Words Strategize for the World

I missed updating this part, so I'm making up for it now. Sorry, I was busy yesterday and forgot. Please forgive me.

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After Fang Hao said those words, Prefect Liu immediately stared intently at him, trying to read the meaning behind his words.

Unfortunately, Prefect Liu was destined to be disappointed, because Fang Hao was not afraid of his gaze and instead met his eyes.

Upon hearing Fang Hao's words, Lai Fengwu immediately sensed something was amiss. Sure enough, Liu Juncheng's reaction directly confirmed her suspicions.

The two locked eyes, and everyone else held their breath. The once lively greeting turned into an awkward silence, fraught with hidden danger.

Lai Fengwu watched Fang Hao and Prefect Liu stare at each other for a long time without saying a word, and he felt extremely uneasy. If anything unexpected happened, the three of them wouldn't be able to escape.

After staring at Fang Hao for a long time without finding anything, Liu, the Prefect, burst into laughter.

"Good, Fang Yashi certainly has guts. I'm a bit tired today, so I won't keep Fang Yashi company any longer." After saying that, he turned to Danwei: "Deputy Inspector, please take good care of Fang Yashi for me."

After finishing his words, Prefect Liu got up and left without waiting for Fang Hao's reply. When he reached the entrance hall, he seemed to remember something and turned back, saying, "Scholar Fang has come from afar. I will host a banquet tonight to entertain you, and we will drink until we are completely drunk."

Seeing Liu Juncheng leave, Fang Hao finally relaxed. This kind of psychological struggle is the most exhausting, and you also have to bear unknown risks. If you're not careful, a murderous intent will suddenly appear. However, this test was still useful.

Through probing, Fang Hao discovered that this Prefect Liu was definitely suspicious.

After Liu Juncheng left, Shanwei chatted idly with Fang Hao.

However, when Fang Hao asked about the patrol inspector, Shanwei became a little nervous and took a long time to answer that the patrol inspector had died not long ago.

When Fang Hao asked about the cause of death again, Danwei stopped answering.

After that, Fang Hao took Lai Fengwu and Yuan Kang and left for the post station.

"My lord, there must be something wrong with Prefect Liu and Deputy Inspector Shan."

Upon arriving at the post station, before even sitting down, Lai Fengwu brought up his idea.

Upon hearing Lai Fengwu's words, Yuan Kang replied, "What's the problem? I think I'm fine."

Lai Fengwu glanced at Yuan Kang and continued speaking to Fang Hao, "My lord, I think..."

Fang Hao interrupted Lai Fengwu, saying, "Fengwu, I know there's something wrong here. My previous questioning was a test. Prefect Liu said the Ba Kingdom's army is nearby, so why are the gates of Hexia County wide open?"

Fang Hao's question was also unclear to Lai Fengwu. Speculation is always just speculation; perhaps he had something on his mind but didn't say it aloud.

"Since there's a problem, let's leave now," Yuan Kang said worriedly.

"No, Prefect Liu is hosting a banquet tonight. I have to go and see what he's up to."

Yuan Kang was greatly alarmed and said, "But my lord..."

"Yuan Kang, don't worry, I know what I'm doing." After thinking for a moment, Fang Hao added, "However, we can't be completely careless. So, you..."

After listening, Yuan Kang happily said "okay" and left.

The study of the prefectural government.

Liu, the prefect, was sitting behind his desk, with a scholar-like man standing in front of him.

Prefect Liu asked the scholar-looking man, "Who is this Fang Hao? Where does he come from?"

"My lord, it's not clear yet. However, the Ba Kingdom has already conquered Zhongfeng and Liangjiang counties, and there are Ba Kingdom troops everywhere around Taoshan county, unless they came from Gaofeng county. But Gaofeng is far away from us and the roads are impassable, so I guess..."

Prefect Liu sat up abruptly, utterly surprised, and said, "You mean they are...?"

"Yes, sir. I guess they came from Liangjiang County."

Upon hearing his advisor's confirmation, Prefect Liu fell into deep thought, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he finally spoke.

"Hmm, your thoughts coincide with mine. But they were lucky to escape that dead city. Here's what I'll do: have someone go find Single Tail."

"Yes, sir."

Soon after, Danwei arrived at the study.

"Lord Prefect, you wanted to see me?"

Prefect Liu gestured to the stool in front of him, indicating that he should sit down. After Shan Wei sat down, Prefect Liu asked, "Deputy Inspector Shan, how have you been doing lately?"

The sleazy-looking man with the single tail, a fawning smile on his face, quickly flattered, "The weather has been perfect lately, I'm very happy. However, all of this is thanks to the Prefect, and I thank you here."

"Haha, as long as you're having fun, that's all that matters. Danwei, let me ask you this: do you want to be promoted to a full inspector?"

The cunning and shrewd Prefect Liu threw out a huge bargaining chip.

For a moment, Shanwei was somewhat taken aback, not understanding what Prefect Liu meant, and he dared not respond.

"Hahaha, Single Tail, you should know that we're all in this together now. My surrender to the Overlord Kingdom will be known sooner or later. But the later they find out, the better. Ideally, it would be after the Blazing Kingdom is destroyed, then we wouldn't have anything to fear."

"Now that Fang Hao has suddenly arrived, don't you have any thoughts? If he finds out we've surrendered to the Hegemon Kingdom, what do you think he'll do?"

Prefect Liu's words made Shanwei begin to worry. In Hexia County, besides Prefect Liu, he was the only other deputy inspector. He had just acquired power and hadn't even enjoyed it yet; asking him to relinquish it was simply impossible for him.

His power is ill-gotten; if any problems arise, he will be held responsible.

"What does Lord Juncheng mean?"

Prefect Liu sat up straight, his face sinister, and said, "What do you mean? Hmph, of course we'll arrest this scholar named Fang Hao and hand him over to Ba Guo. That way, your promotion will be just around the corner, ah, hahahaha."

Hearing what Prefect Liu said, Shanwei also laughed loudly and flattered him, saying, "Prefect Liu is indeed wise. I am willing to serve you."

"Okay, come closer."

After Danwei handed the ear to Liu Juncheng, no one knows what Liu Juncheng said, but Danwei's smile grew wider and wider.

"Alright, Single Tail, you know what to do now, right?"

Danwei's face was full of flattery, and his lewd expression revealed a smile as bright as a chrysanthemum.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, I understand. I will make the preparations immediately."

"Wait, at the banquet tonight, I will use smashing a glass as a signal, remember that."

"Yes, sir, I will certainly keep that in mind."

After Danwei left the study, Prefect Liu said to his staff, "You set off now and go to the Ba Kingdom's military camp to find Commander Li. Tell him that you have a generous gift to present tonight and that he must come to Hexia County."

"Yes, sir, I'll go right now."

After the advisors left, only Prefect Liu remained in the study. He lay quietly in his chair, looking at the ceiling, and suddenly laughed, lost in thought.

"Mr. Fang, hahaha. Don't blame me, blame yourself for coming at the worst possible time."

"Hexia County is only 30 kilometers away from Ba Kingdom. With such proximity, Ba Kingdom has long considered Hexia County as its own. Otherwise, why would it have allowed Hexia County to open trade routes?"

After a moment of silence, Prefect Liu, somewhat hysterically, shouted, "The two rivers are flooded, and the city is full of corpses. I don't want Hexia County to become a ghost town too. No one can blame me; blame the Chi Kingdom for being too weak. The Chi Kingdom has been weak for so many years, and now it can't even hold onto its territory. It deserves it, it deserves it."

"Hahaha, once the Blazing Kingdom is completely destroyed, who will I be afraid of?"

Whether out of desperation or for personal gain, Prefect Liu had already surrendered to the Hegemon Kingdom.

This is a road of no return, but the first one to be tested is himself.

He reveres heaven, earth, and ancestors, but even if he can get past his own conscience, he cannot get past heaven, earth, and ancestors.

A road of no return, a path from which there is no return.