Qianye’s expression changed quickly because the question was quite thoughtless and came out of the blue. Song Zining understood a lot about the situation in the Empire, so he had to have a reason for asking such questions.

Fang Zhang was the first to fidget in his chair. Lan Xincheng sat straight in his chair for a good while before finally saying, “I’m filled with admiration for Mister Zining for grasping so much of the situation in the Empire while staying in the neutral lands. So, there’s really no need to beat around the bush anymore. From what I know, Marshal Lin is in a very delicate situation.”

Qianye said, “Can you explain in greater detail?”

Lan Xincheng nodded at Qianye with a mysterious expression, but he turned to find Song Zining staring at him with meaningful eyes, and that caused several notions to shuffle through his mind.

He said after some thought, “I have a couple of backers in the Imperial court, so I’m able to hear some information from the minor court.”

Song Zining whispered something in Qianye’s ears. The difference between major and minor courts wasn’t in the scale or frequency. Some topics discussed, decided, and executed there wouldn’t even reach the major court. Even the aristocracy would never get first-hand information on such things, not to mention ordinary people.

Lan Xincheng paused momentarily, waiting for Song Zining to finish before saying, “Reportedly, it was Marshal Lin who suggested that the void continent was a war of national fate. Many people pointed their spears at him for causing a large part of the Empire’s fighting power to be pinned down on the continent. They’re blaming him for making careless judgment and hurting the national power.”

At this point, Lan Xincheng glanced at Qianye. “There’s something else that’s related to you. Someone got news that Marshal Lin had taken you in as his adoptive son and raised you into the man you were today. The Zhao clan might not know you were a vampire, but there was no way the marshal, with his powerful divination arts, didn’t know.”

Qianye’s fingers moved slightly, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. Song Zining leaned back with his eyes closed, effectively hiding his expression.

This accusation was extremely serious because raising a vampire was a grave crime. If it were proven that he had done this out of malicious intent, some laws might even punish his family and party members. Using the Mystery of Heavens Art against him was a sinister move. The marshal had dug out countless ministers and generals from their humble origins. If that were a crime, then there was no telling how far the ripples would go.

Lan Xincheng continued, “Of course, the marshal is a pillar of our empire. There’s no way his position can be shaken by just a few words. The Emperor wouldn’t agree to it, either. Those attacking the marshal aren’t counting on establishing the crime, they just needed an extra point to attack.”

Song Zining reached out to pat him on the shoulder when he saw Qianye’s lips moving ever so slightly. The latter ultimately calmed down and refrained from asking about the person trying to beat Marshal Lin when he was down. The Imperial court was never a stable place—everyone there was quick to switch sides depending on their benefits. Those standing on stage were usually expendable pawns, and there was really no end to such people.

Qianye remembered when he held the marshal’s hand for the first time. As a kid, he had to look high up in order to look into those eyes—eyes seemingly filled with flowing stardust and the essence of all life. He also remembered the visit to Prince Greensun’s tent after the war at Giant’s Repose. He couldn’t say he wasn’t disappointed that he never got to see Lin Xitang that day. Now that he thought about it, the marshal must’ve foreseen the events leading up to this day.

At the mention of sensitive topics, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward and silent. Lan Xincheng and Fang Zhang were only trading partners to Qianye and Song Zining. They had made happy deals in the past, but that didn’t mean they would be confided in regarding such important matters.

Lan Xincheng coughed lightly. “It won’t be good if too many people start accusing him. The situation on the void continent is being watched by all, even His Majesty cannot ignore it. After several court meetings, the Minister of the Right stepped up to mediate things and asked Marshal Lin to provide the strategic plan. That’s how the operation plan came to be.”

Song Zining said after a glance at Qianye, “This plan isn’t a simple matter, it’ll likely drain the Empire almost entirely. Even the Longevity Monarch doesn’t have the authority to mobilize on such a scale. The Minister of the Right mediating things? He doesn’t command that much face! Are you sure the plan comes from Marshal Lin?”

Lan Xincheng said seriously, “Absolutely certain! There’s still time before the operation. You can seek confirmation if you don’t believe us. Also, the Minister of the Right has poured great effort into this operation. He has been approving everything in his power without holding people back. As for things outside his power, he would step in to mediate things via his connections. Now that he has been doing everything he should and shouldn’t, even I have no fault to find.”

“I remember him telling Lin Xitang to craft a plan using all the chess pieces in the Empire. Marshal Lin needed only to devise the plan and the Empire would find a way to make it happen. Not long after that, the marshal came up with his strategy. As someone who knows many secrets, he had led the discussions over several meetings. He believes that this is the only way we can turn the war around.”

Qianye was already in thought, but Song Zining’s expression remained unchanged. “Qianye and I are given critical roles in this plan. I want to know what will happen if we refuse to go to war? Will the Empire no longer mount a counterassault on the void continent?”

Lan Xincheng said, “You did ask about this after all. This is an important attack route that's crucial to the entire plan, it cannot fail. Since we need both fleet combat proficiency and personal fighting power, very few people can compare to the two of you. Besides, you will also have the newest Imperial warship in your hands and can be considered the cavalry of this operation. But if you are unwilling to go to war, the Imperial clan will take over this duty. The current plan is to have Princess Gaoyi take your place.”

Without waiting for Song Zining to speak, Qianye roared furiously, “Is everyone else in the empire dead? Does the Zhao clan need to do everything? You people seem to be quite happy with all the centralization going on!”

Lan Xincheng smiled wryly. “Sire Qianye, please don’t get angry so soon. This battle is related to our national fate, everyone needs to play their part. There’s really no targeting anyone here. Just take a look at this!”

The document in Lan Xincheng’s hand denoted the fleet battlefields that were predicted to take place. “If Princess Gaoyi leads this flank attack, the Imperial clan will be in charge of the Imperial Guard, and the Minister of the Right will lead the Imperial fleet. If she’s the main general, two Imperial princes will also arrive to help her. There’s also this route...”

Lan Xincheng was pointing at a route that would attack from the edges of the void continent, involving erratic jumps between both land and air assaults. It was just as difficult as the one Qianye and Song Zining were in charge of. It was just as demanding and intolerant to failure.

“Who’s in charge of this?”

“Eldest Princess Haimi.”

Qianye had never heard of this person, but he knew from the title that this was someone from the Imperial family. Song Zining looked rather surprised after a moment of thought. “Princess Haimi? It has been two decades since she went into seclusion, right?”

“This battle is so important that the Imperial clan will mobilize everybody at their disposal. Distant members of the Imperial family will be a common sight among the troops this time, and that’s also the reason why commanders are so difficult to find. There aren’t a lot of people who can overshadow these people in terms of combat, strategy, and prestige. I heard the Emperor had to ask personally for Princess Haimi to exit seclusion.”

Song Zining glanced back at the plan after a moment of silence. He pointed at the vanguard squad for the main land-forces, saying, “Who’s in charge of this route?”

“The main commander is still being decided upon, but the vanguard has been decided. It’s Zhao Jundu.”

Song Zining’s expression relaxed slightly as he stared at the map. Qianye understood the reason—they were supposed to go behind enemy lines and set up a stronghold there, effectively cutting off the enemy supply lines and path of retreat. The most important factor to an isolated group was reinforcements.

It would seem the Empire had arranged for two routes of support, and both of them were elites. There was no need to discuss Zhao Jundu’s prowess. Although Qianye had no idea who this Princess Haimi was, it was evident from how shocked Song Zining was, and how the Emperor had to invite her personally, that she was an extraordinary person. Lan Xincheng had also claimed that she could utterly suppress all the other royal siblings.

With these two routes in place, the chances of success had increased significantly. Meanwhile, Qianye had hidden his powers quite well—his true combat strength was far above the surface, and he had no fear at all of long, chaotic battles. His current fighting power was capable of holding its own against a divine champion. Song Zining was no easy character, either, and together, the duo’s power would increase severalfold.

On the other hand, Qianye possessed the Martyr’s Palace and the aid of the Empire’s latest warship. Even Linken had lost to him; which other dark race flagship did he have to fear?

At the very least, the plan for this route was feasible. They could attack and retreat at will, with enough leeway to shift strategies. Besides, they would show up as a surprise force since they were to set out from the neutral lands. The Evernight Council did not have enough data on this airship route, making them prone to defeat if they were careless.

Looking at the entire plan, every link was tightly interlocked. There was no single route that was safe, nor was there a route resulting in sure death. Every chess piece was well utilized on paper, and all that was left was to see how the execution would go.

The plan was complicated and orderly. They would first seize the advantage in the air, and then divide the main army on the ground, blocking their retreat. At the end of this rapid assault, the dark race army on the void continent would be surrounded and eventually eliminated. This well-thought-out plan might turn the entire situation around if followed closely.

The key to the entire war was the battle in the void. They could only proceed with the follow-up attacks after defeating the Evernight fleet. Qianye and Song Zining would also take part in the aerial battles, naturally enjoying the spoils as well. There was no need to think about the follow-up if the first battle was lost.

At least on this route, Qianye and Song Zining saw that they could retreat anytime if the situation turned for the worst. It was unlikely that they would fall into dire straits or traps.

Qianye pondered for a few seconds and seemed interested in the plan. Before he could speak, however, Song Zining cut in, “General Lan, Qianye is no longer an Imperial citizen. What benefits will he get for joining this fight?”

“Contributing to the country is our inherent duty…” Lan Xincheng threw out some formal remarks, but he quickly discovered that it was inappropriate. “That’s not in my power to say. If you have any suggestions, it’s fine to speak freely. I will report back to my superiors and see if I can help you get it.”

Song Zining was quite confident. “Firstly, I want the blueprints for any three of the Empire’s warships. It doesn’t need to be the newest models, it’s fine as long as the design is within thirty years.”

Lan Xincheng’s expression relaxed. “That’s not a problem, I can decide.”

Song Zining raised two fingers, saying, “Secondly, I want to buy five in-service corvettes at manufacturing cost.”

Lan Xincheng’s expression shifted into hesitancy. “This is beyond my power, but it’s not impossible if I pull some strings.”

Song Zining said calmly, “We’re not asking the military, so there’s no room for negotiations. Qianye and I must risk our entire fortune and lives for this war. We must have profits. If the military wants us to sacrifice ourselves for the nation, then there’s no need for further discussion.”

“There won’t be intact eggs if the nest topples. Mister Zining, how can we be safe if the Empire falls into danger?”

Song Zining laughed but did not reply.

Lan Xincheng sighed. “I have noted your requests, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Your military strength would only contribute to the war. What else do you want?”

Song Zining raised a third finger, saying, “Thirdly, I want a landed title!”

Lan Xincheng inhaled deeply. “What title do you want?”

Song Zining replied, “I won’t demand a specific title. For now, just give me something no one’s using.”

Lan Xincheng glanced at Qianye and Song Zining with complicated expressions. “Does General Qianye need a title as well?”

Qianye replied calmly, “I won’t accept an Imperial title, you guys can’t afford to give me what I want, either.”