Tiger Guards

Chapter 678 Internal Treachery
Tianshui, Shanggui.

Another day dawned, and perhaps because of the deep snow inside and outside the city, it felt even colder.

Zhuge Liang was almost woken up by the cold. He endured the shivering and curled up on the ground with his arms outstretched, hugging his calves. His left hand held his right calf and his right hand held his left calf.

Feeling the intense, chaotic energy around him, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if it were some kind of unseen force.

Zhuge Liang wanted to capture and control this energy, so he endured his discomfort and patiently waited for the right opportunity.

Unfortunately, being in the military now means I can't make too many noises.

Otherwise, according to past practice, Zhuge Liang would hug his knees and let out a long howl to stimulate the flow of Qi.

When Zhuge Liang hugged his knees and let out a long howl, he felt that he could clear away all kinds of negative thoughts and expel them from his body; and this howl could also gather the body's energy and strength, allowing him to be energetic and focused.

He can't perform the action of hugging his knees and letting out a long howl now, so he can only sit cross-legged and meditate, practicing the guiding techniques popular in the army.

Although Zhao Ji did not teach any meditation or guiding techniques, the methods spread very quickly as his personal guards and subordinates imitated and learned them.

After Zhuge Liang finished his meditation and cleared his mind of distractions, he walked out of the house with a serene expression, though his legs trembled slightly and he was not walking very steadily.

Just as he was about to wash up, a guard on duty outside the door spoke up: "Master Kongming, the Chief Secretary invites you."

"it is good."

Zhuge Liang immediately agreed and turned to find Zhuge Jin.

The government office was actually quite empty, with few guards on duty and few staff members working there.

Apart from the troops Zhao Ji took with him, the others were to be dispersed to various places to suppress prisoners and surrendered soldiers.

When Zhuge Liang met Zhuge Jin, he saw that Zhuge Jin looked like he hadn't slept all night: "Chief Clerk?"

"I just brewed a pot of strong tea, and Kongming came to accompany me to taste and eat."

Zhuge Jin put down the official document in his hand, stood up and stretched out his arms to signal. His movements were slow, and even his facial expressions were slow and stiff.

Zhuge Liang simply bowed deeply and said, "Yes."

The two entered the inner hall one after the other. Zhuge Jin sat down lazily, leaning against a hollow square wooden board, and ate a piece of wheat cake listlessly. After a few bites, he said, "Grand Tutor was worried about trouble in Jinyang. Three days ago, when he defeated Zhao Ang, he sent a messenger to Jinyang to report the victory. I suppose the news has spread throughout the Three Auxiliary Regions by now. Today, the messenger has arrived in Jinyang."

Zhuge Liang did not pursue the topic upon hearing this, but instead said, "Chief Secretary, given my lowly position, it is inappropriate for me to discuss or hear about this matter."

"This is the Grand Tutor's intention."

Zhuge Jin glanced back at his younger brother, who was strict and lacked human warmth, and said, "Ever since the Zhang brothers surrendered, the Grand Tutor has sent his subordinate Su Ze to Guanzhong to thoroughly investigate those who leaked military intelligence. Su Ze has not yet reported back, and the Grand Tutor wants you to go to Guanzhong to assist Su Ze. I am short-handed here and can only spare a little over a hundred men for you."

"More than a hundred people?"

Upon hearing that he had a mission, Zhuge Liang reached for a wheat cake, took a bite, and after chewing slowly, his brow relaxed: "Who exactly is it?"

With his intelligence, since he already knew that Grand Tutor Zhao had reported the victory in Jinyang ahead of time, it meant that the dangers in the rear were no less than those on the front lines.

If there truly is a rebellious force about to erupt, then with the news of victory arriving in Jinyang today, these people, feeling they have no other choice, might hastily launch an attack. It's always better to take a gamble than to be slaughtered.

The affairs of Jinyang were none of his concern; his mission lay in the Guanzhong region.

Zhuge Liang asked directly, and Zhuge Jin was equally straightforward: "You are to assist Su Ze in the investigation. The hundred-odd men assigned to you are not for you to supervise these officials and soldiers in killing people. With a single order, you can command all the counties and prefectures of the Three Auxiliary Regions. Therefore, these hundred-odd men are your guards. If things become unfavorable, retreat to Chencang."

Looking at his pensive younger brother, Zhuge Jin said, "If Su Zeruo refuses to act after investigating, you should not act either. Investigate everything and report to the Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor. Now that the Grand Tutor has defeated Han Sui's army, only the rebel Song Jian remains in Liangzhou."

Hearing the tone in his voice, Zhuge Liang had already concluded that Zhao Ji and his staff lacked the determination and resolve to solve the Liangzhou problem in one fell swoop.

Given the current situation, Liangzhou has lost the possibility of causing trouble in the west and supporting the Guandong rebels.

The meager taxes from Liangzhou are really not important, nor is the border trouble caused by the loss of Liangzhou.

The important thing is that the combined forces of Han and Hu in Liangzhou could reach a scale of over 100,000. Even if this combined army did not engage in combat after each gathering, or even remained stationary, it would still strategically restrain the Jin army.

Secondly, there was a large population of people hiding among the Han and Hu chieftains in Liangzhou. These people were not registered in the counties and prefectures. Faced with this illegal population who were under the protection of the empire but were unwilling to make contributions, the attitude of the Jin army was actually the same.

Finally, Liangzhou is a horse-producing region, so it cannot be abandoned directly... Even if it is temporarily abandoned, the population must be relocated to populate the various prefectures of Shuofang, thus disrupting the horse production and trade channels in the Liangzhou region. As for whether it will damage the channels and traditions connecting the Western Regions, at this stage of the war, the submission of the various states in the Western Regions is not actually important.

The Empress Regent of Jinyang had no shortage of foreign specialties from various states in the Western Regions, nor did she lack the legitimacy that these tributes brought.

The emperor of Xudu was even less able to use the various states of the Western Regions. Even if the states of the Western Regions formed a coalition, how many troops could they muster to defend the emperor?

The Western Regions issue can be temporarily shelved, or certain people who are difficult to settle can be exiled and sent to govern the Western Regions.

It would be best if the government could govern well, but if it couldn't, or if it colluded with other city-states or kingdoms to launch a rebellion... that would be barely acceptable.

Therefore, after considering all the issues in the Western Regions and Liangzhou, the army can simply plunder the population and then retreat to the Hebei and Qin-Jin regions.

Anyway, the population in the border areas is like grass. This year, one crop is harvested, and next year many more people will migrate from the harsh and barren lands. Then you can harvest them again.

Zhuge Liang was able to roughly understand Zhao Ji's ideas on governing the country and using troops, which could be described as brutal.

Another way to describe this brutality is as an open strategy; Zhao Ji was not afraid at all that the central and western parts of Liangzhou would be occupied again by the various Hu tribes.

Zhao Ji's attitude towards the various Hu tribes who had the desire to migrate was very clear: welcome to stay.

In any case, the Han and Qiang population in Liangzhou will not all be executed after being relocated.

It's somewhat similar to chewed wine, except you swallow it and chew it, and in the end, many people are still released to return to their homeland.

This chewing process destroys various coarse fibrous tissues.

Guanzhong, Hedong, Jinyang, and Shuofang all basically experienced similar upheavals.

But now Grand Tutor Zhao is worried about changes in Jinyang... so the way a coup will happen is almost fixed, it just depends on who will start the trouble and take action.

The coup plotters did not have private armies, and they could not even get support from the military at all levels.

The only things the other side could manipulate were the Empress Dowager's control and Grand Tutor Zhao Yan.

Considering the difficulties of dealing with people with different surnames, Zhuge Liang dared not delve any further into the matter.

No wonder Su went to Guanzhong to investigate but has been slow to respond.

In such cases, those suspected are apprehended and severely tortured.

Those who can withstand torture and prove their loyalty and innocence are undoubtedly loyal and trustworthy, and can be promoted with confidence in the future.

Those who couldn't withstand the torture might have poor health, and such people are not suitable for promotion or being entrusted with important responsibilities.

They may also reveal other crimes, in which case they can be executed as well.

If the torture is correct, then we can follow the clues to find the source.

For an autocratic group, the people are indeed like cattle and sheep, and the county officials are also a kind of leading cattle and sheep. Even the county chiefs are like shepherds, a different kind of high-level cattle and sheep, who can be tested, destroyed, and recycled into a new cycle on a large scale.

Zhuge Liang's expression was more solemn than ever before. He looked at Zhuge Jin and said, "Chief Secretary, I am only assisting Su in the investigation in the Three Auxiliary Regions?"

"Yes, only in Sanfu and Hongnong."

Zhuge Jin hadn't slept all night, and his dark circles were obvious. He looked at Zhuge Liang and said, "You Fufeng Jia Wenzhen is a reliable man. If things change, retreat to Chencang immediately."

The implication is that there are also major bandits in the Guanzhong region. After the temporary Guanzhong Protectorate was abolished, there were only three high-ranking officials in the Guanzhong region: the Prefect of Jingzhao, the Right Prefect of Fufeng, and the Left Prefect of Fengyi.

Actually, there is a fourth one, which is Hongnong.

The people of Hongnong were the only county that had not been processed and reorganized by the Jin army, similar to Tianshui before the rebellion.

"Yes, Your Excellency obeys."

Zhuge Liang rose, cupped his hands in acceptance, and then bowed again, saying, "Take care, elder brother."

"Ah."

(End of this chapter)