On the Frostwest!
This place is now completely under the control of the Great Liang. The strength of the Great Liang army is known throughout the All Under Heaven, which makes the Frostwest Empire dare not cross the line even slightly, for fear of provoking the Great Liang.
" Bill III, good luck!"
Lin Rusong stood atop a mountain, gazing silently in the direction of Frostwest Royal City, as if he could see what was happening there, and couldn't help but sigh.
He had already received Bill III's plea for help and knew that a dramatic change had taken place in the Frostwest Empire.
However, he ignored the other party's plea for help and instead found an excuse to send them back. He chose to silently observe the development of the situation rather than intervene.
After all, Bill III was also an emperor, and he should have his own dignity, instead of relying on his son-in-law for everything.
Forehead!
Xu Zhong, standing to the side, couldn't help but worry. "The Emperor Emeritus, he's the Emperor's father-in-law, are we really not going to save him?"
He looked at the current emperor, then the crown prince, in the same way last time, but in the end, the emperor treated him like dirt. If it weren't for his past achievements in Northern Liang, his life would probably have been a tragedy.
Now he's encountered this situation again, and the person involved is none other than the emperor's father-in-law, which makes him apprehensive.
If things go wrong, you'll be stuck on the sidelines for the rest of your life!
"Hmph, you're a coward. With the Emperor here, you're not the one to take the blame!" Bai Zizai glanced at him and said irritably.
He could tell at a glance what the boy was worried about; he was clearly afraid of the current emperor, which was why he had lost all his courage.
Xu Zhong glanced at Bai Zizai and said disdainfully, "You old codger, you dare to talk back to me? When you were planting sweet potatoes for the Emperor, you weren't this tough. That's the Emperor, who wouldn't be afraid of him!"
He and Bai Zizai were quite different in age, but they were generals of the same generation. To put it bluntly, they were close friends, a friendship that transcended age, so there was no need to care about seniority.
The veteran generals from Northern Liang nodded in agreement. The current emperor was incredibly powerful; who wouldn't be afraid of him?
If things go wrong, we'll all lose our jobs, and then who can we complain to? So it's better to keep a low profile.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Upon hearing their words, Lin Rusong couldn't help but burst into laughter. The Old Man Bai had been arrogant his whole life, but in the end, he still had to bow down to his son.
Planting sweet potatoes for his son is a kind of compromise; his son is giving his father a chance to vent his anger.
However, he waved his hand dismissively at his subordinates' concerns and laughed, "Don't worry, I'll take the blame. If Old Bill isn't dead, what reason do we have to attack?"
"Only when he's dead can we make our move. Using Princess Anne's name, under the guise of avenging Old Bill, will it be perfectly legitimate."
When launching a national war, one cannot simply fight blindly.
You need to come up with an excuse; you can't just call randomly.
In that case, not only will the people of the other country be united in their hatred of the enemy, but even your own people will think you are a lunatic, a warmonger, which is not a good thing.
Only by having a good excuse to attack can you gain the approval of your own people, and even make the people of the enemy country think that you are the good guy.
Don't underestimate the power of attitude; it can be incredibly important.
For example, if a robber comes to your house and tells you it's a robbery, you naturally won't let him do whatever he wants; you might even close the door tightly and grab a kitchen knife for defense.
However, if he says he's just looking for an excuse to get some water, then things might turn out differently; he might easily show up at your door.
Bill III used this as a pretext to take action against the Frostwest Empire.
"I see!"
Everyone suddenly realized why the Emperor Emeritus had stopped caring about his father-in-law; he was just looking for a good excuse.
That makes sense, though. If they can't find a good excuse, they'll be stuck here for a long time. It's better to start the battle as soon as possible.
At this moment, Xu Zhong had a sudden thought and whispered, "Your Majesty, was this plan told to you by that Jia Xu?"
How did you know?
Lin Rusong was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously asked.
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Xu Zhong was somewhat speechless, and said with a wry smile, " Jia Xu is a notoriously ruthless character in Great Liang. The Emperor summoned him here to be the military advisor; how could he possibly be left out!"
There are some things he can't say directly; that guy is a notorious troublemaker, and many people have been tricked by him.
In the end, not only was she unable to speak, but she even had to thank him. Who can she reason with about this?
With such a person as a strategist, he would naturally devote all his efforts to the Great Liang, and Bill III was destined to die; even God could not save him.
"No, I think Jia Xu is a good kid!"
Lin Rusong shook his head and sighed, "His plan may terrify the enemy, or even make them suffer, but it's a good thing for Great Liang."
Often, dragging things out is never a good thing; getting straight to the point and cutting to the chase is the key!
These were his true feelings. How many people longed for such a top-notch strategist? This was the key to a monarch's success. To dismiss him simply because his strategies were somewhat ruthless would be far too arbitrary.
In fact, Jia Xu gave him two pieces of advice at the time.
One option was to rescue Bill III, then use him as a puppet ruler to command the other lords, and use Bill III's name to suppress the rebellion. This would not only be legitimate but also justifiable.
The second option is to ignore them and then invade again under the guise of revenge.
The first plan was undoubtedly feasible and could be executed well, but Lin Rusong ultimately rejected it.
Even if I take over the Frostwest Empire using this method, my son will still gain a bad reputation if he seizes territory again. It's better to eliminate any future troubles for him myself and solve the problem once and for all.
This was Lin Rusong's choice, and it had nothing to do with anyone else.
"Oh, whatever makes you happy."
Wang Ziwen was both amused and exasperated; this was precisely Jia Xu's brilliance.
This guy presented two choices, and as the emperor's father, Old Lin naturally didn't want his son to be stigmatized. So, the so-called two choices were actually only one.
It's simple and direct: it's just about taking revenge.
Lin Rusong rolled his eyes at him and sighed, "The change of imperial power, the bond between father and son—who in the All Under Heaven can compare to my Lin Clan? Old Bill should really learn from me; then this kind of thing wouldn't have happened!"
Forehead!
Everyone was both amused and exasperated. At this moment, the retired emperor actually wanted to show off, which was simply outrageous.
Wang Ziwen glanced at him and whispered, "Your Majesty, Ashina Tiandu now ascended the throne. That fellow is very ambitious. We must make a move, or we will lose the initiative!"
Since we're going to fight, we should strike first to gain the upper hand; we can't afford to fall into a passive position, that would be bad.
"Hmm, not bad!"
Lin Rusong nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the Frostwest Fortress in front of him; that was his first target.
After a moment's thought, he asked in a deep voice, "Where is Xue Rengui now? Has any news been sent back?"