The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 109 Deliberation and Appointment
After discussing the matter of Xiangzhou, everyone turned their attention to other locations on the map.

Having just experienced the feeling of offering suggestions, Xiao Yi thought to himself that he probably wouldn't have a chance to speak up anymore.

Just then, an official from the shogunate reported that Wei Renpu had come out of the hall and returned saying, "My lord, Ma Duo's reply has been delivered."

Xiao Yi, with his sharp eyes, noticed that it wasn't a reply at all, but clearly a marriage contract.

Guo Wei didn't even look at it, but directly beckoned Li Chongjin over and handed it over.

"Wang Wenbo, your proposed marriage alliance has been finalized."

Wang Pu smiled slightly, about to reply.

"Oh it's you!"

Li Chongjin suddenly flew into a rage, pointed at Wang Pu, and spat, "It was you, you scholar, who came up with this terrible idea."

"Whether the idea is bad or not, the general will know after the wedding." Wang Pu smiled and bowed, saying, "The general may now go to Shenzhou to fetch the bride."

"Now?"

"Any later, and it will be difficult to kill Liu Xin."

"You mean..."

Li Chongjin stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, turned to Guo Wei, and silently clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Li Chongjin, I order you to lead one hundred elite troops, disguised as a wedding procession, to Shenzhou to join forces with Ma Duo. Wait for my order to advance on Xuzhou and take Liu Xin's head. Do not do it too early or too late."

"Here!"

Li Chongjin accepted the order and then asked, "So, the wedding procession was a pretense..."

"It's true," Guo Wei said. "You two, father-in-law and son-in-law, are of one mind. Don't let this cause any major problems."

"Nephew...yes!"

Li Chongjin, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears and his face filled with grief and indignation, was ordered to step down.

He Fujin stroked his beard and laughed, "This little dark-faced guy, he got the benefit but still acts innocent."

Thus, the strategy of dividing the southern towns was basically settled.

Xiao Yi's gaze fell on the three prefectures of Xu, Yan, and Yun. He thought to himself, "Murong Yanchao is dead, but the small flags on this map haven't been changed yet. The new military governor must be undecided."

really.

"Military Governor of Taining, what are your thoughts?"

Xiao Yi's heart stirred. Rather than being a gatekeeper, he would much rather be a military governor, a regional warlord, free and unrestrained.

Although judging from the map, Yanzhou is not a large territory, it is squeezed together with Xuzhou and Yunzhou, and is probably a place of constant warfare... More importantly, I am not qualified at the moment.

"Murong Yanchao's son, Murong Jixun, has appointed himself as the military governor of Taining Army and submitted a memorial to plead guilty. What are your thoughts on this?"

“Send a new military governor to kill him.”

"Who should be chosen? Let's discuss it together."

Xiao Yi thought that going to Yanzhou to eliminate the threat completely would be a good option, so as to prevent Murong Jixun from targeting him as his "father's killer".

"Xiao Yi killed Murong Yanchao with his spear, demonstrating the might of the vanguard army." He Fujin said, "I think Guo Chongwei should be sent to govern Yanzhou."

“No,” Wang Jun said. “If we transfer Guo Chongwei to Yanzhou, Liu Yun will be too frightened to enter the capital.”

Wang Yin said, "There is a man who once followed the Ming Dynasty to pacify the three towns and was the first to break through the city. He is capable of important tasks. He is Han Lingkun, the commander of the first army of the right wing of the Imperial Guard, the Crane Control Guard."

"You certainly don't shy away from recommending people based on their own connections," Wang Jun sneered. "Although Han Lingkun is brave, he is not good at governing regional military governors."

"He was not only brave, but also had a plan to reduce taxes and entice displaced people."

“Using him will still frighten Liu Yun.” Wang Jun turned to Guo Wei and said, “We should send Yan Yan, the Academician of the Duanming Hall, to temporarily govern Yanzhou.”

Wang Yin said, "How could a scholar be a match for Murong Jixun?"

Wang Jun was confident and said, "Yan Yan already has a plan. He has contacted Cui Zhoudu, the judge of the Taining Army, and Yan Honglu, the military commander, to coordinate from the inside and outside. They will surely eliminate Murong Jixun."

Although Xiao Yi felt that Wang Jun had ulterior motives, he also approved of the strategy.

As expected, Guo Wei said, "Select one hundred elite soldiers and send Scholar Hu Yan to take up his post in Yanzhou."

"Here."

Wang Jun agreed, pointed to Yunzhou, and said, "Gao Xingzhou has been managing the Tianping Army for more than ten years. Although he has not sent troops on Liu Chengyou's orders, he has reinforced his troops on the border of Yunzhou and is observing the wind direction. His intentions are unclear. In my opinion, we should send a part of our troops to Yunzhou, claim that we are afraid that Murong Yanchao will cause trouble, and ask Yunzhou to temporarily provide us with food and allow him to station his troops. Let's see how he reacts."

Xiao Yi wasn't very interested in this assignment; there was no point in being a guest soldier.

Wang Yin objected, saying, "Gao Xingzhou's decision not to send troops has already made his stance clear. Taking rash action will only discourage the regional military governors."

He Fujin stepped forward and said, "I have a long-standing relationship with him and know his temperament. As long as we increase his fiefdom, give him generous gifts, and transfer his son to the Imperial Guard for important positions, secretly using him as a hostage, Yunzhou can be secured."

Will he agree?

"He is old and frail, and has lost the will to fight. His son is only twenty-four years old. He has already obtained a high position in the Imperial Guard and enjoys wealth and honor. How can he refuse?"

Thus, the matter concerning the two prefectures of Yan and Yun was settled.

Wei Renpu pondered for a moment and said, "The biggest concern right now is that Liu Yun might not go to Kaifeng and instead join forces with Liu Chong."

What insightful opinion does Daoji have?

“Use the Empress Dowager’s name,” Wei Renpu said. “Liu Yun is most afraid of you killing or coercing him. We should ask Empress Dowager Li to issue an edict to summon him, so as to show that you are returning power to the Empress Dowager and that the Empress Dowager will rule the court. Then send an envoy to Xuzhou to say that all the officials are eagerly awaiting Liu Yun’s ascension to the throne. If they hesitate, I fear that Liu Xin will compete for the throne, which will incite their competitive spirit.”

"How about appointing Feng Dao as envoy?"

“There is a more suitable candidate.”

After saying that, Wei Renpu turned around and looked at Xiao Yi.

"Xiao Lang, you have been appointed by Empress Dowager Li as the Commander of the Inner Palace Guards. She has bestowed upon you a great reward. How about you go to Xuzhou to welcome Liu Yun?"

Xiao Yi hadn't expected to get such a lousy job, but seeing the deeper meaning in Wei Renpu's eyes, he replied, "I am willing to serve you, my lord."

Wang Jun said, "Sending this scoundrel is not as good as sending Feng Dao."

Wei Renpu laughed and said, "Xiao Yi is a lucky general who can break the Liu family's fortune."

This reason left Wang Jun speechless for a moment.

“Liu Yun may not be easily convinced,” Wang Yin said. “I have something that can dispel his suspicions.”

Suddenly, Wang Yin took something out of his sleeve and held it up with both hands.

Xiao Yi recognized the item; it was the Imperial Guard tally from last time. After many twists and turns, Guo Wei had given it to Wang Yin.

Guo Wei said, “Tell Liu Yun that I am willing to hand over the command of the Imperial Guards and, upon his ascension to the throne, lead the Tianxiong Army back to Yedu to resist the Khitan.”

"The last general takes orders."

Xiao Yi stepped forward and took the imperial guard's tally.

No one objected to this. Guo Wei's military prowess stemmed from his achievements and prestige in pacifying the three towns, not from a few pieces of copper or iron. Finally, everyone's gaze turned to the east bank of the river.

“Liu Chong is the strongest.” Wei Renpu said with a solemn expression, “Even if he doesn’t unite with the other towns, he is still a formidable enemy.”

Guo Wei said, "I will personally lead the troops north."

A single sentence sealed the deal.

The meeting concluded, and everyone took their leave.

Just as Xiao Yi was about to leave the hall, he saw Wang Jun beckoning to him, so he stopped and waited for what was to come.

Wang Jun looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze and asked, "Since Li Ye knew he had emptied the imperial treasury, wouldn't he have kept a large sum for himself? Didn't you see it?"

"May I ask, if Prime Minister Wang were to walk more than twenty li to Yingling, could he carry such a large sum of money with him?"

"This brat speaks rudely."

Guo Wei said gently, "Brother Xiufeng is devoted to the affairs of the country. You are the junior and should be understanding."

"Yes." Xiao Yi thought to himself that Wang Jun was probably eyeing more than just gold, so he said, "I am willing to offer the thirty acres of land bestowed by the Empress Dowager to you as a reward for the soldiers."

"What nonsense! The Empress Dowager bestowed it upon you, and I turned around and snatched it away? Is there such a greedy and stingy person in the world?" Guo Wei waved his hand and said, "Take it with peace of mind, go ahead."

"Yes."

Xiao Yi turned to Wang Jun and said in a calm tone, "Prime Minister Wang is resolute. Although he has repeatedly reprimanded me, it was all for the sake of the country, not for personal matters. I do not hold a grudge."

Wang Jun snorted coldly, but since he felt it was acceptable, he didn't say anything more for the time being.

As Xiao Yi left the hall, he faintly heard conversations behind him.

"Wenzhong, you're confused! What about that old scoundrel An Shenqi, the Prince of Nanyang, or the likes of Gao Xingzhou and Fu Yanqing?"

"Brother Xiufeng, please don't be impatient. We have no choice but to act..."

We left the hospital.

In the front yard, Wei Renpu and Wang Pu were talking privately. When they saw someone coming, they paused for a moment, and when they saw that it was Xiao Yi, they continued talking.

"Others become more composed as they get older, but he becomes more arrogant as he gets older."

“Since the Ming Dynasty pacified the three towns, he has been the military advisor. This time, his entire family who stayed in the capital were also killed. The Ming Dynasty has a past friendship and guilt towards him. You should not go against him, but obey him.”

Wang Pu was quite upright and wouldn't listen to such nonsense. He stubbornly retorted, "How can we always go along with him? How can he be without fault in everything?!"

After all, walk away.

Wei Renpu gave a slight wry smile and turned around.

"Does Xiao Lang also have grievances to vent?"

"There are still many details about this trip to Xuzhou that I don't understand. I would like to ask Mr. Wei for advice."

"Xiao Lang's first priority is to prevent Liu Yun from borrowing troops from Hedong. We must keep a close eye on the messengers between the father and son."

"Understood. Reassure Liu Yun and prevent Hedong from sending troops."

"You need to ask the Empress Dowager to write a private letter to dispel his suspicions. If you can persuade the Empress Dowager to write it, that would be best. If not, you can ask Li Tao to persuade her. He is quite eloquent. When you arrive in Xuzhou, don't forget to speak to the Empress Dowager first."

"it is good."

"You can only bring twenty people with you. Two eunuchs will be chosen by the Empress Dowager; I will send you three officials from the Ministry of Rites and two guides. They will give you the intelligence about Xuzhou; you can also choose twelve of your elite troops to wear lamellar armor and be equipped with short weapons."

Xiao Yi asked in a low voice, "Mr. Wei, is there anything else you need me to do?"

The two looked at each other, and Wei Renpu shook his head slightly.

"No rush. The longer Liu Yun is willing to come to the capital, the more we can deal with Hedong."

"it is good."

"If anything changes in Hedong, I will send you a message immediately, at which time..."

At this point, Wei Renpu fell silent.

Xiao Yi understood immediately.

After they finished talking, just as they were about to leave, a servant from the Guo family rushed over.

"Young Master Xiao, please wait. The other day you delivered cotton cloth, and the young lady in the inner quarters instructed that if you come, you must thank her in person. Please."

Xiao Yi thought for a moment and said, "Please tell them that I was ordered to escort the young lady before, and I am doing this to earn merit. The cloth I gave you is just a token of my appreciation. I will be busy with official duties from now on, so I will not bother you any longer."

He hadn't thought much of their interactions, but Lao Pan's suggestion of marriage brought him to his senses.

Thinking of Guo Xin's lonely and bored state, he felt a little melancholy. However, since he had no intention of getting married for the time being, he could no longer have unreserved contact with her. He believed that she would understand what he said today.

Once she finishes her mourning period, those feelings will probably fade away.

The saying goes, "Why flirt if you're not going to marry?"

He rode back to Xuanwu Gate, where servants from the Li family were waiting outside the gate. Upon seeing him arrive, they stepped forward and said, "General, our master has heard that you have returned from escorting the emperor and invites you to his residence for a meal."

Xiao Yi said, "Please thank Lord Xinchen for his kindness, but I have been busy with official duties lately and dare not trouble him."

"I have another matter to ask. The young lady of the Li family wants to know if you would like to go and watch Su Fengji's public execution in three days?"

"I need to go on a long trip, and I may not be in the city at that time."

"If you ask where the general is, I wonder how I should answer?"

"The journey through life is long, take care of yourselves."

After saying this, Xiao Yi entered Xuanwu Gate, thinking that with Li Zhaoning's intelligence, she should understand his meaning.

"Ugh."

Li Chongjin happened to come out, sighed heavily, and said, "I'm leaving, I'm going to pick up the bride."

"Congratulations, Brother Chongjin! It's a pity I couldn't share a drink with you at your celebration."

"Congratulations my ass! By the way, there's something I haven't had time to do. Can you do me a favor?"

"What's the matter?"

"I heard someone gave Fifth Sister three bolts of cloth, which pleased her greatly. She's been looking for more than ten tailors, but none of them are satisfied. Find out which damned bastard it is, but don't do anything to him yet. We'll talk about it when I get back."

"Brother Chongjin, you've misunderstood. Actually..."

"Misunderstanding my foot! Goodbye!"

Before Xiao Yi could finish speaking, Li Chongjin had already led a team of elite troops away.

It was dusk, and the Xuanwu Gate was locked.

Xiao Yi looked back alone as the vermilion palace gates slowly closed, isolating him from the mundane world, which momentarily made him lose his composure.

(End of this chapter)