A magistrate by the name of Han Jun stood up, "Dao Master, it is our responsibility to organize the production of rice. This is our responsibility."
"But regarding the refugees, we are in a difficult position. The rebels of Ji Bei have taken a large amount of food from the granaries of the various counties. Now that there is a shortage of food, it is difficult to provide relief."
When the magistrate finished speaking, Pei Zi Yun nodded his head, "Indeed, your excellency Han is right. Now that there is a shortage of food, we have to send more over. Zhang Ji, go and urge them to do this."
As Pei Zi Yun spoke, a deputy general was already waiting for him. He stepped forward and replied, "Yes! Dao Master. "
Pei Zi Yun looked at the deputy general and nodded his head. He then looked at the magistrate.
"I have another errand for you to do. Of the thirty thousand bandits, at least twenty thousand of them are the citizens of the counties under your jurisdiction. I want you to invite their parents over according to their household registration. Be polite and don't treat them as family members of the bandits."
"Yes!" When the magistrate heard this, he looked at each other and replied in unison.
"Song Zhi, bring some men to coordinate with the magistrate and county magistrates." Pei Zi Yun saw this and laughed coldly as he spoke.
"Yes, Dao Master!" Song Zhi replied.
When all these tasks were completed, Pei Zi Yun then said, "I've arranged everything. All of you, go and settle it. You may leave."
"Yes, Dao Master." The officials acknowledged and left.
"Let the Daoist officers come up." Pei Zi Yun spoke again as he watched the soldiers leave. Prefecture Prince Cheng Shun then said, "Dao Master, can you speak now? I still have some questions."
"Your Highness, what I want to talk about next is the navy. Ying Prefecture's navy is entangled with our navy. Furthermore, their camp is not within the city. They are fifteen kilometers away. Normally, this would not be a problem. However, now that they are surrounded by the city, there is a problem."
"Besides, Ji Bei Hou has been defeated, and his army is on the verge of collapse. Are there no intelligent people? There are naturally loyal officials, but how many of them are loyal to Ji Bei Hou? "
"Dao Master, you mean to sow discord?" Prefecture Prince Cheng Shun's eyes lit up when he heard this.
"It's not considered sowing discord. I've said it before. Ji Bei Hou has suffered a crushing defeat. His troops have been routed like a landslide. The hearts of the people will come into play. All we need to do is push the critical point."
"I'm afraid that the navy is divided. Although the Daoist officials can't kill each other directly, there are many ways to contact them. As long as we can contact them and give them the conditions, I'm not afraid that they won't agree."
As he spoke, a ninth ranked Dao official walked in. When he saw Pei Zi Yun and Prefecture Prince Cheng Shun, he bowed, "Greetings Prefecture Prince Cheng Shun, greetings Dao Master."
"How's the communication with the navy going?" Pei Zi Yun glanced at him before lowering his head and sipping his tea.
"Dao Master, it's not just the navy generals. Even Chen Ping himself, upon hearing of Ji Bei Hou's defeat, seems to want to surrender."
"Anyone can surrender, but not this traitor. However, we can numb him. Tell the generals of the navy that if they kill Chen Ping, the Imperial Court may spare them."
"Yes!" the Taoist official replied.
"How's the communication going within the prefecture?" Pei Zi Yun asked.
The Daoist official replied, "We've lost seventy percent of our bases within the prefecture, but we still have thirty percent of them. Ji Bei Hou has been defeated, and has lost the trust of the people. There are many who are contacting us now."
When Pei Zi Yun heard this, he laughed out loud. He then stood up and paced a few steps, staring out the window. After some time, he then said, "If that's the case, it's done. But now, we have to get rid of the navy."
"Go, tell the navy that if they want to live, they have to do it quickly."
"Yes!" The Daoist official replied loudly.
Seeing that the Daoist official had left, Pei Zi Yun then turned around and said, "The so-called art of war, is actually to find the right place and time to deal with the right enemy."
"If the Ying Prefecture Navy had fought the moment we arrived, we would have lost a few thousand men. Who knows, we might not have been able to take them down. But now, they're like ripe fruits, ripe for the picking."
When Prefecture Prince Cheng Shun heard this, he started to understand. He couldn't help but be convinced. He thought to himself, "This is what it means to have a feather fan and silk scarf. With a smile and a smile, the oars of the navy are reduced to ashes."
The waves on the surface of the sea were turbulent, as the navy battleships sailed. All of a sudden, in a meeting hall, a voice could be heard.
"Hm, I heard news yesterday that after Ji Bei Hou was defeated, he wanted General Chen to send reinforcements to the imperial court. He's hoping for reinforcements from the river to save him." Inside, there were several officers and You Ji Generals whispering to each other, exchanging information. Someone said this.
"Reinforcements? I'm afraid we still have to send reinforcements. The situation is getting worse and worse. If Ji Bei Hou is completely defeated, where should we go?" Someone had a bitter look on his face, "But the imperial court's navy isn't easy to deal with. Besides, so what if we win? We'll just be able to catch a few more breaths."
Everyone sighed. General You Ji, Zhang Dian, thought of a possibility. He then asked softly, "General Li, how did you know about this?"
Li Gui leaned forward and whispered, "The imperial court has contacted me."
"What?" Zhang Dian's wine cup almost fell to the ground. He looked left and right in shock. He then walked to the door and checked his surroundings before whispering, "How dare you? We've already rebelled. There's no room for negotiation. "
Although both of them spoke in hushed tones, the people around them could hear them. They hurriedly gathered around, "Old Li, tell us. What did the imperial court say? Will they let us live?"
"The imperial court said that as long as we rebel, we will be pardoned. All of us will have a way out." General Li said softly.
"That's good, that's good!" Hearing these words, everyone broke out in laughter. One of them slapped his thigh and said, "If I had heard this earlier, I wouldn't have been so worried. Quick, tell me everything."
"Knock knock!" Someone knocked on the door. Everyone's faces fell, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Jiang Lin." The officers and officers looked at each other, their eyes filled with killing intent. They paused for a moment before saying, "Brother Jiang, please wait. Open the door now."
As soon as the door opened, everyone was startled. They saw Jiang Lin dressed in armor, and behind him were more than ten personal guards, all of them brimming with killing intent. Seeing this lineup, Zhang Dian's face paled. "Jiang Lin, are you here to arrest me? Why are you still on Chen Ping's ship? "
Jiang Lin raised his head and didn't reply immediately. He looked out the window, and the light from outside shone on his cold face. He looked cold and indifferent. While everyone was panicking, he let out a long sigh, "Cai Zhenyuan has been dead for half a year."
Everyone else had yet to realize what was going on, but Zhang Dian did. Jiang Lin and Cai Zhenyuan were good friends. It was just that after Chen Ping killed Cai Zhenyuan, Jiang Lin didn't react. He was even more respectful towards Chen Ping, and was secretly looked down upon by others. When he heard this, he asked, "Could it be that you want to …?"
"That's right. I've also accepted the imperial court's request to kill Chen Ping." Jiang Lin spoke. Hearing this, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
Li Gui laughed, "With brother Jiang joining us, our chances of success have increased. Now, we have more than half of the navy under our control, right?"
"To kill Chen Ping, we only need to deal with Wang Ye's personal guards."
"There's no need to go through so much trouble." An imperceptible smile flashed across Jiang Lin's face. He looked around and said, "Wang Ye has been dealt with."
"What? You've already killed him?" Hu Yong's jaw dropped. Wang Ye had been indebted to Chen Ping for a long time, and had always been loyal to him. At this point, no one had thought of any other possibilities.
"Why must we kill him? Can't he be like us and forsake the darkness for the light?" Jiang Lin spoke plainly. Seeing everyone staring at him in shock, he laughed coldly and bitterly, "At this point, if he wishes to live, this is his only choice."
The wind was blowing outside, and the night was cool and refreshing. Many soldiers had set up bonfires along the shore, illuminating the entire beach.
Within the meeting hall, Chen Ping was drinking wine to drown his sorrows. Someone knocked on the door, "General."
"What's the matter?" Chen Ping's expression didn't look too good.
"It's me, Uncle Chen Yan."
Chen Ping's face was flushed red. He had drunk too much. Hearing that it was Chen Yan outside, he shook his head and sobered up a little, "Come in."
Chen Yan entered, and saw the wine and meat on the table. A strong smell of alcohol wafted over, causing anyone who smelled it to feel uncomfortable.
"Uncle, I've followed your orders. Recently, I've discovered many strange movements. Zhang Dian, Hu Yong, and Li Gui are secretly colluding with each other, as well as Han He and Zhu Lin."
"Li Gui's new bodyguards are disguised as Daoists."
These days, there had been many strange movements. Chen Yan had discovered many pieces of information, and reported them to Chen Ping one by one. As Chen Ping listened, his face turned pale. He gripped the wine jug so tightly that his knuckles were bruised.
"Uncle, I've found out everything. The way I see it, the only thing we can do now is to capture all of them in one fell swoop." Chen Yan explained everything clearly, and stood aside, waiting for Chen Ping's orders.
The boat swayed slightly, and the oil lamps hanging on it swayed as well. The lights flickered, and Chen Ping panted heavily, as the alcohol continued to flow out of his mouth.
In the midst of his frustration, Chen Ping's killing intent rose. His eyes were filled with hatred, and he let out a long sigh. He picked up the jug and poured himself a cup of wine. He paused for some time before sighing, "Let's wait a little longer."
He raised his head, and his mouth was filled with bitterness. The number of people who had colluded with him was about thirty to forty percent. Amongst them were some important generals.
If he were to act now, he might be able to capture them all in one fell swoop. But the navy would be greatly weakened. When the time comes, the Imperial Court would attack, and the navy would collapse.
"Ji Bei Hou has been defeated. What should I do? Should I continue to fight against the Imperial Court, or should I submit to the Imperial Court and save my own life? " Chen Ping hesitated. He took a deep breath and massaged his temples. He thought of the men he had sent out, and asked, "Chen Anzhi, is there still no news?"
Chen Yan thought for some time before replying, "Uncle, not yet."
"Not yet?" Chen Ping's frown deepened, "If there's any news, report to me immediately."
As he spoke, someone rushed to the door and knocked, "Your excellency, I'm back."
"You're back?" Chen Ping heard the voice and paused, "Hurry, come here."
"Yes, your excellency." The door swung open, and Chen Anzhi entered. He reported, "Your excellency, I've made contact."
"Good, good. What did the Imperial Court say?" Chen Ping asked loudly. His eyes were filled with hope, and his breathing quickened.
Chen Anzhi lowered his head and replied, "The Enlightened Master replied that Ji Bei Hou had been defeated. It's impossible for him to be absolved of his crimes. If he hands over the navy, he can be spared."
"What? They won't even leave me an official position. Damn it, damn it. " Chen Ping's expression changed as he paced around the room. His face turned green, then white. He was so worked up that his face turned red. After a long time, he calmed down.
"Ai!" Chen Ping let out a long sigh, "Demote me to a commoner?"
As he spoke, he swallowed his tears, "Forget it. It's a rebellion after all. If I'm demoted, then so be it. It's good enough that I'm still alive."
Chen Yan and Chen Anzhi looked at each other helplessly. Ji Bei Hou had been defeated. It was unrealistic for him to continue struggling.
Chen Ping picked up a flask of wine and drank a mouthful. At this point, Chen Ping finally understood what it meant to be at the end of the road. Actually, being demoted was the best course of action. If he wasn't even demoted, he wouldn't feel at ease.
"Summon all the generals. Tell them that I've surrendered." Chen Ping placed the flask of wine on the table and sighed. He then raised his head, but no one knew what he was thinking about.
At this point, the sound of a horn could be heard in all directions. Every single ship and battalions knew about it. Soon after, the ship docked, and all the officers boarded the flagship.
The main hall of the flagship was huge, and could hold dozens of people. All of them were dressed neatly, their armors bright and shiny. Chen Ping stepped into the main hall, and everyone looked at each other. They then bowed, their armors clanking loudly.
"Rise." Chen Ping rose to his seat and looked around before laughing bitterly, "The imperial court has won a great victory. Ji Bei Hou is at the end of the road. I wish to forsake the darkness and seek the light. What do you all think?"
The main hall was silent, and not a single sound could be heard. All that could be heard was the breathing of the generals. Chen Ping looked at them and thought that they were still unconvinced. He then panicked, "Ji Bei Hou is finished. How can we be buried with him? Generals, we do not owe Ji Bei Hou a great debt of gratitude. We are on the verge of collapsing, why should we be buried with him? "
"That's right. Why should we be buried with him?" Jiang Lin stood out and sighed. When Chen Ping heard Jiang Lin's words, he felt that something was amiss. He then heard Jiang Lin say, "General, it's not that we don't want to surrender. It's just that there's a small problem."
Hearing Jiang Lin's words, the surrounding generals all stepped forward without a word. Chen Ping felt that something was amiss, and realized that he was in danger. His brain was buzzing, and blood rushed to his face. He then shouted, "What do you want? Men, men! "
But after shouting a few times, none of the bodyguards, who were supposed to respond at lightning speed, responded.
"Haha!" When Jiang Lin heard Chen Ping's shouts, he laughed out, "Your excellency, stop shouting. No one responded. The moment Ji Bei Hou was defeated, you should have known that this day would come."
"Kuang!" Chen Yan pulled out his blade and stood guard beside Chen Ping. His body was trembling slightly.
Chen Ping pointed at Wang Ye, "You dare to betray me? When I promoted you from the ranks of the soldiers, I owed you a great debt of gratitude. You, you …. "
When Wang Ye heard Chen Ping's words, his face turned red as he lowered his head, "General, I have no choice. This is the condition of the Imperial Court. If we don't kill you, we won't be able to live. General, you should just kill yourself. At least your corpse will be intact."
"You, you, you all betrayed me." Chen Ping pointed at Wang Ye with a trembling finger. Chen Yan was even more valiant. Gritting his teeth, he raised his blade towards Jiang Lin.
But just as he raised his blade, Wang Ye and a few other soldiers pulled out their blades and stabbed Chen Yan. Chen Yan screamed out in agony. As soon as the blade was pulled out, he fell to the ground. His entire body twitched as fresh blood flowed out.
Jiang Lin didn't even look at Chen Yan. He looked at Chen Ping and shook his head, "General Chen, we don't want to bear the crime of killing a Superior Official. You've forced us to do this."
As he said this, he pulled out his blade and laughed, "Go to hell!"
With a flash of the saber, the long saber pierced deep into his body. Chen Ping screamed in pain and knelt down involuntarily. He used all his strength to struggle to stand up. He pulled out the long saber, and with another flash of the saber, Chen Ping's head flew off. Suddenly, a large amount of blood spurted out, splashing all over the room.
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