Chapter 227: Dangerous Strategy

"When the imperial envoy comes to Jingzhou, he must first go to Jiangling to announce the decree, and then go to the barbarians to serve as an envoy. If he really wants to investigate carefully, it will be after returning from the barbarian tribe. If he is intercepted and killed by barbarian soldiers on the way to the barbarian tribe, what do you think will happen?"

Everyone was frightened by this idea and thought about it, and the room was silent for a while. Kong Zhangyu murmured: "This is war..."

"Not bad!" Li Jingxuan raised his eyebrows and pointed back:

"This is war!

This is the southern barbarians declaring war on our Great Qi!

There is no room for relaxation between the two sides!

Even if the imperial court wants to settle things, there is no way to propose it. They must first pacify the guilty barbarians before they can!

But the imperial court is absolutely unwilling to send a large army to Jingzhou to conquer the barbarians.

First, there is much labor and little merit. Second, victory is not enough to honor, and defeat will damage prestige. Third, the national treasury is empty, and there are northern barbarians. Just like this time when the prince of the state was kidnapped, the court sent an envoy, not the imperial guard.

So unless it is a last resort, the Emperor will not labor the army to go far. But the barbarian disaster still needs to be pacified. Who will pacify it?

Once the war starts, Jingzhou will be a war zone. The Prince sits in Jingzhou. Is there anyone more suitable than the Prince?

If the Prince uses a little more means to incite several barbarian tribes to rebel together! The imperial court must reopen the Southern Barbarian Colonel's Office to take charge of the Southern Barbarian affairs!

Since the founding of our Great Qi, the Southern Barbarian Colonel has been concurrently held by the Jingzhou Inspector!

At that time, the Prince will hold the two major military prefectures (Jingzhou Military Prefecture and Southern Barbarian Colonel's Office), and use this war to take overall control of Jingzhou's military power! Hoarding troops and food, collecting grain and money, isn't it all a matter of the Prince's word?

In the past, the Prince of Yuzhang sat in Jingchu, holding two prefectures and two states, with unparalleled power!

I think the glory of the past can be restored today!"

As soon as Li Jingxuan finished speaking, several voices of "inappropriate" sounded.

Registrar Xue Shao was the first to question:

"The imperial envoy died in Jingzhou. How can the Prince not be responsible? Even if it wasn't killed by the Prince, such a big case happened in Jingzhou. How can the court not investigate the Prince's crime of dereliction of duty?"

Li Jingxuan waved his hand:

"The imperial envoy did not die within the Prince's jurisdiction, but in Wenyang Gorge! This is a barbarian area! It is not under the Prince's control! And the Prince originally wanted to send Jingzhou Sima Xi Gongmu to lead the army into the barbarian area to escort, but was blocked by Xi Gongmu, on the grounds of worrying about causing barbarian unrest and starting a war, so the Prince had to give up.

After the imperial envoy died, the Prince, out of righteous indignation, led the army deep into the area to snatch back the tally and the body of the imperial envoy, and fought fiercely with the barbarians! He took the lead, suffered more than ten wounds, and fought to the death without retreating! He chased and suppressed the remnants of the enemy with wounds, far into the dense forest and deep valley, for three consecutive days and nights, and wiped out the barbarian soldiers!

At that time, the court and the public will say that the Prince is loyal and brave. Who will hold him accountable? And in this time of barbarian chaos, Jingzhou cannot be chaotic! So the Prince not only has no fault, but has merit! At worst, it is a crime to make up for it, a small punishment and a big warning, it is absolutely impossible to punish heavily!"

Chen Qiming immediately said: "That's not okay! The imperial envoy was killed, what a big deal?! How can the court not send people to investigate?"

Li Jingxuan smiled:

"Investigation? If there is no war, naturally investigate. But once the war starts, pacifying the chaos is the priority, and investigating the case is not important. When the Prince is outside leading the army to suppress the barbarian disaster, the court will not send people to Jingzhou to investigate the case and disturb the morale of the army. Even if they really want to investigate, it will be after pacifying the barbarians. But at that time, the Prince has pacified the barbarians and made contributions. Who will come to overturn the old case? Even if they want to overturn it, it will be a long time ago. What can they find out? At that time, the Prince will have strong soldiers and horses, and hold great power. Let them overturn it, and they won't be able to find anything! Even if they find it, our chances of responding will be much greater than now.

Besides, pacifying the barbarians is not so easy? Fighting in the east, fighting in the west, as long as you want to fight, there will always be fighting. Whether it is a big fight or a small fight, it depends on the needs at that time..."

These words did not convince Chen Qiming. He frowned and shook his head repeatedly:

"Inappropriate, inappropriate, still inappropriate. Assassinating the imperial envoy is the same crime as rebellion..."

Li Jingxuan "ha" said:

"Trading with barbarian tribes, trading armor and weapons, secretly hoarding money and grain, secretly recruiting private soldiers, if all these charges are deducted, what is the difference from rebellion? So many big crimes have been committed, what is killing an imperial envoy?"

Guo Wenyuan immediately said:

"This is different! These things are limited to Jingzhou. As long as we do it secretly, it will not attract attention! Just like now, if the prince of the state was not kidnapped, how could it attract the imperial envoy?

But once the imperial envoy dies, it will definitely shock the imperial court! And since the founding Emperor, our dynasty has not had the killing of an imperial envoy! What will the Emperor do? How will the court react, no one can say for sure..."

Li Jingxuan raised his hand and interrupted:

"There is no need to say for sure! As long as we incite barbarian chaos and the war starts, it is the overall situation! In front of this overall situation, any emotion, any reaction, must give way! Once the barbarians are chaotic, Jingzhou is the front line! Even if the court wants to do something, it has to have concerns—"

Tao Rui said urgently: "Don't underestimate the Emperor, don't underestimate the public in the court! Although the southern barbarians killing the envoy seems logical, it is not so easy to hide the sky and cross the sea!"

Li Jingxuan's eyes were like torches, and his voice was pressing:

"I said before, once the war starts, it is the overall situation! In front of this overall situation, whether it is unreasonable questioning of the cause of the imperial envoy's death, or unreasonable speculation about the Prince himself, must be shelved! Without solid evidence, who dares to add such a big charge to the Prince? Even if the court has doubts, once the barbarians are chaotic, what they must first consider is how to pacify the chaos, how to stabilize Jingzhou, and how to ensure the court's system and prestige! Instead of shaking the morale of the army and affecting the war at this critical moment!"

"What about changing the commander? What if the court changes the commander?" Kong Zhangyu suddenly asked.

Li Jingxuan answered calmly:

"The Prince is the Inspector of Jingzhou. In the case of pacifying the barbarians in Jingzhou without transferring a large army, the commander-in-chief is the Prince, and there is no second candidate. Just like the barbarian chaos in Xiangzhou four years ago, the person responsible for pacifying the chaos was the Inspector of Xiangzhou, Lu Anguo. Later, Lu Anguo was ill, so he had to change the commander and transfer Liu Duke to Xiangzhou."

Kong Zhangyu asked immediately: "Then according to what you said before, the Prince was wounded by the barbarians, does it count as a reason for changing the commander?"

Li Jingxuan hesitated for a moment and said: "It's just a minor injury. The Prince pacifies Jingzhou and controls the overall situation. How can the court change the commander because of a minor injury?"

Kong Zhangyu said unhurriedly: "More than ten wounds, and now it has become a minor injury?"

Li Jingxuan's expression stiffened slightly, and then he changed his words: "Then don't have more than ten wounds, just three or four wounds—"

Kong Zhangyu looked at Li Jingxuan, with the posture of an elder who had come before, and said "earnestly":

"The problem is not how many wounds, the problem is being too wishful. You are still young, lack experience, and don't know that there are many unexpected situations in the world. The court may not follow your assumptions step by step. As long as the court wants to change the commander, aren't there many reasons?

Gongyu, it is a good thing that you have enterprising spirit, but planning a great cause requires stability and cannot be rushed. The strategy of killing the imperial envoy is too risky. Although it is strange, it is not usable."

Li Jingxuan stepped forward, his expression impassioned:

"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you get the tiger's cub! To accomplish great things, how can you fear danger?

In the past, Wei Yan offered the strategy of Ziwu Valley, but the Martial Marquis could not use it! Deng Ai walked the Yinping Road, and the Shu Lord actually surrendered!

There are many accidents in the world, but people calculate seven, and heaven determines three!

Planning things is in people, and accomplishing things is in heaven. How can you abandon human affairs because of fearing heaven's will?

If everything waits for heaven's will to be perfect, where would Wei Yan's strategy come from, and where would Deng Ai's merit come from?"

Li Jingxuan's eyes were burning, he clasped his hands at the Prince of Badong, his face was red, and his voice was sonorous:

"Prince!

Time is easy to lose, and seizing the opportunity is fast!

I, Li Jingxuan, ask the Prince not to lose the time! Don't lose the opportunity!"

Guo Wenyuan said urgently: "Prince! The Martial Marquis is wise and knows that Wei Yan's strategy cannot be used. Li Jingxuan is greedy for merit, reckless and aggressive, and not worth listening to!"

Chen Qiming followed closely: "Prince, Li Jingxuan's strategy is extremely dangerous and unpredictable. If there is a slight mistake, it will be a total loss!"

Xue Shao said loudly:

"My subordinate thinks that to deal with the imperial envoy, if killing him to survive, then kill him;

If killing him to take risks, then don't kill him.

For example, a fierce tiger blocks the road and attacks us, and we fight with our lives, this is a last resort.

If you go to attack it for the sake of a tiger skin, then it is not what a wise man does!"

Tao Rui said sharply: "Li Jingxuan is greedy for merit and builds plans, does not measure depth, and offers this strategy of provoking trouble and causing disaster. His intention is dangerous and evil. Please Prince, punish him heavily!"

The Prince of Badong's eyes were deep and silent; the two generals also had a tacit understanding and did not express their opinions.

Li Jingxuan sneered:

"The lower ones are chaotic when facing danger, the middle ones turn danger into safety, and the upper ones succeed because of danger!

Now the opportunity for success is in front of us, you are timid and don't know how to take it, but instead attack those who know how to take it without leaving any room, ridiculous, ridiculous!"

Kong Zhangyu said in a deep voice: "Gongyu, I know you are making strange words to attract the Prince's attention, but you shouldn't incite the Prince to take risks."

Li Jingxuan didn't even look at Kong Zhangyu, just stared at the Prince of Badong's eyes, his eyes were like iron, and his voice was deep:

"Time, time, will not come again!

Time is hard to get and easy to lose!

The Emperor has an old illness, and he almost couldn't get up in the past.

Once the mountain tomb collapses, the new monarch will summon the Prince with a piece of paper. How can the Prince be safe?

Even if the Supreme is long-lived, heaven's will is hard to ask, and the holy heart is hard to measure. If there is an unexpected change in the Emperor's will, and the Prince is summoned to stop the town and return to the court, how can the Prince handle himself?

So I say: we can all wait for the time, only the Prince cannot!

Those who discuss supreme virtue do not harmonize with the vulgar, and those who achieve great merit do not plan with the crowd!

A thousand people saying yes is not as good as one scholar speaking out!

Jingxuan is dedicated to the Prince, making this sound of speaking out!

If the Prince trusts Jingxuan, then the wind and clouds will meet, and it will be a thousand-year opportunity!

If you doubt Jingxuan, please kill him quickly!

Take Jingxuan's head and offer it to the imperial court!

Jingxuan is not willing to live with regret!"

After speaking, he knelt down, looking calm and waiting to die.

Kong Zhangyu was furious: "Li Jingxuan! You dare—"

"Prince, this old Feng is a rough person and doesn't understand those twists and turns, but Old Feng knows that holding the knife handle in his own hand is always better than holding it in someone else's hand! No matter what imperial envoy or not, as long as the Prince says a word, Old Feng will kill him!"

Feng Quanzu had been secretly observing the Prince of Badong's expression. Before Li Jingxuan said these last words, he had the idea of seconding, but held back. Now that Li Jingxuan said these words, Feng Quanzu immediately expressed his position.

Although as a general commanding troops, once the war starts, there is power and merit, Liu Chaozhi was quite satisfied with the status quo and felt that killing the imperial envoy was unnecessary. Besides, once the war with the barbarians started, there would be many things, and if it didn't go well, he would go around in the deep mountains and old forests. How could it be as leisurely as now? But since Old Feng expressed his position, he couldn't give the Prince an impression of being afraid of war and disloyal, so he had to pretend to be loyal and followed Feng Quanzu and said:

"Prince, please make a decision! My subordinate follows the Prince's order and looks at the horse's head!"

The others saw the two generals also come down to support killing the imperial envoy, and they spoke out to refute. For a while, the room was noisy.

The Prince of Badong turned his palm, slapped the long saber on the ground with a bang, his tiger eyes widened, and his voice was like thunder:

"Kill!"

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Note: Li Jingxuan said "The Emperor has an old illness, and he almost couldn't get up in the past" refers to the time when the Emperor just ascended the throne. "Book of Southern Qi, Biography of Jiang Mi": "At that time, the Emperor was ill, and Mi went to Yuzhang Wang Yi and asked: 'The Supreme is not ill, and the Crown Prince is not talented. What plan do you want to make now?'" The so-called "not ill" means that the disease is incurable. ===== CHAPTER 228 =====