Chapter 749
Fabricating scandals causes the Han army to lose the hearts of the people!
"Now that the Han army has taken over Da Liao Ward, why not replace it with their own people instead of letting the original manager go and continue running the business?"
"Your Majesty, according to our scouts, the manager of the Da Liao Warehouse is a woman, without much cunning or threat. The Han army took pity on her because she was alone and pitiful, so they allowed her to continue running the Da Liao Warehouse, which can be considered as giving her a way out."
Li Xu quickly explained.
Upon hearing this, the doubt in Gongsun Kang's eyes gradually dissipated, and he then said in a deep voice:
"In that case, send someone to contact this manager and negotiate carefully. You must find a way to get those profits from Da Liao Fang back into our hands."
"The minister obeys the order."
Li Xu bowed and accepted the order, but then hesitated.
"But Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance and requires us to secretly negotiate with the Han army. Who would be the most suitable person to send?"
Gongsun Kang pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke:
“Let Yuan’er go. He made a mistake in his previous work. This time, we will give him a chance to redeem himself. If he can do it well, we will forgive him. If he messes it up, he will have to accept his punishment.”
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will make the arrangements immediately."
Li Xu already understood, bowed in agreement, and then turned to convey the order.
"and many more."
Just as Li Xu was about to leave the study, Gongsun Kang suddenly called out to him:
"Are there any other unusual situations in Fangcheng? Please tell us as well."
Li Xu immediately stopped, turned around, and bowed again in reply:
"Your Majesty, in addition to this, the scouts have also reported that the people of Fangcheng now hold the Han army in high esteem, are grateful for the Han army's kindness, and are very respectful to the Han army on a daily basis. Many people have even taken the initiative to join the Han army and have already turned their hearts to the Han army."
"This is outrageous!"
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Kang's anger was reignited.
The deficit of 100 million yuan has been difficult to fill, and the hearts of the people in Fangcheng are quietly being lost.
Gongsun Kang's brows furrowed, his expression full of helplessness.
The people's hearts are the foundation of one's existence. If one loses the trust of the people, even if the deficit in the treasury is filled, the foundation will ultimately be shaken.
After pondering for a long time, a ruthless glint flashed in Gongsun Kang's eyes. He looked up at Li Xu, who was standing below the steps, and said in a deep voice:
"Immediately send people to create some scandals involving the Han army, the more realistic the better, so that the people of Fangcheng will feel resentment towards the Han army and complain loudly, and win back their hearts."
Upon hearing this, Li Xu quickly bowed and accepted the order:
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately. I shall take my leave now."
After saying this, he bowed respectfully, turned around, and quietly left the study.
After that, they went straight to Gongsun Yuan's bedroom.
This matter requires the personal supervision of Crown Prince Gongsun Yuan to ensure its success.
At this moment, the air inside Gongsun Yuan's bedroom was filled with the fragrance of medicine.
Gongsun Yuan was sitting on a soft couch, his shoulders wrapped in thick white silk. His attendant was carefully changing the dressing on his wound. The slightest movement caused him to frown, but he forced himself to remain silent.
He had been injured while traveling with the army and had been recuperating in his bedchamber for days, which made the proud and arrogant Su Lai very angry.
"Sir."
After entering, Li Xu first bowed respectfully to Gongsun Yuan.
Gongsun Yuan glanced up and saw it was Li Xu. The gloom on his face eased slightly, and he quickly raised his hand to signal:
"Prime Minister Li has arrived. Please have a seat."
Then, he raised his voice to the outside of the hall and gave the following instructions:
"Someone, pour Prime Minister Li a cup of hot tea."
"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities. I've come today with important matters to report to you, so there's no need to trouble the servants."
Li Xu waved his hand, politely declining the offer of tea, and looked slowly at Gongsun Yuan with a meaningful smile on his face.
Gongsun Yuan's heart stirred, and a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes:
"Prime Minister Li, if you have any important matters to discuss, please speak frankly without beating around the bush."
He knew that Li Xu was usually calm and composed, and would never come to him in such a hurry unless it was something important.
Li Xu stepped forward, lowered his voice, and slowly said:
"Your Highness, our scouts reported today that the manager of Da Liao Ward in Fangcheng is still the same person. His Majesty has been thinking it over and wants Your Highness to go and investigate secretly to see if this person is reliable and loyal."
He paused, then added:
"If this person is reliable, then order him to secretly create scandals about the Han army, spread rumors, and disturb the hearts of the people of Fangcheng, so as to help the king get out of his current predicament."
"After all, with a deficit of 100 million yuan still unrecovered, the loss of public support would have unimaginable consequences."
After hearing Li Xu's words, Gongsun Yuan's lips unconsciously curled up, revealing his arrogance, and even the pain in his shoulder seemed to lessen.
He waved his hand with a smile, his tone full of boastfulness:
"Prime Minister Li, rest assured, I had already anticipated this matter."
"Oh? The young master has already made all the arrangements?"
Li Xu feigned surprise.
"That's natural."
Gongsun Yuan grew increasingly smug, his tone smug and self-satisfied:
"I sent men to infiltrate Fangcheng to gather information, and they reported back this morning."
"The manager of the Liaofang Market has always been loyal to the Liao Dynasty and has long been dissatisfied with the Han army. He will cooperate fully with just one order from me, the Crown Prince. There is no need to waste any more words."
As he spoke, he deliberately raised his chin, looking confident and in control, as if he had everything under his control.
Seeing this, Li Xu quickly nodded approvingly and flattered him:
"Your Highness is wise and far-sighted, far exceeding my expectations. You are truly a blessing to our Great Liao."
This compliment made Gongsun Yuan even more proud, and the smile on his face grew even wider.
He immediately instructed his attendants:
"Bring me paper and a pen!"
The servant dared not delay and quickly brought out a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, which he then laid out on the table.
Despite the discomfort in his shoulder, Gongsun Yuan personally picked up a pen and wrote a letter detailing the mission. After sealing it, he summoned his trusted aides and solemnly instructed them:
"Immediately send this letter to Fangcheng and deliver it to the manager of Da Liao Ward. Do not make any mistakes!"
The trusted confidant accepted the order, carefully took the letter, and tucked it into his bosom.
...
Nothing happened that night. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the city gates of Fangcheng slowly opened.
The man Gongsun Yuan sent disguised himself as an ordinary merchant and mingled among the crowd entering the city, carefully stepping into Fangcheng.
The mission was arduous, and we dared not be careless in the slightest. We scanned our surroundings vigilantly, afraid of revealing any flaws.
Little did he know that from the moment he stepped through the city gates, he had been targeted by the Han army who were secretly patrolling.
The Han army was prepared and had been closely watching the strangers entering the city for days. This man was in a hurry and acted suspiciously, so he did not escape the eyes of the Han army. Several Han soldiers quietly followed behind him and secretly observed his every move.
This person was focused on completing the task as quickly as possible and getting a reply, and was completely unaware that he was being followed.
He avoided the bustling streets and alleys, heading straight towards Daliaofang, not daring to stop for a moment, for fear of delaying important matters.
Before long, he arrived at the gate of Da Liao Fang.
The shop gate was open, and several servants were busy tidying up the shop. Seeing him approach, one of the servants recognized him from yesterday. He quickly stepped forward, a smile plastered on his face, and whispered:
"Please come in, sir. I'll take you to the backyard right away."
The servant didn't ask any questions and led him through the front shop and all the way to the back courtyard.
He stopped in front of a side room and gently knocked on the door.
"Shopkeeper, the distinguished guest who came yesterday is here again and is waiting outside the door."
Inside the room, Gongsun Rong sat by the window, holding a book in her hands, but she was somewhat absent-minded, her thoughts already drifting back to the distance.
Hearing the servant's words, she froze, nearly dropping the book in her hand, her eyes filled with astonishment.
She thought yesterday that this matter was of great importance and that the other party would definitely not come again for some time. She never expected that they would come so quickly.
After a brief moment of surprise, Gongsun Rong quickly composed herself, steadied herself, and called out towards the door:
"Okay, let him in."
The servant responded, turned around and gestured "please" to the person, then quietly retreated and gently closed the courtyard gate.
The man took a deep breath, pushed open the door and went in, his eyes fixed on Gongsun Rong.
Gongsun Rong quickly stood up, adopting a humble demeanor and lowering her posture considerably.
"I wonder if you have any important matters to discuss with me today, sir?"
She lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting wariness that crossed them.
The man didn't beat around the bush; he got straight to the point and said in a deep voice:
"Your lord has given you a task; you must complete it properly."
Upon hearing the words "My Lord," a glimmer of hope flashed in Gongsun Rong's eyes. She quickly raised her head and asked:
"Please enlighten me, sir. What are the Lord's orders? I will gladly die for you."
"The lord commands you to secretly create conflict with the Han army in Fangcheng, spread rumors and scandals about the Han army, disturb the hearts of the people of Fangcheng, and make them resent the Han army."
The man spoke slowly, taking out several sealed letters from his robes and handing them to Gongsun Rong:
"This is a letter from the Lord to you with a mission. It contains detailed instructions. Please read it carefully."
Gongsun Rong hurriedly took the letter with both hands, clutching it tightly in her hands, as if it were her only hope of returning to her homeland.
She carefully put the letter away, looked up at the person, and asked softly:
"My lord, have you had the pleasure of meeting the Lord on this trip?"
The man nodded and replied calmly:
"Of course I've seen it."
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Rong's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and her voice became pitiful, tinged with sobs:
"Then... has the Lord said when I can go back? I've been here for too long, I long to go back..."
Seeing her like this, the man's heart stirred slightly, and his tone softened a little:
"You don't need to be anxious. The master has already given instructions that as long as you complete this mission properly and earn enough money, you will be allowed to go back and will no longer need to stay here in hiding."
"Really?"
Gongsun Rong was overjoyed. She looked up sharply, staring at the person in disbelief, as if afraid she had misheard.
"Of course it's true."
The man nodded, his tone certain:
"The Lord always keeps his word. As long as you complete the mission and take one hundred million coins to the designated location, you will be able to return safely and reunite with your family."
"I see..."
Gongsun Rong's tone suddenly turned icy, and her eyes instantly sharpened, a stark contrast to her previous pitiful demeanor.
"Then I can go back, so you don't need to go back."
Before she could finish speaking, Gongsun Rong flashed and rushed towards the door, her movements so fast that no one could react in time.
The man stood there, stunned, unable to react for a moment, his face full of astonishment, completely unaware of what had happened.
Why did Gongsun Rong, who was so pitiful just a moment ago, suddenly become so abnormal?
Before he could react, Gongsun Rong had already rushed out of the room and was shouting loudly towards the courtyard gate:
"Guards! Seize him! He's an enemy spy, trying to sow discord among the people of Fangcheng. Take him down immediately!"
As soon as Gongsun Rong's shout fell, footsteps sounded from all around, and instantly, dozens of Han soldiers, armed with sharp blades, quickly surrounded her.
The man froze, his face contorted in shock. His composure crumbled instantly, and his eyes darted frantically at the approaching Han soldiers. He was momentarily at a loss, unsure how to escape.
He never expected that Gongsun Rong was actually a member of the Han army, and that he had fallen into a trap from beginning to end.
Before he could react, two Han soldiers stepped forward, grabbed his arms on either side, and pushed him to the ground. Cold iron chains instantly wrapped around his wrists and ankles, locking him firmly in place.
The moment he was taken down, he struggled to lift his head, glaring at Gongsun Rong, and hoarsely cursed:
"You traitor! You have actually betrayed the Great Liao and our lord! If our lord finds out about this, he will surely not let you off the hook. You will be punished by heaven and suffer a terrible death!"
Faced with his hysterical outburst, Gongsun Rong remained calm and composed, simply standing quietly in place.
Just then, a deep voice came from outside the courtyard gate:
"Let your lord come up here. I, the Grand Marshal, want to see how much guts he has to run wild in Fangcheng."
As soon as the words were spoken, all the Han soldiers turned around, knelt on one knee, and clasped their hands in a fist salute, saying:
"Greetings, Grand Marshal!"
Gongsun Rong quickly turned around and stepped forward, holding the letter she had taken from the spy in both hands. She respectfully handed it to Xiao He and said softly:
"Grand Marshal, this is the secret letter we found on him. Please take a look."
Xiao He took the letter, pulled out the paper, and read it carefully. After a moment, a smile appeared on his lips, and he handed the letter to Ma Su beside him.
Ma Su took the letter, quickly read it, and handed it back to Xiao He, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
Then, Xiao He looked up at the escorting spy and sneered:
"It's a pity that your carefully planned scheme has ultimately come to nothing and can never be realized."
After saying that, he said in a deep voice:
"Men, take him away and lock him in a cell. Interrogate him later and make sure to extract all the information he has to say."
Then, he turned to Ma Su and Fei Yi and gave them instructions:
"You and Wenwei will go to the cell to interrogate him later. Be thorough and don't overlook any clues."
"Here!"
Ma Su and Fei Yi accepted the order in unison, bowing in agreement.
Xiao He looked at Gongsun Rong again, a hint of approval on his face, and said gently:
"You did a great job. You've done a great service. Go back and take care of the tavern. You'll be rewarded later."
"Yes, Grand Marshal Xie."
Gongsun Rong bowed respectfully, then turned and left the backyard.
...
The cell was dark and damp, filled with a pungent smell of mold and blood.
Ma Su and Fei Yi entered the cell, their eyes falling on the spy who was tied to a stone pillar.
Ma Su turned to Fei Yi and asked bluntly:
"Will you conduct the interrogation or should I?"
Fei Yi leaned against the stone wall and waved his hand:
"Go if you want, I don't care. Anyway, you're more skilled than me at interrogation." (End of Chapter)