Chapter 367: Mr. Wen's Plot
Ao Zhou sat in the imperial astrologer's courtyard and raised his head to look at the sea of fortune in the sky. His features flashed in annoyance.
"Blue Lantern, there's something wrong with Xiao Nanfeng's sea of fortune!" he cried out.
"Where?" Blue Lantern seemed perplexed.
"A month ago, there was plenty of fortune when the kingdom of Dazheng ascended into an empire, but after the court officials were appointed, the fortune was parceled out. I even saw those two toad spirits' cultivation rising sharply after they absorbed fortune. Shouldn't the fortune up there have decreased as a result? Why does the sea of fortune look like it's growing? Something's wrong!" Ao Zhou exclaimed.
"Fortune results from the people's appreciation of the empire. The happier the populace, the greater their gratitude, and the more the fortune accumulates. Fortune represents the heart of the people. Don't you know how well Dazheng treats its people? They've been suppressed and forced to toil for years on end before Xiao Nanfeng took over with policies that favored and protected them. Of course they would be grateful. Many of the people even kowtow toward the palace daily. Aren't you aware?" Blue Lantern asked disdainfully.
"But this is far too much! I even snuck a look at Tianshu's fortune, and Dazheng's is comparable!"
"That's normal. Dazheng's fortune will only keep growing."
"Growing? Then I've lost out on far too much! Those two toad spirits are guardian spirits of the empire, and they bathe in fortune daily. All I got for my efforts were two blood peaches—they're useless! I'd rather have fortune!" Ao Zhou cried out.
"Serves you right," Blue Lantern replied.
"No, I can't take this! I'm going to go find Xiao Nanfeng. Considering my dealings with him, I'm sure he'll grant me some fortune. I deserve it!" Ao Zhou ran off fuming.
Blue Lantern watched Ao Zhou leave with a disdainful look on his face. "Do you think Xiao Nanfeng will let you take advantage of him?"
In the study at the Dazheng Palace, Ao Zhou found Xiao Nanfeng and shamelessly asked for fortune.
"Xiao Nanfeng, I'm not asking too much of you. Isn't your empire still lacking some guardian spirits? If you grant us dragons that designation, I'll lead the dragons to conquer the world in your name! How about that?" Ao Zhou smiled.
Xiao Nanfeng's face was dark. You really are shameless, aren't you? A guardian spirit's supposed to have put in hard work for the empire or saved it from calamity, which is why they're eligible for an allotment of fortune. As for you dragons, if I hadn't saved you lot, you'd be done for. Why should I let you take advantage of me? Dream on!"
"Haven't we helped?" Ao Zhou demanded.
"You owed me what help you provided. Two blood peaches is already more than enough compensation," Xiao Nanfeng replied disdainfully.
"But I'm a member of the Qitian Alliance, aren't I? You should treat me better!" Ao Zhou continued.
"If you want fortune, that's not hard. Do you see what Croak and Warble did? They obtained merit by expanding the territory of Dazheng. If you want some fortune, you can claim some for yourself—not in this study, but on the battlefield. Earn fortune with the merit you claim from war," Xiao Nanfeng said.
"War?" Ao Zhou pursed his lips.
"Where do you think fortune comes from? Does the wind blow it into your lap?" Xiao Nanfeng countered.
"Your fortune might as well be blown into your lap by the wind, and there's more and more of it each day! Why are you so lucky, damn it!" Ao Zhou cursed.
Xiao Nanfeng: ...
"You're rich now, aren't you? You should think of me. I'm a member of the Qitian Alliance!"
Xiao Nanfeng sucked in a deep breath. "Since we're both part of the Qitian Alliance, let me give you some specific directions, then. The crow and crane kings are leading their avian subordinates to attack my forces. I'll give you special dispensation this once. Deal with these Tianshu avians with your dragons, and you'll be able to claim fortune from me once they're gone.
"What? You want us to deal with those avians? They're very difficult to handle. Although we won last time, many of my subordinates are injured.Some of the dragons are surely going to die or be hurt if that happens!" Ao Zhou replied.
"The dragons are innately more talented than humans, and they become Immortals more easily than other spirits. However, this is no reason to be lazy. If you remain cowardly and fearful, you'll only end up as a joke. Without undergoing trial and tribulation, how do you intend to grow? Do you think those inexperienced loaches will be able to take over the Eastern Sea with you?"
"Loaches? We're dragons, the most noble of all divine beasts in the world!" Ao Zhou retorted angrily.
"The most noble of all divine beasts? Then shouldn't you be able to handle the crow and crane spirits easily?"
"They're just a group of crows and cranes! Fine. I'll do it. When I return, I expect to be made a guardian spirit of the empire and given an allotment of fortune!" Ao Zhou replied, roused into action by Xiao Nanfeng's deliberate prodding.
"We'll talk when you return, then." Xiao Nanfeng nodded.
Ao Zhou left the study with a defiant air. When he left the study and a cold breeze blew toward him, however, he suddenly shivered and reflected on the conversation he had just had. "Did Xiao Nanfeng trick me?"
The more he thought, the more he felt something was amiss. He turned back around to the study and muttered to himself, "I didn't gain anything by talking to Xiao Nanfeng, and I even have to work for him! I could die on the battlefield at any moment! How could he be even more shameless than I am?!"
After Ao Zhou left, Xiao Nanfeng continued reviewing a stack of documents on his desk. Not long after, You Jiu rushed in.
"Your Majesty, I've finished investigating what you tasked me with."
"Oh?"
"A group of people appeared on the frontlines a while back, passing themselves off as Dazheng officials and attempting to subvert Tianshu Immortals on the other side. They failed miserably and were immediately kicked out," You Jiu reported.
"I've confirmed the encounter with Ye Sanshui. It wasn't part of his plan." Xiao Nanfeng nodded.
"As you ordered, Your Majesty, I immediately had the spectral guards monitor their families. As expected, another group of cultivators appeared, now passing themselves off as spectral guards, and assassinated the family members of those Tianshu Immortals. They're all in rage now."
"How are the Tianshu Immortals protecting their families now?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"Since they're fighting on the frontlines, they're unable to safeguard their relatives. They reported the affair to Nalan Qiankun and had him protect their relatives on their behalf. Nalan Qiankun sent his subordinates to bring all their relatives to a specific part of Beidou, which is now being patrolled by Immortals."
"A group of people masquerading as Dazheng officials to attempt to subvert the Tianshu Immortals, and another group masquerading as spectral guards to assassinate their families... Nalan Qiankun really seems to be having fun, isn't he?" Xiao Nanfeng chuckled.
"Your Majesty, you mean that Nalan Qiankun planned all this?" You Jiu asked.
"Who else? Even the smallest element of instability in warfare might snowball. He's worried that we'll be able to subvert the Tianshu Immortals, so he did it himself to confirm their loyalty."
"What about impersonating the spectral guards to assassinate their relatives? Is that to make them hate Dazheng more?"
"No, it's to control them more firmly. The Immortals have sent their relatives to Beidou, after all, and they might as well be hostages there. That's a second layer of insurance against Immortal defection."
"How cold-blooded. Nalan Qiankun's even scheming against his own subordinates now. Isn't he worried that this is going to erode loyalty further?" You Jiu frowned.
"If he does it carefully enough, even if you reveal the truth, no one will believe you. Nalan Qiankun's deliberately trying to frame us, and everyone will believe that we did it."
"He's becoming more and more underhanded. He's worried about Dazheng, isn't he? That's why he's being so shameless as to scheme against his own subordinates." You Jiu sneered.
"He does seem to be overly anxious—no, hold on." Xiao Nanfeng suddenly seemed to think of something.
He retrieved a letter that seemed to have come from Mr. Wen and read it carefully. The letter stated, "Xiao Nanfeng, as a favor to Xiao Hongye, I'll help you take down the Tianshu Empire at minimal cost to you. Once you succeed, I wish to receive the Spirit Emperor's peerless treasure that Xiang Shaoyang possessed as payment."
"What's the matter, Sir Xiao?" You Jiu asked.
Xiao Nanfeng was silent for a moment before he said, "Something's wrong. I suspect there's more to it than even we noticed."
You Jiu seemed confused.
"Did the spectral guards responsible for assassinating the Tianshu Immortals' relatives seem a little disorganized?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"They did. I suspect it was their first time performing such an impersonation. It was disorganized throughout, not just in a specific location," You Jiu recalled.
Xiao Nanfeng thought about the situation more deeply, then sighed. "So this is what Mr. Wen meant about minimal effort and giving him a taste of his own medicine. Impressive. Impressive indeed!"
"Your Majesty, what do you mean?" You Jiu asked, confused.
"I suspect that Nalan Qiankun dispatched his subordinates to impersonate Dazheng officials and subvert Tianshu Immortals, and then to impersonate spectral guards to assassinate their relatives, on Mr. Wen's orders. No, he wouldn't even have to do that much—all he needs to do is hint at it to Nalan Qiankun. Considering Nalan Qiankun's personality, that would be sufficient impetus for him to do something like this. Mr. Wen truly knows his way around a man's heart, and his plans are simultaneously highly efficient and far-reaching," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.
"This is Mr. Wen's plan? What for?" You Jiu asked.
"This alone is enough to take down a million troops. He's wrecked the Tianshu Empire's overall defenses," Xiao Nanfeng said.
"What?" You Jiu exclaimed.
"Nalan Qiankun's subordinates seemed a little disorganized when assassinating the Tianshu Immortals' relatives because Mr. Wen arranged for some of his own subordinates to sneak into the mix," Xiao Nanfeng asserted.
"There were two groups of people simultaneously impersonating the spectral guards? Why?" You Jiu still seemed confused.
"Nalan Qiankun's trying to frame us, while Mr. Wen's trying to frame Nalan Qiankun," Xiao Nanfeng said confidently.
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