Chapter 98 Seizing Power

Lu Chenyang asked, "If Fang Shihao goes to other counties and plunders the people, what should you do?"

Yan Yuanjie knew this was a possibility, but he didn't care. "We'll just gather some food and send them off when the time comes. County Magistrate Lu, you don't want to continue the war, do you? I heard that hundreds of your soldiers died in the battle. Don't you have any sympathy for them?"

Lu Chenyang said expressionlessly, "My soldiers are here to defend our country. I will never compromise with traitors! Rebels like these must be defeated until they surrender. Otherwise, how can I maintain my dignity as an official?!"

"You...Lu Chenyang, don't be so arrogant!" Yan Yuanjie shouted angrily.

Lu Chenyang cupped his hands and said, "Sir, I am here to suppress the rebellion. I will not withdraw my troops until the rebels are eliminated."

Yan Yuanjie was shocked. What did Lu Chenyang mean by this? He wasn't leaving?

Yan Yuanjie shouted angrily: "Lu Chenyang, are you trying to rebel?"

Lu Chenyang smiled and said, "Sir, the rebels are just outside the city, and you're still sending them food and fodder. Who is rebelling?" His eyes were cold. "I'm here to quell the rebellion. Anyone who colludes with the rebels will not be tolerated by the Yanquan County garrison!"

This is already a naked threat. If Yan Yuanjie dares to provide food and supplies to the rebels, Lu Chenyang will treat him as a rebel and suppress him together!

"Lu Chenyang, you dare!" Yan Yuanjie shouted angrily.

His voice alarmed Tan Feng outside the door. Tan Feng immediately kicked the door open with his men and drew his knife towards Yan Yuanjie.

Lu Chenyang did not comfort Tan Feng, but stood in front of Yan Yuanjie with a cold look.

Yan Yuanjie met Lu Chenyang's gaze and immediately became intimidated. He said, "Lord Lu, please talk nicely if you have something to say. Why get so angry? I know you are determined to put down the rebellion, and I have taken that to heart. This Fang Shihao is indeed outrageous, and I will not encourage the arrogance of these rebels."

Lu Chenyang said nothing as Tingshu strode in: "Sir, all the collaborators have been apprehended!"

All the people Yan Yuanjie sent to deliver food and fodder to Fang Shihao were stopped by Tingshu and his men.

Yan Yuanjie shouted angrily: "Lu Chenyang, how dare you! What are you going to do?"

Yan Yuanjie realized at this time that he might have let a wolf into the house.

But Deng Mingbo had clearly told him that Lu Chenyang cared deeply about the people and was a good official, praising him highly. He also said that Lu Chenyang was devoted to the people, and that the last time he sent troops to aid Sanyang County, he only asked for some food and fodder, but that was the right thing to do. That's why he felt comfortable asking Lu Chenyang for help (and he was the only one he could turn to). But what was he thinking now? What was Lu Chenyang planning?

Lu Chenyang said calmly, "Master Yan is collaborating with the enemy and the rebels. Arrest him for me."

"Lu Chenyang, you dare!" Yan Yuanjie shouted angrily.

The guards from the Governor's Mansion tried to come in, but were stopped by the elite soldiers Lu Chenyang had brought with him. Two soldiers soon came in and tied up Yan Yuanjie.

Yan Yuanjie was directly locked up in the woodshed, and Lu Chenyang took over the governor's mansion.

The commotion in the Governor's Mansion was quite big. Many county magistrates who had not left heard about it, and then... they ran away quickly.

It has nothing to do with them. They are just ordinary county magistrates and these things have nothing to do with them.

They also contributed to the food and fodder Yan Yuanjie sent to Fang Shihao, but they must not let Lu Chenyang know about it, otherwise he would arrest them again.

The commander of the garrison, Xu Hao, also received the news soon. He was furious when he heard that Yan Yuanjie was arrested.

He and Yan Yuanjie were old acquaintances and had a very good personal relationship, so he immediately led his troops to rescue people.

As Xu Hao walked out of the tent to count the troops, Yan Xing appeared outside the tent with his men.

Xu Hao narrowed his eyes and asked, "What are you going to do? Is Lu Chenyang going to rebel?"

Yan Xing said, "Yan Yuanjie is colluding with the rebel leader, and Lord Lu has already apprehended him. Could Commander Xu also be an accomplice?"

Xu Hao suddenly choked.

As a military commander, he actually did not approve of Yan Yuanjie's peace talks with Fang Shihao. However, his troops had been living in peace for too long and had long lost their fighting power. This time, he relied entirely on the garrison of Yanquan County to lead the charge, otherwise the city would have been conquered by Fang Shihao long ago.

So he can't be at odds with her.

Xu Hao said coldly, "I remind you, Lu Chenyang may not be able to rule Lingnan. No matter how powerful the Yanquan County garrison is, it only has about 10,000 people. Do you really think they can resist our Fucheng garrison? Don't forget, there are still rebels outside. If we fight, it will only give the rebels an opportunity! If the Fucheng is destroyed, will he, Lu Chenyang, be condemned to eternal damnation?"

"Who said we only have 10,000 people?" Yan Xing asked back calmly.

Xu Hao was startled, then immediately realized, "You guys..."

As he was speaking, a soldier ran up to Xu Hao and said, "General..." He took a look at the situation and said, "There's an army approaching the city. It looks like there are about... about 20,000 people."

Xu Hao's face paled. Twenty thousand men! Lu Chenyang had actually amassed a thirty thousand-man army in Yanquan County! The ten thousand-man garrison in the capital couldn't defeat them, and now twenty thousand more... To be frank, this could wipe out both them and the rebels.

The Yanquan County garrison was truly formidable. Not only were they well-trained, but they were also fully equipped with weapons. They even had armor.

He knew very well how advantageous complete weapons and equipment were on the battlefield. Even the garrison in the capital city did not have these!

Xu Hao now began to think about who exactly was the person who wanted to rebel.

Xu Hao looked at Yan Xing. Yan Xing stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, allowing him to look at him.

Xu Hao was terrified: "You...what does Lu Chenyang want to do?"

Yan Xingdao said, "Commander Xu, you've misunderstood. County Magistrate Lu simply doesn't want Lord Yan to compromise with the rebels. Only by scaring them off can the war be quelled. Otherwise, the rebels will flee elsewhere, and the common people will suffer. Commander Xu, you're the commander of an army after all. Are you willing to bow down to a bunch of rebels?"

Xu Hao opened his mouth, but he couldn't say anything to refute.

Yan Xing said, "Lord Lu is only doing this for the people. They've suffered so much this year. If another man-made disaster strikes, the people of Lingnan will truly be doomed. You're also an official of the imperial court, responsible for maintaining peace in the region. Can you remain unscathed when the time comes? This decision was made by Yan Yuanjie, but Commander Xu will also bear the blame. Commander Xu should make the final decision on what's right and wrong, right?"

Xu Hao was silent for a moment, then asked, "What will Lu Chenyang do to Yan Yuanjie?"

Yan Xing said, "I don't know. It all depends on whether Lord Yan will persist in his wrongdoing. County Magistrate Lu simply refuses to compromise with the rebels."

Xu Hao remained noncommittal: "It seems I don't have a choice now."

Yan Xing likes people who are so self-aware.

Xu Hao compromised and calmed down. Yan Yuanjie, who was still waiting for him to rescue him, lost his last support.

Those 20,000 people were naturally the troops from Yanquan County. This time, Lu Chenyang had mobilized all his forces.

From the moment Lu Chenyang sent out his troops, his intention was to disperse the rebels.

Lu Chenyang swept through the entire city with lightning speed. Yan Yuanjie's original troops were all arrested and replaced with Lu Chenyang's own people.

For this purpose, Lu Chenyang wrote another letter back to the county school in Yanquan County, asking them to send another group of outstanding students.