The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 307 Mutiny
Just as Deng Yang was preparing to continue to win over Deng Qi, a series of unexpected events disrupted his plans.

Upon receiving the joint letter from Prince Rui and the Prefect of Hanzhong, Sun Chuanting was furious and immediately issued a strongly worded official letter reprimanding Deng Qi and ordering him to cease all illegal activities.

The official letter immediately caused a huge uproar upon its release.

Upon seeing this, officials in the Hanzhong region, like sharks smelling blood, sent secret reports to Xi'an one after another, pointing the finger at Deng Qi.

These reports corroborated each other, further convincing Sun Chuanting that the military and political situation in Hanzhong was in disarray and riddled with problems.

He originally intended to go to Hanzhong to handle the matter personally, but the land reclamation work in the Guanzhong region was at its most critical stage.

With winter over, spring plowing would begin, and he had to personally oversee things in Xi'an; he simply couldn't be in two places at once.

After careful consideration, Sun Chuanting decided to send a trustworthy official with a clean background to Hanzhong on his behalf.

After careful selection, his gaze fell upon Hou Yuhuan, the Imperial Inspector of Shaanxi.

Although the Imperial Inspector was only a seventh-rank official, a low rank, he wielded immense power.

They represented the emperor in touring local areas, supervising official conduct, and pacifying the military and civilians. They possessed the power to "make immediate decisions on minor matters and submit reports for final approval on major matters."

Moreover, the Imperial Inspector held a prestigious and independent position, making him well-suited to handle complex cases like those in Hanzhong, which involved both military and political circles.

Therefore, Sun Chuanting summoned Hou Yuhuan to the governor's office and gave him instructions in person:

"Imperial Censor Hou, you must have already heard about the events in Hanzhong."

"With rampant illegal salt trade and neglect of military and political affairs, if this continues, not only will the salt law be severely damaged, but it may also lead to internal and external troubles."

"I request that you proceed to Hanzhong immediately to thoroughly investigate this matter."

"At the same time, we must conduct a detailed investigation of the actual situation of the various armies in Hanzhong, especially Deng Qi's troops, to rectify military discipline and eliminate scoundrels."

"If there is solid evidence, no matter who is involved, they can be arrested and questioned first, and then reported to the authorities!"

Hou Yuhuan knew the weight of this responsibility and resolutely accepted the task:

"Rest assured, Governor Sun, I will certainly investigate and punish this matter impartially and clear up the chaos in Hanzhong!"

He then selected several capable attendants and assistants, and they traveled via Chencang to Hanzhong to assume their new posts.

However, there are no secrets in officialdom.

Perhaps the governor's office leaked the news, or perhaps someone in Hanzhong deliberately spread the word, but the news that the imperial inspector was about to come to Hanzhong to investigate still spread like wildfire.

This wind even blew into the bandit's den in Zhaobi Mountain.

The bandits in Zhaobi Mountain were none other than Wang Yuncheng's gang of troublemakers.

He was originally a subordinate of Deng Qi, but due to food shortages, he pulled four or five hundred men from Deng Qi's camp and ran away to Zhaobi Mountain to become an outlaw.

Some time ago, Wang Yuncheng heard that the camp had actually managed to get money and food, and it seemed that they could start paying salaries. His restless heart started to stir again.

Although Wang Yuncheng was reckless, he wasn't stupid. He knew that being a bandit was a dead end, just a temporary measure to make ends meet.

Now that the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, the mountain village is short of food and clothing, and life is becoming increasingly difficult. He then thought about returning to the army camp, where at least he could get some food.

Without hesitation, Wang Yuncheng immediately gathered his more than four hundred former subordinates and swaggered out of Zhaobi Mountain, heading straight for Deng Qi's camp, attempting to forcibly rejoin the ranks and demand "unpaid wages."

At this time, Deng Qi was unaware of this matter. With the end of the year approaching and some silver in hand, he was thinking about how to make money.

Of the 6,000 catties of refined salt, he sold more than 3,000 catties at a price of 28 catties per tael, earning more than 80,000 taels of silver.

He plans to lay low for now and make his move in the spring.

More than 80,000 taels of silver, if used entirely to buy grain, could be exchanged for more than 20,000 shi in Guangyuan and more than 10,000 shi in Hanzhong, which would be enough to solve the current food crisis.

Deng Qi planned to lay low for a while after pulling off this heist.

Although smuggling salt was highly profitable, it was also very risky. The reprimands from his superiors and the malice from his colleagues made him feel like he had a thorn in his side.

With his small frame, he couldn't withstand any major storms. If he were to be convicted and imprisoned in the capital, he would be truly helpless.

The Sichuan army under Deng Qi numbered six thousand when they left Sichuan, but after seven years, only a little over eighteen hundred remain.

Those who died in battle or fled have long exceeded half.

Whenever he thought of this, Deng Qi felt extremely sad.

Therefore, when he received the silver, his first thought was to compensate his old brothers who had followed him through countless battles and faced countless life-or-death situations.

To Deng Qi's utter surprise, even with such a small amount of pay, he was still targeted.

Not long after, Wang Yuncheng led more than four hundred men and swaggered into Deng Qi's military camp.

Several sentries along the way tried to stop them, but they were beaten to the ground by the bandits.

Upon hearing the news, Deng Qi was both shocked and furious. He immediately led his personal guards to the camp and intercepted Wang Yuncheng and his men in an open area.

Upon seeing Deng Qi, Wang Yuncheng showed no fear whatsoever; on the contrary, he was extremely arrogant.

He got straight to the point and explained his purpose:
"General Deng!"

"We brothers have followed you through thick and thin for so many years. Even if we haven't done anything great, we've certainly put in a lot of hard work."

"Now that I hear the camp is well-off, with money and food, shouldn't we make up for the wages owed to us brothers?"

After saying that, he winked at the people behind him, inciting them to make a scene.

Wang Yuncheng's former subordinates immediately understood and began to clamor:

"That's right! Our brothers fought for seven years, and even our homes were taken over by bandits."

"Now that we're finally a little better off, we must make up for the backlog of grain and wages!"

"That's right! Make up the arrears!"

"The brothers are starving to death."

The commotion in the camp quickly attracted the attention of all the soldiers, who gathered around to watch the sudden farce unfold before them.

Deng Qi was trembling with rage, pointing his finger at Wang Yuncheng's nose and shouting:
"Fuck your shit!"

"You bastard surnamed Wang, you're incredibly audacious! You secretly led hundreds of brothers from the camp to become bandits, causing me to lose face in front of my colleagues and making me unable to hold my head up!"

"Now you still have the nerve to come back and ask for your pay?"

"Don't think about it!"

"I'm telling you, you won't be taking a single grain of rice or a single penny with you today!"

Deng Qi was a typical military man who had been disciplined by the imperial court.
When he charged into battle as a soldier, he was brave and fierce, and even rose through the ranks to become a deputy commander-in-chief based on his military achievements.

However, when it comes to political maneuvering and interpersonal relationships, he appears to lack skill and is at a loss for what to do.

He was even somewhat timid when it came to managing his proud and fierce soldiers.

If Lu Xiangshan, Sun Chuanting, or others had been in command, Wang Yuncheng's arrogance and open attack on the military camp would have resulted in his immediate capture and execution.

However, Deng Qi lacked this courage and decisiveness.

Or perhaps, because of unpaid wages and being away from home, Deng Qi felt guilty towards his Sichuan soldiers and didn't want to kill them.

Wang Yuncheng knew Deng Qi's weak character and tendency to avoid trouble, which is why he dared to be so fearless.

This is not the first time he has attempted to "force the emperor to resign".

As early as the fifth year of Chongzhen's reign, Wang Yuncheng, dissatisfied with the difficulties of marching in winter, stirred up trouble on the way and forced his superiors to act.

In order to appease the troops and prevent the situation from escalating, Deng Qi chose to compromise and back down, only issuing a verbal reprimand.

This move greatly fueled Wang Yuncheng's arrogance, making him even more domineering and disregarding military discipline.

Eventually, it escalated to the point where they openly deserted their posts, led their troops away, and became outlaws.

He dares to come back now because he's certain that Deng Qi won't dare to do anything to him.

Seeing Deng Qi's resolute attitude, Wang Yuncheng immediately resorted to his old trick, jumping up and down and shouting in the camp, trying to incite the soldiers watching:

"Brothers, take a look!"

"General Deng has money to buy grain and salt, but not money to pay our old brothers."

"He's trying to drive us to our deaths! We've worked so hard for him, fighting across thousands of miles, and in the end we can't even get a decent meal!"

"This pay must be paid today! Otherwise, we'll take matters into our own hands and demand justice!"

To Wang Yuncheng's surprise, his energetic performance received very little response.

He intended to repeat his old tricks and try to force Deng Qi to submit through a mutiny.

However, the situation he had envisioned, where everyone responded to his call, did not materialize.

Most of the soldiers around him watched coldly, remaining unmoved no matter how eloquently he spoke.

Many people even showed hostility and quietly tightened their grip on their weapons.

Wang Yuncheng was stunned. Why did this trick, which had always worked, suddenly stop working?

The reason is actually very simple.

The reason the camp had some money and food this time was entirely due to the soldiers who stayed behind, who braved the cold wind and autumn frost, went deep into the Qinling Mountains and worked hard for more than a month, exchanging medicinal herbs and furs for it.

This is the common property that everyone earned with their blood and sweat, and it is of extraordinary significance.

Wang Yuncheng and his gang abandoned everyone during the most difficult times, but now that they see an opportunity, they want to come back and take advantage of it. They want a share without even asking. How can this convince people?
Who will support them?
When Wang Yuncheng saw that his incitement was ineffective, he immediately lost face.

He stopped pretending and simply dropped the pretense, drawing his sword and yelling at the old department behind him:

"Brothers! Grab your weapons!"

"Since that man surnamed Deng is so heartless, don't blame us for being unjust!"

"If he won't give it to us, we'll take it back ourselves!"

Upon hearing this, the hundreds of soldiers and bandits behind Wang Yuncheng immediately drew their weapons and began to clamor, ready to attack and plunder.

Deng Qi was shocked to see this and immediately summoned his deputy to prepare for battle.

Before Deng Qi could give the order, the soldiers watching had already sprung into action on their own!

They grabbed knives, guns, and clubs, roaring, "Protect the grain and supplies, drive away the bandits!" and surged towards Wang Yuncheng and his gang from all directions.

Although we were comrades before, now that you've become bandits, we're naturally on two different paths.

Not to mention that these salaries were earned through hard work, how could I let others interfere?
The scene instantly spiraled out of control, descending into chaos.

Although Wang Yuncheng also brought veterans, they were outnumbered and morally untenable.

Meanwhile, the soldiers in Deng Qi's camp were united in their hatred of the enemy and rallied together to defend the fruits of their labor.

In the chaos, a baton that seemed to fly out of nowhere struck Wang Yuncheng squarely on the head.

The blow to his head caused him to bleed profusely, and he screamed in agony, nearly collapsing to the ground.

His former subordinates fought desperately to protect him, and they fought their way back.

The soldiers in Deng Qi's camp were relentless, carrying their weapons and chasing after the bandits relentlessly, beating them so badly that they could only flee the camp in a sorry state.

Upon seeing this, Deng Qi's deputy general, Lu Tao, immediately requested instructions:
"General, should we send men to pursue them?"

"If this villain is not eliminated, the consequences will be endless!"

Deng Qi watched Wang Yuncheng and the others flee, hesitated for a moment, and finally waved his hand.

A hint of weariness and reluctance appeared on his face:

"Fine... since we couldn't surround this guy immediately, let's just let it go."

“It’s freezing cold today, and the Qinling Mountains are completely snowbound. I don’t think they’ll survive this winter.”

"After all... after all, they are all old brothers from Sichuan. There are not many people left to begin with, so why kill each other and dirty our hands for nothing?"

Perhaps out of consideration for the countless brothers who had died or fled in the past seven years, Deng Qi still did not issue the order to pursue and kill them.

However, to his utter surprise, this very "womanly compassion" nearly brought him utter destruction.

……

Wang Yuncheng and his men were soundly beaten and fled back to the foot of Zhaobi Mountain in a sorry state.

Instead of reflecting on his own mistakes, he blamed all the humiliation and failure on Deng Qi.

Wang Yuncheng covered the two-inch-long gash on his forehead, his face contorted with rage, gritting his teeth in hatred.

We must get our place back!

So he summoned his deputy and gave him instructions:
"go with!"

"Take the silver and go to the Hanzhong Prefecture to file a complaint!"

The deputy in front of him was taken aback, thinking he had misheard.

"Sue an official?"

"Boss, are you out of your mind with anger?"

"We're bandits now, and the authorities are trying to arrest us. Who can we complain to?"

"Even if we find the prefect of Hanzhong, do you think he'll believe the one-sided story of us bandits?!"

Wang Yuncheng was so angry that he kicked him and cursed:
"idiot!"

"Haven't you heard that the Imperial Inspector is coming to Hanzhong?"

"That's a very important position. Take the money and find the censor's office to report Deng Qi!"

"It is said that Deng Qi abused his power to engage in large-scale illegal salt trading in Hanzhong Prefecture, making huge profits to support his army!"

"We must also sue him... sue him for colluding with Sichuan bandits and plotting treason!"

"We beg the Imperial Censor to uphold justice for us and eliminate this traitor!"

Upon hearing this, the deputy suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

My boss's ability to smear others is truly reaching new heights.

They can fabricate such malicious accusations as "colluding with bandits in Sichuan," which Deng Qi must have found hard to defend himself against.

He dared not delay, and immediately took the hundred taels of silver he had robbed from the mountain stronghold and rode at full speed to Hanzhong Prefecture.

Wang Yuncheng's original intention was simply to climb the social ladder by becoming an imperial inspector and vent his anger through the inspector's influence.

To this end, he did not hesitate to make things as bad as possible, framing Deng Qi with all sorts of outrageous charges.

He knew his old superior's weaknesses all too well. As soon as the imperial inspector arrived, under immense pressure, Deng Qi would inevitably lose his composure and be unable to defend himself.

But he never dreamed that such a carelessly made-up lie would completely cost him his life.

Soon, Wang Yuncheng's deputy arrived in Hanzhong Prefecture.

However, after searching around, he could not find the imperial inspector.

After making inquiries from various sources and spending a considerable amount of money, he finally managed to extract the information from a clerk in the prefectural government office:
The imperial censor's entourage is still near Wuxiu Pass on the Chencang Road, and it is expected that it will take several more days to reach Hanzhong.

Upon receiving the news, the deputy hurriedly returned to Zhaobishan to report the matter.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuncheng made a decisive decision:
"Let's go! We'll wait for him on the road; we must be the first to see the Imperial Censor!"

He immediately mustered his troops and rushed to the vicinity of Bao City, blocking the exit of Chencang Road. Three days later, the scouts sent out by Wang Yuncheng finally discovered the entourage of the Imperial Inspector Hou Yuhuan.

Wang Yuncheng immediately ordered his men to prepare, and staged a scene of "stopping the sedan chair and crying out for justice" in the middle of the official road.

As Hou Yuhuan's entourage was marching, they suddenly discovered a group of ragged, pitiful-looking men kneeling in the middle of the road ahead.

The leader, with a wound on his forehead, knelt in the middle of the road, kowtowing repeatedly and crying out loudly:
"The Grand Military Commission is above!"

"This humble general has a grave injustice to report! I beg the Censor to do justice for us!"

Hearing the commotion ahead, Hou Yuhuan ordered the porters carrying the sedan chair to stop and go forward to investigate.

Hou Yuhuan frowned as he looked at Wang Yuncheng kneeling on the ground and asked:

"Who is kneeling? What grievance does he have?"

Wang Yuncheng raised his head, tears streaming down his face, and confessed all the lies he had carefully woven:

"Reporting to the Governor, this humble general, Wang Yuncheng, was originally a commander of a thousand men under Deng Qi, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan!"

"We have been driven to desperation by that treacherous scoundrel surnamed Deng, and have no other choice but to block the road and cry out for justice!"

He tearfully accused [him/himself].

"That guy surnamed Deng is incredibly audacious. He colluded with illegal merchants to smuggle large quantities of salt and make huge profits to support his army!"

"Considering the laws and military discipline, I originally intended to advise the commander-in-chief to stop his actions before they were too late."

"Who knew that the man surnamed Deng not only wouldn't listen, but instead became enraged, accusing the general of framing him and even trying to kill him to silence him!"

"I had no choice but to lead a group of brothers who were unwilling to go along with the corrupt practices into the mountains to hide."

"But Deng Qi still wouldn't give up, repeatedly sending troops to besiege and annihilate us!"

"We beg the Censor to investigate thoroughly, redress our grievances, restore military discipline, and punish the traitors!"

Wang Yuncheng's words cleverly portrayed him as a loyal and upright official who discovered his superior's wrongdoing, spoke out honestly, but was persecuted instead.

Hou Yuhuan was new to the area and not familiar with the specific situation in Hanzhong.

Seeing that Wang Yuncheng and the others were in a pitiful state and spoke earnestly, he began to believe them somewhat out of the blue.

He thought to himself:
"No wonder Governor Sun asked me to investigate; it turns out Deng Qi really does have a problem!"

"This even involves the crime of persecuting loyal and virtuous people!"

Seeing that he seemed quite interested, Wang Yuncheng immediately added fuel to the fire:

"Not only that, this humble general also suspects that the man surnamed Deng is involved with the bandits in Sichuan!"

"He recently obtained a batch of grain from somewhere, and I suspect it was very likely funded by bandits in Sichuan!"

“Your Excellency, the bandits in Sichuan are cunning and treacherous. If Deng Qi is turned by them, then Hanzhong will be in danger, and Shaanxi will be in danger!”

Is that really true?!

Hou Yuhuan's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, becoming extremely serious.
"This matter concerns the safety of the nation and is of utmost importance; it cannot be spoken carelessly!"

Wang Yuncheng paid no attention to any of that, only focusing on kowtowing frantically, speaking with absolute certainty:
"Absolutely true!"

Hou Yuhuan gave Wang Yuncheng a deep look and pondered for a moment.

Although he found the matter unbelievable, he preferred to believe it rather than deny it.

If Deng Qi really colluded with the bandits, then the problem would be far more serious than selling salt to support his army.

He said in a deep voice:

"If what you say is true, I will naturally not stand idly by!"

"Get up and come with me to Deng Qi's camp to confront him face to face!"

To be honest, if the person accused was another general, Hou Yuhuan might have been more cautious and collected evidence before taking action.

However, Deng Qi's "timid and fearful" personality had long been rumored in Shaanxi's official circles.

He might dare to sell smuggled salt, but colluding with bandits is another matter entirely.

With the aim of leaving no stone unturned and ensuring that no one is wrongly accused or let off lightly, Hou Yuhuan decided to go to the camp to confront Deng Qi face to face.

Wang Yuncheng was dumbfounded when he heard this. How dare this censor be so bold?

When did the civil officials of my Great Ming become so willing to take on responsibilities?

Shouldn't ordinary civil officials and censors avoid such matters at all costs upon hearing news of military unrest or collusion with bandits?

Why are there still people rushing in headfirst?
But now that he had already said it, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and kowtow in gratitude.

"Thank you, Magistrate!"

In this way, Wang Yuncheng and his group of "victims" and "witnesses" were mixed into Hou Yuhuan's group.

The group, in a grand procession, headed straight for Deng Qi's military camp.

At this moment, Deng Qi was unaware of what was happening outside.

He just received some pay a few days ago, and now his pockets are empty again.

He was pondering what kind of business he should start next to support the military.

Just then, the messenger rushed in from outside the tent in a panic:

"Something terrible has happened, Commander!"

"A large contingent of men arrived outside the camp, claiming to be an imperial inspector, saying they wanted to investigate military affairs!"

"I...I even saw that son of a bitch Wang Yuncheng mixed in with the ranks!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Qi nearly fell off his chair.

What?! An imperial inspector?!

He had heard about this before and was worried about it for several days, even losing his appetite.

But after more than half a month, he still hadn't noticed anything unusual, and he gradually felt relieved, thinking it was probably just a rumor.

Unexpectedly, the censor actually came, and he even got involved with that bastard Wang Yuncheng!
Deng Qi hurriedly put on his armor and practically scrambled out.

At this moment, Hou Yuhuan had already led his men into the camp. When he saw Deng Qi arrive, he immediately revealed his identity.

Deng Qi dared not be negligent. He stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and then welcomed the imperial inspector and his entourage into the central military tent.

Hou Yuhuan didn't waste any words and went straight to the point, questioning:
"Deputy General Deng, I am here on the orders of Governor Sun to inspect the military and political affairs of Hanzhong."

"Your former subordinate, Commander Wang Yuncheng, is accusing you of three major crimes:"

"Firstly, they smuggled salt to profit from supporting their army!"

"Secondly, they persecuted loyal and virtuous officials, and attempted to silence their subordinates by killing them!"

"Thirdly, they colluded with bandits in Sichuan to aid the enemy in their rebellion!"

"What explanation do you have for this?!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Qi felt a buzzing in his head, filled with both shock and anger.

He never expected that Wang Yuncheng, that traitor, would make false accusations first and even drag the imperial inspector into it!
Not only did they accuse him of smuggling salt, but they also fabricated a colossal lie about him "colluding with bandits"!
Without a second thought, he immediately spoke up in his defense:

"Your Excellency, this is absolutely not true!"

“Wang Yuncheng was unruly and repeatedly violated military discipline. In the fifth year of Chongzhen’s reign, he instigated a disturbance to pay wages and robbed villagers.”

"Then he secretly led away soldiers and became an outlaw."

"How can you believe the words of such a person? This is slander and a case of turning the tables!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuncheng immediately spoke up to defend himself, vehemently denying Deng Qi's accusations and asserting that he was colluding with bandits and harboring treacherous intentions.

Deng Qi was so angry that he trembled all over. He quickly summoned several officers from the camp to testify that Wang Yuncheng had already betrayed the camp and become a bandit.

The two sides argued fiercely inside the tent, each sticking to their own version of events.

Hou Yuhuan watched this farce, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

Based on his initial assessment, this was more like a mutual attack caused by lax management and internal strife.

The claim of "colluding with bandits" was likely a false accusation made by Wang Yuncheng in a moment of desperation.

Hou Yuhuan sighed and interrupted the argument:
"Okay, stop arguing!"

"There is no concrete evidence of collusion with bandits, but the smuggling of salt is ultimately a violation of the law."

"General Deng, if you hand over all the profits from this salt trade, I may consider a lenient sentence, or even forgive your past transgressions."

Deng Qi was stunned when he heard this.

Profits to be handed over?

But he had just distributed this silver not long ago, and it was all used as wages for the soldiers. Where was he supposed to conjure it up now?

Deng Qi, steeling himself, cupped his hands and said:

"Reporting to the Governor, I have already exchanged the silver earned from salt trading for grain, and the remainder has been distributed to my soldiers as pay."

"The imperial court has not paid wages for a long time, and the brothers are truly..."

Hou Yuhuan's face changed drastically upon hearing this, and he slammed his hand on the table.
"Deng Qi! How dare you!"

"So you really dared to secretly distribute salaries?!"

"This is a major taboo in the military; at best, it's considered an attempt to win over the soldiers' morale."

"To put it bluntly, you are hoarding money and provisions, plotting wicked schemes, and intending to amass military power!"

"Take my advice and immediately recover the silver and hand it over. It won't be a bad thing for you!"

"Governor Sun is currently undertaking large-scale land reclamation in Guanzhong. Next year, there will definitely be a salary disbursement. You must not make a mistake!"

Deng Qi was completely dumbfounded after hearing this. He just wanted to replenish some military supplies, but it was blown out of proportion to this extent.

A surge of immense resentment and a sense of absurdity welled up within him.

If the imperial court doesn't pay their salaries, are they not allowed to find their own way to survive?
Next year? By the time the commotion starts next year, those two thousand men will probably have already starved to death!
But actually, it's not entirely Hou Yuhuan's fault for making a big deal out of this issue.

Throughout history, regardless of the era, the idea of ​​an army raising its own food and supplies has always been a great taboo.

This could lead to the army breaking away from the control of the imperial court, and the army could easily develop into the personal power of the generals, becoming too powerful to control, and even potentially leading to the separatist rule of regional warlords.

Therefore, the lifeline of the army must be firmly in the hands of the imperial court. Only by controlling the provisions and logistics to restrain the generals can the loyalty of the army be guaranteed as much as possible.

As an imperial inspector, maintaining this system was Hou Yuhuan's core responsibility, so his reaction was naturally "correct" and "responsible".

However, he made a fatal mistake.

Hou Yuhuan was too hasty and completely forgot where he was.

This is a military camp that has been owed wages for many years and is extremely emotionally unstable!

These Sichuan soldiers had just seen a glimmer of hope, but suddenly they wanted to crush it. Who could accept that?
By this time, the area around the central command tent was already filled with soldiers eavesdropping.

These soldiers don't understand any grand principles; they only know that this is money they've worked hard to earn, and no one can take it back from them.

When the soldiers outside the tent heard that the censor was going to take the silver back, they immediately erupted in chaos!

They want to take back their wages?! That's practically killing them!
"You corrupt official! How dare you touch our salaries!"

"I'll risk it all! Even if it means I don't live anymore!"

"Who dares to take my money for risking my life!"

Angry roars rose and fell, echoing like thunder all around.

Hearing the commotion outside the tent, Deng Qi immediately realized that something was seriously wrong.

That familiar voice... Could it be another mutiny?
Without thinking twice, he immediately opened the tent flap and went outside.

An angry group of soldiers had gathered outside the tent, each holding a sword, spear, or club, shouting for an explanation.

Seeing this, Deng Qi quickly stepped forward to explain:

"Brothers, what are you doing!"

"Everyone, calm down! The censor is inside. Don't act rashly!"

"Don't worry, I'll fight for you. Just don't make a big deal out of it!"

Even when the commander-in-chief appeared, the surrounding soldiers still held their weapons and refused to listen to any explanation.

A few days ago, Wang Yuncheng and his gang of bandits came to demand payment but were driven away. Now they have returned with the help of the imperial inspector.

If we let them escape this time, will we have to bring in the Shaanxi governor and the governor-general of the three border regions next time?
At this moment, Hou Yuhuan inside the tent realized that he had misspoke; how could he say such a thing in the military camp?

He hurriedly left the main tent, attempting to salvage the situation:
"Soldiers, do not cause any trouble!"

"I'm just here on inspection, not to ask you to hand over your silver. Don't make a mistake..."

Snapped!
Before Hou Yuhuan could finish speaking, a stone flew out from the crowd and hit him squarely in the face!
what--!
Hou Yuhuan screamed in agony, his vision blurred, and blood gushed out. He staggered back a few steps, clutching his face in agony.

Overwhelmed by excruciating pain and terror, he lost his mind, screaming and roaring:
"Reverse! Reverse!"

"I am an imperial inspector, here on behalf of the Emperor. How dare you soldiers attack an imperial envoy!"

"This is rebellion! It's tantamount to treason!"

He roared and scrambled back into the main tent, shouting angrily at Wang Yuncheng inside:
"What are you still doing?"

"These soldiers are indeed unruly! Where are your men? Quickly lead me to break through the encirclement!"

"I must report this situation to Governor Sun and the imperial court, and request that a large army be dispatched to quell the rebellion!"

Wang Yuncheng was also terrified and stood frozen in place, too scared to move.

He originally intended to use the censor to subdue Deng Qi, but he never expected things to turn out this way.

This is a mutiny!

Wang Yuncheng frequently incited his soldiers, and he certainly knew the dangers of mutiny; in the chaos, all soldiers would be reduced to dust.

But as the saying goes, what begins this way will end this way; he is destined to have no way to escape today.

Wang Yuncheng still wanted to struggle a bit, so he called his trusted subordinates to surround Hou Yuhuan and try to protect him as they rushed out.

At this time, Deng Qi was still trying his best to stop his soldiers and separate the two sides.

He spread his arms wide, shouting at the soldiers to calm down, while turning back to tell Hou Yuhuan and the others to leave quickly.

After all, they had just received their pay, and the soldiers knew their commander's temperament, so they didn't attack Deng Qi for the time being.

The Sichuan soldiers simply formed a tight circle, blocking Hou Yuhuan and his group.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and Deng Qi was at a loss for what to do.

At this extremely dangerous moment, the commotion and disturbance in Deng Qi's camp had already alerted Deng Yang's troops, who were three miles away.

(End of this chapter)