Chapter 654 Morning Discussion [Seeking monthly votes in September! Monthly votes will be entered into a prize draw!]
On a spring outing, apricot blossoms fill the air.
Once outside the west gate, the official road was lined with apricot blossoms, which bloomed all the way to Shuangfengjian.
It's the perfect time for a spring outing.
However, there were not many Xunyang residents enjoying the spring scenery on the official road.
Few people even leave the city.
This is because Shuangfengjian and its surrounding ten miles have been nominally sealed off, blocking the mountains and rivers, and prohibiting ordinary people from setting foot there.
Since yesterday evening, a group of about three hundred people in white robes and iron armor entered the city, quietly passed through the bustling streets of the East Market, and finally arrived at Xiushui Lane, where they camped at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
Since this morning, the atmosphere in Xunyang City has become more solemn, a sentiment shared by many residents.
There are all sorts of speculations. Some say that the Empress in Luoyang discovered that the Prince of Xunyang harbored evil intentions, so she sent troops to arrest him and bring him back to Luoyang for questioning.
Some people say that there is no need to arrest her at all. The middle-aged female official who was surrounded by three hundred white-robed armored soldiers last night actually carried a pot of poisoned wine from the palace, which the Prince of Xunyang had already ingested last night.
Some more plausible explanations suggested it was simply a routine change of guards at the Prince's residence, with only the defenses being reinforced this time. This information originated from the Jiangzhou officialdom, coming from the mouths of some peripheral officials.
Overnight, various rumors began to spread in the market, but before they could ferment, they were debunked by the next morning.
Ouyang Lianghan, the governor of Jiangzhou, and Yuan Huaimin, the chief administrator of Jiangzhou, visited the Prince's mansion early in the morning with a group of officials. They personally invited Prince Li Xian of Xunyang and his heir, Li Fusu, to come out. The group mounted their horses in front of the mansion and rode out of the city.
The incident occurred in public.
Thus, the few scattered discussions that had just begun to emerge in Xunyang City were quickly quelled.
However, this reveals the tense and anxious atmosphere in Xunyang.
The memory of the previous collapse of the Xingzi Lake Buddha and the subsequent lockdown of Xingzifang remains fresh in the minds of the city's residents.
The closer we get to the completion of the Buddha statue, the more unsettled people become.
...
On the official road in the suburbs, Ouyang Rong squinted and looked towards the direction of Twin Peaks in the distance.
Ships, like black dots, can be faintly seen on the river.
Turning around, he saw Yuan Huaimin picking apricot blossoms by the roadside.
"I told you to rest, but you're in the mood to admire flowers."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, went to call the group, and continued on their way.
Yuan Huaimin seemed to have not slept well last night, and was somewhat distracted. He withdrew his hand from the tree branch, got up, mounted his horse, and followed.
Ouyang Rong, Yan Liulang, and Yuan Huaimin.
Li Xian, Li Dalang.
All five were light cavalrymen, galloping towards the distant Twin Peaks.
Today, there is a pre-arranged meeting at Xunyang Grottoes concerning the upcoming deployment of defenses in Jiangzhou and the completion and placement of the Donglin Buddha statue.
Li Xian's expression was somewhat serious. Having not left the city for a long time, his horsemanship had become a bit rusty.
Yan Liulang and Li Dalang stood by his side, protecting him.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong distanced himself and rode his horse closer to Yuan Huaimin's side from behind.
"I heard that Commander Yi left the city last night. Why didn't you invite her to stay the night and catch up properly?"
Ouyang Rong asked with a light laugh.
Yuan Huaimin shook his head:
“Isn’t Qiu Niang the commander of this reinforcement team? She just arrived and is busy. Why keep her here? We can’t delay her work, so I sent her back shortly after you left, Liang Han.”
Ouyang Rong asked, "Shall we talk by candlelight tonight?"
Yuan Huaimin said in a serious tone: "Lianghan, this is my cousin from my clan. No one can, or at least shouldn't, do this."
Ouyang Rong casually replied, "She's just a cousin; who knows how distant our bloodline is?"
Yuan Huaimin hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just shook his head.
It turned into a long, drawn-out sigh.
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:
"Brother Huaimin, why are you so absent-minded so early in the morning? You used to be so open-minded and cheerful. Today I didn't ask you to stay in the Jiangzhou main hall to do official business. You came out to get some fresh air, which is like taking a break. You should be secretly happy about it."
He nodded: "So, Brother Huaimin, is something on your mind?"
"Is there?"
Yuan Huaimin touched his face and argued:
"Weren't the princes quite serious today? What's wrong with me being serious too?"
"This isn't like you. Hmm, did Commander Yi say something to you last night?"
Yuan Huaimin waved his hand:
"He said quite a lot, but it was all the same old stuff. He also brought some letters from the elders of the clan, expressing their concern and advice."
Ouyang Rong laughed again: "Oh, I thought you were being urged to get married."
"Brother Lianghan, why do you always make these kinds of jokes..."
Yuan Huaimin lamented.
Ouyang Rong shook his head and remained silent. After a moment, he whipped his horse, his smile fading slightly. He then glanced back at a well-trained guard team that was closely following them not far behind.
At the very front of the guard team stood two figures side by side.
A middle-aged female official with a cold face and palace attire, and a young general with a baby face and white robes.
They kept their distance and followed behind.
Ouyang Rong withdrew his gaze and continued riding forward, following beside Prince Xunyang, Li Xian.
Li Xian and Li Dalang left the Prince's Mansion to attend a meeting at Xunyang Grottoes.
Miao Zhen, a female guard in the Prince's Palace, along with the newly arrived White Tiger Guard squad, also silently followed to protect the safety of Prince Xunyang and his son.
The baby-faced young general in white robes was the captain of this White Tiger Guard squad, named Li Congshan, in charge of three hundred armored soldiers.
He was the general who led the team, appointed directly by imperial decree when Yi Qianqiu arrived yesterday afternoon.
Yan Liulang also brought a group of yamen runners with him today, and they went out of the city together.
However, compared to the three hundred White Tiger Guards, they were nothing but small fry.
The contrast is even more striking when the two sides walk together.
Even if the former individuals straighten their backs, muster their energy, and give their best, there are still some messy and disorganized details.
The three hundred White Tiger Guards were all dressed in white robes and armor, wearing silver tiger masks. Their movements of mounting and dismounting were perfectly synchronized. They were all tall and robust, and at first glance, they looked as if they had been carved from the same mold.
If both sides were to line up completely in an open space and fight one-on-one, the former would certainly not be able to withstand the first wave of the latter's attack and would already be scattered and defeated.
In addition, the silver masks worn by the three hundred White Tiger Guards all had a rather strange design.
Under the sunlight, the tiger faces, gleaming and reflecting light, with their mouths turned down, made one instinctively think that these white tiger warriors were somewhat unhappy.
In addition, they carried some special equipment, the purpose of which Ouyang Rong could not understand. They also had Qi cultivators from the Imperial Observatory accompanying them.
No wonder the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird are the most outstanding among the sixteen. Such a large-scale, war-prepared violent machine is not so easy to resist by individuals.
Most importantly... they are all elites in the Great Zhou army, well-trained and unafraid of casualties. Compared to ordinary troops, even if they suffer a certain percentage of casualties, they can still maintain their formation and fight as a unit. This means that the lives of the armored soldiers can be used to wear down the Qi cultivators.
According to Rong Zhen, during the Great Qian Dynasty, in an extreme situation, there was once an attack on a high-level Qi cultivator... Both sides suffered heavy losses. In the end, a thousand armored soldiers were broken through, and the high-level Qi cultivator was seriously injured, nearly exhausted of spiritual energy, and escaped by flying through the air...
However, this was done in conjunction with the Qi cultivators of the Imperial Observatory, using a special formation similar to the Moonlit Pool Formation that Ouyang Rong had experienced to trap the enemy...
While riding his horse, Ouyang Rong secretly estimated that even if he had the opportunity to deploy his sword, he would still need a safe enough range. The three hundred White Tiger Guards were still standing in a group, all within the range of "Return to the Past".
It would take about an incense stick's time for the craftsman to collect three hundred heads and build a small mound of skulls.
In a normal battle, if you were targeted and locked onto by them, and there were no sword protectors around, you would probably be overwhelmed by their iron cavalry in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
The main reason is that the "Return to Home" skill, which is a supernatural ability of the poor, is not strictly speaking a means of mass destruction. It focuses more on killing with one blow and taking the heads of a few key enemies.
If you encounter an extreme situation where you are surrounded by a large group of people, it is appropriate to display your sword in public, with the sword hanging in the air to intimidate everyone. Whoever moves first will die.
Just then, Li Congshan, accompanied by three armored soldiers, rode up from behind and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Xian, suggesting:
"Your Highness, Governor, could you please slow down? The scouts ahead are too busy to check for dangers, and besides, it's still early, there's no need to rush."
The tone was respectful.
Li Xian and Ouyang Rong exchanged a glance and nodded, and the group slowed down a bit.
Ouyang Rong glanced back and saw Miaozhen following quietly behind, ignoring everything. It seemed she wasn't very familiar with Li Congshan.
How old is General Li this year?
Li Dalang asked.
Ouyang Rong noticed that Li Congshan had taken off the "Unhappy Tiger Mask," revealing a rather youthful and innocent-looking baby face, though the wind and rain had given his skin a wheatish hue.
"This humble general is twenty years old this year, and it is an honor to serve as Your Highness's bodyguard." He clasped his hands in a deep fist salute.
"Like Tanlang, you are a young and promising talent." Li Xian nodded and offered a word of encouragement.
Before long, the group arrived at Shuangfengjian, dismounted, boarded a boat, and went to Xunyang Grottoes on the north bank.
Upon arriving at the north bank, they were greeted warmly by Wang Caozhi.
"Your Highness, Prince, Brother-in-law... This way please, they are over in the bamboo forest."
Ouyang Rong nodded, allowing Li Dalang and Yan Liulang to stay.
They were unable to attend the meeting.
Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, and Yuan Huaimin can go.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong saw Princess Anhui's carriage not far away.
Before he could react, Li Xian spoke seriously:
"Stay put and don't go over there. Liu Lang, keep an eye on Da Lang. If anything goes wrong, write it down and tell me after the meeting."
His tone was suggestive.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Yan Liulang nodded helplessly.
Li Dalang seemed not to have seen that side, and shook his head:
"I will stay here and talk with Brother Cao. Father and Tanlang, please go with peace of mind."
Led by a female official, the group entered a bamboo forest not far from the Xunyang Grottoes, where there were many hidden sentries along the way.
After walking along the bluestone path for a short while, we came to a bamboo house with both the courtyard gate and the bamboo house door open.
Granny Song, Rong Zhen, and Qin Yi, the transport commissioner, were standing in the courtyard, waiting for them.
Qin Yi came in place of Chief Secretary Qin, representing the attitude of Grand Marshal Qin and the Central Army Camp on the southwestern front.
Miaozhen and Li Congshan also arrived, following behind Ouyang Rong and the other two.
The five people entered the bamboo house.
Inside, there were two rows of seats, and several people were already sitting and waiting.
The most eye-catching was Yi Qianqiu, with his striking features and sharp, domineering aura, drawing everyone's attention.
Two burly men in armor sat beside her.
One was a dark-skinned, rather dashing young man, about thirty years old.
There was also a square-faced man, as burly as a bear, sitting there like a small mountain, with a somewhat gloomy expression.
After Li Xian, Ouyang Rong and the others entered the room, Yi Qianqiu took the lead in standing up and bowing slightly respectfully.
Good morning, Your Highness.
"Generals, you may dispense with the formalities."
He was gentle, kind, and broad-minded.
"Your Highness, this is General Yi Qianqiu, the Lieutenant General of the White Tiger Guard, and also the commander-in-chief of the imperial reinforcements this time..."
Rongzhen took the initiative to introduce them, and Li Xian exchanged a few pleasantries.
As Ouyang Rong listened, he began to observe.
That dark-skinned, dashing young man was the captain of the Xuanwu Camp, named Wei Mi.
The gloomy man with a square face was the captain of the White Tiger Camp, named Duan Quanwu.
The White Tiger Guard has sent two battalions of armored soldiers, totaling about two thousand men, one thousand in each battalion.
Duan Quanwu and Li Congshan were both captains of the White Tiger Camp, directly under the command of Yi Qianqiu, but Wei Mi, the captain of the Black Tortoise Camp, also had to listen to her.
Yi Qianqiu was a Lieutenant General of the White Tiger Guard, a higher rank than a Battalion Commandant. He was the overall commander of this operation and had full authority over the two Black Tortoise Battalions and the two White Tiger Battalions.
The two battalions of Xuanwu Guard soldiers only arrived in Xunyang City yesterday evening.
That very night, a Xuanwu Battalion was transferred to the front lines to provide support.
Only the Xuanwu Camp, commanded by Wei Mi, was left behind to protect the Xunyang Grottoes.
Therefore, including the three hundred armored soldiers that Li Congshan brought to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, there are currently three thousand elite armored soldiers guarding the territory of Xunyang City.
Three thousand elite soldiers is no small number in this era; it's equivalent to the military strength of two regular military commands. Previously, the entire Jiangnan region, which had been at peace for so long, only had six military commands.
Furthermore, regarding logistics, without the continuous supply of supplies from the southeastern states led by Yangzhou, even the three thousand elite soldiers of a slightly inferior Zhechong Prefecture, who supplemented their livelihood by farming in addition to training, would still have their logistical needs crippling the finances of Jiangzhou, a relatively wealthy prefecture in Jiangnan.
Once everyone had arrived, they took their seats.
The people who came from Xunyang City were Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, and Yuan Huaimin, representing the Jiangzhou officialdom.
The representatives sent by the female officials of the Censorate were Rongzhen, Granny Song, and Miaozhen. The three of them were Qi practitioners from the Imperial Observatory of Luoyang Palace and were Her Majesty the Empress's spies. They were nominally neutral, which goes without saying.
On the military side, besides Qin Yi, there are four other martial artists: Yi Qianqiu, Wei Mi, Duan Quanwu, and Li Congshan.
These eleven individuals, who were in charge of the situation at the Xunyang Grottoes in Jiangzhou, Jiangnan Province, where the Great Zhou Dynasty was pouring a great deal of manpower and resources into creating statues, all had a voice.
However, the degree of influence in a discourse certainly varies.
Prince Li of Xunyang sat leisurely at the head of the table, accompanied by Song, the deputy director of the Imperial Observatory.
Rong Zhen, Ouyang Rong, and Yi Qianqiu were seated slightly below the others, while the others were seated below them.
Before taking his seat, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but glance at Wei Mi again.
This person is somewhat handsome.
Unexpectedly, Wei Mi also turned his gaze to Ouyang Rong.
Inside the bamboo house, among a group of rough men besides the women, these two men locked eyes, seemingly both drawn to each other's striking good looks. Though their handsomeness differed, a mutual appreciation was undeniable...
Rong Zhen had no idea that there was such a shameless, telepathic connection on the scene. She stood up, looked around at everyone, and coldly spoke:
"This morning's meeting, where the Prince and everyone else were summoned, is mainly to discuss three matters. We will address them one by one, and if there are any disputes, we will vote by raising our hands."
"The first thing is to deal with the remaining river bandits in Hukou County. Last time, Commander Yi only defeated them, not completely annihilated them. These remnants of river bandits disguised as rebels from the southern Jianghu are still active in Hukou County and may threaten Xunyang City at any time. They must be eradicated."
"The second matter is the issue of guards for the Xunyang Prince's Mansion. Last night, Governor Ouyang made a suggestion regarding some details and personnel arrangements, which we hope to discuss again. We'll all discuss it together later."
"The third thing is the final defense plan for the Donglin Buddha..."
...
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(End of this chapter)
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