Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 21 Taking Root
These past few days, Wu Hengyu has been happy, while Wu Fei has been unhappy.

To describe it in a modern poetic way: The excitement is theirs, I just want to go home and grow sweet potatoes.

Indeed, Wu Fei sensed that the people here did not welcome him. The longer he stayed, the less good reputation he would gain. He decided to finish his role as the good cop as soon as possible and leave the stage to the good cop, Wu Hengyu.

The system assigned me a task to go south, which is where I need to expand my territory.

But now? It seems like I'm playing the bad cop role more and more often.

and!

…Wu Fei sensed that his uncle Wu Hanluan's current reaction was somewhat unusual…

The city is the central hub of the imperial court. Only when the city is occupied by bandits or local officials are killed, and the arrival of newly appointed officials from the imperial court is required, can the soldiers occupy the city walls.

In present-day Zhuzhou City, Wu Hanluan was able to bring his personal guards into the city to have a friendly banquet with the local aristocratic families after the original official was recalled by the court. The main camp was still set up outside the city.

Even so, this was still a huge test of the imperial court by Wu Hanluan. If it weren't for his responsibility to guard the frontier and his great achievement in swiftly suppressing the bandits, he would have been reprimanded by the court long ago for doing this.

Wu Fei understood the current situation as follows: the imperial court hadn't paid the Wu family army enough for their efforts in suppressing the bandits. Naturally, these warriors wanted to cause trouble. Otherwise, if this happened every time, wouldn't he be working for the court for nothing?

Eight days after the banquet ended, an official from the imperial court arrived at Zhushan City in a carriage drawn by two dragon horses. The wingspan of these dragon horses was longer than that of Wu Fei's horse, and their bodies were also longer, giving them a more dragon-like appearance.

…Cities seized by soldiers using their murderous aura were quickly taken over by the imperial court's laws and regulations…

After the imperial officials arrived in Zhuzhou City, they unfurled the imperial banners in the government office, and the previously chaotic atmosphere in the city stabilized.

The market began to fill with people, the mules and horses moving nimbly. Shop partitions opened, and the footsteps in the dust-covered workshops grew denser. After the blacksmith poured charcoal into the furnace, it burned like a strong man who had just eaten, quickly reaching the smelting temperature. Meanwhile, the black crows that had been perched on the eaves of the city government building took flight in fright, the government office regaining its imposing presence. And the city well gushed forth clear spring water.

Such phenomena are like a restart; the imperial officials merely erected a large banner in front of their residences, yet it seemed as if this banner was the key to activating the city.

For the main camp stationed outside the city, the restoration of the city's solemn and dignified appearance created a sense of repulsion among the troops. Ordinary soldiers felt as if every brick of the city wall was unwelcoming. The city gate, guarded by officials, was like a "gate of life and death"—peddlers and laborers could enter, but soldiers were forbidden.

For military families like Wu Fei, who have committed numerous atrocities in Leizhou and Zhuzhou, leading to widespread public resentment, the cities feel like a mountain pressing down on them, making it extremely difficult to transfer the malevolent energy.

…returning to the main camp…

After putting on his specially made puppetry armor, Wu Fei lifted a 20-pound stone lock, threw it into the air, and let it spin 360 degrees in mid-air at a height of three meters before falling down and being steadily held in place.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the city and trying again, Wu Fei confirmed that his strength had not diminished, but he felt as if he were exerting force in water. Any large movements were filled with a sense of stagnation, and during the "nimble parry," the range of the force generated by the weapon and armor was smaller. He could no longer deflect swords and spears with a powerful jolt as he could on the battlefield. Therefore, he had strength but no defense.

Wu Fei suddenly understood the story told by Da Yao, about how the court's civil officials devised a plan to lure the arrogant military officer into the city, then presented a document detailing the "Ten Great Crimes," drew the Emperor's sword, and executed the officer on the spot.

A well-fed and unprepared military general, without armor or a suitable weapon, was accused of a "major crime" in a document and then subjected to suppression by the Legalists using their power. Wasn't he just a flesh-and-blood body with slightly greater strength?

Back with the army, Wu Fei perused the maps recording the customs and geography of Zhuzhou. These maps were obtained from the government treasury through江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people from the martial arts world). The maps showed that the yin and yang symbols representing mountains, rivers, and cities were flowing and converging, with the final point of convergence being the Prefectural Governor's Mansion in Zhuzhou City.

The "divination" reveals that the earth's energy, like blood flowing, converges towards this central point. —This land is alive, and the prefecture is a "sea of ​​energy," a vital energy point. It can be used to apply "bans" to military and Taoist practitioners.

After taking office, the new official of Zhuzhou City used the "local energy and human vitality" of the entire prefecture to "invite" the Wu family army to leave the prefecture.

Three hours later.

Wu Hanluan returned to the camp with a forced smile, and none of his entourage dared to utter a word. Clearly, Wu Hanluan was very displeased with the behavior of this new official sent by the imperial court.

Wu Fei: Yes, in principle, when asking the pacification army to leave, we should at least give them a token of respect, such as a hundred or so pigs and sheep, and a few dozen jars of wine. That would be enough to save face. But to kick them out as soon as they enter the city? That's just too unfair, treating the army like toilet paper.

The prefect can still mobilize the divination power of the entire prefecture to maintain peace. Isn't that all thanks to the army that quelled the rebellion? If—if—the Wu family army left any bandits in the area, blocking the mountain passes leading to and from Zhuzhou, the prefect's efforts to maintain peace would be like having a blocked nose—unable to breathe.

The bandits were not afraid of this suppression, because it was a "rebellion" that drove the people's spirits to clash with the government, which already disrupted peace and order, causing chaos in the divination, and leaving the local officials with no "peace and order" to restore.

If we compare a prefecture to a living creature, then poor governance and the emergence of bandits are like tumors growing on its body. The imperial court's mobilization of the Wu family army to suppress the bandits is like a scalpel cutting away the tumor, restoring balance to the area.

When Wu Fei saw the mysterious smile on the face of the Taoist priest beside Wu Hanluan, he couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.

Wu Fei thought for a moment and put himself in the position of that court official: At this moment, the Wu family army was blocking the official road outside Zhuzhou City. Wasn't it like a scalpel left in the "patient's" body after the operation was completed?
This governor wanted to restore the local people's livelihood and implement education, so he must have been unhappy with the arrogant army in the state.

Wu Fei saw Wu Hengyu again. He was now staring towards Zhushan City with a murderous intent in his eyes. If this were truly a chaotic world, he would have immediately killed this official. Even with his superhuman strength, capable of lifting a cauldron, suppressed, he could still use his three-foot sword to take the dog's head.

After entering the camp, Wu Hengyu's horse kicked up dust with its hind hooves towards the city.

Wu Fei shook his head: "Being suppressed is bound to make people unhappy. But the Wu family army can't rebel, so..."

Just as Wu Fei was shaking his head, Wu Hengyu seemed to see him and rode over.

This was the first time the two had faced each other since Wu Hengyu established his camp independently. Sitting atop his black steed, Wu Hengyu looked down at Xuan Chong with a condescending tone, "Yuan Chang, you've been making a fortune lately." The steed seemed to sense its master's tone, and puffed out a puff of white smoke from its snort, spraying Xuan Chong's face. Of course, Wu Hengyu immediately pulled the steed's head to stop it.

Wu Fei nodded with his head held high from below his horse: "Yes, not as imposing as you."

Wu Hengyu stared at Wu Fei: "But there is a lot of resentment among the locals towards you."

Wu Fei stared at his waist: "You're not going to draw your sword and put it to my neck?"

Wu Hengyu paused slightly: "You are, so I'll pretend I don't dare!"

Wu Fei looked at him for a while, then conceded and said, "Oh, elder brother, you're right, but please allow me to speak to Father Commander first."

Wu Hengyu paused, seemingly unsure why Wu Fei had backed down so quickly.

But seemingly realizing he had gone too far, he lifted Wu Fei onto his horse and headed towards the main camp. ...Under these circumstances, internal conflicts within the Wu family army were possible, but overall unity was crucial...

Upon hearing that Wu Hengyu and Wu Fei had arrived at the same time, Wu Hanluan put down his book and sat upright in the camp.

Wu Hanluan glanced at Wu Fei: "I was just looking for you guys."

Actually, he wanted to find Wu Fei. Wu Hengyu had been by his side with a sword, protecting him these past few days. If he had anything to say, he would have said it already.

In the tent, Wu Hanluan announced the preparation for withdrawal. He then looked up at Wu Fei, seemingly waiting for the "withdrawal plan." In the past few days, Wu Hanluan knew that when it came to "ingenious ideas," even Wu Hengyu and several others combined couldn't match Wu Fei's.

Wu Fei, on the other hand, was looking at Wu Hengyu.

Wu Hengyu stared wide-eyed at Wu Fei: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Wu Fei asked, "Brother, what have you heard about me lately?"

Wu Hengyu frowned, because there were some things he had heard that were difficult to say.

Wu Hanluan smiled slightly and said slowly, "Judging from the source, you are aware of your recent reputation."

Wu Fei slowly said, "The key is my brother's attitude towards these rumors. Those gossips weren't directed at me; I've never heard a single accusation from him to his face. And when people say things, they must have something in mind!"

Wu Hengyu: "If the two brothers are not to be at odds with each other, then I will break this oath—"

Wu Fei quickly stopped him: "No, no, no, we mustn't do this recklessly. We're brothers, how can we let money and fame cause us to fall out?"

Then, Wu Fei took the map and said, "The court is not giving us any rewards and is just telling us to get lost. This is probably a warning to us. In my opinion, let the court warn us. We should just stay out of these messes in the future."

However, since you, Uncle, don't want to be played like this by the court, we must settle things with them properly.

Wu Hanluan's current request for rewards from the court is simple: two more noble titles! After all, he has accumulated enough military merits over the years. However, the emperor's attitude towards the court is unknown, while the Confucian scholars immediately rejected this request.

Wu Fei: "The imperial court ordered us to evacuate, and we have to evacuate, but we can't evacuate for nothing. We have to leave something behind."

Wu Fei pondered for a moment and then decided, "The prefectural capital of a city is absolutely off-limits; it's the 'lifeline' of the imperial court's control over the region. Therefore, we must stay away from it. But these few towns!"

Wu Fei placed his finger on the points on the silk map that showed the flowing water lines. These fortified villages were all fertile lands where rivers converged. They were usually fertile places for trade.

Wu Hengyu said impatiently, "These lands are all owned. You've been forcing us to buy and sell them all these days, but in the end, when my army withdraws, you'll have nothing left."

Wu Fei glanced at Wu Hanluan, who understood. He then went out and called for soldiers to guard outside the tent, forbidding anyone from approaching within twenty paces. He then went into the tent and spoke to his nephews and nieces.

Wu Fei: "I didn't buy this land for my soldiers."

At this point, Wu Fei looked at Wu Hengyu.

Wu Hengyu frowned: "Just say what you have to say."

Wu Fei: "Brother, do you know why those people praise you and why they curse me?"

Wu Fei knew he couldn't delay any longer, so he quickly gave his answer: "Because I seized the wealth of the people here, and you are brave and generous, they entrusted you with the task of getting rid of me, the thief. Now, all the wealth I took and the land deeds that were forcibly sold can be handed over to you at any time, and I can also set off and leave first at any time."

But may I ask you, elder brother, how do you intend to distribute this wealth?"

When Wu Hengyu was asked the right question, he was suddenly stunned. He realized that everything Wu Fei had done was to pave the way for him, and that he had only disliked Wu Fei and wanted him to stop taking what others had. He hadn't thought about dealing with the valuables.

Wu Fei: "Brother, when you led the charge in this battle, did you have any close followers who went into battle with you? Are the soldiers' homes well-fed? Are their crops plentiful? And those who died fighting alongside you, are their wives, daughters, and parents being properly cared for?"

The sage said, "The virtue of a gentleman is like a precious jade. You happen to possess this precious jade at this moment. If you drive me away tomorrow, you will be giving an explanation to the local sages. And by distributing your wealth to those who have gathered here to uphold righteousness, you will be spreading benevolence and righteousness throughout the land."

Narrator: As for whether Wu Hengyu will be criticized for not distributing the wealth to the affected gentry, no. The local powerful families have already invested a considerable amount of money in Wu Hengyu. The core assets of this investment are his bravery and reputation, and all this appreciation is not solely Wu Hengyu's responsibility. Rather, it is guided by the development of the "Hengyu Group."

Wu Hengyu's distribution of money to the local people who followed him was a way to build his reputation, essentially using the funds to increase the value of his own stock. If the local tycoons were to fall out over this, not only would they not be able to get their money back, but they would also lose their original shares.

Wu Hanluan watched Wu Fei teach Wu Hengyu. He picked up the teapot in front of him and poured himself a cup. The future of the family could be entrusted to the younger generation.

…Let's rewind to the time when we used teaching aids as streetlights…

It is worth mentioning that a few days ago, Xuan Chong spent an entire night perfecting the Blood Reward Formula, the first half of which was specifically calculated for Wu Hengyu to recruit disciples in Zhuzhou.

Wu Hengyu's army was motivated by a very simple method: rewards and land grants. This was the model used by the Wei Wuzu (Wei elite infantry). The Wei Wuzu were unparalleled in their elite status, but their weakness lay in their limited effectiveness within a generation. Later on, when land could no longer be granted, their combat strength naturally declined.

However, the Wu family never intended to establish a permanent foothold in these two states. Wu Hengyu's army was a venture capital investment, and it could only fight for one generation. So be it! Anyway, it wasn't the Wu family's hometown. If the two states became incompetent after one generation, the Wu family wouldn't have to worry about it.

As for the Wu family army, Wu Fei had built it up according to a different reward and punishment system. That was Xuan Chong's own backup plan.

…Back to the present…

After understanding, Wu Hengyu slightly moved away from the table and bowed to Wu Fei.

Wu Fei: "Big Brother."

Wu Hengyu, standing at two meters tall, directly supported Wu Fei: "Brother Fei, I was being unreasonable in criticizing you before."

Wu Fei: "We're brothers, what's the difference between us?"

(End of this chapter)