Chapter 1048 — The Crown Prince Escapes the Siege
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 5
" The palace maid hurried off. Shen Mu's heart settled, and he said: "With nephew freed from his plight, I count one wish of mine fulfilled. " The more the Martial Emperor looked at him, the more she liked him.
She said with a smile: "That blockhead of a brother-in-law of yours has never once thought of others like this. That old fool stammers and hedges when he speaks in anger, and when he acts he is not brisk either. " Shen Mu said gravely: "Elder Sister wrongs Brother-in-law. When I went to see him, he gave me two hundred Five Thunder Gourds and dispatched several hundred Sword Gods to reinforce Jingping. " The Martial Emperor said suspiciously: "That blockhead, so generous? When he and I lived together, he would have split a single copper coin into four if he could—would he give you two hundred Five Thunder Gourds?
" Shen Mu's face reddened slightly.
He said quietly: "At first Brother-in-law meant to give only one gourd, and even deceived me that there were only sixteen in all.
So I told him that Elder Sister had given two hundred, and only then did he become a bit more generous. " The Martial Emperor laughed until her whole body shook: "Brother Mu may be honest, but he has his cunning moments too. When that blockhead hears I was so generous, he will certainly grit his teeth and give you that much—but in his heart it will most likely be a river of blood.
Rest assured, little brother. You have come to see me; I shall not be stingier than that blockhead. " With these words from her, Shen Mu finally set his heart at ease: "Three hundred Five Thunder Gourds—enough to form an army.
And that army, once it moves, will be five thunders crashing down! " The Martial Emperor was indeed more open and forthright than Emperor Xuan.
She gave Shen Mu two hundred and one Five Thunder Gourds and said: "That blockhead promised you several hundred Zhenwu Sword Gods; I cannot be outdone. In the days of Kaihuang, when he came here to learn my arts, in exchange the strongest formation masters under his command designed for me the Flying Serpent Linked Ramparts Formation. This formation requires a thousand goddesses to deploy, and can contend even with an Emperor Throne expert.
This formation—I give you one. " Shen Mu was overjoyed, then hesitated: "Brother-in-law let the Sword Gods descend to the lower world to aid me, took back their surnames, and expelled them from the Northern Pole Heaven, saying it was to avoid implicating him. . .
" The Martial Emperor understood and said with a smile: "You fear my palace maids will rely on their Xuanwu bloodline to bully the people of Jingping? Rest assured, I shall arrange matters the same way. " Shen Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
Conversation with a woman of such intelligence was indescribably pleasant. "By the way, this is the second time Brother Mu and I have met. That time on the ghost ship was the first time I saw you, little brother, and it was thanks to your wisdom that we escaped the ghost ship. " The Martial Emperor said with a smile: "Sister Vermilion Bird often mentions you too. She said that when she met you in the early Longhan years, you even spoke of the Heavenly Alliance. " Shen Mu's heart tightened. He nodded slightly.
"The present Ten Heavenly Worthies are the Heavenly Alliance. Does Brother Mu know how great an impact your casual act that day had?
" The Martial Emperor said, as if with intent and as if without: "After the early Longhan years, nearly every great event has been connected to the Heavenly Alliance. As one of the Heavenly Alliance's most ancient elders, it should fall to you to be the main force in quelling the Heavenly Alliance's rebellion.
" "Elder Sister, do you think that if I had not spoken the two words 'Heavenly Alliance,' there would still have been a Heavenly Alliance afterward?
" Shen Mu asked. The Martial Emperor was briefly startled.