Chapter 180: What does Wen Gu like?

Fu Pian had felt from the start that he might not be able to suppress someone as quick-witted as Xue Yanzhi.

Now, the other party felt the East Office was too cutthroat and wanted to come to the West Office to slack off.

In his dreams!

Of course, he rejected it immediately!

After Fu Pian personally refused, his state of mind suddenly became peaceful.

Look, it's not that the other party didn't want to come, it's that I rejected him!

Want to come to the West Office to goof off?

Get lost!

My West Office still needs to recruit someone proactive and diligent!

He wouldn't enter the East Office, and the West Office wouldn't take him.

The next day, Xue Yanzhi appeared in the small courtyard where Pei Jun was recovering from his injuries.

He sat to one side, watched Pei Jun drink his medicine, and finally spoke the first sentence since arriving:

"How did you end up in such a state?"

Back in the day, Young Master Pei was so impressive at the Huangcheng Guard!

Their relationship was average, but they were actually quite familiar with each other.

Back when his family hadn't met with disaster, every time Xue Yanzhi climbed over the wall to go see the juggling, he would be caught by the Huangcheng Guard, and then Pei Jun would throw him back to the Shangshu Mansion.

Entrusted by Minister Xue and Xue Dagonzi, Pei Jun generally followed a process for that kind of mischievous youth Xue Yanzhi was at the time: discover, catch, and throw back to the Shangshu Mansion.

That was the routine.

Precisely because he understood the other party's temperament so well, Pei Jun didn't get angry when he heard Xue Yanzhi's words; there was no need to take this guy seriously.

The more you care, the more he gets carried away.

Seeing Pei Jun didn't react, Xue Yanzhi continued: "Look at you, you were so fierce raiding houses a while ago, how did you end up lying down in the blink of an eye? Is your position as a chief official still stable?"

Pei Jun finished his medicine and said, "Why don't you go to the East Office and follow Wen Gu..."

Xue Yanzhi immediately said, "No, seeing him reminds me of my father!"

Pei Jun:???

Xue Yanzhi said, "They are both that type of person, you understand? Busy with official business all day, obsessed with it; not only are they busy themselves, they can't stand others being idle, can't stand others having fun! This kind of person is very terrifying!"

At the time, when he stepped into the East Office's study, he felt that familiar, suffocating atmosphere!

With the East Office option removed and the West Office blacklisting him, he finally came to find Pei Jun.

"I see your injuries won't heal in a short time, so I've decided to stay and assist you! Help you share the burden!"

Pei Jun didn't want to listen to his chatter anymore and asked, "Have you talked to Zhao Dutong?"

Xue Yanzhi composed his expression, was silent for a moment, and said, "Zhao Shaozhu was attacked; you all investigated upward from the Gao Family, and have now screened out a target—Prince Yong?"

Prince Yong, the old emperor's ninth prince, neither the eldest nor the legitimate heir, his presence was neither high nor low, and previously, no one had really paid him any attention.

Xue Yanzhi's tone was low: "I suspect that Prince Yong was also the one behind my family's incident back then."

The list of royal family members confirmed to have died for the country, or who were made to die for the country, did not include Prince Yong.

"I just don't know where he is hiding now."

Xue Yanzhi's face revealed a murderous aura.

"But it is very likely he is hiding among the Six Great Powers in Beidi! Someone is shielding him! Of course, excluding the Zhao Family, there are five other suspected targets." In the current situation, if Prince Yong is still alive, he must be staying in Beidi.

And to be able to hide so well in Beidi without leaving a trace by now, he must have a major power shielding him!

"I actually hope now that after I voluntarily expose my identity, he will make a move against me again. As long as he acts, there will be traces, and I can follow the clues to investigate!"

Xue Yanzhi didn't care if he would fall into a crisis; as long as he could achieve his goal, what did it matter if he used himself as bait?!

Pei Jun listened quietly and said at this moment, "He doesn't hate you the most right now."

Xue Yanzhi was briefly stunned and laughed self-deprecatingly: "That's true, I don't rank high enough now. He hates Wen Gu the most!"

The Zhao Family was investigating military supplies in Xinzhou, so Prince Yong sent people to assassinate Zhao Shaozhu, wanting to disrupt the Zhao Family's plans.

Logically speaking, that situation should have been a death trap, but it was broken by Wen Gu!

Zhao Shaozhu survived.

In that attack, Prince Yong failed to deal a heavy blow to the Zhao Family.

Immediately after, Wen Gu dug up the Granary and Armory of Jinchan Qi.

For Prince Yong, it was definitely a heavy blow; I don't know if he vomited blood from anger.

Xue Yanzhi thought about it, smiled, then retracted the smile on his face, his eyes serious, and he asked Pei Jun:

"I want to move against the Du Clan; do you have any suggestions?"

Pei Jun's gaze pinned onto him: "Why?"

"Among the other five great powers, the one I suspect the most is the Du Clan! I want to test them!" Xue Yanzhi said.

In the first stage of the chaotic times, each family is struggling to survive to the limit and seizing ecological niches, almost laying out all their trump cards, not even bothering to pretend anymore.

Some information is also easier to inquire about.

Xue Yanzhi heard the news from the mouths of people in passing merchant caravans.

"The few private salt magnates I've been watching—after the chaotic times began, as long as they were still alive, they all defected to the Du Clan. This cannot be a coincidence!"

Pei Jun didn't feel surprised; they originally had this suspicion too, but...

"Zhao Dutong is prioritizing stability right now; Xinzhou is not yet prepared for war."

Every family is short of grain and fodder now; logistics cannot support a war. Once it starts, the situation they have managed to control with such difficulty will completely disintegrate. Xinzhou is currently prioritizing preserving and developing itself.

The Six Great Powers currently do not want to draw blades against each other.

"If you want to make a probe, you can, but it will be very cautious. Furthermore, it is possible that in places you cannot see, the Zhao Family has already made probes." "Not enough!" Xue Yanzhi stood up, his emotional fluctuations making his breathing rapid.

He didn't just want to probe; he wanted to make the Du Family suffer! It would be best if he could knife one or two enemies first to vent the hatred in his heart!

His revenge list was full; previously he was weak and alone, but now, he wanted to borrow the Zhao Family's power to strike this blow!

Pei Jun had held real power in Xinzhou for so long and saw some things more clearly, which was why Xue Yanzhi asked for advice earnestly:

"Brother, can this power be borrowed?"

Pei Jun swept a glance at him.

This fellow only honestly called him 'brother' when he was begging for help.

The Pei Family had the Pei Family's stance and would not get involved.

Considering the friendship with the Xue Family back then, Pei Jun pondered for a moment and said, "It is not impossible."

Xue Yanzhi came over very obsequiously, tidied the thin quilt for Pei Jun, and squatted to the side holding a fan to help him cool off, so he wouldn't get hot.

He lowered his posture significantly and was very sincere: "Brother, please speak!"

Pei Jun waved his hand, signaling him to sit properly to the side, then said:

"As long as you can persuade Wen Gu, other difficulties will no longer be difficulties."

Xue Yanzhi was lost in thought.

In other words, as long as he handled Wen Gu, Wen Gu would handle those powerful figures above like Lao Zhao and the others?

"Wen Gu is quite formidable!" he exclaimed.

Pei Jun asked: "You should have heard of the Defense Post System in Xinzhou?"

Xue Yanzhi nodded.

He hadn't been able to access information in this regard before, so his understanding was limited, but he had heard the Earl of Yangchuan mention it.

The Defense Post System gave him the feeling of planting grass and trees in a desert. One after another, as long as they were planted successfully, they would turn the sandy land into an oasis and achieve a reversal of vitality!

"Could it be that this was proposed by Wen Gu?" he said in shock.

"Mm," Pei Jun said, "At the decision-making level, Wen Gu's influence on the Zhao Family is still very significant."

Xue Yanzhi's eyes flickered, and he made a decision.

"What does Wen Gu like?" he asked.

To cater to someone's preferences—in this regard, as long as Xue Yanzhi wanted to do it, he could do it!

Pei Jun looked at him: "Wen Gu likes ambitious people."

Those who are hardworking, diligent, motivated, and can grind.

Wen Gu particularly liked to employ such people and would also take special care of them.

Xue Yanzhi immediately said: "Change to another one!"

Pei Jun did not speak.

Xue Yanzhi hesitated: "I'll think about it again to see if there are other ways."

After finishing their discussion, Xue Yanzhi officially joined the Main Courtyard.

The Main Courtyard indeed needed more people to handle affairs.

Pei Jun imposed a restriction. Xue Yanzhi had to have Ming Tiao following him while working in the Main Courtyard; he shouldn't think about shaking him off to act alone.

On the way back to the Patrol Guard Division, Xue Yanzhi asked Ming Tiao:

"Our Head Pei's injury, his life is not in danger, but his recovery is not going well. Is the Doctor no good?"

Pei Jun had not asked Ming Tiao to keep the matter of his injury a secret.

So Ming Tiao replied: "Commissioner Zhao found the best Doctor, but a few medicinal ingredients are missing. The herbs grow in the South, and they have tried their best to gather them, but they still can't get them all."

Those noble families that came from the South would not bring all their medicinal herbs with them. Even if they had them, the quantity was extremely small; they were things kept for life-saving, so who would easily take them out? They wouldn't even let outsiders know.

One couldn't just go door-to-door to pry them open to see who was hiding medicinal herbs, could they?

Xue Yanzhi felt this situation was not good: "He has been gone for too long; he must show his face."

Ming Tiao said: "He will definitely show his face, but at least he must recover until the signs of illness are not visible."

The two returned to the Patrol Guard Division with heavy hearts.

Xue Yanzhi immediately turned his attention back to Wen Gu, wanting to go over and have a chat.

"Is he in the East Office's study?"

Xue Yanzhi's footsteps stopped. He was already almost at the study, but he didn't go any closer, instead carefully peeking over there.

Ming Tiao was puzzled: "What's wrong with you?"

Why are you acting so sneaky?

Xue Yanzhi listened carefully to the movement in the study and said: "The timing is wrong today, let's retreat first!"

Ming Tiao:???

What are you saying?

Xue Yanzhi turned to leave: "You don't understand, if you are discovered by the other party at a time like this, then it will..."

"Xue Er Gongzi, Commander Ming!"

A call came from the East Office study.

Xue Yanzhi had a bitter expression. I told you we should have run faster!

Wen Gu looked at the two figures over there and called Ming Tiao over: "Commander Ming, there is a question here I would like to understand from you." Ming Tiao naturally went over immediately.

Xue Yanzhi had just promised Pei Jun that he could not shake off Ming Tiao to act alone, so he had no choice but to follow.

Wen Gu was talking to Ming Tiao about business, and everyone else in the study was busy; Xue Yanzhi couldn't just stand there like a fool. Besides, he had requests of others and needed to leave a good impression.

After looking at the few people in the study, he went to the side of Han Lian, who was clicking an abacus, and helped with some calculation work.

Xue Yanzhi was multitasking; while doing the calculation work, his ears were listening to Wen Gu and Ming Tiao talking.

Han Lian had originally been worried that this absent-minded Xue Er Gongzi would fill things in randomly, but upon checking, he found it was completely correct, without a single error!

Xue Yanzhi ignored the look of admiration Han Lian cast his way and continued to eavesdrop.

A new round of allowances was about to be distributed, but Wen Gu discovered that some people were receiving allowances without doing any work, and had done so many times, while the person who had signed the approvals was Ming Tiao.

Xue Yanzhi: "Tsk, tsk, tsk, how pitiful."

Is it really that easy to take advantage of others?

Regardless of whether there was a reason, a person like Wen Gu was just like his father at a time like this; he couldn't stand seeing others take money without doing the work!