Chapter 68 The Little Koi Wins People Over with Virtue
After learning of the fall of Jiayu County and the complete annihilation of Sun Dehai and the Black Wind Hall, the Second Prince Sikong Ming finally shed his gentle and refined facade.
He raised an army in Jiangnan under the pretext of "purging the emperor's corrupt advisors and eliminating the wicked concubines".
Of course, everyone knew that the "femme fatale" he referred to was Consort Xian, the birth mother of the Ninth Prince Chu Chongjin.
What he truly wanted to "kill" was Emperor Chu Yuan, who was recuperating in the capital, and his ninth brother, who had gotten in his way.
The secret report said that Sikong Ming had gathered the private soldiers of the Marquis of Suiyuan's mansion and some of the Jiangnan garrison troops he had turned against, totaling more than 50,000 men, claiming to be an army of 200,000, and was pressing towards Jiayu County.
Meanwhile, a certain opinion began to spread widely in the counties and prefectures of Jiangnan.
It is said that Princess Mu Yu of Anguo is not some "little water goddess," but a "little demoness" who will bring disaster.
She claimed that the breach of the Jinghu Dam was caused by her, and that the plague in Yunmeng County was brought by her.
It is said that she used sorcery to bewitch the Ninth Prince and the Duke of Protectorate, with the aim of overthrowing the Great Chu dynasty.
These rumors were so well-constructed and detailed that, coupled with the encouragement of local officials, the people of Jiangnan were filled with fear and unease.
The people, who had just been moved to tears of gratitude towards Chu Chongjin and Mu Yu, began to have doubts again.
"What a clever trick to turn the tables." Chu Chongjin sneered, but there was no trace of panic in his eyes.
"They're trying to isolate us in the media and make it impossible for us to move an inch in Jiangnan." Yan Ziche's face was tense.
"As the art of war says, the best strategy is to win hearts and minds. Sikong Ming is trying to make us collapse without a fight."
Xiao Beichen slammed his fist on the table: "These bastards! The princess saved them, and they still dare to slander her! I'm going to cut out all those talking nonsense!"
"You brute!" Mu Fang scolded, "If you cut out their tongues, can you silence all the gossip in the world?"
"What should we do? Are we just going to let them smear us like this?" Xiao Beichen asked anxiously, his face turning red.
The atmosphere in the lobby became heavy again.
With 50,000 troops pressing in and the morale of the people wavering, this was undoubtedly the biggest crisis they faced after arriving in Jiangnan.
"Father, what is a demoness?"
Mu Yu, biting into the spleen-strengthening candy Xie Zhiwei had specially made for her, asked curiously.
She didn't understand the intricate power struggles, but she could sense that everyone was unhappy.
Mu Fang explained softly, "A witch is... a villain in a story who is ugly and does bad things."
"Oh..." Mu Yu thought for a moment, then puffed out her small chest, looking unconvinced.
"I'm not ugly at all! Sister Jia Ning and Sister Qin Zheng both said I look like a lucky baby from a New Year's painting!"
“I didn’t do anything wrong. I helped everyone find water to drink and even asked Brother Xiao Beichen to give out steamed buns.”
She counted the good deeds she had done on her chubby fingers.
Looking at her earnest yet aggrieved expression, Chu Chongjin suddenly had an idea.
A meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
"Little Fish is right."
He looked at the crowd, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
"They want to wage a war of public opinion, then we'll fight it out with them."
"They have mouths, and so do we. They can spread rumors, but can't we tell stories?"
“Yan Ziche.” Chu Chongjin looked at him.
"Yes." Yan Ziche immediately stood up straight.
"From today onwards, your task is not to organize files, but to write stories."
"Write down all the stories of how the young princess warned of the piping, how she stopped the flow with a single finger, how she purified the assassin, and how she found the water source. Make them as fantastical as possible, the more legendary the better."
"Find some more eloquent storytellers and have them tell stories to me day and night in the teahouses, restaurants, and streets of Jiayu County!"
Yan Ziche's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood Chu Chongjin's intention.
"Your Highness is wise! This student will take care of it immediately!"
Chu Chongjin then looked at Xiao Beichen.
"You, take some men to the city and find more homeless orphans and elderly people, and treat them to good food and drink."
Xiao Beichen was taken aback: "Huh? Your Highness, shouldn't we be reinforcing the city's defenses and preparing for war at this time?"
Chu Chongjin smiled and said, "This is also a war."
"Fight a war without gunpowder."
The next day, the people of Jiayu County discovered that many new things had suddenly appeared in the city.
The storyteller in the east of the city began to tell a new story called "The Legend of the Koi Fish Water God".
The little princess in the story is an auspicious creature descended from heaven. She can understand the river's voice, make bad people lay down their weapons, and her tears can make withered flowers bloom again.
The story was told with great twists and turns, captivating the audience and leaving them completely engrossed.
Beside the porridge stall in the west of the city, the exquisitely beautiful princess, dressed in a pink little armor, really appeared.
She couldn't see, yet she could accurately put candy into the hands of every crying child.
She would touch the old lady's wrinkled hands and say softly, "Grandma, don't cry. The bad guys will be driven away soon, and you'll have meat buns to eat every day from now on."
Several spies sent by Sikong Ming mingled in the crowd, trying to incite the people to riot.
But just as they were about to speak, they saw the little princess "look" at them, then tilt her head and ask curiously, "Uncle, why do you have black threads on your bodies? Just like that fat prefect, they smell so bad."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding people began to look at them differently.
The spies were so terrified they ran away as fast as they could.
In the south of the city, the Xuanjia Army set up a temporary camp to take in homeless orphans.
The young princess would go over every day and lead them in playing the game of "eagle catching chicks".
She acts as a "mother hen," protecting her brood of little ones behind her, while the "eagle" is Xiao Beichen, a young general who is over 1.8 meters tall.
The scene was both heartwarming and comical.
Gradually, the winds in the city shifted.
"What witch? I saw with my own eyes that the little princess shared her dried meat with a starving beggar!"
"That's right! My husband drank the spring water that the little princess found, and his chronic ailments have improved a lot!"
"I heard that those places that called the young princess a witch are now plagued by locusts! That's karma!"
Sikong Ming's rumors were no match for Chu Chongjin's carefully planned "people-friendly show" and "legendary story".
Mu Yu's image as the "Little Water God" was not tarnished; on the contrary, it became more deeply rooted in people's hearts and was even shrouded in a mysterious aura of "distinguishing between loyalty and treachery, and indicating good and bad fortune."
Her blessed pond, having gained the sincere love and gratitude of countless people, has seen its water level rise rapidly once again.
The golden blessings almost materialized into auspicious clouds, enveloping the entire Jiayu County.
Chu Chongjin stood on the city wall, looking down at the peaceful city below and the rebel army gathering in the distance, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Sikong Ming, do you think war is just about having a large army and many generals?
Favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships.
You don't qualify for any of them.
You have already lost this battle.
Just then, a guard rushed in to report.
"Your Highness! A Taoist priest has come from outside the city. He says he wants to see the young princess."
He said he was the senior brother of the Imperial Preceptor Xuanjizi, Lingxuzi.
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