Chapter 254 Unlocking Xingyuan Mansion
Qi Er was really busy and exhausted.
Although Xu Zhenying's attack on the city went smoothly, there were still several key strongholds that had not been occupied, such as three city gates, the prison, the government office, and the prefect's house. She first ordered people to seize key places such as the armory, and then deployed more people to cooperate in maintaining order in the city. She also led people to capture two people who took the opportunity to cause trouble, and finally hurried to the city gate.
Qi Er had only one thought in his mind, he had to show up in front of Xu Zhenying!
When she arrived at the city gate, she found that Feng'er, Sun Qingchen, Zhao Qiaonian, Lin Lao and others were already waiting on both sides of the city gate.
The vanguard troops had already rushed into the government office, leaving a mess. Feng'er ordered people to clean up the battlefield immediately and put up flags everywhere, adding a somewhat lively atmosphere.
The personal guards led by Xu Zhenying were still behind, and soon they heard the sound of horse hooves, followed by a group of black shadows moving.
Feng Er shouted happily: "City Lord! City Lord!"
Then she hurried forward.
Xu Zhenying reined in his horse and stopped, looking down from a high vantage point. He saw a familiar face from afar and was naturally overjoyed.
Everyone only saw a dashing woman riding a horse coming in the smoke.
She looked so young, with fair skin, bright eyes and white teeth. Her facial features were not outstanding, but overall she gave off a simple and refreshing feeling. From her appearance, it was impossible to tell that she was the biggest rebel leader in the southwest region!
A fifteen-year-old female rebel!
But when that person approached, he could feel the heavy pressure in his every move.
The moonlight was bleak, and she seemed like a god of war descending from the sky, invincible in the world, penetrating the smoke and coming towards him!
"The city lord is here!"
Just one sentence made everyone a little nervous.
Only Feng Er smiled and waved from afar: "City Lord!"
Xu Zhenying jumped off his horse swiftly, moving like the wind, almost rushing to Feng'er, "Feng'er!"
Her eyes lit up and she stared at Zhao Qiaonian and those familiar faces.
Zhao Qiaonian, Daniu, Qi Er and the others hurriedly clasped their hands and said sincerely, "Greetings to the City Lord!"
Xu Zhenying laughed heartily: "It's like meeting an old friend and getting drunk. Hey brothers, long time no see!"
Zhao Qiaonian felt a bit awkward. Previously, Xu Zhenying was an exiled prisoner, and he had control over her life and death. But now, Xu Zhenying had transformed herself, and from now on, she could control his life. It was hard to say whether this feeling was good or bad.
However, he could only quickly adjust his mentality, "City Lord, long time no see! My brothers and I can't make it in Bianjing City, so we thought of coming to you for help!"
"Welcome! It's such a great joy that you've come to join me! But now isn't the time to talk. Let's discuss private matters after we've settled down!"
After saying that, Xu Zhenying looked at Sun Qingchen again.
Sun Qingchen's throat rolled, and he looked at those clear and bright eyes, feeling inexplicably nervous.
It cannot be concealed.
Sun Qingchen didn't intend to hide it, so he simply said, "City Lord, I went to Bianjing City to file a complaint against you. The Emperor had me thrown into the Heavenly Prison, and I nearly lost my life. So I shamelessly returned. If you don't abandon me, I'm willing to serve you at every turn!"
Xu Zhenying frowned at first, then smiled, as if he didn't mind Sun Qingchen's behavior at all. Instead, he encouraged him, "Lord Sun, don't belittle yourself. The reason I spared your life after conquering Lan County was because I felt that whether you were in the Great Zhou Dynasty or under my command, you would be a talented person. Just like your name, the Great Zhou Dynasty can't tolerate a Qingchen like you, but I, Xu Zhenying, can! Don't have any psychological burden, just do your best!"
Sun Qingchen was thinking in his heart that the reason he was spared in the first place was clearly to win the hearts of the people of Lan County, but now she made it sound so righteous.
However, Sun Qingchen was very touched by Xu Zhenying's sincere willingness to give him a way out. He felt relieved and quickly clasped his fists and said, "I will follow the city lord's orders!"
"Who is this?"
Xu Zhenying looked at Mr. Lin.
But Old Lin was also looking at her with a smile, as if observing her.
Xu Zhenying saw this man standing with Sun Qingchen, and they seemed to have a close relationship. In addition, the man was over fifty years old, but full of energy, with sharp eyes. Therefore, Xu Zhenying deduced that this man was most likely an official appointed by the court who was idle at home.
Is this the fresh leeks that Sun Qingchen brought her?
Sun Qingchen also hurriedly introduced, "City Lord, this is Mr. Lin. He served as the chief academic officer of the Imperial College for over a decade and twice as the imperial tutor. He is considered one of the world's leading scholars."
Sun Qingchen kept winking at her, and Xu Zhenying was delighted. Finally, a serious scholar from the Zhou Dynasty was willing to follow her. Did it mean that she had also gained the recognition of some scholars?
This is a very good start.
So she quickly lowered her posture and clasped her hands together: "Mr. Lin, I have long heard of your great name, it is as well-known as thunder in my ears——"
Before Xu Zhenying could finish her words, Elder Lin interrupted her with a smile, as if deliberately embarrassing her: "I've heard of you for a long time? May I ask which books of mine the City Lord has read?"
Xu Zhenying was stunned.
Sun Qingchen and others were also stunned.
Isn't "I've heard of you for a long time" just a polite remark? Why would you be so eager to ask for details?
Isn't this deliberately making things difficult for Xu Zhenying?
Xu Zhenying, however, showed no sign of embarrassment. Instead, he smiled generously, "Mr. Lin, although it was just a pleasantry, I can see how much respect Lord Sun holds you in. Even though I haven't read your masterpiece, I can tell you must be a true talent. Furthermore, as an official of the Great Zhou Dynasty, you dared to come to a traitor like me. Apart from anything else, your broad-mindedness, courage, and boldness are unmatched among all scholars in the world!"
Elder Lin stroked his beard and laughed heartily, seeming extremely satisfied with Xu Zhenying's answer. "You haven't read my books, but I, old man, have read many of your masterpieces. If it weren't for those math textbooks you published, which have been so tempting, how could I, at my age, have traveled all this way to see you?"
Oh, you came all the way to see her?
If she had known this earlier, she would have started directly from calculus, first confusing all the scholars in the world and then making them use it for her own purposes.
Feng Er, who was standing by, seemed a little anxious, but she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, we'll have plenty of opportunities to discuss academic matters later. However, Xingyuan Prefecture is in turmoil right now. Why don't we deal with government affairs first? If we're late, I'm afraid the prefect will run away!"
Elder Lin patted his head like an old naughty boy and said, "Look at me. I was so happy chatting that I forgot that the city lord had something important to attend to."
Xu Zhenying also smiled: "I had a very pleasant conversation with Elder Lin. After I have settled down in Xingyuan Mansion, I will definitely pay him a visit in person."
After saying this, Xu Zhenying bowed and got back on his horse. "I'll go occupy the government office first. Feng'er, Qi Er, comfort the people in the city. If you encounter anyone taking advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble, don't show any mercy!"
Qi Er looked at Xu Zhenying's receding back and couldn't help feeling excited.
This is actually Xu Zhenying?
Although it's only been a year since we last met, that person has changed so much!
How could last year's bean sprouts turn out so beautiful? No, beautiful is not the right word to describe Xu Zhenying.
Xu Zhenying is gentle and kind, but there is a sense of pressure hidden between his brows that cannot be ignored.
She was like a phoenix reborn from blood, and every move she made was full of grace.
This couldn't help but make Qi Er feel scared and frightened.
Qi Er couldn't help but sigh: "After three days of absence, one should really look at others with new eyes."
Xu Zhenying and his group had already rushed to the government office. The office was brightly lit and had already been occupied by the soldiers who arrived earlier. Chang Zizai grabbed Prefect Yan from the concubine's bed and threw him in front of Xu Zhenying like a ball.
"City Lord, the Xingyuan Prefecture Prefect has arrived!"
"The Xingyuan Prefecture Tongpan has brought him here!"
The judge stared at her with bloodshot eyes, shouting, "Traitor! You shall not perish graciously! You have occupied Xingyuan Prefecture today, and tomorrow the Great Zhou Dynasty will demand your blood debt be paid with blood! Heaven is so blind that it allowed a mob like you to occupy Xingyuan Prefecture. I, Liu Mingjun, am a loyal minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty. I am not afraid of death. This is our chance to serve our country! Give me a quick blow!
Before Xu Zhenying could say anything, the judge rushed over and hit his neck on Chang Zizai's sword beside him, and then he died with the sword.
The dozen or so main officials of Xingyuan Prefecture around him were filled with grief and burst into tears. They all looked at Xu Zhenying with vicious eyes, as if they wanted to eat him alive.
This unexpected change frightened Chang Zizai greatly, "City Lord, I didn't kill him. You can see I didn't do anything!"
Xu Zhenying frowned slightly, "Alright, drag him away."
Sun Qingchen, who followed closely behind, was quite perceptive. Seeing this, he even risked his own reputation to advise his former colleagues, "Everyone, the city lord is kind and benevolent. He always attacks cities, not kills people! As long as you cooperate well, our city lord will show leniency!"
"Bah! Sun Qingchen, you traitorous lackey! You are earning a salary from the Great Zhou Dynasty, yet you are acting as a lackey for the rebels. You are truly heartless and disgraceful to all of us scholars! Aren't you afraid that His Majesty will wipe out the rebels? You are waiting for death without a burial place!"
Sun Qingchen sneered at this. "I, Sun Qingchen, have spent the first half of my life loyal to the emperor and patriotic. I've never coveted a penny from the people, nor have I ever done a single evil deed against my conscience. After Lan County was occupied, the city lord spared my life, restricting only my personal freedom and allowing me to handle government affairs as before. This is truly a life-saving grace. Although I'm in Lan County, my thoughts are constantly on the Great Zhou court. I even wrote dozens of letters to the prefect of Jinzhou Prefecture seeking help, but all fell on deaf ears!"
Prefect Yan cried out in pain: "If that's the case, why do you serve the thieves?"
"After the city lord set me free, I set out on my own with my wife, crossing mountains and ridges, and nearly perished in the dense forests several times. Even so, I still went to the capital to file a complaint, simply wanting to explain my strength to His Majesty and request that His Majesty send troops to reinforce Jinzhou Prefecture! But the emperor was busy fighting Prince Ming and ignored the fact that the two major Zhou prefectures in the southwest had fallen into the hands of the rebels. Instead, he scolded me for exaggerating and alarmist, and almost chopped off my head. Such a short-sighted and incompetent lord and such a corrupt court are not worthy of my loyalty, Sun Qingchen!"
"They're all excuses! If the king wants his subjects to die, they must die. All of this is just an excuse for you to survive! Sun Qingchen, you're young, and after all, you're a county magistrate. You have a bright future ahead of you. Why are you joining this traitor in rebellion? Aren't you afraid that it will bring disaster to your entire family?!"
"If the ruler wishes for his subjects to die, they must die?" Xu Zhenying, standing to the side, smiled faintly. "I think you should reflect on this: Why do you have to die if the ruler wishes for his subjects to die? In this world, everything is either right or wrong, based on laws or morals. A society where life and death are determined entirely by the personal preferences of those in power is a sick society. The Great Zhou Dynasty is sick, and so are you. And I, Xu Zhenying, am here to heal you!"
"That's nonsense! If you want to kill me, you traitor, then go ahead and kill me. Why are you talking so much nonsense?! Since Judge Zhang isn't afraid of death, neither are we. Just give us a quick death!"
Xu Zhenying waved his hand, completely ignoring the curses of this group of people, and signaled the people around him to drag these people away and lock them up in a cage for a few days to reflect.
Soon, the dozen or so officials were dragged away while cursing.
On the other hand, Mr. Lin watched the whole process and was shocked by Xu Zhenying's eye-opening remarks about the sick society.
If he had not read the book Common Sense, he naturally would not understand the meaning of society.
It is precisely because of this that after reading it and memorizing every word in it, Xu Zhenying's words seem like the cry of a phoenix, clearing away the clouds and mist!
After these first few meetings, Mr. Lin felt that he already knew what kind of hero Xu Zhenying was.
He is worthy of being called a fairy from the sky. His thoughts and vision are indeed unique.
Elder Lin then pulled Sun Qingchen aside and asked, "Can your city lord really avoid killing anyone when he enters the city?"
"It's not that we won't kill anyone, but we absolutely won't kill anyone without evidence or proof. Even if we want to kill someone who has committed many evil deeds, the City Lord will insist on complete and well-founded evidence. According to the City Lord, we will never wrongly accuse a good person, and we will never let a bad person go."
Elder Lin's eyes swiveled around, a smile on his face that was somewhat profound: "Your city lord... is quite interesting."
Xu Zhenying and others rushed into the government office like fish into water. This place had been occupied by their people half an hour ago and was now full of soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture.
Lian took advantage of the opportunity and sent people to clean up the government office and arrange it exactly like Jinzhou Prefecture. All the furnishings in the lobby were removed and all the space was used to place benches.
In just a short while, Feng'er, Qi Er, Sun Qingchen, Zhao Qiaonian and others were all present.
Xu Zhenying walked directly to the main seat and asked, "How long will it take for Fang Xun and the others to arrive?"
"They are still clearing the battlefield in the rear. They will arrive within an hour."
"How are the people in the city doing?"
Lian immediately replied, "Thanks to the information we spread earlier, the people weren't very hostile to us. Although they were panicking, most of them stayed indoors. Those who took advantage of the situation to cause trouble were thrown into jail by our people."
"Where are the four city gates?"
Qi Er then said, "I had someone get the soldiers guarding the north gate drunk, and they were easily subdued."
Receiving Qi Er's signal, Feng Er quickly added, "Thanks to Miss Qi Er's contributions of both people and money over the past half month, our news in Xingyuan Prefecture has been able to spread so quickly. And Brother Zhao and the others have also contributed a lot."
Xu Zhenying naturally understood Feng'er's meaning and said with a smile, "The fact that Jinzhou Prefecture was able to attack Xingyuan Prefecture so quickly is due to the contributions of everyone present."
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