Chapter 619 – Chenzhou Urgent Report, The Empire’s Call to Arms (Part 3)
“Is the situation in Chenzhou really that dire now?”
Wei Ci and the others were urgently summoned by Jiang Pengji, and as soon as they settled down, she handed them a letter.
Scanning the contents of the letter, his white jade-like face darkened a few shades, and his grip on the parchment involuntarily tightened, leaving marks.
Feng Zhen was the last to arrive but, lacking patience, he leaned in front of Wei Ci without regard for decorum.
After getting a good look, Feng Zhen finally grasped Wei Ci’s earlier surprise.
“This is… a call to arms? It can’t be real, right…”
Wei Ci shook his head and passed the letter to Feng Jin, who had been waiting nearby.
“The seal on this letter is indeed the imperial jade seal; ordained by heaven, it says ‘Long Life and Eternal Prosperity.’ Who else would dare use these eight characters except for the emperor?”
Feng Zhen scoffed, “Changshou Wang is attacking Chenzhou under the pretense of clearing out the corrupt officials, while the emperor, seeking self-preservation, is summoning the Cangzhou Meng Clan to bring troops to the capital. This Meng Clan is rather interesting, switching sides right before the battle. Once burned, they’re still sending out the call to arms nationwide, requesting vassals to rescue people… Does the emperor not fear that those responding may harbor ulterior motives as well?”
The term “call to arms” means “when the monarch is in distress, the vassals rise to rescue the emperor.”
Changshou Wang’s actions under the pretense of restoring the rightful ruler are indeed a form of a “call to arms,” but his intentions are far from noble.
The Cangzhou Meng Clan is also part of the call to arms, but they switched sides to align with Changshou Wang at the last moment, effectively causing the emperor to shoot himself in the foot.
Feng Jin frowned, “If the emperor does nothing, he risks losing his life. Though issuing the call to arms has its risks, it can at least use the loyalists to restrain the rising Changshou Wang. If luck is on his side, he might even turn the tide against his enemies.”
Feng Zhen chuckled, mockingly saying, “With the roots rotten to the core, does he really expect to rise from the dead?”
The Dongqing royal family resembles a decaying, withered giant tree, internally hollowed out by pests, with roots long rotted in the ground.
One must ask, even the finest gardener would be powerless to revive such a tree.
The Dongqing royal family’s call to arms only drags the entire Dongqing into the mire of war; what else could it serve?
Dreaming of rising again amidst this chaos!
Feng Zhen raised his hand to scratch his ear and lazily sank back into his seat, looking like a boneless creature.
Feng Jin carefully read through the letter, not missing a single word.
After finishing, he asked Jiang Pengji, “What is your intent, my Lord?”
Call to arms?
Or should one play deaf and mute?
Jiang Pengji replied, “I’ve yet to make a decision. Although the royal family has long been in decline and its reputation hollow, they still hold power, and as a subject, one should heed the monarch’s summons… However, the timing isn’t ideal; I’m a bit reluctant to get involved.”
Furrowing her brows, her expression showed no signs of inner conflict.
“Precisely because the decision is difficult, I wish to hear your opinions before deciding whether to dip my toes in.”
The call to arms means that various factions across Dongqing would gather troops in Chenzhou.
At that time, elites would converge, heroes would assemble, and talents would abound—perhaps even potential future opponents among them.
This was a golden opportunity to poach talent.
Naturally, Jiang Pengji didn’t want to miss such an exciting event.
However, as she just mentioned, the timing for the call to arms was off.
If she went, it might end poorly.
The original plan was to reclaim Chengde County in the coming spring, with An Huan supporting her within the Red Lotus Sect, and her troops being elite fighters with considerable combat prowess. Capturing Chengde County should be nearly guaranteed, at which point she could absorb the Red Lotus Sect’s power, further expanding her strength, and use this enlarged force to suppress the local aristocracy of Shangyang County, ultimately replacing key positions with her well-trained talents…
In this way, she could not only take over Chengde County but also thoroughly dominate Shangyang County!
With that, the entirety of Wanzhou would fall under her control.
Dongqing only comprised six states and twenty-one counties, and her Liu Clan, “father and son,” already occupied Wanzhou and Chongzhou, laying the groundwork for future dominance.
This plan was a chain of interlocking strategies, sequentially executed, with a very promising outlook.
If she diverted troops to the call to arms, her hands would be tied; she might even lose everything if someone raided her base.
Feng Jin murmured, “But if the Lord doesn’t respond, she might become a target, turned into a living bullseye.”
Jiang Pengji sighed lightly as the three strategists continued to deliberate; she secretly opened the live streaming chat to gauge the opinions of the idle viewers.
【Little Angels】: So disappointing, I thought the emperor was going to issue a title of ‘Loyalty to the Emperor.’
【Go for It, College Entrance Exam】: The host is meddling in the whole region as a count, sounding a bit like a rebel scum, and still seeking to be crowned king. But it could be a chance to solidify the title of ‘Governor of Wanzhou.’ After all, the loyalty call isn’t without benefits.
【This Month’s Explosive Moment】: I support the previous speaker; it’s clearly a good opportunity, especially since the host is no weakling anymore. If she could pull a Cao Cao move, leveraging the emperor to command the disloyal, that would be even cooler. Host, you’re my goddess!
【Desperate for Monthly Tickets】: No, no—if it were that simple, would the host and her companions be pondering here?
Clearly, the four present had intellect far superior to the idle viewers in the live chat.
If these floundering viewers could see the situation clearly, why wouldn’t the others?
In the end, an old acquaintance, Old Driver Alliance, pointed out where Jiang Pengji was torn.
【Old Driver Alliance】: If you respond to the call to arms? There are benefits, but also drawbacks. The downside is that Chengde County hasn’t been secured, and the local aristocracy in Shangyang is still restless. If something goes wrong during the call to arms, the host’s base isn’t guaranteed. Not responding to the call? Even better; the Dongqing royal family hasn’t perished yet, as can be seen from their order. If the host defies the edict, her reputation as a rebel will be cemented. And when the Dongqing royal family flips the script, their first target will be the host.
Of course, if they fail and Changshou Wang rises to power, he would likewise direct his attacks at Jiang Pengji.
Defying the edict and rejecting the order—what else could it be but rebellion?
The live chat had both informative insights and analysis, but mostly, it was filled with the musings of bored viewers.
After browsing through the comments and finding nothing of substance, Jiang Pengji pouted and closed the chat.
Meanwhile, the three strategists had come to a tacit agreement in their hearts.
Wei Ci, having mingled with bandits in his past life, was now much bolder than Feng Zhen.
For instance, while Feng Zhen was still shackled by old thinking, Wei Ci had an idea.
However, his suggestion, while clever, also reeked of a bad idea.
“My Lord, I believe this matter isn’t contradictory,” Wei Ci pondered a moment and said, “Since you wish to respond to the call to arms but fear delaying next spring’s campaign against Chengde County, why not secure Chengde County in advance? Who knows, you might even catch the spring sowing as well.”
Feng Zhen and Feng Jin were both astonished, the former’s expression twisting into one of horror.
