Chapter 374 Decision Making
Yuan Shi rushed to the Shang Dynasty palace, just in time to meet Chang Hao returning from his sacrificial ceremony.
Chang Hao and his officials slowly approached from their carriages. Yuan Shi was overjoyed. He looked at the Emperor's every move and word with fascination, wondering who else it could be but Chang Hao.
As Chang Hao walked towards him, Yuan Shi opened his mouth to call for help, but Chang Hao walked past him as if he were nothing.
Yuan Shi's smile froze as he realized that he was hiding in the shadows. Chang Hao's cultivation was shallow and his condition was special, so how could he possibly discover his presence?
Chang Hao returned to the palace. Today was special, so he only summoned his trusted ministers to the Qiankun Palace for a meeting. However, he received an urgent report from Tongguan and a collection of treasonous remarks from Xiqi gathered by his spies.
Yuan Shi was concerned about Chang Hao's urgent situation and immediately felt a desire to kill the Marquis of Xibo, who had caused trouble for Chang Hao in the urgent report.
Chang Hao glanced at Yang Jian, "The Marquis of Xibo?"
The Jie Sect disciples, serving the Yin Shang dynasty and hiding in the shadows, had already laid a trap. Chang Hao placed his hand on the armrest of the throne. If Yang Jian suddenly attacked, he would immediately activate the formation to surround Yang Jian.
Yang Jian broke out in a cold sweat. The Marquis of Xibo was too unethical. He dared to rebel, but he never considered that the benevolence he usually proclaimed was mostly genuine and mostly an act, even though he was risking his life to impersonate Ji Chang in Chaoge.
Chang Hao's eyes seemed to be filled with shattered ice. "I wonder which expert is putting on a show here?"
Yang Jian felt extremely guilty. "Your subject... cough..." he blurted out, "I am Yang Jian."
Yang Jian? Yuanshi sat beside Chang Hao, frowning as he scrutinized Yang Jian. Wait, Yang Jian was cultivating the Eight-Nine Arcane Art that he had created?
The entire hall erupted in uproar.
“That Marquis of Xibo, he is indeed up to no good,” Chong Houhu cursed. “I have disliked him since I was a child. I always felt that he was hypocritical and treacherous. Indeed, Your Majesty, I request that the traitor be purged.”
"I second that proposal..."
"The Marquis of Xibo deserves to be executed..."
Chang Hao raised his hand to stop the commotion in the hall. Upon seeing this, the senior officials swallowed their unfinished words and cursed the Marquis of Xibo in their hearts. He knew that they were currently fighting fiercely with the Nine Yi, waging war on three fronts, yet he chose this time to rebel. He had no sense of righteousness, was a treacherous villain, and was despicable.
"Yang Jian? Very well." Chang Hao sneered. Fortunately, Yang Jian hadn't used a fake name to fool him. "Hiding your true form is the act of a petty person. Why doesn't the Immortal Master reveal his true identity?"
Yang Jian hesitated for a moment, then revealed his true form to Chang Hao, since he couldn't escape anyway.
Chang Hao raised an eyebrow, surprised, and asked, "Immortal Master, you are as beautiful and graceful as a jade tree, why did you become a thief? Immortals should reside in the heavens above, why are you tumbling around in the mortal world?"
After his cultivation was sealed by the Great Dao and he was bewitched by the two Western Saints in the Nuwa Temple, he followed his heart and became somewhat reckless.
Upon hearing Chang Hao praise Yang Jian's appearance and character, Yuan Shi immediately looked at Yang Jian, and a crisis was brewing.
He knew Chang Hao very well, and it was not hard to see that Chang Hao favored Yang Jian. If he hadn't intended to recruit him, why would he waste words with Yang Jian? He would have ordered him killed long ago.
Upon hearing Chang Hao's dissatisfaction with the "immortal masters" in the Xiqi army, she began to plot how to clear obstacles for Chang Hao.
Yang Jian's face flushed red, and he stammered, unsure how to explain. He was already caught in a trap, and even if he said he had been deceived by Xiqi, the king would not believe him.
"Enough, you don't need to explain. I understand." Chang Hao suddenly lost interest. How could he compare himself to a sage? A mere human emperor dared to try to shake a tree like an ant. He was simply overestimating himself.
The intentions of the Jie Sect's sage are unclear, and it's difficult to distinguish friend from foe. The Chan Sect has already placed itself on the opposite side. Chang Hao is already grateful that the Goddess Nuwa didn't send demons to bewitch his mind. The two Western sages also hope for a change of dynasty and a great prosperity for the West...
It's difficult, difficult, difficult. Breaking out of this impasse is easier said than done. All we can do is try our best, not obey fate, and fight to the death.
Seeing Chang Hao frown, Yuan Shi repeatedly raised his hand to smooth Chang Hao's brow, but due to his own current state, he was worried about startling Chang Hao, who was in an abnormal state, so he held back.
"Guards, invite Master Yang to the Star-Picking Tower." Chang Hao waved his hand, signaling Yuan Hong and the others to subdue Yang Jian.
If it weren't for these immortal masters interfering, Chang Hao could guarantee that he would take Xiqi in three months. However, with these immortal masters stirring up trouble, he would have to defeat the immortals on the other side before each battle. He needed to come up with a way to attack Xiqi from the side and launch a surprise attack.
Feeling guilty, Yang Jian obediently allowed Yuan Hong of the Jie Sect, along with the Ten Heavenly Lords, to escort him into the Star-Picking Tower.
Chang Hao had previously harbored the intention of turning Yang Jian against his own side, and apart from losing his freedom, Yang Jian was not mistreated in any other way.
"Your Majesty, please send me to Xiqi to quell the rebellion." Wen Zhong volunteered.
However, Chang Hao was reluctant to part with them. He knew that the disciples in Xiqi were second-generation disciples of the Chan Sect, while the Grand Tutor was only a third-generation disciple of the Jie Sect. Against a second-generation disciple, he would only suffer losses.
He had met that leader, and he was extremely unreliable. How could he possibly be a match for the leader of the Chan Sect?
"Grand Tutor, I have another important matter to entrust to you. Besides you, I don't know who else I can entrust this matter to." Chang Hao was not making excuses casually, but truly had an important matter to give to Wen Zhong.
“Your Majesty, please speak. I am prepared to die ten thousand times over,” Wen Zhong said solemnly.
"The Nine Yi are currently waging war against us on three fronts. I cannot abandon the border people and divert troops meant for suppressing the Nine Yi to suppress Xiqi. Therefore, the forces suppressing Xiqi are somewhat insufficient. We will defend Tongguan and Mengjin if we can, and if we cannot, we will let Xiqi's army besiege Chaoge..."
Originally, Chang Hao considered this strategy a poor one. However, the presence of Zhunti and Jieyin aroused Chang Hao's madness, and the madness he once had in the chaos, willing to perish together with others, resurfaced.
“Your Majesty, you must not…” Bigan immediately jumped out to object: “In times of crisis, we should mobilize troops to protect Mengjin and Chaoge, and abandon the others. With Your Majesty here, Yin Shang has a future.”
"I have my own plans, Your Highness need not say more." Chang Hao outwardly feigned weakness, but in reality, he was using a strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain. Once the main force of Xiqi left Xiqi, without the ignorant and foolish people of Xiqi as nourishment, they would be like turtles in a jar.
However, the immortal masters who helped Xiqi are too troublesome. We need to think of a way to wipe them all out.
"Your Majesty, you must not! If the Western Zhou army approaches Chaoge, Your Majesty's safety will be in grave danger..." Grand Tutor Wen said anxiously, "I should go and suppress the Western Zhou."
Chang Hao: "Grand Tutor, please calm down. I am confident that Xiqi will not be able to cause any trouble. However, I need you to subdue the Nine Yi and attack Xiqi from the north and south. I will cut off the Marquis of Xibo's route back to Xiqi."
Wen Zhong finally realized what was going on.
"Your Majesty can rest assured that this matter is entrusted to me." Wen Zhong's brows furrowed with a murderous glint. For the sake of His Majesty and for the sake of Yin Shang, he had to put aside any unnecessary mercy.
Chang Hao: "I trust the Grand Tutor. How about sending Lu Yuan, Yuan Hong, Huang Feihu, and Chong Heihu to serve by your side?"
Wen Zhong bowed solemnly, "Your Majesty, I will obey. However, Your Majesty, could you also listen to my words?"
"Please speak, Grand Tutor." Chang Hao had already anticipated what Wen Zhong would say, which was nothing more than not wanting to put himself in danger.
"Your Majesty, please only allow Xiqi to enter Mengjin, and do not allow Xiqi's army to besiege Chaoge City." Wen Zhong was afraid that something might happen, and only by being in Mengjin could he return to provide timely reinforcements.
"Alright, I will listen to the Grand Tutor." Chang Hao immediately agreed. He never really intended to put the Xiqi army into Chaoge. He first proposed a plan that the ministers found unacceptable, and then compromised. His goal was achieved.
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