Chapter 1084

Lu Chuan lowered his hands and stood at attention.

"Marquis, I have received a personal sealed letter from Guo Jin'ge, the commander of Hezhou. He is willing to lead his troops to submit to you. Upon hearing this, I dared not delay, nor could I entrust it to another, so I hurried north to meet you in person."

Having said that, he took out a sealed letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"This is Guo Jin'ge's sealed letter. Please review it, Marquis."

Chen Wuji was first delighted, then suddenly felt somewhat confused.

Guo Jin'ge wishes to surrender to him—how did his sealed letter end up in Lu Chuan's hands?

Before Chen Wuji could ask, Lu Chuan spoke up: "I once briefly resided in Hezhou with my father for a few years, during which I became acquainted with Guo Jin'ge, and our private relationship was quite good."

"In his letter to me, Guo Jin'ge stated that due to recent changes in the court, Hezhou has split into several factions, secretly fighting over military authority. He dare not send his confidants to meet you, which is why he thought of me."

Chen Wuji nodded slightly and opened the letter.

The contents of the letter matched what Lu Chuan had said, only more detailed.

Guo Jin'ge elaborated on Hezhou's current situation, his own circumstances, and how many troops he could control.

At court, the power is divided among Yan Yan, Ruan Yuchang, and the Wise King. Hezhou mirrors this situation locally, and it is one of the few places that has maintained consistency with the court's rhythm.

But it is not the only one.

The prefectures and commanderies directly controlled by these three are actually not many; most are still wavering, and many have other ideas, also wanting to become a second Chen Wuji.

In short, the current state of the entire Dayu realm is chaotic from top to bottom—anyone with even a little power has their own ideas.

"Hezhou is somewhat far from here." Chen Wuji put away the letter and murmured softly.

Seeing no one else speak, Lu Chuan said: "On my way here, I have been considering this matter. The best course now is for Guo Jin'ge to lead his troops south, while you dispatch troops to meet him."

"If Guo Jin'ge wishes to submit to you, he must breach Shangfang Commandery—there is no other way!"

Chen Wuji leaned slightly, pressing his right hand lightly against his temple as he pondered the possibilities.

Hezhou is the prefectural seat of Jiannan Commandery and also the largest city south of the Great River, a vital southern stronghold integrating military, political, and economic functions.

Chen Wuji felt greedy—he wanted not only Guo Jin'ge but also Hezhou.

But Hezhou lies on the south bank of the Great River, with the bulk of Jiannan Commandery and Shangfang Commandery blocking the way ahead.

Moreover, there is Wuyang, the prefectural seat of Shangfang Commandery, which, though inferior to Hezhou, surpasses any city in Nan Jun in prosperity, garrisoned by no fewer than thirty thousand troops.

Shangfang and Jiannan Commanderies are among Dayu South's most important granaries, long receiving special attention from the court, whether in troop strength or other aspects, far surpassing other prefectures.

He hoped to seize Hezhou along with this opportunity, but the difficulty is immense.

Moreover, it would likely provoke the three court factions, triggering their joint counterattack.

Had he not been at war with the Uyghurs, Chen Wuji would not have needed to worry about this at all.

At that time, he would certainly continue his northern campaigns, with Shangfang Commandery naturally becoming his next target.

But now his troops are tied down by the Uyghurs; though he has the desire and ambition, he is like a skilled cook without rice—utterly unable to act.

After turning it over in his mind, Chen Wuji regretfully abandoned this option.

Hezhou, for now, cannot be taken.

"Attendant, prepare a meal for Lu Sima." Chen Wuji ordered.

"Thank you, Marquis, for your reward!"

Lu Chuan showed no excess formality or politeness; after the soldiers brought the food tray, he simply sat down on one side.

He was indeed very tired and needed a good meal and rest.

Worried about mishaps on the road, he brought only a dozen attendants, having made a forced march—five horses died along the way, and he himself was near exhaustion, his lips dry as if they no longer existed.

"How have you been doing in Songzhou?" Chen Wuji did not mention Guo Jin'ge again, but instead casually asked in a relaxed manner.

Lu Chuan took a few sips of honey water to moisten his lips before saying: "I dare not deceive you, Marquis. Thanks to your multiple policies, Songzhou has shown slight improvement, but it still has a long way to go before prosperity."

"That place has been ravaged too severely; restoring its vitality is no easy task." Chen Wuji said.

Thinking of that land, Chen Wuji felt heartache and simultaneously harbored a deep resentment toward a certain person, his teeth itching with hatred.

What a fertile land—it could have become his rear granary, but that dog-like thing ravaged it nearly to bare earth, forcing everything to start from scratch.

Chen Wuji's thoughts wandered, then returned to Lu Chuan: "I have seen your achievements in Songzhou with my own eyes—they are quite good. Your father served as acting governor of Nan Jun for many years without earning a good reputation, but you have now established your official standing."

"Being an official in Nan Jun is neither easy nor hard; as long as you govern for the people and handle affairs for them, this post is surely a good one. I do not encourage you to do anything improper, but within certain bounds, I will certainly support you!"

Lu Chuan respectfully accepted the command, gave a bitter smile, and said: "I dare not deceive you, Marquis. Precisely because my father performed so poorly, I wish to become a good official. My father ruined our Lu family's name, and I wish to personally retrieve it."

"Although your father's initial reputation was indeed not good, he knew when to advance or retreat and kept his measure. Look—he now serves as a tuntian wei and does an excellent job, everything orderly." Chen Wuji said. "Earlier, I even wrote to him to chat—guess what he said?"

Lu Chuan shook his head: "Given my father's temperament, if he lacked those improper ambitions, he would surely enjoy his current life!"

"Indeed, like father, like son—you guessed right. He told me he is truly enjoying his present days!" Chen Wuji laughed.

"When a person describes his days with the word 'enjoy,' I believe he genuinely likes them, not merely mouthing empty pleasantries."

At that moment, the soldiers brought Lu Chuan's meal.

"Eat first, pour your own wine, no need for false courtesy—eat when you should, drink when you should." Chen Wuji said.

"Yes!"

Chen Wuji said that, and Lu Chuan did exactly so—he was truly without any pretense.

He first poured himself three cups of wine, drank them, then began to eat.

His movements were slow, but each bite was substantial—within just a few mouthfuls, the several dishes before him were completely cleared.

After pouring himself several more cups of wine and drinking them, Lu Chuan lifted his plate and asked the attendant beside him: "Excuse me, could I have some more?"