After venting all his anger towards Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen finally felt much more relaxed. However, deep down, he had etched into his mory the humiliation she had caused him, and he was determined to take his revenge.
Just as he had originally thought, if this woman did not bear him a hundred children, he would not rest until he had his way.
She had drained him all night long, made him stand in the study for an entire night, and then simply ran off as if nothing happened. It wasn't going to be that easy; he had never suffered such a loss at the hands of any other woman before.
Afternoon.
Lu Chen had originally not planned on going to the study to deal with official affairs. Having dealt with so much these past few days, he felt sowhat annoyed and had intended to rest for the day.
However, just as he was cultivating his relationship with Chu Yuqin and the others in the Wind Cloud Palace, an untily voice appeared at the entrance of the Wind Cloud Palace, "Prince, Commander Qin seeks an audience."
Upon hearing this, Lu Chen imdiately ceased his actions and sighed. At this critical period, there was no room for relaxation.
Subsequently, Lu Chen had no choice but to stand up, took a quick bath, and then headed to the study.
After entering the study, Lu Chen asked, "Commander Qin, what brings you here?"
Seeing the serious expression on Lu Chen's face, Qin Yushan realized he might have co at an inopportune ti, and he hurriedly said, "Prince, Great Wu's trade caravans have already withdrawn, and moreover, Great Wu has mobilized an army of three hundred thousand to march northward.
The pace of this army's advance is incredibly swift, as they are carrying virtually no logistical supplies with them."
Under normal circumstances, a nation waging war must first ensure the logistics of its military forces.
There's a saying, "The soldiers do not move until the grain and fodder go forth," but Great Wu's actions were clearly unusual.
That was an army of three hundred thousand, yet they were moving north without any food and supply; what would they eat once they reached the front line?
Hearing Qin Yushan's words, Lu Chen also felt that sothing wasn't quite right. He imdiately picked up the intelligence report that Qin Yushan had placed on the desk and scanned it carefully.
The intelligence indeed confird what Qin Yushan had said; their spies in Great Wu had indeed not seen any of the three hundred thousand-strong northern army carrying any grain or supplies.
Humans, after all, are not stones; they need to eat. Even if Great Wu was in a rush to attack North Country, it was impossible not to bring any supplies at all.
After thinking for a mont, Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, "Investigate why this army of three hundred thousand has not brought any supplies."
Qin Yushan replied, "Our people are already gathering information, but it might take so ti to find out the exact reason."
Lu Chen then recalled sothing and asked, "Right, how many chambers of comrce have been won over from this return to Great Wu?"
Qin Yushan answered, "Your Highness, we have covertly won over four chambers of comrce, and these chambers have virtually no connection with Wu Junwan; they are not part of her faction. We have already established preliminary contact with so of the Great Wu ministers."
Lu Chen said, "Hmm, good, hurry with winning over Great Wu's ministers. As long as Wu Junwan has not ford an alliance with Great Jue, let them impeach her."
Qin Yushan responded, "Yes, I understand."
Getting the ministers of Great Wu to impeach Wu Junwan was just laying the groundwork. Lu Chen was not naïve enough to believe that just a few ministers' impeaching Wu Junwan would be enough to strip her of her power.
What Lu Chen truly intended was, after the war had ended, to have Great Wu deliver Wu Junwan, the Princess, to North Country.
Lu Chen then said, "All right, if there's nothing else, you may leave."
Qin Yushan imdiately responded, "Yes, I shall take my leave."
Qin Yushan left the study quickly and without any delay.
After Qin Yushan had left, Lu Chen sat in his chair, glanced at the map on his desk, and then murmured to himself, "The real war is about to begin."
...
anwhile.
In the Imperial Palace of Great Sum.
The Sum Emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening to the report from a Shadow Guard, when he suddenly broke into a smile and burst into laughter.
"Who would have thought, who would have thought, that Great Wu would actually be willing to remove the thorn in my side that is North Country!"
The Sum Emperor had been pondering how to deal with the malignant tumor that was North Country, and now he was told that there was no need for him to act, as Great Wu had already planned to send troops against North Country.
The Sum Emperor was no fool; he was fully aware of the reasons behind Great Wu's move against North Country.
Clearly, Great Wu intended to take advantage of Great Sum's civil unrest to annihilate North Country, to prevent them from intervening in a future campaign ant to conquer Great Sum. With North Country gone, without the threat from the north, Great Wu could then confidently and boldly initiate a war of conquest against Great Sum.
Moreover, North Country posed a significant threat to other dynasties too; the North Prince's personal ambitions were simply too grand.
He not only spoke of dominating under heaven and claiming every subject within its borders but also talked of laying railways across the entire world. Such great ambition, coupled with North Country's growing military strength, ant Great Wu could not possibly allow North Country to continue developing.
At this mont, the Sum Emperor felt extrely content. Initially, his plan was rely to draw North Country into the fray and lure Lu Chen back, then eliminate all the Seigniors.
Although he failed, this instead indirectly prompted Great Wu's idea of taking action against North Country.
Because of the current civil strife within Great Sum, Great Wu had entertained the idea of sending troops against North Country. If Great Sum were still under the direct rule of the Sum Emperor without internal chaos, even if Great Wu was fully aware of the great threat North Country represented, they would not have moved against North Country at this ti.
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