Chapter 1309: Subduing the Enemy Without Fighting

Xie Fang believed that his own fleet was already magnificent enough.

The torrent of steel beneath his feet would certainly bolster his confidence for this return to Longyan.

This time, he brought three thousand elite soldiers!

Enough!

If he wanted to stir up some trouble in Jinghua, it was more than enough.

To show off the strength of himself, the Longyan Crown Prince, he ordered the fleet to detour to Wusong Port.

Because in Wudi, he had the most supporters.

"Report! Your Highness, fifteen nautical miles until Wusong Port!"

"Report! Your Highness, ten nautical miles until Wusong Port!"

Xie Fang was incomparably excited.

One must know that when he was in Longyan, the Prince of Wu was his most loyal supporter! Regarding this return to Longyan, the Prince of Wu had also expressed his friendliness to him. This was the reason why he chose to dock in Wudi.

This time, the Prince of Wu must have prepared a grand formation to wait for him, right?

There must be!

Xie Fang thought excitedly.

If he had the support of the Prince of Wu this time, what else did he have to fear!

However.

What he did not know was that the Prince of Wu's main force had already left the port three days ago.

Yes.

This time, the Prince of Wu was an active participant who followed Liu Zheng's main force to Europe.

Only a fool would pass up the chance to make money.

Compared to profit, what was Xie Fang worth?

Consequently.

Xie Fang deliberately slowed the speed of the fleet.

He was waiting.

But.

After waiting for a long time, the welcoming honor guard of the Prince of Wu still did not arrive.

This isn't right!

Xie Fang's expression looked somewhat unpleasant.

Slow down again!

But, still nothing.

So he slowed down again, until the fleet was almost at a standstill on the sea!

Still no one came!

Xie Fang was angry and cursed directly: "What is going on! Sail in!"

He wanted to go and demand an explanation.

When he arrived at Wusong Port, he discovered that only a few scattered officials from the Prince of Wu's manor had come.

His expression changed instantly.

What is this situation?

He had gone through such a long detour just to reach Wudi, and this was it?

How much extra coal had he burned!

As a result, there were no commoners lining the streets to welcome him, no royal honor guard, and even the Prince of Wu had not come. This was completely disregarding him!

"What is going on, where is the Prince of Wu?"

Xie Fang looked at the officials who came to greet him, his face deathly pale.

That civil official bowed and said: "The Prince of Wu's manor welcomes the arrival of the Australia State Lord!"

"You..."

Hearing this title, Xie Fang trembled with rage instantly.

What is the meaning of this?

Australia State Lord?

Shouldn't it be the Longyan Crown Prince!

That civil official continued to smile: "The Prince of Wu's manor insists that there is only one royal family. The current Emperor has already ascended the throne, and the status of State Lord or Crown Prince has long been void. Since Australia is a vassal state of Longyan, and the Prince of Wu is away due to military affairs today, the Chief Clerk is here as a substitute. We hope the State Lord will be magnanimous."

"You, you, you..."

Xie Fang was so angry he nearly vomited blood.

Among so many ports, he had chosen Wusong Port specifically to create a grand scene for his landing in Longyan.

And this was the result?

State Lord?

And a state lord of a vassal state at that?

Was this what he wanted!

"Your Highness, we..."

The attendants beside him looked at each other in dismay.

This was awkward.

It was supposed to be...

Where was the grand spectacle? Where was the promised support of the people? They looked toward the roadsides on both sides; the commoners were walking where they needed to walk, working where they needed to work, chatting and laughing where they needed to, and chasing and playing where they needed to.

Scoundrels!

Xie Fang was so angry that his blood suddenly surged.

Is there even a shred of respect for him left!

What kind of nonsense is this!

The Longyan of the past was not like this!

What he did not know was that the current Longyan had long since adopted this atmosphere.

People would simply not grovel just because some big shot appeared.

Liu Zheng had even already pushed for the abolition of the kneeling ritual in the parliament.

So, with him being a long-expired crown prince returning, who would take it seriously?

"War?"

Suddenly, Xie Fang realized, and with a cold face, he asked, "What war?"

The civil official was stunned, then immediately smiled and said, "It turns out the State Lord does not yet know; it is the war in Europe. The Prince of Wu has led an army of two hundred thousand and already departed three days ago!"

"What?"

Xie Fang's expression changed instantly, and his whole body nearly swayed.

"And the Prince of Wei?"

"He went too..."

"And the Prince of Chu?"

"He went too!"

Xie Fang was dumbstruck.

Then, like a madman, he roared, "A bunch of bastards, bastards!"

What happened to the promised support for him?

What happened to the promise to support him in stirring up trouble?

This time, Xie Fang was truly left looking disheveled and disgraced.

He felt the changes in the entire Longyan over these few short years.

Yes.

The changes were immense.

From Wusong Port, following the Grand Canal into Longyan. First, the development of this Wudi exceeded his expectations.

To describe it in a few words: prosperous, open, and inclusive.

Ships were passing through, and the scenery of Longyan along the way was incomparably prosperous wherever one went; the people lived in peace and worked happily, with sounds of joy and laughter everywhere.

Xie Fang's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

What was Longyan like in the past?

If others didn't know, how could Xie Fang not know?

Everywhere, commoners could not get enough to eat; let alone entertainment, just surviving each day was considered good. And this was when his own father, Xie Tianyao, the one called a wise monarch, was on the throne. What about Longyan at other times?

This time.

No one came to meet Xie Fang.

He felt that this was deliberately arranged by Liu Zheng.

Don't you want to test the will of the people?

Come.

Let you test it.

Let you see.

Let you see what the current Longyan looks like.

This journey was extremely meaningful.

Because the three thousand soldiers Xie Fang brought with him had also come out of Longyan.

"Look quickly, that is my hometown!"

"Your Highness, may I go home for a trip? My parents are still alive..."

"Your Highness!"

"This, I don't even recognize my own home!"

Along the way, the emotions of the soldiers could not be faked.

From Wusong Port, to the Jiangzhe Region, and then to the Central Plains.

Countless exclamations of praise, that prosperous scene by the roadside.

Every one of them was stabbing at Xie Fang's heart, every one of them was making Xie Fang's heart turn cold.

He suddenly discovered that before returning to the country, he had been truly too optimistic.

Those letters written to express support for him had made him extremely excited at the time. Now it seemed that these people were simply the group of people who were living very unhappily in the current Longyan. In the current Longyan, they had no power at all, no influence at all.

They were all a bunch of losers!

They didn't even dare to come out and welcome him openly!

And looking again at the majority of the commoners and the masses in today's Longyan.

They seemed to have long forgotten the Longyan of the past.

Yes, was that glory of thousands of years of Longyan really that important to them?

Was it really worth them reminiscing about?

Is it truly worth them protecting it with their lives?

Are they willing?

Is it worth it?

The closer Xie Fang got to Jinghua, the stronger the doubts in his heart became.

He suddenly realized.

This man, Liu Zheng, is still too formidable.

What is meant by subduing the enemy without fighting?

This is it.