Chapter 640
Chapter 640
Shen Lang stood before the map and sneered.
“If Crown Prince Ning Yi has gone to the Southern Scourge Nation, he may have just walked into a situation from which he can never recover! We should prepare ourselves as well. Our turn to take the stage may come sooner than we think!”
Shen Lang had instantly grasped the Pretender King’s psychology and keenly understood the strengths and weaknesses of the Savage Tribes’ army. When the Pretender King had launched the war, his strategic goal was singular: to thoroughly disrupt the State of Yue’s strategic layout in the south and exploit the internal succession struggle to secure the greatest possible victory. But once the battle began, the Pretender King discovered his army was stronger than he had anticipated. This made him waver, and he attempted to seize the capital of the Southern Scourge Nation—the city he dreamed would one day be the capital of his Great Southern Kingdom. The attempt nearly succeeded but ultimately failed, forcing him to immediately revert to his original plan.
“The Pretender King’s ambition is astonishingly vast.”
Hearing Shen Lang’s words, Marquis Jin Zhuo asked.
“What does he want?”
“He doesn’t just want to reclaim the old territories of the Southern Scourge Nation. He wants to annihilate the main army of the State of Yue and, furthermore, carve up our state with Chu and Wu to avenge his father.”
Shen Lang then began searching for something on the map. Mulan asked him.
“My lord, what are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for a foothold. A place we must defend when the tide of war turns completely against us, a city that can serve as the fulcrum to turn back the disaster.”
Shen Lang stared intently at the map, constantly searching for this strategic point. The city had to meet two conditions. First, it couldn’t be too large. Second, it had to be located at a critical crossroads, blocking the Savage Tribes’ main army whether they marched north, east, or west. Shen Lang quickly found such a city: Yangge Commandery City in Tiannan Province. The city was located six hundred li from Xuanwu City, three hundred li from the provincial capital of Tiannan, and about a thousand li from the capital. It would surely become a crucial turning point. If the situation deteriorated as badly as Shen Lang predicted, he would use all his strength there to reverse the perilous tide and extend a saving hand to prevent the State of Yue from collapsing.
***
In the grand hall of the capital, the Crown Prince declared in a passionate tone that he would immediately head south to command the battlefield in the Southern Scourge Nation. The officials of the Crown Prince’s faction all echoed his sentiment in unison. It was a truly ridiculous scene. The Zhu Clan had paid such a heavy price precisely so the Crown Prince could reap the greatest fruits of victory; how could he not go? Besides, they were all tied to the same chariot as the Crown Prince, so naturally, they hoped he would solidify his position.
Of course, the Third Prince’s faction was opposed, but they found it difficult to voice their dissent. To rashly object at a time like this would earn the Crown Prince’s lifelong enmity. The eyes of the Third Prince’s officials turned to Zhong Yue and Xue Che. With the Third Prince, Ning Qi, currently serving as the Grand Marshal in Tianbei Province, Zhong Yue and Xue Che were the de facto leaders of his faction in the capital.
‘If anyone’s going to speak up, it should be the two elders. Small fries like us have no right to object.’
In the end, Zhong Yue and Xue Che remained expressionless, making it clear they would not open their mouths.
“I concur!”
“I also concur!”
“As do I!”
One after another, the officials present stepped forward to approve the Crown Prince’s journey south, creating a one-sided situation. But just then, Ning Zheng suddenly stepped forward, startling everyone.
‘Since when do you speak in the grand hall? You have no business here. In the past, Ning Zheng, you only focused on your work and rarely spoke in court. Now that the war in the Southern Scourge Nation is won, you can be relieved of your responsibilities. Your usefulness is at an end. And what if you step forward now to support Crown Prince Ning Yi? It’s too late. His Highness will never accept you. You don’t even qualify to surrender to our side.’
“I object!”
Ning Zheng’s words sent a shock through the hall.
‘Object? What did you say? Do you think you have any say in this matter? Even at this stage, you still haven’t given up on the throne and are determined to make one last desperate struggle? Or are you trying to prevent the Crown Prince from achieving merit? You overestimate yourself, you reckless fool.’
Ning Yuanxian asked, his voice filled with surprise.
“Oh? Ning Zheng, why do you object?”
‘If my memory serves me right, this is the first time Ning Zheng has spoken out publicly in court.’
Ning Zheng replied.
“First, our army of Yue is skilled at defending cities but is ill-suited for combat in the wilderness or dense forests. Moreover, the Pretender King’s main army has now retreated to the Blackwater Stockade and switched from offense to defense, which is even more disadvantageous for our forces!”
The Vice Minister of War stepped forward.
“I refute that statement! The Marquis of Changping is ignorant of military affairs, so it is understandable that he would say such things. There is no sin in ignorance. Do you know what kind of place this Blackwater Stockade, where the Pretender King’s remnants have retreated, is? Your Majesty, I request permission to use a map.”
The Vice Minister of War bowed, and Ning Yuanxian nodded.
“There is no one in the entire State of Yue who knows the Blackwater Stockade better than I, for I was once in charge of its construction. Over twenty years ago, the allied forces of the State of Yue and the Southern Scourge Nation fought a war against the Savage Tribes! For various reasons, our army could not be stationed within their capital, so we decided to build the Blackwater Stockade on the border of the Southern Scourge Nation! The original plan was to build a fortress there to block the Savage Tribes’ invasion route and defend the southwestern border of the Southern Scourge Nation.”
Hearing this, many of the older ministers present nodded. They remembered the events of that time.
“According to the plan, the Blackwater Stockade was to be diligently constructed over five years to become a solid line of defense. However, the King of the Southern Scourge Nation was later killed in battle, and due to that series of events, the construction of the Blackwater Stockade was halted. Because of this, only about a fifth of it was completed, and it ultimately lacks the full range of defensive functions. It can by no means be considered a strong defensive line. It is a primitive wooden barracks without stone walls or watchtowers, enclosed only by wooden palisades. Furthermore, it has not been maintained since and has been abandoned for at least a decade. It must be dilapidated by now, completely unsuitable for defense, and likely unable to withstand even a single assault. For the Pretender King’s remnants to retreat there is utterly suicidal.
Next, the State of Yue currently has an army of 170,000 on the battlefield. The Pretender King is left with fewer than 40,000 soldiers. To suggest that we cannot defeat the Savage Tribes’ army with a five-to-one advantage—is the Marquis of Changping not underestimating the elite army of our State of Yue?”
Hearing his words, everyone nodded in agreement.
“Ning Zheng, state all your reasons for objecting.”
At Ning Yuanxian’s command, Ning Zheng declared.
“Second, I believe his retreat there is a conspiracy—a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole.”
Upon hearing this, everyone in the grand hall scoffed.
‘Hah, do you think you’re the only clever person in the world? A conspiracy? Are you suggesting the Pretender King is putting on an act? His army of 100,000 suffered over 60,000 casualties, losing two-thirds of its strength. To pay such a heavy price for a performance? Is that not utterly absurd? Are you naive, or do you harbor sinister motives?’
Ning Zheng continued, undeterred.
“Therefore, I believe His Highness the Crown Prince must not risk entering such a dangerous place!”
The Vice Minister of War sneered.
“According to the Marquis of Changping, we should fear the Pretender King as if he were a god, allow him to trample the lands of the Southern Scourge Nation, and even though he has only 30,000 remnant soldiers, we must not touch them or fight them? Let me ask you, then: how should we deal with the Pretender King?”
Ning Zheng replied.
“The Pretender King is not an ordinary rebel now; he is the monarch of the Great Southern Kingdom. We must face the entire Savage Tribes, not just an individual. Therefore, we should play to our strengths and avoid our weaknesses by waging a war of attrition and entrenchment!”
Ning Yuanxian asked him.
“Are you saying we should once again build a large-scale line of fortifications on the border of the Southern Scourge Nation and the Great Southern Kingdom?”
“Yes. That is what we have always excelled at.”
At these words, the grand hall grew noisy.
‘Has Ning Zheng gone mad? What a ridiculous statement! Build fortifications on the border? How weak would that make us look? The Pretender King has only 30,000 remnant soldiers left, yet instead of pursuing and annihilating them while we have the momentum, you propose a war of attrition?’
The Vice Minister of War said.
“Marquis of Changping, I always considered you a loyal minister dedicated to his duties. But your behavior today has greatly disappointed me. I am aware that you are at odds with His Highness the Crown Prince, but you must not jeopardize the affairs of the state for your personal gain. Such conduct is a stain on your status.”
The Vice Minister of War’s words were an excessively harsh criticism of Ning Zheng, but everyone thought he was right.
‘Anyone with half a brain can see that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eliminate the Pretender King’s main army. Yet at this moment, not only do you oppose pursuit, you advocate for hiding like a turtle and defending? Are you afraid of the Crown Prince achieving a world-shaking accomplishment? Your fight for the throne is hopeless. Are you the only one who doesn’t realize it?’
Ning Zheng continued.
“Your Majesty, and esteemed lords! You all see only that the Pretender King’s remnants number less than 40,000 and that they have retreated to the easily conquerable Blackwater Stockade. But what will you do if he retreats again, back into the jungles and mountains of the Great Southern Kingdom? Our grand army cannot even deploy in formation there. And how can we be certain that the Pretender King has no more reinforcements? He now commands the entire Savage Tribes.”
The Vice Minister of War said.
“The Marquis of Changping is overthinking things. Nangong Ao and General Zhu Lin have already led the army to surround the Blackwater Stockade. The Pretender King could not escape even if he had wings. The army is currently building temporary fortifications around the stockade; the encirclement operation has already begun.”
Ning Zheng said.
“A large-scale encirclement might be effective on a vast plain. But the Southern Scourge Nation is a land of mountains and forests; a complete encirclement will be exceedingly difficult.”
Suddenly, Ning Yuanxian asked him.
“Ning Zheng, is this your opinion? Or is it Shen Lang’s?”
“This is my opinion, and it is also Shen Lang’s.”
He then presented a letter.
“This is a personal letter from Shen Lang to Your Majesty.”
Ning Yuanxian gestured, and a eunuch received Shen Lang’s letter and brought it to him. He opened it to find Shen Lang’s thoughts written clearly.
The King’s brow furrowed slightly. First, he trusted Shen Lang absolutely, but he was displeased with the idea of a war of attrition. He hated the word “attrition” and much preferred to settle things in one decisive blow. How exhilarating was the annihilation of Su Nan’s rebel army? In truth, Shen Lang shared Ning Yuanxian’s temperament; neither of them had much patience. But Shen Lang knew that this was the only way to defeat the Pretender King in this war. To annihilate the Great Southern Kingdom in one fell swoop and wipe out the Savage Tribes by military means? Such a pipe dream was not even worth having.
The current territory of the Great Southern Kingdom was larger than that of the State of Yue, and it was surrounded by great mountains and primeval forests. Any large army that entered would be bogged down and killed, or utterly buried. Just as the Soviet Union could not eliminate Afghanistan, and the United States could not eliminate Vietnam, the State of Yue certainly could not destroy the Great Southern Kingdom.