116 The Man from Magnificent Jewel Hall (1/2)
”Puff!” Jun Mo Xie was drinking a mouthful of wine when he heard that, and started to choke. He unintentionally sprayed out the entire wine on uncle Jun Wu Yi, who was sitting opposite him, and started coughing.
”Wow… haha….Li Shang, that old self-defeating bastard's Dantian was so badly damaged that it seemed like he was taking his dying breaths. Even his beloved grandson Li You Ran was also badly affected.” It had been many years since the old man had laughed in such a carefree manner: ”That pretty boy's face was so badly disfigured… haha…”
Jun Mo Xie was holding his wine cup with a flabbergasted look on his face.
[I,I,I had only intended on doing minor damage to them. I had never imagined that it would bear such splendid results ah… I only wanted the Jade Coral to be a little damaging, that was all I wanted to do….]
[As for the imperial teacher Li Shang's injury, and Li You Ran's disfiguration, I really hadn't planned on it! I'm innocent in this regard, but then I guess that if I knew that this would happen, I would have made it even viler…. So I believe that this situation is working out well for me now, just good luck I guess….]
”We shall toast to this! Let's get drunk today!” Grandfather Jun burst out laughing, as he reached for his glass.
”Well, this affair has provided a lot amusement to people, but if the imperial teacher Li Shang is really incapable of being cured at this point, then we'll have to be on the lookout for Li Family's movements. Li Shang and his family have always been known to be very arrogant, and they consider everyone to be beneath themselves. If he dies, then they will look to vent their anger on others, and if that happens, their first target will be our Jun Family! We will not be able to protect ourselves easily, so we must make our preparations in advance.” Jun Wu Yi smiled, even though he had the intention of doing so.
”You're right.” Grandfather Jun stopped drinking: ”If that old wreck really dies then the Li Family will no longer be what it is today, but still, the death of a senior member of their family will certainly cause chaos. Even if he doesn't die, there will still be a lot of confusion. Wu Yi, at present, the main strength of the Jun Family lies in your hands, what's the best way of dealing with this matter in your opinion?”
Jun Wu Yi tensed his eyebrows and said: ”If we start preparing while taking Li Shang's death as a precondition, then all our preparations will go to waste if he survives. The best countermeasure to cope up with this entire situation will be to build up a strong backbone, and not give the enemy any chance to attack us. The best policy would be to tactfully convince them that the Jun Family is strong enough to defend itself. The only thing that worries me is that this will only deepen their hatred for the Jun Family, and they might attack us in the future, someday, at a time when we might not be expecting it.”
Jun Mo Xie smiled: ”Third uncle's words are indeed very wise and thoroughly considered, but I feel that these generals are iron blooded men…. How else could they have survived so many battles? As soon as they find out about the news of these recent affairs, their first response will be to ensure their own safety…. If their own safety isn't assured, then why will they go into the battle to kill the enemy?”
Then, Jun Mo Xie smiled again and said: ”Even if they are not very skilled, our clan members can be used to protect us in the battle, otherwise what use do these wasteful people have? Even if they are injured or killed, it won't count as a heavy loss….”
Jun Zhan Tian and Jun Wu Yi were both stunned momentarily, and looked at each other in dismay, not knowing how to respond to Jun Mo Xie's statement. They had both been in command of armies in the past, and had always considered the soldiers under their command to be their sons, and had always treated them like brothers. Naturally, Jun Mo Xie's argument was not acceptable to either of them.
”Mo Xie, are you saying that we simply abandon the men who have been following our Jun family for generations?” Jun Zhan Tian was quite angry, but reconciled to just stroking his beard in displeasure: ”This is a matter of personal integrity and ethics, we share trials and tribulations, whether in life or in death, so you might as well give up that idea! Your idea…..” Grandfather Jun didn't say it directly, but the criticality of his statement was evident.
”Grandfather, I understand that you don't approve of my opinion, but I'd like to ask, if you're preoccupied with these highly incompetent people, then this might cost the lives of countless soldiers due to their incompetence. Given the situation at hand, wouldn't it be better to weigh the pros and cons here? Over the years, the border has been becoming increasingly unstable, and wars are being raged perennially, and Third Uncle previously mentioned that these generals are veterans and are likely to lead their armies to confront the enemy, which means that thousands of soldiers are likely to die! For me, if a person is truly incompetent, then it's better to renounce the same, otherwise, they will falter at a crucial moment when burdened with a heavy responsibility, which will result in a defeat! In some key moments, it might even affect the fate of the entire country! How can this be considered a trivial matter? How is my opinion heartless in this perspective?”
Jun Mo Xie proudly retorted: ”I suggest that we round up the so-called incompetent and reckless soldiers and use them as meat shields. Their sacrifice will help us prevent this country from the defeat that we might otherwise have to face at the hands of the enemy, and if that happens, then the entire country will set on the path of annihilation! And this is the hard truth Grandfather, Third Uncle, even if you refuse to admit it. At a crucial moment, it might be painful to make such decisions, but the price we may have to pay for this softheartedness will be far too great!”
”They are servants, and must be used in a time of need! We will have to refrain from acting emotionally, and concentrate on the welfare of the majority of our command. As a leader, if you start acting emotionally, then you've already failed! Grandfather, Third Uncle, if my words offend you, then please forgive me, but the gravity of this matter surpasses principles and I cannot compromise on this!”
Jun Zhan Tian and Jun Wu Yi were both silent. They were both sensible and intelligent men; they simply couldn't ignore the hard reality, even if these words weren't very pleasant to hear. But for a leader, compassion and leniency are the biggest taboos.