Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 262: Tai Xun Gong's High-end Operation

The feat of the Prince of the County repelling a 200,000-strong army from the Western Regions with a single arrow quickly spread throughout the army. The loyal soldiers of the Jiang family, who were already devoted to the Prince of the County, instantly idolized him to the extreme.

However, Xin Zhuo, who returned to the city from Jinchuan Pass, knew very well that temporarily repelling the enemy with a single arrow was just a display of momentum. It didn't fundamentally change anything. The Western Regions army suffered minimal damage, and they would continue their attack on the second day, possibly even changing their strategy to become more fierce.

Just like Zhang Guangpu and Sun Miaor, who felt the same way at this moment!

The former had great ambitions and his lifelong wish was to become a high-ranking official, to support the state and stabilize the world. However, he failed the imperial examination and even tried countless other paths, exhausting all his efforts. Now, he was still a destitute scholar.

The latter had always wanted to marry into a wealthy family and become an official's wife. Unfortunately, the capital city was not lacking in beauties or talented women. She wasn't beautiful enough and her talents weren't outstanding. A few months ago, she decided to marry into the branch of the Jiang family as a concubine, but her wish was shattered due to the chaos in the Jiang family.

During these few months, all the scholars and practitioners of Confucianism and Daoism from all over the country came to the Western Regions, seeking a glimmer of hope to support the state and achieve success in the crumbling Western Qin territory. Under the disappointment and despair, the two of them came together to try their luck.

The Western Qin territory was indeed chaotic. They witnessed groups of bandits and rogue soldiers on the road, and saw dozens of Confucian scholars being brutally killed by the rogue soldiers. When they finally arrived in Xingling Prefecture, they had the urge to burst into tears.

But then they discovered that the people of Xingling Prefecture were in high spirits, and their optimism towards the young Prince of the Western Qin was overwhelming.

"Brother Ju Guan, do you think there is still hope for the Western Qin army?"

In the Taiping Street of Xingling Prefecture, in front of the "Martial Spirit Tavern" with a military style, Zhang Guangpu, Zhang Miaor, and more than ten Confucian students stood together, silently watching the direction of the south gate.

There were hundreds of Confucian scholars like them on the streets, whispering and looking pessimistic.

The one called "Brother Ju Guan" was a handsome and elegant young Confucian scholar named Li Ju Guan. He was a genius in the Confucian circle, not only knowledgeable, but also extremely proficient in martial arts, making him an outstanding figure.

At this moment, he shook his head slightly, sighed with sorrow for the world, and looked at Zhang Guangpu and the others. "With 150,000 remnants of the Western Qin army and tens of thousands of surrendered troops from the Western Regions, facing more than one million troops from thirteen countries, I really can't see any hope!"

The Confucian scholars around couldn't help but sigh, their faces filled with despair. If the Western Qin army really had no hope, what was the point of their coming here?

But Li Ju Guan smiled proudly, "Of course! If the Prince of the Western Qin values me, there is still something I can do!"

There was a moment of silence all around, and then a burst of laughter followed.

"I dare to ask Brother Li, what abilities do you have to make such bold claims?"

A beautiful female Confucian scholar not far away cupped her fists in salute.

"Let me explain!" Li Ju Guan smiled, "If the Prince of the Western Qin values me, I have two strategies. First, I can exert pressure on the court, appealing to reason and emotion, and even bribe the officials, requesting the Shen Ce Army and the Dianqian Army to support the Western Qin army and provide assistance from both sides!"

"Secondly, I can negotiate with the Western Regions, temporarily cede some territory as a temporary measure to ease the tension. The people of the Western Qin are talented and resourceful. Within a year, they can train tens of thousands of elite soldiers, wiping away their past shame and seeking revenge!"

There was silence all around, and upon careful consideration, although there would be some losses, it was still a good plan.

Just then, someone exclaimed in the distance, "Tai Xun Gong has arrived!"

Hundreds of Confucian scholars turned their heads to look, only to see an elderly man in his eighties slowly walking towards them with a donkey.

"Students greet Tai Xun Gong!"

All the Confucian scholars approached and bowed, their expressions filled with excitement.

The Confucian school was weak, but Tai Xun Gong was a perennial tree and an ironclad signboard of the Confucian school. He had assisted the former Prince of the Western Qin, Jiang Wen, in governing the Western Qin territory, and his reputation spread far and wide. Later, when Emperor Zhenyuan ascended the throne, he repeatedly summoned Tai Xun Gong, but he refused every time, making him a legendary figure.

Tai Xun Gong nodded slightly and suddenly stopped in the middle of the street. His old eyes also looked towards the direction of the south gate.

All the Confucian scholars followed his gaze. There were rumors that the Prince of the Western Qin, who was patrolling the pass, was coming from the south gate. They wanted to see what kind of person this young Prince of the Western Qin was!

"Clatter, clatter, clatter..."

Just at this moment, a burst of urgent and powerful horse hooves came from the front, followed by a dense formation of black-armored iron-blood cavalry. In front of the cavalry, several elegant and heroic female generals surrounded a young general in golden armor with golden wings.

That young general, looking straight ahead, furrowed his brows slightly. He stood tall and handsome, emitting a terrifying aura and a domineering presence that surpassed all heroes in the world. This kind of dominance seemed to be innate, something he was born with that set him apart from everyone else.

Just a casual glance from him could make one's heart tremble.

The hundreds of Confucian scholars present could feel it, even the most critical among them. This person was the Prince of Xiqin County, and he was definitely not an ordinary person!

Tai Xun Gong, with a face that seemed indifferent to everything, showed a hint of surprise and murmured, "This child surpasses his father by far!"

What they didn't know was that Xin Zhuo was casually practicing the ancient Ten Directions Battle Formation. This kind of buff martial arts could be performed by a shop assistant. It seemed to be a departure from low-level interests, a dream-driven, morally noble shop assistant!

Xin Zhuo was just contemplating how to thoroughly and cleanly defeat the Western Region army. This was related to his cultivation base and future.

He was no longer satisfied with the dogshit Grand Great Master realm! He believed that he should quickly advance to the Greater Venerable realm, even if it meant gambling with the fate of tens of thousands of soldiers from Xiqin.

At this moment, he brushed past the crowd of Confucian scholars without even looking at them.

After returning to the government office and just sitting down at the desk, a voice full of excitement came from outside. It was Jiang Yuxi saying, "Commander-in-Chief, Saint Tai Xun Gong of the Confucian School requests an audience!"

"Tai Xun Gong? Confucian School? Saint?"

Xin Zhuo felt like exploding. Confucian scholars existed in every world, and this thing called Confucianism didn't seem like something fun. What was the point of someone coming to lecture him about the principles of a ruler and ethics? But a hint of curiosity arose in his heart as he glanced at Sai Qingzhu, who had been serving him today.

Sai Qingzhu understood and cleared her throat. "Please welcome Saint Tai Xun Gong!"

"Creak!"

The doors of the hall were pushed open, and Tai Xun Gong walked in with only a pair of gray and tattered underpants. His body was covered in wrinkles and muscles, and he walked with a proud and imposing manner, without even paying respects. He coldly asked, "Does the Prince of the County not care about the millions of people who have been displaced and are living in uncertainty in the three provinces and eighteen prefectures? Instead, you focus solely on shrinking your military strength. Isn't that the behavior of a mediocre ruler?"

Sai Qingzhu was dumbfounded. It was the first time she had seen an old man wearing underpants come to lecture the Prince!

Xin Zhuo also looked at Tai Xun Gong. His first impression was that this old man was playing the straightforward and upright tricks of the Confucian School, indicating that he had a clear background and no intention of harming him.

His second impression was that this old man was a master, a Greater Venerable realm expert, and his aura was very strange. Unable to restrain himself, Xin Zhuo waved his sleeves and smiled, "I completely understand the purpose of your visit, sir. You don't need to talk nonsense with me. If you have great talent, you should naturally guess my intentions. Teach me directly. If you can't guess my intentions, even if you're naked, I won't pay attention to you!"

"Very well!"

Tai Xun Gong also smiled calmly. "In this world, only I can completely see through all your thoughts. The envoys you sent may not succeed, but I can. I will help you deceive the royal families of Anxi, Gumo, and Guifang, sow discord among them, and incidentally manipulate the hostile countries behind the Thirteen Kingdoms!"

"So, sir is a wise man!"

Xin Zhuo hurriedly got up from the desk and grabbed Tai Xun Gong's hands, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "I have been waiting for you, sir!"

The old man was very shrewd. He had always felt that his plan was lacking something, but wasn't it just this shameless Confucian ghost's assistance that was missing?

"No! Prince, there's no need for pretense between us. I will leave now!"

Tai Xun Gong turned his head, his large underpants fluttering in the wind, and left with an elegant and morally noble demeanor.

"What an amazing old man!"

Xin Zhuo silently watched Tai Xun Gong leave, filled with emotion.

Sai Qingzhu blinked her eyes desperately, her coquettish face filled with incomprehension, or perhaps she didn't understand the direct confrontation between the Prince and the old man. She felt that maybe she should do something, so she picked up a glass of chilled grape juice, took a sip, and walked up to the Prince, feeding it to him mouth to mouth.

"?"

Xin Zhuo instinctively took a sip, and he was completely dumbfounded. He was already "hopeless." Had this "hobby" already spread?

(End of this chapter)