After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 138

Two weeks later, Zhou Gongdan received a reply from Yuan Li.

The reply was short and simple, consisting of only a few lines.

Yuan Li would create fake "auspicious signs," using the resources of the Liangliao Institution to build momentum for Wu Shanshi.

Zhou Gongdan's task was straightforward – to make Wu Shanshi believe that the auspicious signs were a result of his own merits and to convince him that he was the true Dragon Emperor.

Thus, to proclaim himself as emperor.

Recently, Wu Shanshi's temper has been quite bad.

He couldn't focus on anything he did and felt that everyone he encountered was sneering at him and rebuking him.

Even the servants in his mansion, who ate and lived off him, seemed to be secretly ridiculing him behind their respectful façades. Every time he thought of this possibility, Wu Shanshi would suddenly burst into rage.

His temper became increasingly volatile, and even his wives and concubines dared not provoke him during these times.

Among the entire provincial governor's mansion, only Zhou Gongdan could receive a favorable treatment from Wu Shanshi.

Zhou Gongdan had been trying to persuade Wu Shanshi for quite some time, telling him that it was not yet a dead end, and they needed to patiently wait for an opportunity to turn the tide.

Wu Shanshi did calm down somewhat after being comforted by Zhou Gongdan and began anxiously waiting for the arrival of this opportunity.

In early May, one of his subordinates reported that a strange stone had been discovered in a village in the countryside. The stone had a grotesque appearance, resembling a fierce beast with fangs and claws.

The villagers were scared of the stone and informed the county magistrate. The county magistrate also found the stone peculiar and reported it further.

Initially, Wu Shanshi had little interest, but the subordinate continued, "The county magistrate said that the stone is slender and long, with eagle claws, fish scales, and lion manes, as if..."

The subordinate hesitated and didn't dare to continue. But Wu Shanshi was startled. Eagle claws, fish scales, lion manes – wasn't that the appearance of a dragon?

Could it be a stone that resembled a dragon in shape?

Wu Shanshi immediately became interested. "Where is this stone?"

"Military official Huang took soldiers to move the stone. It should be delivered to the provincial governor's mansion this afternoon," the subordinate replied.

However, in the afternoon, the Military official Huang returned with the soldiers, their faces filled with panic.

Frowning, Wu Shanshi asked, "What happened to you all?"

Military official Huang's face was pale, his lips trembling, and he looked as if he had been frightened out of his wits. He knelt down on the ground with a "thud" and said, "M-Master, the stone turned into a flying dragon and disappeared!"

Wu Shanshi was greatly astonished. "What?!"

Military official Huang stammered as he described what he had seen and heard.

They had followed the villagers to find the peculiar stone, half in doubt and suspecting it to be a falsehood from the county magistrate. However, when they finally saw the stone, they were amazed to find it was indeed as extraordinary as the county magistrate had described, vivid and lifelike, resembling a living creature.