Chapter 107: Confrontation "Lord Wakabayashi still wants a higher official position——…
Chapter 107
After learning that the son-in-law Lin Zhiyi was Gu Tingxuan's apprentice, Gu Heming took better care of them.
Before, there was more respect for the imperial envoy and admiration for the two young and talented people, but later there was more warmth of the elders caring for the younger ones.
It's unclear whether the consort and the princess will eventually leave the capital and manage a city on their own. This is supposed to be the privilege of a prince, but who knows? What if such an opportunity arises? After all, the consort is not just a consort, but also the young master of the Lin family. If His Majesty loves the little princess and relies on the Lin family, he will surely make arrangements for them.
Therefore, Gu Heming naturally wanted to teach everything he had learned.
Even if this young couple won't have this opportunity, Young Master Lin will always be in charge of Duke Lin's Mansion in the future and protect his family and clansmen... There's no harm in learning more.
Lin Zhiyi and Jing Yue were 'upgrading' the core here, while Xie Junxing, Lin Zhihua and Pei Nanyu were preparing to 'fight monsters'.
It was already the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month when they arrived in Yuzhou.
The situation in the other two states was gradually stabilizing, but a huge storm seemed to be brewing in Yuzhou.
——The surging waves are hidden beneath the sea surface. Once they are stirred up by strong winds, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Xie Junxing chatted with Fan Haoping at the Guanyin Temple for half a night and basically understood the situation in Yuzhou before they came and before the snow disaster.
Tan Dasen really wanted to be a local emperor, hoarding soldiers and food, cutting off the road from Yuzhou to the capital, blocking the transmission of information, and making Yuzhou like a "paradise on earth".
The people inside don't know the situation outside and can't leave Yuzhou. In fact, as long as the exploitation of the state government is not too excessive and does not make it so difficult for them to survive, the people don't want to leave their homes.
Just live your life from day to day. As long as you don't die, it doesn't matter if it's a little difficult.
Those who left might have been killed by bandits on the way, or kidnapped and trapped in the mountains to do hard labor. It would be better for them to stay at home. At least they have an acre of land and family. They can grit their teeth and continue to live.
Furthermore, Tan Dasen only wanted to be a local tyrant and had no intention of rebelling against the imperial court immediately—he wasn't foolish enough to seek his own death. Therefore, even if he exploited the people more severely, he wouldn't really push them to the point of rebellion.
If it weren't for this sudden snowstorm...
Tan Dasen’s wishful thinking might really come true.
The snowstorm disrupted Tan Dasen's plan.
While actively trying to save himself and provide disaster relief, Tongpan Guo Xu discovered Tan Dasen's secret and was unfortunately killed while trying to deal with and confront him.
Fan Haoping was skilled in martial arts and managed to escape after being injured. He was picked up by several confidants, the gatekeepers, and the constable Dong Cheng.
Later, they protected half of the people and moved to the Guanyin Temple.
The heavy snow blocked the road, and before his death, Guo Xu arranged for someone to report the news of the snow disaster to the court, so Tan Dasen did not kill them all.
Perhaps, he also planned to put the blame on the dead Guo Xu.
Xie Junxing reminded Fan Haoping and his group to be careful, and left five people behind, intending to take only two people back.
It should be enough to take away the three people who are following us on the way.
However, Fan Haoping did not agree and asked him to still bring seven people with him: "If Tan Dasen reacts quickly and attacks Lord Pei and Lord Lin, you will have more helpers."
After thinking it over, Xie Junxing agreed: "Alright, then you guys should be careful. We don't have enough medicine with us, I'll bring more next time. Lord Fan, rest assured and recover."
"Thank you, sir, and be careful too."
Xie Junxing hurried back with seven people.
On the way, they also brought back the three people who stayed behind to monitor the people performing.
Sure enough, Fan Haoping was right—
When they arrived near the governor's mansion, they saw torches as bright as daylight and the sound of armor clashing.
Is Tan Dasen's reaction so quick?!
Perhaps asking Lao Shi to get rid of the person who was following him had alerted the enemy a little?
Xie Junxing took a deep breath and gestured to the ten people beside him. Everyone stopped together in tacit understanding and hid in the corner.
The guards with high Qinggong skills jumped up along the dark wall and spontaneously observed the "army" outside the governor's mansion.
Xie Junxing rummaged around in his arms and pulled out a small wooden flying bird.
He made this thing himself on the way to Yuzhou, and even consulted the 'Thousand Machine Doctor' Lin Zhihua when he was unsure about something.
The wooden bird is gray in color and looks very real. It flies very high. If I'm lucky, I should be able to fly in to find Lin Zhihua and exchange information.
Lin Zhihua and Pei Nanyu did not expect that Tan Dasen would be so bold as to surround them in the middle of the night.
Not only did they surround the East Courtyard, but the guards they had sent out to check previously reported back that there were also many soldiers surrounding the Governor's Mansion.
It seems that Tan Dasen is smarter than they thought and is determined to take a gamble.
There are countless records in history books of local officials plotting to murder imperial envoys.
Pei Nanyu had been in the officialdom for ten years and naturally knew about these "tragic and bloody cases". As one of the imperial envoys, his heart involuntarily rose to his throat, lamenting that this time he was probably in great danger.
Lin Zhihua is young and this is her first time serving as an imperial envoy. She is not afraid of anything. She has a sunny and optimistic personality and does not take Tan Dasen seriously at all.
—She brought guards, and Xie Junxing also brought guards from the Yongsheng Marquisate. Add to that the soldiers sent by His Majesty and the skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works. While not many, combined, how could they be outmatched by a bloated governor and the soldiers he gathered?!
The mechanism array alone can last for a long time.
Besides, they weren't all trapped—Xie Junxing was free. As long as he got the news, he would definitely find a way to rescue them.
Of course, they can also save themselves.
Lin Zhihua was full of confidence. She knew what she was good at and the people she had available were enough for her to set up a defense array.
Pei Nanyu's heart was in turmoil for a long time. He found that Lin Zhihua was "skilled and bold". While drawing the blueprint, he asked the deputies of the Ministry of Works to help copy it, and then distributed it to the captains of the guard team, and ordered them in an orderly manner -
"Those skilled in long-range archery occupy the four highest points in the east, west, south, and north. Group them in pairs."
"Those who are good at close combat, come and get a set of protective armor. My modified armor is definitely lighter and safer than theirs."
"Those with good night vision, go to a higher place with the archers and keep an eye on the surroundings. If Xie Junxing and his men return from their investigation and discover that the East Courtyard is surrounded and they can't enter the Governor's Mansion, they will probably find another way to contact us. My guess is... it will be the wooden bird."
"People at high places, remember to protect your head, chest and abdomen."
…
She asked everyone to support each other and form a large protective network to protect the East Courtyard tightly.
"Master Pei, we need to store some snow to prevent them from attacking with fire."
Pei Nanyu came back to his senses and calmly said, "Okay, I'll arrange it."
They guarded themselves for an hour and waited for Xie Junxing's wooden bird to arrive.
Lin Zhihua took the wooden bird, fiddled with it with her slender and flexible fingers for a few times, and quickly opened the belly of the wooden bird, and a folded note fell out.
[Half the residents of the Guanyin Temple in the north of the city are safe. The magistrate is dead, the captain is seriously injured, and Tan is hoarding troops and colluding with bandits. Please be careful. I'm outside the palace, ready to assist at any time. Li Tiankuo is available.]
Lin Zhihua handed the note to Pei Nanyu, who breathed a sigh of relief after reading it.
Xie Junxing only needed to find half of the people, and he also had a rough idea of the current situation of the Yuzhou provincial government.
Next, it depends on how far Tan Dasen will go.
Will he really kill?
Or do you want to surround them first, let them lose their composure, and then put the blame on them?
"Fortunately, we didn't bring the subdued Li Tiankuo and others into Yuzhou City." Pei Nanyu sighed.
Lin Zhihua nodded: "Well, Xie Junxing should find a way to contact Li Tiankuo."
At the beginning, they subdued Li Tiankuo and other righteous bandits, distributed and exchanged food and daily necessities with them, and then left them in the mountains outside the city.
There are not too many of them, but they are an external force after all, a force that Tan Dasen is unaware of, and they can attack him unexpectedly.
After Lin Zhihua discussed with Pei Nanyu, she sent Xie Junxing a message:
Lin has deployed his troops, Pei is renovating, and the defense is secure. Report as soon as possible and await reinforcements. Best wishes.
Xie Junxing breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the wooden bird that flew back.
He opened and read Lin Zhihua's message, then smiled and shook his head.
It's too late to submit a memorial now.
It will take at least half a month for reinforcements to arrive, and time waits for no one.
It would be ideal to invite Li Tiankuo and the others... maybe Li Tiankuo and the others won't make it in time.
His greatest reliance is still his own team, plus Dong Cheng and others from the Guanyin Temple and the young and middle-aged people.
Xie Junxing took ten people and temporarily left the governor's mansion.
They found an empty house and moved in.
I ran around all night, and even though I had martial arts skills and protection, I still felt the bone-chilling cold.
"Second Young Master, aren't we going to contact Li Tiankuo?"
Xie Junxing stamped his feet to warm himself. "Let's rest for an hour or two first. Tan Dasen must be sleeping, refusing to endure the cold with the other soldiers."
Time passed little by little, from early morning to dawn. When the sun pierced through the clouds and revealed a glimmer of light, Xie Junxing jumped up from the corner of the wall and said, "Let's go."
Ten people spent the night in the kitchen of this house. There was a little charcoal fire under the stove, not much, but it finally warmed them up a little.
Of course, Tan Dasen’s first goal was not to kill the imperial envoy immediately.
He wanted the supplies they brought more.
And... he also had his eyes on 'Thousand Machine Doctor' Lin Zhihua.
This woman was clever, beautiful, and quite charming. Now that she was in his territory, he had to keep her.
"Fourth Miss, Tan Dasen wants to see you."
"See me?" Lin Zhihua tightened the sleeve arrow on her wrist. "Okay, I also want to see if my sleeve arrow can kill him in one move!"
Pei Nanyu grabbed her with a frightened look on his face: "Wait! Be careful, there's a trap!"
Lin Zhihua: "Don't be careful, there must be a trick. Either he wants to take me hostage, or he's tempted by my beauty. In short... he's arrogant and underestimated me. I will make him pay the price."
Pei Nanyu: "I'll go with you."
Lin Zhihua: "Master Pei, it would be better for you to lead the defense from here."
Pei Nanyu: "No. You can't go. Xie Junxing won't come back once he goes out, and I can't leave another person behind."
Lin Zhihua: "I'm going to negotiate, not surrender."
Pei Nanyu: "Anyway, if you don't allow me to, I'll go."
Lin Zhihua: "Master Pei, do you look down on me?"
Pei Nanyu: "I'm worried about you."
Lin Zhihua: "I have learned martial arts from my father and General Gu. I can't say I am a peerless master, but I can protect myself. Lord Pei is a civil servant, so don't be so arrogant." She handed the other hidden arrow to Pei Nanyu, "Lord Pei, take care. I'll be back soon."
Pei Nanyu looked at the guards of Duke Lin's mansion, hoping that they could stop their fourth young lady. Unexpectedly, the guards obeyed Lin Zhihua and followed her to the gate of the courtyard.
The people outside shouted, "Master Lin, please come out alone."
Lin Zhihua: "Master Tan, won't you say anything?"
Tan Dasen: "Master Lin, please come in."
After making sure that Tan Dasen was outside, Lin Zhihua had the gate of the courtyard opened a narrow gap, just enough for her to pass through.
Tan Dasen was some distance away from the gate of the courtyard, with two soldiers standing one meter in front of him on each side.
Lin Zhihua smiled and said, "Master Tan, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Tan Dasen: "I admire Doctor Qianji's craftsmanship. If you are willing to stay and help me, I will appoint a female official and let you become the female prime minister above all others."
Lin Zhihua raised an eyebrow: "Anything else?"
Tan Dasen felt itchy, his eyes greedily staring at Lin Zhihua's cheek: "If Lord Lin still wants a higher official position - the position of Queen...how about it?"
Lin Zhihua: This traitor actually said it so blatantly, which shows that he has no sincerity in the negotiation and his only intention is to kill the imperial envoy.
"I'm afraid you'll die before your beautiful dream is over," Lin Zhihua said sarcastically, "If you had turned back sooner, you might have been able to save your life."
Tan Dasen laughed heartily and waved his hand violently, and arrows were shot out from all around.
Lin Zhihua shook his arm, and an iron fan appeared in his left hand as a shield, while an arrow from his right sleeve flew out and shot straight at Tan Dasen!
Tan Dasen was startled, took a few steps back and sat down on the ground.
The guards in front of him helped him block the hidden arrows.
Lin Zhihua also blocked a round of arrows, and the protective net high up in the courtyard also began to attack the people outside the courtyard. The guards of the Duke's Mansion fell down and stood in front of Lin Zhihua, protecting her and retreating back into the courtyard.
The mutual probing attacks came to an end.
Pei Nanyu saw Lin Zhihua retreat safely, and his legs went weak as he held onto the wheel of the mechanical vehicle next to him.
Fortunately... Fortunately!
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