Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains
Chapter 949 - 949: 410, confusion among three parties, first loss of control_2

The entire Zhengxin Hall was silent, yet the resolute voice of Tian Fazheng echoed in everyone's ears, lingering for a long time.

......

November 30, 1332, New Yu Era

Jianye Prefecture City, Great Jin Central Army Camp

Tuoba Zun sat alone at the head, and the five people closest to him were Wanyan Kai, Helian Chang, Wanyan Liang, Helian Yu, and Yuan Zhen, who attended the banquet at Tao City in Hexi nine days ago. Besides the five, more than twenty generals dressed in various armors sat solemnly on both sides of the tent.

In the middle of the tent, a person was kneeling, speaking unceasingly to everyone for a long time before he stopped, and when he finished speaking, the expressions on the faces of those in the tent, including Tuoba Zun, were full of doubt.

"Is the Hou Clan really relocating the people?"

"How is this possible, Hou Yuxiao hasn't deployed troops?"

"The army dares to split up, obviously not afraid of us."

"What is he afraid of, if we really dare to take action and stop him from relocating the people of the two prefectures, it would be to risk universal condemnation, and those pedants at the academy would create a whole set of sentimental poems to ridicule our Great Jin."

"However, Hou Yuxiao doesn't seem like a good person at all?"

...

Tuoba Zun pressed his hand down to stop the discussion among the crowd, and then he looked down at the spy in the center, asking in a deep voice: "In these nine days, how many troops have moved within Xingnan Prefecture, and after picking up the people, have all the troops returned to Xingnan Prefecture?"

"Your Majesty, in these nine days, a total of sixty waves of troops left Xingnan Prefecture City, each wave numbering less than a hundred thousand, heading to the counties of Zhaoyang and Jianye Prefectures. The nearer ones have already returned within Xingnan Prefecture, and the farther ones are still on their way, but judging by their marching direction, they are also heading back to Xingnan Prefecture as normal."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Zun's brows suddenly frowned, and he immediately exchanged a glance with Yuan Zhen, whose face was also filled with confusion. After pondering for a moment, he lifted his head and looked directly at the spy, asking in a low voice: "Are you sure?"

The spy's face immediately showed urgency, kneeling and speaking:

"Your Majesty, Military Advisor, I have been stationed near Xingnan Prefecture City with over a hundred people for nine days, observing how the five million strong army in Hexi divided their forces and left the city. I dare to stake my life that there is absolutely no problem."

Yuan Zhen slightly furrowed his brows. Anyone brave enough to make a life-guarantee in front of so many inside the tent, working as a spy under Tuoba Zun's command, must indeed speak the truth.

Could it be, Hou Yuxiao really is doing this for the people of Hexi...

Yuan Zhen suddenly felt a slight stir in his spirit and asked softly: "Before you returned to report, how many people had Hexi brought back, and where were these people settled?"

"This..."

The spy's face showed a hint of difficulty, hesitating for a moment before answering: "Military Advisor, please forgive me, but the number of people the Hou Clan has brought back is simply too many to count.

We only have a little over a hundred spies in Xingnan Prefecture, and I could only order them to keep a close eye on the Hou Clan's army. We don't know exactly how many people they brought back, but before I returned to report, there were already fourteen troops, approximately one million and four hundred thousand people, who returned to the Prefectural City, and once there, they haven't come out again!

Estimating it this way, there are a total of only fifty-one cities in the two prefectures of Zhaoyang and Xingnan. The Hou Clan divided nearly sixty troops; considering the travel, they likely planned only for one trip. I observed one troop returning to the Prefectural City, with approximately seven to eight hundred thousand people. Given the four million or so total from the two prefectures, it's clear that the Hou Clan had long figured out how to settle these people."

Upon hearing this answer, Yuan Zhen's expression immediately relaxed.

Since the armies have returned to Xingnan Prefecture City and have not come out again, as long as this is confirmed, there's nothing to fear about Hou Yuxiao playing any tricks.

Tuoba Zun evidently realized this too. After exchanging a glance with Yuan Zhen, he waved a hand towards the spy below, saying: "Take your people and continue monitoring the situation at Xingnan Prefecture City. Make sure to figure out the status of the Hou Clan's sixty troops."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" S&p*ot! an e&r*ror&?# V@i$s%i-t% the or&igina*l* p^o!s@t on M*VL.EMPY!R!.-

The spy bowed and quickly turned and left the tent.

"Your Majesty, no matter what trickery Hou Yuxiao is up to, as long as we can determine the movements of the five million army in Hexi, there will be no trouble. If he is wise, he will join our Great Jin in a month, and the suspense of the Hexi war will be minimal. Even if he stubbornly aligns with the Alliance..."

"That doesn't matter, it's just a little more troublesome, at most, I will personally come, the mere five million army in Hexi is insignificant!"

Tuoba Zun directly interrupted Yuan Zhen, revealing a proud expression, raising a wine cup to the generals in the tent, and declared imperiously: "Gentlemen, in twenty days, follow me to crush Hexi and defeat the rebels."

The generals in the tent were invigorated, raising their cups, shouting in unison:

"Long live His Majesty! Crush Hexi, defeat the rebels!"

......

December 5, 1332, New Yu Era

New Moon Cult, Headquarters at Tianzhu Peak

Huangfu Xing walked into the main hall of the headquarters. Although it was empty, he didn't show the slightest disrespect, bowing his head, and walked into the hall with a respectful posture. Kneeling in front of the empty chair at the head, he said: "Reporting to the Sect Hierarch, the news from Hexi has returned!"

A gentle breeze brushed his body, and Huangfu Xing didn't even lift his head, directly reporting: "The Hou Clan split their forces into sixty groups, heading to assist the relocation of the people in the fifty-one cities of Zhaoyang and Jianye Prefectures. As of now, they have relocated 40% of the people from both prefectures to the Neutral Zone within Xingnan Prefecture. In total, 1.8 million troops have returned to Xingnan Prefecture City, with no further movements."

The hall was silent for more than ten breaths before Sikong Yue's calm voice sounded.

"So, Hou Yuxiao's proposal for a neutral zone was indeed for the people?"

With a slight frown, Huangfu Xing contemplated for a moment but still shook his head.

"Judging from Hou Yuxiao's character, he is definitely not a benevolent individual. Whenever he acts, there must be deeper intentions. From my perspective, while there may be purposes for the people of Hexi, it is certainly not limited to this. However, based on the reports from our spies, there indeed seems to be nothing unusual with the five million strong army in Hexi. After racking my brains for a long time, I truly cannot guess his true intentions. I ask for the Sect Hierarch's forgiveness."

"It's fine. In your opinion, which side will Hexi support this time?"

"Certainly the Alliance. Great Jin's strength vastly exceeds that of the Alliance, and aligning with Great Jin would merely be icing on the cake. Leaning towards the Alliance is offering help in a time of need. The choices are starkly different, and Hou Yuxiao surely understands in which alliance he benefits more. Considering the Hou Clan's rise in Hexi, Hou Yuxiao excels at making such strategic decisions.

This man is very ambitious and unwilling to subordinate himself to others. If he joins Great Jin, the suspense of the Hexi war would essentially be negligible, and Great Jin's strength would be significantly augmented, a prospect that wouldn't benefit the Hou Clan, which has yet to join the ranks of Holy Land.

With these factors combined, Hou Yuxiao is likely to align with the Alliance. "

It's evident that this is what Huangfu Xing truly believes.

"Alright, you may withdraw for now. Continue to send people and keep a close watch on the situation in Hexi."

"As you command, Sect Hierarch. I take my leave!"

Sikong Yue, sitting at the head of the hall, watched Huangfu Xing leave, remained silent for a long while, and then softly contemplated, slightly relaxing his knitted brows and allowing a perfectly beautiful smile to curl his lips.

"Have you figured out this one's intentions, deliberately delaying without opening the Divine Sect's treasure vault?"

Sikong Yue's soft words were followed by a slight chuckle, tinged with unexpectedness.

"This, is it the first time things are out of control?"

Within the laughter, besides surprise, there was a hint of faint.....chill.