Is this cheat code from Bika? Just do it!

However, what shocked the girls even more was yet to come.

"Hahaha!" Link couldn't stop laughing and burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the silent air.

After he finished laughing, he slowly said, "Grand Duke of the North? Hahaha! Gentlemen, do you know why I happen to be near the Hipplet River today? Let me tell you the truth: in the few days since the old king passed away, I have annihilated all the lords, big and small, in the entire North. Now, I am the uncrowned king of the entire North! And there just happens to be a forward supply base under construction near the Hipplet River. I just happened to come here today to inspect it!"

"What!? You!!"

Farahia and Safina were speechless with astonishment; their eyes widened in disbelief.

The entire time since the old king's death has been only five days. How could such a thing have happened?

There were at least a dozen minor lords in the North, but they couldn't even last five days before they were all wiped out.

"Alright, Winterfell is just ahead. You two should think carefully about what kind of reward you want me to give you in order to help you seize the throne!"

After Link finished speaking, he fell silent, simply sitting quietly on his horse, gazing into the distance.

The women looked ahead and saw a towering, massive city wall standing on the other side of the mountain.

It was a huge and unique city built of steel and cement, standing there like an unshakeable and majestic giant.

118. Their Uses

After safely escorting Farahia, Safina, and their foster mother Tamana back to the rooms Link had prepared for them in the city lord's mansion, Link finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He gently removed the heavy yet sturdy armor from his body, and with a few crisp "clicks," the various parts of the armor were removed one by one.

He then led Asagi, Anne Roger, and a few others to the study.

The study was filled with a faint scent of ink, and the bookshelves were filled with all kinds of books, from ancient magic to historical biographies.

The soft candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow on the desk and adding a touch of warmth to the tranquil space.

Asagi walked lightly to the desk and skillfully took out an exquisite coffee cup and coffee beans from the cabinet next to her.

She ground the coffee beans with focused concentration, her delicate movements resembling the sculpting of a work of art.

Soon, the rich aroma of coffee filled the study. She gently picked up the brewed coffee, walked to Link's side, and respectfully handed it to him with both hands, saying softly, "Lord Link, you've worked hard. Have a cup of coffee to refresh yourself."

Link nodded slightly, took the coffee, and felt a warmth spread through his fingertips.

Anne Roger walked to the side, picked up a clean rag, took the cleaning agent from the shelf, and began to carefully clean the bloodstains off Link's armor.

She frowned, her eyes focused and serious, as if she were dealing with an extremely precious treasure.

As she washed, she muttered to herself, "Lord Link, since you think those three are useless, why take in these troublesome women? King Garif III gave her the throne, and her brothers will certainly not let it go. Isn't this a hot potato for us? We already have many matters to attend to, and now we have to take care of them as well. Isn't this just making trouble for ourselves?" Her voice was soft, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet study.

Upon hearing this, Link gently put down his coffee cup, the bottom of which made a soft "thump" as it touched the table.

His lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile that carried a hint of confidence and composure.

"You're oversimplifying things. They're not only useful, they're incredibly useful."

Link slowly put down his coffee, clasped his hands in front of him, and gazed into the distance with a deep look, as if he were recalling something.

"I'll tell you a story, and you'll understand."

"The *Zizhi Tongjian* also records that during the second year of Emperor Gaozu of Han's reign, the King of Han led his army south, crossing the Pingyin Ferry and arriving at Xincheng in Luoyang. At that time, the world was in turmoil, and various forces were eager to make their move. Dong Gong, a respected elder of Xincheng County, stopped the King of Han and advised him: 'I have heard that "those who follow virtue prosper, and those who oppose virtue perish"; "an army without a just cause cannot succeed." Therefore, it is said: "Only by clearly stating that the person to be attacked is a traitor can the enemy be conquered." Xiang Yu's actions were extremely rebellious; he exiled and killed his ruler, Emperor Yi, making him a traitor hated by all. A virtuous person does not act rashly, and a righteous army does not fight alone. Your Majesty should lead your army to wear mourning clothes for Emperor Yi, thus informing the other lords to jointly attack Xiang Yu. In this way, everyone within the four seas will admire your virtue—this is the conduct of the kings of Xia, Yin, and Zhou!'"

Link's voice was steady and powerful, as if taking everyone back to that magnificent historical moment.

He paused, then continued, "In ancient China, people liked to claim righteousness when they rebelled or did anything; to put it simply, it's called 'having a reason for doing something.' If you want to bully someone without a reason, then you're just being a scoundrel and will be despised by everyone. But if you have a reason, regardless of whether it's true or not, you're acting on behalf of Heaven and will gain the support of everyone."

“It’s like former US Secretary of State Colin Powell holding a vial of some unknown powder and saying at the UN General Assembly, ‘This is Iraq’s weapon of mass destruction.’ Whether it’s true or not, at least a reason for attacking Iraq has been found! At the time, international public opinion was in an uproar, and the US used this as a pretext to launch a war.” Link shook his head slightly and continued.

"The story recorded in the *Zizhi Tongjian* takes place when Liu Bang had just left Hanzhong and was preparing to advance into the Central Plains. Frankly, Liu Bang's motivation for fighting Xiang Yu was his unwillingness to remain confined to Hanzhong; he intended to seize power for himself. However, he couldn't say it so openly, as it didn't conform to the morals and customs of the time. Therefore, Dong Zhuo's words were essentially telling Liu Bang that he needed to establish a moral high ground, giving him a reason to fight Xiang Yu and the other uncooperative warlords. What is this moral high ground? Why are we Chinese so persistent in this? Simply put, it's about 'standing on the moral, institutional, and legal high ground.' Only in this way can one gain the support and endorsement of the people."

"I see..." After listening, Anne Roger nodded thoughtfully, and the movements in her hands gradually stopped.

She frowned slightly, seemingly trying to process what Link had said.

Link looked at Anne Roger, smiled slightly, and continued, "Yes, having them around has many advantages. First, it gives us a legitimate reason to launch our attack southward. We're not invading, but upholding King Garif III and the dignity of the monarchy. We're supporting the legitimate monarchy, the future Queen. This puts us on the moral high ground, and those who were initially hesitant might join our side because of our righteous actions."

"Secondly, we can make good use of public opinion, using the Black Knife assassins to actively spread public sentiment. Take the example of how King Galif III passed the throne to the clever and intelligent Princess Safina, and the eldest and second princes, dissatisfied, plotted to murder the old king, a truly treasonous act. Princess Safina risked her life to escape from the capital and came to the North, which is why we in the North sent troops to defend the king. The power of public opinion is enormous; it can influence people's thoughts and actions. Through such propaganda, we can get more people on our side and generate resentment towards the eldest and second princes."

"Thirdly, we should divide and weaken the enemy. We should use public opinion to make the minor lords wary of the eldest and second princes. Imagine, can we trust someone who murdered his father and harmed his own sister to cooperate with us? Who can guarantee that such a person won't betray us after gaining power and turn against us for his own benefit? The minor lords will also consider their own interests, and they won't easily cooperate with such a ruthless person. In this way, the enemy will be divided, and our pressure will be greatly reduced."

"Fourthly, it is about self-empowerment. This means taking a righteous stance, which can be said not only to outsiders but also to our own people. When our army takes a righteous stance, their fighting power on the battlefield will be even stronger. When soldiers know that their actions are just and are to uphold the dignity and justice of the royal family, they will fight more bravely and their morale will be even higher."

Fearing that Anne Roger might not understand, Link went straight to the point, explaining all the benefits clearly and thoroughly. His eyes gleamed with wisdom, as if everything was under his control.

"Lord Link's move is truly insidious and ruthless!" Asagi, standing beside him, couldn't help but give him a thumbs up, her eyes full of admiration.

She originally thought that Link accepted the three out of pity, but she never expected that there was such a far-reaching plan behind it.

That move was absolutely brilliant.

People like to categorize themselves as left, center, or right, but you need to give the other person a reason to choose you.

While self-interest is certainly one factor, whether you occupy the moral high ground is also a crucial element.

After all, everyone likes to portray themselves as virtuous and righteous, but how do you demonstrate that? Simple! Just have a lofty, noble, and righteous reason.

Let's take Liu Bang as an example again. Liu Bang fought for righteousness and avenged Emperor Yi. Choosing Liu Bang was glorious and correct.

To seize the moral high ground means to leverage the will of the people. To defeat an opponent, one must not only possess overwhelming power and influence, but also dismantle their internal forces as much as possible.

How to dismantle it? The greater good is also a weapon.

As mentioned before, occupying the moral high ground justified Liu Bang's actions.

Similarly, Liu Bang, embodying the righteous cause, vilified Xiang Yu, not only for others to see, but also for Xiang Yu's own internal audience.

Once the others saw this, they realized that Xiang Yu was actually this kind of person, and decided they were no longer willing to associate with him.

When Xiang Yu's men saw this, they realized how wicked he was. Serving him was tantamount to aiding and abetting evil, so they decided not to work for him anymore.

People will find reasons for their behavior, whether it is for personal gain or psychological reasons.

However, if you can make others feel that what they are doing is not so right or noble, or even shameful and disgraceful, then it is very likely to shake their hearts.

This serves to undermine the opponent's morale.

The points mentioned earlier are meant to be presented to others from a position of authority.

However, Link's fourth point, about taking the lead, was also something he was saying to himself.

As I said before, people always find a reason to do things.

If the reason is noble enough, it can have a greater impact than money, material possessions, or even life itself.

For example, the Crusades were launched under the banner of recapturing Jerusalem.

At that time, countless people in Europe abandoned their wives and children and sold their property to join the Eastern Expeditionary Army in order to save themselves.

They harbored a deep longing for the sacred and believed that everything they did was for justice and faith.

Claiming to be righteous can give one's actions a more glorious luster, making one feel that everything one does is sacred, glorious, and great.

The result of this is that morale is extremely high when facing difficulties.

The soldiers would feel that they were fighting for justice, and they would not back down even in the face of the most powerful enemy.

Just by using Safina's identity, Link could think of four benefits; this is the wisdom accumulated from 5000 years of Chinese history.

This wisdom is not only applicable to war, but also plays an important role in all aspects of life.

It teaches people how to find opportunities in complex environments and how to utilize various factors to achieve their goals.

Besides these, Safina, Farahia, and their adoptive mother Tamana are all renowned beauties, and they themselves are a kind of bargaining chip.

In this world, beauty can sometimes be a powerful weapon.

They can use their beauty and intelligence to their advantage in various situations.

Thinking of this, Link grinned wickedly. If he could take them into his harem, hehehe!

119. Anne Roger's occasion

Link explained the reasons and intricacies of the matter so thoroughly and clearly, dissecting every detail with remarkable insight, that Anne Roger naturally understood the profound meaning behind it all.

Her eyes widened slightly, filled with amazement and contemplation. She thought to herself that there were so many ways to manipulate things just by considering one's identity. The intricacies and power struggles involved were far more complex than she had initially thought.

"Lord Link is truly amazing. His mind is so meticulous and his strategies are so outstanding. If it were me, I would probably only think about how to launch a fierce attack and solve the problem by force. How could I have come up with so many ingenious plans and schemes?"

Anne Roger couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, her eyes filled with respect and reverence as she looked at Link.

Link's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mischievous smile, a smile that carried a hint of teasing and unruliness.

He reached out and gently rubbed Asagi's plump and bouncy buttocks beside him. The soft and warm touch made him want to rub them a few more times.

Then, he slowly said, "In this complicated situation, we need to think things through carefully before acting on impulse. Alright, you can handle this matter, Asagi. As for how to fabricate public opinion, you can ask Kim Mi-jung and Luo Su-li; they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves in this regard."

Asking Jin Meiting and Luo Suli about this kind of thing is definitely the most appropriate thing to do.

Kim Mi-jung and Luo Su-li have unique methods and rich experience in manipulating public opinion, and it is estimated that they have plenty of ways to discredit the First Prince and the Second Prince.

"Okay, I'll go find Miss Meiting and the others right away, and I'll make sure everything is handled properly."

Ashage blushed, a rosy blush spreading across her cheeks. She swayed her round and sexy hips and hurriedly left the study.

Her graceful figure gradually faded into the distance, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering in the study.

Link didn't stay in the study any longer. He stood up, stretched, and prepared to go back to his room to rest.

After a busy day, I was quite tired.

However, just as he reached the study door and was about to leave, Anne Roger called out to him.

"Lord Link, would you like Anne Roger to help you wash up and rest?"

Anne Rogers' voice was soft and melodious, tinged with a hint of shyness and anticipation.

She lowered her head slightly, but secretly glanced at Link, her eyes filled with tenderness and affection.

"Shake to wash up?" Link was slightly taken aback, then the scene of killing those pursuers earlier that day flashed through his mind.

He had put in a lot of effort and worked up a good sweat, so he felt sticky and uncomfortable. Taking a shower would be good.

So he nodded in agreement: "Alright, then I'll trouble you."

Not long after returning to the room, Anne Roger brought over a large bucket of water.

The wooden tub emitted a faint woody fragrance, and hot water steamed inside, filling the room with a warm and humid atmosphere.

Anne Roger closed the door, then picked up a towel, wet it in hot water, wrung it out gently, and began to wipe Link.

In this world, taking a bath is not as convenient as it was in the previous life.

Aside from soaking in a bathtub, simply wiping one's body is considered a bath.

Forget about showers; after all, there aren't even showerheads these days.

Anne Roger's movements were gentle and meticulous. She carefully wiped every inch of Link's skin with a towel, from his forehead to his cheeks, from his neck to his shoulders, and then to his chest and arms, cleaning every part thoroughly. Her eyes were focused and serious, as if she were accomplishing something extremely important.

Link closed his eyes slightly, enjoying Anne Roger's service.

The warm steam and gentle wiping made him feel incredibly comfortable and relaxed.

Anne Rogers's delicate face and gentle eyes flashed into his mind, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

After enjoying Anne Roger's services, Link did not rest immediately.

Looking at Anne Roger's slightly tired yet shy expression, he had an idea and prepared a bucket of hot water for her as well.

The meaning was obvious: she should stay here and shower, and not go back home tonight.

Anne Roger blushed, her cheeks flushing even more, like a ripe apple.

However, she did not refuse, but simply nodded slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness and anticipation.

So Link lay down on the bed, covered himself with a blanket, and stared intently at Anne Roger, his eyes unblinking.

Anne Roger glanced at Link somewhat shyly, then slowly walked to the barrel.

She gently unbuttoned her clothes, taking them off one by one, her movements soft and graceful.

Her fair, jade-like skin shone with a captivating luster under the light; every inch of it was delicate and smooth, like mutton fat jade.

She had a beautiful figure with a curvaceous body, full breasts, a slender waist, and rounded hips, creating a perfect picture.

She picked up a damp towel and began to wipe her body. The towel glided gently across her skin, creating ripples. She carefully wiped every corner, from her neck to her shoulders, then her chest and abdomen, and finally her thighs and calves, cleaning every part thoroughly. Her movements were gentle and slow, as if she were admiring her own body, or perhaps showing off her beauty to Link.

In short, she was live-streaming her bath in front of Link.