Zi Shou felt hollow inside and murmured, "Ji Chang just died like that?"
Gao Jieneng cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, Ji Chang died suddenly without naming an heir. Xiqi must be in the throes of internal strife. Their deployment is merely a smokescreen. Why not take advantage of his death and the turmoil in Xiqi to dispatch an army on a western expedition?"
Zi Shou mulled over Gao Jieneng's words.
Even if Ji Chang had died of illness, Xiqi was unlikely to descend into internal strife as Gao Jieneng had suggested.
Jiang Ziya had already abandoned his Fortune-Telling Stall and run off. Next, he would surely take charge in Xiqi and ascend the platform to be appointed chancellor. With an immortal holding the fort, mortals would not be able to stir up trouble. Even if unrest broke out, Jiang Ziya would certainly suppress it.
Gao Jieneng continued offering his advice. "Your Majesty, Nangong Shi has already led a great army against us. Our army need not win; we need only hold the passes and maintain a stalemate, neither winning nor losing. Though Xiqi has lost no troops, it has already consumed more than half its provisions. If the deadlock continues and the Zhou Army cannot win quickly and seize the passes, its supplies will soon run out."
"Then they will have wasted manpower and resources for nothing, returning empty-handed. They will need several more years to recover, giving us time to stabilize the country. We can also free our hands to deal with the South and release the troops under Grand Tutor Wen's command..."
Gao Jieneng was exceptionally eager. Though he did not know why King Zhou had ordered him to intercept and kill Ji Chang, there must have been a scheme behind it. His failure, which had allowed Ji