[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-the-ming":3,"chapter-overthrowing-the-ming-overthrowing-the-ming-chapter-44":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing the Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289271,4476,"Chapter 44: Chapter 44: I'll Come","overthrowing-the-ming-chapter-44",44,"\u003Cp>\"Fine, but I don't know if Master Wu is willing to put up a wager?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of wager do you have in mind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhuge watched with a cold face the entire time, feeling more and more that Liu Jianbao had become increasingly arrogant, relying on his ability to maneuver between him and Boss Zhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How about this: the wager is that if there really is movement over at Qingyang Post this time, only our two families will handle it... but the split has to change!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah, you went through all that trouble just to wait for me here? Then how do you want to split it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhuge took a deep breath, keeping his tone as flat as possible, yet he could not hide the anger in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These Liu brothers were increasingly disregarding him; back then, Cao Er in the Shanzhai had suggested he clear out Mao'er Dam early on, but he had been too clever for his own good, stubbornly believing the Liu brothers could be fostered and, ideally, brought under his control to counter the Guanzi Mountain group to the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Mao'er Dam had developed smoothly right under his nose and gradually grown in power, primarily due to his own petty calculations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, it was clearly a case of being too clever by half, which gave him even more hidden worries—worries that stemmed from the gentry of Mianxian, for the Longmen Shanzhai had only been established because the Mianxian gentry had acted as intermediaries and pushed it into existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it bluntly, he was essentially just a dog in the hands of the Mianxian gentry, but he was getting old now; what if the gentry wanted to replace him with a mad dog with sharper teeth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Liu brothers must be killed!\" Wu Zhuge made up his mind in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, Master Wu, don't be angry. Our two families will have a fair competition to see who is stronger... If we lose, our Mao'er Dam will take less, so our own brothers will be convinced and accept it. If we win, we take more; otherwise, they keep saying they put in the most effort but get the least... You tell me, it's hard for us two brothers to manage this household, isn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jianchen felt that Wu Zhuge’s ability to control his temper was truly lacking, so he couldn't help but quickly interject with a smile to smooth things over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph, just say it then; your grandfather here isn't someone with a narrow mind!\" Wu Zhuge snorted coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Straightforward! If we win, we take a six-to-four split; if we lose, we stick to the previous method.\" Liu Jianbao always wore that grinning, ghostly expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You take six? I take four? Which collaboration hasn't involved more people from my Longmen Shanzhai?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhuge was truly stunned by Liu Jianbao's audacity, and if they lost and still followed the original split, Mao'er Dam would have absolutely nothing to lose—wasn't this motherfucker just playing him for a fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha... Master Wu, why don't you think about it carefully? Which time hasn't it been us who got the latest news? I could join forces with your Longmen Shanzhai for this information, or I could join forces with Boss Zhu of Qigan Mountain... Hey, don't be angry, you tell me... is that not the case?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhuge took a gulp of strong liquor, forcibly suppressing his rage, and sneered: \"Is your mother really a merchant of the nine kingdoms? Hah, stop using hearsay to make your point. Whose side doesn't have eyes and ears spread out? Do you really think that no matter how tight you keep your mouth, our Shanzhai won't know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, aside from the news your third brother had about Qingyang Post this time, weren't the other matters at Shiguan, Feixian Ridge, and Hutou Pass all reported to you by us Liu brothers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jianchen sneered repeatedly: \"Just because you have more people doesn't mean you put in more effort... Besides, Master Wu, can I really not find Boss Zhu of Guanzi Mountain to partner with? Do I have to come to you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhuge’s expression shifted between light and shadow; he did not want to continue dragging out this topic, so he shifted his train of thought and immediately agreed: \"Fine! Then let's have a contest!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, we'll see the skill in our hands. Brothers, Master Wu has agreed, do you dare to compete? If you lose, shut your stinking mouths; that will mean the brothers from Longmen Shanzhai put in the most effort, you hear me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jianbao immediately howled loudly, and the table of people from Mao'er Dam behind him cheered instantly, each of them roaring to have a go; the momentum alone suppressed the Longmen Shanzhai side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The usual military examinations of the Great Ming court are all those pedantic, messy things—too troublesome. Let's just do something simple, motherfucker: three events—mounted archery, swordplay, and long spears. How about that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jianbao proposed to the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Wu Zhuge realize that today he had only brought a few personal guards, including Miao Xianzu, Wang Qiong, Zhang Cang, and Wu Nai.\u003C\u002Fp>",864,"2026-06-20T03:32:06.992Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","07f1a261fb1174a5ac8063407b1c959d8245bfa00053a7f6186618a51b492f18","overthrowing-the-ming-chapter-45","overthrowing-the-ming-chapter-43",71,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-the-ming-cover.jpg"]