Chapter 222: To repel external threats, one must first secure internal stability

Few people know —

【Why not speak earlier】 and 【Why not speak earlier】 are actually different.

The latter focuses on the 'why', discussing the reason.

And Du Shanü no longer cares about the reason; she only cares about the two words 'earlier'.

Earlier, relying on its easy-to-defend, hard-to-attack terrain, Cang Cheng enjoyed a secluded peace and prosperity within the city, which was also reasonable.

Now......

Now, Du Shanü wants to know: if Cang Cheng can be prosperous, why can't Dun Cheng be?

Earlier, Dun Cheng was coveted by others and nearly fell into the hands of the An Nan forces.

That night, how she mustered troops in Cang Cheng and led people to storm Dun Cheng was seen by all the city's residents.

At that time, bearing a false identity, one careless move could bring eternal doom.

How difficult it was to take that city at the time—after capturing Dun Cheng, not even a day passed before the prestige of the city lord and princess caused the people of Ju Cheng to flee to Dun Cheng.

How to pacify the populace, how to exhaust every means, racking one's brains, raising and borrowing funds, repairing the city walls, distributing grain...

These are all first-rate hardships.

Du Shanü does not believe anyone could be unclear or not understand.

Even until just a few days ago, before the tin ore was discovered, the entire Dun Cheng was still tightening its belt to get by.

She ate with Chinu and Afang, the meal still being lightly salted vegetables; the porridge was bland, the vegetables easy to vomit.

At the table, a gloom of sorrow hung.

In the end, Afang was unwilling to waste it and ate the whole small plate of pickles.

She was not as good as others imagined.

She truly did not live as well as others thought.

Yet earlier, she had never felt that life was difficult.

Perhaps it is the ingrained simple blood in her bones, firmly believing that effort brings reward; Du Shanü could always console herself—

Everyone was together sharing her hardships; as long as they gritted their teeth, life would keep getting better...

But now, she can no longer deceive herself.

Ouyang Yan's maternal clan is the Horse Traders' Gang within the Great Qu Yue State; now he can point this out and procure horses, so his contact must never have been truly severed.

But earlier...

Earlier, why not say it, why not do it?

Horses are not as easy to manage as salt and iron; often, raising a top‑quality horse consumes more energy and money than raising ten people.

Even a low‑grade horse is not something you can just throw away.

On the battlefield, a cavalryman needs at least two support soldiers; if a soldier falls but his horse lives, the support can immediately take his place in the charge.

The saying goes that a horse's life is worth more than a person's, and that is not false at all.

She exhausted herself protecting those people under her, while Chen Weifang and Chinu lowered themselves to borrow money from merchants to obtain horses and livestock...

Scraping together from east and west, running back and forth.

And now, Ouyang Yan tells him he can obtain horses?

Then what about him earlier?

Then what was he doing earlier?

Du Shanü eventually calmed down.

Even in this lifetime she had never been so clear‑minded.

And Ouyang Yan, lying on the ground before her, had already been trembling all over as soon as her words landed, unable to speak for a long time—

It's over.

It's over.

This time, I fear it's truly over.

He previously thought that by holding onto the horse gang's horse‑trading channel, he could, at a critical moment, win the greatest fortune for himself and his younger brother.

Yet how could he have forgotten...

With the lord's ability, taking the world would be as easy as reaching into a bag.

In other words, the world will have countless ambitious talents who harbor the same thoughts and gaze as he, walking before her.

Those willing to die for her in the future...

Perhaps as numerous as the sands of the sea.

Capable people arise endlessly in the world, and talent will always be in short supply one day.

But loyalty alone will always be enough to make one stand out.

Ouyang Yan regretted.

Ouyang Yan this time truly regretted to the point of heartbreak.

Yet Du Shanü never once glanced at him.

She merely pondered a few breaths, then beckoned and told the attending old servant a location, saying:

"...... Go into the county office, find this spot. If I remember correctly, there is a boy about ten years old in the room; bring him and send him at once to Dun Cheng."

"No, impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Again, two successive shouts interrupted Du Shanü's words.

After Ouyang Yan finished shouting, realizing today could not be salvaged, he immediately collapsed, shoulders trembling incessantly.

And another sound...

The Yu family's ancestral teaching says: all Yu descendants must treat women and children leniently.

Yu Lve's complexion had been unpleasant all the way here, and now it had worsened to the extreme.

I know you harbor suspicions, but why lay hands on a child......

They spoke up to interrupt her, but Du Shanü likewise spoke up, leaving no opening.

Since you're so 'clever,' knowing you want to coerce me back to Cang Cheng, you should also know that this time I intend to eradicate rebels—I won't limit myself to attacking only Ouyang Yan.

Ouyang Yan is clueless—does that mean Yu Lve is fine?

So far, the two of them are just about equal—six of one, half a dozen of the other.

On what basis does Yu Lve think that, after she deals with Ouyang Yan, she won't come after him?

Moreover, what's more crucial is......

Even nobles and officials merely seek pleasure—when you Yu descendants enter your Yu genealogy, is that really something to be proud of?

If the Yu family is formidable, that's only because of Yu Yiai's mother, that transmigrant woman hidden behind Emperor Taizong who is formidable—what does that have to do with the Yu family?

Furthermore, Yu Yiai's marriage to her was an uxorilocal union; he must follow her family's precepts, taking her surname—what does the Yu family have to do with it?

Only the weak need to look ahead and behind, bound hand and foot.

What do these things have to do with her?

Du Shanü gave a cold laugh:

"... Cousin Yu, I think you'd better look after yourself first."

"A month ago, I already sent someone to Chong'an to inquire about you; your matter will be discussed later."

That gaze was deep and distant, and with the words 'Chong'an' striking down, it momentarily made that usually steady, cold-faced man see stars.

Yu Lve finally could not keep his composure, stepping back half a step——

I understand.

I understand.

Now he, too, could be said to have fully understood.

What Du Shanü wants has never been 【Double Saints in Court】, but 【Sole Sovereignty of the World】.

Her talent, her disposition, her ruthlessness......

It actually surpasses her aunt by three tenths!

Ouyang Yan and Yu Lve each trembled in their own way, but the old servant dared not hesitate further.

The old servant immediately went inside, and shortly thereafter led out a child about ten years old.

Ouyang An was obviously already asleep, wearing a single garment, rubbing his eyes in a daze as he was led out.

The night was deep, it was a bit chilly outside, he shivered, about to wonder, when he caught sight of his elder brother kneeling below the steps, a bloodstain on his neck.

He slowly widened his eyes, about to shout, but then saw the murderous array filling the courtyard; instantly overcome with unspeakable fear, tears welled up in his eyes as he trembled and called out:

"Big, big brother?"

"You, you alright?"

Du Shanü stood where she was, her expression indifferent and calm, her tone flat and without warmth:

"He's certainly fine, but you might not be."

"Let me ask you: although you are only ten, you have followed your elder brother wandering for several years—don't you yet realize that your elder brother actually cannot protect you?"

"Or perhaps you don't know——"

"Your ordinariness is entirely because your elder brother holds you back?"