Chapter 284 The Response
Because of the people’s support of the five prefectures in Pinglu, Li Ye’s cultivation was promoted from Level 7 of Qi-refining to the Yin Spiritual Master. Although the fame he got in the battle against Huang Chao also played a role in it, the people’s support of the five prefectures obviously weighed a lot. There were more than 300 prefectures in the Tang Empire, so if he could get all people’s support, no one would know what degree Li Ye’s cultivation would reach.
Early in the morning, on the east bank of the Yellow River, Li Ye stood toward the west, looking at Weibo.
Weibo had been a powerful vassal state since the An-Shi Disturbances. The Weibo commissioner was the general who surrendered to the imperial court in the An-Shi Disturbances, and he was always arrogant. Even during Xuanzong’s revival period, the imperial court didn’t have the power to appoint and remove the Weibo commissioner. After the previous commissioner died, his son or the one, who was supported by the army, would succeed him. Then, it would be reported to the imperial court, and the imperial court had to admit it.
“There are six prefectures in Weibo, with more men, more wealth and more soldiers than Pinglu. Even though Huang Chao caused chaos in the Central Plains, he only carried out activities in Henan (the south of the Yellow River) but never set foot in Hebei (the north of the Yellow River), so Weibo could preserve its strength. At present, there are 200,000 soldiers in Weibo, so it cannot be underestimated.”
Li Zhen came behind Li Ye and sighed, looking at Weibo.
Li Ye smiled and didn’t care. “This time, the demon clan deluded Weibo soldiers to rebel and made trouble in the place. It gives me a reason to send troops, but the Weibo commissioner doesn’t seem to welcome me.”
Li Zhen bounced the dust on his sleeves and sneered. “It’s more than that. According to the report of the Black Office, the Weibo commissioner has assembled a heavy army in Bozhou. In my opinion, many elites are hiding in the county nor far away and waiting to fight us when our troops cross the river!”
Li Ye looked around. “The food of Tianping and Henghai has almost arrived, and it’s time for our troops to cross the river.”
...
Among the six prefectures of Weibo, Bozhou was closest to Pinglu and its capital was Weizhou. The current Weibo commissioner, Cao Zhongming was standing beside the lake and feeding fish in the commissioner’s mansion.
Cao Zhongming was in his fifties. His face was full of vicissitudes of life, but he still stood upright. The sunlight fell on his shoulder. The black-robed old man was energetic. The nearby maids and servants all ducked their heads and didn’t dare to look directly at him, who even didn’t take the imperial court seriously.
His figure was like a deep whirlpool, unfathomable even in the sunlight. Only with one glance at him, the one, who had low cultivation, would have stinging eyes and lose his mind.
“Father, the messenger of Prince of Longxi has come again, and the messenger of Prince An has come as well. Do you want to meet them?”
A strong man in his thirties came from the cobblestone path beside the rockery and bowed behind Cao Zhongming. He had a strong body like an ox, and his appearance was somewhat similar to Cao Zhongming’s. He had less majesty and steadiness but looked more determined and enterprising.
This was Cao Zhongming’s eldest son, Cao Xijin, who reached a high-level of Qi-refining in his thirties, and Cao Zhongming valued him the most.
Cao Zhongming didn’t seem to hear what Cao Xijin said. After he finished throwing the fish food in no hurry, he patted his hands and sat down in the pavilion from the lake. He said calmly, “No.”
The so-called Prince of Longxi was the Hedong commissioner, Li Keyong.
Cao Xijin came to Cao Zhongming’s side and said worriedly, “Father, Prince An comes aggressively. On the surface, he is about to attack Hedong, but Hedong is far away, while Weibo is close at hand. Who can guarantee that Prince An doesn’t actually intend to plot against my Weibo, using attacking Hedong as a cover?”
Cao Zhongming waved his hand. A graceful maid, dressed in silks and satins, came into the pavilion quickly. She knelt down and began to make tea. Cao Zhongming said faintly, “Whether Prince An, who has deployed troops on the river bank or Prince of Longxi, who is willing to help me, both of them intend to plot against my Weibo.”
Cao Xijin was a little stunned, but he said immediately, “Father, after all, there is Zhaoyi in between Weibo and Hedong, so I think that it’s not easy for Li Keyong to plot against Weibo. However, there is no barrier between Weibo and Pinglu, so Prince An’s attacking is a matter of extreme urgency now!”
Cao Zhongming closed his eyes and rested his mind. Kneeling down, a beautiful maid pinched his legs and pounded his shoulders with her delicate, white hands. “Prince An’s attacking is certainly a matter of extreme urgency, but if we let the Hedong Army enter the border, it will be a long-term worry. In any case, Prince An has great righteousness and an imperial edict to conquer Hedong. If Weibo lets the Hedong Army enter the border and fights Pinglu this time, whether we will win or not, it will cause endless trouble. We can’t solve the immediate difficulties in the wrong way, regardless of the serious consequences.”
What he said was reasonable, but it didn’t solve the practical problem. Cao Xijin said urgently, “Then, we let the Pinglu Army enter the border?”
Glancing at Cao Xijin, Cao Zhongming snorted with dissatisfaction. “Let the Pinglu Army enter the border? Are you an idiot? Since Weibo was founded, whose troops dare to enter? Even when Xuanzong was alive, the Regal Guards didn’t dare to enter Weibo! Li Ye is just a nobody, and the Pinglu Army is useless. How dare he plot against my Weibo!”
These strong and domineering words revealed the powerful style of Weibo.
After Cao Xijin heard these words, his eyes shone. “Father, what do you mean?”
Cao Zhongming restored his majesty and calmness. He put the maid’s hands in his hands and played with them, like rubbing fine jade. “Weibo is always the master of its own affairs. There is no room for the imperial court to make instructions. There is no need for the imperial court to intervene in any rebel or scourge of demons! Since the imperial court can’t intervene, how dare Li Ye, this nobody, meddle in Weibo’s business! How dare he want to plot against my Weibo! Well, I wait to see how he can do that!”
Cao Xijin was in high spirits. “I ask to go to Bozhou and lead the fight! I promise not to let the useless Pinglu Army enter Bozhou!”
“That’s what you should do.” Cao Zhongming nodded slightly. “Did you just say that Prince An’s messenger had come?”
“Yes.”
“Cut off his ears and drive him out of Weibo.”
“Father?”
“I have to let that Li Ye little kid, the imperial court, and all the people know that my Weibo has been powerful for a hundred years and will continue to be powerful! Weibo is the master of its own affairs. Anyone who dares to have evil intentions toward Weibo and anyone who wants to lead troops to enter the border, he will suffer!” Cao Zhongming snorted. His cultivation of the Spiritual Pool Spiritual Master suddenly burst out. The spiritual wind was raging in the pavilion, and the maids screamed and fell to the ground.
“Father, you have achieved the Spiritual Master Realm? Congratulations!” Cao Xijin was overjoyed. Weibo had a great force, not only because it had a strong military force, but also because the cultivators were powerful. Each commissioner’s cultivation was at high-level Qi-refining. “At present, the imperial court’s majesty is ruined, and the country is in chaos. As you have achieved the Spiritual Master Realm in this competitive world, Weibo will definitely make great achievements!”
Cao Zhongming glanced at Cao Xijin lightly and retrieved his pressure and momentum. He looked confident and calm. “Then, go quickly!”
“Yes, father!”
...
The soldiers of the Tianping Army, who came to help, had already arrived. The number of people was neither more nor less. There were 40,000 people. And the last group of food arrived with the army. Li Ye let Xue Wei show up and tell the Tianping Army that they had to listen to Li Ye’s orders obediently.
At the same time, the Henghai commissioner’s food had already arrived as well. 10,000 soldiers, who transported the food, brought the Henghai commissioner’s command. They would follow the Pinglu Army to fight and coordinate with them. Of course, Li Ye wouldn’t refuse it.
The pontoon bridge was almost done, and only the bridgehead on the other side was uncompleted. Once the last part was built, the Pinglu Army would be able to cross the river. However, at this time, the messenger that Li Ye sent to Weizhou came back without his two ears and brought back Cao Zhongming’s attitude.
In the tent, the messenger was wrapped in bandages and the positions behind his ears were red. Looking at him, Li Ye, who sat behind the table, narrowed his eyes slightly. The generals and officials on both sides burned with rage and cursed Cao Zhongming in succession.
Li Zhen patted on the table and stood up. As Li Ye’s trusted strategist, he was furious, and he said to Li Ye with folded hands, “Commissioner, Cao Zhongming is too presumptuous and pushing it too far! He totally doesn’t take the imperial court and you seriously. What he did is no different from rebellion! In my opinion, our troops don’t need to cross Weibo but directly capture the counties of Weibo!”
Then, Liu Dazheng stood up and cupped his fists. As a general, he couldn’t accept this insult. He was flushed now. “Commander-in-chief, we can’t tolerate it! What Cao Zhongming did is not only having cut off the messenger’s ears but also having slapped in Pinglu’s face and the face of the imperial court of the Tang Empire! I ask to attack Bozhou immediately!”
In the tent, all the generals were making impassioned speeches in succession, filled with righteous indignation, like burning water.
Li Ye sat, motionless, but his voice was full of murderous intent. “You Daniao! Song Jiao!”
You Daniao and Song Jiao stood out. “Yes!”
“Send out all the cultivators and occupy the west bank of the pontoon bridge!”
The two people answered together, “Yes!”
Li Ye ordered again, “Shangguan Qingcheng, you lead 3,000 cavalrymen of the Wolf-tooth Troop to cross the river as the vanguard troops and be ready to take action at any time!”
Shangguan Qingcheng answered, cupping her fists.
“Liu Dazheng!”
“I’m here!”
“After crossing the river, you lead the troops to go straight to Bozhou!”
“Yes!”
“Zhao Polu!”
“I’m here!”
“Your troops will be the vanguard to attack Bozhou!”
“Yes!”
Li Ye stood up and looked around everyone, his gaze as sharp as a sword. “Since Weibo commissioner is looking for death, then there will be no Weibo in the world anymore. After this battle, the six prefectures of Weibo will belong to my Pinglu! All the troops go to prepare for the battle and do your own jobs. Tomorrow dawn, cross the river and fight!”
Hearing these words, all the generals and officials were excited. This was to expand the territory! If they could win the battle, it meant that there would be six more prefectures of official positions and resources after the battle. If they could make contributions in the battle, they would reap great rewards and get promoted in the future. Maybe, they would take charge of a prefecture!
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