Chapter 182: Taking advantage of me and not giving me money?
That day, due to the destruction of the Qinglong Mountain Range, the rolling stones fell down, covering the sky and the earth!
The 200,000 army of Duke Wuxi couldn’t escape in time and were instantly buried by the rolling stones!
Only 100,000 soldiers managed to escape, while the other 100,000 soldiers forever rest here, resting with the heavens and the earth, endlessly lamenting!
Duke Wuxi witnessed this with his own eyes, his heart torn apart, and he fainted after coughing up three liters of blood!
And this news quickly spread throughout the world!
Duke Wuxi became a huge joke.
“Another loss of 100,000 troops, did Duke Wuxi provoke the wrath of the heavens and was punished by the heavens?”
“It’s already 350,000 troops! Since the search for Slanted Moon Treasure less than a month ago, Duke Wuxi has already lost 350,000 troops. It’s pitiful and laughable!”
“The battle hasn’t even started, and they’re already defeated! I heard that Duke Wuxi vomited blood and fainted on the day the rolling stones fell. Haha!”
“Heaven pardons those who are innocent, but those who bring calamity upon themselves cannot live! This is retribution!”
“Duke Wuxi, the road to greatness is far away!”
…
Although the various vassal kings did not find the treasure on this trip, they felt some regret.
But when they saw their formidable enemy, Duke Wuxi, losing troops and suffering a great blow, they all rejoiced.
Those who were wealthy and influential even rewarded their armies.
The court also did the same.
In the court, the empress had a radiant smile on her face that she couldn’t hide and said, “My dear ministers, Duke Wuxi has provoked the wrath of the heavens and lost another 100,000 troops. This is the will of the heavens!”
“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!” the officials all exclaimed together.
The empress was in high spirits and said, “I have decided to reward all of you, my dear ministers, and rejoice together!”
“Long live Your Majesty!” the officials praised.
“Sir Lin, step forward and receive your reward! Ten thousand taels of silver, ten rolls of fine silk, ten jars of Imperial Dragon Wine, ten liang of Phoenix Gold Tea, and one root of a hundred-year-old top-grade ginseng…”
The civil and military officials: “…”
Lin Beifan loudly said, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your graciousness!”
“Your Majesty, what about us?” the officials eagerly asked.
“My dear ministers, don’t worry, I won’t forget about you!” The empress smiled proudly. “Except for Sir Lin, the rest of the ministers will each be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver!”
The civil and military officials: “What the f*ck…”
“Now, the heroes of the Six Doors, please come forward!”
Under the leadership of Guo the Head Catcher of the Six Doors, all the experts who went to the Qinglong Mountain Range to execute the mission appeared in the court.
“We bow before Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!”
“You may rise, my dear subjects!”
The empress smiled and said, “Although you didn’t find the treasure on this trip, it is the will of the heavens. I don’t blame you! However, you have performed extraordinarily in this mission! It was your intervention that caused Duke Wuxi to lose troops and resolved the crisis for the court. Each and every one of you is a hero of the court and deserves to be rewarded!”
“Everyone is promoted by one rank, rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver, and granted a ceremonial sword or saber!”
The experts of the Six Doors were overjoyed, “Thank you for your graciousness, Your Majesty!”
The empress continued, “Big Bull, I know you, the great hero who exterminated bandits! Although you are currently a criminal with meritorious service, unable to receive rewards! So, I won’t promote your rank, but I will give you the silver and the sword as rewards! I hope you continue to serve the court, and when your merits accumulate enough, I will pardon all your crimes!”
Big Bull was overjoyed and tearfully grateful, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
His heart was filled with infinite emotions!
Just two months ago, he was a wanted criminal of the court, being chased and hunted by the court!
Now, he has become a person of the court, serving the court, having the opportunity to see the empress, being remembered by the empress, and receiving rewards from the empress. What a great honor it is!
This lifetime can be considered meaningful!
Although he still carried guilt, his heart was filled with hope for the future!
Unable to help himself, he turned his head and looked at a person in the court.
The Mr. Principal of the Imperial Academy, Lin Beifan.
This infamous corrupt official, whom everyone wanted to kill, gave him hope.
Lin Beifan smiled and secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Big Bull gratefully whispered, “Thank you, Sir!”
“And Sir Guo, you should also receive a generous reward!”
The empress smiled, “During this period, you have achieved extraordinary merits! Under your leadership, the Six Doors have been flourishing! So, you shall be rewarded with a hundred mu of fertile land, ten thousand taels of silver, and ten jars of the finest jade dragon wine!”
“Thank you for your rewarding, Your Majesty!” Guo the Head Catcher exclaimed in joy.
Ten thousand taels of silver didn’t matter much!
The main thing was the hundred mu of fertile land, which was a good thing capable of being passed down as a legacy, benefiting future generations.
With this, his descendants would not starve to death.
And then there was the finest jade dragon wine…
He was a seasoned drinker. Just thinking about the taste of jade dragon wine made him uncontrollably salivate.
His thoughts drifted, seemingly since becoming friends with the Mr. Principal, his luck had improved.
Achievements came one after another, without having to fight desperately, he had everything!
No, it couldn’t be called luck, it should be called the ability of the Mr. Principal!
During the grand battle between grandmasters, if it weren’t for the Mr. Principal’s intervention, the Six Doors would have surely suffered countless casualties.
During the naval exercise, if it weren’t for the Mr. Principal’s reminder to set an ambush in the Qing Mountain Range, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to gain this merit.
Regarding the trouble with the bandits in the northern Jibei region, if it weren’t for the ingenious plan of the Mr. Principal, they would have had no chance to claim this merit.
And this time, if it weren’t for the guidance of the Mr. Principal in dealing with Duke Wuxi, this merit would have vanished.
The Mr. Principal, with eyes like torches, strategized and determined, was a truly capable individual!
Never forget the person who dug the well when you drink water. Guo the Head Catcher immediately said, “Report to Your Majesty, during the treasure hunt in the Qinglong Mountain Range, if it weren’t for the guidance of Minister Lin, we of the Six Doors would not have achieved this merit! Sir Lin deserves great credit, please observe, Your Majesty!”
The empress then “realized” and said, “I didn’t expect you, Sir Lin, to be involved in this matter too!”
“Your Majesty, Master Guo is exaggerating! I merely offered a few suggestions, nothing significant!” Lin Beifan humbly replied.
“Sir Lin is being modest! Although you only said a few words, each one was invaluable! Every word is a gem, and even a thousand gold wouldn’t be enough!” Guo the Head Catcher waved his hand repeatedly.
“Oh, no, Master Guo is the one with extraordinary contributions…”
…
The two of them began exchanging compliments.
The empress chuckled, “Sir Lin, it seems you also deserve credit in this matter. You should indeed be rewarded! However, the rewards you have received today are already plentiful. We will temporarily acknowledge this merit and discuss further rewards in the future!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Lin Beifan said loudly.
The morning court session ended, and the officials left the Golden Chamber, each going about their duties.
In the evening, Guo the Head Catcher of the Six Doors held a banquet in a restaurant to celebrate and invited Lin Beifan to attend, who gladly accepted.
At the banquet, Lin Beifan and Guo the Head Catcher sat in the seats of honor, while the other experts took their respective seats.
Everyone raised their cups and had a lively time.
To entertain their brothers and Lin Beifan, Guo the Head Catcher reluctantly brought out two barrels of the finest jade dragon wine.
Unfortunately, it was finished in no time, and he had to bring out two more barrels.
Guo the Head Catcher felt a little pained, “Brothers, come on, at least leave me a little, don’t drink it all at once!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
At this moment, Guo the Head Catcher raised his wine cup and loudly proclaimed, “In these days, the reason why our Six Doors have achieved extraordinary merits and been flourishing is all thanks to Sir Lin! Minister Lin is truly our benefactor! Let us raise our cups together… in a toast to Sir Lin!”
“To Sir Lin!” Everyone raised their wine cups and exclaimed in unison.
“No need for such courtesy, everyone, no need for such courtesy!” Lin Beifan clinked his cup and drank it all.
However, they were too polite. They toasted three times, and only after Lin Beifan drank three cups did they stop.
After the wine was finished, everyone took their seats.
Guo the Head Catcher once again lifted his wine cup and clinked it with Lin Beifan’s, saying solemnly, “Sir Lin, we cannot repay your kindness! If you ever need anything, just come to the Six Doors directly! As long as it doesn’t violate principles, we will help you!”
“Sir Lin is not an outsider, so feel free to delegate tasks if you have any!”
“Sir Lin, just give the orders, and we will do it!”
…
“Haha, thank you, Master Guo, and thank you all for your heroic efforts!” Lin Beifan lifted his wine cup once again.
That night, everyone enjoyed themselves at the banquet.
Two days later, Princess Ziyue returned.
As soon as she arrived, she pulled Lin Beifan into the study and excitedly said, “Advisor, do you know how many casualties the Dayue Dynasty suffered due to our efforts?”
“I heard that during this treasure-seeking expedition, the Dayue Dynasty lost nearly 150,000 soldiers and horses!” Lin Beifan smiled.
Actually, it’s much more than that!” Princess Ziyue said with great excitement. “The number of casualties they claim is only 150,000, but the actual number is 200,000! And we also burned all their food supplies, so they’ll have problems surviving the winter! This is the greatest loss the Dayue Dynasty has suffered since its establishment! Moreover, it’s our first glorious victory against the Dayue Dynasty!”
The more Princess Ziyue spoke, the more excited she became. Her face was flushed, and her body trembled.
“Congratulations, Princess!” Lin Beifan praised with a bow.
Princess Ziyue bowed in return and tearfully expressed her gratitude, “If it weren’t for your guidance and schemes to deal with the Dayue Dynasty, we wouldn’t have achieved such a great victory. Thank you, Advisor!”
“You’re too kind, Princess!” Lin Beifan quickly helped Princess Ziyue up.
Recalling everything she had experienced in the past half year, Princess Ziyue felt like it was a lifetime away, as if she had been in a dream.
Half a year ago, she was a defeated and fleeing princess, working tirelessly with her old subordinates from Slanted Moon to restore their country.
But after more than ten years of fruitless efforts, she lost hope in life and even doubted its meaning.
However, everything changed after she met the man before her.
Under his guidance, the cause of restoring their country developed rapidly and showed signs of widespread success.
Under his strategies, their archenemy, the Dayue Dynasty, suffered heavy losses.
This magnificent man standing before her gave her hope for the restoration of their country.
This man before her…
Reliance!
Tears welled up in Princess Ziyue’s eyes as she once again bowed, “Advisor, thank you! With you, Slanted Moon is truly fortunate!”
Lin Beifan blinked and smiled, “Princess, there’s no need to thank me anymore! If you really want to express your gratitude, give me some practical rewards! How about a reward of two or three million taels? The more, the better!”
Princess Ziyue covered her mouth and laughed.
In the past, she found Lin Beifan’s desire for money annoying, but now she discovered that it was somewhat endearing.
“Advisor, close your eyes, and I’ll give you a big surprise!”
Lin Beifan’s eyes lit up, “How big of a surprise?”
“A very big one!” Princess Ziyue lowered her head slightly, a blush appearing on her cheeks.
“Could it be four or five million? Princess, you’re so generous!” Lin Beifan became excited and closed his eyes with anticipation.
At that moment, Princess Ziyue suddenly leaped forward and hugged Lin Beifan. Then, she tiptoed and…
In that moment, Lin Beifan felt warmth and tenderness, something he wanted to cherish!
However, that moment was too short.
When Lin Beifan opened his eyes, the room was empty, and the beautiful woman was nowhere to be seen.
“Advisor, I’ll go back first. We’ll talk another day!”
Lin Beifan trembled with anger. She took advantage of me and didn’t even give me any money?
