In addition to a garrison office, Lingqiu also had a county government office.
The county magistrate Guo Binchang has served as the county magistrate for one term in Lingqiu. Now as the court takes more and more actions in Datong, he understands that he has been abandoned and became a scapegoat.
Later, he almost didn't care about anything. He just recited poems and wrote poems every day, or copied calligraphy and painting in the study, which was considered to let himself go.
"Oh no, Dong Weng! Something big happened." As he finished speaking, Mr. Jia from the county government ran in from the outside, panting.
Guo Binchang put down the pen in his hand, frowned slightly, and said, "Why are you panicking? You have been with me for many years. When have you ever seen me panic like this?"
"Yes, no, alas, something happened." Master Jia clapped his hands and said, "Zheng Shoubei took his soldiers out of the city to guard the camp."
Guo Binchang said with a dissatisfied look on his face: "This is not the first time he has left the city. He has been out of the city before. There is nothing strange about this."
I am dissatisfied with Master Jia's fuss.
"This time is different. The students heard that the Tiger Character Banner was going to take away the miners from Dongshan. Zheng Shoubei went to guard the camp for this reason. Maybe the two sides would fight." Master Jia said anxiously.
Hearing this, Guo Binchang's face changed color for the first time and said: "Why did the Tiger Character Banner take away the Dongshan miners? The Dongshan Iron Works is not in good condition. I haven't heard anything happened."
"Who knows, anyway, Zheng Shoubei has already gone to the garrison camp. If a fight breaks out, the county may not be able to defend it." Master Jia said worriedly.
He had seen the cannon of the Tiger Flag with his own eyes.
That time, troops and horses of the Tiger Character Flag set off from Lingqiu to Xinping Fort. The team passed by the official road outside Lingqiu County. He was lucky enough to see it once.
But it was that time that made him understand that Lingqiu County could not stop the troops of the Tiger Flag.
The walls around the county town have collapsed in several places. If you put some mud in front of them, the cannons of the Tiger Flag can blow them down with a single shot. After all, even a fort as powerful as Xinping Fort can't stop a few cannons.
Guo Binchang's expression changed several times.
Although he no longer cares about Lingqiu's government affairs, it does not mean that he is willing to die in Lingqiu.
Once Lingqiu was lost, he, the county magistrate of Lingqiu, would be responsible for losing the land. Even if the tiger-character flag did not do anything to him, the court would never let him go.
"Dong Weng, do you think we should also send troops to the Dongshan Iron Station?" Master Jia asked tentatively.
The county government has three classes of government officials, and there are quite a few people in total.
Guo Binchang looked thoughtful.
He walked back and forth in the room several times, and after stopping he asked, "Why did the Tiger Flag take away the Dongshan miners? Is it because of something?"
"This," Master Jia thought for a moment, then said with a bitter look on his face, "How can a student guess this?"
Guo Binchang, who looked thoughtful, pinched the beard on his chin and said: "There must be something going on here, otherwise the Tiger Flag would not even abandon the Dongshan Iron Works and only take the miners away. What on earth is that!"
There are constant guesses in my mind.
"Could something happen that forced the Tiger Flag to leave Lingqiu, and Zheng Shoubei got some information before he prepared to attack the Tiger Flag." Master Jia said tentatively.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Guo Binchang's expression suddenly changed and he said: "I understand, it must be the imperial court. The imperial court wants to take action against the Tiger Character Flag, so the Tiger Character Flag wants to retreat from Lingqiu."
"What the student just said was just nonsense. The imperial court is really going to take action against the Tiger Flag. It's impossible for you, Dong Weng, not to have received any news at all." Master Jia said hurriedly.
Guo Binchang shook his head and said: "It's only normal that I haven't received the news. Don't expect it. I have long been the scapegoat in their eyes, and Zheng Shuqi is one of their own."
As he spoke, he sighed.
What he regretted most was coming to Lingqiu to be the county magistrate.
In any case, he was also a Jinshi, but just because a tiger-character flag appeared in Lingqiu, his career as an official had come to an end.
"If the imperial court really wants to take action against the tiger-character flag, it will be a good opportunity for Dong Weng to prove his innocence. At this time, he should personally take the Yamen to Dongshan to assist Zheng Shoubei in dealing with the tiger-character flag." Master Jia said.
Guo Binchang looked at Master Jia with strange eyes.
He was the dignified magistrate of Lingqiu County, but he was going to assist Lingqiu's defense. It was quite awkward to hear this.
Master Jia saw the thoughts in Guo Binchang's heart and said: "It's now time, Dong Weng, don't care about civil and military distinctions. If you miss this opportunity, I'm afraid there will be no possibility of turning over."
The reason why he tried so hard to persuade Guo Binchang was because he knew that once Guo Binchang, the county magistrate, was in trouble, he, the master, would not be much better.
Even if I save my life, it is unlikely that I will be a master for others in the future.
"Hmph, do you really think those people will let me go if I go to lay down Zheng Shuqi? At this time, no one will save me." Guo Binchang snorted coldly.
Just because he doesn't understand government affairs doesn't mean he's stupid, otherwise he wouldn't be able to pass the Jinshi exam.
By this time, he had understood that no matter what he did, it was of no use, because Datong needed a scapegoat to quell the anger of the court.
And he, the Lingqiu County Magistrate, is the best candidate. Whoever makes Tiger Flag's home base is Lingqiu.
Master Jia said hesitantly: "As long as you prove that you are incompatible with the tiger-character flag, Dong Weng, the court should be able to see that you are innocent, Dong Weng."
"If you are innocent or not, you don't have to let other people speak." Guo Binchang shook his head slightly, and then said, "Forget it, let me live my life as it passes!"
After speaking, he picked up the pen on the inkstone and started copying on the paper again.
However, Zheng Shuqi obviously had no intention of explaining to him, but said directly: "Find all our people and follow me to guard the camp."
The people he calls us are the subordinates he brought from Tianchengwei.
Outside the gate of the garrison, dozens of cavalry soldiers quickly gathered.
All of these people were wearing armor, some of them were carrying bows and arrows, and those without bows and arrows were also holding sharp blades.
Although most of them were wearing cotton armor, the energy on their bodies was obviously different from that of ordinary soldiers, making it easy to tell that they were elites in the army.
"Follow me and leave the city."
Zheng Shuqi and Zheng Fei finally walked out of the garrison and came to dozens of riders. With a wave of their hands, they gave the order to leave the city.
More than thirty murderous cavalry appeared on the street, and pedestrians on the road hid early.
For the common people, once they are killed by these officers and soldiers on horseback, their death will be in vain, and if not possible, their families will be harmed.
The gates were guarded by the soldiers guarding the camp.
These soldiers had already received the news, so the pedestrians in front of the city gate were pushed aside early, leaving the city gate to wait for Zheng Shoubei and others to leave the city.
