Chapter 432: Persuading Li Siye! (1/2)

Chapter 432: Persuading Li Siye!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

A year had passed since his rebirth, and in this year, Wang Chong had altered many things.

The Wang Clan had not begun its decline, King Song had not fallen out of favor, and he had gotten involved in the Regional Commander incident, making it different from what it was in his last life…

And with regards to his own faction, Wang Chong had smoothly established Deflecting Blade Manor and begun to gather people to his side. He had also obtained the Hyderabad ore and Meteoric Metal, both strategic resources which could be used to make weapons.

With everything on the right track, Wang Chong's concerns were now focused on the southwest.

Zhangchou Jianqiong's transferral to the capital was already a done deal. Xianyu Zhongtong was already in control of Jiange1 and had formally taken over the Annan Protectorate.

The structure of the southwestern region of the empire was exactly as Wang Chong remembered from his past life.

Although Wang Chong had already borrowed the power of King Song to have his father's and brother's armies transferred to the area bordering the southwest, ready to enter Jiannan at any time, that was all he could do.

In the current empire, whether it was Zhang Shougui, Zhangchou Jianqiong, Geshu Han, Fumeng Lingcha, Gao Xianzhi or any of the others, they were all extremely territorial.

If he forcefully transferred his father and older brother into Jiange, he would attract the suspicions of Xianyu Zhongtong in the southwest and Zhangchou Jianqiong in the capital. They would begin to wonder if the Wang Clan wanted to meddle in the southwest, snatch at their power, and weaken their strength.

That would only accomplish the exact opposite of what he wished!

The Wang Clan's strength did not extend to the southwest. That was the concern of Zhangchou Jianqiong and Xianyu Zhongtong, and the region would not heed Wang Chong's orders. And the Wang Clan was not so large that it could control one of the empire's protectorates.

This was why Wang Chong was worried.

Although he already knew of the future dangers, there were far too few measures he could take. If he acted too excessively, he would incur the hostility of Zhangchou Jianqiong and Xianyu Zhongtong. That would just be walking faster to reach his goal slower, an unwelcome result.

Yet he also couldn't just ignore the massive impact and wound that the fate of the southwest would inflict on the empire.

Such was the dilemma facing Wang Chong.

Even the cleverest housewife couldn't cook without rice. Even with the memories of two lives, there were still some things he couldn't change.

Wang Chong could only think of a way to fully utilize his feeble strength, to change those possible calamities.

And the southwest was the start of everything.

In the room, Li Siye had been stupefied by Wang Chong's words.

The threats to the empire weren't in the northwest, but the southwest? He had never heard anyone make this claim before. It was common knowledge that the southwest was the place on the borders of the empire least likely to suffer from conflict.

That region had been peaceful for far too long. In terms of level of conflicts and number of battles, it couldn't even compare to Longxi or Andong, much less the Western Regions.

But Wang Chong insisted that the greatest threat to the empire came from the southwest.

If this were another person, Li Siye wouldn't even entertain the notion. He would probably just snort and call them crazy.

However, from his time working with Wang Chong, Li Siye was well aware that this youth in front of him could not be underestimated.

”How do you know?” Li Siye asked, a doubtful look in his eyes.

If Wang Chong had said that Andong or Longxi was the threat, he wouldn't have been surprised. But the southwest…

The southwest was the place on the frontier of the empire where war was least likely to break out!

”Ha! Li Siye, do you still not understand? The reason you asked this question is precisely the reason! The more unlikely a war is to take place there, the more likely a war will take place!

”A full moon will begin to wane while a new moon will begin to wax. The southwest of the empire has been peaceful for far too long. The people have gotten lazy and so have the soldiers! Even you think that a war can't occur there, so how could anyone else! And do you think a slacking and unprepared army can defend against the combined attack of Ü-Tsang and the Mengshe Zhao?” Wang Chong said.

”But there's no reason for this. Why would they do such a thing?” Li Siye said. ”The Mengshe Zhao and the empire have always been at peace, and Ü-Tsang has never once penetrated into the Central Plains. With Zhangchou and his one hundred and eighty thousand elites, Ü-Tsang will never succeed!”

Upon hearing Li Siye's words, Wang Chong gave a long sigh. With regards to the situation in the empire, Li Siye was no longer just ignorant, but a complete know-nothing.

”Li Siye, you didn't know? Zhangchou Jianqiong has already been transferred to the capital. The current Annan Protector-General is Xianyu Zhongtong. Moreover, the King of Mengshe Zhao, Geluofeng, is currently in touch with Ü-Tsang, coordinating a joint assault on the Great Tang! Ü-Tsang might not understand the Central Plains, but what about Mengshe Zhao?

”If the Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang ally with each other, do you think that the one hundred and eighty thousand elites of the Annan Protectorate can stand against them?”