Chapter 13: A Total of 25 Names Part Three
“That is good. Since I left Chang’an and traveled to the northwest, it is rare to drink tea grown in Yangtze-South. Especially when I got to Mountain-East Circuit, Governor-General Yuan Chongwu didn’t even have proper tea.” While speaking, Wu Peisheng walked into Li Xiaozong’s study and sat down. Soon, white vapor floated up from his slightly wet clothes as he warmed his hands above the brazier.
Li Xiaozong poured Wu Peisheng a cup of tea and said, “Eunuch, you came a long way, so it must be tiring.”
“I’m only doing what His Majesty wants. It is not tiring at all.”
Wu Peisheng grabbed the teacup, thought for a moment, and said, “Since we are meeting in private, we will be open. I went to Sleeping Immortal Mountain since I’m close with the Duke of Tang, and he did mention you. However, it wasn’t those things that I said. As to what we talked about… I’m sure you are clear on it. We won’t waste time… I only want to know if you have prepared everything.”
“I…. I wonder what you want me to prepare.” Li Xiaozong’s heart lurched, and he looked in pain.
“Since Fang Jie is a spy sent by Mongo-Yuan and is trying to get intelligence from the military, this matter can’t be delayed. General Li, if you are prepared, I will send the law enforcers from the Court of Judicial Review to go and capture him. Once he is captured, we will leave. Also, you can write a memorial to the throne, and I will bring it back with me and hand it to His Majesty.”
“This… can we think of another way?” Li Xiaozong asked.
“General Li, do you think what I told you is easy to do? If this matter gets out of hand, I will be executed as well!”
“I know…”
Li Xiaozong’s expression turned ugly, and he felt like a knife was twisting in his heart.
…
“Fangu takes in enough taxes to cover all expenditures, yet you ask for money and food from the Ministry of War every year. If His Majesty learns about this alone, he won’t let it go easily. I will be bold. If I’m not close with the Duke of Tang, I wouldn’t get involved in this. You are being very hesitant. Do you want me to report all the truth? The military… opened a gambling house and a pleasure quarters. If His Majesty learns about this, he will flip his table in anger!”
“Duke of Tang wants to help you since you are his nephew. You aren’t going to take his favor?”
“I know,” Li Xiaozong sighed and smiled bitterly. “I was the greedy one, but I have to put the blame on others… ok… I will send people to arrest Fang Jie.”
“Fang Jie alone isn’t enough.” Wu Peisheng smiled and said, “Since he is a spy of Mongo-Yuan, there had to be a process of discovery, right? How did you do it? Who are the accomplices? Who got bribed? You need to prepare all this. Tell me when you are ready, and I will arrest all of them.”
“Fang Jie alone isn’t enough?” Li Xiaozong suddenly stood up, looking pale.
“Only one? Do you think the officials from the Ministry of War and the Court of Judicial Review are easy to fool? Or do you think His Majesty is too dumb to see through it?”
Wu Peisheng sneered and said, “Since you aren’t clever in this, I will give you some reminders. Since Fang Jie is a member of the military, he would bribe the members of his troop who are willing to sell the secrets of Great Sui. A troop is comprised of 50 people, so about half of them is needed. General Li, if you can’t do it, you can gather that troop together, and I will make the move.”
“By finding the spy, you will obtain more counts of military merit,” Wu Peisheng added, “I will congratulate General Li ahead of time. Perhaps His Majesty will be thrilled when I report the news to him, and you will go from a rank 5 major to a rank 4 colonel.”
“General Li, you still aren’t writing the list of names?” Wu Peisheng asked in a cold tone.
Li Xiaozong shivered as he walked to the desk, grabbed the ink brush, and dipped it in thick ink.
He wrote on a piece of white paper – [Principal Offender – Fang Jie.]
After writing these four words, his expression already looked wicked, and his hands shook so much that ink drops appeared on the paper. After a long while, he continued to write as if the ink brush weighed hundreds of kilograms.
[Accomplices: Captain Li Gandang of Troop One… Lieutenant Liu Sansheng, Sergeant Qiu Xiaoshu…]
The long list comprised a total of 25 names.
Li Xiaozong poured Wu Peisheng a cup of tea and said, “Eunuch, you came a long way, so it must be tiring.”
“I’m only doing what His Majesty wants. It is not tiring at all.”
Wu Peisheng grabbed the teacup, thought for a moment, and said, “Since we are meeting in private, we will be open. I went to Sleeping Immortal Mountain since I’m close with the Duke of Tang, and he did mention you. However, it wasn’t those things that I said. As to what we talked about… I’m sure you are clear on it. We won’t waste time… I only want to know if you have prepared everything.”
“I…. I wonder what you want me to prepare.” Li Xiaozong’s heart lurched, and he looked in pain.
“Since Fang Jie is a spy sent by Mongo-Yuan and is trying to get intelligence from the military, this matter can’t be delayed. General Li, if you are prepared, I will send the law enforcers from the Court of Judicial Review to go and capture him. Once he is captured, we will leave. Also, you can write a memorial to the throne, and I will bring it back with me and hand it to His Majesty.”
“This… can we think of another way?” Li Xiaozong asked.
“General Li, do you think what I told you is easy to do? If this matter gets out of hand, I will be executed as well!”
“I know…”
Li Xiaozong’s expression turned ugly, and he felt like a knife was twisting in his heart.
…
“Fangu takes in enough taxes to cover all expenditures, yet you ask for money and food from the Ministry of War every year. If His Majesty learns about this alone, he won’t let it go easily. I will be bold. If I’m not close with the Duke of Tang, I wouldn’t get involved in this. You are being very hesitant. Do you want me to report all the truth? The military… opened a gambling house and a pleasure quarters. If His Majesty learns about this, he will flip his table in anger!”
“Duke of Tang wants to help you since you are his nephew. You aren’t going to take his favor?”
“I know,” Li Xiaozong sighed and smiled bitterly. “I was the greedy one, but I have to put the blame on others… ok… I will send people to arrest Fang Jie.”
“Fang Jie alone isn’t enough.” Wu Peisheng smiled and said, “Since he is a spy of Mongo-Yuan, there had to be a process of discovery, right? How did you do it? Who are the accomplices? Who got bribed? You need to prepare all this. Tell me when you are ready, and I will arrest all of them.”
“Fang Jie alone isn’t enough?” Li Xiaozong suddenly stood up, looking pale.
“Only one? Do you think the officials from the Ministry of War and the Court of Judicial Review are easy to fool? Or do you think His Majesty is too dumb to see through it?”
Wu Peisheng sneered and said, “Since you aren’t clever in this, I will give you some reminders. Since Fang Jie is a member of the military, he would bribe the members of his troop who are willing to sell the secrets of Great Sui. A troop is comprised of 50 people, so about half of them is needed. General Li, if you can’t do it, you can gather that troop together, and I will make the move.”
“By finding the spy, you will obtain more counts of military merit,” Wu Peisheng added, “I will congratulate General Li ahead of time. Perhaps His Majesty will be thrilled when I report the news to him, and you will go from a rank 5 major to a rank 4 colonel.”
“General Li, you still aren’t writing the list of names?” Wu Peisheng asked in a cold tone.
Li Xiaozong shivered as he walked to the desk, grabbed the ink brush, and dipped it in thick ink.
He wrote on a piece of white paper – [Principal Offender – Fang Jie.]
After writing these four words, his expression already looked wicked, and his hands shook so much that ink drops appeared on the paper. After a long while, he continued to write as if the ink brush weighed hundreds of kilograms.
[Accomplices: Captain Li Gandang of Troop One… Lieutenant Liu Sansheng, Sergeant Qiu Xiaoshu…]
The long list comprised a total of 25 names.
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