As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 297 Everyone has their own thoughts

Night, the lights are bright.

"General An, come, drink!"

"General An, come, brother, let me toast you."

"Come on, drink!"

Inside the Qi army camp, several robust generals sat in a circle, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts.

"General Wang, this... this is not the time to drink."

One of them was missing an ear and looked somewhat timid. He glanced around nervously and said...

A man next to him patted him on the shoulder and poured him a full glass of wine: "Old Liu, stop being so fussy, like a woman! Just drink!"

"But Your Majesty..."

Before he finished speaking, the person in the main seat at the table turned serious.

The person who secretly organized this party was named You Lei. In terms of status and official rank, he was neither high nor low, placing him in the middle among these people.

Fortunately, he's perceptive.

After seeing the leader's displeasure, she immediately smiled and said, "His Majesty is drinking with Mingchen of Qianyuan right now, he has no right to interfere with us!"

“Everyone, keep your soldiers in check. If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, no one will know about tonight’s banquet.”

"Now that Xiaoyao City has been captured and the traitor Xu Zhongling is dead, even if word gets out, it's just us celebrating our victory, and no one can find fault with it."

Firstly, it was to make it clear that Wang Huai was very busy at the time and had no time to pay attention to them.

Secondly, it also serves as a message to everyone that this gathering was only attended by a few of them, ensuring a high degree of privacy and preventing any gossip from spreading.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the 'General Liu' reluctantly shut his mouth.

The group exchanged glances, having already anticipated the attitudes of the people present.

"Come on, drink up! General You brought this wine from the capital. Since we won't be able to go back to the capital, let's all have more."

"drink!"

"Brother Zhang, fill it up again."

The night was quiet, and since everyone present was a high-ranking military leader, no one dared to disturb them.

The initial minor disagreement seemed to be quickly drowned out by the drinks.

Time passed slowly, and some people's faces were already flushed with wine.

"Your Majesty and Mingchen of Qian Yuan have such a good relationship! Even at this time, they are still drinking and talking in private!"

"What kind of mind-altering drug did Mingchen give him?"

What are the differences between the old and new Qian Yuan systems?

"Isn't the Qian Emperor also a remnant of the old dynasty? Why is he so kind to them?"

"If you ask me, we should have sent troops westward back then to attack her before she could establish a firm foothold. If we had destroyed her, the world would have been unified by now."

"There is plenty of food in the west, and our logistics are also guaranteed. How could we have fallen into such a state?"

A burly general was the first to speak.

He seemed to have drunk too much; his eyes were glazed, and his speech was slurred with drunkenness as he grumbled unrestrainedly.

Some people were reserved, keeping their eyes down, sipping their wine quietly without saying a word.

Then the somewhat timid 'General Liu' spoke up again, tugging at the man's sleeve and saying in a consoling tone, "General Zhang, you've had too much to drink."

"Stop talking! How can we, as subordinates, speak ill of His Majesty?"

These words did not have the desired effect of dissuading him; instead, they had the opposite effect. The man, reeking of alcohol, suddenly raised his voice several notches: "Nonsense?"

"Is there even a single lie I've told?"

His eyes widened, and he raised his voice: "His Majesty... sigh!"

He was about to say something, but facing so many eyes, he lowered his gaze and sighed softly.

"Old Liu, I'm talking about you!"

"You once shielded His Majesty from a knife. Back in the Battle of Zhenzhou, if it weren't for your desperate defense of the pass and blocking the Chen reinforcements, our army would have been wiped out... Let's not talk about how great your achievements were, you certainly worked hard. Look at your ears!"

"And what was the result? What did you get?"

"What's wrong with a few soldiers looting in Yueyang? Those fat worms in Yueyang have been riding roughshod over us for hundreds of years, and so many of us have been exploited. You're unhappy about robbing them once?"

"Whose side is His Majesty on? Because of this matter, all your military achievements have been demoted."

"What are you afraid of?! Aren't you in the wrong?"

The man seemed genuinely drunk, unafraid of saying anything inappropriate while intoxicated.

He downed cup after cup of bitter wine, his eyes bloodshot, his breath reeking of alcohol.

In front of everyone, reveal what everyone is taboo about.

The atmosphere at the dinner table had become somewhat off.

General Liu subconsciously touched his ear, looking somewhat dejected. He didn't want to hear any more of this and kept saying to the man, "Zhang Qingcheng, stop talking, stop talking."

The drunken Zhang Qingcheng showed no restraint whatsoever, instead raising his voice even higher: "Have you all forgotten Brother Liu Tie?"

"He was full of merits and fought bravely against the enemy, but what happened? This great hero did not die on the battlefield, but instead crashed into Yueyang City and died."

"Liu Xiao, have you forgotten your older brother?"

After capturing Yueyang City, Wang Huai conducted a major purge following the Blood-Clad Army's raid on the city.

This move has drawn criticism from many people.

Liu Tie was a highly respected general in the army. He gathered several people together to plot a rebellion against Wang Huai's rule.

However, Wang Liu stumbled upon the scene, and he crashed into a pillar and died.

From then on, rumors circulated that Wang Huai killed meritorious officials and that they could not share wealth and honor.

Like a fuse, it triggered a series of major upheavals.

This matter was taboo in Wang Huai's army, yet it was brought up again in this setting.

Liu Xiao was shocked upon hearing this.

Liu Xiao and Liu Tie are not blood brothers, but when they meet in a foreign land, they will seize every possible link to each other.

The two men shared the same surname and hit it off immediately. They became sworn brothers, sharing a deep bond on the battlefield.

After the great victory, my sworn brother smashed his head against a pillar in Yueyang and died, without receiving any merit for his bravery.

He himself was unsure whether he was affected by this, but he lost an ear, and despite his illustrious military achievements, he only received a mediocre position.

This matter has indeed been a thorn in his side for a long time.

He simply lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "General Zhang, you've had too much to drink."

Zhang Qingcheng glanced at him, then raised his head and said to the others, "Everyone, we all crawled out of piles of dead bodies. We all know how difficult it was to get to where we are now."

Don't you want to plan for your future?

Upon hearing this, the people present immediately fell silent.

Everyone put down their glasses, their faces composed, their minds racing, unsure of what to say.

"Old Zhang, you've had too much to drink, so say less."

Just then, a tall general with a long beard, who was seated in the main seat, spoke up.

He was the highest-ranking person present, General An Minxing.

He was a senior official with outstanding achievements and was highly regarded by Wang Huai.

Although You Lei initiated the party, General An was the true heart of the gathering.

The moment he opened his mouth, even the incessantly rambling, drunken Old Zhang fell silent.

He raised his head, glanced in the direction of the center of the military camp, took a sip of wine, shook his head slightly, and said with a sigh, "Speaking of which, our Emperor and Lord Ming of Qian Yuan have a really good relationship."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he steered the conversation in another direction.

Another general spoke up: "I've heard that Lord Ming is sworn brothers with our Emperor!"

"Huh? Really?!"

"It is said that His Majesty was displaced in his early years and received kindness from others, perhaps it was on this very day."

"Oh...that makes sense."

"But if that's the case, why is Mingchen serving in Qian Yuan and hasn't come to our Great Qi?"

"Um...this..."

The significance of leaving blank space is great.

If the issue isn't addressed, it will only fuel endless speculation among others.

Although, all the facts may just be a very simple thought.

You Lei leaned forward and lowered his voice: "Do you think Qian Yuan will return Xiaoyao City to us?"

"Um... I don't know either."

"If Mingchen has a good relationship with our Emperor, perhaps he will give it to him."

Is Qian Yuan really that easy to talk to?

"Hey... I feel like His Majesty's attitude towards Qian Yuan is a little too good!"

"The situation in our Great Qi is unclear right now, could it be..."

This party has many purposes, including to bring up some topics that people usually keep to themselves.

By bringing all the mistakes together into the same force,
The situation in Daqi is not good.

Anyone with eyesight can see it.

Wang Huai's attitude is hard to fathom; those in high positions absolutely cannot go back to the grassroots.

If the future is uncertain, they need to find their own way out.

What have we been risking our lives for all these years?

"So many brothers died on the battlefield, surviving against all odds, all so that we could fight for a better future and ensure that our descendants could enjoy endless wealth and glory."

After remaining silent for a while, the drunken Zhang Qingcheng spoke up again: "Everyone, shouldn't we all be thinking about our future?"

A pebble fell into the calm lake of the heart, creating ripples. Although not explicitly stated, all the conversations, both overt and covert, through the mouths of several people, unraveled many things.

Firstly, they could not return to Yueyang City, and the wine they were drinking was their last. This was because Wang Huai's words had given away the capital city they had painstakingly conquered to Qian Yuan.

Secondly, the question remains: can they ever get Xiaoyao City back? What will they do in the future? These questions remain unanswered and uncertain.

Thirdly, the situation in Daqi is not good. Wang Huai has a close relationship with Mingchen and his attitude towards Qianyuan is ambiguous. Perhaps he plans to surrender to Qianyuan in the future. At that time, where will these high-ranking officials and generals go?

Fourth, Wang Huai had a history of killing meritorious officials, and there were also disillusioned people present. Perhaps Wang Huai was not a leader worth following.

Fifth, think carefully about your future, and don't die in a daze.

There was silence for a moment.

An Minxing glanced at everyone present and raised his glass: "Let's not talk about these unhappy things, everyone, let's drink."

"I have heard that some unorthodox and unorthodox individuals are active these days."

"Our Emperor has been tricked by that astrologer. We must protect him closely, monitor him constantly, and do everything we can to ensure his safety."

"The Qian Yuan Army will definitely withdraw, and then... we'll have to protect ourselves."

An Minxing's tone was cryptic, and the generals present simply lowered their heads and drank.

That concludes the discussion.

An Minxing today is much more reserved than Liu Tie was back then.

Everything was said and everything was said indirectly, without being explicitly stated.

As night fell, the dishes and cups were scattered everywhere, and everything came to an end.

Zhang Qingcheng was drunk and had to be helped away by his subordinates and guards.

Liu Xiao, with only one ear, lowered his eyes slightly, his eyes gleaming, lost in thought.

As the initiator of this party, You Lei tidied up the mess with a warm expression.

Night fell, and everything returned to calm.

The candle was blown out, and suddenly several voices came from the shadows.

"Has His Majesty and Mingchen finished their conversation?"

"Yes, the tent lights have been turned off."

“Chai Ming’s attitude is ambiguous. We should observe him more closely and keep a close eye on his actions.”

"Yes."

"Regardless of whether we want Xiaoyao City or not, the Qian Yuan Army won't stay long. Once these people leave, we'll make our move."

"Yes!"

……

The moonlight gently spilled down, casting a soft glow on people's faces, making their outlines faintly visible.

The general, missing an ear, remained calm, nodding in response from time to time.

Zhang Qingcheng, who should have been completely drunk, also appeared here, his eyes bright and clear, showing no signs of being drunk at all.

You Lei listened quietly to the sound, his expression respectful.

The one in the main seat was naturally General An Minxing, who controlled the direction of the conversation at the banquet.

The wind is starting to feel off.

The Great Qi, which rose up in a mighty uprising and swept through the capital, is now teetering on the brink of collapse.

The Qian Yuan's overwhelming siege destroyed the faith of many.

Besides Wang Huai, there were these subordinates.

Wang Huai's past mistakes, his mysterious relationship with Ming Chen, and his unpredictable attitudes... all of these things made his subordinates feel a sense of crisis.

Some people are honest and simple-minded. They only know how to fight and do things for His Majesty. Whatever His Majesty tells them to do, they will do it.

However, some people are sensitive and suspicious, constantly trying to figure out what people are thinking, overthinking, and planning their future.

The Great Qi cannot surrender to Qian Yuan, nor can it continue to follow Wang Huai's orders and do meaningless things haphazardly.

How many people can resist the corrupting influence of power and wealth?
Very few!

It hasn't been easy for them to get to where they are today.

They need to plan ahead before a crisis arrives.

If Your Majesty cannot lead them forward, then they will need to find a new Your Majesty.

They need a ruler who can lead them to enjoy wealth and luxury and fulfill their desires.

They still have a base in the south. Even if they can't defeat Qian Yuan and don't have Xiaoyao City, they can still occupy some cities, act arrogantly, and become local emperors.

The organizers of tonight's party, Zhang Qingcheng, who spoke ill of Wang Huai, and Liu Xiao, who appeared 'loyal' on the surface, are both An Minxing's own people.

In fact, everyone present had been observed and spoken to privately beforehand.

Everyone's attitude has been screened time and time again.

Liu Tie's crude mutiny served as a warning to everyone: it must not happen again.

The people present seemed to be keeping quiet about their affairs, but in reality, they were all wearing masks and were dissatisfied with the boss above them.

There wouldn't be a single one of Wang Huai's confidants at the dinner table.

This conversation was to help everyone confirm their teammates, observe everyone's attitudes, and launch a final pre-battle mobilization.

Even so, An Minxing did not reveal everything.

The word "protect" in the last few sentences at a dinner table should be interpreted in reverse.

The real subtext was: to launch a mutiny immediately after the Qian Yuan army left.

They spread rumors throughout the military camp that Wang Huai had been assassinated and died of illness.

All they needed to do was create chaos, and under the pretense of rescuing the emperor, lead their trusted men into Wang Huai's camp and kill him.

Anyway, Wang Huai is dead. It doesn't matter who killed him or how he died.

After Wang Huai's death, these people quickly took control of the situation and supported the crown prince to ascend the throne.

The crown prince was young and lacked prestige in the army.

With power slipping away, everything was now under the full control of An Minxing.

At that time, An Minhang will be the new king, and the generals who helped him with the coup will be his key ministers, whose status will rise again.

Unable to sleep tonight, An Minxing and his most trusted subordinates meticulously scrutinized every detail to prevent any oversights.

This is a serious matter; the slightest mistake could cost you your head.

After all, there were precedents for this.

Liu Tie died by crashing his head into a hole in the capital, and today that story is being used as inspirational material.

Several people also took his crude approach to starting the uprising as a warning.

"Big brother, it looks like something flew out."

As the group whispered among themselves, Liu Xiao suddenly looked up at the door and whispered something.

"kindness?"

An Minxing frowned, and he inexplicably felt his eyes twitching.

Zhang Qingcheng went outside to check, then returned and said, "It looks like a bat..."

"kindness……"

……

Mingchen left the Daqi camp the next day.

Perhaps there were more possibilities, and General Xu Zhongling, who had even greater potential in the future, was also chopped into mincemeat and buried here forever.

Now that this matter is over, perhaps it's time to go back.

After returning to Xiaoyao City for two days, Mingchen and Lingyu reorganized the army and prepared to return to the capital.

Xu Zhongling, a common enemy of both Qian Yuan and Da Qi, has been eliminated.

The two sides are still in a period of ambiguity, with no enemies and no intention of taking action.

The ownership of Xiaoyao City has not yet been decided.

Mingchen simply left a few people here to manage things; the rest would require Xiao Xinyue to send people to Daqi to negotiate and discuss.

Mingchen and Lingyu only care about fighting and killing Xu Zhongling; the rest is none of their business.

The arrival of the eight thousand elite soldiers was awe-inspiring; they streaked across the sky like shooting stars during the siege, leaving a deep impression on everyone, and their departure was equally swift and decisive.

As the fierce and ruthless army departed, it seemed as if the heavy burden weighing on people's hearts had been lifted.

With the Demon-Suppressing Stone gone, people released the demons from their hearts.

Within the blood-clad army's camp, undercurrents surged, and an unusual wind seemed to be blowing.

Everyone has a script and a blueprint in their mind.

It's time; the show is about to begin.

The sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

"Not good!"

"Escort!"

"An assassin! An assassin!"

"His Majesty has passed away..."

……

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out in the army.