Chapter 133: A Secret Visit

In the residence of the Gao family in the State of Qi.

In the back garden, a gentle breeze was blowing, accompanied by the occasional chirping of birds. Taking a deep breath, one could immediately catch the faint, refreshing fragrance of blooming flowers. Inside the garden pavilion, Gao Zhang and Guo Xia sat facing each other, enjoying the scenery while sipping fine wine.

Gao Zhang took a sip of his wine, but his expression was far from relaxed; instead, a trace of indignation lingered between his brows.

"This Meng Di actually chose this exact moment to come as an envoy to our State of Qi, and even dared to set his sights on the State of Ju! Can he truly be so blind to the current political landscape? It is utterly laughable."

Guo Xia, however, gently shook his head. A look of doubt crossed his face as he lightly stroked his wine cup and said.

"I suspect this matter may not be quite as simple as it seems. I heard that before coming here, Meng Di visited the State of Jin and presented lavish gifts to all six of its senior ministers, earning universal praise from them. That alone proves this man is far from lacking in wisdom."

"Currently, the State of Zheng and our State of Qi have already shown intentions of forming an alliance. The State of Wei remains hesitant, yet one can tell they are somewhat tempted—all thanks to the machinations of Jin. The State of Lu must have sensed the looming danger, which is why they dispatched Meng Di as an envoy."

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhang slowly set down his wine cup, a look of disdain appearing on his face.

"As long as the State of Wei gives its consent, then with the combined might of Zheng, Wei, and Qi, no matter how great Yang Hu's abilities may be, he will not be able to secure the State of Lu from destruction. For Meng Di to imagine he can achieve his goals simply by coming to Qi as an envoy is sheer delusion."

Unlike Gao Zhang's overflowing confidence, a look of worry clouded Guo Xia's face.

"We cannot speak with such certainty. That Meng Di was able to rout our army previously with merely a few thousand men, and later mobilized over ten thousand troops in the State of Ju, conquering it in a single battle. His military prowess is not to be underestimated."

"Therefore, my suggestion is that we might as well humor Meng Di for now. If a war breaks out in the future, we could at least catch him off guard. The biggest obstacle right now is the Marquis of Qi, whose heart is set on achieving hegemony for Qi. I fear he will never accept such cautious counsel."

What he spoke was the advice of a seasoned statesman. Although Gao Zhang understood this in his heart, his pride refused to let him admit it aloud. One must remember that the previous military campaign against the State of Lu had been entirely spearheaded by him, yet it had ended in a disastrous defeat, severely damaging his prestige.

Although the Marquis of Qi had not voiced any direct reprimand, his attitude had already noticeably shifted—something that was by no means a good sign for Gao Zhang. Hearing Guo Xia speak thus, he immediately retorted.

"He is merely a grand master of a petty State of Lu; I refuse to believe he possesses any extraordinary capabilities. If Pan Yi had not acted rashly and underestimated the enemy last time, how could we possibly have suffered defeat? Furthermore, the State of Ju has long since declined, its military utterly feeble; its defeat was only natural."

"With the State of Jin currently on the decline, this is the prime moment for our State of Qi to rise. If the State of Lu knows what is good for them, they should be sending emissaries to seek an alliance with us instead of trying to brush us off with flimsy excuses."

Guo Xia heard these words and, knowing that Gao Zhang was nursing a deep resentment, let out a silent sigh and said no more. However, his brows remained deeply furrowed, and an ominous foreboding gnawed at his heart.

Upon returning to his own estate, Guo Xia immediately summoned his son, Guo Yuan, and asked without preamble.

"How much longer before that Meng Di reaches Linzi?"

"According to the intelligence I received, he should arrive in two or three days. Why does Father ask about this?"

Hearing his son's inquiry, Guo Xia sighed with helpless resignation and spoke.

"Our Chancellor Gao is consumed by the desire to wash away his previous humiliation. I fear Meng Di will return empty-handed this time, and my worry is that this course of action may well inflict heavy losses upon our State of Qi."

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Yuan grasped the situation and nodded slightly.

"This Meng Di does not wage war like ordinary commanders. During his campaign against the State of Ju, he split his cavalry into three separate columns, throwing the Ju forces into utter disarray where they could neither protect their fronts nor their rears. This demonstrates that the man possesses profound tactical insight."

"If we go to war with the State of Lu under these circumstances and fail to achieve swift victory, our state's prestige will only suffer further, and the Marquis of Qi will inevitably grow displeased."

These words filled Guo Xia with a helpless sense of resignation. If his own son could understand such logic, how could Gao Zhang fail to see it? It was simply because the previous crushing defeat had tarnished Gao Zhang's reputation that he was obsessed with recovering his lost face.

Facing such a predicament, Guo Xia felt a growing sense of unease. After a moment of contemplation, he issued his instructions.

"You have a fairly good personal friendship with Meng Di. Once he arrives outside Linzi, you should go to meet him and hear what he has to say. If he has any specific demands or proposals, inform me in advance so we can make preparations early."

Guo Yuan nodded in acknowledgment, yet Guo Xia remained deeply troubled. If the State of Qi wished to contend for hegemony across the realm, it could not afford to squander its military strength in the State of Lu. The best course of action would be to unite with other feudal lords and launch a joint offensive against the State of Jin.

Once Jin was subdued, Qi's hegemony would be secured. At a time like this, winning over the State of Lu was naturally the optimal choice, and even if war were forced upon them, the primary objective should be to compel Lu into submission.

Yet judging by the current state of affairs, Gao Zhang had no such intentions, leaving Guo Xia with no choice but to prepare for the worst.

Three days later.

Meng Di finally arrived at a location not far outside the walls of Linzi. The reason he had paused his advance was that Tian Chang had secretly come to meet him.

After the two parties met and took their seats, Tian Chang smiled and spoke.

"Since our last parting, Master Meng and I have not seen each other for quite some time. I hear that Meng Yi has been developing remarkably well lately, with its population having multiplied several-fold, and Master Meng has even successfully captured Zhongqiu from the State of Ju. It is truly a cause for celebration."

Though phrased as a congratulatory remark, Meng Di did not believe Tian Chang had come merely to offer pleasantries, so he offered a faint smile in response.

"You flatter me, Young Master Tian. Without the wholehearted support of the Tian clan, how could Meng Yi have achieved what it has today? However, I wonder what urgent matter brings Young Master Tian to meet me in secret. Please speak your mind."

Hearing this, Tian Chang stroked the beard beneath his jaw and cast a glance at the surrounding guards. Meng Di instantly grasped his meaning—this clearly concerned a matter of great sensitivity and importance—so he raised a hand and gave the order.

"All of you withdraw. None shall enter without my direct command."

Once the guards had entirely retreated, Tian Chang finally resumed speaking.

"At present, our Tian clan and Master Meng share a bond where we stand or fall together. Under these circumstances, you and I must weather the storms hand in hand. My visit today is specifically for one vital matter, and I trust Master Meng will not refuse."

With that, he fixed his gaze intently on Meng Di, eager to observe his reaction.

At that moment, a heavy sense of foreboding stirred within Meng Di's heart, though his expression remained perfectly calm with a polite smile.

"Young Master Tian is too kind. Please, state your command."