CHAPTER 719: CHAPTER 305: XIAO JINSEN’S CONSPIRACY (FIVE UPDATES)

Xiao Jinxing’s tent flap opened.

Song Yanqing followed Xiao Jinxing inside.

"Prince." In the presence of others, there were certain things Song Yanqing could not fully articulate, so he spoke privately, "Your servant believes that staying our troops without moving can provoke the enemy, but this is predicated on the certainty that the King of Daxuan is in the enemy’s camp. I cannot fully guarantee his presence, therefore, the safer approach, I hope, is for someone to be dispatched to investigate."

"This Prince has also had this thought." Xiao Jinxing nodded.

As Song Yanqing spoke of military matters, Xiao Jinxing already had a plan in mind.

"Your servant hopes that Prince would not send Xie Ruotong to go." Song Yanqing spoke frankly.

This indeed was Song Yanqing’s purpose.

He was well aware that where he harbored suspicions, the Prince would surely have plans in place already.

He simply did not want Xie Ruotong to go.

He was worried that if indeed the King of Daxuan was found in the enemy’s camp, Xie Ruotong would be unable to control herself and might single-handedly attempt to assassinate Xiao Jinsen.

Xiao Jinxing glanced at Song Yanqing.

Song Yanqing had indeed correctly guessed his thoughts.

Xiao Jinsen, such a cunning person, held Song Yanqing in high esteem; Song Yanqing was certainly not a simple character.

"Alright." Xiao Jinxing nodded.

The optimal choice originally was Xie Ruotong.

The special forces led by Xie Ruotong were established exactly for such missions.

He said, "How about sending Lin Qianyu?"

"Regarding others, your servant has no objections."

"It so happens that Lin Qianyu admires Xie Ruotong; this can also be considered as clearing the way for you."

"Your servant harbors no ulterior motives," Song Yanqing hastened to explain.

Xiao Jinxing smiled and said, "This Prince is unaware of the grudge between you and Xie Ruotong, nor will I meddle in your affairs. This Prince has but one requirement: that your personal grievances must not affect the overall strategy!"

"Your servant shall never allow that to happen."

"You may withdraw," Xiao Jinxing said, "Rest well and take good care of your health."

"Thank you for your concern, Prince. Your servant shall take his leave."

...

A month passed.

The Beimu Army engaged in battle twice more.

Both times, the Daxuan Army did not meet them in combat.

Arriving at the battlefield, they found nobody there.

Clearly, the Daxuan Army had not dispatched any troops.

In Muge City, at the Beimu Army camp.

As the news traveled back, Xiao Jinsen’s expression turned extremely foul.

It had been three months since he arrived in Beimu Country.

Having escaped from Daxuan, he was covertly approached by people from Beimu Country and arrived there smoothly.

Without pausing, he requested assistance from the Khan of Beimu Country and went straight to the border, promising to capture a city for Beimu Country, which in return agreed to use Beimu’s military power to help him reclaim the political power of Daxuan.

Upon reaching Muge City and understanding the situation between the two armies, he used reverse psychology, hoping to compel the Bai Family’s army to take the offensive and strike first.

With Xiao Jinxing stabilizing the situation at court, he aimed to take the head of Bai Wenwu.

However, without Xiao Jinxing’s orders, the Bai Family’s army dared not dispatch, only willing to face the enemy in battle.

But the Beimu Army, having suffered heavy losses in the previous defeat, had no advantage in a frontal assault, and could only resist passively. They aimed to deplete a certain strength of the Bai Family’s army before taking the opportunity to counterattack, striving for a victorious battle.

However, just when Xiao Jinsen estimated that the Bai Family’s army might not be able to control themselves and initiate a battle in response to such provocation, he learned from a spy in their ranks that Xiao Jinxing had arrived at the border. Xiao Jinsen naturally harbored some fears upon his arrival, but as long as Xiao Jinxing ordered the troops to attack Muge City, Xiao Jinsen had laid out a trap as inevitable as heaven and earth—no matter how capable Xiao Jinxing was, he would not be able to escape.

Little did he know.

Xiao Jinxing actually ordered the Bai Family’s army to stand down.

There were no confrontations in the two battles that followed.

If Xiao Jinxing continually abstained from sending out troops, then he had no way to help Beimu Country retake Gujiang City.

He also could not reclaim the political power that belonged to him.

Xiao Jinsen clenched his teeth.

He could guess that Xiao Jinxing came to the border for battle; he came to take down Muge City and teach Beimu Country a lesson. However, Xiao Jinxing’s decision to withhold his forces clearly showed that he had seen through the ploy. Since his strategy was exposed, as long as he himself didn’t move, Xiao Jinxing would certainly not rashly act.

And he, Xiao Jinsen, could not outlast Xiao Jinxing.

"The Daxuan Army won’t fall for our tricks anymore," Ke Chengyun, a general of the Beimu Army, asked with some anger, "I said this method wouldn’t work. How could the Daxuan Army be so easily provoked by us?"

His tone also carried a complaint against Xiao Jinsen.

Xiao Jinsen’s face turned extremely unsightly.

If it weren’t for Xiao Jinxing, given the Bai Family army’s proud and conceited attitude, they would definitely have attacked.

"Prince Chu, what do you suggest we do now?" Mu Junze, the prince of the Beimu army, asked him.

"What to do? Of course, we attack them directly!" Ke Chengyun, always more of a rogue, and coming from a military family since he was young, acted more on impulse compared to his brothers, "Kill all those little rabbits from Daxuan Kingdom!"

"We just suffered a defeat last time. With this attack, what chance of victory does the Great General think we have?" Although Xiao Jinsen was angry, he was ultimately rational.

He was well aware that now was not the best time to send out troops.

"We only lost one battle! I’ve previously made those Daxuan soldiers flee in utter disarray!" Ke Chengyun said fiercely.

"A wise man does not dwell on past bravery. Back then, we won because Xiao Jinxing was not there; it won’t be so easy to fight in the future!"

"Don’t we have you now? What, can’t you defeat your brother?" Ke Chengyun said with a mouthful of sarcasm.

Xiao Jinsen’s face turned extremely unsightly.

"Indeed, if he could win, he wouldn’t have been driven to our doorstep by his brother..."

"Enough!" Mu Junze chastised.

Ke Chengyun gestured a zipping motion over his mouth.

But his heart was still uncomfortable.

The thought of his brother’s head taken by Xiao Jinxing made him eager to tear Xiao Jinxing to pieces.

"Have you thought of any good strategies?" Mu Junze asked Xiao Jinsen, visibly more gentle.

Xiao Jinsen said, "A direct battle is certainly not the right move now. We have been exposed by Xiao Jinxing, and the other side will not likely fall into our traps. The only way we can take a risk without endangering our military strength is..."

Mu Junze looked at Xiao Jinsen.

Xiao Jinsen continued, "Inside the Bai Family’s army, I have planted spies."

"So what does Prince Chu suggest?"

"I will have the spies create chaos within the Daxuan internal military camps, aiming to create panic. If successful, we will take advantage of the chaos to defeat the Bai Family’s army in one fell swoop. If we fail, we will have forever lost our inside source within the Bai Family’s army," said Xiao Jinsen. "Is the Prince willing to take this risk?"

Mu Junze looked at Xiao Jinsen.

After hesitating for a moment, "Naturally, now that Xiao Jinxing is not sending troops, the spies in the camp are of little use. Rather than playing it safe, we take the risk; if we succeed, we win. If we fail, we find another way out."

"Alright." Xiao Jinsen nodded.

He naturally did not want to lightly use the people he had spent so many years and effort to place within the Bai Family’s army.

And he also didn’t want the Bai Family’s army to suffer heavy losses out of self-interest.

These soldiers, once he reclaimed political power, would all be his troops. The greater the losses now, the greater the cost for him.

But in extreme times, extreme measures are called for!