it and contacted the provincial government office of Xishan Province as well as local salt officials. It turned out that the first batch of salt had been captured by rebel forces. We hoped that the p...Chapter 1480: Promise Great Benefits, Then Intimidate with Force

Wu Ban Shan and Wu Qing Cang's opposition was within Li Chen's expectations.

"This palace doesn't blame you for your opposition. In truth, it's because you and this palace are in different positions, so naturally, our perspectives on this matter will differ."

"What you are seeing is this war."

"But what this palace sees is a political storm from the standpoint of the Qin state and the Han people."

"Military force decides political discourse, but it must also serve politics. Between nations, once there is a dispute of interest, it ultimately has to be resolved on the battlefield. But in the end, it is politics that divides the interests."

Li Chen said meaningfully, “You are generals, and I am a politician. Our positions are different, so our perspectives naturally differ. However, you must understand that many things are not as simple as you think. Therefore, regarding today’s matter, what you need to consider is how to cooperate with me to push things forward.”

"There may be dissatisfaction, or perhaps misunderstanding. We shall address all of these matters once the dust has settled."

"This sentence is addressed to both of you, and to all the soldiers of Yueya Pass."

After finishing his words, Li Chen didn't pay any further attention to Wu BanShan, whose face was full of discontent, nor to Wu Qing Cang, who remained calm. He turned his head to Zhou ChangShou and said, "ChangShou, in your opinion, is there any hope that the Yan Yun Sixteen Riders will fully cooperate with this battle deployment"

Zhou Changshou simply and directly shook his head, saying, "There's no hope."

Li Chen frowned slightly, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

Zhou Changshou continued, "The key is King Ning."

"This palace knows."

Li Chen sneered: “So what about patriotism and family and country feelings They are all bull**.”

"Your Highness, Prince Ning is a man who values profit and practicality above all else. Most importantly, he possesses immense ambition, an ambition that we can very well exploit."

Zhou Changshou spoke first, suggesting, "King Ning dreams of dominating the Central Plains. Let's give him this hope. Offer him great rewards and threaten him with force, forcing him to act according to our wishes. Although we might not be able to make the Sixteen Riders of Yan Yun fully obedient, at least they won't hold us back."

Li Chen raised an eyebrow and said, "Tell me more."

Zhou Changshou calmly said: "Offering great riches is exactly what King Ning wants. He dreams of expanding his territory openly and aboveboard. Over these years, he has never stopped infiltrating Gansu and Shaanxi. However, due to ancestral laws, a vassal prince without special permission cannot expand his fiefdom. This has never happened in Qin's entire history."

"Your Highness, why not allow him If he succeeds just this once, then grant him half of Gansu and Shaanxi. This way, he can use the land of Gansu and leverage the Wei River to firmly establish himself in the northwest, truly securing his position as King of the Northwest."

"This temptation, he couldn't resist."

Li Chen's face was expressionless as he said, "Then what if Wei forces it"

Zhou Changshou said in a deep voice: "If King Ning refuses to succumb to temptation, then it proves he has already turned against us. This humble citizen suggests that we first eliminate King Ning, and then attack Liao. No matter how difficult this plan may be, King Ning's attitude is key to dealing with the Liao army. Right now, the court still has a breath of life left. Behind the scenes, many vassal kings are making moves, but none of them dare to directly challenge the imperial authority because the court has enough strength to destroy any vassal king."

"When the King of Ning felt that the Lord was so determined, even willing to risk chaos across the land just to eliminate him first, then weighing the two sides, the King of Ning wasn't a fool; he would make a wise choice."Chapter 266: The Empress Has Arrived