Volume 1, Chapter 138: Gratitude of the Myriad People

Zhang Anshi issued his orders.

Before long, Xu Mao was escorted in by the soldiers.

Maoqiyong replied smugly, "My patron had anticipated this long ago. Those people receive dividends effortlessly, as their shares are deducted from the acquisition cost of the workshops and markets. The government merely collects a bit less, which is effectively equivalent to those cavalrymen funding it."

Now, in the eyes of the subordinates, and the residents of the distant Phoenix Keep, the dissipation of the thick fog that had lingered at the horizon for millennia was already an immensely terrifying spectacle. What followed, growing even more astonishing and frightening, was the sudden appearance of a gigantic tree connecting heaven and earth.

Huigang taught Nis several opening stances. Although she was a martial arts prodigy, the necessary postures still had to be learned, starting from the basics. Despite her reluctance, Nis practiced them meticulously outside. The weather was very hot, with the sun blazing in the sky.

It was no wonder Yuniang felt puzzled. Jin Fengju’s pampering of Fu Qiuning was glaringly obvious to anyone with eyes. She had originally thought that upon hearing Qiuning was ill, he would fly over on wings, but it turned out to be completely different—he had merely sent Jin Ming instead, which inevitably caused a trace of unease in her heart.

"No, that won't work. The zombies in the lobby might not be many, but the first floor is packed. Moreover, those monsters and zombies have extremely acute hearing and smell. I'm afraid that before we even step out, the entire building will be surrounded," Mu Zifeng said.

Fan Zhongyan had four sons: the eldest, Chunyou; the second, Chunren; the third, Chunli; and the fourth, Chuncui. Among the four, the second son, Chunren, was the most accomplished. During the reign of Emperor Zhezong, he briefly served as a councilor of state.

Zishan turned her head away. "Did I really say that? It doesn't sound like anything I would say at all." Her spirits improved slightly because she knew what she had actually said—she had merely stated that when the sun rose, she would strive to live on, and it never carried the profound implication Jiang Tao was attributing to it.

Old Dowager Jin smiled and nodded, at which point Jiang Wanying took her leave and departed gracefully. Fu Qiuning pondered deeply on the meaning of Madam Fang's words just then. Judging by her usual conduct and speech, she should be a magnanimous elder; surely she wouldn't harbor the intention of sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight and throwing Jin Fengju's household into turmoil, would she?

Among all the people present, apart from herself, there truly was no one else both suitable and willing to take charge of this task. With cultivation conditions being so favorable now, who wasn't racing against time? Yet Oude's natural aptitude was quite good, and to have him hindered and delayed by trivial matters like this was simply too much of a pity.

Only then did the crowd disperse. Luwei sat on the outdoor platform, staring blankly at the tent where Su Man was staying.

Following them were the fifty-third and fifty-fifth infantry battalions of Jia Denglian's fourteenth regiment, lined up abreast, left and right. Sandwiched between the two battalions were the engineers, the artillery, and Zhu Pingjin's headquarters escort. Three companies of the fifth battalion, together with the reduced company of the fourteenth regiment, formed the reserve, combining with the fifty-third and fifty-fifth infantry battalions to form an inverted triangular formation.

"Yes, Your Imperial Noble Consort." Tang Yi maintained his composure, obediently turning with Tangtang to enter the hall. Bai Shaozi furrowed his brow slightly, told everyone to rise, and followed the Second Mistress into the main hall.

With another crisp snap, both hefty men found themselves sitting squarely on the ground. Even though they gritted their teeth and refrained from groaning, their foreheads were beaked with cold sweat, and their complexions were deathly pale. The agony of fractured bones was simply not something an ordinary person could endure.

The fat man spoke while scanning the people present, thinking that if any major accident were to happen here, the entire manufacturing industry of Nanjing would likely be virtually paralyzed.