Chapter 674
Chapter 674
"Does His Majesty the Emperor sparing the State of Yue mean leaving us with only Tianyue City and ceding all the rest? That's not even a kingdom, it's less than a duchy. I'd rather not be the king of such a state."
"When that time comes, Your Highness will realize that being the king of even the smallest state is better than being the king of a completely ruined one."
"Perhaps the destruction of our State of Yue is of no consequence to the Hidden Yuan Society's headquarters. But if that happens, the astronomical debt Yue owes the Society will also vanish."
Ning Yuanxian owed the Hidden Yuan Society a colossal debt of over ten million taels. If the State of Yue fell, or even if it didn't fall but disintegrated, that money would surely never be repaid. However, the Hidden Yuan Society's headquarters was, in a way, an organization that served only His Majesty the Emperor. If a political objective could be achieved, they wouldn't mind writing off a sum of over ten million taels. After all, they could earn it back from other branches. Besides, King Ning Yuanxian of Yue was now taking a very unfriendly stance toward the Hidden Yuan Society.
"The Hidden Yuan Society can bear the cost of the State of Yue's destruction, but I doubt the Shu Clan can."
At Ying Qi's words, Shu Tingyu fell silent. His father, Shu Baidao, was an elder of the Hidden Yuan Society. If the Society were a country, Shu Baidao would be a provincial governor, overseeing the Yue branch. If the State of Yue were to fall, the Yue branch of the Hidden Yuan Society would cease to exist. The elders from the states of Wu and Chu would seize the opportunity to snatch all their shares. Thus, the fall of Yue was a fatal disaster for the Shu Clan as well.
"Our Shu Clan can simply go into seclusion for a few decades. When the tide turns against you, human strength cannot stop it."
"Master Shu, the situation has not yet reached a point of despair."
"Please, speak!"
"My royal father was swayed by Shen Lang's tricks and rejected the truce with Prince Gong. However, when the critical moment arrives, we can disregard his will and, in the name of the Grand Secretariat and the Privy Council, negotiate with Prince Gong, ceding him territory equivalent to eight, or even ten, commanderies. If a monarch's actions do not align with the interests of the State of Yue, his will can no longer be the supreme will of the state."
Hearing this, Shu Tingyu's eyes narrowed. He detected a dangerous undercurrent in Ying Qi's words.
*Could he be planning a coup d'état?!*
Ying Qi continued.
"Furthermore, the King of Wu wants the entire Tianbei Province. I am prepared to cede all six commanderies of Tianbei Province to him, and in addition, I will give him the Leizhou Archipelago, where Raging Tide City is located."
Hearing this, Shu Tingyu was startled, his heart pounding with temptation.
"Nangong Ao's grand army is attacking the Jin Clan's Marquisate of Xuanwu, so Jin Zhuo will have to recall almost all his forces to defend his home, leaving Raging Tide City vacant. Is this not the perfect time to attack it? To the Hidden Yuan Society, is Raging Tide City not more significant than the capital of Yue? It is the headquarters of the Heavenly Dao Society and the hub of eastern maritime trade. The King of Wu values the ocean, so the Leizhou Archipelago and the six commanderies of Tianbei Province should be enough to satisfy him."
Shu Tingyu shook his head.
"No, he will not be satisfied."
"Then can't the Hidden Yuan Society pressure him to be satisfied with that? The King of Wu owes the Society a great deal, and the State of Wu borders the Great Yan Empire. He will have no choice but to submit to the Empire's will."
"Even if he agrees, we cannot take Raging Tide City. The State of Wu does not have a sufficient navy remaining."
Ying Qi said nothing, merely staring intently at Shu Tingyu. Shu Tingyu suddenly straightened his posture and spoke.
"The State of Wu may not have a sufficient navy, but doesn't the Xue Clan? Their South Sea Sword Sect is practically a branch of Mount Budao. Furthermore, they monopolize the southern maritime trade and possess a countless number of fleets. Is that correct?"
Ying Qi did not voice his agreement, but it was the truth. The South Sea Sword Sect, while appearing to be a martial sect, was in fact a massive armed force cultivated by Mount Budao. Of course, it had also served King Ning Yuanxian. But now, it had begun to serve Ying Qi.
"I was unable to successfully negotiate with the King of Wu, but the Hidden Yuan Society might succeed."
"If Your Highness's plan unfolds, it will become a grand design. Mount Budao, the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, the Hidden Yuan Society, the Great Yan Empire, the states of Yue and Wu, and even the Heavenly Dao Society—all will be swept up in this scheme."
"If my plan succeeds, the State of Yue can preserve at least two-thirds of its territory. Then the debt to the Hidden Yuan Society can continue. The foundation the Shu Clan has in the Yue branch of the Society will not crumble, and that will be of immense benefit to the Society's headquarters as well. I believe that the more people who stand to gain from an endeavor, the more likely it is to succeed."
There was a great deal of truth in that statement. Ying Qi's plan was vast and astonishing. A plan to have the State of Wu and the Hidden Yuan Society make Xue Che borrow a fleet to attack Raging Tide City, and after conquering the city and the Leizhou Archipelago, make them the property of Wu and the Society. Ying Qi would pay the price to ensure their plan's success, and he would have the Hidden Yuan Society pressure the State of Wu, forcing the King of Wu to abandon the war, thereby allowing the State of Yue to preserve two-thirds of the territory in Tiannan Province.
The plan did not end there; there was an even more crucial part. A coup d'état! King Ning Yuanxian would be stripped of his power by the Grand Secretariat and the Privy Council. The Emperor of the Great Yan Empire might even step in to pressure Ning Yuanxian into abdicating to "recuperate." By doing so, Ning Yuanxian's previous declaration to Prince Gong would no longer need to be honored, and the State of Yue could renegotiate with Prince Gong to sign a new truce. Then, Ying Qi could concentrate all of Yue's power for a decisive battle against the State of Chu. Even with all its might, the State of Yue would not be able to defeat the King of Chu's three-hundred-thousand-strong army, but being on the defensive, they would have no problem defending their territory with fewer troops.
"In that case, our Hidden Yuan Society headquarters would support Your Highness with all its might, and there would even be those in the court of the Great Yan Empire who would advocate for making Your Highness the Crown Prince Regent of Yue in advance, to strip Ning Yuanxian of his power, would there not?"
Ying Qi still offered no verbal reply, but Shu Tingyu was inwardly shocked, looking at the Third Prince in disbelief. Previously, the man's cold demeanor seemed like that of a cool-headed military commander. But to think he could also wield political machinations so sharply. Ying Qi's plan had bound his fate together with that of the State of Yue; it was a plan not only to save Yue but also to make himself its monarch in advance. It was a brilliant scheme, born of tremendous ambition. A plan that killed three birds with one stone.
Whenever a plan is executed, some benefit while others suffer. In Ying Qi's grand design, the beneficiaries were Ying Qi, Prince Gong, the Great Yan Empire, the Hidden Yuan Society, and the State of Wu. The losers were Ning Yuanxian and the State of Chu, while the Jin Clan would face annihilation.
"To do so, the Xue Clan would have to mobilize a very large fleet. It would require over ten thousand soldiers and a hundred ships."
Ying Qi's silence conveyed that this would not be a problem.
"Furthermore, the plan requires the full cooperation of the Zhu Clan. According to my sources, the Zhu Clan has not yet shown any sign of abandoning Crown Prince Ying Yi."
"Zhu Hongzhu is exceptionally intelligent; he will know what to do when the critical moment comes."
"Then, is my task to persuade the Hidden Yuan Society headquarters and the imperial cabinet to pressure the King of Wu, and to pressure King Ning Yuanxian of Yue?
"For the sake of the Shu Clan's hundred-year enterprise, isn't it worth taking this gamble?"
Shu Tingyu was silent again for a long moment. The plan was so grand that it would require the Shu Clan to pour in all of its political resources. There were internal power struggles within the Hidden Yuan Society as well. The elders from the Wu and Chu branches had long been waiting for the State of Yue to fall, eager to carve up the Shu Clan's trade foundations.
"The key is the Zhu Clan. They wield immense power in the Empire. If the Zhu Clan cooperates, it will be much easier for us to persuade the imperial cabinet and the imperial family."
"Understood! But all this must happen quickly. Any delay, and the plan cannot be executed."
Shu Tingyu suddenly asked.
"What if Shen Lang wins on the battlefield of Tiannan Province? The consequences would be..."
"Is that even possible?"
* * *
The battlefield at Yangguo City, Tiannan Province.
The moment Su Nan gave the command, a sound like the heavens and earth collapsing thundered across the field.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
Dozens of trebuchets fiercely hurled hundred-jin boulders nearly three hundred meters, while massive super-ballistae launched spears over three meters long for hundreds of meters.
*BOOM.*
Some of the boulders launched from the trebuchets struck the city walls, while others flew into the city itself. The tremendous roar of the impacts was deafening. For a moment, it truly felt as if the heavens and earth were shaking. The massive boulders punched holes in the city walls; if one landed atop the ramparts, it would crush at least dozens of men. If one fell within the city, it could easily demolish any house. In terms of sheer destructive power, the trebuchet surpassed primitive cannonballs.
However, the accuracy of trebuchets was truly abysmal. On the battlefield, their greatest effect was in suppressing the enemy's fighting spirit and inflicting psychological damage. Any army would be terrified in the face of such a fearsome attack. No matter how astonishingly low the accuracy rate was, to be struck by one of those boulders meant being utterly crushed. In large-scale battles such as this one, both sides would often set up trebuchets and hurl projectiles at each other.
"Fire!"
At Go Duhwan's command, the trebuchets set up inside Yangguo City began to furiously launch boulders. Of course, there were only seven trebuchets in the entire city, but as they launched their projectiles one after another, the ground shook and large craters were formed. However, their attack was meaningless; it failed to cause a single casualty. Su Nan's grand army was already positioned far away, four to five hundred meters out.
In comparison, Su Nan's dozens of trebuchets and large ballistae were within range, but the accuracy of the trebuchets was far too dismal. A dozen projectiles were launched, yet not a single one hit its mark, all of them landing in open ground. However, comparing the two sides, Su Nan's trebuchets were bound to achieve better results. This was because Su Nan had deployed more of them, and since they could attack the entire city, their target area was much larger.
*CRASH!*
After a loud noise, fortune smiled upon Su Nan. One of Shen Lang's trebuchets was struck by a boulder they had launched and was shattered. The dozen or so men standing beside it were also killed by the impact. However, that was the end of the most brilliant achievement on Su Nan's side.