Chapter 925

First Volume, Chapter 925: Full Disclosure

In matters of state, Qin Feng refused to let personal emotions interfere—but still… he had seven emotions and six desires; when rage burned within him, he could not control it himself.

Qin Feng's fury stemmed not only from the fallen soldiers, but from one other crucial reason.

That was Li Xiaolan!

If not for the unshakable morale and extraordinary combat strength of his men, who held out until Ning Hu arrived to rescue them, everyone would have died—and Li Xiaolan would not have survived.

The thought of his beloved woman trapped in danger made Qin Feng's inner fury impossible to suppress.

After years of preparation, Qin Feng could finally close the net; this once-in-a-century snow disaster was merely icing on the cake.

The Di Kingdom's national strength had been nearly exhausted; now, Qin Feng would seize this opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the Di Kingdom.

Facing Chen Si's desperate pleas, Qin Feng's gaze remained calm, his tone heavy with meaning: "General Chen, among all of Di, you are the one I most respect."

"You know when to take up a burden and when to let it go; your wisdom is unmatched, and you always think of the greater good."

"Our personal grudge, even compared to Lü Li's, is no less severe—but you have always kept your private vendettas behind you, devoting yourself entirely to the state's welfare. If you were a subject of Shedynasty, you alone would be better than ten thousand troops."

"Unfortunately, we stand on opposite sides; if you were in my position, you would make the same decision I have."

"Therefore… no need for further words—you understand that I will not let this opportunity slip away."

Saying this, Qin Feng took a deep breath and studied the Qingshan County Yamen, his words layered with meaning: "Do you wonder why I insisted on coming to Qingshan County?"

"Just to make coffins?"

"Of course, that is one of the most important reasons—I must transport the bodies of our fallen soldiers back to Beixi County, so they may return to their roots."

"But another reason is that I have no intention of meeting your Monarch."

"Hehe, if he truly wished to see me, he had countless opportunities during this time; now, he summons me in haste only because your kingdom has reached its limit and must beg me to pull you back from the brink. I am a subject of Shedynasty—we are ancient enemies. Do you truly believe I would help you with sincerity?"

"If you really think I am the kind of man who can forgive past wrongs and embrace boundless compassion, then I am deeply disappointed in you."

"Such naive thoughts should have been crushed in the cradle the moment our two nations turned to war—after all… we are… blood enemies sworn to each other's destruction."

Feeling Qin Feng's still, icy gaze, Chen Si staggered back two steps—he realized he and the Di Monarch had been too naive; Lü Li personally ordering troops to assassinate Qin Feng—how could such a grave act be easily forgiven?

Every contact and collaboration they had with Qin Feng was like bargaining with a tiger—they should have been cautious, ever more cautious, for any misstep would be beyond their capacity to bear.

Moreover… Qin Feng had been in Di Kingdom long enough, observing long enough—he must have already forged a measuring rod in his mind.

Every event during this time had been recorded precisely in Qin Feng's memory; the truth was, Qin Feng had lost all faith—he had decided to achieve his strategic goal by another means.

No! Not quite!

More accurately, Qin Feng's plan had never changed—Lü Li's assassination attempt had merely accelerated its timeline.

Chen Si collapsed back into his chair with a thud, voice hollow: "I… won't live through the night, will I?"

Qin Feng nodded without hesitation.

"Brother Chen, I admire you—I wish I could tell you some good news. But you're too smart to believe my kind lies."

"Someone of your talent, if left alive, would bring endless trouble."

"When we entered Qingshan County, you brought only two personal guards—the rest were Tianji Camp Guards. By the time I issued the troop movement order, those two guards were already dead."

"Next, I will send men out of the city to tell your guards and subordinates to rest temporarily in Qingshan County—all forces remain stationed where they are."

"Meanwhile, I will transport my troops back to Changshui County in batches, under the pretense of coffin escort."

Chen Si let out a bitter laugh: "Then, using Changshui County as a base, withdraw in batches?"

Qin Feng replied without pause: "This is the Jingji Region, under the Son of Heaven's feet; we are numerous, and no matter how fast we move, we cannot outrun messengers. Your kingdom excels in cavalry—within days, vast numbers will converge to crush us. Even if we grew wings, we could not escape your territory."

"So we will hold Changshui County until Zhuozhou falls—and our army advances from there!"

Chen Si suddenly understood, his gaze shifting repeatedly as he stared at Qin Feng: "So this is why you cultivated Changshui County? Those storage warehouses for commodities… were actually storing weapons and armor? To sustain this desperate last stand?"

Qin Feng admitted bluntly: "Yes and no. If everything proceeds smoothly, these weapons will arm rebel forces across the land; if not, they will become our siege supplies for holding this city."

"From the moment I entered your territory, I knew I walked on thin ice—I had to prepare for every possible contingency."

Hearing this, Chen Si recalled how, upon arriving at the Yi Guan in Wang Du, Qin Feng's first order had been to dig a tunnel—used later to execute a golden cicada shedding its shell.

Now, turning Changshui's commercial warehouses into armories was no longer surprising.

After all, this man never fought a battle without certainty—but when he finally drew his blade, he had already sharpened it for a long time.

Chen Si shook his head repeatedly, sighing: "Hehe… are you so certain we will lose this Winter War?"

Qin Feng took a deep breath, his eyes hardening with resolve: "Yes. And we will win quickly."

"I've been in your kingdom long enough—I know your situation inside and out. Lü Li's reckless actions, Yexiao's collusion from within and without, countless civilians perishing in the freezing winter, your Monarch even entrusting the fate of state governance to Jing Ci Princess—this alone proves how utterly his authority has collapsed."

"The smoother your cooperation with Jing Ci Princess, the clearer it becomes: your kingdom has no capable people left!"

"Had we faced your kingdom in summer, my Northern Border Troops could only adopt a defensive posture. But now, in winter, your kingdom suffers internal strife and external threats, staggering under hardship, while my Northern Border Troops are rested, well-fed, warmly clad—and after prolonged maneuvering in Sangzhou and Zhuozhou, the Wild Emperor Party is known throughout Heaven."

"General Chen, put your hand on your heart—tell me, in this Winter War, if I don't win, who will?"