"Uncle, are we really throwing in with that Wang fellow?"
After Wang Daiji left, his nephew Guo Zhu caught up with him on the way back to press him.
"First, of the so-called Six Commanderies of Huaixi, only Yiyang lies south of the Huai River. And Yiyang Commandery can survive in Huainan because it has great mountains to its west and us to its east... In other words, we're the Huaiyou Alliance's only force south of the Huai River. We're fighting alone. That's the lay of the land." Head lowered and hands clasped behind his back, Wenren Xunan earnestly analyzed the situation for his nephew as they walked. "Second, if Du Pozhen chose to advance into Huainan, I would certainly serve him faithfully as his vanguard. But Du Pozhen clearly intends to secure the area around his Xuanpao City first, then clear out Huaibei. Huainan is a discarded pawn. Wang Daiji, on the other hand, was entirely right about one thing: we're a thorn in his heart. Without a reconciliation, we'd immediately fall into conflict. So if we join him now, we'll instead become one of the foremost factions under him. That's timing..."
"But can Wang Daiji accomplish anything?" Guo Zhu interrupted impatiently. "He's a legal clerk who knows nothing but some Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice regulations. He acquired four commanderies in a rush, and all his soldiers were hastily recruited. By comparison, Alliance Leader Du at least has an enormous, well-organized Exorcising the Dragon Gang behind him! What happens to us if Chief Zhang wins the realm?"
"First, we never joined the Exorcising the Dragon Gang," Wenren Xunan continued earnestly. "We parted amicably with the Huaiyou Alliance before it joined the gang... So the gang won't concern itself with us, much less consider us traitors. Second,