There were three different enemies from different sides who were becoming restless on the outside and might start a war anytime. However, one of their intelligence sources was actually cut off during this time. How worrying was this matter?! From what Ling Chen saw, even the concept of a thousand pounds of weight hanging on a thin thread was not enough to describe this precarious situation, but these two men actually started discussing tea like it wasn't their problem! Ling Chen did not know if it was her making a mountain out of a molehill or whether the two men were just boastfully pretending that they were unconcerned.
However, be it Ling Tian or Meng LiGe, would either of them engage in such behavior?
Meng LiGe was silent as he listened to Ling Chen repeat the entire situation once again. Stroking his beard, he turned to Ling Tian, "I have a rough idea about this situation. However, what does the young noble think?"
Ling Tian internally rolled his eyes, thinking, You're the strategist, not me. If I had an answer for every question you posed to me, then what would I still need you for? However, he retained a passive expression, instead laughing and saying, "I was just about to ask my advisor to lead the way out of this maze and alleviate my confusion."
Meng LiGe smiled knowingly, "If word spread that Young Noble is back at the helm of Sky Bearing, then I believe the Xiao Family would not dare to be so unrestrained and remove our own people. After all, the thousand-year legend of Beyond Heavens 'One token for one life' has never failed, and because of that, if you become the only exception, it would be cause for the entire continent to shake. If we add in your title of going solo against 10,000 soldiers, then no one would dare to look down on you. The neighboring countries' only choice left would be to work together with Southern Zheng and Eastern Zhao, mobilizing both armies to deal with Sky Bearing. As for the Xiao Family, they would instead act as the fisherman to reap the rewards when all three sides get injured in the war. That is Xiao FengYang's style. Regarding this guy, I've researched the thirty odd times of his battles. He is unpredictable and full of treachery. However, he follows a certain modus operandi. Rather than aiming for an open and grand battle, he prefers to first beguile his enemies, and then he drops a vicious and mortal blow on them! In this way, not only are his losses the least, his gains are also the greatest!"
At this point, Ling Tian already knew what Meng LiGe was about to say, and could not help but nod his head.
"Such tactics, while full of tricks, undoubtedly produce the most benefits. However, their disadvantages are also very clear. After you are used to this tactic, it is impossible for you to turn back once you have tasted the sweetness of victory. This is especially true for Xiao FengYang. To be used to everything going his own way and used to taking advantage, the moment someone applies reverse psychology on him he would fall and the Xiao Family would eat a huge disadvantage! Meng LiGe smiled. "Right now, the most advantageous point we have is that Xiao FengYang is still unaware of our young noble's safe return. Thus, his actions this time means that there is an important reason. He is not someone who will bring his army to clash with us. After all, be it Grand Marshall Ling or General Shen, they are people who have been through hundreds of fierce battles and are not to be trifled with. If Xiao FengYang tangles with them, the battle cannot be ended in a short time, and the number of deaths will be huge. Once time drags on, the lone force of the Xiao's army will be trapped, thus he will not take on this danger unnecessarily."
Ling Chen frowned and said with some disbelief in her voice, "Advisor Meng, you mean to say that the Xiao Family's objective is not Sky Bearing? If that's the case, then why would they allow our other three cities to continue reporting news back to us? Don't they know that once they move, we will receive news and be able to prepare in advance?"
A light smile surfaced on Meng LiGe's mouth in response, "There are three reasons why I came to this deduction. The first, in the eyes of an outsider, the young noble is not helming Sky Bearing, and with the pursuit by Justice, while the Ling Family still has Lady Ling Chen to stabilize matters, it is ultimately not enough. Secondly, our Ling Family has sent 350,000 soldiers out to placate the people's hearts and show that they are not weak, but no matter what, their internal guards would still be pretty empty. Furthermore, the two generals had approached the Ling Family Courtyard to take many soldiers and horses, and thus, we appear to be only strong on the surface. Lastly, the Ling Family is warring on two separate lands, if the Xiao Family were to go in and do a three-pronged attack, then at that time, we will naturally collapse."
"Thus, the Xiao Family's target this time is without a doubt, Sky Bearing! They might not even send in their complete army, just having a troop of 3,000 to 5,000 secretly slip in during the night and attack the Ling Family as well as the Ling Family Courtyard, as well as spread the word that the young noble has died in Justice's hands. When chaos spreads, then the army can send in their soldiers, reaping the largest benefits for the smallest price."
Meng LiGe laughed, a farsighted look in his eyes, "If I'm Xiao FengYang, then other than this, there would be no better way. With his consistent behavior, this type of method also has the greatest probability!"
Ling Chen's face fell. If this was the case, then based on the Xiao Family's and Above Heaven's combined strength, sending an elite troop in secret was no big deal. Even if they could not wipe the Ling Family off the map, and even if they all died in Sky Bearing, a chaotic war was still bound to occur! Right now, what the Xiao Family needed was this sort of mess in Sky Bearing!
Fishing in troubled waters!
Even Southern Zheng and Eastern Zhao all hoped for such a chaotic situation! So long as the Ling Family was thrown into disarray, even if the Ling Family continued to pressure them it would be disadvantageous. As for the Xiao Family as the other influences, what they were waiting on was precisely this disadvantage! Making use of rumors to fan the fires, all of the armies would then invade Sky Bearing. In this manner, it would pose a huge trouble for the Ling Family!
"If that's the case, then what shall we do?" Ling Chen looked at Ling Tian and Meng LiGe, but all she saw was Ling Tian smiling like a Cheshire cat, while Meng LiGe was stroking his beard idly, causing her to subconsciously relax.
"Chen'er, relax, since our advisor has already seen through the intentions of the other party, how could he not have a solution?" Ling Tian smiled towards Meng LiGe, "Since I've already handled command of the army to Mister, then everything will be left up to you. Ling Tian here will hide like a little foot soldier, listening to Mister's command."
"How can that be? It's only when this matter happened that I suddenly found out just how farsighted Young Noble is, as well as how profound your schemes run." Meng LiGe smiled respectfully at Ling Tian. "Young Noble obviously has already prepared everything beforehand regarding this war, and LiGe is actually just taking all your efforts and using my minute strength to execute it."
"Can Mister explain, what sort of stage did Young Noble set up?!" Ling Chen widened her eyes in shock. Ling Tian had already handled command over to Meng LiGe, so why did he say it was Ling Tian's effort? From their looks, it did not seem that they were blowing each other's trumpets.
"Years ago, Young Noble had already separated the intelligence systems into one on the surface level, and one which was concealed. This matter should be known to Lady Chen, right?" Meng LiGe sighed emotionally, "Who would have thought that the four intelligence branches of the Ling Family would actually shake the world so with a hard to come by strength rarely seen in the world. Not only are the personnel elites among the elite, the secrecy of the organization leaves one sighing in wonder. To think that Young Noble still has another unrelated intelligence network, the Crystal Pavilion! The skill of the Crystal Pavilion seems not below that of the surface intelligence, and even shows signs of surpassing it!"
Meng LiGe sighed once more in amazement, "As such, no matter how the enemy destroys our Ling Family's surface intelligence, so long as the Crystal Pavilion exists, there will not be any apprehensions regarding our intelligence reports! I believe Young Noble had already planned for such a purpose from the start! Thus, this tells me just how wise is young noble is, to plan so far ahead from the beginning"
Ling Tian was a little amazed. Him secretly setting up the Crystal Pavilion was actually to make things easier for himself, as well as create another important source to rob riches off people. To think that because of this affair with the Xiao Family, he was actually thought of as preparing for a rainy day by Meng LiGe!
Ashamed, he really was ashamed!
Ling Tian was stunned speechless, thinking to himself, 'My great advisor, you really think too highly of me! Even if I were to plan ahead, it can't be to the point that I would account for the loss in my personnel, right? Could it be that I planned a few years before to sacrifice my painstakingly taught elites so I could prove my farsightedness? That would be too foolish!' However, looking at Meng LiGe's admiring look, Ling Tian could only stroke his chin and laugh bitterly to himself.
"And since we have the Crystal Pavilion as a hidden chess piece, whatever the Xiao Family is planning, we will be able to counterattack!"
"As for my speculation," Meng LiGe solemnly spoke while raising his teacup to take a sip, "I will use Xiao FengYang's original habits in deducing the plan. However, a strategy can never keep up with sudden changes, and this might not actually take place. While I dare say I have some confidence in this, we still have to prepare for contingencies. Thus, from now on, all the intelligence networks belonging to the Ling Family will go undercover. This is to let the Xiao Family think that we are trying to avoid a loss and have pulled back our men. As such, this will allow us to numb them while we keep track of their actions through the Crystal Pavilion!"