Chapter 81: Prison Break (Requesting First Subscription)

Commander, we must change our route.

At our current marching speed, we might catch up to Commander Rong’s main force tonight.

According to the intelligence gathered, the rebels have abandoned many regions and are consolidating their forces toward Taizhou City.

I propose we first retake Gaoyou State, then turn toward Taizhou to engage the rebels in a decisive battle!

Li Mu stepped forward to propose this.

Perhaps because of his earlier outstanding performance, or perhaps because he made a decisive choice at the critical moment, Marquis WuYang placed great hopes on him.

The coveted position of Vanguard Commander, coveted by all Battalion Commanders, was directly awarded to him.

According to the original plan, we were only to follow behind Commander Rong.

Once the rebel main force was drawn out by the forward screening units, our army would surge forward and crush the enemy in one blow.

On the battlefield, plans always lag behind changes.

The defeat outside Yangzhou City had a far greater impact on the rebels than anticipated.

The enemy’s morale was shattered; they had no desire left for a decisive battle.

Rebel units along the route fled at the sight of imperial banners.

If we continue trailing behind them, the rebel main force might never dare emerge for a battle in this lifetime.

The decoy plan has failed; the war has become a direct assault.

Charging enemy fortifications with a band of incompetent allies—just imagine how terrible that scene would be.

A single bout of chaos in the rebel camp could trigger a mutiny; the same could happen to our own troops.

That group of incompetent allies may lack the ability to accomplish anything, but they’re certainly skilled at ruining things.

“What if the rebels launch another attack on Yangzhou after we change our route?”

Marquis WuYang asked, concerned.

He was no general, but he could still read a map.

All three states and seven counties under Yangzhou Prefecture are now in rebel hands.

We’ve treated the Taizhou rebels as our primary target not only because they’re strong, but also because of their proximity.

To retake Gaoyou State to the north and lose Yangzhou’s capital city would be a catastrophic loss.

“Commander, we only need to feign a northward advance to mislead the rebels’ perception.

Whether or not to fight can be decided based on circumstances.

The Imperial Guard is advancing southward; the rebels in Gaoyou State are already like birds frightened by arrows.

If we move north now to support the Imperial Guard and create a pincer formation, the rebels might abandon their positions and flee.

Intercepting them on the way would be a major achievement.

As for the rebels in Taizhou, Commander Rong’s forces are holding them off—they can surely last a few days.

Even if they’re defeated, Yangzhou City still has Senior Minister Xu as its anchor.

Yangzhou’s walls are strong; with the city’s able-bodied men mobilized, they can hold out until we return to relieve them.

As long as the rebel main force emerges, whether the battle takes place under Yangzhou’s walls or outside Taizhou’s gates makes no difference.”

Li Mu lied without blinking.

When Commander Rong’s force collapses depends entirely on how rotten the rebels have become.

When two bands of rabble face off, anything can happen.

Unlike before, the Imperial Guard is now rushing toward us; the rebels’ attempt to encircle Yangzhou again has lost all strategic value.

Even if they somehow capture Yangzhou, they won’t have time to consolidate it.

From the standpoint of the officers of the Five City Military Command, the best choice is to link up with the Imperial Guard as soon as possible.

Destroying the rebels is merely a political slogan they shout.

The total number of rebel forces across Yangzhou Prefecture amounts to hundreds of thousands.

With only this seven-thousand-man army, no one is so arrogant as to believe we can wipe out so many enemies.

One may lack confidence internally, but one must never show it before superiors.

Without all of us spinning elaborate lies, Marquis WuYang’s nature would have him staying put in Yangzhou City.

As an imperial relative, Marquis WuYang can afford to forgo the subsequent pacification glory—but Li Mu and the others cannot.

We are all young, at the age of building careers, with bright futures ahead—we must fight for them.

The Imperial Guard’s high command are not our elders, but our relatives, friends, or old acquaintances—every face we see is a connection.

Joining the campaign lets us piggyback on military merit, learn combat experience, and enrich our personal records.

A win-win opportunity like this is impossible to refuse.

“Very well. Let’s detour to Gaoyou State first.

Notify all units to slow our march—maintain a pace of thirty li per day.

If Yangzhou changes, we can still return in time to reinforce.”

After weighing the pros and cons, Marquis WuYang made his decision.

Deep inside, he knew the risks of changing the route were far more complex than Li Mu made them sound.

But the catastrophic consequences of this risk would not fall on him to bear.

The worst-case scenario would merely be the unfortunate loss of Yangzhou City, which could be retaken later.

Right now, Yangzhou City still has a Special Imperial Envoy in charge—Senior Minister Xu’s status is more than enough to shoulder all the blame.

Of course, he would never sink his ally unless absolutely forced.

Yangzhou is a major city; if it falls to the rebels, the entire realm will tremble.

The political fallout would shake the very foundations of imperial rule.

…

Yangzhou Prefectural Office.

After seeing off Marquis WuYang, Xu Wenyue immediately moved house.

Like all government offices, the Yangzhou Prefectural Office was not lavishly decorated—it was even rather plain.

Looking at these ordinary facilities, Xu Wenyue felt profoundly at ease.

Simplicity was better; at least it avoided being trapped.

Moreover, the prefectural office represented power; moving in meant controlling Yangzhou’s authority.

“Senior Minister, the Yangzhou gentry have prepared a banquet to welcome you.

When would be a suitable time? We can make arrangements accordingly.”

Hou Huaichang asked tentatively.

Yesterday’s meeting ended badly, when Marquis WuYang was still in the city.

Now that the main figure had left, everyone’s attitude toward Senior Minister Xu changed instantly.

Of course, Hou Huaichang had dared not report yesterday’s unpleasantness.

To become a competent private secretary, one must not only offer strategies but also learn to read the situation.

Xu Wenyue, arriving south with a retinue of servants and guards, appeared mighty and imposing—but in truth, he was as isolated as if he’d come alone.

The Qingliu faction officials of Yangzhou Prefecture had either been forced into rebellion or killed by the rebels; others remained imprisoned.

None of them could now serve Xu Wenyue.

With no subordinates available, he had to rely on local gentry to control Yangzhou.

For the sake of his political future, Xu Wenyue could not afford to alienate the local landowners.

Since the outcome was inevitable, any unpleasantness during the process, if brought to Senior Minister Xu’s attention, would only make him look incompetent.

As long as the truth remained unspoken, only his own reputation would suffer.

“Postpone it for three days. The army has just set out; holding a grand banquet now would look bad.

Have you clarified the identities of the officials in prison?”

It was clear Xu Wenyue had no enthusiasm for the gentry’s banquet invitation.

Many things, once missed at the first opportunity, can never be reclaimed.

Cooperation would continue, but only on the basis of mutual interest—not deep personal ties.

Compared to these fence-sitters, he cared more about the Qingliu officials in prison, some of whom were still his faction’s junior members.

Accusing them of plotting rebellion was pure slander; they had all spent twenty years studying in silence to pass the imperial exams.

With bright futures ahead, only fools would turn against the court.

Their imprisonment stemmed only from past dealings with the salt merchant syndicate, which had dragged them into the treason case.

Under Great Yu’s political game, their fates depended entirely on the moods of the powerful.

If they chose to be harsh, they could execute them all—none were innocent.

If they chose leniency, demotion and reprimand could easily be arranged.

Whether to save these men was still undecided in Xu Wenyue’s mind.

After all, a major treason case had occurred; Yangzhou’s magistrates would have to die in numbers to satisfy public expectation.

“All have been investigated. Here are the identity records, personal histories, and case files left by the Five City Military Command.”

Marquis WuYang arrested every official in Yangzhou City without any screening.

The arrest procedures contained certain flaws.

But since this involves treason, these minor issues—even if reported by censors—would hardly affect him.”

As he spoke, Hou Huaichang pulled a stack of registers from his sleeve and handed them to Xu Wenyue.

After flipping through them casually, Xu Wenyue’s expression quickly darkened.

The arrested officials were not tortured, but the salt merchants were not so lucky.

Under interrogation by soldiers, the salt merchants confessed to a wealth of evidence incriminating the Yangzhou officials.

Worse still, the Five City Military Commission had seized numerous physical evidences from these officials’ homes.

Whether they participated in rebellion remains uncertain, but many of their actions clearly provided substantial aid to the rebels.

This reverse-causality reasoning was clearly an overinterpretation, riddled with flaws.

But since this was an investigation into treason, their caution and extra speculation could hardly be called wrong.

To rescue anyone, you must first refute all these pieces of evidence.

“You’ve interacted with them—how many can prove their own innocence?”

Xu Wenyue asked with concern.

The problem of having no loyal personnel must be resolved quickly.

Bringing in outsiders from elsewhere would leave them without local roots; they could not act effectively in the short term.

Promoting locals on the spot was impossible—the Five City Military Commission had acted thoroughly. From the Prefect down to the lowest clerks, all had been thrown into prison.

No matter how powerful he was, Xu Wenyue dared not appoint a group of commoners.

Trapped between internal and external pressures, the best solution was: find a way to rescue some of the less implicated officials and rebuild the yamen’s structure first.

Compared to Huai’an Prefecture, controlled by the eunuch faction, Yangzhou—where he could still act independently—was undoubtedly the easiest point to break through.

If they couldn’t rescue anyone here, then there was no hope of rescuing anyone in Huai’an.

“Your Excellency, proving their innocence will be extremely difficult.

Originally, these officials could have testified for one another to clear their names.

But now they’re all in prison; their testimonies will be dismissed as collusion.

The imperial edicts, tiger tallies, official seals, dragon robes, and weapons seized by the Five City Military Commission—all are damning physical evidence.”

Hearing Hou Huaichang’s explanation, Xu Wenyue’s head began to buzz.

Such bizarre physical evidence—even if someone truly intended to rebel—would never be kept in their own home; the framing was far too obvious.

Yet his position forbade him from challenging these evidences.

The items were seized publicly, from the homes of these officials.

No one now could say clearly who had planted them.

Perhaps the Five City Military Commission knew—but those men certainly wouldn’t come forward to reconstruct the scene.

“Come, accompany me to the prison—I want to see who has the audacity to frame loyal ministers so shamelessly!”

No sooner had he spoken than a clamor of battle cries came from the direction of the prison.

“Master, disaster!

Rebels have infiltrated the city and are now attacking the prison.

The garrison troops can't hold them—they've sent messengers begging for your aid."

The steward’s panting words sent a chill through Xu Wenyue.

Fortunately, he hadn’t rushed to the prison—if he’d moved just a moment faster, he might have died right then, this Grand Secretary slain.

The rebels didn’t care about his rank; from the moment they raised their banners, they had crossed the point of no return.

“Send men immediately to recall Marquis Wuyang!”

Xu Wenyue gave an immediate order.

Faced with his own life, he no longer cared about his feud with Marquis Wuyang.

If the rebels seized Yangzhou, others might still survive—but as Grand Secretary, he could only die for the state.

“Yes, Master! I’ll send messengers at once!”

With that, the steward turned and left to carry out the order.

Xu the Grand Secretary and Master Hou remained where they stood, pale as death.

Rebels had infiltrated the city—such an absurd spectacle, they had never encountered it in half a century of life.

“Your Excellency, the Five City Military Commission’s troops left this morning; they’re now no more than forty or fifty li from Yangzhou.

If all goes well, they can return by tomorrow.

Summon the gentry to organize able-bodied men and delay them as long as possible!”

Hou Huaichang suggested nervously.

Deep inside, he had never been this panicked.

Even facing the eunuch faction, he could analyze rationally and devise calm strategies.

This situation was different—the rebels didn’t play by any rules.

No matter how many schemes he had in mind, they couldn’t stop a single blade.

“These rebels appearing so strangely—they may not even be here to seize the city.

Marquis Wuyang led his troops out in the morning; by afternoon, rebels infiltrated the city.

They attacked the prison at You hour—if they moved fast enough, they could withdraw before dark.

If they meant to capture Yangzhou, they’d be attacking the Prefecture Office now, not the prison, which has no strategic value!”

Xu Wenyue shook his head.

These speculations were pure guesswork.

But he had no choice—Marquis Wuyang had taken all the elite troops, leaving him only yamen runners.

These soldiers could bully commoners two-to-one.

To ask them to fight in battle? Even if they fled at the first sight of the enemy, that was already showing him, their Grand Secretary, some respect.

With no troops, he couldn’t even maintain city order, let alone organize effective resistance.

The gentry were experts at avoiding harm and chasing profit.

They excelled at adding flowers to brocade—but to expect them to risk their entire families’ lives? Impossible.

…

“Time’s up—knock out this lot and bind them to the carts; we’re leaving Yangzhou immediately!”

Upon receiving the order, the prison guards swung wooden clubs and began beating the imprisoned officials.

This brazen prison break played out openly—no one came to stop it.

The guards carried out the prison break; the yamen soldiers stood guard outside, driving away passersby.

Only Xu Wenyue’s own soldiers suffered—they were killed instantly the moment they stepped beyond the Prefecture gates.

In a short time, five heads were thrown into the Prefecture courtyard; all the brave messengers died before even reaching their goal.

Yangzhou gentry who accidentally uncovered the truth trembled in terror.

Each shut their doors tightly, afraid of seeing something they shouldn’t and bringing disaster upon themselves.

The methods were utterly ruthless.

Imperial troops impersonating rebels to break prisoners out—such an extreme tactic, no normal person would ever encounter it in a lifetime.

If the Five City Military Commission could impersonate rebels to rescue prisoners, they could just as easily impersonate rebels and exterminate entire families.

In moments, the convoy, fully loaded, began its orderly withdrawal from Yangzhou.

The prison holding serious offenders soon burst into roaring flames.

The fire burned until midnight; only after confirming all traces were destroyed did the soldiers slowly ring bells and drums, organizing teams to extinguish it.

…

“Your Excellency, good news!”

“The rebels in the city have been driven off by our troops!”

Watching the steward run up, excited, Xu Wenyue’s face showed no trace of joy.

“Lead the way—we’re going to the prison.”

Xu Wenyue ordered, his face ashen.

“Master, perhaps we should wait.

It’s still chaotic there—the soldiers are busy putting out the fire.

What if some rebel remnants remain…?”

Before the steward finished, Xu Wenyue stepped forward, his actions speaking louder than words.

When they arrived, the group stood stunned by what they saw.

They were putting out fires—but not to save the prison cells; they were burning down nearby buildings.

Anyone with eyes could see: this was deliberate evidence destruction.

“What are you standing there for? Organize men to fetch water and extinguish the fire—preserve the scene!”

Xu Wenyue ordered immediately.

Deep inside, he had already decided: if he found evidence, he would teach the mastermind behind the scenes a lesson.

“Your Excellency, it’s unnecessary.”

Hou Huaichang gently reminded him.

Targeting the officials was meant to quickly seize control of the situation—but now those men have been “rescued” by the rebels.

The charges against them, whether framed or not, are now solidified.

Unless you can trace clues to the military camp and arrest them, preserving the scene is meaningless.

Political struggle cares only about advantage and disadvantage—not right or wrong.

……

(End of chapter)