"This isn't the first time you've gambled everything on a single move." Jiang Wang said half in reminder, half in persuasion. "You can't always be lucky."
"This time, launching the campaign against the State of Yang, I've bet everything. If I don't succeed, I'll perish. Now I have no choice but to fight."
There was a faint bitterness in Chongxuan Sheng's voice, easily overlooked: "Once you meet Chongxuan Zun, you'll understand. If I don't fight like this, there's no chance at all!"
"With Grand Marshal Chongxuan's military prowess, plus the strength of the Autumn Slaughter Army, couldn't we simply treat Song Guang as an enemy and attack him alongside Yang Jiande?" Jiang Wang asked.
"That's why I 'volunteered'!" Chongxuan Sheng said. "The conquest of the State of Yang will be the Grand Marshal's achievement. But neutralizing the threat of these seventy thousand war troops can be my accomplishment. I need achievements!"
After a moment of silence, Jiang Wang asked, "Are you confident?"
"I wasn't, but when I thought of you, I became confident!"
"That's why I came to ask for your help." Chongxuan Sheng said meaningfully. "Since we're discussing cooperation with such sincerity, how could you not go and apologize after killing his concubine's adopted son?"
Although Chongxuan Sheng didn't state it explicitly, Jiang Wang completely understood his meaning.
The so-called negotiation was not negotiation.
He intended to use the pretext of negotiation to carry out an assassination!
If they could kill Song Guang on the spot, the Rizhao Commandery would be headless, and the threat would dissolve itself.
However, Song Guang was, after all, a veteran Inner Fane realm powerhouse, currently commanding seventy thousand war troops.
If both sides clashed head-on, with his grand formation deployed, he could crush Chongxuan Sheng and Jiang Wang in a single encounter.
In wartime, Song Guang would definitely not be off guard. His seventy thousand troops were even camped outside the commandery city, and with his Inner Fane realm cultivation, he could arrive within a few breaths.
Even if they were to assassinate him, launching a sudden attack within the commandery manor, with Song Guang's cultivation, as long as there was a slight gap, once he escaped, he could immediately lead the army to counterattack... By then, they wouldn't even be able to flee.
And this didn't even account for the other experts who would definitely be in the commandery manor!
Jiang Wang had many reasons to refuse, and all of them were completely justified.
For instance, Song Guang was an Inner Fane realm powerhouse, while the two of them were merely Ascending Dragon realm.
Moreover, he had only just pushed open the Gate of Heaven and Earth, far from exploring the peak of the Ascending Dragon realm.
Furthermore, this was an entirely avoidable adventure. Chongxuan Sheng was too much of a gambler—how could he risk so much for mere military merit...
But in the end, Jiang Wang simply said, "I should go and apologize to the Prefect!"
…… ……
In the end, only Chongxuan Sheng, Fourteen, Jiang Wang, and Xiang Qian went to the commandery city—just the four of them.
Facing the Rizhao Prefect who commanded seventy thousand war troops, sending more people would be useless.
It was better to go with just these four, which might make Song Guang less wary.
The four flew swiftly all the way, none of them lacking in Dao essence, flying directly from Green Goat Town to outside the commandery city before landing.
Under normal circumstances, outsiders would not be allowed to fly directly into the city.
The sprawling military camp was built not far outside the city, visible at a glance. Only routine drills were taking place in the camp, but the killing intent already pierced the clouds.
Looking at the camp, Chongxuan Sheng suddenly sighed: "They say 'the son of a noble does not sit under the eaves.' It's a pity the son of a noble has already been taken by Chongxuan Zun. I can probably only be the thousand-jin son."
Jiang Wang glanced at his physique and agreed wholeheartedly: "A thousand-jin son, life hanging by a thread?"
Chongxuan Sheng laughed heartily, then suddenly stopped: "I just hope this thread is strong enough!"
Fourteen remained silent as always, and Xiang Qian was also quiet throughout the journey.
Since the visiting card had been sent in advance, there was no fear of being turned away by Song Guang.
As soon as they reached the city gates, someone from the commandery manor came to greet them. The person was the steward of Song Guang's residence, absolutely a trusted confidant. His surname was also Song, probably a bestowed surname.
The commandery city itself was quite peaceful, likely because the military camp with seventy thousand troops stationed outside gave the city a sense of security.
The group went directly to the commandery manor.
For Jiang Wang, this was already his second visit.
However, last time Song Guang received him in the reception hall, but this time it was in the inner courtyard. This indicated it was a private matter, and those who knew their identities had probably been silenced.
Fourteen and Xiang Qian were stopped outside the inner courtyard.
"Please forgive us, bodyguards cannot enter the inner courtyard." Steward Song said apologetically.
The older a person gets, the more cautious they become. Even two Ascending Dragon realm bodyguards were being stopped, showing Song Guang's wariness.
"It's fine." Chongxuan Sheng smiled. "Just wait outside."
Jiang Wang also nodded to Xiang Qian.
Without setting up the sword formation in advance, Xiang Qian couldn't display his Inner Fane realm level killing power anyway. It was better to have him guard outside, and if necessary, he could work with Fourteen to intercept any reinforcements from the Rizhao Commandery manor.
Fourteen, without a word, went with Xiang Qian, led by the manor servants to rest temporarily.
Jiang Wang and Chongxuan Sheng followed Steward Song into the inner courtyard.
Turning into the inner courtyard, there was a sense of "a separate world within."
The courtyard was deep and spacious, all the arrangements quite elegant.
Jiang Wang had thought that a greedy person like Song Guang would surely have his residence paved with gold bricks and walled with jade, but upon seeing it, there was actually quite an elegant taste.
It showed that "elegant taste" was also something that could be bought with money, nothing special. Even if one didn't understand it, spending money to hire someone who did to arrange it would suffice.
Steward Song led the way ahead, his steps light and silent, also an extraordinary cultivator, though his strength certainly didn't exceed the Ascending Dragon realm.
After passing through several long corridors, Song Guang was waiting for them in his own tea room.
Two squads of guards stood outside the door, their eyes straight ahead. Jiang Wang noticed they all had Heaven-Piercing realm cultivation.
As the wooden door was pushed open, this elegantly arranged tea room appeared before Jiang Wang and Chongxuan Sheng.
A long table made of raw wood, Song Guang sat comfortably in the seat opposite, with a heavily made-up, seductive woman nestled beside him.
With this heavily made-up woman sitting there, the elegant atmosphere of the entire tea room vanished.
A hint of mockery appeared in Chongxuan Sheng's eyes, but his face was all smiles, completely hiding it.
Steward Song entered the tea room and knelt to one side, preparing tea for everyone.
Opposite Song Guang, there was only one cushion. Clearly, no seat had been left for Jiang Wang.
Jiang Wang didn't mind at all and simply sat on the ground.
Chongxuan Sheng pushed the only cushion aside with his foot and also sat directly on the ground.
Song Guang noticed this scene but didn't say anything specific.
The situation now was completely different from when he had met Jiang Wang before. Back then, although he was also a regional lord, he still maintained the necessary respect for the prestigious Chongxuan family of the great State of Qi—or rather, respect for the possible financial assistance from the Chongxuan family.
Now, with seventy thousand war troops in his hands, any faction would need to win him over. A few donated funds were no longer in his eyes.
After settling down, Chongxuan Sheng let out a sigh of relief, then smiled and said: "Sorry, I'm too fat."
"A noble man has a prosperous appearance." Song Guang smiled and raised his hand. "Please have some tea."