Chen Qing had a considerable amount of information about the Duke of Duke of Qin, especially since even one of the Duke of Duke of Qin's loyal lieutenants, the Duke of Qi, Tian Heng, had become one of his main Principal God.
Because he was planning to frame Lu Ming, he had inquired about some things.
But I never imagined that his wife...
"My lord, you don't know?" Chen Ying asked cautiously, looking at Chen Qing.
"How would I know?" Chen Qing was speechless.
The Duke of Qin's eldest son was already over thirty; he wasn't even born when the Duke married. How could a commoner like himself possibly know these secrets?
Upon hearing this, Chen Ying lowered her head. It seemed that this guy didn't know everything after all.
"This isn't something everyone knows, is it?" Chen Qing asked, frowning.
"Of course not," Chen Ying nodded. "But it's not entirely secret either. It's said that some of the deputy generals who fought alongside the Duke of Qin know about it."
"Explain in more detail." Chen Qing felt that this information might be a key piece of the puzzle to unravel the mysteries of the past few days.
Chen Ying hesitated upon hearing this, and could only whisper, "Regarding this, I didn't dare to ask Master too much back then. I only occasionally heard Master mention it. Lu Ming's wife was the matchmaker for the King of Qin back then, and she played a key role in helping the Lu Household grow stronger later!"
"Played a key role?" Chen Qing was taken aback, his thoughts racing for a moment.
Demons, especially women, can play a crucial role in helping men in their careers.
It's unlikely to be a single demon. Even if a single demon has great talent, it's difficult for it to play a key role in the cause of a human family, unless it has heaven-defying abilities like A Li, who can directly alter people's memories and make a large group of people inexplicably pledge allegiance to the Lu Household.
However, if A Li wants to become stronger, she needs to absorb the essence of men with strong luck. Whether Lu Ming gives it to her himself or has someone else give it to her, it's probably not worth it. If it's the latter, and given his jealous nature, Chen Qing thinks that even if Lu Ming is an old tortoise, he'll bite if pushed too far.
If it weren't for a special monster like A Li, Chen Qing felt that the only thing that could help a powerful force like Lu Ming's would be powerful demons!
Who could it be?
Various templates of demons flashed through Chen Qing's mind.
Powerful demons refer to gregarious demons that can command their own kind and have a significant impact on the human world.
For example, the Heavenly Wolf of the grasslands could force an Kingdom of Ancient Desolation to sacrifice its most beautiful female offspring to mate with it.
Species with natural social characteristics, such as wolf packs and insect swarms, are the most likely candidates.
According to their original plan, at least several dozen forces led their people to hide among the humans when the previous dynasty collapsed!
However, the complete lack of historical information makes it extremely difficult to determine who the other party is now.
But whoever wants to get involved in this matter now, there's only one way!
Chen Qing looked up. "I'll contact Tian Heng. You go out to sea and meet him. Together, catch up with the mother and daughter's ship as quickly as possible. Protect them the whole way. Don't leave after we enter the city!"
" Sea God Poseidon?" Chen Ying was taken aback. "You want him involved?"
Half a year ago, Tian Heng finally accepted Chen Qing's imperial decree and became the Sea God of the West Sea. Already possessing tens of thousands of loyal troops, he quickly expanded his divine power, becoming a force whose divine power was in no way inferior to Xu Hu's. Especially in the last six months, with the increasingly bustling trade between the seven continents, coupled with Chen Qing's cooperation with the Eldest Princess to open up sea passages, the Sea God Faction has developed rapidly. It not only protects the safety of maritime merchants but also manages the weather of rivers and waterways, possessing the ability to pray for rain. Now, many fishermen and farmers along the rivers also believe in the Sea God Faction, making it the second largest military force under Chen Qing's power, after the Battle God Army!
This force did not participate in the court's encirclement and suppression at all because Chen Qing did not want to make things difficult for the former Duke, nor for those scions of noble families.
But why is Tian Heng involved now?
You must understand, the person we're dealing with now is Lu Ming, the one who once single-handedly promoted Tian Heng to the rank of Duke. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he gave Tian Heng a second chance at life.
Is that appropriate?
"Just let them know," Chen Qing said with a smile. "There's no use in trying to get back into the swing of things by avoiding it."
Chen Ying was stunned and didn't understand, but she still obediently replied, "Yes."
Regardless, as long as her master continues to deal with Lu Ming, she will be in a good mood. After all, Lu Ming is her master's biggest worry!
--
In Nanyang City, more than a dozen large ships returned to Nanyang Port, with countless goods unloaded. Feeling the joy of the merchants and the sincere blessings of their faith, Tian Heng closed his eyes contentedly, enjoying everything.
The blissful feeling that deities experience when they enjoy the pure faith of those below them is truly wonderful; it feels like every pore of their body is immersed in extreme pleasure, it's simply... simply amazing.
"Sir, all the cargo ships from the East Sea have returned safely."
Tian Heng sighed. How could he subtly hint to his blockheaded subordinates that they shouldn't bother him when he was having fun?
After stretching his limbs and transforming his newly acquired Power of Faith into divine power, storing it in his now vast and expansive meridians, Tian Heng reluctantly put on his clothes and stepped out of the tent.
After six months of practice, he had fully understood the benefits of divine power. Divine power has three effects. First, it can improve physical condition. Whether it is widening the meridians, nourishing the five internal organs, or strengthening muscles and bones, it has an effect that even the best secret medicines cannot match.
Secondly, it can be used as a direct energy output, and its functions are extremely diverse. It can be used not only in battle, but also to communicate with the elements of rivers and seas, and to mobilize the laws of his own divine nature. He has already tried it. Now, if he uses up all his stored energy, he can create a storm at sea that can submerge half of the West Sea City. He can achieve great things with little effort, which is even more exaggerated than that of a top-level water sorcerer.
The third use is for blessings, which can be distributed to one's subordinates to make their subordinates stronger and build one's own pantheon.
No wonder Chen Qing's progress has been so rapid; such a miraculous Divine Path system operates with efficiency far surpassing anything found in the mortal realm.
Stepping out of the tent, Tian Heng glanced at Lan Xiang and the others, saying, "They're back safely, so what's the big fuss? Isn't it only natural that the troops we sent out could protect the caravan and bring it back safely?"
Since Chen Qing gained complete control of the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley, enabling his forces' ships to sail out of the fog, his Sea God Faction has developed rapidly. Of course, this is also thanks to the business opportunities brought by the Yin-Yang Academy.
The sorcerers trained by the Lord are far more useful than those in the imperial court. In just two years, the level of creation in the entire Jiangnan has, without exaggeration, surpassed that of the Central Plains by several levels. Once trade is established, in the Lord's words, it will be a game-changer.
Such a huge business opportunity naturally spawned many peddlers willing to take risks, and the Sea God Guard, which can protect the safety of shipping, is now gradually beginning to make a difference, and in terms of reputation, it is gradually catching up with the Battle God Army.
In the first half of the year, the recruitment was so bad that the Battle God Army had such a good reputation that almost all the young men who wanted to join the army went to the Battle God Army, so the situation was extremely bad.
However, he also knew that there was no other way. Many of his subordinates had spent some time in the Battle God Army. From the very beginning, the Battle God Army had been responsible for eliminating the living corpses and providing rescue in the countryside. Its prestige among the people was deeply rooted in their hearts. Coupled with its powerful ability to attract people, this was the first time he had ever seen a force so deeply infiltrate the grassroots. It could be said that a large part of the reason why Chen Qing was able to bring royal power to the countryside was due to the Battle God Army.
It's normal if you can't compete with others in the first round.
Now that maritime trade has been opened, the role of the Sea God Guard has become increasingly apparent. They can travel the seas, trade with unknown countries, experience foreign customs, and also earn a decent commission. All these benefits have finally spurred some outstanding young men to join the army.
Many people who started their businesses as maritime merchants now have the desire to send their children to work at Sea God Guard.
This trend is very good. Nowadays, there are endless business opportunities in Jiangnan. A large number of those who are willing to go overseas to trade can make a fortune. With money, they can feed their children better and let them practice martial arts from a young age. The soldiers trained by such families are no less capable than the peasant children of the Battle God Army.
Especially after several successful overseas trade trips
Tian Heng strode to the dock and personally inspected the harvest.
This trade with the East Sea is very important, mainly because I remember there is a Jade Kingdom in the East Sea that produces jade of extremely high quality. For Chen Qing's current forces, the worst resources are horses and jade.
Regarding the horse issue, the northern trade route has now been opened. As long as the Lord reaches a four-way agreement in Nanming Prefecture, trade with the Duke of Wei of Wei should stabilize, and trade with the North Sea will greatly increase the income of his believers.
However, the horse business cannot last forever. It is said that a breakthrough has been made in horse breeding research in Great Azure Mountain, which can produce horses comparable to the imperial Dragon Horse. However, it is still in the experimental stage, so a large number of horses are needed to support the experiment.
However, once the experiment succeeds, Jiangnan will be able to produce high-quality horses on its own, without relying on the north at all, and trade with the north will inevitably weaken.
Tian Heng was a man who was good at planning ahead. He knew that he had to open up new business routes in order to elevate the status of the Sea God Guard once again.
Compared to horses, jade resources are much harder to obtain through research. After all, jade is currently the best material for guiding magic, and it is believed that the Yin-Yang Academy will have a huge demand for jade for a long time to come. Opening up the East Sea trade route is of strategic significance.
"How was the trip?" As they approached the large ship unloading cargo, Tian Heng quickly asked the junior officer in charge of leading the escort.
This mission in the East Sea is of paramount importance. To be on the safe side, Tian Heng has dispatched his personal guards and lieutenants. Both lieutenants were formerly Third Rank martial artists and are now Sixth Rank Sea God Guard. Their combined strength is already at the top of the Second Rank, approaching the level of First Rank expert.
"Reporting to you, sir!" the leading lieutenant exclaimed excitedly, "It went extremely smoothly! The goods we brought have caused a sensation in the Jade Kingdom. Many nobles are spending lavishly, acquiring jade that fills an entire ship—more than the harvest from the Southwest Trade Route in half a year!"
"Excellent!" Tian Heng clapped his hands and laughed. This harvest was truly inspiring and would surely encourage more disciples to go to the East Sea for trade.
The merchants in the distance smiled so broadly their eyes narrowed into slits, and as soon as they saw Tian Heng from afar, they bowed deeply and shouted, "Lord Sea God!"
The vice-general and the others were also delighted. The harvest this time was enormous, and the master would surely reward them with a lot of support. The key was that the Incense Silver they had collected this time would definitely be substantial as well. After all, the Sea God Guard and the merchants had agreed on a profit-sharing arrangement for this trip to the East Sea. Although according to Tian Heng's rules, they could only receive a maximum of half a percent of the profits, the profit margin was simply too high!
With this, their combined income would probably be enough to buy a large house in the newly built Heavenly Star Housing Development in Nanyang City!
I imagine bringing my wife and children to Jiangnan in the future, where we can live in a high attic overlooking the beautiful scenery of Nanyang. It sounds wonderful!
Seeing his subordinates' faces beaming with smiles, Tian Heng himself also smiled broadly.
The sense of happiness that Chen Qing created is truly unmatched in the Central Plains.
Just as he was thinking this, his Divine Seal suddenly heated up, and he froze, looking up at the eastern sea.
[The situation is urgent. Head to Nanming immediately and meet up with Chen Ying!]