Debate with the crowd to break the crisis
Chapter Quote: A heart that remains calm despite thousands of criticisms, a mind that discerns the pros and cons clearly. A temporary lull in hostilities is not cowardice, but rather a hidden accumulation of strength for the rising wind.
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Inside the Juyi Hall, murderous intent permeated the air like a physical substance. Li Kui's roar, Wang Ying's curses, Bai Sheng's incitement, and the suspicious, scrutinizing, and even ferocious gazes of the other leaders threatened to completely consume Yan Qing as he stood there.
Facing this overwhelming accusation and surging hostility, Yan Qing remained erect, like a lone pine tree perched on a precarious cliff, unmoved by the wind and rain. He didn't even glance at the most agitating figures like Li Kui and Wang Ying. His gaze passed calmly past them, directly towards Song Jiang and Wu Yong, seated at the head of the table.
"Brother Gongming, Military Advisor." Yan Qing's voice was clear and melodious, reaching everyone's ears with remarkable clarity amidst the clamor. "Yan Qing understands the concerns of all of you brothers. However, if you want to convict Yan Qing, you need concrete evidence. May I ask, Military Advisor, what evidence do you have to prove that Yan Qing is leaking information?"
Wu Yong's eyes were sinister, and he sneered, "Evidence? You've only been in the mountains for a month, and two of our army's major plans have been leaked in quick succession. One time, the envoys were completely wiped out, and another time, Lu Junyi and the government troops were at the gates of the city! The timing is so coincidental, and the target is so precise. Who else could it be but you, who has a close relationship with Lu Junyi and has only recently arrived in the mountains? This is the biggest evidence!"
"Military Advisor, I beg your pardon for disagreeing with what you've said." Yan Qing maintained a steady tone. "If we follow your logic, and any leak of the stronghold's secrets is blamed on those who have recently arrived, who would dare to join us in the future? Would Liangshan's slogans of 'enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven' and 'recruiting talented individuals' become empty words?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over those leaders in the hall who weren't Wu Yong's direct subordinates, and who even expressed dissatisfaction with his monopoly of power. He continued, "Furthermore, since Yan Qing went up the mountain, his every move has been under the watchful eyes and ears of the military advisor. May I ask the brothers who are monitoring Yan Qing, have you ever seen him communicate with the outside world? Have you ever seen Yan Qing take even a single step out of the back mountain, or approach the pigeon house, the water fort dock, or any other place where messages are relayed?"
The small leader in charge of surveillance was called out, and trembling with fear, stepped forward. Under the gaze of Song Jiang and Wu Yong, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and report the truth: "Reply...Reply to Brother Gongming, Military Advisor. Chief Yan is indeed only supervising the construction work in the back mountains every day, eating and working with the craftsmen. He has not...has not done anything unusual, and has never approached any confidential areas."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of many of the leaders in the hall changed slightly. Guan Sheng stroked his beard and pondered, Lin Chong's eyes flickered slightly, and even some of those who had originally been hostile to Yan Qing showed a look of contemplation.
Yan Qing struck while the iron was hot, his voice rising a few notches. "Since no one has produced concrete evidence of Yan Qing collaborating with the enemy, then to convict someone based on mere speculation and coincidence is no different from those corrupt officials in the government who fabricate charges and frame innocent people. Could it be that the 'Loyalty Hall' of Liangshanpo is also committing such an unjust act?"
This question struck many people like a hammer. The very foundation of Liangshan was to resist the corrupt officials of the imperial court. If they also did such things, how could they survive?
"Sweet words and flattering words!" Wu Yong's face turned even uglier as he sternly demanded, "Even if you didn't deliver the message yourself, you must have secretly informed Lu Junyi! Otherwise, why would Lu Junyi not act sooner or later, but instead suddenly join forces with the government to launch an attack just when our army was about to advance north? How can you explain his precise timing?"
"Military Advisor's question has certainly enlightened Yan Qing." Yan Qing suddenly changed the subject, a look of realization on his face. "Military Advisor, do you also think that Mr. Lu's timing was incredibly precise?"
Wu Yong was stunned, not understanding what he meant: "So what?"
"That's strange." Yan Qing's eyes grew sharper, staring directly at Wu Yong. "Mr. Lu was framed and imprisoned, narrowly escaping death. He's just escaped and needs time to calm down, reorganize his forces, and recover. Logically, he wouldn't take the initiative to provoke the powerful and prosperous Liangshan at this moment of weakness! Unless..."
He paused deliberately, drawing everyone's attention, before speaking word by word: "Unless he has received infallible information, certain that Liangshan is about to launch a fatal attack on him, or on the northern land where he is! His action is not a provocation, but self-preservation! It's a forced 'encirclement of Wei to save Zhao'!"
The hall fell silent again, save for the crackling of burning torches. Many of the leaders, especially those with strategic foresight like Guan Sheng and Lin Chong, wore thoughtful expressions. Yan Qing's analysis was logical and to the point!
"Then the question arises," Yan Qing's voice echoed in the silence, "how did Mr. Lu get this 'conclusive' news? The military advisor just said that our army's plan to advance north is confidential. If the news wasn't leaked by Yan Qing, then where did it come from, and through whom?"
He cleverly directed the issue to other possible leaks within Liangshan that even Wu Yong himself hadn't noticed! This undoubtedly planted a thorn in Wu Yong's heart!
Wu Yong's face turned pale with rage, and he pointed his feather fan at Yan Qing, speechless for a moment. He found himself caught in a dilemma: if he insisted that Yan Qing was the leaker without providing any evidence, he would appear incompetent and overbearing; if he admitted that there might be other channels for the leak, wouldn't he, the military advisor who controlled the overall situation, be derelict in his duty?
"Brother Yanqing has a point." Guan Sheng, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke in a voice like a bell. "Secrecy is paramount in military operations. With the plans leaking one after another, we must conduct a thorough investigation, rather than simply pinning the blame on one person based on speculation. Our top priority is to address the immediate crisis. With Lu Junyi and the allied forces of the government approaching, we must also be vigilant in Lingzhou. The safety of our stronghold hangs on this thread. How can we throw our forces into chaos and start a nameless inquisition?"
Lin Chong also said in a deep voice, "Brother Guan Sheng is absolutely right. Making groundless suspicions without any evidence will not only fail to identify the real culprit, but will only alienate the brothers in the stronghold."
With the voices of these two heavyweights, Guan Sheng and Lin Chong, the overwhelming condemnation in the hall was immediately curbed. Many centrist leaders also nodded, believing that this was reasonable.
Seeing the situation reversed, Song Jiang knew that forcibly pursuing Yan Qing was no longer possible and would only lead to greater internal division. He took a deep breath, forcing down his anger and doubts. He forced a broad smile and stood up, saying, "What Guan Sheng and Lin Chong have said is exactly what I agree with! Brother Yan Qing has been diligently working since he came up the mountain, and all of us brothers have witnessed it. What happened just now must have been a misunderstanding caused by some brothers' anxiety. Since there is no concrete evidence, let's not bring this matter up again!"
He made the final decision and suppressed the accusations against Yan Qing.
Wu Yong glared at Yan Qing fiercely, knowing that he could do nothing to him today, so he could only frown and stop talking.
"The most urgent matter is to discuss how to deal with Lu Junyi and the government troops!" Song Jiang brought the topic back on track. "Brothers, what are your suggestions?"
The focus in the hall finally shifted from internal strife to external threats. However, after this incident, an invisible crack had quietly begun to form within Liangshan. Although Yan Qing had temporarily averted the crisis, he knew that Wu Yong would never give up. In this dangerous game, he also initially gained a firm foothold and established a subtle connection with more rational forces such as Guan Sheng and Lin Chong.
The storm subsided temporarily, but the undercurrent was even more intense. Yan Qing stood among the crowd with his head bowed, a barely perceptible chill crossing his lips.
Now that he has waded through the water of Liangshan, he will stir it up even more muddy.
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Chapter 41 End
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