"It's not just the Nine Rivers Profound Armor. This time, even the White Feather Army that guards Xin 'an has been mobilized. Zhuang Gaoxian is personally leading the army. The great general Huangfu Duanming is at the vanguard, while the prime minister Du Ruhui is the military advisor. The vice prime minister Dong A oversees Xin 'an city and commands the rear … "
Ye Qingyu sighed emotionally, "The Zhuang Kingdom can be said to be fighting with all its might this time. It's definitely not a small matter. It's already a battle of life and death with the Kingdom of Yong. "
"Has there been any activity from the Clear River prefecture?" Jiang Wang asked.
Ye Qingyu furrowed her brows. "I don't know. There's still no news."
However, Jiang Wang already understood that there was no other choice. Since Zhuang Gaoxian had decided to fight with all his might, the Clear River prefecture would obviously fight Lanhe again. If the Clear River prefecture had any other choice, it would have been razed to the ground before the battle began.
With Jiang Wang's understanding, the Zhuang Kingdom would definitely fight on both land and water this time. Their main battlefront would be crossing the Qichang mountain range, tearing through the border defences and directly entering the heart of the Kingdom of Yong. As for the water route, they would definitely invade Lanhe from Qingjiang.
However, he did not know what had happened between the Clear River prefecture's gradual alienation and refusal to cooperate with the Zhuang Kingdom and the current battle to the death. Now that Zhuang Gaoxian had become an Enlightened Master, he had far too many ways to suppress the Clear River prefecture …
"What about the Arrest Department?" Jiang Wang asked again.
The head of the Arrest Department, Ji Xuan, had left him with a rather deep impression in the past.
"I don't have any more information for now. I think they've probably mobilized all their forces as well. " Ye Qingyu shook her head. "Although Zhuang Gaoxian has the momentum to destroy Yong in this battle, the difference in strength between the two kingdoms is clear. The Zhuang Kingdom definitely won't hold back."
Clearly, she could not understand Zhuang Gaoxian's decision.
She was not the only one who could not understand.
Even Ye Lingxiao and all the organisations in the western region, including the Kingdom of Yong itself, had not thought that the Zhuang Kingdom would attack them.
Zhuang Gaoxian's enraged expedition inevitably seemed rash.
Jiang Wang had always known that the soldiers of the Zhuang Kingdom never lacked bravery. When Maplewood City was destroyed, the City Guard Army's main general, two deputy generals, and five deputy generals, including Zhao Lang and Wei Yan, whom Jiang Wang was familiar with, were all killed in the battle. Even those from the Criminal Arrest Department who were usually unclean had died to the Earthly Calamity or at the hands of the White Bone Path demons. Everyone had fought to the death.
Even City Lord Wei Quji himself had died in battle above the City Lord's Mansion.
However, the deaths of the soldiers of Maplewood City were unsalvageable.
Jiang Wang couldn't help but be moved when he suddenly heard the Zhuang Country's border army crying blood and begging for battle. But when he calmed down and thought about it, there were many strange things about this matter.
In this war launched by the Zhuang Kingdom, Jiang Wang smelled something similar to the incident in Maplewood City. It was as if there was an invisible hand pushing everything in the dark.
On the 21st day of the twelfth lunar month, when Jiang Wang and the others finished the fight for the Cloud Top Immortal Palace and left Chiyun Mountain, Zhuang Yong's border army was still confronting each other in the Qichang Mountains.
The order to retreat should have been issued on the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month. On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the Zhuang Country's border army had already retreated.
On that day, Jiang Wang only saw the flag of the Yong Country's border army. The Zhuang Country's border army was nowhere to be seen. At that time, the Yong Country must have thought that the Zhuang Country had already admitted defeat.
On the same day, he met Du Ruhui in the sky above the Qichang Mountains. Du Ruhui even warned him, "You won't be able to fight." Furthermore, he 'sent' him all the way back to the Lingxiao Pavilion and personally communicated with Ye Lingxiao. He said that he was testing the attitude of the surrounding powers and was afraid that the other powers would have bad thoughts about the Zhuang Country's show of weakness.
If Ye Lingxiao didn't lie to Ye Qingyu, then he was deceived by Du Ruhui.
Du Ruhui was indeed testing the surrounding powers, but he was probably testing whether or not the surrounding powers would affect this war!
The Zhuang Country's border army left the confrontation on the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month and declared that they wanted to keep the peace. However, this war was launched on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Before this, there were no ripples. Once it was launched, it was as if thunder had passed through the sky.
Jiang Wang definitely wouldn't believe that the Zhuang Country didn't make preparations in advance.
There was a military book that said, "A lord cannot launch an army in anger, and a general cannot launch an attack in anger."
Zhuang Gaoxian definitely wasn't a lord who launched an army in anger.
Not long after he ascended the throne, he launched an attack on the Yong Country. At that time, many people viewed this as a sign of his political immaturity. However, reality proved that it was precisely that battle that broke the Yong Country's bluff and suppressed the Yong Country's military's restlessness. As a result, the Zhuang Country and Yong Country's borders were peaceful for many years.
The Zhuang Country was able to develop steadily.
Later on, when he hid in the depths of the palace to recuperate from his injuries, no matter how the Yong Country provoked him, did he ever respond?
The Qin people used the border to ambush Zuo Guanglie, and the Qin and Chu cultivators wantonly fought within the Zhuang Country's borders. Did the Zhuang Country's entire court make a sound? If Jiang Wang hadn't personally experienced this, he probably wouldn't have heard of it.
In Jiang Wang's opinion, Zhuang Gaoxian's personal expedition to launch this war probably had a plan in mind.
Not only was it not launching an army in anger, but it was also very much in line with the art of war. "Move when the benefits are appropriate, stop when the benefits are not."
If there were benefits to be gained, then fight. If there were no benefits to be gained, then endure.
From the withdrawal of the Zhuang Country's border army on the twenty-second day of the twelfth lunar month to the Zhuang Country's court launching the war on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, there were seven days in between.
The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month was the New Year's Eve of the thirty-first year of the Daoist calendar. It was definitely not a coincidence that the date was chosen. Coincidentally, this was the date that would be least expected. The soldiers and civilians of both Zhuang and Yong were preparing for the New Year. This day should have been the most peaceful, so it was the most unexpected.
When a soldier committed suicide and charged into the enemy's ranks, there wasn't much of a stir. Later on, there was a sudden explosion of public sentiment.
Chen Shikai committed suicide and charged into the enemy's ranks, but he actually left behind a suicide note. The suicide note he left behind wasn't confiscated immediately. Instead, it quickly spread throughout the army.
From the suicide note of the border army soldier to the sobbing suicide note of the border army general, there was a clear progression of public sentiment.
Du Ruhui was adept at controlling the hearts of the people. He claimed that the hearts of the people were like water and that he could control them. This matter was undoubtedly Du Ruhui's handiwork.
Zhuang Gaoxian looked down on the big picture and conspired to conquer the Yong Country. Du Ruhui united the hearts of the soldiers and the hearts of the people, so that the three armies could be used. It could truly be said that a mighty ruler could be identified, and a ruler and minister could be identified.
Jiang Wang didn't tell Ye Qingyu about his conjectures. Most of the time, he was used to shouldering them himself.
Seeing Jiang Wang's hand subconsciously caressing the teacup, Ye Qingyu softly said, "Let's go out for a walk. A year has already passed. The phoenix lanterns are very beautiful."
A year had already … passed?
Yes, today was the New Year.
Last year on this night, he and Jiang Anan were in a barren mountain. At that time, although the world was vast, there was only the two of them, brother and sister, relying on each other for survival. That day, he set off fireworks for Anan all night.
But now, he and Anan had new friends. They were both staying in the safe and peaceful Lingxiao secret grounds. They didn't have to worry about the dangers that could follow them at any time. They could welcome the New Year in a happy and peaceful atmosphere …
What day was it? What year was it?
Jiang Wang released the teacup and curled the corners of his mouth. "Okay."
… …
… …
Ps: "A lord must not launch an army in anger, and a general must not attack in anger.", "Move when it suits your interests, and stop when it doesn't."
— Sun Tzu's Art of War
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