Chapter 197: Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

"W-what?"

The Prince of Yong's bloated body trembled along with his words.

Two Yinzhou Ships?

He admitted that he was completely stunned. These Yinzhou Ships had truly shone brilliantly during this Battle of Hanzhong. They traveled at extreme speeds and ignored wind and rain; it could be said that it was precisely because of these Yinzhou Ships that the Yinzhou Army was able to complete a "Lightning War" that shocked the world, catching the Shu Army off guard and leaving them utterly defeated.

Everyone was speculating about what kind of monster these Yinzhou Ships were.

These were priceless treasures!

He hadn't expected Liu Zheng to be so generous as to gift two of them to Yinzhou!

The Prince of Yong was extremely excited, even wondering if he had previously been projecting his own small-mindedness onto others. This Prefect Liu was truly magnanimous! He couldn't help but say: "Prefect Liu, Prefect Liu, this..."

The other civil and military officials of Hanzhong were also overjoyed.

Xiao Kang, in particular, could no longer hold back: "Your Highness, these Yinzhou Ships ignore weather and water conditions, coming and going like the wind; they are a treasure of the age! If Hanzhong had these warships, why fear the aggressive Shu King?"

The Prince of Yong listened with tears in his eyes.

Wasn't that the truth?

Over these years, the Shu King had been aggressive and repeatedly invaded, simply bullying Hanzhong for lacking decent warships. The development of warships in the Longyan Dynasty currently remained stuck at the Mengchong Warship stage, because since the founding of the Longyan Dynasty after the Han, there had been no expansion of territory, and the development of the navy had also remained stagnant.

The Shu King and the Prince of Liang in Jingzhou had a deep relationship, and it was known to all that the Jingzhou Navy was the best in the world. Therefore, the Shu King relied on the Jingzhou Navy to vigorously develop his own naval forces, and he had ten of the most advanced Jingzhou Ships under his banner!

The Prince of Yong was almost moved to tears: "Young Master Liu's spirit is as vast as the clouds; this Mandarin has learned a lesson!"

The entire city's populace cheered as well.

With these two Yinzhou Ships, Hanzhong would no longer need to worry about incursions from the Shu Army. This grand gift from Liu Zheng was truly significant.

Liu Zheng laughed and said: "Your Highness won't just leave us standing here drinking the northwest wind, will you?"

The Prince of Yong became truly enthusiastic now: "Look at me, I've forgotten. Come, come, come, Prefect Liu, let us enter the city first!"

A banquet at the level of welcoming a Feudatory King left the people of Yinzhou and Hanzhong in high spirits.

"Young Master..."

Qin Zhangfeng was deeply moved, yet also filled with worry.

Liu Zheng knew what he was thinking and said with a smile: "Zhangfeng, you are a comrade who has been through life and death with me; there is no need to worry. Besides, these Yinzhou Ships are not something they can just copy whenever they want. Rest assured."

Qin Zhangfeng felt much more at ease.

The Yinzhou Ships looked simple, but in reality, their interiors utilized many technologies from the time of the First Industrial Revolution in Europe. Certain fixed gears and other components could only be crafted from the Refined Steel produced in Yinzhou; if others wanted to copy them, it would likely take many years...

Therefore, Liu Zheng was not worried.

After all, he had truly occupied a port that looked out over Zhongyuan, so it wouldn't be right not to give Hanzhong a little sweetness. Furthermore, Qin Zhangfeng was his true brother; what was there to fear about bleeding a little for a brother? Even if these Yinzhou Ships were copied in the future, Liu Zheng still had many other things he could bring out.

For example, the Steam Engine!

In his impression, the history of warship development had entered a brand-new era with steamships starting from the First Industrial Revolution. It would also trigger power reforms in other fields. Of course, the emergence of steam power was a major event that would affect the world's landscape; given the current situation of the Longyan Dynasty, it was not yet suitable to research in this direction.

At the height of the banquet, with wine flowing and spirits high.

A sound of a zither resonated through the entire venue.

The hand Liu Zheng held his wine cup with trembled slightly, and he looked toward the sound.

Sure enough.

The world's number one zither player, Shen Manqing, appeared in the venue dressed in red.

Once this woman appeared, the entire venue fell silent.

It was not only because of her superb zither skills, but also her peerless, city-toppling beauty.

Her eyes, clear as water, had been looking at Liu Zheng with deep affection from the moment she appeared.

The crowd began to clamor. The story of Prefect Liu flying into a rage for a beauty had already spread across the land, and now, the protagonist had finally arrived.

"Manqing..."

Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile; he wanted to say, "Why bother?"

Who would have thought that Shen Manqing would smile enchantingly and shake her head gently, her expressive eyes seeming to say that it was enough that he could come. As for the rest, it was not important.

Liu Zheng raised his cup, stunned on the spot.

At this moment, the song "Yearning for My Beloved" began, and the entire venue fell into a state of infatuation.

Boom.

Liu Zheng's mind roared, and he almost couldn't resist going up to take this world's number one zither player into his arms.

Yinzhou.

Yintan City.

Zheng Yue Ru was taking a moment of leisure, staring blankly at the bustling workers of Yintan City, somewhat lost in thought.

"General Zheng, do you hold any grudges against Yangshuo in your heart?"

At this moment, Qingyang Shuo pushed his own wheelchair to Zheng Yue Ru's side.

Zheng Yue Ru's delicate body trembled, and her face flushed red. She knew that her inner thoughts could never escape the eyes of a monster like Qingyang Shuo, so she simply smiled magnanimously: "Sir, if Yue Ru only had that much capacity, how would I dare to keep the Young Master in my heart?"

Qingyang Shuo looked at Zheng Yue Ru with surprise, then smiled: "The Young Master is no ordinary person."

He only said this one sentence, which made Zheng Yue Ru smile self-deprecatingly.

No ordinary person...

This meant that even though the ambiguity between Liu Zheng and Shen Manqing was already known to the world, Shen Manqing could never, under any circumstances, marry Liu Zheng as his wife.

A woman whose father had been exiled and who had once been a slave—how could she be worthy of the rising star that was Prefect Liu?

And this sentence was also spoken for Zheng Yue Ru to hear.

Prefect Liu was already famous throughout the world; the fact that the Prince of Yong treated him with the ceremonial standards of a Feudatory King this time showed that in the eyes of the world, Liu Zheng was no longer just a simple Prefect, but the equivalent of a Feudatory King... At the very least, Liu Dahao in Liangzhou no longer needed to look at Chen Ping's face at all.

And Zheng Yue Ru...

A mere merchant's daughter, though born into a Powerful Clan, was only a woman of a mere Yinzhou Powerful Clan. Although she had the Empress behind her, if they were still in Liangzhou, their statuses could be considered a match.

But now...

Zheng Yue Ru curtsied slightly: "Sir, Yue Ru shall keep this in mind."

Qingyang Shuo laughed heartily and shook his head: "May I address you as Yue Ru, Shuo?"

Zheng Yue Ru's delicate body trembled: "It is a supreme honor."

Qingyang Shuo said indifferently: "Yue Ru, the words I speak to you today are not intended to make you belittle yourself. Nor am I seeking possibilities for my daughter. In fact, even for Xi'er, Shuo believes she is not worthy of even a ten-thousandth of the Young Master. If one day I pass away, I only hope she can become a concubine; then Shuo would be content."

Zheng Yue Ru felt her heart in chaos, nodded, and smiled: "Sir, rest assured, Sister Xi'er is well-read and sensible, clever and bright; Yue Ru will also help bring this about."

Qingyang Shuo sighed: "The Longyan Dynasty changes, yet it remains a family empire; since ancient times, those who achieve great things cannot be hasty or careless with marriage."

Zheng Yue Ru nodded with a heavy heart.

"The most important point..."

Qingyang Shuo suddenly looked at Zheng Yue Ru with a smile: "Yue Ru, do you believe the Young Master's ambition is worthy of a swan?"

Zheng Yue Ru's delicate body trembled, and a look of horror flickered in her beautiful eyes.

Qingyang Shuo, seemingly inadvertently, pressed his hand against his wheelchair.

Hidden within this wheelchair was his Sleeve Crossbow!

Today, he had come to seek out this Zheng Yue Ru's perspective.

Because...

Everyone knew that this Zheng Family belonged to the Empress.

Liu Zheng had developed to this point and was beginning to look toward the Zhongyuan.

Zheng Yue Ru had become the most critical of priorities.

To marry her off—impossible.

To keep her—there were doubts in his heart.

Then...

Qingyang Shuo had come today to see whether or not to kill!

If this Zheng Yue Ru's heart was in Yinzhou, she could be kept.

If this Zheng Yue Ru's heart leaned toward the Empress and was tied to the Longyan imperial family, then, kill!

Qingyang Shuo would not hesitate for even half a moment.

Zheng Yue Ru, in an instant, had forgotten how to breathe.

Liu Zheng had drunk quite a lot of wine today.

That Immortal Brew shipped from Yinzhou had a very high alcohol content.

So he did not even know how he had returned to his room, nor did he know which room he had come to.

He only knew.

The banquet was harmonious and joyful; Sikong Jing, wearing her veil, was also very satisfied with Qin Zhangfeng, and Qin Zhangfeng had long since fallen for her. This happy event had no problems at the time.

They were just waiting for the Three Books and Six Betrothals to complete the grand wedding.

Liu Zheng was very happy.

Thinking back to when he first met Qin Zhangfeng, this fellow was still a Knight-errant walking the world, a few years older than Liu Zheng, and now, he was already the world-renowned General Qin.

Being able to secure a respectable marriage for his brother, how could Liu Zheng not be happy?

He vaguely remembered.

He had been drinking happily the whole time.

"The betrothal gift, double it!"

"The congratulatory gift, double it!"

"Brother, rest assured, with me, Liu Zheng, here, I will certainly make your wedding grand and spectacular, the focus of the whole country!"

"Zhangfeng..."

With a thud.

Liu Zheng woke up from his sleepiness with a start.

Double it?

He had actually been made drunk by that Prince of Yong from Hanzhong, and not only was he made drunk, he had even agreed to double it?

Damn it!

Didn't this mean he would have to throw in two more Yinzhou Ships?

That's too much!

This Prince of Yong was truly too much!

His heartache and physical pain combined, and then he felt a splitting headache; just as he wanted to get up, who would have thought, a hand groped in the night, only to touch a soft body...

"Who?"

Liu Zheng felt a shock in his heart.

That delicate body trembled slightly, making no sound.

In this night, the atmosphere seemed to turn ambiguous in an instant.

A roar echoed in Liu Zheng's mind.

"Man... Manqing?"

"Young Master, you're awake..."

Shen Manqing was incredibly shy, covering her face with the quilt, her back turned to Liu Zheng.

"No, this, this, this..."

Liu Zheng was startled awake, at a complete loss for what to do.

Shen Manqing remained silent.

With his mind in turmoil, Liu Zheng could not help but let out a bitter laugh in the end. As for why he had appeared in this bed, did he even need to think about it?

And besides...

It seemed that Shen Manqing had not slept at all while he was drunk.

In other words, she had been lying beside him the whole time, wide awake...

Even if Liu Zheng were a scoundrel, he would still understand Shen Manqing's intentions.

He was not a cold-hearted person either; for such a peerless beauty to give her heart to him, it would be a lie to say he was not moved.

"Manqing..."

Liu Zheng could never bring himself to be heartless. He slowly lay back down, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to gently pull Manqing into his arms and let out a deep sigh.

"Viscount..."

Shen Manqing looked back in pleasant surprise, her eyes shimmering with tears, filled with deep affection.

"I..."

Liu Zheng wanted to say more.

But his mouth was covered by Shen Manqing's jade hand. This number one zither player in the world, with tears streaming down her face like rain, smiled softly: "Viscount, do not blame Manqing for being reckless or shameless. Since the whole world already knows, what does it matter if I am dissolute and shameless... And do not speak of being unable to give Manqing a title; Manqing has already sworn an oath never to marry in this life. Viscount, you need not worry. Manqing is just, Manqing is just... too fond of you, ah..."

Before she could finish her sentence.

Liu Zheng could no longer hold back; he turned over and silenced Shen Manqing's murmurs.

【Author's Note】

After thinking about it, Miss Manqing had to be won over... Sigh, nearly 600,000 words in, and I've finally broken my vow. Does anyone want to tip? The more tips, the more bonus chapters I'll add.