Chapter 699: Do Me A Favor
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
When Qiu Jianhan and the rest received the invitation, they were stunned.
They were indescribably surprised that the named few had rarely encountered each other throughout their lives. Yet today, they felt taken aback.
This handful of people had received countless invitations in this lifetime, be it from the aristocrats or even the emperor himself. To them, those were common occurrences. This person's invitation today, however, was not only unprecedented, but they also would not even have dreamed about it in their entire lifetime.
These elders honestly could not imagine that this person had actually sent out an invitation to them.
"Depart immediately!"
Old Marshal Qiu made his decision at once, while Fang Qingtian, Leng Daoyin, and the others reacted similarly. Moreover, all of them felt as if the world was spinning – that ghostly fellow would actually deign to send them an invitation? Was it to discuss something?
Was the sky falling?
Otherwise, how could his invitation have come about? This was definitely an unusual appointment!
The elders muttered inwardly to themselves.
"He didn't even come when my son married my daughter-in-law, or when my grandchild got married. What is he doing this time?"
"Your father almost died the other time and he didn't make a single sound. Why is he sending an invitation now?"
"Could this bastard have turned crazy?"
This was Wu Ying's influence – shock no longer sufficed to describe the effect the invitation had on the invitees.
…
On that same night, Wu Ying sat straight as a ramrod at his table.
In front of him, the four marshals and an old mistress stared at him like they were looking at an exotic animal.
Wu Ying wore a poker face and said nothing.
After a while, the quintet began to look offended. 'What do you mean by inviting us over, but not speaking at all?'
"Ghost – uh, Sir Wu." Qiu Jianhan almost called out the nickname "Ghost General" that he and the others had given Wu Ying; he stroked his beard and continued. "You must have something to say, to have invited us over?"
"Mm," answered Wu Ying.
Mm? Old Sir Qiu turned his head away angrily.
"What is it then?" Fang Qingtian asked.
Wu Ying answered, "Something." He looked rather distant and dazed.
Fang Qingtian was inflamed. 'As if I don't know there's something?'
Tie Zheng was the third to speak up, "Sir Wu, you can speak directly if there's something that is amiss." Ah, the peacemaker.
Wu Ying said nothing then, quietly contemplating matters with a frown. Were these five people worthy of his appointment? Would there be any problems? If there were, who would be the one where the issues would crop up around?
Tie Zheng was close to pulling his saber out of its scabbard. 'You managed to muster a humming sound when the others asked something of you, but when it came to me, you actually close your eyes!'
'What a bully!'
"There's nothing much, really. I just wanted to ask all of you important ones for a favor." Wu Ying finally broke out of his trance.
The five people snorted and rolled their eyes.
A favor? Based on your attitude now?
Dream on!
"Have a look at these first." Wu Ying stood up and retrieved the titles he had written and compiled personally, displaying them openly on the table for his guests to flip through them.
Qiu Jianhan and the rest were set on not being amicable to this fellow, but the very names of these books in front of them were truly captivating. Could there be one that analyzed him? His opponent as well?
The quintet was curious; why not go through the index first? However, the first flip of the books marked the start of their absorption into the titles.
Wu Ying wanted to speak, but when he raised his head, Qiu Jianhan and the group were hungrily going through the books, like a glutton who saw food. They picked the next book up after finishing the previous one; they liked each title so much that it was like they had all received gems.
These were the manifestations of wisdom, the reflection of successful experiences!
If the dragon hide treasure map that contained the legacy of the Seventeenth Master of the Abyss were to be the martial world men's item of fantasy, then the dream article of Yutang military's main authorities had been born as well.
Yes, it was these titles that Wu Ying had produced! It was more than generous for Wu Ying to share these books with them. Everyone was familiar with the content, but it was the first time in history that someone had actually compiled them into a book and analyzed them in a uniform system.
In addition, these generals were litigants. When they read the work, realizations struck them immediately. Fang Qingtian flipped through a few books and sighed deeply before he lifted his head to look at Wu Ying.
This was the true talent of the phantom! He was a genius!
Wu Ying looked cold and stoic as usual, but his face right now was even more beautiful than the most dazzling lady to these people.
"Amazing! Remarkable!"
Tie Zheng exclaimed with a shake of his head as he read through the titles. His fingers that were two times larger than an ordinary man's, like the fattest root of a carrot, were flipping page after page carefully in adoration.
He really had not much of a vocabulary for compliments, so he exclaimed "amazing" during the duration; the word had been repeated for forty to fifty times within the blink of an eye.
After a short while, when everyone was more saturated with their surprised thoughts, Wu Ying spoke up slowly.
"Recently, I recalled what I've learned in this lifetime, in combination with the ancestor's wisdom, experience and everything else. I've compiled and written what you see before us… I foresee a long time will be needed before I can complete them – I still have about half to work on. These here are not yet drafted too, they'll need more edits. A big chunk... if they're made purely into words, those who read them afterward will find it hard to comprehend, so…"
When Wu Ying spoke, he stuttered slightly. This was due to his rare interaction with others. Yet, he still spoke calmly, "So I want to find a few students from the military and the civil side. I'll teach them the ways of being an official, of being a person, of war, of carrying oneself in this world, of administrating an empire, of conquering and unifying…"
The elders widened their eyes in unison and spoke with utter fervor, "We totally agree! Without any objection! We'll work with you completely!"
A little was enough to tell the big picture – after going through the books displayed to them, the quintet was further certain about a fact regarding this ghostly Sir Wu Ying, that this talent they had thought to only be capable of bringing peace and stability to the country, was actually a talent capable of ruling the world – to them, he was a genius – an all-rounded talent!
He was sensational!
Before having read these titles, these elders already knew that they might not be on par with this Ghost General in certain aspects, but they were still seniors in status. Moreover, he was a characteristically low profile. Even when they had the intention to promote and foster him, it was a plan that was difficult to come to fruition.
Now, however, after actually experiencing Wu Ying's capabilities, the personages had decided in the very first instance that whether Wu Ying wanted to show himself before the public or not, he had to – it would be sinful to keep such a talent buried until now!
When they heard Wu Ying suggesting to teach voluntarily, the personages were ecstatic!
The elder personages had no doubt that Wu Ying was boasting or if he had spoken with conceit, to preen about passing down the ways of this and that. By the contents alone of the books Wu Ying had produced, the evidence was enough. There was no room for doubt. What they only had to do was to support him, fully so!
Wu Ying looked up and said, "Regarding the students, I have some compulsory requests. I'll only train them if they fulfill them. Firstly, their family background must be clear; secondly, their character must be decent; thirdly…"
Overall, he actually had dozens of conditions. In spite of this, Qiu Jianhan and the others agreed without any objections, without even the slightest bit of hesitation. They fully complied with all of the requests.
It was, instead, Fang Qingtian who intercepted hesitantly, "Can the children from our families join the selection?"
"Even the rogues' children can join," answered Wu Ying.
Fang Qingtian could not help coughing, feeling an impulsive temptation to beat someone up – 'isn't it very offensive to agree this way?'
Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin blurted out a chuckle.
Old Mistress Shangguan was thrilled as well. "Us Shangguan…"
Wu Ying cut her off by saying, "The teacher to the children in your family is much stronger than I am."
The corners of Old Mistress Shangguan's mouth twitched.
'I really don't discern that.'
Wu Ying then continued. "I dare not take away his disciple."
Old Mistress Shangguan was shocked, as was Qiu Jianhan.
Among these people, only Qiu Jianhan knew the truth but Wu Ying's words were dripping with implied meaning!