As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 274 Making something out of nothing
"And how did His Majesty respond to him?"

Mingchen remembered the name and then asked Xiao Xinyue.

Xiao Xinyue shook her head: "I neither agreed nor refused, I just said we would discuss it later."

War is not something you can just decide to do on a whim.

It's not something that can be decided after countless calculations and plans. Now that she has worked hard to develop peacefully in the southwest, it's impossible for her to be seduced by someone and send troops eastward.

"Um……"

Now that Qian Yuan has the power to choose for himself, he should not be manipulated by others.

Since the east is already in chaos, what harm is there in making it even more chaotic? Let those forces fight and weaken each other, and we can reap the benefits. Why waste manpower and resources by sending troops?
Qian Yuan is still nominally an ally of the Blood-Clad Army, though this is dispensable. However, it wouldn't sound good to betray the alliance.

"However, Xu Zhongling is probably not someone to be trifled with; we need to be careful."

He acquired such power in a short period of time as if he had gotten something for nothing. His actions seemed flamboyant, but he also had a hidden edge and a good sense of the big picture.

The situation in the east is such that the Blood-Clad Army is on the verge of collapse.

The investment boom has emerged once again, namely the anti-Qi and anti-Blood-Clad Army movement.

This would inevitably gain the support of the people who were exploited and plundered by the Blood-Clad Army, as well as the support of the remnants of the old forces.

Xu Zhongling's ability to see and reach this point demonstrates that he is no ordinary person.

In chaotic times, heroes rise up, and anyone could step onto the chessboard and make a move that changes the fate of the world.

Being late to the game doesn't necessarily mean you can't win.

Conversely, those who arrive later mostly observe cautiously from the sidelines, dispelling the fog and glimpsing the truth.

Mingchen always left room for the unexpected in his predictions about who would be the future winner in the world.

This person won't give up so easily without Xiao Xinyue's support.

Xiao Xinyue nodded: "Mm."

When the topic turned to the situation in the East, Mingchen seemed to remember something and asked Xiao Xinyue, "By the way, is Dong Zhenghong still alive?"

This treacherous minister, who brought disaster to the country and usurped power, had no good reputation and did nothing good.

But he was undoubtedly a man who changed the course of history; good or bad, he was still a name, and he will be remembered by history.

Mingchen always felt that this guy should be included in the Immortal Jade Record.

"Alive!"

Mingchen had somehow managed to bring this old man into existence, and Xiao Xinyue was quite shocked by it.

However, this is clearly not a bad thing for Qian Yuan.

The old man does have strategic value; public execution, announced to the world, can greatly enhance Qian Yuan's prestige.

History has recorded this, and it is also thanks to Xiao Xinyue herself.

Xiao Xinyue glanced at him: "I discussed with my ministers that we intend to burn incense and offer sacrifices to the heavens a month from now to kill this traitor and announce it to the world."

The Ministry of Rites has been extremely busy preparing for this event lately. This guy is the Minister of Rites; if he had just gone to the Ministry of Rites to take a look and get a general idea of ​​the situation, he wouldn't be completely clueless.

"Oh……"

Mingchen seemed to have forgotten his position, and just smiled without the slightest embarrassment.

He brought Dong Zhenghong here; he's the biggest contributor. What's there to be embarrassed about?

Xiao Xinyue raised an eyebrow: "What, you want to see him?"

She chatted with Dong Zhenghong for a few minutes.

The person who triggered the palace coup and forced her to flee the capital is now a prisoner awaiting trial.

Xiao Xinyue hated this villain who had invaded her country, ravaged the land, oppressed the people, and caused chaos in the world. She felt no pity for his miserable state and felt only pleasure at seeing his pitiful appearance.

Having died once, having experienced the highs and lows of life, having been the supreme emperor and now a prisoner facing death, Old Dong has become remarkably detached and indifferent.

Quietly awaiting Xiao Xinyue's judgment, the ambitious man accepted his fate without attempting suicide in prison; this was the old man's last act of courage.

He said he would like to see you if you come back.

Old Dong has now let go of it all, no longer caring about the myriad gods and demons, nor about his own failure.

He was simply curious about what Mingchen had done and what he was thinking. How did he manage to turn the Xiao family dynasty from a hopeless situation into a viable one?
How much does the Blood-Clad Army have to do with him?

That insignificant minor compiler killed his son in the Northern Lie court, as if he were his nemesis, ultimately leading to his demise.

Even if you lose a game of chess, you can always review it and at least bring the ending to a more satisfactory conclusion.

He wanted to be a ghost who understood things better.

"What do you want to see me for?"

"I just wanted to talk to you."

Mingchen toyed with the Empress's hair and said indifferently, "I won't see her!"

What's the point of seeing a dying old man?

Just die a quick and painless death.

He had already said everything he needed to say to this old man at the northern pass. He didn't have time to put on airs and spout useless, existing facts in front of a wretched old man.

"Wouldn't it be better to spend more time with my Emperor instead of that?"

"Humph!"

Xiao Xinyue rolled her eyes at him.

Slick tongue!

……

East of the Shenjiang River, to the south.

The banners bearing the character "Liang" fluttered in the ocean, and tens of thousands of soldiers were stationed here.

At noon, stoves were lit in the military camp for lunch. The resting soldiers chatted as they ate.

"Fighting, fighting, fighting every single day, when will this ever end!"

"Sigh... who can argue with that! Before the New Year, I was a member of the Blood-Clad Army, and now I'm following the general in rebelling against Qi."

"Who would have thought that the leader would be such a person? The brothers worked so hard to help him build his empire, but he just settled into his position and forgot all about his brothers."

"Our General Chen is truly decisive! He rebelled without hesitation..."

"General Chen... Alas! What a fine hero General Chen was! How could he have died so young!"

"Wang Huai is truly insidious and vicious, a son of a man. He sent a spy to General Chen's side, and when he saw that General Chen was about to rebel, he poisoned him!"

"That's too ruthless. They didn't even leave General Chen's family behind! After all, the general fought bravely to help him conquer the world, but now they show no mercy at all."

The soldiers ate their meals, chatting idly, their faces filled with sighs.

These people were a branch of the chaotic separatist forces in the east. They were originally subordinates of General Chen Yue, but later joined Chen Yue in his rebellion.

After Chen Yue's death, some chaos ensued, and people lost their leader and didn't know what to do next. Fortunately, General Xu Zhongling, Chen's sworn brother, turned the tide and reorganized the army, thus preventing further chaos.

Later, following Xu Zhongling's rebellion against Qi, they recruited many people to join them, and their ranks gradually grew larger.

Like duckweed adrift in this world, we cannot control our own destiny; we can only sway with the winds of the times.

Someone looked up and glanced at the center of the barracks, his face showing respect: "It's all thanks to General Xu, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do."

"Who can disagree! General Xu is truly benevolent and righteous!"

"I heard that upon hearing the tragic news of General Chen's death, General Xu fainted from grief and is still dressed in mourning clothes, deeply saddened!"

"Hmph! Wang Huai is cold-blooded and ruthless, killing meritorious officials. He will be punished by heaven sooner or later! I believe that General Xu will definitely avenge General Chen!"

"Sigh... How easy is that! How many people do we have? How many are in Wang Xueyi's army?"

Ultimately, they are just ordinary people, and they cannot predict the future.

When the Blood-Clad Army launched its Northern Expedition, it had gathered hundreds of thousands of troops, a formidable force that swept through the enemy with overwhelming force, giving them a sense of security.

Now they have become a force of resistance, and with the future uncertain, people are bound to feel fear and confusion.

However, some people are optimistic: "I heard that General Xu sent an envoy to Qian Yuan to request a joint operation! If Qian Yuan sends troops together, they will surely be able to defeat the Blood-Clad Army."

"Qianyuan? I've heard of it, I think it's a country founded by a princess of a former dynasty, located in Jiangxi. I've heard it's a good place there..."

"That's right, Emperor Qian is of the Qian Yuan royal bloodline. If we ally with Qian Yuan, it can be considered as supporting the legitimate dynasty with a legitimate cause!"

"There's another very powerful figure, what's his name again? Marquis Jing'an?"

"If Qian Yuan can help us, we might be saved!"

……

"General, Lord Lu is back!"

Outside the commander's tent, a messenger called out into the tent.

"You're back?" Immediately afterward, a joyful voice came from inside the tent.

A man ran out barefoot.

He was dressed in white mourning clothes, with a white cloth band tied around his head. He was handsome and dignified, with a full forehead, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. One glance from him would make people feel good about him.

Resilient, honest, like someone you can rely on.

At this moment, however, he was excited and called out to the soldiers urgently, "Quickly, quickly, bring him here!"

Seeing his respectful attitude, the soldier replied, "Yes, sir!"

Not long after, an elderly man dressed simply was led into the general's tent.

"This old man, Lu Guang, greets the general."

The old man bowed to the imposing Xu Zhongling.

However, he quickly helped her up, saying, "Mr. Lu, you must be tired from your long journey. Please don't stand on ceremony."

"Please sit down, please sit down!"

He was kind and gentle, without the slightest air of a superior, and led the old man to a seat.

"I'm just an old man with nothing to do with, I only regret that I can't fulfill the general's important mission!"

The old man blushed with excitement upon seeing how the leader treated him, yet he also felt a pang of guilt.

Xu Zhongling raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Hmm? Qian Yuan is unwilling to send troops?"

"Emperor Qian's attitude was ambiguous. She did not explicitly agree, but she did not refuse either. She just kept trying to smooth things over, telling me to stay in Jiqu for a few more days to see the scenery of Qianyuan, and that she would discuss the matter with her ministers."

"I was afraid of delaying the general's plans, so I resigned and returned."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhongling lowered his eyes and sighed softly, "Emperor Qian is indeed not easy to fool..."

"General, what should we do next? I've heard that Wang Huai has personally mustered his troops and is preparing to march south to quell the rebellion!"

Lu Guang looked worried and said to Xu Zhongling, "Wang Huai is a man of unparalleled bravery and his army is like a divine force descending from the sky. We are no match for him. If we do not have a strong city to defend, we will be unable to withstand his might."

Xu Zhongling was a kind and benevolent person, completely different from the Blood-Clad Army who burned, killed, and looted all the way north.

His rebellion against Qi was a means to appease the people, to show benevolence, and to forbid his soldiers from harming civilians or plundering others' property. He ate and slept with his soldiers, and did not enjoy any of the luxuries of a high-ranking official.

This attracted many followers, and the group gradually expanded to its current size of 70,000.

However, there is a lot of moisture in it.

These 70,000 people were, to put it nicely, a rebel army; to put it bluntly, a rabble.

There were only 5,000 truly elite soldiers, and only 20,000 of them had battlefield experience. The rest were recruits along the way, civilians who couldn't survive. Their strength was very weak and they could not constitute any fighting force.

Dealing with the city's garrison, riddled with holes, is not a problem, but if they were to face Wang Huai's relentless retaliation, they would likely be crushed like dry leaves.

Xu Zhongling frowned upon hearing this: "Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to take the risk."

"Starting tomorrow, we will march south, regardless of the consequences, and head straight for Xiaoyao City. At the same time, we will begin to publicly announce that we have gained the support of Qian Yuan."

"We are acting on the orders of Emperor Qian to punish the traitors. We are a righteous army. All those who make meritorious contributions in this battle will be rewarded by Emperor Qian and promoted in rank."

"what?"

The old man was taken aback and looked at the leader in front of him with some doubt.

Emperor Qianlong did not agree to his request for a joint alliance. As for any rewards or promotions, that was simply a pipe dream.

"Old Lu, we're standing on the edge of a cliff, there's no turning back. Be bold, do it first, and deal with the consequences later!"

"I trust you. You are the envoy sent on this mission. The outcome of the negotiations is entirely up to you."

Xu Zhongling looked at Lu Guang with a calm expression, took out a jade talisman that he had prepared beforehand, and carefully handed it to Lu Guang: "This is the token bestowed upon us by Emperor Qian, to prove the oath of our alliance."

In the area near Shenjiang, Qian Yuan's name was very well-known.

People are afraid of comparison.

To the east lay a chaotic and turbulent hell, while to the west lay a prosperous and peaceful land. People yearned for it and hoped that Qian Yuan could cross the river and reclaim his lost territory.

Xu Zhongling had his eye on the name Qian Yuan.

Unfortunately, the Qianlong Emperor did not take a liking to him.

If Emperor Qian agrees to the alliance, then everyone will be happy. With Qian Yuan's entry, his plans can be implemented perfectly, all his crises will disappear, and he can even confront the Blood-Clad Army head-on.

If the Emperor Qianlong disagrees, there's nothing that can be done but to bite the bullet and proceed.

Regardless of whether Qian Yuan agrees or not.

Even if the other party tries to kick him out, he will still cling to Qian Yuan.

His anti-Qi campaign must have a legitimate reason.

Firstly, there was the death of his elder brother; Wang Huai was not a wise ruler and could not share wealth and honor with him.

Secondly, it had the support of Qian Yuan, which was the general trend and the will of the people.

In this way, he can get the maximum support.

Lu Guang's mission to Qian Yuan, regardless of the outcome, was to spread the message that Qian Yuan had agreed to an alliance and would send troops to help them.

He created something out of nothing, intending to lie on Qian Yuan's body and suck his blood.

In this way, he gained the support of the people east of Shenjiang who longed for the new Qian Yuan dynasty. At the same time, he could also reassure his own soldiers who were terrified of Wang Huai's invincible fighting power and restore their confidence.

A reliable ally can provide a sense of security.

As for Qian Yuan's thoughts, he no longer had time to consider them. However, he was certain that Qian Yuan wouldn't do anything to him in the short term.

Does Qian Yuan not support his rebellion against Qi? Does that mean Qian Yuan doesn't want the eastern lands? If Qian Yuan refuses to support him, doesn't that also mean rejecting the people in the east who are hoping for Emperor Qian's eastward expansion? Is Qian Yuan really willing to acknowledge that Wang Huai's regime has always existed?
impossible!
He believed that Xiao Xinyue's ambiguous attitude and lack of immediate rejection must have been partly due to this consideration.

He knew that such behavior would disgust the higher-ups at Qian Yuan, but he didn't have many other options at the moment.

Without the present, there is no future.

He needs to ensure his survival now.

If Qian Yuan doesn't send troops to help him block Wang Huai's pursuers, then he can only gamble and race against time.

Let's see if Wang Huai catches up with him first and wipes him out, or if he breaks through Xiaoyao City first and occupies Wang Huai's base camp.

The Blood-Clad Army of today is no longer the invincible rebel army that was united and righteously opposed to the enemy a year ago; it is now riddled with internal problems.

If he could just stall for time, Wang Huai himself wouldn't be able to hold on any longer.

"Uh...yeah!"

"I support the general!"

Lu Guang shuddered, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a chill.

Xu Zhongling is generally perceived as a loyal, righteous, and kind person.

They are righteous, have lofty ideals, and value relationships.

He restored order to the chaotic morale of the army after Chen Yue's death. He managed everything meticulously, recruited talented individuals, and made good use of their abilities.

Unable to bear seeing the world ravaged by the tyrannical Wang Huai, they led everyone to seek a way to survive.

Even now, after Chen Yue's death, he still wears mourning clothes and always looks grief-stricken when he pays respects to his sworn brother.

However, he suddenly felt a cold wind blowing, and sensed that this person was slightly different from the one he remembered.

"General, General, you have... there's a scorpion on you."

Suddenly, he shuddered, as if he saw a black, poisonous scorpion crawling on Xu Zhongling's body.

This black scorpion was much larger than Lu Guang had imagined, almost the size of an adult's palm. It was very noticeable clinging to Xu Zhongling's body, its venomous stinger swaying gently, and its whole body exuding a strange aura.

Gloomy, cold, eerie, ruthless...

His eyes widened, shaking off the strange thoughts in his mind. He couldn't help but feel apprehensive and hurriedly called out to Xu Zhongling.

"kindness?"

"A scorpion?"

"where?"

"Old Lu, please save me!"

Xu Zhongling was also shocked and froze on the spot, not daring to move an inch, but hurriedly spoke to Lu Guang.

If he were to lose his life to a poisonous insect in a muddled way, it would be a laughing stock.

"Forehead……"

The old man pointed to his neck, as if looking for something to save his boss.

But when I blinked and looked up again, I saw nothing.

In an instant, everything seemed to have vanished. If such a large scorpion had fallen, Xu Zhongling would have definitely been able to sense it, but now it had disappeared without a trace.

(End of this chapter)