lcionline Chapter 377: Sacrificing Pawns to Save the Chariot
Chapter 377: Sacrificing Pawns to Save the Chariot
After hearing Wu Sangui's words, Gao Qiqian made up his mind that no matter what happened, he would stand on the side of the Guan Ning Army. He then said in a sharp voice, "Lord Zhu, the matter is already very clear. Why don't you order Liu Zeqing to be arrested?"
Hearing Zu Dabi and Wu Sangui both insist that Liu Zeqing had "joined the rebels," and with Eunuch Gao adding fuel to the fire, the generals in the central command tent secretly shook their heads. The Guan Ning Army was already powerful and deeply trusted by the governor and the supervising officer. Now, riding the wave of their great victory, regardless of the truth, Liu Zeqing would become a pawn, and might even lose his life. The military officers from Shandong, Tianjin, and Hebei, seeing Liu Zeqing already collapsed on the ground, felt a deep sense of shared fate.
Instead of directly characterizing Liu Zeqing's actions, Zhu Dadian turned to Liu Ye and asked, "Lieutenant General Liu, what's your opinion on this matter?"
Liu Ye replied, "Reporting to the Governor, what General Zu and General Wu said is true. As for whether General Liu is a traitor, I am new here and dare not make a conclusion. Everything is up to the Governor and Eunuch Gao to decide."
Zhu Dadian nodded, indicating that he understood. He wasn't really seeking Liu Ye's opinion, but rather testing whether the Guan Ning Army and the Qiongzhou Camp had reached a unified stance. If Liu Ye's answer contradicted the Guan Ning Army's, he would have to reconsider how to handle this "accomplice incident" to avoid causing discord within the suppression army; if Liu Ye's tone was identical to the Guan Ning Army's, it meant that the two strongest forces had reached a consensus, and then, for the sake of the overall situation, he could abandon Liu Zeqing, who was essentially a commander without troops. After this battle, the combat effectiveness index of the Qiongzhou Camp in Zhu Dadian's mind soared, second only to the Guan Ning Army. This was because even the arrogant Guan Ning Army acknowledged the Qiongzhou Camp's strength and was willing to share the military credit, indicating that this Guangdong guest army was truly capable.
Zhu Dadian glanced indifferently at Liu Zeqing, who was like a lump of mud, and waved his hand: "Guards, seize Liu Zeqing and await his fate." Although he didn't want to harm local Shandong military commanders unless absolutely necessary, sacrificing pawns to save the king was the best option at the moment. The Guan Ning Army and the Qiongzhou Camp could help him secure the final victory in suppressing the rebellion, while the local Shandong troops represented by Liu Zeqing were clearly not.
Liu Zeqing's last hope was dashed. Summoning a sudden burst of strength, he rose to his feet, took a few steps toward Zhu Dadian, and pleaded, "Your Excellency, please understand, this humble general has been wronged..."
Zhu Dadian remained seated, but Gao Qiqian, who was next to him, stood up, pointed at Liu Zeqing, and shouted angrily, "You scoundrel, don't come near! Where are they? Are they all dead? Seize them at once!"
Several of Fu Biao's personal guards rushed in, grabbed Liu Zeqing, held him firmly by the arms, and then dragged him out. Liu Zeqing's pleas grew louder and then quieted down until they disappeared.
After dealing with the "accomplices," General Gao Qiqian "reminded" Zhu Dadian: "Lord Zhu, shouldn't we discuss how to report this great victory next?"
The so-called "how to report" refers to how to distribute the credit. As the front-line troops in the battle, the Guan Ning Army and Qiongzhou Battalion had to distribute the battle merits. As the commanders and supervisors, Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian also deserved credit for their strategic planning. Whether the other military officers and civil officials should receive equal credit, and how much of the battle merits they received, depended entirely on how the victory reports were written.
Zhu Dadian chuckled and replied unhurriedly, "Of course, we need to report the victory. Our army has been quelling the rebellion in Shandong for two years now, a protracted process. His Majesty has lost his temper several times, and this great victory will surely appease him. However, we still need to discuss with Eunuch Gao how to write the victory report and make a long-term plan. I won't waste your time here for now."
Everyone who had been listening intently was disappointed. Was the prize not going to be announced on the spot, but rather through some kind of "behind-the-scenes manipulation"? However, the main protagonists of this great victory were the Guan Ning Army and the Qiongzhou Camp. The others who benefited were lucky, and those who didn't couldn't complain or argue about it.
Gao Qiqian was rather impatient and wanted to decide on the spot the merits of the Guan Ning Army, especially his adopted son Wu Sangui, as well as his own due credit. However, Zhu Dadian insisted on "deliberating further," which annoyed Gao Qiqian. But since the other party made it clear that he wanted to discuss it with him, he gave him face and let him have his way.
Zhu Dadian faced the crowd and said loudly, "Today's great victory demonstrates not only the soldiers' valiant efforts and courageous fighting, but also His Majesty's discerning eye and effective use of talent. Now that Li Jiucheng is dead, the rebel army's morale is undoubtedly low, presenting a perfect opportunity to seize Dengzhou in one fell swoop. After returning to camp, make preparations as soon as possible. We will break camp in three days and besiege Dengzhou!"
The generals roused themselves; even if they didn't get much military merit this time, recapturing Dengzhou was still a great opportunity to gain merit. They all agreed, "Your subordinates will obey!"
As everyone was leaving the tent one by one, Zhu Dadian said to Liu Ye seemingly unintentionally, "General Liu is skilled in training troops and brave in battle. He is truly a blessing to His Majesty and the court. It's just a pity that his garrison is in Guangdong... What a pity."
Liu Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely grasped the meaning behind Zhu Dadian's words. However, this was not the time to make it clear, so he simply replied vaguely, "Regardless of whether it's the North or the South, we are all serving the court and the Emperor." Then he took his leave.
As Liu Ye stepped out of the tent, an official in a green robe appeared and blocked his path, saying in a low voice, "Let's find a quiet place to talk. Come with me." It was Lin Tianming, the Imperial Inspector of Shandong.
Liu Ye also happened to have something to discuss with him, so he followed him to a shady spot in a tent where no one passed by.
Lin Tianming reminded him, "Do you know the meaning of the governor's words before he left?"
Liu Ye tentatively replied, "Could it be that he intends to recruit me? Unfortunately, I'm in Guangdong, and it's not something he can control?"
Lin Tianming praised, "Indeed clever. After the rebellion is quelled, the troops in Hebei, Tianjin, and Liaodong will all return to their original garrisons. You've seen the true quality of the local Shandong troops. Relying on such incompetent soldiers to clean up the post-war mess, suppress the starving people in various places, wipe out the remnants of the rebel army, and prevent new rebellions from arising, even if Zhuge Liang were alive today, he would be like a skilled cook without rice..."
Liu Ye nodded, confirming his suspicions. Upon hearing "suppressing famine in various regions," he was secretly delighted; it was like a godsend. Since this was a major concern for the governor, presenting his immigration plan at the opportune moment would please him, saving him the trouble of racking his brains for an excuse.
"Then, could Inspector Lin introduce me to a private visit to the Governor? It would be best if it could be arranged tonight."
Lin Tianming shook his head: "Tonight is not a good time. The generals from all over the country will definitely be coming in droves to see me, both for the credit for this mission and for the arrangements when we attack Dengzhou in three days. We should wait until at least tomorrow or the day after."
Liu Ye thought about it and agreed. The rebels had become easy prey for the various generals, and Dengzhou City was a highly coveted prize. The order in which the city was attacked would affect the final distribution of credit. Naturally, he had to inform the governor in advance, otherwise he wouldn't even get a taste of the spoils.