A month later, scouts who had ventured deep into enemy territory reported that the Prince’s elite forces numbered at least 100,000. The scouts were almost incontinent with fear as they relayed the information.
They said that dozens of nearby islands had been requisitioned by the Prince, and the islands were teeming with armed forces. Their armor gleamed under the sun, and the sight of their shimmering metal was enough to instill a sense of dread even before one got close, a testament to the Prince’s formidable might.
Upon receiving this news, Gu Qingcheng pondered for a long time.
Matters of state, she mused, were like the cycles of unity and division. Yet, the current state of affairs was most conducive to their survival.
Gu Qingcheng felt that the path of a feudal dynasty was not necessarily the way forward, and therefore, she was particularly vexed by the Prince’s ambition to establish a kingdom.
If such a vast feudal power were to unify the country, they would once again have to bow their heads and grovel, performing the triple kowtow and nine prostrations. This was something Gu Qingcheng wished to avoid.
She had an even greater aversion to the thought of kneeling and shouting "Long live" to an unreliable person like the Prince. The mere imagination of such a scene made her knees tingle and ache.
Gu Qingcheng believed that the formation of an economic union was the optimal choice.
In essence, the beautiful country of later generations was fundamentally an economic union driven by shared interests.
An economic union was not limited to just economics; it could also encompass corresponding military and other organizational structures. In any case, it would be far more flexible than the kingdom the Prince intended to establish, yet it would not be as inhumane as a feudal state.
If an economic union were established, conquering an individual or a team could be achieved through economic pressure, leading to their willing submission. Wasn’t this far more comfortable than forcing them to their knees?
Gu Qingcheng harbored a strong aversion to the force the Prince was amassing, but she did not intend to provoke him for the time being.
However, fate had it that while she did not seek trouble, trouble found her.
The next day, Gu Qingcheng was steeping tea and contemplating how to establish and operate the economic union.
At that moment, a servant announced the arrival of a guest, who claimed to be an old acquaintance of Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng instructed the servant to escort the guest inside.
By then, the Gu family’s estate, after four to five years of renovations, had transformed into an impregnable fortress.
On the surface, the garden was adorned with blooming flowers and plants, with rockeries and Taihu stones creating a picturesque landscape. However, beneath the tranquil exterior lay hidden dangers.
Outsiders entering the Gu residence could not easily approach Gu Qingcheng.
The reason Gu Qingcheng was willing to allow the guest to enter was that the guest had presented the servant with a medical prescription left by her father at the Prince of Xia’s mansion years ago.
The handwriting was unmistakably her father's. The date and location of the inscription corresponded precisely to the time her father had spent at the Prince of Xia’s mansion several years prior.
This had to be an old acquaintance, and one connected to the Prince of Xia’s mansion.
Gu Qingcheng naturally invited the person in.
From a distance, she could see that the visitor was tall and carried an air of innate nobility as he walked in from the garden. Even before he drew near, he exuded a palpable sense of pressure.
Before Gu Qingcheng could even ponder who he might be, the man threw back the hood covering his head, revealing his face.
Upon seeing his true features, Gu Qingcheng’s heart stirred. She quickly straightened and adopted a respectful welcoming posture, saying:
“It is indeed the Prince. We are greatly honored by your visit.”
Although several years had passed, the Prince, accustomed to a life of luxury, showed little change in his appearance. However, a solemn expression graced his face, and an inherent sense of superiority radiated from him.
Yet, upon seeing Gu Qingcheng, the Prince did not dismiss her. He cupped his hands in a gesture of greeting and said:
“I did not expect that we both misjudged the situation back then. Miss Gu, your business is thriving, and the common people have benefited greatly. Your reputation precedes you even when I am far away.”
Gu Qingcheng politely reciprocated his sentiments. After a brief exchange of pleasantries,
Gu Qingcheng promptly prepared tea. While sipping the tea, she cut straight to the point and asked:
“It has been many years. May I ask why the Prince has come to see me today? What guidance do you have for me?”
“With your intelligence network, you must surely be aware that I command a force of 100,000 men, prepared to unify the now fragmented Great Zhou Dynasty.
As a descendant of the legitimate royal family, I intend to launch my campaign next spring. I have come today to seek your support.”
To her surprise, the Prince was remarkably candid.
In warfare, provisions always came first.
If not now, when would he come to collect from Gu Qingcheng and the other merchants?
“Your Highness,” Gu Qingcheng began, “I must speak the truth. If you intend to establish a kingdom, you are turning back the clock of history and moving backward. I cannot support such a venture.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?”
Upon hearing that Gu Qingcheng did not support him, the Prince’s demeanor visibly shifted. He was no longer as deliberately effusive with his warmth.
Gu Qingcheng nodded and continued, “My meaning is that with the arrival of natural disasters, the Great Zhou Dynasty should naturally perish. History has already moved forward. For you to insist on turning back, forcing the populace to live a life they no longer desire, your endeavor is destined to fail.
Since you possess 100,000 troops, why not engage in activities that are more in line with the tides of history? For instance, you could have these troops serve as the guard force under an economic union. You could even become the great general in charge of military command for the guard force.
This army would still remain under your command, used to pacify the land and defend against foreign aggression. What do you think of that?”
“Impossible. To establish a dynasty and claim the throne has been the ancestral instruction followed by my father and me. I naturally cannot hand it over willingly.
Over the years, through my extensive investigations and the gathering of evidence, it has become clear that only our lineage remains. All other members of the royal family perished in the calamities.
Having no other recourse, I must personally lead the charge.”
Seeing that Gu Qingcheng had even reserved a place for him within her economic union, the Prince restrained himself from exploding.
For him, a dignified emperor, to become a mere general in charge of military command within a union, wouldn’t that be laughable?
Furthermore, this army was clearly his own. If, as Gu Qingcheng suggested, it were to be directly integrated into her so-called economic union, wouldn’t that be akin to him gifting her an army for free?
The two individuals, unable to agree, had reached an impasse.
Gu Qingcheng was not intimidated by the Prince’s boasted 100,000 troops, much to the Prince’s surprise.
In fact, Gu Qingcheng had already obtained evidence proving that the Prince’s alleged 100,000 troops were merely a facade.
The gleaming armor seen throughout the island was merely a show, a bluff intended to instill fear.
Gu Qingcheng had previously taken a luxury yacht to infiltrate the islands controlled by the Prince for a thorough investigation. She stayed until nightfall and then used her drone’s thermal imaging function to search all the islands claimed to have garrisons. She discovered that the Prince actually commanded an army of only 5,000 men.
His claim of 100,000 troops was solely for deceiving the public.
If he truly possessed 100,000 troops, Gu Qingcheng would have had to appease him with kind words and carefully consider how best to respond.
However, with an army of only 5,000, their strength was clearly less than one-tenth of Gu Qingcheng’s Phoenix Village Guard. Gu Qingcheng, therefore, had no reason to fear him.