Translator: ryangohsff Editor: Nora
Chapter 981 – With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Zhang Liang said, “Along with Wannan Province being taken down by the Yanhuang Alliance, the Yanhuang Alliance might wage war against us at any moment.”
“With that, the Jiangchuan Province that is stuck between the two of us is an eyesore. I suggest that we use this chance to merge with them.”
Ouyang Shuo nodded. Merging with Jiangchuan Province was not a tough matter.
At the end of the large war, Gong Chengshi expressed that he could merge into Great Xia. However, back then, Ouyang Shuo considered that taking four provinces at once was too much for them, so he delayed it.
A month had passed, and the three provinces were basically settled. As a result, they already had the ability to merge.
“Apart from merging with Jiangchuan Province, does Zifang have any other suggestions? Seeing that it is close to the 5th year, should our main strategic target be the Yanhuang Alliance or overseas?”
Ouyang Shuo did not ask this out of the blue. Before he left, he had already left the Administrative Mentor Court with this question, and it was time for an answer.
Zhang Liang answered solemnly, “The Administrative Mentor Court feels that our main goal is to deal with Annan.”
“Why so?”
Zhang Liang did not directly reply. He simply took out a map that was a simplified version of the global map.
“It mainly has to do with the Capital City.” Zhang Liang pointed at Lianzhou Basin, “The Capital City is located at the southernmost point of the territory. As such, the more we expand north, the weaker we are in the south.”
“On the contrary, Annan is the closest to our Capital City. Be it from the land or from the ocean, they can threaten our safety. Hence, taking down Annan and the nearby few countries is the utmost priority. It can protect the strategic position of our Capital City and it also stabilizes our country’s territory.”
Ouyang Shuo was enlightened.
The game was not real life, and transport and communication were not as advanced; especially after the game was expanded by 10 times. Without the teleportation formation, one would not be able to control a huge empire.
“The Administrative Mentor Court suggests that we first settle the three imperial cities before attacking the central region,” Zhang Liang said.
The nine imperial cities of China were naturally good if they were facing outside countries. However, to Ouyang Shuo, their presence was a problem like a fishbone in his throat.
If they did not resolve the imperial cities through a suitable method, it would become a cancer.
“It might allow them to grow though…” Ouyang Shuo was hesitating.
Zhang Liang said, “The strength of the Yanhuang Alliance is growing, same as ours. Will our speed of attacking overseas land be slower than their speed of development in China?”
“No.”
“Not attacking the middle does not mean we are letting it go. We can borrow the hands of Fallen Phoenix City and West Chu to fight with them to stop their rise.”
Ouyang Shuo suddenly smiled, as Zhang Liang’s idea was really interesting.
Before this, it was always the Yanhuang Alliance trying to stop the rise of Shanhai City. Now, the tables had turned.
In the blink of an eye, it was now Great Xia going on the offensive.
“Let me think about it.”
As this matter was of utmost importance, Ouyang Shuo did not decide right away.
“Yes my king!”
Zhang Liang got up and took his leave.
…
Night, imperial garden.
The cold breeze blew gently, causing the still pond water to move. The starlight was bright.
Ouyang Shuo sat alone in the pavilion. He looked at the pond, and then he looked at the stars in the sky. His heart was like them, totally not calm. Ouyang Shuo was still unsettled about the strategy suggested by Zhang Liang.
“Husband, do you have something on your mind?”
Song Jia walked over and gently helped put a golden silk cape on for Ouyang Shuo.
Ouyang Shuo smiled, turning around and grabbing his wife’s warm hand. The two of them gazed into the distance. The night wind blew around their majestic capes, and they were just like a fairy couple.
The following court ladies guarded outside the pavilion and did not dare to disturb them.
Ouyang Shuo did not hide anything, telling her about the plans during the day. When she heard the plans, Song Jia kept silent for a while before she suddenly asked, “Husband, what are your ideals?”
“Ideals?”
Ouyang Shuo suddenly thought back to his last life when he was really down. The only thing he wished for was a stable life. When he revived, his ideal was to not lag behind others and be able to lift up the sky for Bing’er.
After which, his ambitions continued to grow, and it was fulfilled part by part.
Looking back, those were not ideals but simply desires that were growing and growing.
If a person was busy running around during the day just to survive, how would he dare to talk about ideals?
Song Jia said, “You already rule so much land and have so many riches; you hold power and resources that a normal person cannot imagine. There’s one sentence that is good, with great power comes great responsibility.”
Ouyang Shuo was enlightened.
“On your shoulders is not only me, but Bing’er, our 2 unborn children, millions of other families, and even that of an entire race.”
“A race?” Ouyang Shuo did not understand.
Song Jia said, “Husband, you do not know, right? You have already become the hero of our country. You are spreading the honor and nation of our country over the world; this influence is not limited to the game world. On Planet Hope, if the Chinese want to lay their roots on it, they would need a hero to lead the way.”
“Looking at the entire China region, apart from you, no one else can obtain the love of everyone. Could Di Chen and the other aristocratic families, who put their family interests first do it? No, only you can husband!”
Ouyang Shuo laughed bitterly, “My lady, you overestimate me.”
Song Jia shook her head, “You do not need to look down on yourself. Bai Hua, West Gate Big Official, Gong Chengshi, and Wufu all willingly joined Great Xia. Apart from interests, there has to be other reasons. They see a hope for the race to rise to the top in you.”
“So, what has this got to do with the situation we are facing?” Ouyang Shuo decided to avoid this topic that was making his unsettled heart boil.
A sprout was breaking out from the soil and growing out.
Song Jia smiled. She did not force him and said, “Great Xia does not have the ability to crush them, and Di Chen and the others have not lost their patriotism either.”
“If we start a war with them, no matter who wins, it would hurt the strength of China, and it would disappoint the adventure gamemode players.”
Ouyang Shuo said, “So you’re saying that the Yanhuang Alliance is digging their own grave?”
“With the way they act, when there are conflict of interests, their original selves will be revealed, and it would be hard to maintain any image.”
“That’s good.”
Ouyang Shuo held onto Song Jia’s Hand; at this moment, his heart was really clear.
************
12th month, 15th day, Shanhai City.
The moment Ouyang Shuo returned to Shanhai City, Xia Palace became the focus of the wilderness’ attention. Everyone wanted to know what Great Xia wanted to do after Yanhuang Alliance took down Wannan Province.
Unfortunately, Ouyang Shuo rejected all interviews and chose to keep silent.
Only this morning did the 12 Lords of Jiangchuan Province with Gong Chengshi as the head appear in Xia Palace.
The moment the news went out, the outside world grew even more curious.
At such a stage, if one said that Ouyang Shuo had no reason for meeting them, people definitely would not believe it. Helplessly, the Xia Palace was closely guarded, and they could not get any news.
Everyone could only wait anxiously.
This wait lasted for a full three days.
12th month, 19th day, morning, Zi Luolan announced a matter through the Outreach Division: from today onward, the 12 territories of Jiangchuan Province have merged into the Great Xia Dynasty.
The moment the news was out, the players were enlightened.
Some people analyzed, “Great Xia is fighting back, after the Yanhuang Alliance took down Wannan Province, Great Xia followed by taking down Jiangnan Province, which is close to it without using any strength.”
Most players agreed with that point.
Along with Jiangchuan Province merging into Great Xia, the China region players noticed a shocking fact. The entire China region wilderness was only left with eight Lords.
Apart from Ouyang Shuo and Feng Qiuhuang, the remaining Lords were members of the Yanhuang Alliance.
How cruel the wilderness was, how cruel the Lord gamemode was; all of it was displayed in front of them at this moment. Many adventure gamemode players felt fortunate that they did not choose the Lord gamemode at the start.
In a short four years, who knows how many Lords fell into the blood pool, falling down on the path to becoming an overlord.
Hefu, Qinfeng, Xunlong Dianxue, Feng Qingyang…
Many names that were famous for a time were slowly being forgotten as they became the failures in this huge game.
Along with each inch of land being ruled by territories, the wilderness was not the wilderness anymore. Instead, it was now a battle of who was the best.
Out of the 17 provinces in China, apart from Zhongyuan Province that was unclaimed and Ludong Province that was under West Chu, Great Xia had taken up eight of the remaining 15.
In other words, half of the China region land belonged to Great Xia.
More interestingly, who knows whether it was coincidence or a result of the heavens, but the Yanhuang Alliance and Great Xia had ended up in a north-south faceoff.
Maybe this was not a battle of rulers but a battle of two strong sides. Both powers were giants, and they were so strong that it made it hard for others to breathe. However, they were enemies.
Players could not help but ask, “Will they end up fighting?” Just thinking about it made one feel chills.
Although players were worried, they understood that the initiative did not lie in the hands of the Yanhuang Alliance and not in theirs either. It was in the hands of the king that people worshipped and respected.
Xia Palace had become the focus of everyone once more.
Even Di Chen and the others were so nervous that they could not breathe. Who knows what choice that king would make?
However, Xia Palace remained totally silent.
