How To Survive as a Villain 72

After punishing the Corrupt Officials, Xiao YuAn gave relief to the common people once again. This time, he supervised it personally and urged for the refugees to get settled down.

At this time, there was news coming from the Southern Yan Kingdom: While the Southern Yan Kingdom quietly restored its Country Military strength, it was also recruiting troops and horses.

Xiao YuAn eyebrows knitted into a Sichuan¹ character.

These news came a full month earlier than in the original book.

He knew that Yan HeQing had a special plug-in², but why did it become a VIP protagonist plug-in?! Give this villain a break can you?!

Are you in such a hurry to conquer and destroy the Northern Kingdom?

Thinking back to the final words the both of them said before breaking apart, Xiao YuAn only felt a splitting headache.

“Your Majesty.” The maidservant beside him called for him in a weak soft voice: “Your Majesty, would you like to rest for a while? You haven't been looking good lately.”

Xiao YuAn waved his hand: “Summon General Li Wuding.”

Li Wuding soon entered the Hall of the Imperial bedchamber. Xiao YuAn cleared his throat and asked Li Wuding: “Have you heard the news from the Southern Yan Kingdom?”

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Li Wuding nodded and calmly replied: “Your Majesty, it has been many years since the late Emperor marched to the South. Now the Southern Yan Kingdom can't be underestimated. Weichen believes that we should be the ones making the first move.”

Xiao YuAn didn't expect Li Wuding would be so wary of the Southern Yan Kingdom. He was stunned for a brief moment. After all, because of the original book, he has always regarded Li Wuding as an ally of Yan HeQing.

What kind of situation is this? The second male dislikes the male lead?!! A plug-in vs a plug-in?!! It's so exciting!

Fight! Fight!!!

“Cough…” Xiao YuAn covered his mouth and coughed lightly. “I understand what you mean, but because of the drought relief I gave before, the national treasury is almost empty. I'm afraid we can't hold up years of war.”

“Your Majesty, we don't call that war” Li Wuding smiled slightly. “We call it a mere greeting.”

Dear friend, why are you hiding a dagger in that smile³? Why is there a needle hidden in the cotton wadding⁴?

But Xiao YuAn likes it!

Xiao YuAn asked: “What do you mean?”

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Li Wuding replied: “Mobilizing the men and horses, wandering around the borders of the Southern Yan Kingdom will intimidate the soldiers and raise our prestige before the people. Their Country was once devastated by our powerful army. Once bitten by a snake, ten years of fear⁵. Even if we can't stop them from recovering their Southern Yan Military power, at least we can still make them nervous and slow down the recruitment speed.”

Xiao YuAn excitedly patted Li Wuding's shoulder: “Don't worry! I'll definitely find a proper match for you!!!”

Unlike the original book, you won't have to watch Yan HeQing steal all the pretty girls for himself! That's our main goal!

Protect your life! Protect the Country! And fight the male lead!

The villain turns over a new leaf, not a salted fish⁶, and the second male snatches the girls!! Gasp!

There was no time to lose. The Northern Kingdom began to reorganize its troops and horses. And although it was Li Wuding's strategy, Xiao YuAn didn't dare to send him in person, just in case Yan HeQing used his words skills to persuade Li Wuding to surrender in advance, he wouldn't know where to cry.

After thoroughly thinking about it, this heavy responsibility in the end fell on Xie Chungui's hands.

Although Xie Chungui was only nineteen years old, being young and reckless, he still could take the overall situation into consideration. Moreover, because of the original book, Xiao YuAn understands that Xie Chungui's loyalty to the Northern Kingdom couldn't just be described with simple words.

After nearly a month of preparations for the war, as soon as the troops were about to be dispatched in three days time, a war report suddenly came to the Northern Kingdom.

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Some barbarians led their troops to disturb the North borders, and took over the next city.

This was something that the Northern Kingdom didn't experience in the original book.

After Xiao YuAn got this war report, he felt numb for a long time. He felt powerless, and then this feeling spread all over his body. His hands and feet were icy cold and his heart was depressed. Suddenly, he felt that his internal organs began to churn, and he started to cough violently.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you alright?” The maidservant was so frightened that her face turned pale.

“It's alright, I'm fine.” Xiao YuAn gritted his teeth and covered his throat, pressing back all his emotions.

Now, sending troops to resist the barbarians means that the previous plan to intimidate the Southern Yan Kingdom can only be reduced to an empty talk. The Northern Kingdom's troops would even get scattered as a result.

Why is this happening?!

This barbarian invasion, just like the previous drought, is something that doesn't happen in the original book!

Without any antecedent or premonition, it just appeared out of thin air. Everything was like an invisible net, dense and overwhelmingly trapping Xiao YuAn to the point where he can't move anymore. Whenever he tries his best to get rid of the shackles, no matter what he does, everything is in vain.

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Spitting out his own heart and spilling his blood⁷, he took so many troubles⁸, only to be met with a darker and deeper despair?

Is there really no way for the two, releasing Yan HeQing and preserving the Northern Kingdom, to coexist?

Xiao YuAn's eyes were closed as he forced himself to calm down and think about countermeasures. Finally, he said in a low voice: “We will still send troops to intimidate the Southern Yan Kingdom. For the time being, the city will cede to the barbarians.”

The next day, however, Xie Chungui knelt down in the Palace main Hall.

“Your Majesty!” The young man yelled from the top of his lungs. “My great Northern Kingdom has never ceded land to bribe foreign Countries!! To show such weakness right now, it would break our bones and destroy our souls!! I would like to lead the troops to the North border and resist against the enemy! Either we drive the barbarians out of our Country's territory, or….” Xie Chungui stopped himself, his eyes were burning like fire, shaking the mountains and rivers. “I'll be buried in a horse hide⁹, never returning to my homeland again!”

Xiao YuAn restrained his eyes in silence, and his tightly pursed lips were faintly trembling.

“Your Majesty!” Xie Chungui added, “If you don't agree, Chungui will kneel down here and never get up again.”

First the drought and the corrupt officials… and now the Southern Yan Kingdom is starting to move and a group of barbarians took over the Northern Kingdom (north) border!!! ∑(;°Д°) Ahhhhh the heavens are against XYA changing the overall plot (this is badbadbad)━Σ(ﾟДﾟ )━

1. This one 川, it looks like the wrinkles that appear when you frown.
2. 外挂 wài guà; Game plug-in, refers to a program designed for a certain game and modifying some programs in the game. The term “plug-in” originally meant an additional component attached to increase the extra function of the program. As a verb, it was used to describe the behavior of “modifying the game using an external program”. I don't know much about games, but this may be like the cheat codes?
3. 笑里藏刀 xiào lǐ cáng dāo; It's a Chinese idiom, it means to be kind to others in appearance, but sinister and poisonous in reality / Friendly manners but hypocritical intentions. From《旧唐书·李义府传》(jiù táng shū·lǐ yì fǔ zhuàn), “History of the Early Tang Dynasty: Biography of Li Yifu”, written by (刘昫 liú xù) Liu Xu [887-946] a politician from the Later Jin of the Five Dynasties [936-946].
4. 绵里藏针 mián lǐ cáng zhēn; It's a Chinese idiom, it means there's strength in tenderness / A metaphor that is used to describe a person who is kind on the outside but malicious on the inside / A ruthless character behind a gentle appearance / A wolf in sheep's clothing. From《曲江柳》(qǔ jiāng liǔ), “Willow of the Qujiang River”, written by (石君宝 shí jūn bǎo) Shi Junbao [1191-1276], a dramatist from the Yuan or Mongol dynasty [1279-1368].
5. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳 yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng; It's a metaphor used to describe when someone is injured, they're afraid of experiencing the similar things or events. Thus, it's evident that the calamity in itself is often not too frightening, but what is frightening is the serious consequences experienced by the affected people.
6. 咸鱼翻身 xián yú fān shēn; It's a Chinese idiom, it refers to a person who is in a difficult situation who suddenly turns around or gets better / A metaphor used for someone of something that has been despised, and whose status is different from the past / To experience a reversal of fortune.
7. 呕心沥血 ǒu xīn lì xuè; It's a Chinese idiom, describes the effort and energy spent / To work one's heart out / Sweat and tears. From《李长吉小传》(lǐ cháng jí xiǎo zhuàn), “The Biography of Li Changji”, written by (李商隐 lǐ shāng yǐn) Li Shangyin [813-858], a poet from the Tang Dynasty [618-907].
8. 煞费苦心 shà fèi kǔ xīn; It's a Chinese idiom, used to describe the effort one must go to get something / At the cost of a lot of effort. From《黑籍冤魂》(hēi jí yuān hún), “Black Register of Lost Souls”, written by (彭养鸥 péng yǎng ōu) Peng Yangou, a novelist from the Qing Dynasty [1644-1911].
9. 马革裹尸 mǎ gé guǒ shī; It's a Chinese idiom, it means to wrap one's body in the leather made from a horse. Mostly refers to a soldier's death in battle, describing the will to fight and die for one's Country / To give one's life on the battlefield. From《后汉书·马援传》(hòu hàn shū·mǎ yuán zhuàn), “History of Eastern Han: Biography of Ma Yuan”, composed by (範曄 fàn yè) Fan Ye [398-445] was a politician and historian of the Southern Liu Dynasty [420-589] and Song of the Southern Dynasty [420-479].

Chapter end