Chapter 807 – Wanzhou, Heading Home (5)
“This life is pretty interesting. Not only did Han Yu’s fate change, avoiding a near family disaster, but even Fu Wang has also entered the Lord’s camp ahead of schedule.” Wei Ci rummaged through Fu Wang’s memories in his mind, only recalling that the man was a burly and vigorous martial artist.
“And now you mention it, Xu Ke’s brows knitted tightly at the mention of Fu Wang.
“If what Zixiao says is true, this Fu Wang is not someone to be trifled with… He might not be reliable.”
Xu Ke viewed Fu Wang negatively; someone whose loyalty couldn’t be guaranteed was, after all, a potential traitor.
Wei Ci chuckled, “Zixiao, you’re mistaken. The Lord won’t just cast Fu Wang aside; in fact, he’ll make good use of him.”
Xu Ke couldn’t help but interject, “But Zixiao said Fu Wang…”
Usually quiet, once the Lord shows weakness, he pounces to bite back—how can such a backstabbing wolf be useful?
Wei Ci’s smile faded, his gaze sharp and confident. “The Lord can tame this wolf. Zixiao should rest easy.”
At these words, Xu Ke fell silent.
Wei Ci continued, “Don’t let Fu Wang’s rugged exterior fool you; he’s quite perceptive and skilled at reading others’ emotions. If Zixiao harbors any ill feelings towards him, Fu Wang will catch on. He may not vocalize it, but his heart might hold a grudge… He’s a newly surrendered military general, having spent little time with the Lord, so loyalty isn’t guaranteed. If he feels targeted, he’ll be even harder to handle.”
Xu Ke’s brows furrowed; he understood Wei Ci’s concerns but replied, “I will keep an eye on this matter.”
The new recruits at the company would need some time for evaluation, and in this era, Fu Wang was on the watchlist of newcomers.
As an elder, Xu Ke had the duty to mediate internal conflicts; it wasn’t about being one big happy family but ensuring no insurmountable discord arose.
Wei Ci knew the weight on Xu Ke’s shoulders, patting him on the shoulder to reassure, “We’ll know more once we see him.”
Xu Ke nodded.
As Liu Zhi was the governor of Chongzhou, his route to Wanzhou didn’t align with Jiang Pengji’s, leading to a split between father and daughter midway.
When Jiang Pengji went to the alliance meeting, she initially had just over ten thousand troops. On her return, that number surged close to twenty thousand, with the newly added soldiers being elite fighters.
Indeed, Fu Wang had surrendered, though the details of his capitulation needn’t be overly elaborated—it boiled down to this—
What to do when a surrendering general won’t submit?
Just give him a beating!
And if that doesn’t work?
Beat him again!
Fu Wang, self-proclaimed as the mightiest in combat, was carelessly captured by Dian Yin. Once his injuries healed, he reflected on how he ended up kneeling—by accidentally consuming a large amount of sleep herb. Fu Wang scratched his head, puzzled as to how he mistakenly ingested the sleep herb and made a blunder before the battle.
Sleep herbs don’t grow just anywhere; they’re mostly found in the Cangzhou grasslands, and rarely seen elsewhere.
In simpler terms, the source of the sleep herb Fu Wang consumed was quite suspicious.
Determined to get to the bottom of it, Fu Wang set off to uncover the truth.
However, the truth was too harsh; once he learned of it, he was left dumbfounded.
“Heh, a knife under the guise of love.”
Jiang Pengji coldly mocked, delivering a heavy blow to Fu Wang both physically and mentally.
With this lesson in mind, it’s likely Fu Wang would think twice before stirring up romantic affairs during military campaigns.
In fact, if Fu Wang hadn’t been so arrogant, believing this battle was a sure win, he wouldn’t have let his guard down against Hui Jun’s charms.
Fu Wang felt like he needed some peace.
After settling down, he asked Jiang Pengji, “What about that lady from that day?”
With a cold snort, Jiang Pengji felt that Fu Wang hadn’t learned his lesson and was still thinking about the beauty.
“Why do you want to know this?” Jiang Pengji shot him a disdainful glance, making it clear that while his submission was one thing, coveting Hui Jun was another. She would not allow Hui Jun to continue being sacrificed; her priority was to cast Fu Wang, this wolf, outside the sheep pen.
Fu Wang replied, “One day as husband and wife is equivalent to a hundred days of affection…”
Jiang Pengji: “…”
Before she could respond, the audience in the live stream stoked the flames, the comments overflowing with innuendo.
【Mo Lingyin】: “One day as husband and wife… does this wolf mean ‘day’ as a verb or noun?”
【Severe OCD】: “No matter if it’s a verb or a noun, this wolf is eyeing the young lady, can’t tolerate this, punish him!”
【September Serenade】: “Agreed! Absolutely can’t tolerate it.”
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Pengji called out to Fu Wang by name, “Fu Zhengtu, she is my personal maidservant.”
In noble households, personal maidservants are often considered concubine candidates for their male masters; unless unforeseen circumstances arise, they are usually utilized.
Fu Wang was taken aback, his expression turning somewhat grim, before he smacked his forehead and said, “My Lord, you’re not a man?”
If Jiang Pengji were a man, her words would unmistakably be a warning to Fu Wang not to covet what isn’t his.
But the Lord was a woman, and Fu Wang’s mind was quite straightforward; men and women could have a future together, but relationships between women were purely platonic.
Jiang Pengji shot back, “Can you beat me?”
If you can’t beat me, then shut it!
Fu Wang: “…”
If he didn’t understand by now, he wouldn’t have made it this far.
The Lord was protecting Hui Jun and didn’t want him to have further entanglements.
Fu Wang felt a heaviness in his chest and an indescribable discomfort, wishing desperately to vent his frustrations through violence.
“Perfect timing… I request the Lord to teach me a lesson!”
Fu Wang challenged Jiang Pengji, while Yang Si and Feng Zhen, who rushed over, looked on helplessly.
Compared to their helplessness, the other soldiers seemed electrified, clearing a large space for the battle.
Fighting easily raises adrenaline levels, not to mention both parties were notable martial artists.
Watching as the two engaged more fiercely, the surrounding soldiers lost their composure, shouting cheers and encouragement. Fu Wang’s old troops naturally supported their general, but Jiang Pengji also had her fair share of devoted fans. As the two spiraled into intense battle, the soldiers’ cheers echoed loudly, so much that even the guards outside the tent could hear, creating a heated atmosphere.
To outsiders, it seemed that Fu Wang and the Lord were evenly matched, an intense spectacle; but for Fu Wang, he had words of complaint.
He could sense that his opponent wasn’t even trying her hardest; she appeared drenched in sweat yet seemed to navigate effortlessly.
Why didn’t Jiang Pengji just defeat Fu Wang and instead match him blow for blow?
Firstly, Fu Wang’s standing among his old troops was too high; Jiang Pengji only needed to fight him to a draw to earn the goodwill of the surrendered troops.
Secondly, if she easily won against Fu Wang, his old troops would surely feel uneasy and might even resent her.
Therefore, this was a perfect balance, allowing Jiang Pengji to elevate her reputation while also preserving Fu Wang’s esteem.
After an unintended hit or two, mostly aimed at the face, Fu Wang had a split lip and a bruised eye.
Hui Jun, quietly sewing children’s shoes inside the tent, couldn’t help but peek outside upon hearing the boisterous shouts.
“What’s happening outside?”
“The Lord is fighting with General Fu.”
“Fighting? Is the Lord hurt?” Hui Jun, her eyes darting, inquired, “I’ve heard General Fu is valiant; is the Lord alright?”
Someone replied, “The Lord has sustained minor injuries, but it’s nothing serious.”
In warfare, who doesn’t end up with a few injuries?
