After the captain left, the study fell into a deathly silence.
Pang Qing cautiously said, "My lord, this is Zhao Muyun's way of making a show of force. His deliberate assassination of Zhang Zun is not only to weaken our army's fighting strength, but also a warning—if he can kill Zhang Zun, he can kill anyone."
“I know.” Yang Yan closed his eyes. “He’s forcing me to take a stand. Either surrender or fight.”
"What does the lord mean..."
Yang Yan did not answer.
He walked up to the map and gazed at the thirteen prefectures of Jiannan.
This land is his hope.
After the defeat in Xijing and the loss of power in Youzhou, he broke ties with Li Jingang and retreated to this place, where he finally managed to gain a foothold.
If Zhao Muyun were to surrender, given Zhao Muyun's character, he might be spared.
But Zhao Muyun's men would definitely not agree.
If war breaks out, with the natural defenses of Jiannan and 40,000 troops, we might be able to put up a fight.
But Zhao Muyun is a brilliant strategist and has the advantage of firearms, so what are his chances of winning?
Moreover, how many inside agents like Zhang Zun, the captain of the personal guard, are there in the army?
“Mr. Pang,” Yang Yan suddenly asked, “if you were Zhao Muyun, what would you do next?”
Pang Qing pondered: "If I were Zhao Muyun, after assassinating Zhang Zun, I would do three things: First, continue to assassinate other generals loyal to the lord to create panic; second, buy off and win over wavering individuals to undermine the lord from within; and third, spread rumors to shake the morale of the army and the people."
He paused for a moment: "Moreover, he will choose those...whose relationship with the lord is delicate."
Yang Yan turned around abruptly: "Who are you talking about?"
“For example… Wang Ping,” Pang Qing said in a low voice. “Wang Ping, the prefect of Yuzhou, has long harbored rebellious intentions by intercepting grain and taxes under the pretext of defending against barbarians. If Zhao Muyun offers him a high-ranking official position and generous salary, he is very likely to defect.”
A cold glint flashed in Yang Yan's eyes: "Wang Ping... I should have dealt with him long ago."
“And there’s also the city of Chengdu,” Pang Qing continued. “Several prominent families are secretly stockpiling grain and manpower, appearing obedient on the surface but actually observing the situation. If Zhao Muyun sends someone to contact them, promising to protect their families or even promote them to higher ranks, they are very likely to become their inside agents.”
Yang Yan felt a chill.
Jiannan appears stable, but in reality it is riddled with holes.
Zhao Muyun's spies, like venomous snakes, have quietly infiltrated every corner.
"Report—!"
Another messenger rushed in, "Urgent report from Yuzhou! Prefect Wang Ping was attacked last night, but the assassin failed and only wounded his arm. Wang Ping has ordered a city-wide search and has submitted a petition requesting additional guards."
Yang Yan and Pang Qing exchanged a glance.
"The assassin failed?" Pang Qing asked in confusion. "With their methods, they shouldn't have failed."
“Unless…” Yang Yan’s eyes sharpened, “unless Wang Ping was prepared in advance, or… this is just a ruse!”
A self-inflicted injury ruse.
Wang Ping deliberately allowed himself to be assassinated, both to clear himself of suspicion as an inside agent and to take the opportunity to demand more military power, and even to place the assassin's men around him.
"What a fine Wang Ping."
Yang Yan gritted his teeth and ordered: "Send Wang Ping back to Chengdu to 'recover from his injuries.' The affairs of Yuzhou will be temporarily handled by the Chief Secretary. Also, send five hundred personal guards to 'protect' Wang Ping's residence. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order."
This is house arrest.
The messenger accepted the order and departed.
Yang Yan sat back down in his chair, exhausted.
Within a single day, two key generals met with misfortune, one dead and the other wounded.
This is just the beginning. Who will be next?
After Zhang Zun and Wang Ping, what is Zhao Muyun's next target?
"My lord, should we..." Pang Qing gestured, "strike first and eliminate the suspicious individuals?"
Yang Yan shook his head: "That would only make everyone feel insecure, which would play right into Zhao Muyun's hands. Besides, how would we tell who is loyal and who is treacherous?"
After pondering for a long time, he finally made a decision: "Mr. Pang, please go to Xijing on my behalf in private."
Pang Qing was startled: "My lord?"
"Go see Zhao Muyun," Yang Yan said, enunciating each word clearly. "Let's sound him out and see... what's really going on with Chao'er."
“Serving my lord is my duty, but Zhao Muyun detaining me is…”
“He won’t,” Yang Yan said with a wry smile. “Zhao Muyun wants Jiannan, not your life. Your going represents my willingness to negotiate, and he will certainly treat you with courtesy. Moreover…”
He looked out the window: "I'd also like to hear what Chao'er has to say."
Pang Qing bowed deeply: "Your subordinate obeys. But... what if Zhao Muyun proposes harsh conditions?"
“Then let’s talk.” A resolute glint flashed in Yang Yan’s eyes. “But there is one bottom line: Jiannan can submit, but I, Yang Yan, must retain military power and guard this region. This is the bottom line, and there is no room for compromise.”
"Understood."
Pang Qing withdrew to prepare.
Yang Yan remained alone in the study, took out the jade pendant from his bosom, and gazed at it for a long time.
"Chao'er, if you really surrender to Zhao Muyun, will you persuade me to fight, or will you persuade me to surrender?"
No one answered.
Only the cicadas chirped, their noise unchanged.
......
Meanwhile, in the south of Chengdu, there was an inconspicuous inn.
In the top-tier room, Shen Qian was listening to a report from his subordinates.
He disguised himself as a merchant, with a sallow complexion and a goatee, looking completely different from his original handsome appearance.
"Zhang Zun is dead, and Wang Ping is injured but not dead."
A night watchman whispered, "In Lizhou, our people have spread rumors as planned, saying that Zhang Zun was assassinated by his subordinates in collusion with outsiders because he embezzled military pay and mistreated soldiers. There is already unrest in the army."
Shen Qian nodded: "Well done. What happened to Wang Ping? Did Xuan No. 3 fail?"
"No, it was intentional."
Another night watchman said, "As instructed by the Grand Commander, we should only wound Wang Ping, not kill him. He has long harbored rebellious intentions, and our assassination attempt has only strengthened his resolve to join us."
"He has secretly sent a message, offering to be an inside agent, only asking to be granted a title and a generalship after the deed is done."
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