Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 250 Turnaround (5,000 words)
Qian Yaozu felt a mouthful of blood rush to his throat, and he struggled desperately to suppress the surging blood. After all, he was a prefectural governor; someone who had reached that position shouldn't lack even this much composure. The main problem was that Song Yan's words were simply too hurtful.

What shame for the Han people, what shame for Ningguo, what shame for the Qian family—all will be ashamed of him…

Even the phrase "forever infamous" has come up.

Unfortunately, what this kid said was all true.

The truth is even more lethal in these situations.

This completely shattered the illusion that Qian Yaozu had fabricated, forcing him to face the bloody reality and the suspicious, mocking, contemptuous, and even hateful gazes of the surrounding soldiers.

The most shameless thing is that this guy even said the water was too cold.

This was a disgrace to Qian Yaozu for the rest of his life, an inviolable taboo.

Normally, when he took a bath, if the water temperature was even slightly low, Qian Yaozu would think it was the maids mocking him. He would then order the guards around him to drag the maids away. As for how they would torment them, that was the guards' business. In the end, the maids would often die in humiliation, pain, and despair, looking like they were no longer human.

Killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, how could this kid be so vicious?

This idea is rather strange. In Qian Yaozu's eyes, taking someone's life casually is not considered vicious. However, mentioning something he did is an unforgivable sin.

His chest felt so tight it felt like it was about to explode, and his face alternated between pale and red. He seemed to have lost all his vigor, aging more than ten years at a glance, his body hunched over, swaying precariously on the city wall. Looking at the indifferent-faced youth below, and then at the strange gazes of the surrounding soldiers, Qian Yaozu knew that if things continued like this, the soldiers might mutini.

Although he was surrounded by a large group of tall and strong guards, these soldiers might not be able to stop him if they got angry.

Qian Yaozu took a deep breath: "Shut up, you brat! How dare you bark like that under the walls of Pingyang?"

"My merits and demerits are for the court to decide. How dare you, a mere brat, point fingers here?"

"I am a magnanimous and humble man. Considering your youth, I will not hold it against you for now."

After leaving behind a single sentence, Qian Yaozu, somewhat embarrassed, turned and left, surrounded by a large group of guards.

Beneath the city wall, Song Yan grinned and said, "The Jurchens have tried to invade Ningguo for over a hundred years without success. But you, Qian Yaozu, the moment you appeared, the Jurchen iron hooves crushed Pingyang Prefecture, accomplishing a goal that the Jurchens had failed to achieve for over a hundred years. Tsk tsk, your achievement makes you worthy of being called the number one Baturu of the Jurchens."

Squeak.

Baturu.

Among the Jurchen people, this title represents bravery and loyalty, and is one of the highest recognitions of military achievements. Only brave and skilled warriors who have made outstanding contributions can receive this title.

In the Jurchen tribe, this was an honor that everyone envied, and the first Baturu was the one with the most outstanding achievements.

But in the current situation, it would be the most cruel and devastating mockery.

Even with Qian Yaozu's thick skin, upon hearing these words, he felt his feet stumble and almost fell. Fortunately, the guards beside him reacted quickly and helped him up.

"Go, go quickly."

Gritting his teeth, Qian Yaozu spoke in a low voice.

The guards dared not neglect their duties and hurriedly escorted Qian Yaozu away from the city wall in a very disheveled state. He had been patrolling his territory like the king of beasts, but who could have imagined he would end up like this?

Humiliating.

On the city wall, many soldiers' eyes were fixed on Qian Yaozu and his men, their fingers occasionally tightening their grip on their spears, their bodies restless with anticipation.

In the end, he could only watch helplessly as Qian Yaozu left.

Song Yan felt a little regretful that he hadn't managed to anger Qian Yaozu to death.

However, Song Yan also knew that people who could do such despicable things had extremely strong mental fortitude. They wouldn't die after being scolded by Zhuge Liang like Wang Lang did. Of course, it was also possible that his scolding skills were still inferior to those of Zhuge Liang and that he needed to practice.

What's truly regrettable is that Qian Yaozu didn't get so angry that he led his men out of the city, thus missing a golden opportunity.

As for the anger, hatred, and impulsiveness of the soldiers, the fact that they ultimately did nothing was all within Song Yan's expectations.

Killing a prefectural governor without authorization is tantamount to rebellion.

That would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.

To think that a few casual words could incite so many soldiers to risk their lives and rebel is wishful thinking. However, as long as a small seed is planted in the hearts of these soldiers, given enough time, that seed will eventually take root and sprout.

He couldn't believe Qian Yaozu wouldn't see the intense killing intent in the eyes of those soldiers.

A truly intelligent person would improve the treatment of these soldiers in this situation, attempting to win them back. Even if they cannot be made to serve, at least they cannot be made enemies.

However, based on Song Yan's understanding of Qian Yaozu, this guy looked down on these peasants to the core. Moreover, Pingyang City was already short of food, and Qian Yaozu would never waste precious grain on the garrison soldiers. Perhaps, this guy would further reduce, or even completely cut off, the garrison soldiers' food supply, hoping to starve them to death, or at least leave them completely weak and powerless.

Although this behavior is extremely foolish, Qian Yaozu might actually do it.

As a result, the soldiers of Pingyang City will inevitably become more disgusted and hateful towards Qian Yaozu, and their impulse to rebel will become stronger and stronger.

For Song Yan, all he needs to do now is wait patiently.

He is the biggest and most delicious bait.

Song Yan turned around and looked around. There was nothing unusual behind him, but he could feel a slight tremor on the ground beneath his feet, as if a thousand troops were marching forward.

……

As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the sky darkens. A bright crescent moon hangs in the sky, its silvery light bathing the earth. Looking around, the snow seems to have turned into countless ice crystals, shimmering with dazzling light.

Huff, huff, huff...

Inside the governor's mansion, Qian Yaozu was panting heavily.

Every time Qian Yaozu recalled those scenes, the anger in his chest would intensify. With a series of cracking sounds, the exquisitely crafted armchair was reduced to fragments and could no longer be rocked.

At this moment, Qian Yaozu looked extremely disheveled. His once neatly combed hair was now somewhat messy, and dried bloodstains clung to his mouth, chin, and beard. His face was pale, his eyes were sunken, and his chest was heaving rapidly.

"Song Yan, I will kill you."

His hoarse voice was as venomous as a wild beast's.

Whenever he got angry, no one dared to approach Qian Yaozu, not even his most beloved woman. Only a middle-aged man with a mustache stood silently by the door, watching the scene quietly.

That was Qian Yaozu's strategist.

His surname is Nan, and his given name is Yuexing.

It is said that Nan Yuexing has been by Qian Yaozu's side for more than 20 years. When Qian Yaozu was studying hard, Nan Yuexing was his page; when Qian Yaozu was sent to serve as an official, Nan Yuexing was his secretary and steward.

For many years, he had been advising Qian Yaozu, who trusted him implicitly. While Qian Yaozu was nominally the governor of Pingyang City, in reality, the vast majority of the strategies were orchestrated by Nan Yuexing.

He lacked great talent, but he had a whole host of cunning ideas. Although his methods were somewhat unethical, Qian Yaozu at least managed to stabilize the precarious situation in Pingyang City.

Nan Yuexing glanced at the shards scattered on the floor of the main room, let out a breath, and walked into the room.

Upon seeing Nan Yuexing, Qian Yaozu's anger subsided slightly. He reached for a chair to sit down, only to discover that everything in the lobby had been reduced to fragments. His mood became even more depressed: "Did Song Yan leave?"

Nan Yuexing shook his head: "He's still all alone, still in front of the city gate."

Qian Yaozu shouted angrily, "Damn it, does that brat Song Yan really think I wouldn't dare to kill him?"

That's what he said, but when he thought of Song Yan's calm face, Qian Yaozu felt a strange chill in his heart. That guy, with that cold face, picked up one head after another.

He actually killed Oribu. He killed Wugulun Jilie.

That villain, who slaughtered hundreds of Han people, died at the hands of Song Yan.

He didn't think his head was any harder than those Jurchen barbarians'.

After venting his frustrations for so long, he was exhausted and wanted to sit down and rest. However, such behavior was too unseemly for a scholar, so he beckoned to Nan Yuexing and walked into the inner hall.

In any case, a scholar's dignity must not be lost. He summoned several trembling maids, who brought him the finest fragrant tea. He took a small sip and immediately felt refreshed.

In the teacup, a few tender green leaves float on the surface of the water, emitting a pleasant aroma.

This tea has only recently become popular among the elite. It's a good product, but its only drawback is that it's a bit too expensive.

One pound of tea costs a whopping 120 taels of silver!

However, this tea is scarce. Even if the Zhang and Huang families were extremely wealthy, they wouldn't be qualified to buy this top-quality tea. Thinking about it this way, 120 taels of silver doesn't seem so expensive after all.

He took another sip, seemingly calming his agitated mind, and then reluctantly put down the teacup: "Yuexing, what do you think we should do now?"

Nan Yuexing sighed: "My lord, now, only one of you and Song Yan can survive."

Qian Yaozu, who had just calmed down, was suddenly startled again: "What do you mean?"

“Song Yan has already seen the mountain of corpses outside the city. Given his level of hatred for you, sir, he will surely report this matter to the higher authorities. If the court finds out that tens of thousands of people have starved to death under your rule, do you think you can still save your life?”

Qian Yaozu's face immediately darkened: "They're just a bunch of lowly commoners. They're dead, so what? They actually want me to pay with my life? Do they even deserve it?"

"Hehe, they are naturally unworthy, but the starvation of tens of thousands of people is enough to incite a popular uprising. At that time, the only way for the court to quell the people's anger is to take your head, my lord." Nan Yuexing said eloquently, "The stability of the court is the most important thing. If the turmoil can be quelled with your head, my lord, those people in the court will not hesitate for a moment."

Qian Yaozu's heart skipped a beat, but he still tried to argue: "With colleagues from Xilin Academy in the Ministry of Personnel, even if Song Yan's memorial is submitted, it will be suppressed, it's impossible..."

"My lord, do not forget that Song Yan is backed by the Eldest Princess. If the Eldest Princess wants to convey any message to Emperor Ninghe, she does not need to go through the Ministry of Personnel."

“Even without the eldest princess, given the relationship between Song Yan and the Fang family, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to relay the situation here to Minister Fang De.”

Qian Yaozu clenched his fists, and his complexion, which had just begun to recover, turned pale again.

At this moment, Nan Yuexing spoke up again: "However, there is a way, it just depends on whether you are willing to do it."

"What method?" Qian Yaozu's eyes lit up, and he asked hurriedly.

"put all one's eggs in one basket."

Nan Yuexing slowly exhaled: "I have arranged for people to keep an eye on the city wall. Song Yan and the carriage have never left. In other words, Song Yan has not yet had a chance to tell anyone about the tens of thousands of people who starved to death. There is still a chance to save them. If you can concentrate all available forces and rush out of Pingyang City to kill Song Yan in one fell swoop, and then arrange for people to dump the corpses in the deep mountains and forests, then from then on, the fact that tens of thousands of people starved to death will be a secret that no one knows."

Qian Yaozu was not too excited by Nan Yuexing's analysis. Instead, he frowned and pondered seriously.

“This…this is not appropriate.” After a long while, Qian Yaozu said this.

“Song Yan dared to stay alone at the city gate, which is obviously an attempt to lure me out of the city. If I go out now, wouldn’t I be falling right into his trap? Besides, Song Yan was able to bring the heads of Wugucha, Wulibu and Wugulun Jilie, so he must be extremely capable in battle. My men are no match for him.”

Although the enforcement team was swaggering around, Qian Yaozu knew perfectly well how much fighting power these local thugs and ruffians could actually have. This was also the reason why Qian Yaozu had kept the garrison soldiers around – he hoped that these soldiers would genuinely submit to him. However, those men were notoriously difficult, and even after enduring hunger and hardship for so long, they would not willingly obey his orders.

Nan Yuexing shook his head: "My lord, don't you understand yet? It's no longer a question of whether you're willing to take action, but that you have no choice but to."

"If Song Yan leaves, you will die; if you act now, you still have a chance to live."

"Furthermore, although Song Yan produced several heads, can the identities of those heads truly be confirmed?"

“Wugucha, Wugulunjilie, none of us recognize that fat-headed man. Is he really Wulibu? The fire burned him to that state. Who can guarantee that it wasn't just a lie made up by Song Yan who just found some fat guy?”

“I observe that Song Yan is a child who is unwise and lacks strategy.”

"He thought his plan was flawless, but little did he know that I had already seen through it." Nan Yuexing's brows furrowed with pride and smugness.

Qian Yaozu frowned and asked softly, "What is the plan?"

“Simple. I’ve observed Song Yan’s resume. Whether it’s resisting Japanese pirates or providing relief to refugees, he is an extremely skilled person who can win the hearts of the people.”

"He deliberately portrayed himself as a hero who fought against Japanese pirates, and even wrote the poem 'I do not wish to be ennobled, but only wish for the sea to be calm,' to show his nobility. I do not believe that he would refuse if he were really ennobled."

"In Liaodong, Song Yan has the same plan. First, he's cultivating an image of himself as someone who annihilated the Jurchens and avenged the vengeful spirits of Pingyang Prefecture. Those peasants respect people who dare to fight and take risks, so they naturally have a good impression of him. Then, he's spreading rumors about Dou Xian and Liang Youde's entire families being executed... uh, I mean, accusations, pinning all sorts of crimes on you, my lord, in order to alienate you and the local soldiers."

Nan Yuexing smiled and said, "If things like today happen a few more times, not only the soldiers, but also the people in the city will probably riot. At that time, Song Yan can easily take Pingyang City without losing a single soldier."

It must be said that Song Yan is indeed a formidable character.

It's truly remarkable that he possesses such skill at such a young age. Unfortunately, none of his plans could escape his notice.

Qian Yaozu also seemed to suddenly realize what was going on, and inwardly cursed Song Yan for being so cunning despite his young age.

"And now, this is our chance to turn things around."

Nan Yuexing continued, "Even if Song Yan brings soldiers, there are only two or three thousand of them."

“In Pingyang City, there are more than 4,000 law enforcement officers alone, more than 2,000 soldiers who followed you to retreat to Pingyang City, and more than 2,000 soldiers who later joined you, making a total of eight or nine thousand people.”

"Nine thousand against two thousand, even if Song Yan's soldiers are skilled in battle, they will surely lose."

"My lord, make a decision quickly, we don't have much time to hesitate."

Nine thousand versus two thousand?
Yes, the difference in numbers is simply too great.

Qian Yaozu seemed to feel that he had succeeded again, and the fear in his heart was swept away: "What about the rest of the garrison soldiers?"

"Give them a good meal and promise them some benefits. We don't expect them to follow the adults in killing rebels, just don't stab us in the back."

"Hmph, a bunch of peasants, they're not even willing to be loyal to me, how can we waste food on them?" Qian Yaozu waved his hand: "From today onwards, cut off those peasants' food supply. Let's see how much trouble they can cause on an empty stomach."

"Pass on my order: all personnel assemble and strangle Song Yan!"

"Whoever cuts off Song Yan's head will be granted the title of General Who Destroys the Enemy, a reward of ten thousand gold pieces, and a beautiful woman!"

……

in the dark.

Under the moonlight night.

A number of carriages moved slowly forward.

The carriage was luxurious, and the people inside were clearly extraordinary.

Inside the carriage was a voluptuous and graceful woman whose figure perfectly showcased the charm of a mature woman.

I moved my body slightly and felt my buttocks were a little stiff and painful.

Ever since hearing that Song Yan had been kidnapped, Luo Yuheng had been traveling day and night to Xinhou. Even though he relied on a carriage for transportation the whole way, his body was starting to feel the strain.

Just behind, in another carriage, was a gentle and virtuous woman. Her long, cloud-like hair swayed gently with the movement of the carriage, and her bright eyes were fixed on the map in her hand.

We're almost at Pingyang City!

(End of this chapter)