Chapter 627 – Let Go of the Commander, Let Me Handle It (Part Four)
The Red Lotus Sect was thrown into panic by Jiang Pengji’s unconventional tactics, leaving the leaders looking as grim as if they had lost a loved one.
They knew full well that Jiang Pengji’s target was them, yet they desperately hoped she was simply looking to trouble someone else instead.
As days passed by, reports from informants grew scarcer, and the higher-ups began to feel the heat.
“Gathering everyone here today is actually to discuss countermeasures. The Sect Leader has been losing sleep over this matter for days. As the Sect Leader’s loyal aides, it is our duty to help alleviate the burden… Does anyone have any good ideas?”
The speaker was a young scholar with a gentle, refined appearance, who seemed reserved but actually harbored a plethora of cunning schemes.
Before the chaos, he had been a slippery rogue, entangled with widows, and now seized the opportunity presented by the upheaval in the capital to rise to a high position within the Red Lotus Sect, gaining the Sect Leader’s trust, often wielding his authority to bully the followers.
An Huan was also among the crowd.
With Jiang Pengji’s financial support, An Huan’s plans to win over people’s hearts unfolded smoothly.
A group of ignorant commoners, unable to read, had no chance against the silver-tongued An Huan.
Even if they had initial suspicions, after being hoodwinked by him, they were eager to give him their all.
Thus, An Huan had risen from a small leader to a moderately significant one, deserving of a seat at this meeting.
As Wei Ci had remarked, An Huan’s acting skills were top-notch; if he were in a live-streaming age, he could easily snag an Oscar.
He was more eager than anyone for Jiang Pengji to win; after all, his bets on her would only pay off if she succeeded.
Faced with questions from the higher-ups, a bunch of illiterate brutes exchanged glances, bewildered.
Asking them for strategies? What a joke!
The atmosphere grew immensely awkward.
The scholar seemed to grasp this, his cheeks reddening slightly in embarrassment.
It was foolish of him to seek advice from a bunch of muscle-headed louts; what sound ideas could they offer?
Just as he pondered how to steer the conversation back on track to ease the tension, An Huan stepped forward.
Compared to the burly men who hadn’t bathed in days, An Huan’s refined demeanor made him stand out.
With an air of grace, An Huan announced, “I am willing to contribute my humble strength to the Sect Leader’s cause.”
The scholar’s eyes lit up; he sensed a kindred spirit.
He quickly asked, “What’s your name?”
An Huan revealed his ties without hesitation, knowing the Red Lotus Sect’s base level meant they wouldn’t recognize “An Huan.”
“You just mentioned you have an idea?” the scholar inquired earnestly, addressing An Huan by his courtesy name, “Duoxi, please share it.”
Two heads are better than one; two heads together aren’t as good as three.
As the favored “strategist” of the Red Lotus Sect Leader, the scholar could handle ordinary folks just fine, but he felt utterly stumped against a formidable opponent like Jiang Pengji. Therefore, to maintain the Sect Leader’s trust, he was convening this meeting.
Pooling collective wisdom was better than relying solely on his own.
Seeing An Huan gave the scholar hope.
An Huan’s looks were secondary; the key was his refined air, clearly indicating a background of good upbringing and education.
The scholar stubbornly believed that scholars must be smarter than brawny fools.
An Huan deliberated before slowly replying, “In my humble opinion, now is still not the time to rush.”
The scholar’s brow furrowed, displeasure brewing within him. Wasn’t it too late to get anxious when the blade was already at their throats?
Still, rare was it to find an educated man, so the scholar managed to hold his tongue.
“Why do you say so?”
An Huan stood tall and confidently proclaimed, “I have heard that the Emperor of Dongqing issued an edict calling for heroes throughout the realm to rescue the court. This Liu Xi, who commands a force of thirty to forty thousand, will surely head south to heed the call. If he fails to enlist, he would be deemed a traitor, and everyone would seek to eliminate him. Hence, Liu Xi must go to save the kingdom.”
The scholar was momentarily taken aback, wearing a look of surprise. How had he not thought of this angle?
He appeared somewhat enlightened, conducting an amateur analysis.
“So, Liu Xi mobilizing troops isn’t to fight us, but merely to respond to the Emperor’s call?”
Even An Huan, a seasoned performer, found it difficult to keep up his act in front of the naïve scholar, who seemed clueless.
Who in the Red Lotus Sect had the audacity to appoint such a dimwit as their strategist?
Had his brain been kicked by a donkey?
If Liu Xi were mustering troops for the Emperor, why hadn’t he prepared for years on end?
Given Dongqing’s current situation, which major power would take the barely-breathing royal family seriously?
However, as the scholar was the “brain” of the Red Lotus Sect and played the role of strategist, An Huan couldn’t just dismiss him.
Thus, he said, “There is indeed such a possibility.”
Just as the scholar began to exhale, relieved it wasn’t an attack on the Red Lotus Sect…
However, An Huan added, “But upon careful consideration, I fear Liu Xi’s true intention lies not in answering the Emperor’s call, but in targeting our Red Lotus Sect.”
The scholar’s momentary relief evaporated as his tension returned.
“What do you mean?”
An Huan smiled, exuding confidence as he continued, “Liu Xi has already solidified his hold on Fengyi County and recently took over Shangyang County during the winter. Everyone knows what kind of situation Shangyang County is in now. Our sect has been intermittently attacking the Green Garment Army, yet we’ve made no headway. In other words, Liu Xi’s grasp of Shangyang County remains strong. With the forces from both Shangyang and Fengyi, his power is at its peak. If I were Liu Xi, I too would hope to ride the momentum and launch an assault on Chengde County to unify Wanzhou.”
With only six counties in Dongqing, Liu Xi occupied one!
The scholar nodded, finding it quite reasonable.
However, if he were a bit wiser, he might realize that An Huan was merely feeding him nonsense.
An Huan’s points seemed plausible but were in fact mostly meaningless chatter.
The scholar was left in awe of An Huan’s intellect, yet he feared appearing inferior in comparison, which could jeopardize his standing in the Red Lotus Sect.
Thus, he promptly invited An Huan for a private discussion.
As soon as they sat down, the scholar asked, “Duoxi, why did you say there’s no rush earlier?”
An Huan furrowed his brows inwardly; he didn’t appreciate others directly using his courtesy name like that.
However, he kept his irritation hidden and instead sported an excited expression as if about to take on an important role.
“Well…” An Huan didn’t keep them in suspense, sharing his “analysis,” “From what I see, Liu Xi is both reluctant to part with the lucrative opportunity before him and afraid to disregard the Emperor’s call. Thus, he aims to have the best of both worlds. I suspect he plans to use an unexpected tactic to surprise our sect…”
