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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 173
Li Xiaogong said, "Zhuojun is relatively stable, but rumors suggest that the Tyrant intends to appoint someone else as Prefect. An envoy has already been dispatched to Liaodong City, but was killed on the spot by General Shan."
Li Jian Cheng nodded. There was no need to elaborate on his relationship with Li Jing, and it was not surprising that Yang Guang wanted to reclaim Liaodong City along with its Soldiers. However, he did not expect Dan Xiongxin to be so decisive, leaving no room for retreat.
Li Jian Cheng pondered for a moment and asked, "What about Qin Shubao and Luo Yi? Have there been any movements? Did the killing of the court Emissary by Dan Xiongxin lead to any conflict?"
"No, in fact, it was Luo Yi who beheaded that Emissary, and General Qin personally hung the head on the City Wall. It seems they had a conversation before the envoy entered the city."
It should have been Dan Xiongxin's coercion; otherwise, Luo Yi would have acted differently. Given Qin Shubao's character, he would not have taken such initiative lightly.
"Have their families been arranged?"
"They have all been brought to Zhuojun."
Li Jian Cheng instructed, "Zhuojun must not be compromised. If the court intends to replace the Prefect, we must secretly eliminate them. I will write a few Letters shortly; you take them to the Prefects of several nearby counties in Zhuojun."
"Understood."
The remaining troops in Liaodong City numbered just over one hundred thousand and needed to gradually return to the Sui Dynasty. Although the main troublemaker had already been sent back to Luoyang, those left behind would not willingly remain stationed in such a harsh environment.
Moreover, supplying food for one hundred thousand troops was indeed a headache for Li Jian Cheng. The losses during transportation were significant, and they often faced raids from Khitan Bandits.
Although Li Jian Cheng had stockpiled quite a bit, it could not withstand such extravagance.
Thus, leaving two or three thousand troops in the city for defense would suffice. The rest should move to Zhuojun; this way, not only could the troops respond quickly, but it also eliminated unnecessary losses in supplies.
Goguryeo would definitely struggle to muster several hundred thousand troops to reclaim Liaodong City in these years. The agreement between Li Jian Cheng and Gao Teng had long since ended, so there was no need for him to conceal anything.
Therefore, although Gao Teng had officially ascended to power under Gao Jianwu's identity, before he summoned officials and military leaders from Goguryeo to Pyongyang for an audience, Li Jian Cheng spread the truth.
While a considerable number still went, a small portion chose to hoard their troops and sought to instigate changes in leadership. As a result, Goguryeo remained plagued by internal strife and external threats, with no opportunity for recovery—let alone reclaiming Liaodong City.
The two brothers talked until deep into the night. The next day, Li Jian Cheng continued his routine of hunting outside the city with Turkic nobles. His archery skills were quite impressive among the Turkic people, far surpassing those of ordinary Turkic nobles.
“Brother Liu Yuan, with your talent in literature and martial arts, how can you be content to waste your time here teaching a few children? The state of the world is such that one should be invigorated and strive to achieve great accomplishments!”
Li Mi shook his head with a bitter smile, sipping on cheap Muddy Wine. After his defeat at Yang Xuangan, he had returned with Hao Xiaode, hoping to hide his identity and wait for the right opportunity.
However, just a month later, he had left due to disagreements with that foolish fellow and ended up in this small county beneath Huaiyang County, taking on the alias Liu Zhiyuan to work as a teacher; after all, he needed to make a living.
Although he still had a few trustworthy relatives and friends, he felt too ashamed to seek their help in his fallen state and preferred to carve out a path for himself.
Yet, despite his efforts to remain low-key, his talents inevitably attracted some local young talents who were drawn to him like a needle in a haystack.
Seeing Liu Zhiyuan shake his head, the others were puzzled. In such a dire situation, those with any ability were seeking a way to rise above; who would want to remain in this rural county?
But they also understood that neither their family backgrounds nor their talents could allow them to board the big ship. Thus, encountering Liu Zhiyuan was a pleasant surprise; combining forces with him could be seen as a form of strength, allowing them to place their bets on one master.
When they noticed he had no intention of speaking further, they could only discuss other matters. One person said, “I wonder how that Li Langjun is doing. The Turks are brutal and savage; such an extraordinary figure has ended up in exile. How tragic.”
After saying this, he recited a few lines from Li Jian Cheng's poetry. The others nodded in agreement: “Loyal Heart and Righteous Spirit, rushing thousands of miles to aid; yet he was met with such misfortune… Hmph! It shows that the court is not without loyal ministers and righteous heroes. The world has come to this because of one person's fault!”
“I’ve heard the emperor intends to go down to Jiangdu and is constructing Dragon Boats again. The previous ones were burned by Yang Xuangan. Now it’s said that the new ones will be even larger—four thousand eight hundred boats in total! I wonder how many more people will be forced into rebellion.”
“East Sea Li Zitong ambushed Qi County Du Fuwei; I’ve heard Du Fuwei is gravely injured and we don’t know if he’s alive or dead.”
“The court's troops are watching closely, yet they still have the heart to fight among themselves. I see neither of them as capable of achieving great undertakings.”
“Have you heard? Chengfu Zhu Can was just a county clerk but now calls himself Garuda King. He commands an army of one hundred thousand and runs rampant in his territory.”
Zhu Can is a rascal who has gained notoriety; he and Zhang Jincheng are two of a kind. He leads troops through Jingzhou and Mianyang, plundering as he goes. Wherever they pass, there is no sign of life left behind. Such people are unworthy of being called human; they will surely meet their end soon.
“Have you heard of Wagang Stronghold? Its leader Zhai Rang is said to be an extraordinary hero—strong and powerful—yet he has been waiting for the right moment. This year he finally began expanding outward; even General Zhang Suduo was repelled.”
The crowd finally put down their cups. Zhang Suduo is currently recognized as the pillar of the court, having fought countless battles in the Suppression of Rebellion over the years. This is the first time he has heard of being repelled.
What was once looked down upon as a mere stronghold suddenly seemed grand, and everyone began to inquire and gather information. Li Mi, who understood Zhang Suduo's capabilities, was also drawn to the conversation.
As dusk approached and people were about to disperse, the already intoxicated Li Mi became excited, pulling everyone to stay and asking for writing materials. He then began to write on the table: "The golden wind stirs at the beginning of autumn, the jade dew withers in the late forest. This evening, a weary scholar laments, his heart heavy with sorrow... Rascal, Street, Xiao He, the scribe; when fortune smiles upon one, their name shall echo through the ages. Let it be known that in this world of heroes, I am truly ashamed to live in obscurity."
After finishing, Li Mi wept bitterly, and even some obscure figures began to emerge from the shadows. Yet he found himself still hiding away in the countryside, struggling to survive.
In his earlier years, he was so confident, believing few heroes could compare to him. Now he realizes how difficult life can be.
Just as everyone was about to comfort him, a servant rushed in from outside, panting as he whispered something into his lord's ear. The man stood up in shock.
After a moment, he regained his composure and rushed to Li Mi: "Rascal has offended someone."
He splashed cold tea onto Li Mi's face. Seeing him wake up quickly, he knelt down and said: "Li Gong, Prefect Zhao Tuo has already learned your identity; soldiers are on their way. You must escape quickly!"
Li Mi was drenched in cold sweat from the series of shocks and immediately became alert. He turned to run, but the man hurriedly said: "Rascal's horse is in the courtyard."
………………
(End of chapter)
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