xymnovel Chapter 8 The Master of Military Strategy, A Political Call
Chapter 8 The Master of Military Strategy, A Political Call
"Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Spring and Autumn Period military strategist Tian Rangju."
"Tian Rangju"
Strength: 86, Command: 103, Intelligence: 98, Politics: 97
Implanted identity: A distant branch of a fallen royal family whose ancestor was involved in a coup in the Xia Kingdom and was demoted to a commoner.
Tian Rangju showed a talent for military strategy in his youth and went to the capital to seek an official position. However, he was repeatedly ostracized because of his identity as the "descendant of a disgraced official". He tried to seek refuge with King Tian Fen of Qi or King Tian Ling of Jin, but was rejected because of his background. In a moment of despair, he got drunk in a tavern in the capital and happened to meet the host.
The two talked until late at night, and Tian Rangju was impressed by his host's knowledge and ambition. Recognizing his talent, the host wrote a letter recommending him to Su Mu.
Out of consideration for his host, Su Mu arranged for Tian Rangju to serve as deputy general at Beique Pass in Youzhou to defend against the Eastern Barbarians.
After taking office, Tian Rangju made many military achievements. He gradually saw through the corruption of the Great Xia court and the rampant power of the aristocratic families. He felt that only a wise and far-sighted ruler like his host could restore the world. He had secretly pledged his loyalty to his host.
Persons accompanying: None
"It's actually Tian Rangju!" Tian Heng's eyes flashed with surprise. "The author of 'Sima Fa', one of the representative figures of the military strategists of the Spring and Autumn Period... Not bad, really not bad."
He suddenly recalled the historical records about Tian Rangju, a famous general whose end was not good. Duke Jing of Qi listened to slander and dismissed Tian Rangju, causing this master strategist to die in despair.
"That incompetent Duke Jing of Qi in my past life, he believed whatever others said and had no opinions of his own!" Tian Heng shook his head inwardly. "In this life, I will never repeat the same mistake."
"Does the host wish to continue summoning?" the system voice asked again.
"Continue!" Tian Heng said without hesitation, "In the direction of charm!"
"The Golden Charm Summoning Begins"
"First place: Investiture of the Gods, Yunxiao, the immortal of the Jie Sect, charm: 102."
"Second place: Da Zhou, Bao Si, whose smile is captivating, with a charm score of 103."
"Third place: Spring and Autumn Period, Sinking Fish, Xi Shi, Charm: 104."
"Extract".
"Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Immortal of the Jie Sect, Yunxiao."
Cloud
Martial Prowess: (Innate) Celestial, Command: 56, Intelligence: 90, Politics: 73, Charisma: 102
Implanted identity: Su Yunxiao, the eldest daughter of the Su family, and the host's cousin. She entered the palace with her mother at the age of eight, where she met the host. The two were childhood sweethearts and had a very deep relationship.
At the age of ten, she displayed extraordinary martial arts talent and was spotted by a wandering master who took her in as his closed-door disciple and took her to an overseas immortal island for cultivation. Before parting, Yunxiao made a promise with her host that they would fulfill their marriage agreement when she returned after completing her studies.
Characters included: Bixiao, Qiongxiao
A warm memory flooded into Tian Heng's mind.
Eight-year-old Su Yunxiao, dressed in a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), followed behind him, calling out "Brother Heng" repeatedly.
Under the swing in the Imperial Garden, she looked up at him and said, "Brother Heng, when I grow up, will you marry me?"
When she was ten years old, she cried her eyes out, but still stubbornly said, "I will come back, I definitely will."
Over the years, he would occasionally think of his little cousin who loved to cry and laugh, but he only thought of her as someone who was practicing cultivation with her master, and that he might never see her again in this life.
did not expect……
"Uh, is that even possible?" Tian Heng sighed, unsure how to react.
The way the system was implanted made Yunxiao his childhood sweetheart cousin, and she even came with a marriage contract.
Is this considered...buy one get two free? When Yunxiao arrives, Bixiao and Qiongxiao will also appear.
"System, with this implantation method, am I at a loss or a gain?" Tian Heng couldn't help but ask.
Even without implantation, Su Yunxiao was already engaged to him. Consort Su had long intended to match her niece with her son.
Now that things have turned out this way, will Yunxiao's personality overwrite Su Yunxiao's original personality?
"Implanting an identity is based on the most reasonable way to quickly reach the host, not on the system forcibly controlling it."
The system's mechanical voice replied, "Unless the character is actively created by the system, everything is based on the personality of this world. The host can also spend a certain number of summoning points to perform personality transformation."
"What are summoning points?"
"The normal summoning method after the system upgrade. The host will naturally know once the system upgrade is complete."
"Alright then." Tian Heng stopped hesitating. "Let's continue the summoning. It's time for my favorite political segment again. Let's see who it is!"
"The call for golden politics begins"
"First place: Tang Dynasty, Fang Xuanling, who made the decisions and made the decisions, Politics: 103."
"Second place: Xiao He, the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, Politics: 104."
"Third place: Western Zhou Dynasty, Duke of Zhou Ji Dan, Politics: 104."
The Confucian sage established the Zhou rites, quelled the rebellion of the Three Guards, assisted King Cheng, and laid the foundation for the Zhou Dynasty's eight-hundred-year reign.
"Fourth place: Qin Dynasty, Li Si, Politics: 102."
Li Si, who wrote the "Memorial Against Expelling Foreign Guests" and standardized the written language, helped Qin Shi Huang unify the country, established Qin laws, and standardized weights and measures. However, he conspired with Zhao Gao to tamper with the imperial edict and was ultimately executed by being cut in half at the waist.
Fifth place: Li Shanchang, the founding strategist of the Ming Dynasty, Politics: 101.
He was Zhu Yuanzhang's chief strategist and the founder of the Ming Dynasty's system, but in his later years he was implicated in the Hu Weiyong case and was executed by Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Wow, this is pretty luxurious!" Tian Heng's eyes lit up.
Fang Xuanling, who assisted Li Shimin in seizing power and establishing the Zhenguan era; Xiao He, the first of the Three Heroes of the Han Dynasty, praised as a "meritorious man" by Liu Bang; Ji Dan, the Duke of Zhou, who established rites and music and was revered as a sage by Confucius; Li Si, who helped Qin Shi Huang unify the six kingdoms and formulate Qin laws; and Li Shanchang, the founding strategist of the Ming Dynasty...
"Any one of them could easily govern Youzhou!" Tian Heng rubbed his hands excitedly. "Let's begin the selection!"
The five light curtains rotated again before finally coming to a slow stop.
"Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Western Zhou Dynasty, Duke of Zhou, Ji Dan."
Ji Dan
Strength: 78, Command: 98, Intelligence: 101, Politics: 104
Implanted identity: A poor family member, whose real name is Ji Dan. He comes from a poor family and his ancestors were a distant branch of the Zhou family. They were later scattered among the people due to war.
Ji Dan was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, well-versed in classics and history, and particularly skilled in governance. By the age of twenty, he had already become famous in his hometown and was hailed as a prodigy of Yingchuan.
He had traveled to the capital to observe King Tian Fen of Qi and King Tian Ling of Jin, and felt that both were either arrogant and tyrannical or indecisive and not suitable for being a wise ruler. King Tian Fen of Qi summoned him three times and King Tian Ling of Jin invited him twice, but Ji Dan politely declined each time.
King Qi, enraged, declared that anyone who refused to serve him would become his enemy, and King Jin also harbored resentment. The two secretly sent assassins to kill him, but Ji Dan was warned in advance by a friend and narrowly escaped death.
Upon learning that King Tian Heng of Qin was establishing his own court and recruiting talented individuals, and was about to be stationed in Youzhou, Ji Dan, after much deliberation, changed his name to Ji Dan and joined the King's court, hoping to use the King's influence to escape the capital and avoid trouble. At the same time, he also harbored the intention of observing and assessing potential suitors.
If the King of Qin is indeed a wise ruler, then I will devote myself to assisting him; if he is also mediocre, then I will find an opportunity to leave after arriving in Youzhou and live in seclusion in the mountains.
Persons accompanying: None
Memories flooded into Tian Heng's mind like a tide, clear and vivid.
Three days ago, on that afternoon, sunlight streamed through the gate of the Prince's Mansion and fell on the bluestone slabs.
A scholar dressed in a faded blue robe stood outside the door, carrying a simple satchel on his back. His face was thin, and his eyes were calm as still water.
He called himself Ji Dan, a native of Yingchuan, who came to serve the King of Qin after hearing that the King had established a government and was recruiting talented people.
Tian Heng personally received the scholar in a side hall. The scholar spoke with composure, quoting classical texts without being pedantic, and his analysis of the state of the world was incisive.
When talking about Youzhou, he could tell the approximate figures of the population, land, and taxes of each prefecture, and even knew the customs, habits, and fighting strength of the various tribes of the Northern Di as if they were his own.
"The problem with Youzhou lies not in external threats, but in internal affairs," the scholar said at the time.
"The Cui, Lu, Li, and Zheng clans controlled the prefectures and counties, annexed land, and concealed the population, so that the imperial court's tax revenue was reduced to less than one-tenth, and the people were displaced."
"If Your Highness wishes to establish yourself, you must first investigate land ownership, examine household registers, and rectify official corruption. These three matters all touch upon the very foundations of aristocratic families, requiring both swift and decisive action and unwavering patience."
These words left a deep impression on Tian Heng, so he kept him as a retainer and arranged for him to compile documents in the mansion, with a monthly salary of twenty taels.