Chapter 1288: One Battle Secures the Southwest (Twenty-Five) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
“There aren’t many people I can trust, but Jinghe, you are different.” Perhaps the King of Qi knew that his problem would provoke a conflict between her and Meimeng, and coupled with the defeat in battle, the situation was seriously unfavorable to his side. As a result, his words were more tender than before. Meimeng’s eyes softened when she heard this, but she sighed deeply and asked, “Why did you disobey the imperial decree before?”
Mei Meng's softened thorns stood up again.
She gazed at the king before her, as if meeting him for the first time.
The "disobedience" the king referred to naturally meant Mei Meng's absence from overseeing the country. This matter hadn't been mentioned before because Cui Zhi had left at the last minute, leaving Mei Meng as the only minister capable of maintaining order. Now, bringing it up again is bound to instill fear and trepidation!
Mei Meng suppressed her weariness and forced a smile.
He retorted coldly, "What does the Lord want to hear?"
Did they want her to jump out and take all the blame for the defeat? To sacrifice her and make her a target for others' anger? In order to consolidate their own position? Mei Meng smiled bitterly: "I didn't know I had the abilities of Consort Yang."
Although Mei Meng's tone was calm and not harsh, the King of Qi had known her for many years, so how could he not know that Mei Meng was already angry? She spoke to ease the tense atmosphere, saying sadly, "This is not Mawei Post Station, you are not Tai Zhen, and I am not Emperor Xuanzong, nor are there any guards threatening me... How can I not be heartbroken and distressed by Jing He's misunderstanding of me like this?"
Mei Meng remained silent on this matter.
The reason why the King of Qi was able to maintain his position was not only because Mei Meng had planned so many things, but also because he himself was capable, especially in terms of eloquence and responsiveness. She quickly found the best excuse: "Cui Zhishan recommended Gongyang Yongye and Luo Yuan. Luo Yuan lost the granary first, and then Gongyang Yongye suddenly turned against him. What are the hidden reasons behind this? Neither you nor I know. Now that I think about it, I feel very uneasy."
The king's words startled Qi Cang, who dared not lose focus and looked at the king with apprehension.
How could he not be wary?
Even someone of his stature couldn't help but shudder at the ability of those in power to spout nonsense. If there were levels to nonsense, the Queen of Qi would be at least second-rate, if not top-tier! She could turn the tide with just a few words; even Zheng Qiao would have to admit defeat in her presence.
Was Gongyang Yongye's sudden outburst instigated by the Cui family?
Was Luo Yuan's first loss of the granary also at the behest of the Cui family?
The truth about the former is still unknown, and several months have passed since then. But through the words of the King of Qi, the two events were so casually intertwined, and even Cui Zhi's departure at the last minute was given a logically sound explanation. It was truly ingenious!
A fleeting look of surprise crossed Mei Meng's face.
The king seemed oblivious, still holding Mei Meng's hand: "If Jing He were still overseeing the country, at least I would have a trusted confidant in the capital. But now we're in a passive position. If news of the defeat gets back, I'm afraid a mutiny will break out."
Cui Zhi's actions, Zhong Lifu's betrayal, and Cui Mi's stance have all pushed the Cui clan to the brink of disaster. The Cui clan may launch a preemptive strike, either by urgently relocating their family and resources while the front lines are preoccupied with other matters, or by instigating a mutiny among the garrison.
If it's the former, that's fine; if it's the latter—
It's like her hometown was robbed.
A formidable enemy looms ahead, while a traitor sharpens his knife from behind.
How could she feel at ease in this situation?
Mei Meng's expression wavered, and she silently grasped the king's hand, trying to calm her down. The tension in the air dissipated with a soft "pop," as if it had never existed. Qi Cang watched the two, the king and his minister, and inwardly shrugged, a chill running down his spine.
The two have essentially "reconciled".
After a brief discussion, Mei Meng left with a heavy heart.
Turning her head, she saw Qi Cang's face, which looked like it had been constipated for many years. She said helplessly, "Laugh if you want, I'm not angry."
Qi Cang said, "I can't laugh."
Just as Mei Meng was about to be surprised that Qi Cang, this jester, could also be somewhat considerate, Qi Cang's mouth remained as sharp as ever: "I just remembered an old story. Back then, when Zheng Qiao had just seized power in Geng Kingdom, he was full of ambition and wanted to emulate that Emperor Sun. He tried to persuade me to study, but I was impatient with those literary pursuits, so I refused him on the spot!"
Mei Meng didn't really want to hear what Zheng Qiao had to say, but Qi Cang's eyes were full of expectation, as if he wanted her to keep asking him. So she had no choice but to force herself to stay alert and ask him what he wanted.
"He wasn't angry when you refused?"
"He was naturally angry, saying that the power of words is fundamental, and that being illiterate is an obstacle to martial arts. I told him that I had visited the imperial academy in Geng Kingdom and found that all the writers of these power-of-words were flawed. Officials wanted to be the lord's grieving wives, while those who weren't officials hated that they weren't the lord's grieving wives! The way to persuade a lord who has made a mistake is not to put a knife to his throat, but to threaten him with suicide by banging his head against a pillar!"
To use the words of some folk tales—
This world is just a giant cold-faced idiot.
At first, Qi Cang didn't understand why the storybook would contain such strange slang, but when he thought of the resentful woman with a heart full of sorrow, serving the men in the house with no emotion, taking care of their food, clothing, and shelter, he found it too ingenious!
Slang is indeed slang; it's so precise!
Mei Meng vaguely understood what Qi Cang was being mean.
Qi Cang said, "I've seen those resentful women in their secluded mansions do the same thing. They cry, make a scene, and even threaten to hang themselves, all to show their men what's what. Often, the men are gentle and sweet-talking, and even though they know 'men are unreliable, pigs can fly,' they still foolishly believe them. But I am a man, and I know exactly when a man is willing to say nice things to a woman, flatter and fawn over her. Apart from my wife who died young, whenever a man lowers himself to say nice things to a woman, it's because he wants to sleep with her."
Of course, most of the time he doesn't need to coax her at all.
Women, on the contrary, will coax him to sleep with them.
That's the allure of power.
Qi Cang said softly, "The same principle applies to rulers and subjects. The reason she's willing to speak softly to you now is because she wants to use you..."
Mei Meng pursed her lips: "I know."
How could she not know the true intention behind the King of Qi's questioning? She knew, yet she continued to deceive herself. Qi Cang couldn't bear it any longer; he asked curiously, "You swallow your bitterness like a wronged woman; does this bring you spiritual pleasure?"
Qi Cang's question was quite crude.
Mei Meng immediately put on a black face.
Qi Cang asked, "Guess how Zheng Qiao answered?"
Mei Meng didn't want to ask, but she still asked anyway, as if possessed.
Qi Cang, unusually hesitant, said with a heavy heart, "Zheng Qiao said, 'If it weren't enjoyable, who would be willing to keep doing it?' On the surface, they're terrified, but in action, they're honest. They dare to speak frankly, and they even dare to die trying to remonstrate. Just thinking about how one day the lord will overturn their case, discover the truth and be filled with regret, and how their unyielding spirit will be recorded in history, makes them fearless even in death, their whole body stiff. A subject can derive excitement from the fear and disappointment he feels towards his lord, an experience that no amount of sexual relations with women can provide. I told him back then, 'You're a pretty good person...'"
This made it difficult for Qi Cang to look directly at Zheng Qiao's confrontation with the group of civil and military officials for a long time, as if he were watching a grand spiritual exchange.
How could such lewd things exist in the world?
"Are you also hoping that after all the trials and tribulations the king has faced, he will discover that you are the most loyal and devoted subject to her?"
The imperial court was also a large harem.
Mei Meng took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to curse.
"I'm not that despicable!" Although the process was the same, the starting point was different. Mei Jinghe's actions throughout his life were simply to fulfill his own destiny. Anyone who appeared at that point in time, even if not the ruler of Qi, would have been someone else...
Mei Meng and the other party cooperated more.
Qi Cang gave a perfunctory "oh".
He thoughtfully reminded Mei Meng, "Speaking of which, the Lord did not inquire about my fate at all, which is truly merciful."
Qi Cang had basically been slacking off in last night's battle, only fighting symbolically for a while and not even giving it his all. The king hadn't asked a single question about it, but Mei Meng, who had done her best, was the one being questioned. Qi Cang's "merciful" assessment sounded quite grating.
Mei Meng: "...What are you trying to say?"
Qi Cang smiled knowingly: "The perfect ceremony for Jinghe..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mei Meng interrupted him sharply: "Qi Cang!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. Everyone has their own fate. If you die someday..." Qi Cang looked Mei Meng up and down, his eyes revealing a hint of ill intent, "Considering we've known each other for so many years, if I'm still alive, I'll help you collect your body and bury you in the same grave as Zheng Qiao. Whether you two are companions or neighbors, at least you'll be together. It'll save me the trouble of running all over the country to visit your graves whenever I'm in a good mood. Visiting both graves at once is a way of showing consideration for my old bones, haha!"
All that's missing is telling Mei Meng that he wants to arrange a ghost marriage for her.
He disgusted Mei Meng and Zheng Qiao at the same time, killing two birds with one stone.
Mei Meng lost her temper and yelled, "You're sick!"
Some of them even have serious illnesses!
Just as the remnants of the army were beginning to regroup, the flag of Kangguo rose above the horizon. The southwestern allies, disregarding any questioning or blame-shifting, hastily packed up and began their hasty retreat. Kangguo, however, seemed to have become addicted to toying with them.
Running and chasing, chasing and stopping.
Each time, they deliberately maintained a slow pace and a distance that was neither too close nor too far, preventing the Southwestern Allied forces from completely relaxing their guard. As soon as they relaxed their guard even slightly, the Kangguo troops would immediately accelerate and catch up with the remnants of the army, or suddenly attack when they tried to cook and replenish their strength... Time and again, their morale plummeted, and more soldiers took advantage of the chaos to flee.
The two armies chased each other across several prefectures and counties, from waterways to land routes, from land routes to mountain routes, and from mountain routes back to waterways... There were also a few brief skirmishes along the way, with the Kang Kingdom's army taking advantage of their high morale to kill a wave of people before immediately retreating and turning back.
Watching their forces dwindle day by day, the immense pressure was almost suffocating the surviving allies of the Southwest Allied Forces. The Kang Kingdom split its forces into two groups: one to drive them away, and the other to block their path back to their main camp. Their only hope now was reinforcements from the rear, which might allow them to launch a pincer attack on the Kang Kingdom's army.
I held onto this thought for seven or eight days.
Little did they know, Shen Tang had already embellished the story of that battle and spread it far and wide, with the Cui family, who had already resigned themselves to their fate, also playing a role in pushing it forward.
Those remaining in their respective countries are feeling uneasy.
The chances of reinforcements turning the tide of the battle were extremely slim; the probability of them being sent to their deaths was much higher. Faced with this difficult choice, what should they do?
not to mention--
The Eternal Life Cult was causing trouble everywhere, and rebellions were sweeping across the land. They had exhausted their military strength and energy just dealing with the endless chaos within their own borders, so how could they spare any resources to provide support? In response, they maintained a subtle silence and stalled for time.
What time is being delayed?
Naturally, this was to delay the surrender of the remaining soldiers at the front.
Once this battle has a real result, it will be considered over.
Afterwards, they would admit defeat, pay compensation, submit, and pay tribute as needed… As long as they could survive for a while, enduring humiliation was acceptable. Besides this, their mutual distrust was also a major factor. Since the start of the war, many political enemies and long-standing feuds had been forced to temporarily set aside their grudges and unite against a common enemy due to the pressure from Kang State, but new threats were inevitable!
Old grudges remain unresolved, and new ones are added to the list!
In this situation, who can be magnanimous and forgive past grievances?
If it weren't for the fighting on the front lines, I would love to devour the enemy's flesh and blood!
Now that we've lost, are you expecting them to send troops to rescue people?
No way!
"Report—"
The voices of soldiers could be heard outside the tent.
A warrior in plain clothes appeared outside the camp, shot an arrow through the watchtower, and demanded to see the lord by name. When Shen Tang arrived after hearing the news, Gongxi Chou had already arrived. The warrior in plain clothes was none other than Gongyang Yongye, the Marquis of Guannei, who had been missing for many days.
"Are you here to see my older brother?"
If that's the case, Gongxi Chou should urgently give Gongyang Yongye a warning. It would be best if that old man could have seven babies in one go and focus on his pregnancy, instead of constantly causing trouble. Gongxi Chou really didn't want to fight anymore; the more they fought, the more frustrated he became.
Gongyang Yongye's gaze passed over Gongxi Chou and landed on Chen Tang.
"Where is Zhongli Fu?"
Shen Tang said, "That's me."
Gongyang Yongye closed his eyes: "Where is Shen Tang?"
Shen Tang continued, "That is me."
The two answers made Gongyang Yongye laugh in anger: "In my life, I have fought countless battles, big and small, but this is the first time I have ever heard of a lord who would stoop so low as to infiltrate the enemy's lair. Lord Shen's actions have truly opened my eyes."
"This shows that you, my lord, have lived too short a life. If one lives long enough, one can encounter all sorts of strange and wonderful things." Shen Tang remained unmoved by his sarcasm, bypassing Gong Xi Chou and the newly arrived Luo Sha, facing Gongyang Yongye directly, no more than a hundred paces apart. For a nineteenth-rank Marquis of Guannei, this distance was practically face to face. "May I ask the purpose of your visit, my lord?"
If they come over for a one-on-one fight, it's practically suicide.
"Come and take away the remains of the younger generation; he's with you!"
Shen Tang had anticipated this and ordered someone to bring out a coffin. The body inside the coffin was preserved using Yun Ce's martial energy, and despite the passing of several days, the body remained intact and showed no signs of decay.
Although the body had been carefully cleaned and all the wounds had been meticulously stitched up, it was still easy to see how horrific his death was.
Gongyang Yongye looked at the boy in the coffin with a sense of melancholy.
What's more cruel than never having had something is having it and then losing it.
He wasn't particularly close to the boy, and knew he wasn't very capable or kind-hearted, but he was still his junior, so even if he was bad, he could tolerate him. His untimely death at such a young age inevitably left him with regret.
He slammed the coffin lid shut with a palm strike: "I owe you this favor. If you need anything in the future, just send someone to help me."
Having said that, without waiting for Shen Tang's response, he took the coffin and prepared to leave.
Shen Tang said to his back, "I want to rule the world. In the future, I will lead my troops to conquer the south. If you have time, my lord, please come and take a look."
"You expect me to risk my life for you?"
Gongyang Yongye's words were squeezed out from between his teeth.
Shen Tang countered, "Since you, my lord, have not served the Southwest Allied Army, I naturally dare not compete with you. I am just worried that there will be too few people and it won't be lively enough, so I would like you to come and join in the fun, just to watch the show."
"Hmph! Let's enter the southwest first before spouting such nonsense!"
|ω`)
(End of this chapter)
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