Chapter 336

The night wind suddenly grew urgent.

The strong wind blew away the night's dry heat, bringing a touch of damp rain.

It looks like a sudden rain is about to come.

In the northwestern part of Yunan City, the towering flames almost turned the entire city red.

Aided by the strong wind, the flames surged to the heavens, threatening to consume everything.

Chen Wuji stood on the city wall, his garments snapping in the breeze.

Just then, Qian Fugui sent a messenger saying the Cao clan had been overwhelmed by the blaze, despite having killed over a hundred foes.

Thus for terms not in glossary, we need to provide their English translation (presumably by meaning) as the English name. The glossary only provides certain terms; we must still list others, translating them.

That very foe occupied Chen Wuji's thoughts, yet he never even got a glimpse of the enemy's leader before a massive fire and a backstab erased them completely.

Though the Cao clan aren't true warlords, in this melting pot they've risen to such prominence that they're far above ordinary people, surpassing mere local thugs.

Set against the Han dynasty, they would truly be clan marshals.

From his own standpoint, Chen Wuji never thought he or his kin were especially mighty.

He consistently maintained a sense of reverence, prioritizing caution in his conduct.

Yet from an outsider's perspective, this virtually bloodless fight is solely the fault of the Cao clan's blind contempt for the former dynasty's illustrious martial house and the Western King's former chief strategist.

A famed military lineage, a chief strategist, yet they dealt with a mere local tyrant with extreme caution—still the Cao family wound up in this situation, which is hardly unjust.

'Send word to Wu Bu Yong, order him to guard the Cao residence with his men, and have Qian Fugui return with his troops.' Chen Wuji said solemnly, 'Eleventh Uncle, dispatch messengers to every household to invite the family heads to the city tower for the feast.'

'Yes!'

After Chen Li departed, Qin Feng remarked casually, 'Brother Wuji, they certainly won't show up; you just wiped out the Cao clan with that blaze—how could they dare come to your feast?'

'It's up to them to decide!' Chen Wuji declared.

That's precisely the opportunity he sought.

This blaze should have opened the eyes of those local thugs.

This is indeed a Hongmen banquet, lacking even a semblance of a proper feast or any drink.

But should anyone choose to attend, they likely won't mind whether they're eating veggies and sipping wine on the wall or merely drinking the southeastern breeze.

'Luckily, apart from the Cao clan, the other families in the city have hardly any troops, so we needn't fear they'll bring a big army to seal the gate.' Qin Feng seized the wine jar once more, refraining from pouring for Chen Wuji or Xu Zengyi, and just drank by himself.

Chen Wuji grabbed the wine jar, saying, 'Don't drink it—I'll need this later.'

'No, you can't send someone to get a few more jars?' Qin Feng yelled.

'For their sake, I don't need to make any further preparations,' Chen Wuji replied.

Qin Feng gave Chen Wuji a mute look, saying, 'This half‑jar of wine isn't even enough for me—don't you see I didn't even spare a drop for my master and you just now?'

'Putting up with these two sips is okay, but you appear to be showing disrespect to your teacher,' Chen Wuji chuckled.

Qin Feng waved his hand dismissively, saying, 'Get lost, step aside; my master's health is frail, I know he shouldn't drink much. Otherwise, how could I possibly refuse to pour wine for my master?'

Xu Zengyi remarked calmly, 'I can drink alcohol; the medicine I take must be taken with wine.'

Qin Feng gazed at the sky, then at the ground, and muttered, 'It looks like rain tonight, possibly a heavy rain.'

Chen Wuji chuckled, picked up the wine jar, lifted his eyes to the northwestern horizon where the flames rose, and felt his heart turning steadier.

But he felt no regret.

Xu Zengyi's plan certainly entails gains and losses.

Having chosen to win with minimal cost, we must necessarily give up something else.

People always harbor a bit of self‑interest.

Qian Fugui came fast; even before he reached the city tower, his clamorous voice echoed from below.

'Commandant, a great victory, a great victory!'

He barked like a messenger, shouting the slogan of a great triumph, and charged up the city tower in three steps that felt like two.

'Commandant, we lost nineteen men, killed over a hundred foes, and annihilated the enemy bandits!' Qian Fugui broke into a wide grin, sprinted excitedly to Chen Wuji, his eyes darting to the wine jar in Chen Wuji's hand, then scanning left and right, he spotted the wine bowl on the wall and hurried over to snatch it.

'Thanks, Commandant, for the victory wine!'

Qian Fugui's shout rang loud and clear as he raised the wine bowl with both hands.

Chen Wuji's lips twitched; guarding this half‑jar of wine is proving difficult.

Having taken this stance, it would be hard to excuse not pouring the wine.

'You fought magnificently; you're not far from renown under heaven!' Chen Wuji picked up the wine jar, poured a bowl for Qian Fugui, then turned to Qian Yong and said, 'Help yourself, or are you waiting for me to get you a bowl?'

One has been served; the other cannot be overlooked.

Go ahead and pour; if it truly won't do, we can have someone fetch another jar later.

He still wanted to make a fuss over this wine.

Qian Yong went over, picked up a wine bowl, and, mimicking Qian Fugui, lifted it with both hands.

'Thanks, Commandant, for the victory wine.'

'Drink up!' Chen Wuji declared, 'You are all genuine warriors!'

'The folks of Yunan City look down on us, not even seeing us as rivals; I urge the troops to press forward, wielding their swords to show those arrogant lot what a battle‑hardened army and elite forces with capable commanders really are.'

Qian Fugui boldly downed the wine in his bowl and shouted, 'Commandant, in battle I treated them as equal opponents, but in my heart I've never considered them true foes—they don't deserve it!'

'They aren't fit to be my foes, so how could they be fit to be the Commandant's foe!'

Chen Wuji poured another bowl of wine for Qian Fugui.

Based on that comment alone, he merits the role of a wine‑pouring lad.

'Enough, enough, that's about right—you've made me feel embarrassed,' Chen Wuji chuckled.

'We are still nobodies; everything remains a heavy burden and a long road ahead.'

Chen Wuji grabbed the wine jar, saying, 'Don't drink it—I'll need this later.'

'No, you can't send someone to get a few more jars?' Qin Feng yelled.

Here!!!

Qian Fugui strained his voice, widened his eyes, and let out a loud shout.

Qin Feng gave a complicated look at the wine jar in Chen Wuji's hand, then said to Xu Zengyi, "Master, can you believe this kid used to be the biggest playboy in Yunan City?"

"I should know this better than you do—he still owes me for three coffins on credit." Xu Zengyi said, "People are born complicated."

"He? Owes coffins?!" Qin Feng asked, bewildered.

Xu Zengyi said, "Back when he led a gang of playboys fighting another gang for turf, the other side lost three men, and he grandly sent them coffins—ending up getting me for free."

Qin Feng couldn't help laughing, "Did he forget?"

"Because I used to scold him so even dogs wouldn't eat, I deliberately refused." Xu Zengyi said calmly.