Chapter 1870: Chapter 6: Heroic Ambitions Across the Land
Transporting supplies over, without food, are we supposed to make jerky from our own flesh to use as supplies!
Panic filled his heart.
Outside the Northern Domain pass, Mr. Wen Qingyu, whose demeanor was calm and serene, rested his chin on his hand. In spring, this river still has some ice. He held a green bamboo rod to fish, his expression tranquil.
Xue Tianxing said: "Jiang Yuan has mobilized the army to support the attack on us here, but there’s not much movement. They’ve fought a few times, but haven’t fought with full force."
Wen Qingyu said gently: "To mobilize troops to fight across thousands of miles is indeed the work of a famous general, but what Jiang Yuan can achieve under him will either be under Jiang Su’s command or in the position at Zhenbei City, opposing General Yue."
"He doesn’t understand the long-distance warfare of large corps, yet insists on ordering it himself."
"Even if Ying Country has a profound foundation, it can’t endure exhaustively like this. Rest assured, when he arrives, we’ll use the combat skills left by that old turtle Lu Youxian to engage him. No need to achieve victory, just a single aim: drag!"
Yuan Shitong said: "To fight a battle that cannot be won?"
Wen Qingyu said calmly: "Think far, don’t focus only on the local battlefield. This war now is a war of all under heaven, the battlefield is not only this small Northern Domain pass, but extends far beyond where our eyes can see, and beyond what is almost unreachable."
It seemed a fish was biting; Wen Qingyu’s fishing rod twitched.
The fishing line touched the water surface, creating ripples. Reflected in Wen Qingyu’s eyes, these ripples shattered the clouds on the water’s surface, resembling the geographical map of the world.
Wen Qingyu, fishing on this distant Cold Lake outside the Northern Domain pass, said calmly:
"The battlefield is everywhere under heaven!"
"Remember, did I not tell you?"
Yuan Shitong said: "...A great war is the quickest thing to consume national strength."
Wen Qingyu, resting his chin, watching the ripples on the icy lake surface, said: "Yes, the consumption of national strength, indulgent enjoyment. Jiang Su understands military strategy but in this regard, he is less proficient than us."
"What affects emperors are not only sycophants, but enemies as well."
"Today’s victory is beyond just the battlefield."
He watched the water ripples, saying: "The fish is about to be hooked."
Yuan Shitong murmured: "Is it Jiang Yuan?"
Wen Qingyu smiled slightly: "Has General Yuan Shitong also understood my implied meaning?"
Yuan Shitong stuck out his chest and raised his head.
Wen Qingyu said: "Unfortunately, you guessed wrong."
"No."
So, Yuan Shitong became a bit more dispirited.
But he still had many unresolved doubts inside, feeling that Mr. Wen Qingyu’s speech always circled around, mentioning Jiang Yuan before, but now it seemed the topic had changed?
If it’s not Jiang Yuan who’s hooked, then who is it?
Who can understand sir’s words?
It’s not possible that my brain is not working properly, right?
Involuntarily, he looked toward his friend Xue Tianxing, hoping to see a hint of confusion on Xue Tianxing’s face as well.
But as expected, he was disappointed.
Xue Tianxing’s expression was contemplative, saying: "Is sir asking to use Jiang Yuan’s northern expedition as bait?"
"Jiang Yuan’s northern expedition is not the goal, but... the means?"
A slight shake was in Xue Tianxing’s eyes.
Wen Qingyu plainly laughed, saying: "That’s the strategy of my friend, Southwest Yan Daiqing."
"I’m just passing it along on his behalf."
Yuan Shitong grumbled: "Again with Southwest Yan Daiqing, and Western Yan Daiqing, how many Yan Daiqing are there?"
Wen Qingyu, seemingly amused by this baseless complaint, laughed loudly: "Only one Yan Daiqing indeed."
"Generals, think far ahead, don’t focus only on Jiang Yuan."
With a flick of his wrist, he hooked a fish, saying calmly:
"The world is vast, heroes arise everywhere."
"Do not underestimate this world—"
The fish flicked its tail, dropping a water droplet, like a chess piece falling on the Zongheng, creating countless ripples—
Jiang Yuan was admiring the scenery when an urgent report came in—
"Your Majesty, terrible news, terrible news!"
"Someone is rebelling, coercing the displaced, attacking our country’s cities and towns!"
Jiang Yuan’s expression froze, then he suddenly stood up, great anger: "What?!"
That day, in several places in Ying Country, there were heroes rising up, all opening warehouses to aid disaster victims, dominating one area. By the next day, there were already a dozen places. After seven or eight days, throughout the vast thousands of miles of Ying Country, seventy-two routes of rebels were said to exist, all proclaiming themselves as kings.
The seeds left by Wolf King Chen Fubi.
Detonated at this most critical moment.
Several years ago, Dou De and Dan Xiong, who led the surprise attack on the capital, did likewise, breached the city gates, directly giving the transported grain to the people. Dou De shouted: "Transporting supplies to the Northern, people come but there’s no grain, according to the law, heads should roll, today, following the country’s policy leads to death, join our uprising also leads to death!"
"Everyone—"
Looking at these people ahead, Dou De suddenly recalled a long time ago.
Seven or eight years ago, Jiang Wanxiang had the vitality of a dragon, back then Emperor Chen was calm and indifferent, the Great Khan rode across the grasslands, Divine Martial King was arrogant and dismissive, at that moment, Emperor Qin was merely a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth.
He was young back then, and the world was magnificent and turbulent.
Sword Madman and Emperor Ying both left.
This grand heroic world has reached the desolate end of a symphony.
But, how can there be only these old generation of heroes!
Dou De deeply inhaled, recalling the Wolf King’s words, and looking at these people burdened with corvée labor, who had lost the time for farming, shouted loudly:
"Today, in the chaos under heaven is deadly!"
"Do you want to starve to death!"
"Or do you want to die a gluttonous ghost?!"
Just this sentence was enough.
