Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 374 When Will Wang Qiang Arrive? [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

After Chen Tang gave the order, screams of agony soon filled the entire Xiongnu camp.

Wang Zhang felt this was a waste of human resources, and respectfully asked for advice:

"General, could we leave some people behind to develop this place?"

Chen Tang waved his hand:

"Now that we have just begun our operation, we must demonstrate swift and decisive action, leaving the Xiongnu with no room for complacency, especially regarding their trade in Han Chinese. This is a serious offense, and we must kill them all. Once the Xiongnu are terrified, it will not be too late to make them work as laborers."

At the beginning, you must make it look like you're going to exterminate the entire tribe. After killing them for a while, then release the news that as long as they work hard, they can survive. The Xiongnu people will be more eager to survive than a goddess's lapdog.

Furthermore, this group of Xiongnu people had been operating in the northern part of the Helan Mountains for an unknown period of time and were extremely familiar with the area. If they were allowed to work here, it would be easy for them to escape.

In the future, we will bring the Xiongnu people from Shuofang and Wuyuan here to work. Since they are unfamiliar with the place, they will be much more obedient.

Chen Tang said to Wang Zhang:
"When dealing with these different ethnic groups, we must make good use of the demolition effect, which can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Wang Zhang asked, puzzled:
What is the "demolition effect"?

Chen Tang gestured and tried to explain in simple language:

“If I find the room too dark and want to install a window, some people who insist on upholding ancestral laws will object. But if I were to tear down the entire roof, they would agree to open a window… This was something a man named Lu Xun figured out. If used properly, it can be applied to all walks of life.”

After pondering it for a while, Wang Zhang realized that he had used this theory before.

Last month, he wanted to eat chicken but was worried that his wife would disagree, so he said he would kill the cow at home. His wife immediately went berserk and refused. At this point, he took the opportunity to suggest killing a chicken, and then he ate delicious chicken for lunch.

At the time, he only thought it was about taking advantage of his wife's preference for compromise; he never expected someone would actually summarize it into a theory. Wang Zhang exclaimed in admiration:

"This Lu Xun is no ordinary man. Is he a citizen of our great Han people?"

Chen Tang nodded and said:

“He is Han Chinese, but not from our time… I’ll leave this place to you. I’m going to the Immortal Master to report on the progress here and send a few fat sheep over as well.”

This guy excitedly changed into a Taoist robe, then found four or five young lambs that were just over a year old, tied them with hemp ropes, and led them to Hunyuan Palace. He arrived just in time for lunch.

Yesterday's yellow catfish stew with tofu wasn't enough for everyone, so today Zhouyi bought a silver carp weighing about ten pounds. He removed the head and stewed it with the tofu, sliced ​​the fish meat, fried it, and then braised it with sweet and sour sauce to make sweet and sour fish slices. He also served it with a small bowl of pork stew with vermicelli, making it a perfect meal.

When Zhao Rui saw Chen Tang leading the sheep over, she quickly served him a large bowl of rice:

"General, shall we have mutton this afternoon?"

Chen Tang washed his hands, took the bowl, and said:

"Let the immortal master make the arrangements. I'll take some photos of you two sisters later and print them out to send the good news to the capital. I'll also send them to Old Gan. He and his wife miss you two sisters very much."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan asked worriedly:
"We miss Uncle Gan too. I hope he won't go hungry in Chang'an."

Chen Tang picked up a piece of vermicelli with his chopsticks and put it in the bowl:

“Your Uncle Gan’s family owns tens of thousands of acres of fertile land; even if the emperor goes hungry, he won’t go hungry.”

Upon hearing the words "good news," Wu Meiniang asked curiously:

"Have you arrived in Shuofang County?"

Chen Tang shook his head:

"No, but we found a small Xiongnu tribe on the northern foothills of Helan Mountain. They bought more than a thousand Han people as slaves from the Right Guli King. Now the Imperial Guards are slaughtering them one by one. I came here to freeload a meal, and I have to go back in a while. While the corpses are still warm, I'll give the Imperial Guards a lesson in hatred."

Zhouyi: "..."

Is it inappropriate to talk about this during a meal?

After the meal, Chen Tang helped skin a sheep, took photos of the Zhao sisters, Zhao Yan and Zhao Rui, printed them out, and then took some mooncakes with him before saying goodbye and leaving.

He didn't want any of the weapons Guo Rong brought or the armor plates Ming Shu gave him, because he didn't need them for the time being. If he took them away rashly, he would have to send them to Chang'an. It was better to store them in Hunyuan Palace first and then transport them when needed.

Zhou Yi returned to his room, opened the black notebook, and discovered he had made a considerable discovery:
Chen Tang led his army in a surprise attack on the Xiongnu Right Guli King's tribe, rescuing over a thousand Han people. Merit +80

Zhao Xu summoned divine lightning, striking and killing Tong Guan, one of the six traitors of the Northern Song Dynasty. Merit +50

Confucius recognized the shortcomings of Confucianism and intended to lead his disciples in writing a military treatise. The timeline of the Spring and Autumn Period world shifted significantly. Merit +30.

[Li Guang was transferred from the army, causing a significant shift in the timeline of the Wudi world, and his merit points increased by 20.]

Ban Chao led his army to kill the royal families of Wensu and Gumo, changing their kingdoms into counties, and his merit points increased by 40.

The Yimeng Mountain base area has gained widespread fame, having received a total of one thousand people seeking refuge; merit +20.

【…】

Merit points were credited to almost every world. Zhou Yi's merit points suddenly increased from seven or eight jin to nine jin. When the Liaodong War entered its most intense phase, ten jin of merit points would be a certainty.

Everything is back on track now, and I'm receiving so many good deeds that I can hardly contain myself. It's really quite comfortable.

Wu Meiniang walked in carrying a cup of freshly brewed tangerine peel tea. Seeing Zhou Yi's happy expression, she asked softly, "Have you received any new merit points?"

Zhou Yi nodded:

"My merit has just exceeded nine jin, setting a new historical record."

Wu Zetian cupped Zhou Yi's face and kissed him:
"My immortal master is truly amazing. I am so proud of you from the bottom of my heart."

Zhou Yi smiled and closed the black notebook, then reached out and wrapped his arm around the Empress's waist.
"Don't be complacent. It's only worth celebrating when you exceed your weight limit. It's getting cold today. Aren't you cold wearing this? If not, put on a down jacket. Don't get cold."

Wu Zetian shook her head:
“I’m wearing a tight-fitting sweater and leggings under my Taoist robe. I’m not cold. You can feel it if you don’t believe me.”

Zhou Yi took a deep breath and voluntarily conceded defeat:
"Alright, alright, stop using your supernatural powers. My cultivation will be ruined by you, you demon, sooner or later."

They flirt without even realizing it, and their level keeps getting higher and higher. Which cultivator could resist such temptation?
Zhou Yi believed that the Buddhist doctrine was correct: women are tigers, beautiful women are white-browed, fierce tigers, and women of the empress's caliber are at least saber-toothed tigers, which cultivators with shallow cultivation are powerless to resist.

At this time, the workers started working in twos and threes, and Wu Meiniang stopped "teasing" Zhou and went back to her room to study.

In the afternoon, Zhou Yi dissected and cooked the sheep that Chen Tang had slaughtered, and then boiled the fat to make mutton fat chili oil. Zhao Rui came over after smelling the aroma, and took a steamed bun with the freshly fried chili oil, and started eating it with slurping noises.

While they were eating, the chubby little girl suddenly looked up and asked:

"Immortal Master, when will our world's Sister Wang Qiang come to Hunyuan Palace?"

Zhou Yi said while kneading the dough:
"I don't know either, and it's even uncertain whether I can come... Why did you suddenly ask about this? Do you know Wang Qiang?"

Zhao Rui shook her head:

“How could we, children from a poor family, know anyone in the palace… General Chen has been fighting the enemy all day, and my sister and I can’t even send Uncle Gan some gifts. If Sister Wang Qiang were here, we could ask her to help us send them over.”

Zhou Yi hadn't expected the chubby girl to still remember to repay Old Gan, and said with a smile:

"It's good that you have the intention. I'll arrange the gift. You don't need to worry about it. Studying hard is more important than anything else."

"Okay, sure~"

Zhou Yi kneaded the dough and started making fried pancakes. The crispy and soft pancakes, paired with mutton soup and some mutton fat chili, made you feel warm even when snowflakes were falling.

On the other side, in the lotus garden of the Eastern Palace of Emperor Yuan of the Western Han Dynasty.

Looking at the historical materials brought by Liu Ao, Wang Qiang's pretty face was filled with disbelief:

"I actually married a Xiongnu Chanyu who was over sixty years old?"

Liu Ao chewed on a honey-coated twisted dough stick covered in sesame seeds and said:

"That was you in history. Now my master has become a pilgrim of Hunyuan Palace. The course of history in our world will be completely changed, and everyone's fate will be different."

Wang Qiang didn't know what a fairy's abode looked like, but it was still better than marrying a slovenly old man in his sixties who smelled of mutton.

Moreover, the old man died two years after she got married, and she then remarried to the old man's son.

Xu Meiren patted Wang Qiang's shoulder and said:

"If you go to Hunyuan Palace, remember to get me a bottle of shower gel. After a bath, you'll feel fragrant and smooth all over. It's a pity that Master only gave me one bottle. After I finish this one, I'll have to use soap."

Wang Qiang smiled wryly:
"I don't even know when I'll be able to go to Hunyuan Palace. If I really can, I'll shamelessly ask you for a whole box. You could wash yourself three times a day without any problem."

Liu Ao also tried to curry favor with his sworn sister:
"I read in the information that the young people in the Immortal's area are all keen on playing games. There's a really popular one called 'Black Myth: Wukong.' Don't forget to ask me for it."

He had just finished speaking when Xu Meiren stopped him:

“My master’s wife said that playing games is a waste of time and energy. Even my cousin Wang Mang couldn’t play them. As the crown prince, you should set an example!”

Liu Ao flicked Xu Meiren's forehead:
"If you won't let me play games, I'll play with you!"

"Come on, do you think I'm afraid of you?"

The young couple started their usual bickering, arguing, and playful fighting again. Wang Qiang watched this scene with a smile, thinking that this was the daily life of a couple. If it were a decrepit old man in his sixties... just thinking about that scene made her feel nauseous.

At the same time, at Pubanjin in Hedong County, a group of Xiongnu people arrived at the ferry crossing, preparing to cross the Yellow River to Chang'an.

The leader was an old man in his sixties with wrinkles on his face like those of a withered tree. He was dressed in luxurious silk and wore a golden crown. He was none other than Huhanye, the Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu who was allied with the Han Dynasty.

Since the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han, Huhanye had led his people to submit to the Han Dynasty. As Huhanye gradually grew stronger, just as he was about to lead his people to kill the Xiongnu general of the Han Dynasty and regain his position as the overlord of the grasslands, news came that his younger brother, Zhizhi Chanyu, had been killed by Chen Tang. He was so frightened that he lay in his tent for two days without daring to move.

The death of Zhizhi Chanyu made Huhanye realize that the fate of the Han Dynasty was not yet over. In order to prevent being killed, he led the nobles from Yanmen Pass into Guanzhong, passed through Taiyuan to Hedong, and prepared to go to Chang'an to show their loyalty.

His advisor suggested:

"Upon arriving in Chang'an, we should first visit General Gan Yanshou. It is said that he is an extremely upright man. If he were to approach the Emperor of Han to ask for the princess's hand in marriage, he would surely be able to make a decision!"

Upon hearing this, Huhanye nodded and said:

"Alright, let's go see General Wei Gan Yanshou first. If we can become the son-in-law of the Han Dynasty, we can secretly annex the scattered tribes on the grasslands and restore the glory of the Xiongnu... One day, I will make the Emperor of the Han Dynasty dance in the court of the Chanyu to celebrate and fulfill the wishes of our ancestors!"

(End of this chapter)