Kang Tongqu was thoroughly frightened.
Although he was the commander of an entire garrison and controlled the troops of a region, he truly did not dare make such a major decision when facing someone of Xiao Yunting’s stature.
He swallowed hard. “Your Highness, perhaps… perhaps I should first submit a memorial and have it sent to the capital by fast horse…”
If you want to take such a risk, that’s one thing.
But at the very least, shouldn’t your grandfather be informed first?
Otherwise, if even a single hair on your head is harmed, wouldn’t all of us end up buried alongside you?
“There’s no time.” Xiao Yunting’s expression did not change. “By the time your memorial reaches the capital, gets debated by the Office of Transmission, then passed to the Grand Secretariat, and finally reaches my Imperial Grandfather, everything will already have been delayed.”
Only then did Kang Tongqu truly sense the forcefulness of this Imperial Grandson.
He opened his mouth. “Your Highness, this matter is no small thing…”
“If it weren’t a matter of great importance, why would I need to come to you?” Xiao Yunting looked at him deeply. “You’re a regional commander. Do you not even possess this much courage to achieve merit and build a career?”
Qingfeng, Lin Hai, and the others all looked at him with faint ridicule.
Kang Tongqu’s face immediately reddened.
What exactly did His Highness mean by that?
If he refused to cooperate, then he lacked courage?
For a military officer, once the label of “lacking courage” was attached to him, how could he continue his career?
Taking a deep breath, he said, “I will obey Your Highness’s orders!”
Xiao Yunting nodded.
He bent over the map and drew three routes across it. Then he pointed at one of them. “Release word that I will escort Zhar Tuobuhua along this route to Great Tong and hold Yang Qingshan accountable for his crimes.”
He was bringing the most important witness with him.
Zhar Tuobuhua could testify to Yang Qingshan’s crimes. At the same time, he was also the Third Prince of the Oirat royal court.
Whether it was Yang Qingshan or the Oirat agents hidden within Great Zhou, neither side could possibly ignore this.
Even if it was an obvious trap, they would still have to walk into it.
As a military commander himself, Kang Tongqu immediately understood Xiao Yunting’s intentions.
He could not help sucking in a cold breath.
For a moment, his hands and feet felt weak. “Your Highness, this is far too dangerous! This area was where the largest concentration of Oirat cavalry gathered not long ago. Even now there are still many scattered troops roaming around!”
“Exactly.” Xiao Yunting’s tone left no room for argument. “That’s precisely why taking this route will make the story more believable. You will bring five thousand troops. I will assign another two thousand men to you. This time, none of them will leave alive.”
As if it could really be that simple!
Kang Tongqu could no longer hold back. Forgetting that he was speaking to the most honored Imperial Grandson in the empire, he looked at Xiao Yunting with dry lips. “Your Highness, do you know that one Oirat cavalryman is worth ten of our soldiers? Even if we have seven thousand men, what difference will it make?”
And if Xiao Yunting was correct, and Yang Qingshan truly was a traitor, then Yang Qingshan would never send reinforcements.
No matter how one looked at it, it seemed like a death sentence.
Xiao Yunting remained calm. He merely raised an eyebrow toward Qingfeng.
Qingfeng immediately stepped forward and let out a sharp whistle.
Three soldiers emerged from the ranks carrying a long object resembling a massive firearm.
Kang Tongqu blinked in confusion. “W-What is that?”
Before he could finish asking,
Qingfeng waved his hand. One soldier immediately loaded ammunition, then pulled the trigger.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted. After a cloud of black smoke billowed out, a hole appeared in Kang Tongqu’s tent. Stunned, he seemed to realize something. He hurried outside and froze.
Directly ahead had stood a giant tree so large that two men together could barely wrap their arms around it. Now the tree had been snapped in half. Branches and leaves were scattered across the ground.
Kang Tongqu stared in shock.
Then he spun around to look at Xiao Yunting. “Your Highness! When did the Ministry of Works…”
When did they create such a terrifying weapon?!
Xiao Yunting replied calmly, “I brought two thousand of these firearms.”
This was how Emperor Yongchang showed favoritism toward his grandson.
The new firearms developed by the Ministry of Works had originally been intended for the Three Great Military Camps.
Instead, Emperor Yongchang had first equipped his grandson’s personal guard with them, ensuring his safety.
Kang Tongqu drew in a sharp breath.
No wonder Xiao Yunting dared to take such enormous risks.
Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Yunting suddenly rolled back his sleeve.
With a slight movement, a sharp sleeve sword shot out with lightning speed and shattered the wine jar sitting on the table.
Kang Tongqu’s eyes immediately lit up.
Good stuff!
All of it was good stuff!
If the border troops had equipment like this, how could the Oirat have been so arrogant?
How could they bully Great Zhou’s people and invade at will?
His entire body trembled with excitement.
Then he shouted, “Good! Your Highness, I’ll do it! I’ll follow you!”
To h*ll with it!
Maybe this gamble would earn him the merit of supporting a future emperor.
Perhaps his ancestors’ graves would even start smoking with good fortune and win his family an immunity token!
Xiao Yunting smiled faintly. “Good. In that case, Commander Kang, I’ll leave it to you. You must also have Yang Qingshan’s spies among your people. I trust you know how to let them hear exactly the information you want spread.”
At this point, what was there left for Kang Tongqu to hide?
He immediately nodded heavily.
Xiao Yunting continued calmly, “Good. Then spread word that you will accompany me with troops to capture Yang Qingshan alive and clear my grandfather’s name.”
With witnesses in hand and a large military force behind him, unless Yang Qingshan intended to sit and wait for death, he would be forced to strike back.
And Xiao Yunting was waiting for exactly that.
He had no intention of first sending Zhar Tuobuhua’s testimony to the Grand Secretariat. He would not let the Three Judicial Offices conduct endless reviews while officials slowly followed procedure to determine Yang Qingshan’s guilt.
Yuanyuan had been right.
Justice delayed was still justice. But for those who had suffered and been wronged, such justice no longer held any comforting value.
What was justice?
Justice was simple:
If you committed evil, then you paid with your life.
A life for a life.
Kang Tongqu felt a chill run through his entire body. After agreeing, he hesitated before asking, “Your Highness… when the danger comes…”
Xiao Yunting looked at him. “The one taking this route will be you. In other words, the people sent by the Oirat and Yang Qingshan to intercept us will target you. As for me…” He pointed to another route on the map. “I will go to Great Tong.”
“I will take this road and strike directly at Yang Qingshan.”
What audacity.
Absolute audacity.
Kang Tongqu no longer knew what to say.
The entire plan felt far too casually decided.
If this matter were handed to the Grand Secretariat, they would probably spend a year or more debating it before reaching a rough conclusion.
But Xiao Yunting?
In just a few sentences, he had settled the entire operation.
As casually as if he were discussing a trip to the market to buy vegetables.
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