Three Poisonous Schemes (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Chapter 47: Three Poisonous Schemes (Please Keep Reading)

Yao Dang's face lit up with joy in an instant.

When ordinary people flattered him, he treated it as nothing special, his expression unchanged.

But when a great talent like Xu Xing praised him, saying he possessed the bearing of an enlightened lord, even with all his self-control, he could not suppress his emotions.

Different status gave the same flattering words entirely different effects.

Though the post of eighth-rank Assistant Director of Imperial Stables was low in rank, it was a capital official's position. Sent out to the provinces, it would rise three ranks, at the very least equivalent to a prefect.

Four Brightness Mountain might be called one of the Eighteen Rebel Kings, but its strength was not great.

Its troops numbered less than ten thousand, its generals fewer than a hundred. The territory under its control did not even amount to a single county. They only dared to claim a mountain as king, huddling away in some mountain backwater...

The notion that official rank was paramount had been carved into their bones.

"Please speak plainly, Fourth Brother..."

Yao Dang gathered himself and gave Xu Xing a deep bow.

Outside the door, Might King and Earth King could not help pricking up their ears to listen to the conversation inside.

Earth King said smugly, "Back when we rebelled, we just raised a flag at random and ran about like headless flies, knowing nothing of order or method. Not just us—even the standard-bearers, Five Tigers Envoys, officers, and soldiers under us muddled through every day, never knowing where they were headed. They feared being wiped out by the imperial court, their families ruined and their lives destroyed, so they simply drifted through each day..."

"Second Brother, have you noticed?"

"Ever since Mister Xu came to Four Brightness Mountain, the changes in the stronghold."

He asked.

"What changes?"

Might King was surprised.

These past few days, he had been hiding in Eldest Brother's study, discussing with Yao Dang how to deal with Xu Xing, and had overlooked the recent changes in the stronghold.

"There is hope now!"

"Even officials have joined our Four Brightness Mountain..."

"Our Four Brightness Mountain is no longer a band of roadside bandits."

Earth King said meaningfully.

Four Brightness Mountain, Hall of Brotherhood.

Side hall.

Holding a brush in one hand, Xu Xing drew a map of Phoenix Creek Kingdom's administrative divisions on plain silk. "Phoenix Creek Kingdom is divided into sixteen circuits. West Jiangnan Circuit lies in the south, with abundant rainfall and rich soil and waters. Yet because... the court's taxes are crushing, the Jiangnan people's annual harvest is often only enough to pay their taxes. Even their food rations must be borrowed from wealthy households..."

"Jiangnan's calamity lies in harsh governance, forced levies, and the levy for driving out the Tatars."

"That is why rebellions rise year after year."

"However..."

At this point, Xu Xing shook his head. "West Jiangnan Circuit cannot become the foundation of an imperial enterprise. Though the people suffer, they have not yet reached the point of relying on rebel kings—unless another natural disaster or man-made calamity strikes."

"Moreover, Jiangnan is a land of tax revenue. The court will not allow it to be lost. Sun Chengxiang's Flying Victory Army and Wang An's Leopard Strategy Army alone are stationed near Four Brightness Mountain... Together, the two forces number more than thirty thousand men. Though they are not elite troops, if Four Brightness Mountain did not occupy such dangerous terrain, then I fear..."

Yao Dang understood Xu Xing's meaning and nodded. "Before Fourth Brother came to the stronghold, I too saw that West Jiangnan Circuit was no foundation for great deeds. I wanted to flee north and seek another path, but the court's armies had sealed off every route for rebel kings like us."

Using a vermilion brush, he marked the territories controlled by each rebel king and the imperial armies besieging them on the map.

It was clear at a glance.

The court's armies had trapped the Eighteen Rebel Kings in a deadlock.

Just as with Four Brightness Mountain's accumulated ills, everyone could see the problem, yet it was difficult to offer a truly effective method of reform.

"The man leading the campaign against the Eighteen Rebel Kings..."

"As far as I know, he should be Grand Commandant Wei Wentong of the court. This man has managed military affairs for many years; he is no simple opponent. To break free from this trapped-dragon predicament..."

Xu Xing revealed his trump card. "First, shape public opinion. Spread word in Divine Capital that Wei Wentong harbors treasonous ambitions, that he encircles but does not suppress the rebels, raising bandits to bolster himself, all to secure the reality of a Prince Pacifying the South."

"Second, convene a gathering of heroes, honor Monk Shang from afar as alliance leader, and lead the masses in a fight to the death against the government troops."

"Third, gather the gold and silver of the Eighteen Rebel Kings..."

He laid out three poisonous schemes.

Yao Dang, Mourning Heaven King, could understand the first two, but by the third, he was somewhat lost.

"The rebel kings may not be willing to hand over their gold and silver..."

"Besides, what use would gold and silver be?"

He asked.

"The Flying Victory Army and Leopard Strategy Army are both provincial forces."

"The armies besieging the Eighteen Rebel Kings... are most likely provincial forces as well. If I am not mistaken, Wei Wentong should be using the imperial palace guard to keep the provincial armies in check, sending the provincial forces to their deaths—strengthening the trunk while weakening the branches..."

Xu Xing chuckled softly. "Wei Wentong did this for two reasons. First, to help the court cut away local powers—strengthening the center while weakening the regions. Second, the Imperial Guards of the Divine Capital... they're all proud men. They can't stand being provoked."

He had spent several years in the Divine Capital and knew exactly what sort of men these Imperial Guards were.

They excelled at eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, but when it came to fighting, they could barely even manage the drills...

"Take the gold and silver from the rebel army. Buy nothing else—purchase grain from every region at high prices, secretly transport it near the Imperial Guard camps, then move it away again and sell it cheaply in neighboring areas..."

"You must know, the local armies are nearly as poor as beggars."

"This will, first, create discord between the local armies and the Imperial Guards; second, sow suspicion between Wei Wentong and the Imperial Guard commanders. Discord between generals and commanders is a great taboo in the army."

"Once these ghostly tricks have been played out, all we need to do is join forces and crush this place..."

Xu Xing pointed at the map, at the region of Heyang Mountain where Monk Shang was stationed. "Gather the rebel forces, smash through the two local armies—the ones from the White-Stepping Army and the Martial Resolve Army that are blocking the Heyang Mountain rebels—and drive straight into the Palace Front Army of the Imperial Guards..."

"Bite off a piece of the Imperial Guards' flesh, and let the court's weakness be laid bare before those local commanders."

"And when the court and the regions are at odds, the local commanders will strive to protect themselves. They will not send aid..."

When one was weak, one could only rely on stratagems to win.

There was no way to crush the enemy beneath a majestic, overwhelming tide.

Xu Xing saw this very clearly.

"I have learned much."

After hearing Xu Xing's analysis and schemes, Yao Dang was utterly convinced of Xu Xing's ability.

The third scheme—buying grain and selling grain—was truly a venomous plot. Though Wei Wentong commanded the court's Imperial Guards, he could only order them into battle. In matters of personnel... Wei Wentong had no authority to interfere with the Imperial Guards' internal workings. Thus, whether the Imperial Guards had skimmed military pay and provisions, then sold off the grain, Wei Wentong had no way of knowing.

And given the Imperial Guards' reputation, outsiders would certainly believe that such a thing had happened.

If he failed to rectify military discipline, Wei Wentong would find it difficult to command the army. But if he punished the Imperial Guard commanders, he would inevitably alienate the Imperial Guards. Added to the viciousness of the first scheme, Wei Wentong would surely be forced back to the court by the united pressure of the Imperial Guard commanders.

Changing commanders on the eve of battle, while the Imperial Guards and local armies bred fresh resentment against each other...

"With a fourth brother like you..."

"The realm is within reach!"

Yao Dang sighed in admiration.

"You overpraise me, Brother."

"Your little brother merely understands the court's chronic ailments well, and so prescribes the right medicine—like Butcher Ding carving an ox. If you were in my place, Brother, you could have conceived this plan as well."

Xu Xing spoke modestly.

He was not lying.

A fortress that seemed impregnable was often breached from within.

As one of the court's many officials, he understood clearly how the court's machinery operated. If he were to deal with the court's officers and soldiers, he might not be invincible, but he would certainly have several degrees more confidence than the rebel leaders.

"Once the trapped dragon breaks free into the sea, then..."

Xu Xing went on at length about Four Brightness Mountain's grand designs for the future.