Chapter 812: Li Hui
Chapter 812: Li Hui
September 25th, 2017
Outside Luoyang City, within Lu HaiKong's Army Camp.
Lu HaiKong was reading an intelligence report that had just arrived from the Imperial Palace. If He Jin were to see this report, he would undoubtedly rush to the palace and strike down Zhang Rang, the old eunuch. The report in Lu HaiKong's hands was indeed a record of He Jin's recent words in the Xuan Shi Palace.
He Jin's words were recounted verbatim, and only those present in the Xuan Shi Palace at the time were aware of them. Among those in the palace, aside from Zhang Rang, no one else had the motive to do such a thing.
In fact, the report in Lu HaiKong's hands was indeed from Zhang Rang. As Emperor Ling watched his impending death, the situation had gradually escalated to its current state, and Zhang Rang knew it was time to consider his future.
The only person he could trust to help him was Lu HaiKong. If he didn't fully board Lu HaiKong's ship, he was well aware that he wouldn't survive Emperor Ling's death.
After much hesitation, Zhang Rang finally contacted Lu HaiKong's person in charge in Luoyang City, sending him the report and other information Lu HaiKong was most concerned about.
Lu HaiKong glanced at He Jin's plan and casually tossed it aside, showing no interest in it.
His thoughts were good, but it was too late to propose them now. In Lu HaiKong's opinion, He Jin's plan had no room for implementation.
At this point, the preparations in Bingzhou should be almost complete. As for encircling Lu HaiKong? Lu HaiKong could only laugh; he didn't believe the county soldiers could stop him. Regarding Dong Zhuo, Lu HaiKong did take note, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. But he didn't dwell on it.
What concerned Lu HaiKong the most was another piece of information. Zhang Rang knew that besides He Jin's report, Lu HaiKong was most interested in Yue Er's situation. So, he described everything he had witnessed that day.
From Yue Er breaking out of the palace, to the sword slashing at the General's Mansion, and finally, the killing of He Miao in Emperor Ling's Imperial Chamber and her subsequent disappearance.
As Lu HaiKong read this, his eyebrows furrowed. He vaguely pieced together a logical sequence of events, but he couldn't find any solid evidence to support it.
"It seems I'll have to meet that guy."
A cold glint flashed in Lu HaiKong's eyes as he set down the report and looked up at the person who had delivered it.
Interestingly, the one who had brought the report wasn't a professional intelligence agent but a young beggar, around ten years old.
The little guy was currently munching on a steamed bun, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Lu HaiKong. Don't underestimate this young beggar; he may be young, but his abilities were not to be taken lightly.
Since Lu HaiKong's arrival at Luoyang, the underground intelligence network within the city had been under official suppression.
Under such circumstances, the little guy's ability to deliver the report to Lu HaiKong was commendable, both in terms of skill and courage.
Speaking of Luoyang, there were indeed many talented individuals. Among Lu HaiKong's underground organization in Luoyang, there were several outstanding talents, including this young beggar and another person who had taken over as the leader in Luoyang after Xin Ping.
This person wasn't a historical scholar, but his abilities were not to be overlooked. He could manage Lu HaiKong's vast organization in Luoyang and, despite being targeted by various forces, gradually carry out Lu HaiKong's plans. His abilities were extraordinary, and he was also from the Yan Huang Mountain Fortress, earning Lu HaiKong's trust.
"I understand the situation. Give this token to your leader and tell him to advance the plan," Lu HaiKong said, handing over a token to the young beggar.
The young beggar immediately stopped what he was doing, wiped his hands on his clothes, and then solemnly accepted the token from Lu HaiKong.
Seeing this, Lu HaiKong couldn't help but smile. He reached out and ruffled the young beggar's hair. "After this incident is over, come with me back to Bingzhou."
The young beggar's eyes lit up, and his head bobbed like a chick's as he nodded repeatedly. After bowing respectfully to Lu HaiKong, he turned and left with a spring in his step.
Watching the young beggar's bouncy departure, Lu HaiKong's eyebrows furrowed as if deep in thought.
...
Inside Luoyang City, He Jin's plan had been approved, and he swiftly sprang into action.
Although Lu HaiKong had dealt him a heavy blow, He Jin was confident in capturing Lu HaiKong this time. Of course, if he were to bring this plan to the main city, he wouldn't have the ability to do so. Fortunately, he still had a few capable assistants.
He Jin didn't need to handle this plan himself; he only needed to assign it to his subordinates.
The person who executed He Jin's plan was an Outsider named Li Hui. This Outsider had been working for He Jin for a long time, and the plan He Jin proposed was actually Li Hui's idea.
In his hands, a grand plan was swiftly set in motion.
On one hand, messengers were dispatched to Bingzhou to deliver the imperial decree, while on the other, the three county governors were contacted to mobilize their troops, and He Jin was instructed to write a letter to Dong Zhuo, urging him to prepare for his journey to the capital. Everything seemed to be falling into place for this massive scheme.
However, upon closer inspection, it became evident that this individual wasn't wholeheartedly committed to the plan. Despite his numerous actions, each step of the plan, even the timing, lacked cohesion.
For instance, the timing of the imperial decree and the persuasion of the aristocratic families were severely mismatched. These two actions should have been executed simultaneously, which would have appeared reasonable, but in reality, it was far from it.
Although the aristocratic families outside Bingzhou, apart from Wuyuan, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, and Yanmen, harbored resentment towards Lu Hai Kong. They eagerly awaited the imperial decree, but being scattered across the land, it would take significantly longer to notify them compared to the time it took to issue the decree. If he genuinely wanted to plan meticulously, this aspect should have been addressed earlier for better results.
Apart from this, Li Hui's plan was riddled with oversights, showing no desire to do things properly. Judging from his actions, he was nothing more than a bumbling fool.
In Luoyang City, Li Hui, dressed in a green robe, met with a man in black at a civilian residence.
"Hey, if you're going to take advantage of someone, at least put in some effort, right? Are you just going to brush them off like this?" The man in black teased upon meeting Li Hui.
"It's not like I'm brushing them off. I'm doing everything I should, even if the plan isn't perfect, it's at least enough to satisfy Lu Hai Kong for now."
"If you're doing everything, why not do it perfectly?" The man in black asked, puzzled.
"First, there's no time, and second, there's no energy. If I can't do it perfectly, I can only brush it off for now. Moreover, Lu Hai Kong is helping us in his own way, so we can't be too demanding. We shouldn't take all the benefits and mistreat him too much. I wouldn't feel right about it," Li Hui shrugged.
"Alright, alright, I know you. You just want to take it easy, right? Forget it, let's not talk about this. Let's focus on the main issue. Now that the plan is almost complete, can we start taking action?"
The man in black's eyes sparkled with excitement at the mention of taking action.
"Not yet. Although He Jin has already written to Dong Zhuo, and we're managing the narrative, Dong Zhuo hasn't actually arrived in the capital yet. We still need to wait a bit longer. It'll be more reliable if we act after Dong Zhuo begins his journey," he explained.
When it came to serious matters, Li Hui seemed like a different person, his previous lazy demeanor vanished.
"We still need to wait for Dong Zhuo's arrival? Fine, fine, I guess it won't be too long anyway. We've waited for years, so a few more days won't matter."
"It's better to be cautious. What if something goes wrong with the narrative? The system might forcibly intervene, and we won't even have a place to cry."
"What's there to fear? The system can't harm us, and we might even get some benefits." The man in black puffed out his chest, assuming an arrogant posture.
"Then go ahead. You can start taking action now." Li Hui rolled his eyes.
The man in black's confidence instantly waned, "Never mind, then. After enduring so much hardship to get here, I don't want to ruin this good situation."
"Then you'd better behave yourself lately and stop jumping around. Please don't keep doing unnecessary things that make my plan more challenging," Li Hui said, sounding both indulgent and exasperated.
Upon hearing this, the man in black started jumping up and down in frustration, "What do you mean I'm jumping around? I'm doing serious work here. Besides, if it weren't for me, would we have this great situation?"
"Yes, yes, it's all thanks to you. All thanks to you," Li Hui said, humoring him.
Finally, after calming the man in black down, Li Hui's eyes flashed with determination. "If you're free and have nothing better to do, could you keep an eye on Lu Hai Kong's group in the city? They seem to be up to something. If you can help, please do as much as you can. It'll make many things more convenient for us once their plan is in motion."
The man in black's face turned disdainful at Li Hui's request, "Do I need your instruction? I've already noticed them and have been keeping an eye on them recently."
"Oh, then please keep a close watch. But don't let them go too far, or it might create unnecessary complications."
"Don't worry, leave it to me. I won't let things get out of our control," the man in black assured. Then, with a chuckle, he added, "What do you think Lu Hai Kong would do if he found out he's been used by us from start to finish?"
"He'd definitely go crazy. When that happens, you'll have to prepare for his relentless pursuit," Li Hui said, feeling exasperated by the man in black's sudden morbid curiosity.
"Cut it out. It's just Lu Hai Kong. Once our plan succeeds, I won't fear him. Alright, I won't talk to you anymore. I have other things to do, so I'll take my leave," the man in black said, and vanished before Li Hui could respond.
Watching the man who came and went as he pleased, Li Hui sighed.
"I hope everything goes smoothly!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
