Chapter 1090

When Kong Fang was mentioned, Chen Wuji couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth twice.

He truly hadn't expected that the once loudmouth who holed up in Xinglin Zhen, only caring about his two mu of land by the door, would possess such ability—truly awe-inspiring to the point of being unimaginable.

His actions made Chen Wuji constantly recall his glorious ancestors: the Han Envoy!

Kong Fang is Chen Wuji's Han Envoy, an unnamed envoy!

He holds no envoy title, belonging to stowaways, yet he has done things as domineering as a Han Envoy.

In Chen Wuji's view, Kong Fang's actions in Uyghur can be roughly summed up in one sentence: Although it's your home, it's also my backyard—don't pick my faults, and I won't pick yours; but if you pick my faults, I'll surely break your spine and make you remember what reason is!

"Sending him to Hezhou is indeed suitable, but regrettably, he is now more fitting in Uyghur than in Hezhou." Chen Wuji said regretfully, "Our Kong Fang still lacks a bit, and now we have a labor shortage."

Xu Zengyi remained silent.

This was a term he had never heard before.

However, the meaning is relatively easy to understand, requiring no special inquiry.

"My lord, why not let Wang Ce go?" Xu Zengyi suggested.

Chen Wuji frowned, "Wang Ce's ability is indeed not bad, but if we let him go, would Guo Jin'ge think I look down on him? As the Teaching Officer should know, people instinctively judge by appearance—this isn't anyone's fault, but stems from mutual unfamiliarity and ignorance of background, making many people's first reaction."

Yanzi had talent and reputation, yet was still judged by appearance.

From a moral standpoint, this is certainly wrong, but if tied to action, even morally upright people might likely grant a period of observation.

Xu Zengyi, who had just picked up a needle preparing to stitch twice, fell silent again.

"That's also true—affairs in Hezhou cannot be taken lightly; we must not delay major matters over these." Xu Zengyi also felt helpless, wanting to say there was indeed a labor shortage, but after thinking it over, the most suitable candidates were all occupied, while the unsuitable ones had nothing to do.

"My lord, it seems only Jia Yujing remains!" Xu Zengyi said.

Chen Wuji nodded, "Then let it be him!"

Jia Yujing has recently resembled Xu Shu joining Cao's camp—aside from previously proposing strategies to take Uyghur, he has lately been unusually quiet, guarding his one mu and three fen of land, speaking neither of major nor minor matters.

However, it is said he has recently been taking disciples, and not a few, as if there is a trend of establishing a Military Academy in the army camp.

"Someone, summon Jia Yujing!" Chen Wuji ordered.

Guo Jin'ge's letter arrived, and Chen Wuyi, after a few more days of minor preparations, will also choose a day to depart.

Before the military campaign, Chen Wuji still needs to liaise with Jia Yujing regarding various matters in Hezhou and march preparations, so this Teaching Officer in the army camp doesn't go in completely ignorant.

Xu Zengyi suddenly chuckled, "This northern expedition happens to be a good chance to see how Jia Yujing's recent disciple training has gone—this fellow has been holding back his energy lately!"

"Another one holding back energy?!" Chen Wuji asked in surprise.

Hearing this familiar phrase now leaves him somewhat dazed.

What's going on—could it be that his subordinates are all silently engaging in skill competitions?

Xu Zengyi lightly laughed, "From the lord's words, both explicit and implicit, it seems you don't know what these people have been doing in private? These fellows aren't just holding back energy—they're almost holding themselves to death."

"At the founding of our lord's career, they also wanted to achieve Seal Wife and Ennoble Son, fame before and after! Though since ancient times literature has no first, martial arts no second, who wouldn't want to vie for that first place? Now among the Scholar-Officials, I, this half-dead old man relying on status and age to hold my ground here, am already name-not-matching-reality, while those behind all want to stand before me."

Chen Wuji stared blankly for a moment, "Is it really this intense?"

"My lord, why not look at Chu Xiu, look at Kong Fang? Others are just not as crazy as these two, but they're still doing things—just with different methods and slightly different degrees."

"..."

Chen Wuji felt slightly embarrassed—he truly didn't know about this.

Well, after all this fuss, it turns out it's not just generals and spies engaging in the Military Preparedness Race—Scholar-Officials are too.

This atmosphere is quite good.

"Do you know what Jia Yujing is up to, Teaching Officer? He's been keeping a very low profile lately!" Chen Wuji asked.

Xu Zengyi chuckled, "My lord, if Jia Yujing's endeavors succeed, they could defeat ten thousand troops!"

"That impressive?!"

In front of this old friend Xu Zengyi, Chen Wuji has never bothered with image management—when surprised, he lets out his voice fully without holding back.

Xu Zengyi nodded, "If successful, it will certainly be impressive!"

"How impressive? You've piqued my curiosity, Teacher."

"Jia Yujing is training envoys for my lord—he once wrote a memorial and showed it to me. However, he said to keep it confidential before completion, so I didn't inform my lord. That memorial proposed dispatching envoys for distant friendship and nearby attack, horizontal and vertical alliances, threatening the weak, luring the strong, deceiving the stronger!"

Chen Wuji rose and personally poured tea for Xu Zengyi, "Teacher, please elaborate!"

"Jia Yujing advised that for weak enemies blocking our army's front, we should threaten—this threat could be personal threats against the enemy commander, or a 'bottom of the pot' strategy targeting their subordinates, or feigned invasion pressure, cavalry cross-raid harassment, etc. In short, no matter the method, we must threaten until they surrender!" Xu Zengyi said, "I greatly appreciate this analysis—truly bone-deep!"

"However, he also listed one point: suicide envoy threats—I find this unacceptable!"

Chen Wuji seemed dazed—he had just been thinking Kong Fang was his Han Envoy, and now Jia Yujing assigns him this? Even assigning suicide envoy threats?

Is this... answering every prayer?

He hadn't known this before, just thought of it moments ago, and now he knows—this should count as answering every prayer, right?!

"When have I, Chen Wuji, ever used such tactics in war? Who I fight, do I still need pretexts now?" Chen Wuji wondered strangely—he had already run wild to this extent, who needs pretexts?

Xu Zengyi suddenly looked troubled, "My lord, you truly have never considered name and righteousness, but name and righteousness have always been on your side. Yet if we launch a northern campaign, this name... likely cannot be discarded, must be upheld!"

"Can't we not have it?"

"Not entirely impossible, but indeed not advisable—it would easily damage my lord's reputation!"

"Fine, let's discuss this later—Teacher, first explain Jia Yujing's other ideas to me." Chen Wuji was very interested in the several ideas Jia Yujing had prepared, indeed sounding quite impressive.

Xu Zengyi set aside the half-sewn garment, abandoning further needlework.

"As for luring the strong, Jia Yujing's explanation is..."