Chapter 1082

Chen Wuji spoke lightly, but Xu Zengyi could not relax at all.

"My lord, you are unaware; the resentment of the generals is far greater than I imagined. After all, recording merit on stone is one of the lifelong glories pursued by military commanders; they cannot remain indifferent."

After pondering for a long time, Chen Wuji said: "Then let us choose a day to raise the tent and discuss matters; I will personally talk with them. Has Lao Yang not sent any word?"

"... There is!"

Chen Wuji stared blankly, "Even Lao Yang wrote to you? How strange, they must have arranged this in private. I have not seen a single memorial on my desk, yet yours are piling up like a mountain."

Xu Zengyi silently cursed.

This matter certainly should not come to him.

Submitting a memorial to the lord's presence changes its nature entirely.

"General Yang not only sent a letter, but he also cursed the most fiercely; my ancestors eighteen generations back were nearly dug up by him." Xu Zengyi betrayed Yang Pojun without hesitation.

When he received Yang Pojun's letter, he nearly died of anger; unable to retaliate face to face, he could only resort to indirect means.

This was not his decision; yet the one who ended up being scolded turned out to be him—what kind of reasoning is this?

Chen Wuji chuckled, "This matter, I have failed to show proper respect to Mr. Xu. Do not worry, it is no great trouble; I will personally speak with them, and since I have been idle lately, I might as well have a good chat."

"Yes!"

Xu Zengyi responded with a sound, paused, then could not help but advise: "My lord, military commanders have a deep obsession with recording merit on stone; in some commanders' eyes, this even surpasses the glory of demarcating territory and being ennobled. Please, my lord, act with caution."

"I understand; I may count as half a military commander by background, so Mr. Xu need not worry about these matters."

……

The next day, Chen Wuji prepared a pile of arguments, ready to raise the tent and discuss recording merit on stone with his generals, but unexpectedly, the Uyghur envoy Pú Cún suddenly rushed in seeking an audience.

"Has a letter come from the Uyghurs?" Chen Wuji asked those nearby.

Chen Wushuang, who had just entered the tent, handed the document held in her right hand to Chen Wuji, "Deputy General has just received the item sent by the Elite Guard Camp, merely copied it once, and did not expect Pú Cún to come see my lord so soon."

The Uyghur letter could not possibly be delivered so easily into Chen Wuji's military camp; inspection is inevitable, and a very strict procedure.

"It seems, after receiving the letter, he merely glanced at it once before coming to see me!" Chen Wuji sat barefaced by the charcoal basin roasting yams, meanwhile drinking tea.

He brushed the ash from his hands, took the document, and said, "Please invite Mr. Xu and the others."

"Yes!"

After Xu Zengyi and the others arrived, Chen Wuji then saw Pú Cún, hunched over, making himself look rather pitiable.

"Esteemed Marquis Zhenyuan, my lord has finally replied; this is the second letter of sincerity presented to the Marquis, please review it!" Pú Cún entered and immediately unleashed his grand move, showing not the slightest hesitation, directly throwing Li Qímíng's handwritten letter forward.

He even used the word "finally" toward his own master.

It appears he has endured quite a hardship staying in Chen Wuji's military camp during this period.

That letter in his hand, Chen Wuji had actually already read about seven or eight tenths of it.

The soldiers of the Elite Guard Camp, during inspection, would silently memorize important content, then hand it to Chen Wushuang, who would copy it and pass it to Chen Wuji.

However, these fellows learned their literacy in the army; their writing is worse than elementary school students', requiring Chen Wuji to guess and infer in many places.

Chen Wuji took the letter and examined it very carefully once more.

"Your master's preparations are quite thorough!" Chen Wuji refolded the letter he had finished reading and had Chen Wushuang, standing to the side, hand it to Xu Zengyi.

Pú Cún knelt in the tent, cautiously raising his head to glance at Chen Wuji at the upper seat, "I dare not conceal from the Marquis, my lord has a request of the Marquis, so naturally I must exert my utmost effort."

"In name, Li Qichen, who currently resides in the camp, is the true Uyghur King; at least in the Dayu Court, that is the case." Chen Wuji spoke gently.

"Your master's letter does not state it clearly; do you know whether your master wishes to use my hand to eliminate the true Uyghur King residing in my camp, or that false Uyghur King now in the Uyghur King's court?"

Pú Cún replied: "Reporting to the Marquis, it should be the false one!"

"The life and death of the true Uyghur King rests entirely in the Marquis's single thought; only that false Uyghur King requires the Marquis to dispatch men to assassinate him. Once this person is slain, my lord can rightfully become the new Uyghur King, thus better serving the Marquis."

Chen Wuji smiled meaningfully, "But I do not favor this kind of transaction; I have seen nothing yet, and you already ask me to send men to kill the Uyghur King? Do I not know this method is easier for me in military affairs?"

"Your master's sincerity, I see not a bit of it; on the contrary, it seems as if you are using me as a blade!"

"I dare not! My lord also dares not show disrespect to the Marquis!" Pú Cún hurriedly kowtowed.

"Not dare?" Chen Wuji let out a heavy snort.

"The letter, you have also read; what exactly does it say? You must already know it by heart! Your lord wishes to discuss cooperation with me, which I welcome, but produce some actual action."

"First fulfill what is stated in this letter; once I obtain the thing, I will naturally dispatch men to the court to meet him, telling him not to play petty tricks with me, for some matters I may understand better than he."

"No need to say more; go away!"

Pú Cún opened his mouth, but seeing the grim expressions of the armored soldiers around him, he ultimately dared not continue speaking. Chen Wuji's killing of envoys has left him with a psychological shadow not to be underestimated.

When he came, he was extremely anxious; staying here each day, he was nervous and terrified, daring not to display his own cleverness.

He gave a low response, then Pú Cún hurriedly withdrew respectfully.

Chen Wuji rested his left hand on his head, asking the strategists below: "This Li Qímíng seems to have some intention to play tricks; what do you all think?"

Chu Xiu raised his head and said: "My lord, this person should not be able to stir up any great waves!"

"In today's Uyghur, a succession struggle without military authority is a dead end; Li Qímíng, though mad, should also understand this principle."

"The Uyghur princes' succession struggle has already been fully laid bare; all sides hold some military commanders in hand. Meanwhile, the Border Army in the Uyghur King's possession, according to current intelligence, has not yet been seized by any son."

"Now, among the princes, only the Uyghur King's first son Li Qírén and Li Qímíng are in the worst situation. Li Qírén relies on Left General Xu Dingguo; in the Battle of Magic Capital Mountain, Xu Dingguo was nearly annihilated by our army, causing this Uyghur great prince to lose his wings."