While Zhao Muyun and his generals were discussing the state of the world, a different scene was unfolding in Jiannan Road, a thousand miles away.
The roads to Shu are difficult, with mountains forming a natural barrier.
Yang Yan commanded 50,000 troops and defended the strategic location.
The envoys of the Great Yin Dynasty went to Shu three times to persuade them to surrender, but were driven away by Yang Yan each time.
However, within Jiannan, undercurrents were already surging.
May 12th, Chengdu, night.
Pang Qing has been secretly returning to Jiannan from Xijing for half a month.
This confidant of Yang Yan, while representing Yang Yan in negotiations in Xijing, also searched for Yang Chao's whereabouts.
However, Yang Chao could not be found, and the negotiations broke down.
Upon hearing that Zhao Muyun had won a great battle against Ma Zongliang at Yishuichuan, he decisively abandoned Yang Yan and surrendered to the Great Yin.
Under the special testing and intervention of Wang Tiezhu, the commander of the Night Watch, it was confirmed that Pang Qing had truly pledged allegiance.
In order to take Jiannan without bloodshed, Wang Tiezhu, after reporting to Pei Lun, Fan Nan and others and to the emperor, agreed to secretly send Pang Qing back to Jiannan to contact his old subordinates and cooperate with Tang Yanhai and Shen Qian to divide Yang Yan's forces.
When Pang Qing returned to Jiannan, Yang Yan did not suspect that he had betrayed his country and continued to discuss important matters with him as before.
After Pang Qing calmed Yang Yan down, he began the mission.
Tonight, the mansion in the west of the city is unusually quiet—almost eerily quiet.
At the third quarter of midnight, Pang Qing was in his study reviewing secret letters from officials of various prefectures and counties when suddenly the candlelight flickered.
He felt a chill run down his spine and rolled to his side almost simultaneously.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Three crossbow bolts were embedded in the back of the chair he had just been sitting on, their fletchings still trembling.
"An assassin!"
Pang Qing shouted and drew his long sword from under the table.
The door was kicked open, and five masked men in black rushed in, their knives gleaming.
Pang Qing, a mere scholar, only managed to block three moves before his arm was slashed open.
He was about to die under the blade—
Suddenly, a whooshing sound came from outside the window!
The two men in black fell to the ground with a short arrow lodged in their backs.
"Lord Tang!" Pang Qing exclaimed in delight.
A slender figure leaped in through the window like an ape, firing a crossbow in rapid succession, and two more assassins fell to the ground.
Seeing that things were not going well, the last assassin turned to escape, but was stabbed through the chest by another person who flashed in from outside the door.
"Commander Shen!" Pang Qing breathed a sigh of relief upon recognizing the newcomer.
Tang Yanhai put away the repeating crossbow, lifted the assassin's mask from the ground, and his expression turned grave:
“Yang Yan’s man. Pang Da, you’ve been exposed.”
Shen Qian wiped the blood off his knife and said coldly, "This is the third assassination attempt in seven days. Yang Yan is desperate."
Pang Qing clutched his wound and said with a wry smile, "I contacted seventeen officials in various prefectures and counties, and nine of them agreed to start an uprising. Yang Yan isn't stupid; he naturally noticed something."
“It’s not enough.” Tang Yanhai walked to the map. “Of the thirteen prefectures in Jiannan, Yang Yan’s loyalists still occupy seven. A direct attack would come at too high a cost.”
Shen Qian nodded: "The General has ordered that the matter of Jiannan should be taken covertly without bloodshed. Brother Tang, how are your arrangements going?"
A cold glint flashed in Tang Yanhai's eyes: "Of Yang Yan's four trusted confidants who held military power, our scout battalion has already assassinated two of them."
"Of the remaining two, one is greedy for money, and I have prepared generous gifts for him; the other... his son is in my hands."
"When will we make our move?" Pang Qing asked urgently.
Tang Yanhai and Shen Qian exchanged a glance.
“Three days later, it will be Yang Yan’s fiftieth birthday, and a grand banquet will be held at the Jiedushi’s mansion for all civil and military officials.” Shen Qian said in a low voice, “The security will be at its tightest and most lax that day—no one expected anyone to dare to make a move on that day.”
"Beheading?" Pang Qing gasped.
"To catch the thief, first catch the king." Tang Yanhai said calmly, "With Yang Yan dead, the tree falls and the monkeys scatter. When the officials you contacted, Lord Pang, respond, Jiannan can be pacified."
Pang Qing was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically: "Okay! I'll be ready and just wait for the signal."
“The signal is that the mansion is on fire,” Shen Qian said. “When the fire starts, that’s the time to take action.”
The three discussed the matter for another half hour before Tang Yanhai and Shen Qian quietly left, disappearing into the night like ghosts.
Pang Qing pushed open the window and looked out at the dark night sky.
The winter nights in Chengdu were damp, cold, and biting, but a fire burned in his heart.
......
Three days.
Three more days.
Advancing in both the north and south
On the fifteenth, the Grand General of the Capital was on his temporary campaign.
Zhao Muyun received the first official reply from Xijing—regarding the conferment of rewards upon the generals, Emperor Yinji approved all of them and added many additional favors.
However, the proposal to move the capital was hotly debated in the court, and the emperor had not yet made a decision. He asked Zhao Muyun to explain the advantages and disadvantages in detail and to conduct an on-site investigation of the situation in Youzhou.
“As expected.” Zhao Muyun put down the report and said to Han Zhong, “Relocating the capital is a major national event, and Your Majesty’s caution is justified. After you return to Youzhou, carefully survey the terrain and draw up a map. I will send someone to send it to Xijing.”
"Yes," Han Zhong replied. "This humble general will set off northward in three days."
"Where are Lin Feng and Xiao Cheyun's troops?" Zhao Muyun asked.
"They have set off as planned," Wu Shangzhi reported. "General Lin led his troops eastward five days ago, and yesterday's battle report said that he had captured Jinan; General Xiao has sent a light cavalry south and has reached the Huai River."
Zhao Muyun nodded in satisfaction: "Good. Tell Xiao Cheyun that after crossing the river, remember the words 'slow and steady advance.' The people of Jiangnan are eager for peace of mind, so it is not advisable to use force."
"Yes, ma'am."
“There’s one more thing,” Zhao Muyun said thoughtfully. “Tang Yanhai in Jiannan should be making his move soon. Have Xijing prepare a group of officials familiar with Jiannan’s administration, ready to go south and take over at any time.”
Wu Shangzhi wrote them down one by one.
After the meeting concluded, the generals dispersed.
Zhao Muyun remained alone in the hall, her gaze once again falling on the map.
The territory of the Great Yin Dynasty is being pieced together piece by piece, but the most difficult part—the Northern Di—is still eyeing us covetously beyond the Great Wall.
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