Chapter 223: The Big Meeting is Starting [Two-in-One]
Shen Tang assumed that a meeting was simply a gathering of people where everyone would speak, follow up, pool their wisdom, and work together to devise a strategy for advancing the army. But the rebels occupying Xiaocheng were no pushovers; they also had Gong Xichou, a formidable weapon!
This is the kind of large-scale meeting that Shen Tang imagined.
The actual conference—
Whether it was efficient or not is another matter, but it was definitely much more exciting than she had imagined. Ever seen a rural market? This was pretty much it. Shen Tang came with Gu Ren, but the seats arranged for her were far away from his, a stark difference in treatment.
Gu Ren frowned.
They don't seem very satisfied with this arrangement.
However, he wasn't the one hosting the slaughter of cattle and sheep and the banquet for various factions, so he couldn't say anything and simply took his seat. As soon as he sat down, he saw several familiar faces. They clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries, and the scene seemed quite harmonious.
only--
Beneath the surface of harmony, undercurrents are surging.
Shen Tang didn't come alone; she brought Qi Shan and Gu Chi with her.
Firstly, Qi Shan was worried about Young Master Shen, since he was too good at creating "surprises." He wanted to live for another two years.
Secondly, what kind of logic is it for the boss to work overtime all by himself?
Gu Chi volunteered to come, saying, "Why don't you bring him along?"
Shen Tang's expression was strange: "Don't you find it noisy now?"
Gu Chi slowly straightened his clothes, the warmth from the plum wine still lingering, his eyes still slightly glazed: "It's noisy, but it's also interesting... I'd really like to know how many of these people are genuinely responding to the so-called imperial edict..."
Shen Tang asked, puzzled, "There are also those who try to fish in troubled waters?"
Gu Chi laughed and said, "His real intention is not in the wine..."
Shen Tang was completely confused upon hearing this.
They came in response to the imperial edict, naturally drawn by the bait Zheng Qiao had thrown out. But Gu Chi said, "The real intention is not what it seems"... Could it be that someone here has other motives? Shen Tang suddenly remembered something, her lips twitched slightly, and she shook her head.
"...If that's the case, their ambitions are quite considerable..."
Besides the rebel army under the Prince of Zhi, Xiaocheng also has the "missing" Imperial Seal... Tsk tsk tsk, these forces arrived so quickly, their true intentions are not what they seem, but rather the Imperial Seal. Shen Tang pursed her lips and agreed to take Gu Chi with her.
Even with the addition of the sickly-looking Gu Chi, Shen Tang's group still consisted of only three people, all of whom were scholars with literary minds. There was no martial artist with the courage and strength to keep them in check, so they were unsurprisingly assigned to a remote and secluded corner.
What's even more frustrating is—
There was a row of gentlemen in front of Shen Tang.
This was also a tall and burly man. Even sitting still, he was a huge lump, completely blocking Shen Tang's view.
Unless Shen Tang stood up, she couldn't see the faces of the leaders sitting at the front of the tent. She looked at the man in front of her with a hint of despair, his slightly protruding shoulder blades and sturdy back, while listening to the chattering and discussion around her.
Shen Tang: "..."
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
He secretly slammed his fist on the table!
She also wants to breathe the air at high altitude!
Gu Chi chuckled softly, and Shen Tang glared at him. Perhaps intimidated by the sharp look, he wisely changed his tune to comfort him: "Shen Lang is still young, he will grow taller in the future... After all, his potential is there, don't panic."
Shen Tang then looked away.
Gu Chi said, "Shen Lang—"
Shen Tang crossed her arms, still somewhat annoyed.
The response was tinged with anger: "What?"
Because of the deceptive ways of scholars, Gu Chi was adept at multitasking—listening carefully to everyone's thoughts, paying attention to their words, and simultaneously conversing with Shen Tang: "Shen Lang, do you think there's anyone among these people you would approve of?"
Shen Tang retorted, "What I would approve of?"
She pointed to the backs of the men ahead and said, "I didn't even see what they looked like, I only saw their backs..."
The meeting experience was extremely poor.
Gu Chi said helplessly, "I wasn't referring to their appearance."
No faction rises to power based on looks.
Before Shen Tang could answer, he added, "I'm not referring to their backs. Judging from their words and actions, is there any hero among them, Shen Lang?"
Shen Tang: "..."
Honestly, she was even more confused.
Can you tell which family has outstanding talents just by chatting or having a meeting?
Without a real fight or a period of close interaction, who knows if they're truly capable or just all show and no substance? Shen Tang knew nothing about them and honestly shook her head: "I can't tell which one qualifies yet, we'll just have to wait and see."
Gu Chi, however, said, "I have found one."
Shen Tang's spirits lifted: "Who?"
She was curious to see who could please Gu Chi...
You should know that this fellow's way of being a scholar is to "read minds".
His criteria for choosing a partner must be very strict; only those who are consistent inside and out can earn his favor. Out of sheer curiosity, she couldn't help but lean forward, afraid of missing out on this juicy gossip.
Gu Chi was speechless upon seeing this: "Didn't Shen Lang consider that it might be him?"
Shen Tang: "...Are you kidding me?"
Gu Chi smiled and took the wine cup from Shen Tang's table.
He said, "Shen Lang, you can guess."
Shen Tang: "..."
She had every reason to suspect that Gu Chi had said those words to trick her out of her wine! She secretly pursed her lips, and like a possessive mother, she pulled the two plates of snacks into her arms to shield herself from Gu Chi's covetous gaze.
Qi Shan glanced at Gu Chi with a strange look on her face.
Avoiding Shen Tang, they communicated privately.
The two exchanged glances several times, back and forth.
Before they could reach a conclusion, the noisy, market-like camp gradually quieted down, with only the sound of breathing and the crackling of burning candles breaking the silence. The pre-battle meeting had officially begun! Shen Tang, abandoning his usual relaxed demeanor, sat up straight.
She stared at the back of the man in front of her when a strange middle-aged man's voice came from the head of the tent.
The man's voice was steady as he said, "We have gathered here today by order of the King to punish the rebellious traitors. Do you have any plans for advancing our troops?"
As soon as the words were spoken, a man with a slightly high-pitched voice spoke up: "In my opinion, if we want to punish the traitors, we must first establish a leader."
Shen Tang's eyes lit up.
She's familiar with this process!
This was immediately followed by the Versailles stunt segment.
The so-called leader of the alliance is naturally the one with the strongest strength, best family background, highest reputation, and largest territory among them! It's estimated that there will be a lot of wrangling and bickering.
Shen Tang couldn't drink alcohol, so he could only drink tea to soothe his throat. As he drank, he thought to himself, "This is terrible. I hope they choose a leader soon, otherwise I'm afraid my bladder won't be able to handle too much tea... It's not good to have to go to the toilet halfway through a meeting..."
Limited by the altitude, she couldn't see the people speaking, but could only judge their approximate age, height, and strength by their voices and footsteps: "The struggle for power is indeed an instinct ingrained in their bones. They can fight over a mere alliance leader. Zheng Qiao didn't come, but he's not dead. Do they really think he's a puppet with no power whatsoever?"
Gu Chi became even more relaxed.
His altitude is high, so he's not in such a bad situation.
With Shen Lang added to the mix, he found that these occasions weren't so boring after all—he could observe the speakers while proofreading Shen Tang's rants, whose ramblings always brought unexpected surprises, adding a unique touch to the dull and tedious banter.
He agreed with Shen Tang's point of view.
Although the so-called alliance leader can command everyone to obey orders, he can also do some underhanded things—such as allocating resources to his own side. However, if they lose this battle, it will be fine, but if they win, the so-called alliance leader will become a thorn in Zheng Qiao's side.
It would be strange if Zheng Qiao didn't mind a leader who was widely respected, possessing fame, family background, strength, and territory...
However, not everyone is stupid.
Some people jumped out to compete, while others showed little interest.
The battle for the alliance leader was not very intense.
A leader was quickly chosen.
A man surnamed Wu, not very old, probably in his early thirties, sported a neatly trimmed goatee and dressed in seemingly unassuming clothes, but in reality, his understated attire exuded an air of extravagance. Most importantly—this man commanded the military strength of half a prefecture!
Among them, the one with the most and strongest troops.
Don't underestimate the size of half a prefecture. Consider the current state of the continent, fragmented and populated by numerous kingdoms. Some small states occupy only half or even a prefecture, struggling to survive amidst the powerful nations. A prime example is the ancient state of Chu!
This fellow surnamed Wu, though not the nominal master of this half-county, certainly commands a real military force.
As soon as he stepped forward, everyone else fell silent.
Just kidding, they're not even in the same league!
How can two or three thousand soldiers compare to tens of thousands?
Shen Tang was puzzled and muttered to himself, "If he's so awesome, why isn't he lying low and conserving his energy? Why is he participating in this? Isn't he afraid of being targeted by Zheng Qiao and secretly eliminated?"
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down!
Shen Tang suddenly remembered Gu Chi's previous question.
Understood.
This guy surnamed Wu is probably after the national seal.
Once he obtains the Imperial Seal, he will, in a sense, have the right to stand on equal footing with Zheng Qiao. He will also possess the military strength of half a prefecture, and by absorbing the forces oppressed by Zheng Qiao, he can quickly develop his power. This is the essence of seeking fortune in danger—
Having reached a consensus and appointed a leader, the group, led by the man surnamed Wu, burned incense and swore an oath of brotherhood. Only then did Shen Tang catch a glimpse of the new leader through the gaps in the crowd. He was much as she had imagined, except that his brows carried an indescribable air of noble arrogance.
When speaking, look at people without glancing sideways.
Because of very limited resources, the blood oath ceremony was not held on an auspicious day, but rather on materials found locally.
The new leader straightened his clothes, put on his sword, washed his hands, and burned incense.
First bow, second bow, and third bow.
He delivered a passionate and inspiring speech.
They drank a bowl of wine laced with animal blood, then smashed the bowl to express their resolve! Everyone else did the same, except for Shen Tang…
Except for Shen Tang!
Shen Tang, who had been forced into the spotlight: "..."
The new alliance leader noticed Shen Tang standing in the corner. Judging from her youthful appearance and secluded location, he roughly estimated her strength. He didn't think such a small force could be of much use, but her lack of cooperation with the procedures…
This is a big problem.
The new leader wore a gentle yet authoritative smile. Without approaching, he asked from afar, "How should I address this young man?"
Shen Tang pursed his lips, never expecting things to develop this way, and could only bite the bullet and answer, "My name is Shen Tang."
The new leader asked, "Why doesn't Lord Shen drink this wine?"
I was just short of asking her directly if she had any objections to the alliance.
The others looked at Shen Tang with complicated and inexplicable expressions.
Shen Tang could only say half-truthfully, "Well, I'm not a good drinker... I was afraid of making a fool of myself in front of others, so I didn't drink."
Her alcohol tolerance was one issue, and another was that she felt drinking raw animal blood was unhygienic—usually chicken blood is used for blood oaths, but since the person they were going to fight was the "King of Pigs," the animal was chosen to be a pig, and a pig slaughtered on the spot! The stench was overwhelming!
Shen Tang secretly glanced at it; the pig wasn't very hygienic, struggling and squealing pitifully as it was being bled...
If I actually drink it, will I get sick?
I was really worried that a group of people would swear a blood oath to fight the Pig King, only to get sick on the way and die young... But then I thought, swine fever is not like chicken plague, so it doesn't seem to be contagious to humans.
She was about to grit her teeth and drink it down when the people around her moved faster than the next person, making her seem like an oddity.
She wasn't even given a chance to make amends.
The new leader clearly does not accept this explanation.
The gazes of the others also turned hostile.
Only Gu Ren stood up to mediate for Shen Tang, saying, "Young Master Shen is indeed young and cannot hold his liquor well. How about we have some tea instead?"
The new leader didn't speak, but others were "straightforward." He sneered, "Young? If you're really young, you should stay at home under the protection of your father and brothers, or enjoy the company of beautiful women and indulge in that decadent lifestyle, instead of being among a group of heroes and causing trouble for us in such a solemn occasion!"
Some people couldn't help but chuckle.
Shen Tang's expression changed, and she looked at the man with a hint of hostility, politely declining Gu Ren's suggestion to replace the turbid wine.
He sneered, "Fine! Then you'd better remember this. You'll have to stop me from getting drunk and acting crazy later!"
Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.
Qi Shan, with a headache, stepped forward to help the drunken Shen Tang.
The new leader inwardly agreed with that "straightforward" statement. After all, Shen Tang was really too young, not even as tall as his youngest son. What was the point of such a child getting involved? But he didn't expect Shen Tang to actually get drunk instantly! He closed his eyes on the spot!
"What is he doing..."
Qi Shan sighed, "My lord is drunk..."
New Alliance Leader: "..."
Everyone: "..."
Is he really drunk?
Few of those present were ordinary people; they were all scholars with keen senses and martial artists with courage and agility. They could still sense the changes in Shen Tang's aura and were all speechless with astonishment.
While some secretly complained that Shen Tang had ruined the solemn and serious blood oath ceremony, others noticed Qi Shan, whose presence was not very noticeable.
The man was so startled that he opened his eyes wide and immediately called out to him.
"You are—Qi Yuanliang???"
He lost his voice and cracked due to extreme shock.
Qi Shan looked in the direction of the sound, and her expression stiffened slightly.
Gu Chi raised an eyebrow and asked inwardly, "An old acquaintance?"
Qi Shan appeared calm and composed.
While responding to Gu Chi, she said, "A former colleague..."
Gu Chi instantly understood.
There are former colleagues, and naturally there are former lords.
As for the scholar's way of praying for goodness, it is well known to Lord Fei.
Qi Shan had no choice but to say, "It's been a long time, Brother Qin."
The new leader looked at his trusted confidant and asked with a hint of curiosity.
"Qin Qing, do you know each other?"
_(`」∠)_
I overestimated myself. Another update will be at midnight, and I still have two thousand words left to write... Damn it!
(End of this chapter)
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