"Zhang Kun! This general is going to Fengxian County to meet with the current emperor. Please select two hundred men to accompany me. Jingdong affairs will be handled by Deputy General Ma Dayuan."
Cultivating one's own power and becoming a regional lord is the dream of every military commander. Zhang Kun was originally just a small soldier in the Jingdong Army. It was Du Zhong who promoted him to his side, and Zhang Kun was also his die-hard loyalist.
Zhang Kun bowed and replied, "General Du, why did His Majesty summon you to an audience?"
Du Zhong shook his head. "I don't know either. Perhaps I have won the favor of His Majesty in Fengxian County. In any case, His Majesty has personally issued an edict. Please accompany me."
Zhang Kun's face was filled with joy: "That must mean that His Majesty thinks highly of you, General. Congratulations, General!"
Du Zhong was even more delighted. Zhang Kun said so, it seemed that His Majesty really had mercy on him.
Du Zhong has handed over the military affairs of the Jingdong Army to the deputy general Ma Dayuan, and gave him a few instructions, which were nothing more than to abide by his duties and be loyal to his posts.
Ma Dayuan was a kind and honest man. Du Zhong had appointed him as deputy general because he had no ambitions. For many years, Ma Dayuan had been content with the position of deputy general, and the actual command of the army was still in his own hands.
When Du Zhong brought more than 200 of his men to meet Wu Ge and others, Wu Ge was secretly surprised to see him bringing such a large team.
"General Du, you are going to see the emperor. With so many men under your command, aren't you afraid that someone will say in front of the emperor that you have ulterior motives?" Wu Ge asked while riding on his horse.
Du Zhong was taken aback. Since ancient times, ministers have always feared the emperor's suspicion. The emperor was so kind as to want to see him, but he brought so many people with him. Even if the emperor didn't suspect anything, he would be most afraid of slander.
"General Wu, thank you for your warning. I almost made a terrible mistake." Du Zhong reined in his horse, clasped his fists, and then said to his men, "All of you go back. Zhang Kun, take six of you, and we'll go to Fengxian County together."
Zhang Kun was a little worried: "General, isn't this too few? We should bring at least forty or fifty people, right?"
Wu Ge only had 40 or 50 imperial guards with him, and Zhang Kun said this just to be on the safe side. If the emperor really had ulterior motives, these 40 or 50 men could protect Du Zhong and fight his way out. Similarly, the men Du Zhong brought with him were all carefully selected elites from the Jingdong Army.
To show his loyalty, Du Zhong angrily shouted, "Six is what the general said! Go!"
Zhang Kun didn't dare to argue anymore and could only bow and accept the order. He picked out six people around him and said, "You guys follow me, the rest of you go back to camp!"
If Du Zhong had been more cautious and careful, Zhao Huan would not have dared to touch him easily. But his downfall was his own lust for power. He was too eager to climb up the ladder and achieve a higher position.
Wu Ge had a barely perceptible smile on his face: "General Du, please!"
Du Zhong was filled with gratitude towards Wu Ge: "Thank you, General Wu. I will definitely repay you one day!"
He spoke from the bottom of his heart, but Wu Ge said, "No, we are all working for the court and being loyal to His Majesty. This general is selecting talents for His Majesty, not to give face to General Du."
Du Zhong didn't know what to say. He just clasped his fists and rushed forward without saying anything. His subordinate Zhang Kun hurriedly spurred his horse to catch up.
Wu Ge whispered to his men, "Everyone follow. Remember, we must not let Du Zhong out of our sight. In an emergency, we can capture him on the spot!"
Wu Ge's guards had all been through countless battles and were absolutely loyal to Zhao Huan. All the guards followed Du Zhong's orders and hurried along the official road.
Over three hundred miles from the Jingdong military camp, Du Zhong and his men galloped along the official road. Wu Ge and the others spurred their horses to catch up. Du Zhong, intent on testing the skills of these imperial guards, galloped without stopping. Unexpectedly, the guards also followed closely, and not only their horses, but also their faces showed no signs of fatigue.
Du Zhong was secretly surprised. These imperial guards were indeed remarkable. He had never expected such good luck that his son, who he had thought was useless, would meet Zhao Huan.
I've long heard that this emperor is sometimes shrewd and sometimes foolish. It must be that my idle son has catered to his tastes, earning him the emperor's favor. If His Majesty truly values me and transfers me to the capital, then my meteoric rise to power is a foregone conclusion. Thinking of this, Du Zhong's face was filled with a smile.
Suddenly, a group of cavalry appeared on the official road ahead. The man was not wearing a military uniform, but he was able to gallop on the official road. It seemed that he had a deep background.
When the man came closer, Du Zhong was even more surprised. Isn't this Jiang Da, whom he sent to be with his son Du Huachang?
Jiang Da also saw Du Zhong from a distance. He shouted as he galloped, "General Du, something bad has happened! Something bad has happened!"
Du Zhong was shocked and thought to himself that something was wrong. When he turned around, he saw the imperial guards behind him speeding up their horses and galloping towards him.
Wu Ge was also surprised when he heard someone tip off in front of him: "Quick! Follow them and capture Du Zhong immediately!"
"What's going on?" Du Zhong asked while flattering his horse.
Before Jiang Da could rush over, he shouted, "The young master has been captured by His Majesty and will be executed by slow slicing on a chosen day!"
Du Zhong was even more shocked, and suddenly understood why the Imperial Commander Wu Ge was looking for him. When he turned around, Wu Ge had already led his men to surround him.
Du Zhong drew his sword, and Zhang Kun and others around him also drew their swords to prepare for battle.
Wu Ge's forty or fifty men had already surrounded Du Zhong. Du Zhong was furious: "General Wu! What do you mean by this?"
Wu Ge sneered, "Your Majesty, arrest the traitor Du Zhong! Your son raped and murdered, yet you not only ignored the charges but also helped to silence him. The Emperor orders that Du Zhong be apprehended immediately and taken to Fengxian County to await his fate!"
They had been tricked, but it was too late to regret. Du Zhong and his eight companions were surrounded by forty or fifty people on the official road. Even if they wanted to escape, it would be extremely difficult.
"Wu Ge! How dare you forge an imperial decree and capture me? You must go to the Jingdong camp first. You must follow me back to the camp. If this is really the decree from His Majesty, I am willing to accept the punishment!" Du Zhong was struggling to death, but his subordinates Zhang Kun and others had already changed color.
Wu Ge pulled out the imperial edict from his bosom and said, "Du Zhong, please look carefully. The imperial edict clearly has the imperial seal of the Song Dynasty printed on it. Do you guys also want to join Du Zhong in rebellion?"
Zhang Kun and the others were at a loss when they heard this. They were loyal to Du Zhong, of course, but resistance was futile now, as they would also be charged with treason.
Wu Ge continued, "Listen carefully, everyone. His Majesty's decree is to arrest only Du Zhong. If you join in the rebellion, it will be treason. By then, your relatives and children will also be considered as the relatives of the traitor. Think about the consequences for yourself!"
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