The lieutenant swallowed hard.
He said again, still shaken:
"And their thunderbolts..."
"The power is even greater, and the blast radius is extremely wide. A single bomb can destroy a large area, causing heavy casualties among our soldiers..."
"Moreover, the city defenses of Jingzhou Prefecture are extremely strong, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack..."
The lieutenant added.
"The city walls are high and the fortifications are excellent. Our army's several strong attacks have all failed, and instead suffered heavy losses..."
"Enough!" Zhou Chen waved his hand impatiently, interrupting the deputy general.
"Alright, alright, stop talking! I know the firearms in Shannan Prefecture are powerful! What I want to know now is, what do we do next?!"
His voice was full of anger, yet also tinged with helplessness.
At this moment, a trusted advisor stepped forward and whispered:
"My lord, after this defeat, Jingzhou is on high alert. It will be much more difficult to launch a strong attack now. In my opinion, the Empress will definitely send someone to Shannan Prefecture to purchase military supplies."
Zhou Chen snorted coldly and gritted his teeth, saying:
"In Shannan Prefecture, that kid Lu Yan is a real old fox! He pretends to do business with us, but he's secretly holding back!"
"I spent a fortune buying explosive arrows and thunderbolts from him, and what happened?"
"The armor and muskets used by the Imperial Guards are all high-quality products manufactured in Shannan!"
"This kid is clearly making a fool of us!"
Zhou Chen grew angrier as he spoke, his fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged.
The trusted advisor rolled his eyes and offered a plan:
"My lord, I have a plan that may turn the tide."
Zhou Chen rubbed his temples in frustration, and upon hearing this, his eyelids lifted slightly:
"Oh? Tell me about it."
The strategist's eyes darted around, and he leaned close to Zhou Chen's ear, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Why don't we drag everyone else down with us!"
Zhou Chen frowned, his sharp gaze fixed on the strategist:
"Whom are we dragging down? And how are we going to drag them down?"
The strategist chuckled, his tone laced with ruthlessness:
"We can spread the Empress's whereabouts!"
He paused, and seeing that Zhou Chen did not interrupt, he continued:
"My lord, think about it, the Empress is a hot commodity now, everyone wants a piece of her."
"Once the news spreads, those who have designs on the Empress will naturally become restless."
"Then we can sit back and watch them fight it out, and profit from it. Once they're both exhausted, we can make our move. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Zhou Chen did not immediately express his opinion, but instead paced back and forth.
His fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if he were pondering his advisor's suggestion.
"That's a good idea,"
Zhou pondered for a moment, then spoke.
The strategist replied confidently:
"Rest assured, sir, and I have my own plans. We can spread some dubious information."
"The truth and the falsehood, the reality and the illusion, leave those people completely confused."
"We can also take this opportunity to probe their backgrounds, see who has the greatest ambition for the Empress, and who is just bluffing."
A glint of light flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes. The more he thought about it, the more feasible the idea seemed, and he couldn't help but nod approvingly.
"Alright, we'll do it your way! However, we must be very careful and make sure nothing gets out."
"Understood!"
The strategist quickly agreed.
Zhou Chen walked to the window, gazing at the gloomy sky outside, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"Empress..." he murmured to himself.
"The Empress must belong to the Zhou family, and can only belong to the Zhou family! No one else can even dream of having her!"
He paced back and forth, his eyes gleaming with greed.
His breathing gradually quickened, like a wild beast about to capture its prey.
"Nobody gets a chance!"
He reiterated this point, his tone filled with domineering and possessiveness.
A chance discovery filled him with ecstasy.
He comes from a prestigious family; the Zhou family has deep roots and a thriving presence in Dazhou.
He also had connections in the imperial court, making him a person of high rank and great power.
He himself was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and in his early years he abandoned the military to pursue a literary career.
He knew the appearance, personality, and background of the officials in the court like the back of his hand.
One day, he strolled through the streets, pondering how to rise to a higher level in this chaotic world.
Suddenly, a familiar red figure flashed past his eyes.
That bright red armor, that upright figure, that familiar gait—it instantly ignited a fire within him.
Zhou Chen was startled. He looked closely and saw that the man was none other than Li Mu, the commander of the Imperial Guard!
He had served in the military and had a deep impression of Li Mu; he would never mistake him for someone else.
Li Mu's appearance was like a lightning bolt piercing the night sky, illuminating the long-standing doubts in Zhou Chen's heart.
The Imperial Guards, the personal guards of Empress Chen Qingwan, were present.
Doesn't that mean...?
The Empress is in Jingzhou?!
This thought grew wildly like weeds, occupying Zhou Chen's entire mind.
He suppressed his elation and calmly observed his surroundings.
Sure enough, he spotted some unfamiliar faces dressed in plain clothes, yet exuding a chilling aura.
These men were well-trained, had sharp eyes, and their every move revealed traces of their military career.
Based on Li Mu's appearance, Zhou Chen could almost certainly conclude that...
These people were the elite of the Imperial Guard, responsible for secretly protecting the Empress's safety.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his excited emotions.
Now Liu An occupies the capital and holds the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, but he does not gain true recognition.
The true Empress Chen Qingwan is the rightful ruler of the land and the key figure everyone is searching for.
And now, she's right under my nose!
If we can control the Empress and use her to command the feudal lords, the Zhou family will soon sweep across the north!
Even more amazing is that he could "marry" the empress, take her place, and achieve unparalleled feats!
Thinking of this, Zhou Chen's breathing became rapid.
An overwhelming surge of excitement welled up inside him, making him almost unable to control himself.
He could almost see himself wearing a dragon robe and ruling the world.
In his eyes, Empress Chen Qingwan was already his for the taking.
"Pass down the order to closely monitor every move within Jingzhou City, especially the movements of the Imperial Guards!"
"Report back immediately upon discovering any trace of the Empress!"
Zhou Chen gave the order impatiently, his words filled with excitement and anticipation.
The rumors spread by the Zhou family spread rapidly like a virus, reaching all corners of the country.
Every corner, every force, received this shocking news.
Upon receiving the message, Chu Wen stroked his sparse beard and smiled sinisterly.
He believed the news was most likely false and thought it was part of Lu Yan's trajectory.
But what if it's true?
If he could capture Chen Qingwan, he could use the emperor to command the feudal lords and rule the world!
Thinking of this, he immediately ordered the dispatch of an elite force.
Disguised as a caravan, they went to Jingzhou to investigate the situation.
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