April 15th, the second year of Jianning.
At this time, spring plowing was nearing its end. With the patrols of a thousand elite cavalry and three thousand White Horse Camp soldiers, plus the support of the Kong family, spring plowing in Qingzhou could be described as exceptionally smooth.
Therefore, apart from arresting a few corrupt officials, Song Feng and Gongsun Zan's group did not make any significant moves in Qingzhou.
This left Gongsun Zan, who was preparing to make a name for himself, somewhat frustrated.
Qingzhou, Pingyuan County.
Song Feng and Gongsun Zan led four thousand men, marching slowly toward the northern part of Pingyuan County.
Before long, a rather low city wall came into Gongsun Zan's view.
"Lieutenant Song, Pingyuan County is just ahead!"
"Yes, this is the last stop in Plains County...!"
Song Feng looked calmly at Pingyuan County, but his gaze went beyond the plains and towards the Bohai Sea to the north.
Soon, under the personal welcome of the magistrate of Pingyuan County, Song Feng, Gongsun Zan, and others entered the county town.
The two then dispatched their respective subordinates to investigate the spring plowing situation in Pingyuan County.
Under Song Feng's deliberate orders, most of the soldiers patrolled northwards, closer to the Bohai Sea, and many even ventured into Bohai territory.
The commotion caused by Song Feng and Gongsun Zan quickly reached the ears of Liu Kui, the King of Bohai.
When Liu Kui learned that Song Feng and Gongsun Zan's four thousand troops were entrenched at the border between the plains and the Bohai Sea and had never left, he immediately became somewhat flustered.
Immediately, Liu Kui summoned several of his retainers to inquire about countermeasures.
Liu Kui looked at his retainers with a very unpleasant expression.
"Is the Emperor preparing to attack me?"
A young man stood up and said respectfully:
"According to the reports from my subordinates, that should be the case. After all, the prince is the late emperor's blood brother, and the prince's existence is always a threat to the emperor."
Moreover, the Empress Dowager and the court summoned you twice, but you did not go, so it's inevitable that this would arouse suspicion!
"Hmph~, those scoundrels in the court, disregarding ancestral laws and regulations, chose such a mere child emperor. I was appointed by the late emperor, yet he dared to lay a hand on me. Those people in the court will reap what they sow sooner or later..."
Liu Kui couldn't help but snort coldly, and when he mentioned the court officials and Liu Hong, a look of resentment appeared on his face.
The young man hurriedly said, "Your Highness, our preparations are not yet complete. The most important thing right now is to find a way to make Song Feng and Gongsun Zan retreat as soon as possible!"
"That's true, but does anyone have any ideas?"
Liu Kui nodded, then looked at his retainers and asked them for advice.
Several retainers frowned and began to ponder, and the room fell silent.
After waiting for a long time without anyone speaking, Liu Kui's face grew increasingly grim, and he then looked at the young man.
"Lu Fu, do you have any ideas?"
Lu Fu, who had been called upon by Liu Kui, also stood up and respectfully addressed Liu Kui:
"Your Highness, if we want Song Feng and Gongsun Zan to leave now, we either have to wait until the spring planting is over, or we have to rely on Qingzhou!"
Liu Kui nodded, and began to ponder.
After a moment of contemplation, Liu Kui said, "Although spring plowing is nearing its end, we can't wait any longer. Every extra day they stay, there will be more unforeseen circumstances!"
Let those scholars from Qingzhou take them away!
Then Liu Kui looked at Lu Fu and said in a deep voice, "I'll leave this matter to you. Contact those families as soon as possible and have them find a way to get Song Feng and the others out of here!"
"Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will take care of it immediately!"
Lu Fu nodded, then turned and left.
Liu Kui waved to the other retainers, then went to the secret room, wrote a secret letter, and handed it to one of his trusted confidants.
Soon, the trusted confidant quietly left the palace with the secret letter and headed north.
Two days later, some of the Qingzhou gentry who received Lu Fu's message also began to take their own actions, constantly sending people to Song Feng and Gongsun Zan to report and expose a large amount of evidence of the evil deeds and corruption committed by rival families.
One of the most important points concerns the Donglai Saltworks.
"Ha, they've finally started biting each other!"
Looking at the daily reports in his hand, and recalling the Emperor's special instructions regarding the salt fields before his departure, Song Feng chuckled and then handed them to Gongsun Zan beside him.
"Lieutenant, now that we have the evidence, shouldn't we take action?"
Gongsun Zan looked up at Song Feng, clearly growing impatient.
Song Feng nodded. "Then let's get started. The saltworks are your responsibility. His Majesty's intention is to thoroughly clean that area up, leaving no one who has embezzled there alive! Leave the rest to me!"
"Please rest assured, Lieutenant, I know what to do!"
Gongsun Zan nodded, then turned and walked out.
"This Gongsun Bogui...!"
Seeing Gongsun Zan leave in such a hurry, Song Feng shook his head helplessly.
Soon, Gongsun Zan led his three thousand White Horse Battalion soldiers toward Donglai at a rapid march.
Immediately afterward, Song Feng ordered that the patrol of the plains be completed, and then led his elite cavalry south to begin a large-scale arrest of the families who had committed offenses, based on the reports.
The fact that Song Feng was able to suddenly obtain so much evidence of his family's crimes immediately aroused everyone's attention and suspicion.
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