Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 279: Strategy to Subdue the Six Great Families

As the sun set behind the western mountains, the snowy night became even darker, making it difficult to see anything clearly within three zhang.

The camps of the fifty to sixty thousand troops stretched for several li, with hundreds of soldiers patrolling in teams. In the distance, the horse stables were filled with countless warhorses, and even further away, hundreds of elite scouts braved the cold wind, vigilantly watching in all directions.

This place was less than twenty li away from the Tianmen Valley of the Wei Chi family, one of the top families of the Two Hundred Year Aristocratic Families.

In the middle of the camp, the central tent was warm like spring, with eight blazing red furnaces emitting twisted high temperatures.

Jiang Gu'en, Wei Chi Jun, Tuoba Kedi, Lin Haotian, Zheteng Kun, and others, who had been released from confinement, along with Han Qiniang, Cui Ying'er, Xiong Zhang, and the other women, sat cross-legged on thick fur blankets, their gazes fixed on the commander's seat.

Xin Zhuo was holding a bamboo scroll and carefully reading it.

On it were all the information about the Six Great Families gathered and organized by the skilled scouts and the martial arts experts under his command, as well as a rough description of the "Tianmen Gate" forbidden area.

The Six Great Families were a distorted military family that had gradually developed and branched out since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty three hundred years ago. They had been sending talented individuals to serve the Great Zhou Dynasty for generations, and as loyal subjects of the dynasty, they also served as a bulwark against the Western Regions. Their private armies were extremely powerful, and the court tacitly approved of them.

From this perspective, the Six Great Families were loyal and talented families of the court.

However, since the Jiang family took control of the Western Regions, there were many people from the Jiang family in the court and the military, and talented individuals emerged one after another. The position of the Six Great Families became somewhat awkward, neither high nor low. They had to bow their heads and obey the Jiang family, which made them somewhat unwilling. Moreover, the Jiang family would transfer a group of generals from the Six Great Families every few years and treat them like donkeys.

The key point was that the ancient land of Western Qin gradually became the private land of the Jiang family. Although the Six Great Families were loyal to the court, they were tightly controlled by the Jiang family and gradually isolated from the court. Their mentality gradually became strange, with a sense of resistance and distortion.

This was also the main reason why the Six Great Families surrendered to the Western Regions when the Thirteen Kingdoms Alliance attacked.

As for the "Tianmen Gate" forbidden area, it was said to be a huge gorge left behind by the ancient Practitioners when they fought against humans. It contained the ultimate martial dao aura and even benefited Venerable realm Practitioners. Every ten years or so, the Six Great Families would join forces to open the seal and allow their descendants to enter and temper themselves. At that time, they would also invite experts from all sides to demonstrate their openness and fairness.

Xin Zhuo had studied this kind of cliché forbidden area during this period of time. Basically, they were traces left behind by ancient Practitioners. Regardless of how strange their existence was, they were indeed very helpful for tempering martial dao.

It was said that as the legendary era of martial dao approached, more and more Practitioners were preparing to exhaust their martial arts and re-cultivate the ancient martial dao to prepare for the future. These forbidden areas became particularly important.

Originally, Xin Zhuo only wanted to deal with the Six Great Families, integrate the Union, and perfect the spirit sacrifice to break through his realm. But now, he felt that it would also be a good choice to try entering the "Tianmen Gate".

Of course, given his current status and power, it would be difficult for him to enter like a normal Practitioner. First and foremost, he had to deal with the Six Great Families, or perhaps do both at the same time.

Putting down the bamboo scroll and looking at the people in the tent, he said, "The situation of the Six Great Families is unclear, and their attitude is difficult to guess. What do you all think?"

This question was mainly directed at Wei Chi Jun, Zheteng Kun, Lin Haotian, and others. As descendants of the Six Great Families and with their influence in the Western Qin Army, their attitudes were particularly important.

"Perhaps they were delayed by the opening of the Tianmen Gate and didn't personally welcome the Grand Commander. Grand Commander, please rest assured, I can go and reprimand and persuade them!" Zheteng Kun and Lin Haotian cupped their fists simultaneously, their attitudes resolute. They were professional military leaders and didn't have many ulterior motives.

Only Wei Chi Jun hesitated, showing a trace of hesitation. After a long time, he said, "I have been in the Western Qin Army for many years, naturally my loyalty to the Prince and the Jiang family is as clear as the sun and moon. However... there are some things that I can't keep to myself. I hope the Grand Commander can forgive me!"

"But feel free to speak!" Xin Zhuo waved his sleeve, indicating that he was listening attentively.

Wei Chi Jun said, "When the Western Regions Alliance suddenly attacked, the Six Families were indeed unable to resist the million-strong Western Regions Army, and the Western Qin Army was also too busy to provide assistance, so they surrendered."

The six loyal families have been loyal to the Great Zhou Dynasty for a hundred years. But now, they have become traitors, which is unacceptable both in terms of face and substance. Moreover, they are not clear about the intentions of the Grand Commander, which may be the reason why they did not come to welcome him.

"I can go and persuade them, but I need a statement from the Grand Commander..." said Wei Chi Jun, cupping his fist.

Xin Zhuo smiled and asked, "What kind of statement do you need?"

Wei Chi Jun replied, "First, we should not hold their past betrayal against them. Then, we should reward them and show understanding for their actions. And then..."

He glanced at Xin Zhuo and continued, "If the Grand Commander wants to completely subdue the six loyal families, it would be best to choose a marriage alliance to appease their hearts!"

"A marriage alliance?" Xin Zhuo exclaimed, "Who is going to marry whom?"

Wei Chi Jun smiled bitterly and said, "Of course, it would be the Grand Commander marrying a daughter of one of the six loyal families as a concubine or a wife."

Xin Zhuo fell silent.

Marriage alliances are the means commonly used by prestigious families to strengthen connections and cohesion. However, marrying someone every now and then can be somewhat awkward.

On the other hand, even if there is a marriage alliance, what benefits can it bring to my Western Qin Army and my martial territory?

Looking at the expectant eyes of Wei Chi Jun, Xin Zhuo remained silent for a moment before waving his hand and saying, "Go, as long as the six loyal families accept surrender and have any requests, I will agree to them all! But add one condition: tell them that the Emperor's intention is to completely eliminate the warlords in the Western Regions. If the Jiang family is in danger, they are also in danger. They can choose to fight alongside the Jiang family or wait to be killed. Let them weigh their options themselves!"

"Understood, Your Highness."

Wei Chi Jun, Lin Hao Tian, and the others were delighted and left the tent, soon followed by the sound of receding horse hooves.

As the sky grew dark, General Jiang Gu'en and others bid farewell and left, leaving only Sai Qingzhu to attend to the Prince.

Sai Qingzhu helped Xin Zhuo take off his shoes and socks, kneeling beside him. A hint of confusion appeared on her enchanting face as she said, "If the six loyal families have the intention to surrender, they would have sent someone to communicate and test the waters after the Prince annihilated the Western Regions Coalition Army and conquered the Ten Kingdoms. Now that fifty thousand iron cavalry have arrived at their doorstep and there is still no movement, they most likely have ulterior motives."

Xin Zhuo propped up his chin and asked, "What else?"

Sai Qingzhu tapped her chin and said, "Hmm... that's all."

Xin Zhuo sneered and said, "Not only do I know that they have no intention to surrender, but I also know that they have likely set up a trap to kill me here!"

"Your Highness!" Sai Qingzhu's face was filled with fear.

Xin Zhuo lay down diagonally and said, "Murong Xiu and Bai Jianxi, although they were originally bandits, they are intelligent and resourceful. They have sent out hundreds of agile and well-disguised scouts. These scouts discovered that the people from Baiheqiu entered the Three Thousand Li Horse Plain and then disappeared."

"The people from Baiheqiu went to the six loyal families?" Sai Qingzhu hesitated for a moment and asked, "But what does that prove? Maybe they are participating in the breaking of the Tianmen. Why did the Prince say that they have set up a trap to kill you..."

Xin Zhuo said, "As you said, my Western Qin Army has conquered a vast territory with hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers. If the six loyal families want to oppose me, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. But they have never sent anyone to find out my intentions, which is very abnormal! When people from Baiheqiu arrive at this time, it may be a coincidence, but if my enemy, Dongfang Xiansheng, has returned to Baiheqiu, then it would be somewhat unexpected."

Considering these two factors, apart from killing me, there is no other logical explanation to be found!"