Chapter 346

"Lurking for a long time?" Jiang Jinshi grasped this information keenly; didn't this mean Beijiang had been targeted long ago?

"That's right!" Wang Hou lowered his voice and said: "I don't know if you remember Fengyue Lou, Big Brother?"

"Fengyue... Lou..."

Jiang Jinshi pondered for a moment, then suddenly raised his head, his tone somewhat uncertain, "When our Yangguangzhai first started going up to Lianhuan Shan, that something Snake seemed to have hired assassins from Fengyue Lou; I remember that happening!"

"That's right!"

Wang Hou nodded, "According to our current information, Fengyue Lou appeared in Beijiang about four or five years ago; as for whether they exist in other places, we don't know."

"So, who is behind this Fengyue Lou is still unknown?"

"Indeed unknown! Their contacts are very covert, and since they appeared in Beijiang early on, it's difficult to investigate for the time being!"

Speaking of this, Wang Hou felt somewhat ashamed; having other people's spies on his own turf was his problem!

Jiang Jinshi nodded but did not blame Wang Hou: "No matter! No matter whose people they are, as long as our own strength is strong enough, it won't affect the outcome."

Since someone had planted pawns in Beijiang long ago, their covertness went without saying, so blaming Wang Hou for this was naturally inappropriate.

"Lord, next I will do my best to ferret out Fengyue Lou!"

"Hmm! Investigate slowly! You'll always catch some clues!" Jiang Jinshi thought of something and added: "Then you can arrange this matter yourself; transfer Yan Wu and Nie Fengyun and the others to the front line! There are still a few days before the Imperial Court's troops arrive!"

"Yes!"

The next day, inside the second pass on the front line, Luo Feng, with his bare upper body wrapped in two layers of linen, came to the city wall just after resting.

The battlefield had been cleared, but the air was still filled with a mixture of blood, sweat, and herbal medicine.

Although the Ming Army's casualties were not many, it was not an easy task to take the two passes.

Jiang Jinshi's golden sore medicine seemed plentiful, but in front of such a large army, the quantity seemed insufficient, so they had to save where they could.

Zhang Honghong, Bai Ting, and others stood on the pass wall, their eyes locked on the last pass.

Bai Ting pointed to one side of the third pass and said: "I have already sent the best scouts to look at this place; it is even more precipitous than the previous cliffs, and since the garrison has suffered losses, they must have added sentry posts and rolling stones to the mountaintops on both sides. Climbing the cliff... is almost impossible."

Luo Feng sighed, "The city wall is so high, taking it will definitely not be an easy task."

Zhang Honghong scratched his head, clearly having no ideas in his head: "This turtle shell is too hard! If we attack by force, even if we fill in all our tens of thousands of people, we might not be able to gnaw it down before Yang Jiye arrives!"

"We have already taken two passes; if we use the soldiers' lives to fill this pit, it would be somewhat counterproductive!" Bai Ting shook his head.

The reason they had to take Guansongling even by force before was because only by occupying this natural barrier could they contend with the Imperial Court and protect the Beijiang behind them.

Now that they had taken two passes, they could at least ensure that the Imperial Court's army was kept outside the door.

Luo Feng, however, had different thoughts: "If we can't take this last pass, then at most we will be in a stalemate with the Imperial Court; the Imperial Court can't get in, and Beijiang can't expand outward."

It was just that facing this last and strongest fortress, a frontal assault seemed to be the only choice, but the cost was something neither he nor Jiang Jinshi wanted to see.

"A frontal assault is the worst strategy." Luo Feng spoke after thinking for a long time, "Even if we win, it will be a pyrrhic victory. We still need to save our strength to deal with Yang Jiye, not to mention the subsequent Imperial Court army. We must find a way to open this last pass from the inside."

"Open it from the inside?" Bai Ting frowned, "I have read the information Wang Hou gave; the garrison commander here has mediocre military skills, but he is oily, greedy for money, and afraid of death, and he only managed to get to where he is today by drilling and fawning.

He saw with his own eyes how the first two passes were broken; now he must be scared to death and will definitely guard it strictly. How could he open the gate from the inside?"

"It is precisely because he is greedy for money and afraid of death, and has seen the fate of the first two passes with his own eyes, that there is an opportunity to be exploited."

Luo Feng's eyes were intriguing: "If he is afraid of death, give him a way to live, or even a better path. If he is greedy for money, give him a price more tempting than the Imperial Court's salary."

"Persuade him to surrender?" Zhang Honghong's eyes lit up.

"It's not just persuading the garrison commander to surrender." Luo Feng stood up straight, "This matter still needs Wang Hou to handle it!"

"Wang Hou was in Guangwu City yesterday and is still on the road today; he hasn't reached the front line."

"Send a message! Speed it up!" Luo Feng waved his hand, clearly having a plan in mind.

After Wang Hou arrived, Luo Feng immediately stepped forward to ask: "How many of your people are inside the third pass and can be used now? Can they contact Li Mao or the military officers under him?"

Wang Hou thought for a moment: "The garrison commander is Li Mao; his personal protection is very strict, but there are two deputy lieutenants, one surnamed Zhao and one surnamed Qian, who are mid-level military officers with real power inside the pass. Our people can find a way to pass a message."

"Good!"

Luo Feng nodded, "Immediately have your people send messages to Li Mao and the two deputy lieutenants, Zhao and Qian, respectively. The letter to Li Mao should be polite in tone, but must point out the stakes!

Now that the Imperial Court's reinforcements have not arrived and the first two passes of Guansongling have been lost, he is guarding an isolated pass; how long can he hold it?

When Yang Jiye arrives, the first person he will likely hold accountable is him, the deputy general who lost two passes in a row!

Our Ming Army acts on behalf of Heaven to punish the rebellious and is thirsty for talent.

If General Li can wake up and offer the pass to surrender, not only will his past crimes not be investigated, but his wealth and status can be preserved.

Under the Lord's command, he might even be able to obtain a position as a general with real power, which is better than being a garrison commander here who is terrified all day long."

He paused and continued: "The letters to the two deputy lieutenants, Zhao and Qian, should be direct and frank.

Tell them that Li Mao is incompetent and has implicated the three armies.

The Imperial Court treats the border troops harshly, deducts their rations, and treacherous officials like Si Gui are greedy and corrupt; the brothers bleed and risk their lives, yet can't even support their families.

The Lord in Beijiang distributes land, reduces taxes, treats soldiers well, and rewards merit.

If they have the courage and insight, they should know that a good bird chooses its tree to perch on.

If they can offer the pass, it will be the first merit of turning back; the Lord will definitely not let them down, with high official positions and generous salaries, and their families will be protected!"

"A strategy of sowing discord?" Wang Hou was thoughtful.

"It's pointing out a clear path for smart people."

Luo Feng shook his head and continued, "Li Mao might hesitate and want to wait to sell at a high price.

But those two, Zhao and Qian, watched their comrades die before their eyes and are ruled by an incompetent general like Li Mao; how can they not have resentment in their hearts?

Give them a chance, a reason, and perhaps... Li Mao's nod won't be needed."

"Wonderful!"

Bai Ting clapped his hands, "Even if they don't act immediately, as long as they have the idea in their hearts, the pass will no longer be an iron plate! When we attack the city, there might be an opportunity to exploit!"