Chapter 1 Ye Tao didn't know how to comfort him. Cultural accumulation couldn't be formed in a day or two. He understood the saying that even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Especially in a country that has always had a traditional advantage in governance and is quite proud of it, even if it really declines to a certain extent, there will always be skills to cover it up. Moreover, the mindsets of the two sides are different. The scholars and celebrities of Chun Nan are fighting on their home turf, and they must have been told not to go too far and make the scene ugly. It is said that many celebrities have several students and friends around them to help them come up with ideas; while the scholars of Dong Ping are clearly preparing to ruin the show. Plus, they are all young people. Even if they are talented, once they are suppressed or provoked, they may lose their balance and not be able to perform to their full potential. Not everyone will have a super burst of performance.

"But, at least it's not a complete loss, right?" Ye Tao comforted.

"Well," Tan Wei Shi said gently, "It's not for nothing that people say that a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. After suffering so many losses, although those scholars are not so arrogant now, they are much more steady and earnest. After several poetry gatherings, they now discuss with each other before each time and are starting to pay attention to strategies. Perhaps, for them, it's not a bad thing."

"Then why are you still in a bad mood? Many of the people who came this time are your embroidery garden protégés, right? Most of those aristocratic children also follow your lead, right? Although you are younger than most of them, these people have grown up under your care after all, shouldn't you be happy?" Ye Tao said.

Tan Wei Shi tilted her head and said, "Before seeing them become people who can shoulder something, I'm the one who has to shoulder their resentment and frustration first. ...I never thought that I, who always had someone to comfort me, amuse me, and please me whenever I was in a bad mood or had any unhappiness, would now have to become someone who can comfort others."

Ye Tao turned his head, looked at Tan Wei Shi with a warm smile, and said with a smile, "You've grown up. You're no longer the little girl that I could pat on the head and say was naughty. Now, you can be someone else's support."

Tan Wei Shi seemed a little embarrassed, and she replied sweetly, "But, I still like those things you gave me back then so much. That interesting rabbit, those picture books, I still read them all the time. The books are almost worn out."

"Do you want me to redraw one for you?" Ye Tao said.

"I think... it's better not to. You have too many other things to worry about. Besides, if you want a new one, you can go directly to Bao Wen Tang. Now those guys are very experienced in copying your paintings," Tan Wei Shi shook her head and said, "Besides, I've grown up after all. It's too childish to always look for comic books when I'm unhappy. Also, now I can find people to paint anytime, so why hide in my room and read picture books?"

Ye Tao didn't know what to say. After Tan Wei Shi decided on her future, her gentle and firm performance was really impressive. The image of the naive little girl on her body was gradually fading away, and the image of a young woman with her own opinions was becoming more and more distinct. Although Tan Wei Shi always unconsciously imitated her sister Tan Wei Xin, this was normal. After all, Tan Wei Xin was the closest and most understanding of her thoughts among all the people she knew, but also the most independent. Even if, many times, her ideas were not necessarily correct or thorough.

"Brother-in-law, didn't you say that? After you become strong to a certain extent, you don't need any conspiracies or tricks. Strategies and tactics can only change the time and cost of achieving the goal, but cannot reverse the final result of success or failure, right? Since Father has entrusted the matter to you, he naturally trusts you. You can decide according to your heart. Why bother pushing yourself to this point?" Tan Wei Shi asked.

"Maybe, it's just because I've never made such a major decision before. Have you heard about the whole thing?" Ye Tao's mood had relaxed a lot, and he asked lightly.

"I know. Seeing that you were in a bad mood, I went to ask Feng Zi to find out," Tan Wei Shi said with a chuckle.

"With one's own decision, the entire country will operate in different directions and in different ways depending on one's different decisions. Many of one's own friends, people one knows and knows, are involved in it, and more unfamiliar people start doing all kinds of related things. Naturally, there will be some people who don't like one, either participating in it or trying to prevent the whole thing from happening... I have never had such an imagination, such a feeling. And the problem is that the pros and cons of the current two options don't seem to be very easy to judge. I have my own considerations, but others have their own. I don't have much confidence either," Ye Tao said sincerely.

"But you don't know that you're wrong, either," Tan Wei Shi tilted her head and said, "Just like me. Before coming to Chun Nan, everyone thought that it was definitely wrong to let me come, and to choose a large group of young scholars instead of those established scholars, famous figures, and great Confucians. However, no one dared to say anything about me. Now I also know that these young people are really not very good. To say that choosing all young scholars has the biggest advantage is that no matter how embarrassing it is, it probably won't really be too embarrassing. I didn't manage to let the youth's vigor suppress the other party, and I had to go and enlighten those guys one by one. It can be considered that I asked for it myself. However, since this is my own decision, I have to be able to bear it... And I know that I can bear it. Brother-in-law, I'm not saying that this matter can be compared with the decision you have to make, but being able to bear the decision you have made is all that matters. And when you look at it this way, in fact, the decision you have to make is not really that different from my matter."

Ye Tao smiled and said, "Thank you..." Tan Wei Shi could now comfort him in this way. To be honest, it was really effective. Perhaps it was because getting along with Tan Wei Shi had always had a very relaxing effect on Ye Tao, or perhaps it was because Tan Wei Shi's words were just right. Anyway, Ye Tao's mood was much better now.

"The scenery here is good. Let's find a place to sit. And then... um, wait for Feng Zi to say goodbye from some place, and let him come here. We need to ask for his opinion," Ye Tao said peacefully.

Tan Wei Shi tilted her head and simply agreed. This section of the sea view was quite different from the ocean in Dong Ping that she was familiar with. The sea outside Yi City was a little naughty, with small changes from time to time that made people who were not familiar with it feel frightened, while familiar old sailors often smiled it off. As for Chun Nan, this small piece of ocean outside Yu Hang, not to mention the tumbling waves, even the wind blowing from the vast sea was gentle. And it seemed very nice to find a place by the sea to enjoy the sea view while chatting with Ye Tao about anything.

They waited by the sea for about an hour before Feng Zi hurried over. Although everyone at the Governor's Mansion now called Feng Zi "Madman," Feng Zi had always been graceful and refined during his time in Chun Nan. At those garden parties and poetry gatherings, he, this great talent, really won back a lot of face for the Dong Ping scholars.

Seeing Ye Tao and Tan Wei Shi sitting together, chatting softly, and Ye Tao looking relaxed, Feng Zi couldn't help but reveal a slight smile. "My lord, are you in a better mood?"

Ye Tao nodded and said, "Yes. Now, it seems very good. You should know what I want to ask, right?"

Feng Zi knew that his opinion was of great reference value to Ye Tao. He had been thinking about this matter over and over again these days, and he could be considered to have some insights, but he still hoped that he was a role to pick up the slack. In addition, he believed that Ye Tao already had his own judgment on this issue. He asked with a smile, "My lord, what is your opinion?"

Ye Tao curled his lips and said, "I will oppose Dong Ping sending troops to cooperate in all occasions."

"Oh?" Seeing Ye Tao's determination, Feng Zi asked, "My lord, what are your reasons?"

"In fact, after jumping out of this framework of pros and cons, and then looking back at this issue, you will find deeper textures of more interesting issues. With the assistance of Dong Ping, Chun Nan will also have to pay a considerable price to continue to take down Da Nan Pass. After all, it is an operation of capturing cities and plundering land all the way, and Xi Ling has obvious geographical advantages. But no matter whether Chun Nan can successfully conquer it and at what cost, it is not good for Dong Ping. This disadvantage far outweighs the consideration of whether or not to acquire a zhou. In our country's plan, Chun Nan is not an ally, but a country that can currently cooperate, but will inevitably become an enemy in the future. Chun Nan also understands that it is impossible to impress Dong Ping with the identity of an ally and demand the dispatch of troops for cooperation. They must concede benefits that will move us. So, they proposed to cede Ze Zhou.

"But they will gain four zhou of land, and after recovering Da Nan Pass, they will have no worries on the western front, and will inevitably have the energy and time to accumulate strength. And my Dong Ping must seize the next two or three years to accumulate strength in order to conquer Bei Liao and attack Xi Ling in the future. It is very likely that there will be a long-term war of attrition with Xi Ling. Now, for the sake of one zhou of land, even if we add the dispatch of troops to maintain the alliance with Chun Nan, it will not be worth the loss. Moreover, what is even more unpleasant is that Chun Nan's proposal of such exchange conditions clearly has the intention of testing Dong Ping's attitude towards Chun Nan. If Dong Ping sends troops, although the alliance will be consolidated, it will disrupt the strategic deployment, intensify the temporary state of non-aggression between us and Xi Ling, and will also result in considerable military losses. This will further delay future actions against Chun Nan, while Chun Nan, regardless of whether the losses are large or small, will spare no effort to complete this major operation in order to allow Chun Nan to recuperate and compete with Dong Ping. No matter how quickly or easily my Dong Ping can solve Bei Liao, it will inevitably be in a state of stalemate with Chun Nan and tension with Xi Ling, maintaining a delicate three-way confrontation. The longer this state of confrontation lasts, the more difficult the situation will be to control. Especially, when this stalemate lasts for several generations... we cannot be responsible for our descendants.

"What I especially hate is that Chun Nan seems to have figured out these joints, and is actually very clear about the delicate relationship between Dong Ping and Chun Nan, but still deliberately throws out this kind of question to test us. They hope that we will give up our long-term goals because of this and that, in order to echo the firm support of our temporary and much-needed ally. ...When they thought of this kind of test, cracks had already appeared in the alliance. Perhaps, from the day the contract was signed, today's situation was doomed."

Ye Tao paused and said, "You know, I always hope that the relationships between people and between countries can be as simple as possible. I think that it may not be polite to point out their intentions, but this reason to refuse to send troops to cooperate does not seem to be too outrageous. ...However, to be able to do this requires some arrangements."