My goodness, it felt like Xu Qi An was on the verge of sudden death… His current state was akin to someone who had stayed awake for 72 hours straight and then was forced to run a thousand meters.
His heart was pounding wildly, teetering on the edge of overexertion. Fortunately, the foundation he had built at the Refining Essence Realm was solid, giving his body exceptional resilience and endurance. If it were his past self, he’d probably be queuing at the funeral home by now… No, he would have likely passed away with a smile during the fourth or fifth day of liver-bursting cultivation.
“At least I’ve earned their attention, and now we can communicate properly… The most annoying thing is non-violent non-cooperation. Wouldn’t it be better if we all calmed down, sat together for some tea, and had a nice chat?” Xu Qi An thought to himself, while outwardly maintaining a calm demeanor. He spoke in a clear voice:
“General Xu, do you know what case Chief Commander Yang Chuan Nan is involved in?”
General Xu Hu Chen nodded, his voice low: “This matter has already spread throughout the Yun Province official circles, but the Chief Commander is being framed.”
“Whether he’s framed or not isn’t for you to decide. It’s not even for the Provincial Governor to decide. We’ll know after investigation,” Xu Qi An patiently explained. “The Provincial Governor came specifically for this case. Currently, we indeed have evidence that is extremely unfavorable to Commander Yang, but the Governor hasn’t rushed to judgment. He’s gone to the Chief Command to verify the evidence.”
“General Xu, by recklessly bringing three thousand troops to the city gates, you’re pushing Commander Yang towards a dead end.”
General Xu Hu Chen snorted coldly: “Don’t try to put words in my mouth. Last night, we received a secret report from the Chief Command that the Provincial Governor led a team to forcefully attack Commander Yang’s mansion. Commander Yang was severely injured by a Gold Gong and is now at death’s door.”
“Even if Commander Yang is truly guilty, it should be tried by the Three Departments. You didn’t go through proper channels but instead invaded his residence. Isn’t that just trying to extract a false confession through torture?”
You don’t understand a thing, this is called striking while the iron is hot, not giving the opponent a chance to react… If Yang Chuan Nan was truly the mastermind behind this, he would have already rebelled by now.
“The Provincial Governor has his methods. I know you’re not afraid of death, but I must warn you, General Xu. If you want to petition with arms, you can. But don’t act rashly. Three thousand troops can’t overturn White Emperor City, let alone the entire Yun Province,” Xu Qi An said. Seeing General Xu Hu Chen glaring at him with bulging eyes, seemingly enraged by his words, he leisurely added:
“But you should think about Commander Yang. He’s still safe and sound in the relay station, and his guilt hasn’t even been established. Is General Xu trying to pass judgment on him prematurely?”
General Xu Hu Chen frowned, indeed showing some hesitation, no longer as impulsive and fierce as before.
“You see, the case hasn’t even been cleared up, and General Xu is already like this. When the Provincial Governor reports to the imperial court that Yang Chuan Nan is amassing troops and threatening with military force… Well, by then, it won’t be just a Provincial Governor coming,” Xu Qi An threatened, then tried to appease him: “General Li has a close relationship with the Chief Commander. You might not believe my words, but surely you’d trust hers.”
Seeing both parties turn their gaze towards her, General Li Miao Zhen pondered for a moment before saying, “The current situation is indeed unfavorable for the Chief Commander, but petitioning with arms is not the right way. General Xu, don’t act rashly. Give the Provincial Governor some time.”
Yang Chuan Nan and she were comrades-in-arms, so naturally, Li Miao Zhen’s heart was with Yang Chuan Nan. However, solving problems requires proper methods. If petitioning with arms would work, Li Miao Zhen would have tried it long ago.
But the problem was that it wouldn’t work. The Chief Command could only mobilize the “Guard Command” under White Emperor City’s jurisdiction. Although the garrisons of other prefectures and counties in Yun Province were under the management of the Chief Command, the Chief Commander didn’t have the authority to command them in battle. During wartime, the imperial court would always appoint commanders temporarily.
It was precisely because of these various restrictions that Li Miao Zhen’s Flying Swallow Army came into being.
With just the three to five thousand troops of the “Guard Chief Command,” it was impossible to shake the Provincial Governor’s authority. It would only lead to needless sacrifice.
“Hmph! This general can wait, but if Governor Zhang can’t give me a satisfactory answer, even if I agree, the thousands of brothers under my command won’t,” General Xu Hu Chen reluctantly conceded.
Phew… It’s settled! Xu Qi An breathed a sigh of relief.
When faced with such conflicts, one must never act rashly. You need to know how to smooth things over. If this had been handled like other night watchmen would, the situation would have become troublesome.
Detective Xu Bai Piao instinctively recoiled from war, as it would result in many deaths. And this matter didn’t necessarily need to be resolved through warfare.
As for how to handle the aftermath, that headache would be left to the Provincial Governor.
…
Meanwhile, at the Chief Command.
Governor Zhang, who had just finished checking the accounts, was still in a state of anger. He slammed the table and berated the assembled officials: “Useless, you’re all useless!”
“That Yang Chuan Nan deserves death. Even if he’s not the mastermind behind this, the crime of dereliction of duty alone is enough to have him exiled to the frontier.”
“And all of you! The Chief Command has been supplying military resources to mountain bandits, with such staggering amounts, yet the entire Yun Province officialdom was unaware. You all deserve death!”
After checking the accounts, it was shockingly discovered that nearly a quarter of the military supplies sent annually from the Ministry of Works to Yun Province had gone missing. This included bows and crossbows, gunpowder, firearms, iron ore, and more.
The assembled officials lowered their heads, silently enduring Governor Zhang’s spittle-flecked tirade, not daring to talk back.
After venting his anger, Governor Zhang picked up his teacup and took a sip. Just as he was about to start the second half of his lecture, hurried footsteps were heard from outside.
A Bronze Gong rushed in without being announced, his manner urgent and aggressive. He shouted:
“Governor, the Guard Command under White Emperor City, led by Guard Commander Xu Hu Chen, has assembled three thousand troops outside the south gate. They’re threatening to enter the city if you don’t release the prisoner.”
Entering the city was a euphemism; it meant attacking the city.
Governor Zhang stood up in shock, and the dozen or so officials present stirred uneasily.
“When did this happen? What’s the current situation?” Governor Zhang questioned urgently.
“That Xu Hu Chen spoke insolently, demanding that you meet him within half an hour. That time has long passed…” The Bronze Gong finished speaking, and seeing the officials’ faces change dramatically, he quickly added:
“Xu Qi An, accompanied by Roving Cavalry General Li Miao Zhen, has gone out of the city to negotiate. The situation is currently unclear.”
Governor Zhang’s scalp tingled. He hadn’t expected the troops of Yun Province to be so fierce and unruly.
At this moment, his emotions were a mix of shock, anger, anxiety, and worry.
Although Xu Qi An was skilled at solving cases, Governor Zhang knew he was just a novice who had barely stepped out into the world. He didn’t even have much experience in killing, let alone dealing with unreasonable troops.
“Who sent him? Who sent him?” Governor Zhang slammed the table and roared.
The Bronze Gong pursed his lips, “It was Xu Qi An who insisted on taking the lead. Originally, according to the Silver Gongs’ intentions, they were going to bring Yang Chuan Nan along to defend the city and wait for reinforcements.”
“Xu Qi An also said he would take responsibility.”
To be fair, the strategy adopted by Xu Qi An was more stable and correct. When facing soldier mutinies, the imperial court usually took appeasement measures and then executed the ringleaders to serve as a warning to others.
If bloodshed could be avoided, it was best to do so.
However, in Governor Zhang’s view, this exceeded Xu Qi An’s professional capabilities.
“Lord Song, immediately notify the Five Cities Military Command to assemble troops and rush to the south gate. All yamen runners from various government offices should be mobilized to maintain order within the city…”
Governor Zhang quickly made arrangements, panicked but not confused, demonstrating the qualities a Provincial Governor should possess.