novelapdf 95. Response
95. Response
The flickering candlelight illuminated faces that were either deep in thought, resolute, or worried.
Lin Mo knew that simply analyzing the motives was not enough; he had to immediately come up with a countermeasure, stabilize morale, and point the way forward. He sat back down in the main seat, placed his hands on the table covered with maps, and his gaze swept over every core member of the alliance present—the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect, Hong Jiu, Zhao Kun, the Sect Leader Li of the Diancang Sect, and several newly joined and highly respected leaders of small and medium-sized sects.
"Gentlemen," Lin Mo's steady and powerful voice broke the silence, "the motive is clear, and the enemy is revealed. Prince Jin and his Dark Flame Division see our alliance as a thorn in their side, and they want to eliminate it as soon as possible. Last night's attack on the celebration is by no means the end; it may only be the beginning. We are gathered here today to discuss a countermeasure. Whether to fight or make peace, to advance or retreat, we need a plan."
Hong Jiu, being the most impetuous, immediately retorted, "Alliance Leader, what's there to discuss? They've come to our doorstep, killed our people, and ruined our celebration. Are we just going to swallow our anger? In my opinion, we should retaliate in kind! Let that damned Prince Jin know that we Jianghu people are not to be trifled with!"
His words represented the thoughts of many men of courage and integrity, and a chorus of agreement immediately filled the hall.
The Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect slowly shook his head, his tone grave: "Hall Master Hong, such reckless courage is not advisable. The other side consists of the Imperial Guards, with a powerful prince behind them, representing a portion of the court's will. If we rashly confront them head-on, it will be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. Even if we succeed temporarily, with the imperial army pressing in, our newly formed alliance will be in imminent danger of annihilation."
Sect Leader Li echoed with deep concern, "The Grand Elder is absolutely right. Matters of the martial world should be left to the martial world. Once the imperial court is involved, the nature of things changes. Do we... do we really want to make enemies of the entire imperial court?" His voice was filled with barely concealed fear.
"We are not at odds with the entire court," Lin Mo said at the opportune moment, correcting this overly panicked view. "Last night's attack was by the Dark Flame Division, a private force under the Prince of Jin, not the imperial guards or palace troops representing the court. This is crucial. Our opponents, as it stands, are mainly the Prince of Jin's faction."
He paused, allowing everyone to process the difference, before continuing, "But the Grand Elder's concerns are also valid. It would indeed be unwise to directly and openly engage in a large-scale conflict with the Prince of Jin's forces. We need a strategy—a strategy that can both preserve the alliance and uphold our dignity, while also effectively counterattacking and making the other side think twice."
Zhao Kun stroked his chin and said in a deep voice, "As the alliance leader previously analyzed, the Prince of Jin's motives are impure, and he also has rivals within his own ranks. Could we start from there?"
Lin Mo gave Zhao Kun an approving look: "Master Zhao has touched on the key point. The solution should not be a single choice, but a multi-pronged approach."
He stood up, walked back into the hall, and began to clearly articulate his concept:
"First, **strengthen our foundation and enhance our own capabilities.** This is the basis for facing any challenge. Immediately reinforce the defenses of Seven Absolutes Manor and the key strongholds of each member sect, increase patrols, and set up both overt and covert sentries to guard against possible further attacks or infiltrations. At the same time, integrate alliance resources to accelerate the improvement of overall strength. Sects can appropriately open up some martial arts exchanges to learn from each other's strengths and make up for each other's weaknesses; the profits from the canal transport, in addition to maintaining operations and development, should be prioritized for purchasing high-quality weapons, armor, and medicinal herbs to improve the equipment level and survivability of alliance members."
Everyone nodded in agreement; this was a necessary measure for self-preservation.
"Secondly, **appear tough on the outside while seeking flexibility internally.** Last night we repelled the attack and demonstrated our strength, and we must maintain this. Externally, we should claim that we defeated a group of bandits posing as royal guards, preserving a semblance of 'respect' for Prince Jin, avoiding a complete breakdown in relations, and preventing him from being forced to mobilize even stronger official forces. But internally, to our fellow martial arts practitioners, we must clearly convey the message that the alliance is not afraid of powerful forces and is capable of protecting itself, stabilizing morale and attracting more observers to join."
"At the same time," Lin Mo changed the subject, "we can try to send a message to Prince Jin through informal channels: the interests of the Grand Canal are not off-limits for discussion, and the alliance has no intention of making an enemy of a powerful prince. But the prerequisite is that he must stop this despicable attack and show the necessary sincerity. This is not a sign of weakness, but a test of his true intentions, and also leaves a sliver of a gap for possible negotiations. If his aim is to establish his authority and engage in power struggles, this tactic may be ineffective, but if he is truly motivated by the interests of the Grand Canal, it may temporarily halt his offensive."
The Grand Elder nodded slightly: "The Alliance Leader's considerations are thorough. By demonstrating strength and enticing with benefits, a two-pronged approach allows for both advance and retreat."
"Third, **use the contradictions to find allies.**" Lin Mo lowered his voice, a hint of calculation in it. "This is the most crucial step, and also the one that requires the most caution. According to our previous intelligence, the Grand Commander of the Inner Guard and Prince Jin are not of one mind. We can find a way to 'inadvertently' leak the news that Prince Jin used the Dark Flame Division to attack the Jianghu Alliance to the Grand Commander's faction. We don't need to make direct contact; we can spread the word through some reliable Jianghu elders or merchants who have connections in the capital."
He glanced at the crowd and explained, "Prince Jin is using the inner guard forces, which are meant to monitor officials and protect the royal family, to interfere in the conflicts of the martial world and eliminate dissidents. This is an overreach of his authority and something the Grand Commander of the Inner Guard will never tolerate. Once the Grand Commander finds out, he will surely try to restrain us. We don't need their direct help. As long as they can keep Prince Jin in check from within, preventing him from recklessly mobilizing more Dark Flame Division forces to deal with us, it will buy us precious breathing room and time to develop."
Hong Jiu's eyes lit up: "Brilliant! Let them fight like dogs!"
Lin Mo shook his head: "It's not a case of dogs fighting each other, but rather using each other's strength against each other. We also need to be careful, as Prince Jin certainly has other political enemies in court, such as the Crown Prince or other princes. We can also find a way to get this information over there. Let them know that Prince Jin is actively expanding his power, even resorting to extreme measures. These potential 'allies' will spontaneously become a force to restrain Prince Jin."
"Fourth, **lay a wide network of informants to maintain the initiative.**" Lin Mo concluded, "We can't always be on the defensive. We must establish our own intelligence network as soon as possible, especially targeting the capital. We need to send people to infiltrate the capital to closely monitor the movements of the Prince of Jin's residence, the Dark Flame Division, and the Grand Commander's Office of the Inner Guard, as well as the activities of the four great families in the capital. Only by obtaining information in a timely manner can we predict the enemy's actions and make the most advantageous decisions."
He finished explaining his four strategies, and everyone in the room fell into deep thought. These four strategies covered multiple aspects, including self-preservation, deterrence, division, and intelligence gathering. They involved both hard power preparation and soft power application, demonstrating a high level of strategic thinking rather than brute force or retreat.
A moment later, the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect spoke first: "The Alliance Leader's strategy is far-sighted, and I believe it is feasible. Stabilizing ourselves is fundamental, projecting strength is a posture, exploiting contradictions is a clever tactic, and establishing a wide network of informants is essential. Only by doing all four in parallel can we find a glimmer of hope for the alliance in such a critical situation, and even a chance to turn defeat into victory."
Hong Jiu, Zhao Kun, and the others nodded in agreement. The worry on Master Li's face also faded considerably; clearly, this combination strategy gave him a lot of confidence.
"Since no one objects," Lin Mo looked around and, seeing no one disagree, decisively began assigning tasks. "Then, let's proceed according to this plan. Elder, I request that you oversee the alliance's internal defense and resource integration; Hall Master Hong and Incense Master Zhao are responsible for demonstrating the alliance's strength to the outside world, stabilizing the morale of the martial arts world, and selecting reliable elites to begin preparations for infiltrating the capital; Sect Leader Li, many of your disciples are skilled in social interaction, so I will need your help in gathering information and assisting in establishing an intelligence network; as for transmitting information to Prince Jin and spreading rumors, I will arrange that personally."
With tasks assigned, everyone accepted their orders, and the previously heavy and oppressive atmosphere was replaced by an orderly tension and a subtle fighting spirit. Although the road ahead remained arduous, and powerful enemies surrounded them, at least they were no longer lost; they had a clear direction and feasible steps.
"Gentlemen," Lin Mo said finally in a deep voice, "this is the greatest crisis and the greatest test since the alliance was founded. If we overcome this calamity, all will be well; if we fail, all will be lost. I hope we can work together to overcome this difficult time!"
"We will obey the Alliance Leader's command!" The crowd responded in unison, their voices echoing in the council hall with a do-or-die determination.
The meeting ended, and everyone departed, quickly throwing themselves into the intense preparations. Lin Mo stood alone in the hall, gazing at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, his eyes deep and thoughtful. The countermeasures had been decided, but the real contest had only just begun. He stroked the cold magical artifact in his arms, the image of his lover from his past life flashing through his mind, but more so, he was contemplating the future situation.
He was destined to venture into the capital, the epicenter of the power struggle. Not only for the alliance, and to deal with the Prince of Jin, but also for the souls sealed within, awaiting his rescue.