Chapter 606 – The Legacy of Nan Sheng (Part 5)
An Huan was indeed born of noble lineage. If not for certain motives, would he willingly mingle with the Red Lotus Sect and associate with such a ragtag bunch?
With flames tattooed on his arm, it seemed this guy had already climbed to a small leadership position within the Red Lotus Sect.
Feng Zhen couldn’t help but suspect that this person might be aiming to rise through the ranks of the Red Lotus Sect and seize power for himself.
His doubts weren’t unfounded; Wei Ci confirmed them.
“He has ambition and courage—how could he be content as a nameless figure? But alas, the heavens have been unkind to him, and he’s ultimately lacking in fortune.”
“Fortune?” Feng Zhen chuckled, “You’re getting more superstitious by the day! Is that what your fortune-telling skills revealed?”
Wei Ci skillfully evaded, “His luck really isn’t good.”
Wei Ci knew a lot about the life of this former master.
Sometimes, luck is just as crucial as strength.
When it comes to ability and talent, An Huan had plenty, but he simply lacked the “right moment.” Every time he strained his brains and made a little progress, he’d get dragged into peripheral conflicts, all his efforts going to waste. After running around for over a decade, he achieved nothing.
He only had a few hundred old soldiers under him. Although there were a few fierce generals beneath him, they were all from humble beginnings, relying on brute strength rather than brains in battle.
During this chaotic time, An Huan constantly switched sides among various factions, job-hopping like it was a game.
Now in his forties, he had no territory, no manpower—one could say it was quite pathetic.
Eventually, he ended up in Zhong Zhao, seeking Wei Ci’s help.
Even for Wei Ci, facing An Huan’s dilapidated situation was quite the headache.
To be honest, Wei Ci had been keeping an eye on the trends of the world but had no intention of stepping out because he felt no one would dare to use him.
He was born on the 22nd day of the 8th month in the Year of the Rooster.
With such a birth date, who would dare to trust him?
Even if someone did use him, it would be while keeping a wary eye, or they’d simply treat him like a decorative vase—Wei Ci certainly wouldn’t endure that humiliation.
Thus, when An Huan actively requested him to step forward, Wei Ci was quite surprised.
However, he was sharp enough to vaguely understand An Huan’s concealed ambition beneath his weary facade.
Rumors abounded that Wei Ci was the reincarnation of a former Prime Minister who had advised the Great Xia’s founder from humble beginnings to the position of a sovereign.
When someone actively sought him out, could it be that they were trying to emulate the Great Xia’s founding father?
To reinstate a potentially “treacherous” figure capable of usurping power? Talk about chutzpah!
Despite several refusals, An Huan was persistent. Wei Ci even found himself escaping through the back door while An Huan came knocking at the front.
But that wasn’t much of a solution.
After a heartfelt discussion, Wei Ci was eventually persuaded.
He thought An Huan had the ambition of caring for the world’s common folk, feeling a joy akin to meeting a true leader.
Admittedly, An Huan was somewhat obsessed, but hatred can also be a form of motivation.
By that time, An Huan was no longer young, and Wei Ci feared that with him being past his prime, he might lack any fighting spirit; yet, a strong grudge fuels motivation.
Wei Ci worked tirelessly for An Huan, strategizing, promoting, gathering talent, managing internal affairs, training troops, and playing mind games with other factions, forming alliances or devouring them one by one… carefully building, laying a solid foundation, growing from having nothing to dominating over half of Nan Sheng’s territory, pouring his heart and soul into helping him.
While Jiang Pengji exploited her workers and delayed wages, she later understood how to placate them with opulent properties and create various benefits.
But hey, amidst all that bureaucratic madness, Yang Si still managed to pack on winter fat, which shows just how good the food situation was.
Yet, when Wei Ci was assisting An Huan, he was practically supporting him with no salary for consecutive years, and he was wholeheartedly willing.
He was fulfilling his own ideals, rich in purpose despite his poverty.
However, what he didn’t expect was that An Huan’s obsession with revenge had seeped deep into his bones, crazily surprising him.
National grudges and family feuds demand blood for blood; that’s no crime.
However, Wei Ci hoped for the unification of the four Southern tribes; it wouldn’t show in the first or second generation, but after three to four generations, they would forget their ancestors, civilization, language, and customs, completely assimilating into the Central Plains—because the four Southern tribes were also people, and a robust population leads to a strong nation!
At that time, the world was embroiled in fierce conflicts, with more than ten feudal lords carving up the original Five Kingdoms, and they continued to fight among themselves.
Wei Ci aimed to stabilize the rear while the others fought fiercely, nurturing and developing in silence, laying the groundwork for future generations.
He doubted he would see a unified world in his lifetime, so he wanted to build a foundation for those who would come after him.
And what happened?
An Huan squandered troops and resources, launching endless wars against the Southern tribes, determined to annihilate them, resulting in countless deaths among his common people and soldiers.
Ultimately, he did wipe out the entire Southern tribes, innocent and guilty alike—the Southern tribes vanished from history, but how many lives of common people and soldiers were lost in the process? It not only cost lives but also wasted many years of Wei Ci’s hard work!
To be honest, if it weren’t for An Huan’s multiple expeditions southward, exhausting his manpower and resources, how could Jiang Pengji so swiftly devour An Huan’s forces?
Fortunately, Jiang Pengji had no habit of killing captives or sacking cities; otherwise, the number of common people dying due to An Huan’s actions would have been even higher!
To put it bluntly, if An Huan had become the victor, avenging his clan and obliterating the tribes, history would have praised him as a grand conqueror.
And what now?
To seek revenge while dragging his people and common folk into hell? Such a person is not a great leader but a tyrant.
Even after many years, thinking back on that history still made Wei Ci seethe with anger.
Feng Zhen was deep in thought; he asked Wei Ci, “If this guy intends to stab the Red Lotus Sect from behind, wouldn’t that align perfectly with the Lord’s desires?”
Wei Ci paused for a moment before countering, “Aren’t you worried about nurturing a tiger at your doorstep?”
Feng Zhen really had a knack for courting danger, helping An Huan deal with the Red Lotus Sect—what a delightful idea.
This fellow laughed, “What’s An Huan compared to a tiger? If used properly, we could even have him restrain the forces within Nan Sheng.”
In this world, there are no eternal enemies, only friends with aligned interests and enemies with conflicting ones.
Wei Ci sighed; An Huan was indeed a tiger, a great big tiger.
Once he met the right person, he could soar to great heights.
“Don’t let your guard down; a thousand-mile dam can collapse due to an ant hole, and live people are even more unpredictable.”
Feng Zhen shrugged it off, “You’re just too cautious. An Huan, at the moment, is nothing more than a lost dog. Besides, we don’t even know if he can be of any use. Let’s observe quietly; if feasible, we can manipulate him.”
Hearing this, Wei Ci’s expression changed slightly.
After a while, he sighed, “It seems I’ve indeed overthought it.”
He clearly didn’t want his memories from previous lives to cloud his judgment, yet when considering matters, he still found himself unconsciously drawn in.
The current situation was not the same as in his past life.
Back then, An Huan was strong while Lord Jiang Pengji was a subject of ridicule.
A mere woman, daring to reach for the Nine Tripod—how ludicrous!
Broke as a joke, and his men had more muscle than brains; while they had battlefield skills, they were short on internal administrative abilities.
Without a stable rear, how could they expand outward?
But less than a few years later, An Huan had swallowed not only Nan Sheng but also more than half of the remaining territory.
This was a different time altogether.
Now, Jiang Pengji was powerful, while An Huan was isolated and alone.
As long as Jiang Pengji focused on developing and solidifying her power, even with the outside world in tumult, she could sit back and fish!
