Chapter 516 The Feast at Hongmen
(Thanks to reader 20220506094813086 for casting 3 monthly tickets.)
Cai Hua lowered his head deeply, concealing the expression in his eyes.
Looking at Cai Hua bowing his head in front of her, Li Shiyue didn't care what Cai Hua was really thinking.
As long as Cai Hua is willing to cooperate with her on the surface, allowing Li Shiyue to stabilize the situation in Jian'an City, that will be enough.
“Lord Cai, you must be tired after rushing all the way from your post.”
This general has booked the entire Mirage Boat. Why don't you go and rest in the other courtyard for a while, Your Excellency?
"How about I entertain Lord Cai properly tonight?"
Cai Hua naturally wouldn't say no. Li Shiyue wouldn't let him leave and wanted him to stay for dinner, so he decided to eat.
After watching Hei Zi see Cai Hua and Song Fang off, Li Shiyue picked up her chopsticks again.
The plate of sashimi stained with the bronze crown on Cai Hua's head had long been taken away. At this moment, Li Shiyue was eating another dish made with sea fish.
I must say, the food served at the Mirage Boat is actually quite delicious.
Li Shiyue was already thinking of bringing her mother and the others over for a meal later.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor of the second-floor room of the Mirage Boat.
After finishing her meal, Li Shiyue stood by the window, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty and fishy smell, blew in again.
She squinted, looking at the surging sea outside the window, lost in thought.
"General, are we just going to let them go like this?"
Sun Xiaoliu stood behind Li Shiyue, still holding the military supply ledger of the garrison that had been searched from Huang Wanchang's study.
Because of his bad mood, Sun Xiaoliu's knuckles turned white from gripping the ledger so tightly.
Li Shiyue turned around, and the sunlight gilded one side of her face, while the other side remained hidden in shadow.
What's the rush?
Li Shiyue chuckled softly, tapping lightly on the window frame with her fingers. "Who said they were allowed to leave?"
"If it weren't for tonight's banquet, would we still need Lord Cai?"
Li Shiyue walked back to the table, picked up a wine glass, and said, "Little Liu, tell me, you've been following me for so long, how come you're still so impatient?"
This ability to fight swiftly and decisively is a good thing;
But if you're fishing, you need patience; you have to let out a longer line to catch a big fish, right?
Sun Xiaoliu frowned: "General!"
The ledger clearly records that three thousand shi of military rations have vanished, along with the military uniforms that should have been issued to the soldiers last winter…
"I know."
Li Shiyue interrupted Sun Xiaoliu, her voice suddenly turning cold, "This Cai Hua is a smart man."
Cai Hua's eyes were exactly like Zhou Yiran's, that old fox; outwardly submissive, but who knows what he was plotting.
"General, then we absolutely cannot let him go!"
"But we need time now."
Although I brought two thousand Xuanjia soldiers with me this time, it has only been a few days.
We haven't fully grasped the situation in Jian'an yet; rashly taking action would only alert the enemy.
Of course, Li Shiyue could have just killed Cai Hua, just like she killed Huang Wanchang.
Then, she took two thousand Xuanjia soldiers and directly took over the garrison troops in the town, just as she had taken over Jian'an City.
But if that's the case, how will the Japanese pirates be killed?
Should we search little by little again?
That would be such a waste of time.
Furthermore, based on what Sun Xiaoliu and his advance team investigated, and what Steward Wang revealed, Jian'an Prefecture is rotten from top to bottom, from civil administration to military administration; it's rotten to the core!
Li Shiyue's primary mission was to kill the Japanese pirates, and only secondarily to punish these utterly corrupt officials.
Now, she was thinking of first pacifying the greedy Cai Hua with money, then gradually taking control of the entire town's army with the help of the local strongman Cai Hua, and finally finding the Japanese pirates through Cai Hua to complete her mission of killing them.
Only then can we slowly discern, collect evidence, and find those damned officials along the Jian'an line.
Therefore, Cai Hua cannot die now.
"What is the general worried about?"
Sun Xiaoliu asked Li Shiyue in a low voice.
Looking at the table full of delicacies, Li Shiyue said, "I'm thinking, Cai Hua agreed too readily just now."
Can a garrison commander be bribed with three thousand taels of silver?
Although his breathing became erratic when I held the knife to his neck;
But I could also tell he was gambling—gambling that I'd need him and wouldn't just cut him off outright.
Li Shiyue sneered, "Cai Hua is truly cunning."
However, if he were really that easy to deal with, he wouldn't have stood firm in Jian'an for so many years.
Otherwise, how could the prince have been deceived when he came here to inspect the border?
They were united as one; they pulled off a truly grand scheme.
Li Shiyue walked to the window again and looked at the distant sea.
"I guess he's afraid of the soldiers under my command."
They probably thought the same thing as me: they wanted to keep me calm first, then find an opportunity to kill me.
"He dares!"
Li Shiyue turned to Sun Xiaoliu and smiled, "What is there that he wouldn't dare to do?"
I dared to kill Huang Wanchang, the governor, so it's not surprising that Cai Hua would seize the opportunity to kill me.
However, he and Zhou Yiran are the same kind of people. I reckon he'll find a legitimate opportunity to team up with the Japanese pirates, make me fight them, and have them kill me.
Turning her head, Li Shiyue looked at the horizon where the sea met the sky. There was nothing there, only the howling sea wind blowing wildly towards the land.
Meanwhile, Cai Hua, who had been taken by Hei Zi to a secluded courtyard behind the Mirage Boat to rest, was sitting at a table drinking tea with a dark expression.
"My lord, are we just going to let this go like this?"
Song Fang's already dark face turned even darker with anger, and he looked like he was gritting his teeth.
"That Li Shiyue actually dared to humiliate the magistrate in public!"
He even took a knife...
"Shut up!"
Cai Hua snarled at Song Fang for his outrageous words, his face so dark it looked like it could drip black water.
He touched the top of his head, the sensation of Li Shiyue neatly splitting the bronze crown on his head in two just now still lingering.
"You think I want to tolerate this?"
Li Shiyue was no ordinary woman, much less an ordinary military general!
Standing behind her is the Prince of Zhenbei!
She brought two thousand soldiers into the city!
How many people do I have under my command?
Even if you include the entire garrison troops, they still can't match her forces!
Am I just going to put up with it?
I had no choice but to endure it!
Song Fang looked indignant on Cai Hua's behalf, and then said to Cai Hua, "My lord, are we really going to listen to her?"
After saying this, Song Fang went to look at the wooden box they had carried back when they left Li Shiyue's place.
That box was full of gleaming silver!
"My lord, we are on Tsushima Island..."
"Hehe," Cai Hua chuckled, though it was unclear what he was thinking.
Cai Hua narrowed his eyes. "She thinks she can bribe me with money? She underestimates me."
As he spoke, Cai Hua turned to look at Song Fang, "What's the panic?"
Let's see what tricks she's up to at tonight's banquet.
Once we've left the city and returned to our post, you will personally go to Tsushima Island to deliver a message. I need...
"What does Your Excellency wish to do..."
Song Fang's pupils contracted, as if he had understood Cai Hua's unfinished words, and both of them had a wicked look on their faces.
"Wasn't Li Shiyue here to kill the Japanese pirates?"
Cai Hua smiled sinisterly, "Then I'll let her kill to her heart's content!"
The sun has set, or rather, it has set below the horizon.
The room on the second floor where Li Shiyue was staying had been lit up. The lights, fueled by deep-sea fish oil, had a faint blue hue, which looked quite interesting from the side.
The banquet at the round table had been replaced with a new one.
Chen Yong was the only one inside at the moment; Sun Xiaoliu and Hei Zi had been sent downstairs by Li Shiyue to greet the guests.
Tonight, Li Shiyue didn't just invite Cai Hua, the garrison commander of the town's army;
She also sent invitations to Feng Gui, the Prefect of Jian'an, Du Hui, the Military Advisor of Jian'an, Wan Kai, the Chief Clerk of Jian'an, and the Six Military Advisors.
Hehe, what's this called tonight?
It was a trap.
But even if they all knew this was a trap, would they dare not come?
Li Shiyue's fingertips lightly traced the hilt of the knife at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the empty seats at the table.
"General, they're here."
Standing at the door, Chen Yong whispered this reminder to Li Shiyue.
Footsteps sounded downstairs, and Sun Xiaoliu's loud announcement pierced through the floorboards: "Jian'an Prefect Feng Gui has arrived!"
A sharp smile curved Li Shiyue's lips as she raised her hand and filled her wine glass.
The amber-colored liquor, illuminated by blue light, appeared eerily like fresh blood.
Will blood be shed at this banquet tonight?
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