In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 715 The Truth Comes Out, the Night Before is Cleared

The fighting in the distance was completely undisguised, laid bare before the eyes of all the construction workers.

They could see the torches from both sides rapidly converging.
Then one of the torches quickly fell and went out.

Faintly, one could still hear pleas for mercy and screams of agony.

Even a fool could guess what happened in this situation.

Especially when the world quiets down,
The stench of blood carried on the wind

It invigorated everyone and dispelled all drowsiness.

Meng Ge Asier stared blankly at everything before him, his pupils trembling violently.

A fierce battle, a real battlefield battle!

As the shock subsided, it was replaced by a strong sense of anticipation:

"If... if I could be one of them, how awesome would that be?"

Once the thought arises, it lingers in the mind and is difficult to suppress.

Asir quickly regained his composure.

He quietly retreated behind everyone and silently observed the laborers at the edge of the camp.

He did not forget his duty.

Always observe your surroundings and identify suspicious individuals.

Soon, his gaze settled on Li Laosan, who seemed rather strange today.

Asir slowly walked forward, subtly observing Li Laosan's appearance.
He was found standing there all alone, his fists gripping the hem of his clothes tightly.

His fingernails trembled from the exertion, and his whole body shook like a leaf.

"What happened? Was he involved too?"

Asir wrote down his name.

We're going to submit his list so the adults can review and verify it.

At this moment, Asir's gaze sharpened as he saw Old Man Xiao quietly slipping out of the crowd, his body hunched over.

He was from Xiaojia Village outside Daning City, and his two sons also worked on the construction site.
Moreover, many people from their village work on construction sites, scattered across various sections of the road.

Noticing Old Man Xiao's panic, Asir followed him.

Before long, he saw Old Man Xiao find Commander Chen.

After whispering for a while, Commander Chen showed a surprised expression and pulled him back to the military tent.

Asir had a guess in his mind.
A generous reward will surely attract brave men. Old Man Xiao has seen the culprit who destroyed the road yesterday.

Inside the centurion's tent, Centurion Chen stared intently at Old Man Xiao and asked in a deep voice:
"Explain yourself clearly, who did you see?"

Old Xiao trembled, his voice shaking.
His age of over fifty years had made him unable to straighten his back, and his body was extremely withered.

Seeing his expression, Commander Chen softened his tone and spoke gently:
"Old Xiao, speak freely and boldly."

If you tell me, I will absolutely not reveal it to anyone, and I will even give you silver.

I remember your eldest son got married, but your youngest son isn't.

This hundred taels of silver could allow him to marry the best girl in the surrounding villages.

"It can even build you a new house, why wouldn't you want that?"

"The adults and the old folks are afraid."

Old Man Xiao's voice trembled.

Commander Chen walked to the side, took out a thick stack of banknotes from under the bed, and slapped them on the table:
"Look, one hundred taels of silver. Talk to me or I'll take it!"

Having the silver in front of you is quite different from hearing the numbers.
The paper money was slammed onto the table, and Old Man Xiao immediately straightened his back and his hands stopped trembling.

Only the cloudy eyes were replaced by longing!

He reached out to take it, but Commander Chen abruptly pressed down on the banknote:
"Speak first!"

Old Xiao's lips trembled, and he stammered as he spoke:
"My lord, last night..."

Xiao Daniu from the village had come by; the old man saw him when he got up in the middle of the night.
But Xiao Daniu was clearly at the construction site more than 20 miles away.
The old man thought he had come to this construction site to work.

The next day, the old man wanted to go look for him, but he searched the entire construction site and couldn't find him.

"Xiao Daniu?" Chen Baihu did not recognize him.

The commander's strategy was to disperse the entire village across various construction sites to prevent them from banding together and causing trouble.

Typically, a construction site can only accommodate a dozen or so people from the same village at most.

He knew all twenty-odd people from Xiaojia Village at the construction site, but there was no one named Xiao Daniu.

Chen Baihu was almost convinced that Xiao Daniu was definitely up to something!

What was he doing at the time?

Old Man Xiao pursed his lips and said:
"He was talking to someone, he was talking to Li Laosan, as for what they were talking about..."
The old man didn't hear clearly.

"If it was indeed Xiao Daniu who did this, will we villagers be implicated?"

“What does this have to do with you? Don’t worry,” Chen Baihu reassured him.

"call"

Old Man Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and then told everything he knew.
After hearing this, Commander Chen's expression turned solemn, and he nodded slightly.

"I am aware of this matter. You stay here and wait until I have confirmed everything before I give you the silver!"

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!" Old Man Xiao kept bowing and expressing his gratitude.

Chen Baihu walked out of the military tent, ordered two soldiers to keep an eye on Old Man Xiao, and went to arrest Li Laosan.

After gathering thirty men to search, Li Laosan was quickly subdued in the military tent.

Despite his large physique
But a mortal body is ultimately no match for iron armor and a long sword!

Chen Baihu walked up to him,

Seeing Li Laosan's resigned expression, he frowned.
He was convinced that the road damage yesterday must be related to the person in front of him.

He pulled up a stool, sat down, and asked in a deep voice:

"Li Laosan, what were you doing with Xiao Daniu yesterday? Did you ruin the road that was repaired?"

Li Laosan's face turned ashen, and his tense limbs suddenly went limp.

“It wasn’t me who did it wrong. It was Xiao Daniu who took the money and asked me to keep an eye on the patrol laborers and soldiers.”

"Oh?"

A look of joy flashed in Chen Baihu's eyes. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly and that he could confess so easily.

"Tell me, why did Xiao Daniu do this? And why did you do this?"

For some unknown reason, Li Laosan suddenly began to struggle violently:

"My lord, my lord, I'm innocent!"

I was just paid to watch over people for him; I had no idea they were going to vandalize the road.

I thought they were going to steal something, that's why I agreed to their request.

The man's wife and children are seriously ill, and the whole family depends on him for support.

Give a mediocre person a chance, and they will be willing to serve like a slave, just to repay the kindness shown to them.

Knowing his family's situation, Chen Baihu shook his head helplessly:

"Li Laosan, you wanted to bring the child to the construction site earlier..."

I've already turned a blind eye to this.

Now you've joined forces with the rebels again? What do you expect me to do?

"Look outside, the Commander has killed all those rebels. They didn't even have a chance to speak."

This matter is so serious that even if I wanted to protect you, I am powerless to do so.

Li Laosan was overcome with grief, unable to shed a tear.
"Sir, the family can't do without me!"

If I die, my wife, children, and elderly parents will all die.
"Sir, please have some compassion."

The soldiers holding Li Laosan showed some reluctance.
Commander Chen took a deep breath:

"Tell me the truth, tell me everything you know, and I'll see if I can give you a lighter sentence."

Oh, and don't tell me, Xiao Daniu only has you as his informant.
"If that's the case, even I can't protect you. You can just wait to die."

"No, no, no, there's more!"

Li Laosan named several more people in succession, and Chen Baihu waved his hand lightly, his voice cold:

"Arrests!"

Half an hour later, Commander Chen arrived at Liu Heiying's camp, his face serious.
He looked at the soldiers on duty and said softly:
"Please inform Vice Commissioner Liu that I have important matters to report, which relate to the road damage last night."

"Wait."

The soldier hurriedly went in to report, and soon came out:
"Come in."

"Thank you!"

As Chen Baihu entered the military tent, he was immediately greeted by the stench of blood.

He immediately spotted the armor hanging to the side, soaked in dark red blood.
A soldier is wiping with hot water and linen cloth.

The hot water in the basin was steaming and had turned a deep red.

Chen Baihu pursed his lips and looked at Liu Heiying, who was dressed in black and sitting at the head of the table:
"This humble servant greets Lord Liu." "What news?"

Liu Heiying sipped his tea calmly, his expression unchanged.
If it weren't for the blood-stained armor beside him, you would never have guessed that he had just been through a fierce battle.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, this is the true culprit and his accomplice that I have interrogated." Commander Chen handed over a document.

Hu Xiaowu took it, carefully examined it, and then handed it to Liu Heiying.

He took it and quickly flipped through it, soon spotting several familiar faces.
For example, Xiao Daniu and Xiao Yishan.
Liu Heiying wasn't familiar with him, but he knew that he had encountered many obstacles in Xiaojia Village when drawing up the Fish Scale Yellow Register.

Xiao Daniu was the ringleader of the disturbance.
Behind him was Master Xiao of Xiao Family Village, a former head of the Ministry of Revenue during the Yuan Dynasty.
He had also served as an official in the Ming Dynasty court and was highly respected in the city.

Liu Heiying tossed the document aside, his voice flat:

"Go down, and don't skimp on the money you're owed."

"Yes!"

"I resign from my humble position."

A look of relief flashed across Chen Baihu's face.
Big shots really don't take a nobody like Li Laosan seriously.
After Commander Chen left,
Liu Heiying picked up another book from the side, which recorded the suspicious people at the construction site.

His gaze swept across the list, but he didn't find Chen Baihu's name.

He then put the documents aside, sat quietly, and sipped his hot tea.

However, the smell of blood mixed with the aroma of tea in the room gave off an unpleasant and strange odor.

Half an hour later, the clerk, covered in blood, hurriedly entered:

"Sir, the affiliation of the personnel has been determined."

Further confirmation of specific personnel requires reviewing the command roster.

"Who is it?"

Liu Heiying put down his teacup, his face half-hidden in the darkness, filled with an air of mystery and gloom.

"Reporting to my lord, Zhong Licheng, a vanguard of Da Ning, was among them. He was stabbed more than ten times in the back and died."

The clerk's voice was somewhat unsettled.

Upon hearing this, Liu Heiying narrowed his eyes slightly, chuckled softly, and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth:
"It's really strange, the entire Daning Vanguard..."
On the contrary, the Northern Yuan general Asu, who had surrendered, was the most secure; none of the Ming generals were secure.

The clerk lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Hu Xiaowu, however, thought of something else and said softly:

"My lord, their ability to leave the city means they are not fighting alone."

"Hmm," Liu Heiying nodded.

"Alright, seal the documents and return to the city!"

"Yes!"

As dawn broke, the city of Daning was still asleep.
Only a few brothels still had their lights on.

You can see plump red and slender green figures dancing gracefully among them.

At the west gate, the gate was tightly closed.
The soldiers guarding the city looked around warily.

He scanned his vision back and forth with his binoculars, his expression serious.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from the western official road again, and more than one telescope looked in that direction.

Nearly five hundred cavalrymen charged along the official road and quickly reached the city gate!
"Open the city gates! Liu Qianshi, return to the city!"

Hu Xiaowu shouted at the top of his lungs.

The city gate guard peeked out from behind the battlements and saw several familiar figures. He quickly waved.

"Open the door, open the door!"

Before long, the gate opened and a group of people rushed in.

The city gate guard watched them disappear onto the cobblestone path, his face grave as he smelled the lingering stench of blood.
"Everyone, pay close attention! Be extremely careful!"

"Yes!"

Liu Heiying hurriedly returned from the headquarters of the Regional Military Commission.
Before they could even enter the backyard, they encountered Tan Wei, the duty officer, who was dressed in armor and came to greet them.

Seeing Liu Heiying's serious expression, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked:

"Lord Liu, are there signs that the road is being damaged?"

Liu Heiying stood still, his face grave, and said in a deep voice:
"General Tan, the road sabotage may just be a pretext; the real purpose is to ambush and kill me."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Tan Wei was momentarily stunned.

He looked absurd. In the territory of Daning, someone had ambushed and killed the Assistant Commander.

"Go inside and say..."

Liu Heiying left a message and walked into the house.

Before long, the two arrived at the main hall.

Hu Xiaowu and his personal guards kept a close watch on the yamen (government office).

No one was allowed to approach; even the rooftops were guarded by soldiers.

Inside the room, Liu Heiying took out a document from his bag and handed it over:

"General Tan, over a thousand rebel soldiers have inexplicably appeared at the construction site fifty miles away."

They were wearing armor and holding weapons.

After investigation, it was confirmed that the team was led by Zhong Licheng, the deputy commander of the Daning Vanguard.
As for who he is, I need not introduce him.

"Zhong Licheng?"

Tan Wei had just picked up the document when his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He quickly finished reading the documents, which included some testimonies from laborers and some corroborating evidence proving the soldiers' identities.

Tan Wei was breathing rapidly, his eyes almost spitting fire, and he gritted his teeth:

"Outrageous! Outrageous! This is utterly audacious!"

Liu Heiying, however, remained calm and spoke in a deep voice:
"General Tan, send one thousand of your elite troops into the city through the west gate to be more discreet."

Tan Wei's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment:
"Lord Liu, Qu Qingfeng's background is quite extraordinary."

Should we wait for Lord Lu to return before making a decision?

"No need. If they dare to overturn the table, why shouldn't we?"

A fierce glint appeared in Liu Heiying's eyes as he handed over another document:
"This is the mastermind behind the road sabotage."

We request that General Tan send troops to arrest him as well, and escort him to the military prison to await trial.

Seeing his firm attitude, Tan Wei pursed his lips:
"I'll do it right now!"

As dawn broke, it soon became morning, which was the time for the military commander to go to his office!
A large crowd still gathered at the entrance of the military headquarters, waiting for today's announcement to see what new changes and news had recently occurred in the headquarters.

The waiting crowd was a diverse group.
There were not only Ming people from the south of the city, but also grassland people from the north of the city.

The officers and clerks of the military command were much more at ease; they didn't have to crowd around to read the notices.
Instead, they entered the government office and waited for word to spread.

Or you can come back when there are fewer people, which is a way to steal a moment of leisure from your busy schedule.

But as soon as the officials entered the military headquarters, they keenly sensed that the atmosphere was strange.

The patrolling soldiers were not smiling as usual, and the adults walking back and forth had solemn expressions, as if they had encountered something major.

The change in atmosphere made everyone's faces serious.

As the officials from the military command, the prefectural government, and various garrisons arrived one after another...
The solemn atmosphere in the government office did not lessen; on the contrary, it became even more intense.

Qu Qingfeng, the commander of the Daning Vanguard, and Duan Zhengze entered the yamen while chatting and laughing.
Duan Zhengze is different now than before; he is full of vigor and ambition.

He was in charge of all matters related to the Tusi's land reclamation, including measuring the fields and preparing for sweet potato planting.

Now, wherever he goes, he is surrounded by crowds.

Whether they were garrison commanders or local gentry,

Everyone treated him with great courtesy, which made him very happy!

Especially Qu Qingfeng beside him, who has always been arrogant and incompetent because of his background, and never gives anyone a second glance.
Now, the two are practically brothers, and their relationship is undeniably good.

Today, Duan Zhengze noticed that Qu Qingfeng seemed absent-minded and often lost in thought, so he asked out of curiosity:
"What's wrong with Lord Qu?"
Could it be that the young lady did not serve me well yesterday?

Qu Qingfeng forced a smile:
"No. The girl is very nice."

"Oh my, the girls from Beiping are so wonderful!"

It's a pity the girl from Yingtian looks down on our shabby place and refuses to come.

Duan Zhengze looked regretful.

Soon, the two entered the main hall.
He immediately spotted the assembled officials who were already seated, and naturally also noticed Liu Heiying sitting at the head of the table.

Duan Zhengze was somewhat surprised that he arrived so early, and greeted him with a cupped fist salute.

When Qu Qingfeng saw Liu Heiying...

He stood there, stunned, and suddenly held his breath.

Liu Heiying cast his gaze over, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"Lord Qu, what's wrong? Are you surprised to see me?"

(End of this chapter)