Yuxi looked at Yun Qing and asked, "Do you have a suitable candidate?" The person sent to Mai City not only needed absolute loyalty but was also skilled in military strategy, especially in using unconventional tactics. Although Yuxi had pointed out the rebels' advantages, winning would still be difficult without employing surprise tactics. After all, the rebels numbered less than ten thousand and were mostly commoners, while the Suppression Army would likely number in the tens of thousands. The Suppression Army would have an overwhelming advantage in both combat power and numbers.
Yun Qing replied, "Based on your requirements, Feng Dajun is the most suitable." Feng Dajun was known for his unusual and unpredictable tactics in battle.
Yuxi shook her head. "No, Feng Dajun is too conspicuous." Feng Dajun was one of Yun Qing's most trusted subordinates; many people were familiar with him. He would be easily recognized if he went to the rebel side.
Yun Qing stated, "Among those I trust, he is the most suitable." It wasn't that the Northwest Army lacked individuals skilled in unconventional warfare, but Yun Qing didn't trust the others.
Yuxi thought for a moment and said, "All right, as long as he's careful, it shouldn't be a problem." Since Feng Dajun was the most suitable, he would have to be the one to go.
Yun Qing shook his head. "It's not difficult. Feng Dajun is currently at Maluo Mountain. As long as he finds a double to replace him guarding the grain there, he can take the opportunity to leave. He doesn't even need to appear himself; he can direct the battle from behind the scenes."
Yuxi immediately understood. "You mean you want Fu Qingluo and Yang Duoming to be the public face of the resistance against the Suppression Army?" That was a good idea.
Yun Qing hummed in agreement. "The key question now is how to persuade Yang Duoming and Fu Qingluo." Only with their cooperation could this plan succeed.
This meant sending a mediator. Yuxi could have taken on this role if they were in Yu City. However, Mai City was thousands of miles away, so she couldn't go there. Yuxi asked, "Who is the most eloquent person by your side?"
Seeing Yun Qing's gaze fall on her, Yuxi did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Do you think I can go to Mai City?" Not only did her status not allow her to contact Fu Qingluo and Yang Duoming, but her current pregnancy also prevented her from travelling long distances.
Yun Qing said, "You are the most eloquent person by my side." Yuxi often leaves him speechless, unable to even open his mouth. Of course, this only applied to serious matters. Yuxi was actually very gentle in everyday life.
Yuxi smiled. "Seriously, who do you think is the best person for this job?" She wasn't sure who was the most eloquent among Yun Qing's subordinates, as most were not very talkative.
Yun Qing said, "The most talkative should be Xu Daniu." This guy was incredibly talkative, chatting endlessly without seeming to get tired.
Yuxi thought about it. Xu Daniu was indeed very talkative, not only eloquent but also adaptable. "Ask him first. If he agrees, then have him come see me." Despite Xu Daniu's usual boisterousness, he never neglected important matters and knew what to say and what to keep quiet about. It had to be said that when it came to training people, Yuxi was far superior to Yun Qing and Huo Changqing.
Yun Qing nodded. "If he agrees, let him leave Yu City under the pretext of receiving grain for Lanzhou. What do you think?"
Yuxi shook her head. "Yuan Ying has already brought four hundred cavalrymen with him. If you use the same excuse, it will definitely arouse suspicion. Xu Daniu only assists Xu Wu in the Yun residence and isn't usually given much importance by you. We can just find any excuse to let him leave Yu City. There's no need to do it so deliberately." If it was Xu Wu leaving the Yun residence, they would have to consider it carefully because Xu Wu was Yun Qing's confidant and responsible for the security of the Yun residence. If he left without a good reason, it would raise suspicion. But Xu Daniu only assisted Xu Wu in guarding the residence. His presence or absence wouldn't make much difference, so his leaving wouldn't attract much attention.
Yun Qing smiled. Yuxi was always used to complicating simple matters; this was the first time she had simplified a complex one.
Pregnant women really shouldn't overexert themselves. After just this short conversation, Yuxi was already exhausted. It was also time for her afternoon nap, so Yuxi said, "You can go ahead and get busy. I'm going to sleep for a while."
Seeing Yuxi's tired face, Yun Qing urged, "Then you should go to sleep!" Yun Qing never took afternoon naps, but he knew that Yuxi needed to sleep for fifteen to thirty minutes at noon; otherwise, she wouldn't be in good spirits in the evening.
Arriving at the front courtyard, Yun Qing found Xu Daniu and told him about the matter. Since Xu Daniu could serve as a guard for the Yun residence, his loyalty was absolutely unquestionable.
After listening, Xu Daniu's first question was, "General, what benefit do we get from helping these rebels?" Xu Daniu didn't think that assisting this group of rebels was some heinous act; all he cared about was whether the reward was sufficient. If there wasn't a reward to motivate him, he would definitely persuade the General not to get involved in this messy affair.
Seeing Xu Daniu's reaction, Yun Qing couldn't help but think, could it be that Yuxi has affected everyone's sense of right and wrong? Otherwise, why did everyone believe that Yuxi's actions were right? "Only if this group gains power and Ji Xuan can't suppress them will the Imperial Court allow me to send troops to crush the rebellion."🦊
Xu Daniu immediately asked, "And then?" Simply sending troops to put down the rebellion wasn't a benefit; on the contrary, it was an exhausting task.
It wasn't easy for Yun Qing to admit his rebellious intentions. Suppressing his uneasiness, he elaborated, "Once we send troops, we won't withdraw them."
A noob translator, きつね, translated this noob translation. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.site. If you read this in another location other than the site stated, it has been taken without the translator's permission. Please don't support this kind of act.
Xu Daniu's eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly, "General, does not withdraw the troops mean that Gansu will be our territory in the future?" As soon as he opened his mouth and talked about territory, those who didn't know him might have mistaken him for a bandit!
Hearing this, Yun Qing felt even more uncomfortable. He coldly rebuked him, "Just do as you're told. Why so much nonsense?"
Xu Daniu immediately dropped his playful expression and said seriously, "General, don't worry; I will definitely convince Yang Duoming and Fu Qingluo. If I fail in this mission, I'll bring you my head." For the sake of the one hundred thousand troops in the northwest, for the thousands of people in Gansu, and for the General's great cause, this trip to Mai City had to be successful.
Yun Qing didn't even bat an eyelid as he said, "Madam has some instructions for you. Go see her in half a shichen2." Yuxi must have thought this through carefully; by calling Xu Daniu over, she must have prepared to give him important instructions. Ahem, sometimes he felt that his intelligence fell short when it came to dealing with Yuxi.
Xu Daniu, showing his true colours, grinned. "Alright then, I'll go see Madam later." If Madam wanted to see him, it must be for troublesome matters.
Yun Qing responded with a grunt. "After you've convinced Yang Duoming and Fu Qingluo, go to Maluo Mountain and find Feng Dajun. Have him assist Yang Duoming and Fu Qingluo in resisting the rebel army."
Xu Daniu replied, "Don't worry, General. I'll complete the task."
Half a shichen2 later, Xu Daniu went to see Yuxi. "Madam, I'm not too familiar with Yang Duoming's situation and don't really know where to start." He didn't know Fu Qingluo very well either, but compared to her, he was completely clueless about Yang Duoming.
Yuxi immediately shared with Xu Daniu what she knew about Yang Duoming and Fu Qingluo. "Yang Duoming was born into a family of officials and received a thorough education. He was forced into a life of banditry by circumstances. If there was another way, I'm sure he wouldn't continue this line of work."
Xu Daniu, a sharp man, immediately understood Yuxi's intention. "Madam, do you want to recruit Yang Duoming by offering amnesty?"
Yuxi shook her head. "Tell Yang Duoming that if he succeeds, we'll clear Provincial Prefect Yang's name." Yang Duoming was already well-known in Mai City, and he might even be on Ji Xuan's radar. If Yun Qing had taken him under his command, some people would indeed have used this issue to attack Yun Qing. On the other hand, if Yang Duoming was genuinely talented, Yuxi could undoubtedly make good use of him.
Xu Daniu understood what Yu Xi meant.
Yuxi continued, "This Yang Duoming is no simple man. Otherwise, why would Fu Qingluo, a general's daughter, willingly become his wife? So, when you meet him, be on your guard."
Xu Daniu nodded. "Madam, I will act according to the situation." Only after identifying someone's weaknesses could he truly convince them.
That evening, Xu Daniu and two other men left Yu City.
That same night, the Emperor received news of a rebellion in the northwest. Coincidentally, news of the rebellion in the southwest also arrived on the same day.
The Emperor's face darkened. The situation in Liaodong was also turbulent and could explode at any time, and now there were rebellions in both the Northwest and Southwest—there wasn't a single stable place in the entire empire. His Fu Huang3 had left him with a real mess. "Summon Jing Wang4 and Grand Chancellor Yu for a meeting." Every day brought bad news, not a single piece of good news. This had caused the Emperor's temper to become increasingly volatile, making those around him nervous and on edge.
Jing Wang4 was not surprised to hear of the rebellion in the northwest, for he had foreseen it; he just hadn't expected it to happen so soon. But since there was a rebellion, it was time to suppress it.
Grand Chancellor Yu felt the same way. Since a rebellion had broken out, it had to be crushed immediately. He recommended General Tang Lü, General of the South, to lead the forces to suppress the rebels.
The Emperor shook his head. "General Tang is too old to lead the troops. Ji Xuan has already dispatched a force of 30,000 to suppress the rebellion. I trust that good news will come soon." Tang Lü was already in his sixties, and the Emperor feared that he might not survive the journey to the Northwest. Besides, with Ji Xuan holding power in the Northwest, he might not listen to other generals sent there. Chen Yu was a living example; if another general had been sent, he might not have survived long enough to begin the mission.
As for whether the rebels could be wiped out, that was a moot point. They were a disorganised band of few in number, less than 30,000 (a figure Ji Xuan had exaggerated). Once the Suppression Army arrived, the rebels could be quickly wiped out.
Seeing that the Emperor had already made up his mind, Grand Chancellor Yu asked, "Since the Northwest Rebellion will be handled by Ji Xuan, who will lead the suppression of the Southwest Rebellion?"
The Emperor replied, "The Southwest Rebellion will be handled by Lu Gang." Lu Gang, Lu Xiu's eldest brother, had long been stationed in the Southwest and now wielded considerable power there as General of An'nan.
Grand Chancellor Yu replied with a blank expression, "Your Majesty is wise." If the decision had already been made, why bother summoning him? He even pretended to ask for his opinion.🦊
Footnotes Full List
- Yun Qing, they are not stupid, even if most of them are illiterate. They are simple people. If you treat them good, they'll treat you good. After what the Imperial Court has done to the Northwest Army - delaying pensions for the families of the fallen soldiers, their salaries, and money for their necessities - there's no way the soldiers have any loyalty left to the Imperial Court. They are now fighting for the people of the northern border cities and their families. Besides, Yuxi has taken your place in their hearts after treating them so well and even looking after their welfare. https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMm1qdnlvYXB6bnB5eDB6cnB3cjR1M3AwdXlyOWpyM2Y0eXg2cHdmMyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/d3mlE7uhX8KFgEmY/giphy.gif
- 2 hours. Half a shichen means 1 hour.
- fu=father, huang=emperor
- king
- I could even imagine Grand Chancellor Yu rolling his eyes here.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi