Chapter 450
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Chapter 450: The Mighty Skies
It was getting dark, and Bai Wei started feeling hungry. He went out to look for food and saw Yagyū Simozi watching TV with Sakurai Shiru.
He was a little surprised and asked, "You haven’t rested yet?"
Yagyū Simozi stood up and asked, "Waiting for my older brother to come out."
"Didn’t I say I was going into seclusion?"
"Seclusion doesn’t mean I’m fasting." Yagyū Simozi opened the rice cooker, scooped some rice into a bowl, and placed the hot dishes on the table. "The meal is still hot."
Bai Wei nodded and felt much calmer. He started eating by himself.
The peaceful scene in this courtyard is excellent, just like a peaceful country in peacetime.
But what about the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom thousands of miles away? It’s a chaotic place, where the people are suffering.
Many people have to fight with all their might just to have a meal, doing things that are beastly and disgraceful.
Bai Wei chewed on white rice and looked at the simple three dishes and one soup. A feeling of sadness welled up in his heart.
The difference between being an emperor before and being a mentor is also so great.
In the palace, no matter how lowly one’s status, there will always be someone responsible for daily life. The three meals a day are always the best and top-notch.
But as a mentor, leading a mercenary group, in the beginning, there was often not enough to eat. They had to save their rations to offset expenses.
For ordinary people, having a piece of bread and a little jam for a meal is considered good. Meat is rare and most of it goes into the mouths of the rich and powerful.
This contrast feels very strong.
Every time Bai Wei sees this scene, he unconsciously ignites an unnamed anger inside him, wishing to ignite a spark and cause a blaze. In the past, he was able to change a country by his own efforts, but it’s difficult to replicate that in another country.
Bai Wei self-mockingly said, "A troubled person disturbs themselves."
After dinner, he spent some time with his two younger sisters, then put them to sleep and continued back to his room to begin seclusion.
Now, most of his energy needs to be focused on the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom. It’s possible that for a period of time, he won’t have time to pay attention to Europa, so he needs to inform them in advance.
Fortunately, most things are going well now, there’s not much to worry about.
The matter of Sakurai Shiru starting school doesn’t need to be rushed during this period. After spring break ends, he can send her to school, which will be in April.
He can take a trip back to the Ming Country in March. The whole month of January happens to be the last time before the tide of ashes recedes.
This should have been a leisurely month of doing nothing for Bai Wei, but for the Bai Ze Kingdom, it may be the countdown to its demise.
Bai Wei lay on the bed, feeling tired, and closed his eyes, continuing his endless overtime.
…
Qiongqi Country is vast, occupying two-fifths of the entire Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom’s territory, supporting thirty percent of the population. It relies on various farming and trading activities to support its economic development. Lord Qiongqi indeed emphasizes military power, but the foundation of its strength lies in its predominantly agricultural structure.
Agriculture, animal husbandry, and weaponry are all important in Qiongqi Country. It’s hard for outsiders to imagine that internally, Qiongqi Country is relatively stable. As the most powerful feudal state, it constantly launches wars and annexes territories to support its internal agricultural and commercial order. This has prevented the people in Qiongqi Country from suffering the chaos of war. Every household tightens their belts, purchases regular government bonds, and considers themselves fortunate to live within the borders of the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom.
The capital of Qiongqi Country is called Lingxi. In a corner of Lingxi, there is a field. Order reigns in this field, far from the sounds of war but dedicated to farming and learning.
An old man walks in the vegetable field. It is already January, in the midst of winter. The ground is covered in a layer of frost, and the old man treads on the half-frozen mud. He picks up a few shriveled eggplants that have been damaged by the frost from the vegetable rack.
Following behind is a middle-aged man. This man has horns on his head and a tall figure. He looks imposing but not angry. He wears the official robes of Qiongqi Country, with his ankles and hem stained with dirt. He carries a wooden basket with winter bamboo shoots, eggplants, and crucian carp inside.
"Don’t be deceived by the appearance of these winter fruits and vegetables. Although they look withered, they actually taste delicious. Losing moisture adds to their flavor. I’ll cook a few dishes for you later…"
"Prime Minister, I’m not here to eat."
"I don’t even have time to eat; don’t you give me face? Then I’ll throw a tantrum."
"The emperor is waiting for a reply, but I haven’t finished eating here…"
"Why are you all so anxious, as if something urgent has happened? I’ve already said that this matter cannot be rushed."
The old man felt bored and walked over to sit under the bamboo shed that he had set up. He poured a cup of hot tea and drank it slowly.
"Haste makes waste. As for me, I have already calculated. I told you, back then, to accumulate food and resources instead of rushing to become the king. But one by one, all of you have insatiable appetites. You eat without being able to spit it out. I warned you, Liu State is like a poisonous cake, but you still eagerly ate it. Now it’s choking you, stuck in your throat like a fishbone. The only way is to continue opening trade routes and reluctantly deal with Bai Ze Kingdom, a tough nut to crack. You really have no memory. Now, what can I say? It’s still a hopeless situation. What’s the use of your impatience? Even if you dig three feet into the ground in Liu State, you won’t be able to dig out anyone."
The middle-aged man beside him touched the horn on top of his head and flatteringly smiled, "Please don’t say such things in front of others."
"I’ve said it, said it more than once, but no one listens. A bunch of fools, thinking that reading a few books means they understand military tactics? Do they think they are Sun Bin reincarnated?" The old man spat and several bitter tea leaves came out.
"Please drink, please drink." The middle-aged man squatted beside and poured the tea, his expression cautious and even a bit subservient, but it was clear he was sincere and didn’t feel insulted at all.
"As for me, I usually like to give some concessions in business. I take eight parts, and give away two parts. It’s all about harmony and making profits. In the Warring States period, it’s true that everyone eats from each other. But the art of strategy lies in the interests. With strategic maneuvering, you can exchange six li for ten cities, or you can’t take a single cent and damage the alliance. Ultimately, it’s about the word ‘choice.’ I have always emphasized that although tyranny is good, it’s not as good as the royal way. Being aggressive and snatching like a tiger or a wolf, shrinking the map to an inch is not the way to go. Think about whether Bi Fang’s death is suspicious. And think about how many benefits were spat out by Jiuyin after his death, causing how much chaos."
"There is no such thing as an absolute destiny in this world, it’s all just a trick to deceive people. There is no absolute certainty. Are the people in Liu State deserving of their mysterious deaths? Doesn’t the royal court want to maintain its legitimacy? It’s just bad luck."
After finishing his tea, the old man chewed on the bitter tea leaves and sighed, "I know you’ve faced many questions today and you feel wronged. You don’t want to come to me and complain. You’re wondering why I intercepted Bai Ze’s military strategies through three secret letters, repeatedly changing our plans. You all believe that we must increase our efforts, but this battle shouldn’t be fought with so much military power. This winter, we should be conserving our strength. If you continue fighting like this, what will happen next year? Can we still use the Bai Ze Kingdom that we conquer? Will Daylight Kingdom do business with us? The road is not far, there is still Liu State in between. Even if we conquer it, Xiangliu may intervene. Even if they don’t intervene, they may still harass us from time to time. We would have to be on high alert for ten or eight years. It’s unreasonable to guard against the enemy for a thousand days!"
The middle-aged man’s face was filled with anguish, "But you can’t act so recklessly…"
"I have no choice but to act this way," the old man muttered to himself, "The little princess of Bai Ze Kingdom has returned."
"…," the middle-aged man couldn’t understand. What importance could a little princess have?
"She is a pawn that everyone wants to possess. Someone even spent a million dragon coins to buy her life," the old man spat out the tea leaves and tapped his teeth with his fingers. Then he poured out Shimizu to rinse his mouth, "Don’t be fooled by the state of affairs. There can still be negotiations. But if she dies, there will be no negotiations. Bai Ze Kingdom will fight to the end, and all we will get is a dead city. But I don’t want a dead city, I want a trade route that connects."
The middle-aged man asked, "Who bought her life?"
"Wang Ran, that nasty kid… as ruthless as ever," the old man laughed and cursed, "That’s why I plan to spend money to keep her alive."
"Do you still have money?"
"I have a little secret money, still have a lot of billion." The old man said, "I have three buildings in the capital city of the Ming Country."
The middle-aged man was surprised and asked, "How much did you spend?"
"I didn’t spend anything." The old man shook his head, "I didn’t even spend a penny. Someone else spent 20 million to buy her life!"
"So, if the risk is hedged, it means that what can keep her alive can also make her die? What makes her die can also make her alive?" The middle-aged man scratched his head confusedly.
"Whether she is the cat in the box or not is not important. What matters is who is buying her life." The old man picked a winter bamboo shoot, peeled its skin slowly, and said, "There are not many people capable and interested in participating in this game. Wang Ran is a rising star, but there aren’t many people of my generation left. Some have returned to the Ming Country and quit the competition, some have disappeared without a trace. Now, there are only a few people who can compete with me. What I need to do is to be steady. Only by being steady can I win. It’s not easy to accumulate this fortune, and I can’t let those foolish people ruin it. Do you understand?"
The middle-aged man stood up and bowed, "I understand, I’ve learned."
"You are a good student, but unfortunately you have only learned seventy percent from me. The other thirty percent, the Guiguzi’s teachings, you cannot learn. Otherwise, I can finally rest assured…" The old man sniffed the fragrant smell of the winter bamboo shoot and slowly narrowed his eyes, looking at the slightly gloomy sky.
"Tell those tortoises who are several hundred years older than me, that my body is still strong. If they dare to send five armies, I will make their blood stain the walls of the Lingxi city. I have been preparing for a battle with Xiangliu for many years. What is a small country like Bai Ze?"
The middle-aged man bowed his head and promised, and in the next moment, wings grew from his back, he swiftly flew away.
Yuan Tianjian looked at the scene of Qiongqi soaring and exclaimed.
"Ah… the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom. I only wish I could have been born two thousand years earlier. This place is not my home."
He slowly stood up, rubbing his waist with his hands behind his back.
A young man in the nearby field took off his straw hat and asked, "Sir, what are your orders?"
"Besides the court, the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom also has the rivers and lakes. Leave this red herring to the rivers and lakes to handle. I usually don’t involve myself in matters that are just adding to the excitement, but today I’ll make an exception and add fuel to the fire…" the old man said, casually grabbing a handful of numbered chess pieces from a nearby box and throwing them on the ground. "Summon these people if there is any trace of Princess Bai Ze."
"Is it for rescue?"
"No… to kill!" Yuan Tianjian said calmly, "I want to see the bodies of the dead!"
The farmer bowed his head, picked up the chess pieces, and walked away.
Yuan Tianjian muttered to himself, "Probably many martial arts experts and strange monsters will also die… Good riddance!" He chuckled coldly.
Yuan Tianjian was a skilled adventurer. He was acclaimed for his ability to single-handedly support the prosperity of the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom. Among his peers, he was considered the closest to achieving the title of "Ghost Valley Master," with no one else coming close.