Chapter 1108: Obstruction

Under the present circumstances, Wei could only seek aid from Qi and Qin. Only those two states bordered it closely enough to send troops. The others were too far away; even the longest whip could not reach.

"From the intelligence we have, once Jin's forces begin their attack, Wei's present condition will make it very difficult for them to hold. That is roughly the situation." Luo Zhao lowered the pointer in his hand after finishing his explanation before the map and looked toward the grave-faced Mr. Yucang.

Yucang turned to glance at Xia Lingpei, emperor of Qin, whose head kept nodding as he dozed in his chair. Seeing that the man had long since fallen asleep, Yucang could not help sighing.

Tian Zhengyang and Ma Chang'an also looked back. These two senior military officials of Qin were equally helpless when it came to their emperor. After dealing with him for so long, they naturally understood exactly what kind of man he was. He had no interest in government whatsoever and simply was not made to be an emperor.

At every court session, whatever matter the officials reported, the emperor's answer was essentially whatever everyone else said should be done. If Mr. Yucang had not arranged people to assist him, the government would probably have fallen into disorder long ago. Yucang already had to handle the affairs of the cultivation world as Master of Xiaoyue Pavilion, yet he also had to concern himself with the endless complexities of Qin's civil administration. It was enough to exhaust anyone.

At times, even the people present found themselves wondering whether Yucang was a court minister or a man of the cultivation world. His written instructions could occasionally be seen on official memorials. They were issued in the emperor's name, but everyone recognized whose handwriting it actually was.

Yucang truly had worried himself nearly to exhaustion. Taking a realm was easy; governing it was hard. He now understood that truth in his bones. Qin's reserve of capable civil and military officials was still far too shallow. With no other choice, they had even brought many former Zhao officials back into service.

Then there was Xia Lingpei's disappointing performance. Yet Yucang did not blame him. He knew perfectly well that the man Xia Lingpei had become was inseparable from his early life. From childhood to adulthood, he had lived under something close to strict house arrest, almost completely cut off from the outside world. How could someone raised that way possibly govern a state well?

Helpless or not, the matter before them still had to be settled. After thinking for a moment, Yucang asked Luo Zhao, "Wei is asking for aid. General, what do you think?"

Luo Zhao replied slowly, "Pavilion Master, Jin's wolfish ambition is known to everyone. Qin already occupies a land exposed to war on every side, with the Eastern Three States on one side and the Western Three States on the other, squeezing Qin between them. If Wei and Qi are destroyed, Qin will be the next to bear the brunt. Jin already excels at forging weapons and armor, and its soldiers are clad in iron. If it then gains Wei's abundance of grain and Qi's advantage in warhorses, I fear Qin will be unable to withstand its spearpoint. In my view, we should send troops immediately."

As he spoke, Luo Zhao picked up the pointer again and traced across the map. "If Qin, Wei, and Qi join forces, we can certainly deter Jin and beat back its ambitions. Once we force Jin to shrink back, Qin can immediately withdraw its troops. Our purpose is to preserve the balance among the Western Three States, not to help Qi and Wei destroy Jin. Mutual checks among the Western Three States are most favorable to Qin at present. Qin has only just been founded. There are still many internal shortcomings to remedy. We need time, and we need a stable external environment."

Yucang understood his meaning and slowly nodded as he studied the map.

Tian Zhengyang suddenly said loudly, "Teacher, Luo Zhao's shallow opinion cannot be trusted."

Luo Zhao immediately shot back, "Does General Tian intend to sit back and watch Wei be destroyed, then sit back again while Jin advances on Qin with predatory eyes?"

Tian Zhengyang replied, "General Luo is being far too alarmist. Once war begins, Qi will be the first state to feel threatened. If Qi wants to preserve itself, it will inevitably spare no effort to help Wei resist Jin. Wei will not be destroyed so quickly."

Ma Chang'an also cupped his hands. "Teacher, warfare is not child's play. The upheaval in Wei came without the slightest warning. Qin had no time to prepare at all. The grain, fodder, baggage, and other supplies needed for a military campaign all take time to organize. How can we rush the army out with no preparation whatsoever?"

Luo Zhao immediately argued, "There is no need for any elaborate preparation. We only need to travel light and move quickly. Tell Wei that Qin has decided to send troops to assist them and have Wei prepare our grain, fodder, and baggage train. Wei will gladly agree. That also reduces the strain the war places on Qin's own resources. We gain on both ends!"

Tian Zhengyang said, "General Luo is taking far too much for granted. This war came so suddenly that Wei itself was caught unprepared. If Wei cannot even make its own preparations in time, how is it supposed to prepare the grain and supplies for our army as well?"

"That is not something we need to worry about," Luo Zhao replied. "How Wei solves the problem is Wei's business. Whatever difficulties they have, they can overcome them themselves. As long as Qin agrees to send troops, Wei will do everything in its power to prepare what we need in exchange for our intervention!"

Tian Zhengyang stared at him in disbelief. "Luo Zhao, what did you just say? We send out our own army, yet we do not concern ourselves with its grain and supplies and expect someone else to do it for us?"

Ma Chang'an sighed. "No wonder General Luo was beaten so badly by Meng Shanming in Song that he had no room to fight back."

That jab went straight for an old wound. Luo Zhao's expression instantly turned ugly.

Seeing the argument drag on without end and even begin descending into personal attacks, Yucang finally barked, "Enough. Stop arguing."

He knew perfectly well what lay behind it. Luo Zhao had yet to accomplish anything in Qin, yet Yucang had brought him over and placed him among Qin's three Supreme Generals. Tian Zhengyang and Ma Chang'an resented that and were deeply dissatisfied with Luo Zhao.

But Yucang had his reasons for bringing Luo Zhao to Qin. Tian Zhengyang and Ma Chang'an might both be his students, but much of what he had taught them came from military books. He himself had never experienced real warfare. Put plainly, it was warfare on paper.

Tian Zhengyang and Ma Chang'an had rendered foundational service in the establishment of Qin, but many other critical factors had contributed to Qin's success. It was not a state they had carved out blade by blade with their own hands.

The two had vaulted suddenly into high office and, strictly speaking, their abilities were still lacking.

Luo Zhao was different. Young and capable, he was a famous general of the age. He had repeatedly distinguished himself in the State of Song, had once defeated the Yingyang and Wulie Guards, and had crossed hands on the battlefield with Meng Shanming of Yan and Jin Jue of Han.

Both Meng Shanming and Jin Jue were commanders of the highest order in the present age, men capable of serving as pillars of a state.

No man was perfect, and no general beneath Heaven won forever. Strictly speaking, Luo Zhao's battle against Jin Jue could hardly even be called his defeat. With the remnants of Song's strength, Luo Zhao had managed to hold Jin Jue at bay. If he had lost in the end, it was because Song's national strength had already been exhausted and the greater situation was beyond saving. Luo Zhao simply had no power to reverse it.

If Ma Chang'an or Tian Zhengyang had faced Jin Jue under those same circumstances, could they have held? Could they have fought better than Luo Zhao? Yucang doubted it.

He might himself be a man whose military knowledge came largely from the page, but he understood enough of warfare to judge certain things.

As for Luo Zhao losing to Meng Shanming, Yucang honestly did not think it was anything to be ashamed of. Meng Shanming's magnificent battlefield record was simply monstrous. No one beneath Heaven could surpass it; only Huyan Wuhen of Qi could barely be placed beside him.

Yucang had witnessed the Battle of Jiao Lake with his own eyes. Meng Shanming had brought everything to fruition in that one campaign and toppled the State of Zhao in a single battle, shocking all beneath Heaven.

To destroy a state in one campaign! Even Yucang himself had been awestruck.

That was why he did not care about Luo Zhao's defeats. He valued Luo Zhao's ability far more. Luo Zhao had spent years commanding the forces of an entire state and possessed extensive experience in administering and training a national army. The strength of Song's former armies and warhorses had owed much to him. That could not be denied simply because he had once lost to Meng Shanming. To do so would be unfair to Luo Zhao.

And Qin needed exactly such a man.

Troops were easy to find; a true general was hard to come by. Yucang had regarded Luo Zhao as a treasure from the moment he obtained him. That was why he had gone to such lengths to bring Luo Zhao to Qin.

Luo Zhao was still young. At the very least, he could serve Qin's rise for several more decades.

Ma Chang'an and Tian Zhengyang did not possess Luo Zhao's ability. At least, they did not possess it yet.

The two had risen abruptly to high office. One carefully planned war of state destruction, in which outside forces had contributed most of the decisive factors, was not enough to prove their ability.

For Qin to build a truly powerful military, Yucang actually wanted to make heavy use of Luo Zhao and place all Qin's forces under his command.

In Yucang's mind, Luo Zhao was the man for Qin's post of Grand Marshal.

But Luo Zhao had not yet earned a single achievement since coming to Qin, and he had arrived with the reputation of a defeated general. The people below did not accept him.

More importantly, the foundation of Qin's armed forces lay in the rebel troops originally led by Ma Chang'an and Tian Zhengyang. Most of Qin's soldiers took their lead from those two. Luo Zhao had come alone. Though he bore the title of one of Qin's Supreme Generals, he had no troops of his own and simply could not contend with Tian and Ma.

That was also why Yucang had not dared rashly appoint Luo Zhao Grand Marshal of Qin. He was afraid of creating internal disorder.

Had Yucang not used some of his own strength to protect him, Tian Zhengyang and Ma Chang'an might already have found a way to kill Luo Zhao.

The post of Grand Marshal of Qin had remained vacant for precisely this reason. Tian and Ma had probably sensed Yucang's intentions as well, which was why they continually made things difficult for Luo Zhao, just as they were doing now. They opposed him at every turn.

Both men feared that Luo Zhao might win a great achievement and overtake them despite arriving later.

They were also afraid for themselves. They had spent so long obstructing and offending him that if Luo Zhao truly rose above them, their own days would likely become difficult.

Of course, there was another reason. Facing Jin's tiger-and-wolf armies in battle left both men uncertain in their hearts. One mistake could ruin the reputations they had built over a lifetime.

"According to the two of you, Wei is in mortal danger and Qin should refuse to save it? We should simply sit and watch Wei perish?" Yucang looked coldly at them from the corner of his eye.

His tone and expression tightened both men's hearts. They instinctively exchanged a glance.

Tian Zhengyang forced a smile. "Teacher, that is not what we mean. Of course Wei should be saved, but there is no need to rush. We can watch the situation first."

Ma Chang'an added, "Exactly. Teacher, if Wei falls, Qi will bear the brunt next, so Qi is bound to fight desperately to save it. Wei will not collapse so easily. Let Wei and Qi fight Jin first and wear one another down. In the meantime, we can make complete preparations for sending out our own army..."

Luo Zhao immediately grew anxious. "Wei's current situation is not the same as before—"

Yucang raised a hand to stop him, signaling for the others to finish.

Tian Zhengyang continued, "Acting in too much haste will only hurt us. Teacher, there is another danger we cannot ignore. Once Qin sends out its army, the state itself will be left empty. Who can guarantee that Yan and Han will not take advantage of the opening and strike us?"

That argument made Yucang frown. For the first time, real hesitation appeared in his eyes.

[End of Chapter 1108]