Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 264 A Five-Five Alliance
When Lu Jing came to pick up Su Qingwan, the sunset on the horizon had gradually dimmed, and the twilight was as dark as ink, slowly spreading out.

Su Qingwan had just finished paying her respects to the fallen soldiers, her heart heavy as if weighed down by a thousand-pound boulder, her entire being immersed in a somber mood. Lu Jing silently walked to her side, accompanying her step by step, slowly walking back.

The two remained silent throughout the journey. Su Qingwan broke the silence first, asking, "Does the imperial court have any plans to send troops to Xilin?"

Lu Jing's expression was grave as he replied softly, "I've been waiting for news from the Southwest. There's been no movement from the Southwest King yet, and it's unclear whether Xilin has provoked a war on the southwestern border. The current situation is very difficult; we can't afford a protracted war. The peace talks only recently concluded, and Xilin has already broken their promise. Such despicable behavior is truly contemptible. However, most of the national treasury's funds are currently invested in agriculture and trade, leaving us with absolutely no extra funds to support this war."

"If we really want to fight, using war to sustain war is not a bad idea!" Su Qingwan's voice was icy cold. "If Xilin Yongxuan had returned to Xilin with a peace treaty, he would have become the next King of Xilin. But he was plotted against and killed on the border. The political situation in Xilin is currently turbulent. The pro-war and pro-peace factions disagree and are constantly arguing. Xilin Yongxuan's death has become the fuse for the intensification of their internal conflicts, which will inevitably lead to internal strife. Why don't we take this opportunity to send troops and take Xilin in one fell swoop!"

After listening, Lu Jing fell into deep thought. After a moment, she slowly said, "You two are indeed aunt and niece, your thoughts are so consistent. Nian Qing thinks the same way. He is even more radical than you, and he proposed early on that he wanted to press the attack and strike Xilin directly. Defending and expanding the territory seems to be a mission that is innate to you Su family members and engraved in your bones."

Upon hearing this, Su Qingwan's eyes flashed with a hint of relief, and she said, "Nianqing's thoughts coincide with mine, and I also want to fight this war. If Xilin Yongxuan had successfully ascended the throne, the two countries might have been able to maintain peace for several decades, allowing the people to recuperate. But now that he is dead, the hope for peace is slim. As long as Xilin dares to start a war in the southwest, Huainan will definitely cross the Lanning River without hesitation."

In recent years, border conflicts have been frequent, mostly initiated by Xilin. Dayuan rarely initiates wars and has always adhered to the principle of peaceful coexistence.

"I will never tolerate Xilin's menacing presence on the border again, causing the soldiers of Huainan to live in constant fear and be on guard against their surprise attacks." Su Qingwan's gaze was firm, and her tone was calm but revealed an undeniable determination. "The balance of power has shifted. Although Huainan will not provoke war, it does not mean that we are weak and easily bullied."

Lu Jing frowned slightly, and after thinking for a moment, said, "Let me think about it more carefully."

Su Qingwan's face darkened, and she said resolutely, "If you don't agree, I will hit you!"

Her voice was low yet powerful, “If you agree, the troops in Zhongzhou will be allocated by the imperial court, which will be our solid backing. Let Xiaoning and Nianqing lead the troops into battle. But if you don’t agree, I will go to the southwest to borrow troops, reorganize Zhang San’s bandits into the army, and have Huainan and the southwest work together to prepare supplies. We’ll fight wherever we can, and I will make sure Xilin knows what the consequences of provoking us are!”

Lu Jing knew that once Su Qingwan made up her mind, nothing could sway her. She had suffered hardships since childhood, constantly on the run and living as a dependent for a long time. This had not only failed to break her will, but had also forged her indomitable character and unwavering faith, making her completely different from the soft-heartedness of ordinary women.

“If we decide to attack Xilin, the Princess should agree,” Lu Jing said softly. “I will mediate this matter.”

"You agreed?" A hint of surprise flashed in Su Qingwan's eyes. She hadn't expected Lu Jing to agree so easily.

“Xilin has gone back on his word and completely disregards integrity. Since that’s the case, then let’s fight! Do they really think our Dayuan soldiers are easy to bully!” Lu Jing’s gaze turned towards the Lanning River. He knew that if this battle really started, it would last for several years, and the people would once again be plunged into misery. “However…” Lu Jing’s tone changed, gentle yet firm, “You cannot lead the troops yourself.”

Su Qingwan abruptly stopped, her face instantly turning icy. At this moment, Huainan City, shrouded in twilight, resembled a silent, dead city. The Xilin army's surprise attack had devastated the city, causing countless deaths and injuries. White banners fluttered in the wind throughout the city's streets and alleys, and cries of grief echoed, creating a desolate scene devoid of any vitality or joy.

"Why?" Su Qingwan asked coldly. Lu Jing's expression softened as he patiently explained, "In your heart, you actually prefer Lu Nianqing to take over Huainan, don't you? He has already established a certain prestige in the army, and everyone in Huainan knows that there is a young prince. But if you continue to stay in Huainan, frankly speaking, it will affect his prestige to some extent. Take military power for example, General Ning has always followed your lead, and Prefect Yun will certainly obey your arrangements. Under your absolute authority, it is easy to imagine how difficult it will be for Lu Nianqing to accumulate enough prestige in Huainan. Only if you leave Huainan, delegate power to him, and let him lead troops to attack Xilin to avenge the fallen soldiers, can he truly win everyone's approval, take over Huainan legitimately, and become the true and absolute King of Huainan."

After hearing this, Su Qingwan fell into a long silence. Actually, Lu Jing had another reason he hadn't said, but she already understood it in her heart. She and Nianqing were destined to have only one of them remain in Huainan.

Neither the imperial court nor the princess could allow the two of them to stay in Huainan together to attack Xilin.

The King of Huainan, one person is enough!
If all military and political power in Huainan were concentrated in her hands, it would be virtually impossible for the Princess to persuade the soldiers to launch a western expedition. After all, crucial matters such as military supplies and logistics were controlled by her. Although she had previously stated that if the court disagreed, the southwest and Huainan would support the soldiers for the expedition, putting this into practice would be far from easy; she desperately needed the court's assistance. The soldiers in Zhongzhou were under the court's jurisdiction, and the court had the right to withdraw them at any time.

Moreover, she also needed a group of battle-hardened generals, including Marquis Ningyuan and General Chen, to lead troops with Nianqing to attack Xilin.

“Alright!” Su Qingwan was always decisive and never hesitated. “I will go to the capital with you. You help me win over the Princess and get Nianqing to take over as the Prince of Huainan and lead the army to attack Xilin!”

She agreed to Lu Jing's conditions, while also hoping that Lu Jing would keep his promise. This political marriage was, by its very nature, a complex interplay of interests and emotions.

"Alright!" Lu Jing felt a slight pang in his heart, stretched out his hand, and said sincerely, "Xiao Wu, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond."

Su Qingwan looked up at him. By this time, the bright moonlight had quietly climbed to the treetops, and the soft moonlight shone on Lu Jing's face, adding a touch of gentleness to his features. In that instant, a warmth welled up in Su Qingwan's heart. She was willing to believe that, in this political marriage filled with the weighing of interests, there was still some genuine affection.

"A promise is a promise!" Su Qingwan gave him a high five as a pledge.

Looking back before this battle, Su Qingwan was filled with hesitation. The future was full of uncertainties, and she wasn't sure how far they could go hand in hand based solely on Lu Jing's feelings.

She also knew that, considering the situation in Huainan, staying in Huainan was the safest and most beneficial arrangement for Huainan. However, she has now changed her mind.

Since only one of her and Nianqing could remain in Huainan while the other went to the capital as a hostage, that person had to be her. She went to great lengths to conceal Nianqing's identity, and had not even told the Southwest yet, all so that one day Nianqing could smoothly take over Huainan.

Her previous statement about respecting Nianqing's wishes and accepting the throne of Huainan if Nianqing refused now seemed like nothing more than self-deception. Deep down, the position of Prince of Huainan belonged to Nianqing alone.

She hoped that Nianqing could carry on the legacy of her father and brothers and restore Huainan to its former glory. Only in this way could the spirits of her people in heaven rest in peace.