Huangming

Chapter 347 A Feast Without Good Meaning, the True Meaning Revealed

The imperial envoy Yang Lian's summons caused a great stir.

Within just three days, the generals stationed at various checkpoints rushed back overnight.

Zhang Shixian, the deputy commander of Shimenzhai, Du Yingkui, the adjutant of Xifengkou, and Wang Wei, the guerrilla general of Gubeikou, along with several of their capable captains, gathered at the deputy commander's residence in Jizhou City.

The mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and a table was set with plenty of wine and meat, but it couldn't hide the tension that permeated the air.

Zhang Shixian was already waiting at the deputy commander's residence early in the morning.

He was half-asleep, his eyes half-closed.

Who would have thought that this now fleshy deputy commander was once the most valiant southern general under Qi Jiguang?
During the Wanli era, Zhang Shixian followed Qi Jiguang to defend Jizhou and resist the Mongols. He used a long sword to behead countless enemy leaders, and the scars on his body could be pieced together to form a map.

At that time, he was a man of strong build and sharp eyes. He could charge into battle on horseback and train troops on foot. He was a well-known "daredevil" in Qi Jiguang's army.

It was precisely because of this military achievement that he rose from an ordinary soldier to the position of deputy commander-in-chief of Jizhou.

However, as time passed, Qi Jiguang had long since passed away, and the strict military discipline of the Qi Family Army had also dissipated with the years.

Without the pressure of fighting on the battlefield, Zhang Shixian gradually indulged in pleasure.

He had five beautiful concubines in his mansion, and there was constant revelry every day; every meal was filled with delicacies from land and sea, and even the wine had to be the Daughter Red wine transported from Jiangnan.

In order to build a new residence, he even seized military farmland on the outskirts of the city.

His arms, which used to be able to draw a three-stone bow, are now so weak that he can barely lift a knife. His once firm muscles have turned into loose fat, and he is panting when he walks.

Such extravagant living naturally requires a huge amount of money to support it.

The deputy commander's salary was only two hundred taels a year, not even enough to cover his monthly drinking expenses.

Thus, the once honest and brave general gradually became a parasite who drank the blood of his soldiers and embezzled public funds.

Shimen Village had an authorized strength of 15,000 men, but in reality, there were fewer than 8,000 soldiers. He pocketed all the missing military pay.

He seized the farmland of the military households by trickery and then rented it out to tenant farmers for exorbitant rents.

Even worse, he secretly colluded with Jurchen merchants to smuggle contraband such as ironware, gunpowder, and beef tendons from Jizhou out of the country, making a fortune from each transaction.

"Chancellor Hsieh, it's been a long time! You look even better!"

Du Yingkui's voice came from the doorway, carrying a hint of deliberate flattery.

He had just arrived from Xifengkou, still carrying the chill of the frontier, and wore a fake smile on his face.

Zhang Shixian looked up, gave a forced smile and cupped his hands in greeting: "General Du, you're too kind. It's you who, guarding such a strategic location as Xifengkou, still manages to find time to come back; that's truly commendable."

He knew in his heart that Du Yingkui and he were cut from the same cloth.

This man's collusion with the Three Guards of Doyan and his resale of military rations were no secret in Jizhou.

Wang Wei arrived late at this time.

This guerrilla general from Gubeikou was thin and had a sinister look in his eyes; one could tell at a glance that he was a man of deep thoughts.

Upon seeing Zhang and Du, he merely nodded slightly, his tone indifferent: "You two have arrived early. May I ask what important matter Your Majesty has summoned us for?"

Zhang Shixian sat down next to the main seat, picked up the teacup offered by a maid, but did not drink it. Instead, he gently skimmed the foam off the surface with the lid, his voice lowered.

"What else could it be? It's nothing more than checking troop numbers and rations. In all these years we've been in Jizhou, who among us has clean hands? If the imperial envoy finds anything..."

He didn't say anything more, but the atmosphere in the hall instantly froze.

They were all aware of the gravity of their crimes: smuggling contraband, embezzling military pay, and seizing military farmland—each one of which was enough to cost them their heads. If they were implicated in the crime of treason, they would likely face the execution of their entire families.

"However, humph, you want to investigate us? Not so easy!"

"I brought a thousand retainers with me, all of whom have been loyal followers of mine for many years. If the imperial envoy dares to make a real move, I, Zhang Shixian, will risk my old life to drag him down with me!"

Du Yingkui and Wang Wei exchanged a glance, both seeing the same ruthlessness in each other's eyes.

"The commander is right! I've also brought five hundred retainers. If things really get out of hand, we'll join forces. I don't believe we can't deal with an imperial envoy!"

Du Yingkui echoed.

"Although I have brought few men, they are all excellent archers."

Wang Wei said in a sinister tone, "Killing an imperial envoy can be done without anyone knowing!"

Inside the main hall, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the three menacing faces.

The generals who once guarded the border are now willing to confront the imperial court for their own selfish desires.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. The man lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee to report:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Military Commissioner Wang Bingxian has arrived!"

"Wang Yingzhi is here?"

A strange light flashed in Zhang Shixian's eyes.

Among the officials of Jizhou, Wang Yingzhi was the most adept at discerning the emperor's intentions. Having just met Yang Lian the day before, he must know the imperial envoy's true purpose.

He raised his hand to signal his guards to step back, and called out to the outside of the hall, "Please come in quickly!"

A moment later, Wang Yingzhi, dressed in a blue official robe, stepped into the hall.

He wore his usual warm smile, but the fine lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed a hint of weariness.

Clearly, he had put a lot of effort into finding out Yang Lian's whereabouts these past few days.

He had just reached the table and hadn't even had a chance to sit down when Zhang Shixian, unable to contain his anxiety, asked in a somewhat impatient tone:
"Military Advisor, you've come at the right time! What exactly is Yang Lian investigating in Jizhou? Is it just a formality, or is he really going to get serious?"

As he spoke, Zhang Shixian's eyes narrowed, revealing a ruthless glint hidden beneath his fat.

He had already planned it out in his mind: if Yang Lian dared to investigate his past smuggling of contraband and embezzlement of military pay, even if the other party was an imperial envoy, he would fight to the death.

At worst, we can escape to the grasslands with our servants; that's better than having our entire family executed.

Wang Yingzhi picked up the teacup handed to him by a maid, slowly blew away the foam on the surface, and then began to speak:
"I just came from the General's Office and spoke with Liu Qutong. To be honest, Yang Lian does want to investigate, and he's targeting the long-standing problems in Jizhou."

"what?!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the main hall.

Zhang Shixian sat up abruptly, Du Yingkui's smile vanished instantly, and Wang Wei frowned deeply, his eyes so sinister they seemed to drip water.

All three men turned their gazes toward Wang Yingzhi, and the air seemed to be filled with murderous intent.

"Please don't get agitated."

Wang Yingzhi quickly raised his hand to comfort him, his tone softening.

“Yang Lian wants to investigate, but he doesn’t dare to investigate too deeply. He is a favorite of His Majesty. If he can’t find anything on this trip to Jizhen, he won’t be able to explain himself to His Majesty. But if he really brings us all down, the defense of Jizhen will collapse instantly, and he can’t bear that responsibility.”

Zhang Shixian finally relaxed, leaning back in his chair and letting out a sigh of relief.
"I see! I thought he was really going to be impartial to the end. Since he just wants an 'explanation,' isn't that simple? Just send a few scapegoats out, let him take their heads back to the capital to report, and that'll settle the matter, right?"

Du Yingkui chimed in, "The commander is right! We can just grab a few of those clerks and captains in the camp who embezzled military pay, and charge them with 'masterminds of embezzlement.' That way, the imperial envoy can save face without implicating us."

"We need to find a scapegoat, but it has to be someone of some importance."

Wang Yingzhi put down his teacup, his tone carrying a hint of consideration.

“If we only arrest a few minor officials, Yang Lian may not be satisfied. In my opinion, we should take the initiative to go to the imperial envoy, lay our cards on the table, and give him enough ‘merits’ so that he will stop pursuing us.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shixian frowned abruptly, shook his head, and said, "Go to the official post station to see him? No way! That's his territory. Who knows if there are axemen lying in ambush? What if he turns his back on us? Wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

He pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he said, "There's a tavern in the south of the city called 'The Brothel of Extravagance.' Although it's a brothel, it's spacious and elegant. Our people manage it, and we have eyes and ears everywhere, so it's very safe. If you want to see him, meet him at the Brothel of Extravagance!"

Wang Yingzhi's face immediately showed a troubled expression, and he subconsciously retorted: "But that place of debauchery... is ultimately a brothel. It would be against the rules to send an imperial envoy to such a place to discuss matters, wouldn't it? If word gets out, it won't be good for our reputation."

"rule?"

Zhang Shixian chuckled, his tone tinged with disdain.

"At this point, who cares about rules? What we need is safety! As long as we can keep Yang Lian in check, what does it matter if we go to a brothel or even a latrine to discuss matters?"

He paused, his eyes sharpening.

"Besides, this den of iniquity is our territory. If Yang Lian dares to play any tricks, our people can surround it immediately and make sure he can't escape!"

Du Yingkui and Wang Wei exchanged a glance, both seeing agreement in each other's eyes.

"Xiezhen is right, safety comes first. Let's decide on the location, the Peach Blossom Cave. We'll bring extra people with us, just in case."

Seeing that the three had made up their minds, Wang Yingzhi no longer objected, but simply sighed and said:

"Very well, let's do as you say. I'll go and send an invitation to Yang Lian, inviting him to the brothel tomorrow night for a 'discussion.' I hope he'll be sensible and not force us to take action."

Soon, the visiting card was delivered to the official post station in Jizhou.

Inside the imperial envoy's post station, Yang Lian finished reading the visiting card, looked at Li Hongji, and said, "They invited me to the brothel to discuss matters... It seems that Zhang Shixian, Wang Yingzhi, and the others are more vigilant than expected."

Li Hongji leaned forward, glanced at the handwriting on the visiting card, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips:
"A den of iniquity? How could they even think of that! That place is ostensibly a brothel and restaurant, but in reality, it's their den of iniquity, teeming with their people inside and out. If we go there empty-handed, wouldn't we be like lambs to the slaughter?"

He paused, then suddenly remembered Han Hu's strength, and muttered to himself, "I just wonder if Han Hu and his men can hide some people in there beforehand? If we have our own people providing covert support, we'll have more confidence and won't be controlled by them."

Yang Lian placed the visiting card on the table, her tone surprisingly calm.

"When the army is about to feast tomorrow, have Liu Qu mobilize the best soldiers in the standard camp to quietly surround the den of iniquity."

Li Hongji was startled, and then he understood Yang Lian's intention.

This is a classic case of "catching a turtle in a jar"!
But then he had another thought and a new concern arose. He frowned and said, "What if we don't go to the den of iniquity, and they don't go either, but wait until we go before they go? What then?"

Yang Lian frowned slightly upon hearing this.

This is not impossible.

Zhang Shixian and his associates were cunning and suspicious by nature; if they sensed anything amiss, they would immediately turn on each other.

A moment later, he raised his head, his eyes no longer displaying their usual composure, but instead showing a hint of resolute determination:
"We'll act according to the circumstances. If we can use this opportunity to reorganize Jizhou and eliminate these parasites, even if I lose my life, it won't matter."

These words made Li Hongji's heart sink.

These days, Yang Lian followed him to visit too many military households.

I've seen old men who would mix tree bark into their wild vegetable porridge, women who would sell their children to survive, and young men who, despite wearing tattered military uniforms, still yearn for the imperial court.

Jizhou is not only the northern gateway to the capital, but also the homeland on which countless people depend for their livelihood. If these parasites are allowed to continue their misdeeds, it will not be long before this "gate" completely collapses.

Yang Lian is willing to sacrifice himself for others, wanting to exchange his own life for the peace and tranquility of Jizhou!
"The Grand Tutor!"

Li Hongji stepped forward, his face showing great anxiety.

"You can't think like that! You can't die. Not only do the people of Jizhou need you, but the people of the Nine Border Regions need you too!"

"But don't worry, if these people really dare to commit treason, I will risk my life to save you!"

He had endured hunger and thirst in Yinchuan Post Station and fought bloody battles on the Shandong battlefield. He had seen too many scenes of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and had long since disregarded life and death.

But he couldn't let anything happen to Yang Lian.

His Majesty's mission must not be botched in his hands.

另外
Good officials are few and far between, and he couldn't let these few good officials lose their lives to these beasts!

Looking into Li Hongji's determined eyes, Yang Lian felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

He patted Li Hongji on the shoulder, his tone becoming steady again: "I know what you mean. Don't worry, I won't risk my life unless absolutely necessary. But we must prepare for the worst."

A day passes in the blink of an eye amidst the undercurrents.

As dusk settled over Jizhou City, the city's sky was shrouded in darkness, yet the area south of the city, known for its extravagant pleasure quarters, remained brightly lit.

A simply decorated ebony carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the gate. The curtain was lifted, and Yang Lian, dressed in a scarlet official robe, stepped down from the carriage, escorted by Li Hongji and two guards.

Before even stepping through the gate, one could see dozens of elite soldiers, each holding a long sword, standing in formation on either side of the brothel.

These soldiers were all burly and fierce-looking, their armor gleaming coldly, and their swords were drawn half an inch from their sheaths. They were clearly the personal guards and assassins of Zhang Shixian, Du Yingkui, and others.

Yang Lian glanced at them and understood.

These people were indeed well-prepared; today's den of extravagance has already been woven with an invisible net.

"Du Tang, they are indeed cautious."

Li Hongji leaned close to Yang Lian's ear and whispered a reminder, his hand quietly resting on the sword at his waist.

Yang Lian nodded slightly, his expression remaining calm, and stepped into the den of iniquity.

Just as Li Hongji had expected, they had barely sat down in the hall when they heard the sounds of horses' hooves and sedan chair bearers outside.

Zhang Shixian, Du Yingkui, Wang Wei, and others then slowly arrived on horseback and in sedan chairs.

Although the "brothel" was a place of extravagance, it was quite large in scale.

The outer courtyard is a spacious banquet hall, with colorful gauze lanterns hanging between the carved beams and painted rafters, casting an ambiguous light.

The inner courtyard consisted of elegant private rooms, where prostitutes received their guests.

The outer hall had been carefully decorated, with a large rosewood table in the center and more than ten chairs around it.

Yang Lian calmly walked to the main seat and sat down, his demeanor composed, as if this were not a dangerous place surrounded by tigers and wolves, but his own hall.

General Liu Qu of Jizhou and Military Commissioner Wang Yingzhi were already waiting in the hall. When Yang Lian took his seat, the two sat down on the chairs on either side of the main seat.

The lower seats were reserved for Zhang Shixian, Du Yingkui, and other generals and officials of the Jizhou garrison.

"We pay our respects to the Governor!"

As soon as Zhang Shixian and the others stepped into the hall, they all clasped their hands in a salute, their faces showing deliberate respect.

Flattery costs nothing. Before they could figure out Yang Lian’s true intentions, they naturally had to maintain a polite facade to avoid being accused of “disrespecting the imperial envoy.”

"Everyone, please take a seat."

Yang Lian raised his hand in a gesture of support, his tone flat and emotionless.

Soon, several alluring prostitutes dressed in thin gauze came forward with trays and placed exquisite dishes and wines on the table.

Steamed sea bass, braised venison, and candied amber fruit
There was even a pot of Jiangnan Daughter Red wine that had just been warmed.

The prostitutes deliberately pressed themselves against the officials, their words full of seductive charm, trying to ease the tension in the hall with their allure. However, Zhang Shixian and the others had no interest in enjoying themselves; their eyes kept glancing at Yang Lian, their gazes filled with vigilance.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

The atmosphere in the hall remained tense.

Yang Lian put down his wine cup, picked up his silver chopsticks, took a bite of food, swallowed slowly, and then looked up at everyone. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire hall:
"Gentlemen, I have come to investigate Jizhou by order of His Majesty. During my visits to Jizhou City these past few days, I have seen many things and learned of the many hardships of the soldiers and civilians of Jizhou."

As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions on Zhang Shixian's, Du Yingkui's, and others' faces changed instantly.

Their worst fears have finally come true.

As expected, Yang Lian was about to bring up the matter of "investigation"!
Yang Lian ignored their reactions and continued, "Jizhen is the last line of defense protecting the capital. Its position is of paramount importance and cannot be lost. I have invited you all here today to give you an opportunity."

If someone has committed any crimes in the past and is now willing to confess and promise to atone for their crimes by serving in the border region, this Imperial Envoy may petition His Majesty to forgive and forget the past.

But if someone remains obstinate and attempts to conceal evidence, then it is a case of 'Don't say we didn't warn you!'

With his last sentence, Yang Lian's tone suddenly turned stern, his eyes sharp as knives as he swept across the faces of Zhang Shixian and the others.

"what?!"

Wang Yingzhi suddenly stood up, his face full of shock and disbelief.

This is completely different from what Liu Qu had told him before: "Just find a scapegoat and go through the motions!"
He subconsciously looked at Liu Qu, only to see that Liu Qu also looked surprised, clearly not expecting Yang Lian to suddenly launch an attack.

Liu Qu was burning with anxiety, and looked at Yang Lian with a worried expression:

Yang Lian, are you crazy?

This is Zhang Shixian's territory, surrounded by his servants and assassins. If we anger them, we'll probably be chopped into pieces on the spot!

Yang Lian's words indeed enraged Zhang Shixian and the others.

"Humph!"

Zhang Shixian slammed his hand on the table, spilling wine from his glass onto the floor. He stood up, his thick face contorted with rage, finally no longer concealing his murderous intent.

"What do you mean by that, Governor Yang? We have guarded Jizhou for His Majesty for many years, resisting the Tartars and defending against the Jurchens. Haven't we made enough contributions? Now you don't reward us for our merits, but instead come to interrogate us?"

He took a step forward, staring at Yang Lian with a sinister look, his tone carrying a naked threat:

"Jizhen is a mixed bag, harboring many Tartar spies. If a 'spy' suddenly breaks in and injures the Chief Minister, that would be disastrous."

The threat in those words was clear to everyone present.

He was implying that if Yang Lian didn't know what was good for him, he would "accidentally" die at the hands of "Tartar spies" today!
The hall fell into a deathly silence. Only the prostitutes, pale with fright, cowered and dared not move.

The romantic atmosphere in the air vanished without a trace, replaced by a dense killing intent that enveloped everyone's hearts as if it were a tangible reality.

Li Hongji and two bodyguards immediately stood up, their hands on their swords, and stood in front of Yang Lian, their eyes warily fixed on Zhang Shixian and the others, ready to take action at any moment.

A conflict seems inevitable.

(End of this chapter)