It was a dramatic scene. The Second Prince, who was the first to be imprisoned, was ultimately the culprit with conclusive evidence.
A gunshot rang out in the Chengdu Prison, causing a huge commotion. The people outside thought that someone was trying to break out of the prison. For a moment, a forest of swords and spears and a group of prison guards swarmed into the prison.
The four Embroidered Uniform Guards who were locked up in the prison did not have the slightest awareness of being prisoners and hostages. The four of them had prepared wine and food and were happily drinking in the prison when a few people suddenly barged in. The 'prisoners' immediately stood up and shouted at them to give them a scolding.
While the assassins outside were in a daze, the imperial bodyguard from the Royal Prince Jingqing's Palace who had been kidnapped took this opportunity to escape. Just as the assassins pulled out their weapons, the Brocade Guards inside became enraged. With a flintlock and crossbow, they were completely defeated.
Little Lingzi's disciple, who was highly skilled in martial arts, did not expect the people in the prison to have guns. When he was shot in the chest, blood gushed out and his martial arts skills were greatly reduced. He was the only one who rushed out of the prison and only died when he jumped out of the door.
The rest of the assassins were ordered by the 'prisoners' in the prison to capture and kill people. The assassins died gloomily.
The King of Shu seemed to have become numb. His two sons were in and out of prison, so there was nothing to be angry about. He actually calmly presided over the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony. He was helped back to the harem before he fainted.
Li Sen did not participate in the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony. With the manuscript translated by Old Ding, one of Yang Ling's bodyguards, he secretly brought some people to Baoning. Together with the Imperial Bodyguard, the Inner Factory, Dongchang, and the West Factory, as well as the local Yamachi officials and the people, they set a date and time and all of them set out to arrest the culprits.
The garrison officer Liu Lang and Liu Lie were distant relatives, so he first held a banquet and invited Liu Lie to his house to drink, then with a loud shout he tied Liu Lie up on the ground and captured the leader. Without a leader, the people that Liu Lie had gathered in secret fell into chaos and most of them were captured.
Of these people that Zhu Asked Jin to rope in, Baoning had the most. The people there were relatively poor, so they were easily bewitched by some people and easily gathered to rebel. According to Yang Ling's estimation, new crops would be introduced next year. Although it was not a panacea that would solve all social conflicts and problems between the rich and the poor, at least the farmers would have food to eat.
On the other hand, the Han people could be said to be the most loyal and obedient people. Most of the time, they only ate grass and tree bark, and were still respectful to the officials. As long as they could eat, other than being bewitched by the evil cult, there were very few who were willing to rebel. Therefore, he ordered that only the main culprit be captured and the rest not to be pursued. When their lives improved, their rebellious thoughts would naturally disappear.
As for the other criminals involved in the case, those who could be arrested were arrested, those who involved other tribes, and those who had been promised benefits by Zhu Rangjin, followed Zhu Rangjin behind the Chieftain Chieftain's back to rebel, and then tried to drag the Chieftain into the matter. Yang Ling handed them all over to the Chieftains to deal with.
If they were to step forward, they would be more respectful to the imperial court. Furthermore, if the leader of their own tribe stepped forward, the people below them would not follow suit and rebel. Thus, there would be fewer casualties when it came to punishing those ambitious tribal chiefs.
The imperial court and the chieftains of the various tribes launched a vigorous internal purge. As for those chieftains who were close to Zhu Rang Jin, firstly, there was too little evidence, and secondly, the implications were too great. Anyway, the cause of the disaster had been removed. Yang Ling only gave them a reminder, both in the open and in the dark. At the same time, he ordered the people from the Three Factories and One Guard to strengthen the surveillance of these people. He handed over other information to the Crown Prince and did not interfere further.
After these matters were settled, Yang Ling was going back to the capital. He was really eager to go back. The scenery here was beautiful, and the first snow in Beijing was probably going to fall soon. How could he not be anxious?
It was near the end of autumn. Although it was Bashu, the rain added a sense of desolation and coldness. The maple leaves on the mountains were already red like fireworks.
The King of Shu, the Crown Prince, the Princess, and the officials of Chengdu finished their banquet and escorted them far away from the city before returning to the city. Yang Ling had more than two hundred bodyguards by his side. The rest were the two thousand soldiers sent by Li Sen. As for Song Ai's wolf soldiers, they had already returned to Guangxi under the command of Commander Song.
She was the leader of a tribe and commanded more than a hundred thousand people. She had to go back and deal with it. After everything was done, she would lead a portion of the strong warriors who were willing to join the army to the capital to seek refuge with Yang Ling. Of course, her main purpose was to meet her lover.
The army meandered and gradually turned from the flat road to the rugged mountain road, disappearing into the fog of the mountains.
Under a maple tree sat a beautiful woman. Beside the tree was a carriage and beside the carriage were maids. It was like a beautiful landscape.
The maple leaves were as red as fire. The wind blew and the leaves fell. They fluttered and landed beside her, on her clothes and hair, making this fairy-like beauty look even more beautiful.
She sat cross-legged on a rock, a jade flute placed against her thin red lips. A melodious tune flowed out from the green jade flute and melted in the air with the blowing of the autumn wind and the dancing of the maple leaves. It carried a faint melody of sorrow. The choked voice seemed to contain endless longing and endless tenderness, but it also made the listener feel heartbroken and helpless.
The wind moved, the trees moved, and the sound of her flute also moved. Only she was elegant and serene, as if she was motionless.
In front of her, a big man with curly hair knelt. His thick and sturdy body seemed to be made of iron and stone. Although he was kneeling there, he looked like a giant. The sound of the flute did not stop. He also bowed his head solemnly and did not move.
After a long time, the sound of the flute stopped. The girl put down the jade flute and clenched her slender and white hands. Her knuckles were so tight that they seemed to be transparent.
She fiercely slammed the rock. The jade was broken!
"Ba Wang, I have made up my mind. No one can go against my decision, not even my father. You should know that!" Her voice was crisp and cold like rolling pearls on a jade plate.
The big man suddenly prostrated on the ground with his forehead tightly pressed against the fallen pages. He did not move.
The girl sighed and walked lightly to his side. She lightly placed her white palm on his shoulder. "You are the number one warrior of Ala. However, that person is too powerful. He cannot be dealt with by force alone. Fortunately, he stayed in Chengdu for a few more days in order to get rid of the remnants of Rang Jin. This gave me time to prepare. "
She slowly raised her head. Under the sunlight shining through the maple leaves, her beautiful face exuded a gentle and holy radiance. "Perhaps it is the will of the heavens for Rang Jin to die because of me. In that case, I will borrow the power of the heavens to kill Yang Ling and make Rang Jin pay with his life. I believe that no matter what, he will not escape this time, unless he is the reincarnation of Kong Ming. "
Tuoba faintly smiled. She lowered her head and said, "Ba Wang, my wish shall be fulfilled by you."
The big man kowtowed heavily and did not say a word.
"After you're done, return to Lao La immediately. My carriage might be a little late!"
Tuoba Yanran's eyes were even more dazzling than the maple leaves reflecting the sun. "I've already sent someone to steal Rang Jin's corpse. Please ask the shamans in the tribe to take good care of it and bury me together with him.
Tell my father that this is my own choice. It has nothing to do with anyone. Please tell him not to get into trouble because of this. The current Ba and Shu cannot be compared to the past. The other tribes have restrained themselves. If we act rashly now, we will only invite disaster.
Ba Wang kowtowed heavily again.
Tuoba's gaze suddenly became fierce. She used a sharp tone and said, "Remember, I only have one request. I want everyone to be buried with me. Not a single one of them is allowed to live."
Ba Wang finally spoke, "Don't worry, Miss. Ba Wang will definitely do it."
"Go!" Tuoba Yanran patted him on the shoulder.
Ba Wang was like a moving mountain. He walked to a tree and mounted his horse. He whipped the horse and galloped away, disappearing into the mountains on top of the Taoist.
"Miss." A servant girl called out to her in fear.
Tuoba Yanran smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. Take good care of me when I return. My father knows my temper. He will not blame you."
She turned around and walked a few steps towards the intersection. Her footsteps were light. The wind blew the ribbon around her slender waist.
The apricot yellow imperial envoy flag appeared. Tuoba Yanran's lips curled into a faint smile. "Mr Yang, let me … send you off …"
* * *
When Yang Ling saw Tuoba Yanran, he was a little surprised. In order to usurp the position of the Crown Prince, Zhu Rangjin killed his sister and brother. He even wanted to kill his own father. He had committed a heinous crime and it was difficult to sympathize with him. However, Tuoba Yanran had been in love with him for a long time. Their love was deeply rooted.
The great man in her heart, the lover she adored, was actually such a person. She must be ashamed to meet her old friends again. During the days in Chengdu, she did not visit them again. She also did not interact with Zhu Xiang 'er, Yang Shen, and the others. She did not expect to meet them here.
As Yang Ling went forward to greet her, he thought to himself, "The Shu King's family has been in trouble time and time again. However, it is fate. In the nine generations of the Shu King's bloodline, four rebellious sons have tried to usurp the throne. All of them ended in failure. Those who can ascend to the throne are indeed capable."
When Zhu Rangjin's conspiracy was announced, the Crown Prince's prestige increased greatly. Most of the tribe leaders also expressed their support for him. It was said that Tuoba Yanran, as the representative of La, also congratulated the Crown Prince. She also expressed that Little Jinchuan would support the Crown Prince's rule.
From the looks of it, although Tuoba Yanran displayed the jealousy of a woman to the fullest, she was still a woman who knew what was right and wrong.
Yang Ling led the big cudgel and Wu Hanchao to greet her. He cupped his hands and said, "Miss Tuoba …" Yang Ling only called her name and did not know how to continue. Condolences to her? What a joke. He was the one who killed Zhu Laoer. Besides, the two of them were only in love and did not have any status. She was not Zhu Rangjin's fiancée. Now that Zhu Rangjin's reputation was ruined, wouldn't it be funny for him to say 'restrain your grief' to her?
Tuoba Yanran was considerate. She smiled and said, "Mr Yang, let Jin … Sigh, he brought this upon himself. What does it have to do with Your Excellency? He is very ambitious and has many henchmen … "
Speaking of this, Tuoba Yanran laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "I used to like to meddle in his affairs. I can't wait for him to tell me everything. I thought that such a man would have nothing to hide from you. Hehe, I didn't expect him to hide such an earth-shattering matter from me. "
"Your Excellency announced that he was plotting for the position of the Crown Prince. He plotted to kill his sister and brother. After the incident, he committed suicide. Yanran is not a fool. Now all the tribe leaders are cleaning up some rebels who are plotting against us. The imperial court in Baoning and other places are also arresting a large number of criminals. All these are related to Zhu Rangjin, right? What he is plotting … is not a small matter. When the time comes, the flames of war will engulf the world and the paradise of Ba and Shu will become hell on earth. Our Ba La will also be implicated and the people will be plunged into misery and suffering. "
She sighed faintly and said absentmindedly, "Sometimes I wonder if he really likes me or is it because of my Ba La …"
Yang Ling gently bowed and said solemnly, "Miss, even though Zhu Rangjin has committed many evil deeds, he is knowledgeable, knowledgeable, and resourceful. He is indeed a dragon among men, a rare talent. It's just that he has not used it in the right way. Although he has done many illegal things, in my heart, Yang Ling still respects him very much. In my opinion, if Zhu Rangjin was born in troubled times, he would definitely be an ambitious person who could achieve hegemony.
What Zhu Rangjin is after is indeed hegemony. He is not interested in money or women. Towards you, he is also deeply in love. Yang Ling knows this and dare not hide it from you. Ai! It's a pity that such an outstanding person is still unable to see past fame and power. As a result, he has corrupted his morals and violated the laws of the country. "
Tuoba Yanran's expression changed. She stared at Yang Ling for a while with a complicated expression. After a while, she smiled and curtsied, "Mister Yang is indeed a gentleman. No wonder Rangjin is full of praises for Your Excellency."
She sighed and said, "It's fate that we get to know each other. I heard that Your Excellency is leaving. With this departure, there will not be many chances for us to meet again in this lifetime. How can I not send you on your way? But... since this incident, I am too embarrassed to show myself in front of the officials of Chengdu. I had to leave the city in advance and send you off at this mountain pass. "
Yang Ling finally understood and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Miss, for your kindness. This official is afraid and uneasy."
Tuoba Yanran smiled sweetly and said, "You don't have to be so polite. I can't compare to the Han princesses and princesses. I don't have such delicate and timid habits. Since Your Excellency is leaving, I will give you a cup of water and wine to send you off. "
She slowly turned around and went to the shaft of the carriage to ask a maid to bring out a tray and two wine cups. She carried them to Yang Ling and placed them on the shaft of the carriage. She then took out a small wine pouch from her waist scarf and filled the two cups. She smiled sweetly and said, "I rushed here just to send Your Excellency off and forgot to prepare water and wine. This wine is for women. It's soft and tasteless. It's just a token of my affection. Please drink, Your Excellency. "As she said this, she raised the cup to her lips and drained it in one gulp.
"This..." Yang Ling didn't believe that she would harm him. Even if she was the family of a criminal, if her man committed a heinous crime, he would have to admit his guilt and accept his punishment. Why would she rush to the door and kill the judge? But there's no harm in being careful. What if he failed miserably?
He smiled vaguely and said, "His Highness and the officials are sending me off. Just now, I've already drunk too much. The mountain road ahead is difficult to travel. Riding a horse makes me dizzy and sitting in a sedan is even more dizzy. I really can't drink this wine."
Tuoba Yanran smiled sweetly and glanced at him with her curved eyes. Her expression was indescribably seductive and moving. "How can you take back the farewell wine? Since Your Excellency has already drunk too much, I will drink this cup of wine on Your Excellency's behalf. "
"If Second Uncle is interested, please drink this half cup of wine..." For some reason, Yang Ling thought of what Miss Pan said to Wu Song. His heart skipped a beat.
Looking at her flirtatious eyes, her bright red lips pressed against the fine white porcelain cup, and the bejeweled nectar was drained from her lips. Wasn't this the same kind of amorous feeling? How could one not be pleasing to the eyes with her peerless beauty?
Tuoba Yanran drained the wine and put the cup back on the plate. She smiled and said, "I've sent Your Excellency off. I have to rush back to Lao La. Farewell."
Yang Ling felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He hurriedly cupped his fists and said, "Farewell, Miss."
Tuoba Yanran bowed politely and turned to walk leisurely to her carriage. Her waist was slender and her gait was graceful and light. She wore a light-colored gown. The autumn wind lifted the hem of her moon-white dress and the handkerchief at her waist, revealing the brightly embroidered mandarin ducks playing in the water...
Yang Ling secretly sighed in his heart and returned to his carriage...
* * *
The carriage and Yang Ling's army crossed each other.
Tuoba Yanran sat in the carriage. Her snow-white cheeks gradually turned red, like the blossoming of peach blossoms. She was someone who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. She did not expect the alcohol to be so potent.
The servant girl who was kneeling opposite seemed to be extremely afraid. Her whole body was trembling and her face was as pale as snow.
Tuoba Yanran smiled and said, "Who is not cunning? You only know how to scold me, Rang Jin. Didn't Yang Ling also say such nonsense in front of me? Haha, afraid that I poisoned the wine? Sigh! Initially, I gave him a good ending on account of Rang Jin's appreciation of him and his words just now.
There are not many people that Rang Jin likes. The two of them could not be friends in the human world. In the netherworld, there would be less entanglement and they could be a pair of good brothers. Unfortunately... he let my good intentions down. He insisted on seeing Rang Jin with a completely different face. With that disgusting look, I don't want Rang Jin to respond to him. "
She glanced at the servant girl and said lightly, "What are you afraid of? I am going to see Rang Jin and be with him. We will never be separated again. Aren't you happy for me? "
"High... happy... no, no, no, not high... uh... happy..." The poor servant girl could not say anything. Her face turned green and her teeth chattered.
Tuoba Yanran chuckled and gently caressed her smooth and tender skin. Her white teeth gently bit her red lips. She looked indescribably charming. After a while, she slowly said, "This is the method that the great wizard got from Mount Jiuhua. Together with the strange medicine made from his secret poisonous wine, one cup is not even worth three thousand taels of silver. After drinking it, my body will not rot and I will always maintain my appearance, just like today."
She covered her mouth and yawned. Her bright and beautiful eyes became hazy, not knowing if she was drunk or tired. She was like a lazy cat, gently lying on the bed. The carriage was not wide. Her dress twisted around her body. Her waist was slender and her buttocks were beautiful. Her chest that was like a pigeon was gently moving up and down. That kind of beauty was not something that could be described in any literary style.
Tuoba Yanran said as if she was sleep-talking, "Rang Jin, you want to be the Emperor. It is all my fault for spoiling your plans and taking your life. Now that the Emperor of Ming Destiny does not allow people to be buried with him, I let more than two thousand people be buried with you. Don't blame me, okay? "
Her voice became softer and softer as she slowly closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes covered her eyelids and her voice was soft and sweet, "Yanran, I swear to you that I will never be jealous of you again. I will never interfere in your affairs. I will only stay by your side, by … by your side … Let Jin … Wait … for me. I am coming... "
Her soft and beautiful body moved up and down along with the swaying of the carriage. Tuoba Yanran was like an enchanting beauty in spring sleep. A lock of her black hair hung below her nose. If one looked closely, one would notice that this sleeping beauty was no longer breathing.
The maidservant's eyes were wide open. She covered her mouth tightly as tears flowed down her cheeks …
Cockscomb Peak of the Cockscomb Ridge.
The cliff had been there for thousands of years. It was dark and looked like it was made of steel. It was stacked up layer by layer.
At the bottom of the cliff, there was a mountain path that spiraled into the ridge. On the right, there was a small stream under the shrubs and short trees. Opposite the stream was a mixed forest. There were trees and bamboos. The trees were thick and the leaves were green.
The stream was not big. However, because there had been an autumn rain two days ago, the water flow was wider and faster than usual. The sound of the waterfall splashing could be heard. It was like a beautiful piece of music.
Yang Ling lifted the curtain of the sedan and looked to the left. The peak was more than a few hundred feet high. He had to stick his head out to look up to see the peak. Coupled with the bumpy ride of the carriage, it really made him dizzy.
The higher the cliff went, the more it sloped outwards. The top was almost above the stream on the right, forming a natural eave. Unless there was a strong gust of wind blowing from the opposite forest, this place would never get rained. Therefore, the ground was relatively dry. Even though it was not entirely made of stone, it was not difficult for the carriage to travel. Very quickly, they turned onto the winding mountain path.
Yang Ling turned to the other side. He looked at the stream and the various flowers and trees growing along the sloping river bank. It was inevitable to feel tired after sitting in the carriage for a long time. Yang Ling looked at Yang Ling in boredom. Yang Ling looked at the grass and short trees that had fallen downstream. There were also some broken branches and fallen leaves. "Looks like the autumn rain two days ago was not light." He mumbled and yawned.
Suddenly, he stuck his head out again. After looking for a while, his face revealed a thoughtful expression. After thinking for a while, he suddenly raised his voice and said, "Stop, let's rest here."
The soldiers were also tired from walking. When they heard the order to rest here, they cheered and immediately scattered like birds and beasts. They ran to the stream to wash their faces and drink water. If the people upstream dirtied the water, the people downstream would laugh and scold them. There were also people who saw wild fruit trees. It was the season for them to ripen. They climbed up to pluck them, washed them in the water and ate with relish.
Yang Ling also got off the carriage. He stretched his body and looked around for a while. Then, he crossed the river under the protection of the guards and went to the bamboo forest on the opposite bank to relieve himself.
The birds that were disturbed flew up one after another. More than two thousand people brought endless vitality to the silent valley.
※ ※ ※
When Emperor Shi Huang traveled to the east, he was heavily guarded. Banners of honor covered the sky. When he reached Bolang Sha, the mountain was overgrown with thorns and ravines. There were few people and it was abnormally desolate. A strong man carried a hundred and twenty catties of iron awls and crouched at a high place to seek the Emperor's fate. Unfortunately! Bolang Sha hit the side carriage by mistake! Emperor Shi Huang was furious. He issued an order to the four seas and searched everywhere for the thieves. However, the two assassins escaped safely. The world was so big and he could not ask for more.
If there were explosives at that time, Zhang Liang would not have bought a strong man but a bundle of explosives. Would there still be Emperor Shi Huang in history?
Following a series of thunderous noises, the cockscomb-shaped cliff no longer existed. The imperial court opened another mountain path. From then on, this ancient path was reborn with wild grass and wild beasts. Many years later, the name Cockscomb Ridge was also removed. Other than some old people, many people saw this dense forest and stone mountain and did not know that this used to be a road.
Tuoba Yanran had money, manpower, and gunpowder. In the ten days that Yang Ling stayed in Chengdu to settle the follow-up affairs, she arranged for five hundred warriors who were the best at climbing dangerous peaks to live and eat in the mountains. They dug caves on the Cockscomb Cliff.
"There is no martial art in the world that cannot be broken, only firearms cannot be broken!" She had always remembered Yang Ling's half-joking words. She knew Zhu Rangjin's martial arts and knew even more about his master's martial arts. Even though he had been banished from the grasslands for more than twenty years, this person's name was still circulating in the grasslands.
And such an expert, even when surrounded by the King of Shu's guards and attacked from both sides by Wu Hanchao and the other guards, he was still able to maintain his composure. Yet this useless Yang Ling, who was hiding in the crowd, had his head blasted apart with a single shot.
A bullet from a gun could kill a martial arts master who had been practicing martial arts for decades. If some explosives were planted under the cliff that was as low as the sky, wouldn't it be possible to create a natural barrier that was difficult for human beings to resist, like the collapse of Mount Tai?
The mountain road was dangerous, and the Cockscomb Cliff was in the middle of two towns. Therefore, the merchants always set out early in the morning, passed by at noon, and arrived at the other town at night. No one dared to stay in the mountains. Therefore, only an hour and a half at noon was the time when the merchants and pedestrians gathered. Unless the soldiers marched, the mountain road was deserted at other times. They had enough time to make arrangements.
With the help of Zhu Rangjin, Little Jinchuan was already able to produce gunpowder. This gunpowder was enough to collapse a dangerous peak that was already on the verge of collapsing. Under Yang Ling's suggestion, the military found the best ratio and improved the power of the gunpowder. Zhu Rangjin used the excuse of shooting the cannons to scare the wild boars to get a new batch of gunpowder for her. Little Jinchuan began to experiment and imitate it, increasing its power.
Everything was prepared, and all that was left was to wait for Yang Ling's appearance. Only when his army left the city did Ba Wang rush to the Cockscomb Cliff. He ordered people to quickly stuff the gunpowder into a cave that had been dug and connected the gunpowder before he hid in a dark place and waited for the army's arrival.
Yang Ling was indeed cautious. When the army stopped to rest outside the cliff, he actually sent people up the mountain to investigate. Fortunately, Lady Tuoba was careful and had already instructed them to stay in the dense forest at night. In order to prevent the landslide from injuring themselves, they were hidden in the dense forest at the front and back.
After Yang Ling's army rested and reorganized themselves, the guards of honor all entered the Cockscomb Cliff. The gunpowder was ignited from the front and back at the same time. The sound of thunder was accompanied by millstone-sized rocks. Finally, half of the mountain collapsed, burying the army alive.
Ba Wang and his men rushed over with sabers in hand. They wanted to see if there were any survivors. The entire cliff had collapsed and the thick dust had dispersed. The stream was blocked and the post road was no longer there. The original road had been turned into a mountain ridge of boulders. Other than Ba Wang's feet, where the boulders had smashed into the ground, a pair of pale and powerless feet could be seen.
The five hundred men dispersed and escaped into the dense forest. The King of Shu only heard of the collapse of the Cockscomb Cliff the next night. In the afternoon of the previous day, there were merchants who had returned to Chengdu and reported the news to the magistrate's yamen. The magistrate's yamen asked about the collapse and felt that there was something fishy about it. During the heavy rain two days ago, the ancient cliff had not collapsed. Why did it collapse now? That was the only path that the imperial envoy had to take.
The magistrate did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly ran to report to the Crown Prince. Zhu Rangxu was also very anxious. Although there were other paths between the two towns, it would require an additional hundred li of detour. It was extremely unfavorable to the commoners. What worried him the most was whether this matter had anything to do with Yang Ling.
Zhu Rangxu could not care less about the people around him. He brought three hundred soldiers and set up camp with torches. That night, they rushed to the Cockscomb Ridge. When they found half an arm and the fragments of his uniform near the river, they finally knew that something big had happened.
On the second day, they mobilized the army to move the boulders, but it started to rain again. The supplies that the army could carry were limited. They still needed to transport a large amount of supplies before they could set up camp here. Furthermore, under the heavy rain, the rescue... the movement of the corpses was even more hindered.
On the third day, the rain stopped. Only then did they officially start moving the boulders. Some of the boulders were as large as a bucket and were pressed against each other, making it difficult to move. What kind of tools would be used and how long would it take to move the entire mountain?
Zhu Rangxu was extremely anxious. He expanded the search area and found traces of hundreds of people living behind the left ridge. Without a doubt, someone had deliberately tried to kill the imperial envoy. However, he was unable to confirm the identity of the culprit. After a busy day, they could not even clear the periphery of the boulders. How long would it take to move such a huge boulder?
Such a major matter could no longer be concealed. Zhu Rangxu ordered his men to set up checkpoints along the mountain to search for the suspect. At the same time, they sped up the effort to move the boulders. He also ordered the military to fly an urgent report from eight hundred li to the capital and present it to the Emperor.
As for moving the boulders, he actually no longer held onto the hope that Yang Ling would be able to escape. However, the boulders had already smashed the human body into pieces. Now that it was raining, if they did not quickly move the corpses, once they decomposed and mixed together, they would not even be able to recognize the bones. Wouldn't he be letting down Yang Ling then?
"Alas!" Zhu Rangxu sighed unhappily. With a whip of his horse, he led his entourage back to Chengdu. He was too busy with official business and could not stay here all day waiting to dig up the corpses. On the fifth day, he could only leave behind his capable men to continue moving the boulder while he returned to Chengdu to personally oversee the arrest of the culprit.
※ ※ ※
"Ah yawn." Liu Jin sneezed loudly.
He grabbed the handkerchief, blew his nose hard, and threw it on the floor. He lazily hugged the quilt tighter and muttered, "It's getting cold. In two days, it will snow for the first time. Ai! I was careless and caught a cold. "
"Father-in-law is not feeling well. You should rest well. I will come another day." Zhang Cai quickly got up and said.
"Forget it. My bones are sore and weak. I can't stand up. Tell me, what tax is it?"
"Oh, it's the silver tax of Sichuan and Fujian. Father-in-law, didn't you increase the annual silver tax quota of those two places by twenty thousand taels? The local officials said … many of the mineral veins have been depleted and cannot bear such a heavy tax. Father-in-law, please reduce it. "
"Pfft! Ah ~ ~ Yawn! For such a big place, it's only an annual silver tax increase of twenty thousand taels. They keep on complaining about being poor. This bunch of good-for-nothings. Other than complaining about being poor, they don't know anything else! "
He rolled his eyes and stared at Zhang Cai and said, "Have you heard? Gu Daeyong is doing well in Jiangnan. This kid is just guarding the seaside. If he doesn't do anything, the silver is like flowing water. Now that the imperial court is using money everywhere, the Emperor is also complaining about being poor.
At the end of the year, Gu Daeyong will send a lot of taxes to the Emperor. I am in charge of the silver mines, gold mines, grain and salt taxes, but I am so poor. How can I take out the money? I can't let Gu Daeyong lose to me. No! … Wait, add another twenty thousand taels in every province. This bunch of bastards … will have to squeeze ~ ~! "
"Yes, yes, uh … I will remember."
"Little bean, bring some water. No, no, ginger soup. Add more sugar. Zhang Cai, is there anything else? "
"Uh, also, the Northwest garrison troops don't have enough rations. The local troops don't have enough fields. Because of the continuous use of troops, the Ministry of Revenue has emptied their coffers. They really can't take out any more silver. Now, the generals of the border troops have sent a complaint to the capital. They say that if they don't solve this problem, they won't be able to control the troops."
"What did I say? Didn't I already give you a solution? You, give another order to the three departments of the Northwest yamen to fine them. Fine them. Officials, rich gentry, commoners who have committed crimes will all be fined. Heavily punished. The silver fines will be given to the local garrison troops as their rations …
This bunch of good-for-nothings are really troublesome. How about this, leave the matter of fines to the garrison troops. The silver fines will be given to them. Hehe, ah, how can they not work hard? "
"This … Eunuch, I'm afraid that the garrison troops will take advantage of this opportunity to collect money for themselves. Isn't that …?"
"Yes, yes, that makes sense. Zhang Cai is still the most thoughtful. Let me think … How about this, according to the size of the area and the population, set a quota for the garrison troops. Every month, how many people to be punished and how much money to be fined. There has to be a rule. It can't be too much, but it also can't be too much. Let's do it this way. "
Liu Jin had solved another big problem in the blink of an eye. He was a little happy. Just as he was about to say something, a little eunuch scrambled in from outside. "Eunuch … Eunuch … something bad has happened. There's an urgent secret message from the military post eight hundred miles away."
Liu Jin was shocked. "What … what eight hundred miles? Someone is rebelling? "
"No, eunuch, it's Mr. Yang. He … he's dead!"
Liu Jin impatiently pulled out a white silk handkerchief and gently wiped his lips. "Which Mr. Yang? There are many people with the surname Yang … Yang? Which Yang are you talking about? "
Liu Jin suddenly realized something. His eyes shone with a greedy light as if the person kneeling on the floor was a little golden man.
"Mighty Marquis, Zhu Guo General, Inner Works Admiral Yang Ling, Yang … Daren …"
This time, Zhang Cai jumped up as if she had a spring installed on her butt. Liu Jin lifted the blanket and sat up, saying anxiously, "Is this real? Didn't Yang Ling quell the chaos in the Barbarian Provinces and return to the capital soon? Who said this? Where's the messenger? How did he die? "
"It was the Crown Prince of the King of Shu who personally wrote a letter. He ordered the military post to send it to the capital by horse eight hundred miles away. The messenger is waiting in the palace. I heard … that when Mr. Yang was returning to the capital, he suddenly encountered a landslide on the dangerous Shu Road. The whole army … the whole army was annihilated! "
"Pfft!" Liu Jin could not hold it in and snot flowed out of his nose.
"Ha ~ ~ Ha ~ ~ Ha … Ah … Ah … Ah … Ah, Master Yang … How could you just … just go …" Liu Jin had only laughed half a sentence when he suddenly felt that something was wrong. He hurriedly changed the tone of his voice to that of a funeral.
He cried twice, then suddenly stopped crying. Wiping his face, he said, "Does His Majesty know?"
"Not yet. Didn't eunuch say that all the important military and civil affairs memorials have to be written on a red board and presented to eunuch? Only after receiving an official reply can they be sent to the various yamens?"
"Oh oh oh oh, not bad, not bad. Quick, quick, take me to see that courier. Let me ask in detail before reporting to the Emperor!" Liu Jin's face was ruddy. His legs were no longer weak and his chest was no longer panting. This was really a happy occasion.
He ran to the main door in a flash. Turning back, he scolded, "You little brat, hurry up. This is such a big matter. Do you want me to die of anxiety?"
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