"Furthermore—" At this point, the Liang Emperor looked towards the first person who had spoken. "Let the Great General handle this matter. Find an opportunity to make contact with Shen Changqing. If he is willing to co to Great Liang, I will treat him as a distinguished guest, certainly better than his position in the Demon-Subduing Division. Whatever Gu Xuanji can offer him, Great Liang can provide the sa. He is the Defender Envoy of South Nether Prefecture in Great Qin. If he joins Great Liang, I will grant him the position of a prefecture lord directly, and aside from the Capital City, he may choose any other prefecture."
As these words fell, all the ministers’ expressions changed dramatically. Bestowing the position of a prefecture lord was a matter of utmost importance. Moreover, according to the Liang Emperor’s proposition, it clearly allowed the other party to choose any prefecture to beco its lord, which carried a completely different significance. It must be understood that while the title of Defender Envoy implied so authority of a prefecture lord, there was a distinct difference. After all, ’Defender Envoy’ lacked the formal legitimacy of the direct title ’prefecture lord.’
Suddenly, a minister spoke out to advise, "Your Majesty, Shen Changqing is a man of Great Qin. Even if we manage to recruit him, if he can betray Great Qin, he could just as likely betray Great Liang. Rashly granting him the position of a prefecture lord might bring many hidden risks. Moreover, it would also lead to grumbling among the people of the various prefectures."
"Lord Chen speaks with great reason."
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
One after another, ministers voiced their concerns and advice.
Regarding this, the Liang Emperor’s expression remained unchanged. "Great Liang has not seen the ergence of a powerful figure for a long ti. Although we have survived until now by relying on a millennium of foundation, our national strength is declining day by day, as you are all aware. If there’s no new blood, what will beco of Great Liang in another hundred years? What does it matter to grant the position of a prefecture lord? If winning over Shen Changqing can indeed help Great Liang cultivate a new generation of experts, then even if we offer more, it will be worthwhile."
Great Liang possessed a thousand years of heritage, boasting an exceptionally strong foundation. However, Great Qin, a power that had risen only just over three hundred years ago, had already surpassed Great Liang in national strength. At its peak, Great Qin was simply incomparable to Great Liang. Even now, as Great Qin’s power waned, it was still stronger than Great Liang. Ultimately, this was because Great Liang’s foundation had nearly been exhausted. If no new experts erged, in another one to two hundred years, the nation would be completely ruined.
Up to this point, the Liang Emperor also sensed that the Demon Evil within Great Liang’s borders were showing signs of spiraling out of control. Had the Demon Evil Clan not focused the majority of its forces on Great Qin, Great Liang might have already fallen into chaos. He had so theories about the Demon Evil Clan’s strategy: they aid to dismantle the strongest, Great Qin, first, which would allow them to effortlessly deal with the remaining kingdoms. From this, it was clear that the Demon Evil Clan was extrely confident. In the depths of his mind, the Liang Emperor sensed an intangible crisis looming over Great Liang, one that might descend at any mont. What he could do now was to enhance Great Liang’s foundation as much as possible, allowing it to preserve its roots in the upcoming crisis.
Hearing this, many ministers fell silent. Then, soone spoke, "Not long ago, Great Qin sent a Great Confucian to seek aid, and we also dispatched an army to accompany him. Therefore, we are currently in a cooperative relationship with Great Qin. If we poach an expert from Great Qin, this cooperative relationship will also collapse!"
So who heard this nodded slightly. This was indeed a problem.
In response, the Liang Emperor’s deanor remained unchanged. "If Great Qin cannot retain its people, what concern is that of Great Liang? Besides, Great Qin is currently besieged on all sides. Gu Xuanji will not risk a falling out with Great Liang over a single Great Grandmaster. This matter need not be discussed further. My decision is final."
With these words, the other ministers no longer voiced their opposition.
"Great General, take so n and head to South Nether Prefecture!"
"I obey!" The middle-aged man bowed and accepted the decree.
「 」
Just like Great Liang, other kingdoms were also making similar moves. The auctioning of Great Grandmaster Martial Arts had already sent ripples throughout the world. In particular, the power displayed by Shimohe and Shen Changqing as Great Grandmasters had captivated everyone. Everyone understood that acquiring Great Grandmaster Martial Arts at an auction did not necessarily an they could cultivate an expert of the Great Grandmaster Realm. However, anything was possible. Should a Great Grandmaster erge within one’s own nation, it would be a cause for imnse joy.
A Great Grandmaster was an expert of formidable strength, quite unlike the so-called Defender Envoys of the existing nations. To put it simply, the Defender Envoys of various nations had all taken unique paths, each fraught with its own hidden dangers. Take the Defender Envoys of Great Qin, for instance, whose lifespans were reduced, often faring worse than ordinary people. As for a Great Grandmaster, from what was currently known, theirs appeared to be the most orthodox path. Breaking through the Grandmaster’s Limit and ascending to another level, there seed to be no apparent flaws on the surface. Thus, many speculated that becoming a Great Grandmaster was indeed the correct and orthodox path. In light of this, the auction of Great Grandmaster Martial Arts was hardly an opportunity they would willingly forgo.
As the news spread, Great Qin was among the first to receive it.
"Shen Changqing is going to auction Great Grandmaster Martial Arts. You’ve heard about this, haven’t you?" Gu Xuanji lifted his teacup, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Zhao replied with a gentle smile, "This news has spread throughout Great Qin. I heard that Great Liang and Dayue are both eager to act. How could I not have heard of it?"
After he finished speaking, the veteran eunuch, speaking in his distinctive, thin voice, said, "Defender Dongfang, Shen Changqing is also a Defender Envoy of Great Qin. Now, instead of offering his Great Grandmaster Martial Arts to the Imperial Court, he’s openly auctioning them off. That seems rather improper. Should these martial arts fall into the hands of enemy states, wouldn’t that be bolstering their strength? For Great Qin, this represents a significant hidden danger."
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Zhao glanced at him, his deanor unchanged. "I am unable to influence this matter. After all, Shen Changqing is the Defender Envoy of South Nether Prefecture. Even if I were to issue a forceful command, it would be difficult to change anything. Wouldn’t it be better, Eunuch, if you tried to persuade him? See if you can convince Shen Changqing to dedicate those Great Grandmaster Martial Arts to the Imperial Court."
The eunuch’s face stiffened suddenly. His attempt at persuasion would certainly not end well. For the mont, he did not know how to respond.
"Defender Dongfang is not wrong in his assessnt," Gu Xuanji said calmly, with a slight smile. "Shen Changqing may belong to the Demon-Subduing Division, but he is a Great Grandmaster, after all. Coercion would ultimately be unseemly. Moreover, when it cos to national strength, Great Qin fears no one. If it really cos to a contest, then let the auction be the battlefield."
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Zhao rely showed a faint smile and remained silent.
"Oh, right," Gu Xuanji’s tone shifted. "The reinforcents from Great Liang are about to arrive. When they join forces with Luo’an Prefecture, it seems likely they can expel Great Zhou and even potentially rally for a counterattack against Great Zhou. Dayue’s support might co a bit slower, but it will be much the sa."
First, they had dispatched a Great Confucian to persuade, then waited for the two states to send reinforcents—a process that had not been short. Now, at last, there was a result.
Dongfang Zhao’s expression turned solemn, and he said gravely, "The support from Great Liang and Dayue is as expected, but a counterattack against Great Zhou seems overly risky. Based on Great Zhou’s actions, it’s clear they are in contact with the Barbarian Clan, and possibly even the Demon Evil. Now that the Barbarians’ invasion not only hasn’t halted but has been escalating, with the advent of spring, they will surely intensify their assaults. I believe it’s better to prioritize internal stability first."
Last winter, not only did the Barbarian Clan not withdraw their troops, but they also battled incessantly in Great Wilderness Prefecture. With spring, the Barbarians, having addressed their logistical issues, would surely escalate their offensive. Dongfang Zhao foresaw that it wouldn’t be long before Great Wilderness Prefecture erupted into even fiercer warfare. The war had continued for a long ti, engulfing most of Great Wilderness Prefecture. Nearly all the common folk had relocated to the rear to avoid the ravages of war. But if the war escalated once more on a grand scale, a vast number of refugees would undoubtedly erge. A single misstep in handling this situation could lead to significant future troubles.
Gu Xuanji pondered for a mont. "Your concerns are not unfounded. Let’s first stabilize the situation in Luo’an Prefecture, then address the Barbarians in Great Wilderness Prefecture. Great Qin has lain dormant for many years. It’s ti the Barbarians were reminded of the might Great Qin once possessed!"
As he spoke, a powerful aura burst forth from Emperor Qin. In that instant, the Imperial Palace was engulfed in silence.
「 」
PS: This Chapter is a triple release: two regular updates and one to compensate for a previously owed update for an Alliance Hierarch.
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