gnovel Chapter 42 Winning Over and Dividing, Two People with One Heart
Chapter 42 Winning Over and Dividing, Two People with One Heart
"However, empty words are hard to convince people, let alone enough to make a leader of a tribe put all his bets on it. A prince who can't even protect himself and has no power is no different from a lamb to the slaughter in the eyes of a grassland warlord."
Therefore, before the prince returns to his tribe, he must acquire tangible power—power that will give the Aries tribe and other hesitant tribes hope and make them weigh his worth.
He looked intently at Mu Yun Lingyuan:
"The best source of this power is the Hu people! The prince needs to reach a clear alliance with Guli Khan, and it would be best to obtain his public or semi-public support and promises, or even a strong Hu cavalry escort."
This would show the various tribes of the grasslands that the prince was not a rootless wanderer, but that he had the backing of another powerful nomadic tribe in the north! With this backing, the prince would have a completely different level of confidence when dealing with tribes like the White Sheep.
Wang Meng paused briefly at this point, observing Mu Yun Lingyuan's expression, before continuing:
"To gain the sincere assistance of Guli Khan, in addition to the exchange of benefits, a stronger bond is needed."
Your Majesty, I observe that the Prince and Princess Mandala have known each other since their early days, and their friendship is deep and extraordinary. The Princess's feelings for the Prince are truly sincere.
The prince could start here, earnestly requesting the princess to mediate with the Khan, appealing to his father-daughter bond and explaining the long-term interests of both nations.
With the princess as an inside agent, the chances of success increase significantly. However, remember, in political maneuvering, while loyalty and righteousness can be used, they cannot be relied upon entirely. Multiple preparations are necessary to avoid being controlled by others.
"In addition, there is another crucial point that can serve as the cornerstone for the alliance between the prince and Guli Khan, and can also incite deeper conflicts between the Hu tribes and the Xiongnu, especially with the Xiutu tribe behind Muyun Zhao."
A glint flashed in Wang Meng's eyes, and he spoke a little faster, "That is Kehu Grassland! The abundance of water and grass here is unparalleled in the northern frontier, and it is located in a strategic position, controlling the trade routes."
Back then, the Great Chanyu reluctantly ceded territory to the Hu tribe in order to get them to send troops, which was actually a wedge that the Hu tribe inserted into the heart of the Xiongnu territory.
Over the years, the two sides have had constant friction over this border area, resulting in deep-seated hatred.
Unless Guli Khan is willing to give up this piece of fat meat that has been in his mouth, a war between the Hu people and the Xiutu tribe, which controls the real power of the Xiongnu, is inevitable sooner or later!
Now that the main force of the Hu people is tied down by the Western Regions, making it difficult for them to attend to both the east and the west, their most pressing need is to support a proxy within the Xiongnu.
A proxy capable of checking and even replacing Muyun Zhao, who was close to the Xiutu tribe, and ensuring the interests of the Hu people in the Kehu grasslands and beyond.
He said decisively, "Looking at the Xiongnu, the only one who is of legitimate birth, aspires to the throne, has ties with the Hu people, and urgently needs foreign aid is the prince!"
Guli Khan was a powerful ruler of his time, well-versed in the art of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones, and of using one enemy to devour another. How could he not understand the advantages and disadvantages involved?
If the prince shows sincerity, offers benefits, and promises to adopt a more flexible strategy on the issue of the Kehu grasslands if he gains the throne, or to jointly protect border trade routes with the Hu people, then he is willing to cooperate.
The likelihood of him supporting the prince is extremely high! When the prince, carrying the prestige of the Hu tribe and the might of his iron cavalry, returns to the royal court in a dignified and just manner, it will be the first resounding bell tolling in the struggle for the throne!
Mu Yunling listened intently, his heart filled with turmoil.
Wang Meng's analysis was meticulous and progressive, not only pointing out the advantages that he had not thought deeply about, but also revealing the intricate relationships between the various tribes of the grassland and the deep-seated schemes of Guli Khan.
Every strategy is based on solid situation analysis, demonstrating both foresight and feasibility.
He couldn't help but marvel at the man's talent; with just a few words, he had sketched out a clear and perilous road ahead for him.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his admiration, and spoke slowly, his tone tinged with complexity:
"Sir, you are truly a master strategist. Your plans and considerations have surprisingly coincided with Ling Yuan's recent thoughts and actions. The deal with Guli Khan... is complete."
"Oh? It's done?" A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Meng's eyes, which then turned into deeper focus.
"What conditions did the Khan agree to? How many troops will be sent?" His biggest worry was that his lord, in his haste, had made an unbearable promise.
Mu Yunlingyuan's fingertips curled slightly, his voice lowered, carrying a distinct heaviness and an indescribable sense of guilt:
"The Khan agreed, granting me a written edict and a golden decree, and allocating three thousand elite troops to help me reclaim my territory and establish my authority... but the conditions are..."
He paused, looked up at Wang Meng, his eyes filled with helplessness and pain. "He wants to betroth Princess Mandala to me. Once I've settled back in my tribe, we'll hold the wedding ceremony to forge a 'blood alliance' between the Hu tribe and the Muyun tribe—no, with the future ruler of the Xiongnu."
Silence fell over the tent. The charcoal crackled, and the lamplight flickered.
Upon hearing this, Wang Meng was slightly taken aback, his brows furrowed in thought. Then, his tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, and he clapped his hands and laughed. His laughter was clear and bright, yet it revealed a sharp insight that understood everything and a hint of cold mockery.
"Haha! Brilliant! Guli Khan, you've certainly come up with a clever plan! This is no ordinary marriage alliance; it's a trap of poison and honey, a chain of gold! He intends to use the guise of marriage to exert control!"
Once the marriage is finalized, the prince will gain the additional identity of a son-in-law of the Hu people. If the prince later gains power in the Xiongnu, he can use the title of maternal relative to intervene in the internal affairs of the Xiongnu, either openly or covertly, to transfer Hu influence and subtly transform the Xiongnu into his vassal state in the future!
Furthermore, this marriage alliance tightly bound the prince's interests to those of the Hu people, making him hesitant to act decisively on many matters concerning the fundamental interests of the Xiongnu, especially sensitive issues such as the Kehu pasture! What a cunning and far-sighted move!
Upon hearing this, Mu Yunlingyuan frowned even more deeply, his eyes filled with even greater doubt.
He was truly baffled. For him, this matter was clearly a dilemma entangled with emotions and power struggles, like being in a thicket of thorns, where advancing or retreating would only result in injury.
But Wang Meng showed no sign of worry. Instead, he clapped his hands and laughed, his expression revealing a sense of understanding of the situation and confidence in victory, which aroused doubts in Wang Meng's heart.
"Why are you laughing, sir?" His voice was slightly deep, tinged with inquiry.
"This marriage is a shackle and a burden for me, and for Mandala, it may be an undeserved calamity. Your calm smile only makes Ling Yuan more confused."
Wang Meng's laughter gradually subsided, but there was no trace of worry on his face. Instead, his eyes shone brightly, like stars in the dark night, flashing with a sharp and determined light.
He stroked his beard lightly, his tone carrying a confidence that seemed to have seen through the fog:
"I am not laughing at the prince's predicament, but at that Khan Guli. Though he boasts of being a mighty ruler, this scheme will likely end in him being too clever for his own good, ending up with nothing to show for his efforts!"
A glint flashed in Mu Yun Ling Yuan's eyes, as if he had caught something crucial. He leaned forward slightly and said urgently, "What do you mean by that, sir? Please explain yourself clearly!"
"Your Highness, please consider this carefully," Wang Meng said calmly and firmly, his voice steady and powerful, like a rock settling in a raging torrent.
"Throughout history, the reason why relatives of the empress have been able to seize power and wreak havoc on the court is nothing more than the fact that the emperor is weak and the ministers are strong. The emperor may be young, incompetent, or have lost power, which gives people from outside the imperial family an opportunity to take advantage of the situation."
Throughout history, how could any truly capable and decisive ruler be easily swayed by the influence of his maternal relatives?
His gaze was piercing, fixed directly on Mu Yunlingyuan, his words filled with certainty:
"The prince is a gifted genius, with a mental fortitude far surpassing his peers. His twelve years as a hostage have not diminished his ambition, but have instead tempered his character to the point of being as cold as iron and steel. He has a vast and profound mind, and his ambition is to bring peace to the world. How could he be a creature confined to a pond?"
Guli Khan's attempt to control the prince like a horse by simply tying him up with a marriage and the title of son-in-law, hoping to allow him to arbitrarily interfere in the military and political affairs of the Xiongnu, is nothing short of treating a fierce tiger like a house cat and a dragon like a fish in a pond. It is nothing but wishful thinking and delusional fantasy!