There were not many prisoners in the female prison of Bazhou to begin with. In order to pray for the blessings of the Grand Empress Dowager, Emperor Zhengde issued a decree to pardon the world, which became even more desolate. Now, Wang Mantang was the only prisoner in the female prison.
These two days, General You Ji, Jiang Bin, came to the prison every day, saying that he wanted to question female prisoner Wang Mantang about the rebellion. At first, the two female prison heads accompanied him, but later, they felt that the prison was cold and damp, so they were lazy and hid in the prison cell.
At this moment, Jiang Bin was sitting boldly on the low wooden bed. His hands were on his knees, and he was sitting upright. The Empress of Great Shun, Wang Mantang, was kneeling on his knees with her head slightly lowered. Jiang Bin said, "Overstepping your authority to be the Emperor is a crime that will result in nine generations of your family being exhumed. Zhao Wanxing will definitely be dismembered. Even you will have to light a sky lantern. This general has spent a lot of effort to save you. "
"En!" Wang Mantang hurriedly nodded, her face full of gratitude.
"Rebels will die! No matter how lenient the Emperor is, those who follow him will be exiled to the army. If a delicate beauty like you is exiled to a poor and cold place to be abused, it will be a fate worse than death. This general has spent a lot of money to bribe you. "
"En en!" Wang Mantang continued to nod.
Jiang Bin caressed her hair and chuckled. "After this official's mediation, the Imperial Court has determined that you were kidnapped by the traitor Zhao Wanxing to be his wife. This way, you will be completely exonerated. I estimate that you will be released in one or two days."
"En en en en …" Wang Mantang's eyes lit up and she nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
Jiang Bin sucked in a deep breath and grabbed her hair tightly. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Slow down, slow down … What an enchanting little mouth, sucking my … My soul is about to fly away."
He saw Wang Mantang kneeling on his knees, her cherry lips moving in and out with great effort. Even though she didn't put on any makeup in prison, this beauty's charm didn't decrease. Jiang Bin laughed lewdly as he pulled off Wang Mantang's robe. Under her snow-white neck, a cleavage could be vaguely seen through the gap in the loose collar.
Jiang Bin's large hand reached in and held onto her firm and soft breasts. He smiled and said, "Beauty, this official has put in so much effort for you. How are you going to thank me? Come, lie down by the bed. "
Wang Mantang was just a commoner's wife. How could she be so knowledgeable? Back then, the one who proclaimed himself king and emperor was only to deceive some ignorant people to support the couple. He had no intention of rebelling at all. How could she know that this was also a violation of the law of heaven, a crime that would result in the death of the entire family? Two days ago, when she was frightened by Jiang Bin, Wang Mantang was scared out of her wits. She wasn't some chaste woman. If someone could save her, she wouldn't mind serving that person.
Moreover, Jiang Bin was young, handsome, and held a high position. This woman was even more willing. In order to gain Jiang Bin's favor, Wang Mantang used the dissolute methods he used to flirt with the playboys in Bazhou, serving Jiang Bin until he wished he was dead. Although this was a prison cell, it had become a paradise for a pair of adulterous husband and wife to have an affair.
In just two to three days, Jiang Bin had already become the fisherman of her peach garden. What else was there to be embarrassed about? With a 'pop', Wang Mantang raised her head and glanced at him with her almond-shaped eyes. She smiled charmingly and sweetly, "Master, aren't you free today? We still have a day to kill. "
When she raised her head, half of her snow-white breasts were revealed. Her small mouth was moist and shiny, slightly red like two peach blossoms. There was even a trace of saliva hanging on it. Jiang Bin's lower abdomen felt hot and his breathing suddenly became heavy.
He cursed in a low voice, "A little vixen who wants to kill people!" His large hand grasped Wang Mantang's beautiful hair tightly and impatiently pressed her charming face back into his crotch. He was about to enjoy it again when he suddenly heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming from the corridor of the prison cell.
Jiang Bin was shocked. With a whoosh, he flipped up his robe and covered his lower body. His heart was still pounding.
Fan Zhizhou's trusted advisor, Ye Huaimeng, hurried into the prison with two female prison guards. Seeing Jiang Bin sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands on his knees, he looked majestic. Like a god, he sternly shouted, "You guys proclaimed yourselves rulers. Just how many soldiers and horses have you recruited from the surrounding area? How many people have joined you? "
Wang Mantang knelt in front of his knees and whispered softly. It was unknown what she was saying.
Advisor Ye looked on in bewilderment. It was just a group of ignorant people playing around. The court's edict had long been issued, but Fan Zhizhou still hadn't released Wang Mantang because she was the wife of the main criminal, the so-called Empress of Great Shun. If this woman was released before Zhao Wanxing's death sentence had been publicly announced and the so-called civil and military officials had been sent to the frontier fortress, it was likely that there would be many more rumors among the people. The families of the other criminals would also go to her to ask for information. That was why she was kept in prison.
The people outside the yamen didn't know about this, but as a military warfare officer, Jiang Bin couldn't possibly not have heard about it. He had run over to ask about some case. Did he want to dig up more credit from this woman?
The corners of Advisor Ye's mouth twitched. Disdainfully, he raised his voice and said, "Official Jiang, Zhizhou invites you to the yamen?"
"Ah?" Jiang Bin seemed to have just noticed the person who had come. He hurriedly put on a smiling expression and said, "Advisor Ye, what business does the official have with me?"
Advisor Ye said, "Official Jiang, hurry up. The people have calmed the rebellion, destroyed the Department of Tax Officials, and trapped the Guardian Eunuch Zhang in Xinzhuang. He's waiting for you to lead troops to rescue him."
Hearing this, Jiang Bin was overjoyed. Grinning from ear to ear, he said, "What? Is that true? "
Sure enough, they had taken action. The great credit was within reach. Jiang Bin excitedly rubbed his hands together and laughed. "What's there to be afraid of when a few commoners are rebelling? I'll immediately lead troops to rescue Eunuch Zhang!"
Ye Huaimeng saw that he was so happy and felt it was strange. Hearing this, he understood. It turned out that this general was so happy because he had a chance to perform in front of Eunuch Zhang. He hurriedly said, "That's right, sir. The Zhizhou is so anxious that he's on fire. You should hurry up."
Jiang Bin stared longingly at Wang Mantang's rosy cheeks and chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll gather troops right now. We'll charge to Xinzhuang and attack the Yellow Dragon. We'll kill them all …!"
※ ※ ※
The commoners followed closely behind Eunuch Zhang's carriage all the way into Xinzhuang. As Zhang Zhong fled, he heard the endless sounds of the carriage shed. Every sound seemed to knock on his heart, making him jumpy with fear.
It was the sound of angry commoners throwing bricks and tiles. Zhang Zhong never thought that the commoners, who were as docile as sheep, could be so fierce. Recalling the bloody scene of Mo Danjiu and the other tax collectors who had deep enmity with the commoners of Gu 'an being dismembered by hoes and iron shovels, Zhang Zhong was so scared that he gritted his teeth and fought with each other. He fled into the mansion of Xin Manor's Protector Xin Chenwu and closed the heavy gate. The tax collectors climbed up the ladder with knives in their hands and guarded the high wall. Zhang Zhong's face was still pale.
The common people surrounded the Xin family's courtyard, and the noise was deafening. The main door was slammed so hard that it shook the heavens. Seeing this situation, the manor of Master Xin was also in a state of panic. The women and children were wailing. Master Xin regretted letting this scourge into his family.
He was also blinded by greed. He calculated that the commoners were angry. In the end, it was difficult to go against the imperial court. Although this Earth Emperor was in a difficult situation today, no one could shake his position. If he saved Zhang Zhong, he would owe him a favor. If he built a relationship with Zhang Pipi, then he would be able to get whatever he wanted in Bazhou.
Unexpectedly, it was already late at night. The commoners still did not leave. Some commoners lit up bundles of straw and threw them into the courtyard. Master Xin, who was complaining incessantly, could only command the servants to put out the fire. From time to time, bricks were thrown into the courtyard, smashing people until they cried for their parents. The entire Xin family's courtyard was in a foul atmosphere.
The tax collectors were guarding the gate and the courtyard walls. The Gu 'an district leader, Li Ban, led a group of bailiffs to guard the second gate. Zhang Zhong hid in the backyard of the Xin family's womenfolk. His left hand pulled the fat Qiao Zhixian and his right hand pulled his trusted butler Han Bing. He panicked and said, "What should we do? What should we do? These unruly commoners, these unruly commoners are rebellious. They are all rebellious! "
Qiao Zhixian hurriedly comforted him, "Yes, yes, yes. I understand."
The muscles on Han Bing's face twitched. He had witnessed Mo Dan Jiu being dismembered by a few hoes and forks of dung. He had not calmed down yet.
Mo Dan Jiu was a cruel official of Gu 'an. The people of Gu' an hated him the most. When they rushed into the Grand Magistrate's Mansion, they saw Mo Dan Jiu beating Grand Magistrate Hua black and blue. The new and old hatred came together. Mo Dan Jiu was the first to bear the brunt and was beaten to death. Zhang Zhong took this opportunity to escape.
Han Bing grabbed County Magistrate Qiao. He didn't care about his seniority and shouted, "Don't f * cking say yes, yes yes. You understand? These mobs are from Gu 'an. You are the Gu' an district magistrate. You are their parent. You have to think of a way! If you can't save Eunuch Zhang, I will chop off your head! "
"Yes, yes, yes. I understand …" Qiao Yushu paused and said with a bitter face, "The moment we entered Xin Village, I sent someone to ask for help from the governor. The distance between the two places is not far. If we just stay here for a while, I think the governor's reinforcements will arrive soon."
Hearing this, Zhang Zhong was instantly relieved. Fan Mo Li was his best friend, and could be said to be a watchdog for Eunuch Zhang to order around. Usually, he looked dignified, but in reality, he was on the same side as Zhang Zhong. The two of them complemented each other and turned Bazhou into their world. He needed to make use of Fan Zhi Zhou's power. Fan Zhi Zhou needed to curry favor with him to stabilize his position. If he heard that something had happened to him, Fan Zhi Zhou would not spare any effort to send reinforcements.
Once he heard that reinforcements would arrive, Zhang Zhong immediately perked up and regained his domineering expression. His finger pointed at the tip of the wooden County Magistrate Zhi Shu's nose and roared, "You are the Gu 'an district magistrate. You are not strict with your subordinates. You are corrupt and incompetent. You are derelict in your duties. You are the one who caused this riot. You have to take full responsibility. I will impeach you to Eunuch Liu. I will remove you from your position and punish you. If I don't kill you, it will not be enough to appease the anger of the people!"
Han Bing continued, "Eunuch Zhang, the anger of the people should also be killed!"
Zhang Zhong smiled sinisterly. Those rioters naturally had to be killed. But there was no rush. As long as he was still guarding Bazhou, there would be plenty of opportunities to settle the score with them. He would slowly cut them with a blunt knife and let them know how powerful his father was. But the most important thing now was to find a scapegoat.
He came from the imperial court and knew how serious it was to incite a riot. The imperial court usually attached great importance to a riot. Moreover, this place was close to the capital and not a place where the barbarians gathered. It was usually very peaceful. If a riot suddenly occurred, the imperial court would definitely pursue the responsibility.
Once he heard that there was hope for him to get out of this predicament, Zhang Zhong immediately had a crooked idea. In his eyes, Qiao Zhixian turned into a bleating sheep. Oh … this scapegoat was really fat.
Qiao Yushu's fat face turned the color of an eggplant. Although he was mediocre and did not do anything, he was not stupid. How could he not see such an obvious dirty mark? Zhang Zhong had connections in the imperial court. If he really pushed the blame onto him, who would be willing to protect him? If an official was not benevolent and incited a riot, he would be beheaded and his house confiscated.
Qiao Zhixian was so angry that his vision turned black and his hands and feet turned cold. He wanted to open his mouth and beg, but his fat body was panting like a bellows. He could not say a word. "If I had known this … I would have let the people kill this eunuch." Qiao Zhixian's fat body trembled. This regretful thought lingered in his heart.
At this moment, a tax collector ran in excitedly and shouted breathlessly, "Eunuch Zhang, something bad has happened. No no no, it's good news, good news. Bazhou's reinforcements have arrived!"
When Zhang Zhong heard this, he immediately jumped up from his chair and said excitedly, "Reinforcements have arrived? How many people and where have they gone? "
The tax collector said, "I was standing on the gate to resist the enemy. I saw a string of fire dragons enter the village. There were soldiers shouting that Bazhou's Guerrilla Warfare General Jiang Daren has arrived. They wanted the people to put down their weapons and quickly retreat to the side. As for the number of people, I don't know."
Zhang Zhong looked up to the sky and laughed. The rioting people were at most three thousand people. Less than half of them had chased after him. Bazhou's Guerrilla Warfare General had more than this number under his command. Furthermore, it was a regular army. When Zhou Dean led this army, it was one of the bravest and best troops in Bazhou's garrison. How hard would it be to deal with more than a thousand peasants with hoes and wooden sticks?
Zhang Zhong said excitedly, "Quick, quick, help me out to take a look. I must punish these unruly people severely according to Guerrilla Warfare General Jiang!"
Zhang Zhong rushed out with the support of Han Bing and the tax collector. Qiao Zhixian stood there in a daze. It was naturally good news that reinforcements had arrived. But this bastard Zhang Zhong clearly wanted to use him as a scapegoat. He wanted him to shoulder this huge responsibility. Remove him from office? He might even be beheaded. What should he do?
When Qiao Zhixian thought of this, he wanted to cry but had no tears. He didn't feel happy at all that reinforcements had arrived. Seeing that his superior still hadn't come out, Squad Leader Li led a few Yamachi and rushed in. Only then did Qiao Zhixian let them help him out.
The people of Gu An had been chasing after Zhang Pipi and the tax collectors all the way. After being blocked at Xin Jia Village for so long, their spirit had already weakened. Although they were roused with righteous indignation and hastily came up with the idea of killing these unscrupulous tax collectors, they didn't have the thought of abandoning their homes and businesses to rebel against the imperial court. Seeing a group of well-trained soldiers charging at the village with a murderous aura, the noise of the people immediately weakened.
The people surrounding the main gate couldn't help but retreat to the sides, opening up a path. More than forty soldiers on tall horses, holding torches in their hands, rushed to the front gate like a gust of wind. They shouted as if there was no one else around, "Bazhou's Guerrilla Warfare General Jiang has been ordered to protect Eunuch Zhang. Quickly open the door!"
On the ladder behind the door, a tax collector stood up, trembling with fear. He looked out suspiciously and said in a trembling voice, "Which one is Guerrilla Warfare General Jiang, please … please come forward to answer."
The soldiers held torches in one hand and the reins in the other. With a shout, the warhorses split to the left and right. A general in full armor rode slowly to the front gate between two fire dragons. He raised his head slightly and said slowly, "This general is Jiang Bin. Is Eunuch Zhang safe and sound?"
The tax collector took a look. This man was wearing full armor, shining under the light of the torches. Behind his shoulders, two long sword hilts could be seen. The helmet on the armor covered most of his face, only revealing a pair of murderous eyes. The tassels on top of the helmet were shaking in the night wind. He looked really awe-inspiring. He must be the newly appointed Guerrilla Warfare General.
The tax collector bent down and whispered a few words. Another head popped out from the eaves and shouted with a croaky voice, "Is this Guerrilla Warfare General Jiang down there? I am Zhang Zhong. You … how many men did you bring? Why didn't you drive these … these rioters away? "
"Ha ha ha, so it is Eunuch Zhang." The general on the horse cupped his hands and said, "Please forgive me for not being able to fully greet you due to my armor. When I heard that Eunuch Zhang was attacked, I immediately came to your rescue. My horse is fast and I arrived first with my bodyguards. The main army will arrive soon after. Eunuch Zhang, don't worry. With my martial arts, I can charge in and kill my way out of the Tartar army. How difficult would it be to protect Eunuch Zhang? "
He looked to his left and right with contempt. With a 'shua' sound, two swords appeared in his hands. In the darkness of the night, the swords reflected two cold arcs of light. He laughed coldly and said, "Eunuch Zhang, please open the gate. The Duke and Zhizhou Daren have instructed us not to kill or injure the commoners. So I did not force them out. But if I escort Eunuch Zhang out and there are still people who cause trouble, I will kill them all!"
Jiang Bin waved his swords and shouted loudly, "Ha! I can fight against ten thousand people. A bunch of chickens and dogs, who can fight against me? "
Jiang Bin looked around disdainfully. In the cold night, he could only hear the sound of the torches fluttering in the wind. In the middle was a general with two swords in his hands. His murderous aura was everywhere. Other than that, there was no other sound. Zhang Zhong couldn't help but smile when he saw such power. He hurriedly climbed down the ladder and shouted, "Quick, quickly open the gate. Let Jiang You Ji protect us back to Bazhou City."
Inspector Li hurriedly ran forward and said with a bitter face, "Eunuch Zhang, what about our master?"
Zhang Zhong glared at him and said, "Your master? Scram back to Gu An and listen to the report. Humph! "
Zhang Zhong flicked his sleeves and the gate creaked open. He had already run out under the protection of Han Bing and a few of his trusted aides. Jiang Bin returned his swords to their sheaths with a 'cha' sound. He then bent down and lifted Zhang Zhong up onto his horse. He said, "Sorry to trouble Eunuch Zhang. Please ride with me on the same horse. Let's talk after we return to Bazhou City."
Zhang Zhong hurriedly said, "Good, good! It's alright. The carriage has already been smashed by the rebels. I can't ride it anymore. General, quickly protect me back to the city! "
The other officers also pulled Zhang Zhong's trusted aides onto their horses. At this moment, a loud shout came from the crowd, "Fellow villagers, once Zhang Pipi returns to Bazhou, he will definitely not let us go. He will definitely lead the army to massacre Gu An. We cannot let him go! If Zhang Zhong doesn't die, Bazhou will not be at peace. Kill the old dog and the world will be at peace! Kill him! "
As he said that, a brick flew out from the darkness. With a 'dang' sound, it knocked Jiang Bin's helmet crooked. Even though it was planned beforehand, Jiang Bin still jumped in fright. Damn it, Mu Jing, this poor scholar, what kind of person did he find? The brick was thrown quite accurately. If you don't hit the horse, then hit Zhang Zhong. If you knock out your father, then there's no way to continue this show.
Jiang Bin's helmet tilted to one side as he shouted, "Not good! I've been hit by a secret projectile. Run! Run!" Without another word, he shook the reins and the warhorse's four hooves flew away.
With a clatter, everyone took a closer look. Where Jiang Youshi was originally standing, there was only a metal helmet swaying on the ground. Not far away, there was still half a brick. The general had already disappeared without a trace.
Qiao Zhixian had just walked out of the main gate when he saw the general who was so domineering just a moment ago run away like a turtle after taking a hit from a brick. He couldn't help but stare. Inspector Li saw that the situation was not good and hurriedly pulled him back. As he ran, he shouted, "Quickly, quickly, quickly close the gate!"
When the commoners saw this, their courage was boosted. Bricks and tiles rained down like a storm. Dozens of soldiers immediately followed suit and followed behind Jiang Bin. A few tax collectors who had not yet stabilized themselves fell off their horses and were smashed into a pulp by the commoners who swarmed up.
Qiao Zhixian and a few Yamachi who were busy closing the gate saw this scene and were so scared that their hands and legs turned to jelly. The two gates did not close for a long time. Luckily, there were cries of "If Zhang Zhong doesn't die, Bazhou won't be at peace. Kill the old dog and the world will be at peace!" Amidst the cries, these simple-minded commoners were incited. They only had eyes for Zhang Pipi and the tax collectors. Only then did Qiao Zhixian and his people successfully close the gate.
County Magistrate Qiao, Class Monitor Li, and the others pulled down the heavy door bar. Class Monitor Li angrily complained, "What bullsh * t You Ji General, he's just a spear head that looks like it's made of silver. Motherf * cker, he only has a good mouth, but after being scared by a brick, he ran away in terror."
Even Master Xin, who was happily sending off the plague, was speechless. Civil officials are greedy, generals are afraid of death, Bazhou … what kind of officials are these?
County Magistrate Qiao didn't pay them any attention. He stuck out his fat butt and leaned against the door crack like a sow, nervously looking outside. A large group of commoners outside shouted, "If Zhang Zhong doesn't die, Bazhou won't be at peace." They raised their torches and followed Jiang Bin and his people away. No one turned back to look at him.
Qiao Zhixian felt relieved. Many of these commoners also rode on donkeys and mules. The people of Bazhou are good at horsemanship. I hope they can catch up to Zhang Pipi. I could see that if this bastard died, I might be dismissed from my position. If he was alive, I would be the one to bear all the sins. Amitabha, please bless Eunuch Zhang, he … he will be beaten to death.
Qiao Zhixian rarely prayed to the gods and Buddha. This time, his last minute cramming actually worked.
He squeezed on the official hat chair, all the fat on his body piled up. His belly was so round that the little bird on his clothes could be seen clearly. His family members were packing up their belongings according to his orders. Qiao Yushu looked at them with a frown and sighed reluctantly.
The Zhizhou had gathered all the officials of the counties and towns for a meeting. He would not be able to escape the responsibility of being an official. He would first let his family pack up their belongings and send them back home. He more or less knew a little about the scandals of the officials of the counties and towns. He guessed that since Zhang Pipi was already dead, if he used this as a threat, the Zhizhou would not dare to put all the blame on him.
County Magistrate Qiao sat on the chair like a Maitreya Buddha, sighing and worrying. Class Monitor Li hurriedly rushed in and looked at the busy Qiao fu people in surprise. He then bowed to County Magistrate Qiao and said: "Daren, Hua Daren requests an audience."
"Hua Yu?" Qiao Zhixian raised his head weakly, "Isn't he recuperating at home and waiting to be punished? Why did he come to see me? Haven't I been harmed badly enough by him? "
Class Monitor Li was speechless. Qiao Zhixian snorted and waved his hand, saying, "Call him in."
Class Monitor Li felt as if he had been pardoned and quickly retreated. After a while, they saw Imperial Magistrate Hua being carried into the hall by two Ding Yong. Qiao Zhixian hugged his stomach and did not get up to greet them. He only smiled bitterly and said, "Master Hua, I studied hard for twenty years and only managed to become a seventh-rank official. Now … my future has been ruined by your hands."
Imperial Magistrate Hua lied on the wooden plank and laughed dryly, "Magistrate, I am doing this for the sake of the people and the law of the court. But … I am really uneasy that I have implicated you. I have been lying at home and thinking for a long time. I have thought of a way that might help you out of danger. Will you listen to me? "
Hearing this, Qiao Zhixian suddenly became spirited and jumped up from the chair like a ball. He smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes, of course. Master Hua … uh … quick, quick, bring Master Hua to my study. Serve tea, serve tea quickly! "
* * *
Fan Zhizhou sat dumbfounded on the chair. He had not spoken for almost an hour. All the officials in Bazhou and all the counties under its jurisdiction were gathered in the hall. None of them said a word.
Qiao Zhixian was among them. He looked left and right as if nothing had happened. His colleagues around him felt angry when they saw him. In fact, Qiao Zhixian really wanted to pretend to be sad and sorrowful to gain the sympathy of the officials. Unfortunately, there was too much fat on his face. When he nodded and said "yes, yes, yes", the fat on his cheeks and chin trembled at the same time. He looked very sincere. It was too difficult to make a sad and angry expression. His eyes were wide open, but the fat on his face was still drooping and did not change at all.
Jiang Bin sat resentfully on the chair next to Fan Zhizhou. There was a bandage around his neck. His arm was in a sling and one of his legs was in a splint. It was unknown how serious his injury was. But his voice was loud enough to shake the roof tiles.
He was repeating the words that Zhizhou Fan had heard eight hundred times, spittle flying, "As soon as I heard Zhizhou Daren's orders, I gathered three thousand troops and horses and rushed to Xin Village. I was anxious, so I led a few dozen guards and rushed into Xin Village. They were a bunch of unruly people. No matter how many of them there were, would they dare to fight against the soldiers?
Thinking back to the time at Chicken Cry Inn, I led two to three hundred soldiers and withstood the attack of three thousand Tatar cavalry. This is not an exaggeration. The current Duke Wei can testify for me. Gululu … "
Jiang Bin picked up the teapot and took a big gulp. Wiping his mouth, he said, "Let me tell you, when this general went to the meeting alone, I really shocked them. When they saw me swagger out to pick up Eunuch Zhang, none of them dared to say anything. But who knew that some hothead would suddenly throw a brick at this general and hit my helmet crooked. In war, we fight with momentum. With momentum, even a meat dog will become a tiger dog. Without momentum, thousands of soldiers and horses will be at the mercy of others.
Don't look down on this brick. The mob immediately started clamoring again. Protecting Eunuch Zhang is more important, right? I can't lower myself to their level. Don't they know what is important and what is not? Seeing that the situation was not good, I took Eunuch Zhang and flew away.
F * ck, how would I know that everyone in Bazhou had a horse? My horse had just traveled a long distance and carried two people at once. How could it outrun them? This general is so miserable. Look, look at my head, my hands, my legs. Ouch … it hurts! "
Governor Fan laughed dryly and said, "The people of Bazhou have always been tough. In addition, most of the people are proficient in horsemanship and martial arts. Master Jiang was eager to save people and ran into the enemy. Master Jiang has suffered. Someone, quickly help Master Jiang back to the residence to recuperate and rest."
"Hey, I'm not done yet. I don't know what deep hatred those wicked people have for Eunuch Zhang. When they caught up to us, they grabbed Eunuch Zhang and the tax collectors and beat them up. They didn't dare to touch me, but this general risked his life to protect Eunuch Zhang and angered them. That's why I was beaten up like this.
When I fainted, I saw Eunuch Zhang's housekeeper, Han Bing, split open by a hoe. Blood and brain matter were everywhere. Unfortunately, this general can't even take care of myself. Sigh! A dragon in shallow water is played by shrimp, a tiger in plain land is bullied by dogs … "
Jiang Bin chattered on and was forcefully supported out by two Yamachi. Outside the door, he still yelled at the top of his lungs, "This isn't over. Governor Daren, once this general recovers, I will definitely get back at them. Who doesn't have a tiger in plain land? When the wind and clouds rise again. One day, the dragon will obtain water, and I will reverse the flow of the Yangtze River. One day, the tiger will return to the mountains, and I will dye half the sky with blood. Hey, I'm not done yet … "
Governor Fan furrowed his brows in disgust and shouted, "Close the door!"
Bam! The door to the hall closed. Governor Fan looked at the officials of Bazhou sitting to his left and right and sat down dejectedly. He said, "Everyone, the situation is basically like this. It's impossible to find out who did it in the chaos. The rioters beat Eunuch Zhang and his people until they were dismembered, and then they scattered. It's impossible to find the culprit. What do you think we should do? "
The Prefect of Bazhou Gui Dan said, "Daren Fan, the rioting in Bazhou and the killing of the guard eunuch cannot be covered up. This must be reported to the imperial court. Besides, Wei Guogong is in Bazhou and has long heard of this. When he returns to the capital to reply to the imperial edict, he will certainly mention this to the Emperor. Eunuch Zhang is already dead. Daren, you must think of a good plan. Otherwise, no one will be able to bear the consequences of this mess. "
All the officials deeply agreed and nodded their heads in agreement.
Chief Judge Qi Longyu said, "According to this lowly official's investigation, the cause of this incident was Eunuch Zhang punishing the Prefect of Gu 'an, Hua Yu, for taking bribes and bending the law. Mu Jing, a scholar of Gu' an, gathered all the scholars to cause trouble. This attracted a large number of unruly people and caused the situation to get out of hand. This lowly official believes that we should arrest Mu Jing and his people for their crimes. This lowly official will be able to give an explanation to the imperial court."
Gu 'an County Magistrate Qiao Yushu interrupted, "Difficult! Difficult! Your Excellency Prefect, fellow officials, that Prefect Hua Yu is not dead yet. He is currently recuperating at home. It is said that Eunuch Zhang has already made a report to the Imperial Messenger regarding his tyranny in Gu 'an and the oppression of the people. After this incident, he even skipped a rank to report to the Imperial Messenger Station. If the imperial court really wants to investigate this matter … the truth of why the scholars of Gu' an are causing trouble will be revealed. When that time comes, I'm afraid you and I will all be implicated. "
When all the officials heard this, their faces changed. These officials were not clean. Reporting to the imperial court that the Elementary Scholars of Gu 'an were causing trouble, was this reasonable? Why did the Elementary Scholars gather to cause trouble? How dare they attack the guard eunuch under the protection of the soldiers and kill him and all his people?
Originally, if all the officials in Bazhou were to agree, this matter could be concealed. However, the Prefect of Gu 'an, Hua Yu, was still alive and had skipped a rank to report. The report had even been sent to the Imperial Messenger Station. How could this matter be concealed? If the imperial court investigated this matter …
The hall immediately quietened down. The oppressive atmosphere lasted for a long time. The Prefect of Bazhou, Sun Ting, carefully said, "Furthermore … furthermore, Minister Mu was murdered by the four demon monks. It was Duke Wei who cleared his name. He knew Duke Wei. With this layer of relationship, not to mention the fact that he, a mere scholar, can't shoulder the responsibility of stabilizing the people's rebellion, even if he can, it won't be easy to pin the crime on him. "
He was honest and used the word "implicated" directly. In any case, each of the officials in the hall had their own interests. How to deal with the aftermath of the civil uprising in Bazhou and how to explain to the imperial court that the eunuch guarding the city had been beaten into a pile of mud was related to everyone's interests. At this juncture, there was no need to be secretive.
Advisor Ye said in a low voice, "Your Excellency, you don't have to be so worried. In today's imperial court, who is in charge? Eunuch Liu of the inner court. Eunuch Zhang is Eunuch Liu's man. He was beaten to death by the rebels. If the imperial court sends people to investigate, it will most likely be Eunuch Liu's man. Will he expose his own disgrace and make Eunuch Liu unhappy?
Besides, even if the person who came is not Eunuch Liu's man, as long as we are of one mind, what can he, an official from the capital, find out? Not to mention that the people may not believe the imperial court and report to the imperial court. Even if they do, we can communicate and support each other. No matter what he investigates, he can forget about finding any solid evidence.
After all, we have been operating here for many years. All the officials at all the gates can be said to be people who follow us to drink soup. Who doesn't have something to do here? The imperial court can't find anything. Who can be convicted based on the testimony of a few unruly people? As long as we point out that person is part of the mob, it will be enough to convict him. Naturally, no one will believe his words. "
Governor Fan's expression was dark. "No, no, no, it is not that simple. A guard eunuch was beaten to death by the rebels. This cannot be settled. Regardless of whether the person who came is Eunuch Liu's man or not, there has to be an explanation to the imperial court, right? Say that it was because the mob resisted taxes and killed the guard? Then the imperial court will definitely mobilize the army to sweep through Bazhou.
Everyone, this time, we are not trying to wipe out mountain bandits, but the people. Among them, there are local scholars, students, and large numbers of wealthy gentry. If we kill without restraint, it will greatly damage the vitality of Bazhou. How can you and I continue to be officials here? If we incite a large scale rebellion, you and I are both pastors of a region. The imperial court's system is that if the city exists and the people exist, if the city falls, the people will die. Those who dare to abandon the city and escape will be sentenced to death. If we cause the flames of war to rise, I'm afraid we won't even be able to keep our lives. "
Governor Fan's sinister gaze swept across and said, "There are no outsiders here. We are grasshoppers on the same rope. We can't run, and I can't jump to help you. I will say it directly. Even if we want to push all the blame onto the people, with Yang Guogong and Imperial Judge Hua here, we can't hide it. If it is not the people's responsibility, then whose responsibility is it? Someone has to be the scapegoat, and only someone qualified to be the scapegoat can protect all of us. "
When something happened, the first thing an official would consider was not how to find out the truth, how to calm the situation, or how to appease the people, but to find out who was responsible, whether they needed to take responsibility, and how to remove themselves from the responsibility so that they could stay out of the matter and not be implicated. This was the rule of ancient and modern times.
As soon as Governor Fan finished speaking, the officials immediately looked at each other. Their gazes gradually focused on the Buddha-like County Magistrate Qiao. The officials around him quietly took a step away, as if he was infected with the plague.
Qiao Yushu knew that today, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that he would be the scapegoat, so he had long prepared a set of excuses and was prepared to fight to the death, using other people's scandals as a threat. The incident happened under his jurisdiction, so he would definitely be the scapegoat. But he couldn't let himself be the scapegoat. That would be a death sentence.
But before he left, Imperial Judge Hua gave him an idea. The more Qiao Yushu thought about it, the more he felt it made sense. At this moment, he was very confident. He saw that his colleagues, who used to bow and greet him with smiles on their faces, now all had the evil smile of "I want to frame you" on their faces. He couldn't help but laugh at the sky. He strode forward and sternly said, "Master Fan, do you still need to say who will be the scapegoat? There is the most suitable person right in front of you. How could you have forgotten, Master? "
Governor Fan was overjoyed. He quickly grabbed County Magistrate Qiao's hands and said with tears in his eyes, "Brother Yushu, you are really chivalrous and have a warm heart. Don't worry, as long as you take the scapegoat, you will be the benefactor of all the officials in Bazhou. Your parents and wife are young, but we will treat them like our own. We will treat them well and compensate them …"
County Magistrate Qiao suddenly pulled back his chubby little hands and rolled his eyes. He said in a nasal voice, "Why? Zhang Zhong did get into trouble under my jurisdiction, but he died in Xin Village. That is out of my Gu An County. Besides, why did the people revolt? No matter what, you can't put all the blame on me, Qiao Yushu.
Why let someone else take the blame? Eunuch Zhang should be the scapegoat. If the imperial court wants to investigate, we can push all the blame on Eunuch Zhang. Eunuch Zhang is already dead and scattered. Can he still go to court to argue?
Isn't the imperial court going to evaluate political achievements at any time? That's good. This case of the family register, Eunuch Zhang's problem is solved. We can push all the blame on him. In the future, we won't have to be afraid of anyone investigating us. This move can also buy the people's favor, appease their grievances, and gain the prestige of the officials and the people. It can be said to be killing three birds with one stone. Why didn't you all think of this? "
The spirits of the officials rose. That's right! Wei Ji, who had always followed Zhang Zhong, had already developed a habit of obeying and protecting him. How could he have forgotten Eunuch Zhang? The sins he committed and the corruption of their officials could be pushed all the blame on him. This big black pot would be placed on Eunuch Zhang's grave. Tsk, tsk, tsk …
Official Fan snorted coldly and poured cold water on them. "Don't be delusional. No matter how careful we are, if this matter is investigated in depth, it will definitely involve Eunuch Liu in the capital. Are we going to report Eunuch Zhang? Push all the blame on him? What will Eunuch Liu think when he sees this? Once we submit our memorials to the capital, the Imperial Prison will put us on the list. If we get sent to the Imperial Bodyguard's prison, I might as well hang myself now. "
When the officials heard this, they immediately turned cold. Puppet County Magistrate Qiao Yushu was enlightened today. He said with some insight, "Zhizhou Daren, of course we can't offend Eunuch Liu, but there are people who can. Who has the highest official position in Bazhou? Duke Wei! Who in the world dares to challenge Eunuch Liu? Duke Wei! Who is willing and qualified to be such a sucker? Duke Wei!
Imperial envoys have the power to submit memorials. We will say that the matter is urgent and of great importance. No one can take on such a heavy responsibility. Each of you will go back and write a report. Push all the blame on Eunuch Zhang and then send it to Duke Wei. Eunuch Liu will definitely think that Duke Wei is deliberately making things difficult for him. How will he have the time to care about us small fries? "
Advisor Ye's eyes brightened. He moved closer to Zhizhou Fan's ear and said, "Daren, County Magistrate Qiao's plan is feasible. Daren, you can secretly send someone to report to Eunuch Liu. Say that the Bazhou officials were forced by Duke Wei to expose Zhang Zhong's crimes. This way, regardless of whether Duke Wei or Eunuch Liu gains power, Daren, you will be able to benefit from both sides and stand tall. "
Fan Mo Li was overjoyed. He said cheerfully, "Good, let's follow County Magistrate Qiao's plan. All of you go back and write a report. Tomorrow morning, I will respectfully invite Duke Wei to continue investigating the properties of the Dark House. Listen to my signal, all of you rush in. Petition to expose Zhang Zhong and respectfully submit a report! "
When the officials heard this, they were all delighted. They hurriedly cupped their hands and said yes. Then, they rushed back to think of all the heinous crimes they could think of. They tried every possible way to frame Zhang Zhong, preparing to take the opportunity to whitewash themselves.
Seeing the officials disperse, Daren Fan patted County Magistrate Qiao's fleshy shoulder and said with emotion, "A long journey shows a horse's stamina. Time reveals a person's heart. Brother Yushu, a small Gu An District is really a waste of your talent! "
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