The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 100 Can’t My Senior Brother Be Impotent?
Late into the night, the surroundings of the posthouse were deathly quiet.
Su Wenyun almost laughed aloud at Tang Shen’s words. He lifted his peach-blossom eyes and cast Tang Shen a mocking glance, as if observing a naïve child.
“You’re accusing me of slandering Wang Zifeng? Tang daren, do you mean Wang Zifeng, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Zhen? The one I know? Even though it’s late, there are still gods above us. Spare me the jest—slandering him, of all people?”
Tang Shen let out a dry laugh before snapping, “Su daren, though we may differ in our political views, now that we’re in Youzhou, we must work as one for His Majesty. The Silver Pull Division is under Wang Zhen, Wang daren’s jurisdiction, and any task we undertake here will inevitably require its assistance. For you to tarnish his reputation so carelessly—isn’t that inappropriate?”
Su Wenyun didn’t reply immediately. He paced back and forth a few times before stopping to look seriously at Tang Shen.
“Tang Shen, Tang Jingze?”
Tang Shen merely glanced at him, uninterested in a response.
After all, he had thoroughly offended Su Wenyun three years ago; what harm would another offense do now? If Su Wenyun couldn’t take him down in Cizhou back then, what could he possibly do now?
Su Wenyun finally spoke. “Wang Zifeng is twenty-nine this year, correct?”
“Correct.”
“He’s twenty-nine, yet he’s never married or even been betrothed. Do you know why?”
Hearing this, Tang Shen raised his eyes. “Why?”
Su Wenyun’s voice dropped conspiratorially. “Because he has a fondness for men!”
Tang Shen’s heart skipped a beat, but outwardly he remained composed.
“And who says that’s necessarily true?”
“Then explain—if not for such a reason, why would a man nearing thirty still remain unmarried?”
Tang Shen responded coolly, “There are countless reasons in the world. How could I possibly know what my senior brother is thinking?” He paused, suppressing the urge to add, Perhaps it’s simply that he’s impotent. Such a statement, however, would only fuel Su Wenyun’s wild fabrications.
Instead, he continued, “Moreover, my senior brother’s marital status has no bearing on you, Su daren. If I recall correctly, you’re twenty-five this year, aren’t you?”
A faint coldness flickered across Su Wenyun’s strikingly beautiful face. “Whether or not I marry is none of your concern.”
“And yet, my senior brother’s marital status is yours?” Tang Shen retorted. “Are you even acquainted with him? No. I’ve known my senior brother for five years; he’s been like a father and brother to me. My understanding of him far surpasses yours. He is most certainly not inclined as you claim.
“Su daren, while we are in Youzhou, we must work together to serve His Majesty. Please refrain from making such jokes. First, it’s not funny—my senior brother is definitively not as you say. Second...” Tang Shen’s tone turned icy as he locked eyes with Su Wenyun. “You dislike others making baseless assumptions about you, don’t you? Then have you never considered that you should not do unto others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself?”
Tang Shen’s firm and resolute words left Su Wenyun momentarily stunned.
Su Wenyun was known for his cunning and exceptional abilities, but he was still young and inexperienced in certain areas—especially relationships. Two years ago, when the Right Vice Prime Minister Xu Bi had told his protégé Yu Chaosheng about Wang Zhen’s supposed preferences, it had been with an air of certainty, leaving no room for doubt. But now, as Su Wenyun watched Tang Shen’s fiery indignation, he found himself second-guessing.
Could he have been wrong?
Wang Zhen had never publicly confirmed his orientation. All the officials’ assumptions were based on speculation. Tang Shen’s fervent defense, coupled with his close relationship with Wang Zhen, made Su Wenyun begin to question his judgment. As Tang Shen mentioned, he wasn’t well-acquainted with Wang Zifeng, and considering they were political rivals, perhaps he had misjudged the situation. Since Tang Shen and Wang Zhen were fellow senior and junior brothers with a close bond, it was unlikely that Wang Zhen would conceal such matters from him.
There are countless reasons why someone might choose not to marry—just like Su Wenyun himself. He remained unmarried because he found no one to his liking. In his eyes, even the most outstanding women in the world were no more than dirt or dust, unworthy of his attention.
Could it be that Wang Zifeng felt the same way?
After a long pause, Su Wenyun finally relented. “Let’s say I misspoke.”
If the officials from the Court of Judicial Review or the Ministry of Works saw Su Wenyun like this, they might have rushed to check if the heavens were raining blood. For Su Wenyun to back down—it was unprecedented.
Tang Shen, however, remained unruffled. After a moment’s silence, he said, “Let’s put this matter behind us. Su daren, I was overly emotional earlier—my apologies.”
The two dropped the subject.
Outside, heavy footsteps broke the silence. Tang Shen walked to the window and opened it, looking out. He saw General Lu carrying a large bucket of water, his expression grim as he trudged into the courtyard.
“Pour the water into the vat and fetch another bucket,” Tang Shen instructed calmly.
General Lu glared at him with undisguised anger, but Tang Shen ignored it and shut the window.
Moments later, the sound of footsteps faded as General Lu left for more water.
Turning back to Su Wenyun, who was sipping tea, Tang Shen was struck by an odd realization: he and Su Wenyun always seemed to meet under strange circumstances in the dead of night.
Shaking off the thought, he said, “After tonight, news of our disagreement will spread throughout Youzhou. Ji Zhaosi, the governor, is the perfect messenger. He belongs to neither the Youzhou Army nor the Silver Pull Divison, making him an ideal channel. With this rumor, we can work in secret and cover for each other. So, Su daren, for the first mission into Liao...who will go?”
Su Wenyun replied, “The first entry into Liao requires the Silver Pull Division’s cooperation. Who do you think is best suited for the task?”
After a moment’s pause, Tang Shen sighed. “Then this lower official shall go first.” Though he agreed outwardly, he cursed internally: As if you don't know how dangerous it is for the first to go into unknown territory!
The two deliberated late into the night, debating the choice of personnel and routes into Liao. It wasn’t until the second watch that they reached a consensus.
Su Wenyun donned a black cloak, pulling the hood low to shadow his face.
As the door creaked open, the two stepped out, only to see General Lu trudging back with another bucket of water. The courtyard vat was already full, leaving no place for the fresh water. Without a word, General Lu dumped the bucket on the ground, water splashing everywhere, and glared fiercely at Tang Shen.
Tang Shen glanced at the pre-dawn sky and said calmly, “Dawn has yet to arrive, General Lu, please empty the vat and pour the water back into the well.”
“You...!” General Lu’s voice trembled with fury.
Tang Shen asked coldly, “Is General Lu planning to defy orders?”
Lu Shen took a deep breath, picked up the bucket, and turned to leave. Just then, Su Wenyun’s amused voice rang out. “Pouring it back into the well? How unsanitary. But leaving it in this large vat—come morning, the officials here will surely discover it. What shall we do?”
Tang Shen looked at Su Wenyun.
Su Wenyun suggested, “Here’s an idea. General Lu, every courtyard in this posthouse has one to three water vats. Distribute the water into these vats, one bucket per vat. That way, no one will notice. Isn’t that flawless?”
Lu Shen turned back, glaring at Su Wenyun with eyes so fiery they seemed to pierce through him.
But Su Wenyun remained unfazed, smiling as he walked away.
Tang Shen pondered briefly before saying, “Do as Su daren suggests.”
Lu Shen: “...”
Lu Shen muttered inwardly, I’d love nothing more than to pour this bucket over these two damned shitty officials!
Despite his frustration, Lu Shen followed orders. By dawn, he had quietly distributed the water across the posthouse’s vats without anyone noticing.
The next morning, when Tang Shen stepped outside, he saw Lu Shen standing guard at the door like a stone sentinel. His posture was steady, but his weary expression betrayed his exhaustion.
Tang Shen said, “General Lu, come inside.”
Lu Shen silently entered the room, and Tang Shen shut the door after confirming they were alone.
“General Lu, are you cursing me in your heart, holding a grudge against me?”
“This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”
“So you are cursing me.”
“…”
Tang Shen said, “My senior brother once told me: insulting an enemy is the weakest form of retaliation. To truly deal with someone, you must crush their hope, grip their throat, and drive them into a corner. Strike silently and decisively, leaving no trace.”
Lu Shen looked utterly baffled. As an unlettered warrior, he couldn’t grasp Tang Shen’s words at all.
Tang Shen didn’t expect him to. Ai, he thought, how could a mere deputy general understand my senior brother’s art of governance?
“But let’s set that aside. General Lu, you were once a deputy general of the Youzhou garrison, tasked with guarding the city gates. However, you’ve always had strained relations with the civil officials here, haven’t you?”
Lu Shen didn’t respond, lowering his head instead.
Tang Shen continued, “You don’t need to say it. Everyone in Youzhou knows. Why do you resent civil officials? I know, it’s because you’re a ‘returned person.’” (gui zheng ren)
Lu Shen stiffened and immediately raised his head.
“Returned persons,” Tang Shen said, “must tie a black band around their heads during examinations to signify their status. They’re barred from the top rankings in the palace exams and forbidden from holding posts above the fourth rank. In this grand Song Dynasty, only one returned person, General Li Jingde, has achieved a second-rank position as Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition. And that was earned through blood and sweat on the battlefield.”
Tang Shen paused. “You disdain civil officials because you think they do nothing while the generals shed blood on the front lines. Am I wrong?”
“I never said that!” Lu Shen protested.
“Then that’s exactly what you think,” Tang Shen concluded.
Lu Shen fell silent, clearly outmaneuvered.
Tang Shen smirked. Against the seasoned schemers in Shengjing, he might not stand a chance, but dealing with someone like Lu Shen was child’s play.
“Originally, I didn’t plan to entrust this task to you. But your obedience in last night’s water-fetching showed me you’re at least a soldier who follows orders. So, tomorrow’s mission to cross into Liao territory will be handed to you.”
Lu Shen’s eyes widened in shock. “Cross into Liao?!”
Tang Shen chuckled. “Yes, into Liao. Don’t you think civil officials are useless, always hiding behind generals like cowards? Well, this time, I’ll show you what civil officials are capable of. I’ll let you see whether our work is truly idle. This mission will depend entirely on you for my safety. My life is in your hands.” He clasped his hands and gave a respectful bow.
Panicking, Lu Shen quickly supported Tang Shen up. Though confused, he began to understand Tang Shen’s intentions. Tentatively, he asked, “Daren, may I ask… Why are you going into Liao? What’s the purpose of this mission?”
Tang Shen laughed heartily. “To do exactly what you think!”
Lu Shen’s eyes lit up. Clasping his fists, he declared, “This humble general is willing to accompany you into Liao and will not fail your trust!”
Watching Lu Shen’s eagerness, as if ready to sacrifice his life at a moment’s notice, Tang Shen couldn’t help but sigh internally. Ah, military men are so easy to fool!
Tang Shen had always intended for Lu Shen to accompany him to Liao, not just for protection but to handle dangerous tasks. The emperor had assigned Lu Shen to protect Tang Shen, but the real purpose was for Lu Shen to act as a spy and gather intelligence in Liao territory.
While Lu Shen was strong and brave, he lacked wit and harbored biases against civil officials. Tang Shen feared he might prove troublesome. Yet, with just a few words, Lu Shen had transformed into a devoted subordinate, ready to go through fire and water for him.
Compared to the cunning foxes in Shengjing, the straightforward soldiers of Youzhou were truly endearing!