Governor's Mansion, Meeting Room
The Governor nodded his head before he sat down. Many people in the hall bowed, "This humble official pays his respects to the Governor!"
"Dispense with the formalities." The Governor smiled, he seemed to be in a good mood. Being assassinated and having his troops killed had indeed tarnished his reputation. However, the fact that he was able to present the plan to exterminate the pirates was a huge merit. The rest were minor matters. As long as he could maintain his position in Anzhou, he would be able to advance steadily.
These people were all officials close to him, and were summoned here to discuss important matters.
The Governor slapped the table gently and said, "You all know what we are discussing today. If you have any thoughts, speak up!"
A skinny official stood up, "Governor your excellency, today we are here to discuss the opening of the sea ban. It's just that opening the sea ban would be fraught with problems. Using the navy would be a waste of resources and manpower. This has been proven by the previous dynasty. I hope your excellency will reconsider."
This man was Li Cheng, and was very capable. However, he was a little stubborn and honest.
When the Governor heard Li Cheng's question, he laughed. He knew that this man was stubborn and stubborn. However, he was capable and honest. As long as you spoke clearly and had a good reason, he would be able to take the lead. He was a sharp blade in his hands, and would be able to remove any obstacles in the way of opening the sea ban.
He then looked around and saw that everyone was suspicious. He then laughed, "Everyone, are you curious as to why I requested the Emperor's permission to open the sea ban?"
All the officials looked at the Governor suspiciously. Li Cheng then stepped forward, "Governor your excellency is right. I do have some doubts. Why did the Emperor allow your excellency to open the sea ban? I hope your excellency can explain."
Li Cheng then felt that he had gone overboard and continued, "Your excellency knew that I had become a Grand Scholar, and thus swore that I would work for the good of the nation. Today, if what your excellency has said is true, I would be willing to go through fire and water for your excellency."
It's always a headache for me to have such a stubborn and honest official. This man had been recognized by the Emperor, but was demoted due to his stubbornness. His personality had not changed. The Governor looked at Li Cheng and laughed, "That's your personality. Men, distribute the plan to exterminate the pirates to all the officials."
The governor gave the order, and someone stepped forward with a stack of documents on a silver platter, which he distributed to everyone. The contents were the same.
Li Cheng received it and read it carefully. At first, he was astonished. After reading it, he realized that Chen Mo had severed the foundation of the pirates. He didn't speak for some time before speaking, "Your excellency's plan is truly a brilliant one. If we execute it this way, the pirates will be eradicated. If the Governor has any orders, this official will not hesitate to carry it out."
The officials present all sighed when they finished reading the plan. This plan was simple and wasn't worth a single coin. However, no one expected that it was a brilliant plan, and a brilliant plan at that. As long as they could survive the first wave, they would be able to wipe out the pirates.
"Your excellency is wise. With such a plan, we don't have to worry about the pirates not being wiped out." Everyone stood up to congratulate him.
"Haha!" The Governor laughed, "Today, I ordered all of you to come here, in hopes that you can help me perfect the details. How to carry it out, and what are the drawbacks. I hope that all of you can give your opinions and suggestions. Don't hide anything from me, so that the people along the coast can live in peace."
"Your excellency, the first problem with this plan is that the pirates will be rampant, and the sea routes will be difficult to traverse. This plan can be used, but I'm afraid the pirates will not allow it to be carried out. If they do, we will have to cut off their source of income. This plan cannot be leaked, or the pirates will retaliate in a frenzy. We have to guard against this."
When the Governor heard this, he nodded his head, "Your excellency Li is right. If we carry out this plan, the pirates will definitely not allow it. Does anyone else have any thoughts?"
Another person stepped forward, "Your excellency, it's just like what his excellency Li has said. Opening up the sea routes is the most difficult, and requires the protection of the navy. Opening up the sea routes would take at least a few years, and the pirates would be eradicated. It's just that the early stages of this plan would require the Imperial Court to take the lead."
"That's right your excellency. The problem now is that the dynasty has just been established. Most of the navy would be able to move inland, and it would be difficult for them to attack the sea routes. This is the biggest problem."
Everyone discussed amongst themselves. All of a sudden, someone stepped out and said, "Governor your excellency, this official has something to say."
"Oh, it's you. Eh …." The Governor watched as the official bowed and stood up, "You are Zhang Can. If you have something to say, just say it."
This Zhang Can was a sixth ranked official. Although he wasn't young, in front of a third ranked official, he was still considered weak. He then spoke, "Everyone, actually we don't need to open up the sea routes."
"I've read the Exterminating the Pirates Strategy, and there's a solution within."
"The pirates are able to run amok along the coast because of the Seven Bandits and Three Pirates. These seven bandits are the sea merchants from the mainland, and have colluded with the pirates along the coast."
"The pirates are indeed quite strong. However, they can't seal off the sea routes. As long as we open up the sea routes, the powerful sea merchants will naturally be able to open up the routes."
"Governor your excellency is actually very confident. There's a plan within a plan, and you've already planned it out."
When the Governor heard this, he was taken aback. He didn't expect the Exterminating the Pirates Strategy to have such a plan. He then said, "Continue!"
"Opening up the sea routes will force the pirates to their deaths, and force them to fight us to the death. However, the Governor can spread the word that the Imperial Court will only open up one or three ports."
"This way, not only will it be easier to manage, it will also lessen the impact on the pirates. Naturally, there will be less resistance."
"Most new ports are not perfect. If the Governor were to open them up at once, any problems would arise, and we would be vulnerable to attack. If there's only one to three ports, even if problems arise, it would be easy to resolve."
"When we have perfected the system and management, and when the sea merchants have tasted the sweetness of success, then we can open up the ports. At that point, the only remaining pirates will be the pirates, and we can wipe them out."
When the Governor heard this, his eyes gleamed, as he thought to himself. This was indeed a good move. Furthermore, when he thought about it carefully, he realized that the steps were all laid out in the Exterminating the Pirates Strategy. He then clapped his hands and said, "Not bad, a good idea!"
He then turned to Zhang Can and said, "Don't return to your mansion to be an official. Stay by my side as an advisor. I shall report to the Imperial Court, and give you a rank of fifth ranked official."
After the discussion had concluded, everyone present stepped forward and said, "Your excellency, with this strategy, the pirates have been exterminated. It's a blessing for the people of An Prefecture to have your excellency, the Governor."
The Governor waved his hands and smiled, "Everyone has misunderstood. This strategy was not proposed by me, but by Top Scorer Pei Zi Yun. It's for the good of the people of An Prefecture. It's just that this person has already entered a Daoist sect, and can't be an official. Furthermore, he has done a great service for us. Hence, I'm in a dilemma.
The Governor was a man of his word, and agreed to Pei Zi Yun's request. He wasn't greedy and told everyone about this.
An official walked out, his name was Liao Ge and said, "Governor your excellency, if you're not an official, you don't want to be a Daoist. The Imperial Court has a special way to reward Daoists. Why don't we request the Imperial Court to reward this Patriarch of Green Cloud Monastery."
This Liao Ge had been arranged by the Governor long ago. He was the last one to arrive at the meeting. At this point, the Governor stroked his beard, "The Patriarch of Green Cloud Monastery has already been conferred the title of Dao Master. If he gets another title, he'll be a True Sovereign."
When the officials around heard this, they looked at Liao Ge and understood what the Governor was thinking. He wanted to use this opportunity to reward the Patriarch of Green Cloud Monastery.
Li Cheng stepped forward, "Your excellency, since this strategy was proposed by Pei Zi Yun, we can request for him to be conferred a title. Pei Zi Yun has already become a Daoist, and should be conferred the title of a Daoist official. As for this person's sect, we can request for him to be conferred the title of True Sovereign."
"That's not appropriate!" An official then stepped forward, "Your excellency, how can the Imperial Court confer a title on someone so easily. We can just request the Imperial Court to bestow him with some land. Asking the Imperial Court to reward him is just seeking fame and fortune. How can a Daoist do that?"
When the Governor heard this, he was about to speak when Liao Ge stood up, "Your excellency, the Imperial Court has its own rules for rewarding Daoist sects. How can a Daoist not be rewarded just because he has become a Daoist? Wouldn't everyone avoid this matter in the future? Furthermore, the Imperial Court of the Xu Dynasty has decreed this to the Prefectures. "
As he said this, he stood up straight and read out loud, "The Xu Dynasty has been established, protected by hundreds of deities. This is the fortune of the Heavens, and the virtue of the Emperor. Those who have been blessed by the Heavens should also be rewarded with good deeds. The prayers of the Heavenly Shrines have been answered, and the merits of the Emperor have been rewarded. His deeds are remarkable, and he should be conferred a title of Nobility. The Prefectures shall report this to the Emperor."
As he finished reciting the document, the official who had rejected the idea of conferring a title of Nobility turned red and sat down without saying another word.
When the Governor heard Liao Ge's words, he nodded his head in approval. He then smiled, "Your excellency Liao's suggestion is not bad. It should be like this. Your excellency Liao, please write a petition for Pei Zi Yun and Green Cloud Monastery. I shall report this to the Imperial Court."
Liao Ge then replied, "Yes, your excellency Governor."
Earlier on, the official had glared at Liao Ge with hatred, as though he hated Liao Ge as well.
After the Governor's Mansion had concluded their discussion, all the officials swarmed out of the mansion, talking amongst themselves. The official who had rejected the idea of conferring a title of Nobility followed them out of the mansion. He sat on a palanquin, with a servant following beside him. This official looked around, and when he saw that there was no one around, he leaned against the palanquin and instructed the servant, "The Governor is asking for a title of Nobility on behalf of Green Cloud Monastery and Pei Zi Yun. Looks like this person has pledged his allegiance to the Governor.
Go and inform Master Hou of this. "This person had long pledged his allegiance to Ji Bei Hou, and had wanted to ruin Pei Zi Yun's plans. When the servant heard the order, he looked around to make sure that there was no one around, before hurriedly leaving to deliver the message.
When the servant arrived at Hou Mansion, the sky was dark, and the snow was getting heavier. After delivering the message, Shen Zhi came out to welcome him. From afar, he saw several guards standing guard at the entrance. Just as he was about to speak, the servant bowed down and said, "This servant has been ordered by master Dai to deliver a letter to your excellency."
"Rise!" Shen Zhi then led the servant in, as he listened to the servant's report. As he walked, he didn't say a word. Occasionally, he would ask a few questions. Before long, they arrived at a building in the northeast corner of the mansion. The servant was already waiting outside. Shen Zhi then entered and reported to Ji Bei Hou.
Ji Bei Hou listened attentively, and didn't speak. He then looked at the snow that was getting heavier and heavier. After some time, he sighed, "Mister Shen, your fate is truly fearsome!"
Ji Bei Hou spoke out gloomily, "That year when I started my army, everything was going well. Following the Emperor, everything went smoothly. However, with the rise of the dynasty, everything changed, and everything went wrong for me."
"This plan to subdue the pirates seemed simple, but in actual fact, it was very effective. I had no way of resisting it."
"This Pei Zi Yun, according to logic, should have been close to us!" Ji Bei Hou sighed, "Yet he helped the Governor, and made me his enemy."
As he spoke up to this point, he laughed coldly, "My son entered Free Cloud Sect, and I've always supported him. Who would've thought that Free Cloud Sect would still side with the Governor. What a waste of my efforts."
"This Pei Zi Yun presented the plan to subdue the pirates, and it was so brilliant. I don't believe that it was done by a single person. When I looked at the person the Governor was asking for, it wasn't Pei Zi Yun, but the Patriarch. They must have formed an alliance in secret. No matter what I did, I never imagined that Free Cloud Sect would be the one to sabotage me, and ruin my plans."
"Tomorrow, call my third brother over. I shall punish him by locking him up to reflect on his mistakes. Think about it carefully. Without Hou Mansion, he wouldn't be considered a third young master. Now that Pei Zi Yun is an enemy of Hou Mansion, we have to get rid of him. Shen Zhi, think of a way to get rid of him."
As Ji Bei Hou spoke, his face was filled with killing intent. Shen Zhi couldn't help but tremble in fear. He then sighed, knowing that Master Hou hated Pei Zi Yun to the core.
Although Pei Zi Yun was talented, since he was on the opposing side of Hou Mansion, he could only be killed.
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