Chapter 782: The Lost Key

Hu Bu Gui's effort fell short at the last moment, making Chen Wuji also extremely vexed.

Everyone was caught, yet they let the enemy be snatched away amidst tens of thousands of troops.

This Hu Bu Gui usually handles things reliably; how could he make such an outrageous mistake?

Reprimand is unavoidable.

With things turning out like this, if we don't punish them, everyone will only become more extravagant in handling affairs from now on.

But what Chen Wuji wants to know now is what these Rivers and Lakes people, or Snake Staff Weng, are up to again.

According to various clues, Snake Staff Weng plays an extremely important role in the Rivers and Lakes forces.

Those Rivers and Lakes people truly intend to save only Snake Staff Weng alone.

Yu Ren and his subordinate commanders might merely be tagging along.

But everyone was rescued, only Gu Wenjie was left behind.

What do they mean?

"This bunch of scoundrels, could it be that they're simply trying to insult me?" Chen Wuji suddenly asked.

He has been pursuing Snake Staff Weng and Gu Wenjie for some time.

But this old and young pair of scoundrels are like slippery loaches; there's no chance to find an escape opportunity in his net.

Chen Li froze for a moment, "Family Head, why do you say this?"

"Seeing how hard it is for me to pursue, they deliberately handed Gu Wenjie over to me to humiliate me." Chen Wuji said in a low voice; although this possibility seems unreliable, the more he thought about it, the more plausible it felt.

Gu Wenjie is of no use to him whatsoever now.

As for Snake Staff Weng, it's probably the same.

A useless piece, just toss it aside.

If we can also take the opportunity to humiliate him, it counts as recycling waste.

Chen Li frowned, speaking in a low voice: "Family Head, although I don't really want to admit it, this possibility seems the greatest. Snake Staff Weng assisting Gu Wenjie has always been for exploitation from start to finish."

"Now Gu Wenjie has fallen to the point of relying on others, at the mercy of others; for Snake Staff Weng there's surely no more value in using him, so toss him out, just toss him out."

Chen Wuji let out a light sigh, "Lao Zamao!"

Speaking of this, Chen Wuji suddenly looked toward one side of the lotus pond, "Mr. Kong!"

Kong Jianshi was meditating on the opposite shore of the lotus pond; hearing the sound, he leapt lightly and flew over, his movement so slight that his flight didn't disturb the lotus flowers below in the slightest.

"Young Shopkeeper!"

He clasped his hands, still maintaining this form of address.

A form of address reflects one's position and attitude.

Kong Jianshi has always represented the Compassionate Relief Hall.

In Chen Wuji's heart, he is not the Nan Jun Regional Inspector Commander, but the Young Shopkeeper of the Compassionate Relief Hall.

Capable people usually carry a bit of arrogance.

Chen Wuji can understand, and he doesn't particularly care about these matters.

"How many experts can the Compassionate Relief Hall still mobilize?" Chen Wuji asked.

"Not many, but there are still over ten. Young Shopkeeper, do you have any orders?"

"Snake Staff Weng and Yu Ren were rescued by a group of Rivers and Lakes people; you send people to handle this—preferably capture them alive, if you can't, bring their Head Trophy to see me!"

"Yes!"

Chen Wuji let out a cold, harsh snort, "A bunch of Rivers and Lakes forces still dare to stir up the situation in Nan Jun; I want to see how far they can go, huh? Stir..."

He suddenly realized, what step in making soap had he lost?

It's stirring!

Xiao Zong's intuition is spotless; this truly is the most crucial step of saponification.

When the soap liquid is poured into the fats, one must pour while stirring, continue stirring until the soap liquid thickens; this is also when essential oils and pigments are added, finally setting and demolding.

Chen Wuji also overlooked these essential oils and pigments.

However, these aren't difficult; in this era there are excellent substitutes.

Moreover, the high-end of this era are all mineral and plant pigments.

That is, the things used to make rouge and blush; their fragrance and color require hardly any effort.

Chen Wuji's sudden reaction left Kong Jianshi somewhat bewildered, "Young Master, stirring... is there any problem?"

"It's nothing, I just suddenly thought of something else." Chen Wuji waved his hand, "Mr. Kong, I don't ask about the process for this matter, only the result—Snake Staff Weng and Yu Ren must die!"

"If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to mention them, but the result must be like this!"

The Compassionate Relief Hall is a very mysterious and vast Rivers and Lakes force; Zhang Lao also intends to let them transform and become a faction attached to Nan Jun.

But Chen Wuji isn't very satisfied with the two things they previously did.

There's a feeling of going through the motions, roughly just putting in a token effort.

This is not what Chen Wuji wants.

Such people are also not whom Chen Wuji wants to use.

Rivers and Lakes affairs, when resolved with Rivers and Lakes methods, are indeed simpler.

But if the people of the Compassionate Relief Hall always hold this mindset, then he will have to consider other methods.

Kong Jianshi's expression turned stern, "Please rest assured, Young Master; if this cannot be smoothly accomplished, I will offer my head. The Compassionate Relief Hall indeed has some internal issues, but this will not become an obstacle; the Old Shopkeeper has already begun handling it, and there should be results soon."

"Please give me ten days, Young Master; I will personally bring the heads of Yu Ren and Snake Staff Weng to you."

Chen Wuji took a deep look at Kong Jianshi, "If I need you to personally handle these matters, I won't ask how many experts the Compassionate Relief Hall still has!"

"I understand, I will only bring people forward." Kong Jianshi said.

Chen Wuji slightly nodded, "You just need to have it clear in your own mind."

"There is something you need to make clear: it is the Ciji Hall that has submitted to me, not just you, Kong Jianshi, alone submitting to me. Those who do not obey, those who are half-hearted, need not be forcibly retained; a melon twisted by force is not sweet."

As for the situation inside Ciji Hall, Chen Wuji had considered handling it, but later he let it go.

It's not that he couldn't free up that hand; rather, he was giving Zhang Lao face.

After all, the old man is still there, lively and jumping about; he surely understands these matters in his heart, so Chen Wuji has no need to overstep his bounds and, in his own way, dig out the chronic ailments of Ciji Hall.

"I understand, sir." Kong Jianshi said.

"Hmm."

After entangling with the Old Man Snake Staff for so long, Chen Wuji's patience has been completely worn out.

He didn't want to play any scheming tricks, and there was no need to.

Now, on this land of Nan Jun, he could completely disdain these methods.

Those Rivers and Lakes forces that are willing to follow the Old Man Snake Staff in their frolicking—let them frolic.

If they frolic even more happily, he will have ample reason to completely uproot their roots.

Afterwards, Chen Wuji took a detour to Xiao Zong's courtyard to have a look; seeing that this father-in-law of his had indeed gone to sleep, he did not disturb him. He merely wrote down the missing steps in making soap and handed them to the Personal Guard, instructing them to give them to Xiao Zong after he woke up.

Tomorrow, Yang Tiejiang will dispatch troops to Qiang Land; later he still needs to go to the army Lìng to have a look.