Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

Zhang Tong, hearing Hama’s words, clenched his fists and immediately stepped forward, his hand already on the hilt of his knife.

At this moment, two thoughts occupied his mind: the first was to express loyalty to Tuotuo, shout ”Villain, prepare to die,” and then strike with a single slash.

The second was to step forward, kneel on one knee, and say, ”I greet the Old Chancellor.”

Doing so would mean losing the chance to kill Hama, because if he accepted Hama’s identity as Chancellor, killing him would be open rebellion. Even as Tuotuo’s subordinate, or even if he were Tuotuo himself, would you dare bear the crime of murdering the court’s Right Minister in broad daylight?

If Zhang Tong acted this way, even the immortals couldn’t save him.

As these two thoughts battled in Zhang Tong’s mind, Wang Baobao stepped forward and held his wrist, preventing him from gripping the knife.

Zhang Tong was about to react when he heard Wang Baobao say, ”Don’t throw your life away for others. Pay your respects, and then you’re no longer involved. As for Tuotuo acknowledging your conditions, forget about it. Hama has already revealed his identity; if you dare act,

”then when trouble arises, Tuotuo only needs to say, ’I never expected this person to be so bold,’ to completely dissociate himself. And you? You’ve shown loyalty to your master, but have you thought of how to protect yourself? Have you considered if your master would use you as a scapegoat? Have you?”

Wang Baobao’s voice slowly flowed into Zhang Tong’s ears, while Tuotuo continued, ”Look back, look at your soldiers. They all know to protect themselves. I don’t believe you don’t understand.”

”Don’t think with us here today, you can’t kill the Chancellor. Even if you could, do you think you could survive?”

”Haha!”

Wang Baobao showed a mocking expression and said, ”When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the cunning hare is dead, the hunting dog is cooked!”

”Which path to choose? I think Lord Zhang has his choice.”

Zhang Tong, hearing this, glanced at Wang Baobao, his eyes filled with a complex emotion, and then Wang Baobao released his grip and said, ”The decision is in your hands now: life or death, which path to take, it’s up to you!”

After saying this, Wang Baobao stepped back, leaving everything prepared for Zhang Tong, and it was up to him to choose.

Zhang Tong looked at Wang Baobao, then down at the waist knife in his hand, took a deep breath, and tossed the knife aside, stepping forward to kneel before Hama’s sedan chair, ”Welcome, Lord Chancellor, into the city!”

...

”Master, what a remarkable tolerance for alcohol!”

In a certain forest, Chen Jie, Zhu Chongba, and Dharma Ba sat at a table, each holding a roasted lamb leg and eating with gusto.

Chen Jie brought out his aged brew, the Huangzhou Prefecture Bai Gan, a strong liquor that won over the two before him.

Zhu Chongba, known for his straightforward nature and love of alcohol, complimented Chen Jie’s old wine, saying he felt his previous drinking was in vain without it.

Dharma Ba, likewise, was in high spirits.

This Buddhist disciple, who neither refrained from meat nor wine, was also a lover of fine spirits. When presented with a table of bland food, he was not satisfied.

Seeing the Great Monk’s displeasure, Zhu Chongba invited him to have roast lamb.

The Great Monk was unreserved, immediately tearing into a golden leg of lamb.

After eating, the monk thirstily called for wine, and Zhu Chongba obliged, but the monk shook his head after a sip, for he was accustomed to drinking the Emperor’s wine, and Jianghu’s offerings weren’t suitable for his palate.

Seeing the monk’s discontent, Chen Jie didn’t hesitate and brought out wines stored in his storage ring.

The books on alchemy from Chen Jie’s storage ring had been moved, making space for useful items, including several jars of wine.

This wine was meant for Chen Jie’s sworn brothers like Fang Guozhen, who adored it.

This time in the Great Capital, the wine was hurriedly left unconsumed, benefiting the Great Monk and Zhu Chongba.

For the first time, the two tasted such strong liquor from Chen Jie and immediately took a liking to it.

The three sat there, eating and drinking heartily like old friends; it was hard to believe they were on the verge of conflict just a half hour ago, even leveling half a forest, yet it truly happened.

Sometimes men are odd this way, fighting to the death at first and forgetting all once the fight’s done.

The three, amidst food and drink, heard Dharma Ba say, ”Chen Jiusi, your wine is quite good, I like it.”

Chen Jie replied, ”Haha, you have good taste. Do you know what kind of people like this wine?”

Dharma Ba asked, ”What kind?”

Chen Jie answered, ”Liu Futong, Peng Yingyu, Fang Guozhen. Doesn’t that tell you it’s high-class?”

Hearing this, Dharma Ba laughed, ”Haha, then I must be taking advantage of you?”

Chen Jie replied, ”What advantage is this? For such a figure as the master to drink it is its fortune. If it spreads that only Melt God Realm powerhouses drink it, this wine will spread far and wide, becoming high-class and fetching sky-high prices per jar.”

Not inferior to famous wines of later generations at all!

After all, who wouldn’t want to taste a wine adored by Melt God Realm champions?

Thinking so, Chen Jie looked at Dharma Ba and said, ”Master, you too love good wine. When there’s a chance, I’ll send you two more jars.”

Dharma Ba, surprised, looked at Chen Jie and asked, ”Chen Jiusi, do you count me as an enemy?”

Chen Jie replied, ”Yes.”

Dharma Ba asked, ”Then why would you give me wine, if not to poison it?”

Chen Jie laughed, ”Does the master think I would poison the wine?”

Dharma Ba said, ”No, but I don’t understand why you give it to me?”

Chen Jie explained, ”Though we’re enemies, we lack deep personal grievances. It’s serving our masters, at most. Of course, the Demon Slayer Monk incident is personal, but the sense I get from you doesn’t seem vengeful.”

Dharma Ba drank and replied, ”You’re right, we have little personal grievance; it’s mostly a matter of stance.”

”Without stance, perhaps we could be friends.”

Dharma Ba looked at Chen Jie and Zhu Chongba, and Zhu Chongba remarked, ”But how can one have no stance?”

Chen Jie smiled, ”Let’s not overthink it; we can’t control everything. At least right now, we have no stance, and for two hours, we can be friends.”

Dharma Ba agreed, ”Alright, two hours, no stance, just righteousness and friendship!”

With that, Chen Jie raised his glass, ”To friendship.”

Zhu Chongba raised his, ”To righteousness!”

Dharma Ba also raised his, ”Drink!”

The three clinked glasses, drank deeply, and for that moment, ignored their differences, backgrounds, and teachings, finding friendship in their personalities.

Chen Jiusi, steady and humorous; Zhu Chongba, not yet the future Emperor Hongwu known for ruthlessness, was straightforward and lively, far from the shrewd character he’d become.

He still had genuine emotions, and Dharma Ba, a monk with high moral standards, appeared more a good-natured person than his monastic identity might suggest.

Ignoring positions and past, the trio reveled in camaraderie, momentarily forgetting the world’s rights and wrongs.

Nearby, Xu Da approached Chang Yuchun, whom he found drinking and eating lamb, observing the other three in revelry and remarked, ”They drink as if they’re lifelong friends, forgetting any Jianghu grudges.”

Chang Yuchun replied, ”Must be what they call heroes appreciating each other!”

Xu Da sighed, ”Heroes appreciate each other, but eventually, they’ll still become enemies.”

He then looked towards the Capital, ”I wonder how Hama’s entourage is faring!”