Chapter 85: Borrowing Troops

When Kong Yu made this statement, Qian Ye was quite impressed. Even without Yin Qiqi present, such boasts were not easily made. To boast in front of the current Qian Ye, one would need a considerable amount of confidence.

Yin Qiqi giggled beside them, and when Qian Ye’s gaze turned to her, she shrugged, not undermining Kong Yu but instead saying, “This Elder Kong is no ordinary person. He has likely come with the authorization of his family head.”

Qian Ye nodded and said, “If that’s the case, then I’ll hear what the Kong Family wants in return for their support.”

Kong Yu said solemnly, “I wish to ask Lord Qian Ye to send troops to intervene in the situation on the Yue Continent!”

Qian Ye immediately frowned, “Are you joking?”

Kong Yu stood up abruptly and loudly declared, “The noble families on the Yue Continent are incompetent and have yet to clear out the monstrous beast armies invading their borders. If another wave of monstrous beasts comes, wouldn’t it spell disaster for the people? With your mighty army, you are the perfect candidate to deal with the monstrous beasts. My Kong Family can provide a fleet capable of transporting an army of a hundred thousand men. Please, send your forces to the Yue Continent!”

Qian Ye shook his head, “Impossible.”

“Lord, the Yue Continent’s noble families have failed to protect their lands, and according to the Great Qin Law, their titles can be revoked, and their territories seized. After quelling the monstrous beasts, there will undoubtedly be noble families stripped of their status for failing to defend their territory. If you send your forces to the Yue Continent and clear out the beasts, both the noble family slots and the territories will be yours for the taking. Such a golden opportunity, how could you pass it up?”

Despite Kong Yu’s earnestness, Qian Ye remained unmoved, simply saying, “Change the condition.”

Kong Yu forced a smile and said, “If His Lordship refuses to send troops, then there’s little more our Kong Family can do for you.”

Qian Ye said, “It’s a pity we can’t work together, but it’s just not possible. Qiqi, do you have something to say?”

“Lord, wait! I want to know why you won’t send troops to the Yue Continent?” Kong Yu was still unwilling to give up.

“Why should I go?”

“You have the loyalty of the werewolves and an army of hundreds of thousands. Why not use them to expand your territory? The current situation on the Yue Continent is a perfect opportunity to establish your position in the Empire. What harm could it do?”

Qian Ye responded calmly, “My army isn’t too large; it’s too small. It’s impossible to split my forces to the Yue Continent.”

Kong Yu tried to persuade him again, but Yin Qiqi interjected, “If you keep going around in circles like this, you’ll miss all your chances. When the Kong Family sends someone else, how will you handle it then?”

Kong Yu gritted his teeth and said, “Then I’ll be blunt! Our Kong Family wants to borrow your troops!”

“Still for the Yue Continent?”

“Yes. Our Kong Family has several counties of fertile land in the heart of the Yue Continent. Because of the long peace, we don’t usually station many troops there. But now, with the emergence of the monstrous beast armies, the Nan Gong Family has withdrawn, leaving a path open for the beasts to enter our territory. Most of our private army is now gathered on the Qin Continent, and we can’t spare any more troops for the Yue Continent. Our clan members on the Yue Continent are now holed up in the last fortress, barely holding on, and they could be overrun at any moment. I originally came to ask for some Dark Flame mercenaries to relieve the siege, but as you know, it’s difficult to recruit new mercenaries these days.”

Qian Ye nodded. In reality, it wasn’t about finding new mercenaries, but finding mercenaries who met the required standards. On the lower and middle continents, human lives were cheap, and a large mercenary and adventurer army could be quickly assembled with enough gold. However, reaching the level of the Kong Family’s elite private army was almost impossible, and sending expendable troops to the Yue Continent at great cost would be futile.

“With your powerful army, if you lend us a few ten-thousand men, we can not only relieve the siege but also reclaim our entire territory! As for the soldiers’ wages, bonuses, and compensation, we will pay according to the Imperial war standards.”

Without considering the high-level military support provided by the Great Qin, just the individual commissions alone were higher than those for the floating continents. Qian Ye, however, showed little reaction and merely raised an eyebrow, “What’s in it for me?”

Kong Yu gritted his teeth and said, “After reclaiming the territory, we can jointly expand our fiefs. How about we share any new territories fifty-fifty?”

The Yue Continent was different from the Yongyang Continent. It was a land that the Empire had cultivated for hundreds of years, rich in resources, and even a single county produced more than an entire province on the Yongyang Continent. Most importantly, it was the core territory of the Empire, with almost no room for third-party forces. Even in the current special situation, obtaining a fief on the Yue Continent would require the help of the Kong Family or other noble families.

Qian Ye didn’t respond and turned to ask, “What does the Yin Family want?”

Yin Qiqi said, “Our Yin Family wants to form a joint army with Lord, half on the Yongyang Continent and half to expand on the Yue Continent. The territories gained will be split equally between our two families. We can provide the military equipment you need. Of course, your current army is… somewhat unexpectedly large, and the previous promise may not be practical. But if we have fifty years, we should be able to complete it in installments.”

Qian Ye sat quietly, waiting for her to continue.

Yin Qiqi also looked at him quietly.

“Finished?”

“Finished.”

Qian Ye adjusted his posture for comfort and glanced at both of them, saying, “You both mentioned the Yue Continent. The Kong Family aside, I know the Yin Family has no ties to the Yue Continent. Why are you so interested in it?”

Yin Qiqi glanced at Kong Yu and asked, “Can I say it now?”

Kong Yu spread his hands, “What choice do we have? I’ve done my best.”

“It’s like this. The situation on the Yue Continent is too dire for the local noble families to handle alone. The Empire, facing a shortage of troops, has offered a huge bounty to encourage other noble families to step in and salvage the situation. This is also to prevent the Eternal Night faction from exploiting the chaos. But now, every family is preoccupied with their own problems, and none have the spare strength to help others. After much deliberation, the only variable both inside and outside the Empire is you.”

“Enormous bounty? What kind of rewards?” Qian Ye sat calmly, looking ready to listen to the offer.

“Access to the aristocratic path, military merit, and fiefs.”

“Oh, not bad.” Qian Ye seemed uninterested. These three rewards were indeed substantial for a top-tier noble family, but they held little value for Qian Ye. He had never intended to enter the Great Qin system.

“What do you want? As long as it’s within the capabilities of our Kong Family, we can make it happen.” This was a significant commitment. Qian Ye’s background and experiences were no secret among the aristocracy, and his actions after the Floating Continent battle clearly indicated his desire for independence. Kong Yu knew it would be difficult to convince Qian Ye and was prepared to make a substantial sacrifice.

Qian Ye replied calmly, “I have no intention of getting involved in Imperial affairs, at least not now. If the Yin and Kong Families can provide sufficient military supplies, along with necessary officers and technical experts, I can consider letting you join the expansion on the Yongyang Continent.”

Kong Yu shook his head and said bitterly, “In such turbulent times, we don’t even have enough private troops, let alone extra military supplies.” The allure of the new world was tempting, but it was also uncertain, and the threat of the “Gate” had already shaken the foundations of the noble families. They had to prioritize protecting their centuries-old legacies.

“Our Yin Family can provide enough military equipment to arm five divisions!”

Yin Qiqi’s surprising offer startled Kong Yu, who jumped up and exclaimed, “Where did you get so much military equipment?”

“Every family has accumulated war reserves over the years, right?”

“But those are for emergencies! How can we use them? Isn’t that like undermining our own foundations?”

Yin Qiqi said, “Now is the time to use our war reserves. If we miss this opportunity, what good will it do to hold onto those supplies?”

Kong Yu fell silent, and Qian Ye finally showed interest, asking, “What does the Yin Family want?”

Yin Qiqi said, “We want to participate in the exploration of the new world, sharing the spoils according to our contribution. Additionally, if possible, please help us on the Yue Continent.”

Qian Ye pondered for a moment and said, “Expanding into the new world is fine, but regarding the Yue Continent, are these the second wave of monstrous beast armies? Haven’t they been eliminated yet?”

“They are the second wave, and about a third are still scattered. New monstrous beast armies continue to emerge from the Gate, though smaller in scale, but still beyond the capability of ordinary troops.”

“I see…”

While Qian Ye was pondering, Kong Yu said, “Our Kong Family can also provide enough military equipment to arm five divisions!”

Qian Ye looked at him and said, “That’s a good condition. The Kong Family can also join the new world exploration. But as for the Yue Continent, I can only help one of you, not both. You must choose.”

Kong Yu looked at Yin Qiqi and said, “The Yin Family has no territory on the Yue Continent. Why don’t we cooperate? How about it?”

Yin Qiqi nodded, “That sounds good, but how do we divide it?”

Kong Yu decisively said, “Each family contributes half of our private troops, first to relieve the siege of the Kong Family, then to reclaim the territory. After the battle, you get seventy percent, and we get thirty percent.”

“Very fair, let’s do it.”

The two quickly divided the benefits, and Qian Ye, seemingly indifferent, silently approved. The established rules among noble families ensured fair distribution and mutual benefit, leading to quick and effective cooperation, which, in the long run, would foster better relations and coexistence among the noble families.

With the cooperation settled, both parties eagerly awaited Qian Ye’s response, wanting to know what help he could offer.

Qian Ye smiled, having a plan in mind. “The monstrous beast armies are difficult to deal with mainly because of their speed. If they scatter, regular armies struggle to contain them. From my experience, while the number of private troops might be sufficient, their mobility doesn’t match that of the monstrous beasts. Moreover, large monstrous beast armies often include many high-ranking combatants. I’ll send someone to help you. Carol!”

Carol responded and quickly entered the meeting room, asking, “What is it?”

“Make a trip to the Yue Continent. There are rampant monstrous beasts that need to be cleared. Once the siege on the Kong Family’s territory is lifted, you can return.”

Carol said, “No problem, but what about here?”

“I can handle it.” Qian Ye then introduced Yin Qiqi and Kong Yu to Carol.

Seeing that Carol appeared to be of the Eternal Night lineage, Kong Yu extended his hand to shake hers, but Carol ignored it. A flash of lightning suddenly appeared between her eyebrows, releasing a bit of her aura.

Kong Yu’s body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning, and he stumbled back several steps. Shock and horror filled his face as he exclaimed, “A Divine General?”

Qian Ye said, “To be precise, Lady Carol is a mid-rank Divine General. So, treat this mission with utmost respect.”

Kong Yu’s face instantly turned to joy. With a Divine General leading and a well-equipped army, success was almost guaranteed. He hurriedly composed himself and bowed deeply, saying, “I am a fool and didn’t recognize the esteemed Divine General. I apologize for any rudeness. Please, Lady Carol, don’t take offense!”

Carol, seeing his sincerity, naturally didn’t mind. She understood Qian Ye’s intentions; helping the Kong and Yin Families on the Yue Continent would ensure their support later when she needed to divide territories and relocate her people. More importantly, it would mitigate much of the opposition in the Imperial court.

Even if Qian Ye was expanding on the Yongyang Continent, he still needed internal support from the Great Qin to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Ultimately, for a behemoth like the Great Qin Empire, the rise of a new force and the rise of a new nation were two entirely different concepts within its traditional sphere of influence.

With the cooperation agreed upon, Kong Yu wasted no time. He arranged a meeting point with Carol and immediately returned to the Empire to gather his private troops and send the promised military supplies to Qian Ye.

Yin Qiqi did not return with him, instead entrusting all matters to Kong Yu. Kong Yu, of course, did not refuse, as every day of delay increased the risk of the Kong Family’s fortress falling.

Once Kong Yu and Carol left, Yin Qiqi leaped up, grabbed Qian Ye by the collar, and gritted her teeth, “How many secrets are you keeping from me? Now you can casually send a Divine General to help others?”