Chapter 47: Ruthless Destruction of Beauty

"I understand Eunuch Yang's intention," Yun Zheng said calmly, producing a jade ruyi and gently tapping the table with it.

"Jade-like piles of stone, row upon row of lush green pines. A uniquely splendid youth, without a second in this world." Sima Nan's gaze shifted into a clear, watery hue, sweeping back and forth over Yun Zheng. "With Commander Yun's bearing, character, and appearance, his wisdom cannot be far behind."

Outside the door, the three chieftains pressed their ears against the wall while whispering to one another.

Having reached a critical turning point, they were about to discuss matters of profound significance for their futures. Consequently, all three chieftains wore solemn expressions; even the Wusa Chieftain, who usually favored jesting, wore a face seemingly shrouded in an unfamiliar, deceptive mask.

Gathering together, the three chieftains exuded an atmosphere neither Yun Zheng nor his companions had ever witnessed before.

"Commander Yun is truly prepared to accept Yang Rong's patronage," the Wusa Chieftain remarked.

Yang Rong was a trusted confidant and eunuch of the Wanli Emperor, dispatched by imperial decree to garrison the southwest and assume responsibility for levying mining taxes. His authority was immense, without parallel in that era.

The Yongshun Chieftain asked doubtfully, "Yet our entry into this scheme had the elimination of Yang Yinglong of Bozhou as its objective. While leveraging Yang Rong's influence would certainly free us from the threat of the Tian family fortress, Yang Rong is Yang Yinglong's sworn brother. Having entered his fold, how are we to eliminate Yang Yinglong?"

This argument held merit. No Commander Yun Zheng existed in the actual Wanli era, but given Yang Rong's power, stepping under his patronage was enough to turn Yun Zheng—a commander absent from official records—into a tangible reality.

Yet this merely resolved short-term problems.

The Wumeng Chieftain, the sharpest of them all, immediately offered his analysis: "By entering Yang Rong's camp, one acquires a legitimate status to rally chieftains both great and small, acting much like the martial arts alliance leaders of old to summon the heroes. Summoning them in the name of righteousness, one achieves an overwhelming response. Though Yang Yinglong is formidable, how could he withstand a coordinated pincer attack from the assembled heroes?"

The Yongshun Chieftain sighed. " 'When armies unite their strength remains uncoordinated, hesitating like flying geese.' Even if such a coalition of chieftains were formed, every single one of them would harbor ulterior motives. Now that the five great commanders have been bogged down in the Korean theater by Oda Nobunaga of the island nation, can this mob of loose sand truly overthrow the Bozhou Yang clan who lord over the southwest?"

The three chieftains understood this principle all too well.

In reality, they themselves participated in the suppression of the She-An Rebellion. Yet the rebel forces managed to run rampant for eight full years, and the Shuixi An clan even remained uneradicated to this day, precisely because these chieftains harbored their own agendas, each seeking self-preservation and dragging out the days!

The Wumeng Chieftain patted the Yongshun Chieftain's shoulder. "Then, brother, in your view, is Sichuan Grand Coordinator Li Hualong a hawk favoring war or a dove favoring pacification?"

The Yongshun Chieftain's mind grew crystal clear.

In the real timeline, it was Li Hualong who assumed command, led troops to quell the Yang Yinglong Rebellion, and replaced native chieftains with imperial appointees in Bozhou.

"So, Yang Rong is merely a stepping stone?"

Chieftains spent their days plotting and scheming; they were seasoned foxes, and the Yongshun Chieftain grasped the point instantly.

"Precisely," the Wumeng Chieftain stated. "As I recall, in reality, Yang Rong instigated a popular uprising in Dian-Yun due to his collection of mining taxes, and was hacked to death by rampaging commoners with countless blades. The imperial court did not deal harshly with the insurgents either, merely executing a few minor pawns to take the blame and concluding the matter."

The three chieftains exchanged smiles. How could the mastermind behind a movement capable of gathering tens of thousands of rioters opposing the imperial court's mining tax policy possibly be ordinary commoners?

As for someone like Yang Rong—an emperor's white glove whose appetite was far too repulsive—if he died, he died. He was merely an exhausted, discarded pawn.

The Wusa Chieftain made a throat-slitting gesture. "Though that Emperor Shenzong indulges in smoking opium, he is not yet old, and his temper is likely less than favorable."

The Yongshun Chieftain nodded. "Yang Rong formed a sworn brotherhood with Yang Yinglong for the convenience of collecting mining taxes, a move undoubtedly condoned by the Wanli Emperor. However, with Oda Nobunaga in the north and Yang Yinglong in the south subjecting the Wanli Emperor to pressure from both ends, His Majesty probably longs to tear Yang Yinglong flesh from bone."

This scarcely required explanation; one only needed to look at how Li Hualong was directly elevated to Grand Guardian immediately after pacifying Bozhou in the actual timeline.

What was a Grand Guardian? Yuwen Tai, the prominent warlord of the Northern and Southern Dynasties who created the famed fubing military system and established the group known as the Eight Pillars of Western Wei, was himself merely one of the Eight Pillars.

By the Ming dynasty, Grand Guardian was the nation's highest honorary noble rank, with a civil and military official grade of Senior First Rank. Its weight and significance could be seen from the names of those few others who received this investiture:

Xu Da, the founding meritorious official of the Great Ming who decisively defeated Chen Youliang, captured Zhang Shucheng, and fought alongside Chang Yuchun in the Northern Expedition to capture the Yuan capital of Dadu.

Li Dongyang, the literary leader of the Hongzhi and Zhengde eras and the political survivor who single-handedly brought down the powerful eunuch Liu Jin.

Zhang Juzheng, the Senior Grand Secretary of the Wanli era who promoted Qi Jiguang and Li Chenglang, and completed the Single Whip Law reforms—a legendary statesman of his generation.

"If one can secure Yang Yinglong's head and the thousand-li fertile plains of Bozhou, what is the mere life of a single Yang Rong to the imperial house?" The Wumeng Chieftain placed his hands behind his back and raised his chin. "The head of Yang Rong—that treacherous hawk-turned-dove and national parasite—is precisely the stepping stone to curry favor with the leader of the war faction, Li Hualong."

Clearly, the three chieftains understood perfectly well: entering Yang Rong's camp at this moment was merely a matter of expediency. When the time was ripe, Eunuch Yang's head would inevitably have to be borrowed for a use.

The Yongshun Chieftain also smiled. "Truly, heroes emerge from the youth. It seems we shall escape this illusionary realm alive. From beginning to end, Yun Zheng has neither committed a single soldier of his own nor invested his own capital. Even the money used to bribe Yang Rong was plundered from the Tian estate. This business requiring no capital, with its repeated twists and turns, is truly magnificent."

This was a candid appraisal spoken behind closed doors, genuine and sincere, entirely unlike their usual obsequious flattery when playing the sycophant before Yun Zheng out of necessity.

Yet deep within the Yongshun Chieftain's heart lay an imperceptible trace of disappointment. When Yun Zheng slaughtered the Tian family, the Yongshun Chieftain had once experienced a surge of turbulent emotions. But at this moment, Yun Zheng—acting like a hardened, cynical politician—caused him a vague sense of unease, as if he loathed seeing such a youth stoop to entering the favor of a powerful eunuch for the sake of his goals.

Perhaps human beings ultimately worshiped heroes; a strongman usually commanded only awe, rather than adoration.

The Wumeng Chieftain wrapped his arms around the necks of his two companions. "So you see, the three of us still have much to learn. These Han Chinese have minds as unfathomable as twisting intestines! We've read enough Han books in our time, yet we simply cannot master such cunning. Speaking of which, Sha Dingzhou, the heir of Wunu Chieftain Sha Yuan, is truly formidable. In his usual demeanor and attire, he is indistinguishable from the sons of Han, and he has even attached himself to the Mu Family estate, becoming the adopted grandson of the Mu family."

Becoming the adopted grandson of the Mu Family estate was practically equivalent to being a minor prince of Yunnan and Guizhou. The weight of this carried an unspoken significance.

"Young Master Sha is the number one young talent in the southwest. I wonder who is stronger between him and Commander Yun?" the Yongshun Chieftain remarked.

"Commander Yun resembles a sharp, unbreakable sword, while Young Master Sha possesses a reputation for resourcefulness," the Wusa Chieftain said. "If these two could engage in a duel of dragon and tiger, it would be a most splendid spectacle indeed."

The three chieftains suddenly fell silent.

Privately, they naturally hoped Yun Zheng would prove no match for Sha Dingzhou, even if they had to rely on Yun Zheng to survive within this illusion. Once outside, Yun Zheng, as the proud disciple of Zhu Xieyuan—the southwestern titan advocating for the replacement of native chieftains with imperial appointees—would likely cross swords with them in mutual opposition.

Yet instinctively, they vaguely felt that Sha Dingzhou might not necessarily be Yun Zheng's match...

Meanwhile, within the private chamber, Sima Nan had already gracefully extended her delicate hand toward Yun Zheng.

Clearly, if Yun Zheng wished to enter the patronage of Eunuch Yang Rong, he had to demonstrate his sincerity.

Yun Zheng continued to tap leisurely upon the jade ruyi in his hand. Sima Nan glanced at it; it was indeed a treasure, but its weight fell short.

"A jade ruyi, debonair and dashing, startling all present upon sitting; a golden goblet, pouring and draining uninhibited, drinking a thousand cups without intoxication."

Yun Zheng intoned these lines, his voice carrying a trace of desolate melancholy.

"What historical allusion is Commander Yun employing? This servant considers herself well-read in ancient texts, yet I have never encountered these lines."

Yun Zheng sighed. "Naturally you have not heard them; these are verses written by someone of the Qing dynasty."

"The Qing dynasty? Throughout China's five thousand years, which dynasty is that?"

"It would be best if it never existed at all."

As he spoke, Yun Zheng drew the Seven-Star Treasured Saber from his waist.

"Eunuch, what do you think of this saber?"

Sima Nan's beautiful eyes instantly flashed with brilliance. "Cold light gleaming, crafted to the utmost perfection, its value is no less than ten thousand gold! If this saber is presented to Eunuch Yang, Commander Yun is guaranteed a position of heavy responsibility."

"Eunuch suffers from migraines. If one wishes for a complete cure, this saber is indeed the exact instrument required."

Before Sima Nan could fully comprehend Yun Zheng's meaning, Yun Zheng abruptly thrust out his left arm with the speed of a sudden cloud and flashing lightning, forcefully pressing Sima Nan's face down onto the wine table. With a flash of his hand, the Seven-Star Treasured Saber descended, severing the head of the " Maiden Sima" in a single stroke as easily as chopping off a chicken's head!

"I must borrow Eunuch's head for a moment."

Severing Sima Nan's head, Yun Zheng hoisted it by the hair, grabbed a goblet of wine, drained it in a single draught, and strode out the door like a flying bird!

Upon Sima Nan's terrified severed head, an expression of utter disbelief still lingered deep within her eyes.

All three chieftains were dumbfounded.

What on earth was Commander Yun thinking?