Chapter 733: Everyone Wants to Lead |
From high in the sky, everything below was clearly visible.
Standing on a bird, Su Zhao looked at the Dong Yu River. She had also already flown to the border of the Yan Kingdom.
“Has the battle between the Song and Yan Kingdoms ended?” She turned her head and looked at Yuan Gang.
Yuan Gang, looking at her, asked, “Does this greatly interest you?”
Su Zhao asked in return, “Doesn't this interest you? Who won?”
Yuan Gang looked straight ahead and did not reply.
Su Zhao bit her lip. She understood that Yuan Gang would not speak until she revealed herself. However, she still had no intention of revealing herself.
...
The Song Kingdom's forces returned to their territory and began to move deeper into the country.
Just in case, he left Xin Mao's troops behind. Everything could change at any moment.
Thus, Meng Shan Ming could unconcernedly depart for other places where the Yan Kingdom might be threatened. At the same time, he was now awaiting the arrival of Wei Kingdom's provisions support.
After crossing the river, Shang Chao Zong and Meng Shan Ming met successfully. The two men had not seen each other for a long time and were deeply moved. The returnees were met with cheers and enthusiasm. After all, they had eliminated the danger from the east, securing a victory.
The two men conversed for a long time, but Niu You Dao still did not appear...
However, the Song Kingdom's forces presented a different picture. Their morale had plummeted severely. Furthermore, they were starving.
Their provisions would soon run out. A three-day portion of dry rice had first turned into a three-day portion of thin rice gruel. And later, into a two-day portion. Then, into a one-day portion. If this continued, people would perish from hunger. The troops were exhausted, weak, and slow.
Learning that Wu Gun Lin had crossed the river aroused Luo Zhao's vigilance. He called for someone: “Have you confirmed that Wu Gun Lin will not cause us trouble?”
Wen You, swaying on his horse, said, “There shouldn't be. News has come from the imperial court. Meng Shan Ming let us go because he hoped Wu Gun Lin would attack us. Only Meng Shan Ming didn't know that the Emperor had bribed him.”
Su Yuan Bai nodded and said, “We'll give him two provinces!”
Luo Zhao sneered coldly, “He's stealing while the fire burns. He even killed his own brother. The consequences would manifest sooner or later!”
Wen You: “Dudu, the imperial court is forced to make concessions. Right now, safety must be ensured. And when everything stabilizes, then we can deal with him!”
Several powers had a vested interest here. Jin Jue used Wu Gun Lin to sow chaos in the Song Kingdom, to shake the alliance between the Yan and Song Kingdoms, and to take the Song Kingdom with fewer losses. However, Wu Gun Lin betrayed him.
Meng Shan Ming, knowing Jin Jue's intentions, and to avoid chaos in the Yan Kingdom when it was already in a critical situation and the Zhao Kingdom was still observing it with predatory eyes, decided to divert the destructive current eastward. He also decided to use Wu Gun Lin to weaken Luo Zhao's forces. However, Wu Gun Lin also betrayed him.
The Zhao Kingdom, knowing Meng Shan Ming's plan, and finding itself in a difficult position where pulling at the hem revealed the elbows, was forced to only offer Wu Gun Lin advantages. They granted him dominion over two provinces, allowing Wu Gun Lin to directly occupy the territory.
Jin Jue revealed his plan to Meng Shan Ming. Meng Shan Ming's plan was revealed to the Song Kingdom. Everyone was betrayed in turn.
Three powers, and each betrayed the other while feigning sincere intentions. Wu Gun Lin himself was forced to act this way. He needed to ensure his own safety, and then he would observe and make his final move.
At this moment, Luo Zhao, looking at his exhausted warriors, felt a tremor of unease: “Elders, I request that you send men to Wu Gun Lin. To confirm that he will not attack us. If his plans change, the consequences would be unimaginable. Furthermore, we must continue to keep a close watch on Xin Mao's troops!”
He was not worried without reason. Currently, only Wu Gun Lin and Xin Mao threatened his army. Therefore, Su Yuan Bai and the others immediately dispatched men.
However, soon everyone began to feel anxious. For no reply had come. And the men who had been sent to Wu Gun Lin disappeared as if they had vanished into thin air. Even others were sent afterward, but still no news was heard.
And according to the scouts' reports, they learned that Wu Gun Lin was heading here with his forces on a forced march.
The Yan Kingdom's imperial court, upon learning the situation, began to worry. And Luo Zhao, being on the front lines, immediately began to react. He issued an order concerning the troops' provisions: to divide the provisions into different parts and distribute them among the troops.
At the same time, he ordered the more than two-million-strong army to divide into small contingents of a thousand men each, and also to receive provisions.
The main goal was that if there were a surprise attack, he could at least preserve the Song Kingdom's true strength. But if they remained together in one place, they would be annihilated together.
The provisions were distributed, the warriors were dispersed, and they were already linked between segments. So if someone attacked, it would take time to get from one segment to another. In this way, Luo Zhao intended to preserve at least some of the troops.
At the very least, after the warriors scattered, they could feed on grass or tree roots. But if more than two million warriors were gathered in one place, where would they find so much grass and so many trees?
Luo Zhao made a difficult decision, but it was a necessary one.
As for Wu Gun Lin, it would be better for him to appease the Han Kingdom, and incidentally, Meng Shan Ming, that greatest threat. Then he would have a respite.
Thus, he made his choice and, severing friendly relations, bared his fangs and headed to strike Luo Zhao!
Luo Zhao dispersed his warriors, thereby creating a headache for Wu Gun Lin.
However, Wu Gun Lin was also no fool. He sent men towards the areas where the Song Kingdom's provisions were dispersed. At the same time, he directed men towards where the Song Kingdom's rearguard forces were dispersed.
Both sides were experienced commanders. Only Wu Gun Lin had more experience.
Wu Gun Lin clearly showed that he wasn't playing around, which pleased the Han Kingdom. They realized they had misunderstood Wu Gun Lin.
Meng Shan Ming, on the other hand, saw exactly what he had planned. Wu Gun Lin was in the hands of the three sects of the Han Kingdom. He knew that Wu Gun Lin had to follow their orders. In addition, he himself threatened him.
So why should he spare Luo Zhao's men? Why did he insist so strongly on Jin Jue's original plan to strike Luo Zhao? Because he needed to weaken the Song Kingdom's forces, and at the same time, shift Jin Jue's attention from the Yan Kingdom to the Song Kingdom.
If he had defeated half of the Song Kingdom's forces, according to the original plan, then Wu Gun Lin would have defeated the remaining half. Therefore, he immediately left everything to Wu Gun Lin. Wu Gun Lin, after all, would not be able to annihilate more than two million Song Kingdom warriors in one go.
He wanted to diminish the Song Kingdom's strength, but at the same time, leave enough strength for them to contend with the Han Kingdom. Thus, he was completing his strategy of diverting the destructive current eastward.
The so-called alliance against the Han Kingdom was merely a facade.
And his goal in this alliance was to ensure the safety of the Yan Kingdom. For the Han Kingdom had amassed enormous troops in the north, and the Zhao Kingdom watched them ravenously from the west. It was extremely dangerous. Therefore, he first needed to divert the Han Kingdom's gaze eastward and make the Song Kingdom a bait.
Meng Shan Ming was no stranger to fighting Jin Jue, and knew his tactics well, his dependable patterns. Therefore, he understood that as long as the Zhao Kingdom did not begin to attack, Jin Jue would not advance.
Meng Shan Ming had already guessed that the Han Kingdom was secretly contacting the Zhao Kingdom. The Zhao Kingdom was already starting to exert pressure on the Yan Kingdom. Therefore, with the help of Wu Gun Lin, he decided to divert the Han Kingdom's gaze eastward.
An alliance was one thing, but he could not ignore this. The Han Kingdom could not be allowed to grow stronger so easily. However, at this time, he first had to think of the Yan Kingdom. Therefore, for a while, the Song Kingdom might have to taste a bit of bitterness.
If things took a turn for the worse, then there would be nothing for it. They would have to hand the Song Kingdom over to the Han Kingdom. At least the Yan Kingdom would get a respite. And then he would figure out how to resist the Han Kingdom.
Wu Gun Lin provoked the wrath of the Song Kingdom's imperial court, which caused them to curse him thoroughly.
Wu Gun Lin did not take it to heart: “Curse as you wish, I will attend to my own affairs.” Especially after receiving the support of the Han Kingdom's cultivators, he now no longer feared the Song Kingdom at all.
The Song Kingdom eventually exposed his betrayal, which infuriated Jin Jue. He had indeed predicted everything correctly. This scoundrel had been communicating with Meng Shan Ming behind his back. At the same time, he had also been communicating with the Song Kingdom. Was he truly playing both sides?
Wu Gun Lin did not justify himself. For him, it was simple: “You use me, why can't I use you? Didn't you see that I acted as required afterwards?”
At this moment, all that was hidden became clear. The tide had risen, lifting all boats. Therefore, Jin Jue was forced to tolerate Wu Gun Lin for now.
Meng Shan Ming remained calm regarding Wu Gun Lin's betrayal. He also could do nothing to Wu Gun Lin at the moment.
In the end, Jin Jue's goal was achieved. Meng Shan Ming's goal was achieved. Wu Gun Lin also achieved his goal and gained a voice.
From the very beginning, Jin Jue had put great pressure on him, showing that only he could ensure his safety. Only Meng Shan Ming, for the sake of saving the Yan Kingdom, subtly changed the situation. Wu Gun Lin merely seized the moment and escaped a dangerous situation.
Great powers negotiate, lesser powers survive. Great figures, humble figures, all want to be leaders. And those observing simply enjoy the show!