After leaving the tent, Chen Sheng walked straight toward a brightly lit side tent. The two guards before it immediately raised their hands to stop him, their sharp gazes scrutinizing him.
“Chen Sheng of the Sixth Squad has an urgent matter and seeks an audience with Commander Wu. Please pass on the message.” Chen Sheng cupped his fists, his tone courteous.
“Come in directly.”
Before the guards could respond, a powerful voice rang out from within the tent. The two guards did not dare delay and hurriedly lifted the tent flap. A wave of heat mixed with the smell of leather and charcoal rushed toward him.
Chen Sheng stepped inside, his gaze instantly locking onto the man seated at the head. The other man wore a bearskin cloak, his build burly, his face square and his mouth broad. Judging by appearances alone, he did not look like someone greedy for money—but after all, one could not judge a man by his face.
“Your subordinate Chen Sheng greets Commander Wu.”
Wu Kuang was lowering his head as he dealt with documents. Hearing the voice, he lifted his eyes and swept a glance over Chen Sheng before asking casually,
“It’s late. What matter is so urgent that you had to see this commander?”
“Reporting to Commander, this subordinate wishes to contend for the post of deputy commander under your command.” Chen Sheng went straight to the point without the slightest hesitation.
Wu Kuang’s brush paused. He raised his head again and carefully sized Chen Sheng up and down, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint, intrigued smile. “To contend for deputy commander, one must at least have opened the apertures and established the foundation.
“If I remember correctly, you never paid to learn the body-tempering method in the camp, did you?”
“This subordinate studied at a martial hall in my early years and was fortunate enough to open the apertures and establish the foundation some days ago.”
“Putting strength aside for the moment, it’s a pity you’ve come one step too late. This commander has more or less finished negotiating with Wang Yi. Besides, he is very supportive of this commander.”
Wu Kuang’s tone was calm, but he deliberately emphasized the words “more or less finished negotiating” and “supportive.”
More or less finished meant it had not yet been finalized.
Chen Sheng grasped his meaning at once and immediately replied, “My lord, this subordinate can also negotiate. As for my support for you, it will absolutely not be any less than anyone else’s.”
“Heh heh…”
Wu Kuang smiled without speaking, merely looking at him.
Chen Sheng continued, “My lord, everything has its price. May I ask how much Wang Yi offered?”
Wu Kuang originally intended to raise five fingers, but seeing Chen Sheng’s manner, his gesture changed in midair.
“Wang Yi offered seventy taels of ready silver.”
Chen Sheng said no more. He directly took a gold ingot from his sleeve and calmly placed it before Wu Kuang’s desk.
Under the lamplight, the gold ingot shimmered with flowing brilliance. Wu Kuang’s fingertips paused. He picked up the ingot and weighed it in his hand, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes. He truly had not expected that this soldier, who usually kept such a low profile, would be so lavish when he made a move.
Wu Kuang had some impression of Chen Sheng. He was an old soldier who had been forcibly conscripted into the camp. He had endured nearly four months, yet had remained utterly unremarkable all along.
What was strange was that almost everyone who had originally been in the same squad as him had been replaced, yet he alone had survived perfectly well. Because of this, Wu Kuang had once been somewhat curious about him. But after observing him, he felt that this man seemed to have no great ambitions and only hoped for the war to end so he could return home. After that, Wu Kuang stopped paying attention.
He had not expected that he had misjudged him.
Weighing the heavy gold ingot in his hand, Wu Kuang quickly estimated its value—at least the equivalent of ninety taels of silver. It seemed that over these months of suppressing the rebellion, this brat had “saved up” quite a fortune.
Wu Kuang pondered for a moment, then tapped the tabletop with a bent finger and pointed toward a corner of the tent. “See those stone locks? Pick the one you can exert the most strength on and lift it for this commander to see.”
Chen Sheng swept his gaze over them. Stone locks of different sizes were scattered there, and the three-hundred-jin stone lock bore obvious signs of having been moved. He immediately understood that this was Wang Yi’s handiwork.
Without wasting words, he strode straight to the five-hundred-jin stone lock. He bent his legs slightly, leaned down, and reached out. Both arms locked tightly around the handle. Power surged from his waist and abdomen. With a sudden low shout, he actually lifted that enormous stone lock steadily over his head!
His figure was like a pine, standing firmly in place for more than ten breaths, his face neither red nor his breathing labored.
Seeing this, Wu Kuang was finally moved.
Five hundred jin of arm strength!
This was more than just a little stronger than Wang Yi! Moreover, judging by Chen Sheng’s effortless manner, he clearly still had strength to spare.
“Enough. Put it down.” Wu Kuang’s tone had softened considerably.
“Bang!” The stone lock landed steadily on the ground with a muffled thud. Chen Sheng’s breathing remained even as he returned to the front of the desk, his bearing respectful. As for that gold ingot, at some point it had already been put away by Wu Kuang.
“Since you possess such strength, it would indeed be improper for this commander to bury talent…” Wu Kuang stroked his beard and carefully examined Chen Sheng.
“Many thanks for Commander’s cultivation!”
Chen Sheng immediately cupped his fists and bowed.
“Mm. Go back for now. After this commander reports to the Commandant, arrangements will be made.”
“Yes.”
Just then, a rough voice suddenly came from outside the tent.
“Is Brother Wu in the tent? This Huang has a matter to discuss!”
“Commander Huang, please enter,” Wu Kuang called out.
“Commander, then this subordinate shall take his leave first.” Chen Sheng tactfully bowed.
“Go on.”
Chen Sheng turned and left the tent, just happening to come face-to-face with the two men entering. He recognized one of them as Commander Huang from another unit. Beside him followed a sturdy young man who bore a three-tenths resemblance to him.
Their gazes met for an instant. Chen Sheng cupped his fists in salute to Commander Huang, then turned sideways, lifted the flap, and stepped out.
Inside the tent, after Wu Kuang exchanged a few pleasantries with Commander Huang, he went straight to the point.
“Brother Huang, what brings you here so late at night?”
Commander Huang was also a straightforward man and said directly, “Brother Wu, I won’t beat around the bush. Now that the rebellion has ended, the higher-ups have already made arrangements. Some men will be stationed across the various counties, while the rest must be transferred to the border.
“This Huang has no objection to going to the border to fight, but we Huang brothers cannot all go. We have to leave a line of incense for the family. Therefore, I would like to ask Brother Wu to look after my younger brother and let him serve as a deputy commander under you, so that he may be transferred back to the rear with you.”
“Well…” Wu Kuang’s face showed difficulty. “It is not that this Wu is lacking in human feeling, only that the candidates for deputy commander under my command have already been tentatively decided.”
Commander Huang knew Wu Kuang’s character well and did not waste any more words. Without a change in expression, he placed a gold ingot on the desk. “Brother Wu, you have two deputy commander slots under you. You only need to give up one.”
Wu Kuang stared at the gold ingot and remained silent.
“Brother Wu, you must help your brother this time. Commandant Nie is also aware of this matter,” Commander Huang added.
“Using the Commandant to pressure me?” Wu Kuang raised an eyebrow.
“Brother Wu misunderstands. This Huang has absolutely no such intention. It is only that the Commandant is considerate of my family’s circumstances.”
Wu Kuang chuckled softly, rapidly weighing the matter in his heart. He had originally planned to let Wang Yi and Chen Sheng each take one slot, but unexpectedly, Huang Ren had appeared halfway through—and it seemed he had even obtained the Commandant’s tacit approval.
That meant he had no choice but to abandon one person.
Almost instantly, he made his decision.
Who told Wang Yi to offer the lowest price? He, Wu Kuang, had always been a man of principle.
“Very well. Since Brother Huang has spoken, and the Commandant is aware of this matter as well, how can this Wu continue to refuse? Let him stay. Tomorrow, I will report it clearly to the Commandant.” As Wu Kuang spoke, he tucked the gold ingot into his robes.
A smile immediately appeared on Commander Huang’s face. He patted the young man beside him.
“Ah Ren, why haven’t you thanked Commander Wu for his cultivation?”
The young man hurriedly bowed, joy showing on his face. “This subordinate Huang Ren thanks Commander for his cultivation!”
“Just as well.” As if recalling something, Wu Kuang took a small cloth pouch from the side with slight reluctance and tossed it to Huang Ren.
“Since you have taken his vacancy, you can return this silver to a squad leader named Wang Yi of the Sixth Squad. Tell him that this matter is over.”
Greedy for money was one thing, but his principle was this: either he accepted money to get things done, or if he could not get it done, he would not take a single coin.
“Yes! This subordinate understands!”
Huang Ren accepted the money pouch, clearly understanding in his heart whom he had squeezed out.