"Commander Du, you jest." Faced with Du Fuwei's provocative tone, Daniel Davis replied in a low voice. The reputation of a person, like the shadow of a tree, was something to be reckoned with. Although Du Fuwei's Jianghuai Army was not highly regarded by many major factions, no one could deny that Du Fuwei's current influence was formidable. Most importantly, his exceptional martial arts skills made Daniel Davis, who currently lacked strong allies, deeply wary of him.
"This is no joke. I remember Li Mi has already made his move against Zhai Rang. Didn't I already inform you about this, Strategist Daniel? Why haven't you notified Li Mi that his supposedly secret conspiracy has been exposed, so he can act against Zhai Rang in advance?"
Just as Du Fuwei was about to speak, a voice from the second floor interrupted him. The sudden appearance was, of course, Daniel Davis. Xiang Yushan and his father, Xiang Gui, were here, and this was a rare opportunity.
"Brother Daniel!" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, seeing Daniel Davis descending the stairs from the second floor, exchanged glances before calling out to him with delighted expressions.
"Calling me so affectionately—are you hoping I'll save you?"
For Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, whether it was Daniel Davis, Du Fuwei, the Pengliang Society, or the Baling Gang, all of them harbored ill intentions toward them. Only Daniel Davis, whom they had met before, did not seem to hold any malice toward them. After all, their greatest asset, the Yang Gong's Treasure, was already in his possession.
"Brother Daniel, you're joking. It's just that not seeing you for a day feels like three winters have passed," Kou Zhong said with a smile, greeting Daniel Davis.
"It's 'not seeing you for a day feels like three autumns,'" Xu Ziling corrected Kou Zhong in a low voice. During their time as street urchins in Yangzhou, the two had sneaked into a school to listen to the teacher's lessons. However, Kou Zhong was clearly not as studious as Xu Ziling.
"Isn't three autumns and three winters the same thing? If that's the case, why can't we say 'not seeing you for a day feels like three winters'?"
Kou Zhong's words left everyone who understood the idiom momentarily stunned. Some wanted to refute him, but for a moment, they couldn't find a suitable rebuttal.
"See, they're all speechless. This proves that the sayings of our ancestors aren't always correct." Although Kou Zhong's argument was somewhat sophistical, it wasn't entirely wrong.
"Alright, since you've called me 'brother,' I'll help you with this small favor. Strategist Daniel, could you let my two little brothers go?"
The current situation was that Daniel Davis's people had surrounded Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. If the two wanted to leave, they would need Daniel Davis's permission.
"I'm not yours," Daniel Davis said, though after a moment of hesitation, she waved her hand, signaling her subordinates to let Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling go.
Seeing Daniel Davis's people step aside, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling quickly made their way toward Daniel Davis. However, wary of Du Fuwei, they had to take a detour, avoiding him.
Du Fuwei watched as Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling walked toward Daniel Davis, then glanced at Daniel Davis with a puzzled expression before turning his attention back to Daniel Davis.
Du Fuwei knew exactly what kind of person Daniel Davis was. He was certain that Daniel Davis was aware of the secret of the Yang Gong's Treasure that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling possessed. Under such circumstances, Daniel Davis letting them go simply because of Daniel Davis's words was something worth pondering.
Daniel Davis had actually made a mistake. He believed that the fact Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling knew about the Yang Gong's Treasure was common knowledge, but in reality, that was only true later on. At this point, very few people knew about the secret they carried.
Daniel Davis hadn't known about it beforehand. Otherwise, when she had captured them with the Immortal-catching Net earlier, she wouldn't have let them go so easily. In other words, Daniel Davis had misjudged the situation. Others didn't have his omniscient perspective.
It was only later, through investigation, that Daniel Davis learned about the secret Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling carried, prompting her to rush over. Initially, Daniel Davis had wanted to recruit Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, seeing their youth and martial prowess, as a way to bolster Li Mi's forces.
"This is just a matter of time. With a fool like Li Mi, you'll never be able to fully utilize your intelligence under his command. For example, this time, when he colluded with the Turks to use Zhai Rang's daughter to lure him into an ambush, severely injuring Zhai Rang, Li Mi certainly didn't tell you about it, did he?
"Not just Li Mi, but no matter who you serve in this world, you'll never be given the opportunity to fully showcase your talents. But I'm different. If you join me, I'll give you the greatest authority. I'm not like some fools who are jealous of capable people."
It was no wonder Daniel Davis offered Daniel Davis such favorable terms. The truth was, he currently lacked capable individuals. Most notable figures were already aligned with other factions, and Daniel Davis was, after all, a beauty.
There were many beauties in this world, but few who could truly play a role in the struggle for supremacy. In this regard, Daniel Davis stood out.
Daniel Davis's words plunged the gambling hall into a deathly silence. Even Du Fuwei remained silent. After all, there were almost no one in the world who dared to openly call Li Mi, who was currently at the height of his power in the Wagang Army, a fool. With the Li family not yet entering the fray, the Wagang Army's reputation was at its peak.
Daniel Davis's expression was complex. On one hand, Daniel Davis had publicly revealed Li Mi's plot against Zhai Rang in this setting. Whether it was Du Fuwei, the Pengliang Society, or the Baling Gang, none of them would keep this secret. Instead, they would quickly spread it to sow discord within the Wagang Army.
Originally, Li Mi's ambush of Zhai Rang, while serious, wouldn't have been enough to unsettle Daniel Davis. After all, Li Mi's reputation within the Wagang Army was high, and there had been calls for him to replace Zhai Rang. However, the key issue was Li Mi's collaboration with the Turks.
In the eyes of some, this indicated that Li Mi had allied himself with the Turks, which would be a fatal blow to his reputation. This was especially true because it involved the Song family.
In the original story, the Song family had once made an agreement with Li Mi's Wagang Army: a marriage alliance between Song Yuzhi and Li Mi's son, Li Tianfan, contingent on the capture of Luoyang. If Li Mi had achieved this and gained the Song family's support, he might have had a chance to unify the world.
The Li family had the support of the Buddhist sects and even Ning Daoqi, the top figure in the Taoist sect. However, one must not forget that the demonic sects were also watching closely. Li Mi was not Kou Zhong; he wouldn't give up a great opportunity.
But all of this hinged on the alliance between the Song family and Li Mi. Currently, Li Mi was in talks with the Song family, which was why he had taken the great risk of personally ambushing Zhai Rang.
Only by becoming the leader of the Wagang Army could Li Mi negotiate with the Song family on equal terms.
This was the power of the aristocratic families in this era. To the average person, the Wagang Army seemed to have a bright future. But in the eyes of some, the only ones truly qualified to unify the world were the four great families. Li Mi naturally understood this.
In fact, most talented individuals knew this, which was why people like Li Jing had joined Li Shimin of the Li family.
The Wagang Army's current momentum was strong, but once the four great families entered the fray, surpassing them would be easy.
But the problem was, what kind of person was Song Que? He was someone who firmly believed in Han Chinese supremacy. Song Que wasn't opposed to ethnic integration, but the core of such integration had to be Han Chinese dominance.
Under these circumstances, exposing Li Mi's alliance with the Turks would make it difficult for him to cooperate with the Song family. Without the Song family, no matter how strong the Wagang Army's momentum was, it would be meaningless.
"To think he allied with the Turks—Li Mi really is a fool," Du Fuwei said, glancing at Daniel Davis before turning to Daniel Davis with a mocking smile.
It was no wonder Du Fuwei believed Li Mi had submitted to the Turks rather than merely collaborating with them. The reason was simple: the Turks were extremely powerful at this time. Many of the rebel armies that had risen up had allied themselves with the Turks.
For example, Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou had even been granted the title of "Khan" by the Turks. Historically, it was the Central Plains that bestowed titles upon foreign tribes. For instance, in later years, Li Shimin enjoyed granting such titles and even held the title of "Heavenly Khan." But in this chaotic era, it was the Turks granting titles to Central Plains rebels—a great irony.
However, this was the reality, given the Turks' power. Even the Li family had submitted to the Turks when they first rose in rebellion. Later, Li Shimin would form the "Alliance of the Wei River" with them.
In terms of overall strength, the Central Plains were superior to the Turks. For example, before Emperor Yang of Sui launched his campaigns against Goguryeo, the Turks wouldn't dare provoke the Central Plains. But now, with the Central Plains in chaos and divided, the situation had changed.
In fact, the Turkic Shibi Khan had once tried to win over Zhai Rang, but Zhai Rang had refused. Compared to Li Mi, this made Li Mi seem rather pathetic.
Originally, Li Mi's plan wasn't bad. After all, these actions were done in secret. As long as they weren't exposed, there would be no problem. Just as Li Shimin had the "Alliance of the Wei River" but later captured Jieli Khan and made him dance.
But now that it had been exposed, one could imagine the headaches Li Mi would face in the future.
"Commander Du, you're absolutely right. That's why, Strategist Daniel, why not join me?" Daniel Davis chimed in, following Du Fuwei's words.
"You... very well. Let's go." Daniel Davis gave Daniel Davis a complicated look. With the secret exposed, combined with Daniel Davis's martial prowess and Du Fuwei's presence, it was clear that capturing Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling was no longer possible.
"Wait, Strategist Daniel. Why the rush to leave? I haven't finished speaking yet. If you leave now, you might regret it later."
Daniel Davis, who had been about to leave, hesitated upon hearing Daniel Davis's words and then sat back down at the gambling table.
"Don't be so angry. I admit I'm using a stratagem to sow discord, but in war, deception is fair game. The key issue isn't what I say, but how Li Mi will react. Strategist Daniel, do you think Li Mi will fall for such a simple trick?"
Daniel Davis didn't respond to Daniel Davis's words. How Li Mi would react was easy to imagine. On the surface, he would surely act magnanimous, dismissing it as the enemy's scheme. But deep down? That was harder to say. Strictly speaking, Daniel Davis's stratagem was an open scheme.
The way to counter it was simple: Li Mi just had to truly trust Daniel Davis. But would Li Mi really trust Daniel Davis?
"If you want me to join you, what qualifications do you have to make me do so?" After a moment of silence, Daniel Davis suddenly regained her composure. The "Beautiful Strategist" truly lived up to her name.
With her calm restored, Daniel Davis immediately began probing Daniel Davis's identity.
"You're right. Let me introduce myself properly." Daniel Davis set down the tiles in his hand and straightened his expression, speaking solemnly, "Daniel Davis of the Taoist Heavenly Sect, greetings to Strategist Daniel, Commander Du, and my two little brothers."
Daniel Davis only acknowledged Daniel Davis, Du Fuwei, Kou Zhong, and Xu Ziling. As for the others, like Ren Meimei of the Pengliang Society and Xiang Yushan and his father from the Baling Gang, he didn't even bother to acknowledge them.
Naturally, they didn't take offense. Although the name "Daniel Davis" was unfamiliar, the way Daniel Davis and Du Fuwei treated him made it clear that he was no ordinary person.
The Pengliang Society and the Baling Gang were among the "Eight Gangs and Ten Societies," formidable entities in the eyes of ordinary people. But to figures like Daniel Davis and Du Fuwei, they were insignificant. Of course, under normal circumstances, neither side would openly antagonize the other, as it would benefit no one.
"The Taoist Heavenly Sect? I've never heard of such a Taoist sect," Xiang Yushan suddenly spoke up. Since the appearances of Daniel Davis, Du Fuwei, and Daniel Davis, the oppressive atmosphere had left him unable to speak. Now, seizing the opportunity, he finally found his voice.
"That's just your ignorance and narrow perspective. This world is vast. What are the Eight Gangs and Ten Societies? What are the Four Great Families? Even the demonic sects, Cihang Jingzhai, and Jingnian Chanyuan are nothing more than frogs at the bottom of a well."
Daniel Davis's dismissive attitude toward the world's major powers plunged the gambling hall into silence once more. Everyone present was well-informed and knew exactly which powers Daniel Davis was referring to. After all, they weren't like Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who had suddenly risen from the bottom.
It was precisely because they understood that they were even more shocked. These powers, especially the Four Great Families, the demonic sects, Cihang Jingzhai, and Jingnian Chanyuan, were the true elite factions. Not even the Eight Gangs and Ten Societies, let alone the current Wagang Army, could compare.
"Stop boasting. Some unknown sect pretending to be a big shot—ah!" Before Xiang Yushan could finish, he let out a blood-curdling scream as a gambling tile embedded itself in his right eye socket.
"Shut up. Who gave you the right to speak here?" The one who had struck was, of course, Daniel Davis. His main goal today was to deal with Xiang Yushan and his father, so this was a perfect opportunity.
"You... how dare you! Commander Du, Strategist Daniel, I apologize." Seeing his son's right eye bleeding profusely, Xiang Gui couldn't hold back any longer. After all, he was one of the Baling Gang's top experts, and with his hidden status, someone attacking his son in his own territory was unacceptable. Moreover, the Green Jade Pavilion, where they were currently located, was under the Baling Gang's control, with many of their members nearby.
However, just as Xiang Gui ordered his subordinates to attack Daniel Davis, his face turned pale. The Baling Gang members, including Xiang Gui's four personal guards, all had shattered gambling tiles embedded in their foreheads.
In an instant, nearly twenty people in the gambling hall were killed with a single strike.
(End of Chapter)
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