There were times when Cui Zhi really wanted to report someone to the authorities.
Could they send someone over to arrest Shen Youli for extortion, blackmail, and taking everything she could get? Heh, the Prefectural Yamen was hers.
Cui Zhi secretly calmed the fire churning in his chest.
Though it left him displeased, Shen Tang's words had indeed seized him by the Achilles' heel. The Cui clan was now tied to Kang Country's warship, unable to advance or retreat. His eldest and second sons were connected to her, and his wife's family was also in her camp. Cui Zhi and the Cui clan behind him had no choice but to follow this road to the end and gamble on Shen Youli winning in the end! If she won, the Cui clan would swallow everything and go wherever it pleased under Heaven. If she lost, they would fall into eternal ruin.
Cui Zhi was no gambler. He disliked ethereal, intangible luck.
What he believed in was that man could triumph over Heaven!
All hesitation faded from his eyes, leaving only the confidence of one certain to win.
[Since Lord Shen holds Cui in such high regard, I will certainly give this my all. It's just that...] No matter how outstanding Cui Zhi's personal abilities were, if he wanted to keep the Southwest from falling into chaos, he still needed military authority as the needle that stabilized the sea, as well as the cooperation of the Kang Country Royal Court. Put plainly, if he needed people, he needed to be given people; if he needed money, money; if he needed grain, grain. He would show off his skills in handling matters, and everyone else just needed to stay out of it. And all of that required Shen Youli's trust.
Cui Zhi had