The fangs are exposed, and the enemy is on the verge of defeat.
"Grand Marshal's Mansion... once and for all..."
These words pierced Qiongying's eardrums like icicles, bringing a piercing chill to her bones. Gao Qiu! This traitor, with a long-standing grudge against Liangshan, had actually extended his dark hand directly to the frontline generals, perhaps even intending to overthrow the entire Liangshan team!
"What are their specific plans?" Qiongying forced herself to calm down, her voice low and rapid.
Yan Qing shook his head, a trace of annoyance on his face. "They are extremely cautious and haven't made their core plan clear. I only vaguely heard words like 'food routes,' 'chaos,' and 'killing with a borrowed knife.' They seem to want to create a major chaos on the front lines and then blame it on Brother Zhang Qing, or... take advantage of the chaos."
Food supply! Chaos! Borrowing a knife to kill!
Qiongying's mind raced. Food and fodder were the lifeblood of the army; if the supply route was compromised, morale would inevitably waver. Gao Qiu's men, deliberately creating chaos, could pin the blame on Zhang Qing, already under suspicion for "delaying the advance," or even simply attack him amidst the chaos... This perfectly aligned with their malicious intent of "solving the problem once and for all"!
"We must notify Zhang Qing and Mr. Lu immediately!" Qiongying made a quick decision. "Brother Yan, do you have a way to get the news to them as soon as possible?"
Yan Qing looked troubled. "The fighting on the front lines is intense, and the military's messengers are under extremely strict control. It's difficult to ensure that information can reach them directly through ordinary channels, and it's easy to be exposed. Unless..." He paused, "unless I go there in person."
Go to the front in person? The fighting there is fierce and dangerous, and Gao Qiu's spies may have infiltrated the army. The risk is extremely high!
Qiongying looked at Yan Qing. Although his eyes were solemn, there was no fear at all. She knew that this matter concerned Zhang Qing's life and could even affect the survival of the entire Liangshan team. She could not afford to hesitate.
"Okay!" Qiongying said heavily, "You go in person! But be careful, your safety is equally important." She quickly walked to the desk, ground ink and spread paper, but she did not use Chinese characters, but Latin letters and some symbols that only she and Zhang Qing could understand. She wrote an extremely short secret letter, the content of which directly pointed out Gao Qiu's conspiracy, reminded him to be careful about the food supply, be wary of traitors in the army, and told Yan Qing to go and support him.
She handed the secret letter to Yan Qing and said, "Make sure to deliver this letter to Zhang Qing or Mr. Lu in person. Also, tell them that I'm here to help, so they can handle the situation ahead without worry."
Yan Qing solemnly took the secret letter and hid it close to his body: "Master, don't worry, Yan Qing will definitely fulfill your mission!" He did not delay any longer and immediately turned around and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.
Even after sending Yan Qing away, Qiongying was still worried. It wasn't enough to rely solely on the vigilance of the front line; she had to take action in the rear as well, at least trying to delay or disrupt the plans of Gao Qiu's minions, buying time for Yan Qing to report the news and for Zhang Qing to respond.
She immediately summoned her mute servant, Shi Xiu, and instructed him to inform Zhao Da, Sun Er, and the others to mobilize all available resources to closely monitor the movements of those "Tokyo merchants" and their accomplices, but to prevent them from approaching or engaging in conflict. At the same time, she instructed Sun Er, using his peddler status, to spread rumors in the marketplace, some of which were difficult to verify, such as "imperial envoys are secretly inspecting the grain route" and "Wang Qing's spies have infiltrated Yuncheng," hoping to confuse the other party and deter them from taking any rash action.
Qiongying spent the next two days in a state of anxiety. News from the front was cut off, and surveillance from the rear failed to yield any more core intelligence. The target individuals seemed to have sensed something and were acting even more covertly.
It was not until the evening of the third day that Sun Er brought a key piece of information: two of the merchants suddenly left Yuncheng today, and seemed to be heading south, towards an area that the front-line food route must pass through!
"They're moving!" Qiongying's heart tightened. It looked like they were about to put their plan into action! Had Yan Qing arrived? Had Zhang Qing and the others received the warning?
She realized she had to prepare for the worst. If the front lines weren't prepared in time, their food routes would be attacked, and the army's morale would be disrupted, the consequences would be disastrous. She needed a force that could be deployed at a critical moment.
"Shi Xiu," Qiongying said with a resolute look, "tell Zhao Da to gather all his trustworthy men, prepare their weapons and food, and be on standby at all times!"
Shi Xiu's eyes showed surprise, and he gestured to ask about his intentions.
"We might need to... escort a batch of 'important supplies' to the front lines," Qiongying said gravely. This was, of course, just an excuse; her real purpose was that if the worst really happened out front, she might be able to use this small force to support Zhang Qing in the chaos, or at least create some uncertainty.
Just as Zhao Da and others were secretly gathering and Qiongying was worried, the first messenger sent by Yan Qing, after going through many hardships, finally returned to Yuncheng with a reply letter!
The letter was written by Zhang Qing himself, still using the symbols they had agreed on. The content was brief, but it made Qiongying breathe a sigh of relief:
"The letter has been received, Yan Qing has arrived. We have set up a trap to take advantage of the situation. Rest assured, we await good news."
Use the enemy's trick! The net has been set!
In just eight words, they revealed a huge amount of information and strong confidence! Zhang Qing and Lu Junyi not only received a warning, but also planned to use Gao Qiu's conspiracy to turn the tables!
Qiongying's heart was finally at ease. She immediately ordered Zhao Da and the others to lower their guard, but to continue training in case of emergency. At the same time, she instructed the rear to continue monitoring Gao Qiu's henchman in Yuncheng, but to refrain from any further interference, lest they alert the enemy and affect their counter-strategy.
A few days later, news about the fighting on the front line came back one after another.
First, a rumor spread that a Liangshan army convoy had been attacked by remnants of Wang Qing's army in a dangerous gorge, resulting in heavy losses and a period of turmoil in the army. The military supervisor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.
Soon after, there was news that it was not the remnants of Wang Qing who attacked the grain route, but someone in the army who colluded with foreign enemies with evil intentions, and General Zhang Qing, known as the "Arrowless General", seemed to be involved and had been temporarily taken into custody!
These rumors, both true and false, caused considerable discussion in Yuncheng. Unaware of the truth, the common people sighed, but Qiongying knew this was probably part of Zhang Qing and his men's plan to "play the game against the enemy"! He was deliberately showing weakness to lure the enemy out of its hole!
Sure enough, within two days, a shocking piece of news spread like wildfire:
Lu Junyi, along with several other leaders, orchestrated a plan to uncover the true culprit behind the collusion with the foreign enemy and the attack on the grain supply route—a trusted lieutenant close to the military supervisor! This man, a trusted confidant of Gao Qiu, was intent on sowing chaos, blaming loyal officials, and sabotaging the campaign! With irrefutable evidence, he was apprehended on the spot. General Zhang Qing, wrongfully accused, has been reinstated and given an even greater position for his contributions in solving the case.
Upon hearing the news, Qiongying finally felt completely relieved. What a brilliant "counterattack"! Not only did it resolve the crisis and eliminate the internal troubles, but it also turned the tables on Gao Qiu and elevated Zhang Qing's position within the army! This move was brilliantly executed!
She could imagine that Gao Qiu must be furious at this moment, but helpless.
A few days later, Yan Qing returned, exhausted. Although he looked tired, his eyes were bright and lively.
"Master, it's over!" He smiled as they met. "Brother Zhang Qing and the head of the family have worked together perfectly this time! Gao Qiu's minions thought they had a plan, but they didn't know they had already fallen into his trap. Now the hidden danger in the army has been eliminated, and the military supervisor has become much more honest and dares not act recklessly anymore. Brother Zhang Qing asked me to tell Master," he imitated Zhang Qing's tone with a hint of imperceptible warmth, "'The rear is stable, and there is no worry at the front. Master Qingshizi, your contribution is indispensable.'"
Hearing Zhang Qing's words, Qiongying's lips curled up slightly. A sense of tacit understanding, a sense of fighting side by side and understanding each other, quietly permeated her heart.
This crisis not only did not defeat them, but instead made the connection between the front and the rear closer, and made the consensus of "preserving strength" more firm in the hearts of some Liangshan leaders.
The signboard of "Si Hai Warehouse" became increasingly solid at the Yuncheng dock. Yan Qing, the shopkeeper of "Yan Qi", also relied on his excellent skills and the hidden "backers" behind him to gain a firm foothold in the Yuncheng business community, quietly weaving an ever-expanding network.
After going through the test of wind and rain, the spark not only did not go out, but burned even more vigorously.
Qiongying knew that they were one step closer to the day when they would truly "find another river and sea".
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