Chapter 50: To use it is to lack virtue; to discard it is to court death

Chen Weifang......

Preparing to bring your family's wealth to seek refuge?

But earlier, didn't he refuse her?

He wouldn't even let her in through the window!

Du Shanü felt somewhat puzzled:

"I had long given up the thought of seeking his advice...... Speaking of which, is he preparing to pull some trick?"

Randomly speculating about others is certainly not good, but considering the other party's previous 【strategem】......

Du Shanü inexplicably felt that the other person really was that kind of person!

Otherwise, the matter has already been laid bare; why still talk about 'seeking refuge'?

The only possibility, I'm afraid, is——

Lurk, grasp her movements, then deal her a heavy blow!?

Du Shanü winced in pain for a moment:

"No, no, help me reject him."

Chinu, upon hearing that, slightly shook his sleeves, then began to twirl his fingers.

He is thin, yet not weak.

Standing there, like a section of bamboo that sunlight cannot penetrate.

Beneath his dark robe, his shoulder blades and waistline faintly visible; when the wind passes, his sleeves stir slightly, yet he remains utterly still, adding a touch of bewitching beauty.

No matter how many times they meet, Du Shanü can't help but mutter to herself, "a damp male ghost."

Now, this 'damp male ghost' gave her a fleeting glance:

"Really?"

Just these two words, as if leaving Du Shanü some leeway.

Du Shanü, however, laughed and said:

"What's there not to believe? Don't tell me Chen Weifang is unparalleled under heaven, and we cannot succeed without him!"

If that were the case, Du Shanü wasn't sure whether she would still consider...

Otherwise, the world would keep turning just the same without anyone!

"I gave him a chance earlier......"

Du Shanü still wore a smiling, narrowed-eye expression, but her words carried a hidden meaning:

"But he himself couldn't get a handle on it."

"When I wanted to choose him, he didn't choose me. By the time I no longer chose him, saying anything would be too late."

This statement, whether directed at Chen Weifang or at others...

Actually, they're all the same.

Du Shanü has always considered herself an honest woman; today, if someone angers her, she can let them off; tomorrow, if someone angers her, she can still let them off...

However, she is, after all, a person, not one who lets horses go.

She sets a different tolerance level for each person.

She dislikes Chen Weifang's manner of not letting her in.

She dislikes Chen Weifang's failure to make a swift, decisive choice regarding her.

She dislikes the 'bad idea' Chen Weifang came up with for her.

These three points are enough to exhaust her patience.

Chinu is now doing well in all respects, but her patience, too, will eventually run out.

If he ultimately does not choose her...

Du Shanü squinted and smiled, saying nothing.

Chinu, hearing the implied meaning in the other's words, raised his brows slightly for a moment.

The two regarded each other like thousand-year-old foxes, each harboring their own thoughts.

Until, Chinu broke the stalemate, reminding in a calm voice:

"Just think it through...... As for stratagems, Chen Weifang leaves nothing to chance."

Leaves nothing to chance?

That formidable?

Du Shanü was slightly surprised, then instinctively thought of Chen Weifang's previous 'proposal'.

If the other party truly is like that, then isn't the earlier talk of subduing Chinu by sleeping...

Actually, is it really feasible?

Du Shanü momentarily lost control, her features twisting for an instant; Chinu didn't know her thoughts, but he could feel her gaze sweep across his waistline.

Chinu paused his finger-twiddling motion, slightly braced his arms, and used his wide sleeves to shield his waist, speaking word by word:

"Whether you use him or not, it's actually none of my business."

"I've told you all this merely to remind you: if this person does not seek refuge with you but instead defects to another, you will surely become a part of their scheming."

To speak frankly, he himself isn't entirely clear about what kind of person he is.

However, he knows full well what kind of people his circle of fair-weather friends are.

Chen Weifang's appearance is like the ancient moon; he is consistently pure and aloof, and whoever sees him cannot help but praise a clear breeze and bright moon.

However, is the fact truly so?

Leaving aside past events, just speaking of the time he went to kill the county magistrate—before anyone even saw him, they could already see the crux, and suggested to the magistrate that he be killed!

If not for being extraordinarily clever, obstinate, and ruthless to the extreme...

How could this person take a life with just a single sentence?

And that's not even mentioning the other 'ideas' Chen Weifang came up with.

For someone like him, even bringing Chen Weifang home to feed and pamper him wouldn't matter, nor would ignoring his schemes.

But if we let Chen Weifang serve under someone else...

"That really is, suffering great misfortune."

Chinu lowered eyes to look at the murmuring Du Shanü ahead.

Du Shanü turned pale, as if struck a heavy blow to the head, her whole world collapsed:

"Sir, why didn't you say this earlier?"

Fact proves, Du Shanü's earlier thoughts were still too simple.

Before, before she always thought the ruler-minister relationship was actually not much different from a blind date!

You like me, I like you, a harmonious family.

You like me, I don't like you, there will inevitably be friction.

If neither likes the other... what's the point of being together!?

However, however.

The matter isn't that simple!

If following Chinu's words, there is clearly another kind of special strategist in this world!

That is, the poison strategist!

Killing him is a pity, using him is immoral, letting him go is frightening!

No wonder, no wonder, she was earlier wondering how Chen Weifang could come up with such a nasty trick!

Turns out, they truly have a belly full of nasty tricks!

I'm convinced.

Du Shanü is convinced, but not completely.

Du Shanü pondered left and right, then timidly opened her mouth:

"Now that the county magistrate is dead, who knows if staying in the county office might have better prospects than following me?"

"I haven't accomplished anything, and at home I don't even have a noticeable mu of land—why bother saying I'll make you an official... the chief clerk still pays his salary on time!"

Chinu snorted, their narrow eyes glancing over Du Shanü's body, then landing somewhere, then averting their gaze:

"If they valued money, would they come here to be a petty chief clerk?"

"Their strategies truly put the enemy in a death trap, yet their heart truly serves the people."

When they were young friends, he had once heard Chen Weifang say this:

As long as the result is right, the process doesn't matter.

They are indeed a poison strategist, their means undeniably ruthless...

But alas, money is precisely the least important thing for Chen Weifang.

Now, it seems he feels he has already placed his bet, thus pouring out all his resources.

Of course, he also truly does not want to be enemies with old friends, thus coming to persuade.

Chinu remained silent, but his words just now entered Du Shanü's ears, instantly causing her visage to twist—

Not good, not right...

Too strange.

What kind of person is Chen Weifang exactly!?

How can they want no pay and yet be purely harmful!?

Since crossing over and opening her eyes, Du Shanü has never felt so lost; she weighed the pros and cons in her heart, while Chinu also wasn't in a hurry, arms crossed, waiting for her answer.

Autumn moon, warm day; the wind blows, making people weary.

And at this moment, arriving with the autumn wind, was a staggering figure by the riverbank, along with a piece of earth-shattering news.

That panicked middle-aged man ran along the river, shouting:

"Not good! Not good!"

"There's another new, new county magistrate in the county seat! And now they actually say they'll collect the grain and corvée tax!!!"