My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 375 Kill him
Upon hearing this, Li Jiancheng and Wei Zheng were both taken aback and exchanged a glance.

Wei Zheng spoke first, asking, "Do you think Yang Xuangan could defeat Yang Jian?"

Fang Xuanling replied, "Yang Xuangan has long harbored rebellious intentions. Since Yang Su's death, he has been secretly accumulating strength. I have heard that he has been secretly raising many warriors and contacting many noble sons. He has a considerable number of people at his disposal."

"Furthermore, Yang Xuangan is an extremely brave man. When he quelled the rebellion, people called him the Xiang Yu of our time. Even if he is not as good as Xiang Yu, he has at least fought in battles, seen blood, and made contributions. He is far superior to a good-for-nothing like Yang Jian."

"Moreover, he is very courageous. He has always been resentful because of what happened to his father and uncle. His younger brother also serves as a general by Sanlangjun's side, so he must have been involved in everything."

"If we can persuade him to help us, the two families will join forces and have the ability to resist Yang Jian. Once we have the confidence to challenge him, even if it's just a little bit, it can greatly change the way people like Pei Shiju view us, and may even make them change their stance."

Fang Xuanling began to analyze the situation seriously.

Upon hearing this, Li Jiancheng and Wei Zheng remained silent for a long time.

Li Jiancheng asked, "But Yang Xuangan and I have a grudge. Li Mi has told me many times that although he seems kind, he is not really magnanimous."

Li Mi was not in Luoyang; he had gone to Hedong to help pacify and incorporate the enemy. However, Li Jiancheng still remembered Li Mi's words.

Fang Xuanling said with a smile, "With the Third Prince doing such a great thing, would Yang Xuanzong not have participated? If Yang Jian wanted to force the army to kill the emperor, he would have taken action against the army's confidants."

"The first group we need to deal with are Yuwen Huaji and his group, but unfortunately, these people are really incompetent and can't offer any help."

"The second person we need to deal with is the Duke, but he has already left, and we can't find him."

"As for people like Yu Zhongwen and Xue Shixiong, Yang Jian will try to appease them and keep their families as hostages. He shouldn't be in a hurry to deal with them. So who is not to be pardoned? Who can be retaliated against? Naturally, it is Yang Xuangan, the elder brother of the Xiaoguo Guard General!"

"If Yang Xuangan doesn't want to be killed by Yang Jian, he has no choice but to cooperate with us."

Wei Zheng asked, "But what if Yang Xuangan were to abandon his brother and cooperate with Yang Jian?"

"Although the Duke of Chu is not a good person, judging from his past behavior, he does not seem to be someone who completely disregards family ties. He did so much to save his uncle, let alone his own brother."

Li Jiancheng also fell into deep thought.

It seems like it might actually work?
Yang Xuangan was indeed quite influential in Luoyang. Just the noble sons who were on good terms with him could probably pull out quite a few warriors.

Li Jiancheng made a decision immediately without further hesitation.

"Okay! Let's go find him first!!"

The Duke of Chu's Mansion.

The mansion was bustling with activity.

People came and went in the mansion, and servants were busy moving around. Some young men, drunk, were being helped by servants as they staggered past.

Inside the main hall, Yang Xuangan sat in the seat of honor, flanked by many heroes from Luoyang.

These were the sons of various noble families, gathered together to toast Yang Xuangan. Some began to draw their swords and dance, and many young men jumped onto the stage, their songs loud and their swords flashing.

So many years have passed, and Yang Xuangan still doesn't seem to have made much progress.

When Li Xuanba was catching thieves in Xingyang, he was hosting a banquet to make friends with heroes. When Li Xuanba was planning a major event in Loufan, he was hosting a banquet to make friends with heroes. Now that Li Xuanba is about to accomplish his major task, he is still hosting a banquet to make friends with heroes.

When Li Jiancheng arrived at the Duke of Chu's mansion, dusty and weary from his journey, he found the gates wide open and servants waiting to greet him on both sides.

When they saw Li Jiancheng, they quickly stepped forward to greet him and pulled him inside.

Li Jiancheng began by saying, "I am the son of the Duke of Tang."

"Greetings, young master! You needn't say anything more. The patriarch has already stated that all guests are welcome. We will escort you inside!"

Li Jiancheng didn't even manage to produce his name card before these people mistook him for a noble son attending the banquet. Well, he was indeed a noble son, and that's how he was pulled in. Wei Zheng and Fang Xuanling exchanged a glance and followed him inside.

When Li Jiancheng entered the mansion, he saw mostly drunkards.

Many of them were acquaintances.

When these people saw that it was Li Jiancheng, they were also taken aback and started shouting.

Li Jiancheng was highly renowned among these men, and he was surrounded and unable to escape. As more and more people gathered, Yang Xuangan noticed the unusual situation outside and hurriedly stood up, asking, "Who's here?"

"Duke! It's the son of the Duke of Tang!"

Yang Xuangan was taken aback, and he immediately burst into laughter, "A distinguished guest has arrived!"

Yang Xuangan personally went to greet him and finally rescued Li Jiancheng from the crowd. Yang Xuangan held Li Jiancheng's hand affectionately, without a trace of hostility in his eyes, treating him like his own nephew.

“This is my first time hosting a banquet, my dear nephew! I’ve wanted to send someone to invite you several times, but I was worried about disturbing you.”

Yang Xuangan spoke enthusiastically, and this wasn't just for show. He genuinely enjoyed making friends with talented young people and spending time with them. In Yang Xuangan's eyes, Li Jiancheng was naturally one of the talented individuals worth befriending.

Li Jiancheng was somewhat helpless and could only say in a low voice, "I came to pay my respects to the Duke, but I did not know that the Duke's family had already prepared a banquet. I have an important matter to discuss with the Duke."

Yang Xuangan understood, so he asked someone to take care of the guests in his place, while he led Li Jiancheng to a secluded courtyard, where he had some food and drink brought out and then closed the gate.

Only the two of them remained.

Li Jiancheng immediately said, "Duke! I've come to warn you. Please set off immediately and escape Luoyang!"

Yang Xuangan paused, holding the cup, and asked, puzzled, "What does this mean?"

Li Jiancheng was very direct, "Has the Duke of Chu not yet received General Yang's letter?"

"Never."

Li Jiancheng said in great fear, "My grandfather has already escaped, please leave quickly too!"

"What happened?"

Li Jiancheng sighed deeply, "Your Excellency, you don't know this, it's all my good-for-nothing brother's fault! In Liaodong City..."

Li Jiancheng simplified the story as much as possible, but still mentioned the great role of the Xiaoguo Guard in this military remonstrance, and emphasized the name of Yang Xuanzong.

When Yang Xuangan heard these things from Li Jiancheng, he thought Li Jiancheng had gone mad.

He stared at Li Jiancheng in disbelief. "How is this possible?!"

Li Jiancheng said earnestly, "Duke, if I have told a single lie, may I be struck by lightning! My father has already taken the family to flee. My younger brother specifically mentioned you, saying that General Yang has done a great deal of work and he can't bear to see his family suffer. He asked me to inform you, Duke, so we can evacuate together!"

Yang Xuangan stared at Li Jiancheng for a long time, confirming that what the guy said was true. At that moment, Yang Xuangan was completely numb.

He plotted to raise an army in the rear for eight years, only for his younger brother to go to Liaodong and take care of it all?

Yang Xuangan, like Li Jiancheng and Li Yuan before him, was completely blank-minded and at a loss.

Li Jiancheng quickly grabbed his hand, "Duke, do not hesitate! If Yang Jian finds out about this, he will definitely turn against us. That fellow is malicious and ambitious. He will do everything he can to force the army to assassinate the emperor. Once Yang Jian finds out, we won't be able to move an inch!"

Yang Xuangan finally calmed down.

These powerful nobles from the Guanzhong Plain were mostly tough in times of crisis, but crumbled once they gained power.

"We can't leave!!"

Yang Xuangan raised his head, his face fierce. "If we just escape like this, who can stop Yang Jian? If Yang Jian takes the officials in the city hostage and tries to rebel, wouldn't the Great Sui Dynasty be in great danger?"

Li Jiancheng said helplessly, "Duke! Yang Jian is the governor of Henan, and this is all his territory. Moreover, he has a very high reputation, and many people are willing to follow him. It is said that there are forty or fifty thousand people in the city who are willing to obey his orders."

Yang Xuangan narrowed his eyes. "If he can command everyone, why can't I?"

"Besides, he doesn't know about these things right now, does he?"

"What does 'to the Duke' mean?"

"Wouldn't it solve the problem if we just went over there and killed him?"

(End of this chapter)