My Cultivation Starting from Archery-Chapter 706 - 223: Chaos Under Heaven_4

After the autumn harvest, the grain collected from various prefecture cities in the Northern Territory would partly be transported via water to Capital City, and partly to maintain the Northern Army in the Northwest Three States.

But now that the autumn harvest had just passed, the already scarce amount of grain and fodder was still being coordinated. With the roads now cut off, Liangzhou had completely turned into an isolated city, and relying on the city's stockpiles, it simply couldn't last long.

Once this city was seized, one could firmly establish a foothold in Liang and Youliang States, and then plan further conquests.

After just a few short days, the great army approached the walls of Liangzhou City.

"Third brother!"

Cheng Wei rode to the city gates, persuading, "Liangzhou City has been surrounded; regarding grain and fodder, either abandon the city and flee or open the gates and surrender, there is no third option!"

"Second senior brother, I think you've gone mad!"

Third senior brother Nie Yuan, standing atop the city wall, accused, "Are you intent on dooming all of our sect to death before you're satisfied?!"

"Third brother, cut the crap!"

Meng Guangxin picked up a stone and hurled it, declaring, "It's the court's outrageous bullying that has driven us to this! Anyway, you've already lost. Quickly open the city gates to avoid implicating innocent people further!"

"Fine, you have won."

Nie Yuan challenged, "But what then? You've taken up arms and rebelled, now branded as traitors. Even if you capture the states of Liang and You, how will you stand in this world afterward?!"

"Nonsense!"

Meng Guangxin, with eyes wide and righteous indignation, proclaimed, "With the court's scoundrels in power and chaos disrupting the hierarchy, we naturally intend to head south straight to the Capital City, to cleanse the Emperor's side!"

"Cleanse the Emperor's side?!"

Third brother Nie Yuan shook his head and sighed, "Oh, fifth brother, you're truly too naive! What if His Majesty is wise and eliminates those scoundrels you speak of? How will you stand then?!"

Meng Guangxin stuttered, unsure of how to respond.

Their current actions were premised on "self-preservation," the major excuse to quickly take control of Liangzhou's hundred thousand soldiers. But if the court truly swept away the scoundrels, the so-called "cleansing the Emperor's side" would no longer exist, leaving them without reason to continue, becoming a "campaign without a name."

"Immortal Slaying!"

Cheng Wei picked up the conversation saying, "The Immortal is unkind, scattering Poison Grass poisoning the people. We, the Beiliang Iron Cavalry, vow to eradicate the Spiritual Grain from the world!"

"What a grand joke!"

Third brother Nie Yuan retorted, "The matter of Spiritual Grain isn't unique to our Great Sheng Dynasty; be it West Qi, Nan Xu, or even Dongqing, which one's Spiritual Grain tax isn't heavier than ours?!"

"What if the court first eliminates the scoundrels, then issues an edict ordering you to attack foreign states, promising for every inch of land taken, an inch of Spiritual Grain tax will be lifted from the subjects of Sheng, what then?!"

"Able to fight foreign enemies but do not, able to slay the Immortals of the enemy states but do not, instead choosing to attack one's own court, causing the people of the Great Sheng Dynasty to suffer from the ravages of war. That only shows that you, under the guise of 'Immortal Slaying,' still rebel, remaining treasonous officials, a campaign without a name! The scholars of the world would not agree, and the common people would resent you for stirring up war! Still a campaign without a name!"

Both Cheng Wei and Meng Guangxin were suddenly left speechless.

The attempt at persuasion failed, and they could only return to camp.

"Eldest senior brother, I've already made the advantages and disadvantages clear to them."

Third senior brother Nie Yuan returned to the watchtower inside, sighed, and said, "But do you really think His Majesty would do that? After all, Yan Liang has followed His Majesty for a lifetime. Just because of several impeachments, he would require his life?"

"I know His Majesty too well; he definitely will,"

The usually towering and mountainous figure Ji, at this moment, was sitting in front of a chessboard, the chess piece in his hand looking particularly insignificant.

The world only knew of his fierce and domineering practice of Martial Arts, but few knew that Mr. Feng Chu, Fang Qingyun's chess skills, were once personally taught by him under an old locust tree.

He gently placed his piece: "With the court's last two moves, little junior brother's 'momentum' will be unstable, and the Northern Army will have no reason to continue the fight."

"But little junior brother is not doomed to death."

Third senior brother Nie Yuan mused, "If the court kills Elder Yan, it would prove that little junior brother and his group were not wrong. Then, if we use our connections to plead for mercy on their behalf, at most they will receive a demotion of noble rank, a moderate punishment. They might even send the family members to the Capital City, and even the person himself might continue to stay in Liangzhou. By that logic, this uproar could actually benefit us brothers substantially."

"It's hard to say for the future, but..."

Ji gazed at the chessboard, "Obediently following orders is the best choice for now. Do as I have instructed, and I will quell this farce in Liangzhou."

...

Inside the Rebel Army tent of the Central Army.

After Meng Guangxin and Cheng Wei returned, they recounted their exchange with Nie Yuan at the city gates.

Everyone was left somewhat troubled after hearing it.

"What that thrice sworn house slave said is actually quite accurate."

Wang Zhi muttered, "Looking back through history, those who started a rebellion under the banner of 'cleansing the Emperor's side' and succeeded were mainly because the Emperor truly favored certain officials, unwilling to punish or execute them even in the face of numerous impeachments, until the 'rebel army' was practically at the doorstep, and only then, out of fear, would the Emperor act against those officials. But by then it was too late to change anything.

"Yet if right from the beginning, those officials were executed, then 'cleansing the Emperor's side' would not stand."

"Moreover... "

"I have no doubt that our Emperor would do just that!"

"Little junior brother."

Rong Yanqiu reached out and waved her hand in front of the focused White Robe checking grain and fodder accounts, "Say something, take charge."

"With Wo Long and Phoenix at one's side, peace shall reign under heaven~" freēnovelkiss.com

Xu Wencai, waving his Feather Fan, boasted, "Now that Wo Long and Phoenix are by our lord's side, what in the world cannot be settled? Rest at ease, with Mr. Fang in the Capital City, our Rebel Army will have a justified cause."