Chapter 219: The principle is indeed that principle, but I won

"Fuck your mother's crap!!"

In the pouring rain, an angry roar rang deafeningly.

Chen Yan instantly turned his head and saw someone on the training ground of the Negotiation Office.

On closer look, wasn't that damn Cheng Chumo?

"WTF, Chu Mo!" Chen Yan shouted excitedly.

To be honest, since arriving in Weinan County he hasn't seen his old good brothers, and he misses them a lot.

You should know, they used to hang out together every day.

"I, Cheng, you big old man!" Cheng Chumo said angrily: "You only got stabbed while picking soapberries; the little lord is fine."

"How the hell do you tarnish someone's innocence out of thin air!!!"

Chen Yan was stunned: "Then why did you write me a distress letter? What life do you need me to save you from at the Negotiation Office?"

"Heh, didn't expect a thousand defenses and ten thousand precautions, yet those kids still managed to send a letter out, impressive." Niu Jinda, holding an umbrella, strode over.

"Chen kid, looking at your stance, are you trying to forcefully break into my territory?"

"Uncle Niu!" Chen Yan finally saw Niu Jinda, surprised: "What are you doing here?"

"Why am I here..." Niu Jinda's mouth twitched, recalling the talk Li Shimin had with him before Chen Yan took office in Weinan County, thinking inwardly, "I'm here because of you, aren't I?"

Of course, he couldn't say that.

Entering the camp, he casually tossed the umbrella to a soldier, "What does my being here have to do with you?"

"Chen kid, you haven't answered my question yet. What does your forceful intrusion into my territory today mean?"

"And you even made my soldiers retreat, Lord Chen, what a grand display of authority!"

Chen Yan: "......"

Honestly, Chen Yan felt a bit uneasy.

Within this Tang Dynasty he isn't really afraid of Li Shimin; after all, Li Shimin may be emperor, but he's reasonable and easy to coax.

As long as you give him some benefits and help Li Shimin, he won't take things seriously with you.

Just like when Chen Yan was imprisoned in Dali Temple Prison, after producing fine salt he still dared to confront Li Shimin face‑to‑face.

Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, Qin Qiong and the like need not even be mentioned.

In front of these people, Chen Yan plays the role of a favored one.

But there's one exception: the Niu Jinda before him.

Niu Jinda doesn't reason; no matter the odds, once he's upset he'll beat you.

Facing such a person, Chen Yan truly has no tricks; even his eighteen martial arts can't be displayed before Niu Jinda.

People even think you're doing a thug's excited fist.

"Um… Uncle Niu, this is a misunderstanding; my little nephew didn't know this was your territory beforehand." Seeing Niu Jinda's unfriendly look, Chen Yan swallowed saliva and hurried:

"That kid Cheng Chumo wrote me a letter saying he needed me to save his life; I thought Cheng Chumo was in danger at the Negotiation Office."

"Couldn't you just rush over without all this hurry?"

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, all misunderstandings."

Hearing this, Niu Jinda's expression softened considerably.

Chen Yan quickly seized the moment, speaking earnestly: "Actually, Uncle Niu, I've remembered your teachings since I was young."

"We men, born between heaven and earth, must act with integrity—honorable to the heavens above and true to our own conscience below."

"You say, if this sworn brother sends a rescue letter, can I pretend I didn't see it, ignore it, and let him die?"

"If I don't come, then what kind of man am I? How can I live up to the elders' teachings, how can I answer my conscience?"

"Is that the principle you're talking about?"

Niu Jinda, swaggering like a golden horse, sat on the bench, stared at Chen Yan for two seconds, then nodded, "You're right; if you still ignore a sworn brother's rescue letter, you shouldn't even be alive."

"You rushed here as soon as you got the letter; Uncle Niu is pleased, but you forced your way into the Negotiation Office and made my soldiers retreat; Uncle Niu is not happy."

"The principle is indeed that principle, but I won't listen."

"Come yourself then; considering you're now the County Magistrate, Uncle Niu won't hit you in the face."

Chen Yan: "......"

It's a password.

Do I have to be a dumbass to go over?

The ghost's principle is indeed that principle, but I won't listen.

What kind of person is this?

"......"

"...... Ten cups of wine!" Chen Yan mulled for two seconds, then put forward his condition.

When Niu Jinda heard that, he immediately gave a teachable look, thought for a moment, and held up two fingers.

Chen Yan felt a huge weight lift from his heart; as long as Niu Jinda is willing to discuss conditions, today's beating could be avoided.

Chen Yan didn't want to argue with Niu Jinda, because the more he argued, the higher Niu Jinda's demands would become; with such an unreasonable person, going along would be his ruin.

"No problem, Uncle Niu, later I'll have Xiao Shunzi bring it to you."

"Hmm..." Niu Jinda was satisfied with Chen Yan's attitude, then said to someone nearby, "Go, tell those three kids to stop, bring them in."

"Everyone else, go out."

"Yes!" The crowd, without hesitation, stepped out.

"Chen kid, don't say I'm taking advantage of you for free." Niu Jinda said: "From today onward, within Weinan County, you may ask me to mobilize part of the Negotiation Office troops."

"Of course, this is limited to within Weinan County; if outside, or if you need to mobilize all Negotiation Office forces, you'll need His Majesty's or the Crown Prince's edict."

"Do you understand?"

Chen Yan: "Is this His Majesty's arrangement?"

When he met Niu Jinda at the Mediation Office, he already had a suspicion in his mind.

Therefore it was not very surprising.

"It's fine as long as you know," Niu Jinda did not deny.

"Alright, Uncle Niu, I understand."

"Hmm." Niu Jinda seemed to recall something and reminded, "Recently Chang'an has been unsettled; you lad would do best to stay in Weinan County and not run around everywhere."

"Just mind your own business."

"Chang'an is unsettled…" Chen Yan's eyes narrowed, puzzled, "Uncle Niu, what exactly is happening in Chang'an?"

"His Majesty also said something similar to me; could it really be caused by the Weinan County corruption case?"

"Um…" Niu Jinda scratched the beard on his face, as if thinking of something, but after a long while he couldn't figure it out.

He finally waved his hand and said, "How would I know all that?"

"These were all told to me by Old Cheng, but I didn't understand; anyway Old Cheng said someone was stirring things up behind the scenes, trying to expand some kind of thing."

"Your Cheng Bo Bo just told you and the other kids to stay in Weinan County; everything else is none of your business."

Chen Yan was at a loss for words, but said nothing.

After all, unlike Cheng Yaojin's subtle mind, Niu Jinda is a big, rough man, and he's a fine fighter in battle.

The rest…

It's hard to explain in a word.

At this moment, the three brothers, drenched all over, entered with a full of resentment, their eyes unblinking staring at Chen Yan.

Somehow, Chen Yan actually saw grievance in their eyes…

".... …"