knife

Chapter 630 All people are selfish.

Humans are inherently selfish.

When faced with danger, one's instinct is to prioritize one's own safety; when one's interests are threatened, the top priority is to minimize one's losses.

This is true for ordinary people.

The same applies to those in high positions.

However, these people who hold the fate of the nation in their hands often tie their own interests to the interests of the country.

Therefore, in many cases, you cannot distinguish whether they are acting for themselves or for the greater good.

Just like the coup d'état launched by Xiang Ying and Xiong Yi in Danyang this time, from their perspective, it was naturally a matter of righteousness, to ensure the survival of the Great Chu state and the preservation of its orthodoxy, and to stop the Demonic Sect's conspiracy to overthrow it.

What lies hidden beneath this noble cause is the fact that both families are already on the verge of collapse under Jiang Qian's rule.

The simplest way for Jiang Qian to resolve the increasingly intense domestic conflicts is to take down these two powerful families and use the wealth they have accumulated over the centuries to benefit the people of the country. This will allow her to cultivate a noble and positive image, laying the foundation for future military preparations, a northern expedition, and the unification of the country.

If she truly accomplishes all of this, Jiang Qian will undoubtedly become the greatest woman in history.

It's important to understand how powerful Empress Wu was during the Dayong Dynasty. She ruled Dayong for decades, yet she only ended up ruling from behind a screen.

The Xiong and Xiang families, not wanting to become stepping stones in Jiang Qian's path, were bound to rise up in resistance.

Even cooperating with someone like Li Dachui, who clearly has ill intentions, is imperative.

Even though they understand that what Jiang Qian is doing now is a good thing for Great Chu, and the most likely path to success.

However, in order to proceed on this path, it is necessary to sacrifice the Xiong and Xiang families. Their wealth, prestige, and privileges accumulated over hundreds of years will be reduced to nothing on the road Jiang Qian is on!

Are they doing this willingly?
The idea that it was done willingly is a joke.

Their choice was to rise up in rebellion and overthrow Jiang Qian's rule.

As for whether the Great Chu could launch another northern expedition and unify the world in the future, that was not even within the scope of consideration.

The current division between North and South is actually quite good; it's been like this for hundreds of years, so why change it?
Neither internally nor externally, anyone wanted Jiang Qian to succeed.
Therefore, Jiang Qian could only fail.

However, the current situation is far more complex than Xiong Yi and Xiang Ying had anticipated.

Li Dachui's overall plan was something Xiang Ying and Xiong Yi had never anticipated.

Na Wei originally had the strongest support from the Xiang and Xiong clans, but now he has become their biggest threat.

Li Dachui exploited the human instinct to seek the greatest benefit for oneself, allowing Na Wei to enter the game at a crucial moment, thus causing trouble for Chu's internal affairs.

To put it bluntly, the goal was to keep the Chu state in constant internal strife, preventing it from forming a united front.

At least in the short term, that's the case.

By the time Xiang Shi, Xiong Shi, Na Wei, and the others sat down at the negotiating table, redefined their spheres of influence, and prepared to join forces again, Li Dachui's side had already established a firm foothold, making it impossible to wipe them out again.

However, considering this event within the broader context of the struggle for supremacy is undoubtedly of paramount importance.

Li Dachui completed the final piece of his grand plan, creating a perfect closed loop.

The areas outside the Great Wall, Sichuan, and Jiangnan form a tripartite balance.
The trend is established.

The remaining question is how to integrate these components. I can't guarantee victory, but the probability of success is certainly much higher than for others.

And what the world has no shortage of is people who fawn over the powerful.

"To curry favor with the powerful" is not necessarily a derogatory term. In other words, it means that those who know when to yield are the heroes, or it can be interpreted as people naturally flocking to those who are driven by righteousness.

Does Na Wei understand Li Dachui's true meaning?

Of course I know!

But so what?

He could use this opportunity to advance further, reach the highest position, and then turn around and compete with Li Dachui again.

People like them possess incredibly strong self-confidence.

Believe that you can do what others cannot, believe that you can defeat all forces that oppose you.

Without such confidence, they would never have reached where they are today.

So even though Wei knew Li Dachui had ill intentions, he still got involved, hoping to seize such an opportunity.

In Na Wei's view, if he could control the overall situation, he could not only control the current sphere of influence of Great Chu, but also get the entire southwest region to devote its full efforts, and Great Chu's strength would reach a new level.

If Xiang Ying and his group continue to hold power, the southwest will not be able to fully trust the Great Chu court and will inevitably conserve their strength for self-preservation, or even outwardly comply but inwardly defy it, making it impossible to unite their forces.

Not to mention that Xiang Ying's defeat is now a foregone conclusion, and whether he can even return is now a question.

Xianrenling Military Camp is the last gate to Danyang. When the great army entered the city, it was the three thousand Tiger Warriors led by Lin Yunqi, Jiang Qian's confidant, who blocked the way here.

After more than ten days of fierce fighting, Lin Yunqi was defeated, and Na Wei officially stepped into the power center of the Chu Kingdom from here.

Months later, he led his troops here again. Standing in front of him was no longer the arrogant Lin Yunqi, but an officer who trembled in front of him and could not speak coherently.

The military camp on Xianren Ridge has been renovated and looks brand new, but in Na Wei's eyes, who has just come down from the battlefield, it lacks a sense of killing intent and ruthlessness.

It's on a completely different level compared to when Lin Yunqi was around.

So Na Wei simply couldn't be bothered to say another word to the other party.

He snatched the so-called imperial edict from the man's hand, tore it to shreds in front of the officer, and then, under the pale-faced officer's watchful gaze, spurred his horse forward.

On Xianren Ridge, thousands of soldiers watched helplessly as the wolf soldiers from the southwest marched in formation below, but no one dared to utter a sound or fire a single arrow.

Instead, a wolf soldier officer wearing straw sandals and a handkerchief led several dozen men to the front of the stronghold. He shouted that he had come to take over the defense of Xianrenling by order of the military commander, and the tightly closed gate obediently opened in front of him. A group of officers lined up and came out tremblingly.

How can a group of temporarily conscripted soldiers compete with these ruthless men who have just come from the battlefield of blood and fire?
Moreover, these officers were all aware of the suspicious circumstances involved.

It's not like the enemy has attacked.

The governor who came was a high-ranking official of the court, the father-in-law of the new emperor who had just ascended the throne less than a month ago. Who would be willing to be the first to stand in his way and block such a person who was leading tens of thousands of people into the capital?
Even if you want to die, this isn't the way to die.

Nearly 30,000 southwestern wolf soldiers marched straight into Danyang.

Furthermore, messengers are rushing back to the southwest, carrying Nawei's orders to gather more southwestern wolf soldiers to march north.

(End of this chapter)