Chapter 578

Chen Wuji stayed in Wenkou Town for five days, and finally saw the envoy from Yang Yu.

The Negotiation Colonel stationed at Hongde City, Tang Yu.

Chen Wuji had thought the visitor would be just an ordinary envoy, but when that young man with a very gentle smile spoke his name, Chen Wuji was also a little surprised.

Is there any particular feng shui about Wenkou Town?

How come all these commanders love to personally court danger?

Following the orders of our Strategist, I will from now on completely obey General Chen's commands, striking wherever the general orders and never showing the situation of obeying outwardly while betraying inwardly. Tang Yu sat in Chen Wuji's Zhongjun Camp, playing with a folding fan in his hand.

If anyone under my command fails to obey orders, I will deal with them immediately without troubling General Chen; this is the death order of Strategist Yang!

Chen Wuji nodded, "First, let me thank Strategist Yang on my behalf; the Strategist has placed too much trust in me, Chen someone. But you all arrived a bit late—Strategist Lu has already surrendered; he is no longer the Nan Jun Strategist Lu Ping'an, but my staff officer, Old Lu."

"You've come all this way; I don't know whether you intend to go back just like this, or to take Guangtong and the Two Prefectures of Yushan for me."

Being so frank made Chen Wuji feel awkward to play any petty tricks, so he simply spoke his mind, first to see what Tang Yu could say.

Speaking of which, in Chen Wuji's stereotypical impression, a warrior exceptionally brave and fond of charging alone on horseback should at least resemble Zhao Yun; he really hadn't expected that Tang Yu would look like a weak scholar who couldn't even tie up a chicken.

Tang Yu placed the folding fan on his leg and asked in astonishment, "General Chen, do you mean the war is over? There's no place for us to use troops in Wenkou Town anymore?"

"That's one way to put it!"

"General, you're truly swift!" Tang Yu exclaimed sincerely.

"We raised our troops and came here, yet to return without drawing a sword or firing a arrow would make it hard for me to explain to the Strategist. But helping the general attack Guangtong and the Two Prefectures of Yushan, I dare not act unilaterally; I still need to consult our Strategist."

"May I trouble the general to wait a few more days in Wenkou Town? I will send a messenger by fast horse; a round trip will take three days."

Chen Wuji nodded, "No problem at all!"

"Thank you, General; then I won't bother you further. I'll return immediately to Hongde City and send word!" Tang Yu stood up, slipping the iron bone folding fan he had been playing with into his bosom.

"Colonel Tang, please do as you wish!"

After Tang Yu left, Chen Wuji casually glanced at the document sent by Yang Tiejiang from Hezhou, then asked Wang Ce casually, "What do you think of this person?"

"He has an elegant bearing, but gives a false impression," Wang Ce said.

"Tang Yu's fame is known throughout Hongde City; he is brave and skilled in battle, but somewhat cruel and ruthless, often liking to slaughter three clans. Later he also took a liking to the stacked capital watchtower, accepting anyone—whether Qiang people, mountain bandits, or powerful clans who enjoy holding troops from high above."

His words made Chen Wuji almost feel personally targeted.

Listening to how he seems a bit like him……

Moreover, if we carefully compare, he seems a bit lacking compared to Tang Yu.

He doesn't have that elegant bearing, that literary air, and his hand isn't as ruthless.

At least he rarely uses the stacked capital watchtower method against powerful clans and mountain bandits.

Wang Ce gave Chen Wuji a strange look and said, "There's a rumor that Tang Yu is emulating the Regional Commander."

"Huh?"

"It's just this stacked capital watchtower business."

Chen Wuji: ……

"Damn it, this isn't smearing him, is it? Can't he emulate something good instead?"

"Strategist Yang is good at using people; do you think he'll agree to let me attack Guangtong and the Two Prefectures of Yushan?" Chen Wuji set aside the reviewed document and flexed his slightly sore wrist.

Old Yang was stationed in Hezhou, but his hands-off shopkeeper role suddenly became impossible to maintain.

For any somewhat major matter, urgent documents were sent up.

Far away in Wenshan Town, Chen Wuji still had to handle Hezhou's administrative affairs these days.

As the saying goes, one monk fetches water to drink, two monks have no water.

But he's fine—when there's one monk, he fetches water to drink; when there are two monks, they tell him to fetch water.

Qin Feng was in Qing County; theoretically, the affairs of Hezhou could be decided by Li Run, Cheng Zhiheng, Zhang Xun and others, but now Old Yang nominally stationed in Hezhou, overseeing the army and provisions, Li Run et al. naturally couldn't bypass Yang Tiejiang, handling everything themselves in private.

For major matters, Old Yang obviously doesn't make decisions, so this document naturally ended up with him.

But there are some things Chen Wuji can't say outright, so he just does them.

Wang Ce thought for a moment and said, "I believe Strategist Yang will agree."

"What's the reason?"

"San Guan Jun faces the Qiang people directly; warfare has always been tight, only in the past month or two has the situation slightly improved." Wang Ce said.

"But if Nan Jun suddenly launches an attack at this time, Strategist Yang might be able to respond, yet he would inevitably face a situation of being attacked from front and rear, and the promising prospect could overturn at any moment."

"Therefore I dare to guess that Strategist Yang proactively sought the Regional Commander to discuss an alliance. Since Strategist Yang initiated the alliance, he certainly wouldn't lose face, sending troops over only to withdraw without drawing a sword or firing an arrow."

Chen Wuji nodded, "Then let's wait and see."

……

Hongde City.

Tang Yu rushed into the city with dozens of cavalry, heading straight for the barracks.

At the rear of the barracks stood several granaries and a warehouse; this is where Hongde City's supplies are kept. The granary was recently built, storing enough grain to feed Tang Yu's forces for over a year.

On the open ground in front of the granary, an old man in ordinary coarse hemp clothing was sifting grain.

Under the scorching sun, he held the winnowing basket with both hands, his eyes unblinking, expression focused.

The shriveled and bad grains, as he vigorously waved his hands, floated forward.

There, a flock of chickens had long been waiting; as the grain fell, they strolled over leisurely to peck at it.

Grain shipped from all places to the barracks is inevitably mixed good and bad.

Armies frequently see combat, and the staff handling logistics and supplies are also very limited, making it hard to screen everyone individually; essentially all troops are a mix of good and bad, eating together, leaving no room for selection.

Such screening is actually quite rare in the military.

"Strategist!"

Tang Yu strode forward, clasped his fists in a salute.

The old man's action in his hand paused for a moment, "How did you come back so quickly?"

"Lu Ping'an has surrendered, there's nothing left to fight for!" Tang Yu said.

This old man was none other than the Triple Prefectural Pacification Commissioner of San Guan Jun, Yang Yu.

Yang Yu stopped the action in his hand, waved his hand to shoo away the chicken trying to stretch its beak into his winnowing basket, "Lu Ping'an just surrendered like that?"