indianbanksassociation #123 - Chapter 123 Heading to Shangjing
#123 - Chapter 123 Heading to Shangjing
The sky had just begun to brighten.
The courier station was already a hive of activity.
According to the original plan, the Dragon骧 Army would only rest in Xinzhou for a day.
However, yesterday, to dispel ill fortune from Bai Yuxuan's marriage, the Lady Marquis had stayed an extra night in Xinzhou.
But today, they had to set off as early as possible.
The Dragon骧 Marquis first sent someone with a letter to bid farewell to the Xinzhou General.
Soon after, the Dragon骧 Army's orderly ranks marched onto the main road.
At this time, the procession had several more large carts filled with supplies.
These were all gifts that General Pang Ruhai of Xinzhou had sent to the Lady Marquis overnight.
Of course, the Dragon骧 Marquis knew exactly what these gifts meant.
This was compensation from the Earl of Changxin, fearing the Lady Marquis would blame him for the assassination attempt.
Therefore, the Lady Marquis did not stand on ceremony and accepted them all with a smile.
This, on the contrary, relieved General Pang Ruhai of Xinzhou.
As long as the Dragon骧 Marquis was willing to accept the gifts, it meant that the Marquis no longer blamed him, Pang Ruhai.
This made the Xinzhou General feel much more at ease.
Among the gifts sent, a particularly well-crafted wide-bodied carriage pleased the Lady Marquis very much.
It had now become her and her younger sister's ride.
At this moment, the two women were leisurely sitting in the carriage, slowly moving forward with the Dragon骧 Army's ranks.
However, at this time, the sisters' complexions were completely different.
The Dragon骧 Marquis, Bai Jing, seemed to have not slept well all night, her hair was somewhat disheveled, her face haggard, and she had dark circles under her eyes.
She looked listless.
And Bai Yuxuan, who was sitting next to her and was newly married, had a rosy complexion and radiant face.
Like a flower just nourished by rain and dew, she appeared radiant and stunningly beautiful.
Although the Dragon骧 Marquis held a high position and wielded great power, even commanding an entire army.
She herself was still an unmarried maiden.
Hearing these private matters of the boudoir, her face turned red, and her heart pounded like a rabbit.
Unconsciously, the Lady Marquis looked through the swaying carriage curtain towards the figure sitting upright on horseback not far ahead.
Looking at Li Yuan, who was tall, straight, and handsome, the Lady Marquis's eyes sparkled.
At this time, Li Yuan was surrounded by seven or eight black-clad men on horseback.
These people were all very capable, wearing black clothes and robes, with long sabers hanging from their waists.
They were the elite Suspended Saber Guards sent by Wu Jun, the Inspector of the Martial Virtue Office, and they would obey the Dragon骧 Marquis's orders and participate in the investigation of the assassins.
However, what Li Yuan did not expect was that the leader of these elite Suspended Saber Guards was also a woman.
This woman was Wu Jun's daughter, named Wu Ling.
However, this young woman's appearance was not flattering, her face was sallow, and there were some pockmarks on her face, only her eyes were considered lively and spirited.
Wu Ling's official position was Suspended Saber Guard Flag Leader.
At this time, her expression was cold and solemn, and she could not see any emotion, she just rode her horse parallel to Li Yuan and said.
"Lieutenant Li, I am ordered to cooperate with the Dragon骧 Army to investigate the Marquis's assassination attempt."
"I wonder if Lieutenant Li has any assignments for us Suspended Saber Guards."
Li Yuan replied gently.
"Flag Leader Wu, the most important thing now is to prioritize the Marquis's safety."
"The Suspended Saber Guards are all elites skilled in fighting, please trouble everyone to serve as the Marquis's guards these days."
"As for investigating the assassins, there is no need to rush."
"If they are bent on doing evil, they will definitely not let it go."
"They will definitely take action again."
"We can set a trap and wait for the rabbit to come to us."
Hearing Li Yuan's words, Wu Ling frowned.
There was a faint hint of dissatisfaction in her heart.
The Suspended Saber Guards were all carefully selected fighting experts, and they also mastered the techniques of lurking and assassination.
Being used only for guarding was, of course, a waste of talent.
However, after a second thought, Wu Ling hid her dissatisfied expression.
She didn't want to come on this mission in the first place, if it wasn't for her own father having a weakness in the hands of the Dragon骧 Marquis.
He would not be willing to deal with the Dragon骧 Army.
Since the other party only asked her to serve as a guard and was not in a hurry to investigate the assassination, then she might as well slack off.
So Wu Ling cupped her fist at Li Yuan.
Then she led her horse back to her Suspended Saber Guard team.
Several Suspended Saber Guards gathered around, and a scarred man with a face full of horizontal flesh asked in a low voice.
"Big Sister, what does that pretty boy want us to do?"
"Nothing, he just wants us to be the Dragon骧 Marquis's guards."
The scarred face snorted coldly.
"Hmph, what a waste of talent."
"I think this pretty boy doesn't have any ideas either, it's really better for us to investigate ourselves."
Wu Ling said coldly.
"Don't be nosy, this is the Dragon骧 Marquis's team, let us be guards and we will be."
"However, if we really encounter assassins, we must also let them see the skills of our Suspended Saber Guards."
Several black-clad men all lowered their heads to acknowledge the order.
After that, the road was very peaceful and nothing happened.
Several days later, the Dragon骧 Army had crossed several prefectures and was less than eighty miles away from the Great Liang capital, Shangjing City.
During this period, the Dragon骧 Marquis sent out several waves of messengers on horseback to inform the court that the Dragon骧 Army was about to arrive.
At this time, the situation in Shangjing City was even more turbulent than when Zheng Biao and the others came last time.
Although it had only been a little over ten days.
But the conflict between the Empress's faction and the other two princes had become more intense.
During these days, the three forces had frequent frictions and constant conflicts.
First, the Auxiliary General led troops to the imperial city to force the palace, forcing the Empress's faction to open the imperial city and restore court meetings.
Immediately afterwards, during the court meeting, the Auxiliary General and the Left Chancellor Cai Hongwen fought over the matter of deciding the Crown Prince.
Where could Cai Hongwen, this weak scholar, be a match for the Auxiliary General, this rough martial artist.
After a fight in the court, the Left Chancellor Cai Hongwen was beaten by Zheng Tianxiong with blood all over his face, greatly losing face in front of the court officials.
Back in his mansion, this Left Chancellor became seriously ill, sighing all day long, deeply feeling that the Second Prince's faction had no military support, it was really difficult to move forward and difficult to continue.
These days, news of the Dragon骧 Army entering Shangjing came frequently.
The strength of the Dragon骧 Army had gradually spread in the court.
Six or seven thousand troops, if they came to Shangjing, would also be a force not to be underestimated.
These days, the Left Chancellor carefully considered in his mansion.
If he could control the Dragon骧 Army in his hands, then the Second Prince's faction might still have a chance to seize the throne.
However, he had never had any dealings with the Dragon骧 Marquis.
How could people be willing to be used by him.
So the Left Chancellor gathered the civil officials of his faction in the Prime Minister's mansion.
They secretly plotted how to take this Dragon骧 Marquis, who had just made military achievements, into their own hands.
However, these civil officials, upon hearing that the Left Chancellor wanted to control the Dragon骧 Army entering the capital to report on their merits, all shook their heads and frowned.
They felt that this Left Chancellor was really a bit whimsical.
The Dragon骧 Marquis had a large army by his side, military merits in hand, and a detached position.
And the Second Prince's faction could not come up with any bargaining chips that could attract the Dragon骧 Marquis.
How could Bai Jing be willing to help the Second Prince and get involved in the chaotic situation of Shangjing's struggle for the crown prince.