Chapter 123: The Crisis of the State of Lu

Nanzi frowned in thought upon hearing this, then broke into a radiant smile.

"Your Majesty need not worry. Many vassal states have already changed their allegiance to the State of Qi. Under these circumstances, the State of Wei is caught in the middle and it is not convenient to take a definitive stance. The best course of action now is to wait and see, and avoid direct confrontation with the State of Jin."

"The State of Zheng is currently ambitious, seeking to annex the State of Xu while defying the orders of the State of Jin. It is precisely because they fear retaliation from Jin that they have drawn so close to Qi. This does not offer us any significant advantage."

"Let the State of Zheng continue to stir up trouble. If the situation shifts in their favor, Your Majesty can naturally go with the flow. If, by then, envoys from Jin come to demand an explanation, Your Majesty can claim you were compelled by circumstances. It will not be too late to form an alliance with Jin once the situation becomes clear."

Duke Ling of Wei nodded repeatedly in praise after hearing this.

"A brilliant idea. If you were a man, you would surely hold the reins of power in Wei, and I would certainly treat you with the rank of a high minister."

Nanzi giggled upon hearing this, threw herself into the arms of Duke Ling, and whispered softly, "If it were not for Your Majesty’s heart, how could I have such an opportunity? It is only because Your Majesty knows how to use people well."

In Mengyi of the State of Lu, following the issuance of the order for field rewards, the local populace was filled with enthusiasm and eagerly followed the arrangements. Because what Meng Di had done during this period was plain for all to see, these commoners were no longer suspicious as they had been in the past.

Meng Di was concentrating on recalling the nine-fold brewing method when Jiran and Yan He arrived together. Sensing that something had happened, he asked, "Since you both have come together, what grave matter has occurred?"

After exchanging salutations, Jiran spoke. "Le Qi, a grand officer of the State of Song, was on a diplomatic mission to the State of Jin. Because he drank with Zhao Yang, Fan Yang grew resentful upon hearing of it and ordered Le Qi to be arrested. He is currently being held captive in Jin."

Meng Di looked puzzled, and Yan He explained, "The Le clan has always been a vassal to the Fan clan. This time, Le Qi traveled to Jin with lavish gifts, but he presented them to Zhao Yang. This was a clear sign of his intention to change his allegiance, which is why he enraged Fan Yang and met with this calamity."

Upon this explanation, Meng Di understood why Fan Yang had acted this way and sighed. "This Le Qi is truly perceptive. He already sees that the Fan clan will not endure for long. That is why he acted as he did, risking the enmity of the Fan clan to cultivate favor with Zhao Yang. His goal was to plan for the future of the State of Song; he is truly a virtuous official."

"Since Fan Yang has acted in this manner, it will surely make other vassal states even more uneasy. This is truly adding frost to snow. It seems we must also prepare ourselves. Everything now depends on the attitude of the State of Wei. If they also decide to turn against Jin, the State of Lu will be in danger."

This was obvious. The saying goes that a camel, even when dying, is still larger than a horse. Unless the State of Zheng had lost its mind, it would never dare to attack the State of Jin directly. Their contact with Qi was merely an attempt to push Qi to the forefront to confront Jin. At this moment, the attitude of Wei was crucial, as it bordered both Qi and Jin.

If Wei chose to defect to Qi, and with the power struggle within Jin reaching a boiling point, Qi could directly borrow a path through Wei to attack Jin. That was why Meng Di was so concerned.

Jiran also sighed deeply and said with resignation, "If Wei truly decides to turn toward Qi, the State of Lu will inevitably be unable to escape unscathed. Recently, Yang Hu has also been actively preparing for war, which shows that he too foresees the current crisis. I fear there is not much time left for us."

Meng Di, however, did not show much worry on his face. He smiled. "Since things have reached this point, we might as well prepare for the worst and try our best to stall for time. If the situation becomes truly impossible to resist, we will simply seize the State of Ju. Though this will result in some losses, it will preserve our strength to the greatest extent possible and prepare us for the future."

Although he believed that Jin would certainly send troops to assist Lu, the current situation was so intricate that no one could guarantee it. They had to prepare for the worst.

Yan He pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, "Now that the affairs in Feiyi are mostly settled, I will head to Zhongqiu immediately. This way, Liu Xia Tuo can directly lead troops into the land of the Huai Yi and establish a foothold there as soon as possible. This will serve as a safeguard."

Meng Di nodded and instructed, "I have met that Yi Dun; he is a man of talent. I have ordered him to go to Zhongqiu to brew wine. Please keep an eye on him, Master Yan. If this wine can truly be produced, it will certainly sell throughout the world and bring in great profits."

"That will be our source of wealth. I only hope that the situation here in Mengyi can be maintained, giving me enough time to build up my strength. It would be a great pity if we had to abandon it now."

As he spoke, he took a bamboo slip from his robe, handed it to Yan He, and explained, "This slip records the nine-fold brewing method. When you leave, take Yi Dun and the craftsmen with you, and ensure he brews the wine in the shortest time possible."

Because of his recent horse purchases, Meng Di’s financial deficit was significant. He had to pay back the debt to the Fan clan as quickly as possible; as for others, it would have to wait. Although he had ordered the smelting of bronze to be accelerated in Gumi, distant water could not quench immediate thirst, and it would take time. With daily expenses, the hole in his finances would only grow.

Thus, Meng Di was full of anticipation for the brewing. If it succeeded, he would at least no longer have to worry about money, solving a major problem.

Yan He frowned at this, though he said nothing. He had wanted to oppose the brewing of wine as it was a great waste of grain, but having understood the situation in Mengyi, he knew that Meng Di was already stretched thin. He could only swallow his words.

Seeing that Jiran was also about to leave, Meng Di stopped him and asked with a frown, "Master Jiran, wait a moment. I have something to ask. In the current situation, the merchants of the Tian clan could withdraw at any time. I wonder if you are prepared for this?"

Jiran nodded slightly and said with a solemn expression, "I have already made preparations for this. I have privately purchased a portion of the salt and other goods sold by the Tian clan as a contingency. There will be no major problems in the short term."