Chapter 61: The Counter-Intelligence Strategy

  The atmosphere is somewhat tense and solemn.

  It was clear that Zhou Ce's previous knife had made Ji Rufeng, Ashina Wanlang and others vigilant. It wasn't just because of Zhou Ce's sharp knife skills, but also because when he saw Ashina Wanlang was a Turkic person, the deadly knife was filled with hatred and killing intent.

  Zhou Ce furrowed his brow and walked over, "Song Kai, how are you here? Didn't I see you leave the city gate?"

  "We ran into a few friends and came back," Song Kai replied calmly, "As you can see, we just killed Yang Rongguang and Yang Huaiyan, and were about to leave the mansion."

  "What? You killed Yang Rongguang?" Zhou Ce's hand shook violently, then he shouted sternly: "Song Kai! You've stirred up big trouble!"

  "What's the big deal? He wanted to take my life, so I killed him, that's all," Song Kai replied calmly, knowing that this trouble had nothing to do with himself.

  Zhou Ce sighed and said: "Now you follow me to see Old Xue, we'll discuss it again. As for these barbarians..."

  "We are Turkic warriors!" Ashina Wanlang regained his senses and loudly protested, although in the Central Plains region, Hu people and Turks were almost the same, but the Turks did not think so. They called other ethnic groups in the Western Regions "Hu", which had a derogatory meaning.

  Zhou Ce waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about it after we get out."

  Everyone followed the original path out of the courtyard wall, and Zhou Ce was obviously very anxious. He only briefly explained that he had heard some movement in the Yang house, so he sneaked in to take a look.

  Out of the hospital wall, ride a horse, about ten minutes away, is a farmhouse.

  Zhou Ce dismounted and said: "I'll go in with Song Lang, you all wait here, don't enter."

  Zhou Ce also didn't give Song Kai any face, and when speaking with Ji Rufeng, Ashina Wanlang and others, his words were cold as ice.

  Song Kai turned around and patted Nie Lingdang's shoulder, saying: "Wait for me for a moment."

  After finishing speaking, the two people entered the farmer's courtyard.

  "How detestable! This Han person is really too detestable!"

  "But his knife skills are surprisingly sharp, Director Ji, who is this person?"

  "I... I don't know either, ah!"

  Several Turkic warriors muttered in discontent, then someone suggested, "Princess, let's go. We've avenged ourselves now and don't need to stay here."

  "Yes, young lady, after tonight, Suzhou City will definitely be under martial law, and our identities are somewhat sensitive."

  Everyone was talking at once.

  Nie Lingdang's face sank, "All of you be quiet, there's no need to say anything else. Let's wait for Song Kai and discuss it when we see him."

  Seeing Nie Lingdang's determination, Ji Rufeng also swallowed the words that had reached his lips. In fact, he wanted to say that leaving Suzhou City would be better, after all, in front of Zhou Ce, he couldn't guarantee Nie Lingdang's safety either.

  Song Kai entered the farmhouse and saw Xue Weihai sitting at a table, sipping warm tea. Beside him stood a beautiful woman with a kind face and simple attire, who was likely his wife or concubine.

  Seeing Song Kai and Zhou Ce enter the house, Xue Wei Hai beckoned with his hand and said: "Sit down, take your time."

  Zhou Ce took a step forward and sat down at the edge of the table, saying: "Xue Lao, there's some trouble - Yang Rongguang is dead."

  "Huh?" Xue Weihai suddenly lifted his head, looking at Zhou Ce and then turning towards Song Kai.

  Song Kai sat down innocently and said, "Xue Lao, you can't blame me for this matter. He was too deceitful, if I didn't kill him, he would have killed me."

  "You actually... killed Yang Rongguang?" The tea in Xue Weihai's mouth almost sprayed out.

  Zhou Ce sighed and said: "Xue Lao, now we're in big trouble. Yang Rongguang is dead, no matter who did it, Yang Jian will suspect us."

  Xue Weihai tapped his fingers on the table, thinking for a moment, then suddenly glared at Song Kai, "Look at the good deed you've done!"

  Song Kai also had a few points of anger: "Xue Lao! What do you want to do, I don't know, but when I feel threatened by Yang Rongguang, I come to you, what did you do? You immediately let me leave Suzhou City! He Yang Rongguang has some power, but compared to Xue Lao and Zhou Duiwei, he is still far behind. Since you don't help me and don't tell me the reason, why should I still be restricted by you?"

  "Song Kai!"

  Xue Weihai suddenly stood up, "You... you don't understand anything! Do you know that Yang Rongguang is Yang Jian's distant cousin and confidant? Yang Jian is the Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangnan, in charge of thirteen cities in the Jiangnan region, with a strong military presence. Now that Yang Rongguang is dead, he will definitely enter Suzhou City to investigate this matter!"

  "That's settled then, I won't implicate you two, I'll just leave," Song Kai also stood up.

  "You... you... what do you know?!" Old Xue's beard quivered with rage.

  Zhou Ce hastily pressed down on Song Kai and gave a sideways glance at the beautiful woman.

  The beautiful woman pulled Xue Lao and said: "Master, you sit down first, Song Kai also sits down, we have something to discuss."

  Zhou Ce hastily said: "Song Kai, you sit down first, Xue Lao indeed has a bitter intention."

  Song Kai sat down again.

  Zhou Cedao said: "Xue Lao, since things have already happened, let's not discuss right or wrong for now, let's talk about how to make up for it."

  Song Kai also nodded, "Xue Lao, tell me what's the problem and see how to make up for it. I, Song Kai, still owe you a favor from before, this time I'll repay it."

  "Don't mention anything about human feelings, Song brothers. You're saying this is blaming me and Old Xue? My life was saved by you, and no matter how much favor I owe, it's not enough to repay. This time you were being hunted down by Yang Rongguang, and I was worried too. Later, when I saw you successfully leave the inn and escape the city, that's when I quietly left," Zhou Ce hastily said.

  Xue Weihai took a sip of tea, sighed and said: "Forget it, although Song Lang is not an imperial courtier, he is straightforward in his actions. I suppose you also know that the current Chang'an City has become a world of eunuchs. The current court, every edict has been manipulated by eunuchs, outside are local military governors with their own armies, inside are eunuchs abusing power, and state affairs are neglected. So... so ten years ago, I demoted myself to Suzhou City and made a plan with the Empress Dowager, hoping to restore the imperial court and eliminate all eunuchs."

  Song Kai listened to this and thought of the scene he had seen before, and couldn't help but open his mouth, "So you want to train death warriors in Suzhou City, then..."

  "Yes, that's the idea. Nowadays, the imperial court and the emperor have no usable troops. The imperial guards and attendants are all under the leadership of eunuchs, while other observers are looking forward to the chaos in the imperial court. In this way, they can rightfully take control of the army and vie for power. For ten years, I have been secretly training 3,000 elite soldiers in Suzhou City. These 3,000 people are a force that cannot be exposed to the light of day, and absolutely cannot be known by others. Once exposed, this plan will be completely ruined." Xue Weihai said, looking at Song Kai, "Now you understand why I tolerated Yang Rongguang's provocations, don't you? He is Yang Jian's pawn in Suzhou City. If something happens to him, Yang Jian will definitely enter Suzhou City. Once Yang Jian discovers my hidden forces, he will..."

  Song Kai finally understood, he nodded and said: "Three thousand dead soldiers, need to be completely hidden, except for careful recruitment, also need to take care of their food, clothing and other necessities, without being known by others, it is indeed very difficult. That Yang Jian... what kind of person is he?"

  Xue Weihai shook his head, "This is what I'm most worried about. Yang Jian, although his martial arts skills are extremely high, he's timid and cautious, with a mind full of suspicion. Back then when I was demoted to Suzhou as the Governor, he suspected me all along. Fortunately, I still had some prestige among the officials in the imperial court, so he didn't dare to make a move against me. During my time as an official in Suzhou, I spent every day eating, drinking and having fun outside, trying to numb him, but ultimately, he never fully trusted me."

  "Are you very worried?" Song Kai crossed his hands together, thought for a moment, and said: "If it's like this, I've actually come up with an idea that can get us through the current crisis and prevent Yang Jian from pointing his spearhead at Old Man Xue."

  "What method?" Xue Weihai asked.

  Song Kai thought for a moment and said, "What Old Xue is worried about now is that Yang Jian is too suspicious and will suspect him of being involved in Yang Rong's death. If we have a clear target, he won't be suspicious anymore. Since Yang Jian is extremely suspicious, it means he doesn't completely trust Yang Rong either. We just need to fabricate some evidence to prove that Yang Rong was secretly colluding with the Turks and was killed by them in return."

  "Huh? How can this be forged?" Xue Weihai said in a daze.

  Zhou Ce clapped his hands and laughed: "Right! Maybe it can be done that way."

  Song Kai pointed to the door and said, "Outside the door are nine genuine Turkic Wu warriors. We only need to forge some letters between Yang Rongguo and the Turks, fabricate some stories about Yang Rongguang secretly colluding with the Turks and then turning against each other, and add those Turkic warriors to it. This matter will definitely be successful."

  Xue Weihai was also a decisive person. He immediately spoke up, "Are there Turkic warriors at the door? How do you know them? Quickly let them in."

  Song Kai directly stated Nie Lingdang's identity and then let Nie Lingdang and others enter.

  After reporting his name, Ji Rufeng cupped one hand in the other and asked: "Is Xue Xiang'an well?"

  "Xue Xiang? Haha, I've long since resigned as the Prime Minister. Come, what's to come next will require your help." Xue Weihai just laughed a "haha".

  Zhou Ce still had some hostility towards several Turkic warriors, probably because his father died at the hands of the Turks.

  Xue Weihai and Ji Rufeng consulted for a while, then Ji Rufeng took over a Turkic official seal from Ashina Wanlang and said: "These things are not difficult, write some letters in Turkic and Chinese, the king's official seal is here, enough to deceive the enemy."

  Nie Lingdang wrote comfortably on this side, while Ji Rufeng led a few Turkic warriors, plus some fake Han warriors, and killed their way to the Yang Mansion again. This time, Ashina Wanlang was openly and uprightly breaking into the Yang Mansion, chopping and killing, looting, and not forgetting to shout some words in Turkic language.

  After a long time, the fire rose to the sky, and the government soldiers arrived. Ashina Wanlang led his men to escape, leaving behind the frightened Yangfu guards, who thought that the Turks had invaded Suzhou City...