The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 107 Play hard to get
"The adults forbade me to say it," Pan Zhu said to his younger brother with a wry smile.

"I'm afraid that you gentlemen will take your anger out on Meng Zidu because of this matter. Wouldn't that make you look like someone who seeks revenge out of personal motives?"

Pan Mi thought of her father, who placed great importance on reputation, and was speechless for a moment.

All I could do was stomp my feet in frustration.

Guan Xing stepped forward and said, "Why is Meng Zidu acting so strangely? What is he trying to achieve? Could it be that he intends to rebel?"

“A fish in a pot, easily caught, how dare it rebel?” Mi Wei shook his head.

"He is reminding us that if we want to subdue the three counties, we must rely on General Meng!"

Guan Xing's face immediately turned red upon hearing this:
"I'll go to Shangyong, capture him here, and weigh him!"

"Absolutely not!" Pan Zhu quickly dissuaded him.

"While Your Excellency's forbearance is for the sake of your own reputation, it is also out of concern that Mencius's desperate struggle might actually harm the affairs of Shangyong County!"

"Moreover, since Your Excellency intends to recommend Mencius Du as an outstanding talent in order to appease him, it is even more inappropriate to cause further conflict."

When Pan Mi heard his brother's words, he was indignant but had no way to refute them.

They could only watch Miwei longingly.

Ultimately, the question is how to handle this matter.

We still have to look at Mi Wei, the clerk in charge of accounting for the prefectures of Daizhou.

Mi Wei, meeting everyone's gazes, asked:
"Repaying resentment with virtue, why repay virtue?"

Pan Mi's eyes lit up immediately: "A gentleman should repay injustice with justice and kindness with kindness!"

Guan Xing: "I agree!"

Pan Zhu was even more alarmed upon seeing this:
"Does the Commandant intend to rob him of his merits?"

But Mi Wei smiled calmly and said:
"Mencius has rendered meritorious service in protecting the people and is unparalleled in loyalty and courage. How can the title of a mere outstanding scholar of a prefecture be enough to demonstrate his merit?"

"I want to help him become famous both at home and abroad!"

Wow.

Guan Jiji was squatting by the puddle, catching fish.

Seeing everyone looking at him, he shook the fat fish in his hand and chuckled:
"Easy to catch!"

……

Inside a spacious mansion in Shangyong.

Meng Da was enjoying his breakfast comfortably, being served by his maids.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Meng Da immediately pushed the maid aside and covered the bowls and chopsticks with a mat.

He then pinched his nose and answered, "Who is it?"

"Uncle, it's me!"

Hearing that it was his nephew Deng Xian's voice, Meng Da relaxed slightly, but did not open the door.

He simply asked through the door:

"Has Miwei sent another messenger?"

"No, but I have a concern," Deng Xian replied cautiously.

"I've heard that Commandant Mi is a valiant general who knows his troops well, and also the son-in-law of General Guan... What if he gets angry and sends troops to attack us?"

"Hahaha, your uncle is actually hoping for his anger!"

Hearing that his nephew was worried about this, Meng Da couldn't help but laugh.

"The world is now divided into three parts, with the north being strong and the south weak. Your Majesty intends to seek out talented people from all over the world. That is why Fa Xiaozhi (Fa Zheng) advised Your Majesty to keep Xu Wenxiu (Xu Jing) and other empty talents in order to attract scholars from all directions to submit to you."

“The more Mi Wei flaunts his power, the more it goes against the king’s original intention of seeking talent.”

"At that time, in order to show his sincerity to the world, the king would only rebuke Mi Wei for bullying scholars, while treating me, Meng Da, generously!"

Deng Xian repeatedly agreed.

Meng Da instructed:
"If Mi Wei really comes to attack the city, remind Li Fu not to resist, but to open the gate directly."

"Go and invite the local elders to come and watch, and see how Mi Wei bullies the general because of his favor!"

Deng Xian suddenly realized the truth when he recalled the open and covert struggles between his uncle and Kou Feng.

Lian Dao's tactic of "giving before taking" is truly brilliant.

Meng Da then asked, "What did the prefectural government say?"

Deng Xian: "Lord Shen still refuses to come out of his house and does not accept any apologies."

Meng Da snorted coldly and said disdainfully:
"They're nothing but a bunch of ignorant guard dogs!"

Have you not heard the saying, "When the rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are gone, the bow is put away

"If I, Meng Da, am truly driven out of Shangyong, the next ones to be dealt with will be these local big families!"

After muttering these curses several times, he finally lost interest.

He then dismissed Deng Xian and returned to his room to enjoy himself.

After enjoying this peaceful half-day, I woke up groggily in the afternoon.

Deng Xian reported that Mi Wei had indeed sent troops to Shangyong. Meng Da chuckled coldly several times, his demeanor becoming increasingly relaxed:
"I thought that being able to force Cao Ren and Xu Huang to retreat meant that I must have some strategy. But I didn't expect that Kou Feng was just a reckless and aggressive man... Oh well, you and Li Fu can just follow the plan."

"Yes!" Deng Xian responded and left.

But after taking only two steps, he turned back and said:

"Uncle, there's something I find a bit strange."

"The scouts say that Mi Wei's army is all dressed in mourning clothes... I heard that Mi Wei once studied under Pan Chengming... Could it be that my uncle insulted his teacher like that before..."

“There is absolutely no need to worry!” Meng Da replied without hesitation.

"Pan Chengming wasted half his life, and now he's been appointed governor of a county with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), just when he's at the height of his power and success. How could he possibly die so easily!"

"Isn't it precisely because your uncle saw that you were afraid to act rashly that he dared to set up this scheme to protect yourself?"

"They're probably just trying to trick us, so don't panic!"

He added, "This Mi Wei does indeed have some strategy; he is indeed a talented man who can force Cao Ren and Xu Huang to retreat... Fortunately, his skills are still shallow."

Deng Xian thought about it and realized that this made sense.

I just don't understand where they found so many mourning clothes all at once.

But he soon realized:

"They came from Xiangfan and learned of the royal decree to hold a funeral for the emperor slightly later than we did, so they probably just took off their mourning clothes!"

Without a second thought, he accepted the order and left.

Meng Da, remembering that there was a big show tonight and he needed to conserve his energy, sent the maid away.

He then sat quietly in his room to rest and rejuvenate.

……

It was nearing dusk, and the sky was already dark.

Meng Da went out to change his clothes.

Just as they entered the courtyard, the sound of flutes and reed pipes came from outside the gate.

Meng Da inexplicably recalled the drums and trumpets that Kou Feng had seized from his own team, and thought to himself that Mi Wei's entourage was quite grand.

Those who don't know his background might think he's a high-ranking official with a salary of 10,000 shi (a unit of grain).

He immediately let out a few cold laughs and then went to change his clothes.

When they returned to the courtyard, the sounds of drums and trumpets were even clearer.

However, it was not the solemn and dignified style of a high-ranking official's procession.

Instead, it was gentle and sorrowful.

Hearing this is heartbreaking.

Meng Da couldn't help but hesitate and stop.

Soon, a clear singing voice came from outside the door:

Whose land is Haoli?

"Gathering souls, regardless of wisdom or folly."

Why is Gui Bo urging me so urgently?

"Human life must not be compromised!"

Meng Da's face instantly turned ashen.

This is a funeral dirge!
It's so late at night, who would be so tactless as to send a funeral procession to my doorstep!

However, as the funeral music grew louder and louder, it finally stopped right in front of their own door.

Meng Da suddenly realized something.

Then my hands and feet became cold.

As the son of the former governor of Liangzhou, Meng Da was certainly well-read.

The story of Emperor Wen of the Former Han Dynasty secretly executing Bo Zhao immediately came to mind.

Now, it is said that Bo Zhao was Emperor Wen's maternal uncle, and he committed a serious crime by murdering a court envoy.

Emperor Wen could not bear to publicly execute him, so he invited the ministers to drink with him, implying that he should take his own life.

However, Bo Zhao refused to comply, so Emperor Wen ordered his officials to wear mourning clothes and go to his home to mourn, finally forcing Bo Zhao to commit suicide.

This is the "hidden execution".

Could it be... that Mi Wei intends to follow the example of the past and secretly kill me, Meng Da, tonight?!

Meng Da was both shocked and furious.

But they dared not make a sound, and could only tiptoe to the back of the door and peek out through the crack in the door.

Upon seeing this, my heart sank instantly.

It turned out that the area outside their own gate was now completely surrounded by people.

Everyone was dressed in mourning clothes, including Deng Xian, Deng's nephew, and Li Fu, Li's subordinate, who were no different from others.

Even the prefect Shen Dan came!

(End of this chapter)