After listening to Yue Fei's words, Han Mo fell silent for a moment.
He was already very satisfied to have heard such words from Yue Fei.
After all, this was the King of Yue who was loyal and patriotic!
"This short sword is a memento left to me by my mother. If, one day, you find that I, Han Mo, have acted to harm the Great Song, you may take this sword and behead me. I, Han Mo, will not resist!"
After taking a deep breath, Han Mo suddenly turned around, took a short sword from a nearby shelf, and presented it to Yue Fei with both hands.
"This..."
This time, not only Yue Fei, but even Shao Bowen was stunned.
Han Mo was now a true high-ranking official. Moreover, given his methods and talent, as long as he didn't make any fatal mistakes, becoming Prime Minister was almost a certainty.
Yet, Yue Fei was merely a minor officer under him. Although he had indeed made some contributions, the gap between them was not an exaggeration to say it was miles apart.
For Han Mo to suddenly hand over such an item to Yue Fei at this moment, and to make such a vow, Shao Bowen couldn't quite understand it.
"My lord, this is absolutely not permissible. I am merely a humble warrior; how could I dare accept such a thing..."
After a brief moment of shock, Yue Fei quickly knelt on one knee before Han Mo.
Regardless of whether Han Mo's words were true, the sentiment alone made him feel utterly ashamed.
Despite his repeated refusal, Han Mo's attitude was unwavering:
"No, you must accept this! Although there is still a disparity in our status, I know you possess the talent to govern the world. Our nation is in peril, and the times are difficult. This is the time for us to serve our country. If we cannot unite, how can we overcome this crisis!"
"I..."
Han Mo's few words immediately swept away the last bit of discomfort in Yue Fei's heart.
After all, such profound trust made it impossible for him to harbor even the slightest ill will towards Han Mo.
"Take it!"
As Han Mo spoke, he thrust the short sword into Yue Fei's hand without further ado.
"My lord!"
Holding the short sword in his hand, Yue Fei's eyes became a little red.
"Your father's mourning period has not yet passed, and I have already recruited you into the army. I have wronged you in this matter. I will give you three days. Go home and spend time with your parents and wife and children. After three days, I have an important task for you to undertake!"
Seeing Yue Fei's moved expression, Han Mo reached out again and helped him up.
"Yes!"
After taking a deep breath, Yue Fei walked out of the room, holding the short sword.
"My lord, I don't quite understand why you place such high importance on this young man?"
After Yue Fei had left, Shao Bowen looked at him again with some confusion.
"Doesn't your lordship have the family heirloom of Plum Blossom Divination? Why not divine a卦 for him?"
Upon hearing Shao Bowen's question, Han Mo suddenly smiled mysteriously.
"Do you think I haven't calculated for him? I have calculated for everyone around you, my lord. However, while I could previously ascertain the fates of these individuals clearly, ever since they became involved with you, my lord, I can no longer discern their destinies..."
Shao Bowen said this with a wry smile.
"The reason I value him so highly is actually very simple: it is because he truly possesses the talent to govern the world, and he is also a person with great fortune!"
"Why do I feel like you're stealing my lines, my lord?"
As soon as Han Mo finished speaking, Shao Bowen looked at him with a resentful expression.
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing his aggrieved little eyes, Han Mo couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Fine, if my lord is unwilling to say, I won't ask anymore. Let's discuss the matter of dispatching troops."
Seeing his unfettered demeanor, Shao Bowen finally sighed and resigned himself to his fate.
Ever since he had known Han Mo, he had almost forgotten what it felt like to be admired.
"What are your thoughts on the Jurchen navy?"
Seeing Shao Bowen return to the main topic, Han Mo also suppressed the smile on his face.
"The Jurchen navy? Does my lord wish to instigate a naval battle and then seize the warships they inherited from the Liao army in one fell swoop?"
As soon as Han Mo spoke, Shao Bowen had already guessed his intentions.
"Precisely. He who knows me is you, sir!"
Han Mo did not conceal his strategic intentions at all.
Although the Jurchens lived between the White Mountains and Black Waters, and fishing and hunting were their traditional skills, when it came to naval warfare, they were true amateurs.
As for the Liao army's navy, compared to their cavalry, their combat effectiveness was truly laughable.
The Song and Jin dynasties had been colluding for such a long time, and they hadn't discovered anything yet, which spoke volumes!
Both the Liao and Song peoples did not place much importance on their navies. The Song navy continued to exist solely to escort merchant fleets.
Originally, the Song navy was only slightly stronger than the Liao navy. However, under Han Mo's series of operations, the combat effectiveness of the Mingzhou and Quanzhou navies was now worlds apart from their former selves.
Coupled with the specialized equipment Han Mo had recently developed for them, Han Mo had every reason to believe that if they clashed at sea, the Song army would surely win!
"However, my lord, the navy ultimately cannot fight on land. Even if we were to destroy the entire Jurchen navy, it would likely have little practical impact on them..."
Although Han Mo's proposition had a high chance of success, Shao Bowen still frowned.
Han Mo did not blame him for this. After all, Shao Bowen was not a military strategist, so it was not surprising that he could not grasp these matters.
"Our forces are limited, and we lack a large cavalry. If we were to engage the Jurchens in open warfare, the outcome would indeed be difficult to predict. But sir, have you not considered something? The Jurchen army's combat prowess is indeed formidable, but they have mobilized 200,000 troops to march south at this time, and they still have vast territories in Liao to suppress. How many men do you think they would have stationed here?"
As Han Mo spoke, he placed his hand on the position of Liaoyang Prefecture on the map before him.
"G-Great lord, you, you are..."
Upon seeing this, Shao Bowen's eyes widened. Han Mo's plan was truly extraordinary in its audacity, but if the Jurchens were truly without their fleet, then even though his plan was risky, the chance of success was also extraordinary.
"As long as they lose sufficient maritime power, this vast coastline, wouldn't it be where our army wants to go?"