Southern Ming Rebel Army

Chapter 596 Banquet

Wu Wenxian heard this and said with a smile: "What the Duke said is very true. In the past when General Li was in power, the situation in Annan might have been repeated. However, the person in charge of Thang Long City now is General Yang. General Yang is loyal to the Qian Dynasty and is willing to be a barrier for the Qian Dynasty and protect the southern border."

At this point, Wu Wenxian glanced at the delegation and said, "Of course, if the court still has doubts, it can follow the example of Myanmar. General Yang will not hesitate. If the court agrees, the border will be peaceful in the future, and trade will be smoother, which will benefit both sides."

After hearing this, Han Xiong turned around and whispered to his left and right aides for a few words, then looked at Wu Wenxian again and said, "You guys rest in the camp first, and I will report to the court and wait for the decree."

Wu Wenxian knew that things could not be accomplished so quickly, so he stood up and saluted again, saying: "Thank you, Duke. We will wait for good news." Then, led by the soldiers, he left the central military tent.

After Wu Wenxian retreated, he did not expect that he saw an acquaintance in the Qian army camp, namely Yan Keyi.

After nightfall, Wu Wenxian made the excuse of having a stomachache. After looking around and making sure that no members of the delegation noticed him, he quietly came to Yan Keyi's tent.

There was only a candle in the tent, swaying gently in the breeze, and the light and shadow flickered on the tent wall.

Yan Keyi sat alone on the couch, looking haggard and depressed. He didn't even bother to take care of his hair. His former heroic spirit was long gone, leaving only a face full of fatigue and loneliness.

Yan Keyi raised his head and saw Wu Wenxian. A hint of surprise flashed across his eyes, but he quickly returned to his dull look and said weakly, "Why are you here?"

Wu Wenxian walked forward, looked around, and found that there was not even a stool, so he stood and said, "Old Yan, you asked me to go find Yang Dafu, but when I went there, he detained me. If I hadn't been smart, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to see me now."

Yan Keyi didn't care about this matter at all. When he heard Wu Wenxian's words, he just hummed.

Seeing this, Wu Wenxian continued, "I saw you in the Qian army camp today and was a little worried, so I came to see you at night."

Yan Keyi shook his head and said self-deprecatingly: "What's so good about this? I'm just a loser now. If it weren't for the fact that the Qian Dynasty still cared about their dignity, they would have kicked me out by now."

Wu Wenxian sighed and consoled him, "Old Yan, victory and defeat are common in the military. The world is ever-changing and no one can predict the final outcome. Fortunately, your life is safe now. When the time comes, you can return to China, find a place in the south of the Yangtze River, build a family business, marry a few wives, and become a wealthy family."

Yan Keyi raised his head and said with a sad smile: "I lost miserably. If I can still be a rich man, it is already a blessing from God."

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Han Xiong was still waiting for information from Qingluan Guards on how to deal with Annan. Before that, the army naturally could not stay where it was and wait for the wind to blow. The Qian army marched south in a mighty manner, and four days later, the army arrived at the city of Thang Long.

Yang Dafu felt extremely uneasy when he saw this. He thought that since he had been so humble, Han Xiong should suspend his advance to avoid misunderstandings between the two armies. But now it seems that Han Xiong has no such concerns at all.

Yang Dafu thought about it and decided to send more than a hundred pigs, dozens of cattle and sheep, as well as some wine, food, etc. to the Qian army camp. Although the supplies were not much, this was also a way for Yang Dafu to express his goodwill.

After receiving these supplies, Han Xiong smiled and said to his subordinates: "The people of Yang Dafu all call him a rough man, but it seems that he is a rough but meticulous man."

Yang Dafu's act of giving away military supplies also made Han Xiong realize that he had no intention of going to war with the Qian Dynasty. Therefore, shortly afterwards, Han Xiong sent an envoy to invite Yang Dafu out of the city for a talk.

In this regard, all the generals believed that if Yang Dafu refused, it would damage the prestige of the court. It would be better to wait for the information from Qingluan Guard. By then, it would be decided whether to appoint a temporary official or treat him as a vassal. Letting Yang Dafu leave the city would be of no benefit and might only cause trouble.

During the march these days, Han Xiong thought for a long time. Regarding the two choices for Annan, Han Xiong's inner inclination has gradually shifted towards Annan returning to the rule of the court.

It’s not that Han Xiong wanted the reputation of expanding territory, but Han Xiong felt that Annan was different from Myanmar. Confucianism was flourishing there, and the gentry and wealthy families had been slaughtered by Li Chengdong. Now that the court was directly in charge, it was like painting on a blank sheet of paper, and there would be no resistance to implementing new policies.

If they follow the Burmese example, then the army will go south just to see the scenery, and the matter will be resolved soon. The army can now prepare to return home, but if they want to be directly under the jurisdiction of the court, then Yang Dafu will have to be involved.

Therefore, Han Xiong wanted to let Yang Dafu leave the city to test his intentions.

………………

Thang Long City.

When Yang Dafu heard that Han Xiong wanted him to leave the city for a chat, he felt uneasy. He didn't know if this was the Hongmen Banquet and whether he would never be able to come back once he left the city.

Yang Dafu paced back and forth in the hall with a solemn expression, his mind churning with thoughts. This sudden incident made his brain a mess. Even after discussing and arguing with everyone for most of the day, he couldn't come up with any good ideas. Instead, the arguments made his head hurt even more.

Han Xiong invited him to go out of the city for a chat. Although it was not a strong request, it still made him feel like he was on the edge of an abyss.

"Is it a blessing or a curse? What is Han Xiong planning by doing this?" Yang Dafu muttered to himself, beads of sweat oozing out of his forehead. It was no wonder that he thought too much about this matter. What if he entered the camp and was imprisoned?

But if he refuses Han Xiong's invitation, as everyone said, he will definitely offend Han Xiong. Now Han Xiong can be said to be in charge of the national affairs of Annan. If he is humiliated, Han Xiong will probably not let it go. By then, the army is approaching, and with his limited military strength, especially the newly captured city, he will probably not be able to defend it anyway.

Since he led his army south, he had never thought of becoming an enemy of the Qian Dynasty. He had previously donated military supplies to show goodwill to Han Xiong.

Yang Dafu suddenly stopped and thought that if he took this opportunity to keep the appointment, he might be able to find out Qian Chao's true intentions. If he could make Qian Chao recognize his position in Annan through this meeting, it would be worth a try even if it was just to stabilize the situation temporarily.

After all, the situation in Annan is complicated now, and it is not easy for the Qian Dynasty to completely control it. He still has a certain amount of troops and territories in his hands, which may become bargaining chips in negotiations with the Qian Dynasty.

"No venture, no gain. Rather than sit and wait for death, it is better to take the initiative and test the situation." Yang Dafu clenched his fists and growled.

Afterwards, Yang Dafu ordered his men to reply, saying, "Tomorrow, we will leave the city and pay a visit to Duke Hanguo."