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The noble hesitated, as if reluctant to continue, but the damage had already been done. "It is only a rumor, of course," he said, "but it comes from reliable sources within the palace. They say the king is desperate to secure Lie Fan's favor and sees you as an obstacle to that goal."
Yeon Gaesomun's temper, already volatile, erupted. He slammed his teacup onto the table, the delicate porcelain shattering into pieces. "How dare he!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room. "After all I have done for Goguryeo and supporting him to the throne, after all the sacrifices I have made, this is how he repays me?! To think that we have such a king, a man who would sell his own people to a foreign power to keep himself safe!"
The guests exchanged uneasy glances, but among them were those who had been instructed to fan the flames. One of the military officials, a man who had secretly pledged loyalty to Lie Fan, leaned forward.
"General," he said, his voice filled with feigned concern, "if these rumors are true, then we cannot sit idly by. The king's actions threaten not only your life but the very sovereignty of Goguryeo, and if we don't do anything soon King Sansang would just give Goguryeo to Lie Fan."
Another noble, whose loyalty had been secured through blackmail, nodded in agreement. "The king's weakness is a disgrace to our kingdom, General. If we do not act, Goguryeo will become nothing more than a puppet state, dancing to Lie Fan's tune."
Yeon Gaesomun's eyes burned with a mixture of anger and determination. "You are right," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "We cannot allow this to continue. If the king will not defend Goguryeo's honor, then we must, I must defend the honor of this kingdom."
The room erupted in murmurs of agreement, the guests feeding off Yeon Gaesomun's rage. Slowly, subtly, the idea of taking action began to take root.
One of the military officials, carefully coached by the Oriole Agents, suggested, "Perhaps it is time to remind the king and Lie Fan of Goguryeo's strength. An attack on Lie Fan's stronghold town Xiangping would send a clear message that we will not be cowed."
Yeon Gaesomun's eyes narrowed as he considered the suggestion. The idea of striking at Xiangping, a key stronghold, was audacious, but it was also a bold statement of defiance. "Xiangping," he murmured, his voice tinged with a dangerous edge. "Yes, that would show them the strength of Goguryeo."
The guests nodded, their expressions a mix of excitement and apprehension. The seeds of rebellion had been planted, and the flames of Yeon Gaesomun's anger had been fanned into a roaring fire.
Unbeknownst to him, the idea of attacking Xiangping had been carefully implanted, a product of the Oriole Agents' manipulation. But to Yeon Gaesomun, it felt like his own decision, a righteous act of defiance against a king who had betrayed him and a foreign power that sought to dominate his homeland.
As the tea party continued, the conversation shifted to plans and preparations. Yeon Gaesomun's influence within the military, though diminished, was still considerable. With the support of his loyalists, he could mobilize a significant force. The attack on Xiangping would be risky, but it was a risk he was willing to take.
Meanwhile, in the shadows, the Oriole Agents watched and waited. Their mission was far from over, but the first steps had been taken. The flames of conflict had been lit, and it shows that the internal flame plan was a great success.
For Sima Yi and Lord Lie Fan, the chaos that would follow was not a setback but an opportunity, a chance to reshape Goguryeo according to what Lie Fab wanted it supposed to be. And for Yeon Gaesomun, the path he had chosen would lead him into a storm of his own making, unaware that he was merely a pawn in a much larger game.
After the tea party concluded, the atmosphere in Yeon Gaesomun's residence shifted from one of simmering anger to focused determination. The former general, his pride wounded and his loyalty to Goguryeo burning fiercely, invited the high ranking military officials and his most trusted subordinates to his private study.
The room was a reflection of Yeon Gaesomun himself, austere yet commanding, with maps of Goguryeo and its neighboring territories spread across a large oak table, and shelves lined with scrolls detailing military strategies and historical campaigns. The air was thick with tension, but also with a sense of purpose. The time for idle talk was over; now was the time for action.
Yeon Gaesomun stood at the head of the table, his imposing figure casting a long shadow in the flickering light of the oil lamps. He thanked everyone for their presence, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of urgency.
"Gentlemen," he began, his tone commanding the room's attention, "I appreciate your loyalty and your willingness to stand with me in this critical moment. Goguryeo is at a crossroads, and the decisions we make today will determine its fate. We cannot allow our kingdom to be reduced to a puppet state, dancing to the whims of foreign powers. It is our duty to act, and act decisively."
The men in the room nodded, their expressions a mix of resolve and apprehension. They were seasoned warriors and strategists, but they also understood the risks of what they were about to undertake. Yeon Gaesomun's gaze swept across the room, lingering on each face as if to gauge their commitment.
"Before we proceed," he continued, "we must assess the current state of our military. I need to know everything, funds, equipment, training, morale. Only with a clear understanding of our strengths and weaknesses can we formulate a plan to strike at Xiangping."
The room fell silent as the military officials exchanged glances. Among them were men who had secretly pledged their loyalty to Lie Fan, their allegiances bought or coerced by the Oriole Agents.
These individuals had been instructed to provide Yeon Gaesomun with a skewed picture of the army's condition, one that would push him toward immediate action. One of the generals, a man named Choi Minho, stepped forward.
He was a seasoned officer who had served under Yeon Gaesomun for years, but his loyalty had recently been swayed by the promise of power and protection from Lie Fan's agents.
"General," Choi Minho began, his voice carefully measured, "the state of the army is… concerning. Since Jang Gidu took command, the funds allocated to the military have been mismanaged. Corruption runs rampant, and much of the money intended for soldiers' pay and equipment has been siphoned off by Jang Gidu and his cohorts. Many of our men have not received their wages, and morale is dangerously low."
Yeon Gaesomun's jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "Corruption?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Jang Gidu dares to steal from the very group of men who defend this kingdom? This is an outrage!"
Another officer, a younger man named Park Hyunseok, nodded in agreement. "It's worse than that, General. Jang Gidu's incompetence is matched only by his arrogance. He has no understanding of military strategy or discipline. His appointment was a political move, nothing more. The soldiers despise him, but they fear King Sansang's wrath if they speak out."
Yeon Gaesomun let out a defeated and angry sigh, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the news. The army he had once led with pride and discipline was now a shadow of its former self.
The soldiers he had treated like his own sons were suffering, their loyalty to Goguryeo exploited by greedy and inept leaders. "This is unacceptable," he muttered, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. "Our men deserve better. Goguryeo deserves better."
Choi Minho stepped forward again, his expression one of feigned concern. "General, if we are to act, we must do so quickly and discreetly. Jang Gidu and King Sansang are already suspicious of your influence within the military. If they catch wind of our plans, they will move to stop us before we can mobilize. We must strike at Xiangping before they have a chance to react."
Yeon Gaesomun's eyes narrowed as he considered the suggestion. The idea of attacking Xiangping was audacious, but it was also a bold statement of defiance, a way to remind both King Sansang and Lie Fan of Goguryeo's strength. "You're right," he said, his voice firm. "We cannot afford to wait. Every day we delay is another day our soldiers suffer, another day Goguryeo's sovereignty is eroded. We must act now."
The room erupted in murmurs of agreement, the officers feeding off Yeon Gaesomun's determination. Among them, the Oriole agents disguised as loyalists exchanged subtle glances, their mission progressing exactly as planned.
They had successfully manipulated Yeon Gaesomun into considering an attack on Xiangping, and now they would ensure that the plan moved forward without a hitch.
Park Daegu, another officer whose loyalty had been secured through blackmail, spoke up. "General, if we are to mobilize the army, we must do so with precision and secrecy. Jang Gidu's incompetence has left many of our units disorganized, but there are still those who remain loyal to you. If we can rally these units and coordinate their movements, we can launch a surprise attack on Xiangping before King Sansang and Jang Gidu even realize what's happening."
Yeon Gaesomun nodded, his mind racing as he began to formulate a plan. "We will need to gather intelligence on Xiangping's defenses," he said, his voice steady. "We must know their strengths and weaknesses, their supply lines, their troop movements. Only then can we strike with precision."
Choi Minho stepped forward once more, his expression one of feigned determination. "Leave that to me, General. I have contacts within the region who can provide us with the information we need. We will know Xiangping's every weakness before we strike."
Yeon Gaesomun's eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity. "Good," he said, his voice low and resolute. "We will not fail. For Goguryeo, for our soldiers, for our honor, we will strike at Xiangping and remind the world of our strength."
As the meeting continued, the officers discussed the logistics of the operation, how to mobilize the troops without alerting Jang Gidu, how to secure the necessary supplies, and how to coordinate the attack.
The Oriole agents among them subtly guided the conversation, ensuring that the plan aligned with Lie Fan's objectives. They knew that once the attack on Xiangping was launched, it would create the chaos needed to force King Sansang's hand and pave the way for the establishment of the Lie Clan Supervision Bureau.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 33 (200 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0