Sword drawn from the constellations, poison as its edge.

Chapter 176 SWOT Analysis Over Drinks
After a few words, the group decided to go to Shaolin Temple. Seeing that it was getting late, they decided not to return to Yanziwu but to stay overnight at the hot spring resort.

Murong Fu was overjoyed and pulled Jiang Mingzhe and Duan Yu to sleep side by side with them.

The two brothers, being guests, had no choice but to agree.

The three went to the room, but Murong Fu, in a romantic mood, didn't go to sleep. He had a maid bring him fine wine and some delicate dishes, opened the window to let in the moonlight, which shone on the candlelight, and exclaimed that such a good night was rare, and that drinking and talking at night would not be in vain.

After the three drank a few cups, Murong Fu dismissed the maid and personally took the wine pot. He first filled Jiang Mingzhe's cup, then poured one for himself. Holding the cup, he said sincerely, "Brother, when I was young, I heard my father tell stories. He said that Tang of Shang gained the world by having Yi Yin, Wu of Zhou gained the world by having Lü Wang, and Emperor Gaozu of Han gained Zhang Liang and Emperor Zhaolie of Han gained Zhuge Liang. He often sighed that the Murong family had not encountered a great talent for generations, so their great cause was difficult to achieve. But it is fortunate that I met you, brother, who pointed out the way to heaven. This cup of wine is for you, brother!"

Jiang Mingzhe smiled and said, "Brother, you flatter me!"

The two clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Murong Fu poured wine for Duan Yu again, raised his cup in a toast and said, "I am a wild man of the Jianghu, while you are the prince of Dali. Yet you are willing to humble yourself and befriend me, which shows your true sincerity. In the future, when I establish my own country, I will inevitably cause you some trouble. This cup of wine is for you, my worthy brother!"

Duan Yu smiled and said, "My uncle and father are both easy-going people. If Brother Murong establishes his kingdom and there is anything that would benefit both of us, I will certainly speak up for him."

After they finished speaking, they drank a toast together.

Jiang Mingzhe nodded to himself, thinking that his third brother was not confused about important matters. When Murong Fu mentioned national affairs, he immediately put forward his uncle and father, but also agreed to speak up, so as not to leave the scene out of the way.

At this moment, Murong Fu looked again, poured himself a drink, and drank three cups in a row before respectfully asking for advice: "The four plans you mentioned today, my brother, seem more and more ingenious the more I think about them. However, I am slow-witted and I am afraid that I might do something wrong and ruin your good plans. I hope you can explain them to me in detail."

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "Since we call each other brothers, why bother with any teachings? I will speak frankly and honestly. Please consider this carefully, brother."

As he spoke, he moved the cups and plates aside, picked up a silver chopstick, and with a burst of internal energy, the chopstick became like a sharp blade, carving two straight lines, one horizontal and one vertical, dividing the tabletop into four equal parts.

Seeing his behavior, Murong Fu couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, and Duan Yu was also very curious.

Then Jiang Mingzhe pondered for a moment and wrote one character on each of the four tabletops. On the left, he wrote the characters for "life" and "death" at the top and bottom, and on the right, he wrote the characters for "rest" and "injury" at the top and bottom.

Duan Yu asked in surprise, "Huh, Rest, Life, Injury, Block, View, Death, Shock, Open, could this be the art of Qimen Dunjia? But why are there only four characters?"

Jiang Mingzhe thought to himself, "This is SWOT analysis. Where am I supposed to find eight words for you?"
He smiled faintly and casually boasted, "Using the Eight Gates to deduce the principles of things is the ultimate skill of Zhuge Liang. It can calculate the three realms of heaven, earth, and man, which is why the Han Dynasty was able to prolong its life. My second brother is useless and can only barely use these four gates to calculate the affairs of the human world."

Upon hearing that this was the legacy of Zhuge Liang, who, despite its incompleteness, could still calculate everything in the world, Duan Yu and Murong Fu's eyes lit up, and they exclaimed in unison, "We wish to hear the details!"

Jiang Mingzhe pointed to the four characters and explained, "To put it simply, this is the Gate of Life. Whatever Brother Murong wants to do, the advantage lies in this gate. The Gate of Death is where the disadvantage lies, the Gate of Rest is where the opportunity lies, and the Gate of Injury is where the threat lies. Brother Murong, if you remember this diagram well, you can adjust it according to the specific situation in the future, and you will always be able to keep a firm grip on the key to the situation and not be confused by external affairs."

Murong Fu nodded repeatedly, convinced that Jiang Mingzhe had finally revealed his true skills after seeing his sincerity. Overjoyed, he focused all his energy on learning Jiang Mingzhe's abilities.

Then Jiang Mingzhe said seriously, "Based on your name Murong, whether it is the restoration of Yan or Tuyuhun, you have a natural legal basis. If you have evidence, that would be even better."

Murong Fu quickly replied, "Yes, yes! The Imperial Seal of the Great Yan Kingdom and the Genealogy of the Emperors of Great Yan are my family heirlooms, and they are currently with my mother in Yanziwu."

Jiang Mingzhe nodded, and with a flick of his silver chopsticks, carved the two characters "正宗" (orthodox) on the Life Gate.

He added, “Southern Murong and Northern Qiao Feng were equally famous in the martial arts world. Now, Brother Qiao has become Brother Xiao. Among the younger generation of martial arts in the Central Plains, you, Southern Murong, stand out. This reputation is priceless, and you must cherish it, brother.”

After saying that, he carved the four characters "reputation" and "martial arts".

He continued, "Your Murong family has been running the business for generations, accumulating countless riches and provisions. Money and provisions are the foundation of any business, and in this respect, you are truly blessed by your ancestors."

The words "money and grain" were also carved.

Murong Fu smiled, a hint of smugness in his eyes. Jiang Mingzhe said, "Besides the three points mentioned above, there is another extremely valuable advantage: your Huanshi Water Pavilion is a priceless treasure for most people in the martial arts world."

After saying that, he carved the two characters "藏书" (Collection of Books).

After finishing carving, he thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Brother, besides your advantages, I really can't think of anything else. Do you have anything to add?"

Murong Fu thought for a moment and said proudly, "My four manor lords are all loyal and capable of handling things independently. This is a huge advantage!"

Jiang Mingzhe shook his head and said, "If you want to dominate the martial arts world, those four brothers are indeed a powerful helper. However, your grand plan is to carve out a territory and establish a country. The four of them alone are far from enough. This is not an advantage, but a disadvantage."

Without hesitation, he carved the words "insufficient manpower" inside the Death Gate.

Murong Fu's face darkened, and he slowly nodded, acknowledging this fact.

Jiang Mingzhe continued, "Although you are a direct descendant of the Yan Kingdom, the Great Yan Kingdom has been gone for five or six hundred years. Apart from your own family, who still hopes for its restoration? The people's hearts are long gone. If you want to restore the kingdom, it's like starting all over again. And although your name, Murong of Gusu, is well-known in the martial arts world, how would the common people know it?"

Having said that, he carved the four characters "Failed to Win the Hearts of the People" within the Death Quadrant. He then continued, "Brother, you mentioned before that the Murong family has issued many Yan-character banners, but the banner bearers are scattered everywhere. It seems like they've sown seeds all over the place, but in reality, they're too dispersed. For example, if you raise an army in Shandong, when will the forces you've deployed in Jiangnan be able to help?"

So he also carved the four characters "dispersed power".

Murong Fu's face grew darker. He felt that although the Murong family had worked hard for generations, apart from accumulating a large amount of gold and silver, everything else they had done was haphazard and lacked any planning.

Previously, they hadn't thought there was a problem, but now, after Jiang Mingzhe's insightful and meticulous analysis, they immediately realized how chaotic things were.

He couldn't help but sigh, "It's a pity that my ancestors were not blessed. If we had had someone like you, my brother, who would have planned for them earlier, things wouldn't have come to this."

Jiang Mingzhe smiled faintly, patted Murong Fu and said, "Brother, listen to my advice—the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, and the second best time is now."

Murong Fu was slightly taken aback. He chewed on the text several times, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Brother, you are truly talented. I have learned a great deal from you!"

Jiang Mingzhe smiled nonchalantly, tapped the door with his chopsticks, and said, "Let's see where the opportunity lies! The Tubo kingdoms are now scattered and in chaos, that's the first opportunity! Qingtang Tubo wants to unify the snowy region, but is controlled by Song and Xia, that's the second opportunity! In addition, the name of Murong Tuyuhun is the third opportunity!"

After saying that, he used his chopsticks to carve three lines of small characters: "Timing, internal strife in the snowy region", "Geographical advantage, leveraging the power of Qing Tang", and "Human harmony, the theory of reincarnation".

He added, “Now that the Song Dynasty is stable, it values ​​literature over military affairs. Many heroes in the martial arts world have great skills but few opportunities. You might as well return the secret manual of Shishui Pavilion, make friends with the heroes, and set up positions such as the Four Dukes, Eight Marquises, and Thirty-Six Generals to recruit heroes and expand the territory. This will solve the problem of insufficient manpower.”

With a flick of the chopsticks, the eight characters "Borrowing the power of the martial world, establish the Murong Kingdom" were carved.

Murong Fu slapped his leg and exclaimed with delight, “Brilliant plan! Brilliant plan! Then I will use Brother Deng and the other three as the four dukes, and then use Huanshi Water Pavilion as bait. Based on each person’s martial arts skills and the strength of their subordinates, I will recruit heroes to fill the eight marquises and thirty-six generals. With their disciples and followers, what difficulty is there in forming an army of two or three thousand people?”

Jiang Mingzhe said, "On this basis, my brother can set up another nominal position, similar to the position of offertress or elder, which can be called 'One Immortal'. Its position is even above the Four Dukes. In this way, we can win over my master, the Starry Sky Immortal, to join us. My brother wants to establish a country in the Qing Tang area, which is exactly where the Starry Sky Sect is based. If my master is willing to help you, he alone is worth eight thousand elite troops!"

Murong Fu was initially delighted, but then frowned: "Your master is arrogant, would he agree to my request?"

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "Brother, what business isn't negotiated? You just keep telling my master that once the country is established, the Xingxiu Sect will become the Xingxiu Religion, and he will be the leader of a region. Shrines will be erected throughout the territory so that he can enjoy the incense offerings of the people! Hehe, the Snow Region Tantric Sect is extremely powerful. With my master as the national teacher, it's a perfect way to counterbalance them."

Murong Fu suddenly realized what was happening and immediately nodded, saying, "That's right! If he's willing to help me, what's wrong with me making him a living god?"

Jiang Mingzhe glanced at the table near the wounded gate with his chopsticks and said, "These are the opportunities you should seize, brother. Now let's look at the threats. First, there is the climate of the snowy region. The air there is thin, cold, and barren. Therefore, a team composed of heroes from the martial arts world may have some fighting power in the early stages, but it will be insufficient to truly conquer the plateau. We still need the strength of Qinghai and Tibet to carry out our mission!"

He then carved the two lines: "unaccustomed to the local environment" and "ambitions of Qingtang".

He whispered, “I told Kumārajīva earlier that we should attack a few countries first, and then exchange our territory to protect them. But Qing Tang is determined to restore the glory of the former Tubo Empire. How could they really exchange it with us? We should attack a few countries first, to lull them into a false sense of security, and to take the opportunity to train a strong army. Then we can pretend to marry the princess, but in reality, we will take Qing Tang and Tubo as our base, and then we will plan to conquer the plateau. This is a clever trick to turn the tables and become the host!”

Having said that, he threw down his chopsticks and slammed his hand on the table: "This is the path to national restoration that I have devised for you, brother. Expand your advantages, reduce your disadvantages, seize opportunities, and lower risks. The first step is to make your name even more renowned!"

Murong Fu's eyes lit up, and he whispered, "Shaolin Temple!"

Jiang Mingzhe said, "That's right! Nan Murong is just one of the best among the younger generation. Shaolin Temple and Beggars' Sect are the real leaders in the martial arts world. But in the battle of Yanmen Pass, the abbot of Shaolin was fooled and killed innocent people, which caused internal strife and leaderlessness in Beggars' Sect. It's a good opportunity to step on those two sects and promote your Nan Murong's fame!"

Murong Fu nodded repeatedly and said, "Xiao Feng suffered an undeserved calamity this time. He is a Khitan and it will be difficult for him to compete with me again. However, he has made countless good connections over the years. If I stand up for him, all his friends will be grateful to me. If I take this opportunity to suppress Shaolin, I will become the number one martial artist in the Central Plains! What a good plan, what a good plan!"

Jiang Mingzhe said, "That's right. Once you become the number one, you can convene a martial arts conference. Currently, the only enemies of the Song Dynasty are the Liao and the Western Xia. The Song and Liao have not fought for many years, but the Western Xia has frequently invaded the borders. The Tibetans in Qinghai are hesitant and indecisive. Therefore, as the number one martial artist, you are determined to share the burden of the country, go to the former Tibetan lands, establish a new country, form an alliance with the Song Dynasty, and suppress the Western Xia and the various barbarian tribes in the Western Regions. This is a righteous act that will be remembered in history..."

Murong Fu was overjoyed and slapped his thigh, saying, "Those who are willing to follow me will receive the secret manual of the Water Pavilion as a gift! Furthermore, there are vacant positions for dukes and marquises waiting for them. If they follow me to establish a country, it will not only benefit the Great Song Dynasty, but also ensure eternal wealth and honor for their own descendants!"

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "That's exactly what we're doing! Right now, let the four major manor lords purchase large quantities of grain and fodder and transport them to the Xingxiu Sect for concentration. Once you've filled the eight marquises and thirty-six generals, immediately lead your troops to Qingtang. First, in the name of the Xingxiu Sect, sweep across the Tubo martial arts world, then capture a city, establish the name of the nineteenth ruler of Tuyuhun, Murong Fu, as the reincarnation, and have Kumārajīva vouch for you as your witness. Recruit soldiers and horses, and attack the Tubo kingdoms from north to south..."

Murong Fu said, "First, conquer a few of their countries. Once our powerful army is trained, we will ask to marry the Tibetan princess of Qing Tang. On the wedding day, we will turn against her, seize Qing Tang's territory, and use Qing Tang's troops to conquer the plateau. As for our original troops, well, the Western Regions occupied by the Yellow-Headed Uyghurs, the Western Uyghurs, and the Black Khanate are the former territory of the Great Tang's Western Regions Protectorate. We can go and attack them! Once we take this place, we will cut off the Western Xia's trade routes. With the help of the Song and Liao dynasties, destroying them will be as easy as turning our hands!"

At this point, unable to contain his joy any longer, Murong Fu suddenly stood up and said excitedly, "Heaven has taken pity on my Murong family and sent such a talented person as my brother. My Murong family is determined to restore our family, but in all our history, when has there ever been such a clear path? I... I really wish I could go to Shaolin Temple immediately, otherwise, if you, Brother Xiao, get to Shaolin Temple first, wouldn't this opportunity be lost?"

Jiang Mingzhe said, “What’s so difficult about that? My eldest brother has been gone for less than a day. Tomorrow morning we will pay our respects to your father, and then I will have my third brother ride a fast horse to intercept him on the road that Shaolin Temple must pass through! I will accompany you to Mantuo Manor. If my master has already arrived, we can recruit him to join us.”

Upon hearing that he was to handle the matter alone, Duan Yu immediately panicked and waved his hand, saying, "Second Brother, I am not capable of doing such an important task. I am not afraid of exerting my strength, but if I fail to stop Eldest Brother, wouldn't that delay Brother Murong's important matter?"

Murong Fu knew that he was inexperienced in affairs, so he smiled and said, "Brother, it's alright. A'Zhu and A'Bi are both very capable. I'll let them accompany you on this trip."

Duan Yu exhaled two heavy breaths, immediately stood up, patted his chest, and shouted, "Brother Murong, rest assured! I am willing to swear a military oath: if I cannot stop Brother Xiao, I will offer my head to you!"

Murong Fu laughed heartily, and Jiang Mingzhe also laughed loudly, but then he thought: Dali Situ Hua Hegen is still waiting at the inn. Now, he can take whatever he wants from Huanshi Water Pavilion, and he still needs to make a move on Langhuan Jade Cave. Tomorrow I will go to Mantuo Manor to take a look. If Ding Chunqiu has not come, I will contact him to make a move immediately. If Ding Chunqiu has already arrived, I will use Murong Fu's matter to lure him away from the mountain and make a move in the same way!
After the three had made their decision, Murong Fu drew his sword and neatly chopped off the four legs of the table. He then carefully put away the tabletop covered with inscriptions by Jiang Mingzhe and sent someone to immediately inform the four manor lords to come and see him first thing tomorrow morning.

(End of this chapter)