Chapter 843: Yang Yu's Attitude

Chen Wuji felt he was already an adult, but the answer he heard from Yang Yu's mouth made him really feel that this old guy was treating him like a three‑year‑old idiot, trying to fool him.

He isn't even fit for a three‑year‑old child.

He's just a three‑year‑old idiot.

Facing Chen Wuji's shocked and incredulous gaze, Yang Yu gave a wry smile, "Commander Chen, don't look at me like that. This isn't my guess; it's what I've heard, and this rumor is pretty solid."

"But based on my own speculation, there's an eighty percent chance it's true."

Chen Wuji was taken aback—what kind of statement is that?

"Heard it, and guessed it might be true…"

"Isn't that just believing it's true?"

Yang Yu didn't notice the contradiction in his own words and continued, "Based on my understanding of Yan Yan, this person is nothing but a money‑grubbing scoundrel with no sense of national duty, purely selfish!"

"Although saying this is rather crude, in my eyes this person is truly no better than a pile of shit!"

Chen Wuji furrowed his brows, "But Minister Yang, you just said Ruan Yuchang and the others are all involved in this—could getting those power‑holders to give up Lingnan really be done with just money?"

"Of course!" Yang Yu nodded, "But Ruan Yuchang and the others will have Yan Yan settle things; they've been doing it this way for years. They use this very method to maintain the court's balance, and in their eyes, the court is the court—bringing the court's possessions into one's own pocket is the only real truth."

"Commander Chen, the Liu Jun territories are land we cannot yield an inch of in our eyes, but to them it's completely something they can trade for greater benefits."

"Never mind that Da Yu hasn't yet reached the point of collapse; even if it truly fell apart, they'd still act this way—these people… have their own way of dealing with the world."

"They're so reckless—don't they fear national extinction?" Chen Wuji asked in a low voice.

Overwhelmed by anger, he momentarily lost composure, his eyes sharp as a knife, radiating a ferocity that made one unable to meet his gaze—more intimidating than an angry mountain tiger.

Chen Wuji not only understands this set of tactics, he can even say he knows them very well.

Much of ancient history is like this.

What people know best are the Song dynasty and the late Ming.

They each have their own factions, constantly fighting each other in public, yet in secret they sometimes cooperate for their own benefit.

Especially when a third enemy appears, this situation becomes even more obvious.

Yang Yu gave a self‑mocking laugh, "They are afraid, but their fear isn't what you and I see. If nothing unexpected happens, Commander Chen has already been worried about Da Yu's realm; now it's a sign of national ruin, yet in their eyes Da Yu is still peaceful rivers and clear seas, a tranquil world."

"I've always thought that anyone who can rise to chancellor wouldn't be an utter fool!" Chen Wuji said.

"That's not just an excuse; he has indeed always held that view."

"It's precisely because of this that he has always doubted the court's sale of Lingnan."

Yang Yu gave a heh heh laugh, lifted his robe and shook it, adopting a more relaxed pose, "Commander Chen thinks too highly of them; in my eyes the court is now full of fools, none with real talent—including my old friends."

"Last year there were still a few, but I heard they were all exiled to Lingnan by the Emperor, and now they seem to be serving under Commander Chen."

Chen Wuji felt a stir in his heart.

"Could it be that the Emperor sent those people to him, really just as he said, with no other motive?"

"Indeed there is such a matter." Chen Wuji didn't elaborate further, just made a mental note to look into it later when he had time.

Yang Yu also didn't elaborate, shifting the topic: "Commander Chen can keep his doubts, but this matter is probably just as the rumors say."

"Let's get back to the point—let me tell you the news I've recently received. The Court's various troops are fully mobilized and will likely march south in the coming days. This time the Court has deployed a full four hundred thousand troops, with Xuanqing Envoy Li Yu serving as Pacification Commissioner to coordinate the various routes and oversee the entire army. The forces are divided into three columns, led respectively by Field Marshal Strategist Gao Yu, Deputy Chief Liu Yan, and Palace Vanguard Infantry Commander Cao Lin."

Chen Wuji let out a surprised exclamation, "Four hundred thousand troops?! The Court really is giving me face—well, this is totally screwed! How many troops do I have? The Court just mobilized this many forces—are they trying to scatter my ashes?"

Yang Yu's expression turned strange.

Xu Zengyi silently rubbed his forehead, lowering his head as if he hadn't heard anything.

"My lord, it's over, it's over!"

Chen Wuji ignored their strange reactions; as a first‑time actor, not quite getting the timing right is understandable, right?

He stared at Yang Yu with a blazing gaze and said in a low voice, "Minister Yang, you have to help me!"

"Help, I'll definitely help Commander Chen with this!" Yang Yu agreed readily, without even thinking—or perhaps he had already figured it out and was just waiting for Chen Wuji to speak.

"But Commander Chen, you actually don't need to be so exaggerated…" he said with a chuckle.

"Four hundred thousand troops sure sound intimidating, but they probably only scare others; to Commander Chen they might not mean much."

Chen Wuji's eyes widened, "What nonsense is Minister Yang spouting? How could four hundred thousand troops not count for anything here? Minister Yang, you're overestimating me—this is four hundred thousand, not forty thousand!"

Chen Wuji was somewhat surprised by Yang Yu's reaction.

His promise was really too eager.

However, with his words, there's no need to worry that Yang Yu will stab him in the back when he clashes with the Court. This person, though deep‑scheming, is still decent in his actions—Tang Yu said he'd give and he gave, and even now he's still doing odd jobs for Chen Wuji.

"To Commander Chen, four hundred thousand versus forty thousand probably doesn't make much difference, right?" Yang Yu gave a half‑smile, looking at Chen Wuji, "If I recall correctly, since raising his troops Commander Chen hasn't lost a battle; in the two major wars at Dingzhou and Songzhou, with inferior forces he nearly wiped out the Qiang people."

"Now Commander Chen's forces, split into several columns, are sweeping through Qiang Land and Shendu like a bamboo shoot breaking through—such a record, why worry about the Court's four hundred thousand troops? The Court army is far superior to the Qiang people, not just a little bit."

"As for the commanders leading the Court's troops this time, aside from Yan Yan's son‑in‑law, Palace Vanguard Infantry Commander Cao Lin, the others don't need Commander Chen to lift a finger—I can arrange their demise myself."

Chen Wuji's heart lurched, "Hearing Minister Yang's meaning, are you planning to help me pick off the other two columns besides Cao Lin? Ah, I really don't know what to say right now—Minister Yang, your righteousness!"

Yang Yu's mouth twitched slightly; he suddenly felt like giving himself two slaps.