Chapter 342: v14c17 - Personal Campaign
Volume 14 Chapter 17 – Personal Campaign
The Luoyang Sword Family.
Third Young Master’s Camp, Strategist Department.
“…Has even the Kongtong Sect turned its back?”
As Grand Tactician Zhuge’s white feather fan trembled as if displeased, the messenger belonging to the Strategist Department, who had run with all his might to deliver the news, bowed his head even deeper.
“I-I am sorry…!”
“It is not your fault to be sorry.”
Lest Grand Tactician Zhuge’s anger be directed at the innocent messenger, Grand Tactician Sima sent him out.
“Leave. Go out and find out why the rest of the leaders of the forces under our command have not returned yet.”
The loyalist figures had been confirmed to have left Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, the residence of the Eldest Young Master but their whereabouts had become mysterious since then.
“As you command!”
Grand Tactician Zhuge, taking his eyes off the back of the messenger who was hastily leaving, ground his teeth.
“…Damn it.”
“Did you say they have not returned yet?”
When Namgung Hyeok-cheon, the greatest supporter of the Third Young Master, asked, Grand Tactician Sima wore a bitter smile.
“In truth, the reason they still have not returned is obvious.”
Grand Tactician Sima’s wrinkled hand toyed with his cooled teacup.
“Since they could not properly hold onto even a single leader of the sects that went with them, with what face would they return quickly?”
“Cowardly bastards…!”
Then, Grand Tactician Zhuge spat back.
“Those guys are probably holding a countermeasure meeting among themselves somewhere, waiting for the anger of the Strategist Department to subside.”
On the Third Young Master’s side as if in proportion to its bloated size, the organization’s discipline had been a mess, and it was not a matter of just a day or two, so Namgung Hyeok-cheon also lost interest in it and changed the subject.
“…With this, we have lost all of the existing old sects.”
Since Diancang instigated, Zhongnan fell over.
The Northern Hengshan Sect, which had been practically abandoned because it suffered damage close to annihilation, stealthily grabbed the hand of the Eldest Young Master and now even Kongtong has left.
“However,” elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon continued calmly.
“their proportion of our total strength was not large.”
They were sects that had barely maintained their existence after becoming subordinate sects of the Luoyang Sword Family anyway.
Although the fact that they lost the sects that possessed symbolic status as standard-bearers of the old sects in the past and the process was to the extent of having their noses cut off with their eyes wide open made the wound to their pride painful, rising from his seat, he stood in front of a strategic map representing the entire State of Zhongyuan and moved pieces here and there.
“right now, what we have newly gained is greater than what we lost.”
“First of all, those possessing formidable combat strength have newly joined our side…”
The banners of the pieces he newly placed in their camp clearly bore the characters of Mount Hua, Wudang, and Emei.
“Their combined strength is more than twice that of all the sects that betrayed us put together.”
Just as he said the pieces of the Mount Hua, Wudang, and Emei Sects that he moved were more than twice as many as the pieces he had removed due to their betrayal.
“And the Namgung Clan of Anhui Province will also help us with all their might from now on.”
He included another handful of sword-bearing pieces into their camp.
“Our combat strength is more than enough with this. So,” extending his hand, he pointed to the northern part of the strategic map.
“why don’t you talk about the northern territory where the Third Young Master will be active in the future?”
Although today’s defeat suffered at the hands of the Eldest Young Master would be remembered until the final moment of closing his eyes the State of Zhongyuan was vast, and they had already seized a new opportunity.
There was no reason to chew over past defeats.
“Indeed.”
Grand Tactician Sima set down his cooled teacup with a click, rose from his seat, and stood beside him.
“As is known, until not long ago, the situation in the northern lands was highly chaotic.”
“It was because of the Northern War.”
“That is correct.”
In the past, the northern tribes united into a single massive force to wage war but in the end, they too gained nothing from the war, just like the State of Zhongyuan so the situation afterward could not help but be chaotic, and accordingly, on the strategic map, tribes holding various colorful flags were keeping each other in check.
“However, seeing that Grand Tactician Sima expressed it as ‘until not long ago,’ it seems there has been some change now.”
“Yes. Currently,” grand Tactician Sima nodded.
“the Yelu Tribe—or the Yelu Tribe, as they are called in their own language—is rapidly expanding its influence by subjugating the surrounding tribes.”
Grand Tactician Sima stretched out both hands widely to the left and right gathering the scattered troops of the tribes into one place.
“Yelu… indeed.”
Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon eyes narrowed and retraced his memory.
“Certainly. Are they the descendants of the royal family that founded the Liao Dynasty in the past?”
“That is correct.”
Basically, if the tribes wandering the grasslands began to unite as history proved, there was only one answer.
“Has a powerful leader appeared among them…?”
“Yelu Nujucha.”
Grand Tactician Sima spoke the Grand Chieftain’s name, transliterated into the language of the State of Zhongyuan.
“As they call him with awe…”
Grand Tactician Sima’s eyes narrowed.
“they call him the ‘Terror King.’” after a brief silence, elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon sneered slightly.
“…….”
“Like the crude barbarians of the north, it is a childish name.”
“…It is, but regardless of the name, we cannot ignore their strength.”
“…….”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon groaned inwardly.
If he had learned nothing after shedding so much blood in the Northern War, he would not be in this seat.
“According to the latest information obtained from the north, their power has now surpassed that of the northern Grand General’s family, the Murong Clan.”
“They surpassed the power of the Grand General’s family…?”
Instead of an answer, Grand Tactician Sima piled up another heap of pieces gathered under the banner of the Yelu Tribe and the sum of those pieces, even at a single glance, was greater than the sum of the forces of the tribes with pro-Zhongyuan tendencies, including the Murong Clan.
“…Then, we.”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon looked down at the strategic map and stroked his beard.
“We should put the Third Young Master forward, help the Grand General’s family, the Murong Clan, eliminate that Terror King, and calm the chaos in the north.”
However grand Tactician Sima gave an answer completely different from his expectation.
“No. That is not it.”
“…Then?!”
As Namgung Hyeok-cheon snapped his head up he met the eyes of Grand Tactician Sima, who was wearing a smile so sinister it could be felt as demonic energy.
“The Third Young Master will help the Terror King so that the Yelu Tribe unifies the north…”
Grand Tactician Sima slowly pushed down the northern pro-Zhongyuan forces with his hand as he spoke.
“and we will have the largest force in the north as a powerful ally.”
The last one he knocked down was the piece of the Northern Grand General’s family, the Murong Clan.
“…Certainly. It is an appealing strategy, but,” namgung Hyeok-cheon wiped the cold sweat that unconsciously flowed from his forehead.
“eliminating the Northern Grand General’s family, the Murong Clan, that is…”
Glancing slightly left and right, he lowered his voice as much as possible.
“…It might be defined as an act of treason against the current Imperial Court.”
He continued, lowering his voice even further.
“Whether everyone will cooperate in such a plan—” grand Tactician Sima smiled, cutting off Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s words.
“No.”
“The Yelu Tribe has no intention of leaving the north. What they, the Terror King, aim for is the position of the new Northern Grand General.”
“……!”
Grand Tactician Sima moved the piece of the Yelu Tribe to the spot where the Murong Clan had been.
“Because they too have not forgotten the last war.”
The outcome of the war with the State of Zhongyuan, which was thought to be corrupt, depraved, and weak remained a great lesson for them as well.
“They want to create a north of their own that is not interfered with by the State of Zhongyuan, just like the Murong Clan of the past.”
“…So, they intend to become the new Northern Grand General.”
“Yes. It is valuable inside information obtained from a key figure of the Yelu Tribe.”
As expected.
“…….”
His decision to join hands with the Strategist Department was a highly excellent judgment.
“If that happens, the Third Young Master will,” receiving Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s gaze, Grand Tactician Sima continued, grand Tactician Sima placed his finger on the piece of the State of Zhongyuan’s Imperial Court and shook it slowly.
“along with the formidable backing of the new Northern Grand General who unified the north,” grand Tactician Sima’s hand pointed toward the Imperial Court.
“receive even the backing of the Imperial Court, which has no choice but to watch the reaction of the powerfully reborn north.”
“At the very least, it will be possible to firmly prevent the current Emperor from taking the Eldest Young Master’s side out of personal friendship.”
Staring at the fingertip of Grand Tactician Sima shaking the piece of the Imperial Court, Namgung Hyeok-cheon spoke in a low voice.
“If, by any chance…”
His voice became even more cautious.
“what if that Terror King is not satisfied with that and starts a war with the State of Zhongyuan in the future…?”
The position of the Third Young Master’s camp would become highly awkward.
“If so, how about this…?”
The smile hanging on Grand Tactician Sima’s lips deepened further.
“Becoming a founding contributor of a ‘newborn empire’ does not seem too bad to me either?”
“……!”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s eyes twitched.
“Fufu.”
And by the time Grand Tactician Sima, who had turned away leaving behind a laugh, brewed and brought out fresh tea himself, a smile of the same kind as Grand Tactician Sima’s hung on Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s lips.
“…Certainly.”
“That would not be bad either.”
“Right?”
Grinning the two old men wore smiles full of ambition toward each other.
“…If so,” grand Tactician Sima raised a finger.
“next, we must proceed with the procedures to deploy forces to the north.”
“First is securing the war funds.”
“Leave that part to our Namgung Family.”
“I am absolutely not ignoring the Namgung Clan, but wouldn’t the Namgung Clan alone be a bit insufficient?”
“Do not worry. Those whom the Main Family is currently contacting will assist us as much as we need for such a matter.”
“Ho…?”
A strange light flashed in Grand Tactician Sima’s eyes.
It seemed the Namgung Clan had forces they were contacting other than Mount Hua, Wudang, and Emei.
“Then next…”
“Although they are under our command, since they are also the forces of the Sword Family, the consent of the Elders’ Hall will be required to mobilize the troops.”
“If it is the Elders’ Hall, leave it to me.”
“Indeed. That is reassuring.”
Once the head of the Strategist Department and the greatest supporter of the Third Young Master reached an agreement the progress of the matter could not help but flow bizarrely smoothly and rapidly.
“The Third Young Master will move to the north as soon as he receives our contact.”
“…Currently, the Third Young Master’s location is…”
“…We can move much faster than the Eldest Young Master…”
While the two were exchanging murmurs, Grand Tactician Zhuge’s voice was heard.
“Wait…! This is…!”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon and Grand Tactician Sima’s gazes directed toward him.
“Brother Zhuge?”
“What is it?”
Grand Tactician Zhuge had been staring only at the Eldest Young Master’s camp on the strategic map while they were talking.
“What is needed for war is, first of all, funds, and next is the consent of the Elders’ Hall.”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon and Grand Tactician Sima looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
“It seems Namgung Elder and this old man just said those words…”
“Grand Tactician Zhuge. What is it you want to say?”
Grand Tactician Zhuge spoke in a trembling voice.
“The Eldest Young Master, first of all, saved the Director of the Sword Family Bank from the crisis of dismissal.”
“…So?”
Unlike Namgung Hyeok-cheon, Grand Tactician Sima’s expression had already begun to stiffen.
“…….”
“And the Eldest Young Master created and showcased his own force in the Elders’ Hall.”
By this point, Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s face also stiffened.
“…….”
“Next, he pulled in the Sword Family’s War Department, which was gradually becoming a white elephant, and even pulled in the old orthodox sects on our side, which are only useful for fighting.”
Grand Tactician Zhuge raised his head and met the trembling gazes of the two men.
“At the same time, by seating his own person as the new Governor of Luoyang, he was securing dominance over Luoyang more firmly than ever.”
“…The Eldest Young Master’s ultimate aim was,” the voice leaking from Namgung Hyeok-cheon, who realized the situation, was hoarse and thick.
“military intervention in the north?”
“Come to think of it…”
Grand Tactician Sima let out a hollow laugh.
“The Eldest Young Master had that Fourth Young Master.”
Grand Tactician Sima picked up the piece of the Fourth Young Master and positioned it in the center of Luoyang.
“While the Fourth Young Master firmly guards the secured rear—” and Grand Tactician Zhuge picked up and moved the piece of Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon, taking over the words.
“the Eldest Young Master was planning to personally lead the troops and carry out a personal campaign in the north…!”
The piece bearing Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon’s banner was placed in the middle of the north.