For the first time, Gong Jue didn't show any happiness after receiving Gong Yi Mo's letter.
Royal Sister wanted him to return.
If he returns now, he will definitely receive the emperor's reward and obtain both power and monetary rewards. If he conducted his business well, his money could make ghosts turn millstones. As a royal prince, how carefree he would be.
However, he wasn't willing!
Besides, Lou Ye had made some movements recently and it was very likely that they were going to strike during the heavy snowstorms to catch them off guard. He couldn't just leave like this. He wanted to be more than those nobles who merely spoke noble-sounding words like protecting the people. A mere 30,000 soldiers was far from making him satisfied so he must achieve more merits! Use fighting power to exchange for political power!
Gong Jue wanted to go and oversee the situation for himself!
But Zhen Xi Wang was the first to object!
He thought that Gong Jue was simply clutching at the shadows. One tunnel between Lou Ye and Xi Zhou was nothing; there were many such tunnels between the two countries. Who wouldn't be on their guard? Lou Ye's secret excursion to Yu Heng didn't automatically mean that there was something going on. Furthermore, the winters here were chilling. They didn't even have enough food to eat at home so how were they going to fight a war?
At the end of the day, it was just because he didn't want the common people to suffer.
Zhen Xi Wang had guarded Xi Zhou for 10 years now and there had never been a war here. If he followed Gong Jue's thoughts, then the people would have to actively prepare. New Years was the most relaxing time of year, and he didn't want to create chaos during such a time upon mere conjectures.
But Gong Jue didn't think so.
From the soil, it could be seen that the tunnel was completed recently. It was clear that Lou Ye excavated it in order to survey them. Based on the time, Lou Ye made a secret visit to Yu Heng a year ago. If they started digging the tunnel from that point, then they indeed only finished recently. No food... could it be that a year ago, with Lou Ye's actions, they were borrowing food from Yu Heng? Maybe they had long reached some kind of agreement!
Gong Jue trusted his instincts. Gong Yi Mo had told him before that the human brain will unconsciously store and process much information. That's how intuition comes about. That's also why intuition can be trusted!
But Grandfather didn't believe him. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly smiled. So what if he doesn't believe me? He decided to secretly do it!
After finding out about it, Bai Sheng was the first to disagree.
"Your Majesty, since the Princess has already planned out everything, why won't you follow her wishes?" He didn't want Gong Jue's thoughts to become a reality because once a war starts, then it wouldn't just be one person's business but rather a whole country's!
Over the past year or so, he had made friends with the others in West County. He truly hoped that nothing would happen to them.
Besides, the Princess told his Majesty to return and use this merit to fight for the canal. He heard that the canal only needed two years to complete. At that time, it would become a great achievement that would last for thousands of years to come! Coupled with the merits of fixing the canal, his Highness would have a much smoother path in the future. The Princess tried so hard to secure this retreat path, why does his Highness just refuse to do it?
Gong Jue naturally knew what Bai Sheng was thinking. He sat on the hilltop and looked at the far off horizon. The setting sun was especially beautiful in the West County. The fire seemed to be burning the clouds as well as his heart.
His eyes slowly grew calm and firm. He slowly spoke.
"...Repairing the canal is naturally a great accomplishment. However, the Crown Prince has been in power for a year now. If I go there now, no matter how hard I try, I wouldn't be able to surpass him."
After speaking lightly, he couldn't help but reveal a small smile.
It wasn't that he didn't want to meet Gong Yi Mo earlier. It's been a year and a half now, did her appearance change? But he remembered what he wanted the most... He wanted his Royal Sister! He wanted power to shock the world! He wanted the power to make everyone shut up in front of him! That was far from what a mere wealthy lord could do.