Strategists in Turbulent Times: Li Wenyou and Cheng Zhongde

"General Tuoba, there is no need to be so polite."

The white-robed scholar smiled faintly and raised a hand in a gesture of support.

"You allowed the two of us to reside here; offering this stratagem is our way of repaying your kindness."

Tuoba Lie nodded profusely, his face full of gratitude.

He thought to himself,

"Who says the people of the Central Plains are all bad?"

"Look right here, two great men stand before me, asking for nothing in return."

With this, Tuoba Lie's favorable impression of the two soared, and his heart filled with admiration.

"Sir, you are too modest. If it weren't for your flawless calculations and advance guidance, I could not have prepared so thoroughly, much less killed the defending general at the critical moment to open the city gates!"

Back then.

The two had sought him out.

At first, Tuoba Lie was full of disdain.

He even wanted to kill them.

But after hearing their words, he grew increasingly uneasy.

What if everything they said was true?

Then, Tuoba Lie initiated a series of arrangements.

Waiting only for Temujin to arrive.

To his surprise, Temujin actually came!

This completely shocked Tuoba Lie!

How could anyone possess such foresight?

His attitude toward the two changed instantly!

He became respectful and polite, falling just short of kneeling.

The white-robed scholar nodded slightly, smiling gently and elegantly. "It was but a trivial matter."

In his eyes, however, a sharp gleam and a viper-like cold calculation flickered.

These two were none other than two of the three great venomous strategists under Qin Xiao...

With heaven-shocking toxic schemes, burning cities and destroying nations... Li Wenyou!

Always willing to help, with acquaintances and fellow townsmen everywhere... Cheng Zhongde!

Their smiles were exceedingly modest and polite.

It made Tuoba Lie feel a warm glow in his heart.

"Gentlemen, I have one more request."

Tuoba Lie hesitated for a moment, looking outside the city at the sky-blotting banners and the murderous aura of the five hundred thousand strong Qin army.

His scalp tingled with fear.

He didn't know if these two had any way to deal with Qin Xiao.

After all, Qin Xiao was too terrifying!

Tuoba Lie took a deep breath, finally gritted his teeth, and spoke.

"Gentlemen, the Khan entrusted me to guard this city and hold off Qin Xiao for ten days. I wonder if you have a way?"

After saying this, he couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

Asking two frail scholars to deal with the illustrious Qin Emperor?

It was an absolute joke!

Li Wenyou smiled modestly, "What is so difficult about that? With just one stratagem, we can ensure the General holds the city for ten days!"

Tuoba Lie waved his hand dismissively, "If you can't, then forget..."

Before he could finish, his eyes suddenly widened, staring at Li Wenyou in disbelief.

"What did you just say, sir?"

Cheng Zhongde laughed heartily, "General, do not worry. The two of us have a plan that can help you hold the city for ten days!"

"Truly?"

Tuoba Lie's breathing grew heavy.

He was so excited that his entire body trembled!

This was a matter of life and death for him!

Li Wenyou nodded solemnly, "General, you can rest assured."

Tuoba Lie was instantly ecstatic. He bowed deeply and said emphatically, "I will never forget your kindness, sir!"

"What brilliant plan do you have? As long as we can hold the city, I will absolutely follow your instructions!"

Li Wenyou and Cheng Zhongde exchanged a smile.

This was exactly what they wanted to hear!

Otherwise, why would they help Tuoba Lie so much?

Long before this, the two had calculated everything.

All to gain Tuoba Lie's trust.

And this was merely the first step!

"General, do not panic. You just need to hold the city. Leave the rest to us."

Hearing this, Tuoba Lie nodded.

Although confused in his heart, he still chose to believe them.

After all, the two possessed brilliant strategic minds and had indeed helped him.

Besides, he had no better way to deal with Qin Xiao.

He could only pin his hopes on the two of them.

Li Wenyou and Cheng Zhongde stood atop the city wall, looking down.

Below them was the army of their Great Qin!

Both men wore expressions of deep nostalgia.

As long as they left the city, the two of them would finally be able to see the Emperor they had longed for.

"Wenyou, are you sure you want to help? Wouldn't it be better if we just tied up this barbarian and presented him to His Majesty as military rations?" Cheng Zhongde asked in confusion.

Li Wenyou shook his head and turned to look at Cheng Zhongde.

"If we kill these hundred thousand barbarians, what will we gain? We wouldn't be able to maximize our benefits!"

"Furthermore..."

His gaze deepened as he looked toward the distant battlefield where banners fluttered, his eyes landing squarely on the dragon flag.

That was Qin Xiao's flag!

"Taking down these hundred thousand barbarians will only earn us a single merit. Don't you want to return to Great Qin covered in absolute glory?"

That single sentence awakened Cheng Zhongde.

"Hahaha, you make a good point, Wenyou. I was only thinking about military rations just now."

Li Wenyou rolled his eyes at Cheng Zhongde and then laid out his plan.

"Plotting for a single city is merely a petty trick!"

"His Majesty holds the King of Yan of Wuzhou in his hands. What we truly need to do is help His Majesty conquer Wuzhou! To truly take control of Wuzhou!"

His dark hair danced in the wind, his eyes burning like torches, brimming with high spirits.

To him, this was the very meaning of his existence!

To scheme for the world on behalf of his lord!

Cheng Zhongde was physically shaken, his expression turning solemn.

"Wenyou, do you know that this matter is far too difficult!"

"Breaking through a powerful nation like Wuzhou might be simple, but to unify Wuzhou, there is no bypassing the noble clans and powerful families!"

Thousand-year-old noble clans and hundred-year-old dynasties—this was practically an iron law!

Even as dynasties rose and fell, the noble clans remained standing tall!

These groups monopolized a massive amount of the world's resources.

Meanwhile, the common people could only rely on the noble clans to survive.

Even if they managed to occupy Wuzhou, how would they deal with the noble clans?

Wuzhou's predecessor was the Li Tang dynasty.

During the Li Tang dynasty, the most famous ruler was Emperor Wenzong.

Back then, Emperor Wenzong wanted to arrange a marriage for his son with a woman from a noble clan.

But the noble clans completely looked down on the royal family.

The two sides clashed over this for a long time.

Ultimately, it was Emperor Wenzong who had to compromise.

This indirectly showed just how powerful the noble clans were back then!

Even the Emperor had to bow his head to them.

Not to mention the current state of Wuzhou.

It might be called the Empress's world, but it was still the noble clans controlling everything from behind the scenes.

In whatever happened, the shadow of the noble clans could be found.

Li Wenyou's eyes filled with growing killing intent, his gaze as cold and sinister as a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"Naturally, I know. If the noble clans are not eradicated, the world will struggle to find peace!"

"But right now, we have a knife in our hands! One specifically meant to deal with the noble clans!"

Cheng Zhongde was taken aback, but after a moment, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"You... you mean Temujin!"

"Exactly!" Li Wenyou nodded. "Temujin came to Wuzhou with the sole purpose of plundering rations, gold, silver, and jewels!"

"He will definitely target the noble clans! And he will do so without any scruples!"

If it were someone from the Central Plains, they might pause to consider their reputation.

They would want to avoid being cursed by the people of the world.

But the people of the grasslands did not fear that at all.

They were not from the Central Plains; reputation did not matter to them.

It was exactly like a scholar meeting a soldier—reason could not be explained.

Li Wenyou looked at Cheng Zhongde with burning eyes.

"Zhongde, it is time for you to take action!"

"Me?" Cheng Zhongde was taken aback, pointing at himself.

"That is right. Take out your recipe book and give it to Temujin. It records the locations of the prominent aristocratic families, along with several generations of their lineage."

"As long as Temujin follows your recipe book, he will undoubtedly wipe those aristocratic clans off the face of the earth!"

Cheng Zhongde: "..."

He was completely dumbfounded.

This was the recipe book he had painstakingly researched to distinguish which members of the noble families would be the easiest to turn into military rations!

It was his precious treasure!

And now... he had to just hand it over to Temujin!

Cheng Zhongde felt a deep pang of reluctance.

However, for the sake of the Great Qin's eternal empire, he gritted his teeth, pulled a small booklet from his robes, and placed it into Li Wenyou's hands.

"Wenyou, take it."

"Remember, when we are rewarded for this merit, we must split the credit equally!"

Li Wenyou smiled and nodded.

Soon after.

With the help of Tuoba Lie's army, he rode with all haste to deliver this recipe book directly into Temujin's hands.

And what awaited the aristocratic families of Wu Zhou was... the harshest father of the steppes!