Chapter 491: The First Battle Is the Decisive Battle, One Battle Determines Heaven and Earth!

Prince of Nan'an turned around, his deep eyes like an eagle, slowly scanning every face present, and said in a solemn voice:

"Our chance lies with that Lan Yu. He is obscure and nameless, yet suddenly commands a massive army; the generals and officers under his command must harbor grievance."

"If we can seize the chance and settle it in a single battle, the situation will flip in an instant!"

Jia Jing might not be able to defeat him, but against the nameless Lan Yu, the Prince of Nan'an is still fully confident!

Qi Jianhui, with some doubts, pondered and said slowly:

"Prince! Though you say that, Jia Zi Jie is also a man of considerable bravery and strategy! He dares to let a nameless fellow command a force of 140,000 troops; perhaps this person truly possesses talent that can shape heaven and earth…"

He said it himself without much conviction, so his voice grew lower as he spoke.

Before the words finished, Xie Qiong spoke, letting out a cold snort and said:

"Where does all this talk of heaven‑and‑earth talent come from! In my view, Jia Jing has only won a few battles and become complacent, taking us lightly! He thinks sending a nameless foot soldier will scare us away!"

"Even if we concede a great deal, even if he truly has some talent, are the Prince and we made of paper?"

"The Prince has long been on the battlefield, the Da Han Empire's foremost general; even when Jia Jing himself comes, I see he still loses more than he wins, let alone a mere Lan Yu whose name we've never even heard!"

He paused, Xie Qing's eyes flashed, his tone shifted, and he continued:

"Moreover, for this battle we have reasons we cannot refuse…"

The others' expressions tightened as they looked at him, not understanding his meaning.

Xie Qing stood, walked to the wall covered with maps, pressed his finger heavily between Tongzhou and Jizhou City, and said in a deep voice:

"Jia Jing and the court's push for military reform rest mainly on the Twelve Regimental Camps, the 180,000 new troops; these new soldiers were all trained by Jia Jing himself, and the commanding officers are his confidants."

"If we cannot subdue and incorporate this force, then even if we seize Shenjing, endless troubles will follow!"

"…To be frank, when the Prince earlier devised the surprise‑troop plan, I was a bit worried!"

"Because the Twelve Regimental Camps lie beside Shenjing; if they support Jia Jing or other royal kin, even if we besiege the palace, we will be trapped!"

"But the situation has changed; now the Twelve Regimental Camps have dispersed their troops, making it the perfect moment for us to crush them one by one!"

"As long as the Prince seizes the chance, moves troops swiftly, and first defeats Lan Yu's central army, the two flanking forces will be much easier to handle!!"

"And if this 140,000‑strong army falls to the Prince's hand, the court's prestige will be severely damaged, and Jia Jing, the so‑called undefeated war god, will no longer be able to stand."

"At that point, the court and Jia Jing will be a hollow shell without a backbone; who would still fear them?"

Xie Qing turned, a faint long‑missing flush rising on his wax‑yellow face, his tone growing more resolute, his voice even trembling with a hint of frenzy, and said:

"Know that within Shenjing there are many civil officials, nobles, and royal kin who despise Jia Jing; if we can blunt their vigor on the battlefield, those people in Shenjing will act at the first sign."

"The petitions to impeach him could fill the Ministry of Communications; there will also be people inside the palace speaking for us. By then the court will be in chaos itself, and there will be no room to dispatch troops for another battle."

"And you, Prince? By then, which Guard Post in the world will not turn its eyes? Which will not be swayed? Those fence‑sitters still hesitating now will, upon seeing the Prince's great victory, swarm to join."

"Our forces are not 50,000 or 100,000, but 200,000 or 300,000! This battle need not even be fought; the civil officials opposing New Policies and the officers opposing military reform will themselves push the Prince forward!"

He inhaled deeply, clenched his fists forcefully, and his voice rang like a war drum:

"Thus, as long as we win this pivotal battle, the Prince will fulfill the heavenly mandate, punish Jia Jing, purge the treacherous court, seize the reins of the dynasty, and even act as regent over the world, reshaping heaven and earth—not a mere fantasy!"

"We, who rise with the Prince, will achieve supreme merit, rebuild the state, and share wealth and honor with the Prince for generations to come!"

These words were like a fire, igniting the fear, resentment, and ambition that had been building in the hall for days.

Chen Ruiwen sprang up, his face flushed, and urgently pleaded:

"Brother Xie is absolutely right! Now that it has come to this, why still be timid! Damn it!"

Ma Shang also hammered the table hard, gritting his teeth, and said:

"All or nothing! If we win, we become princes and ministers; if we lose, it's just death! It's still better than staying here waiting for that kid Jia Jing to come and wipe out our families!"

Mu Chen's gaze was fierce, and his voice rang out as he said:

"If we plan this battle properly and strike unexpectedly, there is no doubt the advantage is ours!"

Qi Jianhui said nothing, but his cloudy eyes lit up, and a strange flush spread across his gaunt face.

The other founding‑line generals also clamored for battle!

The Prince of Nan'an slowly scanned the assembled generals, seeing everyone's fierce expression and boiling battle spirit, the troops' morale usable, and he nodded with satisfaction.

I truly misjudged him before; Xie Qing is a great talent!

The Prince of Nan'an walked to the map before, his gaze turning to the mountainous terrain outside Jizhou City, paused silently, and said in a deep voice:

"Good! Since everyone shares this resolve, I, the Prince, today set the strategy: concentrate all forces, stake everything on a single thrust, break through Lan Yu's central army; the first battle is the decisive battle, one battle determines the heavens and the earth!"

Victory crowns the king, defeat brands the foe, all within this battle!