Lu Chen watched coldly as the two men kowtowed and begged for mercy. After a moment, he slowly spoke.
"Raise your head and look at me."
When they heard the other party calling himself "my officer", the two of them couldn't help but froze for a moment, then suddenly looked up. After seeing Lu Chen sitting on the royal horse wearing an extremely serious official uniform, they breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
As long as they're not bandits, that's fine.
The silver pattern at home was saved.
Everyone is from the imperial court, so it should not be too difficult for them.
However, their joy seemed to be premature.
"I'm asking you."
Lu Chen looked at them expressionlessly, "Which government official are you from? And who ordered you to take the laborers to the Tianmen River Dam?"
Hearing this, the two of them could not help but be startled, and then subconsciously looked around, and suddenly saw the people they had driven away with whips looking at them with complicated expressions.
Behind those people, there was a large group of soldiers in light armor standing, looking at them with eyes that felt something was wrong.
This situation...why doesn't it feel right?
Clang!
Fu Hua, who had been standing beside Lu Chen, suddenly drew his sword, looked at the two of them coldly, and said coldly:
"If you don't want to die, please reply quickly!"
There was a hint of murderous intent in the voice!
The two of them suddenly trembled, and then one of them said cautiously: "We...we are the official servants of Luan Yu, the magistrate of Ping County. Mr. Luan is loyal to the emperor and the country. Seeing that the floods near Tianmen River are becoming more and more serious, he ordered me to We will go to various parts of the county to recruit young people and take them to the Tianmen River Dam... to quell the floods..."
Hearing this, Lu Chen thought subconsciously for a moment.
After a few breaths, he suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"So, did your magistrate say what arrangements will be made after bringing the person over?"
The two shook their heads.
"No, the county magistrate said, we just need to take the people over and take good care of them."
Hearing this, all the people's eyes suddenly widened with disbelief on their faces.
"Ah…"
Lu Chen smiled coldly.
"What a loyal magistrate of Luan County."
The two raised their heads slightly, and then asked with great anxiety: "Sir, do you know our Lord Luan?"
"do not know."
Lu Chen said calmly: "But we will get to know each other soon."
After hearing his meaningful words, the two couldn't help but look at each other.
Lu Chen asked them some puzzling questions, such as whether someone in the county was buying grain at a high price recently, and whether the county government often had distinguished guests coming to the door.
Under the threat of survival, the two of them naturally told Lu Chen everything they knew about Lu Chen's problems. They told him everything Lu Chen wanted to know like pouring beans over them, without hiding anything.
After asking the question, Lu Chen suddenly turned his head and looked at Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping not far away with complicated faces.
"Send this governor's order!"
As soon as these words came out, the two officials were dumbfounded.
Governor?
This young man is actually a governor?
The people didn't know what kind of official the governor was, but as officials of the county government, they naturally didn't know.
That is a high-ranking official that can only be held by ministers who have the emperor's trust!
How could such a big shot come to a place like Tianmenjiang where nothing matters?
In a daze, the Yuzhou guards trembled suddenly, and then instinctively stood up straight, with solemn expressions on their faces.
Zhang Shiping and Su Shuangye calmed down their minds and bowed to Lu Chen with their hands in hand, as if they were waiting for orders.
"Order the commanders of the Yuzhou Guard and the Suizhou Guard to immediately lead their troops to the Tianmen River Dam to assist Xiao Shangshu in repairing all flood control works. If there are laborers in the dam area who have been recruited by the county magistrates in various regions regardless of the law and on their own initiative. , then allocate part of the money and food from the baggage and distribute it to the people, so that they can return to their hometowns, and at the same time mobilize soldiers and horses to escort them out of the dam area safely, no mistakes!"
"promise!"
This time, all the soldiers took the order decisively and without hesitation. Even Zhang Shiping, who usually had the most opinions, did not say a word this time.
After hearing the order issued by Lu Chen as the governor, both the people and the two officers were completely stunned.
Li Wei looked at Lu Chen in disbelief and asked bravely: "My lord, what do you mean...the imperial court did not order the conscription of labor at all and asked me to wait to quell the flood. All this was done by the county government on its own?" "
Other people also stared at Lu Chen, their eyes full of hope.
Lu Chen turned around, glanced at him, and nodded slightly under the hopeful gazes of everyone.
"Yes, Your Majesty is well aware that the people's livelihood in Yuzhou is difficult now and must not use the people's power. Therefore, he ordered the guards of the two states of Yu and Sui to go to the dam area to control the water. He also ordered me to temporarily take charge of the military affairs of the two states and assist Xiao Shangshu in calming down the flood. He has never There has never been a decree levying labor force from the imperial court."
Hearing this, Li Wei and the other people were stunned for a short time, and a look of ecstasy gradually appeared on their withered faces.
The court... had no intention of letting them die.
All of this is the result of those dog officials acting on their own initiative and doing whatever they want!
When the two officials heard Lu Chen's words, they were dumbfounded on the spot, and their fat bodies gradually began to tremble.
At this time, Lu Chen suddenly looked over.
"Can you two please lead the way?"
As he spoke, the corners of his mouth slowly raised, and a smile finally filled his face again.
Gudong.......
The two of them swallowed at the same time, and then asked loudly: "Go...where?"
"Ping County."
Lu Chen said calmly: "I, the Commander-in-Chief, need to learn more about your master Luan's style."
Upon hearing this, the two of them suddenly turned pale.
……………
Ziji City, Taiji Hall.
Early morning.
The empress walked into the palace on time and sat on the dragon chair, with the Holy King Cangming standing at her head.
"Greetings to my emperor, may my emperor be in peace."
All the civil and military officials on both sides bowed and saluted.
The empress nodded.
"Everyone is safe."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Everyone straightened up, and then the eunuchs on both sides of the dragon chair shouted: "If you have something to do, leave the court if there is nothing!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man in a purple robe standing at the forefront of the array of civil servants suddenly took a step forward.
Seeing this, the other courtiers suddenly looked stern.
In the Taiji Palace, the people who are at the front regardless of whether they are civil or military are the current big shots who have great say in the court.
The closer the position is to the emperor, the more powerful it is.
For example, the positions of the important ministers of the Three Pavilions were right under the emperor's nose. They could be seen at a glance and were extremely conspicuous.
These big bosses seldom speak, but as long as they submit a letter to make an announcement, the matter will not be trivial. At this time, except for the imperial censor and the officials who are responsible for the matter, others will generally not speak to disturb them.
Although the position of the middle-aged man is not as good as that of Sange, it is still quite conspicuous.
In fact, he was the important minister of the dynasty - Cangshi Gong, Liu Dongyang, who had already been worshiped as Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of War during the late emperor's time, and was now awarded the important position of Minister of War by the empress.
After Liu Dongyang stood up, he clenched the fluorene board in his hand and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The empress nodded slightly.
"Liu Aiqing, please speak."
Liu Dongyang bowed slightly, and then said: "Your Majesty, according to reliable information, the Rouran Khanate has been undergoing frequent changes recently. King Ahuntu of Rouran has gathered hundreds of thousands of string-controllers to station troops in the Baiye area. It seems that he is taking advantage of the situation to send troops. But the Cang Ling Army guarding Huangzhou turned a blind eye to this and did not do anything to obstruct it."
After a pause, he continued: "Moreover, the guards in the seven western provinces such as Xichuan Province, Jingxiang Province, and Tianlan Province have recently seemed to have strange movements. Their generals have either reported illness or excused themselves to return home. He is often absent from the army, and he is gone for more than ten days at a time, and his behavior is quite suspicious..."
Upon hearing this, the empress' face suddenly tightened.
Is it finally here...?
