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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nFeng Zhen laughed and said, “Since it’s a hidden threat, it should naturally be wiped out as early as possible. Is it completely safe to push these hidden threats, which are not unlike malignant tumors, onto An Cui?”

nWhat are we going to do if An Cui puts the higher-ups of the Red Lotus Group in important positions and instead chooses to fight against us? Feng Zhen pondered.

nWei Ci shook his head and said confidently, “The people from the Red Lotus Group have already had a taste of what it is like to be among the higher-ups. How could they possibly obey someone else easily? Moreover, An Cui was initially just an insignificant ‘member’ of the Red Lotus Group. The higher-ups of the group would bear with it temporarily for the sake of their lives, but they definitely won’t bear with it for very long. As for An Cui, he is very smart. As soon as something threatens his existence… Heh!”

nAn Cui was from a noble family after all. Regardless of his EQ, his IQ was still quite high.

nHad the people in the Red Lotus Group been able to outsmart An Cui, he wouldn’t have been able to secure a position at the head of a small group in the short span of a just few months.

nSo, they just needed to look on. It was destined to be a situation where both parties used each other to their benefit, and it was just a matter of whether An Cui or the Red Lotus Group would be better at the game.

nOnce An Cui felt that he no longer needed these people, it would be time for them to die.

nFeng Zhen’s thoughts went in one big circle for a good while before he vaguely understood what Wei Ci was trying to do. “You are planning to use An Cui to kill off the people in the Red Lotus Group?”

nWas there really a need to go through such convoluted planning just to kill a few people?

nThe answer was yes, it was very, very necessary.

nWei Ci put on an upright front and said, “Our lord’s good name should not be tainted by the act of slaughtering prisoners of war, but these stubborn, toxic members of the Red Lotus Group must not be left alive. An Cui showing up was an accident. If he wasn’t around, I would have to play the bad cop for once. Since he is around, what’s wrong with using him?”

nFeng Zhen was stunned and surprised. He wondered how the Red Lotus Group had triggered Wei Ci to be so concerned over the matter.

nIn fact, Wei Ci made it a point to remember everything about everyone who had annoyed him.

nWhether or not he could eventually recover the lost ground didn’t matter, what was important was that he must remember that such an incident had happened before.

nHowever, it was not Wei Ci that the Red Lotus Group had provoked, it was Jiang Pengji. Wei Ci still remembered that, in the previous incarnation, after the kingdom had just settled back into a peaceful state, Her Majesty had prayed to the holy tripod cauldron of the nine states and ascended the throne at the holy mountain, naming the kingdom “Jiang”. The nine states and the four seas were in dire need of reconstruction, but the implications of a war that had lasted for over a decade could not be resolved in just a few days. Furthermore, the weather was bad and famines happened occasionally, making the people uneasy. Rumors claiming that the empress was a demon circulated among the people.

nThat was when the Red Lotus Group had seized the opportunity to make a comeback.

nWhile it did not affect the foundation of the nation, it still added a thick stack of official documents to Jiang Pengji’s desk.

nThe citizens were unwilling to believe her. Instead, they chose to believe the remnants of the Red Lotus Group that were spouting nonsense to deceive the masses and revolting against her. One could easily imagine her mood.

nSo, Wei Ci was upset, too.

nHow could the Red Lotus Group possibly have a good time if Wei Ci was upset?

nFeng Zhen tsked and teased him, saying, “You are simply shameless, deceiving everyone with your looks when you are clearly a hypocrite.”

nHe didn’t know how the Red Lotus Group had provoked Wei Ci, but Wei Ci didn’t hide his malicious intent towards the group in the slightest.

nWei Ci said, “My looks were bestowed upon me by my parents, and it is a natural advantage after all, what’s wrong with using them to my benefit occasionally?”

nHe had never claimed to be a virtuous man of honor, after all.

nIf the blame really must be placed upon someone, then his parents should be blamed for giving him a face that looked too upright, elegant, and harmless.

nOh, some people couldn’t even be jealous.

nMeanwhile, a preliminary consensus had been reached regarding the cooperation deal between Jiang Pengji and An Cui. Jiang Pengji would regularly send messengers to contact An Cui before the arrival of spring. Recalling An Cui’s plight of almost freezing to his death by the roadside, Jiang Pengji ordered that food and inconspicuous personal belongings be prepared for him.

nThe famine in places like northern Dongqing was getting worse. For the past two years, the spring plowing and autumn harvest had also been delayed due to the war, and the citizens had all left their hometowns. The land was uncultivated because no one was working it, and the production of grain had been largely reduced. An Cui had become the leader of a small group in the Red Lotus Group. He shouldn’t be that poor by right, but he still needed to use his earnings to recruit subordinates, so he could only tighten his belt and be as frugal as possible.

n“Please don’t refuse it, Brother An. All of it represents my good intentions, and you must take it with you.” Jiang Pengji earnestly hoped that An Cui would get things done as soon as possible and contribute to the war after the arrival of spring. Some food and a few hundred ounces of silver were completely insignificant to her. However, to An Cui, who was penniless, it was like offering him coal in the middle of a snowy day.

nAn Cui pretended to refuse it for quite a while but still took it in the end, wearing an “ashamed” expression. He kept saying that he would pay her back double in the future.

nJiang Pengji said, “We are like brothers with similar interests, and it was as if we knew each other before. Discussing worldly things like money would just ruin our relationship.”

nAn Cui wore a smile, but he was snickering on the inside.

nAn Cui thought, “Liu Xi is the young master of a noble household who knows nothing about human suffering, the dumb son of a rich family.”

nIt seemed that Liu Xi conquering Fengyi County and reconstructing it so well was probably due to Liu She’s help.

nAfter all, based on the persona that Jiang Pengji had shown him so far, she was indeed incapable of doing a lot.

nWithout realizing it, An Cui grew less wary. He looked at her more casually and with some contempt.

nHe had thought that Liu Xi was inhumanly smart for someone so young, but now that he had gotten a good look at her, he felt that she had probably achieved the glory she enjoyed because of the guidance she received from the actual mastermind behind her.

nThe audience of the livestream didn’t understand.

nOnly One Update Today: “Streamer, this doesn’t seem like you at all, giving out money in advance without receiving any benefits.”

nThe Remaining Updates Will be Posted Tomorrow: “The previous commenter, what you said is incorrect. It’s like, if you go fishing, don’t you hang bait on the hook before starting to fish? The streamer is obviously trying to use An Cui to stir up trouble. Compared to the amount she invested now, the future returns are too attractive.”

nToo Sleepy: “But… But, what if An Cui runs away with all the food and money?”

nHappy Dragon Boat Festival: “First, An Cui is a noble from Nansheng, the streamer has already verified that. Since he is noble, do you think An Cui has never seen this amount of money before? What he desires is the 10 percent of monetary assets and manpower the streamer has promised him. He can only begin to develop his influence with money and manpower, and thus be able to seek revenge for his nation. That is the actual ‘big fish.’ How would an ambitious and smart person give up such great returns for the sake of some fish bait? The streamer will definitely win this game.”

nSleep Early Everyone: “No, to be exact, it’s a win-win situation. An Cui loses nothing as well. As of now, he has neither the manpower nor the grain. He only needs to support the streamer with coordinated action to get that 10 percent, without contributing any troops. You can’t earn so much even by lending out money at an exorbitant interest rate.”

nIt seemed to be a win-win situation, but no one could predict how the future would turn out.

nThey bid farewell to An Cui. Jiang Pengji’s fleet of carriages continued along their journey.

nThe heavy snow had stopped, but the snow was piled high on the ground, making it difficult for the horses and the carriages to move forward.

nA journey that was expected to take seven to eight days had taken more than half a month.

nFeng Jin had received the news that Jiang Pengji was coming personally a long time ago. He was still waiting, yet no one had come, making him very anxious.

n“Sir — Messengers from Fengyi County are outside the city gates!”

n“They’re here!” Feng Jin was visibly happy. Without even stopping to tidy himself up, he got up straight away and headed out of the city gates to welcome them.

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