Zhu Mo smiled faintly and said, "With the Yan faction's influence now pervasive, I truly have no one trustworthy around me. I was hoping to rely on you two for matters in Xuan-Da, hence this test... I hope you won't blame me! Hearing your accounts, I realize the situation in Xuan-Da is extremely peculiar. I implore you to tell me all the details!"
"What?"
Li Wenjin and Ma Fang felt this shift was too sudden.
A surge of warmth welled up in their hearts. They exchanged glances, a single thought in each mind:
"This is truly our nephew... If only it had been like this sooner? And this child still played games with us? Unbelievable!"
But their enthusiasm shifted to the same sentiment: "Our nephew is a man of talent!"
They had, of course, heard about Zhu Mo's dealings with the Yan family in Jiangnan. Seeing Zhu Mo's prowess now, they felt immensely gratified.
"The Yan family has suppressed Xuan-Da for ten years, everything is in disarray, and the situation is precarious. And now, we're supposed to rely on our own nephew to turn things around? The ways of the world are truly unfathomable. Eighteen years later, not only has the child returned, but he has become a legendary figure in the Great Ming today..."
Liang Menglong also awoke from his bewilderment, feeling that this Master Zhu possessed not only Zhang Juzheng's sharp intellect but was also more adaptable and unpredictable, earning his profound admiration.
However, Zhu Mo's mood was far from relaxed. From Liang Menglong's earlier words, he had immediately sensed the extreme danger of the situation!
He had read so many online novels about the Great Ming and was well aware of the deep-seated problems in Xuan-Da. To say nothing of minor issues like deducting military pay, it was not uncommon for princes in the Nine Garrisons to collude with the Tatars. Worse still, there were instances of internal spies leading the way, allowing the Tatars to capture prefectures and carry out raids before retreating at will.
So he asked:
"Gentlemen, I've long heard of the lax state of Xuan-Da's military preparedness. But to what extent has it truly deteriorated? What if the Tatars quickly regroup and attack again? Do we have the confidence to repel them? And there's another matter that is deeply concerning: why was this recent invasion so mysterious? What exactly are their objectives? Could there... be internal spies?"
As soon as these words were uttered, Li Wenjin and Ma Fang's expressions turned solemn, tinged with a hint of indignation that quickly vanished. They fell silent.
Seeing their reticence, Zhu Mo cleared his throat and asked again, "Then, based on your years of border defense experience, what is most urgent right now? So that I may report it to the court..."
Li Wenjin pondered for a moment, then suddenly became anxious, blurting out, "My... oh no, Master Zhu, as this subordinate sees it, the most urgent matter is military readiness. The Tatars were driven out of the outer passes by Commander Ma just a few days ago. According to their habits, they could counterattack at any moment... This subordinate believes we should immediately recruit as many local militia from the inner passes as possible and send them to garrison the outer passes as soon as possible! Both Minister Liang and Master Zhu have sincerely aided the disaster relief, and we have witnessed it firsthand. The settlers are deeply grateful. If you two give the word, they will surely mobilize..."
Zhu Mo hummed in response, but his heart was filled with a peculiar strangeness.
Recruit inner pass militia?
What about the Wei soldiers?
It seemed the reputation of Datong's proud and fierce soldiers was true.
These men did not heed the commands of these two legitimate officers...
If that were the case, the reality could only be ten times worse. He would likely only know for sure by seeing it himself. But with passive defense at this juncture, relying on inner pass militia would be insufficient to withstand a second Tatar incursion. The depth of this invasion suggested that the influence of internal spies far exceeded imagination. How could defense alone suffice? If the Yan family's people meddled further, it would be a certain defeat!
"Why are these two so evasive? They are clearly hiding something from me..."
Thinking this, Zhu Mo couldn't help but feel a flicker of annoyance. "I have been frank with you, yet you are so reticent..."
He then spoke with a hint of displeasure, "Brother Li, Brother Ma, if you trust me, then stop hiding things... Tell me clearly, was there an internal spy involved in this invasion? And what exactly were their objectives?"
Li Wenjin and Ma Fang exchanged a look, then simultaneously let out a long sigh. They glanced at Liang Menglong and then carefully observed Zhu Mo, still showing hesitation.
Zhu Mo said unhappily, "You are both men of the battlefield, why are you always so hesitant? I am merely here for disaster relief. If you don't explain things clearly, how can I report on military preparedness to the court..."
Li Wenjin lowered his head and pondered for a moment, finally sighing.
"Master Zhu, it's not that we wish to conceal anything from you, but the story is a long one...
More than forty days ago, a Tatar cavalry force of over two thousand suddenly appeared in the Xuanfu region... It was snowing heavily at the time, and we had no idea how they got there. Later, we surmised they must have come through Shanfangbao. Over two thousand men! The six hundred-plus soldiers guarding the fort didn't even notice? I later questioned Governor Ge Jin, and he attributed it to the heavy snow, claiming the guards couldn't see clearly... httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Alas, thankfully, Xuanfu is a strategic stronghold of the imperial court. Although the Tatars advanced quite far, they found no easy gains. After looting, they retreated on their own. However, our army did not report this, and the Tatar troops took advantage of the situation to attack Datong, breaching Xinpingbao and then plundering the nine forts of the outer passes... This time was truly tragic, in my opinion, second only to the Gengxu Incident!"
Ma Fang, impatient, recalled the precariousness of the situation and said with exasperation, "Brother Two, why waste time with such useless talk? Master Zhu, this subordinate will be brief! We later found out that people from the Prince of Dai's mansion went to Shanfangbao to entertain the troops! Those lazy soldiers had never tasted good wine. They got drunk that night, and who could have seen the Tatar soldiers? As for Datong, do I even need to say? Wasn't it deliberately allowed in by Prince Rao County? What is there to be afraid of saying?"
Li Wenjin glanced at him. He had intended to speak more cautiously, but since things had already been revealed, he nodded and said, "Yes... it's precisely because it involves a prince that it's difficult to speak of. If we hadn't been so careful and discreet all along, Ge Jin and the others would have already found a pretext to kill us, and we wouldn't have needed to borrow a knife to kill someone... Alas, such are the affairs of state. We soldiers were destined for a dead end anyway..."
After saying this,
The two looked at each other again, and recalling the hardships of these past years, they were filled with a sudden, profound sorrow.
Zhu Mo asked in surprise, "Borrow a knife to kill someone?"
Li Wenjin nodded and sighed.
"Master Zhu has likely heard that there are many proud and fierce soldiers in Datong. They collude with Prince Rao County, engaging in smuggling and plunder, stopping at nothing. Day after day, they oppress the innocent and make life unbearable for the common people... If we try to intervene, they threaten mutiny at the slightest provocation. Alas, for years, we have been powerless..."
"As for Governor Ge Jin and the others, they turn a blind eye, visiting Prince Rao County's mansion frequently to offer gifts, attend opera, and indulge in banquets. Those proud and fierce soldiers have been promoted one after another in recent years. We veterans have either been sidelined or completely marginalized. The myriad vexations are too numerous to recount..."
"They enjoy themselves in the fortified cities and garrisons, never engaging when battles occur. It is we who lead the veteran soldiers and brave volunteers of the outer passes in a bitter struggle...
In the past two years, I don't know who we offended? Prince Rao County has constantly made things difficult for us, always claiming that the Wei soldiers are corrupt, degenerate, incapable of fighting, and only good for farming. Consequently, not only were there all sorts of deductions and deliberate obstructions, but we were also frequently ambushed and besieged by the Tatars for no apparent reason... Every time the Wei soldiers clashed with them, it was they who instigated trouble. Whenever we captured their men, the prince, governor, and circuit inspector would intervene to release them. Meanwhile, our men would be imprisoned and beaten by them..."
"Alas, I don't know what's going on? Everything has been turned upside down. We are penniless, while they flaunt their wealth and indulge in extravagance every day. While we fight bitterly, they stand by and watch. Our lives are filled with unbearable suffering..."
As they spoke, a growing sense of indignation appeared on their faces.
Ma Fang couldn't help but interject:
"And you still wonder who you offended? How can you not know! Isn't it that bastard Prince Rao County? He wants to kill us all! If they kill us old soldiers, then their proud and fierce troops will take over Datong! They don't dare to do it openly, so they deliberately invite Anda to do their dirty work... Damn it! What kind of people are in the imperial court? Do they really want to annihilate us all?"
"What?"
Zhu Mo and Liang Menglong exchanged startled glances.
"How is that possible?
Could they harbor such ambition?
How could such a thing happen?"
Unexpectedly,
Li Wenjin slowly said,
"Yes, I never believed it either, and I even reprimanded Brother Ma, saying that we are all border defenders and should prioritize the bigger picture... But things aren't unfolding that way!
Master Zhu, Master Liang, you have no idea. Most of the proud and fierce soldiers in Datong are actually refugees from various regions, condemned criminals, the household retainers of powerful clans, and some old hands. Over the years, they have gathered in Datong Prefecture and are under Prince Rao County's command. In reality, they are his private army!"
"Hiss!"
Zhu Mo and Liang Menglong's backs sent a chill down their spines.
This was too terrifying!
Prince Rao County's private army, colluding with foreign enemies, intending to eliminate the legitimate Wei soldiers?!