The Slender Waist-Chapter 750 - 537: Discussing Military Strategy in Lang Huan

Chapter 750: Chapter 537: Discussing Military Strategy in Lang Huan

Chunyu Yan returned to Yunchuan for the New Year last year.

He left at the beginning of December, and if you count the days, it’s been three months since they last saw each other.

Feng Yun looked at his languid appearance and said to Jiang Yin:

"You go ahead and greet the guests first."

Jiang Yin lowered her eyes, feeling so stifled that it seemed her breath would be taken away.

"Yes, madam."

She didn’t look at Chunyu Yan, not even a glance.

Her hurried footsteps seemed to be avoiding the plague.

Feng Yun smiled, and after he left, she led Chunyu Yan to the second-floor study room.

"You’ve frightened Jiang Ji..."

Chunyu Yan was noncommittal.

The book servant came up to serve tea, and the two were silent.

Chunyu Yan’s eyes were intensely fixed on her until the servant left, only then did he take a sip of tea.

"Business is growing bigger, Changmen is becoming increasingly prosperous, Feng Shi Er, do you have any thoughts on this?"

He was not the kind of person fond of talking seriously.

Especially in front of her.

Whenever they met, if it wasn’t idle chat, it was hooliganism.

Feng Yun looked into his deep eyes and caught a trace of something unusual.

"Princely Heir, where have you come from?"

Chunyu Yan said, "West Capital City."

Feng Yun smiled, "It seems you have heard quite a bit of gossip."

Chunyu Yan sat on the cushioned seat, looking somewhat uncomfortable, took a soft pillow to pad his waist and lazily reclined on the soft chair beside her, sighing comfortably.

"Sitting idle in the study room, not grieving over the spring. The green satin lightly swaying, also carefree."

Feng Yun rested her hand on the table, seeing that he took no notice, she slapped it hard.

"You may not grieve over spring, but I do. Speak up!"

Chunyu Yan gave her a sidelong glance, "Really want to know?"

Feng Yun disliked being emotionally manipulated by others, glanced at him and stood up.

"Princely Heir, enjoy your leisurely stay. I have matters to attend to and will be busy elsewhere."

"Hey—"

Chunyu Yan sat up straight and raised his hand to stop her, and when she turned back, he once again assumed an indifferent expression, lips slightly pursed, voice tinged with a trace of distress, "Can’t you just humor me?"

Feng Yun asked, "Are you three years old, needing someone to coddle you?"

Chunyu Yan beckoned to her, "Then come sit here, I’ll talk to you."

Feng Yun slowly crossed her arms, just lazily watching him.

"Is it that someone in West Capital City is again pressuring Pei Jue to exercise restraint over Changmen?"

Her calm tone, even with a smile, didn’t show the slightest sign of fear.

Chunyu Yan watched her, suddenly feeling an unpleasant mix of emotions, uncertain whether to feel happy or worried.

If Pei Jue and Feng Yun were to have a misunderstanding or grudge due to government orders, it would certainly be a perfect opportunity for him...

It would be best if she, like her handkerchief friend Kong Yun’e, had nowhere to go and could only seek refuge in Yunchuan...

That would be equivalent to seeking refuge in his arms.

But Feng Yun knew about this matter and didn’t show the slightest concern, which made him quite uncomfortable.

"Are you so certain that Pei Jue won’t waver?"

"Of course not," Feng Yun said nonchalantly as she sat down in front of him, gently lifting her sleeve to pour tea, speaking calmly:

"I am well aware of my own weight and measure."

No matter the era, there are the same operational rules.

Qin unified the land and relocated the wealthy elites to Xianyang.

The Western Han Emperor moved powerful families to the Guanzhong region.

From past dynasties to the Emperor of Xifeng, efforts were made to dismantle the strongholds of noble families...

In the end, it was due to the fear of the wealthy having power, harboring ulterior motives, and wanting to centralize power to oneself.

Since the Third Year of Tianshou, Dajin has been at peace for three years.

Without wars, many of the walled fortresses that existed for military service lost their purpose, and from that time on, the Imperial Court began, either overtly or covertly, either forcefully or through persuasion, to reduce nearly seventy to eighty percent of the fortresses across the land.

The remaining were either deeply rooted family forces, unshakable, or secluded in habitation, with deep fortifications in remote and treacherous locations, inconvenient to disturb.

Power, status, and money are inseparable; too much money and too many people inevitably cause envy.

In this era, no matter who holds power or who is Emperor, the thoughts of those at the top are fundamentally the same—suppress the development of merchants, prohibit merchants from participating in politics, and certainly not allow merchants to maintain armed retinues.

Changmen outwardly is just a manor, not claiming the status of a fortress.

And because the true master of Changmen is none other than Feng Yun alone, it can’t even be considered a major noble family.

Therefore, its existence has always been controversial.

Proponents of the New Party argue that fortresses or clans, to prosper and thrive, rely on manpower. Feng Yun alone cannot amount to much, hence, is negligible and unworthy of concern. If the Imperial Court makes a big fuss over a woman, not only would it be laughable, but it would also embarrass the Prince of Yonghuai.

The Old Party faction believes that Feng Yun, having no children, will eventually remarry and start a family, and although Changmen only has Feng Yun, outwardly, aside from business dealings, they’re not too ostentatious. Yet, under her governance, Huaxi has become the most affluent place in Dajin without peer.

What’s even more fearsome is that the people of Huaxi only recognize Changmen and not the Imperial Court. Jieqiu Mountain is shrouded in mystery, and it is rumored that within its carved towers and fortresses lie at least a hundred thousand soldiers. Feng Yun’s Changmen seems to have already evolved into a small Imperial Court...

Moreover, Changmen’s trade networks involve all aspects of the people’s livelihood, spreading like bamboo shoots after a spring rain and penetrating every nook and cranny. Over the years, they have subtly taken control of the economic lifeline, influencing various facets of people’s lives. Her influence has grown so much that it’s enough to sway the Imperial Court’s edicts.

In the past few years of factional infighting, each side has had its wins and losses, and Pei Jue, caught in between, has maintained a delicate balance, neither favoring one nor disparaging the other.

He is not an Emperor, yet he wields the craftiness of an Emperor’s mind masterfully.

The first time the existence of Changmen incited major controversy, it was the New Party that gained the upper hand.

Not only did they not move against Feng Yun, they even decreed rewards and favors upon her.

However, the Old Party, unwilling to accept defeat to the New Party and constrained by Pei Jue’s prestige, dared not voice their objections openly, but privately, every single one of them was hoping for Pei Jue and Feng Yun to part ways, so that they could take a bite out of Changmen.

In fact, from the day she started developing Changmen, Feng Yun had anticipated such an outcome.

Her marital relationship with Pei Jue, in their eyes, bound neither of them, was deeply affectionate, and was indeed comfortably fitting.

But to outsiders, their relationship also appeared quite subtle...

This subtlety has given many people room for imagination...

Just like the Crown Prince of Yunchuan at this very moment.

He hopes, he desires, and he wants...

"Feng Shi Er, with all the history books in this Long Huan Pavilion, is there not one that tells you that the Imperial Court, for the stability of the realm and the unity of power, will never tolerate the rise of other formidable forces?"

There was a moment of silence in the Scripture Pavilion.

Feng Yun: "Thank you for the reminder, Princely Heir."

Chunyu Yan said: "Have you ever wondered how Yunchuan, for so many decades, has managed to thrive, resting by the side of a giant lion and prospering in its corner?"

Feng Yun gave him a sideways glance, her eyes not without a hint of mockery.

"Being popular on all sides, is it really that complicated?"

Chunyu Yan smiled, "One still needs power to be popular on all sides. Both Jin and Qi countries are reluctant to offend Yunchuan because Yunchuan is wealthy, has soldiers, has people, and yet maintains neutrality. Once any country can’t hold back and wants to move against Yunchuan, then Yunchuan will quickly ally with the other side, and the one who raises troops will end up biting off more than they can chew..."

Feng Yun agreed with this point, "A tripod must stand on three legs."

She paused for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"But what if one devours the other first, then turns back to deal with Yunchuan?"

Chunyu Yan’s gaze carried a slight smile.

"Yunchuan won’t let them have their wish. Whoever is weaker, we help them, until the two sides are evenly matched."

Feng Yun thought of the battle of Bingzhou, how Pei Jue was besieged, and the food and fodder Chunyu Yan sent...

She also thought of the standoff at Xinyi, and the supplies Chunyu Yan sent to Nanqi.

This Crown Prince of Yunchuan, truly a cunning fox.

Seeing her silence, Chunyu Yan’s gaze grew more intense.

"Feng Shi Er, if what you seek is not to conquer a realm and become an Emperor, what you currently possess has already reached its zenith. Why not leave this devouring swirl, find a comfortable place, avoid unnecessary troubles, and watch the world with a smile?"

Of course, the most comfortable and leisurely place in the world was Yunchuan.

"Does the Princely Heir wish to persuade me to move my enterprises to Yunchuan? To add to the glory of Yunchuan’s national power?"

Chunyu Yan laughed softly.

What he coveted was certainly not just the industries and wealth of Changmen...

It was the person Feng Yun.

He desired her.

For many years now...

Emotions flowing in his gaze, his eyes were so intense they were difficult to face directly.

One look too many and you felt as if you would melt under his heat.

Feng Yun sighed.

"Have you ever considered a possibility, Princely Heir?"

Chunyu Yan: "What is it?"

Feng Yun slowly leaned back, sitting up straight, her gaze sharp as a knife fixed on him, lips pursed into a straight line, silent for a long stretch, before slowly uttering a sentence.

"What Yunchuan can do, Changmen might also be capable of."

Chunyu Yan’s breath paused abruptly.

Feng Yun’s words, indeed, surprised him.

Yunchuan, no matter how small a vassal state, is still a state.

What is Changmen?

He didn’t know where Feng Yun got the confidence to make such a bold claim. After pondering for quite some time, he finally voiced the doubt within countless people’s hearts.

"Feng Shi Er, just how many soldiers does Jieqiu Mountain have? And how much food and fodder has your Changmen accumulated?"

Feng Yun smiled faintly, not answering.

Some things, once spoken too thoroughly, lose their meaning.

Chunyu Yan’s gaze darkened, "I’m heartbroken again."

Feng Yun saw his tone soften and her expression also softened, looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Heartbroken about what?"

Chunyu Yan stared at her, speaking softly: "Feng Shi Er, you always seem to be in no need of me..."