In recent years, the military system has undergone major reforms, both in terms of military status and regulations.

Many officers were transferred from their original posts, and some were dismissed and investigated for previous disciplinary violations.

The Censorate, which has been rapidly established since last year, has set up a military court in Tokyo under the direct instruction of the emperor, and has begun to focus on rectifying various war zones, including local militias.

The military will be a stable entity, but it will also remain a sensitive presence for a long time.

For example, if Yue Fei were to actually intervene this time, he would inevitably face a military court.

This is also why Zhao Yuanzhu was very impolite to Luo Cong and the others.

Yue Fei still went.

In peacetime, others might not be able to mobilize troops at will without the authorization of the Central Government and the Privy Council.

However, Yue Fei was different. He had a very high prestige in the Divine Martial Army, and as long as he gave an order, those people would definitely follow him.

In the dead of night, the sleeping Shenwu military camp suddenly awoke.

A troop of elite cavalry appeared before Yue Fei at top speed.

The torrential rain pounded on their sturdy helmets, splashing water everywhere.

Summer mornings get light very early; soon, you can see the morning colors through the hazy rain.

At the ferry crossing on the Yangtze River, a fierce battle took place, and corpses of those who had been hacked to death were everywhere.

The mud on the ground turned red.

With their formidable and terrifying fighting power, the Imperial City Guard showed Wang Quan what a real army was like!

More than a hundred people killed more than five hundred of his men, leaving them defenseless.

Xiao Jiangwei's voice was always as cold as iron, his tone neither loud nor soft: "Wang Quan, your open defiance of the emperor's personal army is a capital offense punishable by the confiscation of your property and the extermination of your entire family!"

Wang Quan was so frightened that he turned pale and frantically ran through the crowd.

Just then, the eight thousand local troops stationed at the ferry crossing surrounded the area, forming a dense, dark mass that completely encircled the ferry crossing.

The fighting at the ferry crossing gradually subsided, and Liu Yuan rode his horse toward them.

"Although this is a privately owned area, there is still government grain stored here!" Liu Yuan shouted. "How dare you attack government grain!"

Xiao Jiangwei flicked his black raincoat, took out a token, and said coldly, "When did the Imperial City Guard start interfering in cases like this, even a mere military commander from the local garrison dared to do so?"

As soon as he presented his token and a carriage came out, Liu Yuan immediately dismounted and his attitude changed completely: "So you are the Emperor's personal guard. I have offended you greatly, please forgive me, sir!"

In fact, Liu Yuan already knew that the person who came was Xiao Jiangwei. Xiao Jiangwei was of such a high rank that even his superiors had to give him face. What was a mere military commander compared to that?

But he insisted on pretending not to know.

Xiao Jiangwei continued, "Take your men away from here immediately!"

"May I ask what urgent matter brings you here so late at night, sir? I am willing to assist you!"

"This is none of your business, get lost!"

"Sir, I heard that bandits have broken in here. I was worried that the grain stored here might be lost, so I brought my men here."

Clearly, he was lying through his teeth, worried that bandits might break in and rob the government's disaster relief grain, so he thought it was necessary to bring eight thousand men.

"Sir, I dare not leave before I am certain this place is safe!"

Xiao Jiangwei immediately understood the hidden meaning in Liu Yuan's words.

He glanced around but didn't see Wang Quan. He figured Wang Quan was probably hiding somewhere and didn't dare to come out.

Judging from Liu Yuan's posture, he intends to kill Wang Quan today.

Liu Yuan then adopted an attitude of "I'm staying here and not leaving," and even gave reasons that were impossible to refute.

If it weren't for the rain, Xiao Jiangwei would have a hundred reasons to believe that Liu Yuan would have already burned the entire ferry crossing down.

Now, Xiao Jiangwei dared not go into the house to drag Wang Quan out, because once Wang Quan appeared, the crossbowmen around would surely risk their lives to kill him.

It is common for merchants to die in Jiangling Prefecture; they die almost every year, and these are usually very wealthy merchants with powerful connections.

Because, often, the money-making opportunities are handed over to businessmen, and once they've used them, they have to be killed to cover it up in order to expose them.

Wang Quan is such a character.

Xiao Jiangwei glared at Liu Yuan with a murderous look and shouted, "I now order you to leave!"

"Sir, I dare not leave until the safety of this area is ensured!"

According to the current laws of the Great Song Dynasty, the Imperial City Guard has no authority to issue orders or investigate the army.

Because the Song Dynasty had a special government office to supervise the army, the Censorate!

If Xiao Jiangwei were a member of the Supervisory Yuan, he could simply arrest Liu Yuan on the spot on the grounds that Liu Yuan was obstructing his investigation.

If the Imperial City Guard forcibly interferes with local military forces, it will be immediately investigated by the Overwatch Council.

In a sense, the Imperial City Guard was also an army.

The Censorate, acting on behalf of the emperor, had the power to oversee military affairs. It was independent of the Central Secretariat and the Privy Council, but in reality, it kept a close eye on the Central Secretariat and the Privy Council at all times.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate.

"Liu Dujun, you are obstructing the Imperial City Guard's investigation. Aren't you afraid I'll report you to His Majesty?"

Let him go ahead and apply. Anyway, there are still people above him protecting him. It's not his turn to be a military commander yet.

Moreover, this is something he's doing to protect those above him; if they don't protect him, who will they protect?

"Shangguan, you flatter me. We are only serving the court and sharing the emperor's burdens!"

Liu Yuan spoke in a grand and dignified manner, but his eyes were darting around, searching for Wang Quan.

He had run out of patience; Wang Quan would be better off dead right now.

Just as Liu Yuan was about to go all out and order his men to search those houses.

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