Chapter 693: The Qiang People's Plot

The interrogation continues as before.

Chen Wuji, bored out of his mind, leaned sideways on the hu bed, pretending to nap.

He had intended to doze off a bit, but Elder Zhezhi's shouting seemed to have become addictive.

The loud, ringing shouts kept him from sleeping at all.

"Stuff his mouth shut, it's too noisy!" Chen Wuji said impatiently.

"Here!"

As the shouts turned into sobs, the world finally grew a little quieter.

Chen Wuji crossed his arms, leaned back on the hu bed, and dozed off calmly.

After who knows how long, Chen Li woke Chen Wuji, saying, "Family Head, he's confessed."

"Confessed?"

Chen Wuji blinked, turned over, sat up, and rubbed his cheeks hard, asking, "How long did I sleep?"

"About an hour."

"I didn't expect sleeping here to be this comfortable." Chen Wuji got up, stretched his limbs, and felt instantly energized, asking, "What did he say?"

"He hasn't spoken yet, but he's begging for mercy and promised to confess." Chen Li said.

Chen Wuji grunted, then turned his gaze to Elder Zhezhi.

Upon seeing him, he couldn't help but frown, wondering, "Why is he crying?"

"Saying… it hurts too much, I can't bear it." Chen Li said.

Chen Wuji: ……

Earlier so tough, now he says it's too painful?

Shouldn't a tough guy be unafraid of pain?

"Willing to talk now?" Chen Wuji sat down in front of Elder Zhezhi.

Elder Zhezhi cried, tears streaking his face, feeling as wronged as a maiden abandoned by a faithless lover, pleading, "You… I'll talk, I'll talk, don't do this to me."

"We've barely begun, and honestly, you're letting me down." Chen Wuji sighed.

"I was planning to roast you from head to toe, then finish with a sky lantern—so even if you stayed silent, this interrogation would be nearly perfect."

"You know what lighting a sky lantern means, right? Using you as the lamp—when the light goes out, you die. I've always been curious about this method and wanted to try it on you, but you won't give me the chance."

Elder Zhezhi shuddered violently, "Commander Chen, I'll talk, I'll talk—give me a quick end! Please, ask what you want, I'll tell you everything."

"Stop crying, stop wailing—such a tough guy, don't ruin my impression of you!" Chen Wuji shouted, "Tell me everything you know, though it'd be best if you held back a little, so I get a chance to give you the sky lantern treatment—I'm genuinely curious about this punishment."

Elder Zhezhi shuddered, "Commander Chen, please! I'll definitely tell the whole truth, holding nothing back—I'll start with what the Qiang people intend to do."

"The Grand Shi Bi Bai Shi of the Zhong Qiang is preparing to found a state, sending countless envoys to neighboring Zhong Qiang to borrow troops, and at the same time ordering all Zhong Qiang settlements that every male twelve years and older must join the war."

"Why suddenly found a state?" Chen Wuji asked.

"It's a divine revelation!" Elder Zhezhi said hurriedly.

He spoke so fast that before Chen Wuji's question was even finished, he'd already jumped in.

"Grand Shi Bi Bai Shi is the person closest to the divine that our central Qiang have had in years, enjoying supreme prestige and authority in the tribe—his word is unquestionable." Elder Zhezhi said.

"A few months ago, he sent people to announce to our entire tribe that the stars of Zhongyuan were dimming, while a brilliant sun rose on the western mountains; Zhongyuan would decline, and the next three hundred years would be the era of the Zhong Qiang, who would lead Zhongyuan with warhorses and bows, trampling all under heaven."

"The tribe erupted, settlements sent troops in response to the Grand Shi Bi's call, and it was then that the clan began preparing for statehood, possibly to make Grand Linglu the first ruler and Grand Shi Bi the state priest, governing in heaven's stead."

Chen Wuji nodded slightly; naturally, divine worship already held a supremely sacred place in the Qiang people's hearts, and with such an explanation from the Grand Shi Bi, the Qiang would surely be stirred.

Of course, one could also say they're just easy to fool.

Faith has always been a double-edged sword.

"If you're going to found a state, why not do it in your ancestral lands instead of gathering troops at Yingzui Ridge?" Chen Wuji asked.

Elder Zhezhi shook his head, "Commander Chen, it's not that I won't say—I really don't know… Please don't get angry; I've heard some things secondhand that might be useful."

He seemed truly frightened, his whole person like a startled bird; as he spoke, his lips twitched, and his dazed eyes kept darting to the dagger and scratching tool in the fire.

Chen Wushuang's methods were also quite solid.

Chen Wuji had threatened Elder Zhezhi, saying he'd drill several holes all over his body, and Chen Wushuang actually went ahead and did it.

Elder Zhezhi's feet were now covered in black, burnt pits; he was close to drilling through. This pain isn't something an ordinary person could endure—his holding out this long before speaking is already quite impressive.

"Speak." Chen Wuji lifted his hand slightly.

Elder Zhezhi, feeling as if pardoned, nervously swallowed and hurriedly said, "I heard someone in the clan say that Yingzui Ridge was chosen because it's the place closest to the heavenly gods."

"The stars of Zhongyuan are fading, while our heavenly gods stand high above, gazing down at Zhongyuan; there we can receive their omens more clearly."

Chen Wuji didn't understand the Qiang's divine system, but their faith is quite sincere.

That explanation does seem to have a grain of truth.

"Any other explanations?" Chen Wuji asked.

"Yes!" Elder Zhezhi said quickly, "Some say it's the land where the Qiang will rise as dragons, where great fortune will descend. But this idea is actually… pretty much the same as the last one."

Chen Wuji nodded slightly, "How many troops are currently at Yingzui Ridge?"

"After the battle at Wuyang Mountain, our vitality was greatly wounded; even after borrowing troops from other tribes, we still don't have many. Our tribe's earlier report said thirty thousand troops had gathered, but this number should soon hit its ceiling, not exceeding fifty thousand."

"Fifty thousand troops—against Commander Chen, they'd hardly stir a wave."

Chen Wuji almost couldn't help laughing out loud.

This guy—sometimes he's really interesting.

He actually now starts speaking to him.

"When are you preparing to found the state?" Chen Wuji asked.

"Commander Chen, I'm not hiding it on purpose—I really don't know this news."

Elder Zhezhi's face was grim with sorrow, his eyes full of pleading.

Suddenly, he said somewhat excitedly: "However, I heard that before the founding of the state, they will hold a grand sacrificial ceremony, to sacrifice a large number of Dayu People to heaven."

"This news should be true; before the founding of the state, they will definitely plunder a large number of Dayu People near Yingzui Ridge. As long as the Commander keeps a close watch on them, he will be able to know their movements."

This news is very crucial.

It also made Chen Wuji's gaze instantly turn grim, these damned things!