Three days later, the 'Right Prime Minister's Residence' had become an empty wasteland. Zhao Huan led his family away from Yanchuan City and headed south from the south gate.
Although the people of Yanchuan City were very puzzled, Zhao Huan did not reveal the reason to the outside world. When Wang Yuluan arrived with his troops, Li Dai and Yiwen Society would spread the word. The core of the story was that after the court destroyed the Left Prime Minister's Mansion, it would turn its attention to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. Zhao Huan's family was wronged and had suffered the pain of leaving their hometown in order to prevent Yanchuan City from suffering the ravages of war.
The Yiwen Society already has considerable influence in Yanchuan City, and with the added credibility of the Prefect's Office, they are sure to gain an advantage in public opinion.
Five days after Zhao Huan left Yanchuan City, Wang Yuluan led an army of 30,000 to the west gate of Yanchuan City.
The situation was largely consistent with Lian Zhongyi's analysis; Wang Yuluan had arrived in Yanchuan City in less than ten days.
Li Dai opened the city gates and led two personal guards to meet Wang Yuluan's army.
Wang Yuluan, clad in silver armor, held the reins of his horse with great spirit.
Li Dai said, "I am Li Dai, the prefect of Yanchuan City. General Wang, what is the purpose of your arrival in Yanchuan City with your troops?"
Wang Yuluan said, "Prefect Li, stop beating around the bush. I know the Yiwen Society belongs to Zhao Cheng. How could he not know that the imperial court has sent troops against the Zhao family?"
Li Dai, not on horseback, was completely unconcerned about Wang Yuluan's condescending attitude from his horse, and said frankly, "Yes, it's because he knew that the Zhao family had already left Yanchuan City. General Wang must have received word of this, so why bother coming to Yanchuan City?"
Wang Yuluan said, "Yanchuan City is my home, and I want to come back and take a look."
Li Dai smiled and said, "Alright! General Wang is returning home, and as the prefect, I will naturally treat you well. However, you may enter the city, but the troops behind you may not."
“I will take five thousand men into the city, and the rest will set up camp on the spot.”
"No."
"You're going to stop me?"
"I wouldn't dare," Li Dai said, cupping his fists to Wang Yuluan and smiling. "Personal favors are one thing, rules are another. General Wang is going home to visit his family, and I'm letting you in—that's a favor. But you're bringing troops into the city, which is against the rules."
Wang Yuluan said, "This time, leading troops to Yanchuan City is at His Majesty's behest."
Li Dai said calmly, "The day before you arrived, I received the decree from the Central Secretariat. His Majesty sent people to Yanchuan City for the Zhao family, but now the entire Zhao family is no longer in Yanchuan City. Your troops entering the city would be meaningless. May I ask General Wang, is visiting relatives more important, or His Majesty's decree? What you need to do now is bypass Yanchuan City and pursue Zhao Huan and his son."
Wang Yuluan chuckled and said, "This general doesn't need Prefect Li to teach me how to act."
Li Dai said, "As the prefect of Yanchuan City, it is my duty. I'll say it again: you can enter the city, but the soldiers behind you cannot."
Wang Yuluan said, "What if I insist on leading troops forward?"
Li Dai said, "Then I should question General Wang's motives. Are you planning a rebellion?"
"Absurd!" Wang Yuluan shouted, "The one who rebelled is Zhao Huan!"
Li Dai spread his hands and said, "I don't know. I only know that I am an official of Dajing, the prefect of Yanchuan City, and I am protecting the land behind me. Anyone who poses a threat to this land must be stopped by me!"
Wang Yuluan dismounted, walked up to Li Dai, and said, "Hand over some people, and I may not have to go in."
Li Dai asked, "Who are they?"
Wang Yuluan said, "Red Sleeve Pavilion, Yiwen Society."
Li Dai asked, "Why?"
"They are all Zhao Cheng's men."
"I don't know if they are Zhao Cheng's people, but I do know that they are from Yanchuan City, and they are the people I need to protect."
"Prefect Li, you won't even back down this step. Are you the steward of the Zhao family?"
"I am the steward of Yanchuan City!" Li Dai suddenly shouted.
Wang Yuluan sighed, turned around and walked towards his warhorse, shaking his head and saying, "My sword is for killing enemies, I really don't want to cut your neck."
Li Dai also turned around and said, "If you want to spend your time on these insignificant people in Yanchuan City, then I'll keep you company to the end. But I have to remind you, Zhao Huan and his son are going too far astray."
Wang Yuluan shouted, "I want to pick up my sister!"
Li Dai said, "As far as I know, your sister has already left with the Zhao family."
"Damn it!" Wang Yuluan roared, "That brat Zhao Zhan is going too far!"
Li Dai walked towards the city gate and laughed, "He's practically your brother-in-law now, why bother cursing him like that?"
"you!"
Wang Yuluan mounted his warhorse, drew his sword, and, looking ready to attack the city, said, "I'll give you half an hour to prepare! If you don't hand over the people, I'll attack the city!"
Li Dai walked into the city with the same pace and said, "Zhao Huan and his son are no longer in Yanchuan City. If you want to attack the city, in my eyes you are rebelling."
Just as tensions were about to rise, a woman appeared on the city wall.
Painted by Shi Ming.
After Li Dai entered the city and the city gates closed, Shi Minghua shouted down from the city wall, "Is that General Wang Yuluan down there?"
Wang Yuluan looked up, and after recognizing Shi Minghua, he immediately clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Mr. Minghua, it's me!"
Shi Minghua shouted, "Yanchuan City is your home. If you lead troops into the city, have you thought about what this home will become? When you were seriously injured, it was Minghua Medical Clinic that saved your life. Can you bear to see Minghua Medical Clinic suffer? You are a Jing person, a general of Da Jing. Can you bear to see the people of Da Jing suffer chaos?"
Shi Minghua asked Wang Yuluan three questions in a row, leaving Wang Yuluan dumbfounded.
After a long silence, Shi Minghua softened his tone and said, "You've come here to wage war. Yan Chuan City doesn't welcome you. If you insist on a direct attack, you'll only become a disgrace to Yan Chuan City! The Emperor's decree is for you to capture Zhao Huan and his son. Why do you have to disturb the lives of the people of Yan Chuan City?"
"Go do what you should do. The fact that you are still alive and well is a gift from me, a gift from Minghua Medical Clinic, a gift from Yanchuan City. You have no right to harm this city!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Yuluan was shocked. He bowed deeply to Shi Minghua, then led his troops away, bypassing Yanchuan City and heading south.
Li Dai walked up to the city wall, came to Shi Minghua's side, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Minghua."
Shi Minghua shook his head and said, "I don't understand politics, let alone war. Zhao Cheng told me before he left that if Wang Yuluan insisted on entering the city, I should help stop him. I never thought that what I said would actually be useful."
Li Dai exclaimed, "The young prime minister is truly a genius!"
Shi Minghua said, "He said that if Wang Yuluan really got rid of me, it wouldn't be because he was so accurate in his calculations, but because Wang Yuluan had become a true gentleman after being tempered in the three counties of New Taipei City."
Li Dai looked up at the sky and said, "Yanchuan City has been saved. Now I just hope that my teacher and the others will be safe and sound."
Shi Minghua nodded and said, "They'll be fine."
Good people will be rewarded.
"I firmly believe it."
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