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

Chapter 291 A New Era Has Arrived
"As expected of you... Mingchen."

A gentle breeze blows in the evening as plum wine is brewed.

Even opponents can drink alcohol; Wang Huai is now fulfilling the promise he made when he relayed the message.

The two sat facing each other. He lowered his eyes and sighed repeatedly.

It was half praise, and half helplessness.

With Mingchen's arrival, everything seemed to change.

He had already learned of the news.

Even before Qian Yuan's army launched its attack, it had already caused turmoil in Xiaoyao City, with soldiers trembling with fear.

Originally, it was Xu Zhongling who spread rumors to undermine the morale of the army, but now the situation is completely different.

Mingchen always seems to be able to find a solution to a problem, always be able to strike at the enemy, and always be able to achieve success.

The difference is just too obvious.

Being his enemy must be a very stressful thing.

Mingchen shook his head: "Brother, I'm just relying on the powerful forces around me."

By following the general trend, we can achieve the greatest results with the least cost.

The reason why terror deterrence is so effective is because Mingchen represents Qian Yuan.

Every move he made represented Qian Yuan's attitude. Qian Yuan was powerful, stable, orthodox, and had accumulated a great deal of prestige. Xu Zhongling had previously borrowed Qian Yuan's influence, which is why his words were so powerful.

If it were Wang Huai, or his Great Qi, taking the same measures, it would obviously be impossible to achieve any immediate results, no matter how much the rangers shouted.

The army under Xu Zhongling is rebelling against you, Wang Huai.

"You're right, you're always right."

The prerequisite for following the general trend is being able to choose the right trend.

Now, his Great Qi, which had swept across the entire country, is riddled with holes, while the Qian Yuan is thriving.

Xu Zhongling was not afraid of the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Great Qi, but he feared the mere eight thousand soldiers of the Qian Yuan.

No wonder Mingchen made that choice.

He raised an eyebrow and asked Mingchen, "Do you think I can't beat Xu Zhongling?"

All are not fools.

Mingchen understands Wang Huai, and Wang Huai understands Mingchen as well.

This person is complex. He may appear cold and selfish, but at times he is also very righteous.

He knew this man had a sharp tongue, saying such decisive things as if they would be rivals the next time they met.

But he was awkward; he still cared about some people.

Wang Huai was confident that he was one of them.

He traveled a long way to help Yueyang resolve the crisis in a roundabout way.

Now, with Xu Zhongling's rebellion, he has persuaded the Qian Emperor to lead his army from afar to provide assistance.

Even when the guards spoke with absolute certainty, he would not believe that Mingchen had anything to do with Wang Liu's death.

He trusted his younger brother Mingchen unconditionally.

Mingchen shook his head: "I believe that you are invincible, but it has been a long time since I last saw you, so I wanted to come and see you."

Wang Huai waved his hand: "No need for such polite words. I'm not that fragile and can't stand hearing unpleasant words."

The current situation is that he is held back by Xu Zhongling.

The invincible Blood-Clad Army was squeezed out by this once unknown person and was restrained at every turn.

He raised his glass and murmured softly, "I was wrong. I did a lot of wrong things."

Declaring himself emperor, plundering, imposing military rule... along the way, many things were handled haphazardly, resulting in too many mistakes.

Now that things have come to this, we can't blame anyone else.

He acknowledged all his mistakes and accepted his current situation.

Mingchen held his wine glass, his voice calm: "Brother, have you changed your mind?"

Wang Huai lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, "I regret it... I regret it!"

He regretted it so much!

Along the way, every decision and every choice seemed to have a better possibility and seemed to lead to a better result.

His journey seemed magnificent, but it also had many regrets.

It's so hard to live a life without regrets.

As he rose through the ranks, he climbed higher and higher, but he kept losing.

He lost the loyal followers of his subordinates, lost one loyal man after another, and lost his own brother...

When he ascended the throne, he was full of vigor and ambition, with countless ideas in his mind.

But when he actually started doing it, he was constrained at every turn and faced numerous difficulties. He encountered countless obstacles along the way and squandered many promising opportunities.

too difficult!
too difficult!
His Great Qi seems to have seen the ending of the story the moment it was created.

It's no wonder that Mingchen reacted so strongly to his claim to the throne.

He can't be emperor.

In the face of the army and his subordinates, Wang Huai could not show the slightest sign of dejection. His will represented the will of the entire Great Qi, and every emotion he felt would be magnified infinitely.

But now, in front of Mingchen, he finally had the opportunity to confide in him.

After Wang Liu died, he was devastated and completely lost his way.

He was a man who valued promises highly, and it was because of his sincerity that he attracted so many like-minded people to join him.

However, the Blood-Clad Army is now in decline, and none of the vows he made when he stood on the high ground and shouted have been fulfilled.

He tilted his head back and downed the wine in his glass, then smiled wryly at Mingchen and said, "Mingchen, you won't laugh at your older brother for being a coward, will you?"

How funny!

The once mighty Blood-Clad Army has now come to this.

Even this supreme ruler was saying at the dinner table that he 'regretted'.

Mingchen shook his head: "No one has the right to laugh at you. Big brother is a hero."

"hero?"

Wang Huai raised his head and smiled gently: "I am not a hero. I am selfish and ambitious."

"Can't you see the state of the Central Plains right now? The land is crumbling, the people are displaced, their lives are filled with suffering, they are resorting to cannibalism, bandits are rampant, and corpses of the starved are everywhere. Those righteous men of the past have been turned into devils by me, creating chaos and division, and fighting amongst themselves."

"I am not saving the country, I am bringing disaster to the country."

"A hundred years from now, when I'm just a mound of earth, I'm afraid millions of people will come to my grave and spit on it."

The most frustrating thing in the world is to have lofty ambitions, a heart full of sincerity and passion, and to give it your all, only to end up with completely opposite results.

When Wang Huai sat on the throne surrounded by the crowd, he longed to appoint virtuous and capable officials, to bring peace to the world, to eliminate all corrupt officials, to give the people a clear and bright sky, and to allow everyone to live in peace and happiness for the rest of their lives.

But what if you actually embark on this path?

Too many compromises, too much helplessness, too much incompetence...

Mingchen poured him a full glass of wine, and simply said, "Brother, in the five hundred years of the Qianyuan era, there has only been one Wang Huai."

"If you don't rise up, are you going to let those people continue to act arrogantly in their high positions, exploit the people, and drain the country dry?"

"Chaos is an inevitable part of history. It was not caused by you or me. It is the general trend."

“Even if enlightened rulers like Xiao Zhengyang and Xiao Xinyue were to take the stage, they wouldn’t have the power to so ruthlessly eliminate all these people. In any case, this is all your achievement. You swept away this filth and cleared the obstacles for a bright and clear sky. These things cannot be erased. You laid a foundation.”

"History likes to attribute causes, while most mediocre people only talk about the surface."

"But I believe that as time goes by, someone will eventually investigate the essence of things. When people are oppressed and bullied, they will remember that there was once a man named Wang Huai who raised his arms and shouted, rose up and dragged those sitting high on the clouds down from their pedestals. When the powerful oppress the people, they will also remember a man named Wang Huai. They will be afraid, they will be nervous. They are afraid that another Wang Huai will appear, rise up in anger, storm the capital, and cut off their families according to the genealogy. Your knife hangs over their heads, intimidating everyone."

"This is the meaning you have given to this era. You, the Blood-Clad Army, and all those who sacrificed for their ideals will be remembered by history. You are symbols of courage, and your will and spirit will be integrated into the nation."

"You created a miracle, you are a hero."

"I can't do what you can do either."

Wang Huai has indeed made many mistakes along the way.

However, this is nothing more than nitpicking by onlookers pointing fingers.

Nothing in the world is completely right, nor is anything completely wrong.

Perhaps making another choice would also lead to a bad outcome.

No one has stood in his shoes, no one has experienced what he went through, no one has borne the same pressure or endured the same tension, and no one is qualified to judge him.

Even Mingchen cannot.

This was Mingchen's self-reflection after Wang Liu left.

Wang Huai was a man of iron will, his body covered in scars, a warrior who stood firm on the battlefield like a mountain.

However, he was also a person with extremely rich emotions.

He would mourn the death of his subordinates, and he would faint from grief at the passing of his brother.

At this moment, upon hearing Mingchen's words, he felt a surge of immense, nameless emotion rising within him, his nose stinging, and tears welling in his eyes.

His vision was blurry, and he said with a wry smile, "You always know how to talk..."

Mingchen has a cunning tongue.

They always managed to say things that touched the deepest parts of people's hearts. The two remained silent for a moment.

Mingchen raised his wine glass, his eyes darting around, and asked Wang Huai thoughtfully, "Brother, what are your plans for the future?"

……

For seven consecutive days, neither Qian Yuan nor the Blood-Clad Army sent out troops.

However, a group of loud-voiced cavalrymen kept shouting outside Xiaoyao City, all saying pretty much the same thing.

It was as if life was counting down.

The initial "siege in seven days" was changed to six days, then five days, and finally to tomorrow.

The lie was exposed, and despair and fear spread throughout the city, like the Sword of Damocles, hanging over the heads of the city's soldiers, never to be dispelled.

Xu Zhongling's countermeasure was to enforce military discipline, and anyone who discussed the matter or harbored dissenting thoughts was immediately arrested and punished.

Fortune changes, and he had no choice but to follow the same path Wang Huai had taken before the war.

They started using strong measures to intimidate and silence dissent.

It's just unknown whether he has the same spirit as Wang Huai, who, after mounting his warhorse and raising his voice, could quell the unrest in the army and inspire everyone to fight bravely for him.

ostriches won't solve the problem; the soldiers outside keep shouting, and chaos is breaking out in the city.

Fear and despair constantly lingered in the hearts of the soldiers.

Xu Zhongling seemed to be obsessed. He would immediately take action to punish his subordinates, whether openly or secretly, if he felt that they were looking at him in a strange way.

However, covering mouths can only stop people from talking, but he cannot control the thoughts of the soldiers. He cannot stop them from being afraid, complaining, suspicious, and desperate.

As the day drew closer, he still couldn't come up with a good solution.

Qian Yuan's appearance disrupted all his plans, which was different from what he had imagined.

This enemy shouldn't have appeared in his starting village!

He's not fully developed yet!
The other party is Qian Yuan, not Da Qi.

A mere 8,000 soldiers, but behind them was a strong and resilient nation.

He doesn't have many pieces left; even the most brilliant person can't cook without rice.

Time flew by, a gentle breeze caressed his face, and he stood somewhat dazed on the city wall, staring blankly at the orderly and disciplined army in front of him.

They were few in number and had a completely different style from the group of blood-clad madmen.

Resolute, sharp, rigorous...

These are real soldiers.

Soldiers who have undergone rigorous selection and training.

Standing atop the city wall to defend the city, Xu Zhongling's state of mind is completely different from when he defended the city against the Blood-Clad Army a few days ago.

He was neither excited, nor expectant, nor did he have any plans or backup plans.

There is only one thing I need to do today.

It means defending the city, protecting it from being captured by Qian Yuan, and being judged by Qian Yuan.

After much thought, he concluded that their only advantage was that their opponents underestimated them, having only a mere eight thousand soldiers attacking the city.

The siege of 8,000 soldiers was not difficult to defend.

Only by escaping this calamity can we have a chance to consider what comes next.

He lowered his eyes and looked towards the front of the army.

The female general was valiant and spirited, her helmet plume swaying in the wind. Although she was tall and not particularly imposing, no one dared to underestimate her.

General Ling Yu, a legendary female general of the Qian Yuan era.

He searched around but did not find Mingchen, who was rumored to ride a white wolf.

I don't know whether to be happy or angry.

The little white dog chased after the leaves, and not far away, the two stood side by side, quietly gazing into the distance.

"Aren't you going to join Ling Yu in leading the army to attack the city?"

Unfortunately, Xiaoyao City is situated on high ground, so it doesn't offer the same vantage point for observing the battle as it did during the Battle of Yueyang.

Mingchen, along with Wang Huai and a few attendants, followed behind the army, choosing a barely acceptable spot to watch the battle from a distance.

Mingchen shrugged and said, "Brother, I'm not good at fighting."

He has already completed all the necessary arrangements.

Commanding troops, arranging formations for sieges... Ling Yu is far more professional at these things than him.

He just stood there and shouted, acting as a mascot.

Wang Huai: ...

He originally thought that Mingchen was not good at fighting.

When news arrived that eight hundred cavalry had broken through the Xiongnu lines, he changed his mind.

What Mingchen said was a mix of truth and falsehood; it was hard to know which of his words could be believed.

Wang Huai paused for a moment, then asked, "Xiaoyao City is difficult to attack, why not join forces with our army?"

He is feeling lost and doesn't know where the road ahead lies.

But no matter what, he had to defeat Xu Zhongling to console the many fallen soldiers, and... his brother.

This is a goal he must achieve.

If Xu Zhongling were so easy to defeat, he would have taken him down long ago.

Although the Qian Yuan army appeared fierce and had previously been undermining the enemy's morale, it seemed that it would still be somewhat difficult for 8,000 men to forcefully attack the city.

Mingchen shook his head: "Big brother, I'm going on this expedition with strategic objectives in mind."

"Just watch, you can't lose."

In Qian Yuan's first battle, led by Ming Chen and Ling Yu, the goal is not just to win, but to win big.

If we team up with the Blood-Clad Army, wouldn't it be a victory gained by chance?

Moreover, more soldiers are not necessarily better. The Blood-Clad Army is a completely different organization from our own army. They have not undergone joint training, may not necessarily obey Ling Yu's command, and have different fighting styles. Acting together may not produce the effect of one plus one, and may even have the opposite effect.

To Mingchen's surprise, his elder brother, who had been repeatedly thwarted and outmaneuvered, had actually defeated Xu Zhongling, leaving Xu Zhongling crippled.

That would make the subsequent battles much simpler.

Just apply a little debuff and then push through without thinking.

"Can't lose?"

Who dares to claim certain victory in a war when attacking a city with fewer troops?
Wang Huai paused for a moment, then simply followed Ming Chen to gaze at the battlefield in the distance.

But the next moment, his eyes widened.

"Star Camp, prepare."

In the center of the battlefield, Ling Yu raised her hand and shouted loudly.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, one heavy cannon after another was pushed onto the battlefield.

The deep, dark gun emplacements are breathtaking.

Because of Zhang Ruier's bizarre naming style, the cannon she designed and manufactured was named "Shatter the Stars," taking the character "Chen" from "Mingchen."

So they simply named the artillery battalion the Star Battalion as well.

Having obtained the firearms samples from the Jinglan Alliance, Zhang Ruier made further improvements to them.

It will be upgraded again in the future, but for now, this thing represents the highest level of Qian Yuan's current technological advancement.

This thing was a bit difficult to transport, and it took some time to get here.

Fortunately, the border of Shenjiang is not far from Xiaoyao City, and the transportation is smooth. We can also travel by waterway, so we didn't arrive too late.

The dark, gaping cannons were brought to the battlefield, and apart from the Qian Yuan soldiers, no one knew what they were.

Xiaoyao City is strategically located, making it difficult for large siege engines to penetrate, thus making it easy to defend.

This cannon is much smaller in comparison, and the cost of transporting it by manpower is also lower.

Xu Zhongling stared blankly at the cannon, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart for no apparent reason.

Mingchen and Lingyu are not fools. They dared to attack the city with such a small number of people, so they obviously had something to rely on.

In this era, news traveled slowly, and even Xu Zhongling had only vaguely heard about the Northern Territory Jinglan Alliance's firearms, let alone the other ordinary city-guarding soldiers.

The group was a little scared, but they didn't know what to do.

The shield guards blocked the incoming arrows for the artillerymen, who adjusted their angles and distances... everything was ready.

As the supreme commander, Ling Yu gazed at the distant Xiaoyao City and simply ordered in a deep voice, "Attack!"

The best generals are those who can adapt to the times, rather than waiting for the times to adapt to them.

They can always adapt to the latest technology and tactics, make flexible adjustments, and always make the most of their advantages.

"boom!"

The next instant, a deafening roar erupted.

The cannonballs exploded on the sturdy city walls and gates with tremendous force, causing devastation.

It was more convenient, more accurate, farther-reaching, and more destructive than a catapult.

As the first cannon of the Qian Yuan era roared across the battlefield, it heralded the arrival of a new era.

(End of this chapter)