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After Lu Chen returned to the capital, he began a series of arrangements, immediately ordering Lian Dashuang to mobilize two hundred thousand elite troops to head towards Qingtian Pass. Qingtian Pass is the first major barrier for the Western Seven States entering the Central Plains, known for its strategic importance and often referred to as the first military stronghold in the southwest.
This move by Lu Chen could potentially harm the relationship between the Daiwa Dynasty and Korea, as stationing a large army right under someone else's nose is bound to provoke discontent. Who would be pleased to see such a situation? However, Lu Chen was unafraid and even did this intentionally.
He didn't need to guess; he knew that upon returning to the capital, Chen Shilong, Star Picker, Four-Browed Daoist, Liu Mei Daozhang, and others would undoubtedly be furious when they found themselves empty-handed after all their efforts. Who could remain calm after putting in so much effort without any reward? At that moment, they would surely harbor deep resentment towards Lu Chen because he had calculated all of them into his plans.
Lu Chen's cunning was unparalleled. They were truly experiencing how ever since Lu Chen proposed the Three Kingdoms Alliance, he had been plotting against them all. Knowing that the Great Zhou Dynasty's capital was forced into a corner, with the Defender of the Realm fallen in battle and the emperor fleeing to Eastern Shaolin Temple, they had sacrificed countless soldiers yet achieved nothing in the end?
They must have been infuriated, but at that moment, they had no way to confront Lu Chen because the Three Kingdoms Alliance was stationed near the capital. If any conflict erupted, it would be disastrous. The troops were already exhausted; any misstep could lead to catastrophic losses that would be hard to explain to their superiors, akin to suffering a silent defeat.
In terms of power struggles among higher-ups, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to confront Lu Chen directly. Not only did Lu Chen have formidable generals by his side, but he also possessed various mysterious weapons like the Fire Thunder Cannon and Yuanmo Army. They were not in a position to provoke him. Moreover, if they sought out Lu Chen for clarification, it would mean admitting their defeat and acknowledging that they had suffered a significant loss at his hands while acting like madmen seeking trouble.
They were all sensible individuals and not just anyone; it wouldn't be wise for them to engage in such reckless behavior. What they needed to consider now was how to recover even a little of their losses moving forward. Indeed, what was done was done; continuing to fight would only lead to more casualties. It was an undeniable fact that Lu Chen was cunning and had plotted against everyone. They didn't want to admit it but had no choice but to accept it. However, there would still be opportunities ahead.
The Great Qi Dynasty immediately took action and began plundering the lands of the Great Zhou Dynasty, expanding outward from Qi Kingdom as its center.
It was clear that Qi Kingdom aimed to expand its territory; anyone could see that. However, upon hearing this news, Lu Chen remained completely unfazed because these developments were all within his expectations. If the Great Qi Dynasty wanted to expand, then let them do so. Currently, more than half of Great Zhou Dynasty's territory had already been consumed by the Alliance; what remained could be considered unclaimed land available for taking.
But what Lu Chen needed to focus on now was how to pursue the emperor of Great Zhou Dynasty; that was crucial.
He heard that the emperor had fled to Eastern Shaolin Temple. Even so, Lu Chen did not intend to let him go because one must eradicate roots when cutting grass.
As for Korea's actions, they might not rush into expansion like the Great Qi Dynasty; they had already begun their retreat. Indeed, Korea's army had started withdrawing; it seemed they were preparing to return to Western Seven States after leaving behind a portion of their garrison.
These events were also anticipated by Lu Chen. He suspected that Korea's next move would be the same as his own: to control the emperor of the former Great Zhou Dynasty. However, while their methods might be similar, their moral justifications were not.
Lu Chen intended to detain the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty and then execute him, perhaps to appease the spirits and enhance the prestige of the Daiwa Dynasty.
In contrast, Korea aimed to control the fleeing emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, not to kill him, but to "protect" him.
To put it bluntly, this was akin to hostage-taking and imprisonment, all to achieve their goals. Although the Great Zhou Dynasty had fallen, it did not mean that their emperor was without value. On the contrary, both Korea and Lu Chen recognized the significance of the Great Zhou Dynasty's emperor.
They not only saw the value of the Great Zhou Dynasty's emperor but also realized that this value was extremely important and crucial. Korea's intention to protect the Great Zhou Dynasty's emperor was similar to using a pawn to command vassals; however, they dared not act on such intentions because the Great Zhou Dynasty had already fallen, making such actions meaningless. Their goal was to leverage the name of the former Great Zhou Dynasty emperor to coerce those officials and common people who still remained loyal to the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Indeed, this was Korea's objective. They recognized that they had already lost in the struggle for control over the capital and needed to find a way to rectify their situation. The first step was to detain the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which aligned with Lu Chen's thoughts. Their urgency in withdrawing troops back to the Western Seven States was aimed at Eastern Shaolin Temple.
In the following time, significant movements occurred on Daiwa Dynasty's side. First, Prairie King Murzaha from the northwest four states officially pledged allegiance to the Daiwa Dynasty, shocking everyone. More importantly, the Martial Arts Association from Southern Seven States also sided with the Daiwa Dynasty. Although the Martial Arts Association was merely a civilian sect force, it could be legitimized by joining the Daiwa Dynasty.
The method of legitimization involved disbanding the Martial Arts Association; those who needed to serve would serve, and those who needed to be confiscated would be confiscated. This action compelled many ordinary citizens and local officials from Southern Seven States who had good relations with the Martial Arts Association to pledge loyalty to the Daiwa Dynasty.
After these two events occurred, news spread quickly, leaving everyone astonished. They had never anticipated such developments; it was utterly unexpected. What seemed like unrelated events actually transpired at a time when the Three Kingdoms Alliance breached the capital and jointly destroyed the Great Zhou Dynasty. This signified an impending civil war; in a struggle among three tigers, inevitably two would fall. As a saying goes, one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers; if two tigers cannot coexist, how could there be three?
The actions taken by Prairie King Murzaha and the Martial Arts Association in Southern Seven States helped sway public sentiment towards Daiwa Dynasty, gradually establishing a foundation for pacification. Observers behind the scenes speculated that this might have been a deliberate strategy by Daiwa Dynasty.
In reality, these two matters had already begun to ferment long ago. Firstly, Lu Chen maintained an ongoing relationship with Princess Yuanzheng, repeatedly urging her to persuade Prairie King Murzaha to pledge allegiance to Daiwa Dynasty—this was Lu Chen's contribution.
Prairie King Murzaha had refrained from expressing his stance during the turmoil of Great Zhou Dynasty due to Princess Yuanzheng showing him Daiwa Dynasty's strength through various means and future intentions. This ultimately convinced Prairie King Murzaha. Especially during this assault on the capital by Daiwa Dynasty, their demonstrated resolve and potential completely won over Prairie King Murzaha; this was true deterrence.
If Prairie King does not submit to Daiwa Dynasty, then after Daiwa Dynasty pacifies the Central Plains, it will inevitably sweep through the Northwest. At that time, Prairie King will be isolated and unsupported, and the outcome is basically predictable: simply put, he will perish along with the tide.
As for the Martial Arts Association, this has actually been arranged long ago. The mysterious identity of Young Master Ming from the Martial Arts Association is that he is one of the royal descendants of the Former Han Dynasty and is a brother to Sun Zizhao. Otherwise, how could he easily give up the Southern Seven States, such a valuable territory?
Next comes the major actions on Lu Chen's side. He did not return to Daiwa Dynasty to accept his rewards; instead, the imperial edict was sent directly from Baiyang City to the capital of Great Zhou Dynasty. Lu Chen's military achievements are unparalleled, and his abilities are outstanding, so he was officially appointed as Crown Prince Grand Tutor, known as Lu Taishi.
However, Lu Chen did not return to Baiyang City. His subsequent actions were even more significant, not limited to military operations. Over 400,000 troops were involved, with 200,000 elite soldiers being dispatched to Qingtian Pass. The rest remained in the capital or were sent to various locations to hold their positions and guard the cities captured by Daiwa Dynasty's army.
Currently, Daiwa Dynasty's army strictly follows Lu Chen's orders: no expansion and absolutely no loss of territory, focusing on stability. The 200,000 elite troops sent to Qingtian Pass are led by Lian Dashuang, along with several important generals.
At this time, according to Lu Chen's calculations, Emperor Huangfu Zhen of Great Zhou Dynasty must have already entered the Western Seven States and taken refuge in Eastern Shaolin Temple. Capturing him will certainly be difficult; however, just because it is hard does not mean it should not be attempted. This is something that must be done without any carelessness or negligence—if it is to be done, it must be done well.
Lu Chen secretly invited Yuanmo Laozu from Baiyang City. In addition to him, there were also the Treasure Guardian Beast, President Young Master Ming from the Martial Arts Association, Princess Yuanzheng, and others. As for his soldiers, they were from the Dragon Slayer Legion—known as the flower of the army and the most mysterious unit standing at the highest rank—comprising nearly a hundred men who rode swiftly towards Western Seven States. When they arrived at Qingtian Pass, it was under Korea's control, and the garrison was also Korean; however, Lu Chen had his own methods and easily passed through.
Next, Lu Chen and his companions did not linger but headed straight for Eastern Shaolin Temple after crossing Killing Green Mountain, targeting the emperor of Great Zhou Dynasty.
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