Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 198 Two Women Engage in a Battle of Wits, Visiting Yu Long (Seeking Votes)

Hearing Wang Cheng's excuse, Yun Xiao didn't show it on her face, but she felt a little jealous.

Why did my senior sister give me the secret manual of military strategy so quickly, but drag her feet on giving me the immortal technique?
I don't necessarily want to practice that damn "immortal technique," I just want my brother to have an attitude of not favoring one over the other.

'Besides, what kind of immortal technique can't I, a dignified dragon, master?'

What a joke!
You say it's incredibly profound and special? Well, I'm going to show you! I'll even surpass you in skill!

Unable to resist her competitive spirit, she stared silently at Wang Cheng with her beautiful heterochromatic eyes, without saying a word.

The meaning is quite clear:

"Now, right now, immediately, give me that 'immortal technique'!"

Shen Yueye, however, advised from the side:

"Ah Xiao, maybe we should just forget about it."

Judging from my junior brother's expression, there seems to be some hidden story behind this immortal technique.

Let's not put our junior brother in a difficult position.

She blinked her alluring eyes at Wang Cheng, her gaze filled with only my heartache for Didi.

Wang Cheng couldn't tell whether his senior sister's tea-making skills were amazing or she was deliberately stirring up trouble by saying the opposite of what she meant.

Unable to withstand the gazes of one cold and one gentle, he had no choice but to take out the "immortal technique".

After obtaining the "Golden Chamber Techniques for Bedchamber," Wang Cheng instructed his guardian spirit, who was of one mind with him, to quickly make a copy of the bookworm spirit.

The content of this method is indeed profound, but it is not very long, only a thousand words in total, written in tiny characters on three pages, and half of it is drawings.

Not daring to display it directly, it was placed upside down on the table, like a landmine.

He stammered:
"Well, you guys keep an eye on things first, I'll go check if the gift for Lord Yu is ready."

Then it instantly turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared without a trace.

Only Yan Yunxiao and Shen Yueye remained, slowly bringing their heads together and curiously turning over the few pieces of paper on the table.

He only caught a glimpse of the true nature of the "immortal technique".

"When the essence of a man and woman comes into being, all things are born."

Wow.
Amidst the heightened emotions of the two fifth-rank officials, a sweltering gust of wind swept through the entire captain's cabin.

Both of their jade-like, delicate faces instantly flushed red.

It's true, out of all the monkeys on the mountain, I'm the most famous!

"Crack! So this is some kind of magical technique! How dare you use bedroom arts to flirt with your sister/senior sister, you brat, you're asking for it!"

At this point, if either of them were to see the "Golden Chamber Techniques for Bedchamber" alone, Wang Cheng would undoubtedly give them a severe beating.

But it just so happened that the two girls saw it together, and in their competition, neither of them wanted to be outdone by the other.

What she was thinking was that it would be best to let the other party beat her up while she remained inactive, wouldn't that immediately make her a gentle and virtuous older sister?

win!
Shen Yueye, in particular, felt an even stronger sense of crisis.

"Calm down, calm down. My junior brother gave me the secret military strategy manual for external affairs, but gave A-Xiao the bedroom arts for internal affairs. A-Xiao is the goddess Lady Yan, how come she's not angry about this?"

Are they progressing even faster than me? Have they already reached this point?
My junior brother and I have only ever held hands, not even kissed. No way, I can't fall behind. Even if we were sisters, there's no room for negotiation on this.

The two then saw the annotation for "[a ​​rare commodity]" at the end:

"The quality of the partners in a dual cultivation practice is more important than the quantity."

If one can choose a woman with good potential to become a Daoist partner and cultivate according to this method, it will greatly nourish the spiritual light and destiny of both parties, and may even promote the integration of their official positions and status through the fundamental Dao of Heaven and Earth.

If the man has a special destiny that emphasizes attracting women, the effect will be doubled.

The prerequisite is that there must be mutual understanding and compatibility.

Wang Cheng has already obtained the "Official Star Peach Blossom Pattern" and his weight has increased to four taels and seven mace, which naturally fully conforms to the above description of a special destiny.

When the two girls saw the final requirement, "mutual understanding and affection," their hearts couldn't help but flutter.

'Could it be that Xiao Chengzi/Fugui only showed me the method because they felt they had met my conditions?'

Although they were shy, neither of them looked away.

It took them a while to raise their heads one after the other.

Yun Xiao, whether in her original form or her reincarnated form, was older than Shen Yueye and Wang Cheng. Feeling she should maintain her elder sister demeanor, she spoke slowly and deliberately:
"I've finished reading it, and this immortal technique does have quite a few merits."

Shen Yueye nodded in agreement:

"That's good. Ah Xiao, you shouldn't mind if I copy a copy and study it slowly, right?"

Yunxiao nodded magnanimously:

"Okay, do as you please."

If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me.

But neither of them noticed that their voices were trembling slightly.

These two novice girls knew a little about bedroom arts, but they were both stubborn and didn't want to be outdone by their sisters. One was cold and the other was warm, and their personalities and ways of doing things were also very different.

Shen Yueye is doing somewhat better. As for Yun Xiao, without external influence, it's hard to say how long it will take before she responds on her own initiative.

As for now.
How do you say that?

They're all rolled up!
The two people, one cultivating the Yang Transformation and the other the Yin Transformation, balanced and promoted each other, ultimately allowing someone to escape a calamity by a twist of fate.

Although General Yu, the commander-in-chief of the anti-Japanese forces, told Wang Cheng to visit him at the yamen when he had time, he dared not neglect him.

After finishing up all the loose ends from last night's operation, I was originally planning to wait until the mixed doubles match was over and then decide whether to go today or tomorrow, depending on my injury.

Wang Cheng had even managed to get some special medicine for treating injuries from his senior brother, who had given him a look of approval that said "you are a promising student."

But no matter how long they waited, the beating never came.

Somewhat puzzled, but also relieved, they parted ways with their main group and boarded the "Blue Robe" to head north.

The naval headquarters at the prefectural level was not located in Rongcheng, the prefectural capital, but in Funing Prefecture (Xiapu), about a hundred miles to the north.

After arriving in Hong Kong, Yan Yunxiao and Shen Yueye, who had come with him, left him to wander around. It seemed they were going to a bookstore together to buy "reference materials".

Wang Cheng himself hurriedly went to the naval headquarters.

The state's highest military command center didn't look nearly as imposing as one might imagine; it didn't even have a single guard.

It seems that the Great Zhao had a tradition of "officials not repairing their government offices." Many government offices were used as long as they didn't collapse. Many government buildings were built during the founding of the dynasty or even the previous dynasty, and have long since become cultural relics and antiques.

Whoosh!
Just as he was about to enter, a doorman with a full head of white hair appeared in front of him as if he had teleported.

Wang Cheng stopped in his tracks and realized that although the government office was dilapidated, it was a place where hidden talents resided.

Even a mere gatekeeper was a seventh-rank official of the local rank, known as the "Gold Medal Express Messenger."

This profession is the best in the world at flying. Even without any special skills, they can run faster than a horse using only their two legs. They are the main force of the Da Zhao Post Station system.

Besides sending messages and incense, they were responsible for all the urgent 800-li delivery of physical goods.

It is said that this profession originated from the Tang Dynasty's Lychee Envoy. Wang Cheng suspected that Li Zicheng, who may never have been born again, might have also had this profession.

Before the questioner could even ask, Wang Cheng quickly handed over two taels of silver and respectfully introduced himself:
“Old man, I am Wang Fugui, commander of the Baoshan Thousand-Household Office of Zhenhai Guard. I have come to pay my respects at the invitation of General Yu, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese pirate defense forces.”

The white-haired old man's previously businesslike face immediately broke into a wide smile.

"Young people have a bright future!"
Having observed countless people, I can tell at a glance that you are no bad person. You have a dignified appearance, a commanding presence, and a blue aura between your brows—a sign destined for great success.

Auspicious words flowed from his lips, even more smoothly than a jingle.

He patted him on the shoulder:

"The Twenty-Four Guards are short-staffed from top to bottom, and there are few people to serve in the yamen. I have to continue guarding the gate. You can go in by yourself. Turn left and the third room in the west wing is General Yu's reception room."

A quarter of an hour ago, Governor You Zhende of Minzhou and the newly appointed Imperial Inspector Li Hu, who succeeded Wang Bengu, arrived together and are probably still talking now.

Lord Yu is a living deity, his wisdom shines for miles around; he will summon you when he has time. Go then.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir."

Wang Cheng secretly praised his own ability to make money, which ranked first on the weapon list, as it was indeed very useful, and strode into the yamen.

As expected of an office with a living deity in charge, it was extremely powerful and confident, sending out all its guards to patrol the coast instead of having a single soldier as a bodyguard.

The public office only had a few local officials (Shaoxing clerks) in charge of different duties, including managing money and grain, strategy, letters, memorials, tax collection, registration, accounting, reviewing documents, ink and paper, and grain transport.

This new profession, which originated in the Yunmeng Empire, has now grown into a large-scale and popular one, with the saying among the people that "no government office can function without a successor."

He knew that the living ghost might be watching him, so he dared not wander around.

Based on the intelligence he had gathered about the officialdom in Minzhou, he wondered what this superior wanted from him.

"Oh, no, the middle one is gone. It's the one who was the superior of the superior."

The most powerful regional official in Minzhou was undoubtedly Hu Ruzhen.

It is said that he was the political successor of that Grand Secretary Yan, and concurrently served as the governor of military affairs in seven prefectures including Wuzhou, Southern Zhili, and Minzhou. Many years ago, he was the front-line commander of the anti-Japanese war.

After being reported by Wang Bengu, Governor Hu was not convicted, but he suffered a heavy loss of political capital. Even the position of Governor of Minzhou, which had been vacant for three years, was replaced by Xu Ge Lao's faction of Qingliu.

This refers to You Zhende, the governor mentioned by the gatekeeper. Although he did not directly command the army, he was in charge of provisions and supervision, and could impeach military officers.

As for the officials in charge of public affairs, it was their private domain, and it goes without saying which side Li Hu, the imperial inspector who succeeded Wang Bengu, was on.

"Even though General Yu Longyu was nominally the highest military commander in Minzhou, he was absolutely unable to rule unilaterally due to numerous constraints."

Since I have an important task to handle, I'm afraid I won't be able to avoid these two people in the end.

As Wang Cheng walked into the west courtyard, he could hear a quarrel from afar:

"Lord Yu! Qingque Nunnery is a pure Buddhist place, and Abbess Miaojing is a highly virtuous Buddhist nun. The naval authorities failed to supervise properly, resulting in the extermination of the entire monastery."

The local gentry who were offering incense and worshipping Buddha also suffered a terrible calamity.

I must submit a memorial to the emperor, and punish you for the crime of failing to properly supervise and protect the enemy!

(End of this chapter)