Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Chapter 593: Putting Forth Conditions (2/2)

Han Yu couldn’t read anything from his daughter-in-law’s expression: “That’s my thought, but I’m not sure how you feel about it. I won’t force you; it all depends on your willingness.”

“Then would these people still be part of the army’s structure, or would they be under my command?” Su Wenyue didn’t rashly agree. While she was willing to help Han Yu with certain tasks, it would depend on what those tasks were.

Settling the disabled soldiers was clearly a sign of Han Yu’s kindness, not willing to have the brothers he fought side by side with on the battlefield left without a proper conclusion. There wasn’t much in it for him besides possibly gaining a good reputation, yet it was a heavy responsibility, especially in these times, with so many old, weak, and disabled. It was not something that could be sustained on a whim. If they couldn’t afford to take care of them later on, they might end up worse off and possibly face complaints. She was a selfish person and would not engage in such thankless and burdensome endeavors.

However, although Han Yu might not be able to afford to support these people, she had ways of sustaining them, provided there were conditions and prerequisites. She wouldn’t keep them for the army unless they were solely under her command and constituted part of her influence. What was a burden to others was an opportunity for her.

She was interested in further developing her business ventures and needed manpower, especially for roles requiring intellect rather than just brute strength, which would only suffice for entry-level jobs. Her primary criterion for employing people was loyalty and complete allegiance to her control.

Han Yu was also slightly surprised by his daughter-in-law’s reaction. He knew her well—she was stubborn but had a soft heart, always claiming to be selfish, but was more genuinely kind and tender-hearted than those who pretended to do charity. He expected her to immediately agree since she, too, needed more hands, yet she presented him with conditions.

But Han Yu’s initial astonishment quickly turned into admiration and relief. His own personal emotions had clouded his judgment, causing him not to consider all aspects. He had simply wanted to prevent the soldiers who had fought by his side from ending up in such dire straits, but without careful planning, helping others could easily end up hurting himself instead—history had already seen such examples.

“Daughter-in-law, I’ve just realized how wise you are. It’s good that you alerted me in time or I would have unintentionally done more harm than good.” Feeling moved, Han Yu immediately embraced his daughter-in-law in his arms.

Seeing Han Yu’s reaction, Su Wenyue couldn’t help but feel a bit smug: “You’re only noticing now? I thought you knew already. So how have you decided? I want to make it clear that I’m not some saint; I won’t do things without benefits, and definitely won’t labor for someone else’s gain. If those people are not mine to command, I won’t bother with this matter, as it’s all thankless work!”

“Of course, I’ll listen to whatever you say, my dear. I’ll go and discuss it with Uncle Wen right away, and I’ll make sure you don’t suffer any disadvantage! But, my dear, are you really able to take on this responsibility? The number of disabled soldiers is not insignificant; earlier, I hadn’t given it full consideration due to my impulsive eagerness.”

“Don’t worry, since I have brought it up, I certainly have the confidence to take on this charge. I was in need of manpower anyway; the only condition is that these people must be loyal and of good character. If there’s any hint of ill-intent, I won’t accept them. I’m setting my terms with you upfront.”

“That goes without saying. Leave it to me to handle. My dear, I’m going to step out for a bit.” Han Yu spoke and hastened outside, clearly eager to settle the matter so he could have peace of mind. His daughter-in-law’s conditions would undoubtedly be acceptable. Since the disabled individuals needed to leave the army anyway, they would owe their allegiance wholly to his daughter-in-law once they were under her command. If any harbored ulterior motives, he wouldn’t agree to it, even if she did.