Perhaps, the common people living in the present do not realize that having the consciousness of resistance is actually the most precious and cherished way of life.

Bitter as it may be, there is still wisdom and spirituality.

When the day comes that they cannot even think of resistance, and do not feel that living like pigs and dogs is bad, that will be the most tragic, the most desolate.

When they lie on the ground, feeling glory from kissing the mud on their masters’ boots, rejoicing all day for having helped lick the master’s buttocks, living becomes worse than dying.

"General, do you know that although you currently occupy Xingqing, you are actually in grave danger?"

Yuo Qiu paused briefly and spoke with a raspy voice.

"What do you mean by that?"

Chen Ping’s eyes lit up.

This routine is familiar to me.

In past novels and TV shows, advisors always begin with "casting stones to ask the road," shocking words first, saying nothing stunning and stopping at nothing.

Like the first words from a fortune-teller, "Dear guest, you’ve a blood disaster ahead."

Once they say this,

Even if you don’t want to pay up, you have to.

Otherwise, you’ll have a knot in your heart that cannot be untied.

Even Zhuge Liang needed a "Longzhong dialogue," first posing problems, then offering solutions, to convince others.

Routines, backed by reason and evidence, doing the impossible, are the supreme starts of an advisor.

When Chen Ping heard these words, he understood that this Yuo Zhongde was no exception, starting his "dialogue."

"Success with the Azure Dragon Seal, failure with the Azure Dragon Seal."

Once Yuo Qiu decided on something, he would not waver. He knew better than anyone what the Thirteenth Prince of Beizhou’s death in Xingqing Prefecture signified.

Everyone else is dead, only Yuo Qiu and Yuo Zhongde are alive. Returning to Beizhou Dynasty’s spheres, hoping the Beizhou Barbarians won’t vent their fury on him is nearly impossible.

Thus, wherever he goes, once seen, it will mean death. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

It’s better to stay in Xingqing Prefecture. With this General Chen offering a chance of survival, he must seize it tightly.

Thinking deeply about it, the other party wasn’t entirely useless.

Despite few soldiers and generals, occupying just one prefecture.

Crucially, with the Azure Dragon Seal in hand, anything becomes possible.

Given time, he will surely grow.

But the fear is if he doesn’t have enough time and is strangled early in development.

Yuo Qiu organized his thoughts and continued slowly: "The Thirteenth Prince of Beizhou, Yuwen Ying’s death in Xingqing Prefecture undoubtedly places General Chen on Beizhou’s Black Dragon Platform’s must-kill list.

In the future, Beizhou experts will surely pursue General like hornets, unendingly.

They might even engage Golden Robed Assassins from Wind and Cloud Pavilion, or invite the highest-ranked Cloud Pattern Assassins.

That alone can wait; for the news to spread and assassins to arrive will take time.

The urgent issue now is dealing with Yuwen Zhao’s hundred thousand Rushing Wolf Cavalry."

"Perhaps, General believes the Beizhou Rushing Wolf Cavalry will take three to five months breaking through Heng Mountain, Wen Mountain, and Ling Mountain these three mountain prefectures.

Actually, not so... this humble one confidently predicts these mountain prefectures are unlikely to resist but instead open a path allowing Rushing Wolf Cavalry to directly charge into Jiangnan’s heart, entering Xingqing Prefecture.

In other words, in less than a month, over a hundred thousand Beizhou cavalry will step into Xingqing Prefecture..."

"How can this be?"

Chen Ping wanted to doubt but suddenly recalled some actions by King Jinghai when he went to Ling Mountain Prefecture.

Despite Great Li Dynasty’s shakiness, he sat with heavy troops, seemingly unconcerned, hiding in the back halls enjoying music...

Casually drilled soldiers, practiced martial arts, without caring for Jiangnan’s stability.

At first, Chen Ping didn’t quite understand King Jinghai’s actions.

Looking back now, he roughly gets it.

This man probably didn’t want open or covert strife with his wife’s forces in Xingqing Prefecture, simply leading loyal troops to find an excuse for travel.

To vacate Xingqing Prefecture, as the first line in contesting Hu People.

While he hid behind, secretly aiming for the sweet fruits at the end.

However, King Jinghai Ji Changlie likely didn’t anticipate his "brilliant" son had ambitions bigger than he’d thought, paths wilder than imagined.

Simply allied with the Cui Family forces to side with Beizhou.

Using Beizhou’s power to attack Jiangnan.

As a royal family member, doing such things, who could have imagined?

Ji Xuange mused: If Great Li wins, the capital people benefit.

If Beizhou wins, I benefit.

Ji Xuange acted in this manner, immediately placing King Jinghai Ji Changlie on the fire, battling Beizhou isn’t right, nor avoiding battle.

Unless he has the power to sweep all sides otherwise, his reputation plummets, and neither side trusts him.

Therefore, Ji Changlie won’t fiercely battle Beizhou Rushing Wolf Cavalry—he will only watch.

"General went to Ling Mountain Prefecture; you must surely understand what Ji Changlie truly wants?" Yuo Qiu showed a faint tinge of mockery deep in his eyes.

Great Li Royal Family members were all such characters; how can this nation not fall?

"Indeed, Ling Mountain Prefecture isn’t reliable." Even Chen Ping had to admit this.

No point asking further, since Ling Mountain’s Lord, Venerable Zang Taiheng, can allow King Jinghai to station troops within, they must’ve already reached an agreement long ago, with unclear exchanges of interests.