Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Before Wang Yi and Xiao Mohe could come to plead for mercy, Pei Wen'an, who had just achieved a great feat for Han Wang, had already lost his head. This left everyone who rushed over feeling a chill in their hearts.
Yang Liang saw their silent expressions and his anger surged even higher. He couldn't bear to think about what would happen to him if he failed to carve out his own territory and instead fell into Yang Guang's hands.
"Speak up! What other plans do you have? When it was time to persuade me to rebel, it seemed like you all had several mouths; why are you all mute now?"
Yang Liang threatened without holding back, "If I fall, I am still the son of the Predecessor Emperor; I will at least have a tangible end. What about you?"
The others dared to conspire against him and naturally had thought through their own fates. They were not intimidated by Yang Liang; they simply felt a deep sense of disappointment.
Wang Yi let out a breath and said, "The urgent matter is to first block Yang Su's army. I recommend Zhao Zikai as the commander."
A few others agreed. While Zhao Zikai might not be particularly outstanding in terms of conquering cities and territories, he was quite exceptional when it came to defense.
Thus, Han Wang ordered Zhao Zikai to lead over a hundred thousand troops to defend Hoyi south of Jinyang, instructing him not to engage in battle proactively but to delay as much as possible.
After dismissing everyone, Han Wang began preparing paper and ink to plead for forgiveness from the emperor. As long as he could buy some time, his second brother would likely be willing to lend a hand to stabilize the court sooner rather than later.
Even if he were inevitably imprisoned like Yang Xiu, it would still be better than facing death.
Meanwhile, after leaving the royal palace, his subordinates gathered together again. Xiao Mohe directly asked, "If we capture Han Wang and hand him over to the court, can we obtain amnesty?"
Wang Yi shook his head. "If Puzhou City hadn't fallen, perhaps there would be a chance. But now that emperor will definitely not spare us."
The others nodded in understanding. Those from large families could not escape their fate and planned to return home and enjoy themselves, while those from smaller families prepared to flee with their sons.
Li Jian Cheng wore a worried expression as he received a letter from his uncle, the Divine Martial Duke, Dou Zhaoxian. The letter revealed that Duke Chen, Governor of Youzhou, was implicated in Han Wang's rebellion, and he hoped Li Jian Cheng could lend a hand.
In terms of relations, Dou Kang was a cousin of Li Jian Cheng's mother, which meant he could also be referred to as an uncle.
It seemed that no one had yet realized that Li Jian Cheng held little weight in Yang Guang's eyes; otherwise, they wouldn't be so eager to send a letter seeking help.
This was not an easy favor to grant, but refusing would also be difficult. It was easy to push back, but how could he navigate future interactions? The Dou Family had many younger members following Li Jian Cheng.
The silver lining was that Dou Kang had not yet had the chance to raise a banner for rebellion; his troops had already been confiscated by Li Zixiong.
So, did Dou Kang truly harbor rebellious intentions? How serious were his offenses? Li Zixiong's words would be crucial. If he spoke broadly, it could mean a death sentence; if narrowly, it might only result in dismissal from office.
Li Zixiong had deep ties with Yang Guangping during the Chen era. Relying solely on a letter from Li Jian Cheng might not carry much weight; it would be best to have a letter from Yang Su as well.
He decided to try negotiating. If that didn't work, he would reach out to several others. Just as the Dou Family had written to him for assistance, he could find others who might have connections with Li Zixiong. However, doing so might reveal his hesitation.
If he didn't seek someone who could decisively influence the situation and only approached those on the fringes, he risked being looked down upon. Li Jian Cheng wasn't overly concerned about this; it was just that showing weakness now would lead to more troubles in the future, both new and old.
Upon arriving at the Provincial Governor's Office and announcing his presence, he smoothly entered the Main Hall. Inside, aside from Yang Su, there were numerous large and small boxes piled up. Just by looking at their materials, one could tell they were quite valuable; the contents within were even more so.
"Greetings, Left Minister," Li Jian Cheng said as he bowed to Yang Su, who was seated atop one of the boxes, carefully examining an ancient text.
"Please sit," Yang Su replied.
"Is this visit regarding Dou Kang?"
Li Jian Cheng nodded and smiled. "It seems the Left Minister has also received a letter from the Dou Family."
"I am not prepared to help. If I do, Li Zixiong will receive less credit for his achievements. It is only fair that I should compensate him, and besides, I will have no use for the Dou Family in the future, so why bother?"
Everyone knew how significant the contributions were in suppressing a rebellious Provincial Governor and capturing an intoxicated official who had spoken out of turn.
Li Jian Cheng replied, "That makes sense, but Jian Cheng is in a difficult position and must continue to work. I shall take my leave now."
Seeing him about to leave without hesitation, Yang Su scolded playfully, "You selfish rascal! Why aren't you being generous at this moment?"
Li Jian Cheng paused, saying, "I truly have nothing of value to present before the Left Minister."
Ignoring him, Yang Su pointed at the treasures around them. "Most of these were left behind by that Puzhou Governor. Tell me, should I keep them for myself or send them to the palace?"
This was an attempt to protect himself through self-incrimination, but Li Jian Cheng was not optimistic and bluntly stated, "It might be useful to the Predecessor Emperor."
Yang Su dismissed his own hopes. How could he not know the nature of the person he had assisted for many years? He was merely trying to deceive himself.
Sighing, Yang Su tossed aside an ancient book he had been reading. "You may one day find yourself in a situation like mine. What will you do then?"
With righteous conviction, Li Jian Cheng declared, "If the ruler demands the death of his subjects, they must comply."
Yang Su shook his head, clearly not believing that Li Jian Cheng was that kind of person. He did not press further but solemnly said, "I can help with Dou Kang's matter; at least it will ensure his life is spared."
Instead of immediately expressing gratitude, Li Jian Cheng waited for his conditions.
"Let bygones be bygones," Yang Su stated.
This was something Li Jian Cheng had not anticipated; it was clear that Yang Su was already making arrangements for his own future.
"You overestimate Jian Cheng too much. As long as you are willing to be accommodating, the Yang Family won't pose much of a threat."
What the Emperor couldn't tolerate was primarily Yang Su. Without Yang Su, his faction would soon be divided in the Emperor's hands, making it unnecessary to implicate Yang Xuangan and others.
"When one is about to die, they must tend to their descendants and cultivate their future."
Having one less enemy and one more friend is always a good thing. Yang Su was determined to eliminate Li Jian Cheng, the pest that was robbing the crops of their nutrients. Unfortunately, its roots and stems spread underground, making it impossible to uproot with just a hoe in a short time.
Li Jian Cheng sighed regretfully after a long silence. "I was hoping for an opportunity to repay Zuo Pushe, but alas."
Yang Su laughed heartily and pointed at him. "You probably even thought about where I would be buried, huh? What a pity."
After laughing, Yang Su went to the desk and wrote a letter, preparing to have it delivered immediately to Li Zixiong. Li Jian Cheng leaned over without hesitation to take a look and was somewhat surprised. "He is actually one of your people? Yang Gong, you are not wronged."
At this moment, Yang Su took on a more senior demeanor towards Li Jian Cheng. "Not much use at all; with an imperial decree, any former students or old acquaintances would not hesitate to take my head."
"You and Xuan Gan are quite unfortunate; encountering someone like this means you'll have to tread carefully your entire life just to survive."
Li Jian Cheng smiled. "Isn't this the Emperor we chose ourselves?"
Comment 0 Comment Count