The night was as dark as ink, and the north wind howled fiercely.
On the official road from Hedong to Guannei, a cavalry force of over a hundred men was galloping through the snow.
The white vapor exhaled from the horse's nostrils condensed instantly in the torchlight, only to be quickly dispersed by the wind.
Zhao Muyun, wrapped in a heavy black cloak, rode at the head of the procession.
Snowflakes pelted his face, bringing a biting chill, but his gaze remained fixed on the dark road ahead, as if he could see through the wind and snow and witness the changing winds and clouds within Xijing City.
"Grand Commander, there's an abandoned mountain god temple ahead. Shall we rest there for a while?" Guard Li Si urged his horse forward and asked loudly.
They had been traveling for seven hours straight, and both men and horses were exhausted.
Zhao Muyun looked up at the sky—it was the third quarter of the Yin hour, two hours before dawn.
"Rest at the mountain god temple for an hour, feed the horses, and give them dry rations," he ordered briefly. "We must reach Puzhou Post Station before dawn, change horses, and continue our journey."
"yes!"
The group turned onto a side road and soon saw a dilapidated temple on the hillside.
The temple walls were dilapidated and the roof leaked wind, but at least it could keep out some of the wind and snow.
The group dismounted and entered the temple, quickly dividing up the tasks—some fed the horses, some started a fire, and some stood guard.
Zhao Muyun sat by the campfire, took the wine flask handed to him by Li Si, and took a swig.
The strong liquor went down my throat, bringing a slight warmth.
"Grand Commander," Li Si lowered his voice, "is the situation in Xijing really that urgent?"
Looking at the flickering flames, Zhao Muyun said calmly, "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Once the news of His Majesty's passing spreads, it will cause turmoil both among our enemies and within our own ranks."
"But..." Li Si hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.
"But what? Are you worried that those civil officials will cause trouble? Or are you worried that Yinji might have other intentions?" Zhao Muyun asked with a half-smile.
Li Si dared not respond.
Zhao Muyun handed the wine pouch to Li Si, then took out the secret letter from his bosom and read it again by the firelight.
“Cao Chunfeng murdered the emperor…” he repeated these words in a low voice, a mocking smile curving his lips.
This is a good excuse. Eunuchs are a scourge on the country, and they have always been a ready target in every dynasty. If handled properly, this can not only be used to purge dissidents in the palace, but also to minimize the negative impact of Yin Zhao's death.
As for the truth... Zhao Muyun never thought the truth was that important. What mattered was the result, and what purpose could be achieved through it.
He recalled once again the scene from two years ago when he first met Yinji in Yinzhou.
At that time, he was a military officer in Yinzhou. He was targeted by the court for smuggling fine salt with Pei Lun. In addition, the Zhou and Bai families were stirring up trouble. As a result, the Salt and Iron Bureau reported to Emperor Yongchang and sent Prince Jin to investigate the case.
When he saw the ambition in Yinji's eyes, a desire to be second to none, he suddenly changed his mind.
Rare commodities are worth hoarding.
These four words flashed through his mind.
So he took Yinji as his apprentice, taught him Arabic numerals, integrated him into his team, and even later went along with it by marrying Yinji's sister, Yinyao, thus completely binding their interests together.
Now, the time has finally come to reap the rewards of this move.
“Grand Commander,” a guard in charge of perimeter security rushed in, “a group of about twenty riders has arrived from the west, carrying the banner of Xijing.”
Zhao Muyun raised an eyebrow: "Bring it over."
Before long, a travel-worn night constable was brought to the campfire.
He clearly recognized Zhao Muyun and knelt down with a thud: "Greetings, Grand Commander! This humble servant has come on the orders of the Commander to deliver an urgent document!"
As he spoke, he took out a letter sealed with sealing wax from the oilcloth wrapped around his body.
Zhao Muyun took it, opened it, and examined it closely.
The letter, written in handwriting resembling a chicken's claw, provided a detailed report on the current situation in Xijing.
The palace has been purged; Cao Chunfeng and 49 of his associates have been executed. Empress Dowager Wang has expressed her support for the Prince of Jin's "temporary regency." The Ministry of Rites is preparing for the enthronement ceremony. Lin Feng of Longmen Pass urgently needs military supplies...
At the end of the letter, Wang Tiezhu mentioned: "His Highness Prince Jin left Longmen Pass three days ago at Shenshi (3-5 PM) to return to the capital. According to the itinerary, he should arrive in Xijing (Beijing) around tomorrow afternoon."
"Minister Pei and Minister Fan have made the necessary preparations. Minister Zhou will go to Longmen Pass to welcome His Highness. We are just waiting for the Grand Commander to return to the capital to take charge of the overall situation."
After reading the letter, Zhao Muyun threw it into the fire.
The flames engulfed the paper, turning it into wisps of smoke.
"Reporting to your commander!" Zhao Muyun said to the magistrate, "I will arrive in Xijing before noon tomorrow. Instruct Ministers Pei and Fan to proceed according to the established plan; they need not wait for me."
"Yes!" the Commandant acknowledged, then hesitated for a moment before adding, "Grand Commander, there's one more thing... There have been some rumors circulating in the capital these past two days..."
"What rumor?"
"They say...that His Majesty's death was not the work of Cao Chunfeng alone, but that there was another mastermind behind it...and some people say that the Grand Commander holds a large army and may...may have rebellious intentions..." The Commandant's voice grew softer and softer.
The temple fell silent, with only the crackling of the bonfire.
All the guards held their breath and stole glances at Zhao Muyun.
Zhao Muyun laughed, the laughter echoing through the dilapidated temple, carrying a hint of coldness.
"Rumors?" He stood up, walked to the temple gate, and looked at the swirling snow outside. "Li Si, do you remember two years ago, when we were in Shuozhou, some people in the court said that I, Zhao Muyun, was hoarding troops and would surely become a disaster?"
“I remember,” Li Si said in a deep voice. “Later, the Grand Commander silenced those people with a great victory at Shuozhou.”
“Not bad.” Zhao Muyun turned around, the firelight making half of his face glow red. “In this world, swords are more effective than words. Once I return to Xijing, these rumors will naturally dissipate.”
He walked up to the Commandant and patted him on the shoulder: "Go back and tell Commander Wang that rumors stop with the wise, and even more so with the strong. I want to see who in this Western Capital dares to gossip."
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