Chapter 1098 – The Turn of the Tide (6)
“Isn’t the Lord just worried about the Nie Clan being free from restraint?” Wei Ci chuckled, “Nie Liang is the best pawn.”
Heck, it’s like handing a pawn right on a silver platter!
To this, Feng Zhen could only cheer for Wei Ci, mindlessly shouting “666.”
“Making the Nie Clan fall into infighting? That’s not just a plan, it’s like ‘calculating beyond the calculation,’ how can you be so devious?” Feng Zhen feigned disdain, but his eyes betrayed his curiosity, “But I’m really curious about how you know so much about the Nie Clan’s situation? Historically, family scandals aren’t meant to be aired; only the Nie Clan knows their own infighting. How did such news spread everywhere?”
Wei Ci was too busy managing state affairs and following the army into battles; when did he have the time to gather outside intel?
Trade between Zhong Zhao and Dongqing was practically shut down, with hardly any other news channels available. How could Wei Ci know all this so clearly?
Wei Ci, hands clasped behind his back, let the gentle breeze sweep through his robes as he gazed wistfully at the horizon.
Feng Zhen strained to catch the answer, but Wei Ci said, “Heavenly secrets are not to be revealed.”
Feng Zhen: “…”
At this rate, you’ll lose my heart!
Unable to withstand Feng Zhen’s forlorn gaze, Wei Ci sighed, “I read the stars day and night, and I figured it out.”
“Why not say some wandering souls and ghosts whispered it to you?”
Does he really think Feng Zhen is clueless about star divination?
Wei Ci, ever accommodating, replied, “Not only can I communicate with spirits, but I can also understand the language of beasts and know what plants are saying.”
Feng Zhen’s eyes widened in shock as he scoffed, “Wei Zixiao, if I said ‘you’re really fat,’ you’d puff up in response.”
They sparred with words until they unknowingly returned to their camp.
Wei Ci shared the good news with Jiang Pengji: Nie Liang returning to the Nie Clan would surely stir up a storm, momentarily making Cangzhou their lesser concern.
“This news is like a gift in a snowstorm,” Jiang Pengji remarked, “But—can Nie Liang hold his own against those old foxes in the Nie Clan?”
She was starting to worry if Nie Liang would be enough; if he fell too quickly, wouldn’t it be a waste?
Wei Ci stated confidently, “Nie Liang is known for his cunning; if he hadn’t been scheming, the Nie Clan wouldn’t be so aggressive. Now that the Nie Clan wants to ditch him, he’s probably feeling pretty chilly inside. Lord, don’t be fooled by his harmless looks; he’s not indecisive. Keeping those toxic elements in the Nie Clan will surely tank their family’s legacy. With his character, he won’t just sit back and watch the Nie Clan decline.”
“By your explanation, he isn’t a fool,” Jiang Pengji crossed her arms and frowned, “He should know that sorting out the infighting means he won’t have the time to care for Cangzhou, missing out on a golden opportunity. Would he really not know that letting a tiger return to the mountain brings endless troubles?”
Wei Ci chuckled, “You can’t have both fish and bear’s paw; what does Nie Guangshan know about it?”
To gain something means losing something; if he focuses on one, he’ll neglect the other. Nie Liang knows how to choose wisely.
In his former life, Wei Ci had little interaction with this Nie genius.
From the little he did understand, family meant a lot to Nie Liang. In this situation, whether to expand outward or deal with family infighting, Nie Liang would have his own scale of judgment, not willing to sacrifice the big picture for small gains.
Jiang Pengji said, “Let Zixiao decide on this; I trust you. But the Nie Clan should first resolve the issues in Cangzhou before they leave.”
The Nie Clan’s pressure on Huang Song would allow Jiang Pengji to leverage that against Huang Song to reclaim Cangzhou’s two counties.
If the Nie diplomatic party left, Huang Song would likely pull some tricks.
Wei Ci answered, “Understood.”
The next day, Feng Jue and Cheng Jing came to visit on behalf of Huang Song.
The two were quite perceptive; they didn’t ask Jiang Pengji why she sent troops into Chenzhou or other foolish questions—after all, it was Huang Song’s fault in Chenzhou, and Jiang Pengji was merely responding. They couldn’t reprimand her for that, or they’d end up berating Huang Song as well. Being straightforward and decisive, they cautiously gauged Jiang Pengji’s intentions, and once they were assured, Feng Jue revealed his suggestion to exchange the two counties of Cangzhou for Chenzhou.
Jiang Pengji smiled, leaning back casually, “Is this the intent of Baogao?”
Feng Jue replied with a composed demeanor, “Naturally, it is my Lord’s intent. While Jue is trusted by the Lord, I wouldn’t dare to act unilaterally.”
“Cangzhou’s two counties are valuable military assets. How could Baogao be willing to trade them for Chenzhou? Isn’t that a huge loss?”
Feng Jue said, “My Lord and Liu Xi are like siblings; when have family members ever discussed family matters as outsiders? My Lord doesn’t care about such trivial gains and losses; the important thing is to solidify the alliance. Previously, because of Meng Zhan, my Lord handled things poorly, worrying day and night that it might create rifts with Liu Xi. After much thought, only this action can mend the relationship. I kindly ask the Governor not to take offense; it would also allow me to report back to my Lord for reassurances.”
If only Feng Jue knew, a legion of admirers from another dimension were going wild cheering for him, with all sorts of varied comments.
[Not the Same as Last Night’s Stars]: I’ve witnessed it; this live stream is full of drama kings and major fabricators.
[Rain and Smoke]: If it weren’t for always following the updates, knowing the ins and outs, I’d have thought Huang Song really got the short end of the stick. His relationship with the broadcaster is just a fake sibling bond; why does it become a model sibling relationship in Feng Jue’s words? Now that’s the pinnacle of fabricating nonsense.
[Mo Dansi]: It’s not just about fabricating nonsense; you’ve got to have a thick skin. I love this shameless style!
[Purple Crystal]: Though Feng little bro doesn’t appear much, I really like him. Let’s cheer for the big boss!
Jiang Pengji ignored the content of the comments and smiled, “I’m no outsider to Baogao; if Huai Zhen says so, I can’t refuse.”
Feng Jue asked, “So it seems Liu Xi has accepted?”
Jiang Pengji revealed a doting smile, “Since Baogao favors Chenzhou, then Chenzhou shall be given to him.”
Feng Jue hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“There’s one more thing, and I wonder how Liu Xi plans to handle it.”
“What does Huai Zhen want to say?”
Feng Jue asked, “Meng Zhan killed the royal family, toppling the heavens. My Lord dispatched troops to rescue them and stationed troops in Chenzhou. However, the fierce generals under Liu Xi mistakenly believed they were chaotic soldiers and captured them—may I ask how the Governor intends to deal with them?”
So this was a request for the captives!
Jiang Pengji smiled, narrowing her eyes, appearing quite generous.
“Since it was a misunderstanding, how could I possibly detain Baogao’s men? Once Jing Rong arrives, I’ll have him oversee this matter.”
She had thought Jiang Pengji would make things difficult or detain the captives, but it turned out to be surprisingly smooth.
Feng Jue secretly sighed in relief.
After leaving the main tent, Cheng Jing said to Feng Jue, “I have a bad feeling.”
Feng Jue frowned, “Yeah, the Lord seemed too relaxed, as if he wasn’t afraid of being surrounded on all sides.”
Desperate measures for desperate times?
That sounded easy, but how hard was it to achieve?
The two of them left together and happened to see a familiar figure hurriedly departing, looking somewhat unusual.
Cheng Jing glanced at Nie Xun’s departing figure, “What’s he doing here?”
Feng Jue shrugged nonchalantly, “Of course, Cheng Yun and Meng Heng are brothers, so a bit of closeness is normal.”
