Chapter 673 – Alliance at Huanshui (Ten)
It turned out that Cheng Yuan was mild-mannered and earnest, indeed a good kid who knew how to be obedient and sensible.
At first, Xu Ke was a bit worried.
Worried about what?
Naturally, he was concerned that Cheng Yuan wouldn’t cooperate.
Cheng Yuan had just recently reached adulthood, full of youthful vigor; if he felt that upon entering service, he was overlooked by the Lord and instead overshadowed by someone of lesser background, it could lead to discomfort in his heart and resistance in his actions… If that were the case, Xu Ke would have a headache.
Fortunately, the scene Xu Ke feared did not come to pass.
Cheng Yuan might be inexperienced due to his youth, but he worked methodically and was as detail-oriented as dust. The key was that he was also humble and eager to learn, never belittling Xu Ke because of his humble beginnings. Regardless of how tedious and cumbersome the task was, Cheng Yuan could fully immerse himself, making him a little angel in Xu Ke’s eyes.
What boss or colleague wouldn’t appreciate such a diligent employee who didn’t complain or grumble while working overtime?
Thus, Cheng Yuan easily won the favor of both Xu Ke and Qi Guanrang, and the three of them worked together harmoniously.
After all, Cheng Yuan lacked experience. Even with his attentiveness, he still made minor errors here and there.
But Xu Ke and Qi Guanrang were undeterred by the hassle; whenever they could, they would guide him, and when they couldn’t, they’d help him rectify his mistakes, making Cheng Yuan feel “like he was bathed in spring breeze.”
At first, Cheng Yuan thought that entering the workforce might cause resistance and make it hard to integrate into the team.
Looking now, the people under the Lord were quite decent to get along with.
However…
“Today, Xiaoyu asked about your elder brother.”
Cheng Cheng lifted his eyelids, busy lately organizing the collection of books and classifying them in further detail, hardly paying attention to his son.
Even so, he was aware that his son had been leaving early and returning late these past few days, buried in official duties.
“Asked about Gong Luo? What’s up with him?”
Cheng Cheng had two sons and one daughter; aside from his eldest son serving in another position, his younger son and daughter were still with him.
When his family fled from Sui’an County, he took his wife and younger son and daughter with him, but his eldest son remained behind to build his career.
His eldest son Cheng Xun, whose courtesy name was Gong Luo, was completely different in temperament from his younger son.
“Xiaoyu inquired whether there was another brother, and then circled around to ask quite a few things about your brother…” Cheng Yuan was somewhat baffled, suspecting that his elder brother might be an old friend of Xiaoyu, “… It’s been years since my brother served in an official capacity outside, he rarely comes home, so I don’t know much… Could it be that Xiaoyu is an acquaintance of my brother? Or has he heard of my brother’s name somewhere?”
After hearing this, Cheng Cheng’s eyes shifted slightly, looking at his son with a hint of pity.
He understood his eldest son well; that kid had a strong sense of social status, and his circle of friends would definitely not overlap with Xu Ke’s, let alone know him.
The biggest possibility that Xu Ke was asking Cheng Yuan if he had a brother was likely to “poach someone.”
Cheng Cheng lowered his eyelids.
Poaching the elder was already one thing, now he wanted to poach the younger too, and even had designs on the eldest… Hmm, very nice.
“Gong Luo’s temperament isn’t really suitable.”
Cheng Yuan’s eyes suddenly widened; through his father’s hints, he finally understood Xu Ke’s true intentions.
“My brother will not be coming.”
Cheng Cheng secretly smirked; as long as Jiang Pengji wasn’t out of her mind, she wouldn’t accept Cheng Xun either.
“Father, I heard that tomorrow the Lord will lead his troops to assist the King.”
“You wish to go along?” Cheng Cheng inquired calmly.
“I’d like to have a look, but given the circumstances, it seems unlikely,” Cheng Yuan really wanted to go, but he also knew that even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to contribute much. Assisting the King wasn’t a small matter—one wrong move could lead to chaos; his lack of experience made him too green.
Cheng Cheng said, “The situation in the world is chaotic; assisting the King will be an important turning point. You don’t need to join the fray; your presence wouldn’t help, only add to the chaos.”
Cheng Yuan’s expression fell; his father’s words had dampened his spirits.
Cheng Cheng lowered his voice, “However, if you want to stand out, this is a good opportunity.”
“Please guide me, Father.”
“Wanzhou has just been captured, and the foundation is unstable. The Lord is also pulling some elite forces to assist the King, which means the forces left behind will be significantly insufficient. To relieve the crisis, we can only recruit troops while training the elite. From this, you can see how great the pressure is. But as long as we can stabilize through that initial period, the Lord’s forces in the north will be solidified. Just work diligently, be practical and hardworking, and when the time comes for rewards, no one can erase your contributions… Remember, don’t be like your elder brother, overly eager for quick results; the key is to be ‘steady.’”
Cheng Cheng analyzed for his son, not forgetting to give him a good talking-to.
He didn’t like politics, yet both of his sons had their minds set; he could only rely on his experience to offer them some advice.
Unfortunately, the eldest son despised him, leading to conflicts between them.
The younger son, however, was obedient and easy to manage, possessing a gentle temperament that could absorb his suggestions.
Meanwhile, Jiang Pengji was also finalizing the “lineup” for assisting the King.
“Jingrong has once served under Changshou Wang, and he is quite familiar with them. You must be included in this mission to assist the King.” Jiang Pengji was the first to call out Yang Si’s name, and Yang Si displayed a look of exasperation as she chuckled, “No matter how formidable Changshou Wang is, can he just storm into the camp and chop you into pieces? After all, your Lord is out front defending; I won’t be handing you over.”
Yang Si secretly wiped sweat from his brow.
Having caused Changshou Wang such a disaster, they’d be lucky if he didn’t want to wipe out his entire family.
Upon learning he would face his old employer, Yang Si felt somewhat guilty yet also a little excited.
“As for the other person, after careful consideration, I plan to choose Zishi. The others will stay in Wanzhou, and I hope everyone will keep the borders safe for me.”
Jiang Pengji chose Feng Zhen instead of Wei Ci and the others, as his strategic planning fit better with the chaotic nature of assisting the King.
Feng Zhen’s eyes lit up upon hearing his name; he was suddenly filled with spirit.
He would finally be rid of having to deal with those disgusting hypocrites and the even more disgusting political duties.
Thinking back to the days when he and Feng Jin had to navigate treacherous waters with the gentry in Shangyang County—it was truly a nightmare.
“The Lord is wise.”
Feng Zhen grinned, unable to hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.
For the military generals, Jiang Pengji chose Li Yun and Dian Yin, while the others remained behind to continue recruiting or training troops.
“Do you have any objections to this arrangement?”
She surveyed the room, asking everyone.
Meanwhile, Meng Hunyun’s expression shifted slightly; after a moment, he stepped forward to speak.
Jiang Pengji frowned, asking, “Why?”
Meng Hunyun said, “With the Emperor’s order to assist the King, it’s likely related to the Meng Clan’s defection towards Changshou Wang. I was once the county captain in Cangzhou, serving the Meng Clan, and I have considerable insights into them. Therefore, I humbly request the Lord to allow me to go to battle…”
At this point, he fell silent, his expression troubled.
Meng Hunyun and the Meng Clan had an unresolvable grudge.
Jiang Pengji pondered silently.
She retained Meng Hunyun solely due to his rich training experience and high prestige in the army, enough to hold the fort… In comparison, Li Yun and Dian Yin were both newcomers, though well-known, they lacked sufficient experience, so they should be given more opportunities to make merits.
Since Meng Hunyun had volunteered to serve, it wasn’t out of the question.
Luo Yue, having come from the Imperial Guards, had accumulated enough training experience over the years; promoting two more to assist him wouldn’t have much of an impact even if Meng Hunyun went to the front lines… After considering this, Jiang Pengji consented to Meng Hunyun’s request.
Meng Hunyun bowed, saying, “Thank you, Lord!”
