King Xueshan, the prefect of Jiangning, had not ridden a horse for many years and was already sore on the inside of his thighs after just three or four miles, fearing that he had broken the tender skin. However, thinking that as long as he could verify Lin's crime of slaughtering civilians, it would be enough to bring down Gu Wudust and resolve the crisis he faced, King Xueshan dismounted in front of Qin Chengbo's mansion, still quite excited.

  Jiangning Prefecture is located within Jiangdong Commandery, its civil administration is not subject to the jurisdiction of the Jiangdong Pacification Commission, and its military affairs are not only not subject to the jurisdiction of the Jiangdong Provincial Military Commander's Office, but in times of war or when there is civil unrest, the Jiangdong Provincial Military Commander's Office would even be subject to the command of the Jiangning Garrison Command.

  The other six ministers of Jiangning are all high-ranking but low-power officials in charge of guarding the mausoleum, except for the Minister of War of Jiangning, who also serves as the General of Jiangning Guard, holding great power and being a true second-grade official, ranking first among the officials of Jiangning.

  The momentum of Li Zhuo, the new governor of Jiangning, has become clear. Qin Chengbo, who took over as Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of Jiangning after He Yuqing's death in battle at Chentangyi three years ago, did not last long. Even though he was embezzling silver, when he thought about Li Zhuo taking over, he restrained himself, and naturally would not contend with others for power or prestige, so as not to make more enemies. Therefore, although Qin Chengbo is the top leader in Jiangning City, at this time he is being extremely low-key.

  The residence of Qin Chengbo, the Minister of War of Jiangning, had a stone-paved ground in front of the gate that was as wide as four or five mu. It looked like a drill ground. Several rows of golden osmanthus trees were sparsely planted, and the green glazed tiles on the wall were painted white as snow. The stone steps were like a platform, and under the eaves of the gate there were three large red doors. Only the side door next to the stone steps was open for people to enter and exit. On both sides of the vermilion door, there were rows of horse pillars and dismounting blocks, densely arranged in a row, with more than 30 or 40 of them. It was indeed an extraordinary sight.

  Here is the translation:

  He gave the gatekeeper at Qin's mansion a silver ingot and handed over his name card, and Wang Xueshan waited with Chen Zhi and others in the front courtyard for the report to be delivered. After a short while, he saw Qin Chengbo himself come out to greet him. Wang Xueshan was somewhat unable to bear such courtesy, and hastily walked out of the gate hall, bowing to Qin Chengbo and saying, "Qin sir, how dare I deserve this?" Before he could finish speaking, he saw Gu Wudun following behind Qin Chengbo, and Wang Xueshan's face darkened. His triangular eyes stared at Gu Wudun in the dim evening light, and he said sternly, "Gu sir has come to inform on me first!" Wang Xueshan was not afraid that Gu Wudun would take his handle from Zhao Qinnian to report to Qin Chengbo, unless he was plotting rebellion, otherwise his affairs were not under Qin Chengbo's jurisdiction. He thought that Gu Wudun had appeared at the Qin mansion ahead of time, and must have come about the matter of Lin Xie killing hundreds of innocent civilians.

  Wang Xueshan sneered inwardly, waiting to see how Gu Wudu would clear the name of his disciple who was so reckless and arrogant.

  Gu Wudu smiled and said, "Lord Wang is indeed strange. As soon as we meet, you accuse me of being a wicked person who files a complaint first. I am the Left Supervisor of the Censorate, if I were to file a complaint, I would submit the memorial to the Emperor for review, why would I bother Lord Qin with my troubles?"

  "Lord Qin, our officer Chen Zhi led a group to the mouth of the Jin River to capture the wanted criminal. However, Dongyang scholar and Jiangdao prison warden Lin Mou refused to accept our command and instead led his soldiers and organized mobs to fight against our troops. They even dared to slaughter innocent civilians, resulting in over 500 deaths. This is tantamount to rebellion. Please, Lord Qin, dispatch troops to quell the uprising." Wang Xueshan spoke urgently, requesting that Qin Chengbo send troops to restore order.

  "Governor Wang, you must be joking. Chen Xiao Wei led the East City soldiers to the Jin Chuan River mouth to capture the wanted criminals. I ask, who were they capturing and where are the arrest warrants? Governor Wang falsely accused my men, Lin Fu and the prison guards, of organizing a riot and resisting arrest, and also killing 500-600 civilians. I ask again, how many soldiers from the East City barracks were killed or injured?" Gu Wu Chen asked coldly.

  "Gu Wudu, what's the use of your clever words?" Wang Xueshan sneered. He knew that the documents from Jiangning Prefecture had many loopholes, but no matter how big the loopholes were, they couldn't compare to Lin Shu's audacity in slaughtering innocent civilians. He didn't fear speaking more severely and said to Qin Cheng, "I respectfully request that Lord Qin quickly dispatch troops to investigate the disturbance. If the troops are delayed and Lin Shu's bandits kill people and then escape, this crime will not be something that Lord Qin or I can bear. The Surveillance Commissioner's office has the responsibility of supervision. If you, Lord Gu, have any doubts, we can go together to supervise..."

  "I will naturally go." Gu Wu Chen replied coldly.

  Qin Chengbo also knew that the massacre of 500-600 civilians in Jiangning City was no small matter, so he immediately ordered the Jiangning Water Camp warships to seal off the river mouth and summoned troops to gather at Donghua Gate. He planned to personally go to the river mouth or prison island to investigate the matter, and also sent someone to inform the Jiangdong Xuanfu (Provincial Governor) and Jiangdong Tidu ( Provincial Military Commander) about the incident. The Jiangdong Xuanfu and Jiangdong Tidu each only dispatched two subordinates to handle the situation, but did not personally intervene. They thought that even if Gu Wuchen helped Wang Xueshan counterattack and overthrow Chu Dang, the Chu Party would still send other powerful figures to Jiangning, so they didn't want to hastily get involved in this muddy water.

  At Donghua Gate, Qin Chengbo gathered two battalions of elite soldiers and hundreds of mutinous soldiers who had followed the East City Guard back into the city, as well as a dozen or so escaped rascals from the streets and officials from the Jiangning Prefectural Government Office such as Wang Xueshan, Zhang Wendeng, Zhang Yubo, Chen Zhi, etc., all heading towards the river mouth.

  Qin Chengbo was indeed powerful and influential in Jiangning, but he also worried that the prison guards would be too arrogant and reckless, as Wang Xueshan had said. Apart from the two elite camps, Qin Chengbo brought more than 300 cavalrymen to follow him closely. These armed escorts were all riding war horses, wearing armor and holding sharp weapons, although Qin Chengbo usually paid them with imperial rations and military salaries, they were actually his private soldiers.

  Gu Wudu watched all this with his eyes, but remained silent. He had heard that when Qin Chengbo first came to Jiangning, he had brought hundreds of family members, servants and followers, and it took ten large ships to transport the entire household. Now, as he prepared to leave, Gu wondered if twenty ships would be needed, and couldn't help but feel envious of Qin's powerful family background. In contrast, when he himself came to Jiangning, he had only brought eight or nine people with him, which made it difficult for him to accomplish anything without having many trustworthy people at his disposal.

  Gu Wu Chen was thinking wildly, and together with Xiao Xuan Chui and other officials from the Pressing and Investigating Office, under the escort of Yang Pu and Ma Chao's cavalry, they also went to the river mouth for inspection.

  *********

  The sky had darkened, with no stars or moon. The soldiers held torches high and marched out of the Donghua Gate in a long line towards the river mouth.

  Although the overall combat effectiveness of the Jiangning garrison troops was also weak, the two elite camps deployed by Qin Chengbo were indeed able to hold their ground. Especially with Qin Chengbo leading 300 elite soldiers, they were far superior to the miscellaneous soldiers and brave warriors who usually lingered in the city streets under the command of Dongcheng Wei. Leaving the official road at Donghua Gate, there was only one dirt path heading towards the river mouth. Except for the people from Dongcheng Wei who were forced to move forward, the others could barely maintain their formation while advancing through the fields on a dark night, which was already not easy.

  Looking at the miserable state of the trampled fields, Qin Chengbo also somewhat believed Wang Xueshan's words, his face sinking like water, ordering the left and right to strengthen their vigilance.

  The corner tower of the riverside pavilion still lit up, as if a bright moon had just risen from the horizon, shining down to guide those traveling at night.

  Qin Chengbo looked far away at the corner tower lamp and said to Wang Xueshan and Gu Wudeng: "That lamp is so bright!"

  "This is the Ji Yun She's lighthouse, built by Ge Fu, an old official from Jiangning's Gongbu department, to prevent ships from hitting rocks at night. It's said that the light can shine as far as 500 steps away... I haven't seen it with my own eyes either." Gu Wuchen introduced.

  "Hmph!" Wang Xueshan snorted coldly and said nothing else.

  As they approached the river mouth platform, Qin Chengbo indeed felt that the corner tower's lanterns lighting up the road were very convenient, just like a night with a full moon, and although the light was dim outside the fence, he could barely see things at night.

  The gate of the enclosure was fully open, and inside the gate were over a dozen people standing there waiting. It was too dark to see who they were. Just as Wang Xueshan was about to order the soldiers to enter the enclosure and capture Lin Fu and others, someone came out from that side and loudly announced: "Qinling County Magistrate Chen Yuanliang, accompanied by county officials and colleagues, respectfully welcomes Qin Gong, Wang Gong, Gu Gong, and other esteemed gentlemen. I have received a report from Lin Fu, the warden of Jiang Island Prison, that after East City Patrol Officer Chen Zhi failed to capture the wanted criminals and left with his troops, several hundred violent civilians in the city, instigated by someone, attacked the River Mouth Camp. We request support from Qinling County. I thought of the suffering of the refugees and did not dare to be slow. Together with the county officials, we led the knife and bow soldiers, capture officers, and rushed to provide reinforcements. Before nightfall, we arrived and joined forces with the prison guards to kill four violent civilians who resisted the law and captured 546 others, all of whom are detained within the high walls. Please, esteemed gentlemen, inspect them! As for the violent civilians' riot, aside from the 546 captured, there were also Jiangning Penal Department's Prison Director Zhao Shuhan, Jiangning Ministry of Works' Secretary Shi Ge, Jiangning Ministry of Works' Former Official Ge Fu, and Jiangning Xuanjidang Temple's Medical Officer Wu Yanqing, who were all present at the River Mouth as guests. They can serve as witnesses. The warden of Jiang Island Prison, Lin Fu, took responsibility for failing to protect the River Mouth and has imprisoned himself in the grass shed, awaiting your investigation into the case and severe punishment."

  Wang Xueshan was stunned and almost fell off his horse, but the result was not Lin Xian killing civilians, but instead he became a big prison in Jiang Island and cooperated with Yiling County to capture more than 500 rioters.

  Wang Xueshan was still calm, but Chen Zhi immediately fell off his horse and rushed towards Chen Yuanliang, shouting: "You're lying, you're all in cahoots with each other! You're covering up for each other in Dongyang Township, trying to deceive the public. I witnessed Lin Jue's massacre of civilians with my own eyes, have I gone blind?"

  "Commander Chen, you have a battalion of elite troops by your side. Are you going to just stand by and watch Lin Tie slaughter innocent civilians? Or are you just spouting nonsense?" Gu Wu saw that Chen Zhi was becoming increasingly reckless with his words, so he rode up on horseback, sneering coldly as he asked, then turned to bow to Qin Chengbo, saying "There's no need for further discussion. Please have Lord Qin and Lord Wang send someone to join the Envoys of Pacification and the Inspector-General in interrogating the prisoners within the stockade, along with our own Minister Xiao. The truth will be revealed!"

  "Chen Zhi, you have a big nerve, what deceit do you have against this official?" Wang Xueshan was not stupid and knew he had fallen into Gu Wudeng's trap. Chen Zhi, that mediocre person, was indeed no match for Lin Xie, but he did not expect him to be so foolish as to frame Lin Xie for slaughtering civilians. He himself was deceived by the ghost and believed it to be true. Wang Xueshan glanced at Gu Wudeng's faint smile and regretted it in his heart. If only he had a bit of clarity, he would not have fallen into such a passive situation. He looked at Qin Chengbo again, seeing that his face was as calm as water, and did not know what he was thinking. Wang Xueshan couldn't care about too much now, so he could only abandon the car to save the general, and ordered his men, "Take Chen Zhi, who framed the good people, and bind him..."

  "Hasn't even begun to interrogate the captive, yet Lord Wang has already taken down the Eastern City Patrol Officer. Isn't that a bit too hasty?" Gu Wu Chen stepped forward, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Wang Xue Shan, who wouldn't let him off so easily, and continued, "Later on, I'll also have to ask Lord Qin to join in questioning the Eastern City Patrol Officer Chen Zhi about the details of today's capture of the major criminal in Jiangning Prefecture!"

  Qin Chengbo, although the leader of the Jiangning officials, only wanted to be a peacemaker at this time. He watched as Wang Xueshan's several attendants pounced on Chen Zhi like wolves and tied him up tightly. This was an affront to him, but he still looked on calmly and said: "I think this Dongcheng Wei is also very suspicious. It's okay for Lord Wang to take him down temporarily. Let's send someone in to verify the prisoners first..."

  Hearing Qin Chengbo say this, Wang Xueshan barely regained his composure. At least for now, Qin Chengbo was still slightly helping him.

  After Qin Chengbo was called back to Yanjing, he would also be a high-ranking official in the court. He said so, and Gu Wudian nodded slightly, and Ren Wang Xueshan sent someone to take Chen Zhi down. The three of them temporarily guarded the outside of the fence gate, and each dispatched their subordinates to follow Mu Ling County Magistrate Chen Yuanliang to inspect the captives. Gu Wudian sent Xiao Xuanchu in; Wang Xueshan had already softened up and only wanted to ease his relationship with Gu Wudian as much as possible, so he sent Zhang Yuber, a left-wing commander of the imperial guard, in. Wang Xueshan was now powerless to resist, having been betrayed by Zhao Qinnan earlier and now Chen Zhi's foolish actions; if Gu Wudian really wanted to overthrow him, Wang Xueshan didn't know who could help him keep his position as Jiangning Prefect.

  The waterway between the river mouth and the prison island has been blocked by a dozen warships of the Jiangning Water Camp, but Lin Tie had long been prepared at the river mouth. When Chen Zhi returned to the city, there were so many people rushing around that it was normal for some people to get lost, especially those who fell and broke their legs while escaping, and they were left behind and fell into Lin Tie's hands. Lin Tie quickly understood what Chen Zhi was thinking by hurrying back to the city, and he sent someone to ride a fast horse to Mu Ling County to ask for help, as well as to enter the city from Wu Miao Gate to inform Gu Wudun. Chen Zhi's actions were chaotic, and after reporting to Wang Xueshan, he went to Donghua Gate to verify again, which delayed his time. Lin Tie, Gu Wudun, and Chen Yuanliang had enough time to deploy their troops.

  The troops and horses at the river mouth were all taken away, except for a small number of damaged goods left behind in the camp. Most of them were transported to the prison island in time. The bamboo spears and other semi-prohibited items were also transported to the prison island. Eight guards were withdrawn back to the prison island. The construction site had long since stopped work, and all local laborers were dismissed. The migrant workers who were recruited returned to their homes. The gates of the enclosure house and each individual courtyard door inside the big house were left open for inspection. More than 500 city rascals were detained within the high walls of the enclosure house that had been built, tied up with ropes, and guarded by 110 knife and bowmen from Yunling County. Lin Xuan pretended to be imprisoned in the grass hall, while Zhao Shuhan, Ge Sixu, Ge Fu, Wu Yanqing, and others naturally stayed behind as witnesses.

  The Jiangning Prefecture, the Jiangning Garrison Commander's Office, the Jiangdong Pacification Commissioner's Office, the Jiangdong Provincial Governor's Office, and the Jiangdong Surveillance Commissioner's Office all sent their subordinates to jointly investigate the rioters' attack on the camp and capture of the rebels. As long as there was no large-scale massacre of civilians, it was not a problem if dozens or tens of people were killed in the suppression of the rioters, and even more so if some people were injured. In fact, after the western fence wall was broken open, the city's ruffians rushed in, and this side could take advantage of the physical terrain formed by the surrounding houses to encircle and intercept them. The key was that when they took action to kill and wound some people during the blockade of the rear route.

  Xiao Xuanchuo, Zhang Yuber and others went to the fence wall to investigate for nearly an hour, asking the refugees, recruited workers, and captured city rascals, and then selected a few from the East City Wei people Ma Li to interrogate. After clarifying the situation, they came to report to Qin Chengbo, Wang Xueshan, Gu Wuchen and others who were guarding outside the fence wall: "It has been thoroughly investigated that Chen Zhi, the East City Wei, led more than 500 troops with a document issued by Jiangning Prefecture to capture the escaped prisoner Zhao Qinnian at the river mouth. The prison guard Lin Shu refused to let Chen Zhi take people away because the document did not have the signature of the Provincial Governor's office. After the negotiation failed, Chen Zhi and his troops withdrew. During the withdrawal, due to the improper command of Chen Zhi's generals, a panic was formed, resulting in a large number of lost weapons and armor. When Chen Zhi led his troops to capture the escaped prisoner at the river mouth, rumors spread in the city that Chen Zhi wanted to attack the river mouth. The good people in the city ran around telling each other, gathering crowds to follow them to the river mouth. When Chen Zhi and Lin Shu were negotiating at the front gate, the city people broke through the fence wall from behind the willow forest and launched a surprise attack on the camp, resulting in casualties and losses of several hundred thousand taels of copper cash. After Chen Zhi's troops withdrew, the prison guards and the sword and bowmen of Yunling County joined forces to capture the rioters. As for why Chen Zhi falsely claimed that all the rioters were killed by Lin Shu, please ask the gentlemen to investigate further..."

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  PS: Today I continued to update 8,000 words, brothers, give me some red tickets.