Chapter 1833 – Truly Playful
“Even livestock know ‘I live, and those who raised me must not be disgraced’; these folks really know how to play.”
Feng Zhen couldn’t help but show an expression of “newfound knowledge” after hearing the reports from below.
Qi Guanrang snorted disdainfully, “With so many people around, all sorts of demons and monsters come crawling out.”
Father insults his daughter, the daughter has an affair with her uncles, and siblings engage in unspeakable acts… just one man and one woman together can conjure a couple.
What is this? Clearly a bunch of beasts wearing human skin.
Jiang Pengji said, “Have someone clean all this up and throw it to Zixiao.”
Qi Guanrang and Feng Zhen were momentarily stunned. These things they found disgusting… tossed to Wei Ci?
Could it be that the Lord also wants to play some taboo roleplay with Zixiao?
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “What are you two thinking? Hurry up and sweep them all out. I said to give them to Zixiao so his group of novelists can see them, to give them more material to write their stories. If they dare to do it, I’ll make sure their names are imprinted in the unofficial histories forever. This counts as ‘lasting fame’ and ‘leaving a mark in history’—hmph, it’s quite amusing.”
Qi Guanrang and Feng Zhen: “…”
Still, it’s our Lord who knows how to have fun. If she really did this, those aristocrats wouldn’t find peace even in the afterlife.
A chaotic family affair being used as material for a little yellow book, for future generations to learn from and for enlightenment… If their ancestors could see their family honor being so desecrated, wouldn’t they be furious enough to come back to life? Most likely, they’d be mad enough to die again!
Two days later, Feng Zhen suddenly came to find Jiang Pengji mysteriously, wanting to show her something.
“What is it?” Recently, Jiang Pengji was swamped with work; taking down Beiyuan was easy, but managing the Common People there and securing their loyalty was difficult, plain and simple: it was all about the food supply. She also needed to note down the vacant positions for proper staffing.
At such a time, Feng Zhen didn’t help her with her worries but instead claimed he wanted to show her something good; well, Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but frown.
She said this, but her actions were still quite honest.
Feng Zhen had people bring in three large boxes, and when opened, they were filled with dazzling gold and jewels.
“Did you rob someone?”
Feng Zhen chuckled, “Not at all, someone secretly delivered this yesterday, and there’s also a letter here.”
Jiang Pengji took it and after reading a few lines, she couldn’t contain her fury, “Those Beiyuan people—”
The battle in Beiyuan had been a pain in the neck, and all sorts of experiences had made her realize just how rotten this country was to the core.
Yet they still managed to surprise her, broadening her horizons.
“What does the Lord think?”
Feng Zhen picked up a hefty gold pancake.
One gold pancake weighs about seven or eight taels; even though the purity of gold in this era isn’t high, it was enough to make one’s eyes widen.
These three boxes contained who knows how many of these gold pancakes!
And the gold pancakes were the cheapest; a rough count revealed six or seven luminous pearls, while the writings and paintings from various dynasties were the real treasures that made Feng Zhen’s heart flutter. But he couldn’t keep any of this for himself; he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Jiang Pengji’s accounting.
Jiang Pengji smirked, “What else could it be? My army is strong; we can take over Beiyuan without cooperating with them. They think way too highly of themselves—what are they even? Do they really think I and the Beiyuan Emperor are in the same boat and can be played like puppets? They should reconsider their situation and not think they have the right to negotiate with me.”
Feng Zhen believed what his Lord said made sense.
When he received the bribes and the secret letters, he too thought those people had gone mad.
Not able to see their own predicament, they suggested to Jiang Pengji that she should offer them high-ranking positions and fortunes.
Heh—
It would be a mercy if, after their death, they were simply wrapped in a mat for burial.
“Who else received bribes besides you?”
Feng Zhen chuckled, “I can’t say for certain.”
Jiang Pengji rubbed her temples and waved her hand, “You can keep the writings and antiques you like; don’t touch the rest.”
Feng Zhen’s eyes lit up at this and he bowed in thanks.
What value did gold and silver have?
Those writings and antiques were priceless. Feng Zhen even spotted some scrolls from a certain esteemed predecessor he admired.
Not long after, Qi Guanrang also sent several boxes to Jiang Pengji.
Jiang Pengji had Qi Guanrang keep the writings and antiques, while the gold and jewels were to be confiscated.
Besides them, several others also received varying amounts of bribes.
A few honest ones reported to Jiang Pengji, while some secretly kept a portion for themselves, and others didn’t report at all.
They all thought Jiang Pengji didn’t know.
Little did they realize, Jiang Pengji was just watching their performances with a cold gaze.
Only Qi Guanrang and a few others knew that those who held onto the bribes would find their lives effectively over.
They had to be careful for the rest of their lives not to make a mistake; otherwise, they would face their Lord’s reckoning.
In terms of holding grudges, Qi Guanrang, Yang Si, and Feng Zhen combined didn’t hold a candle to Jiang Pengji.
No one expected Jiang Pengji would also receive “bribes.”
Looking at the Messenger, Jiang Pengji’s face turned cold, “What is the meaning of this?”
She wracked her brain, unable to fathom why Beiyuan would resort to such antics, was this a ploy to outmaneuver her?
They actually sent her thirty-two handsome young men!
The older ones had already grown past youth, while the younger ones were merely twelve or thirteen.
Their only common trait was their looks—remarkably good looks.
Jiang Pengji didn’t even need to examine them one by one; she could tell their beauty was exorbitant—didn’t she see the bullet screen in the livestream bursting with excitement?
These Dried Fish were well-informed, and if they got all riled up, it showed how stunning this batch of male pets was.
Tsk—
Jiang Pengji scoffed coldly.
Seeing beauties like Zixiao all the time, these Dried Fish could still be satisfied with such overly refined and ordinary pretty boys; their taste needed improving.
In the face of Jiang Pengji’s ridicule, one Dried Fish spoke the truth.
【Potato Chips】: No matter how good Zixiao is, he belongs to someone else, and… this batch of male pets down here are all young fresh meat!
Jiang Pengji: “…”
Great, she would never eat Potato Chips again in her life!
“You don’t need to explain,” Jiang Pengji rubbed her forehead and said, “Take all of them back. If you insist on leaving them here…”
Before the Messenger could show any hint of joy, Jiang Pengji added, “Leave one behind; I’ll personally kill one!”
“The Beiyuan imperial family is unjust, and I act on behalf of Heaven. It’s war, no room for idle talk. If your Emperor still possesses a shred of shame, please inform him—first cultivate virtue, then keep his heart! Losing the people’s trust and not reflecting on it, instead using such disgusting means to disgust others—it’s truly broadened my horizons.” The Xichang Emperor only sent over a pair of children, while the Beiyuan royal family, bold as brass, sent thirty-two young men all at once. “Thirty-two fine young men who could join the army to serve the country, yet they come to charm me instead…”
“Hmph!”
Jiang Pengji spoke without an ounce of politeness, causing all who listened, including Feng Zhen and the others, to stifle their laughter.
If they were that Messenger, facing such humiliation, they would have already drawn their sword in shame and committed suicide.
