Chapter 1078 – The Grief of the Meng Clan (Part 5)
Huang Song tapped his toe, pondering just how furious Jiang Pengji must be.
Fighting was tough, but he reaped all the benefits.
He said half-jokingly, “Old Mister Meng, you do know about Lan Ting, right? You must be aware of her temperament?”
Meng Zhan let out a sinister laugh, his smile not reaching his eyes, appearing extremely cold.
Sitting across from him, Huang Song raised his tea cup and took a sip, a smirk dancing on his lips.
Huang Song knew this would offend Jiang Pengji, but the potential gains were too enticing to refuse.
Fortune favors the bold; if he didn’t seize this chance, he might not find another opportunity to rise again.
He wanted to stand on the heights, enjoying the view of the world below instead of staring up from the foot of the mountain.
In his youth, Huang Song had wanted to be a loyal minister benefiting the state, but Feng Jue had cut off his path, bringing his hidden ambition to the surface, spiraling out of control. He didn’t want to remain in the shadows; climbing up was his only option.
Meng Zhan asked, “What are you afraid of?”
Huang Song replied, “I’m not like you, sir. You can abandon your clan and everything else, going all in, but I don’t have that courage.”
Though he said this, the ambition flickering in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
“Since this old man dares to gamble, he must be prepared,” Meng Zhan coldly retorted. “That little Liu Xi? She can’t do anything to you.”
What Meng Zhan had said had already been analyzed by the strategists for Huang Song, which complicated Huang Song’s feelings towards Meng Zhan.
Just as Meng Zhan had stated, Jiang Pengji couldn’t openly confront Huang Song.
Why?
Because Meng Zhan had handed over the two counties of Cangzhou to Huang Song, but he also sent letters to the Yi Clan in Beiyuan and the Nie Clan in Zhong Zhao!
Ever since the princes of Zhong Zhao rose, the trade routes between the two nations had been severed, and information had been obstructed.
Zhong Zhao was clueless about the situation in Dongqing.
As for Beiyuan—
Beiyuan, situated far north, had little commercial exchange or political dealings with the two nations, and information was equally sparse.
With the Meng Clan stationed in Cangzhou and relying on the two natural fortresses within its borders, neither Zhong Zhao nor Beiyuan dared to consider Dongqing as a target.
At that moment, hearing such news from the Meng Clan, how could the Yi Clan in Beiyuan and the Nie Clan in Zhong Zhao not be tempted?
Previously mentioned, Beiyuan’s government was in the hands of the gentry, with the royal family being mere puppets.
The Yi Clan may not hold the greatest power, but they were on par with another prominent family in Beiyuan.
If the Yi Clan obtained the horse farms in Cangzhou, they could flip the situation in an instant and swiftly take control of Beiyuan’s politics.
As for the Nie Clan in Zhong Zhao, they were already a major lord within Zhong Zhao.
What lord could go to war without horses?
The Nie Clan lacked horse farms. Although they had substantial resources to assemble a formidable army, the allure of the horse farms was still immense for them.
Meng Zhan recognized their desires, tossing out Cangzhou as bait to reel them in, then turning around to grant Cangzhou to Huang Song.
This was not to trap Huang Song, but to restrain Jiang Pengji.
How to restrain her?
With two powerful enemies eyeing the situation hungrily, Jiang Pengji couldn’t afford to face off with Huang Song so fiercely that it would only benefit the incoming external forces.
If they engaged in battle, Cangzhou’s two natural fortresses would inevitably be breached by the enemies.
Thus, Feng Jin had previously remarked that this was not a good opportunity to confront Huang Song.
Meng Zhan might disregard home and country, but Jiang Pengji couldn’t.
Even if she had to endure hardship, she still had to prioritize the bigger picture.
Thinking of the predicament Jiang Pengji might be in brought a slight relief to the anger raging within Meng Zhan, though it couldn’t truly settle his soul.
Only the blood of Liu Zhi and his daughter could ever bring him complete peace.
Huang Song rose from his seat and, before leaving, said, “In a few days, Lan Ting will bring the troops. Old Mister Meng, do you need my help?”
Huang Song didn’t concern himself with Meng Zhan’s grudges against Jiang Pengji, but Meng Zhan truly helped him a great deal, and he wouldn’t hesitate to offer some assistance.
“No need—just let Liu Lanting come over.”
Meng Zhan understood Huang Song’s intentions, but he wasn’t a coward who needed pity or help from ants.
Even if death awaited him, he wouldn’t bow to his arch-nemesis.
After two months apart, Huang Song and Jiang Pengji met again, but the atmosphere was not as amicable as before.
However, everyone was an actor at heart; regardless of their inner intentions, they maintained a semblance of politeness.
“Where is Meng Zhan?”
Jiang Pengji had stationed the army at the border of Qianyan County and brought five thousand elite soldiers to the Meng Clan’s state capital.
This place had once been Meng Zhan’s residence and was now Huang Song’s temporary dwelling.
Huang Song smiled and suggested, “Lan Ting has just journeyed here, and marching is exhausting; why not let him rest before interrogating him tomorrow?”
Even locking eyes with Jiang Pengji did not reveal any signs of retreat or cowardice.
Jiang Pengji replied, “Fine, whether he lives another day or not makes no difference to me.”
Huang Song hosted a banquet for Jiang Pengji, offering a continuous flow of exquisite wine and dishes, far more extravagant than back in Hede County.
Circumstances had changed, and so had their mindsets; no one felt like indulging in the feast.
On the surface, they feigned cheerfulness, yet internally, they carried heavy hearts.
Scholars were composed and knew how to mask their thoughts, practically managing to leak no sentiment.
In contrast, the military officers were slightly less composed, with those bearing worse tempers struggling to remain calm.
At that moment, Meng Heng discreetly gestured to Jiang Nongqin.
Typically low-key, Jiang Nongqin drank a cup and, dissatisfied, slammed the small cup down, making a dull thudding sound on the table.
“Why does this general only have plain water here? Are you trying to insult me?”
Everyone, already unwilling to enjoy singing and dancing, turned their gaze upon her after hearing Jiang Nongqin’s words.
Only then did many notice she was a female general, standing amidst a group of men.
Disregarding the gazes of others, Jiang Nongqin pointed at the wine jar of the old general Yuan Xin across the table.
With an arrogant tone, she commanded, “Bring me a bronze wine jar like that, and another barrel of strong liquor—not the weak stuff!”
Yuan Xin was already harboring a fire in his belly and was provoked further by Jiang Nongqin’s finger pointing at him.
How could a guest be so disrespectful?
A guest is a guest! No way should one turn the tables!
“A little girl should be satisfied with some light fruit wine—”
Jiang Nongqin retorted, “I am a deputy leading twenty thousand troops; if I find plain water unsatisfactory, what’s wrong with switching to a wine jar?”
Yuan Xin scoffed, clearly disbelieving her claims.
Jiang Pengji, sitting at the head of the table, shot a frosty glare at Yuan Xin and asked, “Old general, do you have any grievances?”
Yuan Xin choked for a moment.
Meng Heng stepped in to mediate, forcing the issue to a close.
In the end, his gaze fell upon Nie Xun, laced with concern, realizing he was also looking back at him with gratitude.
Had it not been for Meng Heng stepping in, this matter could have escalated today, and no one would have emerged unscathed.
At that moment, Jiang Pengji murmured something.
Jiang Pengji and Huang Song observed everything happening before their eyes.
She lowered her voice to inquire of Huang Song, “Tomorrow, let Nie Xun accompany me to meet Meng Zhan? The others are too aggressive and unfriendly; if we gather them together, there’s bound to be trouble.”
