Chapter 380 Felt Hat
In silence, everyone took turns reading the official document.
They immediately boarded the ship and returned to Xunyang City.
Master Shandao and his apprentice Xiufa stayed at Shuangfengjian to observe and study the grottoes.
Zhen Shuyuan, Ye Weilai, and other female relatives were personally escorted back to the mansion in Huaiye Lane by Xie Lingjiang.
Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, and their group returned to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion in Xiushuifang.
Inside the Bamboo Grove Study, before tea could even be served, the door was closed, and preparations were made for a meeting.
A little over an hour later, Xie Lingjiang returned.
Once everyone was present, Li Xian put down the official document in his hand, frowned, and said:
"I never imagined this person would be two-faced, saying one thing to your face and another behind your back."
Li Fusu was resentful:
"At the victory banquet a few days ago, this person was very respectful to my father, showing great admiration. I never expected that he would turn around and tattle on my grandmother, saying that he was the one who relayed the secret letters between my father and Prince Teng, and that there were more than just the few letters that Tanlang reported."
"Tell him to provide evidence and ask what the contents of this fabricated letter are. This fellow claims that it was just a relay and he didn't see it; he just said that after abandoning the darkness and turning to the light, he dutifully reported to his grandmother..."
"Absolutely despicable and shameless."
Ouyang Rong nodded and smiled in agreement: "This traitor who serves three masters is really disgusting."
Wei Mei glanced at Tan Lang's composed expression and asked with concern:
“When accusations are thrown at us, we can’t escape them. This person is malicious… We should quickly submit a memorial to defend ourselves. Otherwise, His Majesty might become suspicious and punish Qilang, which would be bad.”
Li Guo'er lowered her eyes, adjusted her red sleeves, and continued:
"It's certainly necessary to submit a memorial to clarify the situation, but Mother doesn't need to worry about serious matters like suspicion or demotion."
“Things are different now. Father is now the Pacification Ambassador of Jiangnan Province. Not long ago, we did our best to show our loyalty to Wang Junzhi, killed Wang Junzhi, and completely cut ties with Li Zhengyan.”
"Although my grandmother was very suspicious, she was not stupid and could see things clearly."
"However, it's impossible for Grandmother not to feel any resentment after Zhu Lingxu threw this mud at her."
"Perhaps in Grandmother's eyes, Father is now truly loyal and devoted to the Great Zhou, but before the Li Zhengyan Rebellion, that was not necessarily the case. Back then, when he was first reinstated as the Prince of Xunyang, he was suspected of frequently sending private messages to veteran local princes... who knows what disloyal intentions he might have."
"This dirty water will eventually have some impact..."
Li Guo'er remained calm and composed as she analyzed and speculated.
Ouyang Rong glanced at her. This little princess was now getting more and more accurate in understanding her own grandmother, who held the highest position in the Luoyang court.
I wonder what the girl is thinking all day long, putting all her skill points into this...
Xie Lingjiang narrowed her eyes and said:
"That's why Zhu Lingxu is so disgusting. It's one thing for him to flatter the Empress and sing her praises and show his loyalty, but he also casually submits some unfounded slanders. Even if he can't hurt you right away, he'll disgust you to death."
"And who knows, it might become a seed of trouble one day."
At this point, she raised her chin, a hint of anger appearing on her fair, oval face:
"Especially that disgusting senior brother who openly praises but secretly slanders, saying that when they were in the enemy camp in Hongzhou, they often heard Wei Shaoqi and Du Shuqing praising the senior brother."
"Yue Zi'ang, who once wrote a proclamation against Wei, was also impressed by his senior brother and prostrated himself in admiration..."
"This Zhu Lingxu even had ulterior motives, saying that Cai Qin also greatly admired his senior brother."
"The previous mutiny of the Guizhou garrison soldiers was delayed because only the eldest brother stood up to oppose it, which led Cai Qin to tell everyone he met... In the Great Zhou court, only Ouyang Lianghan, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, is a true man, worthy of the name of a righteous gentleman. The rest of the civil and military officials are worthless. One person's integrity cannot cover up the corruption, burying the virtuous and good, a sign of the downfall of the country..."
At this point, the beautiful woman, slightly angry, said coldly:
"Regardless of whether what he said is true or false, what does it mean to submit such a memorial in front of His Majesty and the officials of the court? Isn't this malicious?"
"More than that." Li Guo'er chuckled. "What's most interesting is that when Zhu Lingxu wrote his memorial about these things, his tone and context were still praising Ouyang Lianghan. He started by praising... Ouyang Lianghan's defenses of the city were excellent, and he was also cautious and wary of the surrendered soldiers from Hongzhou, not allowing them to enter the city. He remarked that what he had heard in the enemy camp in Hongzhou was indeed well-deserved..."
"Ha, what a clever way to flatter someone to death."
"Alright, that's all."
Ouyang Rong glanced around at the indignant crowd and nodded, saying:
"It's nothing more than a grand-sounding pledge of allegiance, a way to sell one's integrity for loyalty."
"Now that the imperial edict has been issued, His Majesty has appointed Wei Jisi as the Grand General of the Jiangzhou Road Army. Therefore, the timing of Zhu Lingxu's memorial is perfect. It is not a coincidence, but a pledge of allegiance to the Wei family."
"Zhu Lingxu is considered a surrendered general, so he has to find a powerful figure in the court to rely on. He only has a few options, so this memorial is a way of completely severing ties with us, the Prince of Wei's mansion, and the pro-Li faction."
"This person is decisive in his actions, and I must say, he has a good grasp of timing."
"The Wei family does need him. This defection and the military achievements in the Battle of Guling can be considered as the Wei family's political achievements."
Ouyang Rong turned his head, his tone as usual:
"There's nothing to regret. What use is this traitor who serves three masters? Let him serve the guards if he wants. We're not a dumping ground for trash, we don't take in just anything."
Xie Lingjiang frowned and said:
"However, Zhu Lingxu is indeed cunning and shrewd. Our senior brother has been deliberately humiliating and provoking them recently, but they have managed to endure it and have not made any mistakes similar to mutiny."
Li Guo'er turned to look at Ouyang Rong and said softly:
"It's impossible not to have complaints. They joined Zhu Lingxu's rebellion when Cai Qin's military power was at its peak. Military men are naturally arrogant. They originally thought they were victorious and would be treated like masters by Wang Lengran. But they ended up being treated like grandsons. They probably want to drink the blood of Ouyang Lianghan, that corrupt official, right now."
"This shows that Zhu Lingxu is indeed good at managing troops and can suppress the dissatisfaction of his subordinates. He manages these surrendered soldiers from Hongzhou very well, and they are united inside and out."
"Putting aside his despicable fence-sitting behavior, he does indeed have the talent to lead troops and manage subordinates. It will be difficult to provoke him into making a mistake."
Xie Lingjiang pursed her lips: "You certainly know how to praise people. Why don't you write a letter and flatter them to death?"
Li Guo'er immediately replied, "In your senior brother's words, this is called taking the opponent seriously in terms of tactics."
Ouyang Rong chuckled:
"The fact that there was no mutiny or chaos shows that he is good at managing his subordinates and has strong control. This group of surrendered soldiers from Hongzhou is just like his Zhu family's private army."
He nodded in public: "Actually, this is a good thing, the more private the better."
"A good thing? What does that mean?"
"Um."
Ouyang Rong responded calmly, and just as Xie Lingjiang, Li Guo'er, Li Xian, and the others were curiously waiting for his next words, Ouyang Rong suddenly said:
"They've already pledged their loyalty, and Wei Jisi has become the Grand Commander of the Jiangzhou Road Army, starting to assemble his team. It seems that our Grand Commander Zhu's new appointment letter should be on its way."
Li Guo'er frowned: "You mean to say..."
Ouyang Rong nodded:
"Yes, Jiangzhou has been relieved, so we should press our advantage and pursue them. Hongzhou is the next target. Wei Jisi won't wait. He can't leave Cai Qin too much time to prepare. Now is the best time."
Even if he is still organizing the army in the north, it will not affect the existing troops in Jiangzhou to advance.
"As for the appropriate candidate, Wei Jisi probably knows Wang Lengran's capabilities better than we do."
"So, who could be more suitable to recapture Hongzhou than the former governor of Hongzhou?"
Everyone couldn't help but turn their heads.
Two days passed after the meeting in the study ended, and things calmed down.
In the city, Zhu Lingxu was always polite and courteous to Ouyang Rong. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the two had a good relationship and that there had never been any instances of him being flattered to death.
As for Ouyang Rong, he treated Zhu Lingxu with indifference and arrogance, never giving him a kind look.
The latter did not show any annoyance.
One is cold, the other is hot.
But after they separated, turning around, both the old and young foxes regained their calm expressions...
On this day, the appointment letter for Wei Jisi, the Grand Commander of the Jiangzhou Road Army, was sent to the Jiangzhou Grand Hall.
Zhu Lingxu, the governor of Hongzhou, was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the vanguard army, and the vanguard army of the expeditionary force was formed by the elite soldiers of Jiangzhou Zhechongfu, the surrendered soldiers of Hongzhou, and the reinforcements of Yangzhou.
Soon, we will attack Hongzhou and reclaim the lost territory!
It should be noted that the military systems of the Great Gan and Great Zhou dynasties had two systems: "garrisoning" and "marching".
The former refers to the Zhechongfu, which was usually located in the local area.
The latter mainly relied on the various military prefectures under the Fubing system for manning troops.
When war breaks out, the imperial court will grant someone the title of Grand General or Marshal of a certain region's army, and select soldiers from nearby prefectures to suppress the bandits.
The specific title of the Grand Commander-in-Chief is generally based on the name of the war zone where the troops are deployed.
Therefore, Wei Jisi was granted the title of Grand General of the Jiangzhou Road Army.
Although Jiangzhou Road is not marked on the map, the battle took place in Jiangzhou, so it was named after it.
He was in charge of all the battles in the area, including the subsequent campaign against Li Zhengyan, so his power was considerable.
Of course, this title is usually temporary. After the war ends, the title will be canceled, and the field army will be disbanded and returned to its original garrison structure.
A large expeditionary army is divided into vanguard, central, and rearguard, and generally consists of six armies.
Each army was commanded by a general commander, and each general commander was a capable commander who could lead an army independently.
The position of General Commander of the Vanguard Army was one of the most important among the six general commanders, as it was easy to gain military merits and was usually held by trusted generals.
Wei Jisi, as the Grand Commander of the Jiangzhou Road Army, had significant advisory power regarding the appointment of these positions, and the imperial court generally did not object.
Zhu Lingxu has received special attention from the Wei family this time, and they have given him a good position.
He was promoted by a benefactor and rose rapidly through the ranks.
From another perspective, the Grand Commander-in-Chief, as the highest-ranking military officer commanding the soldiers in battle, did indeed wield immense power.
Local governments in Jiangnan, such as Jiangzhou and Yangzhou, were required to cooperate unconditionally during the war.
No wonder there was a lot of competition for this position.
Now that they have this piece of cake, they'll distribute it. Who knows how many people the Wei family and Wei Jisi will be able to win over with this opportunity...
Just a few days ago, Zhu Lingxu was a surrendered general, living under someone else's roof. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the vanguard of the expeditionary army. The atmosphere inside and outside Xunyang City suddenly changed. Some officials who had previously looked down on him now looked at him differently.
On this day, at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, everyone gathered once again in the study.
"Just as Tanlang predicted, the Wei family has indeed rewarded him with a fine bone. This time, Zhu Lingxu and his son will probably follow the Wei family even more wholeheartedly."
Li Xian sighed deeply, his brow furrowed in confusion:
"My lord, what should we do now? This man has a grudge against us, but he is good at hiding his true intentions and is about to succeed. Given his vengeful nature, should we write a letter to impeach him and see if we can hinder him?"
"The Grand Commander-in-Chief only has the power to make suggestions; Your Majesty can certainly rescind the order..."
"It's very difficult to take it back."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"Even His Majesty is willing to spend a fortune to buy horse bones, so impeaching him is useless, as long as it's not a serious crime of rebellion."
"After all, appointing the defector Zhu Lingxu as the commander-in-chief of the vanguard to recover the lost territory of Hongzhou not only shows her appreciation for talent and tolerance, but also sows discord between Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin."
Xie Lingjiang's eyebrows shot up: "Then we can't just stand by and do nothing, wouldn't that make us look weak?"
“We definitely can’t do nothing; we have to appear very anxious,” Ouyang Rong strongly agreed.
"In a hurry? What's the performance like?" Li Guo'er grasped the key point.
"That's right."
Ouyang Rong patiently guided and offered suggestions:
"For this expedition, Zhu Lingxu will serve as the commander of the vanguard. The vanguard has been formed in the past few days and the position of vanguard guide responsible for taking the lead in attacking and exploring the way across the river has not yet been decided. Let's fight for this position."
"So Uncle, at the departure meeting in the main hall of Jiangzhou tomorrow, you don't need to stand on your laurels like a clay idol anymore. This time you have to speak and express your opinion."
"Forward? Expressing your opinion? Are you recommending someone? Is your beloved willing to go?"
Ouyang Rong waved his hand:
"I am not a military officer, and besides, I have just been flattered to death. His Majesty and the officials of the court would not allow it, so I will not go."
"Then who will go?"
Ouyang Rong said softly, "Qin Heng."
Li Xian frowned: "General Qin has always kept a low profile and has not been involved with us much on the surface. Is it inappropriate to suddenly recommend him?"
"That's exactly right. It makes you seem anxious and eager to take credit."
He smiled and explained softly:
"I have discussed this matter with Qin Heng. My uncle and the Prince's Mansion have now gained power and are no longer like fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of others. A mere Commandant of the General's Guard can still protect them."
"Alright, I'll do as my lord says."
Li Fusu asked with concern:
"As for the vanguard guide, Zhu Lingxu also has the right to make suggestions. Will he compete with us? Zhu Lingxu's eldest son, Zhu Yuheng, is also a brave and resolute captain. Since everyone knows that Hongzhou is easy to take, how can he not compete for this merit? Anyway, we have already turned against each other."
Everyone saw that Ouyang Rong calmly nodded: "It's right to compete."
"Ouyang Lianghan, what exactly are you trying to do?" Li Guo'er asked curiously.
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes.
Xie Lingjiang's eyes brightened slightly:
"I understand. Zhu Yuheng had affairs with Li Zhengyan and Yue Ziang. If Senior Brother impeaches him for this, His Majesty will become suspicious, and he will be unable to compete with Qin Heng for the position of Vanguard. This can be considered a counterattack."
"no."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and asked in a strange tone:
"Junior sister, if a dog bites me, why should I bite it back?"
Xie Lingjiang tilted her head, her index finger, adorned with vermilion cardamom, lightly tapping her chin, puzzled:
"What does the senior brother mean?"
Ouyang Rong suddenly took out an unfamiliar felt hat from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table in front of him.
"This is……"
Under the curious or confused gazes of Xie Lingjiang, Li Guo'er, Li Xian, and others, he smiled somewhat embarrassedly:
"If someone bites indiscriminately, of course, you should kill the dog's head."
(End of this chapter)
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