Zhao Cheng nodded and said, "That's why I invited you here, sir."
Yan Zheng sighed, "General, you built a clubhouse, purchased immortal wine, and have an unclear relationship with the Eastern Chamber of Commerce. Now you've also founded the Yiwen Society. You weren't born a businessman, yet your achievements far surpass those of countless others."
"And the methods used by Yiwen Society... I admire them!"
Zhao Cheng flicked his index finger at the corner of his eye and said, "The relationship with the Eastern Chamber of Commerce is ambiguous... I really admire your choice of words, sir."
Yan Zheng asked, "What does the general want me to do?"
Zhao Cheng said, "Give up the imperial examination and come to Yiwen Society."
Yan Zheng asked doubtfully, "The Yiwen Society mainly focuses on intelligence gathering. How can I help?"
Zhao Cheng said, "Sir, you have meticulous logic, unique insights into things, and a strong sense of the big picture. However, intelligence gathering is only one aspect of the Yiwen Society's work; another aspect is selecting intelligence."
"Why publish this news, and why publish it now, are all matters of scholarship. And Mr. Yan, you have the ability to make that judgment."
Yan Zheng laughed and said, "I never imagined that one day this talent of mine would be discovered."
Zhao Cheng said earnestly, "I know that you are no ordinary person, but a person with all kinds of skills. Let's do a good job with the Yiwen Society first. There will be more important things in the future that we need your help with."
"It seems my guess was right," Yan Zheng said to himself.
Zhao Cheng asked, "What guess?"
Yan Zheng stared into Zhao Cheng's eyes and said, "The Eastern Chamber of Commerce is also yours."
"There's no need to discuss this matter further. I'm just waiting for your word, sir: whether or not to stay?" Zhao Cheng neither confirmed nor denied it.
Yan Zheng looked at Xu An, then at Zhao Wu and Yu Jin, and asked in return, "If I said I wanted to leave, would you let me leave alive?"
Clang!
Clang!
Zhao Wu drew his sword and Yu Jin drew his knife.
Yan Zheng was so startled that his bottom slipped.
"What are you two doing?" Zhao Cheng glared at Zhao Wu.
Zhao Wu said, "I feel the atmosphere is right..."
Zhao Cheng stood up and helped Yan Zheng up, saying, "I have both smart people and big fools here, sir, don't panic. You're a straightforward person, so say what you think, and you can leave anytime you want."
Yan Zheng remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. After drinking several glasses of wine, he said, "The Yiwen Society is a very challenging place, and it is indeed tempting to me, but I am still not satisfied and want to try the scientific expedition again."
Zhao Cheng sighed, "Sir, I'd like to offer you a piece of advice."
"Please speak, General."
"Everyone has their own unique path. Give up the imperial examination and let yourself go."
Yan Zheng paused for a moment, then murmured, "Give up the imperial examination, let yourself off the hook..."
He took a deep breath and said, "Give me some time, I need to think about it."
"I'll give you one night." Zhao Cheng stood up with a smile, but gave Yan Zheng a sense of pressure. He said, "There's a morning meeting at the Yiwen Society tomorrow. I'll be waiting for your answer after the meeting."
Yan Zheng also stood up and said, "Okay."
Xu An pressed Yan Zheng down and said, "Sir, please stay and continue drinking."
Yan Zheng asked doubtfully, "Didn't you say I could leave anytime?"
“That’s what the young prime minister said,” Xu An said sternly. “I am also half the owner of this manor. If I ask you to stay for the night, are you going to refuse?”
Zhao Cheng had already taken two steps forward, saying as he walked, "Young Master's arrangement is quite appropriate. Yiwen Society is just ahead. Mr. Yan can come and take a look after he wakes up tomorrow morning."
Seeing that Yan Zheng was still hesitating, Xu An sneered, "What's wrong? You have all these skills, but you don't even dare to drink for a whole night? Are you afraid that the immortal wine is too intoxicating, or are you afraid that you will be bewitched by the girls at the club tonight?"
"Don't underestimate me. I, Yan Zheng, can write any character except the character for 'fear'!"
Yan Zheng flicked his sleeves and said, "I'll drink!"
The next morning.
Yan Zheng woke up groggily at the table and found himself all alone. He rubbed his head and was surprised.
Are they all such good drinkers?
Am I the only one with a hangover?
Yan Zheng straightened up, supporting himself with his belongings, and looked around. Just then, he heard a sparse murmur. He followed the sound and looked up to see the three characters 'Yiwen Society'.
Yan Zheng recalled what Zhao Cheng had said yesterday: Yiwen Society would be holding a morning meeting today, and he had to give Zhao Cheng an answer at the end of the meeting.
Yan Zheng had a headache.
I was so busy drinking that I didn't have time to think at all!
Okay, let's see what they do at the morning meeting first, and think about it as we watch.
The Yiwen Society is a four-courtyard building, mainly black on the outside, but the gate is deliberately made very small. Zhao Cheng and hundreds of people stood at the gate.
In front of the main gate stands a monument covered with a red cloth, its height equal to that of the Yiwen Society's main gate. It is imposing and wide, and at first glance, it appears even more grand than the main gate itself.
Zhao Cheng stood beside the monument, looking solemnly at the crowd before him.
"you!"
"They are elites carefully selected by the Anecdotes Society!"
"you!"
"He's born to make a living in intelligence!"
"You twenty-eight people!"
"You will be the first generation of members of the Yiwen Flying Team! I hope you will be proud of this special identity, carry forward your strengths, and uphold your beliefs, so that many years from now, the tenth, twentieth, and fiftieth generations of the Yiwen Flying Team will still take you, the first generation, as their role models!"
Yuan Fei's special training concluded, ultimately selecting twenty-eight people from a hundred. The fact that they didn't deliberately round it up to thirty shows that the training standards were indeed based on ability and performance. After all, Zheng Hongxiu had sent over a dozen girls from Hongxiu Tower, and only two ultimately remained among the twenty-eight.
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