Chapter 66: Promotion in Rank and Title, All Awaiting Tonight

However, the most pressing matter at hand right now was how to deal with Ma Wen.

During the banquet, he heard the elderly man and Kou Wei discuss several matters further.

He discovered that Ma Wen had been steadily building his own faction and alliances over the years, and his intentions had become glaringly obvious.

The magistrate of Xincheng County had already been rendered powerless by him to handle state affairs, and now he had begun stealthily usurping military command.

He was clearly planning to seize absolute control of the entire Xincheng when the impending chaos erupted, gathering all authority into his own hands!

Yang Chuan's arrival in Xincheng had unmistakably posed a threat to his grand scheme, which explained why he had been looking so sullen.

If this was indeed the case, Ma Wen could certainly no longer be allowed to run amok in Xincheng.

After briefly pausing the banquet, Yang Chuan pondered carefully for a moment and finally devised a foolproof strategy.

The current predicament facing Xincheng was not merely the Wei army outside, but also Ma Wen, who might rebel at any moment.

If this man managed to secure military command by sheer luck, not only would he instigate a rebellion, but should his temperament prove more radical, he might even surrender the city to the state of Wei.

After all, as a rebellious official whose actions would inevitably reach the imperial court of Great Qi, Tian Yueying would certainly not spare him.

Moreover, Prime Minister An Xunlu's plan to amass wealth through him would also come to nothing.

However, if he surrendered to Wei, he would not only be granted titles and lands in Wei, but with a bit of luck, he could continue to oversee the administration of Xincheng.

By then, Ma Wen's opportunities for accumulating wealth would multiply significantly, and even separated by national borders, he would still find ways to funnel a continuous stream of riches to An Xunlu.

Therefore, he needed to push the strategy of winning hearts to its absolute limit in order to regain the trust of the garrison and the people of Xincheng.

When the banquet concluded, Yang Chuan did not immediately dismiss the elderly man. Instead, he asked him to summon several representatives of the Xincheng populace.

Following that, he gathered all the civil and military officials within Xincheng, assembling them entirely at the military drill grounds outside the governor's mansion.

Facing the officials and citizens of Xincheng, Yang Chuan stood upon the high platform and delivered a stirring speech, maximizing the emotional power of his words.

"Civil and military officials of Xincheng, along with all our elders and fellow townspeople, having lived through this period of warfare, you must all see it clearly now. The promises made to you by the Emperor of Wei have not only failed to materialize, but he has also ruthlessly slaughtered our Xincheng people. Their wolfish ambitions are now exposed for all to see!"

"Furthermore, I have heard that within Xincheng, there is still one individual who, relying on influential backers in the imperial court, makes things endlessly difficult for both civil and military officials. The Xincheng magistrate has consequently been stripped of his administrative duties, an act that brings shame upon every single person in this city."

"When I arrived, I also heard that here in Xincheng, the people voluntarily sent their sons and grandsons to the military camps purely out of trust in the imperial court! But that official's conduct does not represent the true court!"

"My arrival today is determined to unite the officials and the people as one: above, to purge the corrupt elements of Xincheng; below, to sweep away the Wei invaders. Within three days, I vow to return an entirely new and peaceful era to Xincheng!"

Following this impassioned speech, everyone within the drill grounds was inspired with boundless enthusiasm, cheering loudly that they would devote their utmost efforts to serving Governor Yang and jointly forge a peaceful era belonging to Xincheng.

...

The next day, Yang Chuan assigned a new mission to Kou Wei.

Thanks to yesterday's speech, many officials in Xincheng had already begun to re-evaluate their previous actions.

Coupled with the fact that Yang Chuan had dispatched troops outside the city solely to escort the displaced citizens back home, this drastically won over the hearts of the populace throughout the city, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent plan.

As the saying goes, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.

Treacherous and cunning though that Ma Wen might be, once he lost the support of his subordinates and the common folk, even if he managed to surrender the city to Wei, he would ultimately meet a miserable death because of it, and his entire clan would be implicated.

Yang Chuan's plan was twofold: on the one hand, he leaked false intelligence within Xincheng, spreading word that he would soon lead Kou Wei on a personal expedition, commanding five thousand soldiers to fight a decisive battle against the Wei army.

On the other hand, he had someone forge a letter written in Ma Wen's name, notifying the Wei army outside the city that they would launch an armed rebellion from within the city walls very soon.

When the time came, a coordinated attack from both inside and outside would allow them to capture Xincheng in a single stroke.

Once this stratagem was deployed, not only did Ma Wen in the city fall for it, but the Wei army generals outside the city also believed it implicitly.

For days, they prepared military supplies, planning to charge directly into the city and completely incorporate Xincheng into the territory of Wei the moment a signal fire was lit inside Xincheng at night.

Two days later, acting under Yang Chuan's secret orders, Kou Wei personally led two thousand cavalrymen to lie in ambush outside the South Gate.

Although he lacked strategic depth, his exceptional martial prowess, coupled with the fierce bravery of his personal guards, meant that fighting against superior numbers was effortless for him.

As for the affairs within the city, Yang Chuan posted guards on the South Gate ramparts with instructions to light a signal fire past the hour of midnight to lure the Wei army into attacking the city.

Meanwhile, he personally led a force of one thousand men to lay in ambush outside Ma Wen's military camp.

That very night, upon hearing that Kou Wei had led his troops out of the city, Ma Wen was so excited he could not sleep, waiting inside his tent for the opportune moment.

Over the years, he had amassed two thousand elite soldiers under his command. Although they were not entirely his personal troops, through constant rewards bestowed upon his subordinate officers, he had won over a considerable amount of loyalty.

However, what he did not know was that many of those subordinate officers had listened to Yang Chuan's speech three days prior, and they were already fully aware of the stakes involved for Xincheng.

As natives of Xincheng, they served as soldiers and received salaries from the imperial court.

If they were to truly join Ma Wen in rebellion, win or lose, it would bring disgrace upon their parents.

Furthermore, Xincheng had long been accustomed to the laws of Great Qi for so many years; if they suddenly switched allegiance to another nation, there was no guarantee they would experience the benevolence of an emperor.

To follow such a traitorous rebel could only lead to a fate as miserable as his own.

...

In the blink of an eye, the midnight hour arrived, and the scout sent out by Ma Wen returned to report.

He stated that a fire had been spotted blazing atop the southern watchtowers, and presumably the Wei army had already engaged Kou Wei in battle.

The time had come. Ma Wen immediately drew his treasured sword, shouting to the men around him, "Everyone! The moment to achieve glory and establish our careers has arrived. Overthrow the old regime of Xincheng, welcome our new master into the city, and receive promotions and fiefs—all tonight!"

Amidst a flurry of battle cries echoing from the military camp, Yang Chuan, lying in ambush outside the city, also ordered his soldiers to tightly seal the camp entrance, leaving Ma Wen no chance of escape.

A few minutes later, the troops inside the military camp rushed out of the city gates bearing torches, only to find themselves running headfirst into Yang Chuan, who stood clad in white robes holding a long spear!

"Y-Yang Chuan! Weren't you leading Kou Wei out to repel the enemy? Why are you inside the city?"

"Hmph, traitor Ma Wen! You vainly imagined you could trick us into rebelling with you, little knowing that your petty schemes were long since seen through by Governor Yang. Today is your day of death!"

Before Yang Chuan could even strike, a subordinate officer behind him brandished his saber and cleanly severed Ma Wen's head in a single stroke.

Meanwhile, unaware of the actual situation, the Wei army outside the city had plunged blindly into General Kou Wei's encirclement.

In an instant, their formations were thrown into total chaos, and hundreds of men lost their lives in the melee.

The remaining stragglers retreated step by step until, cornered by Kou Wei with no way out, they could only turn and fight to the death.