Tiger Guards

Chapter 69: Rush to the Emperor's Aid
The sky was dark in the southern suburbs of Anyi City.

The emperor's headquarters was located in a village community. At this moment, Yang Feng led his soldiers with fire outside the village community, but was stopped outside the gate by more than a dozen Huben and Yulin soldiers.

General Fu Wan, the auxiliary general, asked through the deer horns, "General, why are you raising an army here?"

"Hedong's Tiger Guard Zhao Ji has gathered his troops to rebel, attacking and killing Li Le and Han Xian. I am leading my troops to defend the Emperor. Please let them go!"

Yang Feng responded angrily. In the light of the torch, Fu Wan looked incredulous. "General, you're joking! Li Zhengxi and Han Zhengdong are both veteran generals of the country. How could they be harmed by a mere soldier?"

"I'm not joking! Quickly inform the emperor and ask him to make the decision!"

"Yes, General, please wait."

Fu Wan suppressed his shock, stepped back a few steps, and whispered to his son Fu De, who was holding a torch, "Defend this gate to the death!"

"Here!"

Fu De responded in a deep voice. Fu Wan took the torch and walked quickly into the village alone.

Along the way, he met Taiwei Yang Biao, Sikong Zhang Xi, Situ Zhao Wen, and Shizhong Liu Ai. Yang Biao asked, "Why did Yang Feng raise an army?"

"It is said that Tiger Guard Zhao Ji rebelled, attacked and killed Li Le and Han Xian, and presumably captured Wenxi."

Fu Wan answered quickly, bowing to Yang Biao, "Master Wen went to persuade this man with kind words, and he was right. The Tiger Guards are coming right towards us!"

"it is good!"

Yang Biao agreed decisively and led Zhang Xi and Zhao Wen, two important officials, towards the main gate.

Liu Ai, holding a torch, followed Fu Wan to see the emperor. Outside the emperor's chamber stood the Imperial Guards, Zhou Zhong, and the Imperial Attendant, Yang Qi, both wearing armor and holding halberds. The two old men had white beards. Yang Qi glared at them and asked, "Why did this change happen?"

Liu Ai replied, "The Tiger Guards have marched south and killed Li Le and Han Xian, seizing their troops. They are now in Wenxi and should arrive any day!"

"Very good!"

Yang Qi and Zhou Zhong also turned around and followed him inside. There were also two torches in the house.

The emperor, who was about to turn fifteen, sat still, with Empress Fu Shou sitting next to him, Concubine Dong standing on the other side, and the two noble ladies Song and Zhao standing behind them.

Emperor Liu Xie was only fifteen years old, so one can imagine the ages of Fu Shou, Concubine Dong, and the other two noble ladies.

At this moment, they all looked serious, with no trace of childishness in their brows.

Yang Qi, Liu Ai, and Fu Wan entered the palace. Yang Qi replied, "Your Majesty, Yang Feng has raised his army and is alleging that a certain Zhao Ji, one of the Hedong Tiger Guards, is plotting rebellion. He has already killed Li Le and Han Xian. He is now gathering his men in Wenxi and will arrive any day."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie secretly clenched his fist and asked, "How is Wang Yi?"

"I don't know. Yang Feng set fire to the Emperor's headquarters and surrounded them. Wang Yi will not sit idly by. You can summon Yang Feng and see how courageous he is before making a decision."

Seeing Yang Qi preparing to capture Yang Feng, Fu Wan immediately refused: "No, the Tiger Guards could arrive at any moment. Yang Feng's situation is already lost. He is just holding out, hoping for a lucky break. It's better to just let the noise go. When the situation becomes difficult, he will withdraw his troops."

Then he bowed to Liu Xiechang and said, "Your Majesty, I think you can draft an imperial edict to confer a title on Yang Feng, and in recognition of his meritorious service in protecting the country, appoint him to a position to serve as a shield for the country."

No matter how bad Yang Feng was, he was not as bad as Li Jue and Guo Si, and he did have the talent to command troops.

If we really don't give Yang Feng a chance to survive, the more than 30 Huben and Yulin soldiers here can't stop Yang Feng at all.

Liu Xie looked at Liu Ai and asked, "How about the imperial edict?"

Liu Ai had been Dong Zhuo's chief secretary, so he answered without hesitation: "Your Majesty, a high position makes it difficult to gain his trust, and a low position makes it difficult to move his heart. It would be better to appoint him as the governor of Henan and let him cultivate the Heluo area so that he can be used in the future."

Liu Xie thought that this was to allow Yang Feng to transition to a noble position, not to mention that the power of the Henan Yin was very high.

But the problem is obvious. Yang Feng's official position was granted under abnormal circumstances. Even if the court recognized it, it would be useless if the local scholars did not.

Even if Yang Feng was appointed as the general, who in the world would take him seriously?
If this is the case with high-ranking officials, it is even less likely that ordinary positions will satisfy Yang Feng, nor will they satisfy Yang Feng's subordinates.

Yang Feng's troops have expanded excessively, and as a result, they are now unable to find a suitable way to relocate them.

Liu Xie could also recognize the problem in this area, but it was so difficult to solve.

Yang Qi then said, "Your Majesty, if we delay, something unexpected will happen. Please summon Yang Feng immediately."

Once Yang Feng is dealt with, it will be easy to deal with Hu Cai.

The reason why Yang Feng and Hu Cai could spend every day together was simply because Hu Cai had a gentle personality and could endure grievances.

Relatively speaking, Hu Cai is a very easy-going person.

By capturing Yang Feng and letting Hu Cai come forward, most of the rebellious soldiers can be restrained.

Yang Qi was determined to take action against Yang Feng, but Liu Xie didn't want to kill Yang Feng. On the one hand, he remembered Yang Feng's contribution in protecting the emperor, but he also didn't want to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

On the way out of Chang'an, there were only a hundred officials left, and they could not withstand the chaos and fighting.

At this time, Zuo Ling, the prefect of Nanyang County, donned his armor and walked outside the gate, bowing: "Your Majesty, the guards from all the offices have gathered."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie went to see the attendant Liu Ai.

Liu Ai bowed slightly, took a few steps back and went out, and saw that the courtyard was crowded with officials, including some who were in their forties from the Five Officials Office. Most of them were wearing simple armor, and some were holding swords in their hands, while others were holding spears and halberds.

Torches provided sparse lighting, and the palace officials were the emperor's last guards.

Counselor Dong Zhao and Imperial Court Assistant Minister Zhong Yao were standing in the front row. Zhong Yao, leaning on an iron halberd, raised his head and asked, "Lord Zifang?"

"No noise."

Liu Ai gave some instructions and turned back to the house.

Four torches burned in the house. Seeing the emperor hesitate to make up his mind, Yang Qi closed his eyes and sighed. More hurried footsteps could be heard. It was Gou Dun Ling who commanded: "Your Majesty, the troops from Anyi are coming with torches!"

Following closely behind, Fu De also hurried over: "Your Majesty, Hu Cai sent an envoy to report that the Right Xian Wang Qubei is rebelling and attacking and burning the Wei family's manor!"

Liu Xie asked Yang Qi, "What does this mean? Is Yang Feng trying to frighten the court?"

Yang Qi frowned, "I'm afraid it wasn't Yang Feng's doing. In my opinion, it was the Xiongnu who coveted the Wei family's wealth and took the opportunity to plunder."

While the emperor and his ministers were silent, Minister of Works Zhang Xi rushed into the house and bowed deeply, "Your Majesty, Yang Feng has said that he will lead his troops south to Hongnong and ask the court for the position of governor of Hongnong County."

Liu Xie looked at Yang Qi again, then at Liu Ai. Yang Qi said, "Give it to him, and quickly send an envoy to summon Hu Cai to protect the emperor."

Liu Xie turned his head to look at Shangshu Feng Shuo, who immediately took out the silk book and wrote quickly in standard Zhangcao calligraphy.

After confirming that everything was correct, he immediately stamped the emperor's seal.

As for the imperial seal, it is currently in the hands of Yuan Shu.

"Send the imperial edict to the Imperial Court Assistant Minister Zhong Yao."

Hearing the sound, Zhong Yao tossed his worn spear to the official beside him. Just as he was about to enter the house, Si Tu Zhao Wen came hurriedly, a look of joy on his face. He walked past Zhong Yao and entered the house, bowing deeply: "Your Majesty! Yang Feng turned his horse and fled, and the enemy troops suddenly collapsed!"

In an instant, the oppressive atmosphere in the room disappeared.

Even the four torches jumped for joy. Liu Xie's expression lightened up, and he immediately said, "Draft an imperial edict and summon Hu Cai to protect the emperor."

"Here."

Several people from the Secretariat agreed and immediately picked up their pens to write quickly.

"Report~!"

Yu Lin Lang Hou Zhe ran to the door, and Wei Wei Zhou Zhong turned to the door and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Hu Ben Zhao Ji killed and scattered the bandits, leaving behind a group of Hu Ben, and then led his troops to pursue Yang Feng! This is written by Lord Zhao!"

"Send an envoy to dissuade them quickly, to avoid any mishaps!"

Zhou Zhong gave the order that there was no Tiger Guard General at the moment. Zhou Zhong took the silk book from Hou Zhe and turned back into the house.

The silk scroll was quickly passed to Yang Qi, who quickly scanned it and said, "What a blessing for our country! Such a hero has emerged from the mountains and plains of our country!"

He handed the silk book to Liu Xie with both hands. Liu Xie flipped through it and found that it was indeed Zhao Yan's handwriting.

It briefly describes how the Huben soldiers defeated the Xiongnu when attacked and killed Li Le. As for the trivial deeds such as punishing the clan traitor Hou and killing the traitor Ma Shizhi, they are not worth mentioning. Instead, it tells the story of Zhao Ji's origin.

Seeing this, Liu Xie breathed a sigh of relief and sat down firmly on the couch: "Very good, very good! Call the Tiger Guards for questioning."

He then handed the silk book to Liu Ai for everyone to read.

Several ministers gathered together and breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zhao Ji's background.

Once bitten, twice shy.

The appearance of Zhao Ji and the extremely powerful Huben already made them worried.

But Zhao Ji, with his background, has dispelled their concerns.

Yang Qi turned and immediately said to Zhong Yao at the door, "Recall the Tiger Guards immediately and do not pursue them. The traitor Yang Feng is cunning and treacherous. Be careful not to let him harm you."

"Here!"

Zhong Yao could only agree. So what if he came from one of the four surnames of Yingchuan? It was not his turn to speak in the court now.

Soon, Jia Tong was brought in, holding a severed head in his hand. He knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, I, the Tiger Guards' Lieutenant General Jia Tong, am late in coming to your rescue. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Liu Xie glanced at the head that Jia Tong placed in front of him, and he was not surprised. "Who is this?"

"Your Majesty, it was the rebel general Hu Cai. He encountered our army and was killed by Zhao Zhonglang with a single arrow. The rebels surrendered."

In an instant, everyone gasped.

Yang Qi even felt that maybe he could call Zhong Yao back now.

Liu Xie felt a little uncomfortable. He still had some affection for Hu Cai, so he asked, "Where was he executed?"

"To the west of Anyi City, Hu Cai led a few dozen cavalrymen to return home, but was suddenly encountered and unable to escape, and was shot and killed by Zhao Zhonglang."

While Jia Tong was answering, Yang Biao led Tang Xian inside again. Tang Xian held a head in each hand, both of which were washed clean. They were the slightly dry heads of Li Le and Han Xian.

Now, the house fell into silence for a while.

Yang Qi coughed twice and asked Shangshu Pei Mao, "Juguang, do you know Zhao Ji?"

“I have a slight impression.”

Pei Mao stepped out of the Shangshu team and answered with a bow, "I didn't see this man when I returned home, but I heard that he was a tenacious young man with outstanding spirit and extraordinary courage, beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Pei Mao looked at the three heads lying in a row on the ground. They had made the court unable to move when they were alive, but now they were lying on the ground unable to move.

He did have some impression of Zhao Ji, a bad reputation was still a reputation.

For a moment, I felt that Zhao Lian was still restrained. No one knows a son better than his father. If Zhao Ji had not been suppressed early on, who knows what kind of harm he would have caused to the village over the years.

(End of this chapter)