In the council chamber, Xie Xun slammed his palm onto the table in raging fury, shattering a corner of the solid wooden desk. A crack split through the middle of the desk, a testament to the sheer force of his anger. All three pamphlets were unequivocal: they accused Xie Xun of planning to massacre Jiaozhou and painted Lin Zhi as a stalwart loyalist.
Xu Zhou and the assembled generals felt their scalps tingling with unease. This was clearly a premeditated trap. These pamphlets sprouted like mushrooms after a rainstorm, spreading instantly throughout the streets and alleys of Yanyang. The intent was unmistakable – a targeted attack on the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry through public opinion.
