Chapter 2652: Father and Son's Calculations

While He Chunhua was also very willing to be this messenger. The closer his relationship with He Lingchuan, the closer the relationship between Shen State and Cangyan would be. Whether it was the gods or the people of the world, they all knew their father-son relationship, which had already become an open secret.

In that case, Shen State must firmly hang on as the third greatest empire in the human world, so that even if Shaliti Tian or Naluo Tian were to fall, there would still be strength to carry on.

With so many interests at stake, He Chunhua fell into deep thought for a long time.

Until the conch shell beside him kept vibrating, making a light knocking sound on the table.

That was He Yue impatiently wanting to get in touch with him.

Only then did He Chunhua come back to his senses, step forward, and open the conch shell.

"Father, we have captured Aonan City." He Yue's voice came from the conch shell, and as soon as he spoke, he delivered the good news.

He Chunhua was overjoyed and slapped his thigh: "Good, good, excellent!"

Everyone knew that although Baleng was an old-established strong country, its strength was no longer comparable to Shen State. This time, in the clash between old and new, Baleng had just started fighting and went all out with firepower, seized the initiative, and made full preparations, while Shen State was caught off guard. In the early stage, being attacked and plundered, He Chunhua felt a surge of anger in his belly.

However, as time passed, Baleng's fierce momentum was not as strong as at the beginning, and Shen State gradually turned the tide in a few rounds. Aonan City was an important transportation hub in the south of Baleng, and was itself a major city. He Yue's capture of Aonan showed that Shen State had not only pushed the battle line back into Baleng's territory, but also launched a brilliant counteroffensive.

He Chunhua felt relieved in his heart. His eldest son had become the Nine Abysses Great Emperor in a distant land, but was no longer one of his own; fortunately, his younger son, after years of tempering, had finally grown into a commander in his father's eyes.

Isn't it just that each son becoming accomplished proves that He Chunhua educates his children well?

"After I captured Aonan, Baleng reacted intensely, and is now reassembling its great army, preparing to counterattack and retake the city." He Yue's voice, however, was heavy and solemn. Having served by his father's side for many years, he was no longer the vigorous, naive youth of the past, and was not easily dazed by temporary victory. "They have already gathered a hundred thousand troops, and the number is still increasing."

He Chunhua fell into thought.

These years, Baleng has been on a downward trend. At present, this battle concerns Baleng's national fate, and it cannot afford to lose.

If it were defeated by Shen State, Baleng would probably find it hard to seek a chance to make a comeback in the future.

"I want to ask Father, should we stay or withdraw?"

He Chunhua did not answer immediately, but asked him: "What do you think?"

He Yue also did not beat around the bush: "I think, taking advantage of the great victory, to return in triumph."

To return victorious after winning a battle is called triumphant return, and it is hard for the people of the state and other states to criticize, because the initiative lies in one's own hands. Now, Shen State must face the choice between triumphant return or pressing the attack.

He Chunhua asked him: "Do you want to call it quits while you're ahead?"

"Over these past years, our conflicts with Baleng have been increasing, but have not yet reached the point of no return. Although Baleng is shameless, according to its past habits, it does not like to provoke strong opponents actively, so this sudden dispatch of troops is very suspicious."

He Chunhua snorted: "Just a pawn used by Bekka, as before using Baleng to deal with Panlongcheng, now using it against us."

He knew the history of Panlongcheng, and had studied Baleng's nature, and was very clear about Bekka's control over Baleng. If it were not for the actions of Shaliti Tian, Shen State might have already followed in Baleng's footsteps.

But conversely, it is also because Shen State reveres Shaliti Tian that Bekka has become increasingly rude toward Shen State.

The heavens are fighting fiercely, how can the earth be at peace?

"Baleng actively crossed the border to provoke us. I interrogated the surrendered soldiers and officers, and they did not want to fight this war either. The son of Li Fangnian, the governor of the border city, was shot dead, and Baleng used this as a pretext to dispatch troops, but most of those Baleng soldiers did not even know this person, so how could they be willing to shed blood and sacrifice for him?" He Yue continued, "But I found that, since the front line was pushed back into Baleng's territory, their willingness to fight has become much stronger, and our advance has met greater resistance. In this battle for Aonan City, our army marched day and night for over eighty li, caught the enemy off guard, but the resistance of Aonan City was very tenacious, we lost over two thousand men, and only after using two divine descents did we manage to take it."

An army must have a just cause. Invading another country and resisting foreign aggression—these two evoke different levels of enthusiasm among the people. He Yue could foresee that the deeper one goes into Baleng's interior, the stronger the resistance encountered will be. This is like pressing down on a rubber ball: the tighter you press, the greater its rebound.

He Chunhua also murmured: "Baleng has a long history, having been founded even before Panlongcheng, unlike other short-lived small states. The Baleng people still have a sincere devotion to their country. Your campaigns in Baleng will likely meet ever-increasing resistance."

The higher the civilians' identification with the state, the stronger the cohesion.

For example, the earlier Flash Gold Plains were just scattered small states and forces, born in the morning and dead by evening, and the people were especially indifferent to them. In contrast, the military and civilians of Panlongcheng were united as one, as strong as iron.

Baleng has a history; although these years it has been on a downward trend, the civilians' lives are still much better than those of other small states—superiority is always relative.

"The son knows." He Yue also spoke directly, "The battle for Aonan City is Baleng's first loss of a major city within its territory, causing nationwide outrage, and all the great armies are quickly gathering. If we continue like this, the scale of the war will rapidly expand, which is exactly what Bekka wants."

"Bekka not only wants to teach us a lesson, but also to create nightmare energy for the Lingxu gods. Forcing us to fight to the death on the ground is merely so that They can live more comfortably in heaven." He Chunhua himself has many Dragon-Chain Pillars in hand, and his understanding of nightmare energy is deeper than that of other kings.

"So I think it would be better to loudly proclaim victory, and then return in triumph, to avoid both countries getting stuck in the mire." He Yue said earnestly, "Back then, my elder brother led the Dragon God Army into the holy land of Baiqiuyuan in Ya State, and also returned in triumph relying on the prestige of a great victory, leaving Mu State and Ya State to fight to the death, while he returned to take Baiqiuyuan!"

He had once gone far to the Flash Gold Plains, precisely to the front line where the two armies fought, and personally witnessed the great battle of Baiqiuyuan, leaving a deep impression. "Looking back, although that war was started by my elder brother, he retreated at the right time and instead became the biggest winner. Ya State has never recovered since, and Mu State was also dragged down, only Cangyan got what it wanted." He Yue said, "From that time on, I knew that the timing of advance and retreat is very important."

An excellent commander must not only know how to attack, but also understand how to preserve the fruits of victory.

"Not impossible." He Chunhua nodded, "Baleng's launching of war is very likely forced by Bekka. After we finish our victory and withdraw, Baleng should also breathe a sigh of relief, and may not dare to cause trouble again."

Bekka wants war, so Baleng gives it war.

But the length of the war is not something Bekka can control.

Once fought, the matter can be settled.

He Yue obviously breathed a sigh of relief: "Father, your wisdom. Then I will order the entire army..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly said: "Please wait a moment, I have just received a new flying message here."

(End of Chapter)