My Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden

This story is going so smoothly!

Everything went smoothly and naturally, like a story being told!

Qi Yu had never met Qin Shuhuai, but after reviewing his biography in the files, he found that everything he did could be summed up in four words: prioritizing the big picture.

Whether in military affairs or in the imperial court, Marquis Guanyong handled things exceptionally well, demonstrating a remarkable overall perspective.

After Qi Yu was led into the study by the servant, the servant left on his own and closed the door behind him.

Qin Shuhuai was a refined middle-aged man. He didn't act like a marquis; he was more like an accountant.

Qin Shuhuai was standing in front of a sand table, holding a wooden rake in his hand, and pushing wooden blocks on the sand table with a focused look in his eyes.

Qi Yu bowed, but he didn't even turn his head to look at him!

Qi Yu sighed helplessly, walked over to the sand table, stood opposite Qin Shuhuai, and looked at the sand table.

Qi Yu didn't understand military tactics, but that didn't prevent him from understanding the situation on the sand table.

If the black wooden block represents our side, then it can be described as throwing an egg against a rock.

Your side has only three wooden blocks, while the opponent has ten.

How do we win with a score of 3:10?

"How is the rainfall here?" Qi Yu asked.

“No more, no less!” Qin Shuhuai said calmly.

Qi Yu smiled and said, "How about a water attack?"

"How do we use water to attack?" Qin Shuhuai raised his head and looked at Qi Yu.

“The enemy camp is located on flat terrain, and with the autumn rains, the river must be quite high. We can use sandbags to block the river and then take advantage of the water flow to annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop,” Qi Yu said.

"It sounds simple, but do you think the enemy won't notice and move out in advance?" Qin Shuhuai said.

"That's fine too! Either we retreat, or we fight to the death and break through Duling Pass in one fell swoop, or we wait to be drowned!"

Qi Yu laughed and said, "No matter what, we can get through Duling Pass!"

Qin Shuhuai turned his head and looked at Qi Yu, finally taking this junior seriously.

"Do you know this is Duling Pass?"

Qi Yu nodded and said, "I know, this is an important barrier for the Dayun Dynasty to block the Western Daqing Dynasty and Daqian Dynasty."

"If Duling Pass falls, the four western prefectures of the Dayun Dynasty will be engulfed in war. I have previously learned about several important passes of the Dayun Dynasty, and I have studied Duling Pass."

Qin Shuhuai looked at Qi Yu without speaking for a long time before finally opening his mouth.

"If you were the enemy, how would you break through Duling Pass?"

Qi Yu thought for a moment and said, "If we don't pay any price to capture Duling Pass, even if we manage to take it, it will be a Pyrrhic victory and not worth the effort."

"In offensive and defensive warfare, winning hearts and minds is always the best strategy, while conquering cities is the second best. Since we can't break through from the outside, we'll break through from the inside."

Qin Shuhuai raised an eyebrow and asked, "From within? You mean bribery?"

Qi Yu shook his head and smiled, "Bribery is indeed a solution, but it's too uncertain. After all, people's hearts are fickle, and it's possible that what you're trying to bribe is a trap."

"Then how do you plan to break through from the inside?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

Qi Yu hesitated for a long time, then said something softly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Shuhuai gave Qi Yu a deep look.

No matter how powerful a military general's sword may be, it is still no match for a scholar's pen.

The most striking example is Guo Kai!

Of the four great generals of the Warring States period, Guo Kai, a civil official who probably couldn't even kill a chicken, managed to kill two of them.

The Great Yun Dynasty is currently beset by internal and external troubles, and most of its resources are being used for internal strife.

Only Qin Shuhuai had a sense of the bigger picture and didn't get involved.

Otherwise, war might already be raging.

"Is this why you wanted to see me?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

Qi Yu nodded and said, "If Your Excellency helps the aristocratic faction, I will indeed do so!"

"Even if I'm infamous for eternity?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

"Even if I'm infamous for all eternity, at least I'll be remembered in history!" Qi Yu laughed.

"Should I kill you now?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

Qi Yu laughed and said, "It would be easy for you, Marquis, to kill me. But I can tell you clearly that I don't know if the Dayun Dynasty will be destroyed after I die, but your Guanyong Marquis's Mansion will definitely be buried with me."

"Threatening me?" Qin Shuhuai narrowed his eyes, and a burst of true energy erupted from his body, pressing down on Qi Yu.

Qi Yu paused, his true energy automatically dissipating, and a layer of frost immediately formed on the ground beneath his feet, while the surrounding temperature dropped drastically.

Qin Shuhuai raised an eyebrow. This true energy... it seems somewhat familiar!

After Qi Yu had adapted to the pressure brought by Qin Shuhuai's external release of true energy, he took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Qin Shuhuai.

“This is not a threat, but a reasoning. This is what I prepared for you, my lord. Although it is a bit rough, I think it is enough to kill you.”

Qin Shuhuai took it, looked at it, and then his expression changed.

He did indeed control the Chilin Army, which was virtually invincible within the Great Yun Dynasty.

However, Qi Yu's plan was extremely insidious.

With Qi Yu dead, the passes of Duling Pass, Jialing Pass, and Yongxue Pass will fall, and the Dayun Dynasty will be engulfed in war.

He just asked how to break through Duling Pass, and now Qi Yu is giving a specific answer.

"Does Li Ming know about your plan?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

Qi Yu shook his head and smiled, "He doesn't know, because this was something I only decided a few days ago, and he and I don't trust each other."

"Then why do you think I would help you? After all, whether I side with the Chang family or the Crown Prince, I can use their power to control the situation and prevent the Great Yun Dynasty from being engulfed in war," Qin Shuhuai said.

Qi Yu turned around, looked at a small flag on the sand table, and said, "I know you, Marquis. You have a very strong sense of the big picture and care about the people. Whether the Crown Prince wins or the Chang family wins, the Dayun Dynasty will inevitably suffer a great loss."

"Several surrounding countries have long been eyeing the Great Yun Dynasty with covetous intent."

"The reason we haven't made a move yet is because the Chang family and the Crown Prince haven't started fighting. The Great Yun Dynasty still has the strength to fight. Most importantly, there is a force that is always maintaining the balance."

"This force maintains a balance, preventing the flames of partisan strife from spreading to ordinary people, while simultaneously deterring other countries in the surrounding region."

Qin Shuhuai raised an eyebrow; he was indeed surprised, not expecting Qi Yu to see things so clearly.

The force that Qi Yu mentioned did not refer to the Chilin Army, or rather, it was not limited to the Chilin Army.

Qi Yu looked at Marquis Guanyong, smiled slightly, and said, "So, Marquis, you don't need to put on this act anymore. Our goal is the same."

"If you want to control the court, maintain the balance, and prevent the war from affecting the people, then the aristocratic families cannot be completely wiped out."

"All I want to do is destroy the Chang family of Linghai. We are not in conflict."

Qin Shuhuai looked at Qi Yu with a hint of appreciation in his eyes, because Qi Yu had just used the word "们" in his words.

This shows that Qi Yu has already seen through the entire situation.

"Aren't you the Crown Prince's guest advisor? How can you do this? Isn't that ungrateful?" Qin Shuhuai said with a half-smile.

Qi Yu shrugged and said, "I don't owe the Crown Prince anything. On the contrary, he owes me. The premise for being ungrateful is that he must have been kind to me before I can be ungrateful."

"Moreover, what I want to do and what he wants to do are basically aligned in terms of interests, so we can be considered to have a cooperative relationship."

Li Ming wants to suppress the aristocratic families, and he also wants to destroy the Chang family; their interests align.

This was the main reason why Qi Yu agreed to help Qi Yu in the first place!

"How many of the aristocratic families have you persuaded?" Qin Shuhuai asked.

Qi Yu has a broad perspective and sees things more clearly than anyone else. His visits to the heads of those powerful families these past few days were not really a smokescreen.

It's a mix of truth and deception, impossible to fathom.

Qin Shuhuai was certain that Qi Yu had gone to persuade those aristocratic families.

And the chances of success are very high!

Because Qi Yu had a clear understanding of the entire situation, he only needed to explain the stakes, and most of those powerful families would still choose to submit.

In the face of life and death, all wealth and glory are fleeting.

The Chang family was already in a precarious situation, but the other prominent families hadn't reached that point yet.

The reason why other powerful families joined forces with the Chang family was ultimately due to their own interests.

But when faced with life and death, are interests really still that important?

Qi Yu looked into Qin Shuhuai's eyes, then smiled slightly and said, "If I said I just went to their residence for tea and didn't discuss the political situation, would you believe me?"

Qin Shuhuai narrowed his eyes, then looked at Qi Yu with a very strange expression.

They may not believe what others say because they don't trust them.

But they themselves must have believed it without a doubt.

All Qi Yu did was guide them.

------------

Chapter 85 Planning

Qi Yu left Qin Shuhuai's study, where a group of servants were already waiting at the door, ready to take him out.

But when passing by the back garden, Qi Yu saw a familiar face and was slightly taken aback.

Opposite her was a woman in a flowing white dress, with a refined and elegant appearance. Although her face showed a hint of indifference, she was indeed a beauty, at least as beautiful as Li Yulan.

Qin Xiyao, who was walking towards them, also saw Qi Yu and was slightly taken aback.

She had a deep impression of this scholar, but wasn't he from Lantian County?

How did he end up in Beijing? And in his own home no less?

Although she wasn't wearing a veil, Qi Yu still recognized her and bowed to her as he approached.

"Young lady, what a coincidence! We meet again!"