If mass starvation occurs when the time comes, it will have nothing to do with Yun Zheng or Dugu Ce. They need only take action against that arch-corrupt official and his subordinates. Alternatively, they could deliberately stir up enmity between the people of Qiuchi and the Dayue Kingdom, letting them fight amongst themselves and continuously deplete each other’s strength, while Dugu Ce and his men sit back and enjoy the show. In this way, Dugu Ce would not need to worry about being branded an eternal villain.
Listening to Emperor Wen, Dugu Ce felt even more afraid. After hesitating for a long time, he said cautiously, "Your Majesty, the time has not yet come for such drastic measures. I implore you to grant me and the Northwest Protectorate some time. If it truly comes to that, even if I must bear the stigma of an eternal villain, I will do so willingly!"
Emperor Wen fell silent. After a long while, he slowly stood up. "Fine. You handle it as you see fit."
Chapter 376