Free Web NovelChapter 1248: Chapter 1219: Quelling the War
Zhou Qi saw Lu Yuan’s face look bad and couldn’t help but step forward to ask, "What’s wrong?"
Lu Yuan put the letter away and said gravely, "Three days ago, Yuan Li beheaded Lu Jing in public, almost leading to civil unrest."
Zhou Qi was surprised, "Civil unrest? Would there be anyone in Wuxing County who would rebel for Lu Jing?"
Lu Yuan: "...It was over the competition to seize Lu Jing’s corpse; Yuan Li sent people to snatch it back."
Zhou Qi suddenly didn’t know how to comfort him, his mouth opening and closing.
Seeing his expression of being at a loss for words, Lu Yuan waved his hand to interrupt what Zhou Qi was about to say, "Don’t bother, be quiet."
Lu Yuan sighed deeply, "So he really lost public support in Wuxing County to such a degree."
Zhou Qi was a serious person and generally didn’t mock others, but at this moment he couldn’t help it, "I thought the Lu Family was fully aware, after all, his reputation is so bad that even people in Luoyang have heard about it. King Langya tried three times to replace Lu Jing, yet your Lu Family always fully supported him."
Lu Yuan: ...Zhou Qi is really detestable.
Wang Dao, who was standing not far away, saw that the atmosphere between them was not good and finally couldn’t help but come forward, finding a topic, "The ship has been waiting for a long time, shall we board?"
The Lu Family had just arrived by this ship, and now the passengers and goods on board had all disembarked, and people wanting to cross the river were gradually boarding.
Wang Dao inquired of Zhou Qi with his eyes, and Zhou Qi did not conceal from the Lu Family, directly speaking about Lu Jing’s execution, "It must have used the thousand-mile sound transmission you mentioned, so Yuan Li could execute so quickly. The Great General is indeed decisive in killing."
This act of intimidation was well employed, didn’t you see Lu Yuan’s face turn pale?
Wang Dao lowered his eyes in thought, then looked up to say to Lu Yuan, "Brother Lu, General Zhao is someone who values promises and loves the people. Since she says past offenses are forgiven, they are forgiven. However, from now on, the court will tightly enforce the laws related to the people’s livelihood in Jiangnan. Your Lu Family is not lacking that little treasure, why not ease up and give benefits to the common people?"
Lu Yuan sneered, "Governor Wang is not a clan leader and naturally doesn’t know how great the expenses of daily necessities are. In a clan, there are wealthy ones, but there are also impoverished ones, do you not need money or grain to support them?"
Wang Dao was choked.
Zhou Qi did not have Wang Dao’s good temper and directly mocked, "They are impoverished, yet have you, Lu Clan Leader, been seen drinking one less bowl of wine, using one less measure of pearls? Also, the poverty of the members of the Lu Family, what does that have to do with ordinary people? Why place heavy tax burdens on them?"
Lu Yuan was already anxious and worried, with nowhere to vent his internal violence, and upon hearing this, he exploded, "Zhou Qi, don’t forget the words you promised me in Luoyang, what, do you not recognize them once outside Luoyang?"
"I do not deny them, but also remember that above me is the Inspector, above the Inspector is the Great General, and above the Great General, there is the law. I can tolerate you, Mao Hong can be lenient, but General Zhao may not. She can execute Lu Jing today, and naturally, can kill you another day." Zhou Qi laughed coldly, "If your Lu Family doesn’t change those bad habits, the calamity of extermination is but a matter of her lifting a finger."
Zhou Qi looked at Wang Dao, "Governor Wang, isn’t that so? I heard that the heart and soul of the Great General, Yuan Li, became a guest of the Wang Family last year, with secret forces all over Jiangnan. They hold the secret treasure of thousand-mile sound transmission, and when I ate a bowl of noodles on the street in the morning, the Great General in distant Luoyang knew about it by noon."
Wang Dao: ...
Under the gaze of Zhou Qi and Lu Yuan, he nodded, "Yes."
So, the deeds of the Lu Family in Jiangnan, who did they think they could hide them from?
Lu Yuan shivered with fear.
Seeing the fear in Lu Yuan’s eyes, Wang Dao couldn’t help but have his mind flash back to the day before he left the capital city when he was secretly invited to the General’s Mansion to meet Zhao Hanzhang.
At that time, Zhao Hanzhang was in casual attire, sitting and brewing tea, casually saying, "Among the nine provinces of the world, Yangzhou is still the most suitable for growing tea. Be it black tea, green tea, yellow tea, white tea, or dark tea, all can be planted in Jiangnan. Such a tolerant land also makes the people’s endurance very high."
"But we cannot ignore their suffering because they can endure, nor unfairly treat them," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Among the Great Noble Families in Jiangnan, the Lu Family is not the only one mistreating the people, but they are the most blatant and the most disliked."
Wang Dao could only say, "When I return to Yangzhou, I will definitely discuss thoroughly with the Lu Family, restrain them, and no longer allow them to oppress the people."
Zhao Hanzhang poured him a cup of the brewed tea, lightly laughing, "If they listen, they listen; if not, there are ways to deal with those who don’t listen. I am not King Langya, whose entire fortune is entrusted to Jiangnan, thus having to endure their illegal activities, only to turn around and guard against those with talent."
King Langya could not remove the Lu Family but, because several Great Noble Families in Jiangnan were connected in spirit, he turned around to suppress the more upright Zhou Qi, a typical example of picking weak targets.
Zhao Hanzhang said, "I like to deal with matters as they arise, to catch whoever commits the crime without implicating the innocent."
Wang Dao: "What the Great General means is..."
"I mean you need to be stronger, catch the main culprit directly, without shifting blame lightly as before, only catching a few subordinates to scare people. Yangzhou is just a state of Great Jin, and you are the Yangzhou Governor, you can act freely, if the sky falls, I’ll be there to support it."
This was a promise Wang Dao hadn’t heard even when he exhausted himself for King Langya. Looking at the confident and firm Zhao Hanzhang, Wang Dao felt moved yet conflicted;
And today, looking at the slightly trembling Lu Yuan, Wang Dao’s feelings were more profound, she was indeed capable of making them tremble, making them know shame, loyalty, kindness, generosity, obedience to the law, and self-restraint.
It’s strange that good words and persuasion don’t work, but when thunderous methods are used, they can be persuaded.
Wang Dao shook his head and turned to board the ship. He must rethink how to interact with these old friends and how to govern Jiangnan.
The war should be nearing its end, right?
Wang Dun should be defeated, right?
Wang Dao’s mind grew more complicated. He hoped Wang Dun would surrender and be escorted to the capital, so he could plead with Zhao Hanzhang to spare his life;
Yet he also hoped he would die on the battlefield, so that the debt would disappear with his death, minimizing the impact on the Wang Family.
Wang Dao’s guess was correct; Wang Dun indeed couldn’t hold on. He had just arrived in Jiankang City, when the news from the frontline arrived, Wang Dun was defeated, not only his personal army but also the main force retreating south was surrounded and annihilated.
Yuan Li and Zhao Shi joined forces, teaming up with Zhao Shen from the north and south, encircling Wang Dun’s main force, with the majority surrendering in the end, only a few routed soldiers escaped;
On the other side, Wang Xuan and Wang Si Niang siblings together with Zu Ti’s main force defeated the army led personally by Wang Dun, who finally escaped with a hundred men after breaking through the encirclement.
Zuo Min, after pacifying the battlefield chaos, was about to lead people to chase when Zu Ti stopped him, "Governor Wang and General Wang Xuan have already gone."
Zuo Min: "Though they have a grudge, Wang Dun is after all their uncle. What if they go lenient..."
Zu Ti: "That side is Mi Ce’s defense line, he can’t escape. Besides, even if he does escape, so what? He has been expelled from the Wang Family, now has a terrible reputation, and the people of Jiangnan hate him to the core, he has no basis to cause trouble again."
