Jia Shidao, King Yi, and the others quickly left after receiving the decree. Zhao Gou had a lot on his mind, so he didn't want to stay at the Guo Mansion any longer. Seeing Lu Youjiao and the others still kneeling on the ground and kowtowing, he was annoyed. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Alright, alright. I know you had nothing to do with this. Even though you were responsible for your negligence, you did a good job in protecting the Emperor.
Lu Youjiao and the others let out a long sigh of relief. They quickly kowtowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty." They were a group of Jianghu people who were usually far away from the Emperor. They were happy to call the Emperor a dog. But when the Emperor really stood in front of them, they were shocked to find that the pressure was so great that it was difficult for them to even speak normally.
After Zhao Gou and the others left the Guo Mansion, they stayed in the palace that Lv Wende and the others had prepared in the city. They then passed down the decree that they would fast and bathe in the palace for three days before going to WuTang Mountain to show their sincerity.
During this time, the imperial guards checked WuTang Mountain, but they didn't find anything wrong.
After listening to the guard's report about WuTang Mountain, Huang Chang suddenly walked out of the shadows and asked, "Is Zhang Sanfeng here?" The two of them had been friends for a long time. Even if everyone in the world rebelled, he didn't believe that Jia Shidao and the others could persuade Zhang Sanfeng to rebel with them.
The guard shook his head and said, "I heard from the WuTang Clan that Zhang Sanfeng is in seclusion."
"Seclusion?" Huang Chang frowned. "Who received you from the WuTang Clan? Yu LianZhou or Song YuanQiao?"
The guard answered, "Neither. It was Yin Liting, one of the Six Heroes."
"Yin Liting?" Hearing this answer, Huang Chang was silent.
Li Yanshi couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, I think something big must have happened to WuTang Mountain. For safety's sake, we should cancel the plan to go up."
Zhao Gou snorted coolly. "Why?"
Li Yanshi knew that Zhao Gou was determined to succeed this time, and would not be swayed by just a few words from him. However, as an old member of the WuTang Sect, his loyalty to Zhao Gou made him unwilling to see his master take the slightest risk. "Among the Seven Heroes of WuTang, Song YuanQiao is mature and steady, while Yu LianZhou is calm and collected. With these two in charge of the entire WuTang Sect, no matter who it is, they will not cooperate with the rebels. However, it just so happens that this Yin Liuxia has a weak personality. From what happened with Emei and Ji Xiaofu in the past, it can be seen that he is indecisive.
Zhao Gou frowned and said, "You are saying that it is very likely that someone else used the safety of his master and senior brothers to force Yin Liting to cooperate?"
Li Yanshi replied, "Most likely so."
Seeing that Zhao Gou was silent, Li Yanshi couldn't help but continue, "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a collapsing wall. Furthermore, you have a body of gold. Why do you have to take such a risk this time? In my opinion, there is no need to fight to the death with Jia Shidao. Furthermore, the situation is not at its worst. Take the officials in Jing Hu for example. North Jing Hu Pacification Commissioner Xiang Shibi, Ezhou Zhizhou Cao Shixiong, and Jing E Deputy Commander Gao Da have always been at odds with Jia Shidao. Even if Jia Shidao has any disloyal intentions, they will not sit idly by. "He was Zhao Gou's most trusted confidant, and one of the few people who knew the entire plan.
Zhao Gou was silent. If there was still time, he would not make such a risky move. Unfortunately, due to some reason, his body had been deteriorating over the past two years. He probably did not have many days left to live.
Although he had a mixed reputation over the years, rebuilding the Song Empire in a time of crisis was the proudest thing in his life. However, he had accidentally created the monster Jia's Group. Once he died, with the Crown Prince's age and prestige, he would not be able to deal with him.
Zhao Gou did not want the Song Empire to follow in the footsteps of Cao Wei and Beizhou, which was why he had made up his mind to get rid of Jia Shidao while he still had the ability. That way, he would be able to face his ancestors in the afterlife.
However, he could not tell anyone else about this. The Emperor's health condition was the most confidential information in the empire. Only people like Huang Chang, who had nothing to do with the world, knew about his health condition. Other than that, confidants like Li Yanshi were not allowed to know.
"There is no need to say anything more. I have made up my mind." Zhao Gou waved his hand and stopped Li Yanshi from continuing. He turned around and asked Huang Chang, "Has Song Qingshu arrived yet?"
Huang Chang shook his head and said, "No, but my disciple is keeping an eye on him. He should be able to get back in time."
"That is why I am fasting and bathing for three days. If he does not arrive in three days, then there is no need to wait," Zhao Gou said calmly.
Huang Chang hesitated and said, "Wouldn't it be too risky to go up the mountain without waiting for him?"
Zhao Gou shook his head and said, "Song Qingshu does not look like the kind of person who is willing to be under someone else's command. His participation in this operation has added a few more variables. I did not consider him in the first place, but you insisted on bringing him in. You even asked me to use Imperial Concubine Wu as a bargaining chip."
"A useless imperial concubine that has fallen out of favor can be used to appease Concubine Jia and get the help of a Great Grandmaster. It is a good deal no matter how you look at it," Huang Chang replied calmly. Huang Chang faintly replied. Someone of Imperial Consort Wu's status naturally could not be openly given to Song QingShu, but with her beauty and status, it was impossible for her to disappear into thin air in the palace. Thus, the Emperor sent people to create the illusion that she had committed suicide in the Cold Palace, so that Consort Jia, who had always regarded her as a thorn in her side, would feel at ease.
Zhao Gou laughed coldly and said, "Unfortunately, looking at the current situation, it is very likely that I have lost Imperial Concubine Wu for nothing. When we return to the capital, we will settle the score with Song Qingshu. His Golden Snake Camp occupies Shandong and Northern Jiangsu, and he has a hundred thousand elite soldiers under him. It goes without saying what his intentions are. Previously, he had not been free. This time, we can take advantage of this opportunity to take back these two places. " Previously, these two places were occupied by the Jins and the Qing, so he did not have much confidence. However, in the face of a local separatist force that was made up of Han people, he did not feel the slightest bit of psychological pressure.
Huang Chang frowned. It was obvious that he wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not say anything.
Three days passed quickly. Zhao Gou and his entourage set off for WuTang Mountain as scheduled. Prince Yi, who was supposed to be guarding the Suizao Corridor, appeared in Xiangyang City. Seeing the Emperor's entourage gradually disappear into the distance, a hint of eagerness flashed through his eyes. With great difficulty, he suppressed it and asked, "Is the WuTang side ready?"
His confidant, Yu Tianxi, answered, "Everything is ready. According to the news that Widow Hua sent back, they used the safety of the entire WuTang Clan and Yang Buhui as a threat. Yin Liting finally agreed to cooperate. When the time comes, the Emperor will not see any flaws."
"WuTang's Yin Liuxia, what a great reputation, but it is only so-so." A hint of sarcasm flashed through the corner of Prince Yi's mouth.
Yu Tianxi laughed and said, "Yin Liting did not agree at first, but his wife happened to be pregnant, so he had no choice but to agree. With such a young and beautiful wife, if it were me, I would also be reluctant. "
Prince Yi also couldn't help but laugh. "I heard that his beautiful fiancée was snatched away by Yang Xiao of the Ming Dynasty. At first, everyone was laughing at him, but in the end, the daughter of his former lover actually fell in love with him, putting on a good show of an old cow seducing young grass, making Yang Xiao the laughing stock of the world. I don't know who got the better end of the deal."
Yu Tianxi echoed, "I heard that the mother and daughter look very similar, and I have seen them personally. They are indeed outstanding beauties. After this matter is over, it is impossible to leave the WuTang Clan alive. It would be a pity to kill them. If Your Highness is interested, you can summon her to play after the matter is over."
"Bastard, what kind of woman have I not seen? Why must I do such an unbearable thing?" Prince Yi's face turned serious and he reprimanded a few times, but his heart was in a dilemma. There were indeed many beauties in the Prince's Mansion, but I have never played with a pregnant woman before. Should I give it a try? But if this gets out, it will not be good for my reputation …
Yu Tianxi naturally didn't know that he had already tempted Prince Yi, so he hurriedly changed the topic. "By the way, I haven't been able to contact that Wandering Soul."
"Still can't contact him?" Prince Yi frowned, and his heart was covered with a layer of haze.
"Should we send someone to look for him?" Yu Tianxi saw that the other was not in a good mood and said cautiously.
"Forget it," Prince Yi waved his hand. "Anyway, it doesn't matter if he is there or not. Even if he is there, he can't intervene."
"Yes." Hearing him say this, Yu Tianxi also felt the same. Although there were so many arrangements, it was still up to the faceless man and the general to decide the outcome.
…
Zhao Gou and his party continued to travel north along the Han River for more than a hundred miles by boat, then abandoned the boat and walked by land. They arrived at the small town at the foot of WuTang Mountain the next evening.
Soon, the Emperor's decree was issued. The next morning, they would go up the mountain to worship heaven.
As for Wang Ziteng, he had already led the people of the Front Palace Department to set up defenses on the periphery of WuTang Mountain in advance, lest the enemy sent an army to attack and capture the Emperor.
"Is there still no news from Song Qingshu?" In the bedroom, Zhao Gou confirmed again.
"He hasn't returned." Huang Chang's voice floated from the shadows.
"Yingluo hasn't returned either?" Zhao Gou was somewhat dissatisfied. He thought that it was one thing for Song Qingshu to harbor evil intentions, but you are my imperial sister, how could you not return?
"He was most likely delayed by something. Not long ago, we received intelligence that the Red Coat Army split up. Xia Quan led the army to attack Yangzhou, and Huaidong Commanding Officer Liu Gu also cooperated and appeared near Yangzhou." Ding Dian couldn't help but answer. As the commander of the Imperial Armament, he was naturally by the Emperor's side this time. Back then, he and Ling Shuanghua were able to get married because of Song Qingshu, so he didn't want Song Qingshu to become enemies with the Emperor, so he spoke up for him.
"Liu Gu actually dared to mobilize troops on his own? How dare he!" Zhao Gou was furious when he heard that, and he smashed the teacup in his hand to pieces. He paced around the room anxiously. "Liu Gu is Jia Shidao's man, so he must have been instructed by him to attack Yangzhou on purpose, forcing Song Qingshu to have no choice but to save him. Naturally, he won't be able to come to WuTang Mountain. Jia Shidao actually dared to do such a thing for his own selfishness.
It was a taboo for the Emperor to mobilize troops on his own. Zhao Gou ascended to the throne in the chaos of war, and he had experienced the Miao-Liu Rebellion where he almost lost his head, as well as the Huaixi Rebellion where tens of thousands of troops surrendered to the Jin Kingdom. This made him even more sensitive to such matters.
"If this bastard isn't eliminated, I won't be able to eat or sleep in peace!" Zhao Gou felt that his decision this time was increasingly wise. Tomorrow, on WuTang Mountain, everything would be settled. Whether or not Song Qingshu was there, he had absolute confidence in this operation.
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