Hot flashes

Zhou Heng keenly sensed the subtle change in the surrounding atmosphere.

Especially Chenzhen.

When this captain of the personal guard saw Zhou Heng, his tone was less rigid than before, and more... indescribably polite, with a sense of distance.

On two occasions, Zhou Heng went to see Xiao Jue on official business and encountered Chen Zhen at the door. Chen Zhen even took the initiative to step aside, a small gesture that made Zhou Heng feel very uncomfortable.

Secondly, there were official duties. When Xiao Jue discussed important military matters with his trusted generals and staff, Zhou Heng, as the recorder, should, as usual, be present.

But lately, Xiao Jue no longer signals him to step back when it comes to core secrets, as he used to.

On the contrary, whether the discussion was about troop deployment, the arrangement of covert operations, or the wooing and suppression of a certain force, he had Zhou Heng record the whole process.

Zhou Heng took it as the Marquis trusting him more, feeling both pressure and a sense of exhilaration at being entrusted with such a great responsibility. He recorded things more meticulously, striving for accuracy.

Until one day, the debate raged on about how to exploit the conflicts among several major tribes within the Qiang and Hu tribes to further weaken their power. The advisors proposed several plans, such as allying with the weak to resist the strong, or befriending distant tribes while attacking nearby ones.

Xiao Jue listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously twirling the ring on his finger. When the noise subsided, he suddenly spoke, his gaze fixed on a distant point in the air, not on anyone else: "Zhou Heng, what do you think?"

The room was completely silent. All eyes—astonished, inquisitive, and dismissive—were fixed on the clerk in the corner who seemed to be shrinking into the floor.

Zhou Heng's hand trembled as he held the pen, a drop of ink spreading across the paper, forming a small smudge. His heart pounded; he almost thought he'd misheard. The Marquis… was asking him? Asking him about such a matter of national importance?

His throat went dry, and he quickly glanced at Xiao Jue. The other man's expression was calm, but his eyes held an undeniable question.

Mr. Du, standing to the side, stroked his beard, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on his face.

"This humble servant...this humble servant is ignorant and dares not presume to discuss military secrets..." Zhou Heng's voice trembled.

"Speak freely." Xiao Jue interrupted him, his tone still calm but carrying an invisible pressure. "Just tell me what you saw and thought when you were organizing the relevant files."

Zhou Heng knew he had no way out. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and recalled the secret reports and old files he had read in recent days about the power, habits, and conflicts of the various Qiang and Hu tribes.

"Your Excellency," he carefully chose his words, trying to make his voice sound steady, "I believe that although the Qiang and Hu tribes are fierce and brave, their rise and fall depend primarily on their grasslands and water sources."

Last winter was cold and snow disasters were frequent. If there is another drought this spring, the conflicts between the various tribes over fertile pastures and water sources will inevitably intensify.

Our army may not need to rush into their struggle, but instead... secretly control several key water sources, or spread rumors that certain pastures have been polluted and are unsuitable for grazing horses, thus intensifying their internal strife.

"Once they are both exhausted, we will choose an opportunity to win over the one or two tribes that are in the most dire straits, offer them limited support, and make them our vanguard to deplete the other tribes..." He spoke somewhat haltingly, but his reasoning gradually became clear. The core idea was to use the opportune moment and resources to drive internal strife, so that Northern Liang could reap the benefits.

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent. Several generals looked thoughtful, while Mr. Du's eyes flashed with approval.

Xiao Jue's face remained expressionless, but his deep eyes lingered on Xiao Jue's slightly tense profile and his slightly rosy lips as Zhou Heng spoke. Only after Zhou Heng finished did he nod almost imperceptibly.

"That's interesting." He turned to his generals. "Although this strategy seems insidious, it can weaken their strength with minimal cost. Mr. Du, refine this idea and, considering the specific circumstances of each unit, draft a detailed plan."

"I obey," Mr. Du replied, glancing at Zhou Heng with a complex expression.

Since that day, Xiao Jue has been asking Zhou Heng for his opinion more often during meetings.

Sometimes it's about optimizing the routes for transporting grain and fodder, sometimes it's about analyzing data on the loss of military equipment, and sometimes it's even about making indirect evaluations of a general's personality and abilities.

The problems, whether big or small, all hit the nail on the head.

From initial anxiety to gradually regaining his composure, Zhou Heng combined his modern knowledge with his understanding of the actual situation in Beiliang to offer suggestions that were often insightful and somewhat unconventional.

He discovered that his "common sense" about process optimization, data correlation, and psychological games often brought unexpected results in this era.

Xiao Jue did not accept all of his opinions, but he would listen carefully each time, sometimes adopting them and sometimes raising sharp questions, forcing Zhou Heng to think more deeply.

This feeling of being valued, even relied upon, filled Zhou Heng with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and... hope.

His modern thinking is not entirely without value here! He is influencing Xiao Jue's decisions little by little in his own way, pushing the grand task of "unifying the world" forward slowly.

He worked even harder, poring over every file he could access, observing every detail of the military camp's operations, and striving to extract valuable insights from the massive amount of information.

He was completely immersed in the exhilaration of being "recognized" and the anticipation of "the mission being promising," unaware that Xiao Jue's gaze upon him was growing deeper day by day.

In that gaze, there might be appreciation, but more than that, there was a calm calculation, a focused examination of all things, and a dark desire that was constantly stirred by the increasingly blossoming talent and vitality, making it even harder to suppress.

Zhou Heng felt he was one step closer to returning home.