Choice

While the lakeside in the imperial palace of the Imperial Capital lay silent, the bustling Wanxiang City was teeming with life, save for a luxurious private chamber in the eastern quarter of the city, which was utterly devoid of sound. Clad in a dress patterned in green over black, Lou Ji leaned against a nearby pillar with her arms crossed over her chest. "This is why big sister has to leave. Right from the start of the year, it's been one troubled time after another." "..." Xu Yuan did not speak immediately, carefully perusing the latest "Grade A" internal briefing Lou Ji had just handed him. With his current status, he shouldn't have had sufficient clearance to view an internal briefing of this level, but who could help it when Lou Ji doted on him? Just a moment ago, she had dropped in unannounced to say she was throwing in the towel and leaving. When he asked why, she handed him this briefing straight away. It concerned the war in the Northern Border. After a while, a wisp of blood-red flame flared up, reducing the paper in his hand to ash. Xu Yuan frowned deeply. Although the fighting here in the Wanxing Mountain Range was fierce, not a single war behemoth had appeared. This indicated Guyuan was merely conducting a routine probe this year to cull the number of demonic beasts in the mountains. Had the Wanxiang Sect not harbored ulterior motives, Shengshan County would not have suffered such heavy casualties either. The Northern Border was the only place in the Great Yan Dynasty that could truly be called an active war zone right now. For this reason, Xu Yuan had always kept a close eye on that front. People naturally tended to pay attention to such matters, especially when they could get their hands on genuine, firsthand intelligence. When Xu Yuan first arrived in Wanxiang City, he had asked someone for similar intelligence. Whether from the official gazettes or internal briefings from the Chancellor's Manor, reports of victory had flowed incessantly. Either two thousand barbarians were slain at such-and-such mountain, or the main force of some barbarian tribe was surrounded at such-and-such river. In the largest battle, Princess Wuyuan had routed the main force of a major tribe and gone on to slaughter the entire tribe—young and old, seventy to eighty thousand people. Princess Wuyuan's intention this time was easy to guess: even if she couldn't exterminate the barbarians entirely, she would hit them hard enough that they couldn't recover for twenty years. Yet now, the situation had abruptly reversed. The victory reports were gone. The forty thousand Feather Forest Guards led by Wuyuan, along with twenty thousand elite soldiers from various sects and noble clans, were encircled at Mount Dali by the alien king of the Barbarians. After a brief silence, Xu Yuan stood up and paced a few steps through the room, frowning. "The forty thousand defenders garrisoned at a vital crossroads like Hejia Town were routed, severing the overland supply line to the forward vanguard? On top of that, two second-rank experts from Lingshui Palace carrying Sumeru rings loaded with provisions and equipment were ambushed and killed by the barbarians at Tianpu Cliff..." Xu Yuan found it utterly absurd. He still had only a superficial understanding of warfare in this world, but he did know there were three ways to transport supplies. Aside from standard overland and aerial transport, high-level cultivators could carry several or even dozens of Sumeru rings and travel at top speed. Most of the supplies and equipment for the Chancellor's Manor's assault on Wanxiang City had been moved using the latter method. This was why Sumeru rings were so rare; they were strategic assets in the truest sense, capable of freeing an army from supply constraints. An overland supply line being cut off was understandable—a classic "Loss of Jieting"—which could happen for any number of reasons. But high-ranking cultivators getting ambushed and killed was simply unconvincing. A trace of helplessness appeared on Lou Ji's languid face, and she sighed. "Changtian, all of these things happened within the span of two days." Her words carried a subtle implication. Naturally, Xu Yuan caught the hint. The array formation technique for the Heavenly Communication Crystal belonged exclusively to the Chancellor's Manor, and its information security was classified top-secret within Grade A. In other words, even if someone had attempted to transmit word to Wuyuan on the front lines the instant it occurred, there wouldn't have been enough time. Someone had deliberately denied Princess Wuyuan any time to react. Thinking up to this point, Xu Yuan raised his eyes to look at Lou Ji. "The sects did this?" The briefing merely stated what had objectively transpired, without adding speculative notes. Lou Ji spread her hands. "I don't know, but most likely." An inexplicable sense of absurdity welled up in Xu Yuan's heart. "Yet the forty thousand troops defending Hejia Town and the twenty thousand elites by Wuyuan's side belong to the sects. Not to mention two Origin Realm experts." Lou Ji approached, leaned down, and gently patted Xu Yuan's shoulder, a profound look in her phoenix eyes. "Changtian, sixty thousand men is a lot, but for the sects of the entire realm, it really isn't much. The same goes for two Origin Realm experts." Silence. Then, Xu Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled, "What... are the sects trying to achieve?" Lou Ji did not answer directly, offering another piece of information instead: "The Black Scale Guards sacrificed several spies to uncover that when Wuyuan marched north, the supplies she transported weren't meant for forty thousand men, but for a hundred thousand." "A hundred thousand..." Xu Yuan's expression turned odd. "You mean she's hiding more troops?" Lou Ji wagged her finger with a smile, speaking in a low voice: "Marquis Wucheng had six garrisons totaling two hundred thousand troops in the Beifeng Army. Years ago, due to certain events, that old man Li Yaoxuan recalled Marquis Wucheng to the capital along with four garrisons to protect the Imperial Capital. But after Wuyuan broke the barbarians and pushed deep into their territory, three of those four garrisons in the capital were quietly deployed. At present, they're estimated to reach Beifeng City in a little over five days. I only learned of this ten days ago myself." "..." Hearing this, Xu Yuan suddenly understood. The Chancellor's Manor wasn't the only power capable of secretly moving armies across the realm. The royal family of Great Yan had the capacity as well, though their security apparently hadn't been as tight as the Manor's this time around. Still, for the Emperor to secretly deploy so many elites to the Northern Border... Xu Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is the Emperor trying to use this opportunity to solve the northern barbarians once and for all?" "Presumably." Lou Ji nodded in satisfaction, her tone tinged with nostalgia as if recalling the past. "Li Yaoxuan is an ambitious monarch. Knowing his days are numbered, he wanted to eliminate a few threats before he died. But what the sects want is to maintain the status quo. What a pity..." "..." Xu Yuan leaned back against the heavy desk, a trace of mockery on his face. "The sects... understand that if the lips are gone, the teeth are cold?" Lou Ji shrugged her fair shoulders, taking it as confirmation. Everything made sense now. There were plenty of smart people among the sects. Even if the royal family and the Chancellor's Manor were currently smiling and talking about peace, the events of a dozen years ago were still fresh in memory. To have no defenses against them was impossible. They could deal with the surrounding foreign tribes, but there was no need to, because maintaining the status quo served the sects' interests best. After all, who knew who would be next once they finished dealing with the foreign tribes? The Emperor knew what the sects were thinking. If he couldn't do it openly, he would do it in secret. He had laid the groundwork years ago. The early setbacks in the Northern Border campaign, the mutual sabotage and cascading retreats all the way until Beifeng City was besieged—these were in all likelihood tacitly permitted by the Emperor. Because the Emperor knew Beifeng City would not fall; the sects would never let Beifeng City, their bottom line, be lost. Hence his tacit consent. On the surface, the forty thousand Feather Forest Guards led by Wuyuan spearheaded the relief of Beifeng City, compelling the sects to join in reclaiming lost ground and launching a retaliatory strike against the barbarians. In truth, provisions and materiel had already been transported. Once the Beifeng Army arrived at the Northern Border, it would no longer be mere retaliation, but total extermination. To butcher the barbarians until nine out of ten homes stood empty, leaving them unable to recover their strength for a century. At this thought, Xu Yuan let out a breath and echoed, "It really is a pity..." He was no animal protection activist. Even if an alien race like the barbarians—resembling greenskins or orcs—were slaughtered to the last, he wouldn't mind in the slightest. If the Emperor's scheme had succeeded, then when they moved against the sects later, they wouldn't have to worry about the barbarians marching south and turning into a boss. However... Xu Yuan looked at Lou Ji with helpless eyes. "Sis... it seems I still overestimated the bottom line of these sects." To sabotage your plan by severing their own wrist left no flaws to exploit. Even if one wanted to settle scores later, there would be no righteous pretext. At most, they would offer up a few scapegoats for you to execute. Lou Ji was not at all surprised by this. She gave an enchanting chuckle. "A bottom line? What's that? Their very existence is an act of usurping the state. Beyond usurping the state, is it really any surprise they would betray their race for their own benefit?" At this point, however, she reached out to pat his head affectionately, her eyes narrowing into dangerous crescents. "Still, Changtian, this plan isn't over yet~" Xu Yuan froze for a moment, then caught on. "Father has a backup plan too?" "Not your father, but Zong Qingsheng. He sniffed something out from the previous fighting and headed to the Northern Border ahead of time." Lou Ji's red lips curved upward. Her tone was slightly dismissive, but her eyes held genuine appreciation. "I thought that crude brute only knew how to fight with your big sister over funds at year's end. Seems he has some use after all." Xu Yuan pondered briefly, searching his memories for the man. These were all memories from his past life; in this life, he had virtually no impression of him, because the man rarely visited the Chancellor's Manor. It was most likely to avoid suspicion. He commanded all of the Chancellor's Manor's armed forces; lingering around the manor would make it easy to run into other high-ranking officials, particularly Hua Hong, who controlled the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce. Looking at it now, the man possessed remarkable political acumen. In Cangyuan, however, Xu Yuan's impression of him was exceptionally deep. Zong Qingsheng—one of the Manor's high-ranking leaders who martyred himself after learning of Xu Yinhe's death. A formidable late-game big boss. "Did Senior Zong bring an army?" "What else?" Lou Ji took it for granted, smiling. "Old Man Zong cultivates army battle-array techniques—on his own, he can't even beat an ordinary second-rank cultivator. What good would it do for him to go alone? He took thirty thousand elites of the Black Scale Army and has them hunkered down in a mountain hollow by a river near Mount Dali, waiting for word from your father." "Did he bring a Heavenly Communication Crystal?" Xu Yuan asked. "Yes." Lou Ji nodded. Mentioning this brought a trace of indignation to her charming face, and she pouted. "Of the three Heavenly Communication Crystals currently in the testing phase, one is with your father, one is with that brat Xu Changge, and the last is with that old fellow. Even I don't have one. Tsk tsk..." With that, Lou Ji suddenly threw Xu Yuan a flirtatious wink. "Changtian, your brother has that Heavenly Communication Crystal because he's the heir. Down the road, it will probably be passed to you..." "..." Xu Yuan rolled his eyes. Here she went again. The moment he let his guard down, this old auntie started badgering him for perks. It hadn't even been a month since they met, and she had already fleeced fifteen million taels of silver from him, plus two rare, extinct Meishen flowers. If Xu Yuan hadn't insisted on saving the last Meishen flower for that succubus Su to study and comprehend, this old auntie probably would have fleeced that too. Lou Ji leaned in, gently shaking Xu Yuan's shoulder with eager eyes. "Changtian..." "You want me to take the initiative and ask Xu Changge for his Heavenly Communication Crystal?" Xu Yuan asked, giving her a sidelong glance. "Mhm, mhm." Lou Ji nodded vigorously, her movements so exaggerated that she swayed along with them. The corner of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched, and he pointed at his own nose. "Wait, Sis, what on earth makes you think that guy Xu Changge would give it to me? Because I'm good at taking beatings?" "He wouldn't dare!" Lou Ji's willow brows shot up. Then she said to Xu Yuan in a sweet voice, "Big sister will go with you. If he dares lay a hand on you, big sister will beat him up for you." Xu Yuan gave her a flat look, entirely unmoved. "Heh. Why do I recall that back when he strung me up and whipped me, the one laughing the hardest seemed to be you, Sis?" No way. Absolutely no way. Xu Yuan had been coveting that Heavenly Communication Crystal for the longest time. She wanted it? Not a chance. Lou Ji looked at Xu Yuan piteously. "Big sister really won't do it anymore..." "We'll talk about it later." Xu Yuan waved a hand dismissively, employing the stall tactic. But then, as if something occurred to him, he lowered his voice and steered the topic back: "So, is Father preparing to cooperate with the Emperor on this matter?" Knowing she wouldn't get her way, Lou Ji let out a cold huff. She sat down in the chair across from him and propped her long, slender, jade-white legs onto the desk with a thud. Crossing her arms over her chest, she reminded him petulantly: "Changtian, while there are rifts between the Chancellor's Manor and the royal family, our relationship is primarily one of cooperation. If the royal family and our Manor were to stand in complete opposition, then barring some earth-shattering cataclysm in the realm later on, the whole of Great Yan would slowly be bled dry by those sects, ultimately splintering back into the sect-dominated world of ten thousand years ago." Hearing this reminder, Xu Yuan's eyes lingered on those slender, fair legs, feeling somewhat bemused inwardly. Of course he understood this. Through the cooperation between the two juggernauts that were Xu Yinhe and the Emperor, the combined power of the royal family and the Chancellor's Manor was probably closer to matching the realm's sects than at any other point in the Great Yan's thirteen-hundred-year reign. There was no way they would start an internecine war between comrades first. Across so many worldlines in Cangyuan, all the way until the mid-game turmoil, the royal family and the Chancellor's Manor had always stood united in the early stages. He had asked that question earlier simply because if the Chancellor's Manor stepped in to lift the siege right now, the barbarians would most likely be finished. That ran completely counter to the storyline's future development. In Cangyuan, because the barbarians had no female leads, their presence was minimal, but their figures appeared to varying degrees in almost every storyline. If the barbarians were wiped out now, the entire subsequent plotline would be thrown into chaos. In other words, in Cangyuan, his father must not have chosen to cooperate with the royal family on this matter. There had to be hidden reasons behind this. Was it because of his own existence? Because his father felt he had a new heir, and thus changed his choice on the fly? And that so-called Ninth Princess Wuyuan had never appeared in Cangyuan at all—she had most likely died in the war against the barbarians. As he pondered these things, Xu Yuan's thoughts began to drift. "Changtian..." "Changtian." "Changtian!!" Lou Ji's voice suddenly jolted Xu Yuan back from his reverie. Pouting slightly, she asked: "What were you daydreaming about just now?" Snapping out of it, Xu Yuan smiled. "Nothing, just pondering Father's choice." Lou Ji looked at him with slight suspicion, but did not press further, merely returning to her earlier question: "Changtian, are you planning to head to the Northern Border with me now, or go straight to the Imperial Capital?"