Chapter 692
Chapter 692
“Brother Gong, there is one thing I am extremely curious about, but it’s a very personal matter, so I’m not sure if I should ask it here.”
For a moment, the hairs on Lord Gong's neck stood on end as he replied.
“Worthy Brother, if it’s too personal, let’s not speak of it here.”
“I don’t believe you were the one who solved the riddle at the entrance to the ancient ruins. How did you learn the answer to open the entrance?”
“Ah, you were talking about that.”
Lord Gong breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried Shen Lang would ask about other, more private matters. For instance, the intimate stories between him and the Southern Barbarian couple.
“I didn’t solve it, but someone else left the answer for me.”
Lord Gong’s direct answer surprised Shen Lang. First, he was surprised that Lord Gong would so candidly reveal such a secret, and second, he was astonished that someone would share the ancient ruins instead of monopolizing them.
“Who was it? Who could be so magnanimous?”
Shen Lang was puzzled.
“I didn’t know who it was at first either, as he didn’t leave a name. But later, I came across the handwriting of His Highness Jiang Li.”
“You mean Lord Jiang Li? He discovered the ancient ruins within the Southern Barbarian lands first? Then he solved the riddle, wrote down the answer, and left it so that the next person could enter?”
Lord Gong nodded.
“Not only that, but when I entered the ancient ruins, I found that His Highness Jiang Li had already explored a portion of them. He had already deciphered many of the ancient texts and had even sorted many extremely precious items by category and left them there. Furthermore, he wrote an entire book to teach future generations how to interpret these ancient texts. It was as if I simply sat back and reaped the rewards of his hard work.”
“Worthy Brother Shen Lang, I fled to the Southern Barbarians like a stray dog, my heart filled with resentment. But in those ancient ruins, I was humbled by the magnanimity of His Highness Jiang Li. So, although I am not as great a man as he, I tried to learn from his example.”
“So, it was in those ancient ruins that your spirit was forged and elevated? Is that how you became the Lord Gong so revered by the Southern Barbarians today?”
“I wouldn’t dare say that. I merely tried to learn even a fraction of what His Highness was. Of course, I lack his spirit, that ambition to swallow the world like a tiger.”
“I understand many things now.”
Then, as if about to discuss an important matter, Shen Lang rubbed his hands together and spoke with a serious expression.
“Brother Gong, what do you say to withdrawing your troops? Your army would officially retreat from the State of Yue, preserving Yue’s territorial integrity, and we would sign a ceasefire agreement.”
The Southern Barbarian Queen spoke from the side.
“We can have a ceasefire, but you must maintain the previous conditions and cede the five southern commanderies!”
But before she could finish, Lord Gong stopped her, then looked at Shen Lang and said.
“Very well. As you wish, Worthy Brother. I will issue a decree to the grand armies of Su Nan and Nangong Ao, ordering them to withdraw entirely from the territory of Yue and officially cease all hostilities!”
‘He can make a decision so decisively?’
Shen Lang was taken aback by Lord Gong.
“Does Brother Gong have any other conditions?”
Lord Gong shook his head.
“Worthy Brother, this is the ceasefire agreement I’ve drafted. Take a look.”
Shen Lang took it and saw that it was not written in the ornate, parallel prose typical of diplomatic documents, but contained only a very simple statement.
At the end were Lord Gong’s signature and seal. There were no conditions or demands for reparations whatsoever, and the left side was blank. Shen Lang signed his name, but his official rank was too low for it to be sufficient. Ning Zheng would need to add his signature as well. Finally, the agreement would be presented to King Ning Yuanxian for his signature and seal. Once this agreement was signed, the war in the south of Yue would be completely over. Even then, Lord Gong still proposed no conditions.
“Brother Gong, there is something I must tell you.”
“Please speak, Worthy Brother.”
“Do you know of Zhu Ning?”
“I’ve heard of her. But she was very young when I left Heavenly Yue City.”
“That girl is a woman who never leaves her home, but she is also a genius. She spends her days buried in ancient books, so she knows a great deal. She also has a peculiar habit: whenever someone becomes popular, she studies them. And her research is always thorough.”
Lord Gong understood Shen Lang’s meaning. The most talked-about figure in the entire Eastern world recently was Lord Gong himself.
“Are you saying, Worthy Brother, that Zhu Ning might also study the trail of my ruin excavations and report it to the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion? The Pavilion is desperate to acquire all ancient ruins, so the ruins of my Great Southern Kingdom could be in danger.”
Shen Lang nodded.
“You must guard against that possibility.”
Lord Gong nodded.
“Thank you for the warning, Worthy Brother. I know what to do.”
“Lord Gong, since your grand army will have gained nothing from this attack on the State of Yue, won’t the Southern Barbarians blame you?”
Lord Gong shook his head.
“The warriors of the Southern Barbarians don’t covet land much; they only enjoy plunder. I originally needed Yue’s land because the Great Southern Kingdom required a large population for development. We need people to farm, to urbanize our cities. So I needed about two million people from Yue, as they have a very high production capacity. But now, I can just use the people of the Southern Gull Kingdom!”
The Southern Gull Kingdom also had a population of about two million. Aside from some Southern Barbarians, the majority were people from Yue who had migrated there after Yue conquered the kingdom in the past.
“From what I see, the lands of the Southern Barbarians produce a lot of fruit, and you brew a lot of wine. By contrast, are you short on staple foods like rice and wheat, as well as meat?”
Short on meat in the Southern Barbarian lands? Yes and no. The territory teemed with countless wild animals, so a single hunt could yield a large amount of food. However, only a few could afford to eat meat regularly. The majority lived by gathering yams and other things. It was only after the introduction of sweet potatoes that the Southern Barbarians were completely freed from famine.
“Meat is less of an issue. We have begun to domesticate and raise wild boars.”
“The lands of the Southern Barbarians have many specialty products that we need. We have the rice and cotton that you need. I will send the Skyroad Guild to the Great Southern Kingdom to open trade between Yue and your nation.”
“Can you sell iron?”
“We can sell pig iron, but not steel.”
“I understand. However, luxury goods like silk and mirrors must not be brought into the Great Southern Kingdom.”
The people of the Great Southern Kingdom were currently brave and simple, completely unexposed to luxuries. Contact with such items would affect their character and severely diminish their combat effectiveness. Lord Gong planned to open the Great Southern Kingdom gradually, at a very slow pace. If a backward capital like this were to be thrown open all at once, allowing Eastern civilization to flood in, it would lead to unbearable consequences.
“Let’s do this. I will designate a specific district in Fallen Leaf City exclusively for trade. You and I will trade there every year. It’s close to the sea and also near Raging Tide City.”
“Excellent. The wine of the Great Southern Kingdom is of very high quality; it will surely sell well.”
“Right, now for a personal matter. I’ll need your help, Worthy Brother.”
“Please, speak.”
“You possess the greatest talent. The deeper I delve into the ancient ruins of the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes, the more difficult the content becomes. When the time comes, I would like to ask for your guidance, Worthy Brother.”
“I will be sure to tell you everything I know, without holding anything back. Brother Gong, will there truly be no problems if you withdraw the Southern Barbarian army so abruptly? Won’t the troops below you truly resent you?”
“Of course, we will need to put on a grand performance!”
“A divine performance, you mean?”
“If my predictions are correct, Teacher Sha Yin has already begun preparations.”
Shen Lang bowed at the waist.
“Since that is the case, I thank you for your hospitality, Brother Gong. I shall take my leave now.”
“There is some news I must share with you, Worthy Brother.”
Shen Lang was inwardly delighted.
‘I was waiting for you to say that.’
“Please, go on.”
“Mount Fudao has also intervened in this war.”
Shen Lang’s eyes narrowed.
“Therefore, at a critical moment, something major could happen on the battlefield of Tianxi Province.”
What was Mount Fudao best at? Assassinating people without a trace, of course. However, according to the rules of the Great Yan Dynasty, no transcendent power could interfere in the internal affairs of another state without the emperor's will, and harming a monarch was even more out of the question. To make a move on the monarch of a nation was so far beyond the pale that not even Mount Fudao would dare to do such a thing. Unless, of course, they had a decree from His Majesty the Emperor. But His Majesty would not issue such a decree.
“There is another person involved in this matter. The crown prince of the new Qian Kingdom, the traitorous disciple of His Highness Jiang Li. That man holds a high position in Mount Fudao, and the State of Chu has territorial disputes with the new Qian Kingdom and the State of Liang.”
After the sudden death of His Highness Jiang Li, the great Qian Empire had fractured. The Great Yan Dynasty took the largest piece, and the State of Qin also seized several provinces. The new Qian Kingdom was now only a fraction of its former territory. Still, it remained a large state, twice the size of Yue. The King of Chu was cunning and greedy. While Lord Jiang Li was alive, he had wagged his tail to curry favor, but upon his sudden death, he immediately marched his army north and seized over a hundred thousand square kilometers of the Qian Kingdom’s land. Of course, His Majesty the Emperor could not let it slide and later pressured Chu to return more than half of the land. But the other half remained swallowed by Chu.
“Worthy Brother, His Majesty the Emperor may not be fond of Ning Yuanxian, but that doesn't mean he dislikes Ning Qi and Ning Yi. If Ning Qi were to forge a deeper secret pact with the Great Yan Dynasty, the thing you fear might just happen. His Majesty would like to see a weakened State of Yue, and he would like even more to see both Yue and Chu weakened simultaneously! Therefore, anything can happen on the battlefield of Tianxi Province!”
“Do not underestimate Ning Qi, Worthy Brother. That man is a master of schemes. The ruthless battlefield commander is merely a persona he's crafted. In truth, he's a man who wields vicious political tactics, possesses great audacity, and doesn't hesitate to use extreme measures.”
“I have already seen the signs. The Xue Clan’s fleet is assembling, but its movements are unclear. I suspect their target is my family’s Raging Tide City.”
The Xue Clan would dispatch their navy to attack Raging Tide City, and after capturing it, they wouldn’t keep it for themselves but would hand it over to the Prince of Wu and the Hidden Yuan Society. What a grand scheme that was.
“And one more thing. Zhu Ning will marry Ning Qi as his official wife, and Zhu Hongbing will take Zhong Shishi as his wife.”
Shen Lang was stunned by the news. He had been so busy on the battlefield that this was the first he’d heard of this secret development. So, the day had finally come. Zhu Hongzhu had finally given up on Ning Yi and switched her support to Ning Qi. This was a major problem. The Zhu, Zhong, and Xue clans were now all supporting Ning Qi. With the civil and military officials united as one, Ning Qi's power would surely skyrocket, far surpassing that of the former crown prince, Ning Yi.