Chapter 389: Must Not Be Left Alive

The first thing Jiang Jiang Mingyu did upon entering the city was order Che Gang and E Bu to completely seize Ling Tai's main camp and confiscate Wang Yi's military tally.

Dressed in a brocade robe with a stern expression, Jiang Jiang Mingyu strode into the main camp. Che Gang and E Bu followed behind him, looking around nervously, fearing someone might take the opportunity to cause trouble. When they reached the camp entrance, the two rushed forward; one snatched the military tally and keys from the guard at the gate, and with a sharp command, Ling Tai's main camp fell into their hands.

As for Wang Yi's troops, just like Leng Yang's surrendered soldiers, they were all broken up and reorganized by Feng Feng Xiwei, and placed under strict guard.

Feng Feng Xiwei led a group of military officers, standing ready on the training ground. The surrendered soldiers and Wang Yi's troops, their faces filled with terror, knelt on the ground bound hand and foot. With a cold face, Feng Feng Xiwei stared at them, calling out their names one by one, then randomly assigned them to different squads of five, dispatching special personnel to guard them closely, fearing any mistake.

Wang Yi could not help but give a bitter smile; at this point, if he did not sincerely surrender, his head would not last many more days.

Wang Yi pressed his lips tight, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he forced himself not to let the tears in his eyes fall. He knew Jiang Jiang Mingyu had completely controlled the situation, and his own fate was now entirely in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's hands. To survive, he had to submit completely; otherwise, his treatment would likely be the same as the rebels...

Seeing the other party kneel at his feet with genuine conviction, Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction; Ling Tai was finally taken.

With his arms crossed, Jiang Jiang Mingyu coldly watched Wang Yi kneeling at his feet, his forehead nearly rubbing the ground. After a while, seeing that Wang Yi indeed had no power to resist, he nodded slightly, signaling him to rise.

After signaling Wang Yi to rise, he then asked.

"Governor Wang, you are in Ling Tai and are also responsible for the transport of Ling Tai's grain, so you must be very familiar with the situation in Ge Bao City."

"Tell me, what exactly is the situation in Ge Bao City right now?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu cut straight to the point. His eyes shone brightly, making Wang Yi tremble with fear.

Having just surrendered, Wang Yi was looking for an opportunity to prove his worth and win Jiang Jiang Mingyu's trust, so he hurriedly spoke.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, as you know, Ge Bao City is the capital of Southern Jiang, and the Wei family has managed it for over a hundred years." Wang Yi answered trembling, afraid that any word might anger Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"After several generations of the Wei family's management, Ge Bao City now has a population of several hundred thousand and can be said to be extremely prosperous."

"Previously, there were two hundred thousand defending troops in the city, but after Your Majesty's campaign, only about eighty or ninety thousand remain." A hint of apprehension flashed across Wang Yi's face; recalling Jiang Jiang Mingyu's thunderous campaign, he could not help but shiver.

"However, the grain in Ge Bao City is extremely sufficient; according to this general's estimate, it can at least sustain the city's garrison for three years." Speaking here, a tone of regret crept into Wang Yi's voice, and his eyes dimmed.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned slightly; although the enemy's numbers were not large, their grain reserves were terrifying. He rubbed his temples, his brows knitted tightly, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

If Wei Wei Yangyao recruits another three hundred thousand new soldiers in the city, they will quickly form combat strength while defending Ge Bao City.

In contrast, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's total forces, including the newly surrendered troops, barely amount to three hundred thousand.

These people, eating and drinking daily, must be supplied from the distant One Da Jiang; their consumption can only be described as astronomical.

At this stage, withdrawing troops is impossible, but even if One Da Jiang can afford the cost, they cannot move south to Ge Bao City in a short time.

Once transportation encounters problems and Wei Wei Yangyao's new troops gain momentum, what awaits Jiang Jiang Mingyu is utter disaster.

Moreover, even the figure of three hundred thousand is a very optimistic estimate, since there is still no news from Tu Tu Kesiluo's side.

Jing Xiang has only fifty thousand troops, but no one knows the capability of the defending general, Feng Cheng.

If Tu Tu Kesiluo suffers further losses, the difficulty of Jiang Jiang Mingyu attacking Ge Bao City will surely increase several-fold.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu silent and seemingly in a bad mood, Wang Yi quickly bowed and quietly exited the hall.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face turned iron-green, his fists clenched, veins bulging. His breathing also became somewhat rapid and irregular, clearly Wang Yi's words had brought him immense pressure.

After Wang Yi left, Jiang Jiang Mingyu paced back and forth in the hall. He thought rapidly of countermeasures, but helplessly, Ge Bao City was too hard to crack, the difficulty far exceeding his expectations.

Feng Feng Xiwei pushed the door open and entered the hall, his steps light and his expression serious. Jiang Jiang Mingyu was sitting in the main seat, hand supporting his cheek, lost in thought. Hearing the noise, he raised his eyes slightly; Feng Feng Xiwei bowed and then cut straight to the point:

"Your Majesty, the city's treasury is piled with quite a bit of grain; it seems the military grain Wei Wei Yangyao previously gave to Yan Hao was indeed withheld by Wang Yi."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu lightly "hmphed," his gaze still dull and lifeless, clearly still thinking about countermeasures for Ge Bao City and paying no attention to this.

Feng Feng Xiwei frowned, remained silent for a moment, then hesitated. After a while, he tentatively spoke: "Your Majesty, this subordinate has a question but does not know if it should be spoken?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu finally came to his senses, raised his eyes to look at Feng Feng Xiwei, and waved his hand to signal him to speak freely.

Feng Feng Xiwei looked around, and only after confirming no one was near did he approach Jiang Jiang Mingyu and lower his voice: "Your Majesty, Wang Yi absolutely cannot be kept alive."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu became interested, raising an eyebrow to ask: "And why is that?"

Feng Feng Xiwei's face darkened, and he spoke hoarsely: "Wang Yi is too poisonous; his surrender to our army today was a desperate measure. Regarding Yan Hao, a fellow comrade, he could withhold military grain for personal grudges; seeing Yan Hao's defeat and destruction, he showed no remorse at all, truly a heartless and unrighteous man."

Speaking thus, Feng Feng Xiwei's eyes revealed a murderous intent, his tone permeated with a strong bloodthirsty desire: "Your Majesty, think about it; if our army ever suffers a setback one day, how could Wang Yi not repay this arrow's worth of hatred? At that time, he will likely turn and bite our army!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered, sighed lightly: "I have long been prepared for what you say. But Wang Yi has just led his troops to surrender; if we cut off the roots without cause, it would be hard to justify. Besides, the surrendered soldiers in Ling Tai are all his confidants; if Wang Yi is executed, it will likely stir up new waves."

As if prepared beforehand, Feng Feng Xiwei suddenly raised his head, cold light flashing in his eyes: "In that case, why not fabricate a charge of treason against him, sufficient to take his life? At that time, the surrendered soldiers will have nothing to say, will they?"

A thought stirred in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart; after pondering for a moment, he finally nodded. He whispered instructions to Feng Feng Xiwei that this matter must not be exposed, or the consequences would be unimaginable. Feng Feng Xiwei respectfully agreed, excitement and hidden joy showing on his face, and quickly walked out of the hall to begin this secret task.

The sun gradually set, the setting sun slanting into the room, gilding Wang Yi with a golden rim. He sat alone in a chair, his face pale, eyes lifeless, his mouth corner twitching slightly.

He originally had only a personal grudge with Shi Zhuo and had no intention of treason. He had even prepared for a life-and-death struggle with Jiang Jiang Mingyu. But the imperial envoy sent did not give him a chance to explain, directly detaining his entire family and forcing him to rebel.

Wang Yi had intended to gain some profit while Jiang Jiang Mingyu campaigned south, but unexpectedly, his home base was completely wiped out. Thinking of this, he could not help but grit his teeth in secret, his fists clenched tightly.

Just as he was tormenting himself, a soldier outside announced that Jiang Jiang Mingyu wished to host a banquet for the generals of Ling Tai and invited him to attend.

Wang Yi let out a cold laugh, thinking Jiang Jiang Mingyu was truly eager to win hearts. But ultimately, he had to give the other party this face; he adjusted his appearance and went to the designated location.

He saw that the tent was filled entirely with his old subordinates, yet every face was filled with fear and despair. This scene made Wang Yi sigh inwardly.

Just as he was about to greet everyone, Feng Feng Xiwei suddenly strode into the tent.

"Everyone, Your Majesty has urgent matters and cannot come for now; I will host everyone on his behalf. Please take your seats."

Everyone looked at each other and could not say much, so they could only sit down. Feng Feng Xiwei raised his cup and drank heartily, yet did not say a single extra word.

Wang Yi found this strange; how could such a perfunctory act win hearts? Yet Feng Feng Xiwei showed no sign of drunkenness at all; cups clinked, and he looked full of spirit.

Seeing this, the other generals competed to toast Feng Feng Xiwei, hoping to curry favor with this important figure.

Everyone raised their cups; Wang Yi could only reluctantly respond. Feng Feng Xiwei drank nonstop, while Wang Yi and others gradually felt lightheaded.

Before long, the generals were all slumped over, none remaining conscious. Feng Feng Xiwei finally revealed a cunning smile; with a wave of his hand, the personal guards outside filed in one after another.

It turned out that the wine in the jars was all low-alcohol wine mixed with water; Feng Feng Xiwei was not truly drunk at all. He smiled meaningfully and signaled the personal guards to carry these drunk generals back to "rest."

The door opened again; this time, only Feng Feng Xiwei and a few personal guards walked out. Those drunk generals had already been taken back to rest.

Wang Yi woke up groggily from his sleep, having no memory of last night's events in his mind.

He rubbed his aching temples, trying hard to recall Jiang Jiang Mingyu's banquet, but only saw fragmented images flashing before his eyes. Why did such a grand banquet produce not the slightest effect? Was this merely an ordinary gathering?

Wang Yi could not figure it out no matter how hard he thought, and a wave of irritability rose in his heart. He paced back and forth, trying to find a reasonable explanation, but to no avail. At this moment, the sound of military boots trampling the ground suddenly came from outside; Wang Yi was startled, looked closely, and saw Feng Feng Xiwei leading a group of soldiers rushing in.

"Wang Yi, someone has accused you of intending treason and gathering a crowd to rebel; is this true?" Feng Feng Xiwei asked without warning, his tone permeated with coldness.

"Treason? This is a huge injustice!" Wang Yi's face changed drastically; he hurriedly shook his head and denied it. He spoke excitedly: "I have clearly submitted to One Da Jiang; how could I harbor such evil thoughts again? This must be a deliberate frame-up by someone with an agenda!"

Having spoken, he pressed his palms together and pleaded urgently, "I beg Your Excellency to investigate clearly and allow me to meet Your Majesty to explain the truth. I firmly believe Your Majesty's wise judgment will surely restore justice to me!"

Wang Yi's urgent tone and terrified expression indicated he had no actual intent to rebel. Feng Feng Xiwei nodded slightly and said, "In that case, we must follow procedure and search your residence to confirm there are no irregularities. If no evidence is found, this misunderstanding can be resolved."

Wang Yi breathed a huge sigh of relief and repeatedly thanked him. He thought to himself that as long as no evidence was found, he could clear this baseless accusation. So he happily spoke up first, "Thank you, Your Excellency, for your wise judgment. Please proceed!"

Feng Feng Xiwei then ordered soldiers to search Wang Yi's residence. After they left, Wang Yi secretly calculated that if he survived this crisis, he must strengthen his connection with Feng Feng Xiwei to have him protect him. Otherwise, he feared these groundless accusations would appear again.

Feng Feng Xiwei put on an air of official business and ordered his subordinates to turn the place upside down. Watching his residence being searched from top to bottom, Wang Yi still breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this farce was about to end.

Just then, a cry of surprise came from the study on the left, "Your Excellency, your subordinate has found something here!"

The soldier held a crumpled old paper with messy handwriting, looking strange and peculiar. Feng Feng Xiwei's brows furrowed tightly, and killing intent suddenly flared in his eyes. He snatched the paper and slammed it hard against Wang Yi's face.

"What is this?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

Wang Yi's face turned pale, and he felt cold sweat seeping down his back. It was actually a secret contract plotting rebellion; though the handwriting was messy, the two characters "Wang Yi" were clearly visible at the very top.

The contract stated that Jiang Jiang Mingyu had forcibly occupied Lingtai and stripped Wang Yi of his military power, causing great dissatisfaction among the people. At the end, dozens of blood-red Shou Yin were stamped, elevating Wang Yi as Emperor, with the intent to launch an uprising in Lingtai ten days later to overthrow Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

Wang Yi's head went boom with a single sound; this was clearly a baseless slander! He had never written such a document, nor conspired with anyone! Yet the signature on it was indeed in his own handwriting... How could this be explained?

Wang Yi's eyes turned blood-red as he denied it incoherently, while Feng Feng Xiwei's face remained cold as ice.

"The evidence is conclusive; what more do you have to argue?"

"Injustice! This is clearly a frame-up!" Wang Yi screamed hoarsely. His eyes rolled, and he vaguely guessed the mastermind behind the scenes was Jiang Jiang Mingyu himself.

He surmised that the banquet that day was merely a ruse; after everyone got drunk, they had stamped his signature. Only Jiang Jiang Mingyu possessed such sinister and vicious means.

Wang Yi was utterly disheveled, trembling like a sieve in the wind. He threw off the soldiers holding him and frantically accused, "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, you beast! I treated you like a son! I never expected you to slander me so!"

Feng Feng Xiwei flew into a rage and immediately ordered men to pin Wang Yi down, shouting harshly, "Shut up! You not only have evidence of rebellion but also dare to slander Your Majesty, adding another degree to your crime! Guards, throw him in the dungeon and arrest his accomplices as well!"

Wang Yi was forcefully pressed to the ground and bound tightly with five flowers. He continued to roar, screaming with a hoarse voice, "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, I will not forgive you! Feng Feng Xiwei, none of you will die well!"

One day later, Wang Yi and over a dozen former Lingtai generals were bound tightly with five flowers and taken to the marketplace for execution, the charge being "treason." Jiang Jiang Mingyu also generously stated that the mastermind had been eliminated, and any other soldiers who had privately colluded with him would never be lightly forgiven if they made any further moves.

For a moment, all the surrendered soldiers fell silent as if frozen by fear, terrified of inviting death upon themselves. With Wang Yi's head separated from his body, Jiang Jiang Mingyu also breathed a sigh of relief. However, he soon frowned tightly again.

Chu Zhaodu had already arrived from Tagang, and taking over the matter of Lingtai was manageable. But what still weighed heavily on his mind was Tu Tu Kesiluo, who had lost contact. These past days, he had sent Feng Feng Xiwei several times to inquire about Tu Tu Kesiluo's whereabouts, yet there was still no news.

Two days passed, and the scouts Feng Feng Xiwei sent toward Jingxiang were still like a mud ox entering the sea, with no return signal. Jiang Jiang Mingyu couldn't help but worry—could Tu Tu Kesiluo have encountered enemies in Jingxiang and met with disaster?

He thought to himself that the news of Lingtai's fall had surely been learned by Gebao City long ago. Wei Wei Yangyao would definitely reinforce Jingxiang and fight our army to the death. With only 70,000 men, if Tu Tu Kesiluo encountered the main force, he would likely not escape a tragic fate.

Thinking of this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu couldn't help but regret allowing He Jing to accompany him initially. Both loved to act on impulse; if they fell into a trap, they would surely drag down the overall situation. Now, the only option was to intensify the training of the surrendered soldiers and march to reinforce Jingxiang as soon as possible to help break the siege.

Just as Jiang Jiang Mingyu waited anxiously for reinforcements, the scouts sent by Feng Feng Xiwei finally returned one after another to report the situation. The leader knelt on the ground; days of travel had left him exhausted, but his voice was surprisingly loud:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, five days ago, the Prince captured Jingxiang and beheaded Feng Cheng. The entire Jingxiang prefecture is now under our army's control. Your subordinate rushed back day and night specifically to report this victory!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu slapped his thigh, breathed a long sigh of relief, and felt a heavy stone lift from his heart. Capturing Jingxiang made the western border's barrier invincible. Tu Tu Kesiluo indeed did not disappoint him!

The scout vividly recounted the entire process of Tu Tu Kesiluo capturing Jingxiang, causing everyone to lean in and listen intently.

He first solemnly stated that this great victory was entirely due to the Prince's brilliant strategy. Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu raised an eyebrow, thinking, since when did Tu Tu Kesiluo know how to use strategies? This made him listen even more intently to what followed.

The scout continued, saying the Prince considered that Feng Cheng had only 50,000 men and would surely not fight easily. Thus, he deliberately feigned exhaustion, ordered Xu Xiangwang to ambush secretly, while he himself led 30,000 troops to march directly on Jingxiang.

The troops along the way howled and made grandiose boasts, determined to win. More than ten li from Jingxiang, they could already hear our army's wild claims, vowing to level Jingxiang. Seeing our army's small numbers and lack of reinforcements, Feng Cheng simply disdained to prepare and led his 50,000 men to charge straight out.

At this moment, the Prince feigned a panicked retreat. Feng Cheng, greedy for merit and rash, fell for it and pursued. The two armies chased and clashed for several days until Feng Cheng finally chased them into a valley, intending to annihilate our army. Unexpectedly, the rear of the mountain erupted, and they were attacked from front and back.

Feng Cheng was greatly alarmed and, unable to react in time, was buried under rolling logs and stone arrows. The Prince seized the opportunity to launch the final total assault; the 50,000 Southern Border troops were annihilated in an instant, and Feng Cheng was beheaded beneath his horse...

Li Goudan, upon hearing this, couldn't help but clap and cheer. Ebu, seeing this, merely snorted coldly, saying he listened to military intelligence as if listening to a storybook. Jiang Jiang Mingyu, however, paid no mind, nodding enthusiastically and praising Tu Tu Kesiluo's decisive action in this battle, noting that through strategic planning, he had finally grown into a fierce general capable of holding his own.

Just as Jiang Jiang Mingyu breathed a sigh of relief, he frowned again and sternly asked why the report was so delayed. The scout helplessly replied, "This was all the Prince's idea; he insisted on giving Your Majesty a 'surprise'."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt like laughing and crying, thinking that these past days when he had been anxious about Tu Tu Kesiluo was the real "surprise." Although he had complaints, with the heavy stone finally lifted from his heart, he at last put this matter to rest.

Immediately, he summoned Feng Feng Xiwei into the tent and ordered more scouts to be dispatched to Gebao City to secretly probe the situation, insisting they bring back the latest military intelligence.

Feng Feng Xiwei accepted the order and left. Jiang Jiang Mingyu then ordered Ebu's trusted general, Sui Min, to lead 50,000 troops to reinforce Jingxiang. The soldiers and officers under his command dared not delay, immediately mobilizing troops and appointing generals to march toward the western border.

At this moment, Che Gang finally could not hold back and asked, "Your Majesty, once the spies return, are we to attack Gebao City directly?"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, his fists were already clenched tightly, and a hidden killing intent shone in his eyes. Regarding his former arch-enemy Wei Wei Yangyao, he hated him to the bone and had long been eager to try. Now that Jiang Jiang Mingyu finally nodded, a tide of killing intent surged in Che Gang's eyes.

"Correct, that day is about to arrive..." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression was indifferent, his gaze bright, subtly releasing a suffocating sense of pressure.

Che Gang shivered all over, barely suppressing his excitement. Seeing this, the other generals also fell silent, terrified that a single moment of distraction would be suppressed by Jiang Jiang Mingyu's killing intent at this moment.

The air was utterly silent. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze was bright, staring straight ahead. Faintly visible in his eyes were flickering flames of Xiong Xiong, just like the war intent and hatred churning in his heart... On this southern expedition, he was determined to crush Wei Wei Yangyao into powder and exact justice for all the past conspiracies and schemes!