Chapter 9: Questioning (Part 2)

  "Hao General, I'd like to ask you, how do you view the geography and military situation of our Divine State Continent?"

  The sky was vast and boundless, with a land area of millions of miles. However, geographically speaking, it could be divided into three parts: north, central, and south. The area south of the Yangtze River and north of the Red River was the most prosperous and wealthy part of the country, with numerous rivers and lakes, as well as dense river networks. As a result, the Great Lake Road and Jiangnan Road were the country's granaries. Only the southwestern region of Dian Nan Road had complex terrain, with mountains and hills stretching continuously.

  Due to this geographical environment, the soldiers of the Southern Army and Zhuque Army were mainly light infantry. Although they lacked offensive capabilities, they could effectively block the invasion of southern barbarians by relying on the Xijiang defense line and cooperating with the imperial navy. The area between the rivers was the country's heartland, but it was also the most complex region.

  The fiefs of the three major families were all located here, and the Tian Du Holy City was directly adjacent to the fiefs of the Li and Zhang families. If the three major families had ulterior motives, the imperial situation would inevitably become more dire. Among them, the geographical location of Qingning Road, which was located in the westernmost part of the empire, was the most important.

  Qingning Road bordered the Liao Dynasty to the south, the Xixia State to the west, and the Anxi Road to the north, with the Song family's fiefdom of Yizhou Road to the east. It also had rich horse resources and a brave and warlike ethnic group. As long as Qingning Road was not lost, the empire's western border would be secure.

  The six northern roads, including the Yellow River Basin, were mostly plains, making them suitable for cavalry charges. To ensure eternal peace in the north, the only way was to retake the Great Wall defense line and prevent foreign barbarians from crossing the Lei Pool.

  The old man smiled ambiguously: "General, your analysis is reasonable. General, take a look at the countries around Qingfeng, from the six tribes outside the northern border to the Three Yue Allied Army and the Golden Flower Dynasty in the south, from the Suo Shan Dynasty in the west to Goryeo Dongyue in the east, almost forming an encirclement of my Divine State. My Divine State has always been a land of war, rising to conquer the world, declining to be conquered by the world. General Huang, if you want to turn the tide, what place do you think should be occupied first?"

  "I don't understand, please enlighten me, senior." Haotian said with a bow.

  "Since the general has already established himself in Dingzhou, he must have had a plan long ago. Why bother to ask for my opinion here?" The old man said with a faint smile.

  Hao Tian heard the words, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He didn't think that his little idea could deceive Tiān Jī Lǎo Rén, but he really couldn't understand what Tiān Jī Lǎo Rén meant by this sentence. Meanwhile, Pang Yan and Xuan Ji standing in the hall both smiled faintly.

  "In the history of our dynasty, it has always been the case that the north unifies the south, and never the other way around. I think you understand the reason for this better than I do, General. The terrain of Hebei is flat and suitable for cavalry charges. The five northern routes are close to the nomadic tribes outside the Great Wall, so the local people are fierce and their cavalry is exceptionally brave. Unifying the south from the north not only allows the speed and impact of the cavalry to be fully utilized but also quickly adapts to the local climate. As for the six states of Hexi, they are located in the fertile land of the Yellow River basin, with rich soil and a strong geographical advantage. Moreover, the local people are fierce and have a deep hatred for the nomadic tribes outside the Great Wall. If we use Hexi as our base and take advantage of the natural barrier of the Yellow River, there is hope to recover Hebei."

  Haotian said with a probing tone, "However, the Hesuoluo Road is one of the four strategic passes, and the Sword Gate Fortress in the southwest is still under the control of the Song family. The Yin Wind Ancient Fort to the south also has heavy troops stationed by the Li family."

  The old man Tianji laughed: "Although the two routes of Yizhou and Qinchuan are the best bases for conquering the world, they are absolutely not the place where the overlord is. Defending is more than enough, but expanding is not enough. If there is no external force, just stationing a elite army in Dingzhou will make the two families dare not move."

  Haotian nodded in agreement and asked: "What about the three tribes of the northwest and the three countries of the northeast?"

  The Old Man of Heaven asked back: "Then how do you view the various vassal states around me?"

  Haotian said: "My Qingfeng belongs to the country, and it is no exception that the Goryeo Dynasty in the northeast, the Wuma Dynasty in the north, the Luosuo Dynasty in the west, the Three Yue and Jinhua Dynasties in the south, and the Dongyi who have already rebelled. If my country is powerful, the surrounding countries will naturally come to pay homage. If my country is weak, the countries will naturally be falling into the well."

  The old man nodded and smiled: "Not bad, then how do you view the six tribes outside the pass?"

  "Beyond the borders, there are six tribes. Although on the surface it seems that the three great nomadic nations of the northwest are now powerful, I believe that the ones who can truly pose a mortal threat to the empire are still the three countries of the northeast. The nomadic nations may be able to shine for a moment, but those who can truly inherit the legacy of the ages are still the agricultural civilizations. Therefore, I believe that the three countries of the northeast are the greatest worry for our Qing dynasty."

  "Not bad. When a nation begins to develop in the direction of settlement, that is also a precursor to the emergence of civilization. So later on, you can still show mercy to nomadic nations, but not to the three northeastern countries."

  Hao Tian was shocked in his heart, this sentence seemed not to be said to him? Looking at the old man's expression as calm as an ancient well, even if it was said to someone familiar like Pang Yan, no one knew what he was thinking.

  The old man let out a long sigh and continued, "I am already gravely ill, and today's farewell may be our last meeting. So I'll say a few more words. Haotian, remember what I'm about to tell you. Firstly, every nation must have a minimum population threshold for its civilization to continue. Just like my divine state, because we've always maintained an extremely large population base, that's why we were able to pass down and flourish through the fires of war for thousands of years. The reason my clan has been able to survive until today is not only because we have a long history of civilization, but also because we have countless outstanding talents. The prosperity of our divine state does not lie in the imperial court, but in the world beyond it. If you truly want to achieve something, then pay more attention to these aspects."

  Secondly, those who are not of our kind must have a different mind. My divine state is declining, and the surrounding countries are all tiger-wolf nations. Without using thunderous power, we cannot deter their wild ambitions. Killing chickens to scare monkeys is not a good strategy to solve problems. You should grasp the timing well yourself.

  "This land is not the land of one person, but the land of hundreds of millions of Chinese people. In the future, you must never forget the world and its people for your own personal gain."

  Haotian listened with a bewildered expression, but seeing the Heaven's Machinery Old Man's unwillingness to explain, he could only say: "Senior's words, junior may not understand, but will definitely remember them in heart."

  The Old Man of Heaven looked at Haotian's dazed expression and said, "For the sake of being above, one must necessarily give up many things. I'll ask you, if one day heaven's will encounters misfortune, how would you react?"

  "Junior will surely avenge her with bloodshed, and then kill himself in devotion!" Hao Tian said without hesitation: "Heaven's will is such to someone, and someone is also like that to Heaven's will."

  "Alas, it is the will of heaven, the will of heaven!" The old man of Tianji let out a long sigh again, then turned to Xuangong and said: "Xuangong, do you have any more questions?"

  Xuanji bowed respectfully to the old man, then asked: "General Hao, I didn't quite understand some of what you said just now. Could you please enlighten me?"

  Hao Tian smiled slightly: "Sir, feel free to ask."

  "On that day, the northern expeditionary army was defeated, and the general was among them. Since the general had barely escaped the enemy's siege, why didn't he follow the main army to head south to the Yin Wind Ancient Fortress, but instead chose to stay in Dingzhou to launch a surprise attack on the enemy?"

  "As a soldier, it's already our shame that we can't kill the enemy to serve our country. If we can't even protect our hometown and family, what's the point of keeping us? The fall of the Yellow River valley has led to the brutal death of millions of our people at the hands of the enemy. If we can't avenge them, I'd rather die." Hu Tian said firmly.

  "Since you've been fighting on the battlefield, General, it's inevitable that you'll capture many enemy soldiers in the future. I wonder what plans you have for these captives?"

  "Kill!" Haotian's eyes were slightly closed, and he said without hesitation.

  "Has the general ever thought that among the six tribes of the Western Regions, there are still millions of strong men who have been captured and taken away? If the general only kills them, what will happen to them?"

  "In times of extreme crisis, one must take extreme measures! Killing is to establish authority, to justify the name, and to give an account to the tens of millions of people who died miserably under the butcher's knife of a foreign tribe. If I were to adopt the method of exchanging prisoners, it would not only make them more arrogant, but also, fearing the loss of their advantage, they would be even more unscrupulous. If someone ignores this, then they will have no way out."

  "What is most important in the heart of a general?"

  "Nation! My fellow countrymen!" Hu Tian replied succinctly.

  "There's one more thing, someone saw how General was extremely obedient to Tianyi girl, has the general ever thought that this might make others laugh?"

  Haotian burst out laughing: "Sir, you're wrong. A man's demeanor isn't meant to be shown off in front of women. Besides, sir, have you ever heard the saying 'one who dwells below one person must dwell above ten thousand people'?"

  Xuanji was taken aback by his words, but soon understood and also smiled.

  The old man with the heavenly machine opened his eyes somewhat tiredly and interjected: "Mystic machine, have you finished asking?"

  "It's already done." Xuanji nodded, then turned around and bowed to Haotian, saying: "If the general doesn't mind, Xuanji is willing to follow the general and contribute his own strength for the sake of the people of Shen Zhou."

  Hao Tian was shocked and hastily supported Xuan Ji: "Sir, you can't be so polite, I'm just a martial artist, how can I bear such great courtesy from you?"

  On the other side, Pang Yan was also startled and almost jumped up from his seat, but after glancing at Tian Ji Lao Ren who had a smile on his face, he eventually sat back down.

  Xuanji shook his head: "What Xuanji admires is not the general, but the general's noble sentiments for the country and the people. Although someone has no power to bind a chicken, he is also willing to follow the general to work hard to save the world."

  General, you don't have to be modest. Although you are wise and resourceful, and your generals are brave and skilled in battle, you lack a bit in terms of strategic planning. Xuanyuan is not a genius, but he has some experience in this area. With his help, General, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.

  Haotian seeing the situation, also didn't want to make any more excuses, so he nodded and said: "Then that person will be thick-skinned. Mr. Xuanji, from now on you don't have to call me General, just call me Haotian."

  Xuanji smiled slightly: "The general is now the master of a city, and his future prospects are boundless. I am just a humble commoner, how dare I address him by name? Xuanji will follow everyone else in addressing our lord, and from now on, our lord can just call me Xuanji."

  Haotian also wasn't a person who dragged his feet and hesitated, so he nodded and said: "That's perfect."

  On the other side, Pang Yan finally couldn't help but stand up and say: "Xuanji, since you have a kind heart to save the people of the world, why don't you surrender to the imperial court? The river suite is big, but with your talent, it's still too humble."

  "Junior brother, this statement is biased. If it's about saving the world, then isn't everywhere the same? Since Xuanji has such a heart, he will naturally choose someone worthy of his efforts to serve. Moreover, the current imperial court is already corrupt and decadent; even if Xuanji were to return to Tiandu Shengjing, I'm afraid it would be of no use." The old man Tianji said with a smile.

  "Under the vast sky, all is the king's land. On the borders of this land, all are the king's subjects. Although our Qing dynasty's national strength has declined day by day, today's ruler is still the one to whom Heaven's Mandate has been returned, and he diligently governs and loves his people. Today, if the benevolent scholars and righteous officials wish to save the people from the midst of water and fire, they should throw themselves into the imperial court."

  The old man sighed and said, "Younger brother, what is the will of heaven? What is the destiny that heaven has bestowed? You have read extensively in history books, can't you really understand? Kings, nobles, generals, and ministers are not born to be so; the true destiny that heaven bestows is the one towards whom the people's hearts turn."

  Pang Yan looked at the slightly furrowed brow and calm expression of Tianji Old Man, and finally nodded towards Xuanyuan: "General Hao is garrisoning Dingzhou. You serving under him is equivalent to serving the country. Although we are master and apprentice, I also have no right to interfere with your choice. Forget it, just go as you please."

  Xuanji hastily bowed and thanked: "Thank you, Master, for your help."

  The old man waved his hand somewhat wearily: "You all have important matters to attend to, so I won't keep you long. General Hao, please take your leave now, perhaps you can still catch a lively scene. General Hao, be sure to remember the words I spoke today, don't let me down. I have one more thing to say, your father is the legitimate heir of the Guardian clan, but in reality, the Guardian clan is against heaven. From now on, you must conduct yourself with integrity."

  "Hao Tian hastily replied: 'I will definitely not disappoint your expectations.'"

  "Big Brother!" Pang Yan hastily said upon seeing the old man's appearance.

  "You didn't have to say it, I already understood your thoughts from the day you left this place. It's also your fate." The old man Tianji shook his head and said.

  Pang Yan's expression was dazed for a moment, and after a long time, he said: "Then I'll take my leave. Brother, I don't know when I can come back, so you must take care of yourself." He had been away from the imperial court for a long time, so he naturally worried about the affairs of the court and didn't dare to linger. The old man Tianji just nodded slightly and then closed his eyes without speaking again.