Chapter 537

Chen Wuji that day directly stayed in the army Lìng, and the next day he personally took part in training.

After several days, only when Shen Chai brought Lu Ping'an's reply did he return to the Government Office.

Qin Feng, on the day Yang Yu left, took a brigade of troops and went to Qing County; currently all affairs of Hezhou are overseen by Chief Clerk Li Run, newly appointed Commandant Cheng Zhiheng, and Recorder Staff Officer Zhang Xun as assistants.

In the absence of other major disturbances, this newly formed group handles its administration quite well.

Chen Wuji, during these days in the army Lìng, merely glanced at the documents they sent; the total number of opinions he offered, before and after, did not exceed ten sentences.

If this trend continues, he seems to have the potential to once again become a completely Hands-off Shopkeeper.

Chen Wuji again saw in Qinzhi Hall that older unmarried woman Shen Chai who likes to throw flirtatious glances upon meeting; today she dressed very plainly, not revealing her neck, covered up thoroughly from top to bottom.

"How did Lu Jinglve put it?" Chen Wuji asked bluntly, getting straight to the point.

He has no inclination to exchange pleasantries with women who have ulterior motives.

Shen Chai bowed, then produced a letter and handed it over, saying, "This is the reply from my lord; please, General, review it personally."

Chen Li stepped forward to receive the letter, first examining it inside and out, then handed it to Chen Wuji.

Lu Ping'an's letters are like an old woman's foot-binding cloth—truly foul and long.

The genuinely useful words amount to only a few sentences, but the pointless filler fills a great deal.

It appears that Nan Jun's ink sticks and bamboo slips are amply supplied.

His letter boils down to just a few sentences: first praising Chen Wuji's abilities, then firmly stating the threat that Yang Yu of San Guan Jun poses to Nan Jun, then pleading poverty, and finally offering Chen Wuji a big pie he doesn't even want to bite.

In the letter, Lu Ping'an symbolically added another thousand carts of supplies, and then promised that after capturing San Guan Jun, he would allow Chen Wuji to take the city first, and only then would he make his choice.

"Is that all?" Chen Wuji flung the Bamboo Slip onto the desk, giving Shen Chai a cold stare.

Probably fearing that Chen Wuji might really take her life, Shen Chai now dares not meet his gaze, let alone flirt.

She cautiously asked, "General, are you not satisfied?"

"Do you think I can be satisfied? You invited me to send troops, yet even after I explained the stakes, you are only willing to squeeze out this little—two thousand carts of Luggage and Supplies. Do you think my Hezhou would be lacking this much?" Chen Wuji said coldly.

"Tell Lu Ping'an to add another five thousand carts of Luggage and Supplies, and then we'll discuss sending troops; for those five thousand carts of goods, I don't care whether it's grain or cloth, as long as the amount is sufficient I will launch the campaign."

"If you keep stalling and making excuses, or try to shortchange me, I won't attack San Guan Jun—I'll attack you instead! I'm not some Buddha sitting high in a temple; I care about this."

Shen Chai nodded seriously, "Yes, I will faithfully report the General's demands to my lord."

"Also, it would be best to hurry; the year's end is approaching, and I don't want to go out to fight during the New Year." Chen Wuji waved his hand, saying impatiently.

"... Yes, I take my leave."

Shen Chai just left like that, not daring to throw a single flirtatious glance, and her conduct held no frivolity.

"Shi Yi Shu, I now feel that Lu Ping'an is trying to play the 'let the tiger and wolf devour each other' trick, making me and Yang Yu fight each other, exhausting our strength, so he can reap the benefits as the fisherman." Chen Wuji's expression turned solemn as he muttered softly.

Chen Li stood straight at Chen Wuji's side, smiling slightly and said, "When you have this feeling, it's likely true. Moreover, Lu Ping'an is still a fisherman unwilling to part with his bait."

"It doesn't matter; let's see how he plays it out next. No matter how much or little bait he puts down, I'll still profit." Chen Wuji leaned back against the chair, just opening a military manual to cultivate his temperament, when a report came from the Personal Guard outside.

"My lord, Yuan Qi brings two young men seeking an audience."

"Let them in!"

"Yes!"

Not long after, Yuan Qi walked in leaning on a cane, with two young men behind him.

"This old one pays respects to the Commandant."

"Please sit, Elder Yuan."

"Thank you, Commandant!"

Behind Yuan Qi, the two young men include one Chen Wuji knows—Yuan Qi's son Yuan Dingcheng, whose acting skills are superb; this lad used self-mutilation techniques to ruin the two great clans of Hezhou, a merit not small.

The other fellow is somewhat disheveled in appearance, with thick brows, narrow eyes, a high nose bridge, and his face is covered with various pockmarks.

His clothing is even more slovenly; he doesn't know how long he's worn this garment, it's patched everywhere, the cuffs frayed into strands, and if cut off it could almost serve as a duster.

About the only thing presentable on him is his personal hygiene—his hair is neatly combed and secured with a wooden pin.

Overall, he looks like a wild Daoist who practices austerity in the mountains.

As for why he's wild, the orthodox ones live better lives than he does.

"My son, I presume the Commandant knows him—this is Chang Jingxuan, a rare talent in Hezhou." Yuan Qi introduced.

"Although Jingxuan holds no official rank or fame, his reputation is known throughout Nan Jun. A few years ago the prefecture sought to appoint him as a doctoral scholar of the prefectural academy and to serve as an aide under Lu Ping'an, but after visiting he deeply resented the corruption and darkness of the prefectural bureaucracy, flung his sleeves, and left; these years he has remained in the mountains, teaching scholarship to the children of nearby villages."

"Commandant, don't judge him by his youth; his students include six who became provincial graduates, two who became top scholars, and even one who last year achieved the triple top honors that shook the scholarly world."

At such a young age, with such achievements, Chen Wuji was indeed somewhat surprised.

Based on this alone, he can already walk sideways in the academic grove, his status absolutely extraordinary.

If he were in the vast Zhongyuan lands, as soon as his name spread he could become an honored guest for countless people, and academies would surely pay high prices to hire him.

Even if he does none of that, merely traveling to various places to give lectures would assure him of food and clothing, after which he could devote himself to studying scholarship.

"I have met you, Master!" Chen Wuji rose and clasped his hands.

Such a person deserves this salute and the title of Master.

Chen Wuji's gesture startled Chang Jingxuan, who flusteredly returned the salute, saying, "I dare not accept such a grand salute from the Commandant; I am merely a schoolteacher, possessing only an empty reputation."

"Master Chang, your visit this time is..."

"Yuan Gong earnestly invited me; I wish to recommend myself to the Commandant, seeking a petty post in the prefecture." Chang Jingxuan, being very upright, first highlighted Yuan Qi's merits, then spoke concisely, stating his aim in a single sentence.

Without any preamble, he spoke plainly and directly.

Chen Wuji nodded, pondered briefly, and said, "Official vacancies in the prefecture are indeed considerable; I don't know what Master Chang excels at or enjoys doing."