Chapter 655 Shuffling the Cards [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
The morning meeting begins.
When Rong Zhen mentioned the second matter, Yi Qianqiu glanced at Ouyang Rong, her expression calm, and she remained silent.
He didn't even look at Yuan Huaimin behind Ouyang Rong.
"The first thing is to deal with these river pirates in Hukou County. The last attack on the water transport route is a lesson from the past."
Rongzhen spoke first.
There was a moment of silence.
Qin Yi nodded and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yi Qianqiu:
"Many thanks for your help, Commander Yi."
Yi Qianqiu shook his head dismissively, glanced around, and waved his hand, saying:
"How about this, we'll allocate some troops to suppress the bandits."
Qin Yi frowned: "If we split up, do we have enough manpower for the Xunyang Grottoes?"
“After deducting the Xuanwu Battalion transferred to the southwest front, there are still 3,000 troops left. After deducting the 300 guards that Li Congshan took to protect the Xunyang Prince’s Mansion, there are still 2,700 armored soldiers.”
Yi Qianqiu verbally calculated and nodded slightly:
“We have enough men. Xunyang Grottoes is not very big, so there is not enough room to deploy troops. I scouted the site last night and found that we only need to keep two thousand troops here, including reserves.”
Rong Zhen pondered:
"That means we can still spare 700 people."
Yi Qianqiu suggests:
"How about we select five hundred men and send a reliable person to lead them to suppress the bandits? For example, General Wei and five hundred Xuanwu Guard soldiers."
Granny Song put down her teacup and asked with concern:
"Are five hundred people enough?"
Rong Zhen squinted, as if calculating for a moment, and nodded in reply:
"Leaving behind five hundred soldiers from the Xuanwu Camp is enough."
Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered that the Xuanwu Guards were among the reinforcements, which Rong Zhen had requested, probably because they would be useful for defending the Xunyang Grottoes.
Judging from Rong Zhen's words, keeping these five hundred Xuanwu Guard soldiers would be just enough for her to use.
Yi Qianqiu made the decision directly:
"Good. Based on my experience of fighting them temporarily, these five hundred elite soldiers are enough to crush them. Actually, our requirements are not high. We don't want to completely wipe them out in a short time, but to keep an eye on them before the Donglin Buddha lands, to prevent us from losing track of them. We need to send people to keep an eye on them."
Just then, Ouyang Rong spoke again:
"Actually, there's something strange about this, I don't know if everyone has noticed it."
Everyone turned to look.
Yi Qianqiu frowned:
“Prefect Ouyang, we are discussing sending troops to suppress bandits. What are you talking to yourself about?”
Ouyang Rong seemed not to hear, and continued speaking to himself:
"The timing of these river pirates' appearances was very suspicious on both occasions. The first time was when they attacked His Highness the Crown Prince in Hukou County. The second time was yesterday afternoon, when Commander Yi arrived, when they launched a surprise attack on the water transport route."
"Why are these rebels from the Jianghu in the south so varied in their targets? If I were one of them, I would lie low and wait for the right opportunity."
The crowd fell silent, as if they were pondering for a moment.
"This group of river pirates may only be heading towards the war on the southwestern front. They were sent by Li Zhengyan and other Kuangfu rebels, and arranged by Wei Shaoqi and others who have already joined forces with the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu. The Yunmeng Token that Commander Yi seized may have been obtained by them."
Miaozhen spoke softly, and then said:
"The attack on the Crown Prince's carriage in Hukou County was also a matter of good news. It was a case of taking a chance, not letting any opportunity to strike us slip by."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned thoughtful.
Yi Qianqiu waved his hand:
“Prefect Ouyang, what you said makes sense, but it remains at the level of speculation. Now that things have happened, the most important thing to do is to deal with these river pirates. It doesn’t matter why they are not as clever as you, Prefect Ouyang. Many things are not as ideal as they seem on paper.”
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment:
"The most urgent task is to suppress the bandits, that's true. Let's try to capture them alive before questioning them, it's better than us arguing here."
"But who should we send this time?"
After these words were spoken, there was a moment of silence.
Yi Qianqiu spoke first:
"Let's draw troops from the Xuanwu Camp. As for the leading general, how about sending General Wei?"
Wei Mi looked at the quiet crowd and spoke first:
"This humble general is willing to do anything, and will follow the arrangements of Your Highness and Commander Yi."
This is an interesting statement.
Only the prince and Commander Yi were mentioned.
One was the most distinguished person present, and the other was his immediate superior.
However, the prince was placed ahead of Commander Yi in line.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong suddenly said:
"Either is fine, but there is one thing I don't understand. Why not choose people from the White Tiger Camp, but instead choose from the Black Tortoise Camp? Is there some special reason for this?"
Yi Qianqiu readily admitted:
"I come from the White Tiger Guard and am most familiar with the White Tiger Guard. It would be best to leave more White Tiger Guard soldiers in Xunyang Grottoes to assist me in defense."
Ouyang Rong nodded, his expression calm:
"I see. However, General Wei, the Prince and I also admire you. We have long admired your name."
"Last night I sent a letter to Lady Rong, which was the second matter to be discussed again: to replace the guards of the Prince of Xunyang's mansion. The person I recommended to the Prince was General Wei."
"I hope that General Wei and the Xuanwu Battalion soldiers can be transferred to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, with the same number of three hundred men."
Yi Qianqiu frowned and asked:
"Why change him out of the blue? Do you not trust me?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"No, a fortune teller said that the White Tiger belongs to metal, which clashes with the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, while the Black Tortoise is just right, belonging to water and very auspicious. Commander Yi said that both are the same, so why not have General Wei of the Black Tortoise Guard stationed at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion? It can also free up extra White Tiger Guard soldiers to help the Xunyang Grottoes. These are Commander Yi's loyal followers."
Yi Qianqiu squinted and remained silent.
Ouyang Rong's tone was insistent.
Wei Mi is from the same clan as Princess Wei Mei, so he is very suitable to guard the Xunyang Prince's Mansion. This was also something the pro-government faction fought for. Among the current batch of reinforcements, it is difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Although they share a common interest—protecting the Donglin Buddha—it is necessary to be on the safe side in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Yi Qianqiu asked, "Does Governor Ouyang mean to replace Li Congshan and have Wei Mi guard the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, and select between Li Congshan and Duan Quanwu for the person who will go to Hukou County to suppress the bandits?"
At this moment, Duan Quanwu, who had remained silent until now, spoke:
“Commander Yi, didn’t we agree on the way that I would stay at Xunyang Grottoes to meet those rebels? Especially that Butterfly Love Flower Master.”
He then clasped his hands in a fist and said:
"I don't care who goes to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, but I hope Commander Yi, Your Highness, and Governor Ouyang can spare me the opportunity to deal with the rebels in Tiannan Jianghu."
Ouyang Rong, Rong Zhen, and the others looked at Yi Qianqiu.
Rongzhen suddenly asked:
"The owner of the Butterfly Love Flower?"
Ouyang Rong's focus seems to be elsewhere:
"Why is this? What is General Duan's purpose in making this request?"
Yi Qianqiu frowned and remained silent, looking at Duan Quanwu.
The latter stated bluntly:
"When Mr. Qiu was in the White Tiger Guard, he was kind to me and mentored me. He was like a teacher to me and I was so grateful to him that I was like a second father."
"I have heard that Mr. Qiu has gone missing in Jiangnan Province and is suspected of being attacked. This is related to the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower. This person is highly suspicious and is definitely involved in Mr. Qiu's murder!"
Rongzhen seemed to remember something.
When Wei Shaoxuan came to Jiangzhou, he reported this matter to Rong Zhen and Ouyang Rong.
Wei Shaoqi, the young master of the Wei family, disappeared in Longcheng, along with the Wei family's cauldron sword...
Rongzhen looked at Ouyang Rong.
But the latter seemed not to have reacted, and asked Duan Quanwu:
"Mr. Qiu? That name sounds familiar..."
Yi Qianqiu said softly:
"Senior Qiu's full name is Qiu Shenji. He once served as the Grand General of the White Tiger Guard and had a high reputation in the White Tiger Guard. He was also a first-class military strategist and Qi cultivator. When he was in the White Tiger Guard, the guard was ranked among the top four guards. Later, he retired from his post and became a guest minister of the Wei family. He was the teacher of a young master in the Wei Prince's mansion."
Ouyang Rong's expression became respectful:
"So this is the kind of person you are. My apologies for my ignorance."
Duan Quanwu raised his head slightly and waved his hand modestly:
"It's alright. Mr. Qiu is quite low-key and is focused on pursuing the pinnacle of military strategy and martial arts. He lives outside the secular world, so it's normal that we ordinary people don't know him."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good. Wait, I remember now, didn't Young Master Wei mention this before?"
After he finished speaking, he looked at Rongzhen.
The latter nodded coldly:
"That's right, he disappeared in Longcheng along with Wei Shaoqi."
Duan Quanwu's expression darkened:
“This master of the Butterfly Love Flower, I and the White Tiger Guards will surely kill him.”
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
Rong Zhen narrowed his eyes, his gaze revealing murderous intent.
The mention of the owner's name immediately silenced the entire room.
"With such a powerful expert assisting Yunmeng Sword Swamp, we need to have a preemptive strike against him this time."
Qin Yi frowned and said.
Granny Song cleared her throat and said in a somewhat shrill voice:
"This kid is formidable, but we've made considerable preparations this time as well. It's no longer the case that we're in the open while the enemy is in the shadows. We have no shortage of experts, and we also have the assistance of the generals from the White Tiger Guard and the Black Tortoise Guard. How can he possibly deploy his sword?"
"That makes sense!"
Ouyang Rong was the first to nod in agreement.
"This time, we'll make sure he doesn't come back alive. What a long name, 'Master of Butterfly Loves Flowers.' I wonder if he'll live that long."
His expression turned serious again:
"However, we can despise this person strategically, but we must be on high alert tactically. We can brainstorm and come up with several alternative ways to deal with him."
"Hmm. Let's hold a few more meetings like this to discuss this person. What ideas do you all have? Everyone, please share your thoughts, and I'll give you some advice."
"That makes sense."
Granny Song nodded, glanced at Ouyang Rong again, and seemed to find him much more pleasing to the eye.
"Hmm." Qin Yi nodded in agreement with a serious expression.
Rong Zhen lowered her head first, then glanced at Ouyang Rong, who had taken the initiative to call for coordination and was targeting the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower. Her originally cold and murderous eyes gradually softened.
Like hard ice in winter, it turns into shimmering waves under the warm sun.
All eyes were on Ouyang Rong, and no one noticed anything unusual.
"Oh, right."
Ouyang Rong turned his head and asked Li Congshan curiously:
"And what about General Li? Is he like General Duan? Seeking revenge for Mr. Qiu of the White Tiger Guard? And also wants to stay in Xunyang City?"
Li Congshan's expression froze for a moment, then he nodded, then shook his head:
"Mr. Qiu is a senior member of the White Tiger Guard. If he can avenge the murderer, that would be even better, but he must act within his capabilities."
"This man actually managed to trick Mr. Qiu, so he should not be underestimated. The three hundred men I have with me are definitely not enough to fight him. General Duan, if you encounter this man, you should not fight him head-on. You should wait for someone else."
Duan Quanwu nodded sternly: "Thank you for the reminder, General Li."
“General Li is indeed cautious,” Ouyang Rong nodded.
"It's just self-awareness," Li Congshan said with a self-deprecating laugh.
"In fact, if General Duan wanted to kill the master of Butterfly Love Flower, he didn't necessarily have to stay in Xunyang Grottoes."
Ouyang Rong said leisurely.
"What do you mean?" Duan Quanwu asked.
"Right now, the best way to get in touch with the rebels in the southern Jianghu is to go to Hukou County to suppress them, so we should definitely go. Maybe we'll even meet the master of Butterfly Love Flower."
"By the time the Donglin Buddha is completed, you will either finish suppressing the bandits or return to assist the Xunyang Grottoes."
Yi Qianqiu, Duan Quanwu, and the others frowned, feeling that this reasoning sounded somewhat strange.
Finally, Ouyang Rong proposed a vote by show of hands.
Duan Quanwu and Yi Qianqiu exchanged a glance.
Wei Mi didn't speak, nor did he look at Ouyang Rong; he was completely lost in thought the whole time.
The vote began quickly.
Rongzhen held a vote on the first two matters, deciding who should stay and who should leave.
The last people left behind were the remaining defenders of Xunyang Grottoes.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Duan Quanwu left the house with a gloomy expression.
Li Congshan remained silent.
Li Xian also frowned slightly.
Both Granny Song and Miaozhen had indifferent expressions.
Rong Zhen walked ahead, but turned back to look at Ouyang Rong's expression.
He appeared perfectly normal.
Three decisions have been made.
Li Congshan remained at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, leading three hundred White Tiger Guards for protection.
However, Duan Quanwu was sent to suppress bandits in Hukou County. Depending on the progress, he would return to Xunyang Grottoes to protect them before the Donglin Buddha was completed.
Wei Mi continued to lead a thousand Xuanwu Guard soldiers to remain at Xunyang Grottoes to assist Commander-in-Chief Yi Qianqiu.
This is the result of a vote by everyone raising their hands.
During the relevant voting process, Li Congshan, Wei Mi, and Duan Quanwu, who were involved in personnel changes, did not participate and were excluded.
Some people abstained from voting, such as Rong Zhen, who abstained on the first issue. On the second issue, however, she sided with Yi Qianqiu, supporting the continued stay of Li Congshan in the Xunyang Prince's Mansion without any changes.
There were also those who firmly followed Ouyang Rong and raised their hands, such as Li Xian, Yuan Huaimin, and Qin Yi.
For this, Yuan Huaimin was glared at by Yi Qianqiu a few times, but Yuan, the chief secretary, was like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water, and was completely lost in thought, so Yi Qianqiu couldn't do anything about him.
The first thing to do was to send Duan Quanwu to Hukou County to suppress bandits.
Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, Yuan Huaimin, Qin Yi, and Wei Mi all agreed.
Rongzhen, Granny Song, Miaozhen, and Qiquan were among those who objected, with only Yi Qianqiu and Li Congshan opposing.
Duan Quanwu did not participate in the vote.
The second thing was to transfer Wei Mi and three hundred Xuanwu Guards to protect the Xunyang Prince's Mansion and relieve Li Congshan of his duties.
Ouyang Rong, Li Xian, Yuan Huaimin, and Qin Yi all voted in favor.
Yi Qianqiu, Rong Zhen, Granny Song, and Duan Quanwu all objected.
Miaozhen abstained from voting.
Li Congshan and Wei Mi did not participate in the vote.
The situation has been stabilized; no changes will be made for the time being, and things will remain as they are.
However, Ouyang Rong did not expect Miaozhen to abstain from voting, and he glanced at the lady in palace attire.
The morning meeting ended, and everyone dispersed.
Before leaving the bamboo forest, Ouyang Rong glanced back at Duan Quanwu and Li Congshan.
The two walked side by side for a while, clasped their hands in greeting, exchanged a few pleasantries as colleagues, and then parted ways.
Ouyang Rong's expression remained calm.
At this moment, Li Congshan stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands, and said:
"I hope Governor Ouyang will continue to guide me in the future."
"Um."
Ouyang Rong smiled.
Where is Dalang?
Ahead, Li Xian frowned and asked, glancing around.
...
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(PS: Requesting monthly votes~or2)
(End of this chapter)
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