Chapter 86: The Proper Use of Persuasion
Chapter 86: The Proper Use of Persuasion
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Name: Wang Dalili
Chef/Scholar
Lord: Lu HaiKong
Loyalty: 80
Abilities:
Strength: 20, Politics: 77, Strategy: 77, Leadership: 34
Talent: Bountiful Harvest (Increases agricultural yield in the territory by 50%, significantly reducing the chances of natural disasters.)
Skills: None (Requires skill books or extensive book cultivation.)
Wang Fat's attributes were far simpler than Lu HaiKong had anticipated. Aside from the impressive 77 in Politics and Strategy, he only possessed the Bountiful Harvest talent, which didn't seem particularly flashy.
However, Lu HaiKong was well aware that this guy was much more capable than what his attribute panel showed. Of course, abilities weren't the most crucial factor; what truly mattered was that this guy had finally become Lu HaiKong's subordinate and, perhaps, a true partner.
Initially, Lu HaiKong hadn't planned to recruit Wang Fat. He had always considered Wang Fat as a friend, as he was the first person Lu HaiKong could communicate with upon arriving in this world.
But this time, Wang Fat's inaction deeply disappointed Lu HaiKong. Coupled with the successive betrayals of Li Yi and Zhang Feng, Lu HaiKong subconsciously developed a sense of distrust towards Wang Fat. Wang Fat, being a smart man, immediately noticed Lu HaiKong's change in attitude and quickly abandoned his remaining tasks. He immediately knelt and pledged allegiance, dispelling Lu HaiKong's doubts.
"My Lord, I see you've been wounded in the back. Old Wang here has some excellent golden wound salve. Let's treat that wound first," Wang Fat suggested.
"My Lord, please don't call me that. It sounds strange. You should call me 'Big Brother' instead; it sounds more fitting," Lu HaiKong knew that since Wang Fat had been recruited, he wouldn't address him as 'Kid' anymore. However, the title of 'My Lord' sounded too grand and superior for a mountain bandit. Indeed, 'Big Brother' carried a more appropriate air of underworld prestige.
Wang Fat was quick to adapt, and Lu HaiKong shifted his attention to Old Wang, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Old man, bring out that golden wound salve."
"One hundred gold coins per bottle, cash on delivery!" Old Wang remained stubborn, showing no sign of surrender despite his apparent capture.
Lu HaiKong's back was still hurting, and Wang Chao Ma Han was busy gathering spoils of war on the other side. With a significant profit in sight, Lu HaiKong, feeling cheerful about the impending harvest, decided not to tease Old Wang and let Wang Ti pay for the medicine.
Afterward, Lu HaiKong instructed Wang Fat to start cooking. It was probably only Lu HaiKong who would assign a scholar with a Politics attribute of 77 to cook, but since Wang Fat had previously worked as a chef, he didn't seem to mind being ordered around by Lu HaiKong.
Among the remaining three, Old Wang, after completing the transaction with Lu HaiKong, promptly disappeared without a trace. Zhang Wen and Li Feng, who seemed to respect Wang Fat, offered to help with the cooking, but Lu HaiKong only allowed Li Feng to assist, stopping Zhang Wen.
Zhang Wen was initially not well-regarded by Lu Hai Kong, and for good reason. Not only was Zhang Wen's loyalty questionable, but the single skill he possessed was seen as a major burden to the impoverished Lu Hai Kong.
With a success rate of only 5% and a limit of three uses per person per day, each attempt costing 1 gold, it was indeed a costly skill.
Lu Hai Kong, now with money in his pocket and a newfound confidence, found the skill of persuasion intriguing. He could, of course, cultivate a group of trusted followers, much like he had done with Wang Chao and Ma Han.
This strategy seemed effective, and it had yielded good results so far. However, Lu Hai Kong knew that it had significant limitations. The first constraint was the number of slots available. Having once been a Fortified Camp leader, Lu Hai Kong understood that even at the lowest level, he could only cultivate fifteen followers, which was barely enough.
Cultivation required time and money, and there was always the risk of losing followers during the process. It was at this point that Zhang Wen's persuasion skill offered Lu Hai Kong an alternative way to strengthen his forces.
With countless Fortified Camps around, Lu Hai Kong's strength could easily take down the smaller ones without breaking a sweat. The Bandit Chiefs of these camps were typically Martial Skill 40 or above. If Lu Hai Kong could capture and persuade some of them, his strength would skyrocket.
In the 1619 version of the game, this strategy was flawless.
Of course, this was just an idea for the time being, and it couldn't be implemented immediately. However, there was one person who could serve as a test for Zhang Wen's skills—Li Xiong.
Li Xiong was of utmost importance to Lu Hai Kong. If Lu Hai Kong could convince Li Xiong, it would be like gaining a pair of eyes and ears, a living map with extensive knowledge of the Yanmen Commandery, Bing Province, and beyond.
Li Xiong was the Second-in-Command of Dark Wind Fort, specifically in charge of external affairs. He handled all external matters, whether with Bandit or Horse Bandit forces, influential families, or even foreign tribes. For Lu Hai Kong, who sought to establish himself in Bing Province, Li Xiong's value was undeniable.
Despite Li Xiong's various schemes, Lu Hai Kong had never considered eliminating him, precisely because of his importance.
So, Lu Hai Kong instructed Wang Ti to give Zhang Wen 100 gold and tasked him with persuading Li Xiong. Zhang Wen was to take as long as needed, whether one day, two days, or even three, until Li Xiong was convinced.
This was the first task Lu Hai Kong had given Zhang Wen, and as Zhang Wen looked at the 100 gold before him, he felt a sense of importance. His loyalty, originally at 60 points, rose by 10 points at that moment, a pleasant surprise for Lu Hai Kong.
After sending Zhang Wen off, Wang Chao and Ma Han's task of collecting spoils of war was nearly complete. A small mountain of loot was piled before Lu Hai Kong, including secret manuals, piles of gold, and various other items, causing Lu Hai Kong to smile broadly.
(End of Chapter)
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