Chapter 535 - Happenings in the World (V)

Chapter 535: Happenings in the World (V)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Upon seeing the note, Feng Jue’s heart was wild with joy.
Ever since they lost out to Prince Changshou, he and Huang Song had both noticed Prince Changshou’s chief strategist, Yang Si.
Yang Si did not have a renowned reputation. After all, in order to become an official or a person with literary reputation in Dongqing, there were requirements for one’s origin. People like Yang Si naturally belonged to the mediocre class. So, when Prince Changshou recruited talents without overstressing lineage qualifications, Yang Si only then approached him and earned an important position.
It was a pity that Prince Changshou was not a wise master after all. Yang Si was soon left out in the cold, and slighted.
Feng Jue did not expect that Yang Si’s visiting note would appear on Huang Song’s table. This meant that Yang Si had already left Prince Changshou and did not have a current master. If his lord, Huang Song, could recruit Yang Si, he would be in an excellent position, and an even stronger foundation.
Although Diyang District did not experience war, the small district also had its own ‘ecosphere’. The forces between each component were intricate and complicated. Huang Song had really spent quite some effort to completely control all of them and become a veritable district magistrate of Diyang District.
Feng Jue sent some letters to his former classmates as soon as the situation had stabilized. Many responses with good news had already been received.
They had not arrived due to the distance. There were too few talents in Diyang District. How could Feng Jue not be delighted when a real talent like Yang Si came knocking on their door? No one would complain about having too many talents, let alone a talent like Yang Si who was outstanding in a certain field.
Feng Jue calmed himself and hurriedly asked someone to call for Huang Song. He then asked the concierge in detail, “Do you know where the person who sent this visiting note lives?”
Feng Jue glanced at the neat handwriting on the visiting note. It did not look like it was written by Yang Si, who had a peculiar mind.
He pondered and guessed that the visiting note should be written by Yang Si’s attendant on his behalf.
Looking at the visiting note, the concierge was startled. He looked somewhat embarrassed and his eyes kept dodging Feng Jue’s gaze.
Feng Jue frowned and his heart jolted. Realizing that there might be twists and turns in between, he had a vague, but bad, hunch.
He questioned closely with hurried speech. “Wait… was this note sent a few days ago? Or have you disrespected the other party in some way?”
In the face of Feng Jue’s increasingly commanding dignity, how could the concierge withstand it?
He was so scared that he hurriedly waved his hand. He stammered but he could not say anything useful. The more Feng Jue looked at him, the more he felt that things were going very bad. He thumped the table. It was so thunderously loud that the concierge’s heart trembled. He said, “Tell me the truth. Don’t lie!”
The concierge was so frightened that he shuddered from head to toe. He broke into a cold sweat which quickly drenched his back and soaked through.
He closed his eyes and confessed, “This… This visiting note was sent three days ago, but I didn’t disrespect the other party…”
Three days ago?
Feng Jue widened his eyes and glared at the concierge with anger boiling inside him. He clenched his right fist, trying to keep his cool.
“Tell me the details of that day and don’t you miss a word. Otherwise, you know what the consequences will be.” Holding in the raging fury in his heart, he said to the concierge, “Do you know how big of a mistake you’ve made? I hope that you’ll be able to make up for your blunder, otherwise…”
In fact, Feng Jue could make some guesses even if the concierge did not tell him the details.
He had been bored just now, so he flipped the pile of visiting notes over. The note had been placed at the very bottom. However, according to Huang Song’s serious attitude of handling public affairs, he would never pile up papers in such a way. The only possibility was that the concierge had made an arbitrary decision and stuffed the visiting note which should have been placed on top at the very bottom instead.
The concierge knelt on the ground. Had he ever seen Feng Jue speaking gruffly and with such a stern countenance?
In the past, the noble gentleman had always been tame and well-behaved. He always had a somewhat lazy smile on his face and treated people very well. He did not have a haughty manner.
Now, he suddenly showed his imposing side, proving he was the son of an aristocrat. With such a scare, the concierge would spill everything.
Huang Song happened to enter the room sleepily just as Feng Jue finished speaking. Seeing the concierge kneeling on the ground shivering with fear and that Feng Jue was still furious, he said, astounded, “Brother Jue, how big of a mistake has the concierge made to actually make you this flared up? Don’t be angry. I’ll settle it for you.”
Seeing Huang Song’s cheeky grin, Feng Jue suddenly found he could not feel furious even if he had a stomach full of rage.
He threw the visiting note he’d been holding at Huang Song. He said, pointing at the concierge, “See how this slave has ruined such a huge deal.”
Huang Song was surprised. He had known Feng Jue for a long time, but Feng Jue seldom lost his temper.
If he was really enraged, it was not a trivial matter.
Thinking of this, Huang Song hurriedly opened the visiting note. Seeing the name signed on the note, his face twitched.
The culprit who once dragged him down from the position of colonel had actually come and sent a visiting note?
It felt like a dream.
However, Huang Song realized that it was a good opportunity to recruit talent.
Although he had a few talented subordinates, most of them were relatively mediocre. Top talents were still scarce. Feng Jue had already written letters to his classmates and friends, but only a few of them had given him an affirmative reply. Most of the others were taking a wait-and-see attitude.
Among those who were willing to come over, was there anyone who did not come out of respect for Feng Jue and their gratitude towards Huang Song for saving their lives in the earthquake in Dongqing, as well as the favorable reputation which Huang Song had gained in the war in Chenzhou?
Otherwise, why would the aristocrats pay attention to Huang Song just by looking at his origin?
Rather than saying that they looked down upon Huang Song’s origin, it was better to say that Huang Song was not strong enough to make people ignore his origin.
Fortunately, Feng Jue possessed excellent communication skills. He had made countless friends when he was studying at the academy and kept contact with them through letters all year round.
Therefore, Feng Jue could provide Huang Song with some capable talent.
It was a pity that Huang Song was still too weak now. If he was stronger, the number of people who could be convinced would at least double.
Yang Si was the first talent who took the initiative to approach them. This was of great significance.
Huang Song asked the concierge eagerly, “Where’s the person who sent this note?”
The concierge replied with a long face, “All I know is that they’re putting up at a lodging in the city, but I don’t know if they’re still there after three days.”
Three days have passed?
Huang Song suddenly looked at the visiting note. Then, he glanced at the concierge, and Feng Jue who was still angry…
Alright, he could understand why Feng Jue was so furious.
Feng Jue was still good-tempered and had always upheld the reserved bearing of an aristocrat. Had it been Huang Song, he would have kicked the door to pieces to vent his anger.
In fact, he had indeed done that, but he controlled the force of his kick and did not kick him too harshly.
“Lead the way! What are you doing?!”
If they were lucky, Yang Si might not have left out of anger yet, although three days had passed.
He felt that he should be able to keep the talent by putting on a bold front.
However, when they arrived at the lodging in a haste, they found out that Yang Si had left the city at dawn that day.
“Only half a day has passed. We can still go after them!”
Feng Jue held back his urge to vomit blood. The concierge was really not yet tired of putting them in trouble!
Without uttering another word, Huang Song took the reins which were handed to him by his servant, got onto the horse, and prepared to catch up.
Seeing Huang Song’s figure vanish into the distance like dust, Feng Jue felt that he was perhaps having a mental breakdown.
A talent who had knocked on their door was actually turned away just like that?
He felt extremely awful, to the point that he wanted to curse.