101 The fake girl is a spoiler and troubles Beichen

Shen Tang couldn't help but sigh from the depths of his soul.

"Zheng Qiao is truly a figure of profound contradictions," he remarked.

Qui Shan inquired, "Profound contradictions?"

"There are aspects of him that perplex me," Shen Tang explained.

Chu Yao asked, "Perplexing to Wu Lang?"

"Label him foolish, yet he practices self-discipline and endures humiliation and hardship. Without some intellect, he wouldn't survive under the old ministers of Xin, let alone leave the inner court. But to call him intelligent, I see no evidence of his intelligence. How could he ruin such a favorable situation like this? The decline of Xin's national fortune is inevitable, so the conquest of Xin by Geng did not expend much effort. If he could just settle down and recuperate, without indulging his troops in pillaging and humiliating the royal family of Xin, perhaps he could have aimed for control over the entire northwest..." Shen Tang pondered.

Perhaps it was his nature, or perhaps growing up in the inner court, accustomed to the intrigues of the harem, led him to favor such unconventional and sinister methods. But regardless, he emerged victorious, climbing atop the shoulders of ten thousand men.

The promising situation was unnecessarily jeopardized.

A winning hand squandered into nothingness.

Chu Yao smiled faintly. "Because Zheng Qiao is quite arrogant. He is indeed clever; in his youth, his talents were exceptional. Otherwise, why would scholars and esteemed families disregard his background and be willing to teach him? If he hadn't been taken into the inner court by the ruler of Xin, with his talents, perhaps he would already be renowned and celebrated throughout the land. But the more he achieves, the easier it is for him to entangle himself after his downfall."

Shen Tang murmured, "Arrogant? Entangled?"

Chu Yao, with a hint of mockery flashing through his thoughts, remarked, "He may not be unaware of his actions. Whether they are old ministers of Xin or remnants, they are nothing but ants trampled beneath his feet. Even if the ants swarm out, they can't make a difference. A single spark could incinerate them all. Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utterly futile."

"The whole world knows of his ignominious past in the inner court of Xin. So, in order to cover it up, he must demonstrate to the world his ruthless means of tormenting and playing with his enemies..."

Today, annihilating one family, tomorrow raiding another, the day after rewarding his cronies for their misdeeds, allowing them to wreak havoc. No matter how the aggrieved ants protest and struggle, under the chariot of his power, they are all crushed into minced meat.

Moreover—

Chu Yao saw through it all. "Although we don't know who spread the rumor of 'rebellion near the temporary palace,' judging from Zheng Qiao's frantic and hysterical reaction, he may also realize that his situation is precarious. Thus, a groundless rumor can make him see enemies everywhere. But, Wu Lang wonders, does Zheng Qiao still have the possibility of redemption?"

Shen Tang shook his head after pondering. "Letting anger and hatred dominate reason, cutting off one's own path to survival. Even if he wants to turn back, he must see if the people he has offended are willing to give him the chance to repent. He understands this, so he might as well go mad to the end."

Chu Yao said calmly, "Cautiously self-discipline, cultivate oneself to pacify others, rectify one's conduct, and the world will return. Zheng Qiao is the one who deviates from the world."

So, his fate is doomed.

At this moment, Shen Tang noticed Lin Feng's unusual silence beside him. So he softly asked if she was feeling uncomfortable or tired.

Children of eight or nine years have limited energy.

Lin Feng snapped out of her daze, realizing that everyone was looking at her. She lowered her head and stammered, "This servant suddenly remembered a passage from a folk song heard in her hometown, which includes the line 'The false woman causes chaos in the Northern Star, the smoke and dust of twenty routes rush towards the Purple Palace.'"

Neither Qui Shan nor Chu Yao had heard of this news.

After all, Lingzhou is not close to here.

However—

Qui Shan teasingly remarked, "The person who spread this folk song didn't give Zheng Qiao any face."

Everyone knew that Zheng Qiao was once bestowed the name "Female Jiao" by the ruler of Xin, with the "Northern Star" referring to the "Emperor Star" or "Imperial Residence," and the "Purple Palace" also having the meaning of "Imperial Palace." The first line curses Zheng Qiao for all the mischief he's done in the inner court, for not having a legitimate position, and the second line is intriguing.

The smoke and dust represent forces. The twenty routes of "forces" charging towards the Purple Palace would undoubtedly make Zheng Qiao lose sleep and toss and turn in bed after hearing such news... No, perhaps he can't sleep at all.

Qui Shan asked, "You come from Lingzhou, how is the situation over there?"

Lin Feng tugged at her clothes, looking upset. "This servant is not sure, but I heard the maids talking about warfare erupting again outside."

It's because of this that the Lin family chose to flee south to avoid disaster.

Qui Shan, looking at the distressed bandit leader and the unfortunate Lin family, understood everything—The appearance of this folk song in Lingzhou, followed by internal strife, rumors of rebellions near the temporary palace, and the actual uprising... Zheng Qiao has lost the people's trust, and various forces want him dead. The Sibao County is still relatively quiet, and there's no news of battles.

He exchanged a glance with Chu Yao in secret.

Indeed, this situation is what they wanted to see, but they didn't expect it to come so soon. They originally thought Zheng Qiao's reign could last another five years, with the signs of war starting from Sibao County. Five years is enough for them to plan and strategize, and also gives Shen Xiaolang time to grow.

But they didn't expect others to be even more proactive than them.

Seeing a part and understanding the whole, from the timing and location of these songs and rumors, it seems there are quite a few "villains."

Shen Tang comfortingly patted the little girl's head, suddenly remembering something and took out a few pieces of candy to offer her.

"Here, something sweet."

Children love sweets, and Lin Feng should be no exception, right?

Looking at the candy lying in her palm, Lin Feng's eyes grew slightly warm.

Zhai Le sighed, "Whether there's war or not, it's the common people who suffer."

With Geng and Xin waging war, the battlefield is right in Xin, and one can imagine the days of the Xin people. The war ended, and barely half a year passed before chaos erupted again. Who knows how many years this time's conflict will last, and how much time it will take for the scars on this land to heal?

Upon further thought, isn't it the same everywhere else?

The Xin people are just a microcosm of the entire continent.

Shen Tang noticed the somber mood and discomfort among

 the others. He was about to speak up to liven the atmosphere when Gong Shuwu suddenly said, "Wu Lang, I have an unpleasant request."

"What unpleasant request? Speak plainly."

He gestured to the bandit leader and the captured bandits. "I want to talk to them about something."

"Talk?" Shen Tang raised his eyebrows.

Gong Shuwu's eyes flashed with coldness. "Yes."

Shen Tang understood his meaning after a brief moment.

With a serious expression, he said, "Feel free to chat with them."

Sending them down to talk to the King of Hell, she wouldn't object.

It also saved her from a few mouths to feed.

Although escorting prisoners is considered "official duty," they are also bound by the principles of justice. The torture on the way to exile is not within the scope of "official duty." Who knows how many Gong family members died at the hands of these bailiffs during exile. Gong Shuwu's request is reasonable.

The bandit leader was puzzled. It was only when all the bandits were pulled into a secluded corner, ensuring that the commotion here wouldn't disturb Shen Tang and the others, that Gong Shuwu sneered and asked the captured bandits, "Among you, who served as bailiffs? Who participated in escorting the Gong family members?"

Hearing this, the bandit leader's heart pounded.

He couldn't help but ask, "Are you..."

Gong Shuwu continued to sneer, "I am Gong Wen, Gong Yili!"

The bandit leader only knew that there was a ninth-grade official from the Gong family who was on the run, and he didn't know his name. Even so, just hearing the surname "Gong," he felt a chill creeping up from the soles of his feet to his head.

Several surviving bailiffs trembled with fear.

Gong...

The Gong family's Gong?