Chapter 985: First Volume, Chapter 985: Spy Qi Ya

First Volume, Chapter 985: Spy Qi Ya

The succession of Jing Qianying to the Imperial Throne is undeniably a grave political matter; at that time, everyone will understand one truth: "Women can also become emperors." How could the women of the Northern Di Royal Harem remain passive?

All factions will surely spare no effort to influence the high-ranking women within the Beidi Royal Palace.

The Da Liang Empress is a living example—these women will become spokespeople for various factions, continuing their struggles with the same old wine in new bottles.

The most formidable contender is naturally Jing Ci, so Qin Feng must crush this seed from the very beginning.

Only if Jing Ci deeply understands the horror of war will she not be manipulated by those with ulterior motives.

Of course, Qin Feng also has a personal motive: to prepare Jing Ci psychologically in advance. Though emperors throughout history have often been cold-hearted, and the emotional bonds between princes, imperial grandsons, princesses, and the emperor are rarely deep, father and daughter remain father and daughter. If the Beidi King refuses to surrender, his fate will inevitably be grim—whether he is executed or permanently imprisoned depends entirely on Jing Qianying's decision.

Qin Feng must probe Jing Ci's limits; if she cannot sever this familial bond, she will be consumed by hatred, and Qin Feng will have no choice but to kill her.

If Jing Ci can assist Jing Qianying, then as the Beidi King's daughter, she is the perfect propaganda tool—when even the reigning princess supports Jing Qianying, what excuse do other factions have to resist her?

To be honest, Qin Feng quite likes this girl, Jing Ci; though initially arrogant, she has a kind heart.

Someone who thinks solely of the welfare of the common people deserves a place anywhere, so Qin Feng truly hopes nothing happens to Jing Ci.

Ning Hu cannot comprehend Qin Feng's long-term strategy, but one thing he knows for certain: no matter what Qin Feng does, he acts for the good of Beixi County.

On the way back from the City Wall, Qin Feng deliberately asked: "Little Marquis, how did you fall in love with Qi Ya?"

At these words, Ning Hu froze solid.

Qin Feng quickly patted Ning Hu's shoulder and comforted him: "Between brothers, there's no deceit. If I'm asking you, it's from the heart—not a test. Don't we at least have that much trust?"

Hearing this, Ning Hu finally exhaled, embarrassed: "I just like her spirit—arrogant, but not cruel. Marrying a woman like her won't leave you at a disadvantage."

Qin Feng nodded with a smile: "You like her, but does she like you?"

Ning Hu's rough cheeks flushed red as he stammered: "I… we're mutually devoted. She's practical—she knows she can't go back. If she marries me, her future is secure."

To be honest, Qin Feng didn't much care for relationships driven purely by interest, but given the customs of the time—where women followed their husbands no matter what—and considering Ning Hu's fiery temper and status in Beixi County, even if Qi Ya had ulterior motives, she couldn't escape his grasp.

Qin Feng glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, then whispered softly into Ning Hu's ear.

"Once this is settled, Qi Ya will regain her freedom. Whether you can win her over then depends entirely on your own ability."

"But I'll say this plainly—you're one of Beixi's Main Generals, commander of the Tianji Camp Guards, holding high rank and power."

"And that girl, Qi Ya, has many cunning schemes. If one day…"

Before Qin Feng could finish, Ning Hu slapped his chest and swore: "Don't worry—I understand!"

"If Qi Ya dares to betray Beixi County or cross Brother Qin's line, I'll deal with her myself—no need for you to say a word!"

"There are countless women in the world, but only one Beixi County. I won't let personal feelings ruin the bigger picture."

The tone of that statement was off.

Qin Feng sighed, clasping his hands behind his back, helplessly: "You can't put it like that. Once married, Qi Ya is your wife—you can't just kill her. Killing her would be slapping your own face. Even if I were the most unscrupulous man, I'd never let my brother suffer humiliation."

"I'm just warning you: keep a close eye on her. That girl's mind is too active."

"But then again, since Qi Ya has already betrayed Beidi, she has few options left for her future. She'll naturally settle down with you—if you keep a firm watch and stay cautious, nothing should go wrong."

Ning Hu nodded vigorously, absorbing every word of Qin Feng's warning.

This wasn't paranoia on Qin Feng's part—it was prevention before disaster. Though Qin Feng didn't care about "nationality," the environment was what it was: those not of our kind must have different hearts.

Added to that, Qi Ya had a prior record—Qin Feng couldn't help but remain wary.

But perhaps he was overthinking it. Once Qi Ya returned to Beixi County with Ning Hu, she'd likely settle into wifehood and motherhood, or at most become a domineering Battalion Commander Marquis's Wife.

Since Li Xiaolan became pregnant, Qin Feng had grown unusually sensitive—perhaps because he was about to become a father and found it hard to adjust.

As Qin Feng and Ning Hu returned to the County Yamen, Liu Ming rushed over.

"Lord, Qi Ya has confessed everything. She's been temporarily isolated. We'll send her to make contact once Jing Ci's emotions stabilize."

Qin Feng nodded: "Good handling. What important intelligence did Qi Ya bring?"

Liu Ming's face glowed with excitement—clearly, Qi Ya's information was crucial: "Lord, our army has advanced to the Ezhou North Line!"

"Your original Flash Strike Warfare plan has yielded Half the Effort, Double the Result. Our troops launched fierce assaults, rapidly penetrated enemy lines, and the enemy, hampered by freezing cold and insufficient Logistical Supply Lines, couldn't resist."

"After piercing Zhuozhou, the Wild Emperor Party has begun gradually encircling and eroding enemy strongholds and cities. Full control of Zhuozhou is merely a matter of time."

"Meanwhile, in Ezhou, Chen Si has assembled a large army and fortified the Bei Xian line—clearly preparing for a decisive battle."

Learning that the strategic development matched his initial estimates, Qin Feng finally felt at ease.

But he still had one most pressing question.

"Any news on the Xiongying Brigade?"

The Beidi Army Qin Feng cared about most was the Xiongying Brigade—simply because it was a force capable of turning the tide of battle.

If Qin Feng were defending, he'd only need to station troops to hold key strongholds while deploying the Xiongying Brigade to conduct mobile guerrilla strikes with superior tactical advantage—destroying even one enemy main force could collapse the entire offensive.

Though Beidi had no experience countering Flash Strike Warfare and couldn't devise a counter-strategy in short time, the Xiongying Brigade remained the most dangerous force to watch.