The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 738 Suspicion
After leaving Zhang Xianzhong's camp, Zhang Miaoshou immediately ran back to report to Jia Huan, because as long as he could persuade Zhang Xianzhong to surrender, he would get the position of adjutant general.

It is worth mentioning that Zhang Wenyao earned the nickname "Miracle Hand" not because he was skilled in medicine and could bring the dead back to life, nor because he was a master chess player who could make brilliant moves, but because his job in the border army was to feed the military horses. Whenever the adult mares entered their estrus period, Zhang Wenyao was responsible for breeding them.

This job is not easy and is quite dangerous, because livestock in heat are very irritable, and getting hooved is no laughing matter. But Zhang Wenyao is skilled and can help the stallions reproduce quickly and accurately every time they are bred, so everyone jokingly calls him "Miracle Hand".

Zhang Miaoshou was not a man of great ambition. If his skill in breeding horses had allowed him to make a living and support his family, he would never have rebelled. However, the times created "heroes," and so "heroes" came into being.

In recent years, uprisings have broken out across the Great Jin Dynasty, especially in Shaanxi Province, where there are countless "heroes" who have rebelled. Zhang Miaoshou was doing quite well, so he was content to continue being a "hero." However, since Jia Huan, that evil star, took office as the governor of Shaanxi, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse. In just a few months, he wiped out most of the rebel forces in Shaanxi.

Then he witnessed his "neighbor" Tuo Yangkun, who, despite having 70,000 to 80,000 troops, was quickly killed by Jia Huan. Zhang Miaoshou was so frightened that he immediately surrendered in hopes of saving his life.

When he first surrendered, Zhang Miaoshou was very uneasy, fearing that he would be punished later. But in fact, Jia Huan only dismissed his troops and did not make things difficult for him. He even arranged a minor official position in charge of the warehouse for him.

Zhang Miaoshou didn't have high ambitions to begin with, so he was quite satisfied with the result. Of course, it would have been even better if he could have become a higher-ranking official!

Soon, the opportunity for promotion came. Jia Huan sent him to persuade the rebel leaders, including Shen Yikui, to surrender, and promised to appoint him as a deputy general after the matter was accomplished. This was a very important position, so Zhang Miaoshou readily agreed. He was not worried that Jia Huan would go back on his word. After all, a governor and commander-in-chief of the three armies had to save face. How could he possibly break his promise and enrich himself?

For this reason, Zhang Miaoshou spared no effort in his work. When he found that he could not persuade his "friend" Shen Yikui, he immediately turned to Zhang Xianzhong. In order to persuade Zhang Xianzhong to surrender, he did not hesitate to stab Shen Yikui in the back and imply to Zhang Xianzhong that Shen Yikui had already accepted the amnesty.

To be honest, Jia Huan did not think Zhang Miaoshou would be able to successfully persuade them to surrender. The reason he sent him was simply to wage psychological warfare, to make the bandit leaders suspicious and wary of each other, and unable to work closely together. In this way, when the government troops launched an attack, it would be much easier.

Therefore, when Jia Huan learned from Zhang Miaoshou that Zhang Xianzhong actually intended to surrender, he was quite surprised and hurriedly summoned the supervising officer Duan Yong, as well as the generals and staff to discuss the matter.

“Zhang Xianzhong is willing to surrender, but only on the condition that he sees the Governor-General’s personal letter of surrender. What do you all think?” Jia Huan asked.

Duan Yong was overjoyed and said, "If we have Zhang Xianzhong as an inside man, it will be much easier to eliminate Gao Yingxiang. We should not delay. Lord Jia, please write a letter and have Zhang Miaoshou deliver it."

Lu Xiang-sheng shook his head and said, "Zhang Xianzhong is a cunning villain and cannot be trusted easily. Moreover, Zhang Xianzhong participated in the destruction of the imperial tombs, which is different from other rebels. If we want to offer him amnesty, we must obtain the approval of the imperial court. Otherwise, it will be detrimental to both the governor-general and the military supervisor."

After Lu Xiang-sheng finished speaking, he glanced at Duan Yong intentionally or unintentionally. The latter exclaimed in surprise, "I was so happy that I forgot about this. It's thanks to Lord Lu that I was reminded."

A barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed in Jia Huan's eyes. He didn't believe that Duan Yong hadn't realized the seriousness of the problem. He thought that Duan Yong was just pretending to ignore it to dig a hole for himself. So he said calmly, "It's alright. It's just a pretense. We can explain it to the court later. The battlefield is ever-changing. There's no time to wait for the court's approval."

Duan Yong frowned and asked, "What does the Governor mean?"

Jia Huan said calmly, "What I mean is that regardless of whether Zhang Xianzhong is sincere or not, I, the governor, will first write a letter to appease him. If he sincerely surrenders, that would be the best outcome. If he is feigning loyalty and harboring treachery, we can deal with him later."

Duan Yong feigned difficulty and said, "It's not that I don't support it, but this matter is of great importance. If something goes wrong, the Emperor and the court officials may not listen to our explanation. If some despicable people slander us, the Governor and I may not be able to escape punishment."

Jia Huan said coldly, "I have long been concerned about the fate of the nation, so why should I avoid it because of fortune or misfortune? Eunuch Duan, you need not worry. If anything goes wrong, I, the governor, will take full responsibility."

Duan Yong was secretly pleased to see Jia Huan taking on so much responsibility again, but he said unhappily, "Why do you say that, Governor-General? I am not shirking my responsibility. Very well, let's do as you say. First, write a letter to appease Zhang Xianzhong, and then I will submit another memorial to the Emperor to explain this matter."

Jia Huan said happily, "That's very good. With Eunuch Duan's words, I can rest assured."

Immediately, Jia Huan wrote a letter, and in order to gain Zhang Xianzhong's trust, he even affixed the official seal of the Governor-General of Shaanxi.

Duan Yong was secretly delighted, because this was tantamount to Jia Huan voluntarily handing over his incriminating evidence. If the plan went smoothly, all would be well, but if problems arose in the future, this self-appointed "amnesty document" alone would be enough to convict Jia Huan.

As for Duan Yong, although he verbally agreed to Jia Huan's surrender to Zhang Xianzhong, he could easily use the excuse that Jia Huan was domineering and had his own men, leaving him with no choice but to reluctantly agree. Moreover, Duan Yong was an eunuch sent by the emperor to monitor Jia Huan, and with the emperor's backing, he could easily shirk his responsibility.

Now, Jia Huan handed the amnesty document, stamped with the governor's seal, to Zhang Miaoshou, instructing him to meet Zhang Xianzhong again the next day, and then dismissed the generals.

After everyone had left the command tent, the advisor Chen Qiyu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Seeing this, Jia Huan smiled and said, "Mr. Chen, please speak your mind. As long as it comes out of your mouth, it will be heard by me!"

Chen Qiyu had lived a life of hardship, and finally met a good boss like Jia Huan. Naturally, he didn't want to see him get into trouble. He bowed deeply and said, "Then I will... I dare to remind you, sir, that Supervisor Duan... seems to be harboring... harboring evil intentions towards you."

Jia Huan smiled calmly and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Chen."

Seeing this, Chen Qiyu knew that Jia Huan had been on guard all along, so he said no more, bowed respectfully, and left.

Seeing Chen Qiyu retreat so readily instead of showing off his ideas, Jia Huan couldn't help but reveal a hint of delight. This old scholar was undoubtedly the most valuable talent he had discovered. He was down-to-earth and hardworking, and crucially, he excelled in logistical coordination. Even more rare was his composure and humility; he never flaunted his abilities, quietly working without arguing or stealing credit, and always acting and speaking with great tact. Such a person deserved even greater responsibility!
As for Duan Yong!

A cold glint flashed in Jia Huan's eyes. He knew perfectly well that this man was sent by the one on the throne to monitor him. When the two of them escorted the bride to Hami together, Jia Huan had made the worst-case scenario plan: to eliminate Duan Yong at a crucial moment. However, things went smoothly afterward, and Duan Yong had always been very cooperative. The two had a "honeymoon" period. Jia Huan made a contribution, and Duan Yong also benefited by being promoted.

However, since returning to China to quell the rebellion, Duan Yong's attitude has clearly changed. He not only tried to place people in the army, but also tried to sow discord and win over people everywhere. Jia Huan could tolerate all of this, but he could not tolerate Duan Yong's actions of digging a pit for him today.

Because such a trap of surrender is extremely dangerous. If it causes a major upheaval, one could lose their head. For example, during the late Ming Dynasty, Zhang Xianzhong and others twice feigned surrender and then rebelled again. The officials in charge were all punished as a result, and some even committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

Therefore, it is obvious that a dangerous person like Duan Yong should not be kept around any longer. He should be eliminated first. Although this will inevitably arouse the suspicion of Emperor Qiansheng afterward, it is better than having a sword hanging over one's head every day.

Getting back to the main point, the next day, Zhang Miaoshou found Zhang Xianzhong with Jia Huan's handwritten letter. Upon meeting him, Zhang Xianzhong eagerly asked, "Brother Wenyao, you truly keep your word. Did you bring Governor Jia's letter of surrender?"

Zhang Miaoshou said smugly, "Of course I brought it. When have I, Zhang Wenyao, ever broken my promise to my brothers?"

As Zhang Miaoshou spoke, he took out Jia Huan's letter. Zhang Xianzhong took it, read it, and confirmed that the seal on it was correct before bursting into laughter.

Zhang Miaoshou also laughed and said, "We've received the Governor's letter of surrender. When does Brother Bingwu plan to surrender?"

Zhang Xianzhong's expression changed, and he sneered, "Surrender? Bah, dream on! I, Zhang Xianzhong, am a man of iron will, how could I be a groveling lackey of the court? Men, seize Zhang Wenyao!"

At Zhang Xianzhong's command, a squad of axemen rushed into the tent and captured Zhang Miaoshou.

Zhang Miaoshou turned pale with fright. At this moment, a group of people walked out from behind the tent, including Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, and other generals.

Zhang Miaoshou's head buzzed, and he said in shock and anger, "Zhang Xianzhong, you actually betrayed me!"

Zhang Xianzhong said disdainfully, "I never intended to betray King Chuang. I was just playing around. You were too stupid to actually come."

"Zhang Xianzhong, you bastard, I'll fuck your mother, you'll die a horrible death!" Zhang Miaoshou cursed loudly.

Zhang Xianzhong swiftly beheaded Zhang Miaoshou, then knelt on one knee and handed Jia Huan's letter to Gao Yingxiang. The latter took it, glanced at it, and chuckled coldly, "That little brat Jia Huan is quite generous, actually promising to appoint you as a military officer."

Zhang Xianzhong scoffed, "Don't even mention the position of adjutant general. Even if Jia Huan were to give up his governorship to me, I wouldn't deign to accept it."

Gao Yingxiang nodded with satisfaction and said, "Bingwu, you did a great job. It's no wonder I value you so much. Hehe, Jia Huan is just dreaming if he tries to sow discord between us. Men, throw this traitor Zhang Miaoshou's corpse in front of Jia Huan's camp to mock him."

Li Zicheng, standing beside him, twitched his lips slightly, and a strange glint seemed to flash in his eyes.

Gao Yingxiang offered Zhang Xianzhong a few more words of encouragement before leading Li Zicheng and the others away from Zhang Xianzhong's camp.

Zhang Xianzhong escorted Gao Yingxiang to the camp gate and watched him walk away before secretly breathing a sigh of relief, thinking, "I've finally gotten away with it!"

It turned out that after Zhang Miaoshou left Shen Yikui's camp yesterday, Shen Yikui immediately sent someone to inform Gao Yingxiang, Wang Ziyong and others that Zhang Miaoshou had surrendered to Jia Huan and that everyone should be careful of this person.

When Zhang Xianzhong found out, he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly reported to Gao Yingxiang in order to clear himself of suspicion. This led to the current situation. It has to be said that Zhang Miaoshou was also unlucky and misjudged Shen Yikui, who was a "straight man".

Normally, people would choose to keep quiet about such a thing to avoid making a scene and arousing suspicion from their partners. However, Shen Yikui was so "straightforward" that he immediately notified the other rebel leaders afterward.

As for Gao Yingxiang, after returning to the central command tent, he first dismissed everyone else, leaving only Li Zicheng behind. He said in a deep voice, "Zhang Xianzhong is not honest and cannot be trusted. Just now, in his camp, there were his men all around. Otherwise, I would have already ordered him to be captured."

Li Zicheng deliberately frowned: "Why do you say such a thing, King Chuang?"

Gao Yingxiang sneered, "Zhang Xianzhong and Zhang Miaoshou have no relationship, unlike Shen Yikui. Shen Yikui spared Zhang Miaoshou's life out of consideration for their past friendship. If Zhang Xianzhong really didn't want to surrender, he should have killed Zhang Miaoshou the first time he came. At the very least, he should have tied him up and brought him to my tent to show his loyalty. But he let Zhang Miaoshou go the first time. Although he explained that he wanted to play a trick on him, it's a bit far-fetched."

Li Zicheng nodded and said, "What the King of Chuang says makes sense. How about I find a pretext to invite Zhang Xianzhong over for drinks and take him down while we're at it?"

Gao Yingxiang shook his head and said, "Zhang Xianzhong is suspicious by nature. If we ask him to come at this time, he will definitely not be able to refuse. In fact, it might even push him completely to Jia Huan's side."

"Then what should we do?" Li Zicheng asked, frowning.

Gao Yingxiang sighed, "At this critical juncture, the government troops could attack at any time. I can only pretend to still trust him, but secretly I must be wary of him."

Li Zicheng nodded: "Understood."

"Furthermore, Shen Yikui may not be trustworthy. Unlike us, he didn't participate in the destruction of the imperial tombs and could easily accept Jia Huan's offer of amnesty. But we have no way out." Gao Yingxiang said in a deep voice, "The reason Shen Yikui reminded us to be careful of Zhang Miaoshou might be to lull us into a false sense of security. He may have secretly defected to the government army. If that's the case, then we're in danger!"

Li Zicheng shook his head and said, "I do believe in Shen Yikui."

Gao Yingxiang frowned and asked, "Why?"

“Shen Yikui had previously accepted the offer of amnesty, but soon rebelled again. It is unlikely that such a person would accept the offer of amnesty again.”

Gao Yingxiang nodded and said, "That makes sense, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. We still need to be careful."

Li Zicheng could only nod in agreement, but inwardly he shook his head. Jia Huan hadn't even attacked yet, and he already lacked trust within his own ranks, constantly wary of this and that. How could he possibly fight this battle?
Tsk tsk, Jia Huan's schemes are too ruthless, there's no way to solve them!

(End of this chapter)