knife

Chapter 662: Blind at the sight of money
Zhang Qingyun tilted her head and looked at Li Dachui with a thoughtful expression.

"What are you thinking about?"

Zhang Qingyun chuckled and said, "Protector, you don't seem surprised at all that Jiang Chong wants to see you?"

Li Dachui nodded: "Not surprising. This guy is now trapped with nowhere to go and no way out. Seeing the fate of the Xiang family, he must be a frightened bird. If he's smart enough, he'll realize that the only way out is with me!"

"Are you worried that he's not smart enough, so you arranged for someone to remind him?" Zhang Qingyun said softly.

Li Dachui coughed lightly, "Don't make wild guesses, it's nothing!"

Zhang Qingyun laughed: "What are you feeling guilty about, Protector? I won't tell Miss Jiang. But this matter can't be kept from Miss Jiang after all. In my opinion, you should tell Miss Jiang sooner rather than later!"

Li Dachui shook his head: "As for social etiquette, I should tell Jiang Jiang, but as for matters of national importance, there's no point in discussing it. Jiang Jiang isn't an ordinary woman; she might be angry for a moment, but she'll eventually understand the crux of the matter and won't be so angry anymore!"

“If it were me, I would definitely be angry for a long time!” Zhang Qingyun said, “If Jiang Chong hadn’t betrayed us during the Danyang Incident, Xiang Ying wouldn’t have succeeded so easily! If Jiang Chong really went to the border, he would definitely become a staunch supporter of Xiao He, and Miss Jiang would have another formidable enemy.”

"It's just not that easy. Back in Yunwu Mountain, there was absolutely no way I would let Jiang Jiang leave, so she would ultimately lose!" Li Dachui completely ignored the latter part of Zhang Qingyun's words: "Jiang Chong just surrendered a little too quickly. Of course, that's also a good thing. At least Jiang Chong protected the Jiang family very well, you know? The Jiang family is only a step below the Xiang and Xiong families. In Chu, they are still a top-tier aristocratic family, with money, technology, and talent!"

"You're really greedy for money!" Zhang Qingyun said.

Li Dachui sighed deeply, "You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household! The Northern Protectorate is having a very tough time right now. In the war to destroy the Yuan, the people outside the pass used all their strength and utterly destroyed the Northern Yuan. We have indeed cleaned up our backyard, but the millions of mouths to feed are making Mao Daxian and the others very anxious."

“Many places have already implemented military control and are distributing grain according to plan!” As the third-ranking person in Zhi Qiu Yuan, Zhang Qingyun was of course aware of these situations: “In previous years, there were Chu’s fleets transporting grain to make up for the shortage, but this year, Chu started to have unrest in May or June and it has not been quelled yet. Everyone in Chu is desperately hoarding grain, so where is there any surplus grain to transport to the border?”

"The most important thing is to generate our own income!" Li Dachui waved his hand vigorously: "The land outside the pass is fertile, but what is lacking is the investment of people and money. Families like Jiang Chong have money and people. As long as they are willing to invest heavily, to reclaim wasteland, to set up farms, and to hire those barbarians from outside the pass to work, I would naturally welcome them to do so."

"So it doesn't matter even if it upsets Miss Jiang?"

Li Dachui pondered for a moment before saying, "To me, family affairs are national affairs! Jiang Jiang has ruled a country before, she must understand this."

"Then shall I arrange for Jiang Chong to meet with you?" Zhang Qingyun asked. "Where would be the best place for you to meet?"

“Let’s go to Moshan in Nanyang!” Li Dachui thought for a moment and said, “I’m going to see Xiao Zhongren anyway. If Xiao Zhongren surrenders to Cui Cheng after we leave Nanyang, I won’t blame him. But this time he’s very resolute. Chen Wan told me that they’ve had a very hard time in Moshan. Cui Cheng offered them generous terms to surrender, but Xiao Zhongren remained unmoved. He’d rather eat chaff and wild vegetables in Moshan than come down the mountain to surrender. He’s loyal, so I should be loyal too!” Zhang Qingyun nodded: “Leaving aside how well Xiao Zhongren leads troops, the fact that he can gather his men around him and endure hardship without disbanding makes him worthy of our investment. He and Feng Kuan have a good reputation in Nanyang and are very influential among the people. His presence is very important for us to maintain our influence in Nanyang. Cui Cheng will probably make a move against us next. If we can find the right opportunity to retake Nanyang, we’ll definitely benefit from them!”

Li Dachui said, "Xiang Zhuang has successfully escaped to Yuezhou. These powerful families are truly remarkable; their deep-rooted resources are astonishing. In a short time, Xiang Zhuang has gathered tens of thousands of elite troops in Yuezhou, fully armed, and their equipment is no less than that of the Tiger Legion. In just ten days, they took Hui County. Na Wei is furious in Danyang. The 50,000 wolf soldiers he recently mobilized from the southwest have already turned around and headed towards Yuezhou and Hui County. He killed too many members of the Xiang family; this enmity is too great. If we don't defeat and kill Xiang Zhuang, how can he have the mind to fight us?"

“If Xiang Zhuang really gets away with it, it won’t be good for us, will it? Protector, the Xiang family has a huge influence in Chu. If they really gain power, they might just follow suit! Moreover, the Xiong family has always been close to the Xiang family. Now that Xiang Zhuang has started his rebellion, the Xiong family might secretly help him.”

"The Zhu and Jiang families will both help Na Wei! Those families who profited from the Xiang family's downfall will absolutely not allow the Xiang family to regain power," Li Dachui laughed. "So, this battle is far from over!"

"That Zhu Chi fellow, he's got a real scheme going on!" Zhang Qingyun said, somewhat annoyed at the mention of Zhu Chi. "Protector, I'm going to teach him a lesson. I need to make him understand whose bowl he's eating from!"

"Zhu Chi has always been controlled by your Zhi Qiu Yuan, so what you do with it is your family business!" Li Da Chui said. "However, no matter what you do, you have to maintain a balance. Right now, Zhu Chi and we only have a cooperative relationship. It's not surprising that they have some extra arrangements and want to leave themselves multiple escape routes."

"Protector, there's one more thing..."

"What's all this fuss about?" Li Dachui asked, puzzled.

"I think the Demonic Cult, oh no, the Holy Cult, is not really that meaningful now. I want to integrate them into the Zhi Qiu Academy. You'll need to let Miss Jiang and Elder Ke know about this to avoid any misunderstandings and unpleasantness!"

"Integration? You want to divide and conquer, don't you?" Li Dachui laughed.

"Actually, when Miss Jiang was Empress Dowager, she had already largely digested the Flood Banner and the Giant Wood Banner. What I need to do now is simply to pick up where she left off. But times have changed. What Empress Dowager Jiang did back then, Miss Jiang may not be willing to do now!"

"You said Zhu Chi's plan was shrewd, but I think yours is the shrewd and clever one!"

“Protector, in the long run, it’s best to digest an organization like the Demonic Sect, which is prone to rebellion, as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more difficult it will become!” Zhang Qingyun insisted. “Now is the best opportunity.”

"Go ahead and do it if you want to!" Li Dachui waved his hand.

(End of this chapter)