Chapter 604 Xu Jianwen's Killing Game
Chapter 604 Xu Jianwen's Killing Game
How to kill Prince Jing?
Zhao Duan depends on the princess as a hidden chess piece, but he cannot rely on her completely.
Not to mention that he hadn't contacted Lu Yan'er for such a long time, he couldn't bet everything on the princess's position at the critical moment.
Even if Lu Yan'er succeeded in backstabbing, given Prince Jing's deep thoughts, would he not have any means of self-defense?
Therefore, in Zhao Duan's plan, there may only be one chance to take action against Prince Jing. Therefore, the longer the time limit of the military order is, the less anxious he should be and he should take it slow.
In addition, Prince Jing has gone to Binhaidao at this moment, so Zhao Duan’s top priority is to eliminate the enemies in Huting first to further boost morale.
A new official has three things to do when he takes office. If he fails to get off to a good start after replacing Xue Shence, it will inevitably make it difficult to lead the team.
And inciting Jiang Wangsun to rebel was a breakthrough.
"Yes!"
Song Jinxi nodded immediately, turned around and was about to make arrangements, but after a few steps, he suddenly stopped:
"Sir, when shall we meet? Where shall we meet?"
Zhao Duan thought for a moment and said:
"As soon as possible, let the other party propose it. I will decide the location temporarily when the time comes, but the meeting place must be within the territory we occupy."
He had to consider the possibility that Jiang Wangsun was "pretending to surrender."
If Zhao Duan went to the rebel territory to meet them and was ambushed by Jiang Wangsun, that would be a lot of fun.
Although he has been promoted to a high level in the world, there must be no shortage of experts among the Jiancheng rebels.
It's better to be careful.
Song Jinxi took the order and left, leaving only Zhao Duan and Mochou in the hall.
Mo Chou looked at him, and then slowly spoke:
"The other party is insisting on seeing you, I'm afraid it won't be that easy to surrender."
Zhao Duan said with a smile:
"I'm not afraid of him making demands, I'm just afraid he won't be tempted. Besides, once we meet, he won't be able to put on airs. But in fact, compared to this Jiang Wangsun, I'm more interested in the mysterious Xu Counselor."
Don't frown:
"Do you have any guesses about his identity?"
After all, they are old rivals who have been fighting for a long time in the capital, and Mochou has a very strong sixth sense.
Zhao Duan glanced at her, laughed and said:
"I just came here, what can I guess? I just think that if the identity is not a problem, there is no need to hide it. Didn't you say in the meeting just now that this Xu has been hiding his appearance? Hiding his head and showing his tail?"
Really?
I feel like you are just trying to fool me... Mo Chou was suspicious, but she also knew that if Zhao Duan didn't say anything, she wouldn't be able to get anything out of him, so she simply stopped asking and asked:
"Your Majesty, is she...well these days?"
Tsk... this sentence really expresses a feeling of deep sorrow... just like a lovesick patient.
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"Yes, I ate well, slept well, and I am here to accompany Your Majesty in the capital. It's great."
Seeing his servile appearance, Mo Chou got angry and sneered:
"You think I will believe it?"
Zhao Duan had a serious expression on his face. He suddenly stood up and walked step by step to Mochou until they were so close that they could hear each other's breathing.
What are you going to do... Mo Chou suddenly panicked, her hands subconsciously clenched her thighs, and her body stiffened.
But Zhao Duan put his lips close to her ear and exhaled hot air:
"Your Majesty, she is...very smooth."
Mo Chou's brain briefly crashed, and she didn't react. After a moment's distraction, her face suddenly turned red from the neck upwards, like a bottle of red wine with foam rising from it. She gritted her teeth, her eyes contemptuous:
"Pah, I think you are talking in your sleep!"
This playboy... I had changed my mind about this guy and even apologized outside the city... Mochou just wanted to slap herself in the face at this moment.
She didn't believe the scumbag's talk. Based on her understanding of His Majesty, even if the marriage had been proposed, it would be impossible for her to go beyond the etiquette with a man as long as the marriage was not concluded.
Therefore, Mochou concluded that Zhao Duan was deliberately trying to make her angry.
Unfortunately, she didn't know about the bloody battle in Baihua Village...
"Hahaha."
The bitch Zhao Duan retreated as soon as he was provoked, put his hands behind his back, looked up to the sky and laughed as he walked out.
The serious and modest Mo Zhaorong was not funny at all, and this familiar look made him feel more relieved.
……
After walking out of the hall, Zhao Duan asked someone about the whereabouts of Yuxiu and others.
It was learned that the three accompanying sorceresses were placed in a courtyard next door.
Zhao Duan walked through the small door and entered a simple and elegant courtyard.
He pushed open the door of the main room with both hands, and all three women were inside.
The Jade Sleeve Priest, who had returned to her Taoist robes and nun attire, was sitting at a round table with Ji Yue, eating melon seeds while a brazier was burning brightly on the ground.
Pieces of melon seed shells fell in and were quickly ignited and carbonized.
Jin Jian was lying on his side on the bed, groaning softly, as if he was asleep.
"Are you done with your work?" The nun asked calmly, Yuxiu turning her head to see him come in.
"How can I finish my work? I just finished a meeting. I need to take a break. I will be busy again later."
Zhao Duan walked over with a smile, grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the table, and ate them in his palm.
Yuxiu sneered in dissatisfaction:
"No one comes to visit you for no reason. Tell me, what are you doing here?"
Priest, why do you look at people like this?
Zhao Duan was sad. He said with a playful smile:
"I may need to meet someone secretly later, and I would like to ask a priest to accompany me. Just as a precaution."
When meeting with Jiang Wangsun, Zhao Duan did not dare to be careless and decided to make full preparations to avoid any misstep and fall into an ambush.
However, it is impossible to bring too many people to such a secret meeting, especially the top experts in the court here in Hu Ting.
Although he had "Pei Niannu" and the wild god "Dragon Girl" on him, Zhao Duan was not prepared to use them.
There are too many experts on the front line, so he has decided that he will never summon "Pei Niannu" unless it is necessary on the eastern battlefield.
Because once Pei Niannu's existence is discovered, it is very likely that Princess Lu Yan'er will be exposed as a hidden chess piece.
This is an unacceptable loss.
As for the "Dragon Girl", Zhao Duan is also prepared to use her as a trump card. It should be noted that any trump card hidden now may play a decisive role in the subsequent decisive battle with Prince Jing.
If he hides these two cards, the only thing Zhao Duan can use openly is his own martial arts skills.
But who knows if there is a master of magic among the rebels, and what he is doing secretly by taking advantage of this meeting?
Therefore, he planned to bring at least one priest with him to eliminate the risk.
As for Ji Yue, although he is also a sorcerer, his methods are too simple, so he is the last choice.
Yuxiu stared at him coldly:
"Commander Zhao, I have said that there are rules in our Tianshi Mansion. Please ask for help from someone else."
I hate women with strong principles... You will never be able to get married if you are like this... Zhao Duan was helpless and furious.
Sitting at the table with disheveled hair, Ji Yue, who was cosplaying as Sadako, raised her hand cautiously: "Sir, I can..."
Zhao Duan stared at Yu Xiu angrily:
"I'm not here to invite you, I'm here to look for Junior Sister Jin Jian!"
"..." Ji Yue weakly put down her hand and buried her head in her chest in disappointment, feeling that she was being rejected.
Yuxiu retorted with a sneer:
"You can't just buy a golden tablet if you want to. Don't think you have a few bucks..."
The moment she said the word "money", Jin Jian, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, suddenly stopped snoring, and his crystal clear little ears stood up!
"..." Yuxiu shut up instantly and held her breath.
"Huff, huff, huff..." Jin Jian's snoring resumed and his ears collapsed.
Damn... is it so sensitive? Zhao Duan was shocked. He looked at the bed, pondered for a moment, and asked tentatively: "Money..."
"Hu...Ga." The snoring stopped and the ears stood up again.
"...I received a letter the day before yesterday..." Zhao Duan changed the subject.
Jin Jian's ears drooped again.
Zhao Duan changed the subject: "There is a banknote in the letter..."
"Snap!" The little ears stood up again, like a human antenna, and even kicked their legs. "...an expired bill is like waste paper."
Jin Jian's tense body relaxed again in her sleep. She turned over, mumbled something, and had a sweet sleep.
Three people: "..."
Yuxiu felt a little headache, raised her hand to interrupt Zhao Duan, her eyes were stern, like the dean in school who protected girls from being seduced by bad people:
"Commander Zhao, Jin Jian is very innocent!"
Zhao Duan sighed:
"Priest, you misunderstood me. My relationship with Junior Sister Jin Jian has always been purely financial.
Well, in fact, you may not know that we have cooperated many times in Beijing, and it was very pleasant. This time I just hired her to help me eliminate hidden dangers, and I am willing to give her a sincere reward...
Well, it’s still early, let her sleep first, and we’ll ask her opinion when she wakes up in the evening…”
After saying this, Zhao Duan turned around and was about to leave.
But he was surprised to see that Jin Jian had left the bed and stood at the door without him noticing.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes with his right hand, clutched his one-eyed staff in his left hand, and his priest robe dragged on the ground. He yawned, raised his eyelids, and faced the confused gazes of Zhao Duan and Yuxiu, and said as a matter of course:
"Let's go. When will we act? Let me make it clear first. I won't accept banknotes. I will only accept ingots of official silver."
Well, in the war years, money houses often went bankrupt or were robbed. She was not stupid, so she would not take the risk of exchanging silver bills!
……
……
Lake Pavilion in the southern half of the city.
The once prosperous Dafeng Tower is now deserted and no longer as glorious as it once was.
In the past, King Huai'an once hosted a banquet for Zhao Du'an in this famous tower. But now, this famous tower, which has been praised in poems by many literati and scholars over the past hundred years, has fallen into the hands of the rebels.
At this moment, on the top floor of Dafeng Tower.
Xu Jianwen stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the scenery outside the open window.
From here, you can overlook the frozen Yanzhao Lake outside the city.
Qi Yuchun was reporting behind him:
"...Some of the remnants of Baishiqiao's escaped soldiers brought back Zhao Duan's message to Prince Jing, telling him to clean his neck and wait... Now, Baishiqiao has also fallen into the hands of the court."
Xu Jianwen felt cold and said indifferently:
"This group of defeated soldiers are so obedient that they actually passed on Zhao Duan's message. They have forgotten their own identities. They are threatening Xu Wen."
Qi Yuchun blinked and said:
"Your Highness, then order the killing of these remaining soldiers to serve as a warning to others?"
Xu Jianwen said, "You don't need to ask me about such trivial matters. Zhao Duan should be going into the city by now, right?"
Ren Kun said with a ruffian look on his face:
"He entered the city. He made a lot of noise. He said he brought a coffin to the lake pavilion and threatened that if the coffin couldn't hold Prince Jing's body, he would use his own."
"Carrying a coffin to fight... a good move." Xu Jianwen sighed softly, and his eyes revealed a bit of appreciation:
"Who said that Zhao Duan can't lead troops? I think he knows how to lead troops. He first resisted the envoys in the capital, issued a military order, and then carried the coffin in a high-profile manner...
In this way, his reputation in the three major camps of the imperial court increased dramatically. This change of commander would not only not cause the imperial court's military strength to decline, but would increase it.
Haha, my third sister has never understood the word "public opinion" since she ascended the throne. The civil and military officials in the court are also restrained. But Zhao Duan, who was born as a concubine, is an expert in manipulating public opinion. "
Ren Kun and Qi Yuchun looked at each other. They couldn't remember how many times they had heard His Highness express his admiration for Zhao Duan.
Notice.
What kind of person is the Second Prince Jianwen?
He is a person who has won the support of countless heroes and is willing to go through fire and water for him.
If not for this, how could the Xuanmen coup have been launched back then? If not for the variable of the empress, Xu Jianwen would have succeeded in that battle.
It should be him who sits on the throne today.
"It's a pity that I can't use this kind of person. Instead, I let him grow up and become a big trouble. Even Master Zhuang died at his hands."
Xu Jianwen's tone suddenly became sad, and his face also showed sadness:
"In this case, we can only kill it."
After a pause, Xu Jianwen turned around and stared at the two of them with his face that looked about 60% like the late emperor in the cold wind:
"How is Jiang Wangsun doing?"
The Earth Magician Ren Kun smiled and said:
"I have been watching him personally. This old villain has been very resentful since your Highness seized power. In my opinion, now that Zhao Duan is here, I am afraid that Jiang Wangsun will also become restless."
Xu Jianwen nodded and said:
"Proceed as planned, deliberately leaking some intelligence to Jiang Wangsun, prompting him to meet secretly with Zhao Duan."
Qi Yuchun asked doubtfully:
"Your Highness, are you planning to use Jiang Wangsun as bait to lure Zhao Duan into a trap and assassinate him?"
Xu Jianwen shook his head, sighed softly, and smiled on his handsome face:
"No. Zhao Duan is a cunning man, how could he be easily tricked? Jiang Wangsun only fed him the first piece of cake, as for the rest, we will have to wait and see."
Ren Kun exclaimed:
"I was curious before. With your skills, you could have made that Jiang Wangsun sincerely convinced and obedient to you, but why did he resent you? Now it seems that your Highness had expected Zhao Duan to come? So you made preparations in advance?"
The corners of Xu Jianwen's mouth slightly raised, and his eyes moved and fell on a solid wooden chessboard on the table in the room.
Black and white chess pieces are scattered across the 19 vertical and horizontal squares, vaguely presenting the majestic scene of a white dragon entering the sea.
However, if you look closely, you can see that the black chess pieces are hiding murderous intentions, and it is clearly a layout to lure the dragon deeper.
Woohoo——
The cold wind blew a snowflake off the eaves, into the room, and gently fell on the chessboard, wetting it.
Xu Jianwen said softly:
"You have to be willing to make a nest when fishing. Jiang Wangsun will send him first. However... hehe, whether he can eat it or not depends on his ability. If he dies of overeating, don't blame me for looking down on him."
"Clap!"
Xu Jianwen picked up a black piece and placed it on the chessboard.
……
……
Zhao Duan is here.
This news was like a huge stone, breaking the thin ice surface of the lake pavilion and blasting up a huge amount of cold water.
Not only in the three major camps of the Imperial Court's Sanqian, Shenji, and Huaishui Military Headquarters, but also in just half a day, the news of Zhao Duan carrying a coffin to fight spread uncontrollably among the Jiancheng rebels.
Even if military officers at all levels blocked the news, they were unable to stop it.
As the chief military commander in the city, Ye Xin quickly convened a high-level meeting to discuss a series of defense strategies.
For a time, for three consecutive days, the rebel leaders in Huting held meetings of varying sizes almost every day, keeping a close eye on the court's movements.
However, apart from his grand entry into the city on the first day, Zhao Duan did not make any further moves that crossed the line.
It seems that he has no intention of starting a war in winter, but is instead concentrating on handing over to Xue Shence.
On the evening of the second day after arriving in Zhao Duan, Xue Shence quietly left Huting and headed north.
At this point, the rebel group's spirits calmed down a bit.
It's evening again.
When another high-level meeting ended, Jiang Wangsun walked out of the military tent. His spotted face was indifferent and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"grown ups."
The subordinates waiting outside the military tent lifted the curtain, and Jiang Wangsun stepped into the carriage. They drove through the plain streets in the cold winter and soon arrived outside a magnificent mansion.
This is also his temporary residence in Huting.
Stop the car, dismount, and enter the mansion.
According to the rules, when Jiang Wangsun came back from a meeting, he would usually ask the military maid to boil water for him to take a bath to relieve his fatigue.
However, recently, after Jiang Wangsun entered the mansion, he immediately closed the door, summoned his confidants with a solemn look, and said seriously:
"Any news?"
(End of this chapter)