knife

Chapter 639 It's better to do less than more.

Jiang Qian put down her chopsticks, moved the bowl of braised pork with preserved mustard greens to the south, then placed a large bowl of pork bone and lotus root soup on the north side of the table. She then picked up her rice and placed it between the two dishes, tilted her head to look at Li Dachui, and smiled as she placed a plate of greens in the northernmost position.

"The State of Chu has now become a piece of fat meat. As long as our teeth are sharp enough and our appetites are good enough, we can feast to our hearts' content." Li Dachui pointed to the dishes on the table and laughed, "This pork bone and lotus root soup is naturally from Linghu Ye, who has conquered the Central Plains. It's delicious, the soup is fresh, and there are still large chunks of lean meat attached to the bones. It's just a bit hard to gnaw on; if you're not careful, you'll break your teeth. But is my Northern Protectorate only fit to be a plate of vegetables? It should at least be considered a plate of shredded pork with garlic sauce!"

Jiang Qian gave him a half-smile and said, "You're poor!"

"Hehe, those are all ancient stories from long ago!" Li Dachui leaned back in his chair, beaming with pride. "The Northern Protectorate has plenty of ways to make money these days, and it'll only get better. You haven't been to the borderlands, so you're being too hasty. You should know that the problems that plague Chu don't exist in Northern Court!"

“I believe things will get better in the future, but for now, we’re still poor!” Jiang Qian said, “I’ve run a household before. Even for a poor family, the seven necessities of life are a worry, let alone for a country. The area outside the Great Wall was too weak before, and with years of war, the war with the Northern Yuan probably wiped out all the little wealth you’ve managed to accumulate. Now you’re burdened with the legacy of the former Yuan and wearing the tattered baggage of poverty, and you can still eat, which is already quite remarkable. As for how rich you are, hey, don’t try to put on a show in front of me!”

Li Dachui chuckled awkwardly, "You hit the nail on the head, but you don't have to be so sharp. You should at least give me some face! To be honest, in many places, people can't even get enough to eat; they're just barely surviving."

“Therefore, it is unlikely that the Beiting Protectorate will launch a large-scale military campaign into the interior in the short term!” Jiang Qian said. “Gu Xiaoman’s actions in Yangguan are nothing more than a bluff!”

“Exactly!” Li Dachui nodded. “The Yuan Kingdom’s financial hole is even bigger than I imagined. The Northern Court is still trying to cover the deficit. Linghu Ye is different from us. He has the strong support of the powerful families in the Central Plains. The Central Plains is far stronger than us in terms of both population and wealth. If we attack the Central Plains rashly without securing our rear, and the attack goes wrong and we get bogged down in a stalemate, and then we run out of money and supplies, that would be terrible!”

"While you're covering your losses and managing your backyard, Linghu Ye will also be working hard to manage the Central Plains. Don't be fooled by the fact that your territory is much larger than his; the manpower and resources you can mobilize are far superior!" Jiang Qian said. "Moreover, I think Linghu Ye must also have hidden hands and pawns outside the Great Wall to cause you trouble, right?"

“Those people can’t shake the overall situation!” Li Dachui waved his hand. “They’re just annoying, like a mosquito buzzing in the night. I’m different. Shu County, and the eight towns of Jiangnan where you are now, are all forces that can inflict fatal damage on him!”

“The eight towns of Jiangnan are currently adrift, their foundations are not solid.” Jiang Qian said, “Once Linghu Ye judges that there will be no major war in the north, his attention will inevitably turn here. Then, things will not be easy for us here! If you can hold out a little longer, my foundation can be strengthened.”

“Of course.” Li Dachui nodded. “Our primary task now is to completely defeat Xiang Ying of Tongan County and drive him back to Danyang City to fight for power with Na Wei and the other man. Once those two are fighting, they won’t have the time or energy to deal with you. You can then concentrate your efforts and use the advantage of your navy to deal with Linghu Ye. Shu County will also be your most valuable support, providing you with a steady stream of supplies, weapons, and manpower, so there’s no need to worry too much!”

"What if I manage to conquer Chu again by then, while you haven't yet settled things with Linghu Ye?" Jiang Qian suddenly asked.

Li Dachui laughed loudly: "You still want to have another match with me?"

Jiang Qian sighed, her face falling. "One wrong step can lead to eternal regret. Having fallen for your scheme, there's no chance of turning things around. Your subordinates control most of the power of the eight towns of Jiangnan. Kang Zhen outwardly listens to me, but I'm afraid he secretly obeys your every command. And that little bastard Han Zheng is now completely devoted to you!" Li Dachui reached out and ruffled Jiang Qian's hair, saying, "So as long as you're Li Dachui's woman, you can use these powers at will."

"Does Zhang Qingyun like you a lot?" Jiang Qian rearranged the bowls and plates on the table, picked up her bowl, took a bite of rice, and when she looked up, a sly glint appeared in her eyes.

"Don't make wild guesses!" Li Dachui said seriously, "Zhang Qingyun ranks third in Zhi Qiu Academy and is a capable assistant of our Beiting Protectorate. Although his father is a bit old-fashioned, he is upright and incorruptible and is also an indispensable force. We cannot underestimate him, understand?"

Jiang Qian smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Alright, if you say it's not true, then it's not true! But she's not getting any younger, so I'll introduce her to some promising young men later. You won't object, will you?"

"How could that be?" Li Dachui picked up a large bone and threw it into his mouth, crunching it to pieces. He rolled his tongue around and sucked out all the marrow inside, spitting out bone fragments. "See, no matter how hard a bone is, as long as our teeth are strong enough, we can eat it clean!"

Jiang Qian smiled but remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Li Dachui's abrupt change of topic.

Li Dachui chuckled, sucking on a bone in his mouth. He thought to himself, "With Xiao Changche and you on top of that, I'm racking my brains. Zhang Qingyun may not know martial arts, and she's always quiet and unhurried, but she's an extremely formidable woman at heart. Just look at how she effortlessly absorbed the power of the Black Ice Platform and integrated it into the Zhi Qiu Academy without causing a ripple. This led to Wu De voluntarily leaving the Zhi Qiu Academy and focusing on his military career. That's how formidable she is."

Although she is still called Zhang Bing, Zhou Yi's reputation has declined after being tricked by the Tiele in the Northern Yuan. Now, in Zhi Qiu Courtyard, Zhang Bing's influence has long surpassed that of Zhou Yi.

In Qian Jia's words, "The younger generation is truly formidable."

Next, the forces of the Beiting Protectorate will mostly shift towards the interior of the pass to compete for supremacy, and Zhang Qingyun's influence will become even more prominent.

What was I thinking to provoke her?

It's better to avoid trouble!

(End of this chapter)