Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 139 Rumor Offensive

Economic infiltration quietly extended its tentacles, like vines wrapping around the bodies of forces like Rock Fortress, bringing comfort and convenience while subtly absorbing nutrients and loosening their foundations. However, Jia Wen knew that material corruption alone was insufficient to completely dismantle these powerful local lords who had held sway for years. Unstable hearts and rampant suspicion were the prelude to internal collapse. While the sweetness of the salt, iron, and cloth was still lingering, another, more invisible yet more insidious soft knife, tempered with the cold flame characteristic of Jia Wen's "poisonous strategist" tactics, began to slash at the heart of its target—this was the "rumor offensive."

In the study of that secluded courtyard of the Censorate, the lights were on until late at night. Jia Wen sat opposite Li Shu, who had just been summoned. On the table was a simple map showing the relationships between the people within Panshi Fortress and several major fortified villages in the surrounding area. Next to it was a stack of secret reports detailing the personalities, preferences, conflicts, and recent movements of the core figures of these forces.

"Economic infiltration has already opened the door, and rumors can easily slip in." Jia Wen's voice was calm and even as he traced several key names on the simplified map. "Shi Hu, the lord of Panshi Fortress, is rough and suspicious by nature, especially wary of his generals who might become too powerful. He has two capable generals under his command: one is the infantry commander 'Shi Gan,' his nephew, who is brave and skilled in defense, but also straightforward and prone to arguing; the other is the cavalry captain 'Han Meng,' a member of a different clan, who has won the hearts of the army due to his outstanding military achievements. Shi Hu relies on him but also harbors deep suspicions towards him. These two have a long-standing feud over competing for credit and resources."

Li Shu followed Jia Wen's finger and whispered, "According to the latest report from our inside sources, last month we wiped out a group of roving bandits. The main force was Han Meng's cavalry, with Shi Gan's infantry providing support. However, when it came to the rewards after the battle, Shi Hu gave the credit to Shi Gan, who was in charge of the support, and the rewards were also unfair. Han Meng and his men were quite unhappy about this. Although they didn't say it outright, their dissatisfaction was evident."

"Very good." A cold glint flashed in Jia Wen's narrow eyes. "The seeds of rumors will be sown here. They can be spread along three lines."

He picked up a pen and wrote a few lines on the paper: "First, targeting Shi Hu. Have someone quietly spread the following message in the market, teahouses, and even around the military camp: Han Meng, relying on his high merits, often complains after drinking that Shi Hu's rewards and punishments are unfair, that he favors his relatives and friends, and that this has chilled the hearts of the soldiers. You can even embellish it, saying that he once privately told his confidants, 'If I were the lord, I would never let the warriors be disheartened,' and other such rebellious words. This message doesn't need to be kept too secret; it's enough if it's overheard occasionally. The key is to make sure it 'just happens' to reach the ears of Shi Hu and his confidants."

"Secondly, regarding Han Meng. Rumors are circulating among his subordinates, low-ranking officers who are on good terms with him, and even his household servants: Shi Hu has become suspicious of Han Meng because of the previous bandit incident, fearing that he is too powerful to be controlled, and is secretly collecting 'evidence' of his crimes, intending to strip him of his military power, or even... to get rid of him as soon as possible. Specific details can be mentioned, such as Shi Hu secretly summoning Shi Gan to discuss how to restrain Han Meng, or secretly investigating Han Meng's military accounts, etc. This rumor needs to be more concealed, but it must be 'accidentally' learned by Han Meng and his inner circle."

"Thirdly, add fuel to the fire." Jia Wen pointed to Shi Gan's name, "We can have one or two bold and meticulous people pretend to be 'righteous men' who admire Shi Gan's bravery and feel indignant on his behalf. In places where Shi Gan might appear, they can 'privately' discuss that Han Meng harbors resentment towards Shi Gan for 'stealing credit' last time, and has said that he would find an opportunity to 'make Shi Gan pay,' and even question whether Shi Gan's bravery in battle is due to family ties rather than real ability. This talk should be vulgar and direct, in line with the tone of soldiers, easy to spread, and we must ensure that it reaches Shi Gan's ears."

Li Shu nodded in approval. Jia Wen's plan was truly insidious. The three rumors, seemingly independent, were in fact intricately linked, precisely targeting the most vulnerable interpersonal relationships within Panshi Fortress. They exploited Shi Hu's suspicious nature to sow discord between him and his most capable general; they used Han Meng's discontent and fear to escalate his conflict with his lord; and they further exploited Shi Gan's straightforwardness and potential resentment to incite antagonism between him and Han Meng. With such manipulation, the harmony between the generals and ministers within Panshi Fortress was likely to turn into suspicion and conflict.

"The rumors need to be a mix of truth and falsehood, with details that are ambiguous, making it difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction, yet irresistibly intriguing," Jia Wen added. "The dissemination path should rely on those who naturally enjoy spreading gossip and information—the idle people in the streets, the seasoned veterans in the camp, and even the gossipy maids in the inner quarters. Our people only need to guide the conversation slightly at key points, and the rumors can spread naturally through their words. Remember, the source must be obscure; we must never be traced back to ourselves. If necessary, we can sacrifice one or two insignificant 'spreaders' by having them 'speak out of turn while drunk' or 'be punished for other reasons' to cut off the trail."

"Understood, sir," Li Shu replied in a deep voice. "In addition, the internal relationships of the other fortified villages in the east are relatively simple, but they are not monolithic. For example, the lord of 'Blackwood Fortress' and his deputy have already broken apart due to the unequal distribution of the profits from the last transaction; the old lord of 'Yellow Valley Village' is getting old, and his son and nephew are increasingly vying for power... We can follow suit and spread relevant rumors to accelerate their internal strife."

"Alright." Jia Wen nodded. "We need to be careful with the timing and not rush things. Rumors are like poison; they need to be released slowly to be effective. Every ten days or so, we can add some new material or change the wording to keep it fresh and credible. At the same time, we need to closely monitor the targets' reactions, especially the words and actions of Shi Hu, Han Meng, Shi Gan, and others, their personnel changes, and even changes in their daily drinking and social interactions. Report to me immediately."

"Yes."

With the plan finalized, Li Shu's invisible intelligence network once again began operating efficiently. Unlike previous economic infiltration efforts that required large-scale caravan and supply mobilization, the rumor offensive was extremely low-cost yet potentially devastating. A dark web of whispers, confidants, and suggestive glances quietly unfolded in the streets and alleys of Panshi Fortress and its surrounding fortified villages, military camps, and even the deepest mansions.

It started in a corner of the military camp, where a few soldiers on leave were drinking. One of them casually mentioned, "Have you heard? Captain Han got drunk last time and seemed to have some opinions about the lord's rewards and punishments..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind?"

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm not the only one who heard it; Old Wang from the stable said the same thing..."

Next, at a busy teahouse inside the fortress, two customers who looked like ordinary merchants were talking in hushed tones: "...I heard it from Old Wu, who delivers vegetables to Commander Shi, that the fortress lord seems to be a little distrustful of Lieutenant Han. Lately, he keeps calling Commander Shi over for talks, and they always end up talking for half a day..."

"No wonder I noticed that Captain Han hasn't looked well these past few days, and he's been patrolling the camp much more frequently than usual."

A few days later, one of Han Meng's trusted squad leaders overheard from his lover, a prostitute, that "...that Commander Shi Gan's men are really fierce. The other day they almost got into a fight with our Lord Han's men in the street, and even said something about 'letting real skills speak for themselves'...tsk tsk, isn't that obviously a veiled insult?"

Rumors spread like a plague, silently. They have no origin, yet seem to be everywhere; they lack concrete evidence, yet are always accompanied by vague prefixes such as "I heard," "it seems," or "someone saw," which only adds to their mystery and "credibility."

When Shi Hu first heard the rumors about Han Meng's "complaints," he merely frowned and didn't fully believe them, but an invisible string of suspicion was plucked in his heart. When he summoned Han Meng for a meeting, his gaze unconsciously became more scrutinizing. Han Meng already harbored resentment because of the previous incident involving rewards and punishments, and now, sensing his lord's unusual attitude, he became even more uneasy, his words and actions becoming increasingly cautious, which ironically made him appear distant.

Rumors about Shi Hu's intentions against Han Meng were somehow "accidentally" learned by one of Han Meng's trusted confidants, who panicked and reported it to Han Meng. Upon hearing this, Han Meng was both shocked and furious, unable to fully believe it, yet also unable to completely disbelieve it. He began secretly strengthening his own security, and no longer executed Shi Hu's orders with the same unwavering resolve as before, now deliberating carefully. Shi Hu noticed Han Meng's "abnormality" and his suspicions deepened.

As for Shi Gan, how could his straightforward temper tolerate the rumors that Han Meng was "unconvinced" and "made threats" against him? Although he didn't immediately lash out, when he saw Han Meng again, the dissatisfaction and provocation in his eyes were almost undisguised. Han Meng was already in a bad mood, and seeing Shi Gan's attitude made him even angrier. Their relationship deteriorated rapidly, and they could no longer even maintain a facade of harmony.

Inside Rock Fortress, the once stable relationship between lord and general quickly became delicate and tense under the constant erosion of rumors. Suspicion, like mold, quietly grew and spread on the walls of trust. Growing distrust among the generals, Shi Hu's command began to sluggish, and military orders were not issued as smoothly as before. As a result, an invisible shadow was cast over the defense and daily operation of the entire fortress.

The situation was similar in other fortified villages that were also targeted by rumors. Internal conflicts were deliberately amplified and intensified, leaving those in charge overwhelmed and their cohesion greatly reduced.

Inside the Overwatch Council, Li Shu compiled and reported the intelligence gathered from various sources daily. Jia Wen looked at the secret reports that recorded the increasing quarrels, suspicions, defensiveness, and even small-scale conflicts within the target forces, his face remaining expressionless, only occasionally picking up his pen to make a subtle mark in a certain place on the simplified map.

"The rumors have seeped into the bones, and suspicion is taking root." He calmly reported to Chen Xing, who had come to discuss matters, "Panshi Fortress and other places have no strong external support and are riddled with internal discord. They have become like frightened birds and cracked trees. My lord, the time is approaching."

Chen Xing looked at the relationship diagram marked by Jia Wen. The once clear lines on it had been fragmented by various symbols representing contradictions and suspicions. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he slowly nodded.