Aoyama

Chapter 467 Seeing Death as Homecoming
The White Tiger Hall was silent, and the candlelight no longer flickered.

Jiang Xianzong sat behind his desk, staring at Zhang Xia, while Zhang Xia sat in his chair, looking back at the military governor of Xijing Circuit. They were at loggerheads.

Both tried to glean some clues from the other's eyes in order to gain an advantage in this psychological battle, but both failed.

Jiang Xianzong leaned forward slightly, staring at Zhang Xia as he asked, "I cannot understand why I cannot become the Privy Councilor. I hope the envoy can enlighten me. If you cannot provide a reasonable explanation, the envoy may die in my White Tiger Hall."

Zhang Xia smiled slightly and turned to look at the little monk: "Go outside and wait for me."

The young monk said "oh" and turned to leave the White Tiger Hall.

Only Jiang Xianzong and Zhang Xia remained in the hall. Jiang Xianzong said casually, "The envoy is planning to deceive people. That kid is naive. You sent him out because you were afraid he would give himself away?"

Zhang Xia's thoughts were seen through, but he did not admit it. He simply smiled and said, "In fact, there is no one more suitable than the General in the court and among the people."

Jiang Xianzong sneered, "It's a bit late to say auspicious things now."

Zhang Xia said with a smile, "General, who else do you think can compete for this position besides you? If you want to compete, you should at least know who your opponents are."

Jiang Xianzong calmly said, "The Marquis of Champion and Lu Jin, there are only these two."

Zhang Xia shook his head: "Champion Marquis Yuan Hengli Zhen is no good. Although he has commanded the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry for many years, he is only a talented general, not a great commander. He is only interested in martial arts and wants to become the first martial saint of both dynasties. If he can become a saint, he will naturally transcend all mortals. He has no interest in the court and disdains it."

Jiang Xianzong remained calm: "So only Lu Jin is left."

Zhang Xia continued, "Lu Jin wields immense power, controlling the Military Intelligence Bureau and having the Tiger Legion loyal to him. Now, he also has members of the Martial Temple coming down the mountain to serve him, making him the most powerful candidate. However, he is a man of Yuan Xiang, and the Emperor naturally does not want to see Yuan Xiang's court and people become too powerful."

Jiang Xianzong smiled and said, "So, it seems that I am indeed the most suitable?"

Zhang Xia changed the subject: "Actually, there is someone more suitable than Jie Shuai."

Jiang Xianzong frowned: "Who?"

Zhang Xia said meaningfully, "Yuan Zhen."

Jiang Xianzong was visibly taken aback: "Yuan Zhen has already died in Guyuan, and his remains have not been found... but Yuan Zhen is indeed more suitable than me."

Yuan Zhen had commanded the Tian Ce Army for many years and also served as the military governor of Longyou for many years. He held immense prestige in the court and was completely selfless. When he went to Guyuan, the Jing Dynasty emperor personally wrote an imperial edict in blood for him to keep with him, making him a true confidant of the emperor.

If Yuan Zhen were still alive, the position of Privy Councilor would not have been filled by anyone else.

But Yuan Zhen died suddenly.

Zhang Xia then said meaningfully, "General, Yuan Zhen is prudent and cautious. He has led several southern expeditions and always managed to escape unscathed even after defeats. So why did he die in Guyuan this time?"

Jiang Xianzong ran his fingers over the sword sheath: "Is the envoy saying that Yuan Zhen died at the hands of Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin? Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. From the day we put on our armor, we were prepared to die on the battlefield and be wrapped in horsehide. There's nothing strange about it."

Zhang Xia smiled and asked in return, "Then may I ask, Commander, do you know why Yuan Zhen is leading this southern expedition?"

Jiang Xianzong gripped the hilt of his sword and slowly drew it from its sheath: "The three major camps of the Southern Dynasty's Imperial Guard are tied down at Chongli Pass by me and Yuan Henglizhen and cannot move. Lu Guanwu's intelligence spies reported that the Crown Prince of the Ning Dynasty has been ordered to Guyuan. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity..."

At this point, he frowned deeply.

Lu Guanwu had only been in charge of the Military Intelligence Division for a year; before that, the division had been under Lu Jin's control.

Zhang Xia asked for the third time, with a meaningful tone, "General, how did Yuan Zhen lose?"

Jiang Xianzong said in a deep voice, "The Ning Dynasty's Liu family's Tiger Armor Cavalry suddenly appeared outside Guyuan City, while the Elephant Armor Battalion had already been lying in ambush there..."

Zhang Xia interrupted, "There are several thousand Tiger-Armored Cavalry and over ten thousand Elephant-Armored Battalions. It's a 1,500-li journey from Yuzhou to Guyuan, passing through twelve cities. The military commander is the one leading the troops, so he naturally knows how many people are needed to transport the provisions... Does the Military Intelligence Bureau really not know that they have arrived in Guyuan?"

Jiang Xianzong remained silent, pondering the hidden meaning behind it.

The extent of Jingchao's military intelligence work over the years is well-documented, and various forces have tried to intervene, but Lu Jin has kept them completely under control. Yuan Cheng finally found an opportunity to force Lu Jin to resign and installed Lu Guanwu within the agency, but within a year, Lu Guanwu was killed, and Yuan Cheng was captured and taken to Ningchao…

Zhang Xia scrutinized his expression and pressed his advantage, asking, "General, what do you think is the reason Yuan Cheng was captured alive and taken to Ningchao?"

Jiang Xianzong's expression shifted slightly: "Regarding Yuan Zhen's defeat, the envoy's account is mostly speculation, without any concrete evidence. As for the capture of the Yuan Privy Councilor, if the envoy continues to speak of hearsay and unsubstantiated claims, I will not entertain him further."

Zhang Xia said sincerely, "I'm sure the General already has the answer in his heart. Lu Jin has worked hard for years just for the position of Privy Councilor, and now he has the Temple of Martial Arts as his support. How could he possibly give up so easily? If the General leaves the central government, can he really deal with such a ruthless person?"

Jiang Xianzong drew his sword and placed it on the table: "Lu Jin is ruthless, but I am not incompetent either."

Zhang Xia said decisively, "If the military commander agrees to Yuan Xiang's conditions, he will only be falling into Yuan Xiang's trap of killing two birds with one stone. He can prevent Yuan Cheng from returning to the capital and also use the military commander to check Lu Jin. I'm afraid Yuan Xiang will be laughing in his dreams. I just don't know if the military commander is willing to be used as a tool?"

The White Tiger Hall fell silent again. Zhang Xia's words cut through the air like a knife, piercing Jiang Xianzong's heart as well.

Zhang Xia had her answer; she had persuaded Jiang Xianzong.

However, at this moment, Jiang Xianzong suddenly smiled and said, "What an amazing young man! No wonder you dared to break into my White Tiger Hall. You must have some skills... I'm a little reluctant to let you return to the Southern Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xia felt a chill run down his spine!
She leaned back in her chair, remaining calm, and said, "What does the General mean by this? I am Zhang Xiguang from Liaoyang Prefecture, the capital..." Jiang Xianzong raised his sword and pointed it at Zhang Xia: "Zhang Xiguang is my man. Do you really think I don't know what she looks like?"

Zhang Xia smiled and said, "Marshal..."

Jiang Xianzong interrupted, "Don't think I'm bluffing you. Her travel permit says she lives in Changliu Hutong, Andefang, and her husband's name is Zhou Sheng. Her relative from Yuanfangtang is Zhou Zhixue, and they are all my men... Who exactly are you?"

Zhang Xia gripped the handrail tightly, her heart sinking: Jiang Xianzong wasn't bluffing her.

No wonder the people from Liaoyang Prefecture who were going to the capital would travel thousands of miles to deliver grain to Baidadan City. It turns out that this grain convoy was originally a force used by Jiang Xianzong to gather information about the capital.

Master Hu probably never imagined that this travel permit would harbor such a hidden danger.

After a long while, Zhang Xia's tense body suddenly relaxed. She let go of the armrest and smiled frankly, "General, you don't need to care who I am. I have said everything that needs to be said today, and you have already made your decision. As for me, whether you kill me or torture me is up to you."

Jiang Xianzong said with great interest, "Fearless in the face of death? You do have some courage. What I am curious about is how a mere woman can understand the political situation of my Jing Dynasty. You are no ordinary person. If I capture you, it may be of great merit."

Zhang Xia shook his head: "None of that matters. What matters is that the military governor must facilitate the envoy's journey south and welcome Yuancheng back to the capital. Only this move can break the deadlock. No matter how the court struggles, the military governor can continue to serve as the military governor of Xijing Road and protect the peace of the people. Military governor, Xijing Road has suffered from disasters for years, and the people cannot withstand the chaos of war."

Jiang Xianzong slowly withdrew the sword that had been pointing at Zhang Xia and placed it on the table: "I'm about to hand over Baidadan City to the Southern Dynasty. With the gates of Xijing Road wide open, how can I feel at ease?"

Zhang Xia suddenly said, "The commander should know that it would be more harmful than beneficial for the Ning Dynasty to obtain Baidadan City. They will not want it; they will definitely want something else."

Jiang Xianzong pondered, "What do they want?"

Zhang Xia did not reply.

Jiang Xianzong sneered: "Do you really think I, the commander, won't kill you?"

Zhang Xia didn't care about life or death, and calmly said, "General, the envoy Jiang Xiansheng is on a mountain road twenty miles outside the city. Someone is chasing them all the way to Xijing Road, and they are in imminent danger... Please bring him back to Baidadan City as soon as possible."

Jiang Xianzong said with a grim expression, "As a person of the Southern Dynasty, you have trespassed into my White Tiger Hall. Even if you are a woman, I will still kill you."

Zhang Xia said to himself, "Someone under your command intends to assassinate the envoy. You must go there in person, otherwise you will not be able to explain yourself if the envoy is assassinated."

Jiang Xianzong: "You risked your life to come here just to have me bring back the envoy? Why?"

Zhang Xia: "If Jiang Xiansheng dies in Xijing Road, Yuancheng will be unable to return to the capital to restrain Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin. Within three years, there will be a great war between the two dynasties! Xijing Road will be devastated, with corpses strewn everywhere!"

Jiang Xianzong: "Are you really not afraid of death?"

Zhang Xia: "At that time, nine out of ten households in Xijing Road will be deserted. Mothers will have lost their sons, wives will have lost their husbands, there will be no farmers in the fields, and no pedestrians on the roads. Is this what the military commander wants?"

The White Tiger Hall fell silent again, and the two stopped talking to each other.

Both are mentally strong individuals and will not change their decisions based on what outsiders say.

Zhang Xia knew she had said everything she could, and Jiang Xianzong also knew that the woman in front of her was truly fearless.

Zhang Xia suddenly smiled and said, "The commander asked me earlier where my travel permit came from. I bought it from the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Jiang Xianzong burst into laughter: "Fearless of death? Even on the verge of death, you still want to sow discord among the nobles of our dynasty. How interesting!"

Zhang Xia remained silent.

Jiang Xianzong looked at Zhang Xia from afar: "Little girl, there are many envoys in the history of the two dynasties who have made amazing achievements. Su Yue borrowed 5,000 cavalry from foreign lands to quell a rebellion; Zhang Jian was trapped in foreign lands for more than ten years and held his post without losing his imperial authority; Li Yuan led 36 followers to launch a night raid on the royal court; Fu Jie devised a plan to kill the King of Loulan at the Loulan banquet... I originally thought that the history books exaggerated some things, but now that I have seen you, I finally believe it to some extent."

Zhang Xia said frankly, "General, there is no time to lose."

Jiang Xianzong stood up, walked around the table, and headed out: "Although I don't know what you're in such a hurry for, as you wish, I will personally go and bring back the envoy..."

He walked to the vermilion gate, turned back to look at Zhang Xia: "Don't worry, you won't die. I don't kill women, nor do I kill envoys. I hope I won't regret letting you return to the Southern Dynasty."

Having said that, he walked out of the White Tiger Hall and said loudly, "Bring the horse here and let me welcome the envoy into the city."

The sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the gate, then faded into the distance.

Zhang Xia slowly sat down, supporting herself on the chair, breathing slightly heavily.

The young monk rushed into the White Tiger Hall, his fingers trembling slightly as he looked into Zhang Xia's eyes: "Benefactor..."

Zhang Xia asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Do I look terrible?"

The little monk nodded.

Zhang Xia rubbed her face: "And now?"

The young monk honestly replied, "Much better... You're starting to resemble Benefactor Chen Ji more and more."

(End of this chapter)