"The barbarian army is invading the border, and the border is in urgent need?" Murong Boli frowned, and after reading the letter from his daughter Murong Huiying, he handed the letter to his counselor Tang Qingsi and said, "Shixi, take a look at the letter."
"Your Highness..." Tang Qingsi carefully read the letter and said, "The border issue is just a minor ailment, like fleas and mange."
"Why?" Murong Boli asked.
"Who is the Grand Governor of the border, Hu Yan Sheng?" Tang Qingsi replied, "He is an old general who has long garrisoned the border, is experienced and resourceful, and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. Although the barbarian army is powerful, crossing the three passes is like crossing a chasm, and they are not to be feared. The trouble for our Great Yan is within, not without, Your Highness. At the end of the Princess's letter, she also mentioned the Three Princes, Your Highness, should you pay attention?"
"The Three Princes?" Murong Boli sneered, "The Three Princes are requesting to guard the capital. This is Sima Zhao's ambition."
"Your Highness is absolutely right!" Tang Qingsi nodded. "The Three Princes are using the border issue to request to guard the capital. Their intention is like the drunkard's not caring for the wine, but merely coveting the imperial heir."
"I expect Great Chanyu will not grant their wish," Murong Boli also nodded.
"Alas..." Tang Qingsi sighed heavily.
Emperor Murong Xi of Yan has a violent temper and is unpredictable. Recently, he has made one bad decision after another. Who knows if he will allow the Three Princes to lead troops into the capital?
"Shixi, what... what do you mean?" Murong Boli asked, seeing his reaction.
"Your Highness should make plans early," Tang Qingsi said.
"What plans? The position of the imperial heir?" Murong Boli mused.
Tang Qingsi nodded.
"The Crown Prince is the legitimate eldest son of Great Chanyu, and Great Chanyu has already conferred the title. It is a rightful matter, what plans can this humble king have? If Great Chanyu meets with misfortune, this humble king will obey the imperial decree to support the Crown Prince to succeed to the throne!" Murong Boli said.
Tang Qingsi sighed heavily again.
The Crown Prince Murong Cheng of Yan is as stupid as a pig and not fit to be a ruler, yet Emperor Murong Xi of Yan dotes on him. Murong Boli is loyal and devoted to the state, obeying only Murong Xi's orders. This will inevitably incur the jealousy of Empress Murong Qing's faction or the Three Princes' faction, and disaster will not be far off.
Tang Qingsi had intended to persuade him today to change his course early, which would be the best strategy, but seeing Murong Boli's demeanor, Tang Qingsi found it difficult to speak.
"Your Highness, Hu Yan Sheng at the border is a force not to be underestimated." Since the lord has decided, those below him can only offer advice. After a long pause, Tang Qingsi said.
"Difficult!" Murong Boli said with only one word after looking at Tang Qingsi.
The border troops are elite, having garrisoned the border for many years and fought against the barbarian army for a long time. They are seasoned warriors. Even Murong Boli respects Hu Yan Sheng to some extent. Therefore, if he can win over Hu Yan Sheng, Murong Boli's great cause can be achieved.
And Murong Boli's so-called great cause is to support Crown Prince Cheng to successfully ascend the throne. Murong Boli will also become a pillar of the state and control the government, seizing great power as a regent.
People always have selfish desires. Murong Boli is loyal to his lord, but he also desires to seize the power of regent.
However, Hu Yan Sheng and his border army obey only Emperor Murong Xi of Yan. At the same time, Hu Yan Sheng will never participate in court struggles. Therefore, seeking Hu Yan Sheng's assistance can be said to be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
"Your Highness, Hu Yan Sheng is difficult, but there is one person who is not," Tang Qingsi said with a smile.
"Who?" Murong Boli asked in surprise.
......
"Master is back?"
Tang Qingsi is the trusted advisor of Murong Boli, the Left Virtuous King of Great Yan. Murong Boli relies on him as his right-hand man. In his fiefdom, Tang Qingsi naturally has a beautiful mansion, and of course, there are also large tracts of fertile land. Besides fertile land, there are also numerous servants, beautiful concubines, and beautiful maids, not only in Murong Boli's fiefdom but also elsewhere, including Youzhou, the capital of Great Yan.
After Tang Qingsi returned to his beautiful mansion from Murong Boli's place, a group of beautiful concubines rushed out to greet him.
"Master, would you like to have tea and food first, or play the zither, or... make love with the sisters?" a beauty named Snake Concubine asked Tang Qingsi, blushing.
Snake Concubine came from Piling Prefecture, a woman of pleasure from Jiangnan. Because her skin was as cold and smooth as silk, and her figure was tall and slender, she was named "Snake Concubine."
Women from Jiangnan not only possess exceptional beauty but are also proficient in music, poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Therefore, Tang Qingsi particularly favored her, and Snake Concubine became the leader of all the beautiful concubines.
"Master, we have found a top-notch cook for tonight's drinks. Shall we have some wine first?" another beauty named Autumn Haze also came over and asked.
Snake Concubine and Autumn Haze each took an arm of Tang Qingsi, their bodies soft as jade and their fragrance wafting, making Tang Qingsi's bones feel weak. He stroked Snake Concubine's cold, silky, pretty face and said with a smile, "Good wine, song and dance, and beautiful women are the three greatest joys in life. Why distinguish between them? Let them all come at once."
Life is short, and the past is long. One must enjoy oneself in time. Tang Qingsi did not want to be like his senior brother, who lived like an ascetic monk.
"Master..." The beautiful concubines knew that their master was about to indulge in debauchery, and they all said coquettishly.
Tang Qingsi's wife and daughter were far away in Youzhou, so his actions became even more extravagant.
......
"Wants to be charming, in all sorts of alluring ways. Regrets that parting is too easy. I want to write about my longing on fragrant paper, and my tears of longing will drip onto the words. The painted hall is deep, the silver candle is dim, the heavy door is closed. When will the joys of that day be fulfilled? I wish to meet again soon and make new vows. Do not trifle away the beautiful scenery and good times. In the mandarin duck bed, in the mandarin duck tent, sleep on the mandarin duck pillow. Like this, forever like this, for ten thousand autumns."
Tang Qingsi, in front of and behind people, appeared as a refined scholar and gentleman, but he was quite skilled in matters of the inner chambers and quite fond of them. His bedroom activities were varied and endless.
At this moment, in Tang Qingsi's spacious inner chamber, several scantily clad beautiful concubines were dancing gracefully, their movements alluring and elegant. On the side, several musicians were playing beautiful music, their strings and flutes sounding like a scene from paradise.
Tang Qingsi, with his clothes disheveled, leaned against a large bed, his eyes slightly closed, admiring the intoxicating song and dance. Several beautiful concubines, wearing only thin silk robes, served him wine.
What was astonishing was that a large bed was placed in Tang Qingsi's inner chamber, which could accommodate ten people. Around it were more than thirty warm beds, and a group of beautiful concubines, all scantily clad, waited at his side...
However, the affairs of the secret chamber were unknown to anyone, so no one was astonished. Under normal circumstances, the beautiful concubines would not dare to publicize the secrets of the bedroom, and these matters here were secret, which was also understandable.
Indeed, who knew about the bedroom affairs of many saints and gentlemen?
"Master... Master..."
Snake Concubine, true to her name, naked, "slid" over, and as she "slid" onto Tang Qingsi's body, she said. kuAiδugg
Snake Concubine's pretty face was covered in tears, like a pear blossom in the rain, which inevitably aroused pity.
"What is it?" Tang Qingsi asked in surprise, pinching Snake Concubine's pretty face.
"I have been following Master for three years, and Master has treated me well. My life has been like that of an immortal," Snake Concubine said sadly. "My life has improved, and a few of my kinsmen came to find me, hoping to latch onto this great tree. I pondered this matter. Since I followed Master, I cannot forget my roots, so I found a few acres of land and wanted to temporarily settle them. This land was not given to them for free; I wanted them to buy it. But who knew that those wicked villagers and local ruffians actually injured them. Master, we and our kinsmen have been bullied, and we all hope that Master will seek justice for us, woo woo woo..."
Snake Concubine's tears finally fell, and she cried heartbrokenly, her body trembling like a swaying flower.
"Hehe..." Tang Qingsi shook his head and laughed, "A trivial matter like a sesame seed or a green bean, and you come to disturb Master's pleasant mood? Master will send a few soldiers later."
What about buying land? It must be that Snake Concubine and her family, relying on his favor, bullied others and forced them to buy and sell, seizing fertile land, thus provoking those people to resist, Tang Qingsi thought to himself. However, even a dog must be punished by its owner. Those wicked villagers and local ruffians must be dealt with properly.
Tang Qingsi, as the military advisor and counselor to Murong Boli, the Left Virtuous King of Great Yan, could easily dispatch a few soldiers.
"Master..." Snake Concubine heard this and was overjoyed. Like a snake, she nestled onto Tang Qingsi's body and said charmingly, "Today, I will use all my skills to make Master feel completely satisfied."
With the fierce Yan army mobilized, wouldn't those hundreds of acres of fertile land be easily obtained? Even the local government would not dare to inquire or interfere.
Snake Concubine thought of this, and her heart blossomed with joy. She could vent her anger and seize hundreds of acres of fertile land.
......
"Kill them!"
"Hahahaha, the common people are rebelling! We are acting on the Prince's orders to quell the rebellion!"
Snake Concubine's several "kinsmen" laughed heartily and ordered five hundred Yan cavalry to charge.
The five hundred Yan cavalry, without a word, spurred their horses, drew their sabers, and divided into two columns, charging towards the crowd of commoners. In an instant, the ground was littered with corpses, and the commoners immediately scattered in terror. To seize hundreds of acres of fertile land, dozens of people were killed and more than a hundred ordinary people were injured, thus creating the Changshan Prefecture Massacre.
The Yan cavalry were already accustomed to such incidents. They had also reaped considerable benefits, so they were exceptionally diligent.
The Changshan Prefecture government rushed to the scene upon hearing the news. Seeing that it was Murong Boli's personal army, they could only turn a blind eye, pretending not to have seen it.
The government within Murong Boli's fiefdom was his private yamen.
Murong Boli was actually unaware of this matter. Even if he were, what could he do? Would he kill Tang Qingsi? Tang Qingsi's original intention was not to kill and seize land; he intended to apprehend a few people, at most imprison a few, and scare them into submission. However, it devolved into something far more serious.
At the very least, Tang Qingsi could not escape the charge of instigating his slaves to commit violence. However, within Murong Boli's fiefdom, who would dare to pursue Tang Qingsi?