pappabearbooks #125 - Chapter 125: The Left Prime Minister's Plan
#125 - Chapter 125: The Left Prime Minister's Plan
Compared to the monk Jingxu, the Left Prime Minister, Cai Hongwen, was also a hypocrite with a solemn appearance.
On the surface, he possessed the upright aura of a scholar, his words filled with concern for the country and its people, displaying the noble demeanor of a gentleman willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of the common people.
However, beneath this glamorous facade, he concealed a despicable and filthy heart.
Although he wouldn't be seen frequenting brothels in the capital to indulge in prostitution,
he engaged in even more vile and sinister methods.
Secretly, he would observe the wives and concubines of his subordinates,
seeking out women with outstanding beauty.
Once he identified a target, he would approach silently like a hungry wolf.
He would exploit his power to cleverly manipulate the weaknesses or vulnerabilities of the subordinate.
forcing them to obediently offer their wives and concubines for his pleasure.
However, such sordid affairs were not easy to conduct flawlessly.
Once, the wife of a low-ranking civil official, unable to endure the oppression and humiliation from the Left Prime Minister, resolutely threw herself into a well and committed suicide.
This incident almost implicated and exposed him, scaring him out of his wits, and he had to use all sorts of means to suppress the matter.
This lesson made the Left Prime Minister restrain himself for quite some time.
Later, by chance,
And the Left Prime Minister, Cai Hongwen, would also use his power to shield the evil deeds of this Dharma Master Jingxu, covering up his crimes.
These two jackals colluded with each other, harming countless officials' wives and daughters in the capital.
However, what the Left Prime Minister, who was沉迷于享乐, didn't know was that
the true identity of this Dharma Master Jingxu was actually a protector within the Red Lotus Sect.
His approach to the Left Prime Minister was not a coincidence but had a specific purpose.
Over the past two years, many secrets of the Great Liang Dynasty had quietly fallen into Jingxu's possession through the Left Prime Minister's hands, and then been sent to the Red Lotus headquarters.
This time, the Dharma Master Jingxu had received a secret order from the Red Lotus Sect headquarters.
tasking him with finding a way to approach the Marquis of Longxiang and obtain information about the Longxiang Army.
If there was an opportunity, the monk Jingxu could even use his abilities to try to control this female Marquis for the Red Lotus Sect's use.
However, this monk Jingxu was not foolish either.
A monk suddenly and inexplicably appearing before the Marquis of Longxiang would definitely arouse suspicion.
After thinking it over, he decided to first sound out his old friend, the Left Prime Minister.
If there was an opportunity, he wanted to use the Left Prime Minister's name to get close to the Marquis of Longxiang.
Coincidentally, the Left Prime Minister was also plotting how to manipulate this Marquis of Longxiang for the Second Prince's use.
The monk Jingxu, who was eavesdropping outside the hall, had an idea as his eyes darted around.
After entering the hall, the monk Jingxu was not in a hurry.
Instead, he picked up the clear tea on the table and sipped it slowly.
He knew that the most anxious person right now was not himself, but the Left Prime Minister.
Sure enough, before long, Cai Hongwen spoke to him.
"Dharma Master Jingxu, you just said you were willing to help me share my worries, is that true?"
Jingxu nodded, saying sincerely.
"The Left Prime Minister and I have become confidants, and we have accomplished many great things together."
"The two of us can be said to share honor and disgrace."
"That the Second Prince can ascend to the throne and the Left Prime Minister can gain the merit of supporting him is what this humble monk hopes for."
"Therefore, if there is anything this monk can do to help, I will not hesitate."
The Left Prime Minister nodded slightly, believing what the monk said.
The two had been colluding for a long time.
Only if his own power was great enough could he protect Jingxu and the Myriad Joyous Zen Monastery.
Only then could the sordid things they had done be covered up.
Thinking of this, the Left Prime Minister continued to ask.
"I want to bring the Marquis of Longxiang and the Longxiang Army under the control of the Second Prince."
"But I don't know if Dharma Master Jingxu has a way?"
The demonic monk Jingxu revealed a rather playful smile.
He put down the teacup and said casually.
"Prime Minister, have you forgotten my abilities?"
"No matter what kind of woman in the world, as long as she comes before me, she will listen to me obediently."
"Isn't that Marquis of Longxiang, Bai Jing, also a woman?"
"As long as this monk uses some tricks, she will definitely be used by us."
Upon hearing this, the Left Prime Minister's eyes widened at first, and then he revealed an expression of sudden realization and excitement.
"Wonderful, wonderful."
"I had forgotten Dharma Master Jingxu's abilities."
"If you can control that Marquis of Longxiang and use her for my purposes, I, Cai Hongwen, will definitely reward you handsomely."
"The Second Prince will also reward you greatly!"
Jingxu said with a smile, quite confidently.
"Rest assured, Left Prime Minister, this monk will do his best."
The Left Prime Minister nodded with satisfaction, then lowered his voice with a lewd gaze.
"Brother Jingxu."
"That Marquis of Longxiang, Bai Jing, is also a rare beauty."
"This old man is also very envious of her beauty."
"Once you control her."
"This old man will also taste the flavor of this female Marquis."
The two first looked at each other, and then both laughed quite wantonly.
An hour later,
the monk Jingxu set off with the Left Prime Minister's documents.
As the Left Prime Minister's messenger, he went to visit the Marquis of Longxiang, Bai Jing.
Leaving aside the Left Prime Minister and the monk Jingxu's plans,
at this time, within the imperial city,
Empress Xiao and Chief Eunuch Wu De'an were also discussing how to face the returning Marquis of Longxiang.
Because as the Longxiang Army approached the capital, the information about the Longxiang Army also became more detailed.
What surprised the Empress's faction was that the Marquis of Longxiang had fought a battle against the 30,000-strong army of the Tiele people at the Chishui River.
Not only did she win against the Tiele people, but the losses of the Longxiang Army did not seem to be too great.
Moreover, the dispatched personnel reported that the Marquis of Longxiang's army also had an elite cavalry of two to three thousand men.
All of them were composed of Tiele people who had surrendered.
This news greatly shocked the Empress's faction.
This also forced Empress Xiao and Wu De'an to re-evaluate the combat power of the Longxiang Army.
At this time, in the capital city, the Empress's faction's elite imperial guards and the Auxiliary General's 30,000 garrison troops formed a confrontational stance.
The imperial guards were small in number but elite, while the garrison troops were poorly equipped and trained, but their large numbers made up for it, so the two sides barely maintained a balance.
But now it seemed that once this strong army of the Marquis of Longxiang entered the capital city,
no matter which side it joined, it would completely break the existing balance.
Becoming a spoiler in the struggle for the throne.
Empress Xiao and Wu De'an certainly knew that the Marquis of Longxiang could not be on their side.
So what they had to do now was to do everything possible to prevent the Marquis of Longxiang from joining the Auxiliary General or even the Second Prince's side.
In any case, they had to keep this female Marquis, who held thousands of soldiers in her hands, neutral in the matter of the imperial succession.
Empress Xiao pondered for a while and asked.
"Eunuch Wu, how much silver do we still have in the imperial treasury?"
Wu De'an bowed and reported.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the expenses in various places have been high this year, and there are still more than 1.6 million taels in the treasury."
Empress Xiao thought for a while and said leisurely.
"The situation is stronger than people, so allocate 200,000 taels and send it to the Marquis of Longxiang in the name of rewarding the troops."
"Also, tell the eunuch who is announcing the decree that we have no other requirements for the Marquis of Longxiang, as long as she stays out of the affairs of the capital."
"I will definitely satisfy the rewards that the Marquis of Longxiang seeks."
Wu De'an bowed and saluted.
"I respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree."
The Marquis of Longxiang's army returned.
Initially, the Auxiliary General and the Third Prince did not care much.
In his eyes, he had more than a dozen noble family soldiers and 30,000 garrison troops in his hands.
The Marquis of Longxiang's thousands of people, in his opinion, could not cause any big waves.
However, in the past few days, the Martial Virtue Division and the Suspended Blade Guards of the capital had continuously sent back information about the Longxiang Army.
This made the Auxiliary General re-evaluate this army.
However, he only sent the Marquis of Dongxin as a lobbyist to the Longxiang Army.
In the Auxiliary General Zheng Tianxiong's view,
the Marquis of Longxiang, Bai Jing, was just a greenhorn girl.
As long as he, the Auxiliary General, made a gesture of respect for the virtuous and extended an olive branch to her,
this little girl should obediently join him.
Leaving aside how the three forces in the capital were planning,
at this time, the Longxiang Army had arrived at Xiangchuan City, fifty miles away from the capital.
and camped outside Xiangchuan City, waiting for the imperial decree.