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"Exterminating nine generations... I wonder how the Shen clan offended Zheng Qiao to suffer such a fate?" It took Shen Tang a while to find her voice.
The Censorate Chief Secretary openly opposed Zheng Qiao like this. The Gong clan was suspected of harboring the Imperial Seal, and both families were merely exiled instead of exterminated—exile was miserable, but at least they could survive for a couple more days.
But for the Shen clan, it was direct extermination of nine generations?
True collective cancellation of household registration.
If this body truly belonged to Tian Zhong's "niece-in-law," one wouldn't know whether to say the young lady was unlucky, or just unlucky.
If she stayed with the Shen clan, she would be directly killed. If she married into the Gong clan, she would be exiled to Xiaocheng's pleasure quarter, and her fate would likely be worse than death.
Who knew Tian Zhong would shake his head?
"No one knows about that."
"Don't know?" Shen Tang's voice subtly rose. "How could you not know? Master Tian, think again. For example, did the Shen clan impeach Zheng Qiao, or did the Shen clan block Zheng Qiao's path to advancement... Were there no such grudges? If there were no grudges, why would they be exterminated across nine generations right off the bat?"
"That's also what I'm confused about..."
The Shen clan's extermination across nine generations, and their old friends and protégés who were connected to them, also tried to save them. But those who dared to step forward were either reprimanded and demoted or killed. Zheng Qiao's methods against the Shen clan were so ruthless and his attitude so firm that no one dared to speak up for the Shen clan anymore.
Tian Zhong said, "Logically, the Shen clan wasn't considered a major family in Xin Country. How could Zheng Qiao have noticed them?"
These words were already a beautified explanation.
To put it bluntly, in the years Zheng Qiao was causing trouble in Xin Country, the Shen clan didn't even have the right to take a deep breath in front of him!
The entire family followed a path of mediocrity, or rather, their abilities were limited. They wouldn't be too outstanding to attract envy, nor too mediocre to be completely ignored. They wouldn't follow trends and curry favor with powerful officials, nor would they casually offend any inconspicuous minor official.
No matter how Tian Zhong recalled, he didn't remember any conflict between the Shen clan and Zheng Qiao. Yet, only the Shen clan was exterminated across nine generations.
Furthermore—
Shen Tang's attitude made Tian Zhong a little concerned.
So he probed, "Is young master so concerned about the Shen clan's news because he has connections with them?"
Actually, he wanted to ask something else, for example—was this young master the twin brother of the Shen family's eldest daughter, who, for some reason, concealed his identity and grew up among the common people?
The two were truly too similar.
Tian Zhong once suspected that Shen Tang was the ill-fated eldest daughter of the Shen family, but seeing the Wenxin Seal hanging from Shen Tang's waist dispelled his suspicion. Everything else could be faked, but gender could not.
He was certain that even if this young master Shen wasn't the Shen family's eldest daughter's full brother, he had intricate ties to the Shen clan.
Shen Tang neither nodded nor shook her head.
Although Tian Zhong had no ill intentions, given the current situation, the less attention drawn, the better. The fewer people who knew, the safer it would be.
Tian Zhong also understood and, seeing that Shen Tang had no intention of continuing the conversation, changed the subject and started talking about Qi Shan. Honestly, he was quite interested in Qi Shan and wondered how Shen Tang and Qi Shan ended up together. He asked his father about Qi Shan, and his father just glared at him.
Alas—
Shen Tang said, "Perhaps it's fate."
Tian Zhong was surprised: "You just coincidentally met and decided to travel together?"
"Is that not allowed?"
Tian Zhong said, "It's not that it's not allowed. Benefactor has great talent, and his Wenxin and spiritual power potential—few rivals in the world, at least that's how I see it. If he meets the right enlightened ruler in the future, willing to serve and submit, the growth of his Wenxin should not be underestimated. It's just—"
"Just what?"
The preceding sentence was not asked by Shen Tang.
A familiar male voice came from behind the two.
Shen Tang and Tian Zhong simultaneously turned around, meeting a pair of dark, deep eyes. Both immediately went into mute mode. Tian Zhong even sprang to his feet, his hands awkwardly hanging at his sides, a flush of shame creeping up his neck to his cheeks.
Benefactor is his father's and his savior. He was chatting and lost his composure, actually gossiping about Benefactor behind his back…
If he wasn't afraid of startling them, he would want to slap himself a few times. Father was right, this mouth that spouts nonsense really should be sewn shut!
He opened his mouth to apologize but was stopped by Qi Shan's raised hand.
He simply dismissed Tian Zhong: "Just now I got up at night and heard Master Tian coughing faintly..."
Tian Zhong immediately followed the cue.
"Father is unwell? I'll go see him now."
Greasing his feet, he scurried away.
Qi Shan sat in Tian Zhong's original spot. He had clearly heard Shen Tang and Tian Zhong's conversation, and he fiddled with the bonfire, smiling.
"I never thought I was mistaken. Young Master Shen isn't from the Gong clan, but from the Shen clan..."
Shen Tang: "..."
Don't speak too soon.
Her intuition told her that Qi Shan would likely be proven wrong again.
Before having concrete evidence, she herself didn't dare to be certain that this body belonged to the Shen family's eldest daughter...
Shen Tang didn't speak. Qi Shan continued: "Since the Shen clan has been exterminated across nine generations, Young Master Shen has no relatives left in this world. This Xiaocheng can be skipped. Get some rest early. Tomorrow, we'll go to the nearby town."
"When did I say I wasn't going to Xiaocheng?"
Qi Shan's eyes were startled: "You're going?"
Knowing that Qi Shan was employing a tactic of feigned retreat to advance, Shen Tang still said, "Yes, why wouldn't I go? I'm following Yuanliang to learn skills. In this current world, surviving is the top priority. As for other things, we can discuss them later. I'm just curious, what is it about me that Yuanliang values? You seem very eager for me to go to Xiaocheng, but in my opinion, bringing a burden along offers no benefit to you."
Qi Shan, seeing Shen Tang puncture the veil of pretense, was slightly surprised, and then said with rare solemnity, "Young Master Shen, you are not a burden."
Naturally, he had ulterior motives for doing so.
A schemer is always a ruthless professional who will not act without profit.
This kind of mentality even makes unscrupulous merchants feel inferior.
Shen Tang understood his unspoken words and smiled without speaking.
She considered Qi Shan a walking encyclopedia, a tool. And she herself was also considered a tool by Qi Shan to achieve some purpose?
Being mutual tools, it was quite fair and just.
"Yuanliang, I have another question."
Qi Shan: "Ask away."
Shen Tang looked in the direction Tian Zhong had left.
"Earlier, Tian Shouyi said something that confused me. He said, 'If you meet the right enlightened ruler in the future, willing to serve and submit, the growth of your Wenxin should not be underestimated.' What did he mean by that?"
Her intuition told her that there seemed to be another deeper meaning here.
"That's the question. You don't need to know."
Shen Tang: "???"
Qi Shan, with an expression of complex feelings that words couldn't describe, said to her, "Young Master Shen, Wenxin and Wenxin are different. Tian Shouyi's words targeted most strategists and warriors with Wenxin and martial courage. But I sincerely hope you are not among this group."
Shen Tang: "???"
What riddles was he playing with her again?
She changed the question: "Can I know what you're doing in Xiaocheng? At least give me some mental preparation..."
After all, Qi Shan, that guy, loved to sell out his teammates.
He had to be guarded against, lest she be tricked into a situation she knew nothing about.
Qi Shan looked up at the bright moon in the sky, the night breeze rustling his hair, concealing the thoughts in his eyes. Shen Tang only heard his voice say: "To collect a debt. I have an old debt from many years ago. I will travel thousands of miles to collect it, even if it's just to reclaim some interest."
Shen Tang: "..."
She muttered to herself.
Collecting debt?
You've got to be kidding me!
What kind of old debt could make Qi Shan harbor such immense killing intent?
Night passed, dawn broke.
The next day, the two parted ways with Tian's father and son.
The latter was going to seek refuge with relatives. Staying within Zheng Qiao's sphere of influence would sooner or later lead to their demise. Shen Tang and her companion were heading to Xiaocheng.
Exhausted. Foreshadowing has been laid.
Yesterday's author's note wasn't a spoiler. The author just dislikes unnecessary melodrama and misunderstandings. After all, the female lead's background mystery is one of the novel's main subplots, but the biggest main plot is her career. Focus on career, including the male lead and all other workers.