Chapter 934

Yu Yan Chu shook her head, "To be honest, I really don't understand what my imperial father said. But after these many days of contact, I also think my husband is a gentleman!"

"Speak properly, someone like me, a gentleman? You make those true gentlemen what to do?" Chen Wuji laughed and scolded, "Even if I'm a princess, why are you flattering me? This talk is pleasant to hear, but I don't like it, and it's over."

Yu Yan Chu shook her head, "I've seen many gentlemen who were flattered into being gentlemen, but they lack my husband's openness. So in my eyes, although my husband lacks the title of gentleman, he is more of a gentleman than those people."

After a pause, she said again, "I don't really understand what my imperial father said either; as for the specifics, I trust my husband to judge. I'm just a messenger; delivering the message is enough."

"I understand." Chen Wuji nodded, and did not continue on this topic.

Still those eight words: boldly hypothesize, carefully verify.

Yu Yan Chu is good at reading expressions and tones; seeing Chen Wuji's reaction, she also didn't say more.

The conversation between them was of great significance; speaking it out could shatter the jaws of all Dayu people, yet the two tacitly ended it, neither extending nor speaking further.

……

In the following days, Chen Wuji completely ignored Liu Yan and Yu Shumei, focusing wholeheartedly on the massive project of connecting Nan Yue and Nan Jun.

He wants to open a road, repair the ancient plank road.

At present, his strategic focus is already clear.

The situation south of Nan Jun and its surroundings is currently quite sensitive, not suitable for continued development; only north or west is possible. Regardless of which of these two directions, one cannot avoid Shenxian Ling, this mysterious and towering mountain range; some hard work must be put in.

And between these two directions, west is clearly the second choice.

The Uyghur land is quite similar to Qiang Land in general direction.

Both mainly rely on herding; the only difference Uyghur has from Qiang Land is that on that plateau there are some modest agricultural activities, and Uyghur is a state, not a scattered tribal alliance.

Such a state, setting aside whether we can defeat it, even if we could, conquering it would now help Chen Wuji little; what he lacks now is a fertile land rich in produce.

He needs to replenish his granaries to solidify the foundation for later development.

Given the choice, north is absolutely the first choice.

Using Nanyue Jun as a springboard, to look over the whole southern Dayu and watch the court's situation.

Nanyue Jun also fully meets Chen Wuji's current urgent needs; although it lacks the title of "Land of Abundance," geographically it is similar, and it is one of the few major grain-producing regions of Dayu.

The target has been decided; the remaining matter is just to consider how to do it.

Chen Wuji gathered civil and military officials, discussed for several days, and finally decided——to open the road.

The ancient plank road in Shenxian Ling must be repaired; fill in the gullies as much as possible, open the mountains as much as possible, and with full effort transform the former winding, impassable mountain plank road—where grain wagons could not pass—into a road usable by grain wagons, allowing large Bīngmǎ to march swiftly.

Fortunately, with the improved Shocking Heaven Thunder, the difficulty of this task has been greatly reduced, far easier than when the ancients excavated the ancient plank road.

After the specific regulations were settled, Chen Wuji conscripted Chen Luozi to go north to oversee the road opening.

Following the route of the ancient plank road, in the south they conscripted twenty thousand laborers from the Qiang tribes that have already surrendered or whose allegiance is unclear; in the north they conscripted thirty thousand captives obtained by Qian Fugui in Guiling Xian; south and north began work simultaneously.

After the laborers were in place, Chen Wuji further conscripted a thousand artisans from Nan Jun to simultaneously build military forts at both ends of the plank road.

This road is already strategically very important; once repaired and widened, it will surely become the most important road connecting northern and southern Dayu, and Chen Wuji dares not be the slightest bit careless.

Fortifications must be built at both north and south ends of the city, station Bīngmǎ; in the middle, beacon towers also need to be erected at strategic points, dispatch Bīngmǎ to garrison.

Chen Wuji's busyness lasted nearly a month, and midsummer was drawing to a close.

However, whether summer passes or not, the people of Nan Jun and Nan Yue feel little difference, because even at the end of autumn, as long as there is sun, these places remain scorching hot.

After the project proceeded as scheduled, Chen Wuji left the site and returned to Xinglin Zhen.

Xu Zengyi led the stationed civil and military officials out of the town to greet him.

At noon, Chen Wuji set up a banquet in the town, ate a meal, and listened to what each unit had recently done, gaining a simple understanding.

Because none of them were major matters.

If there were major matters, military intelligence would have already been delivered to Chen Wuji.

Those not sent up were basically things like wiping out bandits, how much land was reclaimed, secretly collecting court grain, and so on.

Chen Wuji had long ago delegated full authority over these matters to Xu Zengyi to handle, and he couldn't be bothered to inquire.

After the banquet.

Still in the small courtyard where Xu Zengyi resides.

Under the grape arbor, bunches of grapes hang with pleasing fruit, color vivid, moisture abundant.

Directly beneath these grapes, Chen Wuji reclined sideways on the mat, lying out the immortal wind and dao bones of a mountain hermit.

He watched Xu Zengyi brewing tea there, popping grape after grape into his mouth, chewing with a crackling sound, each bite releasing sweet juice.

Although Nan Yue's weather is hot and humid, the grapes are very sweet, allowing one to eat a strong sense of satisfaction and happiness.

"Kong Fang has been shouting for several days already, my lord, would you like to see him?" Xu Zengyi, head down, seriously playing with the tea stove, suddenly asked.

Chen Wuji's expression went blank for a moment, "Who is Kong Fang?"

"???" Xu Zengyi raised his head, also bewildered.

If he remembers correctly, my lord seemed to be very fond of this person a few months ago, deciding to reemploy him.

"My lord, you forgot so quickly?" Xu Zengyi asked.

Chen Wuji thought seriously for a while, slapped his forehead, and laughed helplessly, saying: "Lately I've been handling too many miscellaneous things, I really forgot him; what was he shouting about?"

"The old fellow compromised, saying he's willing to hand over the secret recipe for curing A Furong's illness!" Xu Zengyi said.

"Just that?"

"That's all he's voluntarily saying for now."

"I, after all, am also the Regional Inspector Commander of Nan Jun, and I care about face. He was so arrogant before, just shouting for a few days, I went to see him, but ended up being looked down upon by this kid. When Sir has free time, he should first talk with him, then bring up our previous discussion, listen to his opinion, and see what he says."

"North?" Xu Zengyi asked.

The so-called north refers to Chen Wuji's northern strategy decided last month; the purpose of repairing the ancient plank road in Shenxian Ling is precisely to serve that strategy.

Chen Wuji grunted in acknowledgment and instructed: "No need to mention what we've already done; just ask him how we should next deploy our forces and use troops, and then let him talk about his views on the Uyghur people."

"Your subordinate understands."