Chapter 43: Shen Lang's Answer is Mind-Blowing!

"Brother Lang, I advise you not to put on airs!"

"Otherwise, you'll end up getting your face slapped, and it really won't be a pretty sight!"

Hearing that Shen Lang seemed to have a strategy up his sleeve, He Rencho's expression changed, and he hurriedly offered a warning.

After all, he was already aware that Shen Lang was merely Nalan Yanran's puppet.

The so-called "First Strategic Mind of Great Qin" was nothing more than a persona crafted for him by Nalan Yanran.

In the depths of He Rencho's heart, Shen Lang was not even as capable as himself.

To act cultured now—wasn't this blatantly asking to make a fool of oneself?

Shen Lang offered no explanation.

Instead, he calmly picked up the writing brush on the table and fluidly brushed four characters onto a sheet of paper.

Handing it to He Rencho, he said, "Deliver this to that woman, Qingyou!"

Hearing this, He Rencho immediately took the paper from Shen Lang's hand.

At just a single glance, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Brother Lang, if you want to become a laughingstock, don't drag me down with you!"

"What's wrong?" Shen Lang asked with a smile.

"What's wrong? You write something this absurd, what the hell is even supposed to mean?!"

Faced with He Rencho's near-breakdown, Shen Lang calmly took a sip of wine from his cup and said, "What do you know? There are over a hundred people at the scene. If you write a massive essay, does An Yiyao even have the time to read it?"

"It's far better to write just a few words, to make her feel that I am unique. Who knows, she might just decide to spend a romantic night with me right away!"

He Rencho: "..."

He no longer knew what to say to Shen Lang.

Even if An Yiyao didn't have time to read the strategies written by other cultivators, there was no way she would ever take a fancy to something this utterly nonsensical.

Disgusted, He Rencho tossed the paper back onto the table.

"I'm not delivering this. If you want it delivered, go yourself. I can't afford to lose that kind of face!"

"Then are we still doing our business or not?" Shen Lang raised an eyebrow.

"You..."

Watching Shen Lang's deadpan, serious expression, He Rencho covered his face in utter despair.

"To have you as a brother in this lifetime, I must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck!"

With that, He Rencho stood up, walked over to the railing of the private box, and mustered his courage to shout, "My brother, Shen Lang, also has a strategy!"

*Swish.*

As the saying goes, a man's reputation precedes him, just as a tree's shadow precedes its trunk.

Thanks to the affair at the Martial God Temple, Shen Lang's title as a brilliant tactician was known to every household.

Hearing that Shen Lang had actually come up with a strategy, everyone instantly turned their gaze toward him.

Even Zhou Hao's attendant, Zhou Er, wore a drastically altered expression.

He whispered a warning, "Young Master, Shen Lang has also submitted a strategy. Tonight, I'm afraid you won't be able to use conventional means to spend the night with An Yiyao."

"Why don't I have An Yiyao come attend to you right now?"

Hearing this, Zhou Hao put down his wine cup with a look of utter disdain.

"A mere Shen Lang, nothing more than a clown. No need!"

Seeing that Zhou Hao didn't seem to take Shen Lang seriously at all, Zhou Er braced himself and warned him once more, "Young Master, you've just returned and might not fully understand the current situation in Great Qin."

"While this Shen Lang is vastly inferior to you in martial arts, his schemes have shaken the entire Great Qin like thunder!"

"Take his proposed Martial God Temple plan, for instance—it struck right at the vulnerabilities of every social class, a truly vicious and brilliant stroke!"

"If you underestimate him, you will suffer!"

Zhou Hao naturally knew that Zhou Er had his best interests at heart and was worried he might lose face.

However, as the eldest young master of the Zhou family, he knew far more than Zhou Er did.

In his eyes, without Nalan Yanran pulling the strings behind the scenes, Shen Lang was nothing more than an untalented clown.

"Rest assured, Shen Lang is just a clown. Tonight is destined to be when An Yiyao and I share a romantic evening."

"Even if the heavenly deities themselves descended, they couldn't change that!"

Zhou Hao spoke these words at a booming volume.

Almost instantly, his confident declaration echoed throughout the entire First Pavilion.

Hearing this, He Rencho collapsed limply back into his chair, a look of despair on his face.

"Well, that's just great. That bastard Zhou Hao is clearly trying to step on us to elevate himself."

"Brother Lang, shouldn't we just leave?"

Watching He Rencho's expression of absolute hopelessness, a playful smile curved the corner of Shen Lang's mouth.

He was just wondering how to quietly rake in some profits for himself while simultaneously manufacturing a crisis for the Zhou family—forcing them to gamble everything they had on the throne of Great Qin.

Now, seeing Zhou Hao actively jump out to present him with this opportunity, Shen Lang raised his voice by a full octavo.

"A mere brat of the Zhou family, why should he be taken seriously?"

"What the hell are you panicking for?"

*Swish.*

As soon as these words fell, the entire crowd erupted in an uproar.

Zhou Hao's expression turned gloomy in an instant.

He had not expected that a clown like Shen Lang, who relied on others to formulate his plots, would actually dare to mock him in return.

He immediately stood up, walked to the balcony, and glared coldly at Shen Lang.

"You dog, what did you just say?"

Seeing that Zhou Hao's temperament was so easily provoked, Shen Lang abruptly stood up and rebuked him, "Impudent! Is that any way to speak to an official?"

"Do you believe this official could charge you with the crime of great disrespect?"

"You? By yourself?"

Zhou Hao sneered disdainfully. "This young master is standing right here. Go ahead and try to charge me, let me see you do it!"

"Damn it, you asked for it! Fatty, go to the City Lord's Mansion and have Wu Yong dispatch troops for me. Today, I'm going to tear him a new one!"

Hearing Shen Lang's frantic and enraged outburst, He Rencho immediately buried his face in his hands, pretending he didn't know Shen Lang at all.

Witnessing this scene, Qingyou was equally astonished.

The intelligence she had gathered indicated that Shen Lang was begging the Zhou family for help.

Logically speaking, Shen Lang didn't even dare to offend Zhou Yu.

How could he dare to openly challenge Zhou Hao today?

However, the atmosphere at the scene was veering increasingly out of control.

Fearing that this would ruin An Yiyao's plan, Qingyou immediately stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Respected guests, the First Pavilion is a place of refinement and elegance. I must ask both of you to maintain your dignity."

As Qingyou spoke, Zhou Hao also realized that arguing with a worthless wastrel like Shen Lang would truly cause him to lose face.

He immediately let out a cold snort. "Miss Qingyou is right; this is a place of refinement. Miss Qingyou, please hurry up and submit the strategies written by this young master and that piece of trash."

"Let Miss An announce the results immediately!"

With that, Zhou Hao strode back into his private box with an irritated look on his face.

Seeing this, Qingyou immediately swept her gaze across the remaining cultivators. "Honored guests, are there any other submissions?"

Faced with Qingyou's inquiry, the crowd of cultivators, who had been excitedly buzzing just a moment ago, instantly fell silent.

They were all smart people.

They could all tell that Zhou Hao was determined to win An Yiyao tonight.

To offend Zhou Hao over a courtesan who belonged to everyone and no one—such a foolish thing was not something they were willing to do.

Seeing this, Qingyou did not dawdle.

She immediately picked up the two strategies and returned to An Yiyao's chamber.

"Miss, this one is from Zhou Hao, and this one is from Shen Lang!"

Looking at the two envelopes placed side by side before her, An Yiyao's expression remained unchanged as she picked up Zhou Hao's envelope and slowly opened it.

With just a single glance, she couldn't help praising, "As expected of someone who managed to join the Blood Demon Sect; this intellect is indeed impressive."

"It's just that he doesn't seem to understand my deeper intentions!"

Hearing this, Qingyou subconsciously glanced at Zhou Hao's strategy as well, her brow twitching.

"Indeed, if it were only Miss alone, this approach would certainly work."

"But if we want all the sisters of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to find good matches, this method is far too foolish!"

"Yes, hopefully this Shen Lang can bring me a surprise!"

With that, An Yiyao slowly broke the seal on Shen Lang's envelope.

At just a single glance, she couldn't help cursing aloud, "Is this bastard trying to humiliate me?!"

Seeing that An Yiyao had grown angry, Qingyou curiously peered at Shen Lang's strategy too.

When she saw the words written there—*not absurd enough*—rage flared in her eyes as well.

"I'm going to find someone to skin that bastard right now!"