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

Chapter 329 Taking the Initiative

The last time Mingchen came to meet us, it was for show, but this time the letter was for Liu Xifeng to see.

Mingchen's letter was written in plain language, and his tone was as if he were having a direct conversation with Liu Xifeng.

It wasn't all kind words; there was a hint of mockery and sarcasm. But it concisely and clearly calculated the pros and cons, every word and every point striking at Liu Xifeng's heart.

Sometimes, the direction of a decision may be just a matter of that tiny bit of weight.

Mingchen was unsure of Liu Xifeng's abilities and sensitivity.

Therefore, I tried my best to give Liu Xifeng some pointers.

He didn't want Liu Xifeng to be killed by Deng Yingcheng.

Liu Xifeng stared silently at the letter in his hand, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

Mingchen won the bet.

At this point in time, Zhenlingguan did indeed send someone to transfer him from Libuguan to Zhenlingguan.

He used a reason he couldn't refuse.

Everyone is pressuring him.

Now, he can no longer compromise; he has to make a choice.

He could choose loyalty, he could disregard everything and reveal everything; he also had Mingchen's letter in his hand, which added another layer of leverage.

Everything was a conspiracy and trick by the enemy to divide our side.

but……

This means that he has to surrender and return to Zhenling Pass with the soldiers, which means that he has given up the initiative and all his bargaining chips.

His fate might be that His Majesty, with keen insight, praises his loyalty and bravery, and elevates his status to a higher level.

but……

It's also possible that he was directly detained or killed by the suspicious Deng Yingcheng. They weren't from the same faction, and the other side wouldn't give him another chance to speak out. Even if he survived by chance, he would have lost all his political capital, and thirty years of wasted effort would have been for nothing.

The former is a fantasy possibility, while the latter is the most likely cruel reality.

Alternatively, he could surrender to the Qian Yuan army, which would completely ruin his reputation in Bei Lie. He would be a sinner in Bei Lie and would never be able to return to Qing Cang City. His wife, children, parents, and relatives in Bei Lie would all be affected.

The advantage is that he will gain a position in Qian Yuan because of his merit in surrendering the city, and everything will start anew.

However, Qian Yuan would truly accept him, a surrendered general from the Northern Lie. Ming Chen's attitude towards him, on the other hand, was far from kind!
However... in order to deceive those who surrendered later like him, as the first person to surrender, he would most likely be treated well.

The future was uncertain, and he didn't know which path would lead to a good ending.

As Mingchen said, he now has a choice.

Because he occupies the pass and commands the garrison, he possesses the greatest value.

Both Bei Lie and Qian Yuan will undergo tremendous changes because of his thoughts.

But... once a choice is made, there's no going back.

He gritted his teeth, the letter in his hand crumpled.

He tore the letter in his hand to shreds and said to his trusted confidants, "Have those men come... and tell them I'm ready."

Several trusted confidants nodded and withdrew.

Paper scraps fly in the cold wind; everything will come to a conclusion today.

……

In Qingcang City, at the Tiger Palace, Qin Lou convened a small meeting with his team.

The Northern Emperor has been quite busy lately, partly due to preparations for military operations to march south and wage war against the Qian Yuan.

The court was not entirely harmonious; some ministers did not advocate war. The irrigation canal had just been completed, and they wanted to continue repairs for another year.

He needs to sort out the affairs of the court, both internally and externally.

This year's snow came late, but it came heavily, causing a white disaster for the nomads in the west. The snow covered the grasslands, and cattle and sheep could not find food, freezing and starving to death in large numbers. Desperate for survival, the nomads began to raid the western border of the northern border region.

Qian Yuan dealt a heavy blow to the Xiongnu, and through a series of strategic decisions, they were largely brought under his control. Other stubborn Xiongnu tribes had no choice but to migrate north, further strengthening the nomadic population on the northern border.

Bei Lie also needs to free up his resources to deal with this matter.

Once the massive state apparatus is running, problems and issues arise everywhere. If he wants to be a wise and great monarch, he will inevitably have to exhaust himself dealing with all these messy matters.

This is quite similar to Xiao Xinyue.

Both of them were career-oriented monarchs, working diligently day and night.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Zhenling Pass!"

For the three passes in the northern border, Qin Lou's requirement for each garrison general is simply to hold them.

It's easy to defend the three strategic passes.

Previously, the Qian Yuan army was in such a bad state, with low morale, mediocre generals, and no chance of defeating the Bei Lie iron cavalry head-on. However, they held the three passes for a year.

The answer sheet is right here; the guards can just copy the answers.

He didn't use mediocre people, so there shouldn't be any problems.

Hearing his subordinate's call, he waved his hand with a normal expression, thinking it was just a routine, trivial matter reported by Deng Yingcheng.

However, when the official nervously finished recounting the intelligence sent by Deng Yingcheng, the expressions of everyone present varied.

The news is incredibly bad.

In the previous war, the Northern Lie had defeated the Qian Yuan so badly that the Qian Yuan was forced to cede territory and pay reparations. A few years later, the Northern Lie, despite clearly holding a huge advantage, still suffered a loss in silence.

Qian Yuan is truly a different person now than before.

The atmosphere in the Tiger Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The ministers kept their eyes down, remaining silent, carefully observing the reaction of the king sitting on the main seat.

"Bai Junxin!!!"

Qin Lou smashed the table in front of the throne to pieces.

The already imposing Tiger King now had a dark face, his fury making it seem as if he wanted to crush everyone present.

Emperor Qian did not leave, Ling Yu feigned a southward march, transferred away the generals, and the junior generals feigned defeat. Bai Junxin led the main force out of the city but was ambushed and annihilated. The main army attacked the pass and captured it in half a day, setting up an ambush to lure reinforcements...

A series of schemes, a mix of truth and falsehood, were difficult to resist.

No detail was too small; Deng Yingcheng wrote down the whole story of the loss of Xingtai Pass and his own speculations in the report.

Several ministers remained silent.

There was a monster opposite them.

Creating something from nothing, deceiving the heavens, shifting between reality and illusion... a series of interconnected schemes, human nature, and relationships are all calculated into it.

Ask yourself, they couldn't have come up with such a scheme. Even if they could... they wouldn't have the ability to implement it. First of all, they couldn't decide His Majesty's fate based on their own conjectures, and they couldn't possibly use His Majesty as a bargaining chip in a deception.

However, Mingchen was the only one who could accept it, and the Emperor Qian was also able to accept it.

Amidst the swirling snow, completely unexpected bad news arrived, chilling Qin Lou's heart to the bone. Like a bolt from the blue, it left Qin Lou momentarily dazed.

He hadn't even warmed his hands to the three tough challenges before winter was over, and he'd already lost one of them so easily?

He had already gone to such lengths, yet due to a moment of carelessness, Mingchen still managed to bite off a piece of his flesh?!
"Mingchen!!!"

“Okay…Okay…”

Qin Lou gritted his teeth in hatred, muttering a name over and over again.

very good!

In a fit of rage, he genuinely regretted not having tried to kill that bastard back then.

I originally thought that no matter what Mingchen did, he could face it calmly.

It now appears that I was wrong.

His special friend truly possessed an unparalleled talent for being infuriating.

He knew very well that, apart from Xiao Xinyue, only Ming Chen in Qian Yuan had the qualifications and ability to orchestrate such a deception involving so many resources, including Ling Yu and Qian Huang.

They scheme against people's hearts, plot intrigue, blend reality and illusion, and are unpredictable.

The entire situation and style of the event had a strong "Mingchen flavor".

For a moment, he even felt that Bai Junxin's huge mistake was somewhat understandable.

If he can thwart Mingchen's scheme, then he will be a great talent.

After all, that's Mingchen!

Mingchen's actions were somewhat unethical and lacked any sense of martial ethics.

He and Ling Yu secretly went into battle themselves to deal with one of the guards of Bei Lie.

This is clearly bullying the weak and disregarding the rules.

Qin Lou was furious, unaware that this was merely an appetizer; half a day later, he might receive even more infuriating intelligence. "Your Majesty, Ming Chen and Ling Yu are far too treacherous and cunning. For now, instead of being angry about General Bai's misdeeds, we should quickly devise a plan to remedy the situation, mobilize our troops, defend the remaining two passes, and seize the opportunity to retake Xingtai Pass."

After a brief silence, an elderly man with a long beard spoke to Qin Lou.

Since the pass has already been lost, instead of being angry about the recklessness of our teammates or lamenting the cunning of the enemy, we should quickly make some adjustments to make up for it and try to recover it.

What are your thoughts?

Suppressing his turbulent thoughts, Qin Lou asked the group with a stern face.

The old minister who had just spoken continued, "Your Majesty, I believe that since Mingchen and Lingyu have already appeared in the Northern Territory, we should also dispatch our commanders and main forces to the Northern Territory to deal with them."

Soldiers against soldiers, against generals.

The reason why the generals in the Northern Territory are currently being overwhelmed and filled with fear and anxiety under Mingchen's command is because they are not on the same level as Mingchen.

Only by sending someone of equal rank, with the ability and status to rival Mingchen, can the decline be stopped.

This is a perfectly reasonable thought.

"I believe that General Tian Hong should be dispatched to garrison Zhenling Pass with troops to oversee the overall situation and seize the opportunity to launch an attack to retake Xingtai Pass."

"At the same time, Your Majesty should immediately send messengers to Libu Pass and Zhenling Pass to reassure their commanders, express Your Majesty's magnanimity and understanding, and instruct them to hold firm and wait for General Tian Hong's arrival. As long as they defend the passes, they will still receive a first-class merit. Be careful that the commanders are not terrified and that the enemy will take advantage of their weaknesses."

The person on the other side is a monster who understands human nature; you must be wary of this at all times.

The path to becoming king is destined to be fraught with hardship and setbacks. Until the very end, Qin Lou is willing to accept any failure or frustration.

He had calmed down now, regained his composure, and nodded slightly with a serious face: "What Lord Yang said makes sense."

However, he still felt inexplicably annoyed.

The ministers present nodded to each other in agreement.

This seems to be the best solution.

However, at that moment, a young voice came from inside the Tiger Palace.

"Your Majesty, I have a different opinion."

Everyone was taken aback, and they all turned their heads to look in the same direction.

He was a young man, probably not even twenty years old. He was tall and straight, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was handsome and refined, radiating the vigor of youth, and was ambitious, confident and high-spirited.

Despite the gazes of several high-ranking officials in the court and the probing eyes of the Northern Emperor, he stood tall and proud, his eyes shining brightly.

Qin Lou looked at the young man and couldn't help but smile: "Hahaha, it's Yu Ting! Alright, come, tell me your insights."

This man's name was Ji Yuting, and he was the son of his concubine, Liu's younger sister.

This child was intelligent and insightful from a young age, able to read and compose poetry at the age of three, and possessed great ambitions. Later, he was noticed by a master who took him away to travel and learn skills.

He only came down from the mountain in recent years, relying on his family background and his aunt's connections to seek refuge in the brothel, hoping to make a name for himself.

Qin Lou had seen this child when he was a child. For some reason, the child's appearance and demeanor were very much to Qin Lou's liking, and Qin Lou took a liking to him at first sight.

He admired the child and deliberately nurtured him.

The pillars of the court must be passed down, and the flame of the older generation will eventually be extinguished.

He will die, and so will these pillars of the court.

But the next generation will carry on the tradition.

He also subtly hinted at building a future leadership team for the crown prince.

And this child lived up to expectations, learning things quickly and handling matters beautifully, making rapid progress. Whether it was military affairs, political affairs, or economic affairs, he could do them all very well, truly a well-rounded all-rounder.

Qian Yuan had a bright future, and there were talented young people like Yun Zheng.

Bei Lie also has no shortage of such people.

Mingchen was his unforgettable ideal, and Ji Yuting's appearance, in a sense, made up for that.

In times of great strife, chaos becomes the stage, where heroes take the stage and display their talents.

Qin Lou liked him very much.

Even when she's in a bad mood, she doesn't hesitate to smile at the child.

Meeting Qin Lou's expectant gaze, Ji Yuting said, "Your Majesty, my master taught me that in dealing with people, one must always think about whether one is in control or being led by the nose."

"General Bai's defeat and the loss of Xingtai Pass are a case in point. From beginning to end, his thoughts and actions were all within the enemy's estimation and speculation, but the enemy always remained hidden in the shadows, unable to see through him. He was always manipulated by the enemy and led by the nose."

He glanced at the old minister who had just made the suggestion, bowed to him, and apologized for his somewhat outrageous remarks.

The old man was also pleased and returned his smile with a kind smile.

Such a polite and intelligent junior, valued by His Majesty, knows his place and is not arrogant; no one would dislike him.

Ji Yuting respectfully said, "What Lord Yang said is very reasonable, especially the latter part. Your Majesty needs to immediately send someone to the front line to appease the generals to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of any openings. To deal with adversaries like Mingchen and Lingyu, it is indeed necessary to send a commander-in-chief capable of confronting them. However... Your Majesty, in our court, we probably only have General Tian and General Lu... They have the prestige and means. But Your Majesty, think about it the other way around. Do you think that, given Mingchen's talent and intelligence, he wouldn't guess that we would send them to fight against him?"

"Presumably, this was also within Mingchen's expectations. He must have known that our dynasty would send a general of the same rank as him to confront him, and would also send elite troops to tie down a large number of our dynasty's military forces."

"General resources are limited. If they are used for defense and stalemate, they cannot be used for offense. Standing in the open and exposed to the enemy's sight is not a good thing."

"Your Majesty, in this way we are still being manipulated by Mingchen, he still holds the initiative, and we are being led by the nose by him."

"We are still at a disadvantage."

The boy's gaze was very clear, and his voice rang out.

Those present either frowned or exclaimed with sudden enlightenment.

Even Qin Lou was taken aback for a moment.

At this moment, he also understood the source of his earlier discomfort. He was a mighty and powerful ruler, rarely troubled by such things.

Mingchen, oh Mingchen!
It's really frustrating to be your opponent!
Take the initiative!
Take the initiative!
From the moment Mingchen appeared, he took the initiative; he was the most skilled in this area.

A skilled strategist controls others, rather than being controlled by them.

This is Mingchen's life motto.

Qin Lou looked at the young man with admiration and then asked, "What's your opinion?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that victory can only be achieved by exceeding the enemy's expectations, taking them by surprise, regaining the initiative, and bringing the enemy under our control!"

"Now that Mingchen and Lingyu are in the open, we're in the shadows. We must seize the opportunity!"

“If Mingchen and his group can get General Lingyu to pretend to go south, then we can use a similar strategy. We can use their own methods against them.”

The young man's eyes gleamed as he pointed to a point on the Tiger Palace map: "On the surface, it's said that the General is guarding the pass and confronting Mingchen and the others in the northern border, but in reality... we're sending the General elsewhere to attack them by surprise!"

"With our supply lines restricted, he assumed we wouldn't launch an attack in winter, but we're going to do the opposite and send troops out in winter!"

……

As the sun sets in the west, Zhenling Pass comes into view.

Deng Yingcheng stood on the city wall and gazed into the distance. He hadn't had a good night's sleep for several days.

Ever since news of Mingchen and Lingyu appeared, he has been on edge all day, suspicious and fearful that he might be tricked by that terrifying demon.

Bad news kept coming.

After losing a crucial point, Liu Xifeng betrayed them.

He must seize the opportunity to take back Libu Pass and bring it under his own control.

General Tian Hong had not arrived yet; this was merely a scheme he devised to lure Liu Xifeng out.

As long as Liu Xifeng leaves the pass, and as long as we control him and replace him with someone else to guard the pass, Libu Pass will be safe and secure.

Time passed slowly, and the men he sent out never returned.

This made him a little nervous.

A day has already passed.

Logically speaking, his soldiers should have brought Liu Xifeng yesterday evening.

That's General Tian Hong! No matter what, Liu Xifeng has to get there on time.

However, it's already the second day, and Liu Xifeng still hasn't come.

Perhaps Liu Xifeng needs to pack up and prepare?

Perhaps they encountered some kind of mishap, like bandits, on the way?

He kept pinching his thumb until his nail dug into his flesh.

He is clearly a conservative and suspicious person who loves to fantasize about terrible situations.

However, at this moment, he kept fantasizing that something lucky might happen.

As the sun was setting, a troop of people suddenly came rushing in from the southeast.