Chapter 604 Xu Jianwen's Killing Game
How to kill Prince Jing?
Zhao Duan relies on the princess as a hidden chess piece, but he cannot rely on her completely.
Not to mention that he hadn't contacted Lu Yan'er for such a long time, he couldn't bet everything on the princess's position at the critical moment.
Even if Lu Yan'er succeeded in backstabbing, given Prince Jing's deep thoughts, would he not have any means of self-defense?
Therefore, in Zhao Duan's plan, there may only be one chance to take action against Prince Jing. Therefore, the longer the time limit of the military order is, the more he should not be anxious and should take it slowly.
In addition, Prince Jing has gone to Binhaidao at this time, so Zhao Duan’s top priority is to eliminate the enemies in Huting first to further boost morale.
A new official has three things to do when he takes office. If he fails to get off to a good start after replacing Xue Shence, it will inevitably make the team difficult to lead.
And inciting Jiang Wangsun to rebel was a breakthrough.
"yes!"
Song Jinxi nodded immediately, turned around and was about to make arrangements, but after a few steps, he suddenly stopped:
"Sir, when will we meet? Where will we meet?"
Zhao Duan thought for a moment and said:
"Let the other party propose it as soon as possible. I'll decide the location at that time, but the meeting place must be within the territory we occupy."
He had to consider the possibility that Jiang Wangsun was "pretending to surrender."
If Zhao Duan went to the rebel territory to meet them and was ambushed by Jiang Wangsun, that would be a lot of fun.
Although he has been promoted to a high-ranking position in the world, there must be no shortage of experts among the rebels.
It's better to be cautious.
Song Jinxi took the order and left, leaving only Zhao Duan and Mo Chou in the hall.
Mo Chou looked at him, and then slowly spoke:
"The other party is determined to see you, but I'm afraid they won't surrender so easily."
Zhao Duan said with a smile:
"I'm not afraid of him putting forward conditions, I'm just afraid he won't be tempted. Besides, once we meet, he won't be able to put on airs. But in fact, compared to this Jiang Wangsun, I'm more interested in the mysterious Xu Counselor."
Mo Chou frowns:
"Do you have any guesses about his identity?"
After all, they are old rivals who have been fighting in the capital for a long time, and Mochou has a very strong sixth sense.
Zhao Duan glanced at her, laughed, and said:
"I just got here, what can I guess? I just think that if the identity is correct, there is no need to hide it. Didn't you say in the meeting just now that this Xu guy has been hiding his appearance? He is hiding his head and showing his tail?"
real?
I feel like you're just trying to fool me... Mo Chou was suspicious, but she also knew that if Zhao Duan didn't say anything, she wouldn't be able to get anything out of him, so she simply stopped asking and asked:
"Your Majesty, is she...well, how are you these days?"
Tsk... this sentence really expresses a feeling of deep sorrow... just like a lovesick patient.
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"Well, good food, good sleep, and I am here to accompany Your Majesty in the capital. It's great."
Mo Chou looked at his servile appearance, and got angry. She sneered:
"You think I will believe it?"
Zhao Duan had a serious expression on his face. He suddenly stood up and walked step by step to Mochou until they were so close that they could hear each other's breathing.
What are you going to do... Mo Chou suddenly panicked, her hands subconsciously clenched her thighs, and her body stiffened.
But Zhao Duan put his lips close to her ear and exhaled hot air:
"Your Majesty, she is...very smooth."
Mo Chou's brain briefly froze, and she didn't react. After a moment's distraction, her face suddenly flushed from the neck upwards, like a bottle of red wine foaming up. She gritted her teeth, her eyes glaring with disdain:
"Bah, I think you are talking in your sleep!"
This playboy... It's a good thing that I have changed my mind about this guy and even apologized outside the city... Mo Chou just wants to slap herself in the face at this moment.
She didn't believe the scumbag's talk at all. Based on her understanding of His Majesty, even if a marriage proposal had been made, it would be impossible for him to go beyond the etiquette with a man as long as the marriage was not finalized.
Therefore, Mochou believed that Zhao Duan was deliberately making her angry.
Unfortunately, she didn't know about the bloody battle in Baihua Village...
"Hahaha."
The bitch Zhao Duan retreated as soon as he was provoked, put his hands behind his back, looked up to the sky and laughed as he walked out.
The serious and humble Mo Zhaorong was not funny at all, and this familiar look made him feel more relieved.
…
After walking out of the hall, Zhao Duan asked someone to find out the whereabouts of Yuxiu and others.
It was learned that the three accompanying sorceresses were placed in a courtyard next door.
Zhao Duan walked through the small door and entered a simple and elegant courtyard.
He pushed open the door of the main room with both hands, and all three women were inside.
The Jade Sleeve Priest, who had returned to her Taoist robes and nun's attire, was sitting at a round table with Ji Yue, eating melon seeds while the brazier on the ground was burning brightly.
Pieces of melon seed shells fell in and were quickly ignited and carbonized.
Jin Jian was lying on his side on the bed, groaning softly, as if he was asleep.
"Are you done with your work?" The nun asked calmly, Yuxiu turning her head to see him come in.
"How can I finish my work? I just finished a meeting, I need to take a break, and then I will be busy again."
Zhao Duan walked over with a smile, grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the table, and ate them in his palm.
Yuxiu sneered in dissatisfaction:
"No one comes to the temple for no reason. Tell me, what are you doing here?"
Priest, why do you look at people like this?
Zhao Duan was sad. He said with a playful smile:
"I might have to meet someone secretly later, and I'd like a priest to accompany me. Just as a precaution."
When meeting with Jiang Wangsun, Zhao Duan did not dare to be careless and decided to make full preparations to avoid making a mistake and falling into an ambush.
However, it is impossible to bring too many people to such a secret meeting, especially the masters of the court in Huting.
Although he had "Pei Niannu" and the wild god "Dragon Girl" on him, Zhao Duan was not going to use them.
There are too many experts on the front line, so he has decided that he will never summon "Pei Niannu" unless it is necessary on the eastern battlefield.
Because once Pei Niannu's existence is discovered, it is very likely that Princess Lu Yan'er will be exposed as a hidden chess piece.
This is an unacceptable loss.
As for the "Dragon Girl", Zhao Duan is also prepared to use her as a trump card. You must know that any trump card hidden now may play a decisive role in the subsequent decisive battle with Prince Jing.
If he hides these two cards, the only thing Zhao Duan can use openly is his own martial arts skills.
But who knows if there are any masters of magic among the rebels, and what tricks they are doing secretly by taking advantage of this meeting?
Therefore, he planned to bring at least one priest with him to eliminate the risk.
As for Ji Yue, although he is also a sorcerer, his methods are too simple, so he is the last choice.
Yuxiu stared at him coldly:
"Commander Zhao, I've already said that our Tianshi Mansion has its own rules. Please seek help from someone else."
I hate women who are principled... You won’t be able to get married like this... Zhao Duan was helpless and furious.
Sitting at the table, with disheveled hair, Jiyue, cosplaying as Sadako, raised her hand cautiously: "Sir, I can..."
Zhao Duan stared at Yuxiu angrily:
"I'm not here to invite you, I'm here to look for Junior Sister Jin Jian!"
"..." Ji Yue weakly put down her hand and buried her head in her chest in disappointment, feeling that she was being rejected.
Yuxiu retorted with a sneer:
"You can't just ask for a golden tablet if you want to. Don't think you have a few bucks..."
The moment she said the word "money", Jin Jian, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, suddenly stopped snoring, and his crystal clear little ears stood up!
“…” Yuxiu shut up instantly and held her breath.
"Huff, huff, huff..." Jin Jian's snoring resumed, and his ears collapsed.
Oh my god... is it so sensitive? Zhao Duan was shocked. He looked at the bed, pondered for a moment, and said tentatively: "Money..."
"Hu...Ga." The snoring stopped and the ears stood up again.
"...I received a letter the day before yesterday..." Zhao Duan changed the subject.
Jin Jian's ears drooped again.
Zhao Duan changed the subject again: "There is a banknote in the letter..."
"Snap!" The little ears stood up again, like a human antenna, and even kicked their legs.
“…an expired bill is like waste paper.”
Jin Jian's tense body relaxed again in her sleep. She turned over, muttered something, and had a sweet dream.
Three people: "..."
Yuxiu felt a little headache, and raised her hand to interrupt Zhao Duan. Her eyes were stern, like the dean in school who protected young girls from the temptations of bad people:
"Commander Zhao, the golden tablet is very simple!"
Zhao Duan sighed:
"Priest, you misunderstood me. Junior Sister Jin Jian and I have always had a purely financial relationship.
Well, actually, you might not know this, but we've worked together many times in Beijing, and it was always a pleasant experience. This time, I'm just hiring her to help me eliminate potential risks, and I'm willing to give her a sincere reward...
Well, it’s still early, let her sleep first, and we’ll ask her opinion when she wakes up in the evening…”
After saying this, Zhao Duan turned around and was about to leave.
But he was surprised to see that Jin Jian had left the bed and stood at the door without him noticing.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes with his right hand, clutched his one-eyed staff in his left hand, and his priest robe dragged on the ground. He yawned, raised his eyelids, and met the confused gazes of Zhao Duan and Yuxiu, and said as a matter of course:
"Let's go. When will we act? Let me make it clear first. I won't accept banknotes, only ingots of official silver."
Well, in the war years, money houses often went bankrupt and were looted. She was not stupid, so she would not take the risk of exchanging silver notes!
…
…
Lake Pavilion in the southern half of the city.
The once prosperous Dafeng Tower is now deserted and no longer has the same splendor as it once did.
In the past, King Huai'an once entertained Zhao Du'an in this famous tower. But now, this famous tower, which has been praised in poems by many literati and scholars for hundreds of years, has fallen into the hands of the rebels.
At this moment, on the top floor of Dafeng Tower.
Xu Jianwen stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the scenery outside the open window.
From here, you can overlook the frozen Yanzhao Lake outside the city.
Qi Yuchun was reporting behind him:
"...Some of the remnants of Baishiqiao's escaped soldiers brought back Zhao Duan's message to Prince Jing, telling him to clean his neck and wait... Now, Baishiqiao has also fallen into the hands of the court."
Xu Jianwen's face was cold and his voice was indifferent:
"These defeated soldiers are so obedient that they actually delivered a message for Zhao Duan. They have forgotten their own identities and are now threatening Xu Wen."
Qi Yuchun blinked and said:
"Your Highness, then order the execution of these remaining soldiers as a warning to others?"
Xu Jianwen said, "Don't ask me about such trivial matters. Zhao Duan should be heading into the city by now, right?"
Ren Kun said with a ruffian look on his face:
"He entered the city. He made a big noise. He said he brought a coffin to the lake pavilion and threatened that if the coffin couldn't hold Prince Jing's body, he would use his own."
"Carrying a coffin to fight... a good move." Xu Jianwen sighed softly, his eyes revealing a hint of admiration.
"Who says Zhao Duan can't lead troops? I think he knows how to do it. First he resisted the envoys in the capital, issued a military order, and then carried the coffin in a high-profile manner...
In this way, his reputation in the three major camps of the court increased dramatically. This change of commander will not only not cause the court's military strength to decline, but will increase it.
Haha, my third sister has never understood the meaning of public opinion since she ascended the throne. Even the civil and military officials in the court are constrained. But Zhao Duan, who was born as a concubine, is a master at manipulating public opinion.
Ren Kun and Qi Yuchun looked at each other. They couldn't remember how many times they had heard His Highness express his admiration for Zhao Duan.
Note.
What kind of person is the Second Prince Jianwen?
He is a person who has won the respect of countless heroes and is willing to go through fire and water for him.
If not for this, how could the Xuanmen coup have been launched back then? If it weren't for the variable of the empress, Xu Jianwen would have succeeded in that battle.
It should be him who sits on the throne today.
"Unfortunately, I can't use this kind of person. Instead, I let him grow up and become a great threat. Even Master Zhuang died at his hands."
Xu Jianwen's tone suddenly became sad, and his face showed sadness:
"In this case, we can only kill it."
After a pause, Xu Jianwen turned around and stared at the two of them against the cold wind with his face that bore a striking resemblance to the late emperor.
"How's things going with Jiang Wangsun?"
The Earth Magician Ren Kun smiled and said:
"I've been keeping an eye on this personally. This old thief has been filled with resentment since Your Highness seized power. Now that Zhao Duan is here, I'm afraid Jiang Wangsun will also become restless."
Xu Jianwen nodded and said:
"Proceed as planned, deliberately leaking some intelligence to Jiang Wangsun, prompting him to meet secretly with Zhao Duan."
Qi Yuchun asked doubtfully:
"Your Highness intends to use Jiang Wangsun as bait to lure Zhao Duan into a trap and assassinate him?"
Xu Jianwen shook his head, sighed softly, and a smile spread across his handsome face:
"No. Zhao Duan is a cunning and sly man. How could he be easily tricked? Jiang Wangsun only fed him the first piece of cake. As for what happens next, we'll have to wait and see."
Ren Kun exclaimed:
"I was curious before. With Your Highness's skills, you could easily make that Jiang Wangsun sincerely convinced and obedient to Your Highness, but why did he become resentful of Your Highness? Now it seems that Your Highness had already anticipated Zhao Duan's arrival? So he made preparations in advance?"
Xu Jianwen's mouth corners slightly raised, and his eyes moved and fell on a solid wooden chessboard on the table in the room.
Black and white chess pieces are scattered across the nineteen vertical and horizontal squares, vaguely presenting the majestic scene of a white dragon entering the sea.
However, upon closer inspection, one can see that the black chess pieces are hiding murderous intentions, clearly a layout designed to lure the dragon deeper.
Woohoo——
The cold wind blew a snowflake down from the eaves, brought it into the room, and gently fell on the chessboard, wetting it.
Xu Jianwen said softly:
"If you want to fish, you have to be willing to make a nest. I'll send Jiang Wangsun off first. But... hehe, whether he can eat it or not depends on his ability. If he dies of overeating, don't blame me for looking down on him."
“Snap!”
Xu Jianwen picked up a black piece and placed it on the chessboard.
…
…
Zhao Duan is here.
This news was like a huge stone, breaking the thin ice surface of the lake pavilion and blasting up a huge amount of cold water.
Not only in the three major camps of the Imperial Court's Sanqian, Shenji, and Huaishui Military Headquarters, but also in just half a day, the news of Zhao Duan carrying a coffin to fight spread uncontrollably among the Jiancheng rebels.
Even if military officers at all levels blocked the news, they could not stop it.
As the chief military commander in the city, Ye Xin quickly convened a high-level meeting to discuss a series of defense strategies.
For a time, for three consecutive days, the rebel leaders in Huting held meetings of varying sizes almost every day, keeping a close eye on the court's movements.
However, apart from entering the city with great fanfare on the first day, Zhao Duan did not make any further moves that crossed the line.
It seems that he has no intention of starting a war in winter, but is concentrating on handing over to Xue Shence.
On the evening of the second day after arriving in Zhao Duan, Xue Shence quietly left Huting and headed north.
At this point, the rebel group's spirits relaxed a little.
It's evening again.
When another high-level meeting ended, Jiang Wangsun walked out of the military tent with an indifferent expression on his spotted face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"grown ups."
The subordinates waiting outside the military tent lifted the curtain of the carriage, and Jiang Wangsun stepped into the carriage. He drove through the plain streets in the cold winter and soon arrived outside a magnificent mansion.
This is also his temporary residence in Huting.
Stop the car, dismount, and enter the mansion.
According to the rules, when Jiang Wangsun came back from a meeting, he would usually ask the military maid to boil water for him to take a bath to relieve his fatigue.
However, recently, after Jiang Wangsun entered the mansion, he immediately closed the door, and solemnly summoned his confidants, saying:
"Any news?"
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
