“Musketeer… … .”
Tanggunak tried to say something with a bewildered face, but Cheongmyeong briefly raised one hand and stopped him.
“Let’s check before that.”
Qingming’s gaze turned to Zhuge Zain.
“Why did you lose?”
Zhuge Zain’s face instantly became tinged with displeasure. Why bother asking the obvious again?
“Didn’t I say it again? An unidentified enemy is ahead of us… … .”
“no. What I’m asking is, even if something like that had happened, was the old faction’s strength really strong enough to suffer such a crushing defeat?”
“… … .”
“Did you expect it? “You think this will happen just because it’s a little late?”
Zhuge Zain’s face hardened.
The sight he saw upon reaching the battlefield was so horrific that he had no time to think about it, but this was definitely something he had thought about as well.
“If we were to discuss it only from a military perspective… … .”
Zhuge Zain, who hesitated to answer, eventually shook his head.
Although his personal feelings are not good, as someone with the surname Zhuge, there can be no lies when discussing military tactics.
“That’s not true. surely.”
Cheongmyeong nodded.
“I think the same thing. No matter how great a trick the scammers used, it doesn’t mean that their power has increased dramatically. Shaolin, Panga, and Kong would never have had the power to destroy something like that. Even if the power of Shaolin was not complete.”
Some people’s faces hardened. Qingming looked at Zhuge Zain sharply again and asked.
“Then why did it happen like that?”
Zhuge Zain touched his dry lips. It was an action that came without my knowledge.
Why?
I still vividly remember that horrible scene. To those who did not study military art, it was a scene that would only seem like a tragedy.
But Zhuge Zain was able to find the answer even within it.
The reason becomes very clear when we combine the images of the devastated battlefield and the testimonies of the few survivors.
“Collapse of command… … and assertive action.”
After spitting out the answer, Zhuge Zain sighed heavily and shook his head.
“Definitely yes… … . No, the Musketeer is right. It certainly wasn’t a battle that could have been decimated. “The reason is because they did not act as they had originally promised.”
“What do you mean by them?”
“It must be Paengga and co. Originally, they were responsible for supporting Shaolin’s main attack. If they had been faithful to their role, the bodies would have been strewn all over the place in such a mess… … . No, they probably weren’t dead all over the place.”
For a moment, Zhuge Zain thought he had made a mistake, but Cheongmyeong didn’t pay any attention and continued the meeting.
“Then why didn’t they follow the promised tactics?”
“that… … .”
There is no need to even bring up the art of war. Even if Zhuge Zain didn’t answer, everyone here would know the reason.
“… … It’s probably because of the sense of fairness. “A desire to raise the reputation of the clan by taking the head of the defeated army.”
Zhuge Zain sighed again.
‘How did you do that?’
The more I think about it, the more unfortunate it becomes.
If only we had won, if we could have won, everyone would have shared the glory. After Shaolin took the greatest glory, the remaining glory would not have been enough to make a sect shine.
But why did you do something so ridiculous at that point? What should we do?
In the end, greed that burned at the wrong time led to such terrible results.
However, even though Zhuge Zain felt sorry for it, he could not criticize it. Because he knows best how they felt and how they felt.
Isn’t the desire to bring glory to the name of the clan common to all leaders? I couldn’t be sure that if Zhuge Zain had been there, he wouldn’t have acted like that.
“This war started wrongly from the beginning. And an unexpected variable came into play in that war that started incorrectly.”
Qingming’s eyes left Zhuge Zain and looked at the others.
“But this is something that can happen at any time in a war where people kill and kill each other. then… … “If we had not timed our response to the war correctly and there were no variables, would we have been able to win?”
Zhuge Zain bit his lip and pondered before answering.
“… … “I don’t think it would have been easy.”
“Matriarch?”
Mo Yongwei, who thought this was an unexpected answer, looked at Zhuge Zain with a puzzled face. However, since Zhuge Zain knew the answer, he had no choice but to speak honestly.
“I’ve never heard of an army with many heads winning.”
This isn’t his problem, it’s the family’s problem. After all, isn’t he a member of the Zhuge family who is well versed in the art of war? Even though he can be confrontational and bite for profit, he cannot even deny the identity of the family. Zhuge Zain was that kind of person.
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Cheongmyeong nodded loudly.
“The existence of a traitor? Of course it’s important. But if you get distracted by that and fail to fix what really needs to be fixed, the results will be obvious next time.”
Tanggunak let out a heavy sigh.
“Umm… … . But, Musketeer. “Isn’t Tianyu Meng different from the Nine Sects?”
“How is it different?”
“But we…” … .”
Tanggunak tried to say something but closed his mouth. As if it was a bit unfamiliar to say. Cheongmyeong shook his head slightly.
“They probably believed that too. “Their union is unshakable.”
“… … .”
“If we have trust, they have history. “We thought we saw the way to the future, and they had the loyalty to rely on and help each other even in difficult times.”
Mo Yongwei nodded his head loudly.
I definitely thought so. No matter how terrifyingly powerful the Cheonwoo Meng is, it will not be able to overcome the bond between the nine factions and the five generations that have been united for hundreds of years. Those who fight together even in this situation are true comrades.
“But it was completely broken. It’s not because of betrayal or conflict. Rather, their faith in each other must have been strong. However, in the end, we became a mixed bag. why?”
Cheongmyeong’s voice fell heavily.
“Because I could not give up the desire to make my clan shine more brightly and the desire for honor to make my name known throughout the world. And Jang Il-so knows how to use that desire better than anyone else.”
Zhuge Zain laughed involuntarily.
He and the Hwasan Sword Association saw the same thing. We arrived similarly, saw the same sights, and reached the same place.
However, the answer he gave and the answer the author gave are completely different.
It is not a matter of discussing what is right or wrong. The important thing is that Qingming had already seen something he had never thought of.
‘Age is not a problem.’
I felt like I finally understood. Why is that person sitting in the governor’s chair? How are these prominent people leading the meeting?
Because he has the eyes to see the world that way and knows how to boldly say such things, the leader and vice-leader of the Cheonwoo Alliance come running to his every word.
“We are different, we can cope. “That kind of feeling always exists behind many defeats in history.”
Tang Gunak nodded heavily. This means that simply believing that we are different is not enough.
This was of course a correct opinion that should be acknowledged.
A short silence fell in the conference room. At that time, Zhuge Zain opened his mouth.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“yes.”
“What the Musketeer said… … . No, I understand what the Musketeer means. However, even if it is possible to diagnose the situation, it would be meaningless if there is no solution.”
Unlike before, there was politeness in the tone. Amid everyone’s surprised looks, Zhuge Zain took a moment to catch his breath.
“But martial arts and gongmyeongsim are inseparable. “You may not know this because you have enemies at the door, but telling ordinary warriors to put down their sense of honor and just fight is not much different from telling people not to breathe.”
Cheongmyeong did not deny it but nodded.
“That’s true.”
“Then wouldn’t this end up being a pointless discussion? If the solution to what is happening in your mindset is to change your mindset… … “In the end, it will just become obvious.”
This time, Cheongmyeong shook his head.
“As you said, it is impossible to change people’s hearts with just a few words. I’m sure the leader must have repeatedly advised me to be faithful before this battle. “We must move as promised in advance.”
Zhuge Zain nodded somewhat vigorously. Even he, who rarely faced the court directly, was so disgusted that his co-officials and family members who were by his side must have had nails on their ears.
But even so, I could not overcome my desire at the crucial moment.
“It’s the same no matter how strongly you decide. “Because Jang Il-so is a person who can find the cracks in that firm determination.”
As the survivors say, if Jang Il-so had not stuck out his head and shouted to be cut down, the community and Paengga would not have been shaken to that extent.
Even an army with perfect military discipline loses its command at the moment of victory. Doesn’t this mean that there can be no perfection in what a person does?
Qingming said firmly.
“People can’t do anything. All I can do is believe. “I have no choice but to fight, believing that the people sitting here, and those we have entrusted their backs to, will prioritize their comrades by their side over their own reputation and greed.”
His eyes reached everyone one by one. Those who sit here know the weight contained in those eyes. I can only nod my head heavily.
At that time, Cheongmyeong got to the point.
“But there are some things you can change.”
“What is that?”
“Clan faction.”
The voice was calm, but it wasn’t something that could be taken lightly. After briefly exchanging questioning glances, the heads of each gate asked back with bewildered faces.
“… … “What if it’s a clan?”
Cheongmyeong took a deep breath.
“That’s literally it. The name Hwasan, the name Tangga, the name Jegal, the name Jongnam, the Jeong faction, the Sa faction, and Sae et al. There is also a distinction between the large and medium-sized faction. “All the names, all the walls, the boundaries that make us different.”
As Cheongmyeong’s words continued, the faces of the leaders hardened. He realized what Cheongmyeong was trying to say.
“You can’t change people, but you can break down the boundaries between clans. “If the ultimate destination for different people to reach together is to face their ‘differences,’ there is only one way left.”
The horse of Qingming fell carrying a thousand pounds of weight.
“Being truly the same.”
Someone hurriedly tried to open their mouth, but Cheongmyeong did not give them a chance. His gaze was aimed straight at Hyeonjong.
“I believe that all commanding authority of each faction belonging to the Cheonwoo Meng must be recovered, and all affiliated members should be bound in the name of the faction and the boundaries between factions should be eliminated.”
“… … .”
“That’s the best we can do right now. “I think so.”
A dead silence filled the conference room.
No one even dared to speak up. Because what I heard a little while ago was so absurd.
“cook… … “Cook, cluck.”
In the silence that could engulf a person, someone let out a small laugh. It was a small sound, but everyone’s eyes focused on it.
“A long sentence?”
“ah… … . sorry.”
Baekcheon slightly covered his mouth, which was still laughing, with his hand.
What was the path you took? What was the look you received?
‘Anyway, I can’t do it.’
Baekcheon felt that way. Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, all of this is a very Cheongmyeong solution.
