Huangming

Chapter 324 Driving a Tiger to Devour a Wolf, the Duke Yansheng's Mansion

Lately, Xu Hongru felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart as he watched Li Hongji's back.

This Huang Hu is no ordinary ruffian; he is clearly a master at winning people over. His skills are so advanced that even Huang Hu, the leader of the Wenxiang Sect who has been running it for over twenty years and who calls himself the "Restoration Emperor Fulie," cannot match him.

When the Fragrance Cult first raised its flag, the scene was incredibly fervent.

People from the surrounding areas of Yanzhou Prefecture came to seek refuge with their families, carrying only the dry food they had, with elderly people and children on their carts, and some even leading oxen or pushing wheelbarrows, chanting the slogan "Follow the leader to the Western Paradise" all the way, their eyes shining with longing for the "paradise".

At that time, Xu Hongru stood on the high platform, looking at the dark mass of people kneeling before him, and felt that the world was within his grasp.

But now?

Most of the people who came for him quietly gathered under Li Hongji's command.

He secretly sent people to investigate and learned that Huang Hu never talked about "the Western Paradise" but only distributed grain in a practical way.

He kept the least of the stolen rice for himself and gave the majority to his brothers.

New refugees, even women and children, were given a bowl of hot porridge.

There are even rumors that he set a rule that anyone who dares to bully the people will have their legs broken immediately.

This method is far more effective than his doctrines of "blessings in the afterlife."

It was precisely with Li Hongji's encouragement that things began to turn out this way.

The rebel army grew larger and larger.

Of course, these are just appearances.

The rebel army now seems to have truly gained momentum:
The army, numbering over 100,000, successively captured Yuncheng, Zou County, and Teng County. The monks' boats on the Grand Canal were completely looted, and even Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, was thrown into chaos.

The streets and alleys were filled with believers wearing red scarves, and the shouts and the sound of horses' hooves never stopped, as if the whole of Shandong was about to change its surname to Xu.

But in Li Hongji's eyes, this excitement was nothing more than a final burst of energy before the storm had passed.

He stood atop the city wall of Yuncheng, his brows furrowed in worry.

This popular uprising has long since hit its limit and can hardly go any further.

why?
Because the shadow of the government troops had already appeared on the horizon in the direction of Yanzhou.

Li Hongji had done some mental calculations:

The Fragrance Cult had been causing trouble for more than half a month, and at most they had only managed to take over a few county towns. Their so-called "more than 100,000 followers" were all exaggerated.

The old were old, the young were young, and women made up nearly half of the total. The number of able-bodied men who could actually take up arms and fight was at most 30,000.

Of these 30,000, half were refugees who had just put down their hoes and could barely hold a knife.

In times of chaos, what is the most important thing?
Taking advantage of the government's slow response, they engulfed the population like a snowball rolling downhill.

More than half a month is the "golden vacuum period" for government troops to deploy and mobilize.

If it were a well-organized army, it would have already swept through several prefectures, gathering hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops, turning the entire Shandong into chaos, leaving the imperial court unable to attend to both ends.

Is it the Fragrance Sect?
Xu Hongru spent his days wearing that ridiculous dragon robe, pondering the "coronation ceremony," while his subordinates were busy dividing up and plundering wealth and women, without even planning the most basic route for expanding the army.

If this window of opportunity is missed, once Yuan Keli's main force of the Beijing garrison arrives, those well-armored government troops equipped with cannons will be able to deal with this rabble as easily as crushing ants.

Xu Hongru was still dreaming of "restoration," but he knew that this seemingly large rebel army was already a candle flickering in the wind.

A dead end.

He thought of the believers below the city who were still cheering for their half-bag of rice, and suddenly found it somewhat laughable.

They thought they were fighting for the "true emperor," but little did they know they would soon become victims of the government army's blades.

However, since the Fragrance Sect did not have a diagram, Li Hongji was not worried.

He had already prepared a way out.

From the very beginning, he was never a true rebel.

A few days ago, under the pretext of clearing out the mutinous soldiers, he secretly made contact with the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Yanzhou City.

He finally felt relieved.

He was part of an organization; he was an inside man, not a traitor.

just
The secret report he received today caused him to furrow his brow.

He held the tightly rolled-up secret letter, looking at it several times to make sure he hadn't misread it.

The order from above was not for him to immediately eliminate Xu Hongru, but rather to find a way to persuade Xu Hongru to attack Qufu, especially to "use the chaotic army to wipe out the Duke Yansheng's mansion."

"What does it mean?"

Li Hongji muttered to himself, his eyes full of confusion.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has always been decisive in its actions, so why is it going around in circles at this crucial moment? Instead of eliminating the bandit leader first, why are they going to target Confucius's hometown?"

Qufu, that is the cradle of the Confucian and Mencian tradition.

The Duke Yansheng's mansion has been passed down through generations, and it holds a significant place in the hearts of gentry and common people in Shandong and even across the country.

Even in this chaotic world, when the rebel soldiers of the Fragrance Sect committed all sorts of atrocities, he specifically instructed his men to avoid the Qufu area.

It wasn't that they were afraid of the guards at the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, but rather that they knew this place was untouchable. If they did, it would ignite the anger of scholars throughout the land, and even the government troops suppressing the rebellion would be branded as "blaspheming sages."

He deliberately preserved it because he knew the key to this place.

Why did his superiors want him to light the fire himself?

"Destroy the Duke Yansheng's mansion?"

Li Hongji pondered the reasons behind this.

"The Duke Yansheng's influence in Shandong is such that even the governor has to give him some leeway. If we really take this place down, I'm afraid the people of Shandong will turn against the imperial court. Is that appropriate?"

He couldn't figure out the reasoning behind it, and felt that the order had an inexplicable eeriness about it.

But then he thought again and realized he didn't dare to disobey.

He was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and knew the organization's methods best.

If he disobeys orders, the people in Yanzhou City can turn their backs on him at any time, and then he, the "lurking informant," will instantly become the "leader of a traitor with irrefutable evidence."

He couldn't even bear to think about the agony of being slowly sliced ​​to death.

Li Hongji took a deep breath, his eyes gradually hardening.

Regardless of any scheming behind it, he would simply follow orders from above.

In any case, it's all about using someone else to do the dirty work; it's just that this time, the knife will be used to strike a more sensitive spot.

His purpose in coming here is simply to be granted an official position and become a lord.

This is enough.

He looked up out the window; the night was deep.

Yuan Keli's main force is still stationed in Yanzhou City and has not yet truly pressed forward. Xu Hongru and his group are still complacent about their "100,000-strong army".

He still has time.

We need to come up with a clever way to get Xu Hongru to willingly go to Qufu.

A cold, sharp smile curved Li Hongji's lips. Wasn't Xu Hongru always thinking about doing something "earth-shattering" to live up to his title of "Emperor Fulie of the Restoration"?
Then he would give the other party a "huge credit".

Less than half a day had passed.

Li Hongji then went straight into the Yuncheng County Government Office.

At this moment, the main hall of the county government office no longer resembled a "palace" at all.

The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and perfume. Several disheveled women huddled in a corner, while Xu Hongru, the "Restoration Emperor Fulie," sat at the head of the table. His eyes were dark and bloodshot, and his hair was disheveled. Where was the slightest trace of imperial majesty?
The news that the government troops were about to besiege the city weighed on him like a boulder, making it hard for him to breathe.

For the past few days, he has been unable to eat or sleep, and the only way he can barely suppress the fear in his heart is by indulging in the wine he has stolen and women.

But the more unrestrained one becomes, the clearer that overwhelming panic becomes.

Upon seeing Li Hongji enter, a complex flame instantly ignited in Xu Hongru's eyes, containing suspicion, resentment, and an undisguised dependence.

He stared intently at Li Hongji, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded: "Huang Hu, what brings you here?"

If it weren't for the impending arrival of government troops and his urgent need for someone to shield him, given Li Hongji's increasingly arrogant attitude these past few days, he would have already had this thorn in his side removed.

Li Hongji seemed oblivious to the murderous glint in his eyes, and walked straight into the hall, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty: "Your Majesty, I have come to report something. Our brothers' provisions are almost gone. If we don't find a way to go out and plunder some things, we'll start fighting amongst ourselves even before the government troops come to attack."

"Rob?"

Xu Hongru slammed his hand on the table, spilling wine all over it.

"The government troops are almost at the city gates. Instead of reinforcing the city's defenses and preparing for defense, you want to go out and loot? What if the government troops occupy Yuncheng the moment we leave the city? We'll all die without a burial place!"

His voice was shrill, filled with hysterical fear.

Li Hongji's sneer inwardly deepened.

So that's how it is. It's not that they didn't want to rob it, it's that they were afraid—afraid of dying outside the city and never coming back.

He remained expressionless, but instead took half a step forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Majesty may not know, but it is precisely because the government troops have arrived that we must take the initiative to attack."

Firstly, seizing some grain and supplies can expand our strength and give our brothers hope; secondly, if we attack, we can force the government troops to send troops to rescue us, relieving the pressure on Yuncheng.

They can't just stand by and watch us burn, kill, and loot in the heart of Shandong, can they?

These words were so logical and clear that they left the flustered Xu Hongru speechless for a moment.

He paused, then instinctively asked, "So...so you mean, where should we attack?"

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Li Hongji's eyes, and his voice carried a seductive force: "Qufu!"

Qufu?

Xu Hongru frowned, clearly not expecting him to bring up this place.

That's the hometown of Confucius, the location of the Duke Yansheng's mansion, so there were some reservations.

Li Hongji, however, seemed not to notice his hesitation and continued, "Qufu is incredibly wealthy. The gold, silver, and grain reserves in the Duke Yansheng's mansion are enough to feed us brothers for half a year!"

Moreover, that place wasn't heavily guarded, so it could be easily breached.

"Taking Qufu will not only bring us tangible benefits, but it will also show the world our might. We dare to even touch the territory of Confucius; will the government troops still dare to underestimate us?"

He knew that Xu Hongru valued his reputation most and loved empty fame that was "earth-shattering," so these words hit the nail on the head.

Xu Hongru was indeed persuaded, and the fear in his eyes was gradually replaced by greed and a sense of luck.

He licked his chapped lips and murmured, "Attack on Qufu... it's not impossible..."

Li Hongji nodded to himself.

The fish is hooked.

"Since we are going to attack Qufu, we must send out a large army in order to take it in one fell swoop."

Li Hongji changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the desolate streets outside the hall, his tone carrying a deliberate earnestness.

"In my humble opinion, Yuncheng has been almost completely ruined. The granaries are empty, and most of the people have fled. Staying here to defend it is nothing more than waiting to die. On the other hand, Qufu, relying on the name of the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, has built high and deep city walls, and the mansion's grain and fodder are piled up like mountains. It is just right to be our new stronghold."

He took a step forward, lowering his voice even further, as if he were considering Xu Hongru's options: "Your Majesty, why don't we simply move our troops to Qufu?"

Once there, using the grain and fodder from the Duke of Yansheng's mansion to provide relief to some refugees might win over some hearts; relying on the fortified city to hold out against the government troops for a while would be enough.

"Once the Wenxiang Sect brothers in Hebei rise up together, the government troops will be caught between two sides, and we might still have a chance to turn the tide!"

These words were like a spark, igniting Xu Hongru's will to survive.

These people who rebelled did not engage in production; they relied entirely on plunder to survive.

Yuncheng had been ravaged for more than half a month. Everything that could be looted had already been looted. The remaining people either fled or hid themselves well, making it difficult to find even a target to plunder.

If we really hold this position, even without the government troops attacking, most of us will starve to death.

But Qufu is different.

The wealth accumulated by the Duke of Yansheng's family over generations is enough to make anyone envious.

I had long heard of the city's formidable defenses.

If we could capture that place, and use the supplies and city walls to buy time, waiting for the followers in Hebei to respond, perhaps...

Perhaps there really is a way out.

The hesitation in Xu Hongru's eyes was instantly replaced by greed, and he slammed his hand on the table: "This plan is feasible!"

But then he thought again and looked at Li Hongji warily.

This Huang Hu is as shrewd as a fox; we can't let him gain the upper hand.

Then, changing the subject with a hint of calculation, he said, "However, you will be in charge of the vanguard. You will lead your troops first to clear the outskirts of Qufu, and I will follow with the main army."

He had a good plan: let Li Hongji take on the toughest challenge, and if he suffered heavy losses, it would weaken this major threat.

If he successfully takes control, he can then lead his troops to take over, and the credit will still be his.

Li Hongji sneered inwardly.

Do you think you can fool him with such a simple trick?

But he showed no objection on his face, and even bowed slightly as he accepted the order, with a hint of "overwhelmed with gratitude": "This humble general obeys!"

In his view, apart from a few staunch confidants, most of his brothers were temporary refugees who were merely pawns to be used and wasted.

Did Xu Hongru intend to use someone else to do his dirty work?
He just went with the flow.

Xu Hongru breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he agreed so readily, and was even a little smug.

It seems that Huang Hu is ultimately afraid of me, and he's easy to control.

He picked up his wine glass, imagining the glory of conquering Qufu, completely unaware of the fleeting coldness in Li Hongji's eyes as he turned away.

He was unaware that his fate had already been sealed.

Whether defending Yuncheng or attacking Qufu, it would ultimately lead to certain death.

The only difference is whether you die quickly or linger a few more days in vain hope.

As Li Hongji walked out of the county government office, the autumn wind swept fallen leaves past his shoulders. He looked up at the sky in the direction of Qufu, and a cold, sharp smile appeared on his lips.

It’s just a good show.

(End of this chapter)