Chapter 105: Deliberations

Yuan Chonghuan and Advisor Tu sat facing each other in the study, with the air of men trapped in a besieged city.

After pondering for a long while, Yuan Chonghuan said, "Hah, does that brat Hong Taiji really think he's something? I've barely warmed this seat as Governor of Liaodong, and he already wants me to kill Mao Wenlong for him?"

His triangular eyes swiveling, Advisor Tu stroked his three wispy rat-whiskers and said, "My patron is absolutely right — that brat Hong Taiji is far too naive. But as for whether Mao Wenlong should be removed, that still requires careful thought.

Setting everything else aside, just in this Liaodong of ours, how many men can my patron actually command?"

At these words, Yuan Chonghuan said bitterly, "Command how many men? I can't command shit! Every time I issue some order, who doesn't just go through the motions? Others may not know, but you, Advisor Tu — don't you know it perfectly well?"

Advisor Tu laughed at this and said, "My patron speaks the truth. Throughout Liaodong, high and low, there is hardly anyone who will obey my patron.

And with the hawks and hounds of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard watching so closely, even if you wanted to bring out the imperial sword and kill a chicken to warn the monkeys, it wouldn't be so easy.

Should those hawks and hounds report it upward, I fear my patron could not bear the consequences."

Fury surging to his head, Yuan Chonghuan burst out, "Motherfuckers! Who does Zhao Shuaijiao think he is, giving me nothing but lip service now? And those bastards Wu Xiang, Zu Dashou — have they completely forgotten who promoted them in the first place? A pack of ingrates!"

Advisor Tu, however, said, "My patron need not worry. Is there not still one man who can be of use?"

Yuan Chonghuan said, "Of use? The one you speak of, Advisor Tu, is none other than Zuo Liangyu. But now that brat Hong Taiji wants this governor to eliminate Mao Wenlong — what use is Zuo Liangyu for that?"

Advisor Tu said, "How is he of no use? My patron takes Zuo Liangyu to Dongjiang to meet Mao Wenlong, finds a pretext to kill him when the moment is right, and with Dongjiang left leaderless, won't they still have to follow my patron's arrangements?

Besides, once Mao Wenlong is eliminated, whether my patron leans fully toward the Great Jin or entrenches himself here in Liaodong with troops in hand, won't it all be up to my patron then?"

Yuan Chonghuan mulled it over, then said, "I fear it won't work. Killing Mao Wenlong is easy enough — what I fear is that after killing him, it won't be easy to clean up the aftermath.

The reigning Son of Heaven is not so easily fooled as the late Emperor. Or rather, the reigning Son of Heaven is even more shameless than the late Emperor — things like face and appearances mean nothing in the reigning Son of Heaven's eyes.

If I kill Mao Wenlong on my own authority, how do I answer to the Son of Heaven?"

At these words, Advisor Tu burst out laughing.

"My patron, oh my patron, for all your shrewdness all your life!

Once Mao Wenlong is dead, Dongjiang will inevitably be scattered sand — who will keep the Great Jin in check then? Won't they still have to rely on you, my patron?

When the time comes, far from being able to kill you, the Son of Heaven will have to lean on you at every turn."

Yuan Chonghuan also laughed heartily. "True, true — my thinking was skewed. The player truly is blind while the onlooker sees clearly."

Having said this, he shifted the topic and continued, "How are things in Shandong? Have the grain and everything else been prepared?"

Advisor Tu said, "My patron, set your mind at ease — everything is already in order. As soon as my patron submits a memorial and finds a way to have Wang Shizhen transferred away from Shanhai Pass, all that gleaming yellow grain will turn into gleaming white silver!"

Yuan Chonghuan gave a cold laugh.

"Damn it all, I see it clearly now — every man for himself, and heaven destroys those who don't look out for themselves!

Back then I fought in blood through Liaodong, and what did it get me? Those two fools Wang Xiangqian and Wang Zaijin abandoned over a hundred thousand souls at the Thirteen Mountains, too cowardly and afraid to die — pah!

From that moment on, I saw it clearly: everything is goddamn empty, only the military power in your hands and gleaming white silver are real!"

Advisor Tu's triangular eyes swiveled, and he said, "That being the case, the reigning Son of Heaven's actions since ascending the throne have clearly been far stronger than in the late Emperor's time — why not serve loyally and earn a glorious name like that of the Sage Guan?"

"Bullshit!"

Yuan Chonghuan cursed.

"You think the reigning Son of Heaven is easy to deal with?

Even if I served loyally, I'd probably still end up like Yue Wumu! The Son of Heaven sent me to Liaodong, and aside from giving me an official title and a completely useless imperial sword, what else has he given me?

I'm afraid the Son of Heaven is already keeping a hand raised against me in his heart — this whole situation in Liaodong now, I fear the Son of Heaven has long had a hand in it behind the scenes.

Even every move you and I make — I fear someone has long been reporting it to the Son of Heaven."

Advisor Tu sucked in a breath of cold air at this and said, "If that is so, why did my patron even come to wade into these muddy waters? Wouldn't living peacefully as a wealthy gentleman in the south have been far more pleasant?"

Yuan Chonghuan gave a cold laugh.

"You want peace, but plenty of people won't let you have peace.

Ever since the reigning Son of Heaven ascended the throne, the Depot and the Guard have run rampant — how do the goods from Shandong and Zhejiang get past the passes? Don't they still have to count on me coming to Liaodong to escort and protect them?

Could I afford not to come to Liaodong? Setting everything else aside, look at the situation now — even if I hadn't come to Liaodong, someone else would have come to Liaodong all the same.

The power of those people runs so deep, it has long penetrated every facet of the Great Ming — what can the Son of Heaven even do about it? Ridiculous, the reigning Son of Heaven, truly thinking that rolling heads can put a stop to it?"

Advisor Tu said, "And what if my patron were to sincerely throw in his lot with the Son of Heaven — what then?"

Yuan Chonghuan gave a bitter laugh.

"What then?

Nothing good! Those people have more than enough power to make sure I die without a burial place.

How do you think the late Emperor passed? If you say those people weren't involved, how could the late Emperor, young and in his prime, suddenly have passed away?

On top of that, the reigning Son of Heaven is suspicious by nature — I doubt he would ever believe that Yuan here is sincerely pledging allegiance. I have no choice — I can only keep walking this road to its dark end."

Advisor Tu fell silent at these words, and the two men could not help but feel a shared desolation.

Just as Yuan Chonghuan and Advisor Tu were discussing these matters, far away in Beijing, the Chongzhen Emperor had also received a secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Shenyang.

Cao Huachun and Xu Xianchun watched the cold sneer on Chongzhen's lips and the undisguisable killing intent, exchanged a glance, and both thought to themselves: that Yuan brute is dead for sure.

Sure enough, they heard Chongzhen on the imperial throne sneer coldly, "So this dog-thing couldn't hold back after all. Shandong, Shandong — heh."

Hearing Chongzhen's cold sneer, Xu Xianchun stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, such a traitorous villain should be seized at once and executed by slow slicing!"

Cao Huachun also said, "Imperial Sire, it would be better to take this traitor into custody sooner. Should anything truly happen to Grand General Mao, I fear it would be too late for regrets."

Chongzhen, however, said, "What's the rush? Weren't men already sent to Liaodong long ago? Let this dog-thing go! Catch adulterers in the act, seize thieves with the loot — we'll take this traitor at Dongjiang, and save anyone from saying We punish without warning!"

Having said this, he turned to Cao Huachun and said, "Go to Shandong personally and keep watch. When the time comes to move, don't let a single one slip away. A pack of ingrates who can never be fed full!"

Recommending a novel by Big Boss Luyu, "Planting the Great Tang" — using a plant-modification system to escape poverty and grow rich, win titles for wife and children, and become the Great Tang's master of demonic rice.

Also, asking for votes and bookmarks — let's ride the waves on the Sanjiang rankings for a bit.

(End of chapter)