Published at 13th of June 2025 9:22 am

Chapter 1122: I Just Want to Farm Quietly

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“Many thanks, Your Majesty, for bestowing upon me the Divine Spiritual Treasure,; Wang Shouzhe swayed with the Precious shield An Quan and immediately felt a significant boost in his sense of security, sincerely thanking Emperor Longchang.

Although he also possessed a Divine Artifact Shield, its Artifact Spirit, Wang Tank, had only recently begun to develop a rudimentary consciousness. It paled in comparison to an expert old-timer shield like An Quan.

“You liking it is good enough, I knew An Quan was especially suited for you,” Emperor Longchang nicely said, but in his heart, he indifferently muttered that it really was a case of like pot, like lid—the pair of death-fearing beings had found each other.

“Many thanks, Great Emperor, for making this possible. This is the most correct thing you’ve done since I’ve known you,” Precious shield An Quan equally overflowed with gratitude toward the emperor. He was even more pleased with Wang Shouzhe, never in his long “Shield Life” had he met such a death-fearing master.

“Hmph…” Emperor Longchang’s eyes twitched and he turned his head away, not wanting to speak with An Quan. If it weren’t for saving face before the emperor, he truly wanted to give the shield a good beating.

“Master, did you just mention that you have another Divine Artifact Shield? Why not call it out so we can get acquainted?” Precious shield An Quan also wasn’t too fond of the emperor, naturally not inclined to engage with him either.

“That works.” Wang Shouzhe summoned Wang Tank from the Endless Abyss; it hovered in front of him, trembling and squeaking, seemingly unfamiliar and fearful of its surroundings.

Unlike the teardrop streamline appearance of Precious shield An Quan, Wang Tank was a thick and sturdy military shield, its design square and quaint, a perfect embodiment of resilience.

“Ah, this Artifact Spirit has just been born,” Precious shield An Quan flew around the tank, interestedly said, “This is even better, I can pass on my experience to him, teach him how to be a good shield. By the way, what’s his name?”

“Tank, following my surname Wang,” Wang Shouzhe said.

“What? No, no, I want to have the surname Wang too…” Precious shield An Quan suddenly became a bit unhappy, feeling a distinction being made.

Wang Shouzhe read his name together and immediately shook his head, “If you were to have the surname Wang, that would clash too much. How about having my wife’s surname Liu, or simply taking the surname Wu from the Imperial Household? After all, the emperor bestowed you upon me as a sort of protection for this younger generation.”

Emperor Longchang’s eyes brightened; although Shouzhe was blunt and sharp-tongued, he still knew gratitude. It seemed the emperor’s “protection” hadn’t been misplaced.

Yet, unexpectedly.

“I’ll go by Liu Anquan then,” Precious shield Anquan said without hesitation. “It sounds like ‘preserve safety,’ calling it ‘no’ safety would be too inauspicious. Besides, the emperor acts too recklessly, always charging into the front lines during battles, thinking he is invincible. That he has survived till now is purely luck; we shouldn’t be setting a bad example by following his actions.”

“You’re the one whose survival owes to sheer luck… you’re the negative example,” Emperor Longchang immediately became infuriated, his mustache bristling and eyes bulging. He really should have eliminated that Anquan fellow sooner; listening to Anquan’s words, he felt decades shorter of life.

Liu Anquan naturally didn’t pay attention to the emperor who all too often wanted to eliminate him. With his new name, he began earnestly instructing Wang Tank: “Tank, you need to understand the paramount duty of being a shield—to protect the master’s safety. Any harm coming to the master is our fault.”

“Yi yi ya ya.”

“No, no, you’re understanding the words ‘safety’ too superficially. Anticipating is just child’s play. Real safety involves a combination of considerations like environment, situation, and relative strengths of friends and foes. Moreover, you must always instill the ‘safety first’ principle in the master; achieving such unity in thought between man and shield…”

“Yi yi yi yi.”

Safety concepts are to be nurtured from infancy. The safety ideology of Precious shield Liu Anquan, as well as his active guidance to Wang Tank, left Wang Shouzhe feeling very relieved and secure.

Too timid! Emperor Longchang truly couldn’t stand it anymore. “Since our paths do not align, we cannot plan together,” he waved his sleeves, “Ming Yuan, you and Shouzhe have some more drinks. I’m tired and will not join you young people any longer.” If he stayed longer, he was sure to end up striking both man and shield.

Then, helped by Old Yao, he left without looking back.

Frankly, Emperor Longchang was somewhat “disappointed” with this eagerly awaited meeting. Seeing how Wang Shouzhe could “control the winds and the clouds with one hand,” he thought the young man was ambitious, visionary, and driven.

But what about the result? Nothing more than a death-fearing, lazy, and comfortable person! Content to just stay home, warm the beds with the wife and kids, accustomed to living a quiet life without any great aspirations.

Disappointing, too disappointing! The youth of today, alas… Emperor Longchang walked away, shaking his head in dismay and sighing.

Then, Wang Shouzhe and Wu Mingyuan, these two “men without great aspirations,” blissfully spent the night in the lakeside residence, drinking till dawn as they listened to Precious shield Liu Anquan’s earnest teachings to Wang Tank.

They talked not of any state affairs, but merely family trivialities; how to manage marital relationships, what to do when spouses quarrel, how to educate children, what to do when children go through rebellious phases, what to do when a child falls in young love?

Life is just so fragmented, not every moment can be filled with poetry and distance.

…

Daqian Wang Ancestral Hall.

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