Chapter 505 Return to Beijing
The "chief" of the Qingzhou rebels actually belongs to the camp of that shady old bastard Yuan Li.
This answer surprised Zhao Duan, but after thinking about it carefully, it was not so surprising.
The State of Yu had not seen any major wars for many years, so the promotion of local military officers became much more difficult.
More often than not, what is being competed for is not "military exploits" or "ability", but background.
Although Emperor Taizu of the Yu Kingdom was a military man, he advocated the strategy of governing the country by civil officials. Therefore, the military officer group represented by the Privy Council in the court had a far lower status than the cabinet.
Inevitably, the positions of military officers in local military offices were also subject to interference from factions in the court to a certain extent.
It is not surprising that the "Qingliu Party" led by Yuan Li, the second largest group after the "Li Party", jointly nominated and appointed a commander.
"I never heard anyone mention this matter when I was in the capital." Zhao Duan recalled the day when court officials gathered to discuss the Qingzhou rebellion, and spoke hesitantly.
Yuan Feng gave a bitter laugh and said, "Although Wei Xianzong belongs to the Qingliu Party and serves Prince Heng, Lord Yuan is loyal to the court. The two cannot be confused."
Oh, are you sure the real situation is not that the court is in turmoil and Li Dang has just rebelled, and the ministers tacitly agreed not to target Yuan Li at this juncture?
To prevent the "Qingliu Party" from collapsing and paralyzing the court?
Zhao Duan snorted. With his understanding of the court's thick-skinned tactics, if the situation had not forced him, the impeachment memorials against Yuan Li would have piled up into a small mountain.
Regardless of whether Wei Xianzong represented Yuan Li's will, in short, the person he recommended had such a big problem, and Yuan Li, as the party leader, could not get rid of the hat of "unclear use of people".
Well, I bet that once Li Yanfu's coup d'état dies down, Yuan Li will be the next to suffer... After all, the most important thing in the court is balance. Now that the Li Party has been destroyed, even for the sake of balance, the Qingliu Party must be punished...
Zhao Duan's thoughts flashed, and he suddenly asked:
"Do you know why Emperor Wei Xianzong rebelled?"
Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads, saying that the incident happened suddenly and as generals they had no channels to investigate.
"Why are you asking this, sir? It is a crime of treason after all. No matter what the reason is, one cannot escape death." Chen Gui complained while stroking his goatee.
Zhao Duan smiled without saying anything, sitting carelessly in the large carved chair, tapping his knees lightly with his fingers, his eyes thoughtful, and suddenly said:
"Please interrogate the captives later. I need to know everything that happened within the Hengwang rebel group during this period, especially those involving Wei Xianzong. I have ordered the military clerks to compile the information and submit it to His Majesty."
Everyone looked startled and didn't dare to ask any more questions, so they quickly agreed.
Then, military officers began to come into the tent from time to time to report on the results of the battle. Zhao Duan did not interfere with these aftermath matters and left them to others.
After a while, a soldier came outside:
"Reporting to the young guard, the female head of the Xiao family in Donghu has regained consciousness and wishes to see you."
Xiao Dong'er woke up? Zhao Duan pondered for a moment, then stood up and said:
"Lead the way."
…
Xiao Dong'er was placed in a separate tent in the camp, with guards at the door.
When Zhao Duan arrived, a military doctor stood respectfully:
"My Lord, the patient is fine now. He just suffered from the heatstroke. In addition, he has been nervous, sleep deprived, and restless recently, which has caused him to be weak. He has been given some medicine."
"Very good." Zhao Duan nodded with satisfaction, lifted the curtain of the tent and walked in. The tent was empty, with only a simple wooden bed placed inside.
Mrs. Xiao, wearing a dark horse-faced skirt, with disheveled hair, listless and haggard, was sitting on the bed with her legs resting on the edge, her stockings exposed to the air, and a pair of embroidered shoes neatly placed under the bed.
She was finishing a bowl of medicine and placed the ceramic bowl on the simple wooden table beside her with both hands. When she saw Zhao Duan walk in, Xiao Dong'er's eyes suddenly brightened, and excitement appeared on her face, which was still flushed due to the heat. She supported her body with both hands and was about to get out of bed.
As a result, he seemed to be weak from being tied up for so many days, and he couldn't stand steadily, and his knees gave way and he fell to the ground.
"Envoy..."
"Master Xiao, be careful!" Zhao Duan was startled and withdrew his hand, letting the thick tent curtain behind him fall down, blocking the doctor and guards outside. He quickly stepped forward and was about to support them.
Xiao Dong'er then prostrated herself on the ground, her delicate hands resting on the muddy ground, her elbows bent as she crawled forward, her head lowered, her forehead almost touching the ground. Her plump, peach-shaped buttocks were tense and raised high. Having escaped from the clutches of a tiger, Madam Xiao burst into tears.
"Your Excellency, I have saved my life, and I cannot repay you enough!"
Ah, this, Zhao Duan, who caught a glimpse of the dazzling white mosaic, was shocked and withdrew his hand. He awkwardly accepted the female headmistress's greeting and said with a strange expression:
"Madam Xiao, there is no need for such a grand ceremony. I was merely doing this out of convenience. Moreover, since you are a royal merchant of the imperial court, I naturally owe you protection. However, your family has been implicated in this rebellion. It's a blessing that you don't blame the imperial court, but rather me."
Xiao Dong'er's thin shoulders seemed to tremble with sobs. She hurriedly raised her haggard face, her eyes red, and sobbed:
"How could I possibly harbor resentment? My gratitude is not enough, but I dare to ask that King Heng..."
"I injured him, captured him alive, and now he's standing trial in the camp." Zhao Duan spoke righteously. He bent down, raised his arm, helped Madam Xiao up, and sat her back on the bed.
"Later, I will take him back to the capital to stand trial."
After a pause, he added:
"The Qingzhou rebels have been defeated, and His Majesty returned safely to court a few days ago."
His Majesty has returned to court... The Qingzhou army has been defeated... Xiao Dong'er was stunned, trying her best to digest this explosive news, and then the string that had been tense for many days finally relaxed completely.
A smile spread across her face, revealing the joy of surviving the disaster:
"Good...good...with His Majesty's return, my Xiao family should be spared from destruction..."
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face.
At this moment, the "first imperial businessman" who was famous and powerful, and who was in charge of a powerful family, completely shed his shell and revealed his soft side.
The fear and pain of the past few days were released at this moment.
Zhao Duan didn't say anything. He quietly pulled over a chair and sat down leisurely, giving Xiao Dong'er time to process her emotions.
After a moment, Madam Xiao came back to her senses from her joy, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand embarrassedly, tilted her head awkwardly, and whispered:
"I was so overwhelmed with sorrow and joy that I couldn't help but lose my composure. I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
When this well-maintained widow, who was only in her thirties, tilted her head, the collarbone and the curve of her neck were clearly visible.
She is deliberately seducing me... Zhao Duan had a strange expression on his face. He was keenly aware of her little trick, but he did not point it out. He said in a joking tone:
"It's alright, Madam, it's normal for you to be frightened suddenly. But when you return to the capital with me to see the Emperor, please don't act like this again."
Meet the emperor?
Xiao Dong'er was stunned. She looked at the man in front of her in surprise and stammered:
"What you said, sir..."
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"The imperial court never mistreats its own people. Although the Qingzhou rebels have been annihilated, the aftermath remains. The Xiao family of Donghu has been rooted in Qingzhou for a century and has a deep foundation. What do you think, Madam, if we entrust the Xiao family to assist the imperial officials in stabilizing the situation in Qingzhou?"
"Envoy...are you serious?" Madam Xiao was shocked. Of course she could hear the hidden meaning of these words.
The current situation is turbulent and the court is short of manpower. If it wants to stabilize Qingzhou Road as soon as possible and completely eliminate the remnants of the Hengwang Mansion’s base camp, it will be safest if the Xiao family cooperates.
Once the Xiao family gets involved, they will undoubtedly gain huge benefits, and may even replace the Prince Heng's Mansion and become the largest force in Qingzhou Road outside the imperial court.
Zhao Duan smiled gently and said, "I will recommend him to Your Majesty. The details will depend on Your Majesty's decision."
Mrs. Xiao's eyes were red again, but this time, there was an especially bright light in the eyes of this ambitious woman, and the look she gave Zhao Duan was different.
It seems like there's something more.
"Your Excellency, I am so grateful to you. I..."
"Ahem, Madam Xiao, please take good care of yourself. I will take my leave now. If you want to repay me, please remember to clarify Prince Heng's nonsense to His Majesty after entering the palace." Zhao Duan was as slippery as a loach and stood up to say goodbye.
The last sentence naturally referred to the slander and rumors that Prince Heng had just spread about him and Xiao Dong'er having an affair.
Xu Heng was too cunning. He announced it loudly in front of so many soldiers from the Shenji Camp. Zhao Duan felt that unless he killed all those soldiers to silence them, it would be difficult to conceal the matter... Moreover, even if the soldiers from the Shenji Camp didn't say anything.
But is there such a rumor among the Qingzhou rebels? There is a high probability that it is.
He felt that to be on the safe side, he should clarify the matter with Zhenbao in person and explain proactively to avoid being put in a passive position.
"Don't worry, sir. I am just a weakling and I dare not tarnish your reputation." Xiao Dong'er's eyes were dim.
You say that as if I have a good reputation... Zhao Duan smacked his lips, said goodbye and left.
…
After opening the curtain and walking out of the tent, Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, his face suddenly darkening.
"What are you doing sneaking around here?"
Outside the big tent, the guards at the gate were driven away at some point, and were replaced by Chen Gui and Tang Ping, who were eavesdropping stealthily.
Chen Huoshen and the young master hesitated, their brains working frantically. They turned around and pointed at a figure hiding behind the pillars outside the tent.
"The commander has returned, and we are here to report!"
At the fingertips of the two men, Shi Meng, a burly and strong man, stepped out from the pillar where he was hiding. Facing Zhao Duan's dim gaze, he tried his best to force a smile, revealing his white teeth:
"General, well... don't worry, I've already ordered those little brats to keep their mouths shut. The nonsense and slanders spread by Prince Heng on the official road will rot in our Shenji Camp and will never be spread outside, especially not to the ears of Your Majesty!"
"..." Zhao Duan's face darkened even more, and he said stiffly:
"How... did you know..."
Shi Meng was uneasy. He was a man as big as a mountain, and he looked away awkwardly.
"I went with you to capture Prince Heng's gang, and they reported to me privately... They had good intentions, but were worried about gossip from too many people, so... But you can trust me, Old Shi, to handle things. The commander-in-chief is one of our own from the Divine Machine Battalion, so we will naturally provide him with all our assistance."
On the side, Chen Gui and Tang Ping, one old and one young, one a technical director in the army and the other a middle-level military officer, nodded vigorously at the same time, winked, nodded at Madam Xiao in the tent, and patted their chests to assure:
"We will definitely keep it a secret!"
"..." Zhao Duan was almost carried away by the opponent in one breath, and he stammered:
"This official and Patriarch Xiao have a clean record and have never..."
The three men nodded in unison: "Ah, right, right."
"..." Zhao Duan took a deep breath and asked seriously:
"Don't you know how loyal I am to Your Majesty? Besides, she's a widow! Which general would treat someone else's wife or concubine like that... well, my last name isn't Cao!"
The three men were stunned and exchanged glances: A general with the surname Cao? What's the story behind this?
Chen Gui stroked his beard and looked at Shi Meng like a curious baby:
"Are there any fellow soldiers named Cao in our army who are interested in this?"
Tang Ping also pricked up his ears and cast a curious, inquiring glance:
"There seems to be someone named Cao in the Three Thousand and Five Army Camps. I wonder which one you are referring to?"
"..." Zhao Duan waved his hand weakly:
"Go away. I will report this matter to His Majesty personally. As the saying goes, a gentleman is open and honest..."
The three men looked disappointed: it was obvious that the Overseer did not trust them.
"Wait a minute," Zhao Duan saw the three people turning around to leave, then he realized it belatedly and looked at Shi Meng as if remembering something:
"I almost forgot, when did you come back? Didn't you go after Wei Xianzong's troops?"
Shi Meng turned around, said "Oh", and smiled harmlessly.
"I have captured Emperor Wei Xianzong."
…
After a while.
In a tent, Zhao Duan saw Wei Xianzong who was escorted in by Shi Meng and others.
“Kneel down!”
Shi Meng used his knee to push and knock down the tied-up Wei Xianzong, forcing him to kneel in front of Zhao Duan.
Wei Xianzong, who took the seat of commander at the age of over 30, was still wearing armor, his hair was disheveled, his face was black and blue, and his body was stained with blood, but he was not seriously injured.
At this moment, he was tied up, kneeling on the ground, with his head lowered, his eyes fixed on the ground, and he was silent.
"Raise your head and speak." Zhao Duan leaned lazily on a Luohan bed with a casual posture.
This Luohan bed was set up in Prince Heng's tent. Even when the pampered prince was on the march or fighting, he would never forget to bring comfortable seating with him.
Wei Xianzong lowered his head and said nothing.
"The Overseer taught you to hold your head up. Are you deaf?"
Tang Ping sneered, drew his sword with a clang, and used the blade to lift the former's chin.
Ever since the Duke of Zhenguo returned to the capital and was defeated by his rouge horse Tang Zhao in a fight with Zhao Duan, Tang Ping has been convinced by Zhao Duan and has evolved from an unconvinced little wolfdog to a loyal henchman.
Wei Xianzong's chin was lifted up by the tip of the knife, and his dark stubble was reflected on the snow-white blade. His calm and capable face had no expression, and his eyes met with Zhao Duan who was lying lazily on his side.
"I also know a local official, the governor of the grain transport in Jiancheng Road. He looks very different from you, but his eyes are very similar. He is a capable official."
Zhao Duan looked down at the young general recommended by Yuan Li and smiled:
"However, he is better than you in that even though Prince Jing repeatedly threatened him with coercion and inducement, and even threatened him with his wife and daughter, he did not betray the court or be disloyal to His Majesty."
Wei Xianzong remained silent.
Zhao Duan stared at him deeply and said calmly:
"Aren't you going to say anything?"
Wei Xianzong was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Did you make the firearms for the Shenjiying?"
"Be respectful, or do you believe I can smack your mouth?" The young master swung the scabbard, pretending to hit.
Zhao Duan raised his hand to stop him, smiled, and looked down at the kneeling Wei Xianzong:
"I did it, so what?"
Wei Xianzong thought about it seriously and said:
"Very strong. But if they had been prepared, the Qingzhou army would not have suffered such a great defeat. Although I was defeated by you in this battle, it was not my fault."
It's not my fault... Zhao Duan's eyelids twitched, and the smile on his lips deepened:
"You are a man of temper, yes, stronger than Xu Heng and his son. I'm curious, when I bring you back to the capital and throw you into the Imperial Prison, will you still be so tough?"
He waved his hand.
"Take them away. Pass the order, leave a large force here to clean up the battlefield and take the prisoners. I will lead an elite force to escort the high-ranking officials of the Qingzhou rebels..."
Zhao Duan patted his butt and stood up, walking past the expressionless Wei Xianzong and walked out:
"Return to the capital and report back!"
(End of this chapter)
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