Ma Ancheng led twenty thousand troops out of Great Tong under the pretext of conducting military drills.
Inside the city, life remained full of song and dance.
Although Great Tong was a border city, it had once been an important stop on the ancient Tea-Horse Road. During the periods when border markets were open, it served as a gathering point for merchants from three frontier regions, making it exceptionally prosperous.
Anything available in the capital could be found here.
Even the famous steamed buns from Taibai Tower in the capital had opened a branch here.
Brothels and pleasure houses were everywhere.
Among them were even quite a few Oirat women, specifically brought in to attract the soldiers.
Yang Qingshan was more than happy to see such a situation.
Leaning over the railing, he watched an Oirat woman performing a whirling dance in the hall below. He clicked his tongue and let out a slow sneer.
The beauties in his room busied themselves around him without a moment’s rest. Some poured tea for him, while others peeled grapes for him.
At that moment, however, someone outside was equally frantic. “Tell Yang Qingshan to come out! Come out!”
At first, the shouting couldn’t be heard inside. But later, no one knew exactly what had happened outside, the shouting grew louder and louder.
Until Yang Qingshan’s mood was completely ruined.
With a loud smack, he set down his cup, his face darkening. “Let him in.”
His subordinates hurriedly acknowledged the order and, after seeing his expression, quickly allowed the man inside.
When Yang Qingshan saw who it was, his expression remained indifferent. “So it’s you. Inspector Fang. Tell me, Lord Fang, what brings you here?”
Fang Jing was in his forties. Years of enduring the wind and sun of the frontier had made him look more like a man in his fifties.
His expression was stern and grim. “May I ask, Sir, where exactly is Ma Ancheng taking those twenty thousand men for drills? The court has failed to issue military pay for two months already. Yet now you’re taking troops out of the city. Have you considered provisions and supplies? Or are you planning to squeeze the common people again?!”
Every year it was the same. The excuse was always that the Ministry of Revenue had failed to release military funds.
As a result, resentment toward the imperial court grew stronger year by year.
Meanwhile, Yang Qingshan played the role of a great benefactor.
Privately, he led his men in smuggling operations and earned enormous profits.
He used that money to buy the loyalty of a large number of officers and soldiers. They listened only to him and paid little attention to the court’s orders.
To many people, Yang Qingshan was a savior.
But in Fang Jing’s eyes, this was merely a method of buying people’s hearts.
Countless times he had written memorials impeaching Yang Qingshan.
It was useless.
He impeached Yang Qingshan, nothing happened.
He impeached the Ministry of Revenue officials responsible for military funds, nothing happened.
One memorial after another vanished like stones sinking into the sea, producing no response whatsoever.
Yet he never learned to hold back.
Nor did he ever give up.
Coldly, he questioned Yang Qingshan: “Not long ago, the Oirats attacked Zijing Pass and caused such tremendous chaos! The Commander of Xuanfu requested your assistance in resisting the Oirats, yet you flatly refused! And now suddenly you have money for military drills?”
Everything he said was true.
But truths were often unpleasant to hear.
Yang Qingshan sighed, set down his cup, and walked over to Fang Jing.
Then he asked calmly, “Do you know why you’ve remained a City Patrol Censor in Great Tong all these years?”
Fang Jing merely stared at him coldly without speaking.
“Because you’re stupid!” Suddenly, Yang Qingshan reached out and repeatedly slapped Fang Jing’s face. “Because you’re so stupid it’s pitiful. You can’t even see the essence of the problem. So those useless memorials of yours? I treated them as jokes and burned them as firewood in my kitchen stove.”
The veins on Fang Jing’s forehead bulged with anger. Unable to contain himself, he lunged at Yang Qingshan.
Yang Qingshan didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. Several of his men immediately rushed forward and restrained Fang Jing.
What a nuisance.
Looking at Fang Jing’s face, Yang Qingshan crooked a finger toward a subordinate.
When the man approached, Yang Qingshan said casually, “Doesn’t he like being an upright remonstrator? Fine. Grant him his wish. Hold him down and smash his head against the wall.”
What?!
The subordinate froze, hesitating to obey.
Yang Qingshan’s face immediately darkened. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”
How could they dare pretend otherwise? Seeing his anger, they quickly grabbed Fang Jing from both sides, pinned him down, and violently slammed his head into the wall.
The impact immediately drew blood.
Yet Fang Jing still shouted: “Yang Qingshan! You’ll die a horrible death! You’ll die a horrible death!”
Yang Qingshan burst into laughter.
Fang Jing continued yelling: “You abuse your authority and use public office for private gain! You’ll die a horrible death!”
Yang Qingshan clicked his tongue, clearly displeased. “Whether I’ll die well or badly, I don’t know. But you’re definitely about to die badly.”
Then he barked coldly, “What? Haven’t you eaten your fill?!”
The men hurriedly increased their efforts.
Very quickly, Fang Jing’s face became a bloody mess, and he was barely clinging to life.
Just as another impact would have finished him off, a sudden arrow shot through the air like a meteor.
With perfect accuracy, it pierced the back of one of the men holding Fang Jing.
The man immediately collapsed to the floor with a muffled thud.
Yang Qingshan’s expression changed drastically.
Before he could react, a second arrow arrived in an instant, piercing another man’s shoulder.
Then came a third.
A fourth.
The entire room descended into chaos.
What had moments ago been a place of luxury and pleasure suddenly became a den of death.
The women screamed in terror, fleeing in all directions and trembling uncontrollably.
Even Yang Qingshan’s personal attendants were spared no mercy.
One after another, they were struck by the incoming arrows.
Only then did Yang Qingshan truly panic.
He spun around in disbelief, but all he could see were waves of arrows flying toward him like meteors.
It was terrifying!
He nearly jumped out of his skin.
As an arrow flew straight at him, he instinctively grabbed a nearby guard and used him as a shield.
The man let out a miserable scream and collapsed.
Cold sweat drenched Yang Qingshan’s body.
So close.
Just a little closer, and he would have died!
Who was bold enough to run wild here like this?!
He shouted sharply: “Guards! Guards!”
Whenever he came out for entertainment, he always brought plenty of men with him. He would never willingly place himself in danger.
Yet no matter how loudly he shouted, there was no response.
His heart immediately sank. No longer daring to think further, he turned and rushed for the door.
The moment the door opened, he saw a handsome young man so beautiful he seemed almost unreal, smiling at him. Raising an eyebrow, the youth called out: “Lord Yang, the banquet has only just begun. Where are you rushing off to?”
Yang Qingshan instantly sensed ill intent. He took several steps backward, staring at the young man with uncertainty. A terrifying possibility surfaced in his mind. Yet he could hardly believe it.
How could it be?
The thought alone made his fingers turn cold, and his face went pale as paper.
Could it really be Xiao Yunting?!
If it truly was him,
Then it was nothing short of heavenly troops descending from the sky!
Wasn’t he supposed to have gone to Zijing Pass to find Lu Ting?
The intelligence desperately sent back by Ma Ancheng’s spies in Great Tong,
How could it possibly have been false?!
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