Chapter 841: Your threat is greater

Cultivators speak of wealth, partner, law, and land; but for a regional warlord like Chen Wuji, these four words weigh even heavier—without any one of them, he won't get far in the long run.

However, compared to the cultivators' so-called wealth, partner, law, and land, there is a slight difference.

Wealth is not merely money; a partner is not just a like-minded companion; the aspects covered by law and land are also broader. And a tract of fertile, arable land satisfies both wealth and land.

Chen Wuji had someone bring a map, spread it flat on the riverside grass, and he leaned on it without any image, staring at the region of Shendu and began to study it.

"This place can be described as a corner for temporary refuge, yet it is also a treasure land with smooth routes both ahead and behind—it all depends on whether we have the ability to develop it." After a long while, Chen Wuji reached this conclusion.

Shendu, surrounded by sea on three sides.

If a navy could be developed, going by sea would be easier to reach Zhongyuan than by land.

Moreover, with his fertile land, the strategic position here far surpasses that of Nan Jun.

"Sir, can you confirm that Yang Yu has set his sights on eastern Shendu?" Chen Wuji asked.

Xu Zengyi stared intently at the river surface, waved his hand, and said, "Uncertain, but he has no other choice; our army's speed in invading Shendu is too fast, the war has gone too smoothly. Even if Yang Yu wanted to help, there's nowhere for him to intervene now—he can only exchange."

Chen Wuji clicked his tongue and said, "This deal that's come knocking, I don't want it right now."

After careful study, he realized Shendu's enormous strategic value.

If this place is well managed, it will be his gate of life.

He doesn't want to share this cup of soup with anyone.

But Yang Yu happens to be his sole ally at present, and also the only person in Lingnan capable of threatening him; whether to discuss this deal has Chen Wuji quite torn.

Xu Zengyi suggested, "My lord, you might first gauge Yang Jinglve's appetite before making calculations."

"Whether you look at this appetite or not, it's about the same." Chen Wuji gave a light mocking laugh.

"Yang Yu is currently giving me some face by coming in person to talk; if he doesn't give me this face and just sends troops, I can't do anything about it."

"Just as we used the excuse of Shendu sheltering the Qiang people to launch troops, he could likewise find any pretext—like Shendu killing their soldiers or occupying a village—to send troops directly."

"Our army hasn't fully occupied Shendu yet; this can't be stopped. They're giving face, but I can't truly treat that face as something real, taking it for granted."

"No matter what, it seems we have to form this alliance!"

Xu Zengyi jerked the fishing rod hard, and a palm-sized fish was hooked and pulled up.

Chen Wuji glanced at it; the fish looked quite pretty, but he didn't recognize the species.

Having left Shenxian Ling, even the varieties of these game animals began to challenge the knowledge reserves of this serious hunter.

He threw the fish into the basket, Xu Zengyi washed his hands by the river, reeled in the rod, and walked over.

He again returned with a full haul today, causing the cheeks of some air force person to twitch unnaturally.

This matter is truly weird.

Why is it that he can casually pick up game when leaving Shenxian Ling, yet in other places he turns into an air force bigwig?

The metaphysical component of this is too high, making Chen Wuji now somewhat doubtful that he actually transmigrated.

"Yang Yu is a smart man; he will certainly make the lord take a few steps." Xu Zengyi sat cross-legged nearby, his slow, leisurely posture suddenly exuding an old-man vibe.

Indeed, no matter one's age, once one takes up fishing, tea-drinking, and chess, the flavor changes instantly. This person, before being addicted to fishing, actually had a somewhat gloomy air whichever way you looked; now he's better, no longer gloomy, leaving only the old-fashioned air of indifference to fame and profit.

Chen Wuji was somewhat speechless: "It's precisely because I know this that I feel uneasy inside."

Yang Yu, this old geezer, is also not someone I've dealt with for the first time.

This old brat's most dangerous trait for Chen Wuji is that he's too easy to get along with.

Just as the saying goes, free things are the most costly; a schemer who had plotted half the court and nearly toppled Ruan Yuchang gets along with others with extraordinary amiability, adopting a 'you say what, I do what' attitude—doesn't that clearly hide a trap?

Xu Zengyi chuckled, "My lord, for now you needn't worry about this; Yang Yu definitely won't turn hostile anytime soon, and his alliance is surely sincere. In Lingnan, foreign enemies are many—just as the lord needs Yang Yu to stay steady there, he needs even more to keep the lord steady."

"Actually, Yang Yu should be the more nervous one right now; the lord's sharpness is too keen, and he fears it! If not, he would have found a place to discuss this with the lord, rather than risking a personal visit to Jie Jia Zui to see the lord."

"I think that before making this decision, the upper and lower levels of San Guan Jun must have deliberated for a long time, and Yang Yu only settled on it after several sleepless nights."

Chen Wuji's mouth twitched slightly; this angle he truly hadn't considered.

If that is the case……

Chen Wuji's gaze quietly grew deep.

"My lord, no!" Xu Zengyi gave a bitter laugh and hurriedly said, "My lord, you must not push your reputation into a ditch; this kind of thing truly cannot be done."

Chen Wuji lay back on the grass, "I'm just idly thinking; I won't do such a stupid thing."

Yang Yu hasn't done anything wrong to him; if he were to give this person a send-off during the talks...

Afterward, his reputation would likely be on par with Lü Bu's.

In an era that values reputation, doing this is no different from digging one's own grave.

Look at Lü Bu—his martial prowess is exaggerated, and the consequences were dire.

Xu Zengyi saw that Chen Wuji wasn't just speaking offhand, and then he put his mind at ease.

……

Yang Yu came quickly.

On the second day after Chen Wuji received the news, this person rushed, dust-and-wind-beaten, to Jie Jia Zui.

Chen Wuji personally went out to meet him; seeing the retinue beside Yang Yu, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

Too few!

For such a high-ranking Strategist, Yang Yu's entourage consisted of merely a few dozen people.

One doesn't know whether he is overconfident in his own forces or simply pays no heed to the chaos in Lingnan.

"Yang Gong, long time no see, your bearing remains as before!"

Chen Wuji clasped his hands and greeted him with a smile.

Yang Yu strode forward two steps, firmly grasped Chen Wuji's both hands, and exclaimed, "Chen XiaoYou, we meet again!"

Chen Wuji's mouth twitched slightly; the old man was a bit overly enthusiastic.

"Yang Gong, please proceed into the town!"

"Please please please!"

The group entered the town very harmoniously, and temporarily settled in a civilian house.

This is a courtyard that Chen Wuji specially made available after learning that Yang Yu would come.

Jie Jia Zui had very few places to stay; arranging this courtyard was not easy, and Chen Wuji spent a lot of Silver to get this household to move out, then built another house outside the town.