Chapter 134: Women as Soldiers
"Du Qingtang! How dare you, a woman, disobey orders? Are you tired of living?"
The Left Governor slammed the table in anger, pointed at Du Qingtang and scolded him, his words full of contempt.
Du Qingtang's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his tone was chilling: "Master Wen, please be careful with your words. I am a fourth-rank official appointed by the imperial court, personally appointed by His Majesty as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture. During my time in office, I have worked diligently and diligently for the welfare of the people, and I have never been corrupt or accepted bribes—"
"Tired of living? Lord Wen is truly arrogant!" Du Qingtang chuckled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I wonder who gave you the power to so easily decide the life and death of an innocent imperial official?"
The Left Governor met Du Qingtang's cold gaze, and for some reason, his body shuddered uncontrollably, as if he was facing a ferocious beast with sharp claws and fangs, rather than a woman with long hair and little knowledge.
Zuo Buzheng's mind went blank for a moment, his tongue became stiff, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Fortunately, he had been an official for more than 20 years and had seen many storms and waves, which had tempered his heart to be strong enough. He recovered from his shock in a moment.
Realizing that he had been intimidated by a woman, the Left Governor's face was so gloomy that water could drip out of it. His words became more and more unpleasant and thoughtless.
"Innocent?" The Left Governor sneered, laughing at Du Qingtang's naiveté and her recklessness. "Shaoqing Prefecture is far away from the emperor. Even if I fabricate a crime and pin it on you, who would dare to say anything? Who could prove your innocence?"
Du Qingtang narrowed his eyes slightly: "So, Master Wen is determined to have the garment factory and the dried fruit factory?"
"That's right! I advise you not to be so ungrateful and honestly hand over these two factories. Otherwise..." The Left Governor snorted coldly and said in a long tone, "Then don't blame me for being rude!"
The threatening words echoed in Binxing Hall, and the officials, clerks and yamen runners inside and outside the room were all filled with anger.
How dare this crooked official threaten the prefect with trumped-up charges?!
They worked so hard to run the garment factory and the dried fruit factory, how could these people have the nerve to come and pick the peaches?
The four people, Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang, who were present at the scene, could best understand the Left Governor's recklessness and arrogance. Their faces turned red with anger, their fists were clenched so tightly that veins bulged, as if they were about to swing their fists, as big as casserole pots, and smash them hard in the face of the Left Governor.
The Left Governor said this, straightening his clothes and saying, "My time is limited. I will only give you a cup of tea to consider your opinion. No more waiting."
He thought Du Qingtang would cry bitterly, kneel down and beg for mercy, and then hand over the garment factory and the dried fruit factory, two huge treasures that made a fortune every day.
But Du Qingtang turned around and sat down leisurely at the first seat on the left.
The Left Governor frowned, his displeasure reaching its peak: "Du..."
Before he could even utter his ultimatum, Du Qingtang interrupted him: "Wen Jingyao, who gave you the courage to shamelessly demand my things on my territory?"
The Left Governor was stunned. He hadn't expected Du Qingtang to be so stubborn. He was furious and waved his hand, sternly shouting, "Come here! The prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture is disobeying orders. Arrest her and take her back to the provincial capital to be handed over to the Governor-General for punishment!"
The faces of the kings of Zhou, Wu and Zheng changed drastically.
Now they no longer cared about the difference in official rank or status. Zhou Tongzhi's eyes widened with anger as he shouted, "How dare you!"
The Left Governor didn't take these four seriously at all.
He was buried up to his neck in the dirt, and he was only an official of the fifth or sixth rank, so he couldn't make any waves.
The Left Governor was reluctant to even glance at him, and he put his hands on his hips, raised his chin, and exuded a strong aura.
In order to build momentum for himself, the Left Governor brought with him forty sword-wielding guards, who were now waiting outside Binxing Hall.
With just one order from him, the guards would break in and capture Du Qingtang.
The Left Governor had a smug smile on his face, a typical villain's face.
However, after a long time, no guards came in.
The left governor's right eyelid twitched twice, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.
He subconsciously looked at Du Qingtang, who was resting his chin on his hand, looking at him calmly, a smile on his lips: "Master Wen, guess where they went?"
The Left Governor understood instantly, his eyes bloodshot: "It's you! How dare you...bitch!"
“Bang!”
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, Du Qingtang slapped him in the face.
The Left Governor was caught off guard and staggered. If he had not grabbed the corner of the table in time, he would have fallen headfirst to the ground with a bleeding head.
The Left Governor managed to steady himself, covering his right cheek with his hands, his eyes filled with disbelief: "How dare you hit me?"
Du Qingtang turned his wrist lightly: "Bitch, I'm going to hit you."
Just treat others as they would like you to treat them.
"puff--"
The four kings of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The clerks and yamen runners guarding under the eaves also chuckled.
How dare you speak foul language and insult the prefect? Do you really think the prefect is a pushover?
If you ask them, the slap was too light.
Just like we did to the head of the Qian family before, we should send him to hell with a bullet.
But they can only think about it.
After all, the Left Governor was an official appointed by the imperial court. If he died in Shaoqing Prefecture today, it would be another troublesome matter.
"But it feels so good." Wang Tongpan whispered.
If you disagree with someone, you will get slapped. It feels so good to hear the crackling sound.
"...Shut up and don't disturb the prefect."
“…”
After the guard was captured, the Left Governor looked up and was surprised to find that Du Qingtang, a woman, was actually several inches taller than him.
At this moment, he raised his head and saw Du Qingtang looking down at him from above, and he was already inferior to him in terms of momentum.
The Left Governor's cheeks were burning with pain, as if his entire face had been torn off by Du Qingtang and thrown to the ground and stepped on. His nostrils were flaring and he was breathing heavily, his chest heaving rapidly, revealing his inner turmoil.
He was so angry that his fingers were shaking. He pointed at Du Qingtang for a long while, then uttered a few words through grunting voices: "A gentleman does not bother with a villain. Today, I will let you go. I advise you to be sensible and hand over the garment factory and the dried fruit factory as soon as possible. Otherwise... the Governor's wrath is not something a woman like you can bear!"
After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and strode towards the door.
He who knows the times is a hero. If you don’t leave now, when will you leave?
However, before he reached the door, several dark shadows flashed by, and the gate of Binxing Hall was blocked tightly by yamen runners holding swords.
Left Governor: “???”
Left Governor: “!!!”
Under the scorching sun, the swords in the hands of the yamen runners reflected a cold light and were filled with murderous intent.
The left governor's eyelids twitched wildly, and he turned his head to ask, "Du Qingtang, do you want to murder an official appointed by the imperial court?"
Du Qingtang sat steadily, his eyes fixed on the hollow patterns on the small table, as if he could see a flower. He spoke calmly, "Everyone knows that Shaoqing Prefecture is plagued by bandits. Although the bandit problem has been eliminated, no one can guarantee that there are still bandits hiding in the mountains, waiting for an opportunity to strike."
"Lord Wen's grand arrival unfortunately alarmed the bandits. Seeing him in his official robes, they instantly became furious and brutally murdered him by cutting him into pieces..."
With every word Du Qingtang spoke, the Left Governor's face turned paler.
Although the female magistrate, who was sitting upright, was smiling, no one would doubt that she would keep her word.
She just needs to sit there, and countless fans will carry out this statement for her.
"...Master Wen, what do you think of this statement?"
Lord Wen doesn’t think it’s very good!
He has not yet reached the age of knowing his destiny, and now he holds the position of a second-rank official. He may be able to make further progress and become a first-rank official in the future, or even enter the cabinet.
He doesn't want to die.
He can't die!
The Left Governor wiped his face, slid down to his knees, and bowed to Du Qingtang. He didn't dare to stand up, keeping his posture very humble. "I have offended you before. Lord Du, please be magnanimous and don't bother with a mean person like me..."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly. He was quite flexible and said, "But the Governor-General has issued a clear order. How can you report to the Governor-General if he returns empty-handed?"
The Left Governor had no idea how to report back, and he was worried. However, his life was at stake, so he spoke without thinking: "I have seen that the garment factory and the dried fruit factory are managed in an orderly manner by Lord Du, and the workers in the factories highly respect Lord Du. I am deeply moved and cannot bear to see them separated. So I have taken the initiative to return the two factories to Lord Du."
Du Qingtang: “…”
King Zhou, Wu, Zheng, and others: "..."
He is truly a veteran who has been immersed in officialdom for more than 20 years. He speaks differently to different people and can turn black into white and the dead into alive.
After the Left Governor finished speaking, he waited anxiously for Du Qingtang's response, wondering what to say if she was dissatisfied with the answer.
"Then there is Lord Lawrence."
The Left Governor breathed a sigh of relief, hesitated for a moment, straightened up, and glanced at Du Qingtang secretly.
The woman who had slapped him and humiliated him in every way leisurely picked up the teacup.
Serve tea to see the guests off.
The corners of the Left Governor's mouth twitched, and the bones of his hand, hidden in his sleeve, seemed almost to have been crushed. He uttered word after word through gritted teeth: "It's getting late. I must hurry back to the provincial capital to report to the Governor-General."
Du Qingtang didn't even raise his eyes: "Goodbye, Master Wen."
Left Governor: “…”
The Left Governor took a deep breath and turned away.
This time the bailiffs did not stop him, but stepped aside to make way for him.
After leaving Binxing Hall, the Left Governor subconsciously looked for the guards and found that they were gagged, their hands and feet tied, and thirty people were piled in a cramped corner.
The Left Governor: "...Please help untie them."
Captain Zhang hummed a word, without bowing, and called a few yamen runners to go over and untie the guards.
The Left Governor secretly cursed the man for taking advantage of his master's power and left Shaoqing Prefecture with a lot of anger.
Upon returning to the provincial capital and meeting the Governor, the Left Provincial Governor bent his knees, flopped to the ground, and began to howl: "Sir, I have betrayed your trust and deserve death!"
The governor and several prefects beside him were startled by his movement and asked what was going on.
The Left Governor held the Governor's leg and, after adding fuel to the fire, he calmly glared at Du Qingtang: "Your Excellency, you don't know how arrogant Du Qingtang is. Not only did she threaten me, she also slapped me!"
The Governor-General looked down and saw a faint red palm print on the right cheek of the Left Governor, which was enough to show the great strength of the person who attacked him.
Governor: “…”
Several prefects: "......"
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture twirled his beard and lay motionless, pretending to be dead.
A month ago, a fruit shop called "Fresh Fruit Garden" became popular throughout Jingdong Prefecture. It not only sold fresh fruits, but also dried fruits. Even his wives and concubines bought a lot of them.
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture felt that this gimmick was somewhat familiar, so he sent someone to investigate and found that it was indeed from Shaoqing Prefecture.
He had been coveting the woolen coats from Shaoqing Prefecture for a long time, but the herdsmen in Heyang County only cared about the female prefect and ignored the rest, so he could only give up with regret.
Now there was another fresh fruit garden. The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture was jealous when he saw that the fruit shop was crowded with customers. His eyes turned red with jealousy and he secretly cursed the female prefect for being shameless for doing business in their territory.
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture could no longer tolerate this and decided to unite with the prefects of surrounding prefectures and go to the provincial capital to find the governor, urging him to take over the garment factory and dried fruit factory.
Given the cunningness of the female prefect, they, the prefects, would definitely not be able to gain any benefit.
Since they can't get any benefits, it's better to destroy it directly so that Du Qingtang can't get any benefits at all!
Fortunately, the Governor was a soft-hearted person and coveted the huge profits behind the garment factory and dried fruit factory. He immediately sent the Left Governor to Shaoqing Prefecture, under the pretext of "taking over the garment factory and dried fruit factory" and promised to give them a share of the profits.
Before this, they were full of confidence.
An official one level higher in rank can crush a person to death, not to mention that the governor is two levels higher than the prefect.
No matter how arrogant the female prefect was, she didn't dare to contradict the second-rank official.
No one expected that the Left Governor would return empty-handed.
This left them dumbfounded.
What to do next?
Admit defeat?
Or should he instigate the Governor to hold Du Qingtang accountable, which would inevitably destroy the two money bags of Shaoqing Prefecture?
Just as he was racking his brains, the Left Governor cried out in a loud voice, "Sir, please help me!"
"That Du Qingtang is truly arrogant. Not only did he disobey orders, but he even threatened me, saying I would never return!"
"My lord, woo woo woo woo..."
Governor: "...Does Du Qingtang really refuse to hand it over?"
The Left Governor nodded vigorously, hoping that the Governor would fly into a rage and order the punishment of that hateful woman. Who would have thought...
"Then forget it."
Left Governor: “?”
Several prefects: "?"
The Governor has been in this position for nearly ten years and has seen everything.
He knew that the prefects under him were using him, but it didn't matter. He was willing to go with the flow and take the two money bags of the garment factory and the dried fruit factory into his pocket.
Du Qingtang refused with an extremely tough attitude, which reminded the governor of how the firearms army led by Du Qingtang cooperated with the soldiers of Loushan Pass to repel the Qi army last year, and then how they defeated the bandits and corrupt officials who had been entrenched in Shaoqing Prefecture for many years with a crushing force.
This is a cruel and ruthless woman.
She even dared to shoot the local tyrant, the head of the Qian family. What else was there that she wouldn't dare to do?
As the Governor grew older, his character became conservative, and he had no intention of making great achievements. He only wanted to maintain the status quo, and he retired from this position with honor.
Therefore, even though he was dissatisfied with Du Qingtang's rejection and felt that Du Qingtang was disrespectful to him, the Governor still gave up the idea of holding her accountable.
Du Qingtang has a musket in his hand. What if he angers this crazy woman and she comes to the provincial capital to shoot him?
In short, the Governor gave in.
"Lord Du has managed Shaoqing Prefecture to a state of prosperity and prosperity, with the people living and working in peace and contentment. This is also considered one of my achievements. Why force it? It will only end badly in the end."
"Everyone, please go back. I have important matters to attend to, so I won't keep you here any longer."
The Left Governor and several prefects were all dumbfounded as they looked at the Governor's receding back.
So they said so much, did so much, but in the end gained nothing?
No, I still got something.
For example, the slap from the female prefect.
Left Governor: “…”
I hate it!
......
"The Governor is going too far. On what basis did he send people to take over the two factories?"
"Do you really think we're easy to bully? Do I have a face that shows I'm vulnerable?"
"But if the Governor-General forces us to do so, we really can't do anything about it."
The four kings of Zhou, Wu and Zheng fell silent.
They have been officials for many years, and the hierarchy has been ingrained in their bones.
If they were prefects, they might have decisively surrendered when the Left Governor threatened them with fabricated charges.
"But did you see how the prefect did it? I blinked an eye and he slapped me."
"To be honest, I didn't see it clearly either. The prefect was so decisive and quick. I just realized what he said and the governor was already covering his face."
"Tsk, it has to be the prefect."
Du Qingtang sat down and finished a cup of herbal tea, listening to his four subordinates chattering together. He wasn't curious about what they were talking about, so he put down his teacup and walked out: "Go away, everyone, do what you need to do."
"yes!"
Du Qingtang had already walked a distance when Zhou Tongzhi's voice suddenly came from behind him: "Sir!"
Looking back, Zhou Tongzhi bowed to her and said, "Thank you, my Lord."
The others, as if waking from a dream, bowed together and said in unison, "Thank you, sir."
Du Qingtang's eyes flickered slightly: "It's my job, no need to thank me."
No, that's not my job.
The Governor has given the order, and the Prefect could have obeyed it and directly handed over the garment factory and the dried fruit factory instead of falling out with the Left Governor and bringing in a powerful enemy for himself.
But the prefect still did it without hesitation.
Not only that, the prefect also single-handedly forced the left governor to retreat, saving the hard work of the government and the people of Shaoqing Prefecture.
They could imagine that once the garment factory and the dried fruit factory fell into the hands of the governor, officials in the provincial capital would definitely want a piece of the pie.
They only care about profit. By then, the two factories will be in a mess, and the people of Shaoqing Prefecture who work in the factories will suffer.
No, not necessarily the people of Shaoqing Prefecture.
In order to establish himself, the Governor is very likely to dismiss all the workers and recruit them from the provincial capital.
By then, tens of thousands of people will have lost their jobs.
Without jobs, they could no longer receive wages. These families returned to the pre-liberation era overnight and continued to live a poor life with no food to eat.
Poverty breeds sin. The prefect took great pains to pull them out of the abyss, but in just a few months, they fell into depravity again, and all their efforts were wasted.
The city of Shaoqing Prefecture is one with the people.
How can this city remain detached from the corruption of its people?
Thinking of this possibility, everyone shuddered at the same time, with fear on their faces.
Shaoqing Prefecture had finally emerged from the mud and was thriving, but the Governor sent people to pick the peaches at this time. His intention was simply despicable!
Du Qingtang saw everyone's expressions changing, waved his hand, and repeated: "Everyone go away."
"......yes."
This time, no one called out to the prefect.
Instead, he stood still and watched her walk away.
Du Qingtang walked to the end of the corridor and turned into the government office. Only then did the scorching gaze on his back disappear.
Afterwards, Du Qingtang finished his official duties for the day, and found time to handle a case, then returned to the Third Hall as the gong sounded for the end of his shift.
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju had not returned yet. The yard was quiet except for the cicadas chirping in the trees, which was very noisy.
"Meow~"
The cat's meow was soft. Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the sound and saw Youyou lying in the cat's nest under the eaves, its furry ears twitching, and its round and bright cat pupils staring at her without blinking.
"Meow~"
The unusual poop scooper number three was as indifferent as ever. Youyou swung his tail and barked again.
The voice is coquettish and overly sweet.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang was silent for a moment, walked towards the cat's bed, and slowly squatted down.
The kitten raised its round head.
Du Qingtang moved his fingertips slightly, landed on her head, and rubbed it gently twice.
"Meow~"
"good."
Du Qingtang withdrew his hand, went to the bedroom to change into casual clothes, and then called Du Yi: "Go to the provincial capital and find out who Cai Sheng has been meeting these days."
Cai Sheng, the Governor-General.
It has been almost a year and a half, and Shaoqing Prefecture has been developing in a good direction. When the garment factory was doing its best business, it made tens of thousands of dollars a day, but no one came to take advantage of it. Why did they come here at this time?
Don't let her find out which bastard instigated Cai Sheng, otherwise she will definitely skin him alive.
Du Yi took the order and left. Du Qingtang sat in the study for a while and heard the sound of conversation coming from outside. It was Zhu and Ju who came back.
Du Qingtang opened the door. Du Qingzhu looked over and raised the envelope in his hand. "Xianyu, there's a letter from Baoding Prefecture. Would you like to read it together?"
Du Qingtang paused slightly, then nodded calmly, "Let's go straight to the dining room."
Du Qingju smoothed her hair and said with a smile, "That's what I was planning. I'll go straight to dinner after reading the letter."
The three of them moved to the dining room, and Du Qingzhu opened the envelope as he walked.
When they arrived at the dining room, the three of them read the letter together and then fell into a long silence.
Du Qingju pursed her lips and asked, "Guo Qian's hand was crippled?"
Du Qingzhu raised her hand and wiped her face, her voice trembling: "Fifth Sister...why do I feel like Fifth Sister is testing something?"
Du Qingtang took a sip of tea and stood still as a mountain.
What are you testing?
Of course, she was testing whether she had had Guo Qian's hand crippled.
Of course Du Qingtang would not admit it.
Does Guo Qian have evidence to prove that it was her people who crippled his hand?
No.
If you don't have evidence, then just be a waste.
Du Qingtang put down his teacup and said calmly, "This is good. It prevents Guo Qian from forgetting his roots after gaining power and doing something disgusting like divorcing his wife and marrying someone else."
"This way, Fifth Sister can live with him in peace."
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju exchanged glances, and had the answer in their hearts, but they both chose to remain silent.
They couldn't help but think that just like parents treat their children, they couldn't treat their sisters equally.
This one is the youngest, and the other one is the fifth sister.
This time, they chose the youngest.
......
After dinner, Du Qingju suddenly remembered something: "When I came back, I heard the yamen runners talking about the governor, but is there someone coming from the provincial capital?"
Du Qingtang wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and said nonchalantly, "He came this morning and left."
"Hmm?" Du Qingzhu tilted his head. "So, what is this Governor doing in Shaoqing Prefecture?"
Du Qingtang put down his handkerchief and said, "I'm here on the orders of the Governor-General to take over the garment factory and the dried fruit factory."
Du Qingzhu: “???”
Du Qingju: “!!!”
"Did you agree?"
"What a shameless guy! He's trying to get something for nothing!"
Du Qingtang shook his head: "Of course I didn't agree."
Du Qingju breathed a sigh of relief.
Du Qingzhu pressed the issue, "If I remember correctly, the governor is a second-rank official. If you didn't agree to Xianyu, he must have used his power to pressure you, right?"
Du Qingtang nodded: "He spoke rudely to me, I slapped him, and he ran away without a fight."
Zhu Ju and the others were both stunned, and then burst out laughing.
"Xianyu, you are still as simple and crude as ever."
"When dealing with shameless people like this, you should use shameless means."
Du Qingju still worried: "What if that governor uses his position to take revenge on you..."
Du Qingtang remained noncommittal: "Based on my understanding of the Governor, this matter will most likely just pass. There won't be any follow-up, and the Governor won't cause me any trouble."
She is a bully who only bullies the weak and fears the strong. This time, she was completely subdued by Du Qingtang. Even if she is dissatisfied, she dare not take action herself. She will most likely instigate Cai Sheng to deal with her.
If Cai Sheng didn't want to make things so bad that they couldn't be resolved, he wouldn't have come forward on behalf of the Left Governor.
"That'll do."
"Xianyu, when I was thinking about spicy dishes in Shixiang Pavilion this afternoon, I suddenly had an idea. Can I put chili peppers in the pot?"
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly, pretending to listen attentively.
Seeing the youngest child's interest, Du Qingzhu continued, "Eating hotpot warms the body and stomach, and every time we eat chili peppers, we sweat. So, if we put chili peppers in the pot, wouldn't the warming effect be better? At the same time, it will also taste better for people with strong tastes."
Du Qingju raised her hand and said, "I have a rather bland taste, so I won't participate in this discussion."
Du Qingzhu rolled her eyes: "I didn't ask you."
Du Qingju snorted and said nothing.
Du Qingtang crossed his arms and gave a slight suggestion: "If you want to make something special with the pot, maybe you can make different pot bases. That way, people with light or strong tastes can both enjoy a pot that suits them."
Du Qingju nodded and raised both hands to show her agreement.
Anyway, she is not interested in chili peppers, and she stays away from hot pot bases made with chili peppers.
Du Qingzhu poked Du Qingju angrily and said seriously, "I'll give it a try. If it tastes good, maybe it will sell well in the summer."
That’s what hot pot is like. You can’t stop eating it even in the summer until you’re sweating profusely.
"Okay." Du Qingtang said.
She is just a guide and will not interfere in the careers of the girls of the Du family.
How to go on this road and how to go long-term depends entirely on them.
The three sisters sat and talked for a while, chatting about everything from the sky to the sea, until the sun set and the Jade Rabbit rose in the east, then they went back to their rooms.
Du Qingtang leaned against the head of the bed and read a few pages of a book. He turned off the lights and fell asleep at 11 p.m.
The next day, in the evening.
Du Yi rushed back from the provincial capital, exhausted, and brought back his investigation results.
Du Qingtang looked at Youyou's pointed ears, which were almost transparent in the sunlight, and lightly hooked his finger: "If you do something wrong, you must be punished, right?"
That night, Du's troops were divided into six groups and headed for six prefectures respectively.
It was already late at night when we arrived at our destination.
They bribed the city guards and successfully entered the city, then went straight to the government office, climbed over the wall and sneaked into the inner house.
At that time, the local prefect was sleeping soundly with his concubine in his arms.
A black hood fell from the sky and tightly covered his head.
"ah!"
The concubine woke up and screamed.
However, before he could even utter a full cry, he was knocked unconscious by a palm strike.
Immediately afterwards, Sandpot Big T's fists rained down on the local magistrate.
The local prefect trembled.
the local prefect roared.
The local prefect was the only one who wouldn't ask for help.
Because before the black hood was put on, his mouth was blocked by a ball of hay brought from the stable, so he could not make any sound.
The half-hour-long one-sided beating finally came to an end.
The local magistrate rolled his eyes and fainted in the darkness.
When he woke up again, he looked at his face in the bronze mirror, which was swollen like a pig's head and covered with bruises, and fell silent.
So how can he still be on duty in his current state of honor?
"If I knew who did this, I would cut you into pieces!"
“Ahhhhh!!!”
-
However, in June, Censor Sun impeached the Minister of the Ministry of Rites for abusing his power for personal gain and taking advantage of his position to commit corruption and bribery.
Emperor Qingyuan ordered the Left Censor-in-Chief to thoroughly investigate the matter. Until the truth was revealed, no one from the Guanglu Temple was allowed to enter the court to discuss matters.
As we all know, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites is a member of Cao's party.
Another wing was plucked out, Cao Yuan was furious and decided to find something for Emperor Qingyuan to do.
That night, a letter was delivered to Kunning Palace from outside the palace.
Empress Cao read the letter and threw it into the incense burner to burn it. The next day, she went to the Cining Palace to see the empress dowager on the pretext of paying her respects.
When leaving the Cining Palace, the gentle smile on Empress Cao's face added a touch of sincerity.
......
Two days later, in the imperial study.
The eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Aunt Chunyang from the Cining Palace requests an audience."
Emperor Qingyuan paused his pen slightly, ignored it, and continued to review the memorials.
The eunuch knelt on the ground with his head bowed, cold sweat dripping down his face.
After a long time, until his knees lost all feeling, His Majesty's majestic voice came from above his head: "Announce."
The eunuch retreated with limp legs as if he had been pardoned.
After entering, Chunyang bowed and greeted, her tone extremely anxious: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother felt dizzy this morning and suddenly fainted during breakfast. She has not yet regained consciousness. I really don't know what to do, so I have the audacity to come to you."
Emperor Qingyuan didn't even raise his eyes: "If you faint, call the imperial physician. I can't treat the disease."
Chun Yang: “…”
Chunyang was silent for a moment, then he dropped his head to the ground and pleaded in a tearful voice, "Your Majesty, the Cining Palace has already summoned the imperial physician, but the Empress Dowager's condition is really... Your Majesty, please go see the Empress Dowager!"
Emperor Qingyuan stared into space, then stood up and walked out with big strides.
Fu Rui looked at Chunyang deeply, sighed silently, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and followed.
Emperor Qingyuan arrived at the Cining Palace in a dragon sedan chair. Before he even entered, he smelled a strong bitter odor.
He paused slightly and stepped over the threshold as usual.
Entering the inner hall, the imperial physicians were kneeling on the ground. The empress dowager was lying on the bed with her eyes closed and her face as pale as paper. She looked like a lifeless doll, dying.
The imperial physicians bowed and said, "Your Majesty, your humble servants are here to see you."
"No need to be polite." Emperor Qingyuan stood with his hands behind his back and did not step forward. "What's wrong with the Empress Dowager?"
Deputy Dean Liang, who was in the lead, bowed his head respectfully and replied in a serious tone, "Your Majesty, based on Aunt Chunyang's description, I believe the Empress Dowager is dizzy and fainting because of excessive worry and physical strain. Please allow me to perform acupuncture on the Empress Dowager and then prescribe some medicine..."
Emperor Qingyuan interrupted Vice Chancellor Liang's official rhetoric and said, "The Empress Dowager must be cured as soon as possible."
Vice Chancellor Liang said: "...I believe that a heart disease needs a heart medicine. We must find the cause of the Empress Dowager's excessive worrying, so that we can cure it."
Emperor Qingyuan had an unfathomable expression and only hummed, making it impossible to guess what he meant.
Vice Dean Liang lowered his head and stepped forward to give the empress dowager acupuncture.
After about an incense stick of time had passed, a hoarse groan was heard and the empress dowager slowly woke up.
The imperial doctors all showed joy on their faces, and Chunyang stepped forward quickly: "Empress Dowager, you are awake!"
The Queen Mother slowly turned her eyes, and suddenly fixed them on Emperor Qingyuan: "Ming'er?"
Emperor Qingyuan paused for breath and stepped forward: "Mother."
The Queen Mother stared at him with her cloudy eyes, her breath weak, "Ming'er, I'm afraid mother is not well."
Emperor Qingyuan lowered his eyes and said in a gentle tone, "Mother, you will surely live a long life."
The Queen Mother smiled, and a hint of tenderness could be caught from the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
Emperor Qingyuan saw this and was in a trance for a moment.
"So many years have passed. I'm old now, and you and Heng'er have grown up. You've each started your own family and career. As a mother, I can say that I have no regrets in my life."
Emperor Qingyuan said in a gentle voice: "The imperial physician said that your mother fainted because she was overthinking. I hope your mother can relax. Only when you are in good health can I rest assured in the former dynasty."
The Queen Mother rolled her eyes and looked at the gorgeous bed curtains: "Ming'er, do you remember? When I gave birth to Heng'er, you lay beside his cradle and said you would protect Heng'er..."
Emperor Qingyuan smiled as usual: "To be honest, mother, I may be getting older and don't remember many things from my childhood."
The Queen Mother paused, her eyes suddenly sharp, and her tone became aggressive: "Is this your excuse for not recognizing your own brother, cruelly exiling him to his fiefdom, and not allowing us mother and son to see each other for so many years?"
Emperor Qingyuan suddenly felt quite bored.
To this day, the Queen Mother still thinks of him as the Xia Ming from her childhood who allowed her to order him around and beat and scold him at will.
He is not the Xia Ming of yesterday.
He is the Son of Heaven and the master of Daxia.
Emperor Qingyuan closed his eyes, flicked his sleeves and turned away.
Seeing him about to leave, the Queen Mother straightened up and said, "Xia Ming! Xia Ming, stop right there! Come back here!"
As hysterical and commanding as ever.
Inside the main hall of the Cining Palace, the imperial physicians and palace maids knelt on the ground, holding their breath, lowering their heads and not daring to make a sound.
Emperor Qingyuan walked faster and faster.
It was as if as long as he walked out of this cage-like palace, his crazy and paranoid mother and his brother who was eyeing the throne would never have existed.
"puff--"
"Her Majesty the Queen Mother!"
Hearing Chunyang's terrified call from behind, Emperor Qingyuan paused and turned around abruptly.
Blood.
Blood was everywhere.
The Queen Mother's pale face and light-colored palace dress were stained red with blood.
She glared at him and slowly fell down.
Emperor Qingyuan's eyes were bloodshot.
......
On that day, a rumor swept through Xiajing.
"Have you heard? The Queen Mother wanted to see the Prince of Jin, but His Majesty disagreed. This made the Queen Mother so angry that she vomited blood and her life was hanging by a thread."
"How could this really happen? Your Majesty is a wise ruler, how could he do such a disobedient and unfilial act?"
"If a man is unfilial to his mother and oppresses his brothers, how can he be a wise ruler? In my opinion, everything he did in the past was mostly an act!"
"Then he is really good at pretending."
At the same time, the imperial study was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and even the air was almost stagnant.
Emperor Qingyuan sat behind the imperial desk like a statue, silence spreading silently.
Fury lowered his head and cursed in his heart.
Curse the Queen Mother and the people who do not know right from wrong and talk nonsense.
You don't even understand the principle of not commenting without knowing the full picture. How can you jump to conclusions and say that Your Majesty is not a...
Your Majesty is clearly a wise ruler!
Fu Rui gritted his teeth secretly when the eunuch came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Aunt Chunyang from the Cining Palace requests an audience."
The image of the empress dowager's bloodstained face reappeared before his eyes. Emperor Qingyuan closed his eyes and said, "Announce."
Chunyang entered and knelt down to pay his respects: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has awakened and wants to see you."
On the same day, Emperor Qingyuan visited the Cining Palace for the second time.
The Queen Mother sat on the bed, leaning against a soft pillow, dozing with her eyes closed. Every wrinkle on her face was filled with harshness and indifference.
The footsteps came closer and closer, but the empress dowager did not open her eyes. She seemed exhausted, or unwilling to see the person coming.
"I have missed Prince Jin for a long time. I ask Your Majesty to issue an edict to Prince Jin, ordering him to return to the capital immediately."
Emperor Qingyuan said expressionlessly, "I have said that the prince is not allowed to return to the capital at will."
The Queen Mother slowly opened her eyes, her eyes filled with a mocking look of confidence: "Your Majesty should know better than I do. If the Prince of Jin doesn't return to the capital, the rumors in the capital will never cease."
"If Your Majesty does not want to be known as a tyrant and a disgrace forever, and be branded as disobedient and unfilial, then you should quickly let Heng'er return."
"By the way, I haven't seen the fourth brother for a long time. Everything should be done in moderation. I think your father would not want to see his grandson living in the cold and gloomy imperial mausoleum and getting sick from it."
Emperor Qingyuan stared at the empress dowager, and the calmness in his eyes made her want to escape.
The Queen Mother clutched the quilt tightly and tried to hold it in.
She is not wrong.
Xia Ming is an ungrateful person, only Xia Heng is her son.
It was Xia Ming who was disobedient and unfilial first. He did it on the first day, so don't blame her for doing it on the fifteenth.
To be honest, if she hadn't given birth to Xia Ming, he wouldn't have the supreme position he has today.
He must obey her in everything.
Thinking of this, the Queen Mother became more confident and said, "Let Heng'er and the fourth child return to the capital."
Emperor Qingyuan suddenly chuckled and nodded slightly under the empress dowager's doubtful gaze: "Okay."
That afternoon, two imperial edicts were sent to the imperial mausoleum and the Prince of Jin's fiefdom respectively.
Cao Yuan listened to the report from his trusted subordinates and smiled with satisfaction.
Xia Ming, it's your turn to taste what I felt like back then.
-
In July, Du Qingtang took time out of his busy schedule to visit the four counties under his jurisdiction, gave a lesson to the students of the county school, and inspected the school situation.
Because it was a surprise inspection, Du Qingtang actually found the problem.
The Qingyang County Magistrate pretended to obey but actually disobeyed and only opened a boys' class in the school.
There was not a single woman in the huge school, and Du Qingtang's face suddenly darkened.
The magistrate of Qingyang County noticed the change in the prefect's expression. Thinking of the fate of the men in Sanli Village, he trembled like a sieve and knelt down to beg for mercy.
Du Qingtang didn't waste any time talking to him: "One year's salary fine, and a 100,000-word self-criticism."
Qingyang County Magistrate: “??!”
On the way back to the city, Du Qingtang met Mu Yuanzhu who was also riding a horse.
The young girl, with wheat-colored skin, was lively and agile. When she saw the prefect, she waved vigorously and smiled with her eyebrows curved: "Sir, I was just coming to see you."
Du Qingtang tightened the reins: "What do you want from me?"
"Sir, do you remember our previous agreement?" Mu Yuanzhu hooked her little finger. "We are almost done with our training. We are just waiting for your inspection."
Du Qingtang was a little surprised: "It's only been a year."
Mu Yuanzhu smiled and said, "We have been practicing martial arts for many years. We have only been strengthening our training over the past year, so our progress has been very slow."
Du Qingtang asked her: "How many people are there now?"
Mu Yuanzhu replied fluently: "One thousand nine hundred and seventy-six people."
Du Qingtang raised an eyebrow: "So many?"
Mu Yuanzhu explained: "In addition to the original Wanjiazhai people, we have also invited many people to join us this year."
Du Qingtang nodded in understanding: "Okay, you guys get ready and go to the military camp the day after tomorrow. As long as you pass the test of the palace soldiers, you can be officially incorporated into the palace soldiers."
Mu Yuanzhu was a little puzzled. "Didn't you say before that you were going to defeat the infantry at Loushan Pass? Why are you talking about the palace soldiers now?"
Du Qingtang said casually: "Why bother to go far away instead of near."
Mu Yuanzhu had no doubts: "Then we'll see you the day after tomorrow!"
Du Qingtang agreed, and he and Mu Yuanzhu went their separate ways.
......
Two days later, the military camp was bustling like never before.
In addition to the 60,000 soldiers, there were also the prefect and nearly 2,000 young women.
Most of these women have healthy wheat-colored skin, heroic eyes and eyebrows, and are free and easy in their speech and behavior. They stand there with their backs as straight as pine trees, which easily reminds people of the agile cheetahs on the grassland.
"So they want to compete with us?"
"Even if they've learned martial arts, they're girls after all. If I beat them up and hurt them..."
"Don't panic. Just be more restrained when the time comes and don't take it too seriously."
Captain Ma Qian put his hands on his hips, his face expressionless, but he was complaining, "The prefect is really out of his mind. It's fine to let women study, but he actually stuffs them into the military camp. Does he really think fighting is just playing house?"
General Huang Qian had long been accustomed to General Ma Qian's daily complaints about the prefect. His expression did not change when he heard him speak, and he maintained the good virtue of keeping silent.
On the other side, Guard Wan randomly selected 1,976 men from the infantry battalion, divided them into 20 groups, and had one-on-one competitions with the women.
Fortunately, the parade ground was large enough to accommodate two hundred people, and could also accommodate an additional number of palace soldiers who came to watch the fun.
Du Qingtang stood on the high platform and said loudly, "There are two hundred people on the field. Each group of two can choose any weapon. The one who first strikes the opponent's vital point wins."
"Remember, no matter if you are a man or a woman, you must not intentionally hurt others, let alone deliberately let them go."
"Because they will be your future companions, and comrades you can trust."
"Do you all understand?"
On the training ground, both men and women had serious expressions and said in unison: "I understand!"
"Then now—the competition begins!"
At the prefect's command, the men and women on the field immediately started fighting.
They studied each other's moves, anticipated each other's actions, and their swords, sticks, and clubs collided, neither giving in, making a clanging and buzzing sound.
Du Qingtang crossed his arms and said, "Who has more winners?"
Guard Wan said without hesitation: "Of course it's the palace soldiers. What do you think, sir?"
Du Qingtang smiled but said nothing. Shoubei Wan didn't get a response, so he scratched his head and didn't ask any further questions.
......
Each competition is limited to one stick of incense. When the time is up, both sides must stop regardless of whether the winner is determined or not.
At the edge of the training ground, there is a person responsible for recording the winners and losers. The winner is circled, and a horizontal bar is drawn for a draw.
The twenty groups of competition took a full five hours.
From the dawn to the sunset, the duel between the man and the woman finally came to an end.
According to statistics, among the 200 pairs of men and women, women won more.
The garrison commander Wan and his soldiers were stunned.
"How is that possible?"
"We've fought bandits and foreigners before, so how could we not even be able to defeat a woman?"
"But they are really powerful. Whether it's spearmanship, swordsmanship, or bare-handed combat, I am no match for them."
"I feel the same way."
"In fact, the bottom line is that we underestimated the enemy. From the beginning, we didn't regard them as true opponents. So we were not cautious enough during the battle and naturally fell behind."
Underestimating the enemy was part of the reason, but more importantly it was because these women were taught by Mu Yuanzhu.
Mu Tingyu is the young master of Wanbao Villa and is an excellent martial artist. Mu Yuanzhu has inherited his true skills, so naturally the students he teaches will not be bad either.
Du Qingtang's thoughts raced as he announced loudly, "From now on, in addition to the infantry and cavalry battalions, a female battalion will be established in the military camp. The three battalions will train together and guard Shaoqing Prefecture together."
The women, led by Mu Yuanzhu, were stunned at first, but after they realized what was happening, they all cheered.
"So we are now officially incorporated into the palace soldiers?"
"That's right, from now on, Shaoqing Prefecture will have female soldiers in addition to infantry and cavalry!"
"Great! This year's hard training has paid off!"
The girls hugged each other excitedly and shed tears of joy.
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