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墨書 Inktalez
In the late night of Wild King City, Luzi was still studying under the lamp. Ever since King Zhao of Qin left, he had pushed all his work aside. Inside, Kuto and Fan Chenglong were responsible for the grain distribution and overseeing the city’s defenses, while outside, Divine Archer General Li Xin was in charge of arranging guards and training soldiers. Both were competent in their roles, which naturally made Luzi's efforts less noticeable.
Sun Thirteen felt he could no longer hold on and took a leave to go sleep. At this moment, only Xiao Yu'er remained by Luzi's side, serving him. Luzi had told Xiao Yu'er several times to go back to her room and sleep, but she seemed to ignore his advice completely.
Luzi was already troubled with many thoughts, and after repeated reminders yielded no results, he decided not to insist further. Unbeknownst to him, the sound of the midnight bell rang out from outside.
Xiao Yu'er came over to empty the tea from the ceramic bowl and refill it with hot water. She then quietly asked, "What troubles you, my lord?"
Luzi stretched lazily and handed a bamboo slip to Xiao Yu'er. Seeing that she had no intention of taking it, he reminded her that it wasn't a military secret but thought it wouldn't hurt to share.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu'er finally took it and examined it under the light. The first two characters that caught her eye were Zhao Kuo.
Luzi stood up and paced around the hall while explaining to Xiao Yu'er that this was the file of Zhao Army's Commander. This person not only had an extraordinary memory but could also recite Wuzi's Art of War backward. Such a figure could be considered a great enemy of the Qin State!
"Following a general who understands warfare is essential; following a woman who can weave is equally important."
Xiao Yu'er had heard Luzi and others discuss various anecdotes about the feudal states recently, so she had some understanding of the generals from each state. She knew that being well-read in military strategy and actual battlefield operations were two entirely different concepts. She also understood the drawbacks of rigidly adhering to military strategies. If military strategy was foundational knowledge, then practical application was about learning through experience.
"My lord! A general who only understands military strategy may not necessarily be a good general. How can you compare this person to being a great enemy of the Qin State?"
This person feared those who were knowledgeable and eager to learn; at this moment, Xiao Yu'er could easily take on the role of an advisor! While Luzi felt secretly pleased, he did not voice it.
"The two states of Qin and Zhao are at odds in Shangdang. Lian Po has refrained from engaging in a decisive battle with the Qin Army to preserve the strength of the Zhao Army. He knows that at this time, Zhao's ability to support Central Plains relies on the military strength of the Zhao Army. If they were to directly clash with an equally matched Qin Army in Shangdang, both our Qin State and their Zhao State would face severe casualties! If things truly reached that point, Zhao would lose its military strength and become vulnerable to other feudal states!"
Xiao Yu'er clearly did not consider such complexities and asked, "Aren't those Feudal States jointly resisting Qin? Why would they want to kick someone when they're down?"
In these times, there are plenty who add flowers to the brocade, but very few who offer help in times of need. The fact that the Feudal States are willing to assist Zhao State is actually a way for them to secure their own future. After all, with the trustworthy Plain King of Zhao present, they must give Zhao Sheng some face.
Thinking of this, Luzi couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Historically, assistance has always had its limits; one would not risk everything to help others conquer the world. Indeed, if one disregards the consequences and strengthens others, it will ultimately lead to one's own downfall.
Fortunately, this limit exists to restrain them!
The performance of the Wei Army in attacking Wild King City illustrates that this limit is indeed real. If it weren't for this, Wild King City would have long been under Wei Kingdom's control, and they would likely have already been buried in the ground without even a tombstone.
Among the current Feudal States, Wei Kingdom and Chu no longer need to worry. As for Qi State, Luzi has already sent someone to persuade Prime Minister of Qi Housheng, who is also the uncle of King Jian of Qi. Although there hasn't been accurate news yet, Luzi believes that Prime Minister Housheng will not let everyone down. Qi State will soon withdraw from the competition, regardless of the excuse they use.
As for Yan State, they are merely joining in on the fun. If Luzi's guess is correct, King Yan's reason for sending troops is more about watching the spectacle while secretly instructing the Yan army to conserve their strength. As for how the leading general should act, there are plenty of ways to handle it. Charging directly into battle might cause headaches, but avoiding a decisive confrontation with Qin Army is certainly easy enough.
Luzi compares Zhao Kuo to a formidable enemy of Qin State for this reason. The armies of various Feudal States are not a concern; what remains is merely the hundreds of thousands of Zhao Army. If Lian Po were still in command now, Qin Army would not suffer significant losses. However, if they encounter the inexperienced Zhao Kuo, things could become unpredictable. Even if Qin State ultimately wins, it will come at a tremendous cost.
For Luzi, he would omit certain things that shouldn't be said before telling Xiao Yu'er. When Xiao Yu'er understood what was implied, he realized how complicated things could get. Thus he advised, "My lord! Some matters are beyond our control; thinking too much won't change anything. Since that's the case, it's better not to dwell on it."
Luzi did not wish to linger on this matter either and nodded in agreement that they wouldn't think about it anymore. He let Xiao Yu'er return to rest and assured him that he would also go back to sleep afterward. After Xiao Yu'er left, he sat back down and picked up Zhao Kuo's file to review.
He was no longer worried about which of Qin or Zhao would emerge as the final victor because the outcome would surely be mutual destruction. The King Qin had brought out all the young guards capable of wielding weapons from Qin State; it was a strategy akin to draining a pond dry for fish. What good is victory if it comes at such a cost? Is it really for anyone's sake?
Luzi once thought about advising King Zhao of Qin against engaging in a decisive battle with the Joint forces formed by the Feudal States but held back when he saw the spirited king. However, returning to the point, unifying Huaxia will inevitably lead to large-scale battles. This battle can be seen as one that must be faced sooner or later.
According to the records in the files, Zhao Kuo is an impatient person who won't stay overnight when there are matters at hand. With his abilities, it can be inferred what Meng Wu's forces intend to do. Based on the words of Chen Youliang, who was injured by arrows, Wang Ling's forces should have been the last to learn about the retreat. The evacuation was so hasty that the messenger sent to inform Chen Youliang's forces likely did not complete the task.
Why the mission was not completed is now probably unknown. However, it certainly was not due to fleeing midway; it is believed that they were intercepted and killed by the Zhao Army on the way. It can also be assumed that Zhao Kuo has always been wary of a move from the Qin Army.
Yet, a puzzling situation has arisen: why did Zhao Kuo, who had long been aware of the Qin Army's Communication Camp entering deep into Zhao Army territory, choose to ignore it?
With Zhao Kuo's capabilities, he would never allow this disruptive force from the Qin Army to continue operating. Yet he has been slow to take action—what exactly does this guy want to do? Luzi thought about this and raised a hand to rub his throbbing forehead.
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