Chapter 279

"That depends on what Brother Qian wants," Chen Wuji said.

- Chen Wuji appears.

- Qian brother refers to Qian Fugui; not in glossary but person. We'll need to include Qian Fugui? Not in glossary; we need to output his name in pinyin: Qian Fugui. However we have Qian Family; but the person is Qian Fugui. We'll treat as named entity: Qian Fugui.

Before knowing the details, Qian Fugui was merely the son of a wealthy and extravagant merchant in his eyes.

- Qian Fugui appears.

- "He" refers to Chen Wuji (already).

- No other.

But after chatting with Xu Zengyi, this matter must be considered differently.

- Xu Zengyi? Actually "Xu Zengyi" is a person; not in glossary. So we need to include Xu Zengyi.

Hengtong Business Business Business is one of the six forces in Yunan City capable of mustering a thousand troops.

- Hengtong Business Business Business appears.

- Yunan City appears.

- Possibly "Yunan" as region? The phrase "Yunan City" includes Yunan City. We'll list Yunan City.

At this moment, he proposed a deal involving a hundred thousand shi of grain; it's clear at a glance that his ambitions are not small.

- No new named entities.

What kind of deal could be worth a hundred thousand shi of grain? Chen Wuji could think of few things nearby.

- Chen Wuji appears.

Qian Fugui wiped the corner of his mouth, smiling harmlessly, "I want the position of Guoyi Commandant."

- Qian Fugui appears.

- Guoyi Commandant appears.

Chen Wuji secretly thought, "Although I'm eyeing the hundred thousand shi of grain in Brother Qian's hands, this deal isn't something I can decide on my own; why don't you try changing the condition?"

- Chen Wuji appears.

- Qian brother again Qian Fugui.

"Brother Chen, we're old acquaintances after all; why hide things from me? If you're unwilling to give me something, you can just say it straight—does a failed deal still count as righteousness?" Qian Fugui said, "The Qin County Magistrate has already let it slip that you're about to take up the post of Commandant of the Yunan Military Prefecture, and all officers, big and small, will be appointed by you."

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- Qian Fugui.

- Qin County Magistrate appears.

- Yunan Military Prefecture Commandant appears.

- Possibly "Yunan Military Prefecture" appears as part.

Chen Wuji's eyes darkened; this Qin-surnamed person has dug another pit for him.

- Chen Wuji.

- "Surname Qin" refers to Qin Feng? Actually Qin Feng is a person with surname Qin. So Qin Feng appears.

His heart is truly dark!

- No.

This is for fear he would refuse, forcibly binding him to the war chariot.

- No.

Chen Wuji wondered where Qin Feng's confidence in him came from.

- Chen Wuji.

- Qin Feng appears.

He himself doesn't even have that much confidence.

- Refers to Chen Wuji.

"I say, this matter—I don't even know if you believe it," Chen Wuji said helplessly.

- Chen Wuji.

"I do believe it, but Brother Chen, now that you know, can this deal be done?" Qian Fugui scraped clean the last bit of rice at the bottom of the bowl, then waved his bowl at Yuan Jinshi, saying, "Hey there, could you add a bit more, with extra meat and mushrooms, no rice."

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- Yuan Jinshi appears.

- Possibly "young man" is generic.

Yuan Jinshi quickly stepped forward and took the bowl.

- Yuan Jinshi.

Chen Wuji pondered briefly and asked, "Brother Qian, do you only want the Guoyi Commandant position, or do you also want troops?"

- Chen Wuji.

- Qian brother Qian Fugui.

- Guoyi Commandant.

"Well... I should bring some troops, after all I'm going to the battlefield; without troops, someone like me who can't lift a shoulder or carry a load would easily die on the battlefield." Qian Fugui said.

- Qian Fugui.

"How many?"

- No.

Qian Fugui looked at Chen Wuji and seriously asked, "Brother Chen, how many can you let me bring?"

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

"I'm just asking for now," Chen Wuji said.

- Chen Wuji.

He really was just asking, trying to understand the details.

- Refers to Chen Wuji.

"At least I should bring a hundred men; if Brigade Commander Chen is willing to let me supply provisions, I might bring more—maybe seven or eight hundred, or around a thousand." Qian Fugui said.

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen Brigade Commander refers to Chen Wuji as Brigade Commander.

- Possibly "Brigade Commander" title.

Chen Wuji felt the strong aura of wealth and power, but at the same time he couldn't quite grasp Qian Fugui's purpose—spending both manpower and grain, which looks like he's trying to be a sacrificial pawn.

- Chen Wuji.

- Qian Fugui.

But could a local tyrant who manages to rise to such status in this mixed bag of dragons and snakes be a fool?

- No specific named entities.

Obviously not.

- No.

Chen Wuji thought of two possibilities: first, gilding—to turn black into white, to enter the court via the military.

- Chen Wuji.

- Court appears.

Second, first obtain a reasonable and legitimate identity, then hold Yunan to govern autonomously.

- Yunan appears.

Chen Wuji, upon thinking this, directly asked, "I want to know why Brother Qian is doing this."

- Chen Wuji.

- Qian brother Qian Fugui.

"As the son of a condemned official, I can only end up as a merchant in this life; I'm not resigned to that, so on a whim I sought Brother Chen's back door." Qian Fugui said this very candidly, without even thinking much before blurting it out.

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

Chen Wuji asked, "Brother Qian, do you know why I was pushed into this position?"

- Chen Wuji.

- Qian brother Qian Fugui.

"It's just war, I understand." Qian Fugui laughed heartlessly, "Our family has a few deathless old-timers who already calculated that although Yunan City isn't tall, it's very sturdy; the Qiang people aren't good at siege warfare and have to come from afar, so a force under ten thousand absolutely cannot breach Yunan City."

- Qian Fugui.

- Old Immortal appears.

- Yunan City.

- Qiang People appears.

- Possibly "Yunan" again.

"But I don't intend to defend the city." Chen Wuji said.

- Chen Wuji.

Qian Fugui opened his mouth, then smiled again, saying, "No problem, no problem—our family's deathless old-timers also calculated that the Chen clan's military tactics are good at both offense and defense, but the Chen clan's famed generals all prefer offense and dislike defense; as commandant, I'll strike wherever you point, and my petty life isn't worth mentioning."

- Qian Fugui.

- Old Immortal.

- Chen Clan Military Tactics appears.

- Possibly "Chen Clan" but we have Chen Clan Military Tactics.

- "Commandant" (generic) but not a named entity; maybe we don't list generic.

Chen Wuji silently looked at Qian Fugui, "Brother Qian's words don't convince me entirely. I believe that if Brother Qian holds his position, he would sacrifice himself without hesitation, but now the situation has changed drastically; the officials of Yunan may not be able to leave Yunan."

- Chen Wuji.

- Qian brother Qian Fugui.

- Yunan appears again.

"For someone like me who can't shoulder a load or lift a hand, sacrificing life and limb is over." Qian Fugui chuckled, took the bowl from Yuan Jinshi's hand, waited for Yuan Jinshi to leave, then continued, "But I will make my troops sacrifice life and limb, charging forward."

- Qian Fugui.

- Yuan Jinshi.

"Brother Chen doesn't believe me—I totally understand; disbelief is reasonable, but if I believed this deal I'd be afraid to act. This matter, our family's deathless old-timers also calculated: they believe the fortune of the Dayu state still exists; now it's just a few big rats stirring up trouble in the court, causing chaos in the world. If we get through this hurdle, Dayu could still survive, perhaps even rise higher."

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- Qian Fugui.

- Old Immortal.

- Dayu State appears.

- Court (court) maybe "court" is not in glossary; but "court" is Court; "court" similar but not listed. We'll not list unless appears exactly as "court". It's "court". Not in glossary; but it's a place? Might be considered "court

Chen Wují: ……

- Chen Wuji.

Those old fogeys in their family are pretty formidable!

- Refers to Qian family's Old Immortals.

"Is it worth it for an unstable official position?" Chen Wují asked.

- Chen Wuji.

Qian Fugui smiled, winking and gesturing, and said: "Brother Chen, stop pretending you don't understand. This isn't just a shaky official post; it's a chance for our family to change its fortune, a glorious deed to be recorded in history, and also the hope of achieving fame and honor, ennobling one's wife and descendants."

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- The term "history" appears but is not a named entity; it's just the word "history". Not a list.

After finishing his words, Qian Fugui saw Chen Wují's face not ease but grow even more grim, and he said again: "Let me be frank, Brother Chen. Our Qian family has no intention of rebelling; this plan is utterly foolish, not something a businessman should undertake—it's taking foolish risks, a major loss."

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- Qian Family appears.

"Nowadays, rumors are spreading everywhere that the state of Dayu is illegitimate, that the foundations of the state will collapse, but any observant person can see that the state will not fall—at least not within the next twenty years."

- Dayu State appears.

- The term "state" is not in the glossary.

Oh, this is also what those old fogeys in my family have worked out; I believe what they say. They think that the present emperor, who dares to employ even Brother Chen, already shows a third of the makings of a heroic ruler; now he merely has slightly less authority, with state affairs controlled by treacherous ministers.

- Qian Fugui.

- Old Immortal.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- The term "Emperor" appears; it should be mapped to the Emperor entity.

Chen Wují raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he had figured out where the problem lay.

- Chen Wuji.

If nothing unexpected happens, the Qian family has probably fallen into Qin Feng's trap.

- Qian Family.

- Qin Feng.

As a commandant, he lacks an imperial edict.

- This refers to Chen Wují's position as commandant; not a new entity.

- Emperor appears.

- Imperial edict appears.

"I can agree to your terms, Brother Qian, but I have a condition of my own!" Chen Wují said.

- Qian brother Qian Fugui.

- Chen Wuji.

Qian Fugui immediately broke into a grin and said, "Please, go ahead."

- Qian Fugui.

"You may bring only a hundred men, and in battle you must obey my orders; military commands come first, and I will show no mercy to those who disobey—those who deserve death will be put to death." Chen Wují declared firmly.

- Chen Wuji.

This is a matter of principle; he cannot neglect warfare for the sake of grain.

- Refers to Chen Wuji.

"That's natural, Brother Chen—kill whoever needs killing; I won't feel sorry." Qian Fugui said, then added with some worry, "However, I need to add thirty more personal guards, Brother Chen—I truly can't shoulder a heavy load or lift much, so I need to keep a few who will obey my commands to protect me on the battlefield."

- Qian Fugui.

- Chen brother Chen Wuji.

- Personal guard appears.

Chen Wují nodded in agreement.

- Chen Wuji.

One hundred thirty men, unless they are truly as invincible and elite as the eight hundred under Zhang Bajiu, will not play an overly crucial role on the battlefield.

- No named entities.

This deal is profitable.

- No.

Just……

- No.

He, this seems like selling offices and titles, right?