knife

Chapter 652 The Final Words
"How could this be?"

Xiang Zhuang looked at Xiang Ying, who had lost an arm and was pale-faced, and his voice trembled.

He made a trip to Chang'an, which took less than twenty days, but Tong'an County had undergone tremendous changes.

Yan Cheng surrendered.

Xiang Wu died in battle.

Xiang Ying was seriously injured.

With this one battle, Jiang Qian had firmly established herself.
Under such circumstances, it is unlikely that the State of Chu can launch another large-scale offensive in a short period of time.

Especially with the navy suffering a crushing defeat, the Great Chu was even put on the defensive.

The Yangtze River became a paradise for the rebels, whose navy could land on both banks at any time to carry out harassment operations. It can be said that from then on, the Great Chu had no peace.

"What did Linghu Ye say?" Xiang Ying waved his hand.

Xiang Zhuang shook his head: "Xiao Changche has appeared in Yangguan, and the Great Medical Hall outside the pass has also mobilized hundreds of medical officers to accompany him. The Cui family of Boling judged that the army outside the pass has begun to prepare for entering the pass. Cui Ming personally arrived in Chang'an to put pressure on Linghu Ye, and the Linghu Group's focus will shift to the north."

"This is Li Dachui's trick! He wants to prevent Linghuye from supporting us!" Xiang Ying slammed his left hand on the table. "Didn't you say we were willing to cede Yong'an and Ruyin to them?"

"I told you, Linghu Ye said that the eight towns of Jiangnan are like chicken ribs to them now, they have no meat to eat, but it is a pity to give them up. To take them over, they would have to spend countless manpower and resources. With the threat from the north increasing day by day, they cannot abandon the fundamentals for the trivial!" Xiang Zhuang sighed.

"Linghuye will regret his decision today sooner or later!"

“Uncle, they can’t possibly be betting that the people outside the pass are just bluffing!” Xiang Zhuang said. “Just like the final battle when Li Dachui destroyed the Northern Yuan, none of us expected it to develop to that point. With that lesson learned, Linghu Ye will naturally be cautious, preferring to believe it’s true rather than not! And, moreover…”

"Moreover, Linghu Ye knows that we will definitely not sit idly by and watch Jiang Qian grow stronger. We will do everything we can to prevent Li Dachui's forces from taking root in the eight towns of Jiangnan. If we fight each other to the death, they might be able to fight each other while we reap the benefits!" Xiang Ying said coldly.

Xiang Zhuang nodded silently.

Those in power in Chang'an made almost no attempt to hide this idea from him.

This made Xiang Zhuang feel extremely humiliated.

Previously, he and the others were all gamblers at the same table, but now, because his chips are dwindling, he is about to be kicked off the table by these people and become one of the chips himself.

“Uncle, I have a friend!” Xiang Zhuang paused here, recalling Zhou Gang’s last words, and his eyes dimmed for a moment: “He told me cryptically that some important figures within the Great Chu have colluded with Linghu Ye and his group. Cui Cheng is in charge of guarding Luoyang, and one of his most important tasks is to get involved in these matters!”

"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter!" Xiang Ying's eyes blazed with malice. "I'm not dead yet, and these people already want to drop their act and leave? Then I'll let them go first! Your friend must hold a high position over there, right? Keep in touch, and don't be stingy with your money."

Xiang Zhuang shook his head: "This man will not be swayed by money, and my friendship with him is over. If I go to his door again, I'm afraid I'll be beaten up!"

Xiang Ying glanced at his nephew with some surprise. This nephew was superior to Xiang Wu in both temperament and shrewdness. He had always put him in charge of field affairs and not let him handle the internal affairs of the Xiang family, precisely because he was afraid that he would threaten Xiang Wu's position in the future.

But now that Xiang Wu is gone, his remaining children are no match for Xiang Zhuang at all; they are all useless. The direct line of the Xiang family will definitely have to switch to Xiang Zhuang's lineage in the next generation.

There is nothing we can do about this.

Once back, Xiang Zhuang will be exposed to the most core affairs of the family.

Just as he was about to speak, Xiang Ying frowned, turned to look at the door, and with a bang, the door was pushed open. Standing outside was Wang Fang, the nominal owner of the manor, whose face was full of tension.

"What happened?" Xiang Zhuang asked.

"General, all the sentries, both visible and hidden, outside the manor have lost contact at the same time, and the lights on the four watchtowers inside the manor haven't changed at all by the appointed time!" Wang Fang's voice trembled slightly: "Someone has entered the manor!"

Xiang Ying slowly stood up.

Without Wang Fang needing to say anything more, he had already sensed a familiar aura approaching this place, a master of innate cultivation from the southwest, the Divine Witch.

Looking at his right arm, Xiang Ying couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"uncle!"

“It’s Na Wei’s man. It seems he doesn’t want me to go back to Danyang!” Xiang Ying pulled a jade talisman that he never parted with from his neck and handed it to Xiang Zhuang: “Take this and have Wang Fang take you away from here.”

Xiang Zhuang was shocked. This jade talisman was the proof of the Xiang family head's authority, and Xiang Ying actually had the will to die.

"Uncle, you must leave immediately!"

“I can’t leave!” Xiang Ying shook his head and said, “Li Dachui’s cultivation is too high, and his scheming is extremely deep. He didn’t kill me because he wanted to leave me for Na Wei to kill. Na Wei has indeed fallen into his scheme. The shaman has arrived, and I can’t escape.”

“You are also a master of innate skill. Even if you are injured and can’t win, it’s not difficult for you to escape!” Wang Fang said.

"The Qiankun Qi that Li Dachui left in my body has severely limited my strength. My current true strength is at most the peak of the ninth rank! To recover to the Innate Realm, I must completely expel the Qiankun Qi. Unfortunately, I don't have time. The opponent's plan is meticulous and flawless!" Xiang Ying said with a bitter smile, "Let's go! Otherwise, we'll all leave!"

"Uncle!" Xiang Zhuang burst into tears.

"Don't go back to Danyang!" Xiang Ying said. "Xiang Zhuang, you must also remember that the purpose of gathering the strength of the Xiang family is not to fight against that Wei, because that is exactly what Li Dachui wants."

"Are we really going to have to cooperate with Na Wei?" Xiang Zhuang cried out in grief and indignation.

"What's wrong with that?" Xiang Zhuang said calmly. "Just tell everyone that I died at the hands of Li Dachui. We can settle the score with Na Wei later. But if you really start fighting Na Wei now, the Xiang clan might be finished! It's not that you're sure to lose to Na Wei, but such a fight would greatly weaken us, leaving us with no strength to face this era of great strife. Taking a step back will open up a whole new world. It's just a matter of being humble for a few years. As long as you can quickly gather the Xiang clan's strength in the Great Chu, Na Wei won't dare to act rashly."

"I know, nephew!" Xiang Zhuang cried out.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" Xiang Ying walked towards the door.

(End of this chapter)