Heirs of the Seven Swords of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 1476

A few days later, Songhai City is still the same Songhai City, and the majestic mirage is still docked near the port, as if nothing has changed.

However, in fact, the change has already quietly settled in the city.

Some are major events, and most people are aware of them, but their specific understanding varies.

For example, the imperial general Meng Tian has led his troops to withdraw from the Songhai area and return to the imperial capital Xianyang.

This is evidenced by the significant reduction in the number of soldiers patrolling the city in the past few days.

Some are just small things that only a handful of people notice.

For example, an inn in the city has completely closed down, and I don’t know if it will open again.

It is said...it is just said that someone saw the shopkeeper, Chef Ding, being taken away by a few people who could tell at a glance that he was not a good person. I am afraid that his life or death is uncertain.

Obviously, for ordinary people, the former is more discussed.

What happened in the imperial capital of Xianyang that caused General Meng Tian to evacuate Songhai in a hurry became a hotly debated topic.

In comparison, the closure of an inn and the disappearance of the innkeeper, the cook, were only mentioned in casual conversations among the neighbors.

Oh, the students of Xiaoshengxian Village will also discuss it.

There is a huge gap in the degree of discussion between the two, but for some people, Pao Ding's matter is more important than Meng Tian's withdrawal.

"Judging from the intelligence collected so far, the disappearance of Pao Ding should be closely related to the trap."

At the Mo family's secret contact point under the cliff on the seaside on the outskirts of Songhai City, Bandit Zhi, who had almost recovered from his injuries, was reporting what he had learned to Master Ban.

"On the night when the stronghold was attacked, someone saw some strange people appearing at the door of an inn from a distance when it first started to dawn."

"According to their descriptions, those people are most likely Zhao Gao and his Six Sword Slaves."

"Tsk, tsk..." Master Ban stroked his beard hastily, with a troubled look on his face, and sighed softly.

"After the party that day, the chef was most likely exposed, so we shouldn't leave him alone in the city anymore."

"Something really happened now!"

Gao Jianli stood aside with a sullen face, lost in thought, and after a moment he said:

"If Chef Ding was taken away in a net, why can't we find out his whereabouts at all?"

As a killer organization and an espionage agency, Luowang will inevitably have a strong mysterious aura among ordinary people.

It makes people feel that it is very powerful, even beyond common sense.

But to true experts, Luowang is just an underground organization living in the shadows.

At most, there are more people and stronger strength.

It is no different from other sects and organizations. It will have all the problems that it should have, such as leakers, betrayers, and undercover agents from other forces.

Therefore, the Mo family was able to obtain the snare information.

Of course, it is still difficult to obtain secret information that is too important and secretive.

However, it stands to reason that they can get the information from Cook Ding.

Because there is no need to hide the cook in the net.

To be more precise, Luo Wang might even take the initiative to expose the information about the cook to the outside world.

There is no one but fishing.

How much information can be pried out from the cook's mouth?

At most, it’s just fun.

If you really want to be effective, you have to be a serious Mohist high-level person like Ban Master Gao Jianli.

"Could it be that the Yin and Yang family also got involved?" Thieves Zhi interjected his conjecture.

To say that the cook is worthless is only when compared with important members like Master Gao Jianliban.

In fact, as a secret spy placed by the Mo family in Songhai, and having been delivering meals to Xiaoshengxian Village over the years, the cook is still very important.

It's just that it's difficult to extract valuable information from people like them, so simply using the cook's confession as a breakthrough point is not cost-effective.

Why not catch a fish by the way?

However, there is a group of torture ghosts in this world - people from the Yin and Yang family.

Whether it is Yin-Yang mind-reading skills or Yin-Yang puppet skills, they are both excellent means of interrogating intelligence.

Even Chef Ding, who was born in the Mohist family, could not resist the power of these two Yin and Yang arts.

After Master Ban heard this guess, he immediately shook his head.

"Probably not."

"If the Yin Yang family had intervened, they would have obtained all the valuable information within a few days. It is impossible for the people of the empire to have done nothing."

"Then...why?" Thieves Zhi asked doubtfully as he lifted the two locks of yellow hair on his forehead.

Gao Jianli answered in a deep voice, "Perhaps... Luo Sheng has other motives for arresting the cook?"

There was a bit of confusion on Duan Zhi's face, "Apart from our Mo family's spies, isn't Fatty Ding just a cook?"

"What's the use of a cook to a snare? Ask him to cook a table of food and then poison the master?"

Master Ben raised his eyebrows and couldn't help twirling his beard with his fingers:

"It's hard to say... nothing can be done with this trap!"

Gao Jianli shook his head slightly and ended the topic:
  "The purpose of the snare is only secondary. Our focus is still on the whereabouts of Pao Ding."

"People must be rescued."

Thief Zhi nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, I understand, I will continue to inquire."

"We should also go to Little Saint's Manor more often. Zifang may be able to get some valuable information." Master Ban reminded.

She gave him a toothy smile, made a clear gesture, and disappeared.

Master Ban couldn't help but smile helplessly when he saw this, shook his head and sighed, "I hope I can find out the news as soon as possible..."

………………

Songhai City, General's Mansion, Fusu's study.

There were two people sitting in the room at this time.

One is naturally Fusu, and the other is Gu Xun, who is Fusu’s teacher.

The master and apprentice sat facing each other, with a cup of hot tea smoking in front of them.

"You probably know everything about Meng Tian being transferred, right?"

Gu Xun held the teacup and said to his students with a smile.

Fusu nodded, his face not as relaxed and relaxed as Gu Xun's, but a little solemn:

"understood……"

"Hu, the one who destroyed Qin... I didn't expect that just because of this prophecy, my father would send troops to the north!"

Fusu's tone could be heard to be very excited.

It was no big deal to him that Ying Zheng urgently summoned Meng Tian back to Xianyang.

No matter what happens, no matter what, this is Meng Tian's duty as a minister, and it is also the right of Ying Zheng, the emperor.

Even if it was nothing important, it didn't matter if Ying Zheng wanted to call Meng Tian back.

But now that Ying Zheng has summoned Meng Tian back to start another war in the North, the situation is different.

In Fusu's view, not to mention that the current situation of the wolf clan in the north is relatively calm, even if Mao Dun really intends to invade the Central Plains and even takes actual actions, the empire must maintain restraint and try to only defend.

It's not that Fusu is weak, or that Fusu doesn't understand the harm that wolf raids can do to border areas, but the empire has to exercise restraint.

Now the war in the south is advancing steadily, with half a million troops and millions of laborers invested in it, and all kinds of military supplies are consumed every day.

Counting the permanent border garrison troops stationed in various places, even if everything goes smoothly during the Lingnan War, more than 70% of the empire's strength will be completely contained in the military.

Basically all the rest will be used to maintain the internal affairs of the empire, which is constantly experiencing internal troubles.

Under such circumstances, if the war in the North begins again, it cannot be described as bellicose.

This kind of crazy move will undoubtedly seriously aggravate the chaos within the empire.

Fusu, who had been in power for several years and was able to stand alone, could certainly see the huge hidden dangers and would certainly not support his father's order.

Especially when the beginning of everything was just a divination prophecy.

Gu Xun was not surprised by Fusu's excited reaction and waved his hand calmly:

"Don't be too quick to get angry. I received urgent information that something unexpected happened in the north."

"Modun successfully contacted the Wusun Kingdom, and the two parties reached a cooperation and joined forces to attack the Yuezhi Kingdom." "The Yuezhi Kingdom has indeed suffered several defeats in recent days. Mao Dun has gained some breathing space for the Wolf Clan, and further invaded the Yuezhi Kingdom. Let’s take advantage of Donghu’s resources.”

"Defeated?" Fusu was a little surprised when he heard this, and asked subconsciously, "But teacher, you transferred both generals Sima Shang and Li Zuoche!"

"Aren't the two of them very good at fighting wolves?"

Gu Xun raised his eyebrows, nodded, and refused to deny Fusu's opinion:
  "You're right, they are both really good at this."

"But..." Gu Xun changed the subject, "Is there an undefeated general in the world?"

"Wu'an Lord still has the Battle of Handan."

Although the Battle of Handan was not lost by Bai Qi...

"The Yuezhi Kingdom's army is neither elite nor superior in numbers when facing the wolves. It is not easy for the two generals Sima and Li to command them. Moreover, on the grassland, the role that Mo Crow can play is far away. Not as good as Bai Feng’s.”

"The most important thing is that Mao Dun got a new, tough and elite army that is very unfamiliar to the two generals Sima and Li."

"Strange...elite army?"

Gu Xun's words made Fusu a little puzzled.

First of all, there is no so-called elite army in the wolf clan where all the people are soldiers. You can say that they are all elites, or you can say that they are not.

Secondly, the wolf tribe's army has always been the same - except for the cavalry, it is the cavalry. At most, the weapons in the hands of the people on horseback are different.

Of course, there are also a few who know some strange skills and heresy, but their numbers are so small that they cannot form an army at all.

Gu Xun saw Fusu's doubts, but just smiled without explaining too much, "Baifeng will give you the specific information soon, and you will know by then."

"Hmm...a very interesting army."

"Uh... It seems that the teacher's attitude towards this army is very subtle?"

"Well..." Gu Xun nodded, "Because strictly speaking, this army is not the army of the wolf tribe."

"How to deal with this army, whether softly or toughly, you need to make your own decision."

Fusu's expression became even more confused.

After all these years of living in the North, this was the first time he heard that the barbarian army of the wolf clan could be treated with mercy.

However, Fusu did not continue to ask.

His teacher told him to make his own decision, so it would be best for him to go back and read the information and think about it himself.

Fusu turned to chat about another matter:

"Teacher, Prime Minister Li Si invited me to have a banquet at Haiyue Xiaozhu tomorrow. Do you think he is planning to..."

"Li Si..." Gu Xun curled his lips and smiled, with a hint of sarcasm, "Why else would he be looking for you now? It's just something about Little Saint Xian Manor."

"In order to arrest the cook, Pao Ding, I have specially found you, the eldest son. He is really determined to win the little Shengxian Manor!"

"Then the teacher thinks, how should I respond?"

Fusu also knew Li Si's purpose of looking for him. He asked Gu Xun about it, actually to see Gu Xun's attitude towards this matter.

Gu Xun took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, "You should do whatever you need to do. Little Sage Village is also a target that you must contact."

"As for how to deal with Little Saint Xian Manor... or rather deal with Confucianism, it depends on your own ideas."

"To use it, or not to use it, how to use it, and how not to use it when not using it, you need to have an idea of ​​your own."

"..." Fusu said slowly after a moment of silence, "Students now have some ideas about Confucianism, but they are still not clear enough."

"But use it, you must use it."

"The more I understand the current situation of the empire, the more I feel that law alone is not enough to govern the country. Confucianism... is a necessary force."

"As long as you have an idea, if you haven't figured it out yet, just keep thinking about it. Don't take my attitude into consideration."

Gu Xun smiled and replied, "I haven't decided yet on the Confucian matter. I have to wait until I can talk to Master Xun again."

"Teacher, what do you think about the use of troops in the North?" After talking about Li Si, Fusu immediately brought up the matter in the North.

Compared with the current undercurrent in Songhai, Fusu is obviously more concerned about the grassland thousands of miles away.

Hearing this, Gu Xun directly raised his hand and said, "I have nothing to say. If your father feels it is necessary to use troops, just let him go."

"It would be ridiculous to launch an army just because of a prophecy!"

Gu Xunhun spread his hands indifferently and replied, "So what?"

"If I really want to say it's ridiculous, I think the conquest of Baiyue is ridiculous."

"The wolves in the north will really invade the land of the Central Plains. At least they won't lose."

"The Yue people in Lingnan have been nestling in their own one-third of an acre of land for generations. Why are you attacking them?"

If it were true that the Holy Emperor would rule the world, make the country strong and the people prosperous, the people live in peace, and the military might be prosperous, there would be nothing more to say.

Expanding territory is never a bad thing.

The problem is that the current situation of the empire is far from that good. Forcibly joining the Baiyue tour is simply making yourself uncomfortable.

After complaining about Ying Zheng, Gu Xun suddenly changed the subject and said meaningfully:
  "Besides, don't look down on divination and prophecies. They might be very effective."

"Ah?" Fusu was stunned and looked at Gu Xun in surprise, "Teacher, you mean... this prophecy is true."

"Uh..." Gu Xun paused for a moment, probably thinking about his choice of words, "Uh... we don't care whether the prophecy can be realized or not. Don't you think it would be more interesting to interpret this prophecy?"

"Hu, the one who destroyed Qin... What exactly do you refer to when you say 'Hu'?"

"Your father and others think this 'Hu' is talking about the wolf tribe, what do you think?"

"Uh... I don't quite understand what the teacher means." Fusu made an awkward but polite expression.

Fusu was obviously similar to Ying Zheng and others, and he also felt that there was nothing wrong with interpreting "Hu" as a barbarian, or as a wolf tribe.

The development momentum of the wolf clan has indeed been strong in the past two years, and they have always been spying on the Central Plains, so it is not unusual for them to be suspected.

If they could think that the so-called "Hu" actually refers to Ying Zheng's youngest son Hu Hai, Gu Xun should think about whether there is another time traveler.

"Forget it if you don't understand." Gu Xun waved his hand in disinterest, "In short, this matter is basically a done deal. It's finalized. There's nothing more to say."

"If you really can't stand it, you can also express your opposition with a few words. Anyway, it's not a bad thing for you to provoke your father now."

"..."

Fusu looked at the tea cup in front of him with complicated meanings and was speechless for a moment.

No one could ever persuade his father to do something he was determined to do.

Whether he can't see past it or overestimate it, it won't change anything. At most, it will just make Ying Zheng angry.

"I understand, teacher, how to do it specifically... I will think about it again."

At this time, a rich male voice came from outside the house:

"His Royal Highness, the eldest son, Shadow Secret Guard Zhang Han wants to see you!"

"Huh?" Fusu was stunned, and immediately responded loudly, "General Zhang, please invite yourself in."

"Zhang Han is rude." Zhang Han, who was outside the house, first apologized, and then stepped in, his crisp footsteps revealing his traces.

This was done deliberately by Zhang Han, otherwise he would be able to walk silently even if he wore iron boots.

After a series of urgent clicking sounds, Zhang Han walked into the study. His eyes were slightly startled when he saw Gu Xun, but his movements were not unnatural in the slightest.

"General Zhang Han, please see His Royal Highness the eldest son." He first bowed to Fusu with his hands folded, and then bowed to Gu Xun, "I have met the Imperial Master."

Gu Xun didn't say anything, just nodded towards him.

Fusu Zexu raised his right hand to signal Zhang Han to stand up, and then pointed to his side:
  "General Zhang, there is no need to be polite. Come and sit."

Zhang Han, who understood Fusu's style of work, did not forcefully refuse. He sat down at the side table obediently and said:
  "Thank you, Your Highness."

After Zhang Han sat down, Fusu took the initiative and asked, "General Zhang, why do you want to see me?"

Zhang Han nodded and replied, "The general found something wrong."

"According to public information, a few days ago, a net captured the innkeeper, Chef Ding, and was sent to the Tooth-Eating Prison under the instruction of Prime Minister Li Si."

"But now the secret agents of the Shadow Guard have discovered that Cook Ding is probably no longer in the Fang Prison at this time."

"Well...the specific whereabouts are unknown."

"Oh?" After hearing Zhang Han's words, Fusu looked surprised.

Pao Ding is an intelligence agent placed by the Mohist family in Songhai. The only thing valuable about him is some Mohist intelligence in his mind, plus it can be used as bait.

Taking people to the Teeth Prison and locking them up in a snare is enough for them to extract the value of the cook.

Now he secretly transports the cook away without telling everyone... What do you want to do?
  　After returning to my hometown, I found out that my sister was also back. She has been pestered by my little nephew for the past two days. She did not sleep for more than five hours for three consecutive nights. I was so sleepy that I had no time to write. I am really sorry.

　　I estimate that I won't be able to revise this chapter until tomorrow morning. The coding on my phone is really slow, and I will fall asleep at any time, so... please forgive me.

　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)