In the afternoon, the rain in Anqing City became heavier and heavier. Li Yan met a few squires from the city at the government office, sat in the lobby and stared at the rain curtain in the yard in a daze for a long time, and then ordered someone to prepare a carriage and leave the city for the camp outside the city.
The guards' camps were in the west of the city, Li Yan, Huang Degong, and Gao Jie's camps were in the east of the city, near Linghu Lake and the river. But there was a newly built camp on the riverside in the northeast corner of the city that was particularly eye-catching. This was Cheng Niandong's surrender camp. At this time
The camp gates were tightly closed, and more than a hundred officers and soldiers were patrolling outside the camp with knives in hand. No one was allowed to approach or enter or exit the camp.
Among the more than a hundred officers and soldiers, there were people from Gao Jie, Li Yan, Huang Degong, and even from Gongziying. There were also more than a hundred people patrolling outside Liu Zeqing's camp. The purpose was very simple, to monitor.
Shock.
I'm afraid they might cause trouble.
But everyone knows that if this matter is not handled properly, trouble will inevitably occur.
But this matter cannot be solved by ordinary people. Huang Degong can't do it, Gao Jie can't do it, and even Li Yan can't do it. Everyone places their hope on Chang Yu, but based on the known information, they conclude that the little eunuch's solution cannot let them
Satisfied, very dissatisfied.
Therefore, this chaos can break out at any time.
But Li Yan couldn't allow this kind of thing to happen, so he had to intervene forcefully to mediate.
The carriage was stopped outside the gate of the military camp, and the eunuchs from the Gongzi camp shouted: "Shuai Li has ordered that no one should come near."
Then Li Yan poked his head out of the carriage, waved, and was then released to the gate of the camp. The soldiers on duty inside said to the soldiers on duty: "General Li wants to enter the camp to see General Cheng."
The soldiers quickly opened the camp door. Li Yan got out of the car and walked in alone, holding an oil-paper umbrella. Then the camp door closed again.
The news that Li Yan entered the Jiangbing camp alone soon spread throughout the military camp, especially Liu Zeqing's department. Many people ran out in the rain and looked around the Jiangbing camp, wondering what Li Yan was doing there.
When Cheng Niandong heard that Li Yan had entered the camp, he hurried out of the tent to greet him and personally served him with tea and water: "If you have anything to do, I just want to say hello. I dare not bother you... I heard that General Li went to see the governor yesterday."
"You are quite well informed." Li Yan took a sip of tea and looked around the tent. There were four or five people in the tent who were Cheng Niandong's confidants: "I'll tell you good news. Bai Wang was annihilated in Chizhou and was captured and killed. His head has been removed."
"Send to the capital." Cheng Niandong and the others looked at each other speechless. It seemed that Bai Wang was really dead this time, and Li Yan had no need to lie to them anymore.
"Also, Dongliu, Zhide, Pengze, and Wangjiang have been recaptured by officers and soldiers, and are approaching De'an at this time..." Cheng Niandong couldn't help but take a breath of air as soon as the words came out: "So fast..."
"Hurry up, Bai Wang was defeated and General Cheng and others surrendered. How can those remaining thieves stop the imperial army?" Li Yan smiled, Cheng Niandong bit his lip and nodded: "We have recovered several cities in just two days. If
The one with good material is Wang Ti Zhong.”
In Cheng Niandong's view, only those remnants of the traitor army who surrendered in the king's body would surrender without any fighting spirit, otherwise the officers and soldiers would not be so fast. Of course, he did not expect that Li Yan deliberately exaggerated the facts.
"It is true that he was used on the other side, but in Dongliu County and Zhide County, the governor personally led dozens of personal guards to attack in one day." Li Yan's words shocked Cheng Niandong and others. They thought it was too incredible and they were shocked.
How could this legendary eunuch be so brave?
"I dare to ask General Li, why General Li doesn't need me to wait for him when he can use the king's body on the other side? Is it possible that he is worried? If I lead my troops there, I can be overwhelming." Cheng Niandong suddenly sighed and said, "General Li doesn't trust us so much?" His subordinates
The generals also agreed.
Li Yan looked around the crowd and his eyes fell on Cheng Niandong's face: "The reason why you are not allowed to go to war is well known, so why blame me." Everyone's expressions immediately became awkward. Cheng Niandong waved his hands and asked his men to go out because he wanted to talk to Li Yan alone.
one time.
"That's why General Li came here today, right?" Cheng Niandong sighed: "The consequences of this incident are far beyond what was expected at the time."
Li Yan nodded: "If we don't solve it, it will probably lead to military chaos."
Cheng Niandong raised his head fiercely: "How to solve this problem? Does General Li want to kill me to calm the public anger? What does the Lord Governor say?" Li Yan raised his hand to signal him to be calm: "Since I wanted to protect you and thousands of people in the first place,
The officers and men have always believed in their words, so how can they go back on their words? Moreover, the Governor has also made it clear that he will not kill Liu Zeqing if he is not guilty of surrendering, and he will be given a generous burial and a generous gift to Liu Zeqing."
Cheng Niandong breathed a sigh of relief, but frowned again: "But how can we calm down the anger over there?"
"This is the purpose of my coming here today, to be a peacemaker and make peace."
Cheng Niandong smiled bitterly and shook his head: "How to make peace? They have been clamoring to kill people to pay for their lives. How can we make peace? If we can make peace, the city will not be in the current predicament."
"So this talk of peace is actually about forcing peace, forcing them to live in harmony with you." Li Yan sneered: "Everything should be done in moderation. If you push too far, there will be backlash."
Cheng Niandong was startled, and then nodded slightly: "Then I'll bother General Li to mediate." He sighed: "I thought the general would protect my thousands of lives, and I won't owe anything to the general to get rid of the troubles in his heart. It didn't work."
I think I still owe General Li a favor..." As he spoke, Li Yan's expression suddenly turned cold. He suddenly realized something and knelt down quickly: "I made a mistake in my humble position, don't blame me, General!"
"Are you threatening me with this?" Li Yan stood up and turned his back to him. Cheng Niandong waved his hands hurriedly: "The general misunderstood. I just made a slip of the tongue. Thousands of my subordinates' lives are in the hands of the general. How dare you take this?"
This thing threatens the general. If the general cannot trust his humble position, he will kill him, which will just calm their anger."
After a while, Li Yan took a long breath and turned around to help Cheng Niandong up: "Why should I wait until now if I want to kill you and silence you?"
Cheng Niandong thanked Cheng Niandong and apologized repeatedly for his slip of the tongue. Li Yan said that he would not pursue the case any further, and ordered him to call several of his confidants back to the tent. He reiterated his previous plan to be a peacemaker and asked them how many times he had committed.
Meaning.
Being able to make peace with Liu Zeqing's subordinates was a dream come true. Everyone agreed, so Li Yan asked them to choose a place, whether to set up a table in the city or surrender to the barracks. No matter where they met, they would ensure everyone's safety.
Cheng Niandong discussed with his men. Since he wanted to make peace and he was already in the wrong, it would be too much to ask someone to come to the surrender camp to make peace. It also seemed that he was timid and afraid of getting into trouble, so he said he would follow Li Yan's arrangements in everything.
But Li Yan obviously didn't want to take the blame, so he had to let them make their own choice. Since he didn't want to go to the surrender barracks, he could choose between the city and the opponent's barracks, or he could go to his own barracks.
Cheng Niandong thought about it with a few people again, and then went to the city to find a place to set up a table and talk. Li Yan agreed and stood up to say goodbye, saying that he was going to Liu Zeqing's camp to communicate with his generals.
After a while, he held a banquet in the city in the evening to make peace between the two families.
Cheng Niandong escorted Li Yan to the gate of the surrender barracks. General Liu Zeqing who was watching outside yelled at him when he saw him, but was stopped by Li Yan and returned to the camp.
After leaving the surrender camp, Li Yan got on the carriage and ordered his soldiers to go to Liu Zeqing's camp. It was stormy outside, and Li Yan, who had always been gentle and elegant, suddenly flashed with cruelty. He was still a little tangled at first, but now Cheng Niandong must die.
That's right, it was because of Cheng Niandong's slip of the tongue.
Regardless of whether it was a true slip of the tongue, it was a clear threat.
This was a bomb that could detonate at any time. If he revealed that it was actually Liu Zeqing who had been ordered to commit suicide by Li Yan, things would be a big deal.
Li Yan had previously concluded that he would not reveal any rumors. After all, it would not benefit Cheng Niandong at all, and there was no direct evidence at hand. Li Yan could completely deny it. Secondly, what about letting you know his secrets?
Just because he regards you as his confidant, Cheng Niandong will become Li Yan's confidant after his new surrender. How could he cut off his own retreat with such a big backer, unless... he has no intention of continuing to work with the officers and soldiers.
It was that slip of the tongue that made Li Yan suspicious and wary. This guy might not want to continue fighting with him for a long time. Surrendering might just be a delaying tactic. Originally, according to Chang Yu's intention, he had to be killed to avoid future troubles and to calm down Liu Zeqing's subordinates.
Anger now has an additional reason to kill people and silence them to eliminate future troubles forever.
After all, although he had no direct evidence that it was Li Yan who had given instructions, once he said it, it would still have a great impact on Li Yan, and some interested people would pick up the clues.