Chapter 276 Governor

Shizhou.

Gu Xuanli received the bad news at the Governor's Mansion.

"What did you say? The entire defense corps was wiped out? Shi Shuangyu has lost contact? Didn't my Royal Guards send people to support them?"

Madman Qiao lowered his head and did not dare to look at the Governor.

"Well, Governor, I've just confirmed that the 7th Regiment of the Imperial Guard was ambushed by an unknown force mid-route. The entire army was wiped out, and the commander is missing."

"waste!"

Gu Xuanli was so angry that he swept away everything on the table.

"Waste! Waste! All of them are waste!"

The governor's roar could be heard clearly even through the office door. Officers of all ranks in the corridor all shrank their heads and dared not go in.

"I've told you a hundred times to conduct reconnaissance, be cautious, and be careful! You must report the battle situation at all times, yet you have repeatedly disobeyed my orders."

No one spoke in the corridor, only the crying of several sisters-in-law and ladies.

"The military has been holding me back for years. Why can't you be smarter?"

The governor's cursing lasted for a long time before it subsided. This was not because he had calmed down, but because he had received new bad news.

"Wu Daxiong's entire army was wiped out? All the residents of Ningdu Town fled?"

The Governor's office fell silent for a moment, and then a guard came out and shouted, "All officials above the county level, come in."

The office was silent for a long time before the governor's trusted confidant Gu Dacheng broke the silence.

"Governor, this must be the work of Changshan County. Chairman Wu led his troops to suppress the rebellion in Ningdu Town after receiving reports of bandits rebelling against taxes."

"That's right, that group of bandits was actually sheltered by Changshan County."

This opened the conversation, and the subordinates started talking at once, blaming Changshan County, including the rumor deliberately spread by the Council that Changshan County was killing refugees.

Gu Xuanli was silent for a moment, then asked, "Qiao, can we find any evidence at the scene?"

Crazy Qiao replied, "It's difficult. Changshan County won't leave any evidence to prove they did it."

Gu Xuanli slammed his hand on the table. "Isn't that just bullshit? You said a bunch of useless bullshit. I can come and go as I please. Why did I keep a bunch of you useless people around?"

There was another round of cursing until a new piece of news came.

"Xinghe Warehouse and Nanxing Warehouse were robbed! Over 4,000 tons of grain were lost!"

Gu Xuanli cursed angrily, "How dare you, that little bastard, come and rob me..."

Zhang Shuangcheng, director of the State Government Office, suddenly interrupted the Governor with a loud shout.

"I see!"

"You little brat, what do you know?" The director didn't give Governor Gu any face when he was angry.

Zhang Shuangcheng shouted, "Governor, I heard that Changshan County has accepted many refugees..."

Fu Yixiu interjected, "It's a massacre!"

"...They had been buying large quantities of food from abroad some time ago, but were later restricted by the Empire. Perhaps this is why they attacked us."

Gu Xuanli suddenly understood: "You mean, they really have taken in a lot of refugees, and they can't buy food. The county has no food, so they have no choice but to come to me to steal food?"

Zhang Shuangcheng nodded: "That's right, otherwise it's hard to explain why they dared to commit crimes against the wind."

After hearing this, everyone suddenly realized something. Crazy Qiao asked suspiciously, "But why did Changshan County accept so many refugees?"

"Qiao," Gu Xuanli said with a smile, "You don't understand this, do you? He's trying to gain capital."

"Look, he took in so many refugees during the war and protected them from death. Didn't he uphold the empire's reputation and serve the empire well? He saved so many people and fed them. Didn't he do a favor to the people? As long as the war is won, isn't this just one of the many deeds of wisdom, bravery, and benevolence that the empire has to offer?"

"Such a good deed, how could the elders not publicize it?"

"So, even though he's a county governor in a lowly position, he hasn't even deployed a single soldier, yet he's still reaping some of the fruits of victory, hasn't he?"

As soon as the words fell, everyone began to make sounds of shock.

"Oh! I see, I see!"

"I see."

"That little bastard is really cunning and sly."

"The Governor really has a keen eye!"

"Governor Gu is great!"

"The Governor is tough!"

Gu Xuanli's mood suddenly improved a lot, and he said with a smile: "Shuangcheng, tell me what you think."

Zhang Shuangcheng replied, "Yes, Governor." After a pause, he said:

"I believe that 4,000 tons of food is not enough to alleviate the food crisis in Changshan County. They will definitely come again. We just need to wait and see, and we will definitely catch them."

"That's right!" Crazy Qiao jumped up and said, "Not only will we rape them all, we'll also leave a death certificate. Then we'll go to the Supreme Council and file a complaint against him. I'll see if the Great Elder doesn't skin him alive!"

"Good!" Everyone clapped their hands.

Fu Yixiu said, "Governor, Changshan County must still be using smuggling to purchase grain. We might as well investigate their smuggling channels. We might find something."

This remark awakened the men from their dream, and Gu Xuanli immediately ordered Song Ziyuan, the Chief of Economics and Logistics, "Immediately investigate all our smuggling channels. Any smuggling channels involving Changshan County will be completely cut off."

Food is now a scarce commodity. Despite the empire's best efforts to regulate it, it is still unable to resist the trend of rapidly rising food prices.

Almost everyone in the empire was hoarding food, which further exacerbated the rise in food prices.

Therefore, as the largest grain smuggler, Shizhou can completely cut off Changshan County's smuggling channels. Unless it offers an exorbitant price, no one will be willing to risk offending Shizhou by supplying Changshan County.

A moment later, Song Ziyuan reported back, "Changshan County buys about 1,500 tons of grain every day through smuggling. I've cut off all of their channels, and they're out of food."

There was warm applause in the office. Those who didn't know would have thought that the imperial war had been won.

Gu Xuanli rarely had a happy day. Changshan County not only offended him many times and was his mortal enemy, but was also the mortal enemy of the Qin Group.

Eliminating Changshan County is equivalent to getting closer to the Qin Group.

This is a great thing that kills two birds with one stone.

While Gu Xuanli was excited, he also thought of his biggest concern.

Although Chuanluo County had been taken, Panwa County remained strong and could not be conquered for a long time.

The most annoying thing is that the rebels have received assistance from unknown forces. Not only have a large amount of arms and supplies flowed into their hands from unknown channels, but their fighting has also become more organized and more sophisticated, and even the regular imperial army cannot defeat them.

“There’s still too much waste!”

Gu Xuanli cursed angrily.

——

East Qinzhou.

Governor's Office.

Sheng Huaixuan is listening to the report from Chief of Staff Ling Huayue.

"... a truly remarkable annihilation battle. Less than two hours separated the two battles, and with a total strength of less than 1,200 men, the Changshan Commandery annihilated the 4,000-man defense regiment and the 1,000-man Shizhou Imperial Guard's Seventh Regiment, capturing at least 3,000 prisoners. The commander of the defense regiment, Shi Shuangyu, was wounded and taken prisoner, and brought back to Changshan Commandery."

Sheng Huaixuan took a deep breath of cigarette and surrounded himself in the smoke.

"So, adding to the combined forces of over 2,900 from before, Changshan Commandery managed to annihilate an enemy force totaling 8,000 men in three consecutive battles with just over 600 men? And they took over 4,000 prisoners?"

Ling Huayue nodded: "That's right, Governor. We didn't get a glimpse of the entire battle process, but the general picture is good."

"What's your opinion?"

"First-rate command of troops, superb tactical skills, and incredible battlefield intelligence work."

Sheng Huaixuan nodded, and Ling Huayue sat down. Beside him, the director of the State Government Office, Nopes, the Minister of the Interior, Mei Xingan, the first and second commanders Dong Qianwang and Ren Qingshan, as well as many trusted officials of the Governor's Office were all present.

State Director Nopes stood up and set the tone for the whole thing.

"This is a great defeat for Shizhou and a great victory for us."

Everyone applauded, and Li Yuchen, who was standing next to the governor, even had a red face and clapped with all his might.

After the applause died down, Sheng Huaixuan finally spoke: "Have you investigated the movements of the New First Army in Shizhou?"

Mei Xingan coughed a few times and said with a smile, "We've already investigated clearly. They want to ambush us at Beishuang Mountain."

"Has the Huaiyin River channel been opened?"

Second Commander Ren Qingshan, who had returned to his original post, replied, "Reporting to the Governor, it has been reported. The officials in the Huaiyin River area are in collusion and are greedy and lustful. It will be easy to deal with."

"What about other resistance groups?"

Nopes said, "The remaining Black Blade Society troops have followed Lin Wen to Changshan County. Their forces in Shizhou have been completely wiped out."

Sheng Huaixuan was about to ask more questions when Chief Secretary Cheng Hexin rushed in.

"Mr. Shouren is here!" he shouted excitedly.

Everyone in the Governor's office stood up at once, including Sheng Huaixuan. He strode out the door, smiled, and shook hands with a middle-aged man in his forties outside.

"Mr. Shouren, I've been waiting for you for a long time. Please come in."

The man smiled politely and said, "You're welcome, Governor Sheng. Let's go in."

"please."

The moment he stepped through the door, everyone shouted.

"Welcome to the Mingren Party, Mr. Chang Shouren."

(End of this chapter)