Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

But it's undeniable that this speculation is very bold, and given Hou Yuxiao's lack of understanding of the relationship between the current Emperor of Jin and his predecessor, he cannot be certain.

"Have you heard why the Wuwei King asked us to remain stationary with our troops in Guangling Prefecture?"

Seeing Hou Fei lightly shake his head, Hou Yuxiao frowned, his speculations about the internal relations of Great Jin were naturally not without purpose. What he most wanted to know was why Hou Jing had ordered them to remain stationary at this time.

Since Lingyuan Prefecture had already been taken, then by normal logic, Hou Jing should have dispatched a portion of his army northward to collaborate with them and take Guangling in one fell swoop. In doing so, with Guangling Lingyuan as their foundation, they could even advance eastward at any time. If the Righteous Alliance Army could not resist effectively, the entire Xingyuan Road would be taken by them.

Yet, perplexingly, the Wuwei King had ordered them to stay put, leaving Hou Yuxiao somewhat puzzled. What he could infer, the Wuwei King surely could too. Thus, the king must have a larger plan in mind, or perhaps there were details that he could see that Hou Yuxiao could not.

Hou Yuxiao mostly trusted his own judgement, but he did not overestimate his knowledge to the point of believing he knew everything. Power determined one's perspective, and as the sole King of a Different Surname in Great Jin and a mighty figure with a shattered realm of cultivation, the Wuwei King certainly knew more, understood more issues, and had superior strategic ability compared to Hou Yuxiao—who held this self-awareness.

"However, Family Head, when the Wuwei King's military order was delivered by someone from Lingyuan Prefecture, I happened to be present. I could tell that Master Fanyin was not pleased when he heard this order!"

Hou Yuxiao's expression brightened slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he chuckled, "This war is a collaboration between the Demon Sect and Great Jin, and it's still unclear who will take the lead. The Wuwei King's military order was issued as if he himself were the supreme commander, ordering the Demon Sect's forces around—that's naturally going to upset Zhan Taiqing."

"It's not just her—observing further, I noticed that even Marquis Qingyang Tuoba Huang and Marquis of Ziquan Wanyan Lie also showed a hint of reluctance."

Hearing this, Hou Yuxiao's expression immediately became more animated.

"Are you suggesting that Marquis of Ziquan and Marquis Qingyang have a poor relationship with the Wuwei King, Hou Jing?"

Before Hou Fei could nod, Hou Yuxiao already had his answer.

If Hou Jing's presence was meant to diminish the influence of the three major families of Great Jin, then as descendants of these families, Marquis Qingyang and Marquis of Ziquan would undoubtedly have a negative attitude towards him—this was without question.

With this crucial piece of information, Hou Yuxiao instantly felt as if a veil had been lifted. If the Wuwei King was at odds with the two marquises of Long Guan, then it made more sense for him to order the troops to hold their position.

Currently, as both allied forces were focusing on Gu Tianyun's army in Longguan County City, Hou Jing's order for the troops to stay put meant Gu Tianyun's forces couldn't move either, fulfilling its intended effect. Regardless of their discontent, Marquis Qingyang and Marquis of Ziquan could only follow the military order.

However, this meant they would now have no further opportunities to engage in battle; after all, the entire Guangling Prefecture was like a dead pool without combat, signifying no chances for them to distinguish themselves.

Meanwhile, Hou Jing's army of five hundred thousand, having already conquered Lingyuan Prefecture and taken the lead, could freely maneuver their forces in response to the Righteous Alliance Army, whether to recapture Lingyuan Prefecture or to support Gu Tianyun in Guangling Prefecture.

"How did Zhan Taiqing and the two marquises from Great Jin respond to the Wuwei King's military order?"

"Though they all showed displeasure, they nodded in agreement!"

"Zhan Taiqing agreed as well?"

"Indeed, and what's more, she was the first to nod in consent."

At this, Hou Yu's mind once again started to speculate. It's possible that the two marquises nodded due to the dictates of Great Jin's system or for the sake of the overall situation; but why would Zhan Taiqing consent, and why was she the first to do so?

After the battle at Long Guan, Hou Yuxiao's understanding of the former Saintess of the Demon Sect deepened. A woman cunning enough to outmaneuver Gu Tianyun and ruthless enough to use the lives of two hundred thousand soldiers as bait—underestimating her would surely lead to severe consequences.

Zhan Taiqing was the supreme commander of the Holy Church's army. Although her strength was not on par with the Wuwei King, she nonetheless represented the Rakshasa Holy Sect, and the two should be of equal status. Not to mention that following the Wuwei King's order could tarnish the prestige of the Holy Church, but even considering the Holy Church's interests, she should not have agreed to remain stationary.

After all, the Rakshasa Holy Sect's decision to attack Xuzhou by crossing the river was a result of being cornered. Since the Zhaoyang Disturbance last year, the Wanjian Holy Sect's repeated probes into Yongzhou had left the Rakshasa Holy Sect besieged by internal and external troubles. They had no choice but to strike first, aiming to showcase their strength and deter others' covetous ambitions.

Of course, there may be other objectives unknown to Hou Yuxiao, but regardless of what they are, the overarching goal should be victory. Great Jin is currently fighting enthusiastically, and even in the worst-case scenario, they could simply sail north and return home. But it's different for the Rakshasa Holy Sect, neighbors to Xuzhou, and separated from the Righteous Path by only the Tongtian River—if they were to make a poor showing in this war, Yongzhou would become a target for the Righteous Path.

With various factors intertwined, Zhan Taiqing will surely aim for a Rakshasa Holy Sect victory as her ultimate goal. Since she has also agreed to remain stationary, this indicates that not moving in Guangling Prefecture is advantageous for the overall battle situation, or at least for the Rakshasa Holy Sect!

"Family Head, by staying put in Guangling Prefecture, are we not giving the Righteous Alliance Army time to respond? When the second master first learned of this order, he was just as baffled. Therefore, when he heard that Tuoba Huang was coming to the prefectural city to deliver a message, he specifically instructed me to come along and explain the situation to you."