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Gao Lvxing relied on his family background, yet to hold a significant position, he must possess some courage and skill. He was ruthless and unscrupulous, with a very sinister nature.
However, the situation had developed beyond his expectations, and he felt much regret. If he had listened to Murong Hanzhu's advice earlier and temporarily spared Xu Zhen, allowing Zhang Jian to handle her, he would not have suffered a great defeat at Xu Zhenzhi's hands. If Zhang Jian could not control Xu Zhen now, with Xu Zhenzhi's methods, the upcoming Battle of Liaodong would undoubtedly become an excellent opportunity for Xu Zhen to make a name for herself.
The death of Gao Di was already enough of a headache, and now Yang Ting was also dead. How could he explain this to the court?
Gao Di was merely a Chief of Staff in the Prefectural Office; perhaps he could wield some influence in Youzhou, but in the grand court, he was insignificant. However, Yang Ting was a real Captain, officially appointed by the Ministry of War, who had participated in the extermination of the remnants of the Former Sui. Now he had died inexplicably, and it would require connections and resources to manage the fallout.
Although Murong Hanzhu had previously advised against certain actions that Gao Lvxing ignored, now he did not boast about his own wisdom but instead took the initiative to devise a remedy. Gao Lvxing admired him greatly and praised him, saying, "Mr. Cui is indeed a true strategist!"
Wishing to employ Murong Hanzhu more effectively, Gao Lvxing no longer acted arrogantly but respectfully sought his counsel: "Given the current situation, what do you think we should do?"
A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Murong Hanzhu's eyes as if he had made a significant decision. He slowly spoke: "My lord, assassinating an officer appointed by the court is equivalent to treason. If even a hint of this leaks out, your position may be at risk... At this point, there is only one way..."
Gao Lvxing was also deeply worried; how could he not understand? It was just that Gao Di was like a brother to him. He wanted to gain favor with Crown Prince Li Zhi and achieve something significant. Moreover, he believed he could capture Xu Zhen entirely and eliminate her here; that was why he took such risks.
But who would have thought that Xu Zhen's three hundred personal guards would turn the tables? At this moment, he was anxious and surprised when he heard that Murong Hanzhu had a good plan. He immediately asked excitedly: "What is the plan?"
"Kill!"
"You confuse me! Earlier you advised against it; now you want me to kill Xu Zhen? She may have already entered Yingzhou territory; it’s too late to send troops after her. Besides, if Yang Ting couldn't handle her, who in Youzhou could?" Gao Lvxing frowned, clearly dissatisfied with this strategy.
However, Murong Hanzhu merely smiled lightly. Leaning slightly closer, he whispered: "My lord need not be anxious; Cui wants to kill not Xu Zhen but someone else..."
With time running out, Murong Hanzhu remained cryptic. Gao Lvxing couldn't help but feel displeased: "Just say it plainly; why hide it? You're driving me crazy! Who exactly are we supposed to kill?"
Murong Hanzhu stared directly at Gao Lvxing, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly as he forced out three words in a low voice: "Kill the remnants!"
"This...!" Gao Lvxing's heart suddenly sank. No wonder Murong Hanzhu was hesitant to speak; he had thought himself ruthless enough, but it turned out Murong Hanzhu was even more so!
With Yang Ting dead, there had to be a pretext to cover up the situation. Now that over seventy remnants had managed to escape, Murong Hanzhu intended to treat these remnants as true Former Sui Bandits to execute!
The court despised nothing more than those who still raised the banner of the Sui Dynasty, the old loyalists and their remnants. If these seventy-odd Youzhou remnants were killed, it would naturally prevent any leaks and could also earn a significant achievement. Pretending that Yang Ting had eradicated bandits and died for the cause would surely lead the court to offer generous rewards. Although this plan was cruel, it would yield multiple benefits, turning harm into good and completely reversing the situation—a truly brilliant scheme!
Seeing Gao Lvxing stunned and dazed, Murong Hanzhu felt unconvinced. He had seen countless people and already understood Gao Lvxing's character; despite the toxicity of this plan, Gao Lvxing would undoubtedly adopt it.
"Good! Kill!" As expected, Gao Lvxing's eyes sparkled with ruthless determination. He summoned his trusted aides into the inner chamber and gave them detailed instructions before finally feeling at ease.
Feeling that this matter could be perfectly resolved, Gao Lvxing was greatly pleased. Noticing that Murong Hanzhu was still in the outer hall, he wanted to invite him for a night drink. However, Murong Hanzhu politely declined, saying, "Your Excellency's kindness is overwhelming; how could Cui dare not comply? It's just that this Xu Zhen is cunning and treacherous. I worry that Zhang Dudu may not be able to keep her in check. I have urgent orders to convey tonight and wish to rush to Yingzhou Prefecture. I hope Your Excellency can understand..."
Upon hearing this, Gao Lvxing couldn't help but frown. He had regarded Murong Hanzhu as a crucial ally and felt reluctant to let him go. However, he knew Zhang Jian's character well; without Murong Hanzhu's assistance, he might only watch as the Xu Zhen grew stronger. As an Eastern Palace Secret Envoy, Murong Hanzhu was adept at maneuvering through various intrigues; thus, he could only reluctantly let him go.
"Sir has important duties at hand; how could I dare hinder you? This trip to Yingzhou involves treacherous terrain; you will certainly need a Maid to assist you. I hope you will not refuse."
After speaking, Gao Lvxing clapped his hands, and a young girl dressed in blue immediately entered from outside. She appeared reserved yet exuded an air of confidence and exceptional skill.
"Shangguan Mu'er is a personal Death Warrior of this office. She will escort Mr. Cui to Yingzhou and ensure your safety."
Murong Hanzhu couldn't help but sneer inwardly; Gao Lvxing was indeed overly cautious by placing a Superior like Mu'er beside him for communication purposes. However, once they passed Youzhou, he could completely distance himself from the assassination of Xu Zhenzhi. Even if something went wrong, the blame would fall squarely on Gao Lvxing's shoulders.
As Murong Hanzhu set out, Xu Zhen's main force had already entered the territory of Yingzhou. The two hundred Cavalry had become die-hard loyalists of Xu Zhen. After several days of travel, three to five scouts from Youzhou came to join them, secretly reporting that Gao Lvxing had killed the surviving soldiers. The Cavalry were incensed, eager to march back to Youzhou!
Indeed, it is true that preventing the people's voice is harder than preventing a flood; a paper cannot contain fire. Although the court had reached a conclusion regarding Yang Ting's death and praised the efforts against bandits in Youzhou, those well-informed scouts in Youzhou knew the truth behind the events. They were restless and could not endure it any longer, with many escaping Youzhou during their duties.
Among the scouts, there were many secret channels for transmitting information. Through these exchanges, the Youzhou scouts learned that two hundred Cavalry had surrendered to Xu Zhen and were now heading towards Yingzhou. Consequently, numerous scouts hurried through the night to catch up with Xu Zhen's main force and join her ranks.
Upon hearing of Gao Lvxing's atrocities, Xu Zhen was furious. However, since the court had already made a definitive ruling on this matter and with the campaign against Liao imminent, stirring up such conflicts again was clearly untimely. Thus, Xu Zhen chose to endure for the time being and ordered Zuo An to manage those scouts who came to join them. She also selected elite members from the Cavalry to form her own Ranger battalion and continued towards Yingzhou.
Yingzhou was an ancient prefecture with its administrative center in Liucheng. The commander was Colonel Murong Xiao Zhang Jian, courtesy name Shiyue, who was a grandson of Gaozu Li Yuan. When Gaozu raised his army, he was appointed as Colonel of the Right Guard due to his merits and later became Governor of Lizhou. At that time, Khan Xieli was powerful and oppressive; whenever he demanded something, he would issue an edict, and the border officials were timid and dared not disobey.
Zhang Jian took office but refused to serve Khan Xieli. He encouraged the people to cultivate land, resulting in an annual harvest of hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain. In times of frost or drought disasters, he advised the people to help each other to avoid famine, earning him widespread praise among the local populace.
When Li Jing pacified the Turkic tribes, some remnants sought refuge with Zhang Jian. He provided them with good accommodations before being transferred as Commander of Yingzhou while also serving as Captain in charge of Eastern Yi. However, he was dismissed due to certain issues but was later rescued by Changsun Wuji's promotion. At that time, various vassal tribes such as Khitan and Xianbei were neighboring Yingzhou. When Goguryeo led an invasion, Zhang Jian defeated them decisively and captured or killed most of their forces, leading to his appointment as Governor of Yingzhou.
Without Changsun Wuji's promotion, Zhang Jian would not have been able to return to power in Yingzhou. Therefore, after receiving Changsun Wuji's secret letter, he began plotting how to suppress Xu Zhen.
Hearing that Xu Zhenbu was about to arrive at Liucheng, Zhang Jian summoned everyone for a meeting. Some suggested that Xu Zhen was too young and lacked the experience to lead an army effectively; others argued that she had been appointed by the Sovereign as an inspector representing the emperor in Yingzhou and should be properly engaged.
At that time, Yin Zong and Gao He Shu were dispatched to liaise with tribes like Khitan regarding military matters. Xue Dayi and Xie Anting were promoted within the military as Captains and began training their troops. They had received Xu Zhen's confidential report early on but waited anxiously for her arrival until they heard that their Lord was nearing Liucheng, which relieved their worries.
Zhang Jian knew well that these individuals were former subordinates of Xu Zhen; however, initially Changsun Wuji did not regard her highly. Yin Zong and others were all valiant warriors akin to tigers or wolves; thus they received significant attention from Zhang Jian. Now that he intended to take action against Xu Zhen, Zhang Jian hesitated, unsure if Xie Anting and others would follow orders.
With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Jian decided to suppress Xie Anting and others by ordering them to continue training without allowing them to go out and welcome Xu Zhen. It became clear to them that this Governor intended to sideline their Lord.
Xu Zhen If Colonel Murong Xiao were to take up the position in Yingzhou, it would inevitably mean sharing the troops of Zhang Jian. This hardworking Governor would certainly not allow Xu Zhen to have her way so easily.
With the intention to delay, Zhang Jian relied on his seniority and only sent Han Fuqi, the Prefect's subordinate, to lead the welcoming party. Han Fuqi was merely a martial man, being the brother-in-law of Zhang Jian. He was idle and unruly, possessing some martial prowess but showing no interest in governmental affairs, only roaming around causing trouble and showing off his strength.
Han Fuqi understood Zhang Jian's thoughts well and gladly accepted the order. He brought along three hundred elite soldiers, setting out ten miles from Liucheng. They were all seasoned veterans, dressed in fine clothes on spirited horses, their armor gleaming brightly. Their imposing presence was meant to give Xu Zhen a show of force!
The group stood in formation, solemnly awaiting their arrival. As noon approached, dust clouds rose on the official road, and the Tang Banner slowly emerged over the horizon, followed by the Xu Flag. Leading them was a general clad in a Red Armored Longsword, carrying a Carved Bow on his back—none other than the newly appointed Deputy Commander, Loyal Martial General Xu Zhen!
“Men! Get your spirits up! Let this ignorant young general see the might of my Liaoxi warriors!”
Han Fuqi shouted with enthusiasm, and behind him, three hundred Veterans responded with a roar. They raised the flag of Yingzhou, their armor and weapons clanging loudly, truly exuding an intimidating military presence!
However, after a moment, a scout rushed back to report: “Reporting to the Prefect, we have discovered remnants of the old Sui dynasty among the enemy ranks—there are at least three hundred of them!”
“What! How dare they defy Xu Zhen! To so openly harbor traitors from the previous dynasty, do they regard our Tang Army laws as nothing? Men! Follow me!”
Han Fuqi had already heard from Zhang Jian that Xu Zhen was not a virtuous person. Seeing her today confirmed this. He was looking for an opportunity to assert himself and upon hearing this intelligence, he was overjoyed. Feigning righteous indignation, he led his three hundred elite soldiers to intercept Xu Zhen's main force!
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