Four Key Points

Ge Wenxuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said:

"General, what do you mean?"

Qi Guangbo smiled and said:

"Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy!"

With just one simple sentence, many astute individuals present immediately understood Qi Guangbo's intentions.

The initiative to negotiate peace is aimed at seizing greater benefits without bloodshed.

Once the army has rested and stabilized its territory in Qingzhou, and supplies and provisions are in place, the Grand Preceptor will refine the fortune of Qingzhou before breaking the alliance and marching north to launch a punitive expedition.

The overall goal remains unchanged, and we can further strengthen our capabilities and expand our advantages.

Ji Xuan nodded slightly:

"If we Great Feng to the brink, it will inevitably provoke a fierce counterattack, and our army will suffer heavy casualties. A smart hunter will know to give them a break."

"Without the supervisor, the people of the Great Feng court are in a state of panic. Our proposal to negotiate peace at this time is like opening a hole in the net, letting them see hope, and causing them to lose the courage to fight to the death."

"And we can take this opportunity to seize benefits, demanding money and supplies."

Listening to his explanation, the generals who hadn't quite grasped the situation immediately looked at Qi Guangbo with admiration.

The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Leading troops into battle and fighting alone are two different things. The latter only requires unleashing violence, while the former is a skill.

While everyone was still basking in the joy of eliminating the supervisor and capturing Qingzhou, the general had already devised a brilliant plan based on the situation and the people's hearts.

Following Qi Guangbo's train of thought, Ge Wenxuan considered even more possibilities and chuckled:

"Young Master Ji Xuan, money and provisions are certainly necessary, but you might as well be a little more ambitious. The Great Feng is not much better off than fish on a chopping board right now. How can they talk to us without spending a fortune?"

"We should at least cede some territory from several continents."

The generals' eyes lit up suddenly, then one of them frowned and said:

"Isn't this pushing the Great Feng to the brink of destruction? In my opinion, we should stop here. We only need money and grain. We can use the Great Feng's money and grain to recruit soldiers and horses, and then turn around and fight them."

"Having too big an appetite will only lead to ending up with nothing."

This is a relatively conservative approach.

Someone immediately retorted, "With the supervisor gone, whatever we say goes. Does the Great Feng court dare to say 'no'? Even if we demand that young emperor issue an edict of self-reproach, I doubt he'd dare refuse."

This is the idea of the radicals.

Ji Xuan pondered and said:

"We must strike the right balance; unbridled greed will only backfire. Although the Great Feng has lost its supervisor, let's not forget, what about Xu Qi'an?"

He looked around at everyone and analyzed in a firm tone:

"Zhao Shou has been out of office for many years and has no official position. He will not die for the Great Feng court, and neither will Luo Yuheng. But Xu Qi'an is responsible for the fate of the country. Great Feng falls, he will surely die for his country."

"Therefore, he will definitely influence the overall situation of the court next. This person is unyielding and will only take risks if we push him too far, and we will perish together with him."

"Of course, the Yunzhou army's entry into the Central Plains is a foregone conclusion, and he, a mere third-rank official, cannot cause any trouble. But the general's plan for peace talks is bound to fail."

Ge Wenxuan hesitated, but considering Ji Xuan's status, he did not refute her.

Knock knock!

Qi Guangbo tapped the table, interrupting the discussion, and smiled:

"Zisu, your vision is still too narrow. You only saw the comparison of strength between the two sides, and only saw Xu Qi'an's temperament."

Ji Xuan lowered his head slightly:

"Please enlighten me, General."

Qi Guangbo was his mentor.

Qi Guangbo slowly said:

"Emperor Yongxing is good at maintaining the status quo but lacks the decisiveness. For such a ruler, the Supervisor is his last pillar of support. With the Supervisor dead, do you think he will fight to the death or accept our peace talks?"

"Of course, we'll accept it," Ge Wenxuan said with a smile.

Qi Guangbo nodded and continued:

"Secondly, among the officials of the court, Wang Zhenwen is bedridden, Wei Yuan died in Jingshan City, and the rest, whether they are greedy or good, are all somewhat lacking. Therefore, the only obstacle to this peace talk is Xu Qi'an."

"But the interests of the young emperor and Xu Qi'an are different. For the young emperor, seeking peace can stabilize the situation and he will be at ease if there is no war. At least it can bring about a period of peace and give Great Feng a breather."

"But for Xu Qi'an, this means there's no hope of turning things around. Therefore, the two of them are bound to become estranged."

Zhuo Haoran stroked his chin and said:

"Therefore, General's plan is to kill two birds with one stone. If it succeeds, we will have grain and money, and we can force the court to cede land without firing a single shot. If it fails, it will at least alienate Xu Qi'an and the young emperor. If it causes any trouble, that would be even better."

If even a butcher like Zhuo Haoran understood it, of course others would understand as well.

Ji Xuan was persuaded.

Qi Guangbo continued:

"Xu Qi'an is a thorn in the side of Qianlong City, and a thorn in the side of the Imperial Preceptor. In the past, he had Wei Yuan and the Supervisor's protection, so he acted with impunity."

"Now, we're going to show this famous Xu Yinluo what it means to have boundless horizons and vast oceans."

Zhuo Haoran and his subordinates laughed and echoed:

"The General is absolutely right. Without the Supervisor and Wei Yuan, what is Xu Qi'an anyway? How dare he challenge the Imperial Preceptor and Qianlong City? He's probably trembling like a quail right now."

"Xu Qi'an is just more famous; in terms of cultivation, our Young Master Ji Xuan is also at the third rank."

"Nothing much. Perhaps even without the Imperial Advisor's intervention, Young Master Ji Xuan could kill this boy with his own hands."

"Refine him into a blood pill to enhance Young Master Ji Xuan's cultivation."

The generals either cursed and swore or burst into laughter.

Ji Xuan remained silent for a moment, then said, word by word:

"I want to see how Xu Qi'an will handle this. What makes him, a mere third-rank martial artist, think he can turn the tables?"

He wished he could fly to the capital immediately to see Xu Qi'an's face full of resentment and helplessness.

Ge Wenxuan smiled and said:

"He can't turn the tide. Even if he immediately advances to the second rank, he's still no match for the teacher and the Gara Tree Bodhisattva, especially since he's still in a sealed state."

Ji Xuan immediately let out a cold laugh.

Qi Guangbo said again:

"After the victory banquet, immediately put this plan into action. Make sure the news gets out, the more exaggerated the better. Whether the Grand Preceptor can gain the fortune of several more continents depends on this move. As for the specific details of the peace talks, Wenxuan, you should visit the Grand Preceptor later and ask for his opinion."

Given Yunzhou's current military strength, taking on too much territory would be a burden. It also depends on the Grand Preceptor's current condition and whether he can take over that much territory.

Ge Wenxuan smiled and said, "Yes!"

Clear Cloud Mountain.

Zhao Shou, who was sitting quietly in the bamboo pavilion, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the shadow under the table.

A shadow emerged, expanded, and transformed into a human form—it was Xu Qi'an.

"You're finally back."

Zhao Shou nodded.

"I just went to the Bureau of Astronomy, but I didn't see the Director, so I came here."

Xu Qi'an nodded in acknowledgment and said:

Is the Imperial Censor dead or alive?

Zhao Shou said, "As long as the Great Feng is not destroyed, the Supervisor will not die. He must have been sealed away."

The Confucian School school has a fairly thorough understanding of the Warlock System, knowing some secrets that others do not.

Although he had never believed that the supervisor could be dead, Xu Qi'an finally felt relieved upon hearing this answer and asked:

"Was this done intentionally by the supervisor? Did he leave any backup plan?"

Zhao Shou thought for a moment and said:

"I don't think so. If it was done intentionally, I really can't understand what would be worth him risking his life to push the Great Feng into the abyss of defeat."

"If he had known about this beforehand, he wouldn't have gotten involved."

Zhao Shou was unaware of the first generation's backup plan, but based on his own insight, he provided an analysis.

"The supervisor has truly failed this time," Xu Qi'an sighed.

When Xu Qi'an learned that the first supervisor was the owner of the great tomb that the Chai family had guarded for generations, he was prepared.

Even if the Overseer can foresee the future, what if the First Generation had a way to restrain him?

Every system has weaknesses, just as a snake has its Achilles' heel.

The supervisor is not a god.

Xu Qi'an told Zhao Shou about the Chai family's affairs.

"I see." Zhao Shou suddenly realized, pondered for a moment, and said:

"I think even if the supervisor was caught off guard and captured due to a miscalculation, he should have considered such a possibility. Ordinary people would plan ahead, let alone him."

"However, without the supervisor, the Great Feng is already in grave danger."

"Xu Qi'an, how are you going to handle this?"

Bearing the fate of the nation on his shoulders, his destiny was intertwined with that of the court. If the nation perished, the supervisor would die, and so would Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an said:

That's why I came to find you.

Looking across the imperial court, the only person who could discuss matters with him was the leading figure in the Confucian School system before him, a top-ranking Confucian scholar of the third grade.

Zhao Shou pondered for a moment, then said:

"First, you need to understand who the enemy is."

Xu Qi'an replied:

"Xu Pingfeng, Black Lotus, Garuda Tree, and White Emperor."

After visiting the Bureau of Astronomy, he learned that after ending the telepathic communication that day, Sun Xuanji had risked his life to investigate and discovered the existence of the White Emperor.

Zhao Shou immediately asked:

Why did the White Emperor want to deal with the Supervisor?

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment:

"I suspect the supervisor is the gatekeeper."

He immediately informed Zhao Shou of the gatekeeper's secrets and Bai Di's identity as a member of the Great Wilderness Clan.

Zhao Shou remained silent for a moment, then couldn't help but pinch his brow and sigh:

"It seems this is a fight to the death. Xu Qi'an, Xu Qi'an, are you truly blessed with good fortune?"

I think you're just plagued by bad luck.

After venting his frustrations, Zhao Shou steered the conversation back on track, saying:

"There's something I need to tell you. Before the supervisor went into battle, he borrowed the Confucian Sage's carving knife and the Second Sage's Confucian hat from me. He probably intends to follow Wei Yuan's example and summon the Confucian Sage's spirit."

Xu Qi'an's pupils contracted slightly, and he said incredulously:

"If the spirit of the Confucian sage were to intervene, how could he possibly be defeated?!"

Zhao Shou shook his head:

"The details are unknown, so you need to be vigilant; there were definitely some top-tier items sold at that time."

"Superb deal," Xu Qi'an repeated this phrase to himself, suddenly feeling a sense of despair.

If Yunzhou has a powerful patron as its backer, how can it fight? Even if it were to follow the example of Duke Wei and the Supervisor, and have the Confucian sage perform a three-stage attack, it would at most be a desperate resistance, which would be meaningless.

Seeing his silence and stiff expression, Zhao Shou shook his head slightly.

The person under the most pressure right now is not Yongxing on the dragon throne, nor a member of the royal family, nor Yang Gong guarding the border, but this young man who is famous throughout the land.

He was the only backbone of the Great Feng.

"Let me share my opinion; you may take it into consideration."

Zhao Shou tapped the table, bringing the dazed Xu Qi'an back to his senses:

"First: We must make up for the deficiency in extraordinary combat power."

"The White Emperor and the Garuda Tree are both at the first-grade level, or their combat power is comparable to that of a first-grade cultivator. Xu Pingfeng is a peak second-grade Warlock; after refining the Qingzhou fortune, his strength has increased significantly. Next is the Black Lotus."

Second: Become a chess player.

"Xu Qi'an, if you want to survive this calamity and ensure the survival of Da Great Feng, then strive to become a chess player. Talented generals are easy to find, but brilliant commanders are rare. You wouldn't be content to remain a pawn for Xu Pingfeng and Jian Zheng forever, would you?"

"Third: Solve the problem of food supplies for Great Feng, and have a stable base to support your struggle against Xu Pingfeng."

"If the imperial court collapses, no matter how hard you try or how much your cultivation increases, it will be in vain. Always remember, the Great Feng is your foundation."

Fourth: Resurrect Wei Yuan.

Why did Xu Pingfeng wait until Wei Yuan died before daring to rebel? During Wei Yuan's reign, neither the Buddhist School, Yunzhou, nor the Witch God Sect dared to make any rash moves. The Witch God Sect had to take a desperate gamble to help the Witch God break the seal, but what was the result? They tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead.

"Wei Yuan's terrifying aspect lies not in his personal martial prowess. He is a military genius rarely seen in a thousand years. In terms of wisdom, Xu Pingfeng is no match for him. In terms of leading troops into battle, Xu Pingfeng is far inferior."

"If he were to come back to life, I dare not say that the Great Feng would surely win, but at least it wouldn't be in such a dire situation."

"It's easier said than done," Xu Qi'an said with a wry smile.

Any one of these four points is incredibly difficult.

First, there's the combat strength of the Transcendent Realm. Currently, the only one with a chance of reaching the First Rank is Luo Yuheng.

But one of hers isn't enough.

The two First-Rank cultivators, Bai Di and Jialuo Shu, alone could sweep away all the extraordinary combat forces of Great Feng. Cultivation cannot be accomplished overnight, and it is impossible to catch up in a short period of time.

Moreover, the White Emperor surely has bigger plans, and may be hiding his true intentions.

Secondly, become a chess player.

This is the most reliable point. Although Xu Pingfeng's fatherly love is as solid as a mountain, Xu Qi'an, with his filial piety, is not afraid of him. When it comes to using his brain, Xu Qi'an has never been afraid of anyone. Despite being manipulated like a pawn by the supervisor and Xu Pingfeng for the past year or so.

But back then he was too weak, starting from scratch. Who hasn't been toyed with by powerful figures when they were weak?

Then, there's the issue of supplies.

No solution!

Great Feng had money and provisions, it wouldn't have fallen to its current state. Even the supervisor couldn't do anything about it, so what could he possibly do? The most intractable problem in the world is poverty!

Even the gods couldn't solve it.

Finally, the Duke Wei was resurrected.

The main materials for the resurrection banner for Duke Wei have been gathered, but one last item is missing. He'd ask Song Qing later how to find it. Xu Qi'an rose to take his leave.

"I won't bother the dean any longer."

He bowed and left the bamboo pavilion.

As soon as I stepped outside, that familiar feeling of palpitation washed over me.

In the Earth Book chat group, True Disciple a message:

[2: Recently, rumors have been spreading that Qingzhou has fallen and the supervisor has been killed. Is the Yunzhou rebels at their last gasp, resorting to such despicable means?]

[However, this trick is indeed extremely effective, for the common people have always been the most ignorant.]

For several days, everyone in the capital was in a state of panic and anxiety before Li Miaozhen finally received the news.

After all, she didn't have a sophisticated intelligence network, and Xu Qi'an and Huai Qing, who were in the know, really hadn't been in the mood to exchange letters or chat these past few days.

She sent this message partly as a rant and partly as a request for verification.

P. S.: Typos will be corrected later.