CHAPTER 336: CHAPTER 20: LARGE AND SMALL PEARLS FALL ON THE JADE PLATE! _5

Anyway, Hui Wenzu, you were planning to hoard those 1,500 cavalry for yourself. So, let’s all just go along with it, curry some favor using what was never going to be ours in the first place. How wonderfully convenient!

"Let him in," Hui Wenzu said.

Deng Ziliang was the leading figure of the Deng family’s younger generation. He joined the army at sixteen, spent five years honing his skills in the Northern Army, and was transferred south to the Southern Army at twenty-one. Three years later, he was assigned as the Commander of Yinlang County, and he was promoted to General last year.

Throughout all this, while family influence certainly played a part, he himself was exceptionally capable. His credentials and experience were truly impressive...

Deng Ziliang entered, clad in red armor. Though not yet thirty, he exuded a heroic aura, yet also projected an image of profound composure.

"General Deng Ziliang, reporting to you, esteemed sirs!"

"General Deng, please rise quickly. There are no strict formalities in the army."

"Quickly, rise."

"Oh, dear, this is too much, too much."

Hui Wenzu’s face was nearly the color of pig liver. To think that he, Hui Wenzu, who considered himself a significant figure, had actually been outmaneuvered this time! Direct Thief!

At this point, the real show began.

A good show always needs its supporting performers; the main actors on stage naturally need a supporting cast to help them shine.

Evidently, many present were willing to play supporting roles.

"Since the war began, General Deng has breached twenty-four Qian army fortresses and fortifications, with over a thousand beheadings to his name. In terms of military merit, he currently ranks first in our Yinlang County!"

"Absolutely! General Deng served in the Northern Army for five years and is naturally very familiar with the Barbarians. Moreover, General Deng has two Barbarian generals under his command, making him the most suitable to take charge of these 1,500-plus Barbarian soldiers!"

"General Deng runs a disciplined army, embodying the legacy of the old General Deng. Back then, in the imperial court, even His Majesty praised him as a seed of future great talent for our Yan!"

"Indeed. If we don’t support such a young man, who else should we support?"

Facing this barrage of flattery and hype, Deng Ziliang quickly clasped his hands in a salute and said, "I, Ziliang, am grateful for the high regard shown by you, esteemed sirs and elders. I came to the General Mansion today to report to Lord Hui that last night, my troops breached another enemy stronghold, Mielu Fort, securing fifty beheadings and capturing over eighty prisoners. However, our warhorses suffered considerable losses in this engagement, so I came to request Lord Hui’s authorization to replenish some of them."

"WHOA! Another glorious achievement!"

"General Deng is truly our Yan’s God of War!"

Seated at the head, Hui Wenzu could barely stand to listen anymore. Direct Thief! If you bunch of soldiers are going to suck up, can’t you at least be a little more subtle? More refined, perhaps? Damn it all, they’re even conjuring up a ’God of War’! Is this how you flatter and bootlick?

Hui Wenzu felt a twinge of sadness. My opponents, despite their clearly low political acumen, are using such crude, rustic methods—digging a pit to try and bury me forcefully.

"General Deng, are you aware that the court has dispatched another 1,500-plus Barbarian cavalry to reinforce the army? We are currently discussing who would be most appropriate to lead these Barbarian soldiers. Lord Hui’s intention is that these Barbarian soldiers should not be split up but are best given to one person. This would also be a way for our Yinlang County border army to gain some prestige!"

Hui Wenzu took a deep breath. Another deep breath.

Lost. He had lost.

Hui Wenzu couldn’t help but feel a surge of helplessness. This time, I truly underestimated my opponents. At the same time, I can’t help but resent Zheng Fan for going to the capital and taking so long to return. I had clearly packaged the Huo Family neatly for him, and Zheng Fan had even taken people from the Zuo Family, yet he’d just been holed up in his fortress without making any move. Previously, when people from the Spy Bureau had come asking questions several times, I covered for Zheng Fan. But in the end, the reason I couldn’t secure them this time was that Zheng Fan himself hadn’t been proactive enough. The achievement of breaking Mianzhou City was indeed great, but the number of beheadings wasn’t high. While it significantly boosted morale, the city ultimately couldn’t be held. This left room for gossip—that it was just a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, pure luck.

Fatty Hui was furious, but he had to maintain his composure on the surface.

He couldn’t help but speak, "Ziliang."

"Lord Hui!" Deng Ziliang responded with utmost respect. Although not from an aristocratic clan, the Deng Family had prospered for many generations. Scions of such established families naturally knew how to conduct themselves without fault. The arrogant young masters, who looked down on everyone and constantly flirted with young women, bringing trouble upon their families, mostly existed only in storybooks and plays.

Besides, Hui Wenzu had been transferred from the north to the south and had immediately assumed the position of Regional Commander of Nanwang City, concurrently serving as Prefect, thereby controlling the massive flow of military resources. Unless you wanted to stop making a living here, you couldn’t afford to truly make an enemy of such a figure.

Interests, of course, were to be pursued, but it was best for everyone not to tear away all pretense of cordiality.

"Ziliang, what is your opinion on the matter we discussed earlier?" Hui Wenzu asked.

Deng Ziliang respectfully replied, "I am of humble status and my words carry little weight, but I strongly agree with Lord Hui’s earlier point: to disperse these 1,500 Barbarian soldiers would be too much of a waste. As for who should command them, I believe that we soldiers of Yan value military merit above all. As long as one’s military achievements can command respect, there will naturally be no resentment or dissatisfaction from anyone, superior or subordinate!"

This was a checkmate.

Military merit commands respect, and *I* have the most military merit! If not me, then who? Appearances must be maintained, of course, but I won’t yield a single bit of the benefits that are rightfully mine!

「...」

"Oh, who just went in?"

At the entrance of the General Mansion, Zheng Fan was chatting with a gatekeeper.

Earlier, as they were entering the alleyway, a squad of elite armored cavalry had rudely forced their way through, nearly causing two of the carriages in Zheng Fan’s convoy to overturn.