Returning to Laizhou after three months, Sun Yuanhua suddenly discovered that this city had become a bit strange.
Laizhou is no longer as majestic as it once was, with ruins everywhere. Thick smoke was always emitting from somewhere, and the entire city was suffocating.
In addition to the unfamiliar city, the people in the city are also even stranger.
Countless eyes looked down at Sun Yuanhua, and all of them were filled with anger and hatred.
Many people walked by carrying dead bodies, and if there were no officers and soldiers stopping them, they would all rush in front of him.
It was as if the enemy outside the city was not him, but him in front of him.
"Zhongcheng, I'm afraid that we will die if you are the one."
Wang Zheng, the military supervisor of the Liaohai Sea, felt the atmosphere of being surrounded by enemies on all sides, and felt sad.
He was recommended by Sun Yuanhua and served as the military supervisor of Liaohai. At this point, Naturally and Sun Yuanhua are like grasshoppers on a rope.
Sun Yuanhua's mind was in chaos and he had lost his ability to think.
When he left Dengzhou, he still had some confidence and felt that he could persuade the civil and military forces of Laizhou to recruit the Dongjiang Town rebels.
But when he arrived in Laizhou and saw the tragic situation here, his confidence was shaken.
Under the blood feud, who, be it civil or military officials or ordinary people in Laizhou, could accept the surrender of Dongjiang Town?
Sun Yuanhua didn't know that in the current situation, he was the only one who was thinking about appeasing.
Just when his front foot stepped into Laizhou City, shouts of killing suddenly came from the rebel flank in the distance.
Sun Yuanhua looked in shock, but couldn't see what was happening.
Only the rebel soldiers were seen running towards the distance in chaos, as if something had happened.
At this moment, Xu Congzhi, Xie Lian, Zhu Wannian, Yang Yufan and others arrived hand in hand. Like the soldiers and people in Dengzhou, they didn't have a good look when facing Sun Yuanhua.
Zhu Wannian roared like thunder.
"Sun Zhongcheng, look at the good things you have done? How many people died tragically because of you!"
Sun Yuanhua was filled with bitterness, but he had to stay calm and try to explain.
"Everyone, there must be a misunderstanding..."
Yang Yufan interrupted directly and hummed: "What other misunderstandings are there? The traitors kill without mercy and cause endless trouble. To this day, the only option is to fight the rebels to the death."
Sun Yuanhua was in great distress.
"How can you, gentlemen, ignore the overall situation?"
Xu Congzhi looked at the haggard Sun Yuanhua, and pity flashed through his heart.
"Sun Zhongcheng, the matter has come to an end and there is no need to say more. You don't know yet, but at this moment, Wang Xunjian has sent troops to attack the rebel camp. Don't mention the recruitment proposal again."
Sun Yuanhua was stunned and took several steps back.
He thought of everything, even disregarding the infamy he would receive behind him. I just didn't expect that Laizhou civil and military forces would be so strong that they would take the initiative and break the peace between both parties.
After Wang Daochun did this, the rebels no longer had the possibility of being recruited.
Yes, Wang Daochun did another puzzling thing.
When Sun Yuanhua arrived in Laizhou City, he sent troops to attack the rebels without authorization, causing the situation to escalate.
When Sun Yuanhua was still in Dengzhou, he repeatedly told Kong Youde and others about his righteousness and power, and persuaded Kong Youde and others to surrender.
This was the content of his letter to Yu Dacheng at that time.
The court also agreed with his efforts.
But unfortunately, this matter did not succeed in the end.
what is the reason?
Inspector Wang Daochun hid the imperial edict...
For two consecutive times, Sun Yuanhua's recruitment efforts were undermined by Wang Daochun.
Putting aside whether Kong Youde and others will change their minds, it is not surprising that the Wuqiao mutiny became so serious since we have such an expert in causing trouble.
Wang Daochun did so many tricks throughout the whole process, so why was he able to get away with it in the end?
In fact, this starts with Ming's attitude towards rebellion.
As we all know, the Ming Dynasty has been very tough on rebellions since its founding. They will never make peace or appease, they must be completely suppressed.
The suppression was successful, which meant that Xuanzong destroyed King Han and Wuzong destroyed King Ning.
If the suppression is unsuccessful, then it is better to be broken than to be destroyed, such as Zhu Yunwen.
Because Wang Daochun's approach was actually based on the context of Chongzhen.
Another thing, to be fair, the Wuqiao mutiny really cannot be compromised.
the reason is simple.
Kong Youde, Li Jiucheng, Geng Zhongming and others were not ordinary people who could not survive, but generals who led the army.
If this kind of people's rebellion is not completely suppressed, but they are appeased with good food and drink, what will the other leading generals think?
Isn't this the beginning of the birth of warlords?
Therefore, to deal with the Dongjiang Town rebels, complete suppression is the only option.
Sun Yuanhua couldn't see this clearly, so he sent himself to death.
Because Wang Daochun was good at making opinions, Sun Yuanhua's plan to run back to Laizhou and advocate for appeasement failed.
He had no room for maneuver.
Xie Lian said with a cold face: "Brother Sun, His Majesty has an order, ordering you to return to Beijing as soon as possible and not to stay."
Xu Congzhi was even more rude.
"Come here and arrange for them to get on their way."
A group of soldiers rushed over and surrounded Sun Yuanhua, Wang Zheng, and Zhang Tao with eager eyes. Obviously, if they do anything unknown, these soldiers will probably immediately use their swords.
Seeing this scene, the three of them all felt their eyes darken, knowing that they could no longer make sense.
Xu Congzhi and Xie Lian arranged a group of soldiers and prepared carriages. Without stopping, they sent Sun Yuanhua and the others out of the city and went straight to the capital.
Seeing Laizhou City getting further and further away, Sun Yuanhua felt much calmer.
"Liangfu, it was Brother Yu who harmed you."
Wang Zheng smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"If we weren't promoted by Zhongcheng, how would the lower-ranking officials have a chance to show their ambitions? It's only God's blessing that you and I are in this disaster."
The two people sighed together, and Zhang Tao next to them was on the verge of crying.
If he had known this, he would have simply surrendered to the rebels in Dengzhou City. It's better to still be a minor official than to be taken to the capital now, where life and death are uncertain.
The group left Laizhou City and meandered westward. Because the battlefield was behind them, the road was not disturbed except for being a bit desolate.
On this day, we walked near the Mi River.
Because Qingzhou Prefecture was the most poisoned by the White Lotus Sect, both sides of the official road were completely deserted. Looking at it, apart from the overgrown weeds, it looks like ghosts.
In the quiet world, they were the only ones walking slowly, which was actually more leisurely than sightseeing.
Suddenly, a whistling sound broke through the air.
The soldiers surrounding the carriage did not react at all, and fell under the rain of arrows.
The leader, Xiao Qi, was about to open his mouth to warn, when he suddenly saw a very short crossbow arrow heading straight for his throat from the corner of his eye.
As he fell, the last thought in his mind was: "The enemy is so close."
All the soldiers of a small banner were wiped out, and only a few breaths were taken together. Then the world returned to peace, except for the strong smell of blood.
The three people in the carriage, Sun Yuanhua, felt something strange. They opened the curtain and came out. They were stunned when they saw the situation.
Did they encounter robbers?
Just as they were stunned, there was a sudden rustling sound in the grass less than ten steps around the carriage.
Then they saw dozens of "straw men" rising from the ground, all holding powerful crossbows. They slowly stepped forward and began to check the status of the soldiers.
Sun Yuanhua and the others rubbed their eyes again and again, unable to believe what they just saw. It is even more unimaginable that there are people in this world who can disguise themselves so perfectly.
The straw men paid no attention to the three of them. After the inspection, one of them whistled.
After a while, the sound of hooves came from the corner of the dirt road in the distance, and several horses came leisurely.
The leader, even if he is sitting upright on a horse, is as majestic as a mountain.
This man came to Sun Yuanhua with a smile on his face, and his tone was quite affectionate.
"Uncle Sun, congratulations on your escape from the catastrophe."
"Zhong...Zhongheng?"
Sun Yuanhua had no idea that the person who appeared in front of him and killed the official was Zuo Mengeng.
But then he thought about what Zuo Mengeng had done, and he wasn't so surprised anymore.
What he couldn't accept was that Zuo Menggeng killed the official, which made him even more unable to live with himself.
"Zhongheng, what have you done to me like this?"
Zuo Mengeng got off his horse, let his men deal with it, and said seriously: "How can my nephew sit back and watch his uncle bear the blame and die unjustly?"
Sun Yuanhua looked up to the sky and sighed.
"My only wish in life is to repay your kindness and help the world. I will never dare or forget the way of loyalty. Even if I die nine times, I will have no regrets. How can I allow my family to be humiliated and my ambition to be destroyed?"
From the moment he met Sun Yuanhua, Zuo Mengeng knew that he was a person with a very stubborn temper.
To deal with such a person, it is absolutely impossible to be soft.
The only way is to block all his escape routes.
"Although my uncle's actions during the Dongjiang Rebellion were inappropriate, as the governor of Denglai, how could he be wrong in taking the overall situation into consideration?"
Sun Yuanhua hummed: "Your Majesty must be able to discern everything."
Zuo Mengeng sneered.
"If that person could really discern everything, Yuan Chonghuan would not have died in vain."
Hearing him mention Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Yuanhua and the others all changed their expressions.
It has to be said that Yuan Chonghuan's experience has now become a thorn in the heart of the Ming Dynasty's civil and military forces.
No official wanted to repeat Yuan Chonghuan's injustice.
Sun Yuanhua was confused and no longer as firm as before.
When he returns to the capital this time, will he really become Yuan Chonghuan's second best?
He is not afraid of death.
As a scholar-official, he cared more about his posthumous reputation than death.
This is why he was furious when Zuo Mengeng came to save him.
But if he dies on a dishonorable charge, what's the point of his persistence?
