Chapter 1097: Probing the Truth

"My lord can be so frank, and I am very gratified." Li Ru bowed, his tone carrying a bit of sincerity and relief, "Lin's talent is overflowing, and he is wise and brave. He is truly the hope for the future of the Xiliang Army. Although I am untalented, I will definitely do my best to assist Lin, to repay your kindness of knowing me, and also not to fail the friendship with Heng'er."

Hearing this, Dong Zhuo's eyes flashed with relief. He patted Li Ru on the shoulder and laughed, "With these words from you, I can rest assured. Bai'er and Lin are young, and there will be many twists and turns on the road ahead. With a wise man like you guiding them on the side, I can also be much more at ease."

"My lord, you overpraise me. This is my duty." Li Ru said modestly, and then changed the subject, "However, regarding the matter of Yizhou, what are your plans? Although Liu Yan is old, Yizhou has dangerous terrain and rich people. If not handled properly, I fear it will become a worry for our army."

Dong Zhuo pondered for a moment and said, "The matter of Yizhou indeed needs to be treated with caution. Although Liu Yan has not established an heir, his son Liu Zhang is weak, and Liu Mao is also not a great talent. I fear internal chaos will soon arise in Yizhou. The top priority for our army now is to stabilize Chang'an, repair roads, and wait for the right time to plan for Yizhou." ===== CHAPTER 1791 =====

"My lord's insight is excellent." Li Ru nodded in agreement, "The land of Yizhou is best taken peacefully. If that doesn't work, it needs to be pacified quickly with the force of a thunderbolt. It's just that in this process, Zhang Lu's attitude cannot be ignored."

"Zhang Lu?" Dong Zhuo narrowed his eyes, "Although this person occupies Hanzhong, he is ambitious and may not be willing to be used by me. However, if he can know the current affairs, I don't mind giving him a way to live."

"My lord's words are very true." Li Ru echoed, "If Zhang Lu can be used by me, then Hanzhong can be a springboard for our army to advance into Yizhou; if he is obsessed and not realizing his mistake, our army also needs to prepare early to prevent him from becoming a threat to our flank."

Just as they were talking, a guard hurried in, knelt on one knee, and reported, "Reporting to my lord, someone claiming to be an envoy from Yizhou is requesting an audience, saying there is an important matter to discuss."

"Oh?" Dong Zhuo raised his eyebrows and looked at Li Ru, "An envoy from Yizhou? Coming at this time is interesting. Wenyou, what do you think?"

Li Ru smiled slightly and said, "My lord might as well see him. Perhaps we can peek into the internal movements of Yizhou from this, which will be of great benefit to our future layout."

Dong Zhuo nodded and ordered, "Bring the envoy here."

Before long, a middle-aged scholar dressed in gorgeous clothes with a tired face was led into the hall. As soon as he saw Dong Zhuo, he immediately bowed, "Zhang Song, an official of Yizhou, greets Prime Minister Dong."

"Zhang Song?" Dong Zhuo looked him up and down, "You have come to Chang'an—for what purpose?"

Zhang Song looked up, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes, and said, "I have come here for the future of Yizhou. Governor Liu (Liu Yan) is old, the heir has not been decided, and there are undercurrents within Yizhou. I fear that once Governor Liu passes away, Yizhou will fall into chaos, so I have specifically come to seek the assistance of Prime Minister Dong."

Dong Zhuo exchanged a glance with Li Ru, both having realized something. Dong Zhuo feigned pondering and said, "The matter of Yizhou is your internal affair. How can I intervene?"

Zhang Song heard this and said unhurriedly, "Prime Minister Dong is a hero of the world, and the Xiliang Army is famous throughout the four seas. If Yizhou can get the protection of the Prime Minister, it will definitely be stable. Moreover, although Governor Liu had grievances with the Prime Minister in the past, I think that with a great enemy currently, we should join hands and move forward together to resist the foreign insult."

"Great enemy? What enemy?" Dong Zhuo feigned ignorance.

Zhang Song said, "The southern barbarians often harass us; Liu Biao in Jingzhou to the east is eyeing us covetously; in addition, Zhang Lu occupies Hanzhong, posing a direct threat to Yizhou. If Yizhou is in chaos, not only will the peace of the Prime Minister's western front be difficult to guarantee, but I fear the situation of the world will change because of this."

Li Ru interjected, "Official Zhang's words are reasonable. However, if Yizhou seeks help from our Xiliang, what will be the reward?"

Zhang Song was well-prepared and replied, "I am willing to persuade Governor Liu to recognize the Prime Minister's sovereignty over Hanzhong and am willing to form an alliance with Xiliang to jointly resist foreign enemies. In addition, Yizhou's supplies can also be supplied to Xiliang in appropriate amounts to show sincerity."

After listening, Dong Zhuo secretly calculated. Zhang Song's coming here was undoubtedly the result of the intensification of internal conflicts within Liu Yan's camp. If Yizhou was in chaos, for Xiliang, it was both an opportunity and a challenge. He looked at Li Ru, saw the latter nod slightly, and said, "Official Zhang's intention, I already know. You go back to the hostel to rest first, and after I discuss with my advisors, I will give you an answer."

Zhang Song bowed and retreated, but his heart was uneasy. He knew that his bet this time was huge; once it failed, not only would he be unable to escape punishment, but the future of Yizhou would also be even more bleak.

After Zhang Song left, Dong Zhuo laughed, "Wenyou, it seems this Zhang Song was sent by Liu Yan to probe our Xiliang's bottom line. What do you think?"

Li Ru stroked his beard and said, "My lord, Zhang Song's words are half true and half false. Yizhou is indeed turbulent internally, but what he seeks is probably not as simple as just assistance. I think we can take this opportunity to probe the true strength of Yizhou, and at the same time, we can also put pressure on Zhang Lu to make him not dare to act rashly."

"Hmm, Wenyou's plan is wonderful." Dong Zhuo nodded, "In this way, you will be responsible for dealing with Zhang Song and probing his background. At the same time, send an envoy to Hanzhong to warn Zhang Lu and make him behave himself."

Li Ru received the order and left. Dong Zhuo looked out the window, secretly pondering: The situation of the world is gradually becoming confusing, and Xiliang will definitely play a pivotal role in this chaotic world. ===== CHAPTER 1792 =====