Chapter 247: Knock All of Your Teeth Out (1/2)
Chapter 247: Knock All of Your Teeth Out
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
”Your Majesty, are you really deciding to do this? In that case, the world will be in chaos!”
In the West Capital of Qianzhou in the Great Jin, Ming Yuesheng, wearing a white robe, was pulling a long face as the three strands of his beard were fluttering in the wind. He looked right at the most honorable person in the world standing in front of him, Yan Yuntian, the Emperor of the Great Jin, and said, ”Those aristocratic families will really do anything to protect their profits!”
”I know. Of course I know that. Doing this will put the world at risk, but it's also an opportunity for us!” Yan Yuntian laughed, saying, ”What, are you scared, Yuesheng?”
”I'm not scared, I'm just worried that things will be out of control when the time comes.” Ming Yuesheng said, ”Your Majesty, think about it. Those well-known families and barons will not be easily conquered. Now that you have destroyed Northern Yuan, which is already an unprecedented achievement, you've surpassed all the ancient emperors. I suggest that you leave something for your offspring to do so that they can set their own goals. But if you have accomplished everything, your offspring will not have anything to strive for. I really don't think that's good for them, is it?”
”Hahahaha—!” Ming Yuesheng's words made Jin Emperor burst out laughing. He scolded Ming Yuesheng, pointed at his nose, and said, ”Are you trying to provoke me or scold me? Just speak frankly, and don't beat around the bush. It's just you and me.”
”Your Majesty, I'm not beating around the bush. I'm just simply talking about the truth. What you want to do is too dangerous, and I'm afraid that I can't agree with you!”
”With big risk, comes big reward!” Jin Emperor said.
”What if we lose? Then the Great Jin will be destroyed!” Ming Yuesheng said without any mercy.
”So what? We've come this far. What a pity it would be if we gave up now. I have so many sons, so even if the Great Jin is destroyed, the bloodline of the Yan family will not go extinct unless they are all useless. And if my sons are useless, my bloodline would ultimately disappear anyway, even if I managed to maintain the Great Jin for thousands of years. I fought for this crown, so if they want it, they must fight for it rather than do nothing but wait for me to give them the most honorable position in the world.”
”I'm afraid that I can't agree with you on this idea, either. However, since you've made up your mind, I can only follow you!” Ming Yuesheng was staring down at himself. He knew that once the Jin Emperor had made up his mind, there was no turning back.
”Alright, don't be upset. You're looking as if the Great Jin will collapse tomorrow. Come here and play chess with me and see whether this stupid chess fan has made any progress playing chess or not.”
”Oh, if one hasn't become a national champion in chess before the age of 18, he will never become one. Your Majesty, you learned to play chess at the age of 20. How can you make any progress in it?” When it came to chess, Ming Yuesheng laughed out loud without hiding any mockery on his face.
”Come on, try me!” Yan Yuntian laughed and said, dragging Ming Yuesheng along and rushing to the Imperial Study.
...
...
”Your Excellency, I've searched the surrounding 200-mile area and I've brought all the people that I found.”
In the Blackstone Valley of Northern Yuan,
dozens of tents were properly dispersed on a vast meadow.
10 days prior, Junior Leopard and his team arrived in his territory, the Blackstone Valley. After gathering dozens of old, weak, sick, and disabled people, Junior Leopard assigned a mission to Zhu Ba. He had asked him to lead his army to patrol the territory with Little Du and bring anyone that he saw. He had brought more than 100 people back. These people used to be the herdsmen of neighboring tribes. But after the war, the tribes had been destroyed, their muscular teen had died, and those who were vulnerable were dead or had fled away. At one time, there had been thousands of survivors. However, after a year of hunger, thirst, and frequent attacks by the wolves, which had grown stronger through devouring the corpses and wanted to get a taste of the living, there were only 100 or so remaining.
These survivors were tattered and withered, most of whom looked like as if they were near their last breath.
”Is there enough food?”
”Almost. In any case, now that the wolves in the prairie have been fattened up, if we are running out of food, we can hunt those wolves. As long as we make it through this period, our problems will be solved once our cattle and sheep grow up,” Zhu Ba said with obvious excitement.
”Alright, that'll work. I've picked a place and plan to set up a small town centralization there. Then all the people in the territory can move into the town for better management.”
”Yes, sir. I'm on my way.”
”You don't have to do that, Jiang Xiao will take care of it. Zhu Ba, you should go to the Central Plains with some helpful subordinates and tell Senior Wang to find a solution for expanding the business of the Anyuan Store and find a direct trade route connecting the Central Plains to us here.”
Senior Wang was Wang Datong, who used to be the officer in charge of military logistics and food service in the Navy of Jiang City and was now the vice Hall Chief of the Anyuan Store and was the right-hand man of Junior Leopard. Apparently, he was more a professional businessman than a military soldier. Thanks to his efforts, the economic strength of the Anyuan Store could be increased dramatically. Though it had not yet become a large business store, it had succeeded in making a name for itself.
”Great, I was thinking about going back to the Central Plains!” When hearing Junior Leopard's words, Zhu Ba shouted with joy.
”I know that you want to go back. This bleak place is no comparison to the colorful world of the Central Plains.”
”Well, that's not what I meant, Your Excellency. I just haven't seen my wife for months and I kinda miss her.”
”Just cut the crap and go. Remember to bring Senior Wang with you and leave 10 people here when you go,” Junior Leopard said.
”Yes, sir!” Zhu Ba ran back with excitement.
…
”Your Excellency, although there are more than 100 people here, we can only afford to have 20 or 30 people who are really laborers that can work. It's a bit too much to build a town centralization!”
”First, we have to build a place to live. Now we are in the north and summer is almost gone. After summer, the weather will get very cold. If we haven't built a place before the snow falls, no one will survive this winter!” Junior Leopard said to Jiang Xiao. He looked around, seeing nothing but a vast and empty field. It made him feel like he was blazing a trail and going back to the primitive times where he could rebuild the civilization of humans.
”Yes, I'll ask them to hurry up.” ” And I'll go to the mountain and cut some stones and bring them down. There aren't so many people, so we can build several big houses first and set up the frames to resist the wind and snow,”
Junior Leopard said with worry mounting in his mind. A lord like this was rarely seen in the world, who would excavate stones for his citizen on the mountain and transport them down the mountain for his citizen to build houses. He had overthrown the subordination and because of that, the refugees on the prairie who had been forced to gather here by Zhu Ba could be relieved to settle down here. These people were mostly herdsmen that had been living on the nearby prairies for generations. They lost the foundation of their lives because they had lost all of their muscular teens in a brutal war. But now, Junior Leopard gave them hope. And most of all, Junior Leopard did not want anything from them now, and even though he was harsh, he was nothing like the Royals who used to override and bully them. Therefore, they felt that Junior Leopard was better than their leaders back in the day.
”Your Excellency, Your Excellency...” A series of voices mixed with the panting from running came from behind.
”Well, if it isn't our Old Master Wendu. What can I do for you?”
”Your Excellency, you are making fun of me again!” Wendu smiled awkwardly when hearing Junior Leopard's words.
”I'm not joking. You see, you're somebody now!” Junior Leopard said with laughter, looking at the new leather coat that Wendu was wearing.
”Thanks to your blessing, Your Excellency. If it were not for you putting me in an important position, I would never have become who I am today!” Wendu said with an awkward smile.
Since arriving here, Wendu had been appointed by Junior Leopard to take charge of the herdsmen that Zhu Ba brought here. This former royal of a small tribe did have talent in management, seeing as he had managed more than 100 people in perfect order. However, he was not a mean person. Junior Leopard had given him the power and he did not use it for showing off. He tried his best to make everything right in the way that it should be. Wendu managed to facilitate communications between Junior Leopard's team and the herdsmen. He often granted whatever was requested by the herdsmen. Thus, he had become popular among them, and they called him Old Master Wendu with sincerity.
”Just speak. What's going on?”
”Your Excellency, Old Kelsang wants to see you!”
”Old Kelsang?!” Junior Leopard frowned. He had heard of this Old Kelsang, who was the eldest of the herdsmen. Old Kelsang was a man with vast knowledge and experience and he had some aristocratic bloodline running through his veins. But most importantly, he had lived a long life of more than 70 years after all of those struggles. Junior Leopard secretly could not help admiring his strong vitality.
”Your sinner Kelsang bows before the Master!”
Wendu had brought Kelsang to Junior Leopard. Kelsang kneeled at the feet of Junior Leopard as soon as he met him.
”Please don't, you're such an elder. My lifespan will be shortened if I accept your salutation!” Junior Leopard hurried over to him and said. The reason why Kelsang called himself a sinner was because the Great Jin and Yan Yuntian declared that all of the Northern Yuan people were guilty and slaves since the Great Jin had destroyed Northern Yuan.
”Get up and just speak frankly with me. I don't care about these manners so much!” Junior Leopard said.
”Here is the thing, Your Excellency. We are a people who have lost their country. If not for you, we couldn't make it through this winter. Even if we were not frozen to death, we would be eaten by the wolves on the prairie—”
”Get to the point!” Junior Leopard interrupted him and said. Although Kelsang did not speak the Mandarin of the Great Jin so well and with a strange accent, Junior Leopard still could clearly understand him.
”Your Excellency, we are herdsmen who have been living here for many generations and we are familiar with this land. I've heard that you, Your Excellency, wanted to build a town centralization here so that the herdsmen will no longer be homeless. They can thus lead a life like the Central Plains people. I know a place which is suitable to build a town, so I ventured to come here and see you, Your Excellency!”
”Well, is that so?” Junior Leopard raised his eyebrows. He had traveled hundreds of miles in the vicinity through his Dragon Flying Technique during these days, planning to find a good place to build a town centralization. However, after a cursory look at this land, it was hard for him to make up his mind and pick the right place out of several alternatives.
Now, the words of Kelsang intrigued him.
”Well, tell me about it. Where is it?”
”It's at the foot of Jilei Mountain!” Kelsang said, ”The land at the foot of Jilei Mountain is vast and plain. There are two branches flowing down. It's right in the middle of the branches. You can not only build a town centralization there, but also a fortification. Because of these two crossing branches, we only need to alter them a bit and we can have a natural moat!”
”I've seen that place!” Junior Leopard nodded and said, ”But I just didn't know that it is called Jilei Mountain. Well, it is a high mountain!”