Liang Shao watched Liang Wei's retreating figure for a long time, then rose and walked towards Liang Xuan Ting's courtyard.
"Your Highness." The maid quickly bowed upon seeing him enter.
"Has the Crown Prince shown any improvement today? Has he woken up?" Liang Shao nodded, then asked.
"Reporting, Your Highness, the Crown Prince woke up once this morning, but soon fell back asleep."
"You may leave."
"Yes!"
Liang Shao stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze heavy as he looked at his son's pale sleeping face. This time, he had miscalculated. He had intended for him to gain military merits, so that he could naturally ascend to that position later.
He had sent over 300,000 soldiers, and even assigned Wang Sui and Liang Wei to him, yet he never expected such a result. No matter how powerful Prince Tian Qi was, Tian Qi's soldiers could never compare to those of Southern Xinjiang. What went wrong that caused 350,000 troops to be almost completely annihilated!
Just then, Liang Xuan Ting frowned and groaned.
Liang Shao gently patted his cheek, "Ting'er, Ting'er, wake up."
Liang Xuan Ting opened his eyes with difficulty. The sudden brightness made him close his eyes again. After adapting a little, he slowly opened them.
"Fa... Father King." He had barely called out before cold sweat beaded on Liang Xuan Ting's forehead.
"Don't speak, you are too severely injured." Ting'er and Tian Qi truly clashed. The first time he returned from Tian Qi, he was also covered in wounds. This Tian Qi was too deceitful. He had prepared betrothal gifts for Ting'er to propose marriage, and if he was unwilling to marry off his princess, that was fine, but he had used such ruthless methods. This time was even worse, almost costing him his life!
Liang Xuan Ting endured the pain in his chest, gritting his teeth, "Father King, you must... avenge me!... Jun Mo, Jun Mo..."
"Alright, alright, don't speak, Father King knows everything! Don't worry, Father King will not let those who harmed you go unpunished!" Liang Shao quickly placated him. Liang Xuan Ting's eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred, staring straight at the tent ceiling.
Liang Shao asked, "Ting'er, do you think Wang Sui has ulterior motives?" Liang Xuan Ting looked at his father, his eyes filled with doubt. "Wang Sui was captured by Tian Qi, yet Tian Qi released him completely unharmed." Liang Xuan Ting's eyes widened.
No wonder, when he ordered the massacre of the city, that old fellow Wang Sui stubbornly tried to stop him, saying things like 'it violates the laws of heaven' and 'what did the common people do wrong?' No matter what decision he made, he had an excuse. It turned out, he had long harbored rebellious intentions! No wonder his 350,000 troops were utterly defeated!
Liang Xuan Ting was an extremely arrogant person. He had suffered such a massive defeat, and to lose to Jun Mo, he had always been unwilling to believe this fact. Now, with this excuse, he didn't care if it was true or not, and subjectively believed it! "Father King, he... has rebellious intentions!" A single sentence pronounced Wang Sui's death sentence.
Liang Shao nodded, "You rest well. Father King is busy." Liang Shao rose and left the room. He stood silently under the corridor for a long time. Wang Sui had indeed contributed a lot to him over the years, but this man knew too many of his secrets.
Now, in the battle against Tian Qi, when they first dispatched troops, the court officials already had reservations. With this great defeat, the officials and common people were extremely dissatisfied. If he didn't push someone forward, Ting'er might find it difficult to establish himself in court later. So, regardless of whether Wang Sui had rebellious intentions or not, this time, he could only be sacrificed!
...
Wang Sui traveled day and night, finally returning to Ningdu, the capital of Southern Xinjiang, on the sixth night. Without even having time to return to his own residence, he went to the Fourth Prince's mansion.
"Your Highness, Wang Sui requests an audience outside the mansion!" Liang Shao said coldly, "Let him in."
"Yes!" Wang Sui hurried in, "Greetings, Fourth Prince!" Liang Shao smiled, rose, and said, "General Wang has worked hard, please sit!"
"Your Highness, this subject is guilty!" Liang Shao looked at Wang Sui kneeling on the ground and smiled, "General, what wrong have you done?"
"Your Highness, my first mistake was letting hundreds of thousands of soldiers be buried in Tian Qi! My second mistake was failing to protect the Crown Prince, causing him severe injuries!
My third mistake was being captured, bringing shame to Southern Xinjiang! I request Your Highness's punishment!" Liang Shao's smile vanished, and his gaze fixed on him. Wang Sui bowed his head, not daring to meet his gaze.
After a long pause, he heard a cold voice from above. "Then tell me, how should I punish you?"
Wang Sui gritted his teeth, "This subject is at Your Highness's disposal, without complaint. I only ask that, in consideration of my loyalty for so many years, my family not be implicated." Liang Shao said coldly, "Since you have said so, how can this King not grant it?" Wang Sui breathed a sigh of relief, kowtowed to the ground, and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Liang Shao looked at him and said loudly, "Guards!" Two guards entered from outside the door, bowing, "Your Highness!"
"Please escort General Wang down first. No one is allowed to visit him. Everything will be discussed at tomorrow's morning court!"
"Yes!" Wang Sui's face was ashen. Although he had anticipated such an outcome, his heart couldn't help but turn cold. He had followed the Fourth Prince for nearly forty years, since he was a powerless prince, eliminating rivals for him and advising him.
But this one battle caused him to be abandoned. He knew the officials and common people needed an explanation. The Fifth Prince and the Crown Prince could not be pushed out; only he could.
Understanding it intellectually was one thing, but truly experiencing it, he realized how cold his heart had become. Alas, as long as his family was safe and sound, he would die without regret.
Meanwhile, Jun Mo received the Nine Empty Pass defense map and immediately began deploying. Lan Canghai remained at Blue Eucalyptus with the original tens of thousands of soldiers, guarding Tian Qi's border city.
The rest of the troops slowly advanced towards Ningdu. With the defense map in hand, the army effortlessly occupied Nine Empty Pass. Although Nine Empty Pass was occupied, Wei Xi Yong ordered that no harm be done to the common people.
At night, everyone sat together discussing the next layout. "I'll lead a team to infiltrate Ningdu first. Duke Wei and Marquis Wuyang will lead the main army, slowly advancing south. Wait for my signal," Jun Mo said calmly.
Wei Xi Yong frowned, "Your Highness, that's too dangerous!" Su Li said, "I'll go with Ziyan too. If the enemy uses poison, we won't have to fear.
And with Huang Yang present, our safety should be guaranteed." Jun Ce said, "I'll go too, for support." Where Jun Ce was, there was Wanyan Xue. "I want to go too!" Wanyan Xue's eyes sparkled. It sounded very exciting.
Jun Mo nodded, "Good, it's decided then. The four of us will lead this team to Ningdu first. Duke Wei, Marquis Wuyang, Yuan Ling, and Huai Yan, you four disperse the army and each lead a team to wait outside Ningdu. Wait for our signal."
"No problem!" "Alright!" Everyone was eager to try their hand. This time, they not only annihilated Southern Xinjiang's army but also struck directly at Liang Shao's stronghold. They couldn't wait to see Liang Shao's panicked expression!
"Everyone must pay attention to safety. As you advance south, the troop strength in each city ranges from 20,000 to 40,000. Try to minimize casualties and preserve enough troops until Ningdu," Jun Mo said.
"Don't worry," Marquis Wuyang chuckled, "we have the Southern Xinjiang defense map in hand. Old man Liang Shao definitely won't have time to convey orders to change the defenses. We'll catch him off guard!" Jun Mo smiled, "Then, we'll see you in Ningdu!"
"See you in Ningdu!"
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