Chapter 734: Qingzhou in Peril |
However, if there is a victor, there will also be a loser. The Song Kingdom was precisely the losing side. Yet, in truth, the real losers were the common people of all kingdoms.
Warriors who died for their country were merely pawns in others' hands.
The Song Kingdom had already made a strategic error. Now, it was reaping the bitter fruits of its actions.
And as Meng Shan Ming led his troops to support other fronts, strange stirrings appeared in the Zhao Kingdom. They began to muster their forces.
For the Yan Kingdom, a new storm was brewing.
Sensing the cold intent from the Zhao Kingdom, Qingzhou was the first to seek aid from Shang Chao Zong.
Niu You Dao had cut off communications with the outside world. Thus, the Wandong Heavenly Palace could only contact Shang Chao Zong, imploring him to transfer his Southern Domain forces to support Qingzhou.
However, Qingzhou was far away, and such a matter was not one to be settled with mere words.
Sensing that something was amiss, the Wei and Qi Kingdoms immediately began to exert pressure on the Zhao Kingdom, threatening them not to initiate war!
The Han Kingdom suddenly launched an offensive. Indeed, they had launched an offensive against the Yan Kingdom, not the Song Kingdom.
Shang Chao Zong had foreseen this and had initially appointed Shao Deng Yun as the commander-in-chief for the northern defenses. He held authority over both his own warriors and those of the Imperial Court.
The Imperial Court was clearly opposed to this. They believed that Shao Deng Yun would primarily send their own men to their deaths.
However, Shang Chao Zong's decision was supported by the Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom. While at times they might compromise with the Emperor, at others they could not. Shang Chao Zong's men had already proven their combat effectiveness. Therefore, the three sects immediately backed him.
Shang Jian Xiong was furious and feared this support from the three sects!
However, that beauty from the Song Kingdom brought him some solace.
From the very beginning, he had wanted to shift the blame for the deaths of his many concubines onto the Emperor of the Song Kingdom. Only later did he realize that this much-praised beauty truly lived up to her renown.
Such was the concubine's beauty that Shang Jian Xiong concluded his murdered concubines had been worth it. He secretly delighted in her and was largely content. Eventually, Tong Mo could no longer bear it and began to persuade him, stating that state affairs were more important and that Shang Jian Xiong had fallen into the beauty's trap.
And Shao Deng Yun lived up to the hopes placed upon him, repelling the Han Kingdom's attacks.
The Han Kingdom had not attacked with full force; they had merely launched a series of probing attacks. Yet, Jin Jue was quite surprised and involuntarily raised his personal estimation of Shao Deng Yun.
"These attacks are quite simple. Jin Jue attacked us to draw the Yan Kingdom's forces. This would give the Zhao Kingdom an opportunity to advance against us and easily overcome us. If the Zhao Kingdom begins to attack, then Jin Jue will begin to move against the Song Kingdom..."
Sitting before a map, Meng Shan Ming analyzed the opponents' actions for Shang Chao Zong and the others.
Gong Ling Ze, standing to the side, pondered his own thoughts. He recalled the beginning of the military operations. It didn't matter how many of these daring individuals there were, or who lost and who won, whether it was Meng Shan Ming, Jin Jue, Luo Zhao, Wu Gun Lin, Zhang Hu, or any others. All of them had once fought in battle, honing their skills. All had experienced moments of danger, inhaled the scent of blood, and all understood the meaning of martial spirit.
After spending a great deal of time with them, personally observing the military operations, he finally understood the true nature of warfare.
Battles were not as simple as mere reports of wins or losses. One had to move vast numbers of warriors, knowing when to advance and when to retreat. To crush with large numbers, and to seize opportune moments with small forces. But the most difficult aspect was provisioning. An outsider might never realize the crucial importance of the provisioning process.
Witnessing all this firsthand, only then did he realize how complex warfare was. It was no easier than cultivation. Who could determine if a unit would survive or not?
Cultivation required a foundation, a keen mind, and materials, and then, a complete cultivator emerged. But soldiers needed battle experience. They had to fight, kill, forge their character, and, even more complexly, their spirit.
Gong Ling Ze now understood deeply and regretted that they had purged Ning Wang's veterans. He now realized what a great loss their deaths had been for the Yan Kingdom. Such warriors could not be obtained by merely providing time and resources...
Regarding Jin Jue's scheme, they placed all responsibility on Shao Deng Yun.
Shao Deng Yun was a former subordinate of Meng Shan Ming, and Meng Shan Ming was confident in his abilities. He also knew Jin Jue.
In the overall conduct of war, Shao Deng Yun might not be Jin Jue's rival. But in local battles, where Shao Deng Yun had spent many years, where he knew the terrain and conditions of the country's north, Meng Shan Ming did not believe Shao Deng Yun would concede to Jin Jue.
Especially since he understood that the Han Kingdom would not launch a full-scale attack on the Yan Kingdom.
Shao Deng Yun also understood Meng Shan Ming's intentions. He knew that even though the Han Kingdom was attacking them now, it was merely a show.
Shao Deng Yun, too, had not simply prepared to fight the Han Kingdom for no reason. He was even ready to personally clash with Jin Jue on the front lines.
He had fought on the battlefield for many years. Jin Jue? He didn't think much of him at all. He didn't fear Jin Jue!
Shao Deng Yun believed that should the Han Kingdom dare to enter Yan Kingdom territory, they would fight. If they advanced further into the Yan Kingdom, then Yan would advance into the Han Kingdom. Let's see who would be afraid then. This strategy was similar to Meng Shan Ming's.
This was precisely what Jin Jue feared. And thus, the Han Kingdom's offensive transformed into a defensive stance.
The two men clashed, and Shao Deng Yun displayed his mastery as a commander. This made Jin Jue sigh and murmur before his army, "It is the Yan Kingdom's fortune that Ning Wang Shang Jian Bo's veterans remain. They are like an impregnable rock. As long as these men do not fall, no matter how weak the Yan Kingdom may seem, it will simply be impossible to conquer it!"
...
"Jin Jue, when formulating his strategic plan in his tent, encountered a powerful obstacle!"
At the Jin Kingdom's war council, Tai Shu Xiong stood before a map and, sighing, spoke while looking at Shao Ping Bo. He smiled and continued, "Perhaps you could bring your father here. We will give him anything he desires! Perhaps you might even consider what he would want. He might even ask us for something."
Everyone looked at Shao Ping Bo, each with a different gaze. Many were displeased.
One was a court official, the other would be on the war council. None of them were pleased by this. No military officer believed himself to be weaker than Shao Deng Yun.
Shao Ping Bo was in a difficult position. It wasn't that he didn't want to summon his father. As Tai Shu Xiong had said, it would indeed be splendid if he had his father's military support. He could then resolve many internal issues here.
Shao Deng Yun, however, would simply not come. Being at a deadlock, he still refused to join him. After all, he possessed power, his own warriors, and, moreover, he was now guarded by many cultivators.
Shao Deng Yun was also causing his son pain. This was because Shao Deng Yun now sided with Niu You Dao. Hence, it was difficult for Shao Ping Bo to claim that the bond between father and son was weaker than the sense of duty to one's homeland.
...
After the Han Kingdom launched its attack on the Yan Kingdom, the Han Kingdom's secret ally revealed itself. The Zhao Kingdom began to attack the Yan Kingdom.
However, they did not directly attack the Yan Kingdom. Instead, they began to attack Qingzhou.
In truth, the Zhao Kingdom intensely disliked Jin Jue, for Jin Jue acted very slowly. And now, he wished to use the Zhao Kingdom against the Yan Kingdom. However, such an opportunity rarely presented itself. The Yan Kingdom was currently very weak, and now the Han Kingdom was attacking it. Furthermore, the Wei and Qi Kingdoms were currently entangled with the Jin Kingdom, so they would not dare to attack the Zhao Kingdom now.
Generally speaking, the Yan Kingdom was now a plump piece of meat for the Zhao Kingdom. If they didn't take a bite now, they would regret it later. And it was unknown when they would get another such chance.
In fact, it wasn't just the Zhao Kingdom that hated Jin Jue. Didn't the Song and Yan Kingdoms hate him too? Even the Jin Kingdom was now angry with Jin Jue because he had shattered their plans.
With the attack on Qingzhou, various reactions emerged from all sides.
The Han Kingdom questioned why they weren't attacking the Yan Kingdom. The Zhao Kingdom, however, argued that before attacking the Yan Kingdom, they first needed to deal with Qingzhou. After all, Qingzhou's connections with the Southern Domain were well-known to all. Against this, Jin Jue could say nothing. The motive was indeed logical.
If you wish to eat, don't be surprised that others wish to as well! Before the warnings from the Qi and Wei Kingdoms, the Zhao Kingdom stated that they were not attacking the Yan Kingdom but merely dealing with internal unrest. Therefore, the Qi and Wei Kingdoms could say nothing against them.
The Song Kingdom also issued a warning to the Zhao Kingdom. They were trying to treat a dead horse as if it were alive, hoping that the Yan Kingdom would help them resist the Han Kingdom. But would the Zhao Kingdom listen to them?
The Zhao Kingdom also paid no heed to the Yan Kingdom's warning.
Ultimately, with various pretexts, the Zhao Kingdom was free to resolve its 'internal problems.' And all the other kingdoms could only watch in silence.
Against the united forces of the Zhao Kingdom, Qingzhou appeared so fragile. They directed pleas to the three sects of the Zhao Kingdom. But it was all in vain.
Previously, the three sects of the Zhao Kingdom had not desired internal unrest. But now was a different time. Now, the three sects saw an opportunity to take a bigger slice. Would they now concern themselves with Qingzhou?
Consequently, the Dudu of the Zhao Kingdom, Fang Xiu, began his offensive against Qingzhou. Qingzhou could weep, but it was to no avail.