Chapter 90: Punish the Ringleaders, Spare the Followers |
"Punish the ringleaders, spare the followers."
These eight characters gave Wei Wusheng a sense of profundity.
Though the principle was simple, this distillation was remarkably concise.
Then Song Shi'an continued: "In the next few days, Your Highness should invite each of the clan bandits to send someone who can speak with authority to gather at the manor outside Shuofeng City."
"Will they come?" Wei Wusheng wasn't confident.
"The family heads naturally won't come, and their sons and sons-in-law probably won't either. But they should all send someone who can manage affairs," Song Shi'an smiled slightly. "Though we lack the energy and any time to conquer all these fortified strongholds, before Ji Yuan arrives, we should have no problem using our full strength to destroy one."
"Indeed, we still have that power. Moreover, I think with full effort, destroying one or two shouldn't be a problem."
How do you control ten people with a gun that only has two bullets?
Just shoot and randomly kill one of them—that's enough.
Speaking of this, Song Shi'an said somewhat apologetically: "When entering the city, I made some very small arrangements at the Chishui River, using only a dozen or so people. Your Highness was quite busy at the time, so I didn't report it."
"No matter." Wei Wusheng raised his hand, completely unconcerned. "I told you, regarding internal affairs, you need no reporting whatsoever. Just do as you see fit."
"Thank you for Your Highness's trust."
"So did these arrangements work?"
Wei Wusheng cared about this.
To this, Song Shi'an responded rather composedly: "When fishing, one must be prepared to return empty-handed. However, as long as you know there are definitely fish in that location, and you have enough time, you'll certainly catch something."
………
Qi County, Chishui River ferry crossing.
Two people dressed in gray clothes with wrapped head scarves arrived on horseback.
After tying their horses to a tree, the two descended the slope. Seeing an old man wearing a straw rain cape standing by the riverbank with a small boat beside him, they hurried over.
However, just as they were about to reach the boat, suddenly four knife-wielding men burst from the reed marsh, directly surrounding the two.
The straw-caped old man also quickly raised his hands, shouting: "Nothing to do with me... nothing to do with me!"
Because it happened so unexpectedly, the two didn't even have time to draw the small knives at their waists. They just nervously stood back-to-back, cold sweat pouring down.
One of them stammered: "What are you doing? We, we're people of the Sixth Prince!"
"The Sixth Prince?" Hearing this, the knife-wielder's expression suddenly changed, then he said to his companions, "It's Yu bandits, quickly kill them!"
Hearing the words "Yu bandits," both froze for a moment, but one reacted quickly, hurriedly waving his hands and smiling obsequiously: "Are you soldiers of the Great Qi's Sage Sovereign? We're not Yu bandits, we're people of Master Wang!"
"Which Master Wang?"
The knife-wielder questioned.
"Master Wang Shen of Qi County! He's always had correspondence with His Majesty!" Afraid they might suddenly cut him down, he spoke extremely fast.
The knife-wielder maintained his suspicion: "Is this true? You're not deceiving me, are you?"
"No, no! We truly serve the Great Qi's Sage Sovereign!"
As he spoke, he quickly produced a message tube, extending his hand toward the other: "Sir, please look, this is the letter we're delivering. Once we get to the other side, someone from your side will meet with us. So this letter... it's best not to open it."
The knife-wielder sheathed his blade and walked over with lingering suspicion, taking the message tube.
Just as Wang Shen's men were feeling relieved, suddenly two people flashed past and, taking advantage of their lowered guard, directly put knives to their throats.
"Spare us! Spare us!" The man was nearly scared to the point of pissing himself. "We truly serve the Great Qi's Sage Sovereign, His Majesty!"
"Kneel down, tie them up."
The lead knife-wielder issued the command.
After both men knelt on the ground, he walked up to the one who had been negotiating and slapped him across the face: "Still calling him 'Great Qi's Sage Sovereign, His Majesty'? Is Ji Yuan your father or your mother? So filial."
That slap left him completely dazed.
Then another slap: "You're not a person of Great Yu, are you? If not, then fuck off, you goddamn traitor!"
"Can I have a turn too?"
At this point, someone nearby asked sneakily.
"Go ahead, each of you give him one slap."
With permission granted, each person gave the one who had shouted "Yu bandits" a slap across the face.
Half his face was completely swollen.
Blood from his nose covered his mouth.
Looking up at these people, he asked indistinctly: "May, may I ask who you gentlemen are?"
"Take them both back!"
The leader waved his hand, and the two were directly hauled up.
"Sir... sir, I've done everything you asked me to... don't kill me!"
The straw-caped old man hurriedly begged for mercy, trembling with fear.
"To prevent leaks, old man, you still need to come back with us."
Looking at him, the leader said: "Don't be afraid. Once we get there, Master Song definitely won't kill you, and he'll even give you money."
………
Inside the Wang clan's fortified stronghold.
On the top floor of the highest pavilion, a corpulent man with a fierce face discussed matters with his chief steward.
"Logically, with people receiving them on the other side of the river, they shouldn't still not be back after this long, right?" Wang Shen said.
"They shouldn't be. We sent two people—if something really happened, one of them would come back to report," the steward said.
"Could they really have met with misfortune?" Wang Shen felt a trace of unease. "If the letter got out, that would be bad."
"Probably not... this is still some distance from Shuofeng. That Wei Wusheng is busy digging city moats—his reach shouldn't extend this far," the steward said.
Wang Shen nodded.
But his heart remained uneasy.
At this moment, a servant suddenly came up to the pavilion and reported to Wang Shen: "Master Wang, the Sixth Prince has sent someone!"
Hearing this, both Master Wang and the steward's eyes widened simultaneously.
Had it already been exposed?!
"Did they say what it was about?" Wang Shen asked nervously.
The other answered: "The messenger said the Sixth Prince wants to invite Master Wang to gather at a manor in the Shuofeng County suburbs. Other clans will also send people. If you don't have time, you can send a steward, but it must be someone who can speak with authority."
As soon as these words came out, the two instinctively connected the messengers they sent who still hadn't returned with this matter.
"Should I go?" Wang Shen asked.
Hearing this, the steward panicked completely, hurriedly saying: "If this matter is related to the letter we sent out, then if I go, won't I just be waiting for Wei Wusheng to kill me..."
"True." Wang Shen nodded, then asked again, "Then should we just send someone random? Make a show of it?"
"The arrangement of the dark fortifications within the stronghold is only known to people within our fortress. This is also why we've tightly closed the gates and don't let anyone out—we're afraid internal secrets might leak," the steward suggested. "How about we just casually make excuses, say we'll go but don't actually go, drag it out for a while. If he really comes to question us again, we'll say the steward we sent was killed by bandits, so it's not that we didn't go."
"That works too."
Wang Shen thought this suggestion was good, and also assessed the risks: "Our fortress is the most solid and largest. Even if we truly don't heed the proclamation or respond to the call, Wei Wusheng won't necessarily send troops to attack. After all, if he attacks, it'll take at least half a month and cost over a thousand soldiers. Right now he's resisting Qi with all his might—he won't make such an unprofitable deal."
"Yes, but we can't let him truly go mad either. Otherwise, there's still some danger," the steward shrewdly commented. "Young people don't do things according to the rules."
"Mm, good."
After weighing the pros and cons, Wang Shen looked northward and prayed: "Your Majesty, please come quickly. I'm waiting to become Prefect of Shuo Commandery."
………
"Your Highness, I caught a fish!"
Clutching a message tube in his hand, Song Shi'an climbed up to the city wall and said excitedly to Wei Wusheng, who was in the gatehouse.
"Oh, we have fish to eat today?" Wei Wusheng looked at him and asked expectantly.
"..." Song Shi'an pressed his lips together, at a loss for words.
"I was making a joke."
Wei Wusheng explained with a smile.
"Your Highness is truly humorous."
Haha, hilarious.
"You really intercepted one?" After reaching out to receive the letter, Wei Wusheng felt quite surprised.
"Actually, it's not just this one. Of the letters passing through from our side to communicate with the enemy, we've intercepted three in total," Song Shi'an explained. "But this one is especially blatant—with this crime, we could execute everyone in his entire stronghold without issue."
After Song Shi'an said this, Wei Wusheng looked at the letter.
Then he slowly nodded: "After the Qi army crosses the river, he's willing to contact the clan bandits for a collective surrender. Afterward, he requests to become Prefect of Shuo Commandery for Great Qi."
"This is the ringleader."
Song Shi'an said seriously.
"Then should we send troops to attack?"
"Too troublesome." Song Shi'an disagreed. "After all, it's a siege. Even if there are only militia inside, we'd need to mobilize at least three times the troops. Not to mention wasting our time constructing the city moat—if we lose precious combat strength, the time Shuofeng can resist the Qi army will be shortened."
"Then what good strategy do you have?"
"Your Highness, let me go into the city."
"Absolutely not."
Wei Wusheng refused immediately, his expression serious.
"Your Highness, please let me go." Song Shi'an insisted earnestly.
"No." Wei Wusheng shook his head, not leaving any room for negotiation. "Since they already harbor rebellious intentions, going this time would be suicide. We cannot take this risk."
"Your Highness, there is risk, but it's definitely not great." Song Shi'an said with certainty. "For Your Highness to attack Wang Shen's stronghold would be quite unprofitable. But it's absolutely not impossible. As long as there's this concern, even if they've truly rebelled, they won't completely tear off the mask."
There was another point—he was leading the way, could he not fear death?
What collaborators fear most is fucking death.
Song Shi'an's well-reasoned speculation actually convinced Wei Wusheng somewhat.
"Your Highness, please grant me one person. It will greatly help this matter." Song Shi'an spoke again.
"Who?" Wei Wusheng asked.
Song Shi'an looked toward Xinyue. After she froze for a moment, she immediately returned to a serious, proper demeanor. Then he said: "Her."
"Xinyue?"
Wei Wusheng looked at Xinyue, then back at Song Shi'an: "If you want her, of course you can have her, anytime."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Song Shi'an bowed.
"But you..." Looking at Song Shi'an with difficulty, Wei Wusheng was still very worried. "I really don't feel at ease about you going."
Hiss, you're fine with Xinyue going, but not me?
Little Wei, are you being a bit...