Chapter 325: Plot! (Thanks to book friend 038508858, good man Yimei for the reward!)
"Do you think Ji Qiwei can defeat Zhen Sanshan?"

In the study of the General's Mansion, Ye Mingsheng asked Gu Sansi:
Hearing Ye Mingsheng's question, Gu Sansi pondered for a moment and replied:

“If Jiang Chong was the undercover agent before, Ji Qiwei’s chance of winning would be 70%. But now that Jiang Chong has been discovered by Zhen Sanshan, Ji Qiwei’s chance of winning is not very high…”

"Zhen Sanshan usually has about 20,000 soldiers under his command. But if he is given time, with his influence in the green forest, he can at least expand his troops to about 50,000. But a bandit is still a bandit. If you ask him to rob houses and set traps, he has no problem doing it."

"But if he were to deploy his troops to confront the government army head-on, Zhen Sanshan would be helpless. Moreover, his most elite 2,000 cavalry were taken away by Jiang Chong. In my opinion, Zhen Sanshan would abandon some of the outlying towns and retreat to Baihu Mountain instead of fighting Ji Qiwei head-on. He would then order other small groups of bandits to attack Ji Qiwei's food supply route."

"The situation in Changqing Prefecture is on the verge of breaking out. Thirty thousand soldiers are already a considerable force. If Ji Qiwei fails to win quickly, Song Wenhui will most likely let Ji Qiwei return to Sanyuan County with his troops in order to ensure the suppression of Changqing Prefecture's troops!"

After listening to Gu Sansi's analysis, Ye Mingsheng was silent for a while, and then continued to ask Gu Sansi:
"Do you think we have a chance?"

Gu Sansi seemed to have expected Ye Mingsheng to ask this question, and he spoke directly:
“Risks and opportunities coexist!”

"Sir, our standing army only has 15,000 soldiers. Commander Yuan's first battalion of 3,000 soldiers is stationed in Xinfa County. This is already the limit and no more can be withdrawn!"

"At least one battalion should be left in Fengzhou, but the fighting capacity of the militia is really worrying and it is not suitable for
We have to go abroad to fight, and the busy farming season is coming soon, which is when we need manpower to farm. Therefore, the troops you can really use, my lord, are only about 10,000 people..."

"Whether it's Ji Qiwei or Zhen Sanshan, their forces are three to five times the forces that my army can mobilize, so it's very risky to send troops. Once we lose the battle, we won't be able to do anything. It's already good enough to be able to defend Fengzhou."

Having said this, Gu Sansi stopped and looked at Ye Mingsheng quietly, as if he wanted to tell what Ye Mingsheng was thinking from his facial expression. However, Ye Mingsheng's expression was like a pool of stagnant water, without the slightest change, which undoubtedly disappointed Gu Sansi.

Since he had returned without success, Gu Sansi did not waste any more time. After carefully considering his words, he said:

"Although the risk is great, sir, we are not without a chance!"

"The first point is that no one would have expected that you, sir, would be so bold as to take advantage of the situation..."

"Suddenness is our biggest advantage! We can catch them off guard when they are least prepared!"

"Secondly, we need an opportunity! An opportunity that will allow us to benefit from the conflict between the two sides. Ji Qiwei and Zhen Sanshan must consume each other, and then we will have a chance!"

"Finally, my lord, you need help and more soldiers. Ten thousand soldiers are too few. Even if you win, it will be difficult to expand the victory!"

Ye Mingsheng nodded slowly after hearing this. When he learned the two pieces of news, he only realized that the opportunity to expand the territory and enhance strength had appeared, and he had not thought too much about it. Now Gu Sansi's analysis told Ye Mingsheng more clearly what he needed to do to win...

Posuo Prefecture was not a good place in the entire Liaoyang Province, because of the serious land annexation and exploitation by the gentry class, which led to a very uneven distribution of wealth in the territory. The rich died of wealth, and the poor died of poverty. In order to survive, more and more poor people had to take risks and become bandits.

In addition, there are all kinds of ethnic groups living together in the land of Posuo Prefecture, which makes the land very chaotic. No matter who is in power, it is difficult to completely control this place!
However, this is not a problem for Ye Mingsheng, who only owns Fengzhou now. He is eager to expand his strength, so no matter whether the meat is fat or lean, he wants to take a bite!
Posuo Prefecture has a vast territory and a sufficient population. According to incomplete statistics, there are about 300,000 to 400,000 people. In addition, Posuo Prefecture has a flat terrain, and the Sulu River and Yichuan River pass through the territory. Although there are floods every few years, the existence of the river water also makes the land in Posuo Prefecture very fertile. If used well, it will be a natural granary.

The third and most important point is that Zhen Sanshan, the leader of the outlaws, had been active in Liaoyang for decades. He had robbed countless wealthy families and accumulated a lot of wealth and food, all of which he hid in his old nest, Baihu Mountain.

It is rumored that the treasure in the White Tiger Mountain, which guards the three mountains, is at least 500,000 taels of silver and 300,000 dan of grain, and other gold, silver and treasures are countless...

If he took this opportunity to kill Zhen Sanshan and get all the money and grain he had accumulated for decades, combined with the sufficient population of Posuo Prefecture, Ye Mingsheng conservatively estimated that he could expand to 50,000 people, and for a period of time, he would not have to worry about the problem of money and grain.

With 50,000 troops equipped with advanced firearms, Ye Mingsheng has the confidence to compete head-on with Song Wenhui or Chen Dechang, instead of passively waiting for the opportunity to come like he is now!

In addition, there are some invisible benefits, such as the further strengthening of strength, which will allow Ye Mingsheng to firmly occupy a dominant position in a possible alliance with the Cui family.

Therefore, occupying Posuo Mansion is an excellent opportunity to enhance strength, and it is worth Ye Mingsheng's risk for it!

After thinking carefully about Gu Sansi's words for a while, Ye Mingsheng said in a deep voice:
"Mr. Gu, do you mean that all we can do now is wait for the opportunity?"

"That's right, sir. You can lift the alarm in Fengzhou now to confuse others, and then secretly gather troops and wait for the opportunity to appear. Before the situation is clear, rashly intervening in Posuo Mansion will only make us the target of public criticism!" Gu Sansi explained:

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Just when Ye Mingsheng and Gu Sansi were plotting how to seize Fengzhou.

The plump and charming Kobayakawa Takahide came to the Plum Blossom Slope Pavilion thirty miles outside Fengzhou City. She first took out an incense burner and a lavender candle, lit the candle and felt the faint fragrance spreading in the pavilion. Kobayakawa Takahide nodded with satisfaction.

Then she took out a very delicate and simple tea set, lit a fire to boil water, and arranged the tea set. After the water boiled, Kobayakawa Takahide used her white and tender fingers to carefully scald the tea whisk and tea bowl.

After the tea whisk and tea bowl were scalded, Kobayakawa Takahide flicked her sleeves, and a gust of wind blew past, and the water evaporated immediately. Then she took out some tea powder and put it into the teacup, poured in a little cold boiled water, and used the tea whisk to make circles to evenly disperse the tea powder. If there were any small lumps, she used the tea whisk to press them apart...
Every step that Kobayakawa Takahide takes in making matcha is very gentle, elegant and natural. You can tell at a glance that he has been taught by a famous teacher and has studied hard!

After a while, a cool breeze blew across Plum Blossom Hill. Kobayakawa Takahide seemed to feel something, and a faint smile appeared on his beautiful, fair oval face.

At this time, the matcha she was making had reached the final stage. Under the stirring of the tea whisk, a layer of fine foam had already emerged on the matcha.

Watching the bubbles appear, Kobayakawa Takahide placed the teacup on the stone table with satisfaction, and said while looking at the quiet woods not far away:

"I still remember that when you were a child, you loved the matcha I made the most. Now why not try to see if my tea-making skills have declined..." Her voice fell slowly, but the woods were already silent, without any change from before. Kobayakawa Takahide did not seem surprised at all, and she continued to speak softly:
"I'm curious about what you've been going through during this period, and I also believe that you need someone to listen to you!"

After saying this, the forest remained as silent as before. Feeling this silence, Kobayakawa Takahide shook his head and said:

"Why should it be so?"

As she spoke, her jade fingers moved slightly, and suddenly three small iron balls shot out from her sleeves and flew straight to the woods in front of her. However, unlike what Kobayakawa Takahide expected, the iron balls that shot into the woods made a crisp sound when they fell to the ground...

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

Hearing this voice, Kobayakawa's face suddenly changed slightly. Just when she realized something and was about to turn around, a samurai sword flashing with cold light was placed on her fair and snow-white neck.

"You shouldn't have come here..."
A deep voice sounded from behind Kobayakawa Takahide.

Feeling the coldness of the samurai sword, Kobayakawa Takahide's heart calmed down for some reason. She did not resist and elegantly smoothed her hair, chuckling and saying:

"Are you worried that I'll disturb your peaceful life?"

After Kobayakawa Takahide's voice fell, the mysterious man behind her was silent for a while before speaking:
"I don't want to kill you!"

"Of course you shouldn't kill me. I am your last relative in this world. Do you know how happy I am to know that you are still alive?" Kobayakawa Takahide continued;

"If you really regard me as a relative, you shouldn't appear here, and you shouldn't let me come to meet you!" The mysterious man said coldly, with a hint of murderousness and anger in his words.

"You should know that this is our destiny. Escaping won't solve any problem..." Kobayakawa Takahide said faintly:
"Do you really think I don't dare to kill you?" The cold voice sounded again.
"If you want to kill me, then go ahead! I owe you this!"

After saying this, Kobayakawa Takahide closed his eyes, as if he was really letting the mysterious man behind him do whatever he wanted!
After waiting for a few moments, seeing that the mysterious man behind him had not made a move yet, Kobayakawa Takahide opened his eyes again, calmly put down the samurai sword on his neck, and said lightly:

"Mori Hui, you have become weak and confused! If it were in the past, you would have chopped off my head without hesitation!"

"Mori Hui, come back with me, I need your help!"

"I owed the Muto family my life, and I have already paid it back. Now I have nothing to do with the Muto family anymore!"

Although he didn't have the heart to really kill Kobayakawa Takahide, the mysterious man still said very coldly:
In response to the other party's refusal, Kobayakawa Takahide shook his head and said:

"Mori Hui, I know what you think and I understand your wish, but do you think you can always stay like this?"

"You know very well that your peaceful and stable life now is nothing but a mirage. It can't withstand the blow at all!"

"As soon as your identity is exposed, what will be waiting for you...I don't need to tell you, right?"

"Men are the most unreliable in this world. To get you, they can say sweet words, live and die for you, and take on everything for you!"

"But these are all lies. As long as they get you, they won't cherish you anymore, especially for a powerful man like you."

"To them, women are nothing more than a piece of clothing or a toy. They can throw them away at will after using them. For them, abandoning them after having sex with them is as easy as eating and drinking. They don't feel any guilt at all, and they don't care what happens to the women they abandon!"

At this point, Kobayakawa Takahide seemed to have thought of something, and reminded softly: "Mori Hui, don't forget how he treated your mother..."

Kobayakawa's words caused the mysterious man behind him to fall silent again. Feeling the other party's silence, Kobayakawa Takahide continued:

"Besides, don't forget that you took Ziyun Pill from Mori Hui, and it seems that you should have had sex with him."

"The more you are together and the more affectionate you are, the faster the drug will take effect. You don't have much time left! If you continue like this, it will take at most a year, or half a year, before the poison starts to take effect, Mori Hui!"

"As long as you are willing to come back, I will help you solve this hidden danger!
"I believe you don't want him to see you being tortured to death by the drugs, right?"

Listening to the tempting words of Kobayakawa Takahide, the mysterious man was silent for half a cup of tea. Just when Kobayakawa Takahide thought he was going to get what he wanted and a smile appeared on her pretty face, the mysterious man suddenly slapped her hard on the shoulder.

"boom!"

Kobayakawa Takahide, who was hit, groaned in surprise and almost fell to the ground...
After hitting Kobayakawa Takahide, the mysterious man behind him said coldly:

"I'll spare your life this time. If you still insist on doing what you want, don't blame me for not remembering our friendship!"

(End of this chapter)