Song Mo sighed.
Due to the rift between him and Song Yichun, he paid extra attention to his safety, which led him to discover Jiang Yi’s surveillance.
He gestured to the chair below, indicating for Jiang Yi to sit down and talk.
After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Yi sat down respectfully.
Song Mo then spoke gently, “You were doing well in the Shen Ji Camp. Why did you suddenly want to transfer to the Five Cities Military Command? Don’t try to fool me by saying the Shen Ji Camp was too tough. I’ve asked your superior at the Five Cities Military Command. He said you still wake up at 4 AM every day and run two laps around the city moat before going to the office. That’s not something someone who fears hardship would do.”
Jiang Yi lowered his eyelids and remained silent for a while, his hands tightly clenched into fists.
Ma Youming, irritated by his reticence, angrily kicked the leg of Jiang Yi’s chair. He considered Jiang Yi a close friend, but Jiang Yi seemed to treat him like a stranger. Ma Youming said displeasedly, “Some people think that because you placed third in the autumn hunt, you can sit as an equal with the Young Master. That’s just because the Young Master is humble and doesn’t quibble over such things. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness!”
Jiang Yi smiled bitterly, “Brother Ma, if I wanted to hide things from the Young Master, I wouldn’t have been following him these days, always looking for a chance to ‘accidentally’ encounter him. I just didn’t know how to bring it up…”
Ma Youming suddenly realized that Song Mo had known about Jiang Yi following him all along, which was why he had sent Chen He to summon Jiang Yi.
Song Mo smiled slightly.
Ma Youming said in a deep voice, “There’s no one else here. Neither the Young Master nor I consider you an outsider. What can’t you say?”
Jiang Yi’s expression grew even more bitter.
He suddenly grabbed the wine jug he had used earlier to pour for Song Mo and began gulping down the wine straight from the spout.
Ma Youming couldn’t help but glance at Song Mo.
He saw Song Mo watching Jiang Yi with a gentle smile.
Ma Youming was moved.
Song Yantang’s mind was truly resilient! Even in the face of such a great crisis, he remained as steady as a mountain.
If that day came, he would probably face it with courage and righteousness!
Thinking of this, Ma Youming’s blood boiled with excitement.
Everyone dies once; it’s just a matter of whether one’s death is as heavy as Mount Tai or as light as a feather.
To have the chance to follow someone like Song Yantang was not a disgrace to his name!
As if the dark clouds had suddenly parted, the fear and anxiety that had been weighing on his heart these past days dissipated in the sunlight, brightening his mood.
Song Yantang aside, he was one of the youngest commanders in the court. Add to that Jiang Yi, who had bravely claimed third place in the autumn hunt, and he believed they could forge a path to survival!
If they were to meet their doom, it would be fate, destiny, with no one to blame.
Filled with passion, he unconsciously sat up straighter.
Meanwhile, after downing half a jug of the smooth yet potent aged wine, Jiang Yi finally found the courage to speak. “On June 6th last year, I went to help Lord Wang air out his books. I accidentally discovered a military treatise by King Wu Mu. I was fascinated and couldn’t put it down. Afraid of being seen and appearing disrespectful, I hid on a roof beam in the study to read. I had only read half when Lord Wang entered with a middle-aged scholar in blue robes. I dared not move. They dismissed their attendants and had people guard the surroundings before speaking in hushed tones.”
“The study was large and spacious. I was on a beam in the eastern book room, while they were in the western reception room, quite far apart. I couldn’t hear clearly what Lord Wang and the scholar were saying. However, Lord Wang seemed agitated, pacing around the room with a gloomy expression. He loudly asked the scholar, ‘What proof do you have?'”
“The scholar then presented a jade pendant, saying, ‘This was bestowed by the Emperor himself when the Prince shot and killed an old tiger during the autumn hunt at age fifteen. It’s unique in the world, one of a kind.'”
“Lord Wang hesitated for a moment before accepting the jade pendant.”
“The scholar then said, ‘Once this succeeds, becoming a cabinet minister is assured.'”
“Lord Wang remained silent, and the scholar took his leave.”
“I was so frightened I couldn’t move.”
“As soon as Lord Wang left the study, I hurriedly slipped out the back door and re-entered through the front, pretending I had just arrived from outside.”
“Later, I noticed that the gifts Prince Liao sent to Lord Wang were far more lavish than those given to other garrison commanders. Not only that, but I also overheard the servants in the Wang household secretly mocking a beautiful new concubine Lord Wang had taken, saying she considered pork belly a delicacy and liked to eat rice with pickled spicy cabbage…”
“Lord Wang has shown me great kindness and recognition. I should stand with him through thick and thin. But I have grandparents, uncles, and brothers – a large family. How could I implicate them?”
He glanced apologetically at Ma Youming. “I didn’t know what to do. After much deliberation, I could only seek help from Brother Ma… I never expected the Young Master to treat me with such care, immediately transferring me to the Five Cities Military Command and even giving me the position of a centurion. I…” His face showed guilt. “I saw how close the Young Master was with Gu Yu, and how frequently Gu Yu entered and exited the palace and Liaodong. I wanted to give the Young Master a warning, but I was afraid he would think I was meddling. That’s why I hesitated and could only follow behind the Young Master, hoping for a chance to speak with him…”
Goryeo was close to Liaodong.
Liking pork belly and spicy pickled cabbage meant that Lord Wang’s new concubine was likely a Goryeo woman.
Could Prince Liao have some connection with Goryeo?
Ma Youming’s expression changed slightly as he looked towards Song Mo.
Song Mo was calmly using the tea lid to brush away floating leaves in his tea cup.
His expression was serene and unchanged as he spoke kindly to Jiang Yi, “Thank you for your concern. I’ve only just learned of this matter myself. I had intended to speak with you privately and sent people to look for you several times, but they couldn’t find you. That’s when I noticed something was amiss. Now that everything has been said, we should keep this between us. However, I still want to ask you the same question Ma Youming asked me – what are your thoughts on Prince Liao and the Crown Prince?”
Jiang Yi stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over the chair behind him.
“Young Master,” he bowed to Song Mo, “Our Jiang family has been loyal for generations. We would never betray the throne!”
Song Mo nodded with a smile and invited him to sit down again. He poured wine for Jiang Yi and Ma Youming, then stood up holding his cup, and said solemnly, “Ma Youming, Jiang Yi, please drink this cup of wine. From now on, we share fortune and misfortune, entrusting our lives to each other!”
Ma Youming and Jiang Yi stood up excitedly, raised their cups to gently touch Song Mo’s, and drank them in one gulp.
Song Mo smiled with satisfaction.
The three sat down again.
Song Mo repeated to Ma Youming and Jiang Yi what he had told Dou Zhao about the importance of the Shen Ji Camp.
No longer feeling like blind men touching an elephant, their eyes lit up.
Ma Youming said straightforwardly, “Young Master since you have everything figured out, you must also have a plan.” He looked at Jiang Yi, who nodded to indicate his willingness to follow. Reassured, Ma Youming continued, “We’re simple men. Whatever orders you have, just tell us. We may not be able to promise much else, but we can assure you that we’ll strike wherever you point without hesitation.”
If Song Mo wanted to avoid this storm, he did indeed need Ma Youming and Jiang Yi’s help.
“The fact that we can sit here and talk means you’re not outsiders,” he said without ceremony, getting straight to the point. “As I said before, if Prince Liao wants to succeed, he needs the support of the palace eunuchs, the Imperial Guard, the Shen Ji Camp, the Ministry of Rites, the cabinet ministers, and the frontier governors. None can be missing. The Ministry of Rites, cabinet ministers, and frontier governors are less urgent – that’s for after seizing the palace. The immediate concern is the palace eunuchs, the Imperial Guard, and the Shen Ji Camp. I’ll handle the palace eunuchs and the Imperial Guard. Ma Youming, you’re in the Shen Ji Camp, so you’ll be responsible for keeping an eye on Wang Xu. Through Wang Xu’s movements, we can understand Prince Liao’s intentions. There’s no quicker or more convenient way. Jiang Yi, you’ll be responsible for observing the movements of the Five Cities Military Command, and then take the opportunity to interact more with people from the Five Armies Camp. They will surely try to win over one of these two forces. We’re in the dark, they’re in the light. The chances of discovering something suspicious are high. When the time comes, their military deployment will be laid bare before us.”
Ma Youming and Jiang Yi nodded continuously. Ma Youming asked, “If they pressure me further, how should I respond?”
“Just say that the Shen Ji Camp has always followed Lord Wang’s lead,” Song Mo pondered. “But remember, accepting some small gifts is fine, but never write anything down. If Prince Liao succeeds, that’s one thing, but if he’s exposed, even if you survive this crisis, you could still face ruin!”
“Don’t worry, Young Master,” Ma Youming hurriedly replied. “I’ll be very careful.”
Jiang Yi seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
Song Mo, as if seeing through his thoughts, smiled and said to him, “The three of us drinking at the Drunk Immortal Pavilion won’t escape the notice of those who are paying attention. If anyone asks, just say you asked Ma Youming to invite me for a drink to thank me for transferring you to the Five Cities Military Command. In a few days, I’ll gradually promote you to South City Commander or even to the position of Assistant or Deputy Commander of the Five Cities Military Command to facilitate your actions!”
This way, Jiang Yi would have the status and position to socialize with people from the Five Armies Camp. It would also give others the impression that Jiang Yi had curried favor with Song Mo through Ma Youming’s connections, explaining his rapid rise. This would make Song Mo’s interactions with Ma Youming and Jiang Yi seem normal.
Jiang Yi was so shocked his mouth could have fit a chicken egg.
Ma Youming, after a brief moment of surprise, smiled and patted Jiang Yi’s shoulder. “Hurry and thank the Young Master!”
Jiang Yi’s face turned bright red as he quickly stood up to thank Song Mo.
Song Mo smiled and said, “Who knows how long you’ll be able to keep this commander position, but having it for a while is better than never having had it at all.”
Jiang Yi, who had still harbored some reservations even when revealing Wang Xu’s matter, now felt nothing but wholehearted allegiance.
He stood up solemnly, bowed respectfully to Song Mo, and said earnestly, “This subordinate will not disappoint the Young Master’s efforts. I will find out everything about the Five Cities Military Command and the Five Armies Camp.”
Song Mo nodded with a smile.
The three discussed some more details until the lanterns were lit, then returned to their respective residences.
Song Mo first went to his study and talked with Yan Chaoqin for a long time before returning to his inner chambers.
Dou Zhao was reading a thick ledger by lamplight.
Song Mo glanced at it and saw it was the roster of maidservants who had ever served in the outer court.
He was somewhat surprised and smiled, “Did Lu Ming prepare this so quickly?”
“Yes!” Dou Zhao smiled, standing up to help Song Mo put on a casual robe. She said with a smile, “He was very attentive, even dusting off the ledger and cleaning it before sending it over.”
Song Mo changed into the robe with the help of a young maid, sat on the kang bed, and took a sip of hot tea contentedly. He smiled and said, “Make a note of his good work!”
Dou Zhao smiled, pressing her lips together, and had Ganlu put away the ledger to continue reading tomorrow.
Song Mo then told Dou Zhao about what had happened at the Drunk Immortal Pavilion.