Chapter 1294

A few days later, news arrived from Liaodong,

In the study, Zhang Cheng finished reading it and threw it into the fire, watching it turn to ashes inside,

"Uncle, but Liaodong has sent urgent news?"

Speaking to Zhang Cheng, Jia Wei couldn't help but ask,

Because he had never seen Zhang Cheng suddenly become so solemn!

"The Jurchen are sending envoys to sue for peace! It seems this winter won't be easy for them either!"

Rubbing his chin, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but narrow his eyes,

"The Jurchen would sue for peace?"

Staring at Zhang Cheng in shock, Jia Wei's first reaction was disbelief, for he too had fought against the Jurchen Tatars, and the enemy did not seem like the type to bow their heads in surrender,

Even when they had initially lost Crown Prince Chu Ying, seven beile, the Xianghong Banner, the Xianglan Banner, and other clans, Nurhaci had never sent anyone to the Great Qian, yet now they actually wish to sue for peace—truly unimaginable!

"Impossible, which is why I feel something is off!"

Tapping his fingers on the table, Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes, unable to help but ponder,

According to reason, Zhang Cheng had left Liaodong less than a year ago, and the Jurchen people had no way to recover their vitality, but with the savage Jurchen tribes, Zhang Cheng feared they would absorb them for their own use, re-expand, and continue waging war!

Zhang Cheng could defeat the Jurchen Tatars, but to truly consolidate Liaodong, he needs the court's support,

After all, when fighting the Russians, Zhang Cheng discovered that many in the court were uncooperative,

If it weren't for his ability to fight, following the court's current grain transport speed, he would have suffered defeat like Gao Xianzhi at Hengluo long ago!

Deep penetration with insufficient supplies is inherently a major taboo, let alone when someone is sabotaging from behind!

Zhang Cheng's current suspicion falls on Prince Yizhong, after all, aside from him, Zhang Cheng cannot think of anyone who would want to see him defeated,

Although Prince Ziteng harbors such thoughts, he lacks the capability, so Zhang Cheng doesn't care about him at all!

"Then should we just wait and see?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Jia Wei inquired,

"Better to think and advance than to think and halt! Let Brother Pu's side prepare for war, don't forget what he's actually doing just for the sake of making money!"

Speaking to Jia Wei beside him, Zhang Cheng began to speak,

"I understand, uncle, I'll send the message now, but if fighting breaks out, we'll likely have to wait several more months!"

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Jia Wei then fell into thought,

"Unclear, but it will definitely be worse than last time—perhaps we'll get to see the Eight Banners, no, the Seven Banners gathered together?"

Laughing as he spoke, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but tease, for the Xianghong Banner had been shattered by him!

Although the Xianglan Banner and Xiangbai Banner were not so tragically devastated, they were hardly better off; to replenish them, one must draw the Niu Lu E Zhen from other banners,

But who would willingly give up their own tribe? So only the savage Jurchen side can be selected!

Rongguo Manor, Buddhist Hall,

Striking the wooden fish, Lady Wang's heart was filled with sorrow and indignation,

Because that ill-mannered Jia Min's daughter had struck Baoyu again,

Thinking of her father Jia Zheng, who not only failed to help his son but even struck him violently, Lady Wang's heart burned with rage,

Upon thinking this, she then ordered someone to summon Madame Ma Dao,

After arriving at Rongguo Manor, Madame Ma Dao saw Lady Wang and hurriedly bowed, saying: "Madam, may I ask what business you have with this old woman?"

Gazing at Madame Ma Dao, Lady Wang then softly said: "I've heard Madame Ma Dao knows the art of warding off harm?"

"Madam, please don't joke—how could I possibly know such a thing?"

Speaking to Lady Wang, Madame Ma Dao's face was full of nervous expression,

"As Baoyu's adoptive relative, now that he is in trouble, don't you wish to help him?"

Looking at Madame Ma Dao, Lady Wang then began to weep and complain,

And just as Lady Wang took out a stack of banknotes and placed them before Madame Ma Dao, she then said: "I just want to help my family's Baoyu, give him a little lesson."

Lowering her head to look at the banknotes before her, Madame Ma Dao immediately smiled: "Madam, this is serious—I, as Baoyu's adoptive relative, how could I stand by and watch him be bullied? Please give me that person's birth characters, and I will certainly vent their anger!" Upon hearing Madame Ma Dao say this, Lady Wang then handed over the prepared items, saying: "Then it's troubling you!"

"Madam, you're too kind—this is all I ought to do!"

Speaking to Lady Wang, Madame Ma Dao then immediately left Rongguo Manor,

And just as Madame Ma Dao departed, Lady Wang then wore a fierce expression: "Little birth, I see if you die or not!"

After returning to her separate small courtyard, Madame Ma Dao then sent people to buy many filthy items, then pasted the birth characters onto a straw man, daily offering it with bloody sacrifices, finally inserting nails, like a curse!

However, if Madame Ma Dao had taken Lin Daiyu's birth characters, perhaps she could still use the warding art to cause some trouble,

But Lady Wang harbored no good intentions—she gave the birth characters of the Loyal Martial Marquis, Zhang Cheng's!

That day at the martial training ground, Zhang Cheng held a horse-slaying saber, demonstrating military martial arts to his sisters, but in the next second, Zhang Cheng suddenly froze in place,

"Elder brother?"

Seeing Zhang Cheng suddenly motionless, Lin Daiyu and the others expressed surprise,

But in the very next second, Zhang Cheng suddenly let out a violent sneeze,

"Ha—choo!"

Rubbing his nose, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but feel puzzled: "Strange, I caught a cold? Impossible!"

But just as Zhang Cheng finished speaking, the sky began to darken with heavy clouds, thunder rolling,

Raising his head, Zhang Cheng immediately said: "It's going to rain—quick, sisters, all go back inside!"

In the independent small courtyard slightly distant from Ningguo Manor,

Madame Ma Dao bled from her seven orifices, hurriedly clutching her chest, spitting out shattered internal organs from her mouth,

After she collapsed weakly to the ground, her entire body went limp, murmuring: "This is impossible, how could this person's birth characters be so hard?"

Struggling to crawl outward, Madame Ma Dao now regretted listening to Lady Wang's words, for this was not her practicing the warding art—it was demanding her life!

Although Ma Daopo's abilities were insufficient, she could even curse stubborn stones like Jia Baoyu, yet now she only made Zhang Cheng sneeze, nearly shattering herself from the backlash—imagine how terrifying that recoil must be!

Zhang Cheng: Who the hell threw a knife handle?

Ma Daopo: Knife handle? I nearly gave my life for it!

But just as Ma Daopo crawled out of her door, she saw the sky filled with dark clouds, and the whole person became fearful,

As a seeker of immortality, she could feel a heaven-shaking, earth-moving mighty power gathering,

"Boom!"

Thunder descended from the heavens like a pillar of light, striking straight down,

When Ma Daopo saw the thunder arrive in the blink of an eye, she couldn't help but cry out in terror: "This old one does not submit—what in the world have I done, old one that I am?"

Before Ma Daopo could finish her words, the entire courtyard was shattered in an instant,

Gazing at the deafening thunder echoing across the sky, Zhang Cheng in Ningguo Prefecture rubbed his nose and said: "Strange, today's thunder seems especially frightening! I don't know who is swearing an oath—perhaps it's Prince Teng?"

Just as Zhang Cheng finished speaking, Jia Wei ran over and said: "Uncle, the Five Cities Military Command says someone was killed by lightning, and the entire courtyard was blown to pieces!"

"Hmm? Her luck is truly terrible—she could be struck dead by lightning even at home!"

Hearing Jia Wei's words, Zhang Cheng laughed, fortunate that he hadn't recently sworn an oath on his hair, otherwise the one struck by lightning at home might have been him!

But after thinking it over, Zhang Cheng felt it unlikely, for his Zhang family truly has someone above!

Lei Gong and Dian Mu: Not us—don't spout nonsense!

Zhao Gongming: Of course it's not you—it's me. If I can't earn it, I'll just take it!

Zhang Bairen:

(End of Chapter)