Aldor's recent expansion has made everyone feel threatened to some extent.
Of course, the threat they felt wasn't that Aldor was powerful enough to invade Gabella, but rather that it was like prey struggling after falling into a trap.
In Gabella's original plan, the country was supposed to exhaust its national strength under the alternating damage of internal strife and external enemies, and then easily take over Aldor after the empire had dealt with other parts of the continent.
Antonio raised his hand, and the hall fell silent instantly. The emperor's gaze swept over the crowd below, and he said in a firm tone, " The revival of Aldor cannot be allowed to continue unchecked, otherwise it will surely become the biggest obstacle to the Empire's integration of the human world in a few years. We must take action to teach them a painful lesson, interrupt their path of revival, and at least make them understand that the order of the continent needs to be led by Gabella."
The ministers and generals nodded to the emperor. Antonio turned his gaze to MacDonald and asked in a deep voice, "Marshal, the north is the core area of Aldor's current expansion. You are familiar with the situation there. Do you have a suitable entry point?"
MacDonald stroked his gray beard: "Your Majesty is wise. Although Aldor has subdued many oasis city-states, not all forces are willing to submit. Those city-states that have just been besieged by Sentinel Legion still harbor resistance in their hearts, and have only temporarily compromised due to military force. Granite Duchy is the best target for us to enter."
" Granite Duchy is located in the eastern part of Redstone Desert and controls a key trade route at the junction of desert and grassland. When we made peace with the orcs in the north, Granite Duchy was designated as a buffer state between the two sides, giving the country unprecedented autonomy. However, Sentinel Legion is now advancing towards their capital, clearly intending to bring it under their control. The duchy's nobles are both wary of Aldor's military strength and unwilling to lose their autonomy, resulting in fierce internal disputes and widespread anxiety among the people."
A glint of light flashed in MacDonald's eyes. "We can secretly contact the rulers of Granite Duchy and use the Empire's military protection and trade privileges as bait to encourage them to publicly reject Aldor's offer of surrender. This will allow them to submit a 'plea for help' document to Gabella. At that time, the Empire can legitimately send troops to the North, fighting the Sentinel Legion under the pretext of protecting the weak. This will avoid being accused of provoking war and will precisely strike at Aldor's expansion in the desert."
A chorus of agreement immediately filled the council chamber. Doughty Matte of the Arcane Society nodded and said, "This is a good idea. By intervening in the war through others, the Empire occupies the moral high ground, and our Fire Dragon Legion can also take the opportunity to demonstrate its strength, letting those wavering oasis city-states see clearly who the true backer of the continent is."
Aldrich added, " The Granite Duchy trade route is extremely valuable. Bringing it under imperial control would not only cut off some of Aldor's trade revenue but also provide the empire with a new source of wealth to support subsequent military operations." Imperial protection, of course, wouldn't be free; at that point, the small city-state would have little say.
Antonio tapped the armrest of the throne lightly with his fingers: "Alright! We'll use Granite Duchy as our starting point. MacDonald, you go to the Northwest immediately, select a reliable envoy to infiltrate Granite Duchy, and make sure the request for help is fulfilled."
He turned to the others, "At the same time, order our border troops to be on high alert, and send a portion of the Fire Dragon Legion to the Northwest. Once we receive Granite Duchy's request for help, we will immediately send troops. If the Aldor do not back down and insist on fighting us, then we will deal a fatal blow to the Sentinel Legion and let the Aldor know what a terrible price they will pay if their military forces approach the Empire's sphere of influence!"
The Emperor shifted his gaze from MacDonald to David Aldrich, the leader of Scholars Tower. "Teacher, I trouble you to personally travel to the plains and try to make contact with Abar."
" Although Abar suffered a crushing defeat, White Wolf Clan has a solid foundation on the grasslands, and the orc tribes there still hold him in awe. It is imperative that he persists in fighting Aldor, does not retreat, and does not surrender. The Empire will provide him with strong support in the future—whether it is weapons supplies or necessary military support, the Empire can provide support."
Aldrich bowed and accepted the order. "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will personally cross the border and find the Royal Tent of Abar. I will explain the advantages and disadvantages to him and let him know that relying on the Empire and continuing to restrain Aldor is the only way for the orcs to survive."
"Very good." Antonio nodded. "You can take my token to Abar to prove your sincerity. Also, tell him that if needed, the Arcane Society can send mages to support him in fighting against Aldor's firearms. We need to show him that only by cooperating with the Empire can we turn the tide."
Ambolov advised, "Your Majesty, the situation on the steppe is complex. It would be quite risky for Lord Aldrich to go there. Should we send an elite squad to accompany and protect him?"
Aldrich quickly waved his hand, "No need. Too many people would only make it easier for the Aldor to find out. I only need a few spies who are proficient in stealth and the language of the grasslands to accompany me, which will be enough to deal with the risks along the way. Besides, the orcs are in dire need of outside help right now, and they should welcome the Empire's envoys."
The council chamber of the palace was filled with a solemn atmosphere aimed at suppressing Aldor. Mariana stood in the line of Arcane Society advisors, her face growing paler. She remained silent, observing everything before her with a cold eye.
When MacDonald mentioned that " Paul Greiman personally led the central army into the heart of the grasslands and repeatedly defeated the main force of the orcs," Mariana's fingertips unconsciously tightened around the silk handkerchief in her sleeve.
Her heart was already in turmoil. Before leaving Lakeheart Town last time, Paul had privately revealed his plan to her, saying that he wanted to completely eliminate the orcs' threat to Aldor and the trade routes in the central continent, and eradicate this hidden danger from the grasslands.
At that time, she had advised her son to act within his capabilities, but Mariana did not expect that Paul would lead his army deep into the grasslands so quickly and become a formidable enemy that Gabella had to contain.
Mariana's heart suddenly raced when Antonio ordered Aldrich to contact Abar and have the orcs continue to hold back Aldor's army.
She knew all too well Abar's tenacity and stubbornness, and she also understood the hardships Paul's army faced fighting on the grasslands: long-distance raids, supply lines, and Orc Cavalry harassment—each of which was a life-or-death test.
Gabella's involvement undoubtedly adds another constraint to Paul's army, and may even put him in a dangerous situation where he is attacked from both sides.