Chapter 266 - Undercurrents
When Li Jinquan arrived at the Command Post with his two deputy generals, he found that many people were already seated in the council hall. Almost all the commanders of regiments big and small had arrived. The higher ranked officers in the city were all familiar faces.
When Li Jinquan entered, many people stood up and greeted him. Li Jinquan responded with a light laugh and casually glanced at the main seat at the head of the hall.
At that moment, someone was already seated in the main seat. The person had sharp, intelligent eyes like a phoenix, a short beard on his chin, and his ten fingers were interlocked on the table. It was Grand Strategist Qi Yanzhu.[1]
Seeing Li Jinquan looking his way, Qi Yanzhu curved his lips into a slight smile, gesturing with his hand towards the seat beside him. "General Li, I’ve heard much about you. Please, sit here."
Li Jinquan cupped his hands with a smile. "Strategist Qi, you’re joking. What reputation? It’s all just an illusion, mere illusions, haha."
Li Jinquan still walked over to the seat beside Qi Yanzhu and sat down as he spoke. Before him, the council hall was almost full.
Except for a few stragglers, most of the expected people were present. The entire hall was filled with the murmur of whispered conversations between the various commanders, but no one spoke too loudly.
Qi Yanzhu naturally understood why this was happening. He had just been transferred to Liangzhou Prefecture, and replacing a commander right before a battle was a major taboo in military affairs. In addition, this group of people was still uncertain about his temperament, which led to various concerns.
"Ahem—" Qi Yanzhu cleared his throat, seeing that everyone in the hall turned their attention to him. He then began to speak, "I’m sure everyone already knows who I am. I am Qi Yanzhu. By the grace of His Majesty, I’ve been entrusted to take over the war efforts in Liangzhou Prefecture."
"Strategist Qi, if there’s something to say, just say it quickly!" A deputy general in the audience spoke up—it was Liu Ancheng.
"Outrageous!" Li Jinquan’s face darkened as he rebuked, "It’s not your place to speak!"