbed the man's arm. Knowing your enemy is half the battle, and he didn't want to waste money.
Even though they knew Shen Tang was extorting them, they could only grit their teeth and accept it! If they could figure out the amounts other families were willing to donate, and increase their own by 10%, they could overcome the crisis at minimal cost! Everyone was afraid of ending up at the bottom, so they were tightly controlling their budgets. There was no upper limit to the amount of donations, and families with less resources couldn't compete with the established clans.
The mouths of aristocratic families can be looser than an old man or woman's waist rope when they need to be loose, but when they need to be tight, they are absolutely watertight.
Unable to find the exact number, they had to resort to a roundabout approach.
The approximate number can be determined by the recent industrial activities of each company.
The head of the family whispered something to the patriarch, whose expression visibly turned serious. The elders on the side also felt the pinch of this expense. More money going out of the family coffers meant less for the clan members. Apart from the main branch, which was doing well, the collateral branches were all struggling financially.
The clan elder said, "Is it really necessary to pay this money?"
The patriarch was deeply troubled and said impatiently, "Of course we can refuse, but Shen Youli is no saint. How can she not hold a grudge? She knows about the rumors circulating within our families! Even a clay figure has some temper, let alone Shen Youli? What kind of kind-hearted person would someone who rose from humble beginnings? I'm afraid that if we don't pay, she'll hold a grudge and might really lead people to wipe out our three clans!"
The clan elders also understood this principle.
He's just worried about the money.
Not every aristocratic family is without money. Previously, the Dragon Slaying Bureau's allied forces and Zheng Qiao fought in Yanzhou and Ganzhou, and the local aristocratic families who didn't want to take sides had to pay for protection. After being plundered layer by layer, less than 40% of the granaries remained, and the clan fields had a poor harvest this year due to bad weather. The storehouses had a lot of savings, but they couldn't bear to spend them; it felt like tearing out a piece of their own flesh.
But compared to life, money is not important.
The clan elder said with a worried expression, "If losing money can avert disaster, that's fine. But I'm afraid that even after spending the money, a great calamity will still befall us. Shen Youli wants evidence, so why can't she send Tao Yan's former subordinates to him? We were also deceived by treacherous people; ignorance is no excuse!"
Patriarch: "..."
How could he not know this principle?
But Tao Yan's old subordinates ran away as soon as they heard things were going wrong. They were all faster than rabbits, and they were caught without even a trace.
The clan elder suddenly said, "Why don't we pledge our loyalty to Lord Shen?"
The proposal was categorically rejected by the head of the family.
"No, this won't do!"
He understood the meaning of the clan elder's loyalty.
Pledge of loyalty requires a blood oath, and what could be a more valuable blood oath than the various families plotting to overthrow Shen Tang? However, none of the families dared to do so, preferring to spend money and suffer financial losses. Because offending a powerful family had far more serious consequences than offending Shen Tang!
Shen Youli was only the short-lived ruler of this land.
Are there not enough rulers who have established kingdoms on this land?
Most of them died after two generations, some after only one, and those that could reach the third generation were extremely rare, Shen Youli being no exception. In a decade or two, her country would follow suit. But aristocratic families were different; they possessed remarkable resilience!
Once you break the rules—
If they are purged in the future, it will likely be more than just the extermination of their entire family.
He cannot afford the consequences.
After saying this, the head of the family endured his headache and went to prepare the money to be donated.
For the next two weeks, both the ranking faction and the beauty faction were pushing forward with great enthusiasm. The former, after a period of intrigue and various schemes, finally completed their preparations. The latter, on the surface, was also preparing funds and their honey trap was ready.
The night is deep and still, the moon is dark and the wind is high.
The well-organized family mansion was still brightly lit by candlelight.
A secret room is hidden beneath a study in the mansion.
Although it's called a secret room, it actually occupies quite a large area.
Its layout was exactly the same as the main hall. A middle-aged man with a goatee sat in the main seat, and a young, refined man knelt below him. Although he was called a young man, there was still a hint of boyishness in his eyes and brows, and his eyes were clear. He looked like he had just come of age.
With the strength of a crane and the grace of a pine tree, as still as a deep pool and as majestic as a mountain.
No words of praise seem out of place when describing this young man; his face is as if sculpted by the goddess Nuwa. But after the middle-aged man said something, the young man suppressed the overwhelming humiliation, closed his eyes, and nodded almost imperceptibly: "Father, rest assured, I will not fail in my mission."
The middle-aged man stroked his beard with satisfaction.
This son wasn't his favorite, but he was definitely the most handsome, intelligent, and charming of all his sons. His mother was a renowned dancer, and countless wealthy young men vied for her attention, all vying for a single night with her; he was the one who won. The dancer admired his talent and family background, and after becoming pregnant unexpectedly, she was taken home by the man.
She danced only for him.
But even the best dance can become boring if you watch it too much.
The dancer gave birth to a son who was born with exquisite features, perfectly inheriting his mother's best qualities. Unfortunately, he didn't inherit any male traits. Lacking the potential for cultivation, he was just an ordinary person. To survive in the manor, he learned to read people from a young age, learning everything quickly and consistently excelling in the clan's studies, mastering the Six Arts of a Gentleman. Except for his inability to cultivate, he was perfect in every way.
Is there anyone more suitable for a honey trap than him?
"My son, please bear with me until things are settled—"
Just as they were about to exchange a few warm words, a sudden knock on the door interrupted them. Father and son exchanged a glance, both seeing a look of seriousness in each other's eyes—had their plan been exposed?
Unexpectedly, the figure of a trusted confidant emerged from the shadows.
The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief and angrily rebuked him.
"Didn't I tell you, nobody's allowed in?"
As his trusted aide stepped completely into the candlelight, the young man realized something was wrong. His aide's expression froze, his muscles tense—clearly he'd been forced! He drew his sword and stood in front of the middle-aged man. A contemptuous chuckle filled the air: "Heh, quite perceptive."
The young man demanded, "Who?"
A blindfolded martial artist with a head full of braids and exotic attire emerged from the darkness. At first glance, the martial artist appeared to be twenty-five or twenty-six, but the young man knew that the age of a Martial Arts Master could not be judged by appearance. The newcomer's aura was almost imperceptible, and his footsteps were silent—something none of the Martial Arts Masters the young man had encountered could do. This newcomer was incredibly powerful!
The middle-aged man asked in alarm, "How did you get in?"
The door to the secret room was wide open.
The father and son could not hear the slightest disturbance outside.
The blindfolded youth tilted his head: "Ah, you came in. You want to ask about those good-for-nothings outside? They're not dead, but they won't wake up anytime soon. You two are something else, father and son, not sleeping in the middle of the night, what are you plotting here?"
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's heart began to race.
"You were sent by Shen Youli?"
"Please address Mama as Shen Jun. Her name isn't something just anyone can call out." Who else could the blindfolded youth be but Gong Xi Chou? He crossed his arms and leaned against a wooden pillar, rummaged in his robes, pulled out a scroll, and threw it directly at the man's face. "However, ignorance is no excuse, so I'll forgive you this time. By the way, you haven't answered my question yet. What are you discussing in the middle of the night?"
The middle-aged man's fingers trembled as he untied the thin rope.
The letter unfolded in his hands.
Two lines of blood-red characters burst into view: "The imperial treasury burned to ashes, the streets trampled with the bones of nobles."
The father and son instantly lost their color.
Gong Xichou yawned: "I don't want to repeat the same question a third time. I'm very busy too. I've already left a prefecture, and then Mama dragged me back to clean up the mess."
Sigh, at this rate, when will he ever see his nephew?
Having said that, he unleashed the power of a sixteenth-rank Grand Master for a moment. The middle-aged man vomited blood, and his son fainted and collapsed to the ground.
"I, I—"
Gong Xiqiu instantly withdrew his imposing aura, but the suffocating feeling of being crushed by mountains still lingered on his skin, and cold sweat soaked his clothes. He was drenched, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.
The middle-aged man struggled to change his tune.
“My son and I are discussing…the matter of donating money…Shen Jun has compassion for his people, and as his subjects, we should naturally follow suit!”
Gong Xichou smiled slightly: "Have you come to an agreement?"
The middle-aged man nodded: "We've reached an agreement!"
Gong Xiqiu stroked his chin: "When I came here, I did see quite a few boxes. You guys are quite generous. But, is this all? Isn't this a bit low in ranking?"
The middle-aged man's smile looked more like a grimace.
"Those are only a part of it..."
What kind of box?
It was all made up by the martial artist in front of him, but he could only agree.
Gong Xichou said, "I see. Then you and your son can continue your discussion. I need to hurry and urge others to come."
Leave the secret room and leap onto the roof.
He vaguely sensed something and turned to face that direction.
Under the moonlight, shadowy figures resembling vines clung to the rooftops and walls of the courtyard, crawling and writhing in the shadows, their claws outstretched. Gong Xichou touched his arms, which were covered in goosebumps, and dodged them.
|ω`)
My mom is going to stock up on salt, 100 jin (50 kg) of coarse salt... How long is she planning to last?
(End of this chapter)
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