Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 17

“This person is…?” Liu Daojian quickly asked.

“Oh, this is Chu Qingqing of the Yangdi Chu family,” Cheng Jinyang introduced her, glaring at Miss Qingqing with a hint of annoyance. “She’s traveling with the team to observe the situation of the refugees in Jingkou.”

The Yangdi Chu family, a fourth-grade noble family… Liu Daojian took a deep breath and immediately put on a smile, saying, “Miss Qingqing is right, but the strange creatures with sharp claws are indeed difficult to capture, so we can only use the puppets for practical training.”

“Are the creatures with sharp claws really that hard to capture?” Miss Qingqing asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Cheng Huaiyan explained from the side. “These creatures move faster than the human limit, making them very hard to catch.”

“Ahem,” Cheng Jinyang coughed a few times, signaling to her, “that’s enough,” so Miss Qingqing just smiled and stopped talking.

“Huaiyan, what do you think?” Cheng Jinyang turned to ask.

To save Liu Daojian some face, he could only ask Cheng Huaiyan. Otherwise, if he asked Li Qingwan or Chu Qingqing, the answer would be the same: “What? Without thousands of puppets, what’s the difficulty in killing them?”

“They are well-trained,” Cheng Huaiyan said.

“Compared to the Tianluo?” Cheng Jinyang asked again.

“Relying only on memorized tactics, it’s not enough,” Cheng Huaiyan replied.

Hearing this, Liu Daojian blushed a little.

Indeed, the formations and tactics of his men were all optimized through practice and rote memorization, which is why they could perform with perfect coordination without any injuries.

“Is there room for improvement?” Cheng Jinyang asked again.

“Plenty,” Cheng Huaiyan responded.

“Ahem, then I’ll leave my brothers in your hands, sir,” Liu Daojian immediately took the cue and submissively handed over his command.

After some time, an initial assessment report of Cheng Yuexian’s assets came out.

Cheng Jinyang took a closer look. Wow, turns out you guys have been in dire straits for a while!

All the food was staple grains, with very little fruit or meat. They had been eating rice and salted fish for two months. There were plenty of guns and bullets, but medical supplies were severely lacking. Tactical backpacks, helmets, and armor were almost nonexistent, only provided to minor leaders.

Even more outrageous, they had been owing their entire staff nearly half a year’s salary… If not for providing food and shelter, and the fact that these northern refugees were tough, there would have been a rebellion long ago.

No wonder they were so eager to seek refuge with me. I thought it was my sheer presence and overwhelming charisma that made them submit!

Liu Daojian awkwardly smiled but said nothing. The northern refugees needed supplies from the Shendu Cheng family, and the Sima needed their manpower to fight.

Their interests aligned, so there was no worry about the Sima turning against them.

Already mentally prepared for the expenses, Cheng Jinyang wasn’t too surprised. On second thought, it’s easier to subdue the impoverished. So, he discussed the funding issues with Cheng Yuexian.

“Alas, to be honest,” Liu Daojian began to vent now that they were on the same side, “Jingkou has plenty of people, and they are the cheapest resource. Our brothers can’t find any profitable work, so we can only collect protection fees nearby or help merchants carry their goods to earn some hard labor money.”

Protection fees = extortion, carrying goods = forced labor, everyone understood. The more they did this, the harder it was for Jingkou’s commercial economy and production activities to recover. But the northern refugees didn’t understand this; they needed to eat and had no other options.

To break this cycle, external capital must be introduced.

“Let’s estimate how much we need first,” Cheng Jinyang said with a headache. “With nearly a thousand people, the required supplies aren’t a small amount. Let’s draft a general list first, and then figure out how to supplement it.”

“The list of needed supplies has already been estimated,” Cui Jinqi said with a smile. “As for funds, the Qinghe Cui family can provide loans.”

“For military equipment, the Yangdi Chu family can supply basic components,” Miss Qingqing added. “Although we don’t collaborate with unfamiliar forces in military industry, I can personally vouch for them.”

“The Longxi Li family has export channels for medical supplies, food, and other biological materials. I can contact my clan,” Li Qingwan agreed.

“For transportation of supplies, we can use the Ground Network,” Xing Yuanzhi said, not to be outdone.

Cheng Jinyang: …….

You guys… I haven’t even started, and you’ve already divided up the tasks? Are you trying to sideline me? Do you want to turn me into a leader who only knows how to say “good” and “not good”?

“Sir,” Liu Daojian immediately complimented, “As the saying goes, a famous general sets up an office, equal to the three highest ranks, strategizing in the command tent and deciding victory from a thousand miles away. Today, I have seen it; your advisory team is indeed the best in the world. Even Xizhuo could not mobilize such resources so easily. Here, it’s just a matter of the young ladies saying a few words.”

“Cough, cough,” Cheng Jinyang cleared his throat. “That’s right. The reason I brought them across the river was to quickly restore your combat strength.”

“Sir, you’re wise,” Liu Daojian smiled.

After settling the Northern refugees’ Yan-Zhao Gang, Cheng Jinyang contacted Chief Clerk Wang Jinglun to inquire about the situation with the Dajiang Gang.

——————

A few hours earlier, Wang Jinglun arrived at the Dajiang Gang and directly introduced himself, asking to see Sun Wuzhong.

Being a direct descendant of the Taiyuan Wang family, Sun Wuzhong didn’t dare to act against him. He courteously invited him in, offered him the seat of honor, and served tea, then indirectly asked if the lord had gone to see the Northern refugees first.

Facing Sun Wuzhong’s probing, Wang Jinglun leisurely replied that he didn’t know, but he and Registrar Xie had departed at the same time. If the Sima did go to inspect them first, then as a local gang in Jingkou, they should reflect on themselves.

Sun Wuzhong anxiously explained that they had just been in a skirmish with the Yan-Zhao Gang outside, resulting in some casualties, so they were busy rescuing the injured and handling the aftermath, hence they couldn’t receive him in time.

Now that Liu Daojian had already pledged allegiance, was it still possible for them to choose to follow?

Wang Jinglun responded that if the Yan-Zhao Gang had indeed pledged allegiance, they would become formal soldiers under Sima.

How could soldiers act against military orders due to personal grudges and attack civilian organizations like them?

Sun Wuzhong was overjoyed and prepared to bow… Hold on, when can we see the lord?

Wang Jinglun, his expression unchanged, said, wait until the Sima finishes inspecting the Yan-Zhao Gang. You wait here.

So, Sun Wuzhong and a group of leaders anxiously waited at the steps, watching Wang Jinglun continue to leisurely drink tea with a calm demeanor, as if he were not on someone else’s turf, but in his own ancestral land.

After an unknown period, the phone finally rang. Wang Jinglun took out his phone, answered with a few “hmms,” then stood up.

“Sir, what’s the news?” As he hung up, Sun Wuzhong and his group rushed forward, nervously asking.

“Prepare yourselves,” Wang Jinglun instructed. “The Sima will bring people over in half an hour.”

“Alright, alright!” Sun Wuzhong immediately called for people to prepare a grand welcome ceremony.

Unlike the Yan-Zhao Gang, which had more people but less money, the Dajiang Gang, being a local gang, had many business connections and their assets were well-circulated, though they didn’t have as many fighters as the Northern refugees, often losing in conflicts.

Hearing that the Sima was about to visit, everyone hurriedly prepared a lavish banquet, generous gifts, and several beautiful women.

When the main guest arrives, they’ll rush forward, use sweet words to “gently” invite Sima in, and quickly make a good impression, so they won’t be bad-mouthed by those Tungusic people, causing the Sima to have a bad impression of us!