「Ancient Times. Linzi, Qi Palace.」
A grand banquet was being held in the palace.
"The Qin Kingdom was soundly defeated in this battle, and all of you have performed meritoriously!" Duke Huan of Qi sat upon his throne, a gentle smile on his face. "However, it is not yet time to reward your deeds. The Sui Kingdom has allied with the Qin Kingdom. I wish to attack the Sui Kingdom first, to cut off Qin's arm. What are your thoughts?"
Seated to the side, Zhang Ling frowned, asking in confusion:
"Why not press our advantage and pursue the Qin Kingdom? If we wait for Duke Mu of Qin to recover his strength, attacking Qin will become much more difficult."
He found it hard to understand. 'The Sui Kingdom is just a minor state. It can't have any real impact on this war. Why attack it first?'
But Duke Huan of Qi simply frowned and said flatly:
"Do as I say."
At this, Zhang Ling fell silent. The atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat cold.
