#717 - Chu Xianping's real purpose
“Hoo!”
A cool breeze rushed in through the open window, causing all the candles in the room to flicker.
Yang Liushi seemed to sense something, her long eyelashes fluttering in the wind.
Yan Huaiqing's rebellion against Chu Xianping was actually orchestrated by the young master.
Clearly, Wei Changtian's last words had deeply shocked her.
This not only meant that Wei Changtian's suspicions and worries about Chu Xianping were not recent.
It also indicated that Wei Changtian's plan had been in motion before Chu Xianping's.
“Young Master...”
Taking a deep breath, Yang Liushi realized she was probably the only person besides Wei Changtian and Yan Huaiqing who knew about this.
She also understood that some of the things Chu Xianping had said to Yan Huaiqing might not have been “appropriate”.
So...
“Young Master, what exactly did Chu Xianping say?”
The change in Yang Liushi's address, from “Young Master Chu” to “Chu Xianping,” undoubtedly reflected a shift in her attitude towards Chu Xianping.
Wei Changtian closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the conversation, before quietly saying:
“Actually, it's nothing much.”
“Since he pretended to agree with Yan Huaiqing, he would naturally say things that sounded like he was rebelling.”
“However...”
“Liushi, if someone intended to incite you to rebel, and you planned to pretend to agree...”
Suddenly, Wei Changtian looked up and asked, “What would you do?”
“Hmm.”
Yang Liushi pondered for a moment and answered truthfully, “I would probably give that person some unimportant information first, to make them completely trust me.”
“That's right, that's how it should be.”
Wei Changtian nodded, sighing softly, “But Chu Xianping didn't do that.”
“At that time, Yan Huaiqing asked him two things.”
“One was the formula for black powder.”
“The other was whether I would send reinforcements to Xinfeng if they couldn't resist the Qian and Hui armies.”
“Chu Xianping could easily get the black powder formula from the Bureau of Labor, and he also knew that I would definitely help Xinfeng.”
“Oh, I owed Xu Suisui a big favor for something before, and I promised her I would repay it if I could. Chu Xianping knew about this.”
“So, if it were you, how would you answer Yan Huaiqing?”
Rubbing his temples, Wei Changtian asked Yang Liushi again.
He didn't know that she had already learned the whole story of the teleportation array from Zhang San, so he didn't explain everything clearly.
Hearing this, Yang Liushi, already understanding the reason, was once again moved, and a gentle wave appeared in her eyes.
However, in addition to being moved, she didn't forget to answer Wei Changtian's question.
“If it were this servant...”
“Black powder is of great importance, so this servant should either delay or simply refuse, in any case, not agree.”
“As for the second matter... this servant should tell the truth.”
“After all, even if Yan Huaiqing knew about this, it wouldn't be directly harmful to the young master.”
“Moreover, if Yan Huaiqing reported this information to the Qian and Hui countries, they would be more cautious in their use of troops against Xinfeng.”
“On the contrary, if I didn't say it, or if I lied, the Qian and Hui countries might act more recklessly.”
“...”
The matter of black powder cannot be said, but the matter of reinforcing Xinfeng can be said.
This was the answer Yang Liushi gave.
When she finished speaking and looked at Wei Changtian's expression, she knew that Chu Xianping must not have answered Yan Huaiqing in this way.
She pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked:
“Young Master, on which matter did Chu Xianping's answer differ from this servant's?”
“...”
“Alas.”
And he also told Yan Huaiqing—
If Xinfeng was in urgent need, Wei Changtian would not send troops to help.
“This...”
Staring wide-eyed in disbelief, Yang Liushi's thoughts were now like a tangled mess.
Wei Changtian, who had been thinking about this issue for several days, had a much clearer logic.
“Actually, the first thing is fine. Although Chu Xianping agreed to Yan Huaiqing, it doesn't mean he has to produce the formula immediately.”
“Anyway, black powder is already being used on the battlefield, and sooner or later it will be imitated by others.”
“So, as long as Chu Xianping gives out the formula later, it won't be of much harm to us.”
“And at least he told me about this matter truthfully.”
Finally, glancing at the dark and deep night sky, Wei Changtian expressionlessly slowly closed the wooden window.
Hearing this, Yang Liushi was even more surprised.
Telling the truth about this matter meant—
“Young Master...”
She asked blankly, “Didn't Chu Xianping tell you about the second matter?”
“No.”
Wei Changtian walked back to the table and sat down again: “He said Yan Huaiqing only asked him one question.”
“But, but why is that?”
Yang Liushi's face was full of confusion: “Why would he hide this?”
“It's very simple, because if he told the truth, he knew I would definitely suspect him.”
Wei Changtian smiled and said: “So he can only hide it.”
“This...”
Yang Liushi bit her lip, and after a moment, she finally understood Wei Changtian's words.
Just like the answer she had just given.
Facing the second question, directly telling Yan Huaiqing that Ning and Shu would definitely reinforce Xinfeng was the best solution.
But Chu Xianping didn't do that, so he either needed to find a reasonable explanation to convince Wei Changtian, or simply hide the matter.
Clearly, Chu Xianping had not been able to come up with an explanation that would not arouse Wei Changtian's suspicion.
Therefore, he could only choose the latter.
“...”
For a time, the tea room fell into a long silence.
By now, Yang Liushi had figured out most things, but only the last thing, which was also the most important thing, she had not figured out.
“Then why did Chu Xianping lie about whether to support Xinfeng? And such an easily exposed lie?”
“I didn't understand this at first either.”
“But when I stood in his perspective again, I finally had a guess.”
Wei Changtian put the empty bowls and plates back on the wooden tray while slowly saying:
“When Chu Xianping went to Dajue, the battle situation in Xinfeng was still stable. Although the Qian and Hui armies had the upper hand, they had been making slow progress.”
“Even if some people in the Buddhist sect had already sided with the Qian and Hui countries at that time, Chu Xianping didn't know about it.”
“In addition, with the withdrawal of Dajue and Ji... Anyone would think that Xinfeng should be able to hold out for a long time.”
“At this time, if he told Yan Huaiqing that I would definitely help if Xinfeng was in trouble, then what kind of situation do you think Xinfeng's situation would develop into in Chu Xianping's opinion?”
“This...”
Yang Liushi tried to stand in Chu Xianping's perspective at the time and gradually analyzed:
“If he truthfully informed Yan Huaiqing, Yan Huaiqing would naturally inform the Qian and Hui countries of this information.”
“If the Qian and Hui countries knew that the young master would help Xinfeng, they would undoubtedly be wary.”
“In addition, with the help of the Buddhist sect in Xinfeng, this battle was already much more difficult than they imagined.”
“Then, the Qian and Hui countries would either win with difficulty, or...”
“Withdraw their troops?!”
Yang Liushi was extremely intelligent, so she quickly came to this conclusion with a surprised face.
Indeed.
Analyzing it this way, in the case that the Jue and Ji countries had already withdrawn, and the Qian and Hui countries had encountered resistance in Xinfeng that far exceeded expectations, this great coalition war was very likely to end hastily!
Chu Xianping could clearly see this at the time, so he would—
“Young Master! Could it be that Chu Xianping wants this battle to continue?!”
Standing up with a “whoosh,” Yang Liushi, who finally understood everything, could be said to be extremely shocked at this time.
That's right.
Standing in Chu Xianping's perspective at the time, he had only one reason for doing this—
That was to let this war continue!
He didn't care about the “conditions” offered by Dajue, nor did he care whether the “pretend betrayal” could succeed.
He just wanted to tell Daqian and Dahui through Yan Huaiqing—
Wei Changtian will not help Xinfeng, you don't need to have this concern!
Based on this judgment, and then analyzing everything that had happened in the past few days, all the things became reasonable.
Why did the Qian and Hui countries take action so early or so late, but just a few days after Chu Xianping came back, they used the traitors in the Buddhist sect, accelerating the pace of attacking Xinfeng.
Why did Jing Guoqing send a secret letter at the first time after the matter was completed, the wording between the lines was extremely tough, as if he was sure that he would not send reinforcements.
Why didn't Chu Xianping say a word of opposition when he heard that he had decided to save Xinfeng.
Why, after receiving the news that Fengyuan was besieged, did he immediately suggest that he speed up the march again, and even try to let the Tiangou Army arrive on the battlefield first...
The truth pointed to by all of the above has now become more obvious.
Chu Xianping not only wanted this war to continue, but he also wanted Daning and Dashu to re-enter the game as soon as possible!
Obviously, his plan had now come true.
But he had not expected one thing.
That was that he had only been playing along with him all along.
“...”
“Young Master...”
There was not much lamp oil left in the candle, and the candlelight gradually became dim.
Somewhat disbelieving, somewhat angry, and somewhat worried, Yang Liushi, with an extremely complicated mood, carefully asked the last question of the night.
“In that case, has Chu Xianping already rebelled?”
“I don't know about that. Perhaps he has some other plans, it's hard to say.”
Looking at the struggling and swaying flame in the lampshade, Wei Changtian shook his head with a wry smile, and gave the last answer of the night.
“In short, I still hope he hasn't.”
