Chapter 12: Showing Compassion for the Poor and Lonely
The war between Langxuan and Sheng Luo lasted for a day and a night. In the end, the warriors of Langxuan routed the Sheng Luo army, who threw down their helmets and armor in their haste to flee. The Sheng Luo prisoners of war, including their commanding general, Luo Ying, were locked in the dungeons, filling the vast space to the brim. These prisoners would serve as bargaining chips in the negotiations between Langxuan and Sheng Luo. As for Damu and his delegation, Langxuan handed them over to Wulanbaer to deal with.
The Ministry of War and the Langxuan army were cleaning up the battlefield, the palace servants were tidying up the mess, and the Prime Minister was leading the ministers in reassuring the various envoys. Meanwhile, Qi Xiao, Fu Yunzhi, Rong Feijun, and Wulanbaer were seated in the imperial study. The study was located deep within the palace, completely insulated from the clamor outside.
“I helped Langxuan drive away the enemy, and Langxuan will help me clarify that I am not a ghost. It’s that simple,” Wulanbaer said.
Rong Feijun nodded. “It is a small effort. Langxuan will naturally keep its word. We will draw up a contract for you later, King of Shahan. But right now, I have a more important matter to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
“Some time ago, did you lead your troops to plunder the people on the Langxuan border, King of Shahan?”
Wulanbaer let out a low laugh. “The crops at an oasis were ruined at that time. On a whim, we went to the border.”
Fu Yunzhi opened his fan. “Then it would be best if the King of Shahan could clarify whether he will have any more ‘whims’ in the future.”
“That, I cannot say for certain. The food supply in the desert is scarce. If we plunder the food of the Langxuan border people, they can still find ways to survive. But if the people of Shahan do not plunder, we will die.”
The old eunuch beside Rong Feijun frowned and chided, “How audacious, King of Shahan! Is that any way to speak to the Emperor?”
Rong Feijun waved his hand, signaling the old eunuch to be calm.
Fu Yunzhi waved his fan dramatically. “How about this? I remember there is a lot of uncultivated land around Luoxing City on the border. Why don’t we cooperate? Shahan provides the labor, Langxuan provides the silver, and we split the harvest fifty-fifty.”
Wulanbaer crossed his arms. “Shahan will provide both the manpower and the silver, and we will offer one-tenth of the harvest to Langxuan as a land tax. If you cannot accept this, then forget it. At worst, we’ll just continue to plunder in the future.”
Fu Yunzhi stopped fanning himself, his tone sharp. “Is the King of Shahan threatening us? Do you truly believe Langxuan does not have enough troops to deal with Shahan?”
These terms clearly favor Shahan. Does he think Langxuan’s land can be taken and used as he pleases?
Wulanbaer smiled. “That Langxuan has enough power to deal with Shahan, I naturally believe. But with Sheng Luo and other small countries eyeing you covetously, is it worth using your defending troops to deal with me? One more ally or one more enemy—the choice is Langxuan’s…”
Rong Feijun interrupted their conversation. “I understand the hardships of the Shahan people. There is no need to split the harvest, nor is there a need for tribute. Shahan may take all the produce from the land.”
“Your Majesty!”
This was too lenient! Langxuan didn’t need to be so submissive to Shahan! Fu Yunzhi was indignant.
“Yunzhi, why don’t you hear me out first?” Rong Feijun said. “Luoxing City is too far from the imperial capital and is surrounded by high mountains. It is extremely underdeveloped, and the lives of its people are difficult. After the land is cultivated, the people of Shahan can take all the harvest, but on certain conditions.”
“One, the people of Shahan must protect the people of Luoxing from the bandits in the mountains. Two, the people of Shahan must share one-third of the harvest with the people of Luoxing, ensuring that everyone in the city is fed and clothed. Three, if any people from Luoxing wish to join the cultivation project, the people of Shahan cannot refuse and must pay them in silver.”
Hearing Rong Feijun’s words, Fu Yunzhi was taken aback, while Wulanbaer fell into deep thought.
After a moment of consideration, Wulanbaer agreed.
The old eunuch immediately had someone bring a brush and ink. A contract was drawn up, and Wulanbaer and Rong Feijun affixed their seals and thumbprints.
“I use force to make my people obey, while the Emperor rules with benevolence and virtue. A man of such impeccable character, but a throne cannot be held for long with such methods,” Wulanbaer said.
Shing—
Qi Xiao drew his sword and pointed it at Wulanbaer. “Wulanbaer, watch your words.”
Wulanbaer smiled and shook his head, pushing the tip of the sword away with his fingertip. “I was just joking. Brother Qi, don’t be so serious. It wouldn’t be good to ruin our relationship. I was hoping to spar with you again in the future.”
As they were speaking, Fu Yunzhi noticed Rong Feijun’s hand…
“Your Majesty, what happened to your hand!”
The back of Rong Feijun’s hand was a dark purple-black, dotted with bluish-green spots. It looked terrifying.
When Wulanbaer saw it, his playful demeanor vanished, and his expression grew grave. “This is the mark left by Shahan’s most feared creature—the Blue Phantom Spider. A single bite is fatal. One can imagine how venomous it is. Your Majesty must have come into contact with it.”
“Damu tried to kill me with that spider before,” Rong Feijun said.
The old eunuch was worried. “This poison… there must be a cure, right?”
“There is, but it’s a bit troublesome…” Wulanbaer replied.
“Why troublesome?”
“The antidote is not the problem,” Wulanbaer explained. “The trouble is that it only works when combined with water from the Sacred Spring. In other words, to be cured, the Emperor must personally go to Shahan’s Sacred Spring.”
Qi Xiao frowned. “The King of Shahan isn’t lying, is he?”
Wulanbaer rolled his eyes. “Believe it or not.”
Rong Feijun looked at the memorials on his desk and the large map in the corner of the study. “Can I leave for Shahan in a few months? I am the ruler of a nation; I cannot just leave whenever I please.”
Wulanbaer threw up his hands. “Your Majesty can delay for as long as you like. It’s just that the longer you wait, the more troublesome the treatment will be. For now, you can take this medicine of mine to suppress the Blue Phantom’s poison.”
With that, Wulanbaer handed a small bottle to the old eunuch.
“If you run out of the medicine in this bottle, you should set out as soon as possible. Otherwise, there will be unforeseen dangers.”
Rong Feijun nodded.
Although Qi Xiao and Fu Yunzhi hoped Rong Feijun would leave immediately, they also understood that this matter could not be rushed. At the very least, he had to resolve the negotiations with Sheng Luo and delegate all state affairs before he could leave the imperial city.
“Then I will take my leave,” Wulanbaer said.
After he left, Qi Xiao said, “If you feel any discomfort, you must say so. Your health is more important than state affairs.”
Fu Yunzhi also chimed in, “Just leave the state affairs behind. It’s not like we ministers are getting paid for nothing.”
Seeing Rong Feijun nod, Qi Xiao and Fu Yunzhi also took their leave.
Now, Rong Feijun was alone in the imperial study. He watched the two of them leave, a hint of loneliness in his eyes.
A few days later, the area near the city gate, which had once been the scene of a fierce battle, had been completely cleaned up, as if the fight that had claimed hundreds of lives had never happened. Langxuan also welcomed its annual state sacrifice ceremony.
The ceremony proceeded as scheduled. Rong Feijun led the envoys from all vassal and diplomatic states in offering incense and prayers to the heavens. The state preceptor also used oracle bones to divine the future, and the result was that Langxuan was blessed by the heavens and would prosper for another hundred years without a problem. Rong Feijun was overjoyed, and the envoys all knelt to wish him a long life.
In addition to worshiping the gods under the guidance of the state preceptor, Langxuan also held a martial arts competition, meant to please the gods and ask for their blessing upon Langxuan’s warriors.
During the tournament, Qi Xiao and Wulanbaer teamed up and were invincible, sweeping through all their opponents. This not only amazed the crowd with their superb martial arts but also made them even more wary of Langxuan.
Since the previous emperor’s reign, Langxuan had been actively conquering smaller nations with the goal of unifying the world. Now, it seemed Shahan and Langxuan had formed an alliance, making them even more powerful.
Rong Feijun watched the two of them cooperating seamlessly on the tournament stage and smiled helplessly.
He knew what Qi Xiao was up to, but as for why Wulanbaer was cooperating, he had no idea.
He just hoped that the unpredictable King of Shahan wouldn’t come back later asking for more favors.
The gods were worshiped at noon, and when night fell, the palace banquets lasted for three days and three nights. The King of Shahan attended the banquet, not Damu. Although the other nations were curious, no one was tactless enough to probe into the matter and get involved in Shahan’s murky affairs.
As for the King of Shahan’s resurrection and the signing of the Luoxing Contract with the King of Langxuan, the people of Shahan were overjoyed. To avoid further complications, Wulanbaer announced that Damu had died of illness. In consideration of Damu’s many years of service to Shahan, he was given a grand burial.
As for how the King of Shahan actually dealt with Damu and his subordinates, no one ever knew.
