"Many thanks, my lord!"
After hearing Wang Anzhong's words, Zhang Ping cupped his fists again, signifying his agreement.
Having appeased Zhang Ping, Wang Anzhong summoned his servants and instructed them to arrange a separate courtyard for him in his backyard.
"Keep a close eye on this man. No one is to communicate with him before I return! Anyone who dares to approach this courtyard is to be killed!"
"Yes, sir!"
The household guards shivered as they looked at Wang Anzhong's murderous gaze.
After settling matters at home, Wang Anzhong hastily saddled a fast horse and galloped towards Tong Guan's military camp.
Although Tong Guan was on the verge of ruin, a fact that was already common knowledge throughout the court,
the news that Tan Zhen would succeed him was practically an open secret on the Hebei front.
However, Wang Anzhong knew all too well that Tong Guan's influence on him ran too deep.
Tan Zhen, though also a eunuch, had a long-standing animosity with Tong Guan.
If Tan Zhen were to take power, Wang Anzhong knew that he would face nothing but ruthless purges.
Wang Anzhong understood the situation with Liu Fa better than anyone, as he himself was one of its architects.
After Tong Guan was dealt with, who could guarantee that he wouldn't be next?
He had already prepared himself to face misfortune alongside Tong Guan, but at this critical juncture, heaven had bestowed upon him such tremendous good news!
"Your Excellency, Lord Wang is here. He is outside the tent requesting an audience..."
As Tong Guan drowned his sorrows in wine, a soldier entered from outside.
"What does he want, to mock me? I refuse to see him!"
Drinking the entire pot of wine in one gulp, Tong Guan casually threw the wine pot aside.
"But... but he says he has matters of utmost urgency that require an immediate audience with Your Excellency..."
Glancing stealthily at Tong Guan's expression, the soldier spoke again with trepidation.
"Your Excellency! Your Excellency! I have a way to bring back the dead! I have a way to bring back the dead!"
Hearing Tong Guan's voice through the tent, Wang Anzhong, consumed by anxiety, could no longer hold back and shouted loudly.
"Bringing back the dead? I am as good as dead already, what method could possibly bring me back?"
Tong Guan's face was filled with self-mockery as he heard Wang Anzhong's words.
At this point, he saw no hope of turning things around. News had even subtly emerged from the palace that His Majesty was considering ordering him to commit suicide...
Despite holding such a high position, he knew his own true standing.
Unlike other generals and officials, he was, after all, a eunuch. His very existence was in the Emperor's hands. If the Emperor willed him to live, he would live; if the Emperor willed him to die, he would die!
Eunuchs inherently depended on imperial power for their existence. Now that he had lost the Emperor's trust, he had naturally lost everything...
The Liu Fa incident had caused such a stir that even Cai Jing was forced to commit suicide as atonement. If the Emperor had any intention of protecting him, he would not have allowed this matter to be brought to light at such a crucial moment.
Cai You, who had always stood by him, after hearing the news of Cai Jing's death, hesitated for a night and finally chose to submit a memorial requesting leave to return home and observe mourning.
Without Cai Jing, without Cai You, and with even Prince Yun Zhao Kai confined, Zhang Bangchang completely sidelined, where could there possibly be a way to revive his fortunes?
"Your Excellency! I truly have important news, please just take a look, just take a look!"
Seeing that Tong Guan was prepared to await death, Wang Anzhong was like an ant on a hot pan, extremely anxious.
If not for the obstruction of a few soldiers, he would have already forced his way in.
"Fine, fine, let him in!"
Staggering to his feet, Tong Guan picked up another wine pot from the table and casually waved his hand at the soldiers.
"Since you're here, join me for a good drink. I'm afraid when we next drink together, we'll be separated by the Yellow Springs! I never thought that after half a lifetime of commanding awe, the one to see me off in the end would be you..."
Tong Guan glanced at the crimson robe on Wang Anzhong's body, his face full of self-deprecation.
He recalled that before he came to Hebei, in Bianliang City, besides a handful of powerful figures, everyone else had to bow and respectfully call him Grand Commandant Tong.
Yet, in just a few months, not only the court officials, but even the generals under his command were now busy distancing themselves from him.
Although he was nominally still the commander-in-chief of the northern expedition against the Liao, at this moment, apart from his personal guards, he could muster no more than eight hundred men in this vast military camp...
Although he had seen the fickleness of human relationships in the imperial palace, experiencing it himself left him with a deep sense of resentment.
"Your Excellency, this is a letter from Zhang Jue, the Military Commissioner and Deputy Envoy of Liaoxing. He has defected to the Jurchens and they have entrusted him with all the troops in Pingzhou. In his letter, he states his willingness to cede Pingzhou to Your Excellency!"
Seeing Tong Guan's despondent state, Wang Anzhong put aside all other concerns and hurried to Tong Guan's side, lowering his voice.
"What did you say?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Tong Guan's entire body jolted, and most of his drunken stupor vanished.
According to their agreement with the Jurchens, the four prefectures on the front of the mountains were now to belong to the Song Dynasty.
Once the terms were met, the handover could commence. However, completing the handover would also mean that the Song Dynasty would lose the opportunity to reclaim the prefectures behind the mountains for a considerable time.
After all, both Songting Pass and Gubei Pass were strategically defensible locations. Coupled with the series of cities like Jingzhou, Tanzhou, Shunzou, Jizhou, Ruzhou, Xinzhou, Luanzhou, Yingzhou, and others blocking the way, they would have no foothold to use force...
However, if they could truly hold Pingzhou, the situation would be entirely different!