It wasn't due to any great merchant war revelry; rather, these people had gathered spontaneously in this hub of news and information, waiting for rumors and dispatches from the Central Cloud Continent.

For a month now, an undercurrent of dread had gripped Qian Tian Mountain City.

Despite the confidence many held in Zong Shou, the sheer, tangible pressure exerted by the Great Shang's eighteen million soldiers was suffocating.

In bygone days, common folk wouldn't have known the weight of the Six Great Sects and the myriad minor schools. But Great Gan now saw martial academies flourishing everywhere. The Sovereign’s ways were unconventional; not only did he permit the sects, he actively encouraged them to establish public halls and recruit disciples.

Consequently, even commoners in Great Gan understood the prestige of the Six Great Sects. The Confucian school needed no introduction, but the Daoist school held the true reins of the cultivation world, boasting Three Thousand Dao Gates, undeniably the premier sect in the Cloud Realm, both officially and among the populace. The Demonic Path was not far behind, possessing countless vassal sects.

The alliance of these three powers made for heavy hearts. With nothing else to occupy them, the citizens of Qian Tian City gathered daily in the teahouses and taverns to discuss the matters unfolding to the east.

Among these establishments, the Jin Yu Tower was a teahouse renowned for its elegance and high style, situated in the southern part of Qian Tian City. Directly across the street stood the Lin Hai Academy, which maintained a branch campus here on the mountain.

Qian Tian City had grown into a metropolis comparable to the Imperial Capital, with Great Gan everywhere sponsoring martial halls and academies to promote enlightenment and broaden the populace's understanding.

Though this was merely a branch of the Lin Hai Academy, the Headmaster had long intended to relocate the entire institution here. However, at this moment, its main doors were tightly shut, the branch closed down.

Despite this, the Jin Yu Tower remained thronged with Confucian scholars, alongside numerous wealthy merchants and local elites. In fact, it seemed even busier than usual.

“It’s been a month, and the Great Shang Royal Army still hasn't breached the Min River?”

“That Kong Yao is formidable! Holding back an army six times her size with just three million men—the Royal Army can’t find a weak spot!”

“She’s just using the Min River’s geography and her naval forces. I doubt she can hold out much longer!”

“That vixen, a traitor to her liege, willingly debasing herself—”

Great Gan did not punish speech; words were free. As long as there was no deliberate insult, no crime was committed. Thus, when the scholar uttered that sentence, those nearby merely shifted their expressions slightly before resuming their composure. They were emboldened by the precarious state of Great Gan; perhaps by morning, it would collapse. Who now dared report to the authorities? Who would dare punish them? If imprisoned, it might even be a boon, earning reputation within Confucian circles and marking them as noted figures.

“Traitor is strong, perhaps, but she aids the tyrant, blind to right and wrong!”

“I heard Zong Shou conscripted hundreds of thousands of southern barbarians months ago to build a Palace of Wine Pools. Mimicking the ancient Jie and Zhou dynasties’ pools of wine and forests of meat, and rounding up ten thousand beautiful women. While the front-line soldiers fight desperately, he indulges in nightly revelry and public debauchery by day.”

“Truly licentious and unprincipled! Was he not the same before setting out on the campaign? He scarcely paid attention to state affairs!”

“He certainly enjoys his pleasures, but how long can he last?”

“He is just a barbarian king, incomparable to the Middle Kingdom’s Holy Army. This so-called Great Gan is surely doomed!”

The tavern wasn't entirely filled with those who shared the scholars' views. Most remained silent, though some were indeed filled with righteous indignation.

“Nonsense! Since the Emperor ascended the throne, he has swept across the Six Directions without a single defeat. The nation’s politics are transparent, the country rich and the people strong—”

“Swept across the Six Directions without a defeat? Ha! He hasn't lost before because he’s never faced a true opponent. That doesn't guarantee he won’t lose now.”

“Transparent politics? A local magistrate is elected by ignorant commoners—what do they know? It must be whoever pays the most or offers the best favors gets the post!”

“So what? If those powerful merchants and clans want an official position, they first have to give us enough benefits—”

“Ignorant! Officials of that sort will never seek the welfare of the masses! We Confucian disciples, educated by the Sages, all aspire to stabilize the realm and restore the Three Sovereigns of antiquity. But in Zong Shou’s eyes, we are useless individuals who should be culled! Even if used, only as clerks, never as regional governors. And even if a frontier minister is lucky enough to be appointed, they must still be supervised by the Censorate Hall—what kind of system is that?”

“Then what about the Imperial Examinations? Great Gan hasn't proven any better!”

“This is a system passed down for ten thousand years! It has created generations of prosperity—benefits that you barbarian folk could never comprehend!”

“Your slander and abuse—wait until our Great Gan returns victorious, then see how our Sovereign deals with you all!”

“Hah! I doubt he’ll get the chance—”

“To achieve benevolence through death, to uphold righteousness at the cost of life—why should I fear death?”

There were others gathered in a corner, speaking in low voices, not engaging in the disputes. Sorrow etched onto every face.

“The Great Shang prioritizes agriculture: scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants. If they lose, I wonder how people like us will manage. Will we be exploited by the hereditary clans and powerful ministers?”

“Though Great Gan’s governing style is somewhat absurd, we truly don't need to worry about being harassed or extorted by the powerful elite. With sufficient wealth, we can even influence state policy. Under the Great Shang, that would be uncertain.”

“Gentlemen, don't be so optimistic. I migrated here from the Central Plains. The current Great Shang is overrun with powerful clans like tigers and officials like wolves. People like us are just lambs ready for slaughter in their eyes, ripe for plucking.”

“It’s a pity the Sovereign accepts no donations and refuses to raise taxes. For this war, I would gladly donate half my fortune!”

“It’s not that dire. Even if we lose, there are still hundreds of thousands of miles of cloud sea—”

Within the Jin Yu Tower, only one corner remained utterly silent. The three individuals seated there listened quietly, speaking not a word. Two of them appeared to be nearing thirty. The third, seated slightly to the side, was a boy of sixteen or seventeen, yet his bearing was unusually mature, his expression grave.

“Brother Yang Ming, what do you think? Who will ultimately win this war between Shang and Gan?”

The speaker, seated facing south with his back to the north wall, had dark skin but an uncommon face. His tone carried a degree of deference, seeking counsel.

“Brother Wen Wei, why ask me that?”

The one addressed as Yang Ming shook his head and chuckled, though his expression quickly turned serious again.

“You know the situation in Great Shang, Wen Wei. The granaries of the world are largely empty. Eighteen million soldiers sound impressive, but the grain reserves Great Shang has accumulated over the years can, at best, sustain a mere instant month. Now look at Great Gan. We see people worried about the battle, people cursing freely, but have any of them worried about food and clothing?”

The 'Wen Wei' was clearly a man of exceptional intelligence and grasped the meaning instantly: “Are you saying, Brother Yang Ming, that you don't favor Great Shang? That if the stalemate continues, Great Shang is certain to lose?”

The citizens of Great Gan suffered no want of food or clothing. This meant the great war had not yet surpassed the sustainable limit of Great Gan’s foundation. Whereas, by his own knowledge, the Central Plains were filled with displaced commoners, and some areas saw bodies strewn across the fields—not due to natural disaster, but man-made catastrophe.

“I observe Kong Yao’s deployment of troops. It is methodical and masterful, worthy of a peerless commander. Never mind one month; give Great Shang another half-year, and they still might not break the Min River,” Yang Ming mused, turning his wine cup in his hand. “His Majesty was likely unaware before the war, but by now he should perceive the predicament and will certainly seek a breakthrough. On the other hand, the Great Gan Sovereign seems unwilling to drag this out any longer. Thus, this battle still holds variables. The outcome will likely be decided within ten days. However, Shou Ren, my final calculation still rests with that Great Gan Sovereign. His Majesty… I fear he is no match for him—”

‘Wen Wei’ gasped sharply, sucking in a breath of cold air. He knew that the man before him was not only unsurpassed in literary talent throughout the Cloud Realm but also a pinnacle of martial arts and military strategy, in no way inferior to those universally hailed as geniuses. Especially in military matters, when discussing war among his peers, none could rival him. Every time a battle occurred, this man's judgments were never wrong. Though he self-deprecatingly called it 'armchair strategy,' in ‘Wen Wei’s’ eyes, his friend was no mere talker. If entrusted with a million troops on the battlefield, he might prove to be a figure akin to Kong Yao—a complete talent, able to govern when dismounted and lead armies when mounted. His archery skills were such that he could slay even a Saint Realm expert within a thousand li!

The Great Shang mobilized an army six times the size, yet this man predicted their inevitable defeat. This battle concerned the hegemony of the Cloud Realm, the ultimate ownership of the Southern Frontier of the Central Plains. If his prediction held true, the world was on the verge of massive upheaval—

The youth beside them showed a flicker of defiance. “Teacher! That Zong Shou was labeled a Confucian Enemy by the Venerable Sage Zhu Zi! For him to build a Palace of Wine Pools during a war for national destiny—he cannot be a good ruler. How could Great Shang possibly lose to him? Emperor Yuan Chen is a glorious restorer of the Great Shang, hardly comparable to him!”

The ‘Yang Ming’ chuckled, not bothering to debate. He merely struck the youth lightly on the head with a stiff hand.

“Perception must align with reality! To achieve such prosperity in the desolate lands of the East—it is not achieved through illusion. If Zong Shou is truly the person described, how could he be swayed by others' words alone? He cannot be taken lightly!”

The youth cried out in pain, daring only to suppress his anger. At times like these, his teacher never reasoned with him; he only spoke with force. He could only say indignantly, “Mencius said: He who subjugates men by force is not sincerely convinced, for his strength is insufficient. He who subjugates men by virtue is sincerely and truly convinced!”

“So, you wish to persuade with reason? Zong Xi, you’ve certainly memorized that quote well!” Yang Ming chuckled, unceremoniously delivering another sharp rap to the boy's head. “I am teaching you that reason cannot be forced! Even if you refute your teacher, you must provide logical arguments! Our Confucian canon is rife with internal contradictions precisely because of this lack of logic. This must be noted!”

The ‘Wen Wei’ across from them smiled faintly. “I did hear that over the last decade, the Sovereign rarely handled governance personally. Thus, it is said that the achievements of the state are less the labor of the Sovereign and more the merit of the capable Chancellor.” He added with a smile, “And the fact that the Great Shang Sovereign constructed grand palaces in the Southern Border is also true.”

“That is precisely what puzzles me!” ‘Yang Ming’ shook his head. “Since the Qin and Han dynasties, the maxim has been to lighten levies and refrain from excessive governance for the state to thrive, with the swift demise of Qin and Sui serving as a stark warning. Yet, looking at Great Gan, they engage in massive construction everywhere. But tell me, do the people of the East seem distressed or unwilling?”