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

Chapter 327 Fortresses are always conquered from within.
Regardless of whether Deng Yingcheng believes Zheng Jun's words or not, he will take action and do his best to verify his conjecture.

He verified it himself and made his own judgment.

A cautious person trusts only himself and has unwavering confidence in his own judgment.

All the preparations Mingchen made in the middle of the night were to prove his conjecture to Deng Yingcheng.

What Liu Xifeng needs to do next is to prove himself and save himself, given that the head coach already has doubts about him.

The hardest thing for a person to do is to prove themselves in front of people who doubt them.

The three passes are strategically important and fortified, making it extremely difficult for Qian Yuan to conquer them from the front with his current military strength.

We can only try to work on it from other angles.

Fortresses are always conquered from within.

Mingchen planted the seed; how that seed grows into something depends on luck.

The best-case scenario is that the seeds of doubt sprout. Deng Yingcheng begins to test and deal with Liu Xifeng. Liu Xifeng keenly senses Deng Yingcheng's probing, and the survivalist begins to panic, seeking self-preservation. He will find that whatever he says is wrong; the cautious and suspicious Deng Yingcheng will not believe him. He has reached a dead end, and if he doesn't want to be schemed against and killed by Deng Yingcheng, his only option is to seek refuge with Qian Yuan.

As long as Liu Xifeng betrays him, Zheng Jun will be safe.

Zheng Jun used his merit in exposing Liu Xifeng's 'betrayal' as a pledge of loyalty to join the Beilie camp, becoming a thorn in their side.

In this way, Mingchen passed another test.

This is a triple win: it infiltrates an inside agent, secures a pass, forces Liu Xifeng to rebel, and causes the enemy to kill each other.

In a moderate scenario, Deng Yingcheng was too slow and didn't have time to deal with Liu Xifeng. Before Liu Xifeng could make a decision, the Northern Emperor's forces arrived, took control of the situation, and seized power. Mingchen would then have no further opportunities to advance, and Zheng Jun's future would also be uncertain.

Or perhaps Liu Xifeng was too foolish and was captured by Deng Yingcheng in a single encounter, in which case the strategic objective could not be achieved.

The only benefit of this move was that it caused some internal chaos within the enemy ranks, making them suspicious of each other and preventing them from plotting against Xingtai Pass, which Qian Yuan currently occupies.

In the worst-case scenario, Deng Yingcheng and Liu Xifeng did not act as he expected, and instead executed Zheng Jun.

Thus, the plan completely failed. The Northern Lie side became even more vigilant, and their hopes of conquering another pass were dashed. The Qian Yuan side lost a brave general with good qualities.

This may sound cold to Zheng Jun, but even in the worst-case scenario, the loss to Qian Yuan wouldn't be too great.

In comparison, Mingchen is willing to take risks in order to seek greater benefits.

Zheng Jun's journey deep into enemy territory will undoubtedly be fraught with danger, and he will most likely never return.

Mingchen had already hinted at this to him before.

Every decision carries both benefits and risks; a single shift in people's thinking can alter a meticulously planned scheme.

Even for Mingchen, many things can only be accomplished by chance.

The same principle applies to seizing Xingtai Pass and now to seizing Libu Pass.

Mingchen has already completed the three-part task required by human intervention. All that remains is to quietly observe where the seven-part destiny unfolds.

……

"General Zheng, thank you for telling me."

"You should stay here at Zhenling Pass and make the most of it."

“I will report your matter to His Majesty. Our Northern Emperor is fair in rewarding and punishing, and he will surely reward you accordingly.”

"Mr. Deng has some things to attend to, so he won't be able to keep you company any longer."

Zheng Jun successfully completed the main quest assigned to him by Mingchen.

He maintained his public image, only saying what he needed to say and nothing more.

That's enough; enough to keep the enemy busy and flustered.

Deng Yingcheng obtained information from Zheng Jun that he wanted to know but was reluctant to know.

He wouldn't trust Zheng Jun, a surrendered general, but he also wouldn't trust Liu Xifeng.

He only trusts himself.

His mind was in turmoil, a jumble of thoughts swirling within him. He desperately needed to find answers and verify all the intelligence and conjectures he had gathered.

With just a few words, the meeting came to an end.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zheng Jun, his smile serene, maintaining his composure.

Zheng Jun also bowed to Deng Yingcheng, saying, "General Deng, please go ahead."

But after leaving the room and walking a short distance, Deng Yingcheng's expression immediately turned cold.

Zheng Jun performed well at their first meeting; he didn't notice anything unusual about the man.

However, he remained skeptical.

He ordered his subordinates, "Keep a close watch on these people who ran back from Xingtai Pass. Everyone needs to be monitored. Especially this Zheng Jun; he needs to report to me on any situation."

"Yes."

"Intensify your intelligence gathering on Xingtai Pass and transmit all recent events to me as soon as possible, especially information about Zheng Jun and Ming Chen's movements."

If Zheng Jun defectes, then there will be some news from Xingtai Pass and Qianyuan.

If the Xingtai Pass authorities react indifferently, he will begin to suspect the purpose of this person who has been sent here.

Even if it's fake, the meticulous Mingchen probably wouldn't leave such a loophole, but it's still good to double-check that it's definitely true.

"Get me to find out as soon as possible about Zheng Jun's background, where he's from, his family structure, and his life story. Find out everything you can."

It's hard to find out Zheng Jun's background.

The newly established dynasty was founded by an unknown person who rose from the bottom, and Bei Lie and Ji Qu were far apart in time, making it virtually impossible to trace them.

It's impossible to find out the truth in a short period of time.

This is one of the reasons why Mingchen sent him.

The less clear the details are, the more room there is for manipulation and control.

For example, Zheng Jun fabricated the story that his mother was from the Beilie people, which made it easier for him to gain their approval.

Deng Yingcheng was aware of this as well.

But what if... it would be good to get some information.

"Yes!"

After arranging these matters, Deng Yingcheng let out a soft sigh, his brows furrowed.

Next, he needed to arrange the most difficult task.

He needs to test Liu Xifeng.

This is a very troublesome matter. He needs to know Liu Xifeng's thoughts, but he can't let Liu Xifeng notice anything unusual.

Liu Xifeng's attitude may still be wavering, so he needs to do his best to appease him.

If Liu Xifeng has a problem, then Deng Yingcheng must turn the tide and find a way to transfer him away from Libu Pass and take away his military power.

Even if we lose Xingtai Pass, everything might still be under control.

Fortunately, Bei Lie still has two challenges at his disposal and holds the advantage. His opponents are Ming Chen and Ling Yu, so His Majesty and his elder brother probably won't blame him too much.

But if we lose another level, that would be a real problem.

The two passes can launch a two-pronged attack on Zhenling Pass from two different directions.

Zhenling Pass is one of two passes, Libu Pass and Xingtai Pass, facing Liu Xifeng's troops and Qian Yuan's army, and confronting monsters like Mingchen and Lingyu...

The pressure is too great.

It's hard to say whether Zhenling Pass can be defended.

He might lose all three passes if things go wrong.

Let alone how His Majesty will deal with him, it's questionable whether he can even survive this winter.

He couldn't wait for the court's reply; he had to make his own decision immediately.

He pondered for a moment, then said to those around him, "Go find Lord Li immediately, whatever he's doing, bring him to me, right now!!"

"Yes!"

After stepping aside, he let out a soft breath.

Only by truly facing an enemy like Mingchen face-to-face can one know the kind of pressure one will endure.

From the moment these people appeared and came into his view.

It was an invasion as fierce as a raging fire, a mix of truth and falsehood, reality and illusion, appearing one after another.

It's exhausting and requires constant reflection.

He felt like he was being led by the nose the whole time.

"Snowing……"

Looking at the scenery outside, he sighed softly.

This winter is going to be tough...

……

Back at Zhenling Pass, Deng Yingcheng was in turmoil, filled with fear and suspicion.

In contrast, Xingtai Pass was a peaceful place.

Mingchen is the side that makes aggressive moves, so naturally they can enjoy the peace and quiet.

The entire pass and city are now back on track.

In just two days, the patrolling soldiers, the daily drill sergeants, the laborers building the city walls... all ten thousand people were arranged perfectly and in an orderly manner by General Ling Yu.

Now that the pass is completely under their control, Ling Yu is confident that even if the enemy attacks, they can use the pass to block a force ten times their size.

Ling Yu handled Zheng Jun's matter flawlessly.

It was publicly stated that Zheng Jun had betrayed the country, and the message had been sent to the court that his parents and family members would be executed.

Those soldiers who followed Zheng Jun and committed various crimes were also punished according to the rules.

Even the high-ranking generals in the military believed that Zheng Jun had defected and betrayed the country. Only Mingchen and Lingyu knew the real reason.

"It's snowing again..." Snowflakes drifted by, and in front of the main tent, a handsome young man looked up, quietly gazing at the white world, and sighed softly.

The snow came late this year, but it fell heavily.

The dense snowflakes fell, covering the world with a silver blanket.

Having eaten many good things and with the protection of demons and immortals, he did not feel cold.

"With the snow falling this heavily, I wonder what the situation is like on the western grasslands. The Xiongnu are probably going to suffer another snow disaster..."

Mingchen's thoughts were racing, pondering all sorts of random things.

"Son..."

A woman with an elegant demeanor stood beside him and draped a fur coat over his shoulders.

"Long Lian... are you feeling unwell in the army formation?"

The grim atmosphere of the army formation made the demon feel somewhat suffocated.

The little bird didn't like staying here, so when it had nothing to do, it would take the white wolf out to play.

However, the little snake stayed by his side the whole time.

Perhaps it was the winter season, as snakes need to hibernate, but she seemed a bit lazy.

She usually sleeps nestled in Mingchen's arms, only appearing when Mingchen is alone.

Unlike the bird's enthusiasm and the fox's mischief, Yao Yao is lively and talkative.

Long Lian was peaceful and quiet.

The companionship of the reclusive dragon girl is like a gentle spring rain, always there quietly and steadily.

He doesn't talk much, and he doesn't do much.

As time goes by, friendships accumulate without us even realizing it.

"It's okay~"

Long Lian lowered her eyes and gently shook her head.

An invisible barrier blocked the two of them. The fierce wind and snow came, but it was as if they were cleaved in two, without disturbing them in the slightest.

They watched the snow in silence. Mingchen seemed to have thought of something and asked, "Didn't you say that this trip north was your chance to transform into a dragon? When do you plan to transform? What can I do for you?"

Before heading north, Mingchen took Long Lian home for an emergency trip.

He has always preferred to keep things under control and didn't want to experience the anxiety of transforming from a bird into a phoenix again.

With his transformation into a dragon imminent, he wanted to ask his old man for some assurance.

However, like Long Lian, the old tree was quite Buddhist, saying things like, "Transforming into a dragon is her destiny, but also her tribulation. Only by truly experiencing wind, rain, thunder, and lightning can she control these powers. No one else can help her..." and so on.

In summary, Mingchen's trip was pointless and utterly useless.

Upon hearing this, Long Lian shook her head: "Young Master, I don't know when it happened, it was just a feeling in the dark."

"Don't worry, young master, you don't need to help me with anything. I have confidence."

She was 99% prepared and felt ready to proceed at any moment.

But even this one feeling requires many coincidences to come together.

Mingchen: ...

Therefore, the cultivation of demons is extremely troublesome.

Seemingly not wanting Mingchen to be distracted by her affairs, Long Lian took the initiative to steer the conversation, saying, "Young Master, don't you want to think about the remaining two trials?"

Mingchen pointed to the sky and said in a nonchalant tone, "Just like your transformation into a dragon, it's all up to fate~"

"If it succeeds, it succeeds; if it doesn't, it doesn't. I've already passed one hurdle, and my goal has been achieved."

Mingchen turned to look at her and said softly, "Long Lian, I hope you feel the same way. If you succeed, great; if not, don't force it. I think the path of cultivation is one that never ends."

He has now gained some new insights.

The little bird turned into a phoenix, but isn't it still cultivating itself?

This doesn't seem to be much different from the previous little white bird.

Jackie Chan can roam freely between heaven and earth, and so can a thousand-year-old demon.

Ultimately, it's nothing more than a struggle with oneself.

Long Lian was taken aback, thought about what Ming Chen had said for a moment, and then nodded gently and said, "Okay."

Mingchen looked at Feixue and sighed softly, "But I wonder if we'll encounter any cultivators on this trip to the Northern Territory..."

He did indeed scheme against people's hearts and set up layers of conspiracies.

But all of this is based on the perspective of ordinary, mundane people.

If cultivators from the Northern Fierce side were to enter the arena, it would add even more uncertainty.

Long Lian stood beside Ming Chen and gave him a faint smile: "Young Master, I can help you!"

"I am very strong!"

……

While Long Lian and Ming Chen were chatting and laughing.

Meanwhile, a group of people, braving the fierce wind and swirling snow, hurriedly left Zhenling Pass on horseback and headed straight for Libu Pass.

As the wind and snow blew, the various gears embedded in Mingchen began to turn.

"Lord Li, please come in quickly."

"It's freezing cold, come in and have a cup of hot tea!"

"You've really gone through a lot, coming here to do official business in this heavy snow!"

Having navigated the ups and downs of officialdom for thirty years, Liu Xifeng is very adept at interpersonal relationships.

They generally won't ruin relationships with people.

Even if the other party's official rank was lower than his, he still wore a smile and treated them kindly.

He personally led the logistics officer, who had come through snow and was covered in dust, into the house.

The charcoal fire was burning brightly, and hot tea was ready.

Upon learning of Liu Xifeng's meeting with Mingchen, Deng Yingcheng was very anxious, but he could not personally come to Libu Pass to question Liu Xifeng.

That's so stupid.

It serves no purpose other than alerting the enemy.

He needs to probe less deliberately, to uncover the truth from subtle clues.

So, everything remains the same.

Li Congyun was an officer in charge of logistics in the army. He would often walk between several passes to check on the status of supplies.

His coming to Libu Pass is reasonable.

Deng Yingcheng wanted to determine Liu Xifeng's character through Li Congyun's eyes and ears.

However, he didn't know that at the same time Li Congyun arrived, Liu Xifeng was also feeling a bit strange.

Logically speaking, Li Congyun didn't need to supervise so closely, arriving in such a snowy weather.

It's fine to come when the weather gets better.

He has a natural, keen intuition, and he always feels that something is wrong.

However, communication was disrupted. After Deng Yingcheng finished talking with Zheng Jun, he hurriedly sent Li Congyun out.

Liu Xifeng had no idea what had happened, where the problem lay, or how to address it effectively.

All his reactions now are instinctive.

Li Congyun glanced at him and shook his head slightly, saying helplessly, "Sigh, there's nothing I can do. General Liu... you know General Deng's personality. He won't let us rest until the work is finished."

Liu Xifeng led him to a seat and personally poured him a cup of tea: "Come, have some tea!"

"Oh... thank you so much, General Liu, you're too kind!"

Sipping tea while watching the snow fall in winter is quite a pleasure.

Li Congyun arrived weary from his journey, picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and as the hot tea flowed down his throat, he couldn't help but sigh, "Of all the teas I've drunk, General Liu's is the best!"

Liu Xifeng laughed heartily, "Hahaha, since Lord Li has already said all this, it would seem like I'm being unreasonable not to let you take a box back with you!"

Li Congyun waved his hand, subtly steer the conversation away from the pointless chatter and onto the main topic: "No, no, I'm fine with just a drink. We've lost a hurdle, and General Deng is in a real bind. I need to hurry back and report!"

"Alas... truly... General Bai..."

Speaking of the loss of Xingtai Pass, Liu Xifeng sighed repeatedly, saying with deep regret, "We have failed the Emperor's grace!"

If a checkpoint is breached, everyone will inevitably bear the responsibility.

If one pass is attacked, will your other passes just stand there and watch? Won't you send troops to support it?

Those in power only see the results; they don't pay attention to how fiercely powerful and swiftly advancing the enemy is.

The failure to provide adequate support and the subsequent loss of the pass is the responsibility of the defending generals.

Whether it's Liu Xifeng or Deng Yingcheng, they will both place 99% of the blame on the already deceased Bai Junxin.

Li Congyun followed his lead and sighed softly, "Ah...who can argue with that!"

During their casual conversation, Liu Xifeng made no mention of Mingchen's previous visit.

This was his instinctive reaction.

Subconsciously, Liu Xifeng couldn't possibly say this out loud.

Li Congyun's position was not as high as his, and Deng Yingcheng's was only slightly higher. It was impossible for him to be respectful to these people.

Since the other party seemed to know nothing, Liu Xifeng was unlikely to take the initiative to speak.

It's stupid to tell everyone everything.

(End of this chapter)