Territorial expansion? Northern entry into the fray?
Wei Gongcheng was taken aback, then a surge of excitement rose within him. Jiangnan had developed rapidly in recent years, its military strength increasing year by year. Although its power grew stronger daily, it had always maintained a defensive posture. Now, was it finally about to bare its fangs?
"Territorial expansion?" The first and strongest reaction naturally came from Xu Hu Tian Heng, who currently commanded the most troops!
"Where does the lord intend to attack?" Xu Hu initially reacted with excitement, but then frowned and said, "If we're attacking the East Sea, dividing our forces here will be too scattered!"
Tian Heng rolled his eyes at Xu Hu. Compared to Xu Hu, a self-taught general who only knew how to fight, Tian Heng, the Duke of Qi had fought for many years, naturally understood the overall situation better.
"According to current intelligence, the imperial court has reduced its military strength. We only need to use the pretext of eliminating demons for the court to legitimately take over some adjacent territories, such as the Yulin area. However, it will be more troublesome if it is a larger area, especially the area adjacent to Heavenly Capital."
Tian Heng to the map and said, "We can get the intelligence about the imperial court withdrawing its troops, and so can Heavenly Capital. Heavenly Capital has been accumulating information for twenty years, so it's unlikely they're completely unprepared. They might take this opportunity to come out of seclusion and occupy the Tiannan area. If they manage to occupy Tianxiang City, they'll be across the river from us. If we also expand in that direction, we'll have to defend the river basins of Tiannan, which will require even more resources and troops."
"Then there's the southeast. The imperial court is colluding with the Southern Barbarians. The court is reducing its military strength, and the Southern Barbarians might even launch a surprise attack. I don't have enough intelligence on that side, so I can't make an accurate judgment. However, the southeast region is mostly mountainous, which is very suitable for us to cultivate new Mountain God. But there are many forests and hidden demons, so we need to discuss in detail whether it's worthwhile."
"Finally, there is the land of the four seas. Jiangnan borders the West Sea, and the West Sea City is already under our control. No one has come to compete with us for the islands of the West Sea. The land at sea is vast now. Even if we accommodate all the refugees from the north, it would still be slightly insufficient. In fact, we have enough land resources. We do not need to expand our sea territory. After all, there are powerful forces guarding the four seas now. It would be detrimental to the current situation to easily start disputes."
Chen Qing nodded repeatedly. Indeed, it was very necessary to recruit a general with a broad perspective. Tian Heng's arrival greatly eased the conflict between the bloodline members and the civilian military personnel within the faction. When it came to discussing major issues, his suggestions were naturally more comprehensive than those of Xu Hu and others.
Sure enough, Xu Hu scratched his head, giving a simple, honest smile, seemingly unable to get a word in edgewise.
Ziyue looked at Chen Qing and asked, "What did you mean by 'the North entering the game' earlier?"
Mentioning this topic, Chen Qing straightened up and explained, " Murong Yunji has sent some intelligence. Several forces secretly operating within the Heavenly Python Palace are using the Heavenly Python Palace's power to control the Northern Desolation Kingdom. Currently, including Snow Eagle's kingdom, four Northern Desolation Kingdom have already decided their victories. One force called the Radiant Sun Envoy has already monopolized three kingdoms, while another force called the Black Lotus Envoy has taken over the Northern Abyss Kingdom."
"Now, several forces have gathered in the Northern Wolf Kingdom Northern Wolf Kingdom, clearly vying for control of it."
" The Northern Wolf Kingdom is located near the North Sea and has the largest grassland in the Northern Wasteland. The Northern Wolf Pass also close to the Yanyun region in the Northern Lands. Its geographical location is excellent, and its strategic significance ranks first among the kingdoms of the Northern Wasteland. Originally, if we were to send troops, the battle lines would be too long and supplies would be difficult, making it hard for us to reach out. But now, we have the opportunity to drive a thorn in the side of the north!"
"Does the Lord also want to participate in this so-called proxy war?" Tian Heng frowned after listening to Chen Qing's account of the situation in the Northern Desolation Kingdom. "Those forces the Lord mentioned in secret are affiliated with the Heavenly Python Palace. Although I don't know how they did it, they can indeed make the giant snakes within the Heavenly Python Palace work for them. We don't belong to the Heavenly Python Palace's forces. Even if the aristocratic families we control ultimately win, will those giant snakes near the north just stand by and accept it?"
"We'll still have to send troops to defend it. With such a long front, sending troops across the sea isn't as cost-effective as expanding into the Central Plains."
Ziyue nodded in agreement. Although the North was rich in resources and the Arctic region would be a key source of blood essence in the future, from Jiangnan's current perspective, a long-term war in the Northern Wasteland was not worthwhile. Moreover, if they went there, they would be considered an external enemy. Although there were several forces vying for power there now, if they went, they might unite against them, which would probably make things even more troublesome.
"We must win over the north," Chen Qing said. "With the melting of the Arctic, many large demons that have just awakened but cannot fully regain their mobility will appear there in the next two years. They are all excellent raw materials for blood essence extraction. If the north completely monopolizes this area, the number of giant snakes there will probably increase more than tenfold in less than three years. If they then sweep in, it will be a real problem."
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, their brows furrowing as they unsure how to respond.
"I've been thinking about how to gain a foothold in the north with minimal cost. The reason I've had the Battle God Army guard the north all these years is to get them used to fighting the giant python there, because we might need to launch expeditions at any time. But now it seems there's an easier way."
"Are you planning to cooperate with that illegitimate son of the Duke of Wei?" Ziyue directly exposed Chen Qing's thoughts.
"Yes!" Chen Qing nodded.
Upon hearing this, Ziyue's expression turned rather unpleasant. Based on Chen Qing's previous description, the illegitimate son of the Wang Household was definitely a player who had descended. She had no good feelings towards these pioneers who were oppressing them.
But she didn't object, because she knew very well that in the current situation, cooperation was the only way to intervene in the North!
"That Black Lotus Envoy is probably from the Demon Buddha lineage; we shouldn't be able to cooperate with him."
Ziyue nodded slightly. The Demon Buddha lineage was a bunch of lunatics. Although the other ancient beings were also disgusting, at least they weren't as extreme as the Demon Buddha. They were only after higher power and pleasure. But the Demon Buddha lineage was different.
They were a group of mentally unstable individuals. The designers who created this faction were found to have anti-human tendencies, and the official authorities immediately banned the Demon Buddha instance.
In reality, anyone willing to choose this path is definitely mentally unstable from the start.
"That other ' Radiant Sun Envoy,' judging from her ability to conquer three kingdoms, has a significant advantage and is unlikely to cooperate with us. Moreover, we haven't had any contact with her before, and we don't know her methods. On the contrary, Wang Shiyu and his forces have achieved nothing in the north, and now they're probably having trouble explaining themselves to their superiors. No wonder they took the initiative to invite me to cooperate before; the setback in the Northern Wasteland must have been a major reason. In that case, let's cooperate with the envoy."
"If we cooperate, what will happen if we take over the Northern Wolf Kingdom?" Tian Heng asked, frowning.
"Distribute them equally!" Chen Qing laughed. "With her power, her families can choose either their own cultivation methods or those of Jiangnan. As for which side those family members will ultimately support, that's a matter for later after we defeat the Northern Wolf Kingdom."
"Such a major task might be difficult for Murong Yunji and Yuchi to handle alone; we'll need to send more people," Tian Heng reminded him.
Upon hearing this, Chen Qing looked at Ziyue and asked, "Are you going or should I go?"
Ziyue was taken aback, then shook her head. " Jiangnan needs you more right now, I'll go."
"Okay," Chen Qing nodded. Ziyue was bestowed the title of Great Emperor Ziwei and received at least 30% of his faith. At least on the basic level, her current strength is no less than that of Ao Zhen. As for her actual combat power, as a top-tier sorcerer killer, Ziyue should have improved a lot in the past six months.
Given her experience and understanding of those guild players, she was the most suitable candidate besides herself.
I want to bring someone with me!
"Who?"
" A Li!"
"Um," Chen Qing frowned slightly upon hearing this, "She's not very emotional right now. Do you really think she's suitable to go on that mission with you?"
Chen Qing believed in Ziyue's ability to protect herself, but it was a different story with A Li. Although A Li was very capable, she would be a huge burden if they encountered danger!
Hearing that Chen Qing's first concern was for A Li's feelings, Ziyue's expression softened considerably. "I'll talk to her about it. Actually, the best way to heal is to get moving. There are things she's afraid to face, but she'll have to face them sooner or later. So, I want A Li to Dragon Transformation!"
Chen Qing: "."