Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

The first group to discover it was Liu San's group. The water that should have been flowing slowly down the ditch was now just a line of murky mud swirling in the shallow puddles.

Further up, the earth and rocks were deliberately piled up, and several blue stones were stuck at the water inlet, like teeth biting the waterway tightly.

Someone shouted, "It was just dug up last night!"

Someone slammed a wooden shovel on the ground: "Someone deliberately blocked it!"

People's hearts are already restless, and this blockage feels like adding another stone to their chest.

Someone whispered, "The Zhang family..." Before they could finish speaking, several people turned to look in the direction of the south city, their eyes gradually hardening.

When Chen Erhe arrived, some people were already trying to rush into the city. He shouted, "Halt! Anyone who dares to move will be dealt with according to military law!"

The phrase "military law" restrained their steps, but it couldn't suppress their emotions.

Lu Ding arrived quickly. He didn't immediately question anyone or get angry; instead, he walked step by step uphill along the water's edge. His feet sank into the disturbed soil, his shoes covered in wet mud, but he squatted down, picked out a stone, and pointed it out to Chen Erhe: "New marks on the stone."

Chen Erhe said in a low voice, "It happened last night."

Lu Ding nodded and walked another hundred paces along the water's edge, where he saw a broken bamboo stick in a patch of grass. Further out, there were several rows of footprints, trampled but still discernible, with fine treads on the soles of the shoes, unlike the straw sandals worn by refugees.

He stood up, his gaze darkening.

"Check." Just one word.

In less than half an hour, Chen Erhe brought back a name. It was neither a refugee nor a member of the temporary conscription team, but a servant of the Zhang family in the south of the city who had left the city the previous night.

Evidence doesn't need to be extensive; enough to point to the truth is sufficient.

Lü Ding did not speak publicly on the wasteland. He turned to Xu Huang and said, "Feng the water intake under the name of the Zhang family in Nancheng, and transfer two hundred men to come into the city with me."

Xu Huang was taken aback: "Enter the city?"

"right."

-

The rear hall of the prefectural government.

Han Zixiu had just heard the news that the wasteland's water outlet had been blocked and hadn't yet figured out how to deal with it when Lü Ding entered the hall.

He hadn't changed his robes, and his shoes were still muddy. As he entered, he bowed and said, "Prefect."

Han Zixiu frowned: "I am aware of the matter at Shuikou. Zhang denies any involvement."

"Of course I deny it," Lü Ding said calmly, "but the person has been found."

Han Zixiu paused: "Is the evidence conclusive?"

"Enough."

Han Zixiu remained silent for a moment, then said, "If this matter is handled too harshly, it will surely cause a stir among the gentry in the city. Although the Zhang family has its faults, they are, after all, a prominent family in the prefecture. Perhaps—"

Lu Ding said calmly, "Prefect, do you intend to settle this peacefully?"

Han Zixiu's expression changed slightly, but he did not deny it.

"Prefect," Lü Ding said in a low voice, "when the wasteland is cut off from water, the morale of those on duty will be in turmoil. When the morale is in turmoil, the north of the city will surely be in chaos."

Han Zixiu said in a deep voice, "I am aware of the advantages and disadvantages. But if we directly confiscate the Zhang family's property, I'm afraid the powerful families in the city will file a joint protest. Although you have troops, you ultimately lack the legal standing to do so."

Lu Ding looked at him and said, "That's why I need to borrow the prefect's seal today."

What do you want?

"Those of the Zhang family's servants involved shall be escorted and questioned. The Zhang family's warehouses and waterway rights shall be temporarily sealed."

Han Zixiu suddenly looked up: "Sealing off the warehouse? Sealing off the water?"

"It wasn't a raid," Lü Ding said calmly. "It was an investigation."

"How far have they investigated?"

"We'll investigate until they dare not steal again."

There was silence in the room.

Han Zixiu sighed deeply: "What if I don't agree?"

Lu Ding cupped his hands in greeting, but his tone showed no sign of backing down: "Then the Righteous Cavalry Camp will deal with those who disrupted the camp's affairs according to military law. If Zhang wants to appeal, she can do so to the prefectural government."

This means the ball has been kicked back.

Han Zixiu understood.

Even if he doesn't provide the documents, Lü Ding will still take action. However, the status will be different then.

After a long silence, Han Zixiu finally said, "Give me a bottom line."

"Don't touch the core members of the Zhang family," Lü Dingdao said. "Only those involved will be dealt with."

"how long?"

"Three-day lockdown."

Han Zixiu closed his eyes for a moment, then finally nodded: "I'll give you the documents. But remember what you said."

-

Outside the main gate of the Zhang family compound in the south of the city, two hundred infantrymen of the Righteous Cavalry were arrayed in formation. Shields in front, spears behind. They did not charge in, but merely blocked the gate.

Inside the Zhang family's inner hall, a commotion erupted.

The man who had been observing from the high ground finally changed his expression. He hadn't expected Lü Ding to act so quickly.

"He dares to seal the gate?" someone in the clan said angrily.

"He borrowed the county seal."

The man put down his teacup.

Someone in the hall whispered, "Master, are we just going to let him seal off the gate?"

Zhang Huan raised his eyes.

"Sealing the gate?" he said calmly. "He wouldn't dare to really touch the Zhang family."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a shout rang out from outside the door: "By order of the prefectural government—the place is sealed off for three days! The servants involved are to be escorted away!"

As the servants were dragged out, the Zhang clan members shouted angrily, but no one dared to actually move. This was because outside the gate were not only soldiers, but also clerks.

Lu Ding did not barge in himself. He stood outside the door, waiting for the servants to be escorted out. The servants were ashen-faced and forced to kneel on the ground.

"Who sealed off the waterway in the wasteland?" Lü Ding asked.

The servant gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Xu Huang stepped forward and drew a half-inch blade.

The blade flashed coldly in the sunlight.

"I'll talk!" the man finally broke down, "It's...it's the manager..."

Lü Ding did not ask any further questions.

He turned to the crowd and said, "The water intake in the north of the city has been taken over by the prefectural government and will be temporarily managed by the militia. No private individuals may tamper with it again. Anyone who disrupts the camp's affairs will be executed without mercy."

These words were addressed not only to the Zhang family but also to the gentry of the city.

-

Wasteland north of the city.

That afternoon, the water outlet was reopened. Water flowed down the ditch again, and the men of the temporary service team, seeing that line of clear water, suddenly felt calm.

Standing in the crowd, Liu San whispered, "He really dares to mess with the Zhang family."

-

The rear hall of the prefectural government.

After hearing the report on the investigation, Han Zixiu remained silent for a long time.

Chen Su said in a low voice, "The Zhang family did not dare to resist, but only sent someone to request an audience with the prefect."

Han Zixiu said slowly, "Let them wait."

He suddenly realized something—this step was no longer a struggle between refugees and powerful figures, but a redrawing of the boundaries of power.

He looked towards the north of the city and understood: Lü Ding's attack was not aimed at the Zhang family, but at everyone who was trying to manipulate things from the shadows.

He himself has also been drawn into it.

-

Night fell again.

The inner hall of the Zhang family in Nancheng was brightly lit.

The tea was still warm, and the people had not yet left.

Zhang Huan sat in the main seat, his knuckles slowly tapping the table.

A member of the tribe whispered, "The lockdown will only last three days."

"Sealing the land for three days is just for show to the people in the city," Zhang Huan said calmly. "What he wants is not the Zhang family's land, but to establish his authority."

Silence fell over the hall.

Someone lowered their voice: "But he still ended up harming us."

Zhang Huan raised his eyes.

"Movement is a test of strength."

"Whether it's sharp or not depends on his next move."

He slowly got up and walked to the window.

Flames could be faintly seen to the north of the city.

"He acted very cleverly," Zhang Huan said in a low voice. "He borrowed the prefectural seal without overstepping the bounds. He moved the household servants but not the clansmen. He sealed off the waterway but not the farmland."

"His ambitions are considerable."

"A message to Lord Yuan: If Lü Ding is not eliminated, Runan will sooner or later establish its own faction."