Chapter 916: Gong Cheng, Gong Xichou [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang deliberately left Wu Yuan out of the room for two more days.
This forced Wu Yuan to take the initiative to come to them.
Of course, he first went through Gu Chi's connections.
The gifts prepared this time are so generous that they are astonishing.
Gu Chi, having already been instructed by Shen Tang, calmly accepted Wu Yuan's gifts. Besides Wu Yuan and Gong Cheng, two maids were also present. Wu Yuan, keeping his promise, brought them a large sum of money to apologize. Gu Chi accepted the gifts, but his attitude was cold.
The two women stepped forward to bow and apologize, but he chased them away.
Seeing this, Wu Yuan could only signal them to leave to avoid upsetting Gu Chi: "Please have pity on the Northern Desert, sir."
He is a man who can bend and stretch.
Even though Gu Chi yelled at him to "get out" on New Year's Eve, Wu Yuan acted as if nothing had happened and even went to Gu Chi's door to apologize, using the excuse of "the maid's rudeness." His real purpose, however, was to bribe Gu Chi to help expedite the process.
Gu Chi: "Why should the Northern Desert need the pity of a sickly person?"
Wu Yuan gave a bitter smile: "How could you not know the current situation in the Northern Desert, sir? The Kang Kingdom's ruler has reduced trade between the two regions, affecting many tribes in the Northern Desert. The larger tribes are doing a little better, with deep-rooted resources, they can withstand it, but the smaller tribes are not so lucky. In this season, many ordinary people are suffering from cold and hunger. If the situation cannot be controlled, by spring, the situation within the country will likely be out of control..."
He said that in a pitiful way.
However, his words were full of threats.
Shen Tang, fearing the Northern Desert, controlled its trade, causing many tribes within its borders to lack supplies. The Northern Desert winters are long, and countless ordinary people succumb to the cold. With pent-up resentment finding no outlet, the tribespeople, driven by survival, disregarded the royal court's desire for peace and resolved to launch raids, reigniting localized warfare between the two regions.
This is something neither side wants to see.
If Shen Tang hadn't driven people to the brink, how could things have come to this?
The newly established Kangguo Kingdom needs time to recuperate and thrive.
The people of the Northern Desert also do not want to start a war.
If both sides take a step back, the two places can live in peace!
This is a win-win situation.
Wu Yuan flattered Gu Chi, saying, "Sir, you are a trusted minister of the Kang Kingdom. If you are willing to present your case to the Kang Kingdom and explain the interests involved, I believe that someone as enlightened as her will consider it. It is beneficial to the people of the Northern Desert, but it is even more beneficial to the people of the Kang Kingdom."
They were also willing to pay a high price to buy the grain seeds from Shen Tang. With this money, wouldn't things be a little more comfortable in the early days of the People's Republic?
Wu Yuan even revealed that the price was negotiable.
Gu Chi sneered, "This isn't like you."
The negotiations between the two sides were essentially a psychological battle.
Understanding the other party's psychology is key to gaining the most leverage, but Wu Yuan seems reckless and foolish, revealing his bottom line and voluntarily making concessions. Can anyone say there's nothing fishy going on here? The more attentive and proactive Bei Mo is, the more problematic the cooperation he proposes appears.
“Sir, you truly understand people’s hearts.” Wu Yuan bluntly laid out his ambitions. “To be honest, if I can truly facilitate the exchange of trade between the two states and purchase high-yield grain seeds from Kang Kingdom, the prestige I gain will be enough to surpass that of my other brothers. In the Northern Desert, the next generation will be under my control. How can anyone not be tempted? This matter concerns the future throne. Compared to the throne, what is wrong with sacrificing some benefits for a friendly nation? If this matter succeeds, I am willing to establish a lasting friendship with Kang Kingdom, and to help and support each other.”
He was practically telling Gu Chi that he wasn't the one who paid for the seeds, so why was Gu Chi so upset? The credit would only be his if this matter was successfully resolved. This time, he was truly sincere!
Gu Chi neither confirmed nor denied this.
But considering the generous gift, they were willing to say a few words in Wu Yuan's defense. Wu Yuan, having received permission, beamed with joy.
They only concealed themselves the moment they stepped out of the tent.
Little did they know—
Gu Chi was the same.
He pushed aside the pile of gifts with his hands and tapped on them for a while.
Keep 10%, and pack up and send 30% away.
The remaining 60% were delivered to Shen Tang.
Unsurprisingly, they staged a runaway on the spot.
Shen Tang was used to this scene.
What she cares about is—
"That kid Wu Yuan is quite generous, he went all out to bribe you. But why only give me 60%? If your lord hadn't been keeping him out of the loop, would he have given you so much? Bribes are illegitimate income, you should at least get 70%!"
Give her 70%, and consider the remaining 30% as his legitimate income.
Gu Chi said, "I also need to save some money."
It's unacceptable that someone his age doesn't have any family wealth.
Shen Tang pouted and muttered, "Save some savings? You're single... Forget it, it's pointless to haggle over this small amount. We can just get more money out of Wu Yuan to settle the score. I'll see him tomorrow and give him a little something to taste."
Leaving it to dry isn't a good idea.
Given Gong Cheng's capabilities, who knows if he's been "wandering around" and "scouting" things lately? Keeping this group of people in her main base carries risks for her. Some things are difficult to handle; it's best to get rid of them quickly.
Shen Tang left two streams of literary energy to take turns working overtime.
He himself went out to digest his food after the meal.
I ate a late-night snack and I'm a bit full.
Before I knew it, I had wandered into a rather remote area.
Shen Tang paused, looking in a certain direction: "Come out here, sneaking around like this, aren't you afraid of being treated as an assassin?"
A young man emerged from the shadows.
It was none other than Gong Cheng, Gong Yunchi.
The latter was still dressed in simple, close-fitting clothes, his face as silent as ever. He stopped two zhang away from Shen Tang and, seeing that Shen Tang went out without even a personal guard, disapproved, saying, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. Does the King of Kang know this?"
"How could I be killed in my own camp?" She hadn't been walking for long when she noticed someone spying on her, but the person showed no intention of killing her. She wanted to know how long the person could hold out, so she pretended not to notice. Unexpectedly, Gong Cheng was really calm. "Besides, let alone this camp, every inch of land in Kang Kingdom is mine. Since it's all mine, what's the point of talking about a dangerous wall?"
Gong Cheng remained standing there without saying a word.
Shen Tang said, "Speak, what is it?"
Gong Cheng was following him for no reason, but he didn't seem inclined to attack, so he must want something from him. It certainly wasn't just to catch up.
"Are you very familiar with Gong Xichou?"
Shen Tang was surprised to hear the name of a close friend from Gong Cheng. Her eyes swept over Gong Cheng, guessing his purpose, and she said, "I know him very well. You came to see me because of him? He shouldn't have any grudge against you. You can't be seeking revenge for the battle of Xiaocheng back then, can you?"
Xiaocheng was indeed captured by Gong Xichou, but he was a general and the siege was merely an order. Gong Cheng was not from Xiaocheng, so why would he seek revenge against him? If anyone wanted revenge, they should go after the Xin royal family—if any of the royal family members were still alive—or go to Zheng Qiao's grave, dig up his corpse, whip it, and trample on it.
Unexpectedly, Gong Cheng nodded.
Yes and no.
The desire for revenge is real, but it's not for the battle of Xiaocheng.
Upon hearing this, Shen Tang decisively refused: "Since you know that I have a good relationship with Gong Xichou, you should also know that I would not betray my own people. Of course, I don't know where he is now either. Such a big living person, how could he stay in one place forever?"
Gong Cheng: "I heard that Gong Xichou has a younger sister."
Shen Tang laughed, then sneered, "So what if it is? You have a grudge against Gong Xichou, go fight him. Using an ordinary woman as a threat, are you still the same Gong Yunchi you were back then? Sorry, Gong Xichou entrusted his sister to me before he left, and I have to ensure her safety both morally and legally. If you want to kill someone, you'll have to get past me first. Are you sure you want to die here?"
Gong Cheng has received a profound awakening and is very strong, but she herself only grows stronger against stronger opponents, with no clear upper limit. If a fight were to break out, it's uncertain who would die first. Moreover, this is her stronghold. Why fight one-on-one when a group can handle it?
“I have no grudge against Gongxi Chou, but someone wants his life.” Gong Cheng’s dark eyes remained calm, as if it were none of his business. “To be precise, it’s the lives of the entire Gongxi clan. Anyone with that surname must be killed.”
Shen Tang frowned: "Why?"
The second question: "Who is it?"
Then came an even more pointed question: "Could it be that the person who passed on all their life's strength to you through the [Enlightenment] technique?"
Gong Cheng suddenly looked up at Shen Tang, his eyes finally showing a hint of emotion. Shen Tang pretended to be profound: "What's so difficult about guessing this? Your dantian was destroyed back then, and you should have been forever barred from martial arts. Yet, in just a few short years, you have achieved a level of cultivation that even I can't see through. Isn't this progress in rebuilding your cultivation too fast? A little speculation is enough to know that there's something wrong with your strength."
The turmoil in Gong Cheng's eyes subsided.
He admitted calmly, "You guessed right."
Gong Cheng accepted the gift, and in return, he helped the other party exterminate the Gongxi clan. However, after using Wu Yuan's connections to investigate, he discovered that the Gongxi clan had already been wiped out. Gong Cheng didn't have to lift a finger himself, which could be considered fulfilling his promise.
Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she discovered that Gong Xichou was also from the Gong Xi clan. This man and Shen Tang had become acquainted through a fight, and according to intelligence, he had also taken in a younger sister, who was now settled in Xiaocheng, the territory of Shen Youli, the ruler of Kang Kingdom.
Gong Cheng spared Gong Xilai, not wanting to make things difficult for an ordinary woman, but Gong Xichou was determined to die. However, after Gong Xichou stopped leading troops, he spent his days wandering around alone, and Gong Cheng couldn't find him, so he could only come to Shen Tang.
"If the King of Kang can contact Gongxi Chou, then have him come to the Northern Desert to find me and settle this long-cherished wish. We will resolve this matter one-on-one, fairly and justly. As for Gongxi Lai, no matter which family she marries into in the future, she will be considered to have left the Gongxi clan, and I will not touch her."
Shen Tang: "..."
Hehehe, why not kill Gong Xilai?
Even if he wanted to kill, he wasn't just a figurehead.
“If I can get in touch with him, I will tell him about it.” Shen Tang agreed, then asked, “I just don’t know what grudge the person who taught you the [Enlightenment] has with the Gongxi clan? As far as I know, the Gongxi clan has always lived in seclusion.”
Gong Cheng did not hide anything.
"He was deceived by the Gongxi clan and then seriously injured by a man named Jimo Xing, leaving him trapped in one place. Just as his lifespan was about to end, I happened to appear, and he passed on all his life's skills to me." There's no such thing as a free lunch. Gong Cheng accepted this "legacy" and had to keep the other party's last wish. "Before he died, he made me swear by my martial courage that I would do two things for him, one of which was to destroy the Gongxi clan."
Shen Tang guessed that the other matter was related to the Northern Desert, and asked, "Isn't this illogical? The Gongxi clan deceived him, but that's all they did. The person who seriously injured and imprisoned him was that guy named Ji Moxing. Why didn't they let you kill Ji Moxing?"
The things that people with the surname Jimo did are related to people with the surname Gongxi.
Gong Cheng said, "Ji Moxing is dead. This person seriously injured him, but he himself did not benefit either. His cultivation level declined, and his lifespan was greatly shortened, which was inevitable. It's just a pity that we couldn't find his ashes."
"That doesn't justify exterminating the human race."
Gong Cheng said, "Jimo Xing was originally named Gongxi Xing. The Gongxi clan has a custom that if a clansman is chosen as the clan's high priest, he must change his surname to Jimo. Therefore, this matter was done by the ancestors of the Gongxi clan from beginning to end, so they are not innocent."
Shen Tang: "..."
Clicking his tongue in his mind—
This guy named Ji Moxing doesn't know how to eliminate the root of the problem. He died, but his enemy survived. This has left trouble for the Gongxi tribe. Gong Cheng in front of them is not easy to kill.
Shen Tang lowered her eyes, suppressing her calculations.
He sighed, "I never imagined it was a blood feud between our ancestors."
Gong Cheng is currently fighting for the Northern Desert, so Gong Xi Chou attacking him is simply helping to contain the Northern Desert's high-end combat power. However, Gong Cheng is currently overpowered, and Gong Xi Chou's chances of winning a one-on-one fight against him are uncertain. Shen Tang wants to stall for time until Gong Xi Chou finds his elusive older brother and nephew, and then the three of them can gang up on him, ensuring victory.
Isn't it too shameless to have three against one?
They're about to wipe out the entire clan, who cares about this?
He agreed again: "I will pass on your message."
Gong Cheng, unaware of Shen Tang's intentions, clasped his hands in thanks and prepared to leave. Just as he turned around, he heard a gust of wind beside his ear. He reached out and grabbed a wine jar. Gong Cheng looked at Shen Tang, puzzled, "What does this mean?"
"I'm offering you a drink. Along the way, many old friends have left, scattered, or died. It's rare to see you, so I wanted to offer you a drink as an apology for deceiving you back then," Shen Tang said. "But I didn't mean to hide it."
Gong Cheng shook his head: "It's all in the past."
He didn't care about it.
Shen Tang's identity has never mattered.
"King Kang, farewell."
Gong Cheng accepted Shen Tang's wine.
Shen Tang: "And there's also the matter of Wu Yuan..."
Gong Cheng didn't even turn his head: "It has nothing to do with me."
Politicians are masters of intrigue and deception.
He speaks nonsense, and his heart holds few truths. Truth and falsehood are indistinguishable, and Shen Tang before him is the most powerful politician in Kang Kingdom, a man of endless lies. If one tries to find a breakthrough by exploiting oneself, or by scheming against Wu Yuan and Bei Mo, one is likely to be disappointed.
A gentle breeze blew, and Gong Cheng was nowhere to be seen.
Shen Tang also lost the leisure to take a walk.
Back at the main camp, he assigned tasks to the two avatars of literary energy, then curled up in his beloved goose down comforter and lay down, sleeping soundly until dawn.
At noon, Wu Yuan was summoned.
“Grain seeds can be sold, but not in this way.”
Wu Yuan thought Shen Tang was dissatisfied with the price and was willing to lower it by another 10%, but Shen Tang waved his hand: "No, no, no, it's not about the price. I just want to ask you one question—would an envoy sell a hen that lays eggs to someone else at the price of eggs? Eggs can be sold, but hens cannot. The price of eggs can only be used to buy eggs."
Wu Yuan asked her, "Then, shall we buy a hen?"
Shen Tang: "It can only be a castrated hen."
|ω`)
Jimo Xing was the old priest.
(End of this chapter)
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