177: The poisonous scholar offered advice and the Beiliang marriage

"He wants to forge a Heaven-Defying, supreme Golden Core, using the world as a furnace, the common people as charcoal, and the Power Of Will of all citizens as fire!"

"This person is no longer someone we can judge by normal standards."

"He is a true overlord. No, he is even more terrifying than an overlord. He is a tyrant who wants to poke a hole in this very sky!"

Li Yishan's words completely silenced Xu Xiao.

He knew that his brother never exaggerated.

How terrifying must a person be to be described by him with the word "tyrant"?

"Then, in your opinion, how should our Northern Liang conduct itself?"

After a long while, Xu Xiao asked in a deep voice.

Northern Liang, with its three hundred thousand iron cavalry, seemed formidable.

But caught between Liyang and this new, aggressive "Iron-Blooded Great Tang," it was like a small boat, liable to be swallowed by giant waves at any moment.

Li Yishan looked at the chessboard, and in his cloudy eyes, a glint of wisdom shone.

"Liyang is not to be feared. They are already corrupt, merely strong on the outside but hollow within."

"Our real threat, or rather, our only chance of survival, lies in Chang'an."

"It lies with that tyrant."

Li Yishan raised his head, looked at Xu Xiao, and slowly articulated his plan.

"We cannot be his enemy."

"We must become his friend."

"Even, we must become his closest ally."

"Ally?"

Xu Xiao's brows furrowed into a knot.

He had spent his life in battle; what kind of figures hadn't he seen?

But whether it was the Emperor of Liyang or the Empress of Northern Mang, in his eyes, they were merely opponents on a chessboard.

Everyone played by the rules, with give and take.

But this Li Chengqian, the feeling he gave people was completely different.

He was like a gambler overturning the table, not bothering with any pretense.

Those who follow him prosper, those who defy him perish.

Become an ally with such a person?

Xu Xiao felt that this was even more dangerous than being his enemy.

Because you never knew when he might also treat you as firewood for his "nation-refining" and burn you up.

"I know what you're worried about."

Li Yishan seemed to see through Xu Xiao's thoughts; he gently placed a piece on the chessboard.

That piece directly cut off Xu Xiao's black Dragon.

"You worry that he is a fierce tiger that cannot be tamed, and if we get too close, he will devour us whole."

Li Yishan smiled, a somewhat weak smile, yet full of all-knowing wisdom.

"But have you considered, Man-Slayer, do we have any other choice now?"

"Begging Liyang for mercy? That Zhao family's Heavenly Son would wish for our Northern Liang to be their shield, to deplete the strength of this new Tang Emperor. Once both sides are exhausted, he would reap the benefits."

"Holding fast to Northern Liang, living our own small lives behind closed doors? Do you think, with the Kaiyuan Emperor's domineering nature, he would tolerate us, a sleeping tiger, beside his bed?"

Li Yishan's words were piercing, leaving Xu Xiao no room to refute.

Indeed.

His Northern Liang, seemingly glorious, was in fact already surrounded by enemies.

Before, he could play both sides between Liyang and the Great Tang.

But now, the balance was broken.

A monster a hundred times more terrifying than Liyang, than the former Great Tang, had risen.

They no longer had a choice.

"Then you mean..."

Xu Xiao's voice became somewhat dry.

"Marriage alliance."

Li Yishan uttered these two words without hesitation.

"Marriage alliance?"

Xu Xiao was stunned.

"That's right."

Li Yishan's eyes gleamed, "This is the most direct and effective way to form an alliance since ancient times."

"Although that Kaiyuan Emperor is decisive in killing, judging from his actions since ascending the throne, he is not a muddle-headed ruler indulging in women. On the contrary, he is extremely rational, extremely clear-headed."

"What he needs most now is stability. A stable rear that allows him to pursue his crazy plans without reservation."

"And our Northern Liang, with its three hundred thousand iron cavalry, is the best blade to guard his national gate and resist Northern Mang!"

"As long as we show enough sincerity and hand this blade to him, he has no reason to refuse."

Xu Xiao fell silent.

He had to admit that Li Yishan's analysis made a lot of sense.

Who would refuse three hundred thousand troops offered to them, capable of stabilizing their borders?

But the problem was... "For a marriage alliance, who should go?"

Xu Xiao's voice became incredibly heavy.

He had two sons and two daughters.

His eldest son, Xu Fengnian, was the future King of Northern Liang, absolutely impossible.

His younger son, Xu Longxiang, was born with the Vajra Realm, but his Heart-Nature... sending him would be no different from sending a lamb into a tiger's den.

His eldest daughter... already had someone in her Heart-Nature.

So, all that remained was... "Weixiong."

Li Yishan softly spoke the name.

Xu Xiao's body suddenly trembled.

His second daughter, Xu Weixiong.

The daughter who had shown unparalleled intelligence since childhood, hailed as a "female Zhuge."

The daughter whose chess skills and strategies even he, her father, felt inferior to.

The daughter he owed the most to.

To marry her off to that tyrant Emperor, far away in Chang'an, whom she had never met, and whose name as "tyrant" had spread throughout the world?

Xu Xiao's Heart-Nature felt as if it were being fiercely clutched by a large hand.

"No!"

He almost instinctively rejected the proposal.

"Weixiong, she... she can't!"

"Why not?"

Li Yishan looked at him, his gaze calm to the point of cruelty, "In terms of talent, she is not inferior to any man in the world. In terms of strategy, she is your Xu Xiao's best successor. In terms of Heart-Nature, she is even more resilient than your precious eldest son."

"Such a woman marrying an ordinary Young Master would be an insult to her."

"Only a peerless hero like Li Chengqian, who wants to turn this world upside down, is worthy of her!"

"And only she, by going to Chang'an, can truly see through His Majesty's reality, can gain a firm foothold in that man-eating imperial palace, and secure the greatest benefits for our Northern Liang!"

Li Yishan stood up, walked in front of Xu Xiao, and said word by word, "Man-Slayer, I know you feel for your daughter."

"But this is Northern Liang's only way to survive."

"And it is Weixiong's own choice!"

The last sentence made Xu Xiao's body tremble again.

He remembered his second daughter's eyes, always as clear as water, yet seemingly able to see through everything.

He knew Li Yishan was right.

With Weixiong's pride and intelligence, how could she be content with an ordinary life?

Chang'an, the swirling center where winds and clouds gathered.

Li Chengqian, that enigmatic, iron-blooded Emperor.

Perhaps, for her, it was not a cage.

But a broader chessboard, enough for her to fully display her talents.

After a long while.

Xu Xiao slowly closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, there was no longer a father's love and reluctance.

Only the coldness and determination of the King of Northern Liang remained.

"Good."

He squeezed out a single word through his teeth.

"Let's do this."

"Prepare the carriage, I want to go see Weixiong."