"The old man said today that he has found two people, and is going to ask General Xu for a favor." After half a beat, Lu Ding Sheng finally broke the silence.

  "You have something to say, just go ahead and say it." Xǔ Hǎifēng's mind flashed with countless thoughts in an instant, but he had already made up his mind. No matter what conditions the old man proposed, as long as he was capable of doing so, he would immediately agree.

  Lu's energy in the northwest is absolutely beyond anyone's imagination. This uncrowned king of the great northwest can stand unshaken for decades, which is enough to prove his own ability.

  Such a person absolutely cannot be easily made an enemy of.

  "Alright, I'll be straightforward then." Lu Ding put down his wine cup, his face looking extremely solemn: "What do you two think about the battle of Taiyuan?"

  Exchanging a glance, this extremely tacit duo burst out laughing simultaneously. Xu Haifeng said loudly, "At most 55 open."

  Lu Ding Sheng's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness, and his tone was somewhat hesitant: "The land of Taiyuan, a thousand miles of flat plains, is the favorite battlefield of the Xiongnu people. I wonder why you two have such confidence in Cheng Jia?"

  Xu Haifeng gently shook his head and didn't answer his question, but instead asked: "Then in your opinion, how is it?"

  Lu Ding Sheng stroked his beard for a long time before saying, "The number five."

  Xu Haifeng was shocked in his heart. If the terrain is considered, the Xiongnu people are indeed at a great advantage. Their cavalry will play out their greatest advantages and combat effectiveness in Taiyuan.

  Compared to them, whether it's the private army of the Cheng family or the remnants of the three major legions, they are far inferior to the Xiongnu people's Golden Wolf Army. In general, the balance of victory is tilted in favor of the Xiongnu people.

  But in Cheng's hands, there was still an ace that could change the entire situation. If used cleverly, it would be enough to inflict unimaginable damage on the Xiongnu people. It was precisely because of this treasure that he thought the outcome between the two sides would be a 50-50 split.

  However, Lu Ding Sheng did not know about this matter, so why was he so certain? This made him somewhat perplexed.

  Little did he know, at this moment, in the heart of this experienced and knowledgeable old man, there was also a guess that was uncertain.

  Xu Haifeng didn't answer his words, but just by listening to his affirmative and unhesitant response, he knew that he had absolute confidence in Cheng Jia.

  Just this one sentence, Lu Ding Sheng had already determined that Xu Hai Feng and others must have something hidden from him, or to say that outside of his own intelligence network, there must be some shady things that had happened.

  However, he is old and seasoned; since they don't say anything, naturally he also won't take the initiative to ask.

  "I am so certain because of these two people."

  "You mean..."

  "Cheng Xuanfeng, Big Brother Cheng and Gu Daoxia, Great General Gu." The old man said softly.

  "What about those two?" Jiang Kongming suddenly asked from beside him.

  "I just trust Brother Cheng's vision and General Gu's wisdom." The old man explained calmly, looking at him briefly.

  "Thirty years ago, Gu Dao Yan was just a hundred-man commander in the Cheng family's private army. His talent was ordinary, and his cultivation in martial arts was also nothing special. In the Cheng family, there were many people who shone brighter than him. However, it was at this time that he met Cheng Da Ge."

  The old man's voice was filled with infinite nostalgia, as if it also brought back memories of his own past experiences: "It was precisely because of Cheng Da Ge's wise eyes that recognized heroes, that he gave him an opportunity to prove himself. And Gu Dao Yan indeed did not disappoint Cheng Da Ge's expectations, from a humble hundred-man commander rising step by step, until his name shook the world and he became an official of the highest rank."

  "I trust these two." The old man said finally.

  In this old man's mind, these two people's status was actually so heavy. It had almost reached the point where they could affect his judgment and confidence.

  Xu Haifeng sighed: "You've said so much, I don't know what you're getting at."

  The old general raised his wine cup and looked at the slightly turbid wine, saying: "I have been waiting for the outcome of the Battle of Taiyuan."

  Xu and Jiang immediately understood what he meant.

  The outcome of the Battle of Taiyuan was not just a matter for the Cheng family and the Xiongnu, but would also have far-reaching consequences for the distant Wollongong Castle.

  If the Xiongnu win this war, the Great Han will be in danger.

  However, if the victorious side was the Cheng family, then it's likely that on the second day, Lu Ding Sheng would lead the crowd to pledge allegiance to Cheng Xuan Feng.

  The reputation of the Cheng family will spread throughout the Great Han, and they will easily accept all the lands that have been occupied by the Xiongnu. The Cheng family will be the undisputed number one family under heaven.

  At that time, as long as Liu Zhengting dies unexpectedly, this world will really have to change its master.

  It was just that this question of Rouding Sheng would actually be said in front of them, and it really exceeded their expectations.

  To them, the Cheng family was a threat no less than that of the Xiongnu people. Lu Ding had harbored such thoughts, didn't he fear that his own people would harbor resentment?

  It seemed as if Lu Ding Sheng had seen through their doubts, and he smiled: "You two have also met Little Sun on the way to Tongzhou, what do you think of him?"

  "Men and tigers have different paths, their futures cannot be measured." Xuhai Feng said seriously.

  "This grandson of mine has always been stubborn. At a time when heroes are rising up, the one he favors is neither the Xiongnu nor the Cheng family."

  "So which family does Brother Lu think highly of?"

  The old man's gaze shifted onto Xu Haifeng's face, staring at his eyes and said in a low voice: "He thought highly of you - General Xu."

  Xu Haifeng looked at him calmly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Lu."

  The old man withdrew his gaze and said slowly, "Young people have their own views. Nowadays, I can barely survive in the world, but I can still compete with him. However, after a few more years, it will be his world."

  Lu Ding Sheng's words were filled with a sense of sadness and melancholy, in the face of time, he was just an ordinary old man.

  Whether you are a millionaire or an illiterate person, you can't avoid the arrival of death. The only difference is whether it comes sooner or later.

  "In the battle of Taiyuan, if the Cheng family wins, then there's no need to mention it again. However, if the Cheng family loses, I will immediately retire and hand over all clan matters to Xiao Sun, from now on not interfering anymore." The old general's words had a hint of metallic tone, showing that he was quite agitated at this moment.

  "Alright..." Xu Haifeng looked at him and slowly said: "I understand what you mean, sir. If I can get Brother Lu's help, I promise that I will never betray your trust again."

  "General Nangde's promise is all I could ask for, I'm deeply grateful." Lu Ding Sheng smiled with a sigh of relief and bowed deeply to him in the carriage.

  ※※※※

  Watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, Jiang Kongming suddenly let out a cold laugh and said: "This old man has indeed made a clever move, he's done this to prepare for any eventuality, no matter how things change, he'll always have an escape route. Hmph... his heart is despicable!"

  "Oh?"

  "This old fox has long seen that the Liu family's luck is exhausted. Among the Han people, there are only two families with hope to compete for the Central Plains, either the Cheng family or us. He chose this time to say these words, it was a double-faced show of kindness... Hmph... worthy of an old monster who has lived for over 80 years."

  Xu Haifeng smiled slightly and said, "In any case, this is good news. The two hundred thousand elite soldiers of the Lu family are truly a crack troop." His tone was filled with great confidence, as if these two hundred thousand people were already in his pocket.

  "Yes, milord, this time it's absolutely necessary for you to take action personally." Jiang Gongming nodded and said.

  A faint smile, Xu Haifeng hadn't spoken yet, but a strong fighting spirit suddenly burst out from his body, that thick and substantial fighting spirit even made Jiang Kongming, who didn't understand martial arts, feel it clearly.

  After a moment, Jiang Kongming suddenly let out a deep sigh, shook his feather fan, and several strands of hot air blew across his collar, bringing with it a hint of coolness that was almost imperceptible, but it couldn't take away the annoyance in his heart.

  "What's wrong?" Xu Haifeng turned around in surprise, looking at him. Having known each other for many years, he rarely saw him with such a dejected look.

  Jiang Kongming shook his head and slowly spat out a name from his mouth: "Gudao Rong".

  "What's wrong with Gu Dashi again?" Xu Haifeng was even more puzzled.

  Jiang Kongming's face flashed with a hint of murderous intent: "This person cannot be left alive."

  After listening to Lu Ding Sheng's evaluation of Gu Dao Yan, Jiang Kong Ming felt a chill in his heart for no reason.

  In terms of erudition, there is indeed no one in the world who can surpass Zhuge Kongming. If it were a face-to-face conversation, Zhuge Kongming, with his extraordinary ability to read minds, would not be inferior to anyone either.

  But on the battlefield, this newcomer was indeed no match for Gu Daozhao, a seasoned veteran who had risen from low-ranking general to high-ranking commander one step at a time.

  Just as in last night's battle, if he hadn't known Bancroft's every move beforehand, it would have been impossible to set up the fire attack trap and even more impossible to cleverly capture the enemy's large camp and seize countless supplies.

  That war was actually his command of a large army, the first battle after he came out of his thatched cottage.

  Whether it was pre-war deployment or adaptability, he was far from Gudao.

  This has nothing to do with wisdom, it's purely a gap in experience, even if he were Zhuge Kongming, he wouldn't be able to catch up in a short period of time.

  If the Black Flag Army were to meet the Cheng family's battlefield, then this person would definitely be the greatest threat.

  Jiang Kongming looked up at the sky, he had not lost confidence, because people are always making progress, even if he is not as good as Gu Dao now, it does not mean that he will never surpass him in the future.

  Moreover... Jiang Kongming's mouth corner overflowed with a hint of cold smile, falling into Xu Haifeng's eyes, and he immediately knew that he had figured out something again.

  "No matter how powerful Gu Dao is, he's just an ordinary person after all." Jiang Kongming's smile gradually turned into a scornful expression: "Our greatest reliance is the Black Flag Army, this... is a terrifying army that has exceeded human limits."

  At this moment, he was filled with confidence. As long as the Black Flag Army rode across the plains, there would be no one under heaven who could resist them, not even his own ancient dao.

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