Nearly ten days passed.
"Tell me, how was the conflict resolved?"
Sun Moon Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.
Xu Tianran was sitting expressionlessly behind his desk, while kneeling before him was a Sun Moon official responsible for intelligence.
When he learned that the conflict he had manufactured between Tian Hun and Star Luo had trended toward peace, and that the spearhead had even been pointed at the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Tianran immediately summoned the official responsible for intelligence, ordering him to operate frantically to find out the causes and consequences of how things had developed this way.
"I entrusted you with so many people, and this is how you repay me? It has only been a few short months."
Xu Tianran's tone was indifferent, yet it caused the official to break out in cold sweat.
At the beginning, facing the decree from His Majesty, he had been quite confident, even nearly making a military pledge. But the result? In less than a few short months—or one could say, just as a hint of development appeared—the spark was extinguished.
No matter what actually happened, it was his incompetence.
"Your Majesty! This official deserves ten thousand deaths!"
He immediately prostrated himself, weeping bitterly to preserve his life.
"You indeed deserve ten thousand deaths."
Xu Tianran suddenly closed the memorial in his hand and threw it violently!
Bang—
Blood instantly flowed from the official's forehead, yet he immediately kowtowed in gratitude, as if the one bleeding and in pain was not him.
"Thank Your Majesty, thank Your Majesty..."
"Enough!"
Xu Tianran coldly interrupted the official, "What I want now is the full story of the incident. Don't tell me you haven't investigated it. Otherwise, you and your three clans can go reunite in the underworld together."
Hearing these words, the intelligence official hurriedly informed Xu Tianran of what they had investigated. Soon, all the causes and consequences were clearly laid before Xu Tianran.
Intelligence reconciliation.
When Xu Tianran understood the content and meaning of this term, he couldn't help but fall into a moment of silence.
"What a brilliant open stratagem."
When Xu Tianran secretly sighed that the two great empires had capable people who could break their conspiracy, he also saw through the intentions of the high levels of both empires.
The scheme of sowing discord would be difficult to implement.
It was clear that the Tian Hun and Star Luo Empires feared their Sun Moon Empire far more than anything else. When facing this great enemy, even if bound by public opinion, as long as there was a suitable step down, the high levels of both empires wouldn't let it slip by.
Tsk—
After demoting the official responsible for intelligence by three ranks and having him withdraw, only Xu Tianran remained in the entire Imperial Study. At this, he couldn't help but let out a slightly regretful tsk.
What a pity.
Truly too great a pity.
"Can only see if the Dou Ling Empire side goes smoothly."
Xu Tianran pondered silently for a moment, then said, "Someone come."
Outside the Imperial Study, a eunuch bowed.
"Your Majesty."
"Have the Prime Minister, the Minister of Military Affairs, and Hall Master Hongchen enter the palace for a discussion." Xu Tianran waved his large hand, then issued the decree.
Since the high levels of the Tian Hun Empire and Star Luo Empire had reached reconciliation due to their Sun Moon Empire, that meant even if the Sun Moon Empire suffered severe wounds, in the eyes of the high levels of those two empires, they remained an important enemy urgently needing to be dealt with, and they could launch war at any time.
Since that was the case, better to prepare early!
Thinking of this, a sharp light flashed in Xu Tianran's eyes.
He turned his wheelchair and came to a wall covered by a huge cloth. With a lift of his hand, the full appearance of the wall was revealed.
A huge map of the four nations came into view.
Xu Tianran gazed and looked, his two fingers gradually tracing across the map, from the Sun Moon Empire side across the sea, straight to Tian Hun.
Then he withdrew his hand, and from the Ming Dou Mountain Range straight to Star Luo.
"Tian Hun or Star Luo... or..."
Xu Tianran followed the map, looking toward that country farthest from the Sun Moon Empire, murmuring softly, "Dou Ling..."
...
Meanwhile, the Dou Ling Empire.
Similarly within the Imperial Study, Xue Feng was reviewing the memorial submitted by his intelligence department, also knowing the full story of how the conflict erupted between the Tian Hun Empire and Star Luo Empire and was subsequently resolved.
When he reached the final page, Xue Feng slowly closed the memorial.
"There are clever people."
Back then, when the crisis broke out between the two empires, different voices emerged in the imperial court regarding what actions the Dou Ling Empire should take, with opinions divided into two types.
First, mediation.
The reason was that from a big-picture perspective, conflict between the two countries would weaken their national power, which would instead benefit the Sun Moon Empire.
In the end, the pressure on their Dou Ling Empire would be great.
Second, none of my business—let it be.
Their reason was...
The new emperor had just ascended; if he made any moves, he feared political instability would result. In short, they simply didn't want to wade into these muddy waters.
Undoubtedly, this was a do-nothing inferior strategy.
But actually, compared to these two voices, there was secretly a third. Only Xue Feng himself knew of it, along with the person who proposed the strategy. And this was what Wu Dao had said: rather than painstakingly mediating, better to intensify the conflict, also implementing a strategy of division and disintegration, fighting poison with poison, and dispatching troops to ally with the stronger side to destroy the weaker, bringing maximum benefit.
Once this strategy was proposed, one could not call it anything but poisonous.
But similarly, this was also a superior strategy.
Who would have thought among these superior, middle, and inferior strategies, Xue Feng at that time, after deep deliberation, had unexpectedly chosen the inferior strategy.
No!
To be precise, he temporarily chose the inferior strategy at that time.
He changed from not wading into muddy waters to sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight.
After all, Wu Dao's strategy was far too poisonous; using it might bring misfortune, and moreover, if one wasn't careful, the aftereffects would be severe.
Compared to this, it is better to let the situation between the Tian Hun Empire and Star Luo Empire develop as it would. If the two countries truly reached that point... then one couldn't blame him, Xue Feng, for being impolite.
After all, when heaven bestows and you don't take it, you instead receive blame; when the time comes and you don't act, you instead suffer calamity. Being polite to the Sun Moon was not as good as benefiting the Dou Ling.
What he hadn't expected was that this conflict, after only a few months, was completely resolved. And now the spearhead within both countries was completely pointed at the Sun Moon Empire.
Currently, plus the previous spirit hunting operation...
"War between the two countries is already justified."
At some unknown time, Xue Feng closed his eyes in thought. When he opened them again, his gaze was like a bared blade.
"Someone come."
"Your Majesty."
A eunuch entered from outside the Imperial Study, bowing to await orders.
"Transmit my verbal decree: have the Dou Ling Shadow Guards investigate a Sun Moon spy in the imperial city. Inform them that no matter what, they must extract 'conclusive' evidence from his mouth that the Sun Moon Empire murdered my royal brother!"
Xue Feng slightly emphasized the word "conclusive," then glanced at the understanding eunuch, "Since you understand, then go."
"By your decree."
After the eunuch withdrew, Xue Feng spoke again, "Someone come, summon the Prime Minister, Marshal Li, General Ge Hong, and Mr. Wu to see me."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)