Cao Hongwen smiled,
"My dear brother, you're not in the know. Negotiation is all about talking. Right now, your Buzhihuo family is on the brink of destruction, and the only ones who can help you are our Cao family and the Beast Tribe, only the Great Phoenix.
You're aware of our strength.
People say our Cao family is subservient and kowtows to the Beast Tribe, shaming the human race.
But do they know that back then, when the three families divided Jin, without our Cao family, how could the Beast Tribe have divided so much land? How could the pattern of us dominating the north and you two families dividing the south have formed?
Strictly speaking, the strongest in the north is indeed the Great Phoenix, but don't forget, on this land, humans are the most numerous and the strongest.
Without the help of our Cao family, they, the Beast Tribe, would likely have been wiped out by you two families long ago.
Our Cao family patriarch also made a heavenly oath with the Great Phoenix. Our Cao family manages the north, and the Beast Tribe assists us, providing fighting power.
As long as the Great Phoenix slumbers in the sea of fire and does not interfere, our Cao family is the ruler of the northern lands.
To put it bluntly, we alone have the strength to resist both of your families.
Therefore, if your Buzhihuo family wishes to avoid annihilation, you can only rely on our Cao family.
After the deed is done, and the Great Phoenix obtains the Holy Fire inheritance, eradicating the Jin Dynasty imperial family, our Cao family will ascend the throne, and your Buzhihuo family can continue to live in the southeast as a vassal, a regional lord."
"Promises are the most unreliable things."
The fat man sneered. They were all from major powers and understood that promises were only possible when strength was equal. When strength was completely unequal, promises were less than a fart.
"My Cao family patriarch can swear a heavenly oath."
"What use is your Cao family patriarch swearing? The one with strength is still that Molten Great Phoenix."
"My dear brother, are you truly ignorant or feigning ignorance? The Beast Tribe has never had great ambitions. Their numbers are far fewer than humans, and they only need a patch of land to survive.
As for the Great Phoenix, it is only obsessed with improving its own strength and is intent on obtaining the Holy Fire inheritance. Usually, it stays in the sea of fire motionless.
With its lazy nature, asking it to manage the world? You might as well kill it.
Our Cao family and the Beast Tribe, to be precise, the Great Phoenix, have a tacit understanding.
What it wants is strength, and what we want is the world.
Therefore, the decision-makers are still our Cao family members."
Buzhihuo Jing Tian fell silent, holding his wine cup and sipping it absentmindedly, his mind racing to assess the feasibility of this matter.
After a moment, the fat man smiled,
"Brother Cao, what you've said does hold some truth, but even if you persuade me, it's of no use.
I'm just a chief steward. The real decision-makers in our family are those three matriarchs.
You should go directly to the main mansion and negotiate with our three matriarchs. It can only be finalized if they agree. My agreement is useless. You've come to the wrong person."
Cao Hongwen laughed heartily and patted Buzhihuo Jing Tian's plump hand,
"My dear brother, you know your own strength. I, your brother, am at least a regional powerhouse, but you? With your meager fire-manipulating skills, any guard you pick from the Buzhihuo family is stronger than you.
The Buzhihuo family will either be annihilated by the Xi family, in which case you, brother Jing Tian, will surely die.
Or, you assist our Cao family in eliminating the Xi family, the Great Phoenix obtains the Holy Fire inheritance, and your Buzhihuo family can continue to be enfeoffed in the southwest by our Cao family.
But, my brother, have you ever considered that these words are our private conversation? I cannot say them to outsiders.
At that time, you will at most remain a mere chief steward, with the Buzhihuo family above you, and further up, our Cao family. Is being a minister of ministers your ideal?
To put it less politely, if the Cao family wanted to annex the Buzhihuo family, and the Buzhihuo family could not resist, where would you, with all your fat, find a place?"
"I..."
"Listen to your brother. We have known each other for decades. This time, your brother is specifically giving you merit."
"Merit?"
"I could have directly gone to your main mansion and discussed this matter with your three matriarchs. Why did I come to you first?
Isn't it because I value our old friendship and want to help you?
Let's coordinate first. When we get to your place, you'll help me persuade your matriarchs.
This way, your merit will surely be remembered by the Cao family.
In the future, when the Cao family reigns supreme, I, your brother, will recommend you. With this merit, wouldn't it be easy for you to enter the imperial court?
At that time, whether the Buzhihuo family exists or not, you will be safe and sound.
Otherwise, with your insignificant strength, why would the Cao family use you?
Your brother is bringing you merit."
Cao Hongwen chuckled and leisurely drank his wine, while Buzhihuo Jing Tian played with his wine cup, not rushing to agree.
They were all old foxes; who would believe in such a windfall?
Why is Cao Hongwen helping me so much...
Unconsciously, Buzhihuo Jing Tian's thoughts shifted to the certainty of the Buzhihuo family's destruction and the Cao family's inevitable rise to power, and he began to ponder Cao Hongwen's motives.
This was Cao Hongwen's strategy: to avoid the crucial point and ensnare Buzhihuo Jing Tian without him realizing it.
After a moment,
Buzhihuo Jing Tian smiled,
"Brother Cao, I still have one thing I don't understand."
"Speak."
"Why does your Cao family want to help us eliminate the Xi family, rather than help the Xi family eliminate ours?"
"Hahahaha."
Cao Hongwen burst into laughter,
"My dear brother, have you ever gone hunting?"
"Hunting? Brother Cao, don't joke. With my physique, can I go hunting? If I went hunting, wouldn't I just be offering myself as meat to the demonic beasts."
"That's why you don't understand this principle, my brother. Hunting has its ways.
In front of you, there are two demonic beasts, one strong and one weak, and they are fighting. Which one would you attack? Which one would you subdue?"
"Uh... the strong one."
"Precisely. If you attack the weak one and kill it, then you'll have to face the strong demonic beast alone. Even if you can kill it, you'll be severely weakened yourself.
But what if you help the weak one attack the strong one? The strong one, facing the combined assault of both of you, will be quickly killed, and you won't suffer any damage. Instead, you can subdue the weak one, which poses no threat to you.
One that threatens you, and one that doesn't. It's obvious which one to attack and subdue."
"You, you're comparing our Buzhihuo family to that weak demonic beast? And yourselves to hunters?"