Chapter 142

Zhang Fushou shouted as he ran closer, but then acted as if he were carrying a secret, keeping his mouth shut,

and only after pulling Zhang Gui into the shop did he lower his voice and whisper:

"Brother Gui, the head of our Pingyang Zhang family, Uncle Qitai, has suddenly fallen seriously ill, and they say it's uncertain whether he'll live or die.

As a result, the ancestor Liuduo, who had become a monk, has returned to regain control of power.

Auntie Caiyang said that although you are not in the clan now, you must know about such a big event as soon as possible.

So she let me come over to Zhihai Town to tell you."

Nowadays, Zhang Gui relies on frantically shearing the wool of the slave-catching in the three cities of Civilization Pioneer, Roujin, and Sacred Ode on the west side of Giant Serpent Head Island.

He has already piled the total population of the True Dragon Kingdom to around four hundred thousand.

And he has trained the first professional unit of one thousand people composed entirely of 'Stone Corpse Soldiers.'

He no longer takes the Pingyang Zhang family very seriously.

Naturally, he doesn't care much about who steps down or who takes office.

But his mother cares about his career, and she sent someone to report the news in a hurry; as a son, he cannot show that he doesn't care.

Therefore, Zhang Gui showed a look of surprise,

"It's almost New Year, and such a change has suddenly occurred in the clan; it's truly surprising.

Isn't Clan Head Qitai not even fifty yet, and his health has always been good; how could he..."

As he spoke, a strange feeling really arose in his heart,

"It seems that in the past few days, Pingyang Town must be an eventful autumn.

You tell Amu that I already know about the matter.

Before the New Year, it would be safer for her to bring her aunts and cousins over to Zhihai."

Zhang Fushou shook his head and said:

"Brother Gui, Auntie Caiyang said that now you are not only a dignified Dragon-Tiger General but also the 'Nine Islands Expedition' of the Shogunate.

No one in Pingyang Town dares to provoke her.

She told you not to worry."

Hearing the so-called 'Nine Islands Expedition' that the Zhen King faction had forcibly pinned on him, Zhang Gui couldn't help but frown, and then the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

After dealing with Zhang Fushou for a few words, he sent him down to rest.

He himself continued to stay at the entrance of the 'Dagui Grocery Sauce Garden' in a leisurely manner, eating rolls with porridge, watching the snow scene, and thinking about things.

I don't know how much time passed.

Lü Zhenduan walked over from the direction of the Zhihai Town Old Camp Yamen, rustling through the accumulated snow.

Upon seeing Zhang Gui eating and drinking happily, a complex expression appeared on his face.

"Oh, Zaicheng Lü is here; have you had dinner?"

Zhang Gui saw him out of the corner of his eye and greeted him with a smile.

"Caiyang Dragon-Tiger, tell me, why are you rushing around like this?"

Lü Zhenduan suddenly asked a deep, rhetorical question.

"What do you mean?", Zhang Gui said blankly, caught off guard.

"When we first met, I saw you eating noodles and shrimp paste rolls in your own shop all day, and I thought you were someone who fished for fame.

Later, I felt that you were not a person who cared too much about face, and fishing for fame was even less of a talk.

I thought you might be a treacherous person.

But slowly, I discovered that you were not greedy for money, so I felt that you were a person with great ambitions.

But in reality, you spend twenty days a month wandering outside, and all authority is entrusted to others."

"Old Lü, why are you making these kinds of sentimental sighs like a scholar again?

If you have something to say, can't you just say it straight?"

Lü Zhenduan's expression turned serious upon hearing this, and he said earnestly:

"Caiyang Dragon-Tiger, although you are not a bully but fear the strong, and are vengeful, you are actually a rare good person.

You started from humble beginnings, and although you suddenly reached a high position as a youth, you have never been overbearing, and you treat old friends and relatives as before.

You command thousands of troops, have a fief, and gather wealth by opening ports, making money every day, yet you only take a fraction for yourself, and treat others generously with the rest.

Just these two points, which seem ordinary, are actually hard to find one or two in a hundred thousand people.

Is it that you haven't discovered what you really want?"

This was the first time Zhang Gui had been praised like this by Lü Zhenduan of the Zhen King faction, and it was said so vaguely, so he couldn't help but ask:

"Then may I ask, what is it that I really want?"

"I can't say it completely now, but at least one thing is to leave a name for eternity."

Zhang Gui savored it carefully, and thinking that after he established the True Dragon Kingdom, he had once compared himself to the legendary first dominator of the ancient East Continent, the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, he couldn't help but nod with some conviction,

"Don't say, I have really thought about this.

Zaicheng Lü, I didn't expect you to really have an eye for recognizing people."

Lü Zhenduan's expression became even more genuine upon hearing this,

"Caiyang Dragon-Tiger, the ancients said, 'Birds follow the phoenix to fly far, and people accompany the virtuous to improve their quality.'

You love power but are not greedy for power, and you love wealth but are not greedy for wealth.

Even when you have a foundation, you act as if you don't, wandering everywhere; this is because you haven't met a wise master."

Zhang Gui's eyes widened when he heard this, and he suddenly understood.

Lü Zhenduan was making such a fuss, and it was still for the sake of 'persuading surrender,' which was truly unappetizing.

But time and circumstances dictate.

Now, more than half of the work of the Zhen King faction is for the construction of the nine islands of the Eastern Inner Sea military city.

Which is equivalent to making wedding clothes for Zhang Gui.

How could he not pay attention, so the corners of his mouth twitched and he did not refute.

After all, this old scholar who fears heat in summer and cold in winter came to see him in the middle of the night in heavy snow, so there must be some special reason.

Sure enough, after talking for a while, Lü Zhenduan saw that Zhang Gui was always listening without expressing his stance, and finally lost his patience,

"The Zhen King intends to start a national war with the Yuan Mountain forces on Xianrong Island.

Of course, a mere island vassal state cannot be considered a real national war, but if this great battle is won.

And the myth of 'Yuan Mountain Army, Ten Thousand Difficulties to Block' is broken.

The ownership of the future throne of our Ming Song will be a clear card!

At such a critical moment, Caiyang Dragon-Tiger, if you can help with all your might, your future prospects will truly be limitless.

Today, the nine island cities of Heavenly Might, Heavenly Fierce, Heavenly Wealth, Heavenly Protection, Heavenly Sky, Heavenly Wisdom, Heavenly Violence, Heavenly Competition, and Heavenly Skill have already been half-built.

The first season of melons, potatoes, rice, and beans planted has been harvested.

Countless weapons and armor have been refined, and thirty thousand elite troops have been gathered..."

"Zaicheng, wait.

Training troops requires selecting youths aged eighteen to twenty-two, six feet tall, with strong bones and bodies, and choosing one of long weapons, short blades, or bows and crossbows to practice.

After three to five months of full meals and long training, they can be called 'small soldiers.'

After that, they can become 'regular soldiers' after three years of tempering on the battlefield, without injury or disability, and obeying orders.

As for weapons and armor, not to mention the quantity, if you open 'Heavenly Craft Opens Things' on an iron mine, you can always forge them if you build them slowly.

But soldiers won't do; you can't just use them after kidnapping them to the island.

If the whole army is wiped out, the common people will blame me, the 'Nine Islands Expedition'."

This irony was sharp, leaving Zaicheng Lü angry, annoyed, and speechless.

If it were normal times, he would have flicked his sleeves and said, "A child is not worth planning with," and walked away.

But now it is an important node related to his lifelong official career.

Being able to stand on the battlefield during the 'small national war' on Xianrong Island between the Zhen King faction and the Yuan Mountain Guard Army.

If the Zhen King really ascends the throne in the future, it will surely be a heavy qualification.

He must fight with all his might.

(End of Chapter)