Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 245 Seeking Fame? They're All Clever People
The officials in Taiyuan were quite cooperative with Cangyun's arrival.

Basically, whatever Changsun Wangqing and the Cangyun Army want to take over, all departments and units will fully cooperate.

Of course, some people thought about rebelling.

However, any one of the 100,000 Cangyun Iron Cavalry stationed in Taiyuan is at the Vajra Realm, and they can run into a Grandmaster at the First or Second Finger Profound Realm every few dozen steps. If they go further, they can find dozens of Celestial Grandmasters who are rare in the martial arts world.

In that case, who would dare to harbor even the slightest thought of resistance?
Moreover, astute people have long known that since Cangyun did not directly attack the city but instead took over Taiyuan under the guise of assisting in its defense, it was simply a formality by the Prince Su behind the scenes, or rather...

Taking advantage of the Jingnan Rebellion, they simply consolidated all military power in the Ming Dynasty.

For the time being, apart from those forces that have coveted military power in the Ming Dynasty, there are not many interests that have been shaken.

But would those whose cake has been taken dare to resist?

The answer is, no.

If the Cangyun Army were merely ordinary border troops of the Ming Dynasty, they would never surrender without a fight; they would certainly resist to the bitter end. But what about facing 100,000 Vajra Realm experts of the Cangyun Iron Cavalry?

Let's calculate it.

Without an army of several million, they wouldn't even dare to muster the courage to fight them.

Revolt?

That only counts as resistance if the forces are not too disparate.

People like them are courting death.

……

That night, in Taiyuan.

A magnificent mansion, adorned with gold, dragons, and painted beams.

The Li family of Taiyuan, as well as almost all the high-ranking officials related to the Li family, including the left and right political advisors of Shanxi, the provincial governor of Shanxi, and the prefect of Taiyuan, gathered here.

"Wenzhong, you've been quite bold today."

Some people looked at the old man who had taken off his red official robe and put on a gorgeous dress, their words full of mockery.

“If I hadn’t stepped in, someone from your group would have jumped out.” The old man sneered, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes. “Unfortunately, the Cangyun Commander Changsun Wangqing, though a woman, seems to have seen through my thoughts and has chosen not to make a fuss.”

"otherwise……"

"Today, I might just have the chance to make a name for myself in history."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces flushed red, filled with shock and anger.

Someone sighed and said, "Are you trying to emulate Fang Xiaoru?"

When Emperor Taizong was in the Jingnan Campaign, Fang Xiaoru had already surrendered but was rejected by Zhu Di. Later, in a fit of anger and shame, in order to gain fame and reputation, he wrote the story of the Yan traitor usurping the throne, which embarrassed Zhu Di. He then casually threatened to exterminate Fang Xiaoru's entire family.

Fang Xiaoru retorted, "So what if my entire clan is exterminated?"

Later, Fang Xiaoru naturally obtained what he sought.

Zhu Di did not directly implicate the entire family; he merely executed Fang Xiaoru and many of his most vocal followers and disciples, and exiled his relatives.

Now that Li Wenzhong wants to emulate Fang Xiaoru, how could those present not turn pale?

Since Emperor Taizu Gao established the Hongwu era and founded the Ming Dynasty, more than a hundred years have passed. Over the past century, the Taiyuan families have become intertwined and inseparable, with each family having its own roots in the other.

If Li Wenzhong were to have a moment of madness and truly offend Changsun Wangqing, forcing the latter to unleash a massacre.

Fang Xiaoru's relatives at that time suffered the same fate.

Prefect Xue Xiaojie of Taiyuan took a sip of tea and said quietly, "We both know what kind of person Wenzhong is. I would believe that he would die for the Li family's legacy and dedicate himself to paving the way for future generations, but to say that he would die for the emperor? Ha, I'd rather believe that those girls in Taiyuan's brothels would reform themselves."

This statement is somewhat insulting and demeaning.

But Li Wenzhong remained calm: "The Jingnan Rebellion is a family matter of the Zhu family, an internal affair of the imperial family. It's none of my business who becomes emperor. They, the Zhu family, have already accepted it; not a single prince has stepped forward to defend the emperor. What right do I, an outsider, have to interfere?" "Then you..."

Xue Xiaojie was also a little stunned. It's none of your business. Why did you jump out to stop Cangyun when he entered the city today?

“You’re right. I’m not imitating Fang Xiaoru, but Chen Gong. Fang Xiaoru was a loyal follower of Jianwen’s old officials. He was refused surrender and chose to go to extremes to gain fame and reputation. I have elderly parents and young children to support, and I can’t be as hypocritical and stupid as him.”

"I blocked her road today because I was betting that the Cangyun commander would kill someone in a fit of rage, and also betting that she would consider the bigger picture. But I didn't expect... she didn't give me a chance to get involved at all."

“This, Wenzhong, isn’t your statement self-contradictory?” Li Chuan, the Left Councilor of Shanxi, frowned and asked.

"No." Li Wenzhong shook his head and said, "If the Cangyun commander kills someone in anger, it will give our Li family and the people of the world an excuse to cause trouble. In order to quell public opinion, Prince Su will have to make some compromises with us scholars. At that time, the Li family can ensure a hundred years of prosperity by sacrificing only me."

"If she considers the bigger picture, and I, for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, used my flesh and blood to block the 100,000 iron cavalry of Cangyun, with the heroic spirit of a king dying for his country, with just a little guidance, the future path of my Li family members and students to success will be much broader and smoother."

"I won't lose either way, so why not gamble?"

As for his own life and fortune?

Li Wenzhong, on the other hand, did not take it that seriously.

He has a large family of children and grandchildren, and now holds the official position of Right Vice Minister of Shanxi. His career has essentially come to an end here, with no chance of entering the cabinet. He is using his own reputation to pave a smooth path to officialdom for the Li family in the future.

In Li Wenzhong's view, it's a win no matter what.

Unfortunately, Changsun Wangqing didn't take the bait. He didn't even give Li Wenzhong a chance to unleash his hastily prepared rant before someone dragged him away, causing his efforts to fail and leaving Li Wenzhong with a sense of regret.

"I see, I thought..." Li Chuan smiled awkwardly. He noticed that Li Wenzhong was acting strangely today, and for a moment he wondered if the Li family or he had done something wrong to him. Even the small matter of Li Chuan ordering several top courtesans himself and not ordering any for Li Wenzhong when they went out for drinks was brought up.

They were just afraid that Li Wenzhong might have some kind of mental breakdown today and was going to follow in the footsteps of that idiot Fang Xiaoru, die for the emperor, and drag the Li family and everyone related to the Li family down with him.

But now it seems that this is not the case at all?

"actually……"

After giving Xue Xiaojie a deep look, Li Wenzhong said in a deep voice, "You did the right thing."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Xue Xiaojie asked in surprise.

“I regretted it as soon as I jumped out.” Li Wenzhong got up and walked to the window, looking at the waning moon in the sky, feeling the cold wind blowing, with his back to everyone, and sighed, “There is something wrong with the Cangyun Commander’s eyes. She is wearing a mask, so I can’t see her expression, but when I make things difficult for her, she looks at me, and even asks about her surroundings, her eyes are full of indifference.”

"She is the commander of Cangyun. Is there a problem with that?"

Everyone is puzzled.

"Have."

Li Wenzhong turned around, a look of panic flashing across his aged face: "I have overseen the execution of death row inmates and seen the eyes of many executioners as they kill, as well as the butchers who slaughter cattle and pigs. It was a look of indifference towards life, a look that regarded life as worthless. It remains fresh in my memory."

"But even those people are far inferior to that Commander Cangyun."

“I saw no fluctuation in her eyes, just like the unchanging blue sky, regarding all living beings as straw dogs and weeds. Whether it is me, the Right Vice Minister, or you, Xiaojie, the Prefect, the soldiers guarding Taiyuan, or those peasants around, they are all the same in her eyes.”

"Arrogant, indifferent, aloof, and looking down on everyone."

"It seems that if I really anger her, what awaits me, the Li family, and even the entire Taiyuan is a disaster that I can hardly imagine. It might even be... utter ruin."

Otherwise, how could Li Wenzhong have been dragged away by two Taiyuan soldiers?

Do you really think he learned the Six Arts of a Gentleman in vain?

Although Li Wenzhong's martial arts cultivation was not high, not even reaching the Vajra Realm, he was still not someone two ordinary soldiers could subdue. Wasn't it just that he saw the situation was hopeless and went with the flow?
"It was indeed thrilling."

"When I first heard that Cangyun was attacking, I thought about summoning the garrisons near Taiyuan to provide reinforcements, but that kid Lin Bufan surrendered the city directly. Otherwise, if I had really done that, things would have been even more uncontrollable."

The Li family knows best the state of Taiyuan. It's better not to mobilize the garrisons; once troops are mobilized, the Cangyun commander, Changsun Wangqing, will surely notice something amiss.

At that point, things will truly be out of control.

(End of this chapter)