Chapter 37: Truly a Strange Book

Take Pingcheng.

"Mr., Dugu Ru has been very favored recently by Prince Guangyang. Prince Guangyang is gradually distancing himself from us; what should we do?"

Liu Lingzhuo heard the words of the boy beside him, yet his face showed no extra expression.

Dugu Ru and he occupied the same ecological niche; if one was trusted, the other would naturally be neglected.

The only method was to eliminate the other person.

"Every time Dugu Ru comes to Take Pingcheng, you send people to watch her. Do you know if she has ever had any improper relationship with Prince Guangyang?"

The boy shook his head.

"Strange to say, Prince Guangyang hasn't even held her hand. He is as if possessed, giving small rewards every three days and large rewards every five days. I do not know the reason."

"Hmph!"

Liu Lingzhuo sneered disdainfully and took a book from a bookcase nearby.

"I recently spent a huge sum to buy this strange book from a high master. It is named 'Green Tea Treasure Mirror'! How Dugu Ru deceived Prince Guangyang, after viewing this strange book, I know it as clearly as my own fingers."

The boy did not understand.

"Could it be that a Gu spell was cast?"

"Fool!"

Liu Lingzhuo shouted:

"All day long you only know these despicable methods."

The boy felt somewhat aggrieved.

"If no Gu spell was cast, how could Prince Guangyang be like this? Mr. does not know that if Prince Guangyang does not hear news of Dugu Ru for a day, he is as if he has lost his soul, rushing to send things to Dugu Ru. Sometimes, upon receiving a letter from Dugu Ru, he is happy for a long time."

"What was written in that letter?"

"Nothing much, just a few words back and forth: 'Peace, well, take care'!"

"How did Prince Guangyang reply?"

"He replied a lot; the disciple cannot remember."

"This matter is also recorded in the 'Green Tea Treasure Mirror'!"

Liu Lingzhuo smiled coldly, flipped through the book, found that page, and spoke:

"The 'Green Tea Treasure Mirror' records that this condition is named 'Lick-Dog Syndrome'!"

Liu Lingzhuo shook his head and sighed:

"According to what you just said, Prince Guangyang should already be in the late stage of Lick-Dog Syndrome!"

"Then what should be done? Should we invite a Physician?"

"Fool!"

The boy was scolded again and felt extremely aggrieved in his heart. Liu Lingzhuo looked at him, shook his head, and sighed.

"This condition has no cure, no cure at all!"

"If there is no cure, will we not be swept out the door by Prince Guangyang?"

"Fool!"

"Mr., what did I do wrong again?"

Liu Lingzhuo felt not a shred of sadness in his heart; instead, he was full of excitement.

"With this strange book in hand, who cares about Prince Guangyang? Let him live or die as he pleases. You immediately give orders below: from today on, gather all the beauties under heaven. I will personally train them, make them learn all the essence of this book, and use them for my purposes."

"But recently our money and grain are short; we cannot even pay salaries."

"Sell all the properties, fertile fields, and furniture under my name."

"But if we do this, we will not even have a place to stand!"

"Do not be stingy with those jars and pots; sell them all. If it really comes to it, I can go borrow money!"

At this moment, Liu Lingzhuo's entire state could be described in just five words:

I am going to start a career!

"The foundation of the great enterprise lies entirely here!"

"Your Highness!"

As Yu Jin entered the room, he saw Yuan Shen, who looked as if he had lost his soul, stand up.

"Has Sister Ru's letter arrived?"

Yu Jin raised his eyelids, somewhat unable to digest the meaning within these words.

Sister Ru?

However, Yu Jin quickly regained his calm.

"It is military intelligence!"

Visibly, Yuan Shen's spirit and energy faded away.

"The Grand Executive Office of the Eastern Route has already begun to organize the army, preparing to fight against Polo Han Baling. But looking at the situation, it is somewhat subtle."

In the past, whenever Yuan Shen heard military intelligence, he was very attentive; even in the middle of the night, he would climb out of bed to handle military affairs.

But in these recent days, he has changed entirely.

"We only need to transport grain and fodder; there is no need to ask about other matters."

"Your Highness, this battle concerns the safety of the Northern Border. If we are defeated, I fear the Guanzhong region will not be peaceful!"

Upon hearing Yu Jin's words, Yuan Shen retorted:

"Yuan Yu is also a commander of talent; how could he be defeated?"

"The army has been exhausted for a long time; the soldiers have no will to fight, the generals have no heart to struggle. They all only think about receiving money and grain. How can they contend with the tiger and wolf armies of the Liuzhen? Polo Han Baling did not even appear; he only sent the great general Wei Kegu to serve as the front-line commander."

"In such a battle, where has Polo Han Baling gone?"

"I heard that the Rouran Khan, Yujulu Anagui, recently led the Wang Ting south; this may be related to the matter."

As he spoke, Yu Jin's heart was filled with worry.

"If the Rouran collude with the Liuzhen, chaos will immediately engulf the realm, and I fear the Jiangshan and the state will also topple."

At this moment, the sound of bells rang outside the house; another letter had arrived.

Yuan Shen stood up in a flash.

"Is it a letter from the Du Gu clan?"

"Indeed!"

Ignoring everything else, Yuan Shen strode over in three quick steps and tore the letter open.

"Lately the spring cold has been severe. Ru, my sister, says many cattle and sheep in the tribe have frozen to death; newborn children lack clothes and food; salt and iron are insufficient. It is truly pitiable. Messenger, open the storehouse..."

"Your Highness!"

Yuan Shen was stopped by Yu Jin's shout.

"The Pingcheng storehouse is a public instrument of the court; how can it be privately given away?"

Hearing this, Yuan Shen laughed loudly.

"Why such anger? I never said I would touch the Pingcheng storehouse; I meant to use the private treasury of my Wang Fu."

Seeing Yuan Shen like this, Yu Jin truly could not understand.

"Your Highness, you are a hero of your time; raised since childhood in Luoyang, what kind of woman have you not seen? Why has Dugu Ru stolen your soul?"

Hearing Yu Jin's heartfelt words, Yuan Shen offered no rebuttal, saying only:

"We, who read little of Qu Yuan's 'Nine Songs' and Song Yu's 'Gao Tang Fu', have long yearned in our hearts for the jade-like grace of the Divine Maiden."

"But that is merely a legend!"

"For you, it is merely a legend; but for me, the Divine Maiden lives vividly before my eyes—she is my sister Ru."

As he spoke, Yuan Shen's face wore a dazed expression, and he began to chant unconsciously, pouring out the feelings in his heart.

"If there be one at the mountain's bend, clad in bryony and girded with female ivy. With a glance yet a fitting smile, you admire me for my graceful beauty. Riding red leopards, followed by patterned foxes, in a magnolia chariot with a cassia banner tied. Cloaked in stone orchid, girded with du heng, I break fragrant herbs to send to the one I long for..."

"You truly are..."

Before Yu Jin could finish, Yuan Shen thought of something else.

"Hurry and prepare grain and supplies; send them to the Du Gu clan as soon as possible."

Yuan Shen's personal guards, seeing Yu Jin present, felt somewhat awkward and said nothing.

"Ju Mi is no outsider; speak freely!"

"Your Highness has been bestowing gifts upon the Du Gu clan every few days; now the storehouse is empty, and we even owe money to the wealthy households in the city!"

"Then borrow again from the great households in the city!"

Yu Jin stepped out of the pavilion, gazed at the distant scenery, and could not help but shake his head.

"This Dugu Ru—she must be Mei Xi reborn, Daji resurrected, Bao Si possessed!"

If this continues, how can it possibly end well?

After sighing, Yu Jin summoned a close attendant beside him.

"Go to Ma Yi and deliver a letter for me to Li Shuang; ask him whether the promise he made last time—that he will always keep a place for me on his side—still holds."

"My Lord, is there anything else you wish to instruct?"

Yu Jin turned back to glance at the small tower behind him; it felt as though it might collapse at any moment.

"Nothing else matters; the most important thing is speed!"