Chapter 7086 Becoming a Cow or a Horse

Chapter 7086 Becoming a Cow or a Horse
Just think about it, this is Zhou Yu, the Zhou Yu who is very concerned about his reputation and face. Yet he still has some dignity in front of Chen Xi. He is the world's top naval commander and one of the top three strategists in the Central Plains. In the end, he was dragged out by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

What kind of major event is this? How would the heads of the Jiangdong aristocratic families feel upon receiving this news? Or to put it more directly, how would they feel after receiving this news?

Although they were somewhat annoyed with Zhou Yu because of his occasional skin-peeling behavior, and even opposed him from time to time, Zhou Yu was definitely the leading figure in Jiangdong, the symbol of Jiangdong, and the most charismatic and capable person in Jiangdong.

As a result, a figure like the Commander-in-Chief was actually dragged out of Zhaoyang Palace and thrown out. Regardless of what happened in Zhaoyang Palace, the fact that the Commander-in-Chief was dragged out and thrown out was a major blow to Jiangdong!

The Jiangdong aristocratic families weren't fools; they could do some reading comprehension. After all, it was Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who were holding Zhou Yu hostage. Who could possibly rouse those two? The only ones who could make these two disregard their dignity and do something like this were Liu Bei and Chen Xi. And what had the Commander-in-Chief done to warrant being held hostage? Just thinking about it made everyone's minds go numb!
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that the other major leader, Sun Ce, was still in Zhaoyang Palace, the Jiangdong aristocratic families would probably have to rush to Weiyang Palace tonight, kneel there, and apologize to Liu Bei and Chen Xi. As for what kind of apology they would have to apologize for, that's not important; they would just kneel there and apologize first.

In short, something very big definitely happened last night, and it severely damaged Zhou Yu's reputation. However, the negotiations did not break down. After all, if they had really broken down, they could have just dragged Sun Ce out as well. Sun Ce is still in Zhaoyang Palace. If Zhou Yu had been dragged out, it must be because the Commander-in-Chief had proposed some outrageous task that angered Liu Bei or Chen Xi.

Otherwise, given Governor Zhou's unparalleled talent and exceptional intelligence, how could he possibly have been exhumed?

However, he was eventually caught out. Based on the Jiangdong aristocratic families' understanding of Zhou Yu, they knew that Zhou Yu must be in a terrible mood right now. And if Zhou Yu was in a bad mood, their mood couldn't be good either, because Zhou Yu was a master at transferring smiles. He could transfer his sadness to other people's faces, and he could also transfer the smiles on other people's faces to his own.

This set of tactics is especially effective against the Jiangdong aristocratic families.

Therefore, before dawn this morning, the heads of the Jiangdong aristocratic families who entered through the small gate of Zhou Yu's house all had calm and composed expressions, without a trace of a smile. Who would dare to smile today!
Although Zhou Yu looked at the heads of the Jiangdong aristocratic families with a mocking expression, he was actually in a good mood. Although Zhou Yu had realized that he was being treated like a boss by these people again, it was not a big problem. Over the years, Zhou Yu had long been used to this kind of behavior.

What's more, he made such a big profit from Chen Xi yesterday, and he's in a great mood now. His gaze towards the Jiangdong aristocratic families has softened considerably. At least it's not the same look he used to give to laborers; there's a hint of warmth in his eyes now.

After all, Chen Xi was right. This was a benefit for the entire Jiangdong region. Zhou Yu needed to unite with these people as a whole to accomplish this task. He couldn't possibly condescend to do it all by himself; he needed his subordinates too.

Therefore, Zhou Yu was somewhat puzzled by the gloomy and silent expressions of this group of people. What's going on? Do you all think that I, Zhou Yu, have been defeated? What have I contributed to Chen Xi? And now you want me to skin you alive? Are you kidding me? I, Zhou Yu, will not skin you alive today. Instead, I will reward you handsomely!

That's right, you will be richly rewarded!

I learned this word from Chen Xicai, but it's so cool, I want to use it too!
"What kind of behavior is this? Laugh! All of you, laugh!" Zhou Yu said with some displeasure, looking at the Jiangdong family heads who were so sullen after taking their seats that they didn't dare to breathe loudly. "Who are you trying to impress with this death of your father? This is going too far!"

The heads of the Jiangdong aristocratic families were speechless upon hearing this, but they still managed to put on stiff smiles for Zhou Yu. How could they possibly smile? He had been impaled and thrown out, such a serious matter, such a heavy humiliation, how could they dare to laugh?
Zhou Yu never realized that being forcibly removed from the banquet and thrown out was a very serious matter. Under other circumstances, even if Zhou Yu knew he had made a mistake, he would be in a very bad mood, and certainly wouldn't be laughing as happily as he is now.

But Zhou Yu was so caught up in his victory last night that he didn't realize how humiliating it was to be dragged out of Zhaoyang Palace by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. In Zhou Yu's mind, the two of them didn't humiliate him after dragging him out; they even apologized. Plus, he had won so much that the slight backlash was nothing to worry about.

Therefore, from beginning to end, Zhou Yu never considered how others would view this matter!

The Jiangdong aristocratic families: This is a tremendous humiliation! When the governor returns, he will surely skin us alive! This is called the transmission of pain!
Zhou Yu: Yesterday was so much fun! If I had known that the petition to persuade him to ascend the throne could be exchanged for so many things, my body would have been even more flexible!

In short, a huge gap has formed between the two sides, and their perceptions and understandings are no longer on the same level.

"Alright, why are you all laughing so awkwardly?" Zhou Yu looked around and found that the group's smiles were very stiff, so he didn't want to joke with them anymore.

"Cai Degui, over the years you have worked tirelessly for our Jiangdong navy, saving us from dire straits time and again. Without you, our Jiangdong navy would never have had the chance to defeat Serian, or even later occupy the entire Southeast Asia." Zhou Yu chuckled twice, glanced around, and his gaze fell on Cai Mao. What's rightfully hiss still had to be divided. Although Cai Mao was always acting strangely, his contributions needed to be acknowledged. Therefore, when it came to dividing the spoils, Cai Mao had to be made the target!

"Zhuge Jin, for so many years you have been dedicated to eliminating internal conflicts in Jiangdong, allowing all the civil and military officials to perform to their full potential, and you have also been in charge of maintaining local stability in Jiangdong, ensuring the smooth transportation and handover of money, grain and supplies. You have made great contributions in this regard." After speaking to Cai Mao, Zhou Yu smiled and said to Zhuge Jin, who was sitting next to him, "You have maintained the balance and stability of the overall situation in Jiangdong."

"I did nothing but my duty, there's no need for such praise," Zhuge Jin said, shaking his head. He looked at Zhou Yu with some doubt. He knew whether Zhou Yu had done a good job or not, but he was a little puzzled as to why Zhou Yu was suddenly bringing up Zhou Yu and Cai Mao.

"I dare not accept such praise. It is merely my duty, all for the sake of the Han Dynasty," Cai Mao replied hastily, though he was puzzled.

To be honest, Cai Mao didn't really want to participate in this. After all, he knew that Zhou Yu had been stabbed out and thrown around. This incident scared Cai Mao so much that he wanted to seek refuge with his niece overnight. However, Zhang Zhao and Zhuge Jin dragged him here.

After all, you've been following Jiang Dong for so long, and you just decide not to come? What will the big boss think of you?!
Of course, Cai Mao was very unhappy with Zhang Zhao. After all, he had been badly ripped off by Zhang Zhao and Gu Yong not long ago. He originally thought he could make some money, but these bastards used him as a bargaining platform with Zhou Yu and almost ruined him. It can only be said that none of these civil officials are good people.

However, just as Zhuge Jin said when he pulled him this morning, "Everything should have a beginning and an end. Even if the governor has a big problem, the matter is not yet resolved. Let's go see the governor first. Even if there is a big problem, given the general's situation, there is a way out. There is no need to leave at this time. Just come with me."

So Cai Mao went anyway, even though he was hesitant.

As a result, Cai Mao, who originally thought it was just a formality and had deliberately sat in a less conspicuous position, was pointed out by Zhou Yu as soon as he gave a stiff smile.

“Yes, we know about your achievements and we are aware of your efforts. Last night, I obtained the complete technology transfer for animal husbandry from Chen Zichuan, as well as the transfer of related personnel, and also obtained the qualification to build a large ranch in Australia. You two are one-twelfth of the credit for this.” Zhou Yu said succinctly, and then recounted the technical information and other things he had obtained from Chen Xi last night.

Although they haven't obtained any of these technologies yet, everyone knows who Chen Xi is. Since the other party has agreed to the terms, they will definitely receive what they are promised. After all, the other party has no reason to cheat in this regard; they will simply give it to them.

It was precisely because of this sentence that the faces of the Jiangdong aristocratic families, which were originally unable to smile, instantly turned into dog faces. Damn it, the governor is awesome, the governor is a god!
This is a huge ranch! The total output value of the Northern Frontier Ranch, while the Jiangdong aristocratic families aren't entirely clear, is certainly higher than it was for most of the Han Dynasty. And yet, Zhou Yu just got this from Chen Xi with a single sentence. Damn, let alone being kicked out, it's already amazing that Zhou Yu didn't get beaten up.

"Governor, is that really so!" Zhang Zhao immediately stood up and asked.

“Yes, we’ve reached a complete agreement with Chen Zichuan, including the full technology and personnel for the feed processing plant of the Qingzhou Ocean Fisheries Bureau.” Zhou Yu nodded. “Later, we wanted to do something else. I felt that Chen Zichuan had already agreed, but he was just mocking us for not having the relevant resources. As a result, I was careless and didn’t notice that the Grand Commandant was right behind me, so Guan Yu and Zhang Fei pulled me out.”

A collective gasp filled the room. Zhou Yu's words were simply divine. What were you there for? Were you there to deliver a petition to surrender on your knees? Yet you dared to deceive the enemy's leader. You're truly amazing!
"We've reached an agreement with Chen Zichuan. The two sets of technical data, related personnel, and supporting facilities will all be transferred. We'll even dismantle some of the existing production equipment and send them all to Jiangdong. Since Jiangdong will be responsible for this as a whole, the Han Dynasty will handle the unified purchase and distribution..." Zhou Yu explained with his hands crossed, looking dignified.

When the Han Dynasty implemented centralized purchasing and sales, the faces of all the leaders present turned red with excitement. They felt that Zhou Yu was the most handsome man in his life today, captivating both men and women!

"That's roughly it. As you all know, this centralized purchase and sales system is based on quotas. I have twelve quotas. Of course, for the first five years, these things will be managed by Bo Fu and me. After five years, they will be distributed to you according to your contributions." Zhou Yu laid his cards on the table, as if to say, "I need you to be my slaves for five years. Now I'm recruiting slaves. Are you in?"

Do it, of course we should do it. If we don't do it, wouldn't we be brain-dead?
However, afterwards, everyone except Zhou Yu naturally looked at Cai Mao and Zhuge Jin, including Sun Quan, who came in place of Sun Ce when Sun Ce was not present.

At this moment, Cai Mao felt like he had a thorn in his side and was restless. However, even so, Cai Mao felt that he had to hold on tightly. This was no longer a benefit of the times, but a trend of the times!

As for Zhuge Jin, he was pondering why this arrangement was made. Considering Cai Mao's identity, his situation, and his immense wealth, Zhuge Jin vaguely felt that he completely understood. However, it was good to work with Cai Mao. Zhuge Jin's family didn't actually have many people. Although he could recruit others himself, it was better to rely on his own people for such important matters.

"Don't even think about De Gui and Zi Yu's share; that's already been finalized. As for the Ji family, you need to go to Lu Zijing's place. He will give you another share. To be precise, the entire Jiangdong livestock industry's unified purchase and sale quota has been divided into 13 shares. The Ji family has been specially assigned, and Zi Yu and De Gui are responsible for external liaison," Zhou Yu said to everyone expressionlessly.

Although Chen Xi only ordered the Ji family's share, if he didn't want the Ji family to become a thorn in the side of the Jiangdong aristocratic families, then he needed another branch that was both special and reasonable.

According to Zhou Yu's assessment, Cai Mao and Zhuge Jin's contributions were sufficient, they could serve as external liaisons, and they could also save face for Chang'an, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

As the saying goes, Zhou Yu understood human relationships and social customs, but most people were not worthy of Zhou Yu's understanding.

"Is there something else for me?" Ji Zhong was taken aback. He thought he was just there to make a formality, but now he was being told that he still had his cakes to eat and that he needed to go to Lu Su's place. To be honest, over the years, Ji Zhong only remembered to visit his daughter during the annual festivals. The rest of the time, he didn't care what happened.

After all, Ji Zhong knew that Ji Xiang's problem was indeed difficult to manage. Lu Su was able to manage it well, which was already quite good in Ji Zhong's opinion. As for a system that could operate on its own, it was best not to mess with it. Therefore, Ji Zhong rarely went to see Ji Xiang.

Especially after Lu Su was exiled to the Ganges, Ji Zhong never visited Ji Xiang again, only remembering to give Lu Su some aphrodisiac and kidney-tonifying medicine.

Unexpectedly, he was involved in something else at this time.

"Patriarch Ji, you need to go to the Ganges to obtain Lu Zijing's documents. After you return, you can directly exercise your power," Zhou Yu said with a simple nod.

Meanwhile, Xu Kun on the field clenched his fists, veins bulging, but said nothing. Since he was going to find Lu Zijing, the reason was obvious. Under such circumstances, why were there no members of the Xu family? Wasn't his daughter Lu Su's wife?
But he couldn't say such things, because Xu Kun knew very well that when Xu Ning made a scene back then, he had already laid his cards on the table, so it was normal for the other party not to cooperate.

“Then I’ll go back.” Ji Zhong nodded, deliberately avoiding looking at Xu Kun, because he wasn’t stupid.

Ji Xiang and Xu Ning were both Lu Su's wives, and if you really want to say that Xu Ning was the legal wife, Ji Xiang looked like the legal wife, but in reality, it was more because Xu Ning pitied her cousin's background. Xu Ning handled everything in the Lu family's inner courtyard, including Ji Xiang's daily expenses. Ji Xiang had no say in such matters.

As a result, this document, which represents immense wealth, was not given to the Xu family, nor was it even split equally like it was between the Zhuge Jin and Cai families, which speaks volumes!
To be honest, taking this from Lu Su also implies that even the most down-on-his-luck direct descendant is still a direct descendant.

[It seems that the claim that the Xu family is part of Lu Zijing's family is not unfounded.] Ji Zhong bowed to Zhou Yu and then sat down. Normally, the Ji family would not be able to hold onto this thing, but after bowing to Lu Su, they could obtain it from him. After all, they had to give Lu Su face, even if they didn't care about the monk.

"The remaining eleven portions will be held by Bo Fu and me in advance, and will be distributed five years later according to each family's performance in animal husbandry. After all, not every family is suitable for animal husbandry," Zhou Yu said simply, glancing at Zhang Zhao and the Zhang family as he spoke.

That's what they said, but Zhou Yu already knew who to give it to. First and foremost, it had to be given to Zhang Zhao. Putting aside everything else, the letter urging him to ascend the throne was written by someone Zhang Zhao had arranged, and the fact that he was able to take it couldn't be bypassed by Zhang Zhao no matter what, so Zhang Zhao had to have it.

As for Zhang Zhao's family not being powerful enough, that's alright. They can join forces with the Zhang family of Wu Commandery and settle the favors owed from back then. After all, they were young and impetuous and did some inhuman things. This time, they can deal with them all at once.

Upon hearing this, the eyes of all the noble families reddened. Zhou Yu said that the distribution would be based on their performance over the past five years, but everyone knew that such things would definitely require a detailed evaluation and calculation of merits, and that they should be distributed to some people who were no longer here, in order to ensure fairness.

Therefore, when Zhou Yu spoke, these people had already begun to assess their own situation.

It is obvious that every family here has at least a chance, and each one is quite promising.

More importantly, everyone present had risked their lives for the cause of the Han Dynasty, so they were all qualified for this.

With this in mind, everyone secretly resolved to work like slaves!

(End of this chapter)