Chapter 1183: Not a single one can compare to Ning Cheng (1/2)
The southern general’s words were accurate. If Ning Cheng really did take over the Three-Way Battlefield, he could very well declare himself a king with sufficient troops and food.
Silence fell upon the expansive tent. If Baili Yuanlong hadn’t brought up the issue, nobody else would have dared. After all, Ning Cheng represented the West Qin imperial clan’s power. The person behind him was none other than Han Yunxi, who had just birthed Long Feiye a son.
Long Feiye swept his cold eyes across the crowd and asked, “What about everyone else? What are your views?”
Nobody dared to speak at first. Although some of them disagreed with Baili Yuanlong and the southern general and didn’t think Ning Cheng would revolt now of all times, they couldn’t find any other excuse to explain his present actions.
Long Feiye smiled coldly. “What? Do you all agree with General Baili?”
Everyone was still wondering about his attitude towards Ning Cheng. His smile only cast more doubts into their hearts. After some thought, Baili Yuanlong said, “Your Highness, why not reject Ning Cheng’s proposal first and see his reaction?”
Long Feiye didn’t speak. His fingers tapped lightly against the table as he kept his thoughts a mystery. Baili Yuanlong didn’t go on, leaving the tent to fall into silence again.
It had to be said that this disappointed Long Feiye! His courtiers, military and civic both, were supposed to help him safeguard his kingdom in the future to leave the most glorious mark upon Cloud Realm Continent’s history books. But not a single one of them could compare to Ning Cheng alone!
Besides his disappointment, Long Feiye only felt pained at heart! His tapping against the table increased in tempo and strength, making everyone’s heartrate speed up in the silent tent. Nobody knew what Long Feiye was doing, but they could tell he was going to lose his temper.
At last, He Wenqing of the civil officials stepped forward with a respectful bow. “Your Highness, this commoner would like to offer my humble opinions. I don’t agree with the military factions.”
He was a man just past forty who looked like he was in his fifties. He spoke slowly and methodically but was emotive and resourceful. Emperor Tianhui and Emperor Kangcheng had both sent many men to invite him out of the mountains, but failed.
Long Feiye wanted to do the same, but he was simply too busy. He shelved the matter until after he had set up his kingdom. Unexpectedly, He Wenqing himself had shown up at his army camp a month ago.
“What are your views? Speak and let us hear,” Long Feiye was still tapping the table.
He Wenqing said seriously, “This commoner believes that Ning Cheng asking for rations now to advance north isn’t to defeat the Northern Li emperor, but to send relief to the people in stricken areas! From what this commoner understands, Northern Li’s winter this year is a once-in-a-century disaster and very severe. The famine and plague combined have left many villages with nothing but corpses, but the Northern Li emperor hasn’t done a thing. If this keeps up for another month, he won’t be able to save his people no matter what he tries.”
At last, Long Feiye stopped tapping the table, making the crowd sigh in relief. All of them were captivated by He Wenqing’s words.
“In the military, the less ideal solution is to win a war through force when one can claim victory without fighting at all. Great General Ning is one such man,” He Wenqing finished, leaving silence behind him.
His words were like a slap in the face for Baili Yuanlong and the southern general! Those who fought with no thought of innocent deaths, just to claim a victory, were considered inferior. The spoken example aligned them with Baili Yuanlong and the southern general.
Meanwhile, fighting for the sake of peace was superior. That aligned with Ning Cheng. He didn’t ask for food to fight, but to save people!
Right now, the Northern Li emperor’s graineries meant he couldn’t do a thing no matter what Ning Cheng chose to do on the battlefield. If Ning Cheng went to relieve the people from disaster now, he would definitely win their hearts! The war would be won without a single battle.
The results of the Northern Li chessboard would determine not only the country’s fate, but also Ning Cheng and Long Feiye’s. If Ning Cheng waited until the plague ran its course to deploy his troops, he’d be considered ruthless and trying to wipe everyone out! Conversely, giving relief to the people now would make Northern Li’s civilians view him in a positive light and showcase Long Feiye’s benevolence. After all, the people of Northern Li were horseriding, simple, honest folk and also young tigers at heart. To subjugate these people for the sake of future peace was no easy task.
Long Feiye was on the verge of becoming emperor, so his aim was the whole Cloud Realm Continent. In the future, all of its people would become his subjects. Did Baili Yuanlong and the southern general want him to leave a bunch of corpses in Northern Li before ascending to the throne? If that was the case, Long Feiye would lose any reputation as a compassionate emperor and even be labeled a despot.
Ning Cheng had considered all this for him already. Ironically, it was his old allies Baili Yuanlong and the southern general who didn’t think of it. Long Feiye raised his gaze towards them and snapped, “To fight for the sake of fighting is not only inferior, but needlessly cruel!”
After his lecture, he thrust Ning Cheng’s letter right before Baili Yualong’s eyes. “Read it for yourself!”
Baili Yuanlong quickly picked up the letter and read it before his face flushed. In it, Ning Cheng had only written a few lines: If we wait until after the plague to deploy troops, I’ll quit my post as the Great General of the Northern Frontier. I would never deploy troops against a country that just suffered a disaster.
Baili Yuanlong instantly fell to his knees along with the rest of the military faction.
“Your Highness, this soldier knows my wrongs! I was remiss in my reasoning. May Your Highness spare this soldier once on belief of my sincerity to serve you.”