#431 - No Plan B
Leaving Qing Xian's residence, Wei Changtian pondered the recent events as he slowly walked towards the palace gates.
Before long, he unknowingly found himself back outside the Phoenix Cry Palace.
“...”
Hesitating for a moment, he approached the young eunuch still guarding the entrance and casually asked:
“Has Her Majesty emerged yet?”
“Replying to you, Young Master, not yet.”
The young eunuch quickly lowered his head and answered, “Does Young Master have further matters to discuss with Her Majesty? Should this humble servant inform her?”
“No need.”
Shaking his head, Wei Changtian said with a smile, “I was just asking.”
“Alright, I'm leaving.”
“Yes, Young Master, farewell.”
“Mm.”
“...”
Flicking his sleeves, Wei Changtian glanced once more at the tightly shut palace doors before turning to leave.
Although he had essentially accepted Ning Yu Ke's "master recognition", he didn't truly see her as his slave from the bottom of his heart.
Therefore, regarding the matter of becoming the next Demon Queen, he didn't want to interfere with Ning Yu Ke's decision... even though Wei Changtian himself didn't want Ning Yu Ke to become that strange "Celestial Spirit" thing.
With no memories, what good was it to have immortality, second-rank strength, or even become the Demon Queen?
To put it nicely, it's called "rebirth"; to put it bluntly, it's "losing oneself", isn't it?
It's just like the Moon-Picking Sword that Old Zhang Tou abandoned.
If you're not even yourself anymore, what's the point of having all these things?
Of course, this was just Wei Changtian's own opinion.
Perhaps Ning Yu Ke would think it was a good opportunity to forget all the painful memories.
That's why Wei Changtian didn't make the decision for her.
Let it be, if Ning Yu Ke really wanted it, then there was nothing to say.
Basking in the autumn sun, Wei Changtian quickly left the Weiyang Palace.
Not long after he left, the doors of the Phoenix Cry Palace finally slowly opened.
“Your Majesty, you...”
Ning Yu Ke's slightly red eyes made the young eunuch pause.
The former showed no emotion, simply asking calmly:
“Has Young Master Wei returned?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, Young Master Wei was in the back hall with Senior Qing Xian for a while, and then came to ask if you were still in the palace.”
The young eunuch hurriedly replied truthfully, “He just left not long ago, guessing he just left the palace.”
“Mm, I understand.”
Nodding, Ning Yu Ke said nothing more.
The gentle breeze lightly stirred the golden skirt, and the afterglow of the setting sun scattered on her, the sunlight was warm and beautiful, a rare warm sun in autumn.
After leaving the Weiyang Palace, Wei Changtian went to the Ministry of War to chat with Liang Zhen.
The latter had returned from the Ten Thousand Mountains the day before yesterday, the timing was just right.
From Liang Zhen's mouth, Wei Changtian heard more details about the "Sky Dog Army".
The strength of ten thousand demon beasts was basically equivalent to that of a sixth-rank human, similar to the ape demon that Wei Changtian encountered in Liu Family Village that almost killed him.
Of course, Wei Changtian was now a different person, and fighting ten of those ape demons wouldn't be a problem.
However, the terrifying combat power of ten thousand demon beasts with middle third-rank strength would not be discounted because of this.
For demon beasts with thick skin and flesh, their biggest problem was that they didn't use their brains when fighting, and in most cases, they would only fight alone, and their attack methods were relatively simple, and they couldn't use various martial skills like humans.
In contrast, the advantages and disadvantages of human soldiers were completely opposite.
The only disadvantage was that the scale was too small, only ten thousand people.
If there were one hundred thousand or so, Wei Changtian was confident that he could directly kill to the capital in one breath.
“...”
After chatting with Liang Zhen for a while about the matter of recruiting soldiers and deploying defenses, it was finally decided that the Shu army would leave Shuzhou City after Ning Yu Ke gave her "public speech" and head to Guanghan County for defense.
Guanghan County was not only the northernmost county in the Shuzhou realm, but also the direction that Han Zhao revealed that the imperial army would attack first.
According to the plan, that would also be the only battlefield in this battle.
Wei Changtian didn't want the flames of war to burn to Shuzhou City, and wanted to end the battle as much as possible on the periphery of Shuzhou, so as not to have too much impact on the economy of Shu.
Because Guanghan County was not far from the Ten Thousand Mountains and had this condition, the combat plan was completely centered around this county.
The plan had already been formulated, and Chu Xianping and Liang Zhen had carried out many deductions, which could be said to be very perfect.
The only disadvantage was that there was no plan B.
It wasn't that Wei Changtian didn't want to make an alternative plan, but the gap in military strength didn't allow him to do so.
Less than one hundred thousand people against three hundred thousand people.
The three-fold gap in military strength between the weak and the enemy made the Shu army have no retreat.
Wei Changtian could only press all his strength on Guanghan County, betting with the mentality of "the first battle is the final battle".
To put it nicely, it's called breaking the boat, to put it bluntly, it's called putting all your eggs in one basket.
However, Wei Changtian didn't think he would fail.
After all, in addition to the gap in the number of people, this time the timing, location, and people are all on his side.
“...”
“Uncle Liang, let's do this for now.”
“I will go to Guanghan a day or two later than you, and we will discuss other matters when the time comes.”
When the sky had just entered night, Wei Changtian was finally ready to go home.
Liang Zhen got up and sent him to the outside of the Ministry of War, and Zhang San had also driven the carriage over.
“By the way, Changtian.”
Just as Wei Changtian was about to get into the car, Liang Zhen seemed to have remembered something and suddenly said softly:
“Qin'er has been a little... lately. If you have time, go and chat with her.”
Huh?
Liang Qin?
Wei Changtian was stunned when he heard this, and then he realized that he hadn't seen Liang Qin much since he came back.
The latter not only moved back to the General's Mansion, but also no longer ran to find him when she had nothing to do, and didn't know what she was doing every day.
“Uncle Liang, what's wrong with Qin'er?”
Turning around, Wei Changtian asked softly, “Is there anything bothering her?”
“This...”
Liang Zhen sighed with some distress, “Alas, I don't know either.”
“This girl hides at home all day and practices her saber skills, but she doesn't say anything when my wife and I ask her.”
“She must have something on her mind, which should be some little thoughts of a girl.”
“If you have time, take the initiative to see her.”
“I understand.”
Nodding thoughtfully, Wei Changtian smiled and said, “Uncle Liang, I will go to her tonight, don't worry.”
“Tonight? Changtian, this...”
Liang Zhen's eyes widened suddenly, hesitating and stopping.
However, Wei Changtian gave him a wry smile, and then bent down and got into the carriage.
“Uncle Liang, don't think too much.”
“I mean, I'm going to the General's Mansion tonight to freeload a meal from Auntie, and chat with Qin'er by the way.”
“I'm leaving, go back.”
“...”
“Gurgle gurgle ~”
Soon, the carriage slowly drove away under Liang Zhen's gaze.
The latter touched his nose, his expression both embarrassed and regretful.
After standing for a while, shaking his head, Liang Zhen prepared to go back to continue arranging the deployment of troops.
However, just as he raised his leg to cross the threshold of the Ministry of War, he whispered a sentence in his mouth.
“In fact, it's good to cook the rice early...”
“If it's later, Qin'er may not even be able to be a concubine...”
