Chapter 202 Wang Zhongsi presents Li Xuan with two stone lacquer bows,
"Clap clap..."

Wang Zhongsi patted the big bag twice to shake off the dust on it.

After looking for a long time, he finally untied the knot of the big bag!

A large black bow was revealed.

The color of this bow is different from ordinary lacquer. It is decorated with lacquer.

It is commonly known as raw lacquer.

Lacquer is a milky white, pure natural liquid paint harvested from lacquer trees. When applied with it, the bow will not fall off due to frequent deformation of the bow arm.

Raising the bow, Wang Zhongsi thought of the Battle of Yubiaochuan and the Battle of Xincheng. At that time, he was as brave as Li Xuan. He killed hundreds of enemy soldiers in the two battles and became famous throughout the world.

Now, he is no longer aggressive, but takes it as his responsibility to defend the country's security.

When the country is at peace, a general should only pacify his people. I do not want to exhaust China's strength for the sake of fame and glory.

The Turkic Khanate has disappeared from the stage of history, but Wang Zhongsi has not slacked off at all.

Work hard to train soldiers and make them ready for battle at any time. At the same time, restrain soldiers and do not seek battle without reason.

In addition, Wang Zhongsi did not forget to manage the two towns under his command. From Shuofang to Yunzhong, the border line was thousands of miles long.

Wang Zhongsi developed the old city in key areas and made his own rules in some places. He let the captured Hu troops guard the border and developed the border areas for hundreds of miles, doing the same thing as Zhang Rendan.

He also purchased war horses from the Hu tribe under the Uighurs at high prices through border trade, and weakened the Hu tribe by adding the strength of the cavalry in Heshuo.

Therefore, the north was at peace and there were no disputes.

Shaking his head, Wang Zhongsi held the bow in his left hand and pulled the string with his right hand.

As the bow arms swayed, the two stone bows slowly opened and suddenly became like a full moon.

Judging from Wang Zhongsi's expression, it didn't seem to take much effort to pull the two-stone bow.

Although Wang Zhongsi is already middle-aged and no longer fights on the battlefield, he is still brave.

"General Wang, General Li wants to see you!"

Just then, a personal guard entered the hall and reported to Wang Zhongsi.

Wang Zhongsi slowly lowered the bowstring and restored the lacquer bow to its original state.

"Please come in, General Li."

Wang Zhongsi responded.

After a while, Li Guangbi, the current military commander of Hedong, entered the main hall with a large bag in his hand.

"Meet the doctor!"

"Dangdang!"

After Li Guangbi entered the hall, he put the bag on the ground and bowed to Wang Zhongsi.

The bag made a loud noise when it hit the ground.

"No gift!"

"General Li, is there anything I can help you with?" Wang Zhongsi put the lacquer bow on the table.

He no longer put the lacquer bow into the big bag.

"I will go to the doctor to discuss military affairs."

Li Guangbi bowed again, but his expression changed when he saw Wang Zhongsi's lacquer bow.

He had heard of the doctor's two-stone strong bow a long time ago.

But since the fall of the Turkic Khanate, Wang Zhongsi put the two stone bows into a large bag, indicating that he would not use force easily and reduce the burden on the country.

The two lacquer bows have been stored for more than two years.

"Since we are discussing military matters, why are you carrying the bag?"

Wang Zhongsi asked in confusion.

Seeing that Li Guangbi was struggling to lift it just now, I knew that there must be a heavy object inside.

"The prince's servant died in Taiyuan a few days ago, and there is no evidence. The servant had been living in a tavern not far from the governor's office for a few days. He paced outside the governor's office every day. He died suddenly, and we have no clues. This is a sudden disaster for the doctor. I believe that the doctor is upright and fair; the assistant officers in the army believe that the doctor is selfless and innocent; the generals are all convinced of the doctor's courage and integrity; the soldiers all respect the doctor for being upright and honest."

"But the doctor is far away from Chang'an. You can't refute those slanders and nonsense, and the surging impeachment! The subordinates are all smart people and know what it means in the current political situation! If you don't handle it properly, the saint will blame you."

"Inside the bag are the gold and jewels that the generals earned through their military exploits. Doctor, you must have a way to deliver these treasures to the Yang sisters. With them speaking for you, you will be able to protect yourself."

Li Guangbi presented gold, silver and jewelry, and asked Wang Zhongsi to find a way to send them to the palace to bribe Lady Guo, Lady Han and Lady Qin.

Similar examples have spread to Taiyuan, and the soldiers in Hedong want to follow suit.

"Haha, I have also received generous rewards from the saints, and I have no shortage of gold and jade. I appreciate your kindness, and you can return these gold and treasures to me!"

Wang Zhongsi smiled heartily and pushed away the gold and jewelry.

He would not give gold or silver to the Yang sisters, as he knew that this matter was unusual.

This matter is too complicated. The Yang sisters are not stupid. Even if it is offered, they may not accept it, and it will leave a bigger handle.

"But……"

"Don't be so pessimistic. Maybe this is just a small matter. The identity of the deceased is still under investigation."

Wang Zhongsi interrupted Li Guangbi and looked very optimistic.

"Doctor, aren't you worried that the Imperial Guards are on the way? You have to give it a try!"

Li Guangbi urged anxiously.

The saint killed three of his sons in one day because they threatened the throne. Moreover, Wang Zhongsi was only the saint's adopted son.

"If General Li wants to discuss military affairs with me, I welcome it. Let's not talk about other things, I have made up my mind. Is my first wish in life to pursue eminence? The military power is under the supervision of the army, and the army's expeditions are all under the order of the country. I have done what I should do. The north is calm and there will be no turmoil in the short term. I have fulfilled my duties and responsibilities in this life and have no regrets. If the saint blames me, isn't it just losing a Jinwu Yulin general and returning to the court as a guard? Secondly, is there still a lack of someone to assist me in Qianzhong? I am willing to do all these."

Wang Zhongsi said this earnestly.

He also knew that this was either an accident or someone had framed him.

If someone framed him, was it aimed at him or the prince?
There will definitely be other backup plans!

Just face it calmly!
"I am worried that you may be misled, so I give you some advice. You can do what the ancients did, but I cannot do it."

Li Guangbi sighed secretly, then respectfully retreated with the bag.

"If I can't come back, give this strong bow to the governor of Helong!"

After Li Guangbi left, Wang Zhongsi gave instructions to a personal guard.

He believed that Li Xuan was the most unique general in the world.

Sun Tzu's Art of War says that one should advance without seeking fame. Li Xuan proposed the idea that generals should guard the borders and the territory.

Li Xuan never attacked Shibao City from beginning to end, but first removed the obstacles around Shibao City.

If the two wings of Shibao City, Jiuqu and Qinghai, were captured, Shibao City would become an abandoned city.

Wang Zhongsi hoped that Li Xuan would fulfill his oath of "I do not want to exhaust China's strength to achieve fame and honor" after pacifying Tubo.

As for whether he would seal the two-stone strong bow in the bag, that was Li Xuan’s own business.

……

Just a few days later, a Yulin general named Dong Yanguang led dozens of Yulin soldiers to Taiyuan and announced the saint's will.

The imperial edict ordered that Wang Zhongsi be brought back to Chang'an by the Yulin Army.

Fearing unrest in Hedong and Shuofang, Li Longji did not immediately dismiss Wang Zhongsi from his post, but only asked the deputy envoy to temporarily take charge of military affairs and defense.

Wang Zhongsi did not resist and allowed Dong Yanguan to take him out of Taiyuan City.

The generals under his command were filled with indignation. They banged on the railings, but could not stop Wang Zhongsi from being taken away.

Resisting the Yulin Army was tantamount to treason, and generals such as Li Guangbi could only watch helplessly.

Seeing that Wang Zhongsi did not resist, Dong Yanguan did not dare to tie him up. They needed to ride back quickly on horseback.

The bodies of the dead slaves had already decayed and could not be brought back to Chang'an. Dong Yanguang could only take back the "registration certificate" on the bodies and the information on the body inspection.

With a "certificate of identification" it is easy to confirm whether this opponent is a servant of the Prince's Mansion.

On the way back, the Yulin Army took Wang Zhongsi through the post station on fast horses, traveling day and night, resting only three hours a day before continuing on their journey.

Wang Zhongsi cooperated very well and was always at the center of the Yulin Army.

In fact, if Wang Zhongsi wanted to escape, he could leave easily, but he had to make everything clear and prove his innocence.

Ten days later, Wang Zhongsi returned to Chang'an.

But when they were in front of the Honghua Gate in Chang'an, more Yulin soldiers rushed out and tied up Wang Zhongsi.

This means that Li Longji will severely punish Wang Zhongsi.

Once you enter Chang'an, you have no control over yourself.

In the end, Wang Zhongsi was taken to the prison cell of the Censorate.

Li Longji never met Wang Zhongsi. He dismissed all of Wang Zhongsi's official positions, miscellaneous officials, and dispatched officials, and ordered the Ministry of Justice, the Dali Temple, and the Censorate to conduct a three-court trial, to be supervised by the two prime ministers Li Linfu and Pei Kuan.

It is imperative that the truth be found out.

Officials from the Censorate and the Dali Temple first came to the Crown Prince's Mansion in the Eastern Palace to inquire about the information about the dead slaves.

As expected, a servant was missing from the Prince's Mansion.

But after investigation, it was found that it took a full two months from the time the slave left to the time he died.

According to the Prince's Mansion, the servant was whipped twenty times for his mistake.

When his injuries healed, he went out to purchase goods and then disappeared.

The Prince's Mansion did not take the loss of a servant seriously.

Because Li Heng didn't want to get involved, he was just a servant. Li Heng, who kept a low profile, didn't want to see the whole city in turmoil.

The prince finally knew the reason why he was under house arrest.

It turned out that his servant had run away to Taiyuan.

How could it be easy for a slave to run to Taiyuan without anyone's help?

It must be that old thief Li Linfu who framed him. But the three officials also had reason to suspect that it was the prince who allowed the servant to pass through the customs to Taiyuan.

Yang Shenjin then seized on this point and asked Wang Zhongsi to tell him what the prince's servant had said to him.

But Wang Zhongsi stated that he did not know the servant and denied that he had any ulterior motives.

He asked Li Daosui, the Minister of the Dali Temple, to report to the emperor and have the military supervisor verify the facts and conduct a thorough investigation in the army.

Wang Zhongsi refused to confess, and Li Heng had another set of excuses, which seemed unable to prove Wang Zhongsi's intention to support the prince.

It happened that the military supervisor Han Bin reported to Li Longji that the soldiers in the army were dedicated to their duties, and Wang Zhongsi was clear about rewards and punishments and did not appoint people based on personal connections.

This made Li Longji doubtful.

However, although there was no sign of rebellion in the army, Li Longji felt like a thorn in his throat every time he thought of the prince's servants appearing in Taiyuan.

"There seems to be no rebellion in the Hedong and Shuofang armies, but Wang Zhongsi's prestige is too high, and they will respond as soon as he is called. It's like a precious sword in its sheath. When it is not revealed, no one knows how sharp it is!"

Li Linfu took the information he had investigated and informed Li Longji.

Among the servants of the Prince's Mansion, Li Linfu could only choose those who held grudges against the Prince's Mansion.

He sent people to lure the servants of the Prince's Mansion to Taiyuan with great promises, and made them live next to the government office of the Hedong Jiedushi.

It turned out that this slave used a forged "certificate of origin".

When the slave left Taiyuan, they attacked and killed him, and not only took his money, but also took the forged "certificate of residence", leaving behind the "certificate of residence" of the slaves in the Prince's Mansion.

Although it seems complicated, the only people involved in this matter were a spy of Li Linfu and a minor official who forged the "certificate of residence".

The clerk who forged the "certificate of residence" had been killed by Li Linfu.

When the spy returned to Chang'an not long ago, Li Linfu sent people to kill him through Tongguan, and the body has been buried.

After all, in Taiyuan City, someone would definitely see the slaves and the spies together.

Besides, the body of the slave had already rotted, and Li Linfu believed that even if Li Xuan returned to Chang'an, he would be helpless.

Under the instigation of Li Linfu, Li Longji decided that no matter what, he could no longer trust Wang Zhongsi.

Just at this time, the memorial from Wei Lin, the Beijia of Jiyang, was delivered.

Li Longji became furious after seeing this.

An Lushan's memorial arrived as expected, making Li Longji feel that Wang Zhongsi had such intentions.

He summoned the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the Minister of the Supreme Court, and the Chief Censor and reprimanded them, asking them to intensify the interrogation and give him a satisfactory answer as soon as possible.

What is a satisfactory answer?
The meaning is self-explanatory.

They studied the case in detail. At the same time, Li Linfu asked the officials who were affiliated with him to fabricate evidence and "report" Wang Zhongsi to the Three Departments.

Wang Zhongsi went from being a powerful general of two towns to a broken gong or drum that anyone could jump out and hit.

Although Wang Zhongsi could not be tortured to extract a confession, the various false charges almost caused him to collapse mentally.

He requested to see Li Longji, but Li Longji refused to see Wang Zhongsi.

There were ministers who sympathized with Wang Zhongsi, but they did not dare to plead for him.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Minister of the Supreme Court were not Li Linfu's men, but under the circumstances, they could only follow the Censorate to interrogate Wang Zhongsi.

Anyone who dares to plead for Wang Zhongsi will surely offend the emperor.

Li Linfu was actually not as calm as he appeared.

He knew that Wang Zhongsi would not confess!

But Li Longji was slow to issue an order to abolish the crown prince, which made Li Linfu very depressed.

The prince had been in the Eastern Palace all the time and refused to admit that he had sent the servant to Taiyuan.

The servants and clerks in the prince's mansion all said that the servant was just a small errand boy and usually never saw the prince.

How could the prince send this small servant to Taiyuan?
After a court meeting, Li Longji asked Li Linfu about this again, but fortunately Li Linfu evaded the question.

He even felt that Li Longji had no intention of deposing the crown prince, which made him very frightened.

If the crown prince is not deposed, the pain he is feeling now will be inflicted tenfold or a hundredfold on him or his descendants in the future.

For the first time, he felt that he could not see through the saint...

……

Dunhuang, the prefectural government.

After inspecting Yumen Pass and Yangguan, Li Xuan returned to Dunhuang.

Yan Zhenqing has been fully interrogated.

"Reporting to General Li, Sheng Yuliang has confessed everything. Here are his crimes!"

Inside the hall, Yan Zhenqing handed several charges to Li Xuan.

Before he started to torture him, Sheng Yuliang confessed everything and only asked for a quick death.

Li Xuan took the indictment, which mainly described Sheng Yuliang as corrupt and bribed, and colluding with thieves and merchants. The hat of rebellion was also put on his head, and he had no choice but to agree.

The other charges were against the Chief Secretary of Dunhuang, the Magistrate of Dunhuang and others, all of whom were guilty of corruption.

Not only did they collude with thieves and merchants, they also joined forces with the powerful to oppress the people, and even abused their power for personal gain and sold officials from outside the capital.

Although officials outside the imperial court were not included in the official rank system, they could bully the common people and act tyrannically.

"Li Shuai, those three caravans are not just the three of them, there are also accomplices from the alliance, but their accomplices do not rob women, they act as legitimate caravans. These caravans are planning to blend into a merchant alliance, cooperate with the thieves, and rob those merchant alliances in the desert. It's a pity that you, Li Shuai, blocked Yumen Pass, so their plan has not been implemented."

Yan Zhenqing then said to Li Xuan: "I have already grasped the movements of the four caravans and notified the Dou Lu Army and the Mo Li Army to arrest them. I wonder what crimes we should charge them with after we catch them?"

"Same crime as the thieves and merchants!"

Li Xuan convicted these caravans without any hesitation.

Yan Zhenqing nodded, saying that those thieves and merchants deserved to die, and that after their crimes were exposed, the merchants would feel the situation.

Because Li Xuan found out the "spy", many caravans escaped disaster.

"I learned from the thieves that there are also thieves who sell Han women in the Western Regions, but the Han people in the Western Regions often live together with the soldiers, so it is difficult to succeed."

Yan Zhenqing told Li Xuan about this matter again.

"I'll notify General Fumon to keep an eye out!"

Li Xuan knew that it was only relatively difficult to succeed. The price of Han female slaves was so high that he could make a lot of money by just kidnapping one who was even slightly pretty.

"All the tyrants who participated in the rebellion will have their property confiscated! The gold, silver and jewelry will be transported to Chang'an via Hexi Changhang according to your instructions, along with the gold, silver and jewelry seized from the bandit merchants and corrupt officials. The silk and money will be used as military funds. The land will be returned to the local government..."

Yan Zhenqing told Li Xuan about the "trophies".

"Tenant farmers and those with little land should be given land directly, and their fields should not be left to grow barren. Others should be used as military settlements, and civilians should be hired to cultivate the land."

Li Xuan gave instructions as usual.

Seven days later, the imperial edict from Chang'an arrived and Li Xuan was granted power.

The other four gangs of thieves have all been captured.

When the beheading took place, all the people in the city came out to watch.

The first to be beheaded were these thieves and merchants. Li Longji demanded that their heads be placed in Yangguan for three days, and Li Xuan had to comply.

Once the heads were chopped off, they were loaded onto trucks and taken away, and the bodies were buried in the south of the city.

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

The people of Dunhuang were excited when their heads were cut off one after another.

The Hu merchants actually felt very happy because the thief merchants would also want their lives.

But I feel like something is wrong!

When they entered and left Yangguan, they realized that they, as outsiders, must behave themselves and not act recklessly.

Otherwise they will be slaughtered like chickens and dogs.

When it was the turn of the powerful leaders and officials to be beheaded, the people were even happier.

After learning what had happened, they realized that these Han officials were even more despicable than thieves and merchants.

Before being escorted out of the city, many officials had been beaten black and blue.

"Pfft!" "Pfft!"

Amid the cries of the people, huge heads fell down one after another.

Li Xuan's prestige has reached its peak in the hearts of the people of Dunhuang.

The families of the rescued women revered Li Xuan like a god.

After the beheading was completed, the families of the remaining officials and powerful people, as well as the captured slaves and county soldiers, were escorted to Guzang City.

It is impossible for Dunhuang to need so many people.

The beheading incident that occurred at the east gate of Dunhuang City spread throughout the Hexi Corridor and to the various counties in Longyou within a few days.

Although the imperial court announced that it was the Dunhuang local tyrants who were plotting a rebellion!
But they knew best why the Dunhuang landlords rebelled.

Li Xuan was a butcher who specialized in killing the powerful and wealthy, and was as cruel as the cruel officials of the Han Dynasty.

But in Helong, the powerful were no match for Li Xuan.

Because Li Xuan not only controlled the army, but also drove the various Hu tribes at will, the powerful people did not even have the opportunity to organize themselves.

The local tyrants in Helong believed that Li Xuan would kill them sooner or later, so they migrated eastward.

Some land could be sold cheaply to local rich farmers and wealthy families, but much land was abandoned.

In the new places, they will lose their land and are doomed to decline because the local people will definitely suppress outsiders.

It was not a good thing for Li Xuan that these powerful people moved away from Helong.

The powerful will no longer harbor illusions. When they have nowhere to retreat, they will look for an opportunity to fight...

(End of this chapter)