BSI Chapter 305, Yao Jin, with You Junda adding fuel to the fire.
Chapter 305, Yao Jin, with You Junda adding fuel to the fire.
Li Shimin accurately grasped Qin Qiong's personality, knowing what he cared about most and what he couldn't let go of, thus completely blocking his path.
No matter what choice Qin Qiong made, he couldn't escape the infamy.
Since you're being criticized no matter which way you go, why not choose the path that's most advantageous to you?
"..."
Mentioning Lü Xiao, Qin Qiong's forehead veins bulged, and the veins on the back of his hands stood up, making him look like a ferocious beast about to erupt in fury.
This name had long been a taboo subject for him; no one was allowed to mention it in front of him.
No one can do it.
That past event, that grudge, is a thorn in his heart that he can never remove or forget.
Countless nights, he would wake up in a cold sweat from his dreams, his mind filled with the image of Lü Xiao.
"If the general wishes to avenge himself, the only way is to take over Dou Jiande's army, dominate Hebei, and thus avenge his grievances!"
Seeing that Qin Qiong was moved, the visitor continued to embellish the story.
"If Dou Jiande is killed, can the Li family truly allow Qin to establish himself in Hebei?"
Qin Qiong remained silent for a moment, his eyes flickering, and after pondering for a long time, he slowly spoke.
He had long harbored the idea of abandoning Dou Jiande, but he lacked an opportunity, a reason, and a plausible excuse.
Now it's just a matter of taking advantage of the situation and going with the flow.
Whether it's dealing with Yang Lin or Lü Xiao, siding with either of them is not an option.
Under someone else's command, you're always just a general, dependent on others, subject to their orders, and have to be mindful of their moods.
Only by dominating one's own territory can one mobilize troops at will, attack whomever one pleases, without any scruples, and without having to consider anyone else's opinion.
"Naturally, with the Li family secretly joining forces with General Qin, the imperial court has to be wary and dare not act rashly."
The man spoke with great conviction, patting his chest and guaranteeing it with a face full of sincerity.
"The Prince of Changle has treated me well; please allow me to consider this matter."
Qin Qiong feigned reluctance, sighed, and showed some hesitation on his face, his brows furrowed, as if he were making an extremely difficult choice.
"General, time is of the essence, we must guard against any unforeseen circumstances!"
Opportunities are fleeting, and the longer it drags on, the more variables there will be.
If the news leaks out and Dou Jiande finds out, the general will be in danger!
The visitor spoke again, his tone urgent.
"Does Young Master Li have a brilliant plan?"
"At midnight tomorrow, the general will arrange for people to set fire to the camp and create chaos."
Let's work together, from the inside and outside, and take advantage of the chaos to kill Dou Jiande first.
"General, you should quickly return to Dou Jiande's capital, seize power while the country is leaderless, and declare yourself king!"
"Very good..."
Qin Qiong nodded, taking all these words to heart. His eyes flickered, and he had already made up his mind.
He then arranged for his trusted confidants to secretly send the Li family members away.
It happened so quietly that no one noticed.
Inside the Li family's camp, Li Jiancheng paced back and forth in his tent, his steps hurried, and he could not hide the worry on his face.
Although Qin Qiong was the savior of the Li family and had done them a great favor.
Even so, the journey was extremely dangerous and perilous.
What if Qin Qiong is loyal to Dou Jiande and unwilling to cooperate with them?
What if Dou Jiande and Qin Qiong team up to trick them?
"Shimin, is there a second method we can use?"
Li Jiancheng was tired, so he stopped and turned around to ask, his voice filled with anxiety and unease.
"Even if Qin Qiong is bluffing us, we must launch a full-scale attack at midnight tomorrow!"
Li Shimin gritted his teeth, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
The Li family can't afford to wait any longer; time is of the essence.
Lü Xiao quelled the Jianghuai rebellion too quickly. In just a few months, he dealt with Du Fuwei and Li Zitong, then led his troops to Jiangling and destroyed Xiao Xian. Now he has returned to Luoyang.
If they don't hurry up, the imperial court will send Lü Xiao to Hebei, and then things will be really bad.
At that time, the Li family will no longer be facing Dou Jiande.
Instead, it was the invincible and unrivaled Lü Xiao.
The consequences would be unimaginable.
Therefore, no matter what, we must take action at midnight tomorrow.
If Qin Qiong were to cooperate sincerely, with inside and outside forces working together, the results would be twice as effective, and victory would be assured.
If Qin Qiong is bluffing them, then we will launch a full-scale attack and leave them utterly defeated.
"Young Master, Second Young Master, our people are back."
The messenger hurried to the main tent.
"Please come in quickly!"
Seeing this, Li Shimin was even more anxious than Li Jiancheng, and suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Young Master, Second Young Master, we have not failed you. Qin Shubao has agreed to cooperate from within and without."
The visitor entered the main tent and brought out a tray containing the conversation between Qin Qiong and the visitor.
He described every single detail, from their first meeting to their parting, without missing a single word.
"Second brother, can we trust Qin Qiong?"
Li Jiancheng hesitated for a moment before speaking, his brows furrowed and his face full of worry.
This is a matter of great importance and cannot be taken lightly.
"Let's stick to our plan."
Li Shimin was unwilling to explain further, and waved his hand with a firm gaze.
In any case, once the time is right, whether Qin Qiong is good or bad will naturally be revealed.
"Alright, I'll have someone prepare it right away."
After hearing this, Li Jiancheng nodded and then hurriedly walked out.
"Brother, this matter should not be arranged too early."
Li Shimin reached out to stop Li Jiancheng, shook his head, and looked solemn.
What he wanted was to give Dou Jiande a chance to strike a fatal blow, a blow that would hit and kill him instantly.
Therefore, we must not be careless and must not let any information slip by.
The earlier the arrangements are made, the more people will know about them, and the greater the risk of leaks.
The fewer people who know about this, the better.
"I'll do as you say!"
Li Jiancheng smiled, stopped walking, and sat back down in his seat, willingly playing a supporting role.
Li Shimin was extremely intelligent in the Li family, so he naturally knew this.
From childhood to adulthood, this younger brother has always been more decisive, more knowledgeable, and more courageous than him.
Li Shimin has arranged everything perfectly and flawlessly, so there is no need for him to interfere, nor can he interfere.
Li Shimin not only failed to make prior arrangements for this matter, but he also did not inform Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji only learned of the situation half an hour before departure.
He was resting in his tent when he heard the news. He sat up abruptly, his face turning ashen.
Li Yuanji was naturally furious about this and wished he could rush to the main tent to question Li Shimin.
"Old You, aren't we outsiders?"
On his way to the assembly, Cheng Yaojin rode his horse leisurely, not forgetting to add to Li Yuanji's hatred.
The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Li Yuanji in front to hear.
"Who says otherwise? We did save the Third Young Master, after all, and we have done the Li family a favor."
As a result, they only told us about the troop deployment at the last minute. Those who didn't know better might have thought we were spies, that they were keeping an eye on us.
You Junda immediately understood Cheng Yaojin's meaning and added fuel to the fire.
His voice was full of resentment and grievance, as if he had really suffered a great injustice.