Chapter 80: Canglu County

"..."

Lan Ruoting was left speechless. He had assumed Niu Youdao saw his signal and was deliberately holding Feng Ruonan over the fire. Even if that was not the case, Lan Ruoting still found the accusation absurd.

What did he mean, "I'm not as devious as you"?

Who had come up with the rotten idea in the first place?

Who had actually drugged her?

Which one of them was more devious? Lan Ruoting had only just left when Shang Shuqing came in.

She probed carefully, "Was Mr. Lan the one who told Master Dao not to treat Sister-in-law's wounded?"

"It wasn't exactly that he didn't want them treated. Mr. Lan wants to bring His Highness and the Princess Consort closer together..."

Niu Youdao directly told her what Lan Ruoting had meant. Shang Shuqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. Why did these men spend all day thinking up such wicked schemes? Still, it was difficult for her to comment on that matter. She returned to what she had actually come to ask.

"Master Dao, this treatment method of yours is tremendously useful to soldiers who fight on campaign. Would it be convenient for you to teach it to us?"

Niu Youdao waved the question away.

"It's nothing important. If you want to learn, go find Monkey. When it comes to treating external injuries, he's better than I am."

Many crafts in this world were never taught outside the family or sect that possessed them. Shang Shuqing had worried Niu Youdao might treasure the technique too much to pass it on. She had never expected him to agree so readily. Delight flooded her face.

"Good! Then Qing'er thanks Master Dao on behalf of all the soldiers who may benefit from it!"

To people who lived and died on battlefields, this truly was no small matter. To Niu Youdao, however, it really was not much of one. He laughed.

"No need to thank me over something this minor. Oh, right—discuss it with Mr. Lan. He was hoping to use this to play a dirty trick on your sister-in-law."

He had brought that topic up again. Shang Shuqing felt a little embarrassed.

Still, she nodded...

That night, Feng Ruonan's side noticed something unusual. A lone rider came from the direction of Canglu County. After the guards stopped him, the man identified himself as one of Shang Chaozong's people. Someone from Shang Chaozong's side later came over and confirmed his identity. No one knew what message the rider had brought.

In any case, Shang Chaozong, Lan Ruoting, and the others went into a tent afterward, and the light inside seemed to remain burning throughout the entire night. No one knew what they were plotting. The monks of Nanshan Temple noticed the same thing. Yuan Gang had already assigned them various duties. Once they gathered information, they passed it back to Niu Youdao as well.

The next day, the group continued on its way. By mid-afternoon, they finally reached their destination and entered Canglu County. County Magistrate Lu Linmao, County Deputy Magistrate Fang Mingzhao, other yamen officials, and a number of prominent local gentry had already arrived at the county border to welcome them. Naturally, once the two sides met, the people of Canglu County greeted them with the utmost courtesy. Shang Chaozong, however, remained seated on his tall horse. He showed no intention of dismounting.

His face expressionless, he stared down at the welcoming party.

Only after everyone had finished saluting did Shang Chaozong coldly ask, "Do all of you know your crimes?"

The smiling officials and gentry froze. They were not the only ones. Even Feng Ruonan, Niu Youdao, and the others did not understand what was happening. County Magistrate Lu Linmao cupped his hands in surprise.

"Your Highness, I don't understand what you mean."

Shang Chaozong said, "As officials of the imperial court, you take bribes and pervert the law. As local gentry, you seize fields and property, oppress men, and violate women. What punishment do such crimes deserve?"

Lu Linmao immediately became solemn.

"Your Highness, someone must be slandering us!"

Shang Chaozong had no interest in arguing. He waved one hand.

"Seize them all!"

A group of personal guards jumped from their horses. They immediately threw the County Magistrate, County Deputy Magistrate, and others to the ground and bound them. The subordinate yamen personnel had sabers of their own, but faced with personal guards fierce as wolves and tigers, who dared resist? Along with the local gentry, every one of them was forced obediently to his knees. The sudden turn terrified the entire welcoming party.

Several low-level cultivators from some unknown sect, stationed locally to gather spirit herbs, were startled and hurried away from the group. They stared at the scene in uncertainty. Shang Chaozong's people made no move against them. Feng Ruonan and the others found the whole thing strange. Why was Shang Chaozong interfering in local administration? Canglu County might be Shang Chaozong's fief, but only in name. After the chaos caused by the feudal lords of the Wu Dynasty, the various states had learned their lesson.

So-called fiefs were now largely nominal domains. A lord might enjoy some of the tax revenue from his fief, but authority to appoint local officials belonged to the imperial court. Shang Chaozong outranked these local officials, but had no jurisdiction over them.

County Magistrate Lu Linmao struggled and shouted, "Your Highness! Even if we are guilty, the imperial court should investigate and pass judgment! How can Your Highness overstep your authority?"

Shang Chaozong replied indifferently, "Right and wrong will naturally be reported to the imperial court by this prince. But this is my fief. How could I allow the likes of you to ravage it? If I do not kill you, I cannot calm the people's anger!"

He waved his hand.

"Behead them!"

Several personal guards raised and dropped their blades. Cries of agony rang out. Blood sprayed. The heads of several senior yamen officials rolled to the ground. The remaining runners and local gentry had never dreamed they would encounter something like this. The bloody spectacle drained the color from their faces. They knelt trembling. Every prominent local magnate who had come out in splendor to welcome the prince was placed under arrest. Shang Chaozong left some troops behind to escort the prisoners. The rest followed him rapidly toward the county seat.

Only after reaching the county seat did Feng Ruonan, Niu Youdao, and the others understand what Shang Chaozong intended. This had nothing to do with suppressing bullies or protecting the innocent.

He meant to seize direct control of the entire Canglu County, completely purge imperial-court influence, and dispense with any notion of proceeding slowly. He was using military force to carry out an immediate cleansing. His intention to hold troops and establish himself independently could not have been clearer. The moment Shang Chaozong entered the county seat, more than a thousand additional men appeared. They were former subordinates of Prince Ning who had already infiltrated the area and lain hidden in preparation.

Working together with the force now entering the city, they almost immediately raided the homes of every official in the county seat. Shang Chaozong might have only just arrived, but locals were guiding his men. They had lists in hand. They knew the circumstances and routes with remarkable precision. Clearly, preparations for this had been made long ago.

The moment the County Magistrate, County Deputy Magistrate, and the others were killed, a complete replacement administration was ready to step forward and fill the empty positions.

Inside the county seat, Shang Chaozong borrowed some of Feng Ruonan's manpower and sent forces striking in every direction. They not only confiscated the households of the officials, but also seized every shop connected to those officials and local gentry.

At the same time, dozens of detachments rushed toward villages and market towns across Canglu County to confiscate the property of selected local magnates. No breathing room was left. No argument was entertained. The crimes had been investigated long beforehand and were simply placed directly upon each target's head. Military force carried out the purge. Over the following several days, all of Canglu County seethed with activity.

The newly installed County Magistrate, Wu Fu, and the rest of the new administration had not received the slightest approval from the imperial court. They had been appointed directly by Shang Chaozong. Now that Shang Chaozong had reached this place, he had no intention of accepting court appointments again. With Shang Chaozong backing them, the new officials acted boldly. They immediately posted proclamations to reassure the people. Land belonging to wealthy households was distributed among local commoners. Part of the confiscated grain was released to relieve famine victims.

Food was also used to recruit able-bodied young men and train them into troops. In a very short time, Shang Chaozong added more than a thousand new men to his force. With that manpower supporting the new administration, the situation in Canglu County stabilized rapidly. Once Bai Yao understood Shang Chaozong's intentions, he sent word back as well. The Tianyu Sect would prepare to dispatch lower-level cultivators here to take over the collection of spirit herbs. Specific civil affairs within Canglu County had already been assigned to capable people.

After leaving part of his force behind to assist them, Shang Chaozong led the main body of troops out of the county seat. Not far outside the city, in mountains overlooking and supporting the county seat, stood an estate Prince Ning had constructed years earlier. It could accommodate more than ten thousand people without difficulty. More importantly, it was easy to defend and difficult to attack, providing a measure of security. The county seat itself saw all kinds of people entering and leaving every day.

It was impossible to seal the city completely. And now they were already deep in the heart of Qingshan Commandery. For multiple reasons, the group shifted to the mountain estate. On the road there, Niu Youdao saw cart after cart of grain and provisions stretching into a long line.

He moved closer to Lan Ruoting and asked, "All these provisions were confiscated from the wealthy households?"

Lan Ruoting sighed.

"What spare grain could ordinary people possibly have? And with this many troops, we can't depend forever on shipments from Guangyi Commandery. Someone could cut that supply line at any time. We have no choice but to act against those wealthy households that made fortunes without benevolence. For now, the money and grain we've seized should sustain us for about a year. Once Canglu County is governed properly and tax revenues stabilize, we should be able to keep everything turning afterward."

Niu Youdao clicked his tongue.

"You people certainly know how to make money quickly."

Lan Ruoting smiled bitterly.

"We have no other choice. If we don't remove the imperial court's influence and take complete control here, we have no way to establish ourselves. Without money and grain, we have no foundation. Everyone has to eat."

Niu Youdao said, "Looks like you've been planning this for a long time."

"I wouldn't call it a long-standing plot. If Master Dao's marriage-alliance scheme hadn't succeeded, we would never have dared make this move. But since we've been given such a good opening, naturally we have to plan for the longer term."

Niu Youdao asked, "Canglu County lies in the heart of Qingshan Commandery, surrounded by enemies on three sides. Aren't you afraid to defy the imperial court and establish yourselves like this?"

Lan Ruoting replied, "The imperial court attacked us first on the road. They're the ones in the wrong. Think of this one county as compensation. The Tianyu Sect and Feng Lingbo haven't objected either, and that is our support. The imperial court won't dare move recklessly."

He glanced back and saw the faint smile on Niu Youdao's face. Knowing the other man had seen through something, Lan Ruoting lowered his voice.

"This isn't a place to discuss it. We'll talk later."

Niu Youdao looked around. Feng Ruonan, Bai Yao, and the others were not far away. There truly were matters unsuitable for open conversation. The estate in the mountains had been built by Prince Ning.

Whether because Prince Ning had been a military man or because he had planned for such a day long in advance, the structures plainly incorporated military functions. The place looked somewhat old and dilapidated, but people had arrived earlier to clean it thoroughly. There was no problem moving in immediately. Once the grain stores were in place and the troops had been settled, evening had already fallen. After dinner, Lan Ruoting deliberately asked Niu Youdao to remain. A few of them went together into an underground stone chamber.

A map had already been hung on one wall. Lan Ruoting, Shang Chaozong, and Shang Shuqing suddenly moved into a line. Facing Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang together, all three bent deeply at the waist in a formal bow. Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang exchanged glances. Niu Youdao gave an awkward laugh.

"Why are the three of you giving us such a grand salute?"

Shang Chaozong spoke with deep emotion.

"It's only a small expression of gratitude. The situation we have now is something I could never have imagined when I escaped the capital. Master Dao, it was your planning and effort that opened the board for this prince again. I truly have no way to thank you enough."

Niu Youdao chuckled.

"I accept the sentiment."

He glanced around the stone chamber.

"But surely there was no need to come all the way down here merely to thank me?"

Lan Ruoting said, "Earlier, Master Dao asked questions that made it obvious you were already wondering why we acted in such haste. In truth, it is because Master Dao's planning opened the situation for us. Master Dao once said Feng Lingbo is only a puppet and that the Tianyu Sect is the true authority. So long as His Highness possesses value to the Tianyu Sect, then even if the hundred thousand Crow Generals do not exist, the Tianyu Sect still will not discard him. We deeply agree with that judgment. And because of it, we have developed a new plan."

He turned toward the map. One hand struck the position marked Qingshan Commandery.

"Seize Qingshan Commandery and stand as Feng Lingbo's equal! So long as His Highness can demonstrate enough strength to control an entire commandery, the Tianyu Sect will never casually give up such a fat piece of meat once it has reached their mouth. Nor will they abandon His Highness. They will inevitably support him just as they support Feng Lingbo!"

[End of Chapter 80]