Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors-Chapter 469 - 259: Pincer Attack_4

But just then, a huge pie fell from the sky.

The Qi Dynasty was actually planning to withdraw their troops and negotiate peace!

In Wanyan Sheng’s view, this was simply inconceivable.

If Wanyan Sheng were the emperor of the Qi Dynasty at that time, he would certainly have led the charge himself, with General Han Fuyue spearheading a direct push to the Jin people’s capital before he could rest content. Even if he couldn’t eradicate the Jin, he would at least seek to sign a treaty under the city walls and gain a significant advantage, right?

And yet, could the emperor of Qi Dynasty really be satisfied just like that?

Incredible.

But no matter what, such an unexpected windfall, though not anticipated in advance, could very well be enjoyed to the fullest in hindsight.

So, with a deep understanding of negotiation psychology, Wanyan Sheng insisted during the peace talks that General Han Fuyue must be killed in order for an agreement to be established!

This was actually just an outrageous initial demand.

The Jin people have always been like this during negotiation processes, such as making lion’s demands for money and grains during the Jingping Incident or continually raising the stakes like tightening a noose, all reflecting this kind of negotiation thinking.

If the other party is a person with sound mind, they would keep fighting while gradually making repayments, finally reaching a mutually acceptable outcome.

Wanyan Sheng didn’t really think such an exaggerated demand would succeed. fгeewebnovёl.com

And yet, was the Qi Dynasty really planning to kill General Han Fuyue?

When he noticed that the Qi Dynasty seemed somewhat wavering, and that this clause might actually be achievable, Wanyan Sheng became even more adamant about "must kill Han Fuyue."

Normally, General Han Fuyue would surely return to court after his campaign, and then Qin Huizhi and the emperor would find a way to wrongfully execute him, giving Jin enough benefits before establishing an agreement.

But now, there had been an unexpected turn of events that took everyone by surprise.

General Han Fuyue had refused to obey imperial orders, and with more than thirty thousand elite soldiers renaming themselves the Zhao Yi Army, he issued a "Proclamation to the Citizens of the World." He clearly intended to defy commands and resist Jin to the end.

Qin Huizhi sent a secret message, requesting Wanyan Sheng to exterminate General Han Fuyue in order to reach a peace settlement, while the Qi Dynasty would send a detachment to attack from both sides.

This plunged Wanyan Sheng into deep thought.

He stood up and paced around the tent twice, saying, "Han Fuyue is indeed a renowned general. During the battle at Yan City, I thought victory was within my grasp, yet he unexpectedly managed to turn the tables. The loss of my iron floats and Kidnapper Cavalry was truly heart-wrenching...

"If he only has a little over thirty thousand men at this point, with no provisions or logistical support, then seizing this opportunity to crush and eradicate them is indeed the best moment.

"However... do you think there’s a possibility that this is a trap?

"I have read about the ruse of self-injury."

At that time, the Jin people were very keen on the culture of the Qi Dynasty, and they were well-acquainted with many historical anecdotes.

Wanyan Sheng was also very concerned that if Han Fuyue’s rebellion was merely for show, what if it was actually setting a trap to lure him in?

While he focused his attack on General Han Fuyue, if various Qi forces were to divide and encircle him, a major defeat could be on the horizon...

Then forget about negotiating peace, it would be time to consider fleeing back to the old home of the Black Mountain and white waters.

Wanyan Xian lightly shook his head, "I think... it’s not a trap.

"If this were a scheme, it would be too much of an unnecessary action.

"The people of Qi could have chosen not to discuss peace with us and let Han Fuyue keep fighting. But the Qi emperor has indeed issued a decree to retreat, sending twelve imperial commands in a single day for Han Fuyue to pull back.

"This is sufficient to show that the emperor of the Qi Dynasty truly doesn’t want to fight anymore.

"With such a display, how could it possibly be pretense? The cost would be far too great.

"Moreover, given what we know about the Qi emperor and Qin Huizhi, this is indeed something they would do.

"The only value of Qin Huizhi’s existence within the Qi Dynasty is to sign a peace treaty with our dynasty. Hence, no matter how excessive our demands, he would fully accept them.

"Moreover, according to military reports from various scouts, it appears that generals of the Qi Dynasty besides Han Fuyue have indeed withdrawn to the court, and the army has also retreated. Although not very quickly, the intention to fall back is clear, and they would not be able to come around and encircle our forces.

"All signs indicate... this is a rare opportunity."

Unable to restrain himself, Wanyan Sheng laughed heartily, "Good! For the Qi Dynasty to have such an emperor, such a minister, what fortune for our Great Jin!

"Pass the order, assemble the troops, kill Han Fuyue!

"After Han Fuyue is dead, we will then negotiate peace with the Qi Dynasty; what we’ve lost now, I will reclaim after subduing the various rebels!"

Wanyan Sheng lived up to his reputation for having top-notch strategic capability and mediocre tactical ability. He could always accurately grasp the right opportunity.

The characteristics of Wanyan Sheng as a military commander could be summarized as "able to seize opportunities, strong maneuverability, and resilient."

Actually, the Jin people have never been adept at particularly complicated strategies or tactics, and their discipline is not especially strong. The reason they’ve been winning battles over the years is due to their endurance, bravery, and fearlessness.

Jin cavalry is said not to count as elite if they couldn’t fight for a hundred rounds. In sieges, they tend to dash forward courageously, disregarding life and death. Such a high fighting spirit allows the Jin, even in difficult battles, to persist until they are turned into major victories, and even if they lose, they are hard to completely collapse.

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