"Related to linguistic arts, related to linguistic arts... this could be a breakthrough." Qi Shan paced back and forth with the sheet of paper, listening to his murmurs, "I've heard of similar esoteric methods before, used for conveying messages. However, they are extremely rare, and few are knowledgeable about them."
"So sophisticated?" Shen Tang was genuinely stunned for a moment. She casually mentioned it, not expecting there to be actual encrypted linguistic arts.
Seeing Qi Shan channeling his literary talent, condensing literary energy in his palm with a solemn expression, Shen Tang faintly felt that something was amiss with the atmosphere.
"Yuan Liang, could it be that you're overthinking? It's just a landlord from a rural village... Even if he's a future headliner, it's highly unlikely for him to have encountered such obscure linguistic arts, right? Moreover, even if he did, what kind of significant information would warrant this level of secrecy?"
Qi Shan held his palm over the paper, gathering a green literary energy, slowly sensing it while keeping his attention on Shen Tang's question.
"What do you think Xiaocheng is?"
Shen Tang shook her head earnestly, "I don't know."
She genuinely didn't know. Yuan Liang's question obviously involved the current situation. However, her understanding of the world so far stemmed from Qi Shan, his scrolls of linguistic arts, and what she had witnessed along the way, which only represented a tiny fraction of this world.
No matter how hard she tried to understand, her interactions were mostly with the lowest class of commoners. Most of them couldn't even secure their basic needs, let alone care about the local officials' names, let alone their achievements, and they were completely oblivious to the grand affairs of the world.
They only know that the world is difficult, and it's hard to live a happy life anymore. Shen Tang's response was within Qi Shan's expectations, without disappointment or any other emotion. If Xiaolang suddenly became knowledgeable about everything, he would rather suspect that he was pretending to be ignorant. So, for the first time, he revealed something to Shen Tang. About the tip of the iceberg regarding the overall situation of this world.
He said, "Previously, I mentioned General Zheng Qiao of the Geng Kingdom, predicting that within five years, he would bring about his own downfall. This is not only because of his ruthless and malicious behavior, his cunning and unscrupulous methods, but also for another important reason — he's trying to swallow a tiger while plotting with the tiger itself."
Shen Tang instinctively sat up straight, listening attentively.
With a little thought, she guessed some of it.
"Yuan Liang means... the former Xin Kingdom was the 'wolf,' and now that the 'wolf' is dead, the 'tiger' has become Zheng Qiao's major threat? Who is the 'tiger'?" Shen Tang remembered from Qi Shan's pile of books that there were small-scale maps depicting the positions of various countries in the northwest.
The positions of Xin and Geng are not particularly favorable.
They are both located on the edge of the continent.
However, this also allows both countries to avoid the most intense battles in the heartland of the continent. Compared to Geng, which is surrounded by neighbors on all sides and often gets beaten up, Xin is slightly better off. The northwest is a continuous and rugged mountain range, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Qi Shan answered, "This 'tiger' is the Ten Crows."
"Ten Crows?" Shen Tang asked.
The Ten Crows are the barbarian forces beyond the continuous mountain range of the Xin Kingdom.
They believed that the Golden Crow descended here and also nested and multiplied here, with their descendants constantly growing, so they called themselves the "Ten Crows," simply put, the "descendants of ten Golden Crows." Shen Tang suspected they were daydreaming and crossing the seas — thinking too big and ending up challenging the sun itself.
Because before the Thief Star descended, the Ten Crows didn't have this name at all. They only stumbled upon the myth about the hidden language of the Thief Star and inflated their own worth by claiming this title. The key is that after one or two hundred years of spreading, it actually had an effect.
Whether outsiders believe it or not, they themselves believed it.
Descendants of the Golden Crow, esteemed as such!
With a little thought, Shen Tang guessed part of the truth: "If the Ten Crows are the 'tiger'... then, it seems that Zheng Qiao's conquest of the Xin Kingdom was not so much due to the terrifying power of the Geng Kingdom, but rather through taking advantage of the opportune moment? Seizing the opportunity of natural disasters and political turmoil in Xin, secretly uniting with the Ten Crows to provoke disturbances, attracting Xin's forces, and then launching a surprise attack with Geng's forces?"
Xin was already plagued with internal problems, and with the Ten Crows constantly causing trouble on the border, it was inevitable that their defenses against the Geng Kingdom would be lax.
This ultimately led to the current situation.
Qi Shan nodded approvingly.
Shen Tang then asked, "But what does this have to do with Xiaocheng?" Xiaocheng is the county seat of the Four Treasures County, not connected to the border mountains, so it seems unrelated to the Ten Crows.
Qi Shan replied, "Because the parents of the Prefect of the Four Treasures County are of Ten Crows descent. They were dissatisfied with the internal power struggles within the tribe, so they decided to leave their homeland with their young child, hiding their identities and settling in the Xin Kingdom. Although they grew up in the Xin Kingdom, that child still harbored feelings for the Ten Crows. Through a chance encounter, they made contact with the tribal forces on their parents' side and became one of the Ten Crows' informants."
Shen Tang listened in amazement, while also looking at Qi Shan with bursting curiosity, "How did you know about these life-and-death secrets that even the prefect couldn't keep hidden?"
This wasn't just an ordinary "guiding NPC," revealing layers upon layers of secrets like a well-covered sow. If one delves too deep, it might be a bottomless pit. Shen Tang secretly observed Qi Shan's expression, seeing no significant emotional fluctuations, hesitated for a moment, and then changed her mind, "If it's not convenient for you to tell me, then I won't ask."
Qi Shan replied, "It's not that I refuse to tell you, but rather that it's a long story that can't be explained in a short time. Just know that the Prefect of the Four Treasures County is duplicitous. On the surface, he's a loyal courtier to Zheng Qiao, skilled at flattery and using any means to please him, but secretly, he still works for the Ten Crows."
As he spoke, he redirected the conversation back on track, "The geographical position of the Four Treasures County is quite special, both strategically offensive and defensively. It's the border between the Xin and Geng Kingdoms, and also the route that neighboring countries must pass through when heading south. Both land and water routes exist. In other words, if one wants to covet the heartland of the mainland, they must take control of the Four Treasures County."
Shen Tang gasped in shock, "Are the Ten Crows aiming for something so significant?"
They haven't even conquered the mountains blocking their southward path, yet they're already thinking about the route after seizing the northwest kingdoms? Truly audacious individuals daring to challenge the sun.
"They do dare to scheme on such a grand scale. It used to be a daydream, but now—" Qi Shan's gaze swept over Shen Tang, who was looking down, and he said softly, "It may not be impossible. With the loss of the royal seal of Xin Kingdom and Zheng Qiao's tyrannical rule, unable to appease the people's hearts, the national spirit and fortune embodied in the royal seal might not be able to sustain the border barrier beyond the mountains. The ambitious Ten Crows, perhaps, can seize this once-in-a-millennium opportunity to cross that mountain range."
Xiao Cheng is their deeply buried chess move.
Of course, even if the Ten Crows haven't laid out plans in Xiao Cheng, Qi Shan would still make a move, seeking revenge and strategically positioning himself.
In the course of a person's life, living in mediocrity, dying in frustration, is it meaningful? Who will ultimately have the last laugh, remains to be seen!
As they conversed, faint words gradually appeared on the previously blank paper—
This paper indeed has an issue!
Shen Tang recited, "Viewed horizontally, it forms ridges, and sideways, it becomes peaks?"