As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 160 Tiger, Whale Shark

"Your Majesty, Xiao Zhengyang is dead, Xiao Xinyue defected, Mingchen also ran away, Lingyu is in a stalemate with the Blood Clothes Army in the south of Qianyuan..."

"That Xiao Anhong is a foolish and incompetent ruler, not worth mentioning at all. He controls the government with treacherous and selfish tactics."

"Now that Qianyuan is in chaos and the ice age of the Mother River has passed, I implore you to send troops south!"

Beilie Qingcang City, the Tiger Palace of the Imperial Palace.

A mighty general knelt on one knee, his face full of determination, and pleaded with the majestic emperor in front of him: "This old minister dares to issue a military order. With only 100,000 soldiers, we will surely break through the three passes, capture Yueyang, destroy Qian Yuan, and avenge our country's humiliation!"

Bei Lie’s current conditions are actually not very good.

The grand water conservancy project has begun. Although there are extraordinary people to help, two people are not enough. Qin Lou still mobilized a large amount of manpower and material resources to assist.

Beilie had been at war for three years and was running out of food and fodder, so it was not appropriate to resort to military action.

But unfortunately, the Qianyuan condition in the south is even worse.

As the news came in one after another, Qin Lou couldn't help but feel emotional.

Half a year ago, although Qian Yuan's condition was not very good, he was still alive.

Who could have expected that in just half a year, two kings would die one after another, the Blood-Cloaked Man would rebel and claim the throne, treacherous ministers would usurp the throne and slaughter the royal family, the princess would flee, and chaos would break out in various places... so many unexpected events would happen.

Even the talented minister who once amazed him fell from grace, fled in disgrace, and became a rebel.

Things are unpredictable. A dynasty that has lasted for five hundred years has been on the verge of collapse in an instant.

It’s no wonder that this general wanted to send troops south again after less than half a year of rest.

When Qin Lou ascended the throne, he also experienced some chaos. This domineering king was supported by Tian Hong against all odds.

Qin Lou also reciprocated with sincerity and was named a pillar of the state, second only to the emperor and above ten thousand people.

The king is wise and his ministers are virtuous. Even though there are occasional bad voices in the country, Qin Lou always has the utmost trust in him.

Tian Hong witnessed with his own eyes how this monarch gradually transformed from a naive and reckless person into the powerful and majestic one he is today.

"Please give me your Majesty's permission!"

Tian Hong looked at Qin Lou with burning eyes, bowed his head, and petitioned again.

Unlike Dong Zhenghong in the south, who held the highest position among the ministers, this general really had no intention of disobeying the emperor.

He had no clique in government, acted decisively and swiftly, and was not greedy for fame and fortune.

The work is quite intense. I am either fighting or on the way to fight.

Since he was a child, he had heard that the military god of the South forced their king to commit suicide to apologize. He had seen countless people sacrifice themselves for the prosperity of Beilie, so he had always been very determined.

Beilie must be strong! Beilie must be strong! Never forget the national humiliation!
Tian Hong worked day and night, and was extremely ambitious. His greatest wish in life was to lead his troops south, break through the three passes of Qianyuan, attack their capital, destroy their dynasty, and force their emperor to commit suicide to apologize.

Let Beilie dominate the world and be feared by all directions.

Looking at the persistent and somewhat crazy general, Qin Lou lowered his eyes slightly: "Brother, we just signed a treaty of mutual aggression with Qianyuan, and it has not been half a year yet."

Tian Hong is thirteen years older than Qin Lou and has made great contributions to the cause of following the emperor. Qin Lou privately calls him brother.

"Your Majesty, the contract is worthless!"

Tian Hong shook his head and said, "Currently, Qianyuan is in civil strife, and the sovereignty is still unclear. We can send troops under the pretext of supporting the princess and suppressing the rebellion."

Qin Lou added, "Beili's national strength has been largely diverted to the canal construction project. After three years of war, our country is already running low on supplies. If the war continues, the people will resent it."

Tian Hong gritted his teeth and said, "Qian Yuan and our country are sworn enemies!"

"Your Majesty, what if the people suffer?"

"As long as we can break through the three passes of Qianyuan, I can plunder Qianyuan's supplies."

"Your Majesty! This opportunity cannot be missed!"

"I beg you to send the troops!"

The general, who had spent his whole life in the military, had a strong personality and bowed to Qin Lou again.

Tian Hong only cared about the war and the critical situation in Yu Qianyuan.

But as a monarch, Qin Lou had more to consider. He shook his head and said, "Brother, no."

"We're making too many moves. If we're blocked, I'm afraid all our efforts will be wasted."

"Breaking the contract privately is tantamount to breaking trust with the world."

Tian Hong gritted his teeth and raised his head. His eyes were red as he stared at Qin Lou. "Your Majesty, why are you so cowardly? Have you forgotten the seventy years of national humiliation our dynasty suffered? The late king was forced to commit suicide in front of the people of Qingcang City to apologize!"

"We Beilie people are born strong, so why not endure some hardships? Seventy years ago, our country collapsed, and we overcame it. Why not take another risk?"

"Qian Yuan is in such a bad state now! What is Your Majesty still afraid of?!"

Tian Hong seemed a little anxious. As the king and his subjects were of one mind, it was rare for them to have such disagreements.

Facing Tian Hong's somewhat anxious question, Qin Lou took a few steps forward, staring at him with his eyes wide open, and raised his voice a little: "I haven't forgotten!"

"I dare not forget it for a moment!"

"What is the reason for my long hours and long nights?!"

"I am the Qin family, I am the Beilie nation, and I always dream of ruling the world and having all nations come to pay tribute!"

Qin Lou became increasingly excited as he spoke, stomping his foot so hard that the newly repaired floorboards beneath his feet broke. "I wish I could lead the army myself, fight the enemy, destroy the Southern Kingdom, unify the world, and make my Northern Lie Kingdom last for eternity."

The emperor, who was younger than Tian Hong, was now so powerful that he overshadowed this Beilie idol who had spent his entire life in military service.

His eyes were like torches and his voice was like thunder.

As he spoke, there seemed to be bursts of dragon roars and tiger roars.

Tian Hong was shocked. Looking at the excited Qin Lou, he felt as if he was facing a ferocious tiger.

Waves of invisible terrifying aura came towards him, shocking his heart and soul, overwhelming the fierce murderous aura that came from his battle-hardened life.

For a moment, he was silent.

Seeing Tian Hong calm down, Qin Lou also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the map that was often hung in the Tiger Hall, stroking it gently and sighing softly: "But brother, Beilie is poor! Why must the people suffer?"

"Brother, I, Bei Lie, don't necessarily have to fight so hard to win. When the time is right, we can all make a concerted effort and dominate the world. Isn't that good?"

"Qianyuan is in chaos. Let them fight among themselves! We will watch from the sidelines as they perish on their own."

He was not cowardly, but calm.

A brave and domineering king can keep calm, restrain his warlike nature, and resist the temptation to kill and conquer in order to achieve great things. This represents his growth.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for my words. I hope you will forgive me."

Tian Hong lowered his eyes and said to Qin Lou as if reminding him, "This old minister is anxious, but Qian Yuan...can't give them a chance to rest."

"Does Mingchen really have such good intentions as to suggest strategies for strengthening our nation?"

"If Qian Yuan catches his breath, it will be difficult for us to find another opportunity..."

Ling Yu's appearance was like a stone pressing on his heart, and he always had a bad premonition.

He also knew that it was a good thing to let Qianyuan's internal conflicts continue, but... he felt that he couldn't do nothing.

Qin Lou nodded slightly and was about to say something.

At this moment, the two seemed to sense something and ran out of the hall together, looking towards the south.

In the far south, the golden fish leaped out of the mountains and rivers and flew towards the sky. It was so beautiful that it seemed like a miracle.

"Your Majesty...this..."

It was the first time that Tian Hong had seen such a strange sight. He couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock.

what is this?
Is this a natural occurrence or a man-made creation?

In recent months, Qin Lou has also encountered some supernatural things. He dreamed of a tiger roaring in the mountains, looking majestic and heroic.

Qin Lou narrowed his eyes and secretly clenched his fists.

He didn't know why, but suddenly thought of that brilliant young man, that sought-after genius. He had ridden the fame of their two kings to great heights, becoming known to the world, but now he had become a traitor, his life or death unknown.

But... would such a smart person really end up in this situation because of a tyrannical ruler and treacherous ministers?
The princess who dared to challenge him openly in the court, the ten-year strategy of exhausting the country, defection, strange phenomena in the sky...all kinds of information were intertwined in his mind.

Could it be that all of this was within that person's expectations?
"Brother."

Tian Hong raised his head and replied, "Yeah?"

Dark clouds covered the sky, and the tall emperor looked a little gloomy and full of oppression.

An invisible halo spread out, and a powerful aura swept across. Faintly, a tiger appeared beside the king, with fierce eyes and majestic power.

"I want to fight again."

Why?

Does God always favor them in the South?
Rich land, legendary heroes, such a vision.

Why? Their Beilie has such a harsh climate and such barren land.

I won't do as you wish, I, Bei Lie, will win!
"Roar!"

The next moment, the people in Qingcang City were shocked, and blood boiled in their chests.

Somehow, I seemed to hear the roar of a tiger in my ears.

Calling them to fight! Fight!

……

"Alliance leader!"

"Alliance leader!"

"Our ancestors once made a thousand-year agreement with the kings. My Jinglan Alliance will not enter the Central Plains for a thousand years!"

"How can you make an exception? How can you break your promise?"

"Besides, we are used to drifting on the sea. Even if you really take over a city, we can't hold it..."

The vast ocean and flags fluttering in the wind.

On a ship surrounded by countless fleets, a huge sea snake pulled the ship and galloped through the waves.

A burly old man with white hair looked helpless and kept muttering to the man in front of him.

"boom!"

However, before he could finish his words, there was an explosion and something seemed to pass quickly across his cheek.

He was shocked all over and stopped talking.

Not far from his face, a wooden sign was smashed to pieces, and wood chips flew everywhere.

"Bullshit! Why can't you hold on?!"

A slight exhalation blew away the swirling smoke, revealing a delicate face. It was a woman, whose figure was particularly slender compared to the burly old man.

She had a long ponytail, and her skin was not as fair as the beauties in the Central Plains, but a slightly darker wheat color. She wore a windbreaker, had bright eyes, raised eyebrows, and her ponytail swayed gently in the sea breeze, revealing a sense of high spirits and freedom.

At first glance, she looks like the energetic and lively girl next door.

However, as soon as she spoke, she destroyed everything.

She casually threw the blazing musket aside, showing no sign of respect for the elderly or the young. She pointed at the old man's nose and said in a hoarse voice, "That was an agreement made by those old men. I have nothing to do with it! If you want to keep the agreement, you can ask those old men to crawl out of the belly of the fish and keep the agreement!"

"Alliance leader...how can you be disrespectful to our ancestors..."

The old man felt helpless to have such a boss and kept giving advice.

Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by the other party impatiently. The girl's eyes were full of arrogance: "If the ancestor helps me, then he is a good ancestor, and I respect him. If the ancestor gets in my way, then he is a stupid old man, get out of here!"

"Stop whining and dithering here."

"In a word, do it or not?!"

"Forehead……"

Hong Lingshuang raised an eyebrow and looked at the tall, veteran official in front of her. She narrowed her eyes slightly, and there was something else in her eyes. Her tone was inexplicable: "What's the matter? Are you the leader of the alliance, or am I the leader? My orders are not working?"

The old man trembled all over and knelt on the deck, shaking his head: "I dare not, I dare not."

Their young leader seemed a bit flamboyant, straightforward, and spoke in a crude manner.

But in reality, he is extremely meticulous, ruthless, and has his own thoughts.

The old man was just a little rigid, and he didn't want the other party to doubt his loyalty.

Hong Lingshuang glanced at the old man and snorted softly, "Hmph, if you guys don't fight, I'll go fight them myself!"

"How can the leader, who is worth a thousand gold, go into danger in person? We will naturally obey his orders."

He knew that the leader of the alliance would never go to the battlefield, and this sentence was just forcing him to express his position, but of course he would say what he had to say.

"Seagull has already told me that the Central Plains is in chaos now!"

"That big fool in the north also has ambitions."

"Then let's take advantage of the chaos and seize a few cities. I want Qianyuan's Bailing City and Beilie's Tongbo Fortress."

She studied the urban map of the entire Central Plains, and these two cities were the most suitable places to settle down.

This is the estuary of a large river that runs through the Central Plains and has tributaries in every major city. The water flow is the only way for the alliance fleet to operate here.

"Uh...yes!"

The old man hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and nodded.

Apart from suppressing pirates, the alliance has not fought a war for nearly a hundred years. Suddenly being involved in this chaotic war, it doesn't know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing.

Hong Lingshuang looked at the old man with a gloomy expression, shook her head, and sighed softly: "Uncle..."

"In this world, words are as useless as farts! If you don't hit others, do you really think they won't hit you? Times have changed. Do you really think that you can live freely for a thousand years just by making an oath like the old man did back then?"

"Then Bei Lie and Qian Yuan can just start fighting without any hesitation?!"

"You can't survive without fighting."

It is actually rare to hear a girl speak in this tone.

The old man opened his mouth and looked into the bright eyes of the young leader, but he didn't know what to say.

"Let me ask you, if someday some great ruler were to annihilate all the nations, unify the Central Plains, and then send millions of soldiers to occupy our archipelago, forcing us to submit, what would you do? What would you want me to do?"

"Forehead……"

Hong Lingshuang lowered her eyes and looked towards the distant horizon, where the fish slowly flew up into the sky.

The weather is very good today, the sun is shining, and the surging waves are sparkling in the sunlight.

The girl's ponytail swayed gently in the wind. She let out a sigh and said, "How can a whale shark, shackled, swim freely in the ocean?"

"My Jinglan Alliance has been floating in this endless sea for thousands of years, with no one paying attention to us. Why can't we rule the Central Plains?!"

She narrowed her eyes and turned to look at the old minister, her bright eyes sparkling: "Since there are always people who want to dominate the world, then..."

"Why can't it be me?"

The old man was shocked and stared at the girl in front of him who he had watched grow up.

"True freedom...is when no one is my equal anymore!"

The wind started to blow, the waves began to rise, and as the waves surged, a huge shadow gradually grew larger in the sea.

As soon as Hong Lingshuang finished her last sentence, a shadow covered the bright sky.

"boom!"

The waves were surging, and a huge shark jumped out of the water, swallowing everything with its huge mouth.

(End of this chapter)