Chapter 1193: This Time It Was Great (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Your house is gone.
Qian Yong delivered this statement in a roundabout and sarcastic manner.
This scene shattered the dignity that the King of Zhen Kingdom had tried so hard to preserve. Instantly, his anger surged like a mountain, and he roared in a hoarse voice, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated! Qian Shuhe, you— *pfft*—"
Qian Yong saw that the king's face was turning ashen at a visible speed, his eyes were wide open like copper bells, and he was clutching his chest in pain. He guessed that the king of Zhen Kingdom was so angry that he was holding back his emotions. He raised his hand and slapped the king's back, channeling his martial energy to forcefully break through the blockage.
Accompanied by excruciating pain, fresh air rushed into his nostrils, soothing the burning sensation in his lungs. He gasped for breath, as if he had survived a near-death experience, his knuckles trembling uncontrollably as he braced himself on the ground. Having brushed with death twice in such a short time, the psychological trauma must have been immense. Qian Yong was very dissatisfied with his reaction—
It felt good, but not quite.
"Why don't you beg me?"
This is the kind of plot that's always popular in revenge stories.
The enemy was motionless, like a dead fish; it was boring to watch.
Qian Yong practically had the words "a petty person who has achieved success" written all over his face, clearly telling the King of Zhen that he was there to amuse him: "I am not like you. You were heartless and ungrateful back then, showing no regard for our friendship. But how could I be such a petty person? If you ask, I guarantee you will live, but you will only be a commoner from now on."
Hehehe, I'll still be a commoner in his home turf.
Whether Qian Yong was in a good mood or not, he would always take a look at it.
The King of Zhenguo was so angry that his chest heaved rapidly.
He would gladly keep his life, of course. Death meant losing everything, while life allowed him to lurk in the shadows and plot. All of this hinged on one condition—abundance of wealth and status! To become an ordinary commoner? That was no different than becoming an ant!
Even ants and ordinary people can be easily crushed by the powerful and wealthy!
How could Qian Yong, that dark and despicable villain, let go of the opportunity to humiliate him? Knowing that the commander of Kang State was Qian Yong, his tense nerves relaxed considerably, and his guilt over killing his wife and daughter vanished—he had done nothing wrong! If they were allowed to fall into Qian Yong's hands alive, given Qian Yong's ruthless and vindictive nature, he would surely humiliate them to death!
By killing them with his sword, he was helping to alleviate their suffering.
"You! Talk! Nonsense!"
The King of Zhen spat out a mouthful of frothy, bloody phlegm.
Qian Yong squatted down, speaking in a sarcastic tone.
"You're still not satisfied with my magnanimity in sparing this stray dog's life? You don't want this, you don't want that, so what do you want? Do you want wealth and glory? As a slave of a conquered nation, you should have the awareness of a slave! Wealth and glory, high-ranking official positions, being made a king or a marquis? If you don't have urine now, find a river, drink a couple of mouthfuls, and then look at your old face in the mirror. Do you deserve it? If you're too scared to pee, I can do it for you, but it'll be a little yellow, and it'll look even worse in the mirror..."
The King of Zhen was so ashamed and indignant that he wanted to die.
He had indeed humiliated Qian Yong in the past, but how could he be as vulgar and despicable as this man? He breathed heavily and roared angrily, "Qian Shuhe, if you have the guts, kill me! If you're a man, kill me!"
Qian Yong told him to calm down.
"Don't rush, it's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death."
The military achievement of capturing the King of Zhenguo alive is greater than that of killing someone.
Qian Yong's plan was shrewd and clever.
"Men, tie him up! End the battle as soon as possible! If you hurry, we can still make it to dinner! Tell your men to remember, those who should be arrested can't be missed, and those who shouldn't be arrested shouldn't be touched. Be careful of military law!" In the chaos of battle, there's no guarantee that no soldiers won't take advantage of the confusion to break the rules. Qian Yong had fought his whole life and was used to this kind of thing, but he couldn't stand up to his superiors' disapproval.
He does whatever his superiors want.
Qian Yong was very cooperative in this regard.
Every time he cleans up the battlefield, he has to give repeated instructions and warnings. If anyone still steps on the landmine after such reminders, then they are like an old man who has hanged himself, tired of living, and there is nothing he can do to save them: "Come, come, classmate, take this old man to visit the Lord's new home."
He took two steps and then stopped.
Turning around, he ordered, "Seal off all the city gates!"
Don't let the fat sheep who's packing up their belongings get away!
The subordinate clasped his hands in obeisance and said, "Your subordinate obeys!"
Qian Yong waved with a bright smile: "Go ahead and get busy!"
Under normal circumstances, soldiers are forbidden from raping, plundering, or harassing civilians; violators will be punished according to military law. However, there are occasional exceptions, and some restrictions may be appropriately relaxed.
For example, fleeing with a large amount of property and their family.
Such people are generally either rich or noble.
In chaotic times, bandits roam freely. Who else would they target if not easy prey? Losing several, a dozen, or even dozens of vehicles—it's unavoidable. It's their own fault for fleeing; they didn't even understand the principle of not flaunting their wealth, making them easy targets for criminals!
If they had stayed home obediently, none of these accidents would have happened. Their troops never raid people's homes.
When Qian Yong first found out, he thought Shen Tang was being unnecessary.
[If you send your soldiers directly to their door to demand it, would they dare refuse?]
Why do you have to beat around the bush, like taking off your pants to fart!
Shen Tang said, "We're not bandits!"
Qian Yong: [...]
Shen Tang explained: "The goal isn't about how much money you make, but about cracking down on the local bullies, crushing their arrogance, and giving them a warning. At the same time—we can also earn some extra cash."
Qian Yong asked, puzzled: "Is there a difference?"
"I feel like I'm being a hypocrite..." He started with harsh words, then paused and corrected himself, "No, it's like being a gigolo while pretending to be virtuous! I can't be a hypocrite... The people who get robbed aren't stupid, they can't possibly not guess what's going on with us, right?"
Shen Tang said, "What's the harm in guessing? Nobody believes me anyway!"
Are there more rich people who get robbed, or more commoners who aren't bothered? Shen Tang only needs to control the latter; the former can bark and howl as they please. If they annoy her, she can just rip them off and make them bleed gold coins whenever she's short of money. A few times and they'll behave.
Qian Yong rubbed his fingers together: "This...this..."
Shen Tang: [...]
Seeing Qian Yong stammering but his actions clearly hinting at his intentions, Shen Tang waved his hand: 【Fine, fine, fine—】
Seventy percent must be confiscated, and the remaining thirty percent should be given as rewards.
Shen Tang didn't care how this part was allocated.
Some things shouldn't be taken too far. She blocked most of the illicit income sources for military generals of the time, and strictly prohibited them from doing this and that. After conquering cities and territories, they were not allowed to harass the local people, and violators would be punished according to military law. In exchange, other aspects naturally had to be appropriately relaxed. This part of the reward was a compromise.
But there is one thing—
Don't try to fool me with inferior products.
Among the military generals, there are those like Gongxi Chou, focused solely on training and fighting, indifferent to wealth; there are those like Yun Ce, diligent and conscientious, not driven by fame or fortune; and there are also seasoned veterans like Qian Yong, who want a piece of everything. As the saying goes, "In a large forest, there are all kinds of birds." Shen Tang cannot expect everyone to be pure, virtuous, and benevolent—that's unrealistic. Inevitably, some will be blinded by greed and engage in underhanded dealings with this portion of the income, such as concealing information, confiscating inferior goods, and keeping the good ones for themselves…
Shen Tang had no choice but to lay out the unpleasant truth upfront.
Qian Yong naturally understood these things as well.
He repeatedly stated that he was very pragmatic.
And indeed, that was the case. Even Zhao Feng couldn't resist urging Li Wan to join the Zhenguo rebellion, while Qian Yong, that old fox, was completely unscrupulous. He probably understood Shen Tang's bottom line better than most of the civil and military officials—a true old fox!
From the earth-shattering upheaval to the city's fall and the ensuing chaos, and then to the commotion subsiding, the entire process took less than an hour. Some commoners living in remote areas were still bewildered, unaware that the city beneath their feet had changed hands. It wasn't until someone shouted that the enemy had invaded!
For a time, cries of "Dad, Mom, Dad!" could be heard everywhere.
Then the man shouted again—
"It's over!"
"Then why don't you run away quickly?"
"There's no escape, they've closed the city gates!"
This news struck everyone like a bolt from the blue.
An elderly man in his eighties shed tears.
She was all too familiar with this tactic. The enemy was ruthless and vicious; closing the city gates was the prelude to looting or even massacring them.
The poorly informed commoners were frantic, like ants on a hot plate. Unable to escape, they could only hide. Based on their experience, as long as they hid well and weren't caught by the soldiers, they could escape disaster. If they were even luckier, they might even save some of their belongings! In an instant, the streets were deserted, and every house was locked up.
Lock the door, lock the cellar, hide the cellar.
This made it impossible for Gong Xiqiu to find a shop to buy food.
He was the type to kill but not bury; the city had been captured, and the rest was beyond his purview. He gave a few brief instructions and then went about his own business. Today, on a whim, he wanted to try out the new ability of the Martial Spirit Totem, but he hadn't expected it to consume so much martial energy; his stomach was pounding in protest. Since logistics hadn't been arranged yet, he could only find a nearby restaurant to grab a bite to eat.
result--
The restaurants were either closed or open but empty.
Gong Xiqiu keenly noticed that someone was secretly observing him; these were commoners hiding in their homes. Displeased, he was about to go inside and grab a cook to help with the business when he caught a glimpse of his elder brother flying overhead. He quickly stopped him: "Brother!"
Ji Moqiu stopped in his tracks: "What is it?"
Gong Xichou asked, "Brother, are you still busy?"
Ji Moqiu had nothing to do.
He came here purely out of concern for Gong Xichou—his younger brother's fate was strange, and even his Martial Spirit Totem was odd; after another transformation and evolution, it had gained the ability to steal people's life force. This ability was always domineering, easily lost control, and difficult to manage.
I feel more at ease having him keep an eye on things.
If things went wrong, he could use his divine power to forcefully suppress it and minimize the harm. Gong Xi Chou lived up to expectations; aside from being a little clumsy on his first use, the bad situation he had worried about did not occur. Gong Xi Chou waved to him and smiled, "If you're not busy, have a meal."
The restaurants were deserted.
"That's easy, do it yourself."
Call your brother down to take charge of the cooking, and you'll have a cook now!
Under the watchful, uneasy gaze of the nearby commoners, the two men, speaking with accents from other regions and clad in armor, entered the kitchen one after the other. The commoners hiding in the dry well could still hear the brothers' conversation.
"Where did all the kitchen utensils go?"
Gong Xichou said, "For ordinary people, these tools can also be used for self-defense. They probably took them with them when they fled."
Ji Moqiu can only use his martial energy to create a spatula.
"Fortunately, the ingredients are still available."
If any ingredients or side dishes were missing, the high priest would immediately sprout them.
Soon, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Gong Xichou sat in front of the stove, watching the fire, and sniffed the air. He realized it was all his favorite food, and his smile widened: "Brother, I haven't seen you for the past month. What have you been up to?"
Ji Moqiu speaks frankly.
“You don’t see me because you’re always clinging to A Dou. With A Dou around, how can you even see your elder brother like me?” After saying that, she changed the subject, “However, I have been quite busy lately. The end of the year is approaching, and according to tradition, we need to prepare for the sacrificial dance, so I have to practice.”
"A ritual dance? I've never seen you prepare one in previous years."
"There's a war going on."
There might not be a fight during the Chinese New Year this year.
The so-called sacrificial dance is a ritual dance to please the gods, a major event within the tribe. The high priest would perform the sacrificial dance during the ceremony, communicating with the spirits through music and dance, and listening to divine pronouncements. At the same time, he would pray for the tribe's peace, prosperity, and flourishing in the coming year. Gong Xichou loved this day the most when he was a child, and he would always arrive early to queue for the ceremony.
Thinking of the excitement of yesteryear and the desolation of today, even Gong Xichou couldn't help but sigh: "Just the few of us, it's a bit shabby. I doubt even the gods would want to come. Fengluo has a lot of people, should we spend some money to hire some to come and make it look lively?"
Ji Moqiu skillfully stir-fries the vegetables.
Every now and then, he would pick up a wooden stick and sprinkle something into the pot.
"God doesn't decide whether to come or not based on how lively it is... However, your suggestion isn't without merit..." In his memory, His Highness used to enjoy lively gatherings. "Now that we've won a battle and it's the New Year, it's indeed good to have some excitement..."
"What does this have to do with winning a battle?"
"May our gods grant us victory in all endeavors and prosperity in military affairs."
Gong Xichou didn't care about any of that; he only cared about one thing.
"How's the practice going?"
Ji Moqiu sighed, "I haven't practiced in a long time, and I've become rusty."
Gong Xichou comforted him, saying, "What's there to be afraid of? Practice makes perfect. If you can't do it alone, I can help you."
Donning the high priest's robes and performing the sacrificial dance was his biggest childhood dream. Even now, as an adult, that yearning hasn't completely vanished. If his older brother can't do it, he will!
There was no response from Ji Moqiu.
There was one dish that almost made Gong Xiqiu's soul fly to the ninth heaven from the spiciness; he didn't dare open his mouth, for fear that fire would breathe from his throat!
"Why is it so spicy?"
Ji Moqiu calmly handed him water: "Your Martial Spirit Totem has too much death energy, and you are, after all, a person of the mortal world. You should not be in close contact with death energy. Eating some chili peppers will help you expel the death energy as soon as possible."
Gongxi Chou drank it all in one gulp and felt a little better.
"Cough cough cough, it can't be like this every time, can it?"
Then he won't dare to fight with all his might anymore.
Ji Moqiu opened his eyes, which were similar to Gong Xichou's but much gentler, and said, "No, this is just a temporary emergency."
Gong Xichou finally felt relieved.
Neither of the brothers had a small appetite, and the two devoured all the ingredients in the kitchen. Before leaving, Ji Moqiu left some loose silver coins, and his voice, though not loud, was clearly heard by the hiding commoners: "This should be enough. If it's not enough, you can ask me for more."
Having said that, he bowed and left.
The uneasy common people were left looking at each other in bewilderment.
Ji Moqiu could fire on his own, but the other soldiers hadn't unlocked this skill. Some obediently waited for the logistics to serve their meals, while others dragged the cook out: "Hurry up and serve the food! There's plenty of money, I'm starving... I'll only eat two meals during these two days of rapid marching!"
One of the meals was eaten while walking briskly.
Although they weren't so hungry they couldn't resist, they were all holding back their anger.
Break through the city gates as soon as possible so we can have a meal!
|ω`)
Sigh, the more I look at examples around me, the more I feel that the relationship between parents and children is "delicate," and perhaps there really is cause and effect in the unseen world.
It's been unbearably hot in Wenzhou these past few days.
A relative (who is quite close to me) had a conflict with my parents. My parents, who are in their sixties, had nowhere to go with their elders, so they had to live on the mountain (the old house on the mountain belongs to my family. Last year, my family spent tens of thousands of yuan to rebuild the collapsed old house so that we could put the memorial tablets and portraits of our elders there). It was extremely hot there. The old house didn't have air conditioning. I went there once and was sweating profusely just by standing still.
Both sides actually have big problems, and Shiitake Mushroom isn't taking sides.
Seeing them with their completely white hair, living on the mountain with their elderly parents (both in their early sixties and the other in their eighties), their later years visibly unstable, I felt a pang of sadness, which reminded me of myself.
What exactly is the relationship between children and parents?
Why did things come to this?
(End of this chapter)
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