Anyone who dares to resist must have their leader killed first, and then their position will be taken by Xie Zhu's personal guards. Therefore, Xie Zhu doesn't need to worry about killing many generals, because he has plenty of replacements around him.
The current generals dare not gamble with their own lineage, much less their future, and can only remain silent.
As a general, Xie Guang remained unmoved, and the generals of all ranks who shared the same interests with him would not act rashly.
Some cunning individuals would incite the lower ranks to their deaths to test the marshal's attitude. But the lower ranks weren't fools. The marshal had already executed Xie Song; what mercy would he have for them, his underlings? Thus, the upper echelons of the Xie clan incited the lower ranks, but the lower ranks remained indifferent, while the upper ranks watched anxiously. Everyone was in a state of torment.
The soldiers dared not complain about Xie Lanzhi, but privately they harbored resentment towards the newly recruited soldiers who had taken their positions, which at one point even impacted the master of Lanzhang Palace.
Many people felt that the Marshal's excessive favoritism towards his mistress was so extreme that they began to hate Si Xitong. Even the Si clan found her an eyesore. However, the members of the Si clan would rise in status and wealth because of Si Xitong's rise to power.
Once Si Xitong takes power, he will certainly appoint his own people. The soldiers and officials in the Nine Jin regions all fell silent, hoping that His Highness would take control of these key areas as soon as possible and restore the Jin dynasty.
These thoughts are bound to arise when both parties have these interests.
Xie Lanzhi had already guessed it.
Upon hearing about this, Lian Siqitong really wanted to ask Lanzhi herself why she did this and why she was in such a hurry.
It's true that the Xie family suffered because of her, but there's no need to dig so deep. That would only shake the Xie family's foundation first.
No one believed this was a power trap set by Xie Zhu. No one doubted her affection for Prince Feng Ning.
Ma Hong happily said to her, "Your Highness, now is the perfect opportunity. Please mobilize everyone to guard the three gates as soon as possible!"
"Do you think this is appropriate?" Si Xitong's attitude was cold. She clearly didn't agree with this seemingly swift and decisive approach, which left behind enormous hidden dangers. However, she would accept what Lan Zhi had done, and she would try to make amends no matter what happened afterward.
Ma Hong carefully examined his master, and finally said honestly, "You shouldn't waste the Marshal's good intentions."
Si Xitong then said, "Tell me your current thoughts."
Ma Hong quickly knelt down and cried out, "Your Highness, please use your own army to restore the Jin Dynasty!"
"Tianjing must never be ruled by outsiders. The royal family of Tianjing is surnamed Si, not Xie! Apart from me, whether it is the Jin army or the common people, in the entire Southern Central Plains, only you are the true Heavenly Maiden who has been ordained by Heaven!"
"Only you can quell the many upheavals in the world!"
As long as the royal family is alive, it will be the turn of a non-royal to rule—this is the consensus of Ma Hong and all the Jin army. Their prince is neither a foolish nor a tyrant, but a wise and discerning ruler! With such a wise ruler, no one would choose a ruler who kills at any time, oversteps the bounds at any time, or is tyrannical and capricious! Such a ruler will only bring them turmoil, not stability.
Even if such a ruler brings temporary stability, he also brings more hidden dangers and risks. Therefore, they need someone who can truly bring prosperity and stability to the world.
That person is now His Highness Feng Ning, Si Xitong!
Si Xitong knew that Ma Hong's thoughts were the thoughts of everyone below. She neither refused nor immediately allowed Ma Hong to bring his troops to the garrison.
She dismissed Ma Hong, who had no choice but to leave.
When Xie Lanzhi returned to the palace, she happened to meet Ma Hong. As she passed by him, Ma Hong stopped and bowed to her, but then made no further gestures.
Xie Lanzhi didn't even glance at him, and walked straight into Lanzhang Palace.
When Si Xitong saw her return, he offered to take off her cloak.
Xie Lanzhi grabbed her wrist and said, "Why not let Ma Hong station troops here?"
Chapter 155 It's all about timing and fate.
She said, "Lanzhi, this time I will never stand idly by."
Si Xitong let her hold her wrist, her expression so resolute and determined.
Xie Lanzhi had never seen such a little phoenix. For a moment, she was stunned and almost thought she was wrong, but this thought was more resolute than when the Xie family had disappeared from the world.
“I have no choice but to do it; I no longer have time for them to think or accept it.”
"Xie Ying's cold-bloodedness can sometimes be more effective in getting things done."
Si Xitong's gaze instantly became complicated. She said, "But my Lanzhi would never choose not to think just because the task is difficult."
"Situations are always changing, and I can't keep doing things the same way." Xie Lanzhi felt a surge of unease. Unconsciously, she had come to regard the Xie family as her own clan, even the only family she had any connection with in the world.
She didn't know the names of everyone in the Xie family, but the Xie family had always been her responsibility.
"So Lanzhi has lost her confidence now?" Si Xitong grasped the back of her hand this time, wrapping it in her palm. When she was calm, she was like a cold pool without any pebbles stirring it, icy, seeing through people's hearts, but lacking warmth.
It seems the power dynamic has shifted between the two.
Xie Lanzhi showed a slightly surprised expression. Although she didn't want to admit it, she had already realized that she was no longer as composed as before compared to Little Phoenix.
She used to proceed cautiously, step by step. No matter how anxious others were, she remained unmoved, sticking to her own plan. No one could rush her, because she preferred a more conservative approach.
Unlike Xie Ying, she doesn't like to always actively attack this one-dimensional style.
Si Xitong saw that she realized her problem. She revealed a gentleness unique to her, like a golden sun, her eyes gazing at Xie Lanzhi's figure: "Even if you never said it to me before, I knew it."
"You don't want to replace Xie Ying and live on, nor do you want to fight in this world in Xie Ying's way. You just want to leave your mark on this world."
"You resent Xie Ying's actions because you are different from her. You have never lived in a cruel world."
Si Xitong looked at her intently and said, "But Lanzhi, loneliness won't disappear just because you've moved to a different world."
"You and Xie Ying are both lonely people."
"So at this moment you agree with her and adopt her method of killing to save the Xie family."
She simply couldn't believe that her dynasty, her world, was nothing more than a fictional novel in Lan Zhi's eyes. They both lived such real lives, so vividly, with their own emotions and desires.
“This time, I won’t go along with you.” Si Xitong took the initiative to let go of her hand. As Xie Lanzhi let go, her fingertips slid down from the skin of Si Xitong’s wrist.
“Since you want power,” Si Xitong said seriously, “I will accept it, and accept it completely.”
Xie Lanzhi said, "The Xie family is my responsibility, and I shouldn't let you get involved."
“You killed someone. The Xie family won’t betray you, but they will blame me.” Si Xitong was well aware of the consequences of this incident. No matter how good Lanzhi’s intentions were, the final result would only fall into her hands.
She will accept Xie's dissatisfaction and any resentment. She will manage them in a completely new way.
Xie Lanzhi sat on the couch, holding her head and saying, "What's done is done, there's no going back."
"I can't be sure what will happen to the Xie family right now, so the sooner we resolve this, the better we can save them."
At the very least, let the innocent live.
The Xie family is currently experiencing a run of bad luck, and she finds it difficult to predict what will happen in the future. Perhaps the Xie family will suddenly disappear at any moment. This sense of crisis leaves her feeling powerless.
Si Xitong took the initiative to hug her head, and Xie Lanzhi pressed her face against her chest, sighing deeply, "Thinking of Shang Guang, Xie Ying, Xie Guang, Xie Ji, Xie Xia, and Madam Wang, who suddenly died because of me one day."
"That's all I can do."
"Little Phoenix, they can no longer rise to power by borrowing my luck."
"I know." Si Xitong gently patted her back to comfort her, "So this time we should borrow my luck."
These words were spoken.
Xie Lanzhi wriggled out of her arms, looking at her in utter shock: "What do you mean? How can I borrow your luck?"
Si Xitong deliberately left it as a riddle, not telling her directly.
The atmosphere between the two eased considerably, and Xie Lanzhi's hostility also subsided a lot.
Xie Shangguang, who was outside, seized the opportunity and immediately slipped out of Lanzhang Palace to report Xie Lanzhi's news to Xie Guang at the General's Mansion.
"The Marshal was calmed down by the mistress."
Upon hearing this, Xie Guang felt both nervous and frightened, pressing his large hands against his knees and leaving marks on his trousers.
"Let me think about it, and think about it some more."
Xie Shangguang swallowed hard, terrified: "Are we really going to carry the marshal on our backs?"
“We must do this, otherwise, if we trap the Marshal here and make her bear the pressure of the entire clan alone, she simply won’t be able to hold on!” After seeing Xie Song’s death, Xie Guang had another idea.
Perhaps the Xie family can transform and start anew.
The Xie family is a martial clan, so naturally they would take military action. Therefore, the only way to prove the Xie clan's continued prosperity is to launch a military campaign northward and expand their territory!
Xie Guang set his sights on Xi, a small kingdom in south-central China that was valued by the Hu people. Xi was founded by descendants of half-Hu people and had a history of one hundred years.
The State of Xi was located between the State of Lu and the State of Yue in the southern Central Plains. Because the State of Yue had recently made peace with the State of Hu and Xiongnu, the State of Xi also had a good relationship with the State of Yue.
Xie Guang immediately made up his mind: "This general will lead 30,000 men to attack the Kingdom of Xi and provoke Aqina, who has shattered the Marshal's confidence!"
"And Sikkim is a good example of a demonstration."
"I want them to know that the Xie family is still the strongest army in the Southern Central Plains!"
Although Xie Shangguang did not approve of suddenly attacking small countries, he particularly hated the Huns' tricks, remembering how his marshal had been ambushed by the Huns using sorcery, which brought him bad luck and even brought misfortune to the Xie family.
"I'm going too!"
"No, I'll handle this; no one else is allowed to interfere." Xie Guang's mind was made up.
He took 30,000 men with him overnight, all of whom were willing to accompany him to destroy the Xi Kingdom. For the first time, Xie Guang had become incredibly audacious, daring to use Xie Lanzhi's name to send a letter of request for passage to the Duke of Lu.
Xie Guang led his army out and, incidentally, gave the government official an IOU for 3,000 shi of grain.
The official immediately went to consult Xie Lanzhi.
The day after the letter from the King of Lu arrived in Tianjing, Xie Guang was already near the border of Xi. Xie Lanzhi received the letter and immediately rode to the Xie clan's headquarters to investigate, only to find that 30,000 people were indeed missing.
She was furious on the spot and dragged out Xie Guang's confidants one by one, questioning them all, but only getting an answer she didn't want to hear.
"The General wants to establish the prestige of the Xie family! That's why he's attacking the Xi Kingdom!"
Xie Lanzhi took a few steps back and immediately went to the Ministry of Works to ask Wei Zhao and Azha to give her the latest wheel-type cannon.
Aza was still unhappy about this, pointing to his cannon and naming it: "It's called Type 94. Double-wheeled Type 94."
Xie Lanzhi summoned Xie Shangguang and led 3,000 men to take away all three Type 94 cannons from the Ministry of Works, as well as 20 mortars that could be improved from the Type 94.
When Aza saw that she wanted to use it on the battlefield, he immediately stopped her, saying, "Marshal, this is still an experimental product and could explode at any time. You can't take it away!"
"Get out of the way!" Xie Lanzhi shoved him aside and ordered her men to forcibly take away the three Type 94 tanks.
Afterwards, they traveled by water to the Yue Kingdom, intending to get closer to the Xi Kingdom from there, as it would be faster. Xie Shangguang stayed on the boat, his eyelids twitching constantly. That night, he dreamt that his deceased grandfather touched his head and said to him, "We, grandfather and grandson, will soon meet again."
[I just happened to pick a young girl in the underworld. Once you come down, you two can get married.]
This startled Xie Shangguang awake, and he burst into tears, clutching his pillow.
The next day, he was filled with suspicion. Of the three thousand people traveling with him, at least half dreamed that their deceased relatives said they were coming to take them away.
One of Xie's soldiers even had a very mysterious dream in which a Taoist priest told them: "The Xie clan is gravely sinful, and Lord Xie is even more unforgivable. After death, he will surely go to the Yellow Springs to be judged by the Black and White Messengers. You lowly soldiers are also gravely sinful, accomplices of Lord Xie. Therefore, the Xie clan cannot escape the fate of extermination."