Chapter 10: Matters of the military are most secretive when it comes to espionage
However, that being said, Li Congjing still stated: "Meng San, if you achieve merit this time, I will restore your position as the commander."
Li Congjing, hailing from the era of great information, naturally understands the importance of information. Therefore, he would rather have Li Rong not participate in the Battle of Luoyankou and instead send him early to Qimen to ascertain the situation there.
No, I am here to send you back south
Oh, it is him. Li Congjing recalled this person and said, "Bring him here."
He Chong was no longer in a hurry at this moment, leisurely saying: "Today, when returning to Gongcheng from Luoyankou, among the five hundred Liang troops, only Commander Meng dared to glare at Commander Li, a true warrior indeed, I, He, greatly admire him. However..." As he spoke, He Chong leaned closer to Meng San, his words icy as he said: "I have heard that after Commander Li returned to the city, he was furious and intended to punish Commander Meng to set an example for others. Commander Meng, are you not afraid that you might not see the sun tomorrow?"
The chief clerk was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this, and then cupped his hands in salute, saying: "The commander is the son of the deputy governor of the inner and outer barbarians, and I have heard a little about him."
In Li Congjing's view, Liang Jun of Qimen was already the meat in his own bowl, and the soldiers of Liang Jun would undoubtedly be his subordinates in the future, so it was not permissible for them to escape
Half a day later, the chief clerk arrived again to report back to Li Congjing
Before long, the chief clerk on the way back was invited to return. This time, Li Congjing's attitude was much more enthusiastic, directly stating: "You have been serving as the chief clerk in Gongcheng for quite a few years, haven't you?"
Li Congjing pondered for a moment, recalling the armies of this era, where loyalty had become an exceedingly extravagant notion. Due to the collapse of rites and music, the degeneration of morals, and the difficulties of survival in chaotic times, few still revered the deities above them, focusing instead on their own immediate interests. Thus, it was not surprising that the army would not only surrender but also engage in turmoil and rebellion, which had become quite commonplace. Therefore, Meng San's choice was, in fact, not surprising.
After racking his brains, He Chong finally devised such a sinister plan. Although the higher-ups did not intend for Li Congjing to die, he could no longer afford to care about that. As long as the matter was executed without leaving any traces, without evidence, in his view, no one could hold him accountable.
Li Congjing nodded slightly, his expression becoming serious, and said: "I observe that the chief clerk is thoroughly familiar with all matters concerning the city, and it is evident that the chief clerk is diligent and responsible in public affairs. A talent like the chief clerk should not remain in such a position for five years without any progress."
Meng San's words are undoubtedly logical, but Li Congjing has always harbored a trace of doubt in his heart. After much contemplation, he finally grasped something and immediately summoned Zhang Xiaowu, saying: "Go and call back the city lord's clerk."
Mind your own business! Meng San still wore a gloomy expression.
Meng San fell silent for a moment after hearing He Chong's words
What does it mean
Today, the Wei Bo army camp experienced turmoil, which was forcefully suppressed by Li Congjing. Especially after the significant victory at Luoyankou, Li Congjing has subtly gained the ability to control the Wei Bo army, causing He Chong to feel extremely anxious. He understands that if he allows the situation to develop unchecked, he will undoubtedly find it difficult to deal with Li Congjing, and upon returning, he will have no explanation to offer, which will certainly lead to the destruction of his future
Li Congjing waved his hand to signal his guards to untie Meng Sansong, and then asked, "What strategy do you have to break through Qimen?"
While Li Congjing was discussing matters with the city lord's clerk, He Chong took some people to the prison
"The method is indeed good," Li Congjing nodded, "but how can I trust your words?"
Li Congjing suddenly looked seriously at the chief clerk and asked, "Surely the chief clerk is aware of my identity?"
Li Congjing did not appreciate idle chatter; he fixed his gaze on Meng San and said: "Meng San, your transition from vehemently cursing me to actively seeking my support has occurred in merely a few hours, which is rather abrupt and raises my suspicions. Fortunately, I am cautious. He Chong visited you in the prison yesterday, and I have entrusted the chief clerk to investigate this matter. Did He Chong speak to you about anything, and did you truthfully confess, or will I have to resort to coercive measures to extract the information from you?"
If Meng Dutu wants to return to the south, he naturally has to pass through Li Congjing's territory, and he must deal with Li Congjing. In this way, you and I will have a common enemy. He Chong said solemnly, I have a plan that can allow Meng Dutu to retreat unscathed and also avenge the grudge at Luoyankou, it all depends on whether Meng Dutu has the courage.
After Meng San entered the room, he greeted Li Congjing, but saw that Li Congjing's face was as dark as ink, which caused a vague sense of unease in his heart
The chief clerk immediately took his orders to attend to the matter, while Li Congjing rested in the room, waiting.
Regarding Meng San, He Chong did not take it to heart, pushing the water in front of Meng San, maintaining his smile as he tried to get closer: "I see that Meng Dutu is about the same age as I am, so you must have a family in the south, right?"
"In this case, I must trouble you, Chief Clerk." Li Congjing said
Mong San
I have plenty of courage; as long as you let me out, I will immediately take down that scoundrel Li Congjing!" Meng San declared with great bravado
"There is no need for reckless adventures," He Chong said, feeling that the time was ripe. He then laid out the plan, "One hour later, you will have the person in prison send a message to Li Congjing, stating that you are willing to surrender to the Jin army and are prepared to lead the Jin army into the city disguised as the Liang army's defeated troops. When midnight arrives, you will open the city gates at Qimen, coordinating with the Jin army from within and without, which will surely lead to a great victory at Qimen"
To speak deeply in shallow exchanges is generally a great taboo, yet Li Congjing's status is different; he stands high above the chief clerk, thus his words do not seem out of place. Even so, the chief clerk still wore a face of surprise and confusion, though there was also a considerable hint of anticipation.
Li Congjing looked at Meng San again and said seriously: "Killing Zhang Lang amidst the chaos of battle is not the same as worrying about a small character like you playing tricks."
You are right! Meng San stood up and said, "I did this!"
"It's quite a habit!" Meng San said irritably, "Who would get used to being in prison? Why don't you give it a try?"
After a while, Meng San raised his head and smiled, saying: "Since Commander He has informed me of this matter, if I do not agree, I fear I will not be able to survive, right?"
After Li Congjing arranged for someone to take Meng San down, he paced back and forth in the room, carefully contemplating the words Meng San had just spoken, weighing whether there were any flaws in them
And in reality? Meng San asked
The chief clerk suddenly realized and immediately clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, smiling as he said, "This is a trivial matter; I will certainly ensure that the commander handles it properly"
After Li Congjing thanked the chief clerk, he had someone bring Meng San into the room
Li Congjing instructed Li Rong to go down and rest. Before long, Meng San was brought up.
Upon arriving at the Citadel, Li Congjing threw all the captured Liang troops into the prison. He believed that he did not possess the same strong political persuasion as a certain party and could not convince these Liang troops to join the Jin army and serve him within just one or two days. Moreover, Li Congjing had little time left; once Li Cunxu set out from Xiangzhou to Weizhou, he would have to hurry to Qimen.
Li Congjing spoke directly and boldly, declaring: "I, Li, have a significant achievement. If the chief clerk assists me in this endeavor, I can guarantee that after this battle, the chief clerk will surely be promoted!"
Meng San has met with Commander Li. Meng San was brought in while being bound.
Oh? Meng San is gradually calming down
Previously, when Liang Jun captured Weizhou, the town's general was killed in battle, the county magistrate was murdered, and the county deputy went missing. Now, the one who comes to see Li Congjing is the registrar of Weicheng.
"Why should the chief Meng be angry?" He Chong wiped the saliva that Meng San had sprayed on his face and said calmly, "I have already stated that I am here to facilitate your return to the south. By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. I am He, the commander of the Wei Bo army, leading four hundred Wei Bo troops alongside Commander Li on this expedition. However, there are those above who do not wish to see Li Congjing become too arrogant, so I have been sent to handle certain matters. Now, I need Chief Meng's assistance with the next task."
He Chong smiled
"You shameless scoundrel, speak plainly. Have I ever feared that Li Congjing?" Meng San slammed the table and stood up in anger, "Moreover, who are you?"
The commander, Meng San, the chief of the Qianliang army, expressed his willingness to surrender to the Jin army and proposed a strategy to breach the Qimen. He requested an audience with the commander.
He Chongping stepped back to the left and right, greeted Meng San to sit down, and did not forget to pour a bowl of water for Meng San, smiling as he said: "Meng Dutu, are you still getting used to staying here?"
This is indeed the case. Once the gates of Qimen are opened, Li Congjing will certainly lead his troops in the forefront. You should have your archers ambushed inside the gates, and after allowing Li Congjing to enter the trap city, immediately close the city gates. At that time, with a volley of arrows, even if Li Congjing is formidable, he will only meet an untimely death. Even if He certain fights to the death, he will not be able to break through the heavily guarded Qimen by the Liang army. At that time, you will safely return to the south, and He will have completed his mission. After He Chong finished speaking, he revealed a sinister and triumphant smile.
"He must kill you to silence you." He Chong was also frank, there was nothing to hide, everyone understood the situation. "However, I believe there seems to be no reason for the head of Mengdu to refuse, right?"
After finishing the discussion with the city clerk, a faint light began to appear on the horizon. Only then did Li Congjing prepare to take a short rest. At this moment, Li Rong, whom he had sent to Qimen before the battle at Luoyankou, returned to Gongcheng with news.
He did not urge, but picked up the bowl and took a sip of clear water
Chief Clerk said: "I do not wish to conceal from the Commandant that I have served in the city for over ten years, and I have held this position as Chief Clerk for more than five years."
Meng San fixed his gaze on He Chong and said with a cold smile, "Are you here to persuade me to surrender?"
"It was the Liang army that was shouting all the way last night, wanting to fight the commander for another three hundred rounds," said Zhang Xiaowu
Therefore, when Meng San heard that someone wanted to see him, he initially thought it was Li Congjing coming to trouble him. However, upon seeing the person in front of him, Meng San felt very disappointed, as the individual was not the Li Congjing who had killed his family's general.
As a captain under Liang Jun, Meng San had always considered himself to be unparalleled in bravery. Therefore, when he was taken captive by the Jin army and escorted back to Gongcheng, he did not miss the opportunity to provoke Li Congjing along the way, expressing himself in a rather obstinate manner, even boasting that he would fight Li Congjing for another three hundred rounds. However, Li Congjing did not even spare him a glance throughout the journey, which only fueled Meng San's indignation further
Meng San chuckled, "As a defeated general, even if I were to escape back to Daliang alone, it would still be a dead end for me. I have no relatives or acquaintances in Daliang, and there is no necessity for me to do so. Furthermore, I have long heard of King Jin's exceptional talent and strategy, undefeated in battle and invincible in offense. What joy would it not be to submit to such a wise ruler as King Jin? Commander Li has dispatched elite troops to accompany He; if He were to turn against us, it would be as easy as pie for Commander Li's elite troops to kill me. How could I seek my own death?"
The spirit of Meng San is invigorated, "A word is a promise!"
The chief ledger keeper is unaware of the meaning behind what Li Congjing has said
He Chong chuckled, "Doesn't Meng Dutu want to see his old mother and beloved wife again? Oh, perhaps you also have a son or daughter, and I am sure they are all very lovely."
Seeing that Li Congjing did not respond immediately, Meng San said in a deep voice: "I am a soldier, a warrior. Soldiers die on the battlefield, warriors are wrapped in horsehide after death; this is fate, and I do not fear death. However, I do not wish to die without value, nor do I want to live without courage. The general can take Zhang Lang's head amidst thousands of troops, yet he worries about a small character like me playing tricks?"
I am willing to disguise the Jin army as the defeated soldiers of the Liang army, and escape into Qimen, at which time I will coordinate with Commander Li from within to break through Qimen
Suddenly, Li Congjing whispered a few words to the chief clerk
In the midst of a fierce battle at midnight, although the great victory was uplifting, most of the soldiers were already exhausted upon returning to the citadel. Therefore, Li Congjing issued orders for everyone to rest, while he called over the person in charge of the citadel to discuss matters.