Pacification and turning hostile (long chapter)

My god, I feel like I'm about to die from overwork. Xu Qi'an's current state is like staying up for 72 hours straight and then being forced to run a kilometer.

My heart was pounding wildly, teetering on the edge of overload.

Fortunately, he had laid a very solid foundation in the Essence Refining Realm, and his physical resilience and endurance were extremely strong. If it were him in his previous life, he would probably already be queuing up at the funeral home. He would have passed away with a smile on his face on the fourth or fifth day of his intense cultivation.

"At least we've gained their attention, and we can communicate properly. What I hate most is nonviolent non-cooperation. Wouldn't it be better if we could be more gentle, sit down, have some tea, and chat?" Xu Qi'an thought to himself, but outwardly he pretended to be nonchalant and said loudly:

"General Xu, do you know what case Commander Yang Chuannan is involved in?"

Xu Huchen nodded, his voice low. "This matter has already spread throughout the officialdom of Yunzhou, but the Commander-in-Chief has been wronged."

"Whether it's a just cause or not, it's not up to you to decide. Even the governor's word isn't enough; we'll have to investigate to find out," Xu Qi'an patiently explained.

"The governor came here specifically for this case. We do indeed have evidence that is extremely unfavorable to Lord Yang. However, the governor did not make a hasty decision and has gone to the Military Command to verify the evidence."

"Lord Xu disregarded everything and led three thousand soldiers to the city gates, essentially forcing Lord Yang to his death."

Xu Huchen sneered, "Don't try to put a hat on me. Last night, a secret report came from the Commander-in-Chief's Office that the Governor led a force to attack the Commander-in-Chief's residence. Lord Yang was severely injured by a Golden Gong and is on the verge of death."

"Even if Lord Yang is truly guilty, there should be a joint trial by the three judicial authorities. You're bypassing the courtroom and barging into his residence; aren't you trying to extract a confession through torture?"

You don't know anything! This is called speed in warfare, not giving the enemy a chance to react. If Yang Chuannan really is the mastermind, then he has already rebelled.

"The governor has his own methods for doing things. I know you are not afraid of death, but I still have to remind General Xu that you may wish to stage a military coup, but do not act impulsively. Three thousand soldiers cannot overthrow Baidi City, much less Yunzhou."

After Xu Qi'an finished speaking, seeing Xu Huchen glaring at him, seemingly angered by his words, he leisurely added:

"But you have to think about Lord Yang. He's still perfectly fine in the post station, and his crime is barely even committed. Is General Xu going to sentence him prematurely?"

Xu Huchen frowned, showing some hesitation, unlike his impulsive and violent state just now.

"Look, the case hasn't even been fully investigated, and General Xu is already in this state. When the governor reported to the court, he said that Yang Chuannan was abusing his power and threatening the people with force. At that point, it won't be the governor who comes." After threatening, Xu Qi'an then tried to appease him:

"General Li and the Commander-in-Chief are close friends. You may not believe me, but you'll surely believe her."

Seeing that both sides were looking at her, Li Miaozhen pondered for a moment and said, "The current situation is indeed unfavorable to the Commander-in-Chief, but a military remonstrance is not the right way. General Xu, please don't act rashly, give the Governor some time."

Yang Chuannan was her comrade-in-arms, and Li Miaozhen's heart naturally sided with Yang Chuannan. However, there must be a method to solving problems. If military remonstrance were effective, Li Miaozhen would have tried it long ago.

The problem is that it's not possible. The Commander-in-Chief's Office can only mobilize the "Guard Commander-in-Chief's Office" under the jurisdiction of Baidi City. Although the guards and garrisons of the other prefectures and counties in Yunzhou are under the jurisdiction of the Commander-in-Chief's Office, the Commander-in-Chief's Office does not have the power to command battles. In times of war, the court always appoints generals on a temporary basis.

It was precisely because of these various restrictions that Li Miaozhen's Flying Swallow Army came into being.

With only three to five thousand soldiers from the "Guards and Garrison Command," they could not shake the governor's authority at all; they were merely sacrificing themselves in vain.

"Hmph! This general can wait, but if Governor Zhang cannot give me a satisfactory answer, even if this general agrees, my thousands of brothers will not." Xu Huchen indirectly admitted defeat.

Phew. Done! Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief.

When faced with such a conflict, one must not act impulsively, but rather know how to mediate and resolve the situation. Acting like other Nightwatchers would only complicate matters further.

Detective Xu Baipiao instinctively resists war, because it would kill many people. But this matter doesn't necessarily have to be resolved through war.

As for how to handle the aftermath, that's a headache for the governor.

On the other side, the Commandery of the Capital Region.

Governor Zhang, still furious after finishing the reconciliation, slammed his fist on the table and yelled at the officials, "Useless! You're all useless!"

"That Yang Chuannan deserves to die. Even if he wasn't the mastermind, this dereliction of duty is enough to get him exiled to the army."

"And you too! The Commandery supplied military supplies to the mountain bandits in such an appalling amount, and the entire Yunzhou officialdom was completely oblivious? You all deserve to die."

After reconciling the accounts, it was horrifying to discover that nearly a quarter of the military supplies that the Ministry of Works sent to Yunzhou each year had gone missing. These included crossbows, gunpowder, firearms, iron ore, and so on.

The officials lowered their heads, silently enduring the spittle flying from Governor Zhang's mouth, not daring to utter a word in reply.

After spewing profanities, Governor Zhang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and was about to begin the second half when hurried footsteps came from outside.

A gong-wielding man barged in aggressively without being announced, shouting:

"Your Excellency, the garrison under Baidi City is commanded by Commander Xu Huchen, who has assembled three thousand soldiers outside the south gate, threatening to enter the city if you do not release the prisoners."

"Entering the city" is a euphemism; it actually means attacking the city.

Governor Zhang was startled and stood up, causing a stir among the dozen or so officials present.

"When did this happen? What is the situation now?" Governor Zhang pressed.

"That Xu Huchen spoke arrogantly, demanding that you see him within half an hour, but that time has long passed," Tongluo said, then, seeing the officials' faces turn pale, quickly added:

"Xu Qi'an, accompanied by General Li Miaozhen, has left the city for negotiations; the situation is currently unclear."

Governor Zhang felt a chill run down his spine; he hadn't expected the Yunzhou army to be so fierce and unruly.

My feelings at this moment are a mixture of shock, anger, anxiety, and worry.

Although Xu Ningyan was skilled at solving cases, Governor Zhang knew that he was a greenhorn with little experience in even killing people, let alone dealing with an unreasonable army.

"Who let him go? Who let him go?"

Governor Zhang slammed his fist on the table and roared in anger.

The gong-wielder scoffed, "It was Xu Ningyan who insisted on stepping forward. Originally, the silver gong-wielders were supposed to lead Yang Chuannan to defend the city and wait for reinforcements."

Xu Ningyan also said that he would take responsibility.

To be fair, Xu Ningyan's strategy was more prudent and correct. When soldiers mutinied, the imperial court usually took measures to appease them and then executed the leaders as a warning to others.

Avoid violence if possible.

However, in Governor Zhang's view, this was clearly beyond Xu Ningyan's professional capabilities.

"Lord Song, immediately notify the Five City Garrison Commands to assemble their forces and rush to the South City. All yamen runners and servants are to be mobilized to maintain order in the city."

Governor Zhang made swift and decisive arrangements, remaining calm and composed despite the chaos, demonstrating the qualities expected of a governor.

"Giddy up, giddy up!"

Governor Zhang spurred his horse at breakneck speed, nearly shaking his old bones to pieces. He didn't even dare to complain to Jiang Luzhong, because the cold wind would blow in, and he only dared to shout "Giddy up!" a few times.

Originally, Governor Zhang had planned for Jiang Luzhong to be the first to head to the southern city, as a fourth-rank official was most suitable to oversee the situation.

But Jiang Luzhong remained as steady as a dog, refusing to leave the governor's side, fearing that the governor's life might be taken by a possible assassin, and thus gloriously gave up his life.

Jiang Lu was also worried, but not about the Wei Si army attacking the city; he was worried about Xu Ningyan's life.

As a veteran of the battlefield, he knew all too well how difficult and unreasonable the army could be. Despite Xu Qi'an's impressive reputation in the capital, he had even killed someone in front of the Ministry of Ministry of Justice.

It was precisely because it was in the capital that the high-ranking officials in the court were able to act with caution.

This is Yunzhou, a place plagued by bandits. Anyone who dares to risk their life, whether a bandit or a soldier, is no pushover.

The likelihood of him drawing a knife and attacking someone at the slightest disagreement is extremely high.

As they approached the southern city, Jiang Luzhong's ears twitched slightly. After listening intently for a moment, he said with a sigh of relief, "Governor, there's no need to rush. Slow down."

Governor Zhang didn't want to speak, ignoring Jiang Luzhong's words.

"The war didn't break out," Jiang Luzhong said.

Um?

Governor Zhang was taken aback, and sure enough, he slowed down, pulled on the reins, and changed from a gallop to a trot.

"Real?"

"Um."

Jiang Luzhong is a high-level martial artist; he can sense if a fierce battle is taking place outside the city.

"It seems the situation is relatively stable." Governor Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Xu Qi'an with newfound respect. "Was it Xu Ningyan who stabilized the situation?"

Jiang Luzhong shook his head. "You'll know when you get to Nancheng."

Half an incense stick later, they saw the outline of the city wall. Governor Zhang squinted as he looked up. The city defense troops on the city wall were on high alert, with soldiers ready in front of crossbows and cannons.

Governor Zhang spurred his horse and galloped away. He reined in his horse at the city wall, lifted the hem of his official robe, and hurriedly climbed the steps.

His scarlet official robe symbolized his status, and no one dared to stop him.

"Your Excellency, you've finally arrived."

The square-faced, triangular-eyed commander felt a great weight lifted from his heart the moment he saw Governor Zhang, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Governor Zhang, who was anxious while on his journey, composed himself upon reaching the city wall, his face stern and expressionless.

He stood on the city wall for a while, then ordered, "Lower me down in a basket."

The commander said, "Please open the city gate directly. The gong-bearer and the cavalry general just left through the city gate."

Governor Zhang's lips twitched. "If the garrison troops truly intended to attack the city, the gates would already be breached."

The commander immediately bowed his head.

"No need for the basket, I'll take the governor down." Jiang Luzhong pressed down on Governor Zhang's shoulder, and in the next moment, Governor Zhang's vision blurred, and he was outside the city, no more than ten feet away from Xu Qi'an and the others.

Xu Qi'an also noticed Jiang Luzhong and Governor Zhang. Everyone's expressions were different; Li Miaozhen's expression remained unchanged, while Xu Qi'an's tense expression relaxed slightly.

Xu Huchen tensed up instantly, his grip on the long spear tightening.

The governor isn't scary; what's scary is the golden gong-wielding man who's always by his side.

Governor Zhang called out loudly, "Xu Huchen, dismount and let's talk."

Xu Huchen frowned, gripped his long spear again, and after weighing his options, hung the spear on his horse hook and approached Governor Zhang empty-handed.

"Your Excellency the Governor!" Xu Huchen clasped his hands in greeting.

"What audacity!" Governor Zhang sneered. "Even if I have Jiang Jinluo kill you on the spot today, I can still suppress the three thousand soldiers behind you."

Xu Huchen remained silent.

"In short, you all just want to save Yang Chuannan. I ask you, if Yang Chuannan has truly committed a capital crime, will you save him or not?"

"Lord Yang is innocent."

"I only ask you, to save or not to save."

"Save!"

Governor Zhang laughed heartily, "Indeed, a man of courage and integrity. I admire you. It's too early to draw conclusions about Yang Chuannan's case. Since you trust Lord Yang's character, I assure you that if Yang Chuannan is innocent, I will certainly clear his name."

After a pause, Governor Zhang suddenly changed his expression, speaking sharply, "But you led troops without authorization, and with your army at the city gates, that's a capital offense!"

Xu Huchen reluctantly clasped his hands in a fist and paw salute. "This humble official knows his guilt. As long as Your Excellency can clear Lord Yang's name, this humble official will submit to Your Excellency's judgment."

"Fine, considering you didn't act rashly, as long as you lead your troops back to the camp, I will let bygones be bygones." Governor Zhang was magnanimous.

"Since the governor has made a guarantee, then this humble servant will believe you." Xu Huchen got the answer he wanted, turned his head, and nodded slightly to Xu Qi'an.

Fortunately, the gong mediated the situation, preventing it from escalating to an irreparable point.

Xu Huchen led his men to cause trouble, wanting a result, or rather, a promise. He was deeply afraid that the governor from the capital would wrongly accuse the commander-in-chief for the sake of his own merits.

Currently, the governor has made a promise, and the case is still under investigation; the military commander has not yet been convicted.

This result is already very good.

Next, Governor Zhang offered a series of kind and gentle words of reassurance, adopting a humble and respectful attitude. This made Xu Huchen feel flattered and overwhelmed.

That's how roughnecks are; they don't even flinch when fighting on the battlefield, but once someone shows them kindness and concern, they feel grateful and can't bring themselves to be fierce.

Especially high-ranking officials like Governor Zhang.

In the end, everyone was happy, and Xu Huchen was able to give an explanation to his generals and soldiers. Governor Zhang also defused the mutiny, preventing any further trouble.

On the way back to the post station on horseback, Governor Zhang praised Xu Qi'an highly, saying, "You truly understand people's hearts and know how to resolve conflicts. Ningyan, you've done another service."

Xu Qi'an waved his hand, not responding, as he was too tired to be interested in talking.

Li Miaozhen did not return to the post station; instead, she took her private soldiers back to the military camp.

Jiang Luzhong frowned and said, "The governor's delaying tactic can only work for a short time."

Governor Zhang sneered, "I know, Jiang Jinluo. Tonight, go to the garrison camp and invite Xu Huchen and the other generals to the city. Tell them I have a secret matter to discuss with you, concerning the Commander-in-Chief's case."

Xu Qi'an's heart sank.

Governor Zhang said calmly, "After bringing them out of the military camp, execute them all, leave no one alive."

"Your Excellency the Governor."

Looking at Governor Zhang, who could turn on you so easily, Xu Qi'an felt as if he had swallowed a dead rat; he couldn't describe his feelings at that moment.

Governor Zhang seemed not to hear him and continued, "Without a leader, ordinary soldiers are just a disorganized mess, easily appeased. Yang Chuannan's trusted forces consist of only three to five thousand soldiers from the garrison. Once this threat is eliminated, there will be no worries about dealing with Yang Chuannan."

"However, there is clearly more to this case than meets the eye," Xu Qi'an said in a deep voice.

"That's another matter. If it can be found out, I will clear Yang Chuannan's name. But Xu Huchen's resolute intention to mutiny is unwavering, and I must nip it in the bud," Governor Zhang said quietly.

"I will send men to gather troops from all the garrisons in Yunzhou. This will not happen again."

The governor had the authority to mobilize the troops of each of the various capitals.

After giving his instructions, Governor Zhang glanced at Xu Qi'an and sneered, "Ningyan, a kind heart cannot command an army. Whether in the court or on the battlefield, hesitation leads to defeat. A soft heart harms both oneself and others."

I understand the logic. Xu Qi'an sighed silently.

Having weathered many storms, Jiang Luzhong remained unfazed and asked, "By mobilizing troops from various garrisons, does Your Excellency intend to use this incident to suppress the officialdom of Yunzhou?"

Governor Zhang nodded slowly. "If Yang Chuannan is not the mastermind, then the mastermind is in the city, and any official of the fourth rank or above is a suspect. I am taking precautions to prevent the other party from resorting to desperate measures."

Back at the post station, after drinking a bowl of tea, the Tiger Guard on duty at the gate came in to report, "Your Excellency the Governor, Provincial Treasurer Song, and other esteemed officials request an audience."

Governor Zhang dismissed all other people and received the officials in the main hall. They had come to discuss Yang Chuannan's case.

"Now that the evidence in this case is conclusive, we hope that Your Excellency will make a decision as soon as possible," said Provincial Governor Song.

The prefect of Yunzhou and other officials echoed this sentiment.

"A coup is coming," Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

If the mastermind is among these people, it's not hard to understand why Governor Zhang would incite officials to force him to resign after verifying the evidence.

But it's getting a bit rushed.

The garrison troops had just withdrawn, yet they were already eager to force Governor Zhang to make a final judgment on the case. This was hardly the behavior of a shrewd and calculating person.

This only shows that Liang Youping's lack of clues made the other party extremely uneasy, and they couldn't wait to push Yang Chuannan out as a scapegoat.

The more anxious you are, the more likely you are to slip up. Once Jiang Jinluo has killed Xu Huchen and other generals, and then mobilized troops from various garrisons, the governor can rest easy and play along with the mastermind behind the scenes. So, stalling for time is enough for now. Xu Qi'an's thoughts raced.

As expected, Governor Zhang readily agreed to the officials' request, but said that he would conduct another secret trial of Yang Chuannan today and a joint trial tomorrow.

Let's just get through today for now.

After seeing off the officials, Governor Zhang sipped his tea and sighed, "We don't have much time left."

Killing Xu Huchen was to secure the Yang Chuannan connection, while mobilizing troops was to secure the connection with the mastermind behind the scenes. After all, once the case is solved, the other side will inevitably fight to the death.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and said, "Once Jiang Jinluo finishes his business tonight, we can have someone impersonate Liang Youping to lure the enemy out."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Tiger Guard on duty entered again, saying, "Your Excellency, there is a group of bodyguards outside claiming to be from the Fushun Escort Agency, who request an audience with you."

"Fushun Escort Agency?" Governor Zhang frowned, having no recollection of the agency's name.

P. S.: This chapter is 5000 words, hence the late update. Taking advantage of this long chapter, I'm asking for monthly votes. Mwah!