Looking at Ye Chengxiu, who was pale with shock, Qin Feng forced a bitter smile, "The former emperor did not insist because he also understood that I, Qin Feng, was only suitable to be a minister, not a ruler, and even less so... Yet now, I have become another 'Cao Cao'."
Ye Chengxiu fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "I understand! Those noble families are still around, and they will never allow a regent to ascend the throne. After all, you are too close to the Marquis of Anguo of Daqian."
Qin Feng simply nodded silently, gazing north, his mood troubled.
Even if he found the evidence from back then, bearing the infamy and pushing Mu Xuan off his throne, it would inevitably lead to another bloodbath.
Since Mu Youmin could not return to ascend the throne, he would have to crown his own wife, Zhi Rou, as empress. The consequences were unthinkable.
Zhi Rou had no political acumen. How would the world view him, Qin Feng, then?
"The Great Qian Dynasty is absolutely not a country that can be defeated by a united invasion. My Great Liang Dynasty must not court self-destruction. If the front lines refuse to retreat, we will forcibly cut off their logistics and let them bear the consequences, treating it as clearing out rebels for the people!"
At this moment, Qin Feng was no longer indecisive.
He had no retreat; he had to take a gamble.
If he succeeded, the country would be stable, and friendly relations would be restored.
If he failed, he would die, his clan would be exterminated, and his wife and children would not be safe.
The Great Liang Dynasty urgently mobilized swift ships to cross the river and notify the front-line troops.
The entire Jiangnan region of the Great Qian Dynasty entered a state of strategic defense, showing no intention of launching a proactive offense.
The invading enemy had traveled a long distance, especially the allied forces of Jiaozhou and the Peacock Dynasty. Their logistical pressure was immense, and they sought only a swift victory.
The counties and cities throughout Jiangnan, fortified by years of meticulous preparation, were as solid as a city of gold, with ample supplies to hold their ground.
After several months of operation, Su Wencheng had become the true marshal of the Great Liang Dynasty's front-line army. He was overseeing the intense assault on Wuyong Prefecture in the south of Great Qian, but had yet to achieve any significant success.
The military and civilians of Wuyong Prefecture were united, with a continuous flow of troops and supplies from Jinling. They were enraged by Great Liang's perfidy and were fiercely resisting the invaders from south of the Heng River.
"Shoot a silk letter into the city, and tell all the citizens that if they resist further, once this Wuyong Prefecture is captured, the entire city will be massacred!"
Su Wencheng, who had studied military strategy since childhood, aiming for this very moment to showcase his prowess, had now lost over ten thousand men in a border town and was finally driven to extreme anger.
The Great Qian army was merely at a disadvantage, but more than capable of defending the city. The allied forces of Great Liang, Jiaozhou, and the Peacock Dynasty dared not bypass certain cities to march directly into the heart of Jiangnan.
Earlier, the Jiaozhou army had skirted around Luzhou under the cover of night. Their narrow formation was intercepted by the Jiangnan cavalry led by Shi Liuyun, who slew twelve great generals and inflicted over five thousand casualties. They were ultimately forced to abandon the plan of bypassing the city.
The Great Qian's intelligence gathering capabilities were exceptionally strong. Their scouts used only the finest horses, and along the route, there were numerous outposts, beacon towers, and carrier pigeons, allowing for timely communication and requests for aid.
"The reason we families did not oppose Emperor Wu forming an alliance with Great Qian was to lull them into complacency, as that foolish ruler did not have much longer to live. However, judging by the current deployment of Great Qian, Liang Xiao must have foreseen our breach of the alliance!"
The generals from the noble families were all seething with anger.
They had already received news from the capital and found themselves in a dilemma.
If they advanced, they faced unprecedentedly strong resistance from Great Qian, achieving nothing but getting bogged down in a quagmire of war.
If they retreated, they might not be a match for Qin Feng upon their return to their own country. Moreover, they were hesitant to act decisively, as their family's core members were being held under soft detention in the capital by Qin Feng. Retreating now might also invite interception from Great Qian, causing them to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"In fact, the leader of the Sword North Sect had long anticipated this. Liang Xiao must have defenses in place. According to the consensus of the marshals, even if the allied forces of various countries cannot quickly capture Great Qian, they can sufficiently wear them down until they collapse," Su Wencheng said, his face turning from anger to frustration. "But they all failed to anticipate how well-prepared Great Qian would be, even easily weathering a year of drought!"
"A mere defender of Wuyong Prefecture, Liu Nanfeng of the Liu family, could inflict such heavy casualties on our army. If Liang Xiao or Lu Yi were to lead the defense, what then?"
As everyone was feeling dejected, an urgent report arrived from outside: "Enemy insider Han Zhongyun requests an audience!"
"Insider?" everyone was startled.
A middle-aged man in black robes entered the military tent carrying a small signal arrow and handed it to Su Wencheng, "Please examine this, my lord."
Su Wencheng inspected it and, with surprise and joy, exclaimed, "This is the token of the Dugu family, with Dugu Qun's handwriting on it. It must be genuine!"
Han Zhongyun then presented a map of Wuyong Prefecture's defenses, smiling, "I have been lurking here for a long time. On the north city wall of Wuyong Prefecture, there are several sections where the materials were shoddy back then, appearing strong on the outside but weak within. The enemy army, confident in support from their rear, has concentrated its forces on defending the other three directions. If Great Liang circles the city under the cover of night and pushes forward, the city can be breached, and the Great Qian army will not have time to reinforce!"
Su Wencheng and the assembled generals meticulously examined the defense map, their hearts filled with elation.
"As expected of the Dugu family, they have left hidden pieces even after leaving the center of power in Great Qian! However, to be safe, scouts must be dispatched to verify the situation. Mr. Han, please stay with our army temporarily to lead us."
Han Zhongyun replied without hesitation, "That is precisely my intention. However, I implore my lord not to reveal my whereabouts, as my family is still in Wuyong Prefecture."
Su Wencheng readily agreed and immediately dispatched scouts to investigate.
On this day, the capital welcomed a fleet of foreign ships, led by Barbaris, who was received by Liang Xiao.
"I am sent by the great Saladin to seek friendship and trade with the Great Qian Dynasty and to jointly resist the Tianri tribe. This is the token of Liang Jing, leader of the Liang Family Army."
Barbaris presented Saladin's token and Liang Jing's letter, along with a golden emblem bearing the characters of the Great Zhou royal family. After the shadow guards had thoroughly inspected it for safety, it was handed to Liang Xiao for examination.
Liang Xiao compared the handwriting on Liang Jing's letter, brought by Xerax, with the intricate text on the surface of the golden emblem, confirming its authenticity.
"It seems that Ms. Liang Jing had been making plans long ago for various countries to jointly resist the Tianri tribe," Liang Xiao praised.
"Ms.? I didn't expect the Marquis of Anguo to be familiar with our culture," Barbaris replied, surprised.
"I have a slight understanding," Liang Xiao replied vaguely.
Barbaris exclaimed, "Our great Saladin has long admired the Marquis of Anguo, and I never imagined the Marquis of Anguo to be so young. Since the Marquis of Anguo is acquainted with Ms. Liang Jing, I presume King Xerax has already arrived in your Great Qian."
Upon receiving Liang Xiao's affirmative reply, Barbaris continued, "Then you must also be aware of the barbarity and threat posed by the Tianri tribe."
"Thanks to your resistance, the Tianri tribe has not been able to mobilize their entire nation to invade Great Qian," Liang Xiao said with a smile.
Barbaris quickly explained, "No, no, no, Marquis of Anguo, you are too modest! The current Great Qian Dynasty has sufficient means to defend itself, but lacks the drive for further expansion. We do not deny the might of Great Qian, but we hope the Marquis of Anguo understands that while you and the late Emperor of Great Qian could protect Great Qian, the threat of the Tianri tribe could persist for hundreds or even thousands of years. Only by completely annihilating them can the peace of future generations across all continents be guaranteed."
Liang Xiao expressed his deep agreement.
Barbaris then stated, "Our Ayyubid dynasty currently controls the region south of Europa, north of Africa, and southwest of Asia. We sailed for several months to reach your country, navigating the seas. The hardships involved are self-evident. We wish to exchange our Damascus-produced weapons, sulfur, and spices, along with the gold and yew wood on our ships, for the best seedlings and cultivation methods of Great Qian's new crops, as well as some military equipment designs."