Chapter 609: They Were All Secretly Adept at Scheming
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Both of them had intentions of cooperating, but they were still trying to co up with ways to trick the other party.
The audience of the livestream was confused by what they were seeing. They’d thought that An Cui would end up becoming one of Jiang Pengji’s advisors and had been prepared to laugh at him.
So of them, popcorn in their hands, were waiting to see how the strear would trick him into joining. Then the strear would throw a heavy workload of administrative duties at him.
Claypot Mutton with Wide Rice Noodles: “Haha, I enjoy watching the strear trick people the most. Rember how the mouthy Feng Zhen used to be? The strear forced him to kick his addiction to the Five Minerals Powder so that she could exploit him. I searched up what the withdrawal symptoms are like and I really pity him.”
Charcoal-Grilled Enoki Mushroom: “Tsk, is there any shortage of employees who have been tricked by the strear? Just look at Feng Zhen. He enjoys fooling around, but all of that is already in the past. Nowadays, he has to be wary every day, even when he is just drinking alcohol, always worried that a pair of eyes are staring at him from so corner, how pitiful.”
Sprite with Coke: “Let’s bet on a cucumber. Take a guess, how many rounds will the strear take to convince An Cui?”
A Plate of Tofu Baked till Dry: “I won’t bet, but either way I’m with the strear.”
Today’s Dinner: “I’m with the strear too, she can definitely convince him in 30 rounds!”
The losers with no ambition who could only stay in their little circle and cheer for the strear, abuzz with discussion.
But as the conversation between the two proceeded, the onlookers felt that sothing was wrong.
Why... did it not feel like Jiang Pengji was convincing soone to be her subordinate?
Was it an illusion that they were sensing?
Jiang Pengji lanted in worry, “I only have 20,000 thousand troops and horses with . Although the Red Lotus Group consists of a dumb crowd, it claims that it has 100,000 followers, and that would be tough to tackle. I also want to get rid of this poisonous tumor, but I have limited n and power. I probably can’t do it alone.”
An Cui took the opportunity and proactively offered himself up. “If you don’t mind, my younger brother, why not allow to be your vanguard and open up a path for you?”
They hadn’t known each other for very long, yet they were referring to each other as “brother” every few sentences as if they had a really good relationship.
Jiang Pengji was struck with a thought. A sowhat puzzled expression appeared on her face. “Brother An, what do you an?”
An Cui said, “You work from the outside while I work from within. Even though I am not very capable, I have managed to win over so people and make them my trusty subordinates. They can be very useful. Brother, although you only have 20,000 troops with you, all the n are good at fighting, and each of them is worth 10 mbers of the Red Lotus Group. With us helping you from within, we do not have to worry about annihilating the Red Lotus Group!”
Jiang Pengji looked sowhat tempted, yet remained hesitant with her words, deliberately leaving An Cui hanging.
After a while, she was done pondering. She said hesitantly, “If you do so, I would feel really bad about it. Supporting my plan with coordinated action from within would be extrely dangerous. Brother An, wouldn’t I get you into deep trouble if you accidentally got found out by the evil mbers of the Red Lotus Group? No, no, I cannot risk it.”
An Cui almost choked on the air. That’s not how it’s supposed to go according to the script, he thought.
He said, “Everything cos with a risk. Surely, as humans, we shouldn’t refuse to eat for fear of choking?”
Jiang Pengji looked indecisive and kept glancing in the direction of Wei Xi and Feng Zhen as if she couldn’t make up her mind. She appeared gullible.
Feng Zhen raised an eyebrow and deliberately said nothing, but Wei Ci couldn’t refuse to cooperate.
“My Lord, in my opinion, it is a feasible plan.” To coordinate with Jiang Pengji’s acting, Wei CI had to put on a very confident front, as if he was sowhat overstepping his authority. “Even though the Red Lotus Group has plenty of mbers, perhaps even the 100,000 they claim, they are but a foolish crowd, for they are generally slack and undisciplined. Furthermore, the Red Lotus Group secretly exploits the people, using their doctrines to con the citizens out of their assets. The victims are countless, and voices of grievance can be heard everywhere. If we can cooperate with Mr. An, my lord, with you attacking the county by force from the outside and Mr. An coordinating the citizens who are dissatisfied with the Red Lotus Group from the inside, what is there to worry about in conquering a little county like Chengde?”
The main operations of the Red Lotus Group were at Chengde County, and they used Chengde County as a base for their expansion towards other places, conning countless citizens on the way.
Conquering Chengde County was equivalent to pulling out the roots of the Red Lotus Group. Their other strongholds, which were scattered everywhere, could also be slowly removed.
Jiang Pengji agreed while nodding. “Zixiao, you have a point. But our initial plan was to attack co spring, and it’s still in the middle of winter at the mont...”
Seeing that she had agreed, An Cui felt that his opportunity had co at last.
He joined his hands in a salute, bowed, and said, “Brother, there’s no need to rush. It is an important matter, and we should indeed plan slowly. You have had the intention of uprooting the cult and helping the people for a long ti, and it is a very good thing. We still have a few months till spring, and I can make use of the ti to lay my plans, trying my best to make sure that everything is perfect.”
Jiang Pengji continued acting. As a “dumb, innocent, and enthusiastic” warlord “with little experience,” how could she take unfair advantage of An Cui?
“In that case, Brother An, allow to represent the people in thanking you in advance. You are a kind and righteous man. If we can completely uproot the Red Lotus Group and save the deluded citizens suffering in the north, our actions will definitely be rembered in history.” Jiang Pengji seed really excited as if she couldn’t wait to have a big go at it imdiately. She said, “If we succeed, Brother An, your contribution will be great. How can I be so thick-skinned as to claim the success as my own?”
An Cui had been waiting for Jiang Pengji to say that.
He said in self-mockery, “I’m just like a stray dog. I’m already satisfied with being able to do what I can to benefit the people, and I cannot afford to ask for anything more.”
Jiang Pengji said enthusiastically, “Why do you belittle yourself, Brother An? So what if you don’t have troops? With your abilities, you will have so sooner or later. How about this... If we conquer Fengyi District, why don’t you take 10 percent of the monetary assets and manpower we obtain?”
An Cui felt his heart leap, despite it being sowhat unambitious to be excited at such a small thing.
10 percent?
He indeed wanted to get so profits out of it, but never did he expect this dumb yet bold young man to be so generous and offer him 10 percent of the monetary assets and manpower right from the start!
The wealth obtained by the Red Lotus Group illegally definitely exceeded tens of millions, and a re 10 percent of it was already a huge sum.
With money and the 10 percent of manpower that he would get, An Cui could slowly develop his influence and perhaps even take it one step further!
An Cui had been lurking in the Red Lotus Group for several months and had finally managed to carefully gather so n he could call his own, but there were only hundreds of them at the mont.
If he could help Jiang Pengji conquer Chengde County, the n and wealth he had would increase dramatically!
He was already attracted by the deal, but he still had to appear humble verbally. “I am rely supporting you with coordinated action, and I’m not contributing much. How can it be compared to your efforts of leading your troops to raid the cult? No, no, your gift is too much, I am unworthy of it.”
Jiang Pengji was so “enthusiastic,” totally a “dumb son of a rich family,” so how could she possibly take back what she had promised?
The two exchanged a few lines of argunt. “Forced” by Jiang Pengji, An Cui reluctantly accepted the weighty “gift of appreciation.”
Having agreed upon a coordinated mission, the atmosphere was naturally harmonious. They kept referring to each other as “brother” in their conversation as if they were close brothers by blood.
Feng Zhen was the first one who couldn’t take it anymore. Shaking off his goosebumps, he found so excuse to slip away.
1He pulled Wei Ci away as well.
The two exchanged words in private.
“Our lord is too generous. He promised An Cui 10 percent of the monetary assets and manpower, just like what the dumb son of a rich family would do.” Feng Zhen was still as mouthy as usual.
Wei Ci laughed and said, “Our lord is concentrating his efforts on northern Dongqing for now and has no ti or energy to deal with the other forces. If An Cui can serve as a target in our place, it will be a good thing. Furthermore, An Cui’s enemies are the four factions of Nanman. The latter has already annihilated Nansheng, why would they be scared of An Cui?”
Even in the previous incarnation, it had taken Wei Ci several years of hard work, plus the locust plague in the factions of Nanman, for An Cui to get lucky and win.
At the mont, the four factions of Nanman were still at their peak. An Cui seeking revenge was no different from throwing a straw against the wind.
Wei Ci continued and said, “You don’t know how great of a hidden danger the diehard supporters of the Red Lotus Group are. None of them can be allowed to live on.”
Even without An Cui, Wei Ci wanted to privately suggest to Jiang Pengji that they slaughter all the higher-ups of the Red Lotus Group.
1There would be endless trouble in the future if they were not uprooted completely.
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