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墨書 Inktalez
"What? A hundred thousand troops for peace talks? This old fellow wants to negotiate but doesn't want to fight!"
The Langya Prince was taken aback, not expecting the Xia Kingdom to play this card. However, Jiu Zhu had already captured three checkpoints and two cities in succession; could peace really be achieved? Even if he was willing, and the Lingnan King was willing, Su Qianxue would certainly not agree.
"My lord, it's clear that the Xia Kingdom is preparing for a major war, but it's not aimed at us! Therefore, the Xia Country Emperor doesn't want to initiate a conflict on our front!"
Che Chengyun keenly identified the crux of the matter and believed this presented an opportunity. The Langya Prince noticed Che Chengyun's calm demeanor and couldn't help but ask, "Che Chengyun, what are your thoughts?"
"My lord, this battle must be fought no matter what! However, it will likely be the Royal Guard facing off against Jiu Zhu's army. The other forces will remain inactive, allowing us to wait for the outcome of this battle. A small skirmish is necessary, but it must be on a larger scale. This is contingent upon the Xia Kingdom not wanting to escalate into a full-blown war."
At this time, the Great Zhou Dynasty lacked the strength for such aggression. Currently, Su Qianxue's resolve relied solely on the confidence brought by the Royal Guard. "We can assist Jiu Zhu! When the two armies clash, it will likely occur in a city; fighting is essential. However, there is room for maneuvering within that context."
Che Chengyun slowly articulated his thoughts.
---
In Jiang Han Tavern, Su Qianxue sat in the courtyard enjoying hot pot with Jiang Han. Cen Ya had even innovated by adding hot pot-flavored instant noodles into the pot to cook. Yan Dong held a bowl of Black Pepper Flavor noodles as a substitute for rice while savoring beef meatballs from the hot pot.
Ling Xue took a sip of cola and immediately showed a sour expression on her face. She couldn't help but praise, " Shopkeeper Jiang, this black water tastes really good! I particularly like it; drinking this black water is simply delightful!"
"This isn't just any black water; it's called cola! Hot pot paired with cola is the best choice!"
Jiang Han chuckled lightly and gestured for Piao Xue to bring over the Xue Bi from the side. He personally opened the bottle of Xue Bi, poured himself a glass, and took a hearty sip before inquiring if the others would like to try some as well. Since it was recommended by Shopkeeper Jiang, he felt it necessary to taste it!
Su Qianxue's beautiful eyes sparkled as she gazed intently at Jiang Han. Cen Ya and Piao Xue also wanted to drink first, but upon seeing Su Qianxue speak up, they obediently waited their turn. After pouring a glass of Xue Bi for Su Qianxue, Jiang Han served the other four women each a glass before starting to eat some lamb.
After enjoying a few bites of lamb, he noticed that Su Qianxue had nearly finished her meal, so he asked, “You came to me suddenly; is there something on your mind?”
“Yes, Shopkeeper Jiang. There are indeed matters I need to ask of you!” As autumn approached, Su Qianxue sighed softly. “The soldiers will need winter uniforms, and I may require your assistance. Of course, I won’t take anything for free!”
She had already received thirty thousand sets of armor and equipment and was in the process of arming thirty thousand men.
Hearing this, Jiang Han nodded and replied, “Winter clothing is no problem at all! But surely you have more than just this to discuss?”
“Yes, there’s also something concerning Jiu Zhu!” Su Qianxue then recounted the recent developments to Jiang Han. Jiu Zhu had captured three checkpoints and two cities but received an imperial edict from the Xia Country Emperor ordering him not to advance further.
Mu Jinkun’s relatives, led by Mu Prime Minister of the Xia Kingdom, were coming with a peacekeeping army not only to prevent war between the two nations but also to bring Mu Jinkun back to the Xia Kingdom.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Han learned that Su Qianxue’s one thousand Royal Guards were now in a standoff with Jiu Zhu’s fifty thousand troops. He took the initiative to ask, “So, are you saying that you want to engage in battle?”
“Yes! If we don’t fight, Jiu Zhu will certainly cause trouble! However, I also don’t wish for prolonged warfare; I want a decisive battle!” Su Qianxue hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Seeing her uncertainty, Jiang Han directly stated, “There’s no need for us to hide our relationship any longer! Let me be straightforward with you, Shopkeeper Jiang! Our Great Zhou Dynasty is weak; the Xia Kingdom’s actions are merely an attempt to avoid fighting on multiple fronts. But I want to leverage our small strength against them and deal as much damage as possible within what the Xia Kingdom can accept.”
Su Qianxue revealed her astute side as she spoke eloquently. "I hope to emulate the ancient times when two armies could face each other in a proper formation for battle. In this conflict, I wish to place additional bets on the periphery! Through this medium-scale battle involving tens of thousands of people, I aim to achieve returns that are several times greater. This requires taking a risk, which means I need to gamble!"
A normal person would never wager something so significant for the nation. However, when one is weak and desires immense profit, there is no other choice. By leveraging the expectations of the opponent and introducing variables of her own, one can reap substantial benefits—much like Jiang Han did against Che Chengming.
Jiang Han sought to gain the maximum profit with minimal investment. Su Qianxue was no different; she simply lacked the confidence to proceed alone, which is why she sought Jiang Han's assistance. She hoped to gain an advantage through him, wishing for Jiang Han to bluff and drag Langya Prince into the fray.
Su Qianxue meticulously outlined her plan, employing a series of deliberate provocations and feigned weakness to incite the enemy into war. At the moment of battle, she intended to finalize a contract through negotiations between the two nations, binding them together in conflict. Then, in that battle, she aimed for a dramatic turnaround that would yield immense profits.
Jiang Han listened thoughtfully for a moment before responding, "As long as you can offer treasures, I can provide you with what you desire!"
"Jiu Zhu and Mu Jinkun harbor a deep-seated hatred for me. At a critical moment, you can wager my life."
Su Qianxue was taken aback. She hadn't expected Jiang Han to say such a thing.
Jiang Han chuckled and added, "Don't worry; even if you truly lose, I will have already escaped. I won't just wait here to die. I can return to the real world; if it comes to that, I’ll simply run away."
Moreover, if he were to ride the wave of fortune and secure such a deal, he could easily acquire over a hundred smaller targets.
The Ten Treasures of Langya Wangfu were each worth ten thousand taels of gold. However, if obtained in the real world, they could be auctioned off for thirty smaller targets instead.
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