Bi Chun slowly rose. Lowering his gaze, he lightly said, "This lowly official congratulates daren on your meteoric rise and your high position. Hearing that daren is going to inspect the Longshan Guards, this lowly official did not dare to be negligent and is currently organizing military affairs, quietly waiting for daren's arrival. Only, I don't know … why daren did not notify daren to enter the camp in the early hours of the morning and first arrest my personal army before ordering this lowly official to see you. What is the reason for this? "
Yang Ling swept his gaze to both sides and saw more than twenty officers standing solemnly on either side, not daring to breathe too loudly. However, everyone's ears were perked up, clearly very concerned about his intentions in coming.
He smiled faintly. In today's surprise attack on the Dragon Mountain Guards, he had Ding Xian acting as a spy and had taken care of Bi Chun without using a single saber or spear. His worried heart had already relaxed, so his expression was extremely calm.
Yang Ling calmly glanced at Liu Biao. Liu Biao immediately stepped forward and shouted, "Inner Factory Supervisor, imperial envoy Mister Yang is inspecting Jiangnan and has received a report from the Longshan Guards Commander General Ding. He has investigated the Longshan Guards Commander Bi Chun and Deputy Lu Jiyun for embezzling military pay, forcefully buying fields, falsely reporting the number of soldiers, damaging military equipment, and engaging in various forms of corruption to line their own pockets, causing the people to seethe with resentment and the soldiers to suffer unspeakably. The evidence of their crimes is conclusive.
All illegal military and political matters in Jiangnan can be investigated and investigated by the imperial envoy during his inspection. Following the imperial edict, Bi Chun and Lu Jiyun are immediately dismissed and will be escorted back to the capital to receive their punishment. "
The hall was instantly in an uproar. They had long felt that the imperial envoy's sudden entrance into the camp today was definitely not a good thing. Who would have thought that they really were here to arrest people, and that the commander and deputy commander had both been arrested?
Hearing this, Lu Jiyun trembled. He and Bi Chun were both shocked and angry. Commander Ding Lin did not expect Liu Biao to publicly mention him. His face couldn't help alternating between red and white. It was clearly the imperial envoy who wanted to arrest Bi Chun, but he just had to say that he had received his report and came to investigate. This time, he wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
Bi Chun was shocked and angry. "Daren, why do you say this? This lowly official has always been loyal to his duty. This is clearly … clearly Ding Lin and this official are not on good terms, so he is trying to take revenge and slander me. Daren, you cannot listen to his side of the story. "
Hearing this, Ding Lin made up his mind. He jumped out and said, "City Secretary Bi, you know very well what you have done. You colluded with Deputy Envoy Lu and embezzled military funds, isn't it true? According to the law, the army's provisions should be managed by me, the Deputy Commissioner. What right do you have to control it? When you go to the Northern Lands, hand over the financial rights to that Lu fellow. You're afraid that I'll get involved … "
Yang Ling waved his hand to stop him and said, "Of course I won't punish you based on hearsay. Do you want evidence?"
He straightened his back and said, "Someone, bring me the evidence!"
Immediately there were four foreigners, two carrying a thick stack of documents, the other two carrying a chest came into the tent. Yang Ling pointed to the stack of documents and said, "This roll is the roster of the officers and men, the number of people in the roster is 6539. If Ben Guan let the officers and men announce their names now, I will check them one by one. If there is a difference of more than a hundred people, Ben Guan will not charge you as having falsely claimed your pay."
Hearing this, Bi Chun's face turned ashen. A difference of more than a hundred people? A difference of more than a thousand people. The Imperial Court's pay is based on this number of people. How did Yang Ling know? How did he sound so certain …
It must be that dog thief Ding Lin who snitched! He glared fiercely at Ding Lin. His expression was as if he wanted to pounce on him and bite him to death.
Yang Ling pointed to another stack of documents and said, "Every soldier in the army is given a piece of land. The government will supply them with cattle, farm tools and seeds. They will also collect rations. This is the system of the Imperial Garrison. Now most of the land has been divided up by you high-ranking officers. Only some barren land is still in the hands of the soldiers. You have taken it by force and deception, causing the soldiers to have no way to make a living. They have no choice but to leave the army and flee to other places. Is this also General Ding's false accusation? Do you want me to investigate one by one? "
Bi Chun's face was pale and his hands were trembling. The arrogant temperament that was neither servile nor overbearing had completely disappeared.
Yang Ling heaved a sigh of relief and lightly waved his hand. The two foreigners at the front split the account books to the left and right, while the two foreigners at the back put down the box and took out a shield.
The shield was originally made of hardwood wrapped in iron, but the surface of the shield was already rusted. The color of the shield was dark and there were some traces of damp moss. It was unknown how long it had been since it was painted and maintained. The two of them acted as if they were performing. One held the shield while the other pulled out the podao at his waist. One chopped and the other met. The podao fell and the shield broke as if they were cutting vegetables.
It was fortunate that the two of them were prepared. The one wielding the blade had good control of his strength, and the one wielding the shield immediately let go of the shield the moment it broke, taking the opportunity to take out another landmine from the crate. Yang Ling laughed coldly. "The firearms in the army have to be maintained properly. What did you do with the money allocated by the imperial court for the maintenance of the firearms room? Can two out of ten [Shen Crow Flaming Thunder] explode loudly? "
Bi Chun looked up to the sky and gave a long sigh. She closed her eyes and did not say another word. Deputy Envoy Lu was like a rooster whose throat had been cut. He did not know what to say and suddenly fell to his knees, trembling and unable to speak.
Yang Ling sighed and turned his head to say, "Other than your personal guards, what difference is there between my, Ming Destiny's guards and beggars? Not to mention you … you took advantage of the enemy when they were fighting the Wokou pirates … that shameless and unscrupulous behavior! "
He waved his hand and four foreigners immediately rushed over and pressed Bi Chun and Lu Jiyun to the ground. They tied them up and dragged them out of the tent. The big tent was quiet. Some of the generals who were eating fish and drinking soup were so frightened that their legs were shaking and their faces were pale.
Yang Ling's expression softened and he said to the generals, "I know that you all have done illegal things more or less, but most of you were forced by the situation and feared that the higher-ups would be wary of you, so you had no choice but to restrain yourselves and agree. Now that I have eliminated the main culprit, I will not pursue those who were forced to comply."
The twenty odd generals were overjoyed when they heard this. Their armors clattered and they immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing and thanking him, saying, "We thank Sir Yang for your kindness!"
Yang Ling smiled and looked at Ding Qianshi, saying, "General Ding!"
Ding Lin was shocked and hurriedly stepped out of the ranks, saying, "I am here!"
Yang Ling said, "The army cannot be without a commander for a day. Right now, your rank is the highest among the Dragon Mountain Guards. This heavy responsibility will have to be temporarily shouldered by you. When there is an edict from the capital, you can go back to your duties. "
Ding Lin was overjoyed and hurriedly knelt down, saying, "I will obey!"
Yang Ling nodded and stretched out a finger, saying, "Bi Chun's great mistake is your great merit. He embezzled the army's pay, falsely reported the number of soldiers, forcefully bought the fields, and damaged the armaments. Do you know what to do now? "
Ding Lin was startled and raised his head to see Yang Ling's fierce gaze. His heart couldn't help but shiver and he hurriedly replied, "I understand. I will immediately distribute the embezzled pay to the soldiers, re-measure the fields and return them all. I will count the number of soldiers and report it to the Imperial Command, recruit new troops, and repair and maintain the armaments …"
Yang Ling said with a smile that was not a smile, "Very good. I will send someone to see how you do. If someone obstructs you, I will make the decision for you. Just doing this is not enough. You must lead the troops well so that when the Wokou pirates come again, you can have a big battle and drive them back to the sea to become fish and turtles.
Don't learn from Bi Chun, only knowing how to chase after people's butts for the little property they left behind. That is the blood and sweat of the commoners, who have no conscience! "
Ding Lin and the twenty or so officers below him were flushed red and sweating profusely, saying, "Yes, yes, yes. I will obey."
Yang Ling rose and said, "General Ding, you must restrain your troops. Alright, I will immediately bring the criminals back to the city."
Before Yang Ling decided to act, he had already sent someone to discuss this matter with Ding Lin. As long as Bi Chun and Lu Jiyun were arrested, they would be like a dragon without a leader. Even if Bi Chun's personal troops temporarily refused to submit to him, they still wouldn't have the courage to openly rebel. Furthermore, Ding Lin had some personal interests. Ding Lin was confident that he could suppress them.
Yang Ling had also thought about conscripting the Dragon Mountain Guards to eliminate Yuan Xiong, but if he conscripted the officers and soldiers of the Dragon Mountain Guards, whose morale was unstable, it was hard to say whether or not Bi Chun's trusted aides would secretly release him amidst the chaos. For the sake of safety, Yang Ling decided that as long as the Dragon Mountain Guards could maintain their current stability, it would be a good thing. He didn't dare to hope that they would be of any use.
The officers of the Dragon Mountain Guards hurriedly stood up and retreated to the two sides. The forty foreigners surrounded Yang Ling in the middle and filed out in a line. Exiting the main tent, he saw Guan Shouying and Zheng Dapeng, two familiar friends, standing dazedly outside the door. On two makeshift prison carriages, Bi Chun and Lu Jiyun, who were tied up, had blank expressions on their faces. Seeing him come out, they suddenly lowered their heads and glared fiercely at him, as if they wanted to swallow him whole.
In the past, Yang Ling had called Guan Shouying and Zheng Dapeng brothers. Seeing them like this, he couldn't bear to see them like this, so he stopped in his tracks but didn't go over to chat. He only said in a low voice to Ding Lin, who had followed him, "Among the Dragon Mountain Guards, Bi Chun's personal troops are the strongest. It's better to appease them than suppress them. Don't make things difficult for them. Bestow kindness upon them. They will be of great help to you."
Ding Lin didn't dare to disobey and hurriedly promised, "Yes, yes, yes. Don't worry, Daren. Although this lowly one's breadth of mind can't compare to Daren's, I can still tolerate a few personal troops. I definitely won't make things difficult for them."
Yang Ling nodded, slowly walking out of the center of the army. Min Wenjian and Baihu Zheng led the three hundred strong soldiers and also retreated. There were many tents on both sides of the road. The soldiers of the Commander of the Army were still holding their swords and spears as they guarded the various tents. At this moment, someone shouted from a tent in the distance, "I want to see the imperial envoy, I want to see the imperial envoy."
Yang Ling raised his head and looked. He saw a soldier running out of a tent. The Haining Imperial Guards had already stopped him. A few bad-tempered soldiers kicked him to the ground and gave him a good beating. The atmosphere in the surroundings immediately became restless. Yang Ling's personal troops were on duty. The soldiers armed with repeating crossbows were already on the alert, raising their arrows with cold tips.
Yang Ling coldly said, "It's just one person. Are you afraid that he will rebel? Bring him here! "
The Haining Imperial Guards beat him violently. The man was bare-handed and didn't dare to resist. He was afraid that he would be misunderstood as an assassin dying unjustly. He just covered his head to protect his vital parts and shouted, "I have an old friendship with Daren. Don't hit me."
After listening to the order of Yang Ling's personal troops, the Haining Imperial Guards stopped punching and kicking. They picked him up and brought him over with his hands behind his back.
Yang Ling looked at the man. Although his face was bruised, his eyebrows and eyes were clearly Ma Ang. He couldn't help but be surprised. There were too many things to plan and worry about in arresting Bi Chun Yuan Xiong and arranging people to secretly investigate Mo Qinghe. He actually forgot that Ma Ang was still in Bi Chun's army.
Yang Ling quickly took two steps forward and ordered, "Quickly let him go." As he said this, he went forward and grabbed his hand. He looked up and down and said, "Brother Ma, it really is you."
Ma Ang had just been beaten up, but seeing that Yang Ling was being so affectionate toward him, he completely forgot about the pain on his body in his shock. He hurriedly smiled apologetically and said, "Sir Imperial Envoy, I … I …"
Yang Ling quickly said, "Brother Ma, don't say that. You and I have known each other for a long time. We have always called each other brothers. Now you call me like this."
When Ma Ang heard him say this, he was suddenly ecstatic. It seemed that Yang Ling didn't forget his younger sister. His brother-in-law was the supervisor of the inner factory. Haha, this was like reaching the sky in a single bound.
Ever since Ma Lian 'er offended Bi Chun and the marriage fell through, Bi Chun didn't like him very much. Originally he was a favored personal guard and had even been promoted to the rank of a sergeant, but Bi Chun found an excuse to demote him to a small guard and in the end he was sent off to raise horses.
Now that he had become a lowly soldier and was far away from Bi Chun's sight, Bi Chun did not make things difficult for him again. But with his proud and arrogant temperament, the fact that he was well-read and well-versed in martial arts, yet he was forced to work with a dozen illiterate old horse grooms to raise horses. Usually he was bossed around, so his days were not easy.
Later, he gradually heard that Yang Ling was making a meteoric rise in the capital. Ma Ang couldn't help but be surprised and happy. His younger sister really had good eyesight. This Yang Ling was really not a person in a pond. It turned out that he felt that his younger sister's appearance and talent were the best. Marrying a post official as a concubine was not only a loss to his younger sister, but also a loss of face for the Ma family.
Now, he was worried about personal gains and losses. He was afraid that Yang Ling would enter the capital. He was a dragon among men under the feet of the Son of Heaven. His standards would be too high and he wouldn't like his younger sister anymore. He had originally planned to wait for Yang Ling to come on patrol and ask to see Yang Ling.
But today, Yang Ling had suddenly sent out his troops, taking control of the Dragon Mountain Guards before directly entering the main tent. He had waited until now, only to see Bi Chun and the deputy commander Sir Lu tied up in the carriage. Yang Ling was about to leave, and Ma Ang was afraid that he would not be able to see him once they parted, so he shouted and rushed out.
Yang Ling saw that Ma Ang's bronze skin had become even darker, but his original imposing manner had completely disappeared. His clothing … was really somewhat shabby. He couldn't help but be surprised and said, "Brother Ma, aren't you a soldier in the army? This is …? "
Ding Lin saw that a small soldier in his army actually knew the imperial envoy and was very surprised. But Ma Ang had been a cart driver ever since he entered the Dragon Mountain Guards. He hadn't even seen him before and didn't know his name. He couldn't help but look curiously at the two of them.
Ma Ang saw Deputy Commander Ding Lin standing respectfully behind Yang Ling. He also recognized the person beside him. It was the former magistrate of Chicken Crow County, Lord Min. He took the opportunity to say in a loud voice, "Sir, ever since my sister and you became engaged, Bi Chun took her anger out on me. Before I even entered the Dragon Mountain Guards, she demoted me to a cart driver and humiliated me in every possible way. Seeing you today, I can finally be born. My sister has been waiting for you in her hometown in Jinling ever since she parted ways with you … "
Yang Ling's face reddened and he hurriedly stopped this blabbermouth. He said, "Brother Ma, Brother Ma, now that Bi Chun has committed a crime, she will be escorted to the capital by me in a few days. General Ding has temporarily become the Commander. I believe that General Ding will definitely not treat you unfairly."
Hearing that this was the imperial envoy's brother-in-law, Ding Lin's face was immediately full of smiles. He repeatedly said, "Yes, yes, I am lacking a personal guard captain. I have not found a suitable candidate, if …"
Hearing this, Ma Ang was a bit anxious. Yang Ling and Bi Chun were different. With the rising tide, the boat would be raised. You, the grand Supervisor of the Inner Factory, had the nerve to let your own brother-in-law be a lowly personal guard captain in the Wei Institute?
He hurriedly said, "Sir, I heard that the Inner Factory has just opened and is in urgent need of manpower. Right now there are very few battles on the southern border, and the military's effectiveness is not as good as …"
Lord Min interrupted him and said, "Sir, the salt soldiers have suffered heavy losses. Out of the three generals under my command, only one remains. I urgently lack a general. Ma Ang is skilled in both literature and martial arts. I have always known this very well. Why don't I ask you to mediate and let Ma Ang be under my command? "
As he spoke, he had already walked forward and pulled Ma Ang's arm. He smiled and said, "Nephew, long time no see. You look even more steady and sturdy." As he spoke, he moved closer and quickly whispered, "Idiot, in front of so many people, how do you expect Sir to act privately? Go to my army first. As long as your sister doesn't run out of the Yang Family, what are you so anxious about? "
Ma Ang was stunned. Only now did he realize that he had been too impatient. He had already pointed out Yang Ling's identity, and it was not appropriate for him to arrange his future in front of so many people. He hurriedly shut his mouth.
Yang Ling let out a breath and turned to Ding Lin. "Ma Ang is an old friend of mine. He is talented in both literature and martial arts. It is a waste of his talent to be a horse groom. Lord Min has fought against the Japanese and killed the enemy. Currently, we have lost more than half of our men and horses. It is easy to recruit soldiers, but we are in urgent need of a general. Will General Ding be willing to let him go?"
Even if he wanted all the people and horses to go, Ding Lin wouldn't dare to refuse, let alone just a horse groom. He hurriedly said, "Of course, of course. Then … Brother Ma, please follow Lord Min back to Haining first. I will handle the transfer procedures later."
* * *
Ma Ang was skilled in both martial arts and literature, but the official handover had not yet been made and the salt soldiers did not recognize him. It was not convenient for Yang Ling to let him participate in the arrest of Yuan Xiong, so he sent thirty guards to let Ma Ang lead the large group of people to escort two prison carriages slowly. He himself led the large group at a gallop to the customs office.
At this time, the sky was bright and the sun was shining brightly. The movement of nearly a thousand soldiers could not be hidden from the eyes and ears of others. They could only hurry along and kill him when he was least expected.
Yuan Xiong's customs office was not far from the Longshan Guards. Ten li to the left of the mountain through Maple Leaf Town was called Luoyan Beach. Luoyan Beach was dozens of li in circumference. There was originally only one pier here, and in front of it was a salt lake with countless islands in the lake that led to the distant sea.
Yuan Xiong built the customs office on this Luoyan Beach. Now there were more and more thugs under his command. Buildings were constantly being built around the office and it had gradually become an independent town. Apart from the official road, it was surrounded by reeds as tall as a person. Yuan Xiong did not live in the city and came here as if he was a king. He was free and unfettered.
As soon as the army approached Luoyan Beach, they spread out horizontally and approached the customs office in a fan shape. The army's crossbowmen were in front and the sabers and spears were in the back. The reeds covered an extremely large area. From a distance, it looked like a dense forest. When the nearly a thousand soldiers entered, they immediately disappeared.
The customs office was surrounded by reeds, but three of them were connected to land. The other side of the reeds was the pier. Yang Ling had already sent fifty foreign soldiers to attack the pier. They only had one goal: to destroy the sails and break the oars. This way, even if Yuan Xiong wanted to escape, the water route would not be available.
Yang Ling walked on foot in the reeds with several dozen soldiers. The moist, moist, and faint green fragrance like a rice dumpling drifted with the wind, making people feel intoxicated.
Occasionally, there would be a river in the reeds. The river was very shallow. When the army passed by, wild ducks and egrets would be startled from time to time, flying straight into the sky. There were also some hares and foxes scurrying to the east and west. It looked very interesting. However, the soldiers knew that the customs office had tax collectors who were more than twice their number. Everyone was cautious, so no one bothered to look.
Yang Ling had thought of setting up a banquet and getting rid of Yuan Xiong without bloodshed. However, ever since he became wary of Mo Qinghe, he really could not understand this person's thoughts. He was in the Mo residence. If he set up a banquet, Mo Qinghe would definitely be there.
If he was discovered in advance and he had a personal relationship with Yuan Xiong, he would definitely fail on the verge of success. Even if he succeeded in capturing Yuan Xiong, as long as he sent someone to inform Bi Chun, another important person would leave. There was no reasonable excuse to invite Yuan Xiong and Bi Chun to a banquet at the same time.
If he commanded the army to directly enter Yuan Xiong's camp, it would be fine if he listened to the decree and did not resist. However, if he resisted, his own people would be surrounded by the other party in the camp. Who would win and who would lose would be hard to say.
Therefore, Yang Ling decided to quietly command the army to surround the customs office. Those tax collectors were usually responsible for collecting taxes and arresting merchants who evaded taxes. They had knives and spears in their hands, but they did not have bows and arrows. If they surrounded them on the periphery and had arrows in hand, although the customs office had more people, the odds of winning were at least 70%.
The army gradually approached. In the distance, they could already see the roof of the customs office. At this time, they heard someone shout sternly, "Who is it? Stop right there, don't come any closer! "
Yang Ling was startled when he heard this. He immediately thought, "Could it be that the news was leaked? Otherwise, why would the customs office set up a sentry post in the reeds? "
He waved his hand and said in a low voice, "Increase the speed of advance, get rid of the sentry post."
The soldiers in a row increased their pace and charged forward. Right at this time, there was a peng sound. The sound of sand being swept away sounded from the reeds. Immediately afterwards, someone shouted, "Aiyo, they have firearms, I've been injured."
Liu Biao was so frightened that he threw Yang Ling to the ground, shouting loudly, "Crawl down, all of you crawl down! They can't see us, crawl forward, they are about to rush out of the reeds. As soon as we get out, immediately prepare with bows and arrows."
Listening to the Spear and crawling forward was a defensive method that Yang Ling taught him when he was in the army. Right now, it just so happened to be put to use. Yang Ling was both shocked and furious. Right now, as long as the army charged another two hundred meters forward, they would reach the customs office. There was a fire belt more than a hundred meters around that place, precisely the effective firing range of arrows.
As long as the army surrounded that place, Yuan Xiong could only wait helplessly for death. However, right now, they failed on the verge of success. Just where did he hear the news from, actually arranging for people to be on guard? Heavens, if he made preparations a long time ago, then … would the elites he sent to the docks still have the effect of a surprise attack?
When he thought of this, Yang Ling's entire body immediately broke out in sweat. If it wasn't for Liu Biao forcefully pressing down on him, he would have jumped out in panic. Actually, Yuan Xiong did not notice his whereabouts. Coincidentally, the man with the gun was one of Yuan Xiong's competent tax collectors. He had brought a few of his trusted subordinates to hunt wild ducks in the reed marshes.
Unexpectedly, before he walked out that far, he saw wild ducks and egrets fly up from all directions, hares and badgers also rushing over. When he saw that there were people fleeing in panic, this tax official wasn't an idiot, immediately guessing that there were people quietly approaching. Moreover, from the looks of it, it wasn't just one person, so he couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
When some of the impatient soldiers saw the enemy release their firearms, they immediately began to fire arrows blindly. The arrows flew out of the reeds, and even though they didn't hit that tax official, they scared him half to death.
The Tax Department didn't have many firearms, less than fifty in total. The subordinates he brought with him had three firearms, so they immediately fired in all directions, stopping the people in the reeds from advancing. Yang Ling's people couldn't see anything in the reeds, especially since most of the soldiers weren't trained by Yang Ling's Shenji Battalion. When they heard the gunshots, they crouched down on the ground, not daring to move forward.
Like this, they couldn't see the enemy, couldn't carry out any effective protection, so Liu Biao definitely didn't dare let Yang Ling take any risks. Yang Ling was helpless, he could only order the soldiers to announce that the imperial envoy was here to arrest people, only the chief evil Yuan Xiong, the rest were not allowed to resist.
That tax official sent someone back to the yamen, reporting this matter to Yuan Xiong. Yuan Xiong rushed out with some people, but when he heard that the imperial envoy was here to arrest people, his expression couldn't help but change greatly. Someone presented a bow and arrow shot from the reeds. Yuan Xiong saw that it was indeed arrows used by the army, and his face turned even more ashen. He knew very well how many evil deeds he had done, as soon as he saw that Yang Ling was using the army to quietly ambush them, he must have concrete evidence. What right did he have to oppose the imperial envoy and the army?
Yuan Xiong's face was deathly white, and after a long time he ordered with a trembling voice, "Don't … don't shoot people, bring the imperial envoy out, I want to ask the imperial envoy why he is arresting people." In his heart he was still fantasizing about being able to bribe Yang Ling and send him more money and beautiful women. As long as the imperial envoy loosened his grip, wouldn't he be able to turn his hand and summon the clouds and cover his hands with the rain?
When a trusted tax official heard this, he became anxious. This person's surname was Dongfang, and he was originally the third son of the Mulberry Village Dongfang Family by Lake Tai. Because he and his eldest sister-in-law were found out by his older brother, he simply killed his older brother and ran to Lake Tai to become a water pirate. He was well-educated, and very quickly he became the leader of a group of water pirates.
Later, because the army was in a hurry to suppress him, he had no other choice but to rely on Yuan Xiong. This person was cruel by nature, and was very good at extorting taxes, earning Yuan Xiong's trust. This licensed robber enjoyed his life, and no matter how many evil deeds he did, the government didn't dare to arrest him. Even the bailiffs had to respectfully call him Third Young Master Dongfang when they saw him.
Not only did he earn more money here than when he was a water pirate, but some of the people who owed a lot of taxes were forced into a corner by him, and in desperation, they sent their wives and daughters to be humiliated by him. Currently, he had a rather beautiful young woman in his room, and she had already been played with by him for many days. This was a life he wouldn't trade for even an immortal.
This bullshit imperial envoy brought people to fight without declaring war, and secretly came to his door. This kind of behavior among the water pirates of Lake Tai was clearly a death date, how could he give his opponent a chance to turn the tables? If he gave in now, Yuan Xiong would be arrested, and his power would be gone.
He immediately roared, "Master Yuan, you absolutely can't do that. That imperial envoy brought people to secretly come to our door, and it's clear that he's determined to win. This enmity is set in stone, and if Master Yuan gives in, you'll be at the mercy of others."
Although Yuan Xiong usually flaunted his strength and looked more impressive than anyone else, his ability to scheme was much worse than many of his hired thugs. Hearing this, he said in a daze, "But … but he's an imperial envoy. Now that he's brought an army to arrest me, what can we do?"
Third Young Master Dongfang laughed sinisterly and said, "Master Yuan, he says he's an imperial envoy, but who saw him? We only saw the water pirates ransacking the customs office. As long as we kill them all, hehe, didn't Master Yuan say that the eunuchs in the capital are very dissatisfied with him? When the time comes, we'll send some money to the eunuchs, and we'll help them get rid of this great evil. Will they not protect us? "
"Kill the imperial envoy?" Yuan Xiong jumped in fright. What was the difference between that and killing an official in rebellion? But what Third Young Master Dongfang said also made sense. He carefully pondered for a while, and an ominous glint gradually flashed in his eyes. That's right, the eunuchs of the Bureau of Rites viewed the man surnamed Yang as a thorn in their side. His foundation in the court was still shallow, so as long as he was killed, with the Bureau of Rites and Dongchang supporting him, even the emperor wouldn't go against money for a dead man.
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Do you have a way? I don't know how many people the imperial envoy has brought. Resisting arrest and killing an official is a capital offense, if we fail … "
Third Young Master Dongfang laughed mischievously and said, "Master Yuan, don't worry, this is their own path to death. We don't need to waste a single soldier, I can send them all into the lake to become tortoises."
At this time, the thugs holding guns were still firing randomly in all directions. Third Young Master Dongfang pointed at the reeds and said, "Master Yuan, we'll set fire to them. As long as the surrounding reeds light up, we'll make sure they die without a chance of survival. They won't even have a place to run!"
Yuan Xiong glanced at the densely packed reeds and was still somewhat hesitant. Third Young Master Dongfang anxiously said, "Master Yuan, a small heart is not a gentleman, a great man is not a man without poison. Let's do it!"
Yuan Xiong stamped his feet and shrieked, "The water pirates are pretending to be soldiers and robbing the customs office. Little ones, set fire for grandpa and burn these bastards to death."
Yang Ling and the others were lying in the reeds when suddenly a choking smoke drifted over. Looking up, they could see the smoke curling up in spirals and the sound of crackling in front of them. Liu Biao cried out involuntarily, "Not good, Yuan Xiong has set fire! Daren, what should we do? "
Yang Ling also jumped in fright. Hearing that the gunfire had stopped, he hastily stood up. As soon as he stood up, the smoke became even more choking. A hundred meters in front of them, the raging fire had already ignited into a flame about ten feet high. At this time, the wind was blowing from the lake and the flame had already swept over.
With the densely packed reeds ablaze, how could the fire be resisted by human strength? Yang Ling did not expect that by using the reeds as a cover, they would be discovered and that Yuan Xiong would actually dare to set fire to people. He hastily shouted, "Quickly, quickly retreat, retreat immediately."
These people had already walked more than five li into the reeds, so how could they possibly escape on foot? Before the fire had even started, the smoke had already reached them. The thick smoke was enough to cause people to faint. Once the scorching fire arrived …
The soldiers had only run about three hundred meters when the wind had already carried the thick smoke, choking them until they coughed incessantly. Their legs immediately became sluggish. Many people stopped in their tracks in despair, even Liu Biao, who had always been resourceful and fearless of death, also stopped. His face was filled with grief.
Yang Ling bent over and coughed for a while. Then he clenched his teeth and looked at the sky in despair. His heart was filled with endless regret. This endless reeds was supposed to be the best cover, but now it has become an inescapable net of death. What should I do? Do I want nearly a thousand lives to be buried here because of my own mistake? But I am not an immortal, how can I change the direction of the wind?
The direction of the wind? The direction of the wind! Yang Ling calmly pondered for a moment. Suddenly he let out a loud shout. With a joyful expression on his face, he jumped up and said, "Everybody, listen up! Immediately chop the reeds and cut a line of fire for me. Quick! Let's use this small river as the boundary. Start at once! "
"Daren," Liu Biao said in despair, "You don't know the fierceness of this fire. Even if we cut a line of fire several dozen feet long, the smoke alone will suffocate us to death. It's no use."
Yang Ling laughed heartily and said, "Smoke needs the wind to carry it. Without wind, it will naturally live. All of you, quickly cut a line of fire, the wider the better. I have a way to borrow the east wind! "
Liu Biao was half convinced and half doubtful. But seeing Yang Ling's calm expression, he was infected and regained some confidence. But if he believed it himself, how could he make these thousands of soldiers believe it?
Liu Biao suddenly had an idea. He immediately pulled out his saber and shouted to his left and right, "Everybody, immediately chop the reeds and cut a line of fire. The Imperial Envoy has learned the art of borrowing the wind from the Taoist master Zhang. He can definitely save everyone's lives!"
Right now, if an imperial edict was given to these soldiers saying that they would not die, nobody would be willing to believe it. But when these foreigners and soldiers heard that the Imperial Envoy had learned magic from the Taoist master Zhang and could borrow the wind to save people, they no longer had any doubts. Wasn't that right? A few days ago, when Haining was fighting the Wokou pirates, the Imperial Envoy and the Taoist master Zhang were standing side by side on the tide viewing platform. The Taoist Master's magical powers were extraordinary. If he had taught the Imperial Envoy magic, borrowing the wind shouldn't be difficult, right?
Everyone began to chop the reeds with all their might. Each person controlled a reeds with a circumference of one zhang. The one in front waved his saber and swept in all directions. The soldiers behind him piled up all the reeds that had fallen to the ground.
By the time they had cleared a fire belt about sixty meters wide, the smoke was getting thicker and thicker, more and more choking. Their nostrils and throats were full of choking ash, and no one could swing or chop the reeds anymore.
Yang Ling pointed to the side of the fire and said, "There's still one last step. Pile all the reeds that have been cut over there. Pile them next to the reeds and set them on fire. I'm going to cast the spell."
The soldiers no longer had the energy to think about why they had to set fire to the wilderness and whether doing so would make them die even faster. They gathered up the last of their strength, squinted their eyes that were tearing from the smoke, and piled the reeds over. Once the reeds were set on fire, they ran back.
Yang Ling's voice was also hoarse. He shouted in a hoarse voice, "Pass down the order. Everyone is to lie down and cover their mouths and noses with wet clothes from the river water. Do not stand up until the fire is extinguished."
When the soldiers were chopping down the reeds, they had already used the torn corners of their clothes to cover their mouths and noses. At this time, they ran to the riverside and wet their clothes and tied them up again.
Some of the worried soldiers held back their tears and raised their heads to look. They saw that the reeds that had been set on fire had burst into flames. The thick smoke that came rushing over was even more choking. However, this situation only lasted for a moment. After that, the flames and smoke no longer rolled in this direction.
Although the light wind was still blowing in this direction, the large mass of thick smoke and raging fire rolled in the opposite direction. It was as if they were attracted to each other. The smoke in this area immediately became much lighter.
At that time, the people didn't know the relationship between the flow of air and temperature. Seeing this strange scene, they couldn't help but be shocked and curious. Although the imperial envoy was also lying in the river with his face covered and didn't look like he was performing any magic, everyone believed that the imperial envoy really did use magic on the fire. Their confidence in being saved immediately increased.
Yuan Xiong stood outside the Customs Department, watching the raging flames engulfing everything as it rushed forward. He couldn't help but roar with laughter. His yamen had set up fire belts around the area, but once the entire reed marsh was set on fire, it similarly couldn't resist the thick smoke. Fortunately, there were no signs of human habitation around Luoyan Beach, and there had never been a situation where all sides were on fire, so he didn't have to worry about this. Now that three sides were on fire, only his side was in the direction of the wind. Those soldiers hiding in the reeds, did they still think they could survive?
Right at this moment, wisps of choking smoke drifted over, giving Yuan Xiong a fright. He hurriedly shouted, "What happened? Did the wind change direction? "
A tax collector jumped up and cried out in panic, "Oh no, oh no, Master Yuan, it's not good. There's a big fire in the direction of the pier. The reeds are burning in this direction."
Yuan Xiong turned pale with fright. He hurriedly turned his head to look. Indeed, the raging fire was sweeping over from the direction of the pier. The reeds on this side were completely submerged in a shallow pool of mud that didn't even reach the instep of their feet. The reeds were wet, so when they burned, the smoke was even more pungent and choking. The fire was still far away, but the suffocating smell was already assaulting their faces.
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