"Miss Jiu'er, about the arms deal, do you think it's reliable? I really can't figure it out..."
At this point, Ma Peng's gaze fell on the person behind Jiu'er.
Following his gaze, Jiu'er turned her head and raised an eyebrow. He explicitly said he didn't want to be involved, and he promised so well, why did he still follow? What was he thinking?
But it didn't matter.
"Ask him." Ah Jiu simply pushed the matter to Tuoba Yan, since he was the one who followed.
"It's reliable." Tuoba Yan didn't avoid it, nor did he care about the implied dismissal in Ma Peng's strange gaze.
"Young man, I'd like to know why you followed Prince Qi Ming and then defected to Prince Nan Ming? Is there any hardship behind it?"
Ma Peng was wary of such disloyal people and had to be clear.
Ah Jiu looked at Tuoba Yan, hoping he wouldn't blurt out that he was doing it to fulfill the condition of marrying her.
Tuoba Yan smiled and waved his hand, "No, what hardship could there be for me? I just think joining Prince Nan Ming is more convenient than carving out a path for myself with a house and a car."
Ah Jiu gritted her teeth, she knew he would say this.
Looking at Ma Peng again, he looked as if he had eaten a fly, "For... a carriage and a house?"
"What else?" Tuoba Yan spread his hands.
Ma Peng couldn't help but look the young man up and down. He couldn't see anything else on his face except a naive look that made him seem easily fooled, not like someone who was lying at all.
"Alright, it can be considered ambitious." Ma Peng patted Tuoba Yan's shoulder helplessly.
"If you can really get the arms, then we're brothers."
"I don't have a brother like you." Tuoba Yan said calmly, making Ma Peng feel exceptionally awkward. Tuoba Yan, as if he hadn't seen him, leaned down and whispered playfully in Jiu'er's ear,
"I'm helping him for your sake."
Ah Jiu looked up at Tuoba Yan. Did he really have to consider her so much? Besides, Jiu'er didn't need to get involved in the arms deal, nor did she need Tuoba Yan to act on his own initiative.
Ma Peng instantly sensed something and quickly cupped his hands, "Then I must thank Miss Jiu'er."
Ah Jiu gave an embarrassed smile and pulled Tuoba Yan out, "What exactly are you thinking?"
Tuoba Yan thought Jiu'er would be happy about this, but instead, he saw Jiu'er looking displeased.
"I'm not thinking anything. Ma Peng clearly wants to start an uprising. I thought for your sake, considering Uncle Meng was injured again because of the arms deal, wouldn't it be resolved if I just delivered it? You wouldn't have to worry about Uncle Meng anymore, would you?"
The logic was sound, but that wasn't what Ah Jiu wanted to ask. "I mean, do you ever think about anything else besides me all day?"
"Besides you..." Tuoba Yan feigned thoughtfulness, "There really isn't anything else to think about. However, Sister Jiu'er, you can tell me what I should think about."
"..." Ah Jiu's molars were about to grind to dust. Why did she feel that this oddball Tuoba Yan could always ask such surprising questions?
"When you lead troops to war, don't you need to think about the battle situation? Don't you need to plan tactics in advance? Or think about the consequences if Prince Qi Ming catches you?"
"These things, these things don't need to be thought about at all." Tuoba Yan felt that the least worthy things to consider in the world were these questions. It was the uncertain Jiu'er who was worthy of thought.
Ah Jiu suddenly rolled her eyes, "Then do you need to consider resting now? I've already decided that I need to go to sleep."
Ah Jiu turned and left without waiting for Tuoba Yan to speak.
"Sister Jiu'er, don't forget to come and see the troops tomorrow." Tuoba Yan waved. Seeing that Ah Jiu didn't respond, he didn't get angry. He turned and went into Ma Peng's cave.
"Something wrong, young man?" Ma Peng saw his stern expression and seemed to think something bad had happened.
A decisive ferocity flashed in Tuoba Yan's eyes, "You want to conquer the world?"
Ma Peng's eyebrows shot up. This young man actually possessed such a powerful aura, completely different from his daytime demeanor.
"Naturally, I want to conquer a stable world. Don't you want that?" Ma Peng probed.
"I'll lend you arms and troops. Do you have the confidence to take down Prince Qi's Meng Hua City?"
As soon as Tuoba Yan said this, Ma Peng's face instantly darkened. He hadn't intended to attack a city so quickly, yet this young man harbored such grand ambitions.