Her guards

Chapter 255 Miss Yang's Scheme
Although the new dynasty has been in power for more than ten years, the world is not at peace.

So-called rebellions and treasons broke out one after another.

However, firstly, the troops were few in number, mostly servants and guards, and secondly, they were all acting in the name of Zhou's subjects, making them difficult to believe.

Zhou Chen, when the treacherous Zhao Tan was alive, you didn't support Zhou. Now that Zhao Tan is dead and the world is at peace, you've started supporting Zhou. Who would believe that?

Therefore, these rebellions were quickly quelled, and the people did not care.

But this time it was different.

"...Is that little prince real or fake? Does Emperor Ai have a son?"

“...My grandfather said yes, he even saw it on the street back then, the little prince was being carried by Zhao Tan to the sacrificial ceremony.”

"...Did you hear the messenger report yesterday? An official there recognized the young prince's attendant as one of Emperor Ai's former eunuchs..."

"...So you've acknowledged your former master?"

"...Are you looking for death? Don't talk nonsense."

"...I'm not just making this up, it's only been less than half a month, and three more cities have fallen into the hands of that little prince..."

"...The Yunyang army suffered repeated defeats."

The talk of it was going on in every street and alley of the capital. The postal stations and soldiers were running back and forth day and night, and officials in the imperial city were coming and going with solemn expressions.

The lights in the Hall of Diligent Governance burned all night long.

"Father, you should also take care of your health and get some rest."

The King of the East Sea stood inside the hall, looking worried.

The emperor stood in front of the map and looked at it. Hearing this, he grunted twice, but it was unclear whether he heard it or not.

The Prince of Donghai stepped forward: "Father, the Yunyang army has been mobilized too few times. I also think we should mobilize the troops here..."

He pointed to several places on the map.

"...The Nanyang Army and the Wuyang Army have all been transferred there."

The emperor said, "The Nanyang Army and the Wuyang Army are important bulwarks for the capital in the Central Plains. There is no need to use them against such petty thieves."

A mere petty thief...

“Father, that little prince is no petty thief,” said the King of the East Sea.

The emperor looked at him: "You scoundrel! The Mo family has already been killed by Zhao Tan. Where did this little prince come from? He's just someone impersonating him! It's one thing for the people to be foolish enough to believe it, but how can you, as a prince, believe it? You say he's the little prince, then what are you? And what am I!"

The King of the East Sea, his face flushed red from the scolding, hurriedly explained, "I didn't believe it. I meant that this thief, using the young prince's name, is no ordinary person. We must eliminate him as soon as possible, otherwise the people will be unsettled..."

"War is an ominous matter." The emperor frowned. "One should only act after careful consideration and thorough preparation. No one, regardless of who they are, should act out of panic."

He looked at the King of the East Sea.

"You were also led to the battlefield by me back then, and you have seen life and death dangers. How dare you treat military affairs as a game?"

The King of the East Sea was reprimanded again, and he couldn't help but feel ashamed, angry, and aggrieved.

He was only four or five years old at the time. He wasn't on the battlefield. He was just surrounded and protected by officers in the rear. He didn't remember any danger.

"Father, I want to help you and relieve your worries," he cried out, kneeling down as he said, "Your subject is willing to personally go to Wucheng to suppress the bandits!"

The emperor glanced at him and said, "If you really want to relieve my worries, then talk less and observe more. See how the Ministry of War mobilizes troops and how the Ministry of Revenue allocates grain and manpower. Calculate how much tax money the war will cost the national treasury. That is the way to manage the household, not just shouting a few words to relieve my worries."

He then waved his hand.

"Go out."

The King of the East Sea blushed and could only agree to get up and leave. Just as he reached the door, he saw a eunuch leading a young girl slowly towards him.

It's Ah Sheng again!

"Your Highness," the eunuch bowed.

Ah Sheng only glanced at him before walking straight past him.

As before, there was no need to announce one's arrival at the Hall of Diligent Governance.

"Ah Sheng, come and see the progress. Do you have any new ideas?"

The King of the East Sea stood at the palace gate, looking at his father who had just reprimanded him with a cold face. He beckoned to the maid and asked her to come and look at the map, asking her what she thought.

Ask her what she thinks?
A maid?
He was a prince, and he was scolded for expressing his opinion.

But the Emperor wants to ask a maid what she thinks of the traitor Wu Cheng?!

It's ridiculous!

Should the maid speak to the Prince of Linhai?

"Your Highness, let's go quickly."

The eunuch's voice came through.

The King of Donghai, interrupted from his reverie, could only walk out. When he turned back, he saw the maidservant indeed standing in front of the map, studying it intently...

……

.......
The eunuchs in the hall withdrew.

Yang Luo carefully examined the map and moved a small flag to a location. "Your Majesty, Zhu Yunxiao has retreated here with his men," she said, handing over a bamboo tube. "The three cities of Gangu have submitted to the young prince of the Mo family."

The emperor reached out and took it, skillfully opened it, pulled out the scroll, looked at it, and then gave a cold laugh.

“The Zhou family of Gangu,” he said, “have pledged their loyalty to me every year for more than ten years, claiming to be envoys to the capital and to serve me like cattle and horses, but in reality they are nothing more than vassals of Wei and Cui.”

After saying that, he looked at Yang Luo and sighed softly.

“My son’s plan is truly brilliant; he easily made these people tear off their disguise.”

……

……

The so-called restoration of Wucheng by Prince Mo was, of course, a scheme that the emperor knew about from the beginning.

All of this stemmed from Wei Cui's request to the emperor to arrange a marriage.

No, to be precise, even earlier.

The emperor looked at the young girl standing in front of the map with a face full of pride.

It was her daughter who began plotting after hearing that the Yunling bandits were remnants of the previous dynasty.

"Your Majesty, please don't praise me like that." Yang Luo looked away from the map and said with a smile, "Back then, I was actually a frightened bird, making wild suspicions and stumbling upon things by accident."

She told the emperor that she had heard about the remnants of the Mo clan, the bandits of Yunling, because at that time the Li and Chai clans were framing each other in the Baima Town case, and she suspected that the Chai and Li clans were deliberately trying to divert the emperor's attention.

So she went to investigate, and the result was that it had nothing to do with the Chai and Li families, but was related to Wei Cui.

However, she didn't mention it at first, until Wei Cui jumped in to arrange a marriage for Miss Yang...

"Your Majesty, I suspect that Wei Cui intends to rebel and harbors treacherous intentions."

Yang Luo ran over to him and then told him about the discovery of Wei Cui's relationship with the Yunling bandits.

Although it was just a guess, the emperor was not surprised to hear it.

He had known Wei Cui's intentions for a long time.

The Wei clan would not submit to the emperor, and were even unwilling to cede territory to become kings.

"But Wei Cui has always acted submissively to gain a good reputation, so Your Majesty can only swallow your anger and play along with him."

"If this continues, Wei Cui's reputation will only get better and better, and the troops and the people's hearts will only grow stronger."

"Your Majesty, we cannot remain still and wait for the right moment to act. We must strike first against such a person."

The bright young girl stood in the imperial study and spoke.

The emperor felt as if he were seeing his own fearless and spirited youth.

"Oh, so how should we strike first?" he asked with a smile.

“Of course, it is to use your own spear against your own shield,” the girl said slyly. “Use the traitor to lure the traitor.”

Then, by taking advantage of Wei Cui's marriage proposal to Wei Jiao, Miss Yang was able to enter Longxi.

Then, taking advantage of the opportunity, she had the people her mother had left her, carrying items from the old Zhou royal family given to her by the emperor, as well as some old Zhou royal family servants, to create a treacherous young prince named Mo.

The Yunyang army's repeated defeats were naturally pre-arranged. Zhu Yunxiao, who had been transferred there, followed "Miss Yang's" instructions and cooperated with Prince Mo in conquering cities and seizing territories.

"...With the rebellion looming fiercely, the court has a pretext to send troops to Longxi. Wei Cui either completely submits to the court's orders, or he joins that young prince in the rebellion."

"...Even if he didn't actively plot rebellion, we should still frame him, saying that Prince Mo and his group had dealings with him."

"He harbored rebellious intentions from the beginning. His actions in Longxi can be easily investigated, and he cannot clear his name."

"...Your Majesty, now that you are the emperor, you must be a wise and righteous ruler, not like before when you fought wars to conquer the world, using every stratagem imaginable."

"...If you can't use it, then let me use it."

Thinking of these words, the emperor couldn't help but laugh again.

Indeed, he used every one of the thirty-six stratagems; this was truly the spirit that Deng Shan displayed when he conquered the world. As expected of his daughter.

The emperor gathered his thoughts, walked to the table, and picked up a few booklets.

"Wei Cui's memorial of apology and request to fight has also arrived," he said. "Next, we should transfer Feng Su to Wucheng to give him a chance to retake Qin'an City."

Yang Luo looked at the map and nodded, then frowned: "However, an accident happened. Wei Jiao just came to the capital, but he discovered something was wrong and escaped. Your Majesty, you must order him to be brought back. That way, he will be in your hands, and my maid will be in Wei Cui's hands. There will be a check and balance between them, so that Wei Cui will not notice anything wrong, and my maid will be safe."

That maidservant was crucial this time and made a great contribution, the emperor thought, but the safety was only temporary.

Once the two sides break off relations, this maid will be killed by Wei Cui.

Although A Luo said that this maid was highly skilled, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn't escape from Wei Cui's hands.

I'll live as long as I can.

“Wei Jiao will definitely return to Longxi City,” Yang Luo continued.

The Emperor nodded: "I will order the interception and questioning along the way, and then send the Embroidered Robe to pursue and capture them."

He smiled as he said this.

"It would be quite convenient for the embroidered clothes he raised to capture him."

(End of this chapter)