[Tsk tsk tsk, Zhang Ertian actually got promoted? That's hard to judge!]
[Exactly! If they all pretended to be dead and survived, how could they possibly get promoted?!]
Xie Yanhua won several battles in a row. Although the opponent was the weak state of Han, he was finally able to return to the center of power in Wu.
He really needs to have a good look at this "Jiang Ruyue"! She's been a favorite of the King of Wu lately!
Cao Wei was late and left early every day, yawning. She wondered what was wrong with the king today, that he wanted to hold another meeting.
Why does the boss always like to hold meetings? She absolutely hates them. They just discuss all sorts of random things all day long. Is it really necessary?! And brainstorming sessions? She thinks they're all a waste of time.
She looked at the kind-looking eunuch at the door and, as usual, handed him a small purse. "Let's eat something light today. How about some fish soup? I won't have rice, so how about some noodles? Give me the same tea leaves as last time; I didn't get enough sleep yesterday, so I need some to perk me up. I'd like red bean paste pastries; the meat ones were a bit too rich last time. That'll do for now."
The head eunuch's face beamed with joy. He nodded, and after feeling the weight in his hand, he smiled and left.
Otherwise, how could they become such a favorite of the king? Every time he comes, he gives such generous rewards. He's such a popular figure, and the imperial kitchen is already trying to curry favor with him. Asking him to inquire about his preferences is a double reward for one task. Who wouldn't be happy?
Cao Wei crossed her arms and tucked them into her wide sleeves, preparing to go inside and find a good spot. Before she even stepped into the main hall, she saw Xie Yanhua's dark eyes. Oh, so you're back?!
"Lord Jiang, I have been thinking of you a lot."
"What are you worried about me for?! I'm not marrying you. If I were to marry, it would only be someone from a noble family. Don't even think about it."
Cao Wei walked inside with her hands behind her back, which infuriated Xie Yanhua, who almost grabbed her and said that wasn't what he meant!
Xie Yanhua gritted her teeth. This person was as cunning as ever. Just look at how the people around him were looking at him differently after he said those words. He was clearly talking about what happened last time, but she steered the conversation to this kind of thing!
Moreover, he had already figured it out: this person must also be a contestant. After all, that "recruiting others" theory wasn't something an NPC could come up with; he just didn't know how she became a noble descendant. Sooner or later, he would find something on her!
Cao Wei couldn't be bothered with Xie Yanhua. These were "contract workers" who didn't even receive a fixed monthly salary; she didn't have the time to target them. To be fair, while the selection criteria for these strategists were low, the pay was also poor. Unless you made it big—no, even if you did, you might end up being torn apart by five horses someday.
"I have summoned you all here for the sake of the State of Zhao. The State of Wu is currently strong in military strength and has abundant supplies, and it is also reporting frequent victories at the front. However, the State of Zhao is different from the State of Han. Therefore, I would like to hear your opinions."
Cao Wei listened for a moment and realized that the meeting was about the State of Zhao. It was because the previous battle that they had defeated the Duke of Wu had left him stunned. Now that they had gained confidence after fighting the State of Han, they were still hesitant about whether to attack the State of Zhao.
What's the point of fighting? Is South Korea such a pushover?! They think they're invincible just because they picked a weakling?! Tsk tsk tsk, look at how badly Zhao has beaten Wei, and they still want to go and offer themselves up for slaughter?!
I just can't understand it.
Xie Yanhua glanced at Cao Wei in the other corner. On one side were strategists, and on the other side were court officials, clearly divided. However, he felt that he was no worse than these people, and even better than those who relied on their ancestors' legacy.
"I believe that Wu and Zhao are bound to fight. Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. I have already sent people to Zhao to investigate secretly, and they will soon know the latest situation in Zhao."
After Xie Yanhua finished speaking, seeing that the king's worried expression had not eased at all, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly added, "If we stir up some conflicts within the Zhao state, we can take advantage of the situation and surely achieve a great victory."
Others chimed in with their own comments or spoke freely.
Xie Yanhua was somewhat confused. What exactly did the king want? He lost last time because he didn't know important intelligence, but this time it wouldn't be the same.
"What are your thoughts, Jiang Qing?"
Cao Wei was catching up on sleep with her eyes glazed over when she was suddenly called. She didn't panic at all. First, she pretended to be deep in thought and composed herself. What were they talking about? She hadn't been listening carefully. Why was she being called so early today?
"I think what you all say is very true."
Cao Wei thought that although she didn't know what had happened, she had a universal phrase to use.
Xie Yanhua snorted coldly. She was clearly dozing off; he had been watching her the whole time! Now she was spouting nonsense!
"Then, in Lord Jiang's opinion, what should be done?"
Cao Wei was truly surprised that she had managed to fool him and was preparing to listen carefully before offering some innocuous opinions, but this person actually wouldn't let her go.
Whoever he is, Cao Wei won't tolerate him. "Of course, his opinion is opposite to Mr. Xie's."
Although I don't know what Xie Yanhua said, the charm of language is that it's a proof problem with a known answer, and any explanation can be reasonable.
Xie Yanhua raised an eyebrow. "What? Does Lord Jiang mean he's not going to fight Zhao? Could it be that he's afraid?! Ha!"
Cao Wei finally found some information. She leaned back and relaxed a bit. So they were the pro-war faction! That's alright then.
"It's not that I'm afraid. May I ask, Mr. Xie, which of the five nations are currently the most powerful?"
"Wu, Zhao, Zheng".
"That settles it then. We definitely can't fight here, not only can we not fight. I suggest we make peace with the State of Zhao through a marriage alliance!"
"Ha, Lord Jiang is joking. The last time Wu and Zhao had a conflict, Zhao became powerful and turned around to seek revenge on Wu. How could there be any talk of a marriage alliance?!"
However, the King of Wu sat up straight and gestured to Cao Wei to continue.
"With Zhao so powerful, and Wei on the verge of being completely annexed by Zhao, how could Zheng, which is behind Wei, just sit idly by and watch? Zheng will inevitably clash with Zhao. Wu is powerful, and it is indeed possible to launch a surprise attack as Mr. Xie suggested. However, if we make a marriage alliance, we can take the opportunity to completely annex Han and Wei, and then join forces to deal with Zheng. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Cao Wei thought to herself, these are all just topics of conversation, and it's uncertain whether these things will actually happen, but it's clear that the king doesn't want to fight with Zhao, at least not in the short term.
After all, if they lost again, Wu would no longer be one of the three great powers. They would lose face completely.
Since they can't fight, the answer is obvious: a marriage alliance. If Zhao attacks Wu after the marriage alliance, it would be a violation of the so-called "peace" treaty.
Even if we can't necessarily defeat them, we can still condemn the Zhao state on a moral level.
Besides, it's not good to be at war every day. If too many soldiers are conscripted, who will grow the crops? If the granaries are empty, then we'll have to kill the wealthy families again. Last time, there was a reason for the defeat. If they raid the houses again this time, she's afraid she'll become that "reason" and be pushed out to take the blame and appease the anger of these noble families.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com