Huangming

Chapter 471 Setting a Trap to Lure the Servant, Eunuchs Plot Rebellion

In Zhang Zhiji's view, now that the enemy has revealed their true colors, it is only natural to strike hard.

But judging from Yuan Keli's expression, he showed no intention of sending troops.

Zhang Zhiji immediately became anxious and said from the side:
"Minister, in my opinion, we shouldn't wait any longer! We should quickly communicate with Superintendent Gao and my father to mobilize the Nanjing Garrison!"

The salt merchants, cloth merchants, and gentry have all begun to collude. If given more time, they might form a united front, and Jiangnan would become a monolithic entity!

Luo Yangxing stood to the side, nodding repeatedly.

"Commander Zhang is right! If we don't act now, it will be much harder for us to investigate once they've paved the way!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Keli did not respond immediately.

He picked up the cold tea on the table, took a sip, and glanced at the two anxious faces. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The smile was unhurried, carrying a hint of composure from someone who had experienced the treacherous waters of officialdom.

“We are officials sent to Nanjing by His Majesty with honor and dignity, holding military and political power in Jiangnan. How can we learn those underhanded tricks?”

Yuan Keli put down his teacup and said confidently:
“If we’re going to deal with them, we have to do it openly and honestly, so that the officials, gentry and common people of Jiangnan can all see it clearly.”

Who is deceiving the emperor? Who is committing evil deeds?

"What the Minister means is..."

Zhang Zhiji paused for a moment, then suppressed his eagerness, leaned closer, his eyes full of doubt.

Although he knew that Yuan Keli always planned carefully before acting and would not make a move without a purpose.

But at this point, what other tricks are there?
"Our ministry will invite officials from all the prefectures and counties in Jiangnan to a proclamation meeting to be held at the Nanjing Examination Hall in fifteen days."

Yuan Keli said slowly.

"At that time, in front of everyone, announce His Majesty's decree to rectify Jiangnan and expedite the production of raw silk, and then put out the evidence we've gathered these past few days of cloth merchants falsely reporting losses and delaying their work!"

"Demonstration Conference?"

Zhang Zhiji was completely stunned and subconsciously repeated it.

"Minister, isn't this like stirring up trouble? If those cloth merchants and corrupt officials find out we're about to take action, they might run off with their money tonight, or even collude with the refugees to cause trouble!"

"You idiot, what do you know!"

Luo Yangxing wanted to continue speaking, but Zhang Zhiji glared at him first, then looked at Yuan Keli with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Did the minister do this on purpose? To make them jump up first?"

Yuan Keli nodded.

“That’s right. They’re hiding in the shadows right now, and we don’t know who the mastermind is or who the accomplices are. Instead of investigating them one by one, we should force them into the open.”

If they remain inactive and obediently cooperate in expediting the production of raw silk, then we will let bygones be bygones.

If they dare to cause trouble at the conference, or engage in any underhanded tactics before or after the conference…

He paused, his tone suddenly turning sharp, a glint of steel flashing in his eyes:
"Our headquarters can lead troops to ambush and capture them with a legitimate reason!"

At that time, the people of Jiangnan will only say that we are acting on behalf of Heaven, not that we are abusing our power.

This is called "courtesy before force," giving the army a legitimate reason to fight!

Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing's eyes lit up as they listened, their previous eagerness completely dissipating, replaced by a sudden realization.

Luo Yangxing scratched the back of his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly:

"Your Excellency is right; I was confused in my haste."

Yuan Keli smiled and said, "Do you think that all the work we've done in Nanjing these past few months has been investigating the cloth merchants?"

"What does the Minister mean?"

"The garrisons around Nanjing have been almost completely reorganized."

Seeing their shocked expressions, Yuan Keli continued:
"Originally, there were too many vacancies, so 30,000 old and weak people were dismissed, and 5,000 elite soldiers were transferred from Liaodong and 5,000 people were transferred from the Beijing Garrison to serve as mid-level generals."

They were all soldiers who had fought alongside Commander Xiong, or whom I had personally trained. They understood military discipline and were capable of fighting.

Yuan Keli spoke calmly, yet his tone concealed a subtle pride.

"Afterwards, young men were selected from military households and refugees to fill the vacancies. Now the Nanjing Garrison has a strength of 100,000. Armor and firearms have been transferred from the Bureau of Armor and Equipment to supplement the troops. They are training every day without stopping."

"These 100,000 people are not the scattered sand of the past."

With new generals, improved discipline, and upgraded equipment, they are now His Majesty's troops. With a single command, I can quell any chaos in Jiangnan.

"Forget about those cloth merchants and corrupt officials; even if there were a real uprising of displaced people, our troops could quell it in one battle!"

Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing watched Yuan Keli's retreating figure, feeling a huge weight lifted from their hearts.

Previously, I was worried that the cloth merchants would be difficult to deal with due to their collusion with officials and gentry. Now I realize that Yuan Keli had long held the trump card of military power. The so-called "proclamation meeting" was nothing more than a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole.

"Then I will immediately prepare to send people to the various prefectures to invite officials and to compile the evidence for investigating the cloth merchants!"

Zhang Zhiji's tone was filled with excitement, and his previous fatigue had vanished.

"Your subordinates will also arrange for captains to keep an eye on those cloth merchants and officials, to see if they make any unusual moves!"

Luo Yangxing also clasped his hands in a gesture of defiance, his hand on the embroidered spring knife now displaying a more confident stance.

"Just go."

After Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing left, Yuan Keli's smile became even more confident of victory.

after all
Besides the various garrisons in Nanjing, the Beijing garrison and the Jiangshui Water Defense Forces have also been completely transformed, becoming sharp weapons in his hands that can be used to attack wherever he points.

The Beijing Garrison, as the core ground combat force in Nanjing, was divided into three battalions by Yuan Keli, each with its own focus.

The 6,000 elite troops of the Dajiaochang Battalion were stationed in the south of the city, forming a genuine main force for land warfare.

Most of the soldiers in the camp were young and strong men selected from the flood-stricken refugees. After being trained by veterans transferred from Liaodong for several months, they were already skilled in forming ranks, wielding swords and thrusting, and even the most basic shield formation could be made "unmoved and impenetrable by arrows".

Li Fuming, the Commander-in-Chief, was originally a junior colonel in the Liaodong Army. Due to his outstanding performance in the Liaodong War, he was promoted by His Majesty.

He lived and ate with the soldiers in the camp, and all the soldiers in the camp trusted and respected him.

The Xiaojiaochang Camp, with 9,100 men, was stationed in the east of the city, specializing in cavalry training.

Most of the warhorses in the camp were acquired from the Liaodong horse market; they had glossy coats and were extremely durable.

Soldiers would get up before dawn every day to practice riding and archery, and in the afternoon they would simulate tactics such as raids and flanking maneuvers.

The most legendary figure was Commander Zhou Xianzong, who was just a battalion commander in charge of fifty men just six months ago.

He was summoned by His Majesty and rose through the ranks.

Later, during a training exercise organized by Yuan Keli, he led 300 cavalrymen to simulate fighting against 2,000 infantrymen. He won a victory against overwhelming odds by using the tactics of "feinting to the east and attacking the west, cutting off the rear and encircling and annihilating the enemy." He was immediately promoted to the rank of adjutant.

Despite his humble origins, he dared to take charge and manage, even bringing the unruly cavalry veterans in the old guard post under his control.

The Shenji Battalion, with 2,500 men, was stationed near Tongji Gate and was the "ace of firearms" of the Beijing Garrison.

The breech-loading cannons equipped in the camp were the latest creations of the Ordnance Bureau. Each musketeer was equipped with a musket and thirty lead bullets. They had to practice "loading-aiming-firing" fifty times a day. If the error exceeded three feet, they would be punished.

Commander Zhou Yuji once defended against Mongol cavalry in Xuanfu and was most skilled in the deployment of firearms.

These three adjutant generals were all "newcomers" personally promoted by Zhu Youxiao. Like Zhao Shuaijiao and Zu Dashou before them, they had no ties to the old nobles or the connections of the gentry in Jiangnan. They only had "His Majesty" and "military orders" in their eyes.

Yuan Keli has always trusted His Majesty's judgment. Even though Zhou Xianzong was just a battalion commander, as long as he passed the test and his tactics were excellent, he dared to entrust him with important responsibilities.

Li Fuming and Zhou Yuji did not disappoint him. In just a few months, they trained their respective battalions to be "obedient to orders and able to advance and retreat as one".

Besides the garrison and the capital's garrison, he also completely controlled the most difficult Jiangshui water defense force.

The officials who were originally in charge of the Yangtze River were from the Jiangnan gentry and had long colluded with salt merchants, allowing private boats to roam freely on the Yangtze River.

After Yuan Keli submitted his memorial to His Majesty, Zhu Youxiao immediately appointed Xu Bida, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate whom Yuan had promoted, to take over the post.

Xu Bida did not participate in factional struggles. He was known for his strict investigation of corruption during his local post. His first task after taking office was to clean up the old naval forces. He dismissed and investigated more than 20 officers who colluded with salt merchants. He also transferred officers familiar with naval warfare from the Beijing garrison to supplement the force. He also refurbished 20 warships and added cannons.

After the floods, patrols along the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River have increased from once a day to three times a day. No private boats are allowed to pass without inspection. When the navy's flag flutters on the river, even the most rampant private boats of salt merchants dare not approach.

Yuan Keli's confidence stemmed from these troops.

The garrison, the capital garrison, and the navy—three forces linked together—protected Nanjing like an iron fortress.

The gentry of Jiangnan had deep roots, controlling grain routes, shops, and even influencing the appointment and removal of local officials. However, they had no soldiers or firearms. No matter how deep their roots were, they were nothing but a paper shield in front of 100,000 elite troops.

As for the proclamation meeting fifteen days later, it was both a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole and his final ultimatum to the gentry of Jiangnan.

He didn't intend to exterminate them all. After all, Jiangnan was a major source of tax revenue for the imperial court. Stabilizing the situation without resorting to force would be beneficial for both the people and the court.

Therefore, the conditions he set were very clear:

As long as the gentry cooperate obediently, complete the raw silk production tasks assigned by His Majesty to the Jiangnan Textile Bureau on time, make up for this year's Jiangnan tax revenue, assist the Disaster Relief Department in resettling flood victims, and implement the "Imperial Power to the County" policy.

He could let bygones be bygones those past offenses of embezzlement and collusion with cloth merchants, and even put in a good word for them in his memorials to the Emperor to ensure their official positions and titles remained secure.

However, some people are stubborn and think that they can rely on clan power and official connections to delay and resist, and that Yuan Keli will not dare to take real action.

His soldiers were the best "response".

The swords and spears of the Great Training Ground Camp, the cavalry of the Small Training Ground Camp, the artillery of the Divine Machine Camp, and the warships of the Yangtze River Navy were all ready.

At that time, don't blame Yuan Keli for showing no mercy. He will have no choice but to use military force to break through the "iron plate" of the Jiangnan gentry and clean up the accumulated problems in the capital for His Majesty.

soon.

The news that Yuan Keli was going to hold a proclamation meeting at the Nanjing Examination Hall spread like an autumn wind through the official and gentry circles of Jiangnan, causing widespread panic.

Inside Nanjing, some people secretly rejoiced.

We hope that Minister Yuan can rectify official corruption and stabilize prices so that life will be easier after the flood.

But many more people were restless and unable to eat or sleep, especially the officials and gentry who had connections everywhere. They felt a chill when they thought of Yuan Keli’s methods of reforming the garrisons and condoning the investigations of the secret police over the past few months.

They feared that this proclamation meeting would not be a "declaration of the imperial decree" but a "settlement of scores," and that their past corruption and collusion would be exposed in public, leading to their property being confiscated and them being executed.

In the south of Jinling City, the bells of the ancient Waguan Temple had just rung past noon, but the mansions on the south side of Hualugang exuded a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.

This residence of Zhou Qiyuan, the governor of Yingtian, was originally one of the most luxurious courtyards in Jiangnan.

Two white marble lions crouch outside the vermilion gate, and a plaque reading "Shangshu Residence" hangs above the gate.

The floodwaters had just receded, and there was still a pile of silt under the courtyard wall. Several precious magnolia trees were bent crooked by the flood, and their branches and leaves were covered with mud, which made this magnificent mansion look a bit messy.

But once you enter the inner hall, it's a completely different world.

An air of luxury is immediately apparent.

Zhou Qiyuan, dressed in a moon-white silk robe, leaned back in a grand chair covered with a fox fur, holding a jade snuff bottle in his hand, but his brows were tightly furrowed, and he even forgot to take a snuff.

Sitting opposite Zhou Qiyuan was Wang Yingjiao, the Minister of Revenue of Nanjing, who appeared even more anxious than Zhou Qiyuan.

On the small table between the two people were several plates of exquisite pastries. Pine nut cake, osmanthus sugar, and crab roe pastry were all expensive delicacies, but no one had the heart to taste them at the moment.

Two women stood below the hall; they were famous courtesans from the Qinhuai River.

On the left, Wang Yue wore a plain white dress, without any makeup, only a silver hairpin in her hair. She was slender and her eyes and brows carried a hint of aloofness and indifference, just like the legend described, "cold and indifferent like a lone plum blossom and a cold moon."

She held a black lacquered tray with two silver pots for warming wine on it. Her eyes were lowered, and she didn't say a word, even her breathing was extremely soft.

Yang Wan on the right is wearing a light green silk skirt with lotus patterns embroidered on the hem. She is holding a seven-stringed zither and her fingertips are lightly touching the strings.

She was more lively than Wang Yue, and seeing that the two had been silent for a long time, she asked softly:

"Lord Zhou, Lord Wang, would you like me to play 'Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank' to relieve your boredom?"

Her voice was gentle and soft, with the unique charm of a woman from Jiangnan.

Zhou Qiyuan waved his hand impatiently: "No need. You all go behind the screen and wait. Don't come out unless I call you."

Wang Yue and Yang Wan exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other's eyes.

No matter how aloof a famous courtesan or how talented a woman, once she enters the inner chambers of these high-ranking officials, she is nothing more than a decorative object to serve them.

The two bowed slightly, lifted their skirts, and retreated behind the carved screen. Their figures could be vaguely seen through the screen, but they made no further sound.

"Brother Yunfu, what exactly is Yuan Keli up to?"

Wang Yingjiao finally couldn't help but speak, his voice extremely low.

"A proclamation meeting? More like a 'punishment meeting'! In the few months he's been in Nanjing, he's been reorganizing the garrisons and arresting so many corrupt officials. Now he's summoning officials from all the prefectures to Nanjing. It's obvious he's going to target us, the officials and gentry of Jiangnan!"

Zhou Qiyuan took a deep breath, placed the jade snuff bottle on the table, and it made a soft "thump" sound.

"He's not just operating, he's uprooting the Donglin Party!"

His tone was filled with gritted teeth and hatred.

"What kind of place is Jiangnan? It's the backyard of us Donglin Party members!"
Since the reign of Emperor Wanli, we have been in charge of everything in Jiangnan, from taxes and grain transport to the silk trade.

Now, things are really messed up. With Yuan Keli's arrival, he's arresting cloth merchants, spurring silk production, and even implementing this "imperial power extending to the counties" scheme. It's obvious he wants to take all the power from us and bring it under His Majesty's control!

Wang Yingjiao nodded, his expression growing even more somber:

"And those secret police! Last month, the prefect of Suzhou was caught red-handed by the secret police for embezzling silver from the canal transport and is still locked up in the imperial prison!"
Whose hands are clean?
Anyone who embezzles disaster relief funds during floods or colludes with cloth merchants to profit from price differences will be executed if any of these acts are discovered!
This proclamation meeting was a trap set by Yuan Keli, waiting for us to fall into it!

"What's most infuriating is His Majesty's muddle-headedness!"

Zhou Qiyuan slammed his hand on the armrest of the armchair, raising his voice several decibels, before quickly lowering it again.

"His Majesty says he wants to compete with the Western barbarians for the silk trade, calling it 'filling the national treasury,' but in reality, he is competing with the people for profit!"
Those cloth merchants have been doing business for so many years, and their livelihood depends entirely on this. His Majesty cut off their livelihood with just one sentence. Isn't this forcing the people to rebel?
And what about the "imperial power extending to the county level," which allowed commoners to manage local affairs? Will eunuchs also be allowed to get involved later?
What kind of people were those eunuchs?
"Greedy beyond measure and tyrannical by nature, if they were to go to the county, would the people still have a good life?"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, pointing beyond the screen with a tone filled with deep sorrow and indignation:
“We, the Donglin Party members, have always taken it upon ourselves to ‘support the nation and care for the people.’ Now that His Majesty is listening to one side and letting Yuan Keli wreak havoc in Jiangnan, if we don’t stand up, Jiangnan will truly be finished!”
"Without the support of Jiangnan, what voice will our Donglin Party have in the imperial court in the future?"

Wang Yingjiao remained silent for a moment, his brows furrowing even more deeply:
"But Yuan Keli now controls the military power in Nanjing!"

The Thirty-Seven Guards, the Beijing Garrison, and the Jiangshui Flood Control Division were all his men.

Generals like Li Fuming, Zhou Xianzong, and Zhou Yuji were all promoted by His Majesty, and they are not of one mind with us.

If we really go against him, I'm afraid...

"What are you afraid of?"

Zhou Qiyuan interrupted him, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"Which official or gentry in Jiangnan doesn't have a private army?"
The cloth merchants in Suzhou have guards, and the salt merchants in Songjiang have fleets. If we also contact a few generals, we might not be afraid of Yuan Keli!

We cannot attend this proclamation meeting, nor can we allow officials from various prefectures to attend!
As long as no one pays attention to him, his conference won't get off the ground, and His Majesty will naturally think he's incompetent. Then we can submit a memorial impeaching him; we're not afraid we won't be able to bring him down!

Wang Yingjiao's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated: "What if Yuan Keli uses 'disobeying imperial orders' to punish us?"

"Disobeying the order?"

Zhou Qiyuan sneered, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of cold tea, and spoke with a certainty in his tone.

"Let's say that the floodwaters have just receded, and the various prefectures and governments are busy with disaster relief and comforting the people, so they really can't spare the time."

Furthermore, the people of Jiangnan are also hoping that we can stabilize the situation. As long as we raise the banner of "speaking out for the people," His Majesty will not be able to punish us easily.

He couldn't very well say that holding a major meeting was more important than disaster relief, could he?

Wang Yue and Yang Wan, though they dared not peek out from behind the screen, heard the two men's conversation clearly.

They never expected that these seemingly respectable officials were secretly plotting to defy the imperial decree.

Seeing that Wang Yingjiao remained silent, Zhou Qiyuan slowly said:

"Perhaps we can use even more ruthless tactics."

"An even more ruthless move?"

Wang Yingjiao's hand holding the teacup suddenly paused, his brows furrowed, and his tone was full of surprise and doubt.

"Right now, Yuan Keli holds military power, and the Imperial Guard is keeping a close eye on him. We should play it safe and deal with things cautiously. Why take a risk?"

Zhou Qiyuan did not answer directly, but glanced at Yang Wan and Wang Yue, who were standing behind the screen.

He immediately raised his hand and waved at the two of them:
"This is none of your business. Go down. Remember, don't let a single word of what you just heard slip out."

Yang Wan quickly bowed and replied:

"I understand."

After saying that, she pulled up Wang Yue, who was still stunned, and the two of them lifted their skirts and quietly left the inner room, making sure to gently close the door behind them as they went out.

The door had just locked when Zhou Qiyuan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and lowered his voice even further, almost whispering in Wang Yingjiao's ear:

"We will follow his instructions and have officials from various prefectures come to Nanjing to participate in the proclamation ceremony."

But no sooner had these officials left their territory than we sent people to incite the silk farmers and disaster victims!

He paused, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes:
"It is said that Yuan Keli wanted to transport all the raw silk from Jiangnan to the capital, leaving no way for silk farmers to make a living."

Furthermore, the relief grain allocated by the disaster relief department has been embezzled by officials. If the disaster victims do not take action, they will starve to death!
Incite them to destroy the disaster relief department's granary, and it would be best if they caused trouble near the examination hall.

Wasn't Yuan Keli going to hold a big meeting?
Let's make sure his conference doesn't happen, so he knows the will of the people of Jiangnan is 'not to be defied'!

"This...this is against the rules!"

Wang Yingjiao's face turned deathly pale instantly. He stood up abruptly, but then, fearing that the noise would be too loud and someone would hear him, he quickly sat down again, his voice filled with barely suppressed panic.

"Inciting the people to cause chaos, if this is found out, is tantamount to treason!"
Yuan Keli was just worried about not being able to find any fault with us; aren't we just walking into his trap?

"rule?"

Zhou Qiyuan sneered.

"Does His Majesty sending Yuan Keli to Jiangnan to forcibly requisition raw silk and implement some kind of 'imperial power extending to the county' mean it's in accordance with the rules?"
That's competing with the people for profit, and it's shaking the very foundation of the nation!
We are protecting the people of Jiangnan, protecting the foundation of our nation!

He took a breath and his tone softened slightly.

"Minister Wang, think it through. Once the proclamation meeting is held, whether Yuan Keli arrests people on the spot or uses the meeting to reprimand officials in various prefectures, the morale of our people in Jiangnan will definitely collapse!"
Which of those state officials doesn't have some shady dealings?
In order to protect themselves, they will definitely betray us!

Yuan Keli commands 100,000 troops; he can defeat them one by one, leaving us no chance to resist!

"Only by creating a disturbance now, letting Yuan Keli know that there is widespread public resentment in Jiangnan, can we deter him from taking any action."

Then the message will be sent to the capital, letting His Majesty know that the reorganization of Jiangnan will cause great chaos, and only then will he withdraw his order!
This isn't a risky move; it's our only way out!

Wang Yingjiao's heart pounded as he listened. He stood up and paced back and forth in the cramped inner room.

He knew Zhou Qiyuan was telling the truth.

He had too many connections with silk merchants in Suzhou and salt merchants in Yangzhou. During the floods this year, he even accepted 5,000 taels of silver from the salt merchants, tacitly allowing them to hoard grain and drive up market prices.

Zhou Qiyuan's mansion was built for him with money raised by gentry from Jiangnan.

Once Yuan Keli completely controls Jiangnan, the foundation of these Donglin Party members in Jiangnan will be uprooted. At that time, they will not only lose their official positions, but they may not even be able to save their lives.

"That was too close, still too close..."

He muttered to himself.

"If this gets out of control and a civil uprising breaks out, we'll be sinners for all time..."

"A sinner for all time?"

Zhou Qiyuan suddenly grabbed his wrist, his eyes sharp as knives.

"If we lose, we will be sinners for all time!"

The Donglin Party has been operating in Jiangnan for so many years. If we can't even hold onto Jiangnan, what voice will we have in the court in the future?

His Majesty will only trust those eunuchs and military generals more, and then the major policies of the dynasty will truly have nothing to do with us!

He released Wang Yingjiao's wrist, his tone softening further, with a hint of seduction:

"Besides, we're just instigating things, we don't really want to rebel."

As long as unrest breaks out, Yuan Keli will definitely suspend the assembly to quell the disturbance. Then we can send people to 'appease' the people, saying some polite words about 'advising His Majesty.' This way, we can preserve our positions and gain a reputation for 'speaking up for the people.' Why not do it?"

Wang Yingjiao stopped in his tracks, looking at the resolute look in Zhou Qiyuan's eyes. He then recalled the bribes he had received and the luxuries he had enjoyed. The struggle in his heart was gradually replaced by fear.

He knew he had no way out.

From the moment he accepted money from salt and cloth merchants, he was already tied to these gentry and merchants of Jiangnan.

If the boat capsizes, he'll sink with it.

"Hey~"

He sighed deeply, his voice filled with helplessness, yet also carrying a hint of resolute determination.

"Fine, let's do it your way."

However, we must first send someone to the capital to speak with Ye Xianggao and Qian Qianyi, asking them to put in a good word for us in court, so that we can have someone to rely on if things go wrong.”

Seeing that he had relented, Zhou Qiyuan finally smiled. He picked up the teacup on the table and handed it to Wang Yingjiao.
"That's right! As long as we are united, no matter how powerful Yuan Keli is, he can't overcome the 'popular support' in Jiangnan."

Come, have a cup of tea, let's discuss this further, who we should send to incite the people, and how to get the message to the capital..."

The candlelight inside still flickered, casting the two figures on the wall in shifting sizes.

Their so-called "speaking out for the people" is nothing more than a means to protect their own selfish interests.

Their so-called "purification of the root cause" is nothing more than a conspiracy to coerce the people.

At this moment, they are unaware that this seemingly meticulously planned and ruthless scheme is precisely the variable that Yuan Keli wants.

The "snake" that this Minister of War in Nanjing, who had been entrusted with an important post by the Ming Emperor, was waiting for was finally about to emerge from its hole.

(End of this chapter)