Chapter 1368

"Moving forward bravely is the hardest part." He Lingchuan spoke slowly, "If you want to settle for second best, you can have a hundred reasons." He was also observing Boss Situ He, or rather, he was also testing Boss Situ He.

After a while, Boss Situ He's breathing gradually steadied, and his flushed face faded a little.

Once a person begins to think seriously, reason takes the upper hand, and impulse and anger must yield.

"My father and I both want a strong army and mighty warriors, we both hope our people can live in peace and prosperity, free from the ravages of war, and we both do not wish to be manipulated by the Yao State any longer!" Boss Situ He clenched his fists, "Bixia must not be left!"

Bixia was severely wounded by the allied forces, and both sides have forged a deadly enmity. If we do not take advantage of its illness to strike it down, none of the wishes of the Boss Situ father and son can be realized.

"Is this what you want?"

"Yes!" Boss Situ He spoke decisively, "Brother He, I want to move forward without hesitation!"

He no longer said this was his father's wish. He said, this is what he himself wants.

"Good, then let us discuss how to steady the allied forces and maintain the offensive." He Lingchuan also knew that this was Boss Situ He's main purpose for coming today: to hear useful advice.

The Boss Situ father and son originally hated Bixia and the Yao State. Now that his father has just been murdered, how could Boss Situ He possibly relent?

What He Lingchuan wanted to say was nothing more than what Boss Situ He had originally wanted to hear.

"The Yao State and Bixia also know you will seek revenge, but they hope that with this blow, the allied forces will naturally scatter." Assassinating the leader, this method is very effective on the Flash Gold Plains where spiritual power is lacking. He Lingchuan spoke solemnly, "So, Boss Situ Brother, if you wish to take over the position of allied forces leader, there are two points you must demonstrate."

Boss Situ He took a wet wipe to wipe away his sweat: "I listen respectfully."

"First is the conviction to defeat Bixia without compromise, which is also the demeanor a leader should possess." He Lingchuan raised a finger, "To build the allied forces, you have traveled far and wide to lobby, fallen into enemy hands yet never surrendered—how resolute is your will? Allies can only admire your character, finding no fault in you. Therefore, you already possess this point."

Boss Situ He was moved: "Thank you, Brother He."

"Second is prestige. Your father is venerable and respected, and as the initiator, he was elected to lead the allied forces. But Boss Situ Brother, you are young, and your prestige struggles to convince the masses."

Boss Situ He nodded slightly. He is only in his twenties, while the other leaders of the allied forces are all older than him—who would listen to a greenhorn like him? This is the current difficulty.

"But Boss Situ Brother also has advantages: your talent is widely recognized within the allied forces." He Lingchuan was not on the front lines, but he had read many military reports, "Your father also often listened to your opinions—this, all sides of the allied forces also know; and you also lead troops on the front lines, having won several battles. You can accurately grasp the situation, battlefield, and enemy and ally psychology, and as the son of the former alliance leader, you are a suitable successor both in fact and in law."

Boss Situ He himself has a following, troops, and fame—he is not a dependent, rootless strategist within the shogunate.

He Lingchuan spoke solemnly, "With your father's sudden passing, there will be those in the allied forces who waver, and there will be those who harbor second thoughts."

Boss Situ He nodded—this was exactly what he worried about, and this was also what the Bixia people hoped for.

He exhaled: "The situation is perilous, the allied forces are in danger."

"But, do you know in your heart who might jump out to oppose you and who will firmly support you?"

"Yes! I can deduce who those people are. I can also at least rally two allied teams."

Seeing Boss Situ He answer without hesitation, He Lingchuan knew this kid had a clear grasp of the situation and the allies.

That's good enough—when speaking with smart people, get to the point.

"Then you still need a great victory to prove you can fulfill the position of allied forces leader." He Lingchuan spoke slowly, "Convincing with reason is not as effective as convincing with facts; a loud voice is no match for a strong fist."

Only by holding a great killer can one speak reason.

"A great victory?" Boss Situ He's eyes lit up.

"It must be refreshing and thorough, to dispel others' concerns and irrelevant thoughts."

"I understand." After happily beating the wooden dummy, Boss Situ He's heart gradually calmed, and his mind returned to clarity.

"As a leader, the most important thing is nothing more than displaying courage and skill, so others will willingly follow." He Lingchuan smiled, "These two, Boss Situ Brother, you actually do not lack."

Speaking with smart people saves effort—just a hint and they understand.

"A few allies, a great victory!" Boss Situ He bowed deeply to him, sincerely saying, "Hearing your words is like nectar poured upon the head."

If prestige is lacking, then seize the opportunity to establish authority.

As long as one acts with outstanding brilliance, age becomes irrelevant, no longer a greenhorn, but "accomplished at a young age."

He Lingchuan said meaningfully, "What I said are things Boss Situ Brother already knows—what nectar is there to speak of?"

Boss Situ He rarely showed a smile, but this smile was immediately overshadowed by gloom: "My father's afterlife arrangements are handled by the clansmen; I must return to the front lines to join the next great battle. Hmm, the front line's advance has been too slow lately—I want to change tactics and need to go back to design properly. Brother He, any further instructions?"

"Instructions? Just casual chat between friends." He Lingchuan asked him, "Do you want to change the front line's tactics?"

"Yes."

"No."

"……" Boss Situ He felt a bit unconvinced, "Why?"

"The front line's combat style and progress have always been controlled by your father, proven effective." Bixia was not only forced to spit out all the Gaobu territories, but also suffered several cuts itself—"If the Bixia people were not blinded by urgency, how could they have assassinated Boss Situ the Marshal?"

This statement was very reasonable, Boss Situ He had nothing to say in reply.

"It's not that there are no better tactics, just that your father's method is more steady." He Lingchuan emphasized the word "steady," Boss Situ He listened thoughtfully. "The enemy fears what it hates—you just use that to strike it, no problem, right?"

"No problem."

After his father's death, he thought of the four characters "swift and decisive." But upon second thought, what the allied forces currently need most is still the character "steady."

"Moreover, the timing is not right." He Lingchuan patted his shoulder, "Wait until you stand firm, able to control the whole situation—then fear no lack of opportunity to display your talents?"

"Brother He speaks truly, Boss Situ receives the teaching." Boss Situ He clasped his hands, "I take my leave first."

The purpose of visiting He Lingchuan having been achieved, he bade farewell and departed, rushing back to Yaopo.

……

In the evening, fine drizzle fell again.

Dong Rui woke up, and from He Lingchuan he heard that Boss Situ Yu had been assassinated and died, and also heard that Boss Situ He had come to consult He Lingchuan's opinion, and could not help but ask: "You only gave him a few suggestions? You don't plan to take action?"

He had confidence in He Lingchuan—if this fellow were willing to act, the possibility of Boss Situ He and the allied forces safely weathering this crisis would increase by at least fifty percent! "You see, Boss Situ He asked me for help, didn't he? Besides asking for a few verbal suggestions."

"Oh, it seems not." In such a critical moment, Boss Situ He rushed over anxiously, merely asking He Lingchuan for a few pointers.

Would he not know of He Lingchuan and Yang Shan's power?

"Do you know why?"

Dong Rui instantly turned into a parrot: "Why?"

"Because, he must rely on his own strength to accomplish it." He Lingchuan sat in a rattan chair watching the rain, leisurely and content, "I have already done too much for the Boss Situ family—do I really need to help them mount their horses, send them on their way, and still escort them all the way to the Western Paradise?"

"Where is the Western Paradise?" Dong Rui also moved a rattan chair over, sat under the corridor.

"Nothing much. I don't have that much time, nor that much energy, and I have more important things to attend to." He Lingchuan said lightly, "The Boss Situ family, the allied forces — they're just a small part of my plan. I helped the Boss Situ family and already got what I wanted; the Boss Situ family got my help and also got back what they wanted — that's what makes a pleasant cooperation."

"Boss Situ Helu has the bearing of a true dragon; having weathered wind and rain and survived great calamities, he can ascend to heaven; if he were a worm, he would have to rely on my strength, and then his path would not go far." He Lingchuan said, "This I know, and Boss Situ Helu knows it even better than I do. Moreover, he doesn't want me and Yangshan to interfere too much in the allied forces."

Dong Rui muttered: "One set of principles after another. I just want to ask you, if Boss Situ loses and can't hold onto his territory, then Yangshan's development here wouldn't turn out badly? We've invested so much in the early stages."

Although only He Lingchuan put real gold and silver into it, that didn't stop him from saying "we".

After operating for so long, Yangshan Archipelago gradually extended its feelers to the western Shanjin Plains, making progress every day and expanding its influence. But its main artery still runs from Julu Port to Boss Situ's territory — once Boss Situ can't hold onto his territory...

"Rest assured. No matter who becomes the master of this place, most likely there will still be a foothold for Yangshan." He Lingchuan closed his eyes to listen to the rain, this kind of white noise helping him calm his mind, "Yangshan only makes friends, not enemies; only does business, not war — who wouldn't welcome us?"

Yangshan's outward image is very positive.

"Uh..."

"What the Boss Situ family hates most is Yao State. But Yao State also cooperates happily with us." This is the benefit of not forming alliances and not showing claws and fangs — Yangshan won't be easily dragged into the mire of war.

At this moment, Jiang Lishui ran in from outside, his expression somewhat tense.

"My lord, not..." The words reached his lips, but he temporarily changed the three words "not good" to "something happened in the east".

East? He Lingchuan looked up, listening to Jiang Lishui say: "Flying messages came from the east — our Yangshan Merchant Association's Yao State Assistant County Magistrate branch caught fire three days ago, the houses burned to the ground, ten dead and twenty-seven injured; and the person in charge of the Xiaolin branch, Dai Wangsheng, was accused two days ago of privately trafficking contraband Linlang Gold, said to be caught red-handed, and has already been imprisoned by the local authorities."

This really came as a surprise to He Lingchuan. The Yangshan Merchant Association has always acted cautiously on the Shanjin Plains, with every branch guarded by Yangshan guards. Although minor troubles keep occurring, the Yangshan Merchant Association really hasn't had any major incidents on the Shanjin Plains... until now! Dong Rui opened his eyes: "These two places are both in Yao State!"

If it weren't for the loss of life, he could laugh at He Lingchuan being harshly slapped in the face by reality.

This guy just said, Yangshan and Yao State cooperate happily, didn't he.

(End of chapter)