"They never expected the Marquis Qin Wu."
"These indentures, I think, will be very helpful to you."
Li Guanyi knew what these meant.
This is the people, the great trend. If given to Wen Lingjun, the most illustrious young strategist in the world, it would be enough to bring all the Seventeen States under Li Guanyi’s command. Li Guanyi looked at Xue Shuangtao, opened his mouth, and then felt his lips moist.
The girl’s three fingers covered Li Guanyi’s lips, her almond eyes watching him, smiling as she said,
"No need to say too many words of thanks."
"These things are useless in the hands of merchants like the Xue Family."
"But in the hands of the Heavenly Strategy General commanding the world’s army, they are immensely useful."
"I, this young lady, went through a lot of trouble to get these things. Those folks were like gluttons with insatiable appetites, agreeing one day and changing their minds the next. At times of frustration, I truly wanted to pull back the bow and shoot them into porcupines!"
When Xue Shuangtao spoke, she bit her teeth, showing that semblance from years ago, and then she kept her manners, putting away the demeanor that Xue Changqing called a tigress. The girl withdrew her fingers and said, "But fortunately, I got them back."
"Though a bit late, happy birthday."
Xue Shuangtao smiled,
"Though it might not be nice to say it this way, I hope you like my gift."
"Changfeng Building, I certainly won’t leave it unattended."
"I also have things I want to do myself, but I think what we’re doing might be similar. I hope that when there’s no longer a need for Changfeng Building to exist, I will let them go."
The girl smiled brightly, "Do you kind of gift?"
Li Guanyi grasped the letter, stepped forward, and gave the girl a strong hug, saying, "You deeply understand my heart!!!" The youth’s eyes were bright, "Shuangtao, I have some matters to attend to, and I will come to find you later."
He turned and walked away in large strides; he had to seek Wen Lingjun, Wen He.
He had to find Feng Xiao, the giant.
Upon seeing these things, thoughts of how to rescue people, how to save more people, silver and supplies, protecting these people’s army came rushing forth.
These matters were so grand, so weighty, like a blazing flame.
They occupied Li Guanyi’s attention.
In front of him was the world, and he had to rescue these people, just missing one step. Such things occupied his attention like fire, and after saying goodbye to the girl, he even ran madly away.
Xue Shuangtao’s cheeks were slightly red, watching Li Guanyi stride off into the distance, she said,
"Just as grandpa said, at this moment, in his eyes, family and the country take precedence above all... Seeing these indentures, his heart is probably entirely preoccupied with how to take these people away."
"Truly disappointing, even though I collected these things with such effort and transported them personally to Central State City, shouldn’t you be extremely grateful to this young lady? And say some nice words to me?"
"But, if you really..."
Xue Shuangtao lifted her head, gazing at the ginkgo tree in this courtyard, and softly said,
"If you really, had no eyes for these people and indentures, but only had eyes for me, that would be the true disappointment..."
She hesitated, noticed no one around, then gingerly lifted her fingers. Those three fingers had earlier blocked the youth’s lips.
Were it only youthful romance, such might have been a source of endless entanglement. But at this moment, Xue Shuangtao suddenly smiled, with a free yet slightly heroic air, raised the three fingers and lightly placed them on her own lips.
Looking back while leaning against the door, lowering her eyes, her cheeks were slightly red.
Such demeanor, such small joys and thoughts of a young girl.
Yet no one could see.
Li Guanyi went to gather his three strategists to discuss these matters, and the four of them talked almost sleeplessly through the night, revising their previous plans.
Wen Lingjun’s gaze almost seemed to brighten.
Li Guanyi said, "How about it, Lingjun, what are the odds?!"
"Is it ninety-six percent, or ten percent?"
Wen Lingjun shook his head and said,
"Ten percent? No, with these, there’s no need to gamble at all."
This gentleman of gentle demeanor hesitated slightly, then smiled and said,
"However, the opportunity is rare. My Lord, do you want to make it big?"
Wen Lingjun, the number one in the grand trend, was like being in a game of chess, where, once he seizes the advantage, he would, like a rolling stone cascade, make the trend more and more overwhelming.
Until finally, it converges into a vast and immense aura, which cannot be stopped.
Li Guanyi asked Wen Lingjun how much confidence there would be if they were to do something bigger.
Wen Lingjun said unhurriedly, "If my Lord could give me these indentures to use, and allocate three million taels of silver coins, ninety percent."
Li Guanyi said, "Still ninety percent?"
Wen Lingjun said unhurriedly, "To say eighty percent would belittle you and me; to say ten percent would belittle the world. A gentleman should be realistic but also humble, therefore saying ninety percent."
Li Guanyi laughed heartily, pointing at him, "Arrogant!"
Thereafter he rose, saluting with folded hands, "I’ll leave everything in your capable hands, sir."
Wen Lingjun was taken aback. He initially thought that handing over so many indentures to him would at least require Wen He’s presence, but he didn’t expect Li Guanyi to trust him so much. Hence, he maintained a calm demeanor, rose, saluted with folded hands, and said gently, "I shall not betray the General’s trust."
Calling him General instead of Marquis was already an implicit indication.
Wen He said, "So, where did my Lord obtain these things?"