588: Chapter 588 The First Emperor and Wang Jian's Curiosity

Just as Zhao Fusu finished speaking, General Wang Jian, with frost-tipped hair and beard, said: "Our Pioneer Group is limited in numbers, and we have come from afar. Tella City is a formidable fortress; our forces simply cannot withstand the brutal attrition of a direct assault on Tella City. We must never sacrifice the lives of our Pioneer Group in a bloody war of attrition to take the city!"

His tone shifted. A glint of iron-blooded ruthlessness flashed in General Wang Jian's eyes as he spoke in a low voice to propose a strategy to break the stalemate.

He said in an icy cold voice: "The only way is to immediately forcibly conscript the young, able-bodied natives of the Mauryan Empire, forcibly incorporate them into our ranks, and drive these natives to attack the city. Using these natives as cannon fodder will deplete the combat strength and wear down the defensive morale of the city's garrison. When Tella City is exhausted of supplies and ammunition, our elite forces can then press the attack, allowing us to capture the city at a low cost and maximize the preservation of the Pioneer Group's military strength!"

The First Emperor, seated in the place of honor, wore robes of Xuan color—that is, black.

Great Qin favored black, regarding it as the most noble color.

A biting chill radiated from the First Emperor, and his face was as cold as ice, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

As the First Emperor who swept across the six directions and established order throughout the world, a stern father to the six states, he had spent his life campaigning and conquering, managing the world with nothing in his eyes but the foundation and hegemony of Great Qin. He possessed no womanly kindness, much less any concern for the lives of foreign barbarians.

The plan General Wang Jian proposed had long since aligned perfectly with his own calculations.

In the eyes of the First Emperor, the foreign natives were merely expendable vassals on the path of Great Qin's conquest. Forcibly conscripting them as cannon fodder and sacrificing their lives to defeat the enemy was only natural; there was nothing improper about it at all.

He remained silent, but the increasingly heavy pressure emanating from his person signaled his inner resolve. If it were not for the fact that Zhao Fusu was the one currently in charge, he would have issued an imperial decree to enforce the conscription order immediately.

Just then, Zhao Fusu spoke again, shaking his head: "No!"

"This strategy may seem like a safe way to break the stalemate, but in reality, it is a foolish move that is akin to drinking poison to quench thirst, destroying our own foundation."

"Our Pioneer Group has only just entered the Mauryan Empire and has not yet completely won over the hearts of the people. We rely entirely on the currently maintained stable relationship to keep the local natives calm, which in turn guarantees the transport of provisions, the stability of our rear, and the support of the populace."

"If we were to suddenly forcibly conscript the young, able-bodied natives now and force them to go to their deaths as cannon fodder, it would inevitably enrage all the local tribes instantly, completely shattering the fragile peace we have worked so hard to maintain."

"By then, before we have even captured Tella City, the natives in the rear will gather in rebellion and harass us everywhere. The Qin Army will be attacked from both front and rear, constrained from within and without. Not only will we be unable to solidify our ruling base in the Mauryan Empire, but we will instead fall into a desperate situation where we are surrounded by enemies on all sides, unable to take a single step. All subsequent plans for conquest and governance will vanish like bubbles."

Upon hearing this, General Wang Jian frowned slightly and said: "His Majesty the Head of State, in war, speed is of the essence, and opportunities are fleeting. At present, this is the only way to quickly break the city. Why worry about the hearts of foreign barbarians? In times of chaotic warfare, only an iron-blooded, forceful assault can settle the situation!"

The First Emperor also nodded.

His view was the same as General Wang Jian's—why place so much value on the lives of these foreign barbarians?

Just as the conflict between the two sides reached its peak and they were at a stalemate, Zhao Fusu suddenly changed the subject. With a determined and composed expression, he said in a steady tone: "Father, General Wang, there is no need to forcibly conscript the natives and lose the hearts of the people, nor is there any need for the elite of the Pioneer Group to engage in a bloody battle. I have a foolproof method to take Tella City easily without exhausting our troops or inciting a popular uprising."

As soon as this short sentence fell, the First Emperor's face was filled with astonishment and intense curiosity.

Beside him, General Wang Jian, who had long been seasoned on the battlefield and was well-versed in all siege tactics, was also full of astonishment. His brows were tightly locked, and his eyes were equally filled with curiosity. Having spent half his life in war, he simply could not fathom it. Tella City's defenses were solid and its garrison fierce; given the shortage of troops, it was originally an unsolvable deadlock. What kind of miraculous strategy could Zhao Fusu possibly have to easily capture the impregnable Tella City without any attrition and without any forced conscription?

Both men's gazes were locked firmly onto Zhao Fusu, their hearts and eyes filled with irrepressible curiosity and urgency, both eager to know what this mysterious method for breaking the city really was.