Chapter 1503 – Strike Nie Liang, Assault Yang Tao, Aiming for the World (42)
“Though I hate to admit it, Nie Liang’s death… seems to have a tiny bit of relation to me. Sending someone to express condolences at this moment might not be well-received; they’d probably think we’re just flaunting our might from the past,” Jiang Pengji contemplated, feeling that sending anyone would be akin to sending them to their doom.
Do armies not slay envoys when at war?
Pfft, such age-old customs can be violated at any moment; who’s the fool clinging to them?
Not only Jiang Pengji and her military advisors found the situation thrilling, but the idle folks were also so shocked that they forgot to have breakfast. A small group of fans enamored with Nie Liang’s looks wept uncontrollably. Topics like “Nie Liang’s Death” and “Nie Liang Died from Anger at the Streamer” were trending hot.
Upon hearing Jiang Pengji’s initial statement, many idlers sneered cynically.
【Tea Aroma Lingers】: What do you mean “a tiny bit of relation”? It seems like the streamer has zero conscience!
【Stowaway Non-Money】: Can’t put it that way. If I remember correctly, Nie Liang was already in poor health. Didn’t the kind-hearted beauty leak that Nie Liang was poisoned by someone? It seems it might have been from within the Nie Clan. Nie Liang refused to rest and recover, which led to his shortened lifespan. They even said he had only half a year left… Now that he’s dead, the streamer can only be considered a catalyst, not the primary cause.
The real culprit behind Nie Liang’s death was the initial poisoner—Jiang Pengji is at most a secondary accomplice.
【There’s Always a Trickster Who Wants to Harm Me】: Sigh, he was still a lord from Zhong Zhao. To kneel just like that is truly pitiful.
【Illusionary City】: Give me a break, how many lives have perished at the streamer’s hands? What does it matter if he’s a lord?
Some idle folks lamented how regrettable it was for Nie Liang to die, some celebrated Jiang Pengji taking another step towards unifying the realm, while others expressed concern over condolences. Regardless of the cause of Nie Liang’s death, outsiders believed he died from Jiang Pengji’s anger, and sending condolences would only be sending someone to their death.
Jiang Pengji knew this; how could she possibly send anyone to convey condolences?
To her surprise, Wei Ci went against her at this time, insisting that out of respect for their adversary, they should still send someone.
Jiang Pengji said, “I’ve had my share of deaths—at least eight thousand at my hands. Do we really have to send someone for each one?”
She strongly opposed it.
Regardless of strength, in terms of status, Nie Liang was on par with Jiang Pengji.
If she sent someone to convey condolences, the envoy’s status couldn’t be low; she was unwilling to choose anyone.
Wei Ci took the initiative to volunteer, infuriating Jiang Pengji as she glared at him multiple times, refusing to respond to anything he said.
“My Lord, sending condolences is one thing, but confirming whether Nie Liang actually died is another. What if he faked his death?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “Then we’ll wait three to five months; his body is already deteriorating. He’ll meet Yan Wang sooner or later.”
Wei Ci could only sigh; Jiang Pengji was obstinate, and he was as well. Neither was willing to yield on this major issue.
In the end, Jiang Pengji left in a huff, and everyone was left glancing at each other in confusion.
Qi Guanrang quietly murmured, “You really are bold; the Lord clearly wants to protect you from danger, yet you don’t appreciate it.”
Wei Ci smiled wryly, “How could I not know my Lord’s intentions? However, considering Nie Liang’s death, whether true or not, if the Lord doesn’t make some statement, it may attract criticism, which would be detrimental to her reputation. The timing of Nie Liang’s death is precisely when Nie Jun is in chaos; emotionally and logically, they would be too afraid to slay the envoy when the leaderless moment is at hand. We can’t sacrifice over two hundred thousand troops for a moment of sentiment.”
Qi Guanrang shot him a glance, sneering, “So that’s it; you do have a thoughtful strategy. No wonder you are so fearless.”
It’s precisely because he saw through the situation that he had the confidence to volunteer.
Wei Ci continued, “And another point; my elder brother Wei Ying is Nie Liang’s confidant…”
Qi Guanrang coldly replied, “If you let your elder brother go, you’ll certainly send him to his doom, lest he unleash a beast back upon you.”
Wei Ci laughed, “My elder brother’s temperament is different than Wen Zheng’s; he’s excellent in every regard, and his only weakness is that he values friendship too much.”
If it weren’t for this, Wei Ying wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to protect the legitimate son of Nie Liang.
The past and present situations were vastly different; Nie Liang of the Nie Clan had passed away years ago, leaving only his son Nie Qing to become a thorn in the eyes of several older relatives. The legitimate son of the family, Nie Yang, rose amid the chaos and secretly gained the trust of the clan’s Old Patriarch.
The Old Patriarch of the Nie Clan was also a peculiar character; he was old in age but still hungry for power and obsessed with controlling his descendants, which was utterly infuriating.
Due to his old age, he lacked the energy to manage affairs, so to ensure absolute authority, the Old Patriarch promoted the “just right” Nie Yang who caught his eye. Because Nie Yang was young, simple-minded, and neglected by his parents, lacking backing…
Who would’ve guessed that all of this was a façade concocted by Nie Yang?
Using the Old Patriarch’s hand, Nie Yang seized the position of the clan leader, secretly eradicating those with ulterior motives in his family while sending the Old Patriarch to the grave.
The Nie Clan became a one-man show under Nie Yang’s rule, and only then did Nie Qing’s situation improve somewhat.
After all, the one to be wary of was Nie Qing’s father, Nie Liang. With Nie Liang’s death, Nie Qing could hardly compare to his father; he was no threat anymore.
Thus, after Wei Ying’s retreat, he could provide some covert assistance to Nie Qing.
In order to fulfill his dear friend’s wish and protect Nie Qing, Wei Ying even married his eldest daughter to him, but ultimately, he died of depression.
By the time his elder brother passed away, he was not yet fifty.
It was precisely because he valued relationships too highly that Wei Ying couldn’t possibly kill him while Wei Ci was out expressing condolences.
Qi Guanrang listened, not offering much comment, but he wouldn’t doubt Wei Ci’s judgment of people.
If Wei Ci truly went to express condolences for Nie Liang, he would likely return without issue.
The only obstacle was—
Their own Lord’s objection.
“What good is saying all this? If the Lord does not respond, how can you sneak off on your own?”
Wei Ci smiled, “The Lord will agree; Wen Zheng, do you dare to wager a gamble with me?”
Qi Guanrang scolded with a laugh, “When did you learn to have the bad temperament of Feng Zishi and Yang Jingrong? No betting, no betting!”
Because he knew full well that if it came to a bet, Wei Ci would definitely win.
As it turned out, Qi Guanrang’s guess was correct; the next day, Jiang Pengji reluctantly agreed to Wei Ci’s request with a very sour expression.
After all, it wasn’t a fundamental issue; Jiang Pengji truly could not resist Wei Ci.
Of course, if it were a fundamental issue, Wei Ci could not possibly prevail over her.
“Suddenly reminded of how, earlier, when the Lord’s grandmother passed, it was Zixiao who substituted for the Lord…”
Jiang Pengji perched on the wall, watching Wei Ci and his group fade into small dots in the distance, her face full of melancholy.
She said, “Otherwise, how could one call for a wife? Such a virtuous one, what more could a husband desire?”
Qi Guanrang’s expression froze, showing a look of disgust.
Jiang Pengji sighed deeply, “Wen Zheng, do you think Nie Guangshan is really dead?”
Qi Guanrang replied, “Zixiao going to express condolences will reveal whether Nie Liang is alive or dead.”
Jiang Pengji inquired, “What if he really is dead?”
“Don’t you think this is a prime opportunity to assimilate the Nie Clan? With Nie Liang dead, Nie Qing won’t be able to shoulder the responsibility, and the internal strife in the Nie Clan is fraught with hidden dangers… It’s the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot,” Qi Guanrang sneered, “Do you agree, My Lord?”
Jiang Pengji rubbed her chin, “I always feel that plotting to seize their wealth the day after their loved one’s corpse is cold is immoral.”
Qi Guanrang: “…”
Imoral? Since when has our Lord committed such deeds less?
