Jizhou.
At noon, Niu Xin and Luo Longwen entered the city, but the Governor-General Yang Bo did not come out to greet them.
Both were absolute confidants of the Yan family, so they spoke without reservation. Niu Xin said worriedly, "Old Luo, Yang Bo really has a big addiction to officialdom. He's this old, yet he just can't let go... Heh heh, people's preferences, they never let go until death..."
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Luo Longwen laughed heartily,
"He just doesn't understand. We'll explain it clearly when we meet later. Liang Menglong is acting Governor-General, but he's also been appointed Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince! In the end, the old man isn't worried, he's just temporarily unable to pressure them... Yang Bo should understand... As long as he holds them up for a few days, Liang Menglong won't be able to move the troops, and the overall situation won't be too bad!"
Mmm, mmm,
Niu Xin pondered for a moment, then sneered and said,
"He probably doesn't have high hopes for our old man either..."
Giddy up!
As he spoke, he flicked his whip.
Luo Longwen caught up, and the two soon arrived at the back courtyard of the Governor-General's mansion. Yang Bo had served as Governor-General for several terms in thirty years, first of Xuan-Da, then of Ji-Liao. This official was exceptionally talented, and Yan Shifan called him one of the three great ghosts of the empire.
After the Gengxu Incident, he pioneered the recruitment of private retainer armies in the Great Ming. Although it served as a temporary measure, over the past decade, the discipline of retainer armies in various regions had become lax. It was common for any local tycoon to raise a private army, which not only preyed on the local populace but also showed signs of separatism.
In recent years, censors from the Qing faction had repeatedly impeached him, particularly focusing on his recruitment of private soldiers, and they relentlessly pursued this matter. Yang Bo was quite embarrassed. Otherwise, with his achievements, he could be considered one of the foremost in the Jiajing era. If not for this blemish that was persistently targeted, he would have already held a position in the Grand Secretariat.
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At this time,
After hearing the report from his retainers, Yang Bo remained seated for a moment before putting on his simple cloth robe and slowly pacing to the main hall. Luo Longwen and Niu Xin were both acquainted with him, and they immediately rose to pay their respects.
Yang Bo said with feigned seriousness and a smile,
"Your respects are too great... Yang Bo is now a man of leisure and cannot accept the grand salutations of a Governor-General..."
The two inwardly sneered: How adept he is at pretense...
Luo Longwen comforted him,
"This subordinate feels the respects are still too light. The Duke Yu is now the Grand Tutor, and we two are indeed remiss in our etiquette... Haha..."
Mmm, mmm,
Yang Bo had always preferred to be called "Duke Yu" because he styled himself "Yupo" and boasted of his achievements as both a military commander and a civil official, holding himself in high esteem. At this moment, Luo Longwen's words brought him some solace, and he said,
"Han Zhang, you are too kind... Well, we are all insiders, so let's dispense with these formalities. You two wouldn't have come here just to 'see this old man', would you..."
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Luo Longwen, however, said,
"Eh? Why don't I see Vice Minister Liang? Has he not taken office yet?"
Yang Bo was also surprised. He had assumed they would arrive together, but he had not expected Liang Menglong to truly be absent. It was then that he realized Luo Longwen's personal visit must be for a matter of great importance.
"Han Zhang, Liang Menglong has never been to Jizhou..."
Ah?
Luo Longwen pondered for a moment, guessing that the person had likely been dispatched by Zhang Juzheng to handle other matters first. That would be even better, as the military situation in Liaodong would at most drag on for ten days before a significant change occurred. Now that Liang Menglong was absent, delaying him for a few more days after he took office would ensure success.
A look of joy flashed across his face, and he said in a low voice, "Tower Pavilion, could we speak in private?"
Yang Bo immediately pulled him into the back courtyard, while Niu Xin pretended not to see.
Luo Longwen knew that this person was already wavering, otherwise, he would have come out to greet them earlier. Seeing that he still held a glimmer of hope in his expression, he immediately said,
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"Duke Yu, it was the Grand Secretary himself who instructed me to come... Er, there is one matter. The Grand Secretary said that it is imperative for Duke Yu to be fully aware..."
He leaned closer to Yang Bo's ear and whispered with a voice as fine as a mosquito's:
"Duke Yu, the Grand Secretary said he is already eighty-four, and his successor is the most important matter... because it concerns all of us... There is one matter he personally inquired about. The Young Grand Secretary handled it himself, and it can be said to be foolproof. Er, that matter, Duke Yu should be able to guess it..."
Hmph,
Yang Bo naturally guessed it was about Prince Jing. The only uncertainty was the exact relationship between the Yan family and Prince Jing, and what confidence they had to be so sure. Luo Longwen's words prompted him to ask,
"Oh? What matter?"
Luo Longwen traced the character "Jing" in the air with his hand, his eyes fixed on Yang Bo.
Yang Bo was still not reassured. What did foolproof mean? Was there such a thing as foolproof in this matter? Was he trying to fool a child?
He put on a serious expression again and said,
"That's not right. I heard that Ninth Master brought it down..."
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This?
Luo Longwen did not expect him to have ears that could gather such information. He was stunned for a moment, realizing that this matter could not be revealed but also could not be left unmentioned. He had initially thought Yang Bo knew little, but seeing him now, he knew a great deal, and it would not be easy to deceive him.
He paced a few steps, observing the empty courtyard in the midday sun, which had become quite chilly. Even in the daytime, it seemed eerie and ghost-like. His and Yang Bo's shadows intertwined, stretching long on the bluestone slabs, adding to the uncanny atmosphere.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he laughed inexplicably:
"Duke Yu, look at the ground... Duke Yu, I've heard that some people have no shadows... If that person from before were here, perhaps they would be shadowless..."
As he spoke, a strange smile played on his pale face, and his eyes gleamed with a grotesque light, making him look like a hanged ghost!
Yang Bo stared for a moment, then suddenly understood a little—
Ghosts are without shadows...
What did he mean?
Could it be that the person was a ghost?
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A ghost?
Oh!
A flash of understanding lit up his eyes—
That person was already dead!
The one alive was someone else!
Right!
It's exactly like that!
He suddenly felt a chill spread through his body from his back, and he couldn't help but shiver.
So poisonous!
This is damnably poisonous!
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No wonder the old fellow said it was foolproof?
In ancient times, Lü Buwei tricked Qin. These father and son were even more cunning, playing a switcheroo!
No,
It should be called possession by a ghost!
Replacement!
He was stunned for a while before letting out a long breath, patting Luo Longwen's shoulder, and said sincerely, "Han Zhang, you've gone through a lot of trouble... Yang Bo understands now... Let's go discuss important matters!"
Returning to the main hall, Niu Xin was already somewhat restless. Luo Longwen gave him a nod, and he finally felt at ease.
Yang Bo's expression had changed now, and his demeanor was no longer feigned. He said directly,
"Han Zhang, Wen Mu, I understand the Grand Secretary's intentions... As for now, if Liaoyang is to resist, it can still hold out for a few more days... Well, also, Li Chengliang has always disobeyed orders and has been in the Zhuoshan area with his own troops for a long time, and I don't know what he's doing... Tumens Khan, he should be here!"
He was well-versed in military tactics, and pointing to the area northwest of Yizhou on the terrain map, he continued,
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"The capital's garrison has also been divided, likely defending the flanks of Miyun Guard and Gubeikou... I believe that once the news of Liaoyang's fall arrives, Tumens Khan will seize the opportunity to invade the passes! He should have about fifty thousand elite Tumed troops... Xifengkou, Gubeikou, Juyong Pass, any of these three could be targets..."
The two didn't know why he was discussing this and couldn't respond for a moment.
Yang Bo smiled and stroked his beard, saying,
"We can't delay any longer... I'm saying this because speed is of the essence! The Grand Secretary is also anxious with waiting... I think it's meaningless to continue aiding Liaoyang. The most urgent matter now is to prevent Tumens Khan from entering the passes! Well, I intend to stop the supplies to Liaoyang, detach a brigade to coordinate with the defending forces for a breakout, and then reinforce Jinzhou with some troops... The grain, provisions, and war materials are insufficient... You two don't know, Ji-Liao is very poor. Now that the enemy is at the border and the capital is in grave danger, I can only do this... I hope Yizhai doesn't blame me..."
Only then did the two understand—
He had decided to abandon Liaoyang, or rather, to accelerate its fall...
This, naturally, was a great gift for the father and son.
After Liaoyang fell, Tumens Khan would invade the passes, and the imperial court's crisis would be predictable. At that time, the Emperor would have no bargaining chips, and only Prince Jing would be made the Crown Prince. Then, the father and son would use this internal and external crisis to control Prince Jing, and the imperial court would return to its old path...
And he, Yang Bo, would once again display his genius, playing an irreplaceable role at the most critical juncture. With this move, he should be appointed to the Grand Secretariat and become a minister, making everything perfect. Of course, all of this had to be done before Liang Menglong took office, otherwise, it would involve more complications.
Luo Longwen pondered for a moment and felt that it was almost there. This strategy indeed emphasized speed, and he should be able to report back. He immediately bowed deeply and said,
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"With Duke Yu presiding over the overall situation in Liaodong, there will be no worries..."