Chapter 961 – The Calm Before the Storm (Part Three)
Feng Jue let out a sigh, while Cheng Jing frowned but said nothing.
As expected.
Huang Song’s Lady was also a clever woman; she was unlike ordinary ladies of the court.
Their Lord wouldn’t even shy away from her during discussions; sometimes he would even consider her suggestions, clearly showing his affection and respect.
Cheng Jing said, “In that case, we must think of another way. The head of the Meng Clan is as cunning as a fox, ambitious, and ruthless in pursuing his goals; he’s not someone easy to deal with. Rather than guarding against his schemes later on, it’s better to not team up with him from the start.”
Huang Song looked troubled, saying, “But if we refuse, wouldn’t that just mean making an enemy of the Meng Clan?”
The Cangzhou Meng Clan was indeed not to be trifled with.
Huang Song was gaining power, but compared to a heavyweight like the Meng Clan, he was still a bit inexperienced.
If they allied, he would have to take on certain risks, but the benefits would undoubtedly be considerable.
If he refused the alliance, it would be tantamount to pushing the Meng Clan into an opposing position, creating an unnecessary enemy.
For now, he could only wait to hear what his two trusted advisors would say.
Cheng Jing asked, “Has the Lord considered why the Meng Clan would suddenly want to ally with us at this critical moment?”
Huang Song shook his head; he hadn’t studied the Meng Clan’s motives.
Cheng Jing confidently stated, “It’s likely that they’re not in it for friendship; they probably fear that we might assist Liu Xi. They also might hope to use our forces to keep Liu Xi’s main forces in check. If that’s the case, the Meng Clan is hardly worth our effort.”
Huang Song was momentarily dazed—what does this have to do with Lan Ting?
“The Meng Clan wants to eliminate Liu Xi,” Feng Jue reminded.
When would be the best opportunity for the Meng Clan to take out Jiang Pengji?
Of course, it would be when she was embroiled in a stalemate with the Northern Frontier and had no excess energy to manage her rear!
Huang Song’s brows shot up in anger, “Does the Meng Clan dare do this? Wouldn’t that make them traitors who betray our nation’s righteousness?”
Cheng Jing replied coolly, “The Meng Clan is secretly selling mares to the Northern Frontier; if they can engage in such activities, do you think they’d care about gaining another accusation?”
Huang Song thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and resolutely made a decision.
“If that’s the case, then we won’t consider an alliance with the Meng Clan.”
He had a premonition that his friendship with Jiang Pengji would not last long; sooner or later, they would inevitably cross swords.
War was war, and righteousness was righteousness.
He couldn’t just assist the enemy in their oppressive deeds.
Feng Jue smiled, “Although we can’t ally with the Meng Clan, we can ally with Liu Xi to resist them.”
Huang Song grimaced, “Lan Ting is already overwhelmed; just dealing with the Northern Frontier is giving her a headache.”
Cheng Jing was confident, “Jing and Huaiyuan suggest that we help Liu Xi delay the Meng Clan. Once she resolves the Northern Frontier issue, we can take out the Meng Clan then.”
Huang Song was left speechless.
How could the friends who were drinking and celebrating with him turn out like this in the words of his advisors?
That’s the Northern Frontier, not some cabbage—can you just chop it down?
Feng Jue wore a wry smile, pulling out a report from his sleeve and handing it to Huang Song, “You’ll understand when you read this.”
Huang Song took a look and his eyes widened.
What had he seen?
The situation in the Northern Frontier was so chaotic?
The royal court was split; the escapees among the princes were developing their own tribes, and the princes who hadn’t left were embroiled in Chicken Fight contests.
Internal fragmentation was the most taboo among powers; let alone among nomadic tribes like the three from the Northern Frontier.
The Northern Frontier regime relied on the royal court as a bond to connect the powers of various tribes, twisting countless strands together to form a terrifying fighting force. If the tribes turned their backs on one another, who knew how much their combat effectiveness would wane—
“The Northern Frontier is really down on its luck this year—”
First there was the Horse Plague, and now internal strife; how could they compete against Liu Xi, who had been sharpening her knives for years?
Though the Northern Frontier cavalry were exceptionally strong, the superior infantry’s combat effectiveness might not lose to a fragmented cavalry force.
Cheng Jing asserted, “It’s not just bad luck; it’s likely someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes. As for who it is, it’s pretty obvious.”
Huang Song gasped, “The internal strife in the Northern Frontier is the result of someone’s scheme?”
Cheng Jing nodded; as for the one stirring the pot in the Northern Frontier, he hadn’t caught them yet.
Don’t blame Cheng Jing for not finding them; Sun Wen had infiltrated the Northern Frontier as a slave and later became Halencha’s secret confidant, rarely appearing in public. He discreetly advised the Fourth and Ninth Princes, taking great care to remain undetected.
There were signs that some within the Northern Frontier had noticed recent irregularities, but Sun Wen acted too cautiously, so they couldn’t catch his tail.
Huang Song sighed, “If there is indeed someone at work, then it’s gotta be Lan Ting’s people.”
At this critical moment stirring up trouble in the Northern Frontier would benefit Jiang Pengji the most.
“Forming an alliance with Lan Ting gives me peace of mind.”
Compared to the Meng Clan, Huang Song felt more at ease with Jiang Pengji.
Though Jiang Pengji could be a bit tricky, she was a person of principles and wouldn’t stab an ally in the back without warning.
Even if she did turn on him, she’d at least give him a heads-up.
“Sigh—now I can finally explain things to my Lady—”
After discussing important matters, Huang Song let out a long breath and couldn’t help but vent to his advisors.
“This woman is truly not to be trifled with.”
After this incident, even if Huang Song had ten times the courage, he wouldn’t dare speak the words “take a concubine” again.
He added, “Especially a woman who knows how to fight!”
Feng Jue couldn’t help but chuckle, saying, “My Lord should go home and properly comfort the first Lady.”
The grapevine in the yard had collapsed; was he not gonna rush to fix it? Huang Song briskly went to pacify his Lady, showering her with sweet words and affection without reserve, holding the two kids and begging for forgiveness, finally winning back Qi Qiqi’s heart and making her smile again.
Meanwhile, the two advisors were also surprised by the Lady’s temperament.
Feng Jue turned to his own wife, “If the Lord were to take a concubine, the estate would probably be flipped upside down by the first Lady.”
This Lady was not chosen by Feng Jue, but rather was introduced by Huang Song’s wife; the two got along quite well after their marriage.
“Chaolan always has such a fierce temperament; it’s no surprise.”
Feng Jue’s wife was not particularly pretty, but her demeanor was incredibly gentle, a true representation of gentleness and grace.
“Lucky there’s a Liu Xi; if not for Liu Xi, the Lord would probably be ridiculed.”
For men, being feared by their wives was not a good reputation.
“Even without that person, Chaolan would still make a scene; in the end, it might end in a divorce.”
Too many men betray women under the guise of ambition; some women endure it, while others prefer to shatter rather than remain incomplete.
Qi Chaolan was one of the latter.
She wasn’t foolish; on the contrary, Qi Qiqi was too sharp.
Taking a concubine once would lead to another; take one time, and there would definitely be more. Compromise would eventually wear away the sweetness between husband and wife, leading to resentment.
She wouldn’t give Huang Song a second chance to betray her.
If Huang Song dared take a concubine, she’d definitely follow through with a divorce.
If there was a divorce, Huang Song would think about her for the rest of his life, turning it into an obsession, forever holding a space for her in his heart.
No matter how many flings Huang Song had, no one could replace her.
Feng Jue held her hand, jokingly saying, “How do you know the first Lady so well? What if your husband wants to take a concubine too?”
Feng Jue’s wife shot him a glare, slowly withdrawing her hand, then with a soft smile, crushed the teacup on the table.
“Your husband should try it and see?”
Feng Jue: “”
