Xihua was naturally the most difficult nut to crack for Magistrate Lu to seize military power. Although he got a useful chess piece like Professor Zhao, the county magistrate could not play a decisive role in the end, so he could only "don't use Qianlong" for the time being. But he didn't know whether it was God's mercy or destiny that made everything suddenly clear: He got the news yesterday that there was a bandit in Ruzhou.
He might not put this matter in front of him at the moment, after all, it happened in another state; but a few days later, after he came back from Kaifeng to discuss with the governor, it brought him all kinds of hope.
But this is explained from Li Yong's perspective, and Lu Deguang may not have opened his eyes wide enough to see his golden opportunity.
"Master Magistrate, what did the governor say?" Li Yong poured tea and asked.
"The governor said: 'Since Chenzhou is close to Ruzhou, you should send troops to help us to suppress the bandits.'" Lu Deguang hung his official robe on the clothes rack and looked back at Li Yong. He looked very happy.
"What's there to be happy about? When the time comes to annihilate the thief, the credit will be attributed to Yuan Lun. Instead, it will increase other people's ambitions, but I won't benefit at all."
"But as a local commander, it shouldn't be difficult to ask Yuan Lun for a military talisman, right?" Li Yong said with a smile.
"I took his military talisman..." Lu Deguang suddenly stopped, "How?"
"This is very useful."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
"The prefect is here!"
Yuan Lun led many officers to the governor's hall and kowtowed to Lu Deguang.
"Prefect Lu hasn't been to the Governor's Office for a long time!" Yuan Lun stood up, with a sly smile on his thick face. It's no wonder that Li Yong said that he was brave and foolhardy, with high ambition and low hand. He never harbored evil intentions.
"Today is also for official business, so I won't use clichés." Lu Deguang stepped into the main hall, followed by his entourage; Yuan Lun stopped for two steps and also sat down in the hall.
"The official business Mr. Lu is talking about should be about the incident in Ruzhou, right? Mr. Lu doesn't need to worry about this. The governor will just arrange to send troops."
"This can't be done. I am not the kind of idle and mediocre official. I will dispatch these soldiers of course; you can give me the military talisman."
This was said so thoroughly that Yuan Lun didn't know how to reply. After hesitating for a moment, he smiled and said: "The military talisman belongs to the governor's office. I'm afraid it's against the rules to take it as Master Lu says."
"Normally, I am a governor, and I am in charge of important military and political affairs. Isn't it beyond my duty to get a military talisman?" His voice became more severe.
Yuan Lun couldn't argue with him. When he thought that he couldn't cause much trouble if he took a military talisman, he showed a nonchalant look and ordered his subordinates to get it.
After a while, he took the talisman and handed it to Lu Deguang. Lu Deguang turned the talisman a few times to confirm it, and then left with confidence.
Within a few days, Lu Deguang mobilized his troops and horses and set out from Huaining, carrying military supplies and more than a hundred people, and went straight to Ruzhou. At the same time, he summoned the newly appointed county magistrate Zhao Shou, holding the military talisman, and said to him: "You have Show this thing to Wuzhi County, saying that Yuan Lun's army is preparing to launch a mutiny and attack Huaining, so I will show you the military talisman and ask the county magistrate to kill the magistrate's confidants to show his intention to revolt."
"Why do you do this?" Professor Zhao was entrusted with important tasks as soon as he became an official. It was inevitable that he couldn't figure out what this old man was thinking.
"As long as Wuzhi County kills my cronies, the name of treason will be confirmed; when the time comes, I can kill him and I can justifiably change the county to another county. The military power of Xihua will be in my hands. Do you understand?"
As soon as Professor Zhao heard the words of changing the county magistrate, he became energetic and asked hurriedly: "I...can I be the magistrate?"
"You are my cousin, as long as it is done, it will be done,"
After saying that, he immediately changed the subject and revealed a ferocious smile: "If it doesn't work, I will kill you first."
Professor Zhao shivered with fright, and these words seemed to make him more energetic. He hurriedly took the military talisman, put it in his bag, and got out.
This man still has some thoughts. He had heard about the friendship between Ye Yongjia and Wu Renyun in the past, and after receiving this order today, he couldn't help but doubt Master Tongzhi, fearing that he would cause chaos in the future, so he wanted to kill two birds with one stone and add another achievement to himself, so he went to Tongzhifu first Yamen, said to Ye Yongjia: "Lord Lu ordered the villain to go to Xihua to force Wu Renyun to rebel. He also asked me to tell you that you should arrive with your troops and seize the opportunity to blockade the county government and quell the chaos in one fell swoop, in order to put an end to the trouble as soon as possible. "Ye Yongjia naturally did not dare to say 'no', so he dispatched his government officials to assemble troops and horses in front of him. Only then did Professor Zhao feel relieved and said goodbye.
…
"County Prime Minister?" Wu Renyun looked mysterious when he saw Zhao Professor coming in with his hands behind his back.
"Master Magistrate," he pressed one hand on the table and whispered, "Captain Yuan has an order..."
Wu Renyun looked around and pointed at his lips: "Keep your voice down. Are you also from the Governor?"
Professor Zhao just smiled, meaning it was self-evident.
"What's the order from the governor?" Wu Renyun asked.
Professor Zhao took out the hand behind his back, and there was a small military talisman on the palm of his hand.
"You want me to raise an army?" Wu Renyun was quite surprised.
"This is not a good time." He hesitated.
Professor Zhao was not happy: "Since Governor Yuan has issued the order, it will be too late for you and me to say anything else. It is better to obey the order quickly and plan for great things!"
Wu Renyun pondered for a moment, then tapped his nails on the table decisively: "That's good!"
"I'm going to launch an army. You go and ask Chief Qin to come over. This person is a close confidant of the magistrate." Magistrate Wu ordered.
Professor Zhao immediately handed over his hand and left the county government office. The county magistrate brought soldiers from the inspection department with military talismans and told them to ambush in the government office compound. When the Qin chief clerk came, they would be hacked to death with knives.
"Why are you in such a hurry, County Magistrate Zhao..." Chief Qin was pushed and shoved by Professor Zhao and rushed to the front of the government office.
"The county magistrate is in an emergency. The chief registrar must not delay."
Chief Qin was walking in front of him. He saw that there were no government officials to escort him, and the county magistrate did not come out to greet him. The surroundings were surprisingly quiet, and he suddenly felt uncertain. He expected that magistrate Wu was still Yuan Lun's confidant, and his legs and feet felt like they were nailed there. Generally, I stand on the thin line between the lobby and the backyard and dare not go any further.
But he couldn't help it now. Seeing that he was suspicious, Professor Zhao hurriedly pushed him with his elbow, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.
Master Qin was about to get up in a panic, but his hands and feet had no strength at all. He looked around in panic. The curtain in the study room to the east was rolled up, revealing the shaft of a big knife. He was so frightened that he sat on the ground, not daring to move.
In an instant, a dozen officers and soldiers came out of the room, holding swords and guns, and strode toward Master Qin's office. Before he could shout, he heard a painful sound, extremely miserable.
The magistrate turned his back to the door of the meeting hall. After a while, he asked: "Has the body been packed away?"
"Your Majesty, it has been moved."
He then moved over and saw Professor Zhao kneeling outside the threshold. "Is there anyone else from the prefect?"
"There are also a few subordinate officials..."
"Call everyone here..." Wu Renyun gritted his teeth, his eyes were empty, and he struggled as if his heart was being cut off layer by layer with a sharp knife. It was very painful.
"Kill them."
