Yang Fan was quiet for a few moments, then indifferently spat out, "Ten thousand cavalry!"
Li Longji's inky, sword-like brows slightly rose as he said, "Ten thousand cavalry? Aren't these ten thousand cavalry already under the control of the Wei clan? "
Yang Fan smiled and said, "Controlling an army and replacing the main commander of an army with one of your own are two different things. These ten thousand cavalry were single-handedly established by this Yang. Although Yang Fan is no longer in office, it hasn't been long since he left office, so he still has some prestige.
As for the Wei clan's party, although they have the ten thousand cavalry under their control and even have the winged cavalry to keep them in check, Wei Xuan and Wei Bo have never been soldiers or fought in battle. They only know how to use harsh punishments and harsh laws to control their subordinates. As a result, they have not been able to raise the morale of the army and have instead caused their subordinates to become disloyal and disloyal.
This Yang still has some friendship with the generals in the army. If this Yang were to step forward and communicate with them, if someone qualified to assume command of the army were to step forward and preside over the situation, I am confident that those hot-blooded men will make the wisest choice. "
Li Longji slightly narrowed his eyes, a sharp light occasionally flashing through them. He was currently evaluating and digesting the information Yang Fan had told him, and his angular and square face appeared solemn.
Yang Fan calmly gazed at him, his pursed lips revealing several fine and distinct lines, causing his face to exude an expression of determination and decisiveness. On this contemplative face, there was a maturity that did not quite match his age.
Yang Fan continued, "Although Wei Clan is holding the absolute power now, but their foundation is only concentrated in the capital, and it is only on the surface. At this point, they only need a surprise troop, and perhaps, they can achieve great things. If this continues, it will truly be impossible to stop. "
Li Longji gave a slight nod, his thoughts frantically racing. He agreed with Yang Fan's view. He also knew that once the Wei clan's party gained even greater power and absolute control over the political situation, they would never let the Prince of Xiang's branch go.
At that time, his father, his brothers, his sisters, the entire Prince of Xiang's branch would be uprooted. Yang Fan had undoubtedly developed this sense of crisis, which was why he wanted to advance and retreat together with him, a fellow sufferer.
Li Longji was mainly thinking about whether there was any possibility of success after joining forces with Yang Fan. At present, he was accumulating power in Lu Zhou. Back in the capital, he had also made a group of brothers whom he could entrust his life to. However, he knew that this power was not enough to protect himself, let alone counterattack.
Back then, he had only been constantly seeking power, not because he had delusions that he could resist the imperial court with his weak power. It was merely an instinctive reaction in the face of danger, as well as an indignant anger.
However, what if they added the power of ten thousand cavalrymen?
Li Longji thought to himself, With my salary, it's naturally not enough to recruit more people. However, I now have Zheng Li, Sun Long, Pei Yao, and other wealthy merchants from the Western Regions who have pledged their allegiance. They've been pushed aside and bullied by the Longxi Li Clan. Now that they've moved to Lu Province, they've already pledged their allegiance to me.
These merchants who have long resided in the restless lands of the Western Regions are different from the merchants of the Central Plains. They are more willing to take risks. As long as I agree to enough conditions for them, I'm confident that they will spare no expense to help me. With their financial support, I can recruit even more warriors and buy even more people.
If I add on the army of ten thousand cavalry … if things go smoothly, one thousand people will be enough to topple the regime. Ten thousand people is an enormous capital. It's worth the risk. Time waits for no man!
At this thought, Li Longji suddenly opened his eyes and stared at Yang Fan. He sternly said, "Great General, can you persuade ten thousand cavalry to defect? How confident are you? "
In his nervousness, Li Longji couldn't help but revert to the respectful title of Great General he used for Yang Fan. By addressing him this way, he emphasized his status and use. The army! That was the only guarantee of success!
Yang Fan lowered his head in thought, then slowly raised his head. "Seventy percent!"
Li Longji closed his eyes, then opened them again. He let out a long exhale and emotionally said, "Thirty percent is worth the gamble! Great General Yang, if this matter succeeds, my Prince of Xiang's lineage will not disappoint General. If I violate this oath, may the heavens and earth hate me, and may even gods and ghosts attack me! "
… …
"Princess, please wait a moment. This servant will go …"
"There's no need. This princess will go see Imperial Mother!"
Princess Anle did not wait for the eunuch to say anything. She arrogantly waved her hand and walked in with her chest held high, exuding a graceful bearing.
She wore an extremely gorgeous dress woven from the feathers of hundreds of birds. The dress had also cleverly used the different colors of the feathers to weave flowers, birds, and beasts of all sizes. Some were as big as a fist, some as small as a grain of millet. It could be said to be an exquisite work of art.
Under the moon and under the sun, this kind of dress looked different. Even if it was under the same sunlight, it would still undergo all sorts of changes at different angles and in different intensities of light. Seeing the astonished and curious gazes of the palace maids and eunuchs she encountered along the way, Li Guo 'er's vanity was greatly satisfied.
She had finally obtained a dress of hundreds of birds that was not one bit inferior to the one from the Yang Clan. Because it had taken far too much time to gather the materials, design, and workmanship, even though An Le had offered three times the price of the dress that Yang Fan had bought, she had only obtained it today.
Princess Anle impatiently put on this dress and rushed to the Imperial Palace. She wanted to ask her mother to hold a grand banquet at the still incomplete Ding Kunchi, inviting all the princesses, emblems, and daughters of the diplomatic envoys. At this banquet, she could display her 'unique' feather dress.
Yes, 'unique'!
Of course, the Yang Family also had a feather dress like this, but the Yang Family had never worn it in the streets. An Le had enough confidence that she would be in the limelight at the banquet and cause countless women to look at her with astonished and envious gazes.
As for the Yang Family … An Le smiled coldly. There would be a day when she would have Yang Fan die without a burial. She would have Yang Fan's wives, concubines, and children all become her official slaves. She would humiliate and enslave them at will. She would confiscate Yang Fan's home and personally burn that feather dress that had humiliated her!
"Princess An Le arrives!"
The palace guard taijian following behind An Le saw that An Le was about to enter the palace and suddenly sang loudly. An Le had wanted to give her mother a surprise. Hearing him shout, she couldn't help but glare at him reproachfully. However, she didn't make things difficult for her mother's confidant.
On the bed in the palace, Empress Wei was lying on a pillow with her legs spread apart. There was a person leaning under her dress, only the lower half of her body was exposed. Occasionally, she would make smacking sounds.
Empress Wei's face was full of spring, her eyes were like silk. She was gritting her pearly white teeth and seductively enduring Ma Qinke's tongue. When she suddenly heard this shout, her expression changed. She quickly sat up and said, "Get up quickly, Guo Er is here!"
…
Li Chiying held the zither in her arms, her mind was in a daze.
It was very easy for a young girl who was experiencing her first awakening of love to develop a favorable impression towards a handsome, mature, successful man of the opposite sex. If the two of them had many special experiences, and that man was the only man of the opposite sex that she could interact with regularly, some things would come naturally.
Moreover, even though the rumors and slanders about them were false, but if they were to be put on a show, it could turn the show into reality. She did not know when it started, but Yang Fan's figure had already filled her heart.
However, she was also clear that based on her status and identity, it was impossible for her to be with Yang Fan. A girl's shyness and reservation made it so that she could not even confess her love to Yang Fan. She could not help but feel sorry for herself.
She subconsciously plucked the strings of the zither and unwittingly played that song again. The simple and unsophisticated music spread into the quiet room at the back. Yang Fan and Li Longji, who were sitting opposite each other and discussing official business, appeared to have a kind of ancient feeling.
However, when he heard his sister's zither song, Li Longji was startled. Not only was Li Longji adept in both literature and martial arts, he was also well-versed in the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. He was no stranger to the song that his little sister was playing.
As he listened to that familiar melody, a corresponding ancient poem flowed through his heart like the murmuring of a brook, "Indigo Collar, leisurely in my heart. Even if I do not go, Zining will not have a voice? Indigo Zipei, leisurely in my thoughts. Even if I do not go, Zining will not come? Picking and picking, in the city watchtower. One day apart is like three months … "
This Temple Master of True Jade Temple, who had already entered the Dao and had already attained a rank four Immortal Book, was actually playing the song 'Indigo Collar'. "Sister, this is … this is thinking … thinking of who?" Li Longji's expression suddenly became rather strange.
Yang Fan did not notice his strangeness. He was currently responding to the conditions that Li Longji had just proposed. "The official path is dangerous. San Lang, once this matter is completed, I don't want the title of prince, nor do I want to stay in the bureaucracy. This Yang would rather be a carefree and unfettered farmer. I am willing to do everything in my power to assist the Prince of Xiang. I only ask that after this matter is completed, San Lang can promise me two things. "
Li Longji hurriedly gathered his thoughts and said to Yang Fan, "What are these two things? Erlang, please speak!"
Yang Fan said, "First, if this matter is completed, I hope that the Prince of Xiang's bloodline can treat our brothers in the cavalry well. It's fine even if we have to transfer them from the army for other purposes. But … please treat them well."
Li Longji gazed at Yang Fan and suddenly laughed involuntarily. "Haha, Erlang, are you worried that we will be like the current His Majesty, suspecting you for no reason and fearing your prestige in the cavalry, thus doing something unfavorable to them?"
Li Longji calmly shook his head. "They are your comrades, and even more so, officials of the Imperial Court. If an emperor cannot win the loyalty of those who rely on the emperor's salary, cannot suppress those who harbor dissenting ambitions, then this emperor is incompetent! Incompetent people, no matter how hard they try, will find it hard to escape defeat! So … "
Li Longji took a deep breath and confidently said, "After this matter is completed, the Imperial Court will still put them in important positions! As long as the emperor treats his officials like his own brothers and sisters, even if it's you, if you want to lead them to rebel against the Imperial Court, they will definitely not comply! "
Yang Fan looked at this high-spirited young prince in front of him and cheerfully nodded.
Li Longji asked, "Then, what's the second matter?"
Yang Fan pondered for a moment and said, "The second matter is easy to handle. It's about a woman!"
Li Longji's expression suddenly became strange again. He asked, "A woman?"
Yang Fan nodded and softly said, "She and I are in love with each other. However, her identity and status are too sensitive, so we can't stay together. If we succeed today, I hope that San Lang can lend me a hand and let me take her to live in seclusion in the forest. "
Li Longji's face suddenly flushed red. His eyes widened, and his figure leaped up like a tiger. He clenched his fists and shouted, "Shut up!"
Yang Fan was stunned. Li Longji said sternly, "You already have a house full of wives and concubines, yet you still have designs on my younger sister? No matter how precarious my family's situation is, she is still a member of the Imperial Family. How can she be a concubine?
You actually dare to raise such a condition? What kind of person do you think I, Li San Lang, am! Whether it's for self-preservation or for the throne, this Li will not betray my family and sacrifice my younger sister! "
Yang Fan wiped the spittle off his face and blankly looked at the furious Li Longji. He thought to himself, Did this guy drink too much?
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