20

"I didn't had intended to make an appearance initially, preferring to come and go quietly. But you've stirred up quite a bit of trouble for me, even managing to scare him." Yang Chen gestured towards Zhou Di, "I'm rather displeased about it, and as you know, when I'm unhappy, I tend to spread that unhappy to other persons. So your Great General arrives, you can expect to face the consequences."

Pang Dehai was shocked and infuriated, pointing a finger at Yang Chen, wishing he could kill this brat. But he could do more than just stand at attention there obediently, waiting for his Great General. He glared at that bastard with resentment in his eyes, still seated and disassembling the gun. Meanwhile, Zhou Di watched the scene unfold, unable to suppress a chuckle. Deep inside, he immensely admired Yang Chen, feeling fortunate and proud to have earned Yang Chen's affection. Unable to resist, he sneakily reached out and touched Yang Chen's waist, eliciting a smile from Yang Chen, who savored the moment.

The door crashed open with a forceful kick, jolting Zhou Di, who quickly retracted his hand from Yang Chen's waist. Soon after, Yang Chen's voice cut through the tension:

"Uncle Chen, couldn't you have made a louder entrance to startle us?"

Chen Yufeng entered briskly, ignoring Yang Chen completely. He swiftly raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across Pang Dehai's face, scolding him fiercely:

"You've really disgraced me utterly. Two people died and all of the guns were taken by him on our own turf. Do you understand that this is our territory?" Then his gazed turned to Yang Chen, his tone venomous, "If you fuck dare to breathe a word of his to anyone, I ... , damn it, what a damn bastard you are! I will fuck kill him."

He pointed at Zhou Di.

"snap!" Yang Chen's fist slammed onto the table, his voice thunderous:

"If you even think of laying a finger on him, I'll wipe out your entire damn family."

Chen Yufeng pointed sternly at Pang Dehai and commanded:

"Get lost!"

Pang Dehai hesitated briefly, then pleaded with clasped hands, whispering to Yang Chen:

"Young Marshal, pistol, please! Please give me one."

Chen Yufeng scolded angrily:

"Get lost! Don't irritate me. Chen, let him also go out."

He gestured for Zhou Di to leave as well. Yang Chen intervened, suggesting:

"It is best for us to leave here. He has nowhere to stay if he goes out. He is unfamiliar with this city. Don't scare him with your soldiers."

Chen Yufeng questioned Yang Chen's protectiveness, asking:

"Who is this kid to you? Why are you defending him so fiercely? Okay, forget it. Let's all move to my mansion. How can a Young Marshal reside in such a run-down hotel and share a room with others?"

"No, I don't want to go. How do you know I only have one room? Zhou Di, you stay here and just do as you please. I'll call you for dinner. And if you need any help, Zaihua stays outside."

With that said, he cast a flirtatious smile at Zhou Di before leading Chen Yufeng to another room adjacent to this room. Once Yang Zaihua had arranged the tea set and departed, Chen Yufeng inquired:

"Who is that kid? You seem to hold him in high regard."

Yang Chen chuckled, replying

"You say I treasure him, well, he is like my baby."

"Be serious!"

Yang Chen smiled and said:

"Okay, be serious! You know I have a passion for antiques. This kid has some talent, so I want him to help me in dealing with antiques and making some money. "

"Do you still need money? You have occupied the best and most prosperous land."

"You know what kind of person I am. Now it is so peaceful. I tend to stir up trouble when I am idle. Besides, maintaining an army es expensive. Even the most prosperous place can't sustain such expenses without income. I think you understand this too. Aren't you also doing business to make money? Your son's business has expanded into our territory." 

Chen Yufeng gave him a blank look before changing the subject:

"How long do you have been here? What brings you to this place?"

"We have been here for about a week. As you know, next year is my father's sixtieth birthday so I wanted to give him a surprise. I come here to search for some stone materials. Mr. Zhou is good at carving so I brought him along to help me find the best stone. I truly have no other intention. In fact, I had planned to come and go quietly, even disguising myself and changing my appearance. Unexpectedly, your men attempted to rob me of my stone and even fired shots at me. So I had no choice but to defend myself and eliminate the threat. I really didn't want to cause any embarrassment for you. It wasn't my fault. But how did you train your soldiers? Resorting to violence to conduct business and behaving like tyrants here. Besides, why are your soldiers so poorly trained that they can't even shoot accurately? It is surprising to learn that the dead person was an adjutant. Now I understand why you were defeated by me."

Chen Yufeng retorted fiercely:

"You're fucking talking nonsense, I won."

Yang Chen admitted:

"Yes, you did win. I managed to reduce your army of 50,000 soldiers by 30,000 with my 10,000 soldiers."

Chen Yufeng, filled with hatred, argued:

"In the end, didn't you retreat? So who's the real victor here, you or me?"

Yang Chen conceded:

"Yes, you're right. You won."

"Your father is a monster and you're more than him." Chen Yufeng spat out angrily. He then softened his tone and said, "Go back and train your soldiers properly. We might be heading towards war."

Yang Chen asked:

"Why? Do you want to engage in conflict with us again? We have done nothing against you for the past few years, causing no trouble for your Grand Marshal."

Chen Yufeng gave him a disdainful look and replied:

"Keep a close watch on your shores. Don't allow the Wasoku people slaughter you from the sea."

Pretending surprise, Yang Chen asked again:

"What's going on? Please explain it to me."

Chen Yufeng began to elucidate: 

"The king of Wasoku is sick but the government didn't have made a formal announcement. Currently, their regent, Takayasuo, is clandestinely managing state affairs. I think you know something about Takayasuo, who is an ambitious person, aiming to establish a foothold on this continent. That was evident twenty years ago when they obliterated the Kawa Dynasty. Their ultimate goal is to seize control of our country amidst the chaos of our internal conflicts. However, the people in this dynasty have proven challenging to control, constantly rebelling against Wasoku. This has kept them occupied, allowing us time to solidify our position. Additionally, before the current king of Wasoku fell ill, he was focused on efficient governance and centralizing power, sidelining Takayasuo. This resulted in over a decade of peace between Midland and Wasoku. And Wasoku also spent this ten years quelling resistance within the Kawa Dynasty. But now, with Takayasuo resurfacing in the political arena, he has issued a series of decrees clearly hinting at renewed hostilities, possibly leading to the war." He continued, "If it comes to that, it's obvious which countries will be involved in this war. Maybe Wasoku will attack you from the sea or maybe invade us from the land, or perhaps both simultaneously. They have this capability to launch dual attacks. Actually I am pleased that you come here now so we can have time to discuss this. Yes, we've fought and shed blood in the past, but we are all part of one country after all. This is our homeland. If the external enemies are coming, we have to set aside our differences and unite to defend ourselves against them. Do you understand what I mean?"

Yang Chen inquired further:

"Is this your personal stance or does it align with Grand Marshal Chen's?"

Chen Yufeng asserted firmly:

"Actually I'm still uncertain about my elder brother's perspective on this matter. But one thing I know for sure is that he will fight against Wasodu to the death if Wasodu dare to attack."

Yang Chen probed:

"My concern is what you will plan to do if we come under attack. Will you simply observe from a safe distance while we engage with Wasoku?"

Chen Yufeng vowed resolutely:

"I've already told you, I'm unsure of my elder brother's stance on this issue. However, personally, rest assured, I won't stand idle. If I can't assist you in public, I will do it secretly. I will never allow Wasoku to seize control of our country without a fight. Don't worry! You have my word."

Yang Chen replied earnestly:

"Great General, I trust your assurances and here I give you the same promise."

Chen Yufeng felt a sense of relief but he still raised another concern:

"What about the Liao family in the south? Is it possible for you to pull them into this?"

"I believe it's common knowledge that once Wasoku attacks our country, no one can remain aloof from from this war. The principles of mutural benefit and collective security are well-known. If we were to fall, could they truly expect to live in peace? That's wishful thinking. Does Grand Marshal Chen know about the Wasoku situation?"

"Yes, we have discussed this."

"Is he deliberating whether to help us or not?"

"No, it is not a matter of hesitation, just some concerns which I'm not privy to. He didn't have disclosed anything to me, but I have a feeling that he's withholding something."

"I don't think it is appropriate for you to divulge this to me."

"There is nothing inappropriate about it. The reason that I tell you the truth is that I hope you have common consensus with me. After all, it is you and I who will be commanding on the battlefield."

"Okay, I'm willing to cooperate with you."

Chen Yufeng remarked: 

"Don't deceive me. You're someone who always plays by your own rules. To be honest, sometimes I find it hard to trust you. At such a young age, you've already learned many tricks."

"My tricks are only aimed to my enemies, not to my allies. So I only employ tricks again our enemies."

Chen Yufeng gave Yang Chen a blank look once again and asked:

"What kind of pistol did Pang Dehai talk about? Show me."

Yang Chen took out his pistol and gave it to him. Chen Yufeng examined it closely, even aiming it, commenting:

"Good pistol! We don't have the pistol like this in our territory."

"Of course you don't have. Our generals and higher-ups have access to this type of pistol under their name. My younger brother purchased one from Ferceland so we started manufacturing them in our military factories."

Chen Yufeng nodded:

"Okay, this one is mine."

"No, you can't have mine. I'm accustomed to it. Zaihua, come in!" Yang Zaihua entered the room and Yang Chen asked him, "What is Zhou Di doing now?"

"He's examining his stone and sketching some designs."

"Give your pistol to the Great General."

Yang Zaihua protested:

"But I only have one, Young Marshal."

Yang Chen turned to Chen Yufeng:

"Look, Uncle Chen, give your pistol to my adjutant."

Chen Yufeng countered:

"I'll have my adjutant give his pistol to yours."

"No, it is unreasonable. Your soldier robbed my stones and now you're trying to rob my adjutant's pistol. I came here only to purchase a stone secretly but I've suffered such a loss. As my uncle, you can't ignore this.

"No, that's unreasonable. Your soldier robbed my stones, and now you're attempting to take my adjutant's pistol. I came here only to purchase a stone discreetly, but I've suffered such a loss. As my uncle, you can't ignore this. You have to compensate me properly.

You have to compensate me properly. Furthermore, it was you who took my adjutant's pistol, not your adjutant did it. How can you expect your adjutant to hand over his pistol to mine?"

Yang Chen spoke so quickly in a hushed tone, leaving Chen Yufeng momentarily bewildered, not understanding what he was saying. He stared at Yang Chen blankly and asked:

"What are you talking about? Are you trying to trip me up with tongue twisters?"

Yang Chen sighed and said:

"I won't argue with you, my old man. Let's just consider it for the sake of your nephew."

With that, he approached Chen Yufeng and took his pistol, handing it to Yang Zaihua, and he then handed Yang Zaihua's pistol, along with the holster, to Chen Yufeng, saying:

"This is what I meant. Your holster, please!"

Chen Yufeng cursed angrily:

"You bastard! You're robbing me in public. That's a fine pistol, my favorite."

"His pistol is also a good pistol. Besides, I've heard that it is very often for you to change your affections so you can do it once more. Holster!"

With that, Yang Chen gestured, and Chen Yufeng, fuming, removed the holster from his waist angrily and slapped it into Yang Chen's hand. Yang Chen then passed it to Yang Zaihua, who took it gleefully, thinking: Yes, my pistol is good but I'll get another one from the Young Marshal. General Chen's pistol is definitely one of the best, not just for its functionality but also for its reputation and craftsmanship. It is a high-quality Walter pistol that General Chen spent a lot of money to replicate. Wonderful! Thank you, my Young Marshal who understands my passion for collecting pistols.

Chen Yufeng said angrily:

"Guy, take good care of my pistol. When I get the chance, I will definitely take it back from your Young Marshal." Then he turned to Yang Chen, seething, "You little bastard, when do you plan to leave? Get out of our Tongliao and don't let me see you again."

"In Two days. But, uncle, I am your junior. Now I am in your place. Being an uncle, you should take care of me. Please, uncle, show some hospitality as a host. We're still hungry so when will you invite us for dinner? If not, it won't be good for your reputation."

Chen Yufeng gritted his teeth and said:

"Fine. I do invite you for dinner. A table of feast, Okay? My Young Marshal."

"Don't need a table of feast. I don't want people to say that I've swindled General Chen. As your junior, I must have my own sense of being a junior. Just some home-cooked dishes for us but with two extra meat dishes because someone here enjoys meat. Zaihua, tell Zhou Di that Uncle Chen has invited us for dinner."

Two days later, when Chen Yufeng learned that Yang Chen and his staff had indeed boarded the train, he felt a mix of relief and disappointment. He was glad that this rascal hadn't spent a penny during the past two days, all expenses were on him. Now that this robber was finally leaving, he couldn't help but mutter to himself disappointedly:

"Why don't I have a son like this bastard?"