That little runt Tu Xingsun really thought he could punch above his weight and marry a goddess!
Deng Jiugong knew San Yisheng was a silver-tongued persuader. Back then, San Yisheng had talked circles around him, leaving Deng Jiugong unable to refute him and forcing him to pretend to agree.
In truth, he had meant to use the opportunity to capture Jiang Ziya alive. But Jiang Ziya had turned the tables on him and defeated him instead. Deng Chanyu had also been captured by Tu Xingsun and forced to marry him, leaving Deng Jiugong no choice but to defect to Xiqi.
If defecting to Xiqi had worked out well, that would have been one thing!
The key was that after defecting, Deng Jiugong's family had met with no happy ending.
All three members of the family had perished in the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation.
Deng Jiugong now faced exactly that situation!
"Ding! The host's current predicament has been detected. God-Tier Options activated!"
"Option One: Defect to Xiqi and offer up your daughter. Reward? You want a reward too? Have you no shame?!"
"Option Two: Refuse the marriage proposal, execute San Yisheng, never defect, and protect the realm of Shang. Receive five million Great Dao Merit!"
Just then, the system's notification rang in Deng Jiugong's mind.
This was an easy question. It was obvious he was supposed to choose the second option.
Knowing that defecting to Xiqi would lead to no good, Deng Jiugong naturally had no intention of joining them.
As for the second option, it seemed he had no choice but to take it—and he could even receive five million Great Dao Merit.
Deng Jiugong had already tasted the benefits of Great Dao Merit. How could he pass up five million points?
He had never wanted his beautiful, pure-hearted daughter to marry that little runt Tu Xingsun in the first place. And now he could refuse and earn a reward too. What was there not to like?
As for protecting the realm of Shang, he was already Marshal Deng of Great Shang. It was only right that he protect the realm.
As for how far he could protect it, all he could say was that he would do his best.
After all, the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation was no simple war between Great Shang and Xiqi. There was a lot more going on beneath the surface, and one wrong move could land him on the Investiture of the Gods Scroll.
"I choose Option Two!" Deng Jiugong thought.
"Ding! The host has made a choice. The reward will be granted once the option is completed!"
Deng Jiugong paused in surprise.
The reward would not arrive as soon as he made his choice; he still had to fulfill the option first.
"Marshal?"
Seeing Deng Jiugong lost in thought and remaining silent, Tailuan spoke up.
San Yisheng had come to propose a marriage for Tu Xingsun. It was obvious he had his sights set on Deng Chanyu.
Tailuan knew that Tu Xingsun had indeed distinguished himself before and won a battle.
Still, if they had taken Xiqi, then even if the marshal's drunken promise had been made in jest, he would probably have married the young lady off to Tu Xingsun.
But Tu Xingsun had failed in his attack on Xiqi, been captured, and defected to their side. And he still wanted to marry the young lady?
What a ridiculous joke!
He had already gone over to the enemy camp.
You'd have to be out of your mind to entertain such a delusion.
Tailuan had never liked Tu Xingsun. The man was barely three feet tall, squat and stunted. How could he possibly be worthy of their beautiful young lady?
"Vanguard General Tailuan, hear my command: execute San Yisheng at once!"
Deng Jiugong snapped out of his thoughts and spoke without hesitation.
"Uh!"
Tailuan was stunned by the sudden order from his marshal.
It was customary not to execute envoys during wartime.
Tailuan had never expected Deng Jiugong to order San Yisheng's execution without a word.
"Marshal?"
Tailuan asked again, thinking he must have misheard.
"Execute San Yisheng at once!"
Deng Jiugong repeated.
San Yisheng was a founding minister of Western Zhou.
King Wen Jichang had already died of illness some time ago, and Ji Fa now held power in Western Zhou as King Wu of Zhou.
Earlier, San Yisheng had devised a plan to rescue Jichang from Chaoge. His intelligence was not to be underestimated.
Though the war between Great Shang and Western Zhou was primarily a struggle between the Immortal Sects, after Jichang's death, San Yisheng had helped Ji Fa rule. He posed a serious threat to Great Shang.
So Deng Jiugong had no intention of sparing the envoy San Yisheng. He meant to break with Xiqi completely.
Executing San Yisheng was like cutting off Ji Fa's left and right arms!
"Yes, sir!"
At Deng Jiugong's renewed command, Vanguard General Tailuan only hesitated for a moment before going to carry it out.
"Deng Jiugong! The two sides are at war, but you don't execute envoys! You have no honor!"
San Yisheng and the Xiqi attendants he had brought with him were hauled onto the execution platform. Unwilling to accept his fate, San Yisheng shouted.
Crack!
Just then, the blade fell and head after head rolled to the ground. His voice cut off abruptly.
"Ding! Congratulations, host! You have executed San Yisheng and protected the realm of Shang. You have received five million Great Dao Merit!"
The system reward arrived, and Deng Jiugong was delighted.
"Father!"
Just then, Deng Chanyu and Deng Xiu hurried over. They were shocked to see what had happened.
He'd really had him executed!
Her father hadn't even listened to what San Yisheng had to say. He hadn't bothered to exchange a word with him—he'd simply had him executed.
My father really doesn't play by the rules, Deng Chanyu thought.
Still!
San Yisheng had come to arrange a marriage for that little runt?
It was obviously her he was after.
Good riddance!
Quick and decisive!
Earlier, Deng Chanyu had blamed her father for making a drunken promise and not taking her marriage seriously.
Now she couldn't help cheering.
It seemed she had misunderstood her father!
"Chanyu, do you have anything to say?" Deng Jiugong asked.
"N-no, nothing!" Deng Chanyu couldn't bring herself to say whether he had done right or wrong.
Executing an envoy might not have been something to be proud of, but she couldn't deny how satisfying it felt.
She had never liked Tu Xingsun, and now that he had defected to the enemy, she disliked him even more.
And San Yisheng had still stayed behind to arrange the marriage?
What kind of sense did that make?
There was no way that would ever happen.
Seeing that his daughter had no objections, Deng Jiugong nodded and turned to Deng Xiu.
"Xiu'er, what about you?" Deng Jiugong asked.
"Father must have had his reasons for doing this!" Deng Xiu said.
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