"Brother Han, you've made quite a scene today!"
As they were talking, Zong Ying walked in with a smile.
"I say, if you had arrived any later, this scene might have been even bigger!"
With Zong Ying's arrival, Han Mo found himself unable to explain even if he wanted to. So, he could only help Li Bao up first, then walk directly towards Zong Ying.
"Were you the one who caused yesterday's incident?"
Seeing that they were alone, Zong Ying lowered his voice and asked Han Mo.
"That's right!"
Han Mo answered directly without hesitation.
"You're insane!"
Zong Ying's eyes widened. That was over thirty lives.
"You didn't see what those beasts did. If you had, I reckon you would have reacted even more strongly than I did!"
Han Mo clenched his fist involuntarily as he spoke.
These people were already destitute, and yet they still wanted to snatch away their last bit of property.
And they did this openly, under the banner of the emperor.
With the southeast in such a state, these people still acted without any scruples. Their brazen confidence was enough to reveal how they conducted themselves on a daily basis.
"But you didn't have to..."
"Didn't have to kill them, you mean? Then I ask you, how does the Prince intend to deal with Zhu Mian and his son?"
Han Mo asked with a cold smile.
"This..."
Zong Ying hesitated at this point.
"You can't say, can you? Let me say it for you. The Prince intends to escort the father and son back to Bianliang City and submit them to the Ministry of Justice for trial?"
"Brother Han, although the Prince holds the position of Grand Inspector of the Six Routes of the Southeast, such matters..."
Zong Ying fell silent at this point.
"Do you think, given the current state of the court, that escorting the father and son back to Bianliang City will make them face any consequences?"
Looking at the cold smile on Han Mo's face, Zong Ying didn't know what to say.
In fact, even without Han Mo's words, he could guess the likely outcome for the father and son. At most, they would be demoted.
They could still live carefree lives in another place.
"The entire southeast has been turned into this by those two. Don't you think they deserve to die?"
"But even if they deserve to die, they shouldn't die at the hands of the Prince!"
After a moment of silence, Zong Ying closed his eyes painfully and said again.
"Do you truly believe that the rebellion in the southeast is solely due to the Manichaeans? I can tell you clearly, if the Zhu father and son do not die, even if the rebellion is quelled, new rebellions will soon emerge! What then? Will you allow the Prince to pick up the butcher's knife for the second time in his life and continue to slaughter innocent civilians?"
Han Mo said with a cold laugh.
"Then what do you suggest? The court is as it is, how can we stand aside?"
"I know the Prince has his own plans now, but if you let the Zhu father and son go, I believe the day the Prince returns to the capital will be the day they are reinstated! The southeast has already gone through one rebellion. If there is a second rebellion, it will be catastrophic!"
Han Mo spoke as he walked towards the main hall.
After a moment of hesitation, Zong Ying finally sighed and quietly followed.
"Just tell me your plan..."
With a bitter smile, Zong Ying said again.
"Now that's the upright Zong Shidu I know!"
Hearing this, a smile finally appeared on Han Mo's face.
"Don't flatter me. Where were you just now?"
Zong Ying gave him a glare.
"Hahaha! Alright, alright. I might have spoken too harshly just now. Indeed, it is a bit troublesome for us to handle this ourselves. However, just because we can't do something doesn't mean others can't..."
Han Mo spoke as he reached out to close the main hall door.
"What's the plan?"
Zong Ying's interest was piqued.
"With rebel troops everywhere at this moment, what do you think their reaction would be if they knew the Zhu father and son were to be escorted back to the capital?"
Upon hearing Han Mo's words, Zong Ying's eyes lit up.
"Those rebel troops truly hate the Zhu father and son. If they knew the father and son were being escorted back to the capital, I suspect as soon as their whereabouts were leaked, someone would come to intercept the prisoners!"
Zong Ying had been by Zhao Zhen's side, basically handling all correspondence.
He was, of course, well aware of the clandestine deeds of the Zhu father and son.
"You're right, but the Prince cannot be blamed for the escape of the prisoners!"
"Then what do you mean..."
"Minister Tong has already dispatched his trusted subordinates here. Don't you think his influence is extending too far? He was not content with claiming all the credit for defeating the Liao, and now he wants a share in quelling the rebellion!"
Just by seeing Xin Xingzong leading an elite troop and only being able to patrol the city of Suzhou at this moment, Han Mo understood Zhao Zhen's subtle intentions.
"Then what do you mean?"
"Since Minister Tong has sent people, why doesn't the Prince go along with the plan?"
"But, with his status, asking him to escort prisoners of war, isn't that a bit..."
Zong Ying found it difficult to articulate his thoughts.
After all, Xin Xingzong was a Prefect of Zhongzhou.
Among military officers, this rank was already quite high.
Asking him to do such a task at this moment was truly difficult to justify.
"Not at this moment, perhaps. But what if he suffers a defeat?"
"This..."
"Doesn't the Prince want to know the situation inside Hangzhou City? Why not let him lead his troops to attack Hangzhou City? If he succeeds, the Prince can conveniently recapture the entire Hangzhou region. If he fails, it will be due to his own incompetence, and no one else can be blamed!"
"If he fails, then he can be ordered to lead the army to escort Zhu Mian and his son back to the capital!"
"This is what you said, I didn't say anything!"
Han Mo smiled and poured Zong Ying a cup of tea.
"Alright, alright, it's all my doing. Brother Han, how can you, a Zhuangyuan, engage in such underhanded dealings!"
It had to be said, this was indeed a brilliant plan with two birds killed with one stone.
Not only could it cut off Tong Guan's encroaching influence, but it could also eliminate the hidden danger of the Zhu father and son. Even if Han Mo gained some advantage, Zong Ying was now willing!