Chapter 514 She suddenly laughed.
(Thanks to Liu Dashen's little fan for casting 4 monthly tickets.)
Refusing to sit down and remaining standing, Song Fang immediately asked Li Shiyue this crucial question.
Yes, Li Shiyue and Huang Wanchang were both fifth-rank officials, but Huang Wanchang's fifth-rank position was approved by the Ministry of Personnel of the Great Long Dynasty.
What about Li Shiyue?
Her sixth-rank military officer title was given to her out of necessity when the old Prince of Zhenbei was still alive.
The title of Ningyuan General, a fifth-rank official, was given to Li Shiyue by Liu Tan, but Liu Tan did not have the authority to bestow an official title upon her.
But this is not the case that Liu Tan is the most powerful person in Andong. Liu Tan acknowledges that she is a fifth-rank Ningyuan General, so she is!
But to be honest, Li Shiyue's official position, without reporting to the imperial court and without the Ministry of Personnel's official approval, really couldn't compare to Huang Wanchang's upright background.
However, Li Shiyue had already risen to the rank of official, and she also made great contributions to the Turks.
Such a great achievement would be enough to directly promote Li Shiyue from a commoner to a general.
That's how Li Shiyue managed to hold his official position all the way up.
Moreover, even if Li Shiyue's official position was personally appointed by the imperial court, to be honest, she really did not have the authority to execute Huang Wanchang on the spot!
Even if she had the warrant from Liu Tan, the Prince of Zhenbei, she still shouldn't have killed Huang Wanchang today!
She should imprison Huang Wanchang, gather evidence of his corruption, collusion with Japanese pirates, and trafficking of innocent people, and then send him back to Jinzhou to await the judgment of Liu Tan, the Prince of Zhenbei.
But what did Li Shiyue do?
She gathered some evidence and killed the man the next day.
Not only did she kill Huang Wanchang, but she also ordered the execution of his entire family of over thirty people.
What's even more amiss is that Song Fang hadn't even said it yet.
That is, Li Shiyue directly led her troops into Jian'an City.
Li Shiyue not only had her Xuanjia Army directly take over the defense of Jian'an City, but she also placed her own people in all the city's government offices, treasuries, granaries, armories, and so on.
If Li Shiyue hadn't actually been a general under Liu Tan, the Prince of Zhenbei, her actions would have been no different from those of a rebel army.
Oh, better than the rebels, she didn't harm the city's residents or guards.
Upon hearing Song Fang's question, Chen Yong and Hei Zi's hearts clenched, and both of them simultaneously placed their hands on the hilts of their swords at their waists.
It's likely that both of them were thinking that as long as Li Shiyue gave the order, they would be stuck there with Song Fang and wouldn't leave!
But what is Li Shiyue doing right now?
She suddenly laughed.
Yes, she smiled.
She pulled a booklet from the long table and threw it at Song Fang's feet. "This was found in Huang Wanchang's study; it's your garrison's supply ledger."
"The fact that the garrison has run out of 3,000 shi of military rations in the past six months..."
Li Shiyue paused deliberately, and then saw Song Fang frowning and bending down, trying to pick up the booklet that she had thrown at her feet.
Li Shiyue looked up and nodded at Hei Zi.
Hei Zi stepped forward and snatched the booklet before Song Fang could, then put it back on the long table in front of Li Shiyue.
"Well, it's getting late, so I won't keep General Song any longer."
"Kuroko, show them out!"
"Please, General Song."
Watching Li Shiyue and Hei Zi working together like this, Song Fang opened his mouth, wanting to ask about the account book, but when the words came to his lips, he didn't know how to say them.
Just as Song Fang reached the door and was about to leave, Li Shiyue's voice rang out again.
"Oh, by the way, General Song, don't forget to tell Magistrate Cai that I've set up a banquet at the Mirage Pavilion in the city tomorrow at noon, and I'm waiting for him to come and have some wine."
Hei Zi escorted the frowning Song Fang out of Jian'an City, and after Song Fang left, Li Shiyue returned to the governor's mansion.
In the backyard of the governor's mansion, Li Shiyue stood aside by a well, coldly watching two Xuanjia soldiers press Huang Wanchang's steward to the edge of the well.
The butler, a man in his early forties with a fierce face, was now ashen-faced with fright, and his crotch was soaked with sweat.
This housekeeper is the one who does the dirty work for Huang Wanchang;
That is, the steward who saw Huang Wanchang selling women when Sun Xiaoliu and his advance team went to the fishing village.
Seeing that Li Shiyue had raised his eyes, the two soldiers in black armor moved the steward's head away from the edge of the well.
"Steward Wang," Li Shiyue stepped forward and looked down at the man slumped by the well, "Huang Wanchang has been executed. If you want to live, tell this general honestly where all the people you've sent away over the years have gone."
From whom did you buy these good men?
Who did you meet with this time?
Where were those good men taken after they boarded the ship?
"If you speak well, this kind-hearted general might be able to spare a bloodline for your family."
"General, you are wise to see the truth!"
It took Wang, the steward, considerable effort to get up from the ground. He knelt before Li Shiyue, tears streaming down his face, and said, "I was just following orders. Those people were sent to Japanese ships at sea, but I really don't know their exact whereabouts!"
With a loud "smack," the Xuanjia Army soldier slapped Steward Wang across the face.
"have no idea?"
Li Shiyue sneered, "It's all recorded in the ledgers; you personally escorted them every time."
Your name is on this ledger, and you're telling me you don't know about it?
Butler Wang was trembling all over, and in the lantern light nearby, Li Shiyue could clearly see his eyes darting around.
Li Shiyue raised his head and gave a wink to the Xuanjia soldier who had just slapped Steward Wang. Then, Steward Wang was lifted up again, with two Xuanjia soldiers on each side, and one of them pushed his head back into the well.
The icy well water reached his mouth and nose, and Steward Wang struggled desperately, coughing violently as he was lifted up.
This happened twice, each time taking longer than the last.
As the butler was about to be pushed into the well for the third time, he shouted, "I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Butler Wang collapsed to the ground, stammering, "It was...it was sent to the Japanese pirate camp on Tsushima Island...there's a Japanese chieftain there named Matsui who specializes in taking in the Dai-ryong people..."
Li Shiyue asked Steward Wang some detailed questions, which Sun Xiaoliu noted down. Then she approached Steward Wang, looked down at his fat face, and squinted as she asked, "Even if Huang Wanchang is the governor, the highest-ranking official in Jian'an..."
But if there were no others behind him to help cover it up, how could he have kept this monstrous disaster a secret?
Tell me, in Jian'an Prefecture, who else is Huang Wanchang's accomplice?
Are there any accomplices within the garrison?
After hearing Li Shiyue's words, Steward Wang's eyes flickered, and he suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "General, spare my life!"
If I were to speak, I would surely die!
"If you don't tell me, you'll die right now!"
Li Shiyue drew his long knife from his waist with a "whoosh" and pointed the blade directly at Steward Wang's neck.
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