knife

Chapter 131 The Imperial Envoy Arrives
The withered yellow grass lay prostrate on the ground, some parts already blackened and rotting, but beneath it, tender green shoots stubbornly peeked out from the gaps in the decay, swaying gently in the wind. The brambles, which had seemed lifeless, were also sprouting tiny buds; if the temperature rose even slightly more, they would surely unleash vigorous branches.

Looking up, the distant mountains were still covered in snow. Looking down, the river flowed swiftly in front of them, and occasionally a fish could be seen leaping out of the water, only to fall back in with a splash, creating a wave and eliciting laughter from the large group of soldiers on the riverbank.

The scenery outside the Great Wall is always different compared to the area inside the Great Wall.

Winter has gone, spring has arrived, the chilling, murderous aura is slowly receding, and boundless vitality is blooming everywhere on this land.

In the distance, atop a withered tree, a thin-looking leopard stood, craning its neck to watch the frolicking crowd. On the other side, a brown bear poked half its body out of a tree hole; so thin it looked almost unrecognizable, it seemed not yet fully awake from hibernation.

"There's a bear over there, perfect for cleaning it up and giving everyone a treat!" A royal guard officer laughed, raised his sword, mounted his horse, and galloped off in that direction.

Unexpectedly, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed the horse's reins.

“Brother, it’s only early spring, hunting is not allowed now!” said an officer whose attire was clearly different from that of the Imperial Guards, with a smile.

"Isn't it said that there are few people and many animals outside the pass?" The Imperial Guard officer was a little unhappy. "What's the big deal about hunting just one? Brother Ma, don't spoil everyone's fun!"

"It has nothing to do with the number of beasts, it's the rule. And since it's the rule, it can't be broken!" Officer Ma said with a smile. "Otherwise, if everyone thought like this, even the most wild beasts would be wiped out."

While the two were arguing, both the leopard and the somewhat bewildered brown bear in the distance took off and ran far away.

They are indeed wild beasts, but wild beasts have a much stronger sense of danger than humans.

Even though these people didn't seem particularly hostile, they instinctively decided that leaving was the best course of action.

The officer surnamed Lu glared at the other man with some resentment, then dismounted in a huff.

Although the other party was several ranks lower than him and was only a border colonel, his status was different; he was the biological son of Ma Dacheng, the garrison commander of Yangguan.

If it were someone else, I would have lashed out with the whip long ago.

"Commander Ma!" someone shouted from afar, "Wei Shiyi requests your presence."

"Here he comes!" The officer surnamed Ma smiled, bowed to the officer in front of him, and then strode towards a middle-aged official by the river.

Wei Yi sat on a small stool, holding a plate containing strips of roasted chicken that the servant had shredded, and was eating with great relish.

As the eldest son of the current prime minister Yang Weizhengdao and a court attendant to the emperor, his mission to the border region was seen by many uninformed people as an extremely risky undertaking.

The situation outside the Great Wall has remained completely hidden due to the cover-up by certain individuals.

Wei Zhengdao would naturally not let go of such a good opportunity to gain political capital for his son.

When the truth about what happened beyond the Great Wall came to light, Wei Yi's prior solo journey there served as the best explanation for his promotion.

At over thirty years old, Wei Yi should take a step further and assume a substantive position to boost his political achievements.

Having served as a remonstrator by the emperor's side for three years, I've essentially exhausted all the emperor's goodwill I could have earned. Staying there for too long would actually be counterproductive.

The rank of Shiyi may not sound high, but because they serve by the emperor's side, they start at a very high level as soon as they are sent out to other places. Generally speaking, they will be promoted several ranks in a row. For someone with Wei Yi's background, it would be quite normal for him to become the second-in-command in a prefecture within the pass.

“Wei Shiyi summoned me, what are his instructions?” Ma Liang walked over and bowed.

Wei Yi smiled and pointed to the stool opposite him, inviting Ma Liang to sit down while gesturing to his servant to hand Ma Liang a plate of meat.

"This is my family's own chef. He's quite skilled. Commander Ma, please have a taste!"

Ma Liang didn't stand on ceremony, took the plate and started to eat heartily. He had to admit, the Prime Minister's chef's skills were indeed exceptional. The same roast chicken tasted much better when roasted.

“Back in Yangguan, General Ma didn’t treat me very well, and he didn’t like to talk to me about many things.” Wei Yi got straight to the point: “This makes me, someone who’s going on a mission beyond the Great Wall for the first time, quite apprehensive. I’m afraid I won’t do a good job. Could you help me, Lieutenant Ma?” Ma Liang wiped his mouth and chuckled: “Wei Shiyi, you’re overthinking it. My father is just like that; he only knows how to do things practically, but he can’t express it verbally. If he really didn’t like you, Shiyi, he wouldn’t have let me come with you.”

Wei Yi nodded: "I appreciate Captain Ma's good intentions. To be honest, when we were in Chang'an, my father told me that once we leave the pass, I should rely more on people like Captain Ma. I'm afraid the Imperial Guards are not very reliable!"

Ma Liang glanced at the Imperial Guards frolicking by the river, then at the dozen or so men behind Wei Yi, and said with a smile, "Shiyi, you are too modest. With just these dozen or so guards behind you, as long as you don't run into a large army outside the pass, you can probably run rampant without any fear!"

Wei Yi laughed loudly: "Captain Ma has sharp eyes. I have something to ask you, and I hope you will not hesitate to teach me. I will surely repay you in the future."

“Just ask whatever you want, Shi Yi!” Ma Liang said. “I’m not like my father. I would gladly try to curry favor with someone as important as Shi Yi.”

“You are indeed different from your father!” Wei Yi laughed. “At least you are more talkative and more likable. Captain Ma, your future achievements will surely surpass those of your father.”

"Isn't this something that needs the help of a benefactor like Shi Yi?" Ma Liang said, "Shouldn't you ask Xiao Changche about it?"

Wei Yi said, "The area outside the pass is still peaceful. From the information you have received, it seems that Linghu Ye was initially planning to launch a military campaign, right?"

“Indeed, Linghu Ye made a series of moves to mobilize a large army, and we in Yangguan were on edge for a while.” Ma Liang said, “Because no one knew whether Linghu Ye was going to attack Xiao Changche or Yangguan. Yangguan is the pass that locks down the fierce army outside the pass. If Yangguan is lost, the army will be able to advance straight in.”

"Then Linghu Ye's actions came to an abrupt halt, which can only mean one thing: Xiao Changche has the strength to keep him from making a move!" Wei Yi's expression gradually became serious. "But the imperial court is well aware that Xiao Changche's strength is plain for all to see. So there's only one possibility: it's that bandit Li Dachui. You're familiar with the area outside the Great Wall, and I've heard that you frequently travel between Tai'an City and Yangguan. So what do you know about this Li Dachui?"

Ma Liang looked at Wei Yi with difficulty, "Shi Yi, this is putting me in a difficult position. Tai'an City is not only the commercial trading center outside the pass, but also the intelligence center. As far as I know, when all of this was exposed, not only us, but all other forces were stunned."

"If he remains silent, he will be a sensation when he speaks; is this person truly content to be subservient?"

"Father said that as long as he can keep Linghu Ye in check, what does it matter what else he does? The stronger they are, the more stable the area outside the Great Wall will be!"

“Your father is a man of insight!” Wei Yi nodded and said, “So, what attitude should I take towards them this time?”

Ma Liang hesitated for a moment before saying, "I've rarely met Li Dachui, but I have met Fang Xiaomao, one of his subordinates, and I've also dealt with Zhuque Xiazhi. They are all highly skilled in martial arts and are unruly. As for Xiao Changche, he is also an extremely arrogant person. You probably know that he even dared to come and beat up people like General Wei and General Zuo in the past..."

"Are you saying that in their eyes, I, the son of the Prime Minister, am nothing at all?"

Ma Liang smiled awkwardly: "That's roughly the idea. When you meet them, you should be humble and not worry about whether we are imperial envoys or not. We probably can't expect them to greet us with grand ceremonies like setting up an incense table. When we get there, we should just give them the imperial edict."

"Is that so?" Wei Yi said thoughtfully.

“Xiao Changche is the kind of person who is extremely decisive and straightforward. The more magnanimous you appear, the more he will respect you. He is the kind of person who responds better to gentleness than force. Moreover, from what I can tell, he doesn’t have much respect for Chang’an,” Ma Liang continued. “He is from beyond the Great Wall and is extremely angry about the court’s intention to abandon the area over the years. If we put on airs of an imperial envoy in front of him, we’ll probably be in for a rough time.”

“I understand. Xiao Changche is no longer a General of Chariots and Cavalry. He will soon become a Second-Rank General of the Cavalry, establish his own government and command, and stand on equal footing with Linghu Ye. How dare I, a mere Remonstrance Official, put on airs in front of him!” Wei Yi laughed with a somewhat inexplicable meaning.

Although this was the second time he had heard of this appointment, Ma Liang was still shocked.

My father served in the army his whole life, and now he's just a third-rank general.

He was nearly ten years older than Xiao Changche, and was still just a lowly captain.

Xiao Changche, at the age of twenty-five, was already a General of the Cavalry, having established his own headquarters and command.

“Tell me more about them!” Wei Yi said. “Captain Ma, let’s skip the official platitudes. I want to hear your most genuine thoughts and opinions about Xiao Changche, Li Dachui, and Tai’an City.”

“If you wish to hear, I will naturally tell you everything I know. To be honest, over the years, Yangguan has often done business with Tai’an City. However, my Ma family is not corrupt; it is genuinely to make up for the shortage of military funds,” Ma Liang said.

"Don't worry, these things are nothing to mention. My father knows very well General Ma's loyalty to the court!" Wei Yi waved his hand and said.

(End of this chapter)