The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 429 Choice
The north wind is the only language in Mobei at the moment, carrying snow foam and whipping the rough walls of the stone house endlessly.

Shi Jingtang stood in the deepest corner of the stone house, just looking at the stone table in front of him and thinking for a long time. In the charcoal basin, a few weak sparks lingered in the ashes, and the warmth they emitted was not even half as strong as the cold wind outside. Several of his equally haggard subordinates huddled near the door, just looking at the endless white snow outside or the dotted tents and city walls and whispering a few words.

Shi Jingtang exhaled, and the white mist instantly condensed into frost flowers, hanging on his beard. He rubbed his numb fingers, and finally dipped his fingertips into the melted snow water and sketched on the cold stone surface. Because of the cold, the lines trembled a little, and as the traces gradually became clear, he sketched out mountains, rivers and streams, but these were not just mountains and rivers, but the Yunshuo grain route and defense that he pieced together from his remaining memories of the Jin State.

This was the only bargaining chip he could hold at the moment to prove his worth to the Queen Mother of Mobei.

As the water marks appeared and disappeared, the dangerous location of Yunshuo Pass was repeatedly described. Every time he placed his finger, it was like he was placing the last chip on the gambling table.

The rebellion storm that Yelu Lage started on the grassland, the secret talks with Li Siyuan when he left Taiyuan... these seemingly intangible things are the bargaining chips for him to get out of this cold stone house. The key lies in whether he can extract clues that can help him break the impasse from these bargaining chips, use this map in his memory to gain a foothold on the grassland, and then use the queen mother to stand out in front of the King of Qin who controls half of the world.

What Shulido, what father-in-law, the only thing that could make Shi Jingtang famous in history and stand out was that man, the King of Qin who already controlled two-thirds of the world.

The golden-roofed tent of the Mobei Royal Court was one of the few comfortable places in this area. The heavy felt curtains blocked the strong winds and snow outside, and the charcoal fire was blazing inside the tent.

The tent was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire could be heard. Shuliduo stood with her hands behind her back in front of the Tang sword on the fine steel Lanqi in the tent. She stared at the old item that Xiao Yan had given her nearly two years ago without turning her head.

"What has Shi Jingtang been doing these days?"

"Reporting to the Queen Mother, during the days he was confined, he neither went out nor asked for an audience. He just stayed in his room day and night sketching something, and the palace guards who were monitoring him couldn't explain it clearly."

Shuliduo drew out the Tang sword with one hand, and saw her majestic eyes reflected in the blade. She lowered her eyes slightly and said, "Bring the person here."

The maid behind her, who was dressed similarly to Shiri Qixiang, quietly went down to give instructions.

After a while, the felt curtain was silently opened, and the palace guards, wrapped in the biting cold, stepped in, with unmelted snow particles falling on their armor.

"Queen Mother, the person has been brought here."

Shuliduo didn't turn around, but just paused with her fingertips on the knife guard. "Bring it in."

The heavy felt curtain was lifted again, and a stronger gust of wind and snow poured in, instantly diluting the warm fragrance in the tent. Two burly Orudo palace guards escorted a man into the tent.

Shi Jingtang looked miserable, his cheeks and hands were covered with frostbitten purple, his hair and beard were covered with frost, and his steps were staggering due to the cold and weakness. As soon as he entered the tent, he shivered at the warmth and sandalwood in the tent, but he immediately straightened his frozen back and looked straight at the majestic figure above him.

Shuliduo slowly turned around and examined Shi Jingtang from head to toe. Without saying much, she spoke directly with a blank expression: "After we parted at Yinshan, Li Siyuan deceived me with the empty talk of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, which led to the wolf Yelu Lage taking the opportunity to restore the old system and sweep across half of the grassland. You two fled like dogs that had lost their homes, and today Li Siyuan dared to send you here. Do you think I will not kill people?"

Shi Jingtang took a deep breath, suppressed the chill in his throat and the turbulent emotions, and suddenly knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse but high-pitched: "Queen Mother, please understand! This trip of Shi is not to save the Jin State from dying, but to add fuel to the eternal hegemony of the Queen Mother and King Xiao! I also offer a good plan to help the Queen Mother regain the trust of King Xiao and save the Mobei State from danger."

"A long-lasting hegemony?" Shuliduo raised the corner of her lips with an undisguised indifference, "King Xiao and I are bound together by interests and reputation, as solid as a rock. What do you mean by 'regaining King Xiao's trust'? Are you trying to use the same old trick again, using those sixteen states of illusion to lure me into abandoning the pillar of the sky and forming an alliance with the Hedong Jin State, which is isolated and unable to take care of itself?"

Shi Jingtang raised his head, facing the pressing gaze, and spoke faster and more clearly: "After the incident in Yinshan, the Queen Mother stayed there for two months. Yelu Lage took advantage of the opportunity to restore the old system, gathered countless tribes, and swallowed up half of the grassland. Jin was afraid of the power of King Xiao, and knew that the Queen Mother and King Xiao were in good terms. They had no choice but to support Yelu Lage, a stray dog, in an attempt to use the power of the grassland to compete with King Xiao. Even if King Xiao didn't know about the old story of the 'Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun', Yelu Lage's rebellion did open the door for Jin to intervene in Mobei. How could King Xiao not be angry with the Queen Mother for not governing her subordinates strictly?"

He lowered his voice slightly, and each word was like a hammer, hammering in the silent tent: "If the Queen Mother sits firmly in Mobei, the northern screen of the Central Plains will be forever secure, and this is the basis of King Xiao's trust. If war breaks out in Mobei, how much value will the Queen Mother have in King Xiao's eyes? This is the fundamental reason why Shi proposed the strategy of 'regaining trust'."

He paused for a moment and continued, "Shi was once the garrison commander of Yunshuo in Jin State. He is familiar with its mountain passes, grain and fodder stations. He can draw a detailed map of the Yunshuo grain route defense based on his memory, and I am 80% sure that there is no mistake! Moreover, my father-in-law is the Holy Master of Tongwenguan. Although he is wanted, his old subordinates are still scattered throughout Jin territory, and his influence is still there. My father-in-law sent Shi to serve this time, one is to help the Queen Mother quell the Yelu Lage rebellion, and the other is to present this map to help the Queen Mother govern Yunshuo and establish unprecedented achievements to consolidate the heart of King Xiao!"

The tent was completely silent, with only the faint sound of burning charcoal. But facing Shi Jingtang's sincere gaze, Shuliduo remained expressionless.

She stared at Shi Jingtang, as if she was measuring the weight of every word he said. Suddenly, she spoke with a hint of sarcasm in her voice: "You keep calling me your 'father-in-law'... but you don't know that Li Siyuan is already dead? Even the King of Jin, Li Keyong, has died suddenly?"

At these words, Shi Jingtang's whole body suddenly shook violently, as if he was hit by an invisible heavy hammer, and he staggered back a step and collapsed on the ground. Then, his eyes instantly turned red, and he let out a suppressed roar of grief, and slammed his fist hard on the hardwood floor next to him, making a dull sound, and his knuckles were instantly torn apart.

Then, in an instant, he suddenly stood up and knelt again, his voice particularly hoarse, and he laughed dryly: "How could the Queen Mother lie to me? Before I went on the mission, I had a very pleasant conversation with my father-in-law, it was definitely not a lie."

Shuliduo, however, had an indifferent expression and did not answer. He just stood with his hands behind his back and looked at the man.

Suddenly, Shi Jingtang's face turned pale, as if he just remembered that Shuliduo didn't need to lie to him. But then, he immediately pointed to the sky and swore, tears streaming down his face: "The snow has blocked the mountains, the road to Youzhou is blocked, and the road to Yunshuo is dangerous... I have been out of the snow from Jin for two months, and there is no news at all. Heaven can bear witness! I have abandoned the dark and joined the light this time. The only way is to be loyal to the Queen Mother and follow King Xiao. Please believe me! Now that my father-in-law has passed away, I am willing to be the Queen Mother's vanguard and die for her!"

Shuliduo watched his tearful performance with cold eyes, her expression did not waver at all, only scrutinizing him from beginning to end: "How can I believe that you are not Li Siyuan, or the bait thrown by the newly promoted king Li Cunxu?"

Shi Jingtang raised his head suddenly, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes, and his voice was firm and decisive: "I have a defense map of the Yunshuo grain route. Yelu Lage relies on the one thousand Yaer troops that the King of Jin lent to Li Maozhen in the past. I can pretend to be a general of Jin and work for the Queen Mother to instigate rebellion! If the plan fails..."

He took a deep breath and spoke each word with emphasis: "Your Majesty, you can chop off Shi's head and present it to King Xiao along with this picture. This is Shi's surrender!"

Shuliduo was silent for a moment. Time seemed to stand still, with only the light and shadow of the charcoal fire dancing on Shi Jingtang's tense face. After a few breaths, she slowly raised her hand. A maid came forward silently, holding a small jade cup on a tray in her hand. The wine in the cup was dark and exuded a strange smell.

"In this case, do you dare to drink this poisoned wine? After drinking, I will serve you the antidote." Shuliduo's voice was flat and no emotion could be heard.

Shi Jingtang stared at the glass of wine without hesitation. He stepped forward, snatched the glass, and drank it all in one gulp. After drinking it all in one gulp, he threw the empty glass to the ground. The sound of the jade glass breaking instantly was particularly harsh in the silent tent.

He straightened his body and looked directly at Shuliduo: "If the Queen Mother kills me now, it will be like cutting off her own arm. My life depends on the Queen Mother's great cause!"

Shuliduo stared at him, her face still expressionless. After a moment, the corner of her mouth twitched upwards very slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Okay, I will trust you this time." She waved her hand, and the warrior let go of Shi Jingtang.

Shi Jingtang immediately took out a roll of sheepskin from his bosom and knelt down to present it: "This is the map of Yunshuo Army's grain storage and defense that I have drawn in the past few days. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Shuliduo motioned the maid to take the scroll, but without looking at it carefully, she said calmly, "I am convinced of your intention to abandon the dark and join the light, but the heavy snow has blocked the road, so all your actions are just empty talk. How do you know that Li Cunxu will not change his deployment in Yinshan or Yunshuo?"

Shi Jingtang did not hesitate and knelt down again: "In this case, I will help the Queen Mother get rid of the threat of Yelu Lage. I will immediately forge an imperial edict from Li Cunxu, and leave Dujin Mountain as soon as the snow stops. I will make those 1,000 Ya'er soldiers turn against us before the situation changes!"

Shuliduo glanced at him, but nodded with her hands behind her back: "Then there is no need to worry. I already believe you. Go down now."

Shi Jingtang kowtowed again as if he had been pardoned, and then left the king's tent under the supervision of the warriors.

The moment the heavy felt curtain fell, the faint curve on Shuliduo's face disappeared instantly, and her eyes became colder than the wind and snow outside the tent. She did not look at the sheepskin scroll, but turned her gaze to a shadow inside the tent.

"Snowy falcon."

A figure dressed similarly to Shiri Qixiang and having the same surname appeared silently and knelt on one knee.

"Watch this man closely. Send a message via eagle to him every time he moves." Shuliduo's voice was calm. "If he has any other intentions or is about to fail, take his head and the map, and quickly present it to Great Khan Xiao."

"Yes, sir!" The figure with two swords on his waist in the shadow responded softly and retreated silently, as if he had never appeared.

Shulido was silent for a long time, paced back and forth, then turned his gaze back to the Tang sword, silent and still.

Since Shi Jingtang had barely gained Shuliduo's trust, he was given a different place to live. He and his men were each given a tent, and the previous undisguised surveillance seemed to have disappeared. The heavy snow showed no signs of stopping, but Shi Jingtang did not stay in the tent and do nothing.

For several days, he consulted Shiri Xuegu, who temporarily replaced Shiri Qixiang as the chief guard and assistant of Shuliduo, and after obtaining the latter's permission, he sent people to investigate the situation in Jin, hoping to obtain intelligence while digging out the truth about Li Siyuan's death.

By the end of the twelfth lunar month, he actually reaped the rewards.

That day, Shi Jingtang sat beside the charcoal basin, the flames dancing on his moody face. He placed several men brought from Jin at the door of the tent, but they were silent.

After a long while, Shi Jingtang looked around, then took out a small wax ball from his bosom and crushed it in the light of the fire. Inside was a small roll of paper as thin as a cicada's wing, which he unfolded to reveal a particularly familiar handwriting.

"I, your father, have used your fourth brother's body to gain Li Cunxu's trust and lurk into the Jin capital. Your son-in-law will temporarily stay in the northern desert, hibernate and wait for spring, and cooperate with the outside world..."

Although the person who handed this item to his subordinates mentioned that it was handed over by Li Siyuan's old subordinates after they contacted them outside the Great Wall, Shi Jingtang also had some guesses, but this short number still exploded like thunder in his mind. Li Siyuan was not dead. But Li Cunren was dead... Was he killed by Li Siyuan? This was the only possibility... Before leaving Jin, Li Siyuan once said: Even if I have to bear the name of my father, it is not impossible.

This realization instantly made him feel cold all over. The Fourth Sect Master, Li Cunren, was a loyal brother to Li Siyuan. How could his father-in-law be so cruel?
Suddenly, an inexplicable fear climbed up Shi Jingtang's spine and rose from his head.

Am I also a chess piece that can be discarded at any time in this bloody chess game?

What made him even more chilled was the eight words "lying dormant until spring, cooperating internally and externally". Li Siyuan was able to accomplish this, which clearly showed that he had already made a plan before he set out, but he had never revealed any of this plan to him.

Moreover, Li Siyuan not only faked his death without telling him, but also committed the murder of his parents and impersonated him without telling him, so why did he send him to Mobei? Although he knew that the world was in Xiaoyan, coming to the Mobei royal court to gamble his life was a matter of life and death! He braved the snow and climbed thousands of miles over the mountains, and finally escaped death, but this good father-in-law quietly laid out in the center of Jin State and controlled Tongwenguan... It was so comfortable, what a good method.

A feeling of inexplicable use, of being kept in the dark, and of being fooled suddenly surged into Shi Jingtang's heart.

He clenched the thin paper tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and he almost embedded it into his palm. Then he threw the paper roll into the charcoal basin.

The flames leaped up, greedily devouring the writing. The orange-red flames illuminated the fear, deep doubts, and gradually cold eyes in his eyes. The paper scroll quickly turned into ashes, which drifted away with the faint crackling sound of the charcoal fire.

Shi Jingtang stared at the pile of ashes and sneered.

------

Although the wind and snow in Taihang Mountains are not as precipitous as those in Mobei, they are not inferior at all.

North of Luzhou, the official road in Yizhou was already covered with deep snow. A lonely post station stood like a reef in the sea of ​​snow, in the midst of the strong wind. Inside the post station, the fire was burning brightly, crackling, barely dispelling the biting cold that penetrated through the cracks in the doors and windows.

Next to the stove, Ba Ye angrily hit the small table next to him with his fist, causing charcoal ash to fly. "That bitch Li Cunren, hiding in the Taihang Mountains like a mouse, has played tricks on me time and time again. When the snow stops, I will be the first to twist off her head and offer it to King Jin!"

Sanqianyuan, who was leaning against the door with his arms folded, was moved. He turned around and took the teapot from the stove. He first poured three cups of tea one by one, and then took a cup to drink.

"In this weather, going into the mountains is like committing suicide. Li Cunren may not be alive. Let's wait until the Sect Master returns from Bianliang. Taiyuan..." He paused, his voice low, "The water is still muddy now."

Ba was disdainful, but it was not easy for him to refute Sanqianyuan, his big brother, so he turned his eyes and glanced to the side.

Bago sat quietly not far away, slowly wiping her sword repeatedly. The blood-red snake encircled the hilt, which had a different charm.

Seeing her like this, Ba Ye sneered and said, "I say, Ba Ge, where have you been for the whole year? No one can find you alive or dead, and there are a lot of rumors in the museum."

Seeing that Bago didn't even raise his eyes, Ba also leaned forward, the fire casting a dancing shadow on his face, with a self-righteous evil smile on his face, "Could it be that the sect master sent you to some gentle place, serving men so much that you forgot your last name?"

Bago paused while wiping her saber, and slowly raised her head, her eyes piercing coldly at Ba Ye. But there was no shame or anger in her eyes, only a kind of condescending disgust as if she was looking down on an idiot.

"Where I go and what I do are all tasks ordered by the King of Jin and entrusted by the Sect Master. What? Do you think you are qualified to ask about the arrangements of the King of Jin and the Sect Master? Or do you think you are smarter than them? Idiot."

Ba Ye's face darkened, and he immediately said angrily: "Don't use King Jin and the Sect Master to pressure me. Who knows if you are hiding in some corner to have fun, pretending to be the king? I..."

Bago sneered and interrupted, "A loser like you who only knows how to gossip behind people's backs really doesn't know the deep intentions of King Jin and the Sect Master. Do I, Bago, need to give you an explanation for my actions? But you..."

She glanced at Ba Ye with contempt, and her tone was surprisingly not angry. "You were sent by the sect master to chase a few remnants, but you didn't catch any hair after chasing for more than half a month. You can only be here in rage, smashing the table and cursing, forcing the sect master to send me and Bal before the envoy to Bianliang. Why, you want to take it out on me because you can't catch up with the thirteenth sect master? You have done such a useless thing, and you still have the nerve to question the king's order. Isn't it ridiculous?"

"You're looking for death!" Ba Ye was furious. He stood up suddenly, and the two axes placed at his sides were already shaking.

"Sit down." Sanqianyuan spoke at the right time, frowning and saying, "We are all family, why make things awkward? King Jin and the Sect Master have issued a death order, and we must see Li Cunren alive or dead. If she finds a chance to escape because of your fight, the Sect Master will be the first to attack us when he returns."

"This bitch..."

"If you keep speaking dirty words!" Sanqianyuan's face suddenly turned gloomy, and Ba, who was interrupted, was also shocked and angry. He first glanced at Bago, then looked at Sanqianyuan, sneered, and went out with the axe in his hand.

Bago didn't care and stood up immediately.

"Bago." Sanqianyuan held the teacup and said calmly, "We are fellow disciples, so don't make things too awkward. If it's not an urgent matter, you might as well let us know about the mission the master gave you a year ago, so that the people in the hall will not..."

"Brother, if you are curious, just wait for the leader to come back and ask him yourself." Bago raised his finger, and the blood snake jumped to his neck and then left.

Sanqianyuan drank his tea slowly, looking at Bago's departing back, his eyes slightly hidden behind the tea smoke.

In winter, the sky darkens very quickly, the night is as dark as ink, and the wind and snow are even more severe.

Bago returned to the inn room where he lived alone. There was only a small oil lamp, and the dim light cast a swaying shadow on the wall. The window frame was flapped by the strong wind, making a heart-pounding whimper.

As soon as he entered the door, Bago's already cold expression darkened.

When she left Bianliang two months ago, Xiao Yan's words suddenly rang in her mind: Jin State is very different from before you came, and some things cannot be seen on the surface. I hope you take care of yourself.

The Prince of Jin died suddenly, but the tiger talisman and the seal disappeared. According to the fourth sect leader Li Cunren (Li Siyuan), these two items had actually been looted by Li Cunren.

When she returned to Taiyuan, Li Cunli's reaction was a little strange, and he didn't ask any more questions. On the contrary, the fourth sect leader was particularly surprised when he learned about this, and wanted to get to the bottom of it. Ba Ge knew that he was a difficult person, so he volunteered to track down Li Cunren's whereabouts.

Now, Ba is asking, and Baer (Sanqianyuan) is also looking for it. But the King of Jin is dead, Li Cunren's whereabouts are unknown, and Li Cunli is also on a diplomatic mission to Liang State...

Although nothing happened, the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne smoothly, and Tongwenguan was once again reused by the Crown Prince, but Bago always had a sense of suspicion.

"Tuk!"

Just as she was pacing back and forth, a very slight strange noise was heard, but it was quickly covered up by the sound of the wind.

Bago raised his head alertly, his cold eyes instantly swept towards the source of the sound - a dart with a bare tail pierced through the window paper and accurately nailed into the beam, and the tail of the dart was still trembling. What was even more shocking was that the dart was not solid, and a roll of thin silk with writing was embedded in the hollow shaft.

Bago's heart suddenly shrank. Then, he moved like lightning to the beam, took down the dart, and pulled out the thin silk. It was cold and sticky to the touch, and it was actually blood words that had long been dried and blackened. She quickly unfolded it and saw the handwriting on it in the dim light. The handwriting was very small, but it revealed a sense of force, and a kind of dying determination.

"The death of the King of Jin was caused by the conspiracy of the evil commander Yuan Tiangang and Li Siyuan! Li Siyuan killed his brother Li Cunren, used his appearance to control our Tongwenguan! Seeing this blood letter is like seeing the king's order! Show it to the prince immediately! - Li Cunren"

On a corner of the blood letter, there was a blurry but extremely clear seal of the King of Jin.

Bago's fingers trembled uncontrollably, and her fingertips touched the cold mark and the glaring bloodstains. A chill rushed from the soles of her feet to her head. She pushed open the window suddenly, and the violent snowstorm poured in instantly, making it almost impossible for her to open her eyes. She looked far away, but there were only blurred shadows of trees stirred by the wind and snow in the distance. Where was there any trace of a person?
She quickly closed the window, her face turned pale, and she slid down to sit on the ground with her back against the cold wall, her chest heaving violently. She pressed the bloodstained letter tightly against her chest and hid it in the compartment closest to her body. The light of the oil lamp cast a flickering shadow on her face, and her eyes were shaken more violently than ever before.

Xiao Yan's warning before leaving...

The future of Tongwenguan represented and controlled by the four sect masters and their own sect master...

This blood-written letter with the seal of the King of Jin...

And there was Li Cunren, who was denounced as a traitor and was on the run...

Several forces collided fiercely in her mind. Who should she trust? Was Xiao Yan's warning an insight or a hidden meaning? Was the Tongwenguan under Li Cunli's control a support or an abyss? Was this blood letter the truth or another trap? Did the sky of Jin...really collapse?
She bit her lower lip subconsciously, tasting a hint of rust, but not feeling any pain. The road ahead was uncertain, and every step could lead to an abyss of no return.

The decision is just a matter of one thought.

(End of this chapter)