After reading the imperial edict on Ba Wu's behalf, the steward bowed and left.
The moment he left, Ren Ye turned to Fenglin and said sarcastically, "You said news would come from the south, and it really did. Having a strategist who can predict things so accurately makes it hard for me to eat or sleep. To prevent a tragedy like Wu Shuai's, I hereby permit you to hand over four million Star Source as a show of loyalty."
Already accustomed to his way of speaking, Fenglin smiled faintly. "This old man couldn't even truss a chicken. How could I compare to Wu Shuai? Rest easy, my lord. Those four million Star Source will eventually run out, but the gift Fenglin intends to give you will benefit your children and grandchildren too."
When it came to eloquence and selling dreams, Fenglin had never been outmatched. Even facing Ren Ye, the king of empty promises, he could aggressively climb the ranks without paying a penny.
Ren Ye walked a circuit of the room with his hands behind his back, then asked softly, "So, should we go?"
"Can we refuse?" Fenglin replied.
"Sure. The emperor doesn't know Er Leng and Old Liu have delivered the antidote to Qingliang Prefecture," Ren Ye said, looking at him. "If I use that as an excuse and say I need to return to Qingliang Prefecture to handle the plague first, he probably won't make things difficult. Once we're home with the doors shut, what can he do to me?"
"You're afraid you'll go to the Capital, fail to accomplish anything, and have the emperor extort a copy of Earth Dragon Six Jia from you instead?" Fenglin saw straight through his concern.
"How could I not be? Wu Shuai called him big brother for half his life,