Way of Overlord
Chapter 238: The Decision Is Made

Chapter 238: The Decision Is Made

He did not wait. He did not use any of those strategies that are safer. Instead, he uses this kind of risky plans.

Why did he not give this suggestion to Aeryon?

Why force himself to write a strategy that is this complicated?

Why the rush?

Because....time.

When Mayeux learns that the ambition of is lord, lies not only on this great Steppe, but the world, Mayeux knows the obstacle for his lord to achieve his ambition in his lifetime....is time.

Mayeux believe that as a strategist, he must not only plan for his lord but make sure that his lord ambition could be fulfilled.

A strategist that could not help fulfill the ambition of their lord that they have chosen.....could they deserved be called a great strategist?

This is why this plan came about.

One year to take the west.

Then they could expand in any direction and contain the East.

Then they could ally with the other western border tribes on the other parts of the Great Steppe, to push back against Western Zhou.

This is a part of the plan that he did not tell Aeryon.

Because this part of the plan could only work if the West is in their hands. Before that, it would only be wishful thinking on his part

Mayeux now stands, inside the tent, looking at Aeryon, waiting for his answer.

Aeryon close his eyes as he sit down on one of the chairs.

He sighed.

He is reluctant and for the first time since he embarked in his journey to conquer the Steppe, this is the first time he is truly uncertain.

Dama is someone that he.....feel not at ease with.

"The East" and he sighed.

"The West" and there is silence after that. This time, both of them is silent. Mayeux did not say anything else.

There is nothing else to say.

Now, he just needed a decision from Aeryon.

Mayeux knows that this decision must not be made by him.

There is many lessons of power and one of them is never outshine your master.

He could give advice. He could give rebuke. He could remonstrate. But he never, ever, should take the power of the master into his hand.

Any subordinate that forget this and cross that line.....then your doom is approaching. Mayeux never take his position for granted, nor the trust that he has been given taken for granted

Mayeux knows that Aeryon favours him more than any other person in the tribe. Not the elders, not his uncle, not even Belarion.

Belarion ahs his own relationship with his lord, but Mayeux is favoured among all others. He is the few that did not need to kneel and is waived of all etiquette meeting a Kan.

Even though Aeryon himself has never declare himself a Kan, and there is no ceremony by the Ashana to coronate him as a Kan, most people, already regarded him as a Kan.

He already controls most of the lowers region of the south

He had the power, the influence of the Kan of the past. The only missing is the title. And someone like that favours Mayeux heavily.

But the more Aeryon favour him, and granted him treasures and trust., the more Mayeux become cautious. He watch over his words, and he did not let the favours that he had received go to his head

He guarded himself against such emotion. The emotions of the ruler is always like that. Hard to fathom.

And he did not flatter Aeryon like some kind of sycophantic ministers. He knows that Aeryon is not someone who likes such flattery.

But that does not mean that he doesn’t like flattery. He just doesn’t like it when that flattering is useless or a flattery for flattery sake.

Mayeux knew this so when he does flatter, he flatters Aeryon discretely.

This is not scheming against his own lord.

But knowing the preference and the behaviour of the lord so that when he gives his suggestion, this suggestion could be look upon more favourably

A great strategist not only must craft a great strategy to win for their master. But they must also make the lord uses their strategy.

If you have a great strategy, a wining strategy, but you are dislike by the lord, how could the strategy be used?

There is many stories as this. In the history of Yan, of Roma, of Yindu, of the Great Steppe, where great strategist appears and give advice but their advice is not accepted by the lord

When the defeat happens, the uneducated think that the fault lies solely in the ruler not accepting the advice and the strategy

But sometimes, that is not the full story. The full story is sometime more complicated.

Mayeux is reminded in the history book that he reads that there is this story

There is a strategist. He sis mart and resourceful. His strategy always produce great result

But because of this, he became arrogant. He insisted that he is the only one that is right. And others are wrong

The outcome of this strategist is that he was slandered by his colleague and die in a prison. There was another story, the same as this one.

But he did not die because of his colleague and his arrogance did not cause his colleague to slander.

But his arrogance does lead to his doom.

Why?

Because the more arrogant he is, the more he insisted he is right, insisting it even to the ruler, the ruler no longer look at this person favourably.

Strategist should not only know about crafting stages. They should also know about playing politics.

A dead strategist is nothing but a waste. No strategies could be given if you are dead.

Living under the roof of someone else, wanting to give advice, a smart strategist also needs to know who they are giving advice to

Those who like interest must be given a strategy that favours the interest of the ruler. Those who are gentle, the strategy that is given needs to be pushed toward the ruler

Those who are stubborn needs to be persuaded gently

A different method for different people

Strategist must also know their place. And in that story of that strategist, he lost the heart of the ruler.

All it needs at that time is a little spark of doubt and in the end that strategist could not offer any advice, could not offer any winning strategies, instead he is neglected and when the state fall down and crumbling, this strategist is already old and nothing could bring his youth back

There is so many stories like this all over the pages of history books. So, one of the enemies that Mayeux guard himself against, is hubris.

He cultivates favourability with Aeryon so that his suggestion could be look on and could be used. Winnings strategies if it’s not used is nothing more than just words in the wind

Mayeux has his own thoughts

And Aeryon has his own thoughts

The night is getting deeper and Aeryon sighed.

"Wait a moment"

Aeryon went out of the tent and told the servant to deliver his message. The message is simple. At first, tonight he had wanted dot meet Burchu. He even has decided the place to lavish him with gifts, food and wine.

To show him how high Aeryon treated him.

But tonight, is not the night.

He never expected Mayeux to bring such a plan to him. When he heard the plans, he could not help but think that he could not meet Burch in such a state.

So, he simply sent a message that tonight he could not meet him. But they would meet tomorrow night.

Burchu must have been waiting for his summon all this time.

So, Aeryon did not want Burchu waiting for him all night.

Not only this would give a bad impression, this is not the way Aeryon wanted to treat such a young talent.

So, he will meet him later at a different time.

After finishing sending the message, Aeryon walk back inside the tent.

When he walk outside the tent, he feels the cold and maybe because it is the cold, maybe because it is the night, Aeryon finally decide on the course of his action.

Before coming out of the tent, Aeryon wanted to think of it another day.

But when he goes out, he felt that the plans that Mayeux had crafted for him already taken into account many things.

Even if he were to craft another plan, there is no guarantee that the plan would be this suited to his desire.

What Mayeux want is the fast conquest of the western area of the Southern Great Steppe. Isn’t this the same thing he wanted?

Why is there a need for him to hesitate when the plan is already there? So, when he returns back to the tent, there is this vigour that is oozing out of him

Mayeux seeing the appearance of Aeryon smile

"My Kan. It seems you have made your decision" Mayeux could see it

Aeryon, there is a smile on his face

And he nodded.

"Then?"

"Do it"

"Do it?"

Aeryon nodded. Mayeux bows, his hand on his chest

"I would prepare for it. I just need my Kan to inform this matter to Valgrun" Aeryon nodded and Mayeux excuses himself out from the tent. Aeryon is now left alone in the tent.

He then walk toward the table in the middle of the tent. He looks at the map on sprawled all across the table. There is a smile on his face

"The West"

He mutters, a smile on his face, a glint of fire in his eyes

"Hahaha!" he laugh in the darkness of the night.

Outside the winter winds are blowing, the moon is covered by the clouds, the clouds rareley moves, and the wind is cold.

The winter is not a time to move.

But from the words traded in that tent this night, after winter ends, the military machine of the Brolgadhr tribe would move again

That day is approaching

....