Volume 3 Chapter 39 Tougen Shimei, Making Plans
──Meanwhile, at the Jinkyo Tribe's Moderate Faction Fortress──
"It seems that many soldiers are escaping from Prince Zeng's camp."
Tougen Shimei said.
This was the fortress of the Jinkyo Tribe's Moderate Faction.
In one room, Tougen was talking with Hailon Taiga, the leader of the Moderate Faction.
"They are running into this fortress."
"I thought they were attacking, so I sent out troops, but they are surrendering with their weapons thrown down."
Hailon stroked his white beard and said,
"It seems there is some unrest spreading in Prince Zeng's camp."
"I also heard stories from them."
Tougen had an excellent memory.
He could clearly remember the expressions and attitudes of the escaping soldiers.
They were scared.
He could say that for sure. It was not an act.
"They said, 'We can no longer follow Prince Zeng.' 'The Golden Feather Syndicate cannot read Aika Country's movements. They are worthless.' 'It is us who are being read. It's terrifying.'"
"So that's why the soldiers started to turn against the prince."
Zeng Taiga's influence comes from 3 things.
His bloodline, his strength, and the prophecy that 'Aika Country will be destroyed.'
That's why the soldiers believed in Zeng Taiga and attacked Aika Country.
However, Zeng Taiga kept failing. He couldn't show his strength.
Because he was defeated, the prophecy also lost its credibility.
All that was left was the pull of the royal bloodline.
But that alone couldn't unite the people anymore.
"One of the escape soldiers had this wooden tablet."
Hailon Tougen placed a wooden board in front of him.
"It says, 'It's better to live with the moderates than to follow a tyrant.' Similar messages were set up wherever the soldiers went."
"This is effective. Aika Country has some wise people."
Tougen had an idea about that wise person.
It was probably him, without a doubt.
(Nice work, Kou Tenhou-dono.)
Kou Tenhou personally visited the moderates' fortress and interacted with Tougen and the others.
He was from Aika Country and probably understood the Jinkyo Tribe's mindset the best.
As proof, the document said, 'We should live with the moderates.'
This is something that couldn't be written unless they were sure the moderates would accept the deserters.
"Prince Zeng's army is starting to collapse. What should we do?"
He straightened his posture and asked Hailon Tougen.
"I'm thinking that you will support the next generation of the Jinkyo Tribe. I would like to hear your opinion."
"I'm not that kind of person."
"You decided to control your wandering habit for your wife, right?"
"I know. I can't let my big sis... no, I can't let Riirin suffer."
"Then be prepared. The moderate faction's vice-leader, Tougen Shimei-dono."
"...I see. Truly."
Tougen scratched his head.
He never thought he would be chosen as the vice-leader of the moderate faction.
At the banquet welcoming the Shimei clan, Hailon had seated Tougen next to him.
There, he announced the marriage between Tougen and Riirin.
The banquet reached its peak excitement.
Furthermore, Hailon declared that Tougen would become the vice-leader of the moderate faction.
He stated that he wanted Tougen to support the next generation of the Jinkyo Tribe.
The people, filled with joy, easily accepted it.
The joining of the Shimei clan and the wedding of Tougen and Riirin.
For those who had been pressured by Zeng Taiga, it was a long-awaited piece of good news.
Hailon took advantage of that atmosphere to elevate Tougen's position.
(When it comes to this kind of wisdom, I can't compete with Hailon-sama.)
However, now that he had accepted, he had to fulfill his role.
As quickly and peacefully as possible, he needed to end the turmoil within the Jinkyo Tribe.
(If I do that, I can travel freely.)
Kou Tenhou had told Tougen, "I want you to come to the town of Hokurin."
There must be things there that Tougen had never seen or heard of.
He wanted to see them.
He wanted to bring back a lot of knowledge to help Riirin and the others.
Right now, that was what Tougen was thinking.
"Since Prince Zeng's army is falling apart, we should take advantage of this opportunity."
Eventually, Tougen reached a conclusion.
"Right now, soldiers are defecting from Prince Zeng. So next, let's make the non-soldiers turn against him too."
"Non-soldiers?"
"Prince Zeng's army is camped near the border. This is possible because the nearby villages are supplying them with food. We will stop that."
The escape soldiers are escaping in different directions to avoid being caught.
Some of them might have fled to the villages near the border.
The villagers should know about the state of Prince Zeng's army.
"I will send letters to the villages near the border. 'It is dangerous to continue supporting Prince Zeng. We should stop the war first. The prince is pushing the war forward without caring for the sick king'."
"...I see."
"The most effective message would be, 'If we keep attacking Aika Country, we will eventually face a harsh counterattack.' It would also be good to add, 'The villages that continue to support Zeng Taiga will incur Aika Country's wrath'."
"......Hmm. I think that would be effective, but..."
"It's a nasty way to do things, though."
Tougen shrugged.
"But Prince Zeng should know the people's anger."
"That's true. That man... doesn't see the people."
"Being born the strongest, he probably had no interest in the weak."
Zeng Taiga does not understand the feelings of the weak.
That's why he took food and livestock from the villages.
They kept drafting workers as soldiers, one after another.
He probably never imagined how the people, who had their food and families taken away, felt.
"That person doesn't see people. What they see is the ideal shown by the prophecy. No... there is one person he is obsessed with."
Kou Tenhou.
The one who cut off Zeng Taiga's right arm.
And, a friend of Tougen Shimei.
Prince Zeng is obsessed with him.
There are even stories that he sent troops against the Bokou Tribe just to defeat Kou Tenhou.
(What will Prince Zeng do from now on? Will he escape and try to make a comeback, or will he──)
As a warrior, does he want to settle things with the enemy?
Tougen doesn't know.
"Let's send a letter to the fortress of Aika Country. By informing them of our movements, we can coordinate better."
"Yes, that sounds good."
"Just in case, I will also include my personal letter."
He doesn't want Kou Tenhou to die.
If Zeng Taiga might target Kou Tenhou, he should warn him.
That's all Tougen can do right now.
"If I were in a position to move the entire army, could I protect my friend?"
"Oh, Tougen-dono. Have you made up your mind?"
"N-no, it's just a thought. Anyway, let's move forward with the plan."
And so, Tougen and Hailon began to write the letter.
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