Chapter 188: Chapter 187: Strike First to Gain the Advantage
Spirit actually came early.
This was something Le Yu hadn’t expected.
It’s like when a group of you are having a meal, suddenly a brat throws in a pile of cow dung filled with firecrackers and locks the door. You’re helplessly blown up and covered in shit, but because the brat is too powerful, you don’t even dare to retaliate.
And then this brat dares to appear in front of you and even says, ’I am actually a victim too’...
Le Yu felt that if Spirit could walk out naked later, it would be considered merciful on their part.
Spirit couldn’t even hope to leave with his underwear unless one of the five of them was a saint.
"I thought you wouldn’t dare to show up until the day of departure," said Le Yu decisively.
Spirit retorted, "Why would the Young Master of the Jing Family think that?"
Quan Xin suddenly slammed the pen on the table: "Because you’re the son of Ting Gu!"
"So what!?"
"No matter what conspiracies Ting Gu has prepared, in the end, you are undoubtedly the beneficiary, not the victim!"
"My brother took the opportunity to become a Zhengyang General." Spirit suddenly said this out of nowhere.
Everyone was stunned. The officers of the Heyang Army are divided into Zhengyang, Deputy Yang, Assistant Yang, and From Yang four classes. Even though From Yang General is the lowest rank, it’s still an officer position, enough to prove someone from the Ting Family has thoroughly entered the military’s core!
"How is that possible!"
Even the usually stoic Lan Jianbo found it incredible:
"Heyang Governor Gai Shiwen and Wang Hai Gong Huyan Xiu have long agreed to obstruct Silver Blood Association’s influence in the military by all means, no matter how capable your brother is, it can’t be—"
Spirit shook his head: "The ones directly confronting and being annihilated by Linhai Army are Gai Shiwen’s trusted generals and elite troops. He probably didn’t expect the Heyang Army to be so weak, or perhaps Linhai Army is just too strong... Moreover, there seemed to be a discord between Huyan Xiu’s faction and Gai Shiwen’s on the battlefield. Huyan Xiu’s forces remained unscathed; only Gai Shiwen’s corps were severely affected."
"You must understand Gai Shiwen was only supposed to be a ten-year Heyang Supervisor; his foundation isn’t as deeply rooted in Xuanzhu County as the Wang Hai Gong Huyan Family. To quickly regain strength, even if Ting Family offers him a life-saving poison, he would likely drink it."
"Compared to Wang Hai Gong, Gai Shiwen naturally feels more confident in controlling Ting Family!"
"This news hasn’t leaked yet, but I know Ting Family has already mobilized an elite private army to join the Heyang Army, standing for my brother!"
"That’s why I said I’m a victim." Spirit clasped his hands together as if praying: "No matter whether I return alive or become the Patriarch of Ting Family, it absolutely won’t be me."
"Instead, it would be my brother, Ting Wanjian!"
Spirit’s voice was filled with teeth-gritting anger, his expression a twisted and furious one, looking like a defeated dog. The resentment from everyone towards him dissipated considerably.
If he hadn’t misspoken—such crucial information, it’s unlikely Spirit would make it up—this proved that Spirit was the smokescreen sent out by Ting Family, specifically used to attract hatred as a sacrificial pawn.
Because Ting Wanjian now has military power.
Even if Ting Gu is old and foolish, he certainly wouldn’t think that his eldest son, after gaining military power, would genuinely assist his second son in becoming Patriarch.
Within the Silver Blood Association, parental compassion, brotherly respect is not just a traditional virtue unique to the Jing Family, but a noble Spirit diligently studied by everyone in the Silver Blood Association.
Even if the unseen counter-defiant Ting Wanjian is truly an honest person, how could a crafty old fox like Ting Gu leave such a great threat to the Ting Family?
Either marginalize Ting Wanjian, distributing Ting Family’s military power in the Heyang Army to several loyal relatives;
Or directly make Ting Wanjian the Patriarch, creating a leader who can wield all power single-handedly.
In Spirit’s view, Ting Gu is more likely to choose the latter option.
Because Spirit fits the profile of a sacrificial pawn too well.
Renowned in Xuanzhu, widely connected, gentlemanly and affable... he’s simply a great tool, enhancing the reputation of the Ting Family’s younger generation while maintaining their relationship with various merchant associations.
And now, Spirit is about to undertake a dangerous mission.
Only a glorious sacrifice remains for Spirit to complete his historical mission.
Luo Zhen looked grim: "So, Ting Gu really intends for you to take us all to die?"
Spirit sighed wretchedly: "I don’t know either, he hasn’t told me anything."
A son who has to guess whether his father intends to send him to die or confer riches upon him, just thinking about it... The Silver Blood Association truly is a messy circle.
Everyone also understood Spirit. Being the youngest son of Ting Gu, raised in luxury since childhood, always the darling of the family, and now suddenly realizes he’s actually a lamb to be slaughtered, anyone would likely fall into depression.
"What do we do now?" asked Quan Xin: "Should we send collateral family members too?"
Luo Zhen: "I think it’s possible."
"Though I’m quite familiar with Ting Junior, I’m not interested in walking the path of certain death," Lan Jianbo shrugged.
"Same here."
Le Yu patted Spirit on the shoulder, comforting him: "Though we can’t share life and death with you, we’re supporting you spiritually at least."
"Yeah, we believe in you now."
"How about I send my cousin, Ting Er-Shao? You can play however you like."
"Let’s be friends in the next life."
Seeing their shameless looks, Spirit felt so moved his face twisted, grinning his teeth: "I’m here to brainstorm with you guys; is there really no way to break the situation?"
Le Yu replied: "There is. You rely on your personal charm to make Lan Yan become your subject, or White Night assassinates successfully."
As everyone soothed Spirit’s emotions and prepared to leave, Qin Le Yin suddenly said: "Ting Er-Shao, didn’t the President stop you from leaving?"
"No."
"How did you know your brother became a From Yang General?"
"I have a few trusted people in the family who found out from familiar Heyang Army officers."
"Still feels strange." Qin Le Yin leaned against the chair: "As the President’s most important plan executor, he didn’t ’protect’ your safety, allowing you to walk around randomly; and you learned about your brother becoming a From Yang General just in time..."
"With your personality, you would definitely come to us to discuss strategies, and we would know this information from you, thereby deducing the President wants us to be wiped out..."
"Then naturally, we would send collateral family members to the negotiation group."
"But if the negotiations succeed and you safely return, you becoming the President of the Silver Blood Association would make the Silver Blood’s nine merchant associations fall into Ting Family’s pocket..."
With a fiery move, Luo Zhen pinned Spirit against the wall: "Are you delivering false information to us!? Ting Junior, I misjudged you, I was even considering giving my cousin to you!"
In a foul mood, Spirit twisted Luo Zhen’s arm, kicked him away, and said viciously: "I haven’t! Don’t wrong me, damn it!"
"Stop, stop." Qin Le Yin said: "Ting Er-Shao probably genuinely doesn’t know the President’s plan; he’s not good at acting. But even if he doesn’t know, he can become the President’s pawn, so stop fighting."
Quan Xin stopped spinning the pen: "So should we go?"
Qin Le Yin shook his head: "What I just said was reverse logic, inferring the President has a backup plan, allowing the negotiation group to return safely; whereas the correct logic was your initial thought, the negotiation group as a sacrificial offering."
Le Yu sighed: "It’s all beginning to get convoluted again."
"I thought Spirit’s arrival would at least make it easier for us to understand the President’s goals, but now it seems things are contrary to our wishes." Qin Le Yin chuckled: "Whether correct logic or reverse logic, Ting Family is bound to win, and we can only gamble on one side."
Lan Jianbo suddenly said: "There is also a worst-case scenario—no matter which side we choose, Ting Gu can freely control his ’backup.’ We go, then the negotiation group dies; we don’t go, then the negotiation group lives."
Le Yu considered: "Actually, there’s one more choice for us."
"What choice?" everyone asked.
Le Yu gestured for everyone to come closer, lowered his voice and said:
"The nine merchant associations unite, strike first, and wipe out Ting Family."