Tang Dynasty: To win Yang Guifei, they asked Emperor Xuanzong to die.

Chapter 74 Secret Contact

A night in Chang'an.

Feng walked through the streets and alleys of Chang'an, glancing around from time to time. His steps were somewhat hurried, and he finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous side door.

He gently knocked on the coded signal, and after a short while, a faint response came from inside the door: "Come in."

Feng pushed open the door and entered. Behind the door was a simple study, with a few oil lamps flickering, the light dim and dim.

Li Mao sat quietly at the table, his expression slightly solemn.

"General Feng, what brings you here so late at night?" Li Mao asked calmly.

Feng sighed, "Your Highness Prince Shou, the current situation is complicated. I am willing to risk coming here just to get to the bottom of this."

"Oh? What is it that's bothering you so much?" Li Mao raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of probing.

“I know that contacting Your Highness is a major taboo in military strategy, but…” Feng hesitated, his words revealing his inner conflict.

Seeing this, Li Mao gently comforted him, "General Feng, there's no need to worry. I will take care of the overall situation. Since you're here, just stay put." His implication was that he wanted General Feng to reveal more.

Feng hesitated slightly, but he understood that there was no way out at the moment, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, An Lushan's retreat is only temporary. He will soon make a comeback. If we can combine the strength of both sides, we will surely be able to win in one blow."

Li Mao pondered: "General Feng means..."

"Although the situation in the Tang Dynasty seems stable at present, the contradictions have not been resolved in recent days." Feng Jiang paused, then cupped his hands and said, "Instead of being passive when the situation collapses, it is better to cooperate closely with Your Highness now to stabilize the overall situation."

Upon hearing these words, Li Mao fell into deep thought.

He knew what Feng Jiang's proposal meant to him.

However, this is also a double-edged sword; it can help him turn the tide, or it can plunge him into a quagmire.

“General Feng should know that once this matter is taken seriously, neither side will have a way out.” Li Mao hesitated slightly, but his tone was firm.

"General Feng understands perfectly well. But at this critical juncture of great strife, destruction is necessary for construction." General Feng spoke each word with utmost solemnity and righteousness.

Li Mao stared intently, and he could vaguely sense Feng Jiang's resolute determination.

As the two talked, the atmosphere in the study grew increasingly tense.

"When to act, General Feng can give the order," Li Mao said with no small amount of pride.

Feng nodded silently, feeling relieved, but still dared not be too complacent.

"Very well, General Feng, please speak freely. I will certainly handle this situation properly." Li Mao gently patted General Feng's shoulder to show his support and trust.

"Your Highness, please consider this carefully and do not act rashly." General Feng's request was especially earnest at this moment.

Li Mao smiled faintly, his eyes flashing like lightning: "General Feng, I have my own plan and will certainly do my best to help you. To accomplish great things, one must be patient."

That night.

Feng left the study with mixed feelings, and Li Mao watched his retreating figure as he walked further and further away.

Li Mao murmured, "Is General Feng a pawn or an ally? We can only wait and see."

early morning.

Inside the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Li Heng was conveying the latest strategic guidelines to his advisors.

"Although An Lushan's army has suffered a setback, it should not be underestimated. We must not relax our vigilance and must be prepared," Li Heng said calmly, his tone filled with a sense of responsibility.

"Your Highness is absolutely right. Defense is of paramount importance at present. We must strengthen joint defenses in various regions and not give the enemy any opportunity to take advantage of the situation," Gao Shi echoed.

"In addition, we must closely monitor Feng Jiang's actions to ensure his loyalty. At this critical moment, there can be no mistakes," Li Heng added.

He always harbored concerns about Feng Jiang's sudden betrayal.

"Your Highness, rest assured, General Gao has dispatched men to monitor General Feng's movements closely, and any unusual activity will be reported immediately," an aide replied with a bow.

Li Heng remained silent for a moment, then looked into the distance: "The most urgent task is to stabilize the internal situation and wait for the right time to act."

at the same time.

Inside the Prince Shou's residence, Li Mao was nervously reviewing various intelligence reports, pondering his next move.

"Your Highness, General Feng just sent a message, it seems that things are progressing smoothly." Afu handed over a secret letter.

Li Mao quickly glanced at the contents of the letter and nodded slightly: "General Feng has not disappointed me after all; the arrangements made earlier are basically in place."

"Your Highness, what do you think should be the next step for General Feng?" Afu asked cautiously.

After a moment's thought, Li Mao said, "Continue to proceed steadily and cautiously. Do not be aggressive. Wait for the enemy to show a weakness before making a move."

"Yes, Your Highness. Everything is arranged. We await further orders." Afu bowed and withdrew.

The next day.

Feng secretly dispatched messengers to make secret contacts with potential allies in various regions.

Meanwhile, his intelligence from his undercover work continued to flow into Li Mao's think tank.

"General Feng, the situation in Chang'an is becoming increasingly tense. You should remain calm and act cautiously," the adjutant reminded him with a worried expression. "Once we slip up, the consequences could be dire."

Feng turned his head to think: "It's alright. We've already laid a tight net here, and any unusual activity will be brought under control immediately. Those who have left the torrent will ultimately help fill the gaps."

Meanwhile, in the enemy camp, An Lushan, inside his tent, reviewed his battle strategies, his eyes gleaming with cold light.

“Feng’s betrayal seems simple, but it harbors the potential to rise again, so we must be extra careful,” An Lushan said in a deep voice.

The advisor nodded slowly and suggested, "General, you can lie in wait as a hidden agent. If General Feng makes any unusual move, you must strike back!"

"Yes, prepare a team of elite troops."

An Lushan slowly stood up and said in an icy tone, "Although the remote control of troops is now a fixed rule, we can only sit and wait for death."

Under such complex circumstances, Li Heng also began to gradually lay out his own strategy.

That night, Li Heng summoned several trusted advisors to discuss the current situation and the next steps.

“Your Highness, An Lushan’s movements seem unclear, but in reality he is in a predicament. Perhaps we can seize this opportunity,” Gao Shi offered his analysis.

Li Heng nodded slightly, already having a plan in mind: "We might as well retreat in order to advance, making the enemy mistakenly believe that we are powerless to attack, thus lowering their guard and falling into the trap we have set."

Several staff members listened attentively, nodding occasionally, showing their support for Li Heng's instructions.

In the stillness of the night, with a gentle breeze blowing, Li Heng looked out the window, his thoughts surging like a tide.

"Although General Feng is a pawn, he is not a monolithic entity," Li Heng thought to himself, calmly and methodically making his next move in the face of the complex situation.

At this moment, Feng stood alone outside the tent, deep in thought: "I will be able to realize my grand ambitions when the time is right."

He heard a rustling sound, looked up, and saw that it was the deputy general returning.

"General, the liaison work in various places has come to a temporary end. General Feng, you've worked hard." The deputy general spoke calmly, with a look of satisfaction on his face.

Feng nodded slightly, a cool breeze carrying his voice: "Thank you for your trouble. I will definitely give you a satisfactory reward in the future."

The lieutenant nodded gratefully.

……

Inside the Prince Shou's residence, Li Mao meticulously examined the military map in his hand.

"Now that the situation is changing, although General Feng has pledged allegiance to me, it is not a long-term solution," Li Mao pondered silently.

"Your Highness, you seem to still have some doubts about General Feng?" Afu noticed the change in Li Mao's expression and cautiously probed.

Li Mao sighed, closed the map, and stared at Afu: "The situation is constantly changing, and people's hearts are unpredictable. In the end, we cannot trust just one person."

Afu understood immediately and said softly, "It's not impossible to wait and see."