Chapter 876: Complex and Intricate

Zhang Xuan did not understand why Li Tun would summon him alone to ask him this.

The imperial court?

Zhang Xuan took a deep breath.

This matter was quite delicate.

Zhang Xuan was Zhang Yuzhen's uncle; this was as obvious as it could be. By all logic, he should be leaning toward the Southerner Party.

However.

Li Tun summoned him, but did not summon Li Hang.

This matter itself was very suspicious.

Li Tun's questioning made him feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Could it be that the King knows something?

Does he know what kind of agreement he has with that Vice Minister Liu from Longyan?

:

He pondered for a moment before speaking: "Your Majesty, this old subject is but a mere merchant. I help Your Majesty with trade matters regarding Longyan, but as for these court affairs, I truly dare not comment too much!"

The answer.

Made him somewhat disappointed.

Zhang Xuan is currently Zhang Yuzhen's uncle. If Zhang Yuzhen could become Queen, then Zhang Xuan would certainly be a Royal Uncle. He would be on the same level as the current Min Weizhong.

Li Tun watched Zhang Xuan quietly.

In reality, he just wanted to test this Zhang Xuan.

To see if he truly stood on the side of the Southerners.

Zhang Xuan was so frightened he broke into a cold sweat, instantly understanding Li Tun's meaning.

The King is forcing me to pick a side today.

Thinking of Li Tun's attitude toward Min Weizhong in the imperial court today, Zhang Xuan immediately had a prepared response in his heart. Who was Zhang Xuan? At this time, he was the greatest opportunist in the Li Dynasty, speaking human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts. He immediately chuckled: "Your Majesty, this old subject does have a suggestion."

If his stance could not be firmer, Li Tun's idea of completely suppressing the Westerners would still face some resistance.

"Is that so?"

Li Tun chuckled.

Only then did Li Tun smile slightly.

The Min Chamber of Commerce and these Corvee Officials were all very close to the Southerners.

"Hmph, these Westerners like Min Weizhong have been overbearing for years; they go too far!"

"Speak!"

Li Tun's eyes flickered.

Only then did Zhang Xuan say: "This old subject suggests that Your Majesty can make heavy use of the Min Chamber of Commerce and the Corvee Officials, and plan slowly; that is the Great Dao!"

"Mm, go ahead first."

Li Tun said indifferently.

Zhang Xuan walked out the door before he dared to straighten his back.

Li Tun let out a cold snort and said: "Just removing these people all at once makes me worry about the instability of the government. What does Minister Zhang think?"

Again!

Zhang Xuan felt his back was about to be soaked, and he hurriedly nodded in agreement.

As soon as he got into the Horse Carriage, he saw Li Hang and Zhao Shixi waiting for him.

"Minister Zhang is uniquely favored by the King; it truly makes us envious!"

Li Hang said with a fake smile.

Who would have thought.

He had only walked a few steps when a Horse Carriage was already waiting in the darkness. He shuddered and gave a bitter smile, knowing who had come.

Sure enough.

Li Hang watched Zhang Xuan quietly for a few moments. He also knew what kind of person this Zhang Xuan was, but breaking ties with him now was not a good thing for the already weakened Southerners.

He chuckled: "It seems the King is determined to suppress Min Weizhong this time!"

However, he immediately frowned and said: "It's just that it seems the King still doesn't trust us Southerners very much."

Zhang Xuan waited for the Horse Carriage to move before he breathed a sigh of relief and said: "What does Minister Li mean by that? In the current situation, only by working together can we..."

Consequently.

He recounted the conversation between him and Li Tun in its entirety.

"Minister Li's meaning is..."

Zhang Xuan and Zhao Shixi were both shocked.

Li Hang said coldly: "The Longyan Army has already set out for many days and will arrive in Gyeongsang Province in a few days. Since that is the case..."

The three of them nodded in unison.

It seems there is still a period of struggle between the two sides that will continue.

Li Hang's expression suddenly turned cold: "We have fallen into such a passive position entirely because of that Vice Minister Liu who came from Longyan!"

He really did not understand why this Vice Minister Liu would not follow the army to Gyeongsang Province. That way, at least his personal safety would be guaranteed. Why did he have to come to Hancheng, where the heavens are high and the Emperor is far away? If you kill him, wouldn't it just be killing him for nothing?

Li Yun.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "What if this Vice Minister Liu dies in Hancheng? Besides, this was authorized by that Longyan noble..."

These words made Zhang Xuan and Zhao Shixi nod repeatedly.

A strange feeling also welled up in Zhang Xuan's heart.

The Westerner Party, represented by Min Weizhong, temporarily bided their time.

The Southern Faction, represented by Min An and Li Hang, also began various activities.

Time passed bit by bit.

Not many days later.

Zhang Yuzhen's son was named Li Yun.

The entire Hancheng was surging with undercurrents.

The war in Gyeongsang Province, however, had already reached a stage of raging intensity.

"Attack!"

The Wa army led by Mizuno Masashige, after taking the ports of Gyeongsang Province, reorganized briefly and drove straight in. Recently, they had even taken three cities in seven days! Half of Gyeongsang Province had already been slaughtered by the Wa, with smoke from signal fires rising everywhere and the land left in ruins. Everywhere were Wa soldiers burning, killing, and looting, and everywhere were Li Dynasty commoners fleeing.

Liu Zheng was keeping a very low profile in Hancheng.

He did not step out of his gate or even cross his threshold.

And at this moment.

The Wa soldiers, stimulated by blood, women, and profit, were each like tigers and wolves, impossible to resist.

Just at this moment.

The Longyan Army finally arrived.

Mizuno Masashige killed with increasing ferocity.

Is this it?

In his eyes, these soldiers of the Li Dynasty were all just scum.

Because of this matter, he had also been laughed at half to death by those fellows in the court.

Therefore, along the way, he did not give these Longyan troops any pleasant looks.

He even caused them many difficulties regarding provisions and supplies.

As soon as the fifty-thousand-strong army led by Xiao Qian arrived, they blocked the Wa army's destructive offensive.

Along this journey, Li Zhenzhu had held ten thousand parts of hatred for these Longyan.

That so-called Vice Minister Liu had promised to ambush Min Weizhong and the Princess halfway, but not only did he fail to ambush them, he had also slaughtered all fifteen hundred of his own men!

The fifty thousand Longyan troops were as flexible as an arm, striking wherever they were pointed.

Cavalry, infantry, and Archer units coordinated with incredible tacit understanding; the Longyan Army showed no signs of failing to adapt to the local environment, arriving and immediately fighting.

Xiao Qian, through a hard-fought battle that lasted three days and three nights, forcibly halted the Li Dynasty's decline and the Wa's momentum.

But at this moment.

He was shocked.

Most of those resisting the Wa army were under the charge of the Southern Faction; the situation had originally been a mess, but as soon as this Xiao Qian arrived, he instantly turned the tide.

As long as they could fight, they were his grandfather! Whatever they wanted, they got!

However.

Xiao Qian's troops were simply too few.

This

Li Zhenzhu watched, dumbfounded.

Following that, he immediately became enthusiastic toward Xiao Qian.

This Gyeongsang Province had indeed been battered into a state of total fragmentation.

After winning a great victory, Xiao Qian still chose a tactical retreat, intending to avoid the enemy's sharp edge and wait for an opportunity to strike again.

Li Zhenzhu became anxious all of a sudden.

With such a good situation, why not pursue the victory and take back the lost territory?

He took several generals and barged into Xiao Qian's barracks.