Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 146: Take heart
An eagle cries out in the sky.

After offering incense, Zhang Xian looked up slightly.

The eagle, majestic and agile, hovered in mid-air, a thin piece of paper tightly bound in the leather scroll on its talons.

He saw it, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

He whispered a few words to Zhao Shi.

"Let the official in charge of the first, second, and final offerings. Let Han Ji, Gu Yu, Guo Jia, and Xun Yu return to the county office first."

"promise."

Shi Tou bowed and accepted the order.

A moment later, the priestly ritual was smoothly transferred from Zhang Xian's hands to the master of rites.

The three toasts were successfully completed.

Then, when it came time to distribute the sacrificial meat, Zhang Xian and the others had already disappeared from the altar.

As he had arranged beforehand, the priest distributed all the sacrificial animals—cattle, sheep, and pigs—to the orphans and widows of Lüqi County.

The officials in charge of ceremonies naturally understood this and dared not be negligent.

County government.

Han Ji, Gu Yu, Guo Jia, and Xun Yu took their seats.

The two, who had only been there for a few days, were somewhat confused about the situation, but Han Ji and Gu Yu were quite perceptive.

A few days ago, Guo Jia officially joined the army as a staff member.

Xun Yu, however, still did not express his opinion.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Zhang Xianlong strode in.

As they crossed the threshold, the four were about to rise and greet each other.

But Zhang Xian raised his hand to stop him, and said directly.

"Urgent report from Jinyang: Prefect Wang Ze was assassinated during the grand ceremony for the Earth God and has died!"

"What?" "Okay!"

Two completely different attitudes arose in the main hall.

Han and Gu Yu were the two who cheered.

Guo Jia and Xun Yu were the only ones who were astonished.

I heard cheers.

The two looked at Han Ji and the others with surprise and doubt.

Xun Yu stood up and asked directly, "Brother Gongzhi! Why are you all so happy?! Is it something to celebrate when a subject of our Great Han is assassinated?"

Han Ji also stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Wenruo, don't be impatient. You'll understand once you see these."

After saying this, Han Ji strode towards the main hall, and a few moments later, he brought back a stack of papers and handed them to the two men.

Xun Yu and Guo Jia were puzzled, but they still patiently read on.

Before long, Guo Jia slammed his fist on the table and stood up, while Xun Yu slumped back into his chair, remaining silent.

"He is truly a traitor to the nation!"

Guo Jia, seething with resentment, had already begun cursing in the direction of Jinyang.

What Han Ji showed them were the pieces of evidence of Wang's crimes that had been collected during this period, as well as bloodstained secret letters found at two Xiongnu ambush sites in Baihe Valley and Yehuling.

unambiguous evidence.

"Wenruo,"

Zhang Xian stepped forward lightly: "Although Luqi is a small place, I am determined to bring peace to the world and protect the people. Wenruo is a man of great talent. Would you be willing to stay and bring peace to Bingzhou?"

Xun Yu looked at the young general in front of him.

His observations over the past few days also made him realize that the political situation here is clean and efficient, and that all officials are working hard and united as one.

He traveled extensively and witnessed firsthand the hypocrisy and greed of so-called prestigious families.

They talk big and spout righteousness and morality, but behind the scenes they are scheming and despicable, treating the people like dirt and the law as nothing.

Local officials were either incompetent and idle, or colluded with powerful figures, exploiting and oppressing the local people.

What they protect is nothing more than the petty interests of their own families. They have never truly cared about the safety of the nation or the suffering of the people.
And what about Lüsi?

What he had seen and heard these past few days showed him a completely different world.

The government here is clean and efficient, and cares about the people's livelihood.

Despite holding a high position, Zhang Xian lived a simple life like an ordinary official. He diligently practiced martial arts and never lost his ambition. He possessed both compassion and decisive courage, and he valued practical matters while also having grand visions.

At this moment, the swaying scales in Xun Yu's heart finally tipped heavily to one side.

To continue adhering to the so-called "pure" stance and remain aloof is nothing more than watching more members of the "Wang family" continue to poison the local area and watching more tragedies like the Baihe Valley occur!

This was by no means Xun Yu's original intention in studying to understand principles and to have the world in his heart!
He straightened his clothes, and solemnly bowed deeply to Zhang Xian:
"Yu, a mere scholar, bears only a hollow reputation. In the past, I have only seen corrupt officials occupying high positions, the country deteriorating day by day, and the people suffering! Although Yu is heartbroken, he is also at a loss!"

"Until the time of Lu Qi! Observing the governance of the General of the Central Army, one can understand what 'benevolence and saving the world' truly means! Light taxes and levies allow the people to live on their own, work points are used to pay people to ensure their livelihood, judicial independence allows the people to seek justice, and industrial development strengthens the foundation of the people's livelihood!"

"Yu, though I am not very talented or learned, I know the greater good! Now, seeing the General of the Central Army, I find him to be both benevolent and courageous, a wise ruler I have never seen before! I am willing to dedicate all my knowledge to serving you like a dog or a horse! I will assist the General of the Central Army in cleansing Bingzhou of its filth, bringing peace to the region and protecting the common people, so that we may establish peace in the northern border of our Great Han!"

He finally made his stance clear: he would serve Zhang Xian!

After he finished speaking, the main hall of the county government office fell silent.

Han Ji and Gu Yu's eyes showed relief and excitement, while Guo Jia clapped his hands and laughed.

Zhang Xian was filled with pride as he watched this man, a man destined to be a great advisor, finally submit to his command with heartfelt admiration.

He strode forward, firmly grasped Xun Yu's arms with both hands, his voice filled with solemnity and joy.

"Wenruo! Your words are worth more than ten thousand soldiers! From this day forward, you will be my military advisor, overseeing all important matters, and sharing military and political power with Hansheng and Gongzhi! I hope that we can work together to build a peaceful Bingzhou!"

"Yu, how dare I disobey!"

Xun Yu raised his head, and his face showed the first genuine smile full of hope and strength since he arrived in Lüqi.

"Congratulations, my lord! Congratulations on obtaining the Xun family's son! Even Ji would have to give way to Wenruo in his presence."

Han Ji stood up and congratulated him.

Guo Jia clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Wenruo! What did Brother Zhicai say before he entered officialdom? He told me to keep bothering you, hahaha, good, now I can continue to keep bothering you!"

"Filial piety."

Seeing Guo Jia's unrestrained behavior, Xun Yu was both amused and exasperated.

However, his face quickly turned serious, and he cupped his hands and said, "My lord, although Wang Ze is dead, the Wang family is still very powerful. If Taiyuan County is still under the control of the Wang family, it will be harmful to our Luqi!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the main hall became more solemn.

Zhang Xian stepped forward, talking incessantly.

"Pass the order."

"From this day forward, a citywide curfew will be imposed on the entire territory of Lüsi, and extra meals will be provided as a reward!"

"The soldiers remaining at Jiaqi Camp are to be reorganized, prepared for war, and trained for battle! In addition, some soldiers from Bingbei are to be transferred back!"

"The Wang family of Taiyuan colluded with the barbarians, framed loyal officials, and harmed the people. The evidence against them is irrefutable!"

"Shi Lin!"

He turned and sat down, looking at Gu Yu.

"Your subordinate is here!" Gu Yu, who had been silent all along, immediately stood up. As the chief intelligence and prison officer, he knew the main event was about to begin.

"Activate all your secret agents immediately! Focus surveillance on Jinyang City!"
1. Closely monitor the movements of the Wang family residence and the residences of their core supporters. Report any unusual activity immediately by galloping horse!

Second, spread rumors to confirm that Wang Ze had colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, and was executed at the Earth God Temple! Emphasize his crimes of colluding with the Xiongnu and framing loyal officials!
Third, secretly contact the powerful and wealthy families, scholars from poor families, and even the disgruntled members of the Wang clan in Taiyuan County who were oppressed by the Wang clan, explain the advantages and disadvantages to them, promise them great benefits, and divide and weaken them!

Fourth, disseminate evidence of the Wang family's crimes over the years, especially irrefutable evidence of collusion with the barbarians, embezzlement of military funds, and disregard for human life!

"Yes, sir! Deploy the rain immediately!"

A cold glint flashed in Gu Yu's eyes, and she accepted the order and left.

"Your Excellency has arrived!"

"My subordinate is here!"

Han Ji stood up and stepped forward, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

"Immediately draft a proclamation denouncing the traitors! List the ten major crimes of the Wang family of Taiyuan!"

First, they secretly colluded with the Southern Xiongnu and framed the border troops, leaving the border defenses vulnerable!

Secondly, they embezzled the imperial taxes and lined their own pockets!

Thirdly, they annexed land and forced free people into slavery!

Fourth, they set up private courts and disregarded human life!

Fifthly... make sure every point is absolutely certain and every word is piercing to the heart! Make a thousand copies and send them by fast horse to all counties and prefectures in Jinyang and Taiyuan!
Post it on main streets and circulate it throughout the cities and countryside! Furthermore, immediately send this message and evidence of Wang's crimes to the Emperor in Luoyang via express courier!

"Yes, sir! I will take care of it immediately!"

Han Ji accepted the order, turned around, and strode away with a swift movement.

"Wen Ruo!"

"My subordinate is here!"

Xun Yu stepped forward and calmly replied.

"You have just arrived in Lüchi. You will not be informed of military affairs in Lüchi for the time being. During this period, you will remain in the county to coordinate supplies and ensure the smooth operation of various workshops, and do your utmost to guarantee the production of military supplies! All prisoners and inmates will be closely guarded. If any of them make any unusual moves, they will be killed without exception!"

"promise!"

Xun Yu accepted the order, his eyes gleaming with a knowing light.

"Fengxiao!"

"Jia Zai!"

Guo Jia was surprised to be entrusted with such an important task so soon after joining the army. He stepped forward excitedly, his handsome face flushed with excitement.

"You are intelligent and quick-witted. By my side, you have advised on military matters and are familiar with the operation of my Lusi military system! The most important task at present is to analyze the movements of various forces in Jinyang and Taiyuan, as well as the distribution of Wang's faction, to provide strategies for subsequent actions!"

"Yes, sir! Guo Jia obeys! He will certainly not fail his lord's trust!"

Guo Jia bowed deeply, his heart filled with boundless pride.

The news of Wang Ze's assassination in front of the Earth Official Temple spread throughout Jinyang City at an alarming speed, like a plague!

At first it was hard to believe, but when the prefectural governor's office hung up a white banner and the news that Lieutenant Chen had been shot by a poisoned arrow was confirmed, panic overwhelmed the heart of Bingzhou like a tidal wave.

The Wang family mansion was in complete chaos.

The sudden death of the patriarch Wang Ze left his direct descendants in a state of panic, while the collateral branches harbored their own secrets.

Although the manor had many private soldiers and retainers, they were leaderless.

Some people clamored to mobilize private soldiers, seal off the entire city, and hunt down the "Lüliang bandits" to avenge their master.

Some people were terrified and advocated immediately disbanding their retainers, selling their property, and fleeing south with their entire clan. Others, more cunning, began to secretly contact other forces, trying to protect themselves or even seize benefits in the impending storm.

However, even bigger blows followed!

Just one day after the news of Wang Ze's death spread, countless copies of the "Proclamation Against the Wang Clan of Taiyuan," with ink still wet, appeared like snowflakes at the city gates, markets, and government offices of Jinyang City, and were even shot into the courtyard of the Wang Clan's high-walled compound!
The proclamation was issued in the name of the Protectorate of the Xiongnu, and was stamped with a bright red seal of "General of the Xiongnu" and a tally symbolizing "holding the imperial staff"!

The charges against them are shocking.

He colluded with the enemy and betrayed his country! The details of how he conspired with the Left Wise King's tribe of the Southern Xiongnu, leaked the deployment of the Jiaqi army, and planned the ambush in Baihe Valley, which led to the annihilation of the loyal and brave soldiers!

Frame loyal and virtuous officials! This refers to how they fabricated charges to frame generals in Bingzhou and eliminate dissidents!
Embezzling state funds! Examples include their control over taxes in Taiyuan, which led to embezzlement and insufficient provisions for the border troops!

Cruelty to the people! Accusations against him for condoning his sons and powerful servants to seize land, forcing good people into slavery, for establishing private courts of torture, and for disregarding human life! Every single incident has names, dates, and locations!

Every proclamation was like a red-hot branding iron, burning Wang's face and igniting the long-suppressed public anger in Jinyang and even the entire Taiyuan Prefecture!

The anger in the hearts of those families who had been oppressed by the Wang family, the farmers who had lost their land, and the officials who had been framed was completely ignited!
The streets and alleys were filled with gossip and endless curses directed at Wang.

Some small and medium-sized families and officials who were originally attached to the Wang family began to feel uneasy, and even secretly sent people to contact the Lu family.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Xian, in the name of "serving as the General of the Xiongnu, holding the imperial insignia and establishing his own government," issued official documents to all counties and garrisons in Taiyuan Commandery!
The official document was strongly worded.

"The traitor Wang Ze has been convicted of crimes and has been executed!"

The Wang clan is guilty of heinous crimes and cannot be tolerated under the law! I, the general, hereby carry out this execution on behalf of the Emperor! I hereby order all officials and troops within Taiyuan Prefecture to immediately remain in their posts, faithfully perform their duties, and refrain from heeding any of the Wang clan's orders or participating in any resistance!
Anyone who abandons their evil ways, reports Wang's crimes, and assists in quelling the rebellion will be pardoned and rewarded for their contributions! Anyone who remains obstinate, joins the rebels, and resists will be punished the same as Wang, executed without mercy!

This official document is like a stabilizing force, and also like a sword hanging overhead!
It clarified the legitimacy of Zhang Xian's trip (holding the imperial authority and establishing his own government, acting first and reporting later), undermined the official forces that the Wang family might mobilize, and provided a clear way out.

For a time, within Taiyuan County, apart from the core clique of the Wang family and some powerful clans with deeply intertwined interests, most of the middle forces chose to wait and see or even secretly defected.

The war machine of the Lüshi Chunqiu was running at high speed.

In just three days, the Jiaqi Army's Mountain Battalion returned to Lüqi, along with a thousand cavalrymen and two thousand Wind Forest Fire infantrymen.

Zhao Yun and the others also detoured back to Lüchi. After avenging their great grudge, the sunshine of the past returned to the young man. He unloaded the heavy burden on his shoulders and his mind was clear.

Zhang Xian transferred him to the army and temporarily put him in charge of 3,600 armored soldiers.

He did not personally lead the expedition to Jinyang.

Instead, he sits at the heart of the organization, strategizing and planning.

The frontline commander-in-chief was the experienced and prudent Han Ji, with Guo Jia serving as the military advisor.

Xun Yu remained in Luchi, where he worked with Zhang Xian and Gu Yu to coordinate civil administration, material allocation, and intelligence gathering in the rear, and began preparing a governance plan for taking over Taiyuan County.

The army marched forth, its advance aimed directly at Jinyang! The fortified villages and county towns along the way surrendered almost without a fight under the dual pressure of the proclamation and Zhang Xian's official documents.

Occasionally, strongholds occupied by Wang's cronies attempted to resist, but they quickly crumbled under the combined assaults of the Mountain Battalion's heavily armored cavalry and the rapid infiltration of the cavalry.

Beneath the walls of Jinyang.

Wang gathered his last remaining forces, including several thousand private soldiers and some loyal local strongmen, attempting to fight a desperate battle against the high walls of Jinyang.

However, the city was already in disarray. Gu Yu's spies and Xun Yu's secret contacts among the poor and oppressed spread panic throughout the city, even organizing small-scale riots and attacking the Wang family's granaries and armories.

The siege did not result in heavy casualties.

With the planning of Han Ji and Guo Jia, and through the connections of the Gu family members in the city, they bribed several low-ranking officers guarding the city and opened the west gate of Jinyang!
The heavily armored elite soldiers of the Mountain Battalion, who had been lying in ambush outside, surged into the city gate like an iron torrent!

Zhao Yun took the lead, his long sword unstoppable! The cavalry followed closely behind, quickly dividing and dispersing the resisters along the streets.

The accomplices inside the city also took the opportunity to set fires and shout, creating even greater chaos.

The resistance organized by the Wang clan collapsed instantly under the combined attack from within and without. Key figures in the clan either died in the chaos of battle, committed suicide after their residences were breached, or were captured alive.

In just five days, Jinyang changed hands! The once illustrious Taiyuan Wang clan, which had been prominent for a century, saw its core power crumble like a sandcastle under Zhang Xian's thunderous blow!

Their urgent message hadn't even left Shangdang yet.

Of course, their urgent messages couldn't leave Shangdang.

Zhang Xian had already arranged for men to keep a close watch on their courier riders.

The message could only be delivered to Luoyang by the people of the Protectorate of the Xiongnu!

(End of this chapter)