Chapter 422: Chaos in Nanjing City Before People Arrived

On the official road outside Changying Warehouse in Qingjiangpu.

Li Youzi's face was full of bitterness and he was very annoyed.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he was filled with grief and grief, and he clenched his fists and repeatedly hit his chest.

"This damn Yan Shaoting!"

"You want to skin me alive..."

"God damn it!"

"My life will be lost in his hands sooner or later."

Next to Li Youzi, the Governor of the Grand Canal, Wang Ting, was also full of anger.

He stared at Yan Shaoting and his group who had already walked into Changying Warehouse in the distance, and spat heavily.

"No one with the last name Yan is a good person!"

After cursing, Wang Ting turned to look at Li Youzi: "Mr. Li, we are really in trouble now!"

Li Youzi snorted angrily, "He is roasting me on the fire."

This dignified Lord of a prefecture now had a face full of gnashing teeth, and he wished he could eat the culprit, Yan Shaoting, alive.

Wang Ting was even more worried: "I was wondering why he hadn't left these past few days. It turns out he was waiting here. The assassination attempt by the White Lotus traitor that day finally became a handle in his hand!"

this moment.

This governor of the grain transport system, who had held great power in the past, was filled with helplessness and worry.

Li Youzi's face was filled with resentment. "He is the imperial envoy appointed by the emperor. According to the imperial decree, Yan Shaoting is the chief minister of the six provinces in the south of the Yangtze River, the superintendent of Nanjing's military affairs, and the governor of the six provinces. Now he wants to rectify the military affairs of the Nanjing guards, which is within his authority. But he is clearly going to check the population and past financial and tax accounts of the six provinces in the south of the Yangtze River!"

His mouth was full of hatred.

But Li Youzi was filled with fear.

No matter how annoyed Li Youzi was about Yan Shaoting's actions today, it was of no use.

The court's will is there.

Yan Shaoting was the commander-in-chief of Nanjing military affairs, so he was in charge of rectifying the military affairs of the Nanjing guards and recruiting qualified men from the local areas to fill the vacancies in the Nanjing guards. This was within his power.

But was Yan Shaoting's purpose to reorganize the Nanjing guards and fill the shortfall in the number of soldiers in each guard?
Obviously not.

The purpose is to get to the following words.

Check the population and household registration of six provinces.

Audit the fiscal and taxation accounts of six provinces.

Wang Ting's face was gloomy, and he looked deeply at the towering walls of Changying Warehouse beside the canal in front of him.

He said in a low voice: "This move is to attack the west while pointing east. Yan Shaoting wants to check the population and household registration and financial and tax accounts of the six provinces, but he wants to single out the shortage of guards in Nanjing as an issue. This is a fair thing to do. It is for the sake of the court. No one can say it is wrong."

"Why is it so? Yan Shaoting is Sima Zhao's intention, and everyone knows it!"

Li Youzi's face was extremely ugly. He slapped his thigh and said, "The Nanjing Guards are just an excuse, but this excuse is good! To recruit local men, they must check the local population and household registration. To make up for the shortage of Nanjing Guards, they must naturally pay more military pay and military rations. In this way, he can openly check the financial and tax accounts of various places."

Some analysis.

Li Youzi couldn't help but feel more and more frightened: "Although Yan Shaoting is young, he is very powerful if he doesn't move, but when he moves, every move is fatal!"

Wang Ting moved his mouth.

Naturally, he now agreed with what Li Youzi said.

However, Li Youzi immediately said angrily: "But this damn Yan Shaoting, the thief who deserves to be cut into pieces, is clearly heading for Nanjing, but why did he, this damned grandmother, have to push our Huai'an Prefecture to take the blame!"

Finished speaking.

Li Youzi became angrier the more he thought about it. He turned around and looked around, then walked to the side of the road angrily and sat down on the ground.

This dignified governor of a prefecture didn't care about his official position at the moment. He was filled with annoyance and anger.

Wang Ting took a look, sighed helplessly, shook his head, and walked to Li Youzi.

Li Youzi was so angry, and so was he.

Speaking of Yan Shaoting's order today, although it was aimed at Nanjing and the six provinces in the south of the Yangtze River, it was to check the population registration and financial and tax accounts of the six provinces.

If that's the case, just head straight to Nanjing.

But he happened to be assassinated by the White Lotus rebels in Matou Town, Huai'an Prefecture.

This gave Yan Shaoting a huge excuse and reason, and it was extremely legitimate.

Didn’t you see what the Jinyiwei Tiqi said in the end?
Matou Town and Qingjiangpu under the jurisdiction of Huai'an Prefecture are important towns on the canal and are extremely important.

But in such an important place, on the first day that Yan Shaoting went south to take up his post, he encountered an assassination attempt by the White Lotus Sect. What does this indicate?
This shows that Huai'an Prefecture was not effective in suppressing the bandits.

It also shows how rampant the White Lotus rebels in Jiangnan were, and how they had no fear of government officials and soldiers.

Yan Shaoting's petition to the court to build the Qingjiangpu was a legitimate and reasonable request. It could even be said that Yan Shaoting was a great public servant and loyal to the country.

As for the talk of placing Qingjiangpu under the tax and military yamen, it doesn’t matter.

The key point is that this incident gave Yan Shaoting an absolutely legitimate reason to reorganize Nanjing’s military affairs and supplement the shortfall of troops in Nanjing’s guards.

Starting from Huai'an Prefecture, we will break the deadlock and lead the whole area.

Then Huai'an Prefecture had to first conduct a population census, sort out financial and tax accounts, and organize the Qingjiang Port Office.

Everything is so aboveboard.

And from beginning to end, Yan Shaoting acted within the scope of his duties and in accordance with the imperial edict.

Wang Ting sighed softly, and without caring about his identity as the governor of the grain transport, he sat down next to Li Youzi.

He sighed and shook his head: "But now we have no use for Yan Shaoting. He wrote to the court to request the construction of the so-called Qingjiangpu, but the assassination attempt by the White Lotus rebels really happened."

Li Youzi snorted coldly, looking very indignant.

Wang Ting took a look and whispered, "For now, we can only obey his orders, collect the men in the government, and present the financial and tax accounts of these years to him for review."

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Upon hearing this, Li Youzi immediately stood up and flatly refused.

Wang Ting raised his head and looked at the other person.

Li Youzi said solemnly, "Governor, if you and I really obey Yan Shaoting's order today, do you know what will happen to you and me?"

Wang Ting frowned and said, "What? Can we still disobey the order?"

Li Youzi paused, his expression becoming increasingly uglier, and finally his face filled with grief: "But if you and I really obey Yan Shaoting, we will be cut off from Jiangnan from now on!"

He cut himself off from the south of the Yangtze River.

Wang Ting's body trembled, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.

"yes……"

He sighed deeply, his face as pale as wax.

If he and Li Youzi really followed Yan Shaoting's order in Huai'an Prefecture and began to check the population household registration and financial and tax accounts in the prefecture, it would undoubtedly be a stab in the back to the entire Nanjing area.

Isn't that tantamount to cutting oneself off from Jiangnan?

Wang Ting couldn't help but say: "It's wrong to obey orders, and it's also wrong not to obey orders. What should we do now..."

Wang Ting hesitated for a moment, but suddenly his eyes flashed.

He had already set his sights on Li Youzi and whispered, "Master Li, this matter ultimately falls into the hands of Huai'an Prefecture. You are the prefect of Huai'an. Yan Shaoting wants to do this today, but it all depends on your Huai'an government office." Li Youzi immediately looked at Wang Ting, his eyes flickering.

After a while.

He smiled, but it was a hint of sarcasm.

"Wang Duxian."

Wang Ting's eyes narrowed and his expression became solemn.

Li Youzi continued to smile and said, "Although this little thief Yan came to my Huai'an Prefecture, the Governor-General should not forget that your Office of the Governor-General of the Grand Canal is also in my Huai'an Prefecture. Although the Office of the Governor-General of the Grand Canal is responsible for supervising the canal, the Governor-General should not forget that you are also the Governor of the two Huais, four prefectures and three states. The Governor-General also has a share in the affairs of the population, money and grain of this prefecture!"

When Wang Ting mentioned that Yan Shaoting's order today was to suppress Huai'an Prefecture, Li Youzi realized that the old man Wang Ting was trying to shirk responsibility.

But how can I really let him break free?

If something like this happens, I might end up being cut off from the Jiangnan region. How can I handle it alone?
Li Youzi exposed his thoughts in person.

Wang Ting did not make a fuss and was not embarrassed.

This is how it is in official circles.

Two people can be on the same boat one moment, and go their separate ways the next.

But seeing Li Youzi saying this, it looked like he was going to drag him into the water.

Wang Ting could only ask with a sullen face: "So what do you think we should do now?"

"How should we do it?" Li Youzi sneered and looked towards Chang Yingcang coldly: "What else can we do! Yan Shaoting holds the emperor's order, and we dare not disobey his order, but it will take a long time to handle such a big event. Now let's write a letter and send it to Nanjing!"

After making up your mind.

Li Youzi still had a sneer on his face.

"Again."

"If something goes wrong, even if the sky falls, the men in Nanjing will be there to support and bear the brunt of it!"

After saying this, Li Youzi called his aides and asked them to revise the letter again and send it to Nanjing by express horse to report the current incident.

After some operation.

During that day, Huai'an Prefecture wrote three letters and sent them to Nanjing City by express horse.

……

The next day.

It was already past noon.

It was getting dark, and the sun was turning orange in the sky.

Jinchuanmen Wharf outside Nanjing City, overlooking the Yangtze River.

As soon as the ferry on the other side docked, an express courier from Huai'an Prefecture jumped ashore, showed his imperial letter, and took a fast horse from the dock, heading straight for Nanjing city.

And after that.

On the river, there were also two official ferry boats heading to the Waijinchuanmen Wharf.

Not long.

The first piece of news was sent to the Nanjing Garrison Office and handed over to Chen Hong, the eunuch guarding Nanjing.

Followed by.

The second piece of news was sent to the Nanjing Governor's Grain Storage Office and then to the case of Yang Zongqi, the Governor's Grain Storage Minister.

Wait until the last piece of news entered the city.

It went straight to the Nanjing Garrison Office, and finally was delivered to the hands of Xu Pengju, Duke of Wei, who was drinking and having fun on a pleasure boat in Xuanwu Lake.

There is an explanation for the fact that the three letters from Huai'an prefect Li Youzi were not sent to one place, but to three different places.

The first letter stated that it was speculated that Yan Shaoting was staying in Huai'an Prefecture. This matter was naturally important to Chen Hong, the eunuch guarding the garrison office.

After all, the eunuch guarding Nanjing was, after all, responsible for guarding the secondary capital Nanjing for the emperor. Li Youzi's delivery of the letter to Chen Hong was undoubtedly a secret accusation that Yan Shaoting had disobeyed the emperor's order and had not gone to Nanjing to take up his post.

The second letter naturally talked about the possibility that Yan Shaoting might interfere in the inventory of money and grain in Huai'an Warehouse. This matter was related to Yang Zongqi, the governor and minister of grain storage.

Similarly, the last letter was sent to the Nanjing garrison and handed over to Duke Wei because Yan Shaoting wanted to rectify the military affairs of the Nanjing guards and take the opportunity to check the population and household registration and financial and tax accounts of the six provinces. This was to ask the attitude of the garrison and Duke Wei Xu Pengju, whether they would stand on the side of Nanjing or respond to Yan Shaoting's orders.

After all, on the surface.

Yan Shaoting's first order to the south was beneficial to the Nanjing guards, and naturally it was also beneficial to the Nanjing Garrison Office and Duke of Wei Xu Pengju and others.

After all, since it was a real order, the Nanjing guards would definitely replenish the shortfall of troops in each guard.

The soldiers are strong and the horses are strong.

This is naturally beneficial to the garrison office that manages Nanjing’s military affairs.

Here.

It also showed that Li Youzi, the prefect of Huai'an, was nervous when facing Yan Shaoting, but he still had a clear mind and knew how to handle the matter.

And these three letters entered Nanjing City.

The people of Nanjing were in complete chaos because of his three letters.

After the three letters entered Nanjing City.

The sky had already become completely dark.

During curfew, all city gates were closed, braziers were placed on the top of the city walls, and candles were lit in every household inside the city.

However, the Nanjing Garrison Office, which was supposed to be dark, was brightly lit and filled with people moving about.

At the gate of the yamen, people wearing red robes and black gauze hats kept arriving in sedan chairs and filing in.

The officers and soldiers at the gate yawned, watching these tallest men in Nanjing city give up their rest and rush to the yamen. They gradually perked up, knowing that something big was going to happen tonight.

And in the yamen.

Stay in the government court.

The six ministers of Nanjing's six ministries, the five temple ministers, and officials from various government offices have also entered.

Even Xu Pengju, the governor of Nanjing and Duke of Wei, who had been found by boat in Xuanwu Lake north of the city during the day, sat in the main seat in the hall with a serious brow, despite reeking of alcohol and fatigue.

Xu Pengju looked bored and irritated. He stared at the ministers of various ministries and departments who were standing in front of him in the hall, pacing back and forth with uneasy looks on their faces. He felt increasingly depressed.

However, the officials from various departments in Nanjing present had no time to even look at Xu Pengju's expression.

Now that such a big thing has happened in Huai'an Prefecture, all of them present tonight have been overwhelmed by it.

More than ten people gathered in groups of three or five, looking solemn and uneasy, and whispered to each other based on their past relationships.

Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu and Fengrun Earl Cao Wenbing, who were sitting next to Xu Pengju, looked at each other. They both looked silently at Xu Pengju, who remained silent at the moment, and both felt helpless.

Who made them have to deal with such a stupid duke?

It just so happens that this incompetent Duke is now the governor of Nanjing.

Logically speaking, the various departments and offices in Nanjing were under the jurisdiction of the Liaison Office and were supervised by the eunuchs stationed in the Garrison Office.

In addition, the current incident is that Yan Shaoting wants to fill the shortfall of troops in the Nanjing guards.

If the matter falls on the Nanjing guards, they will be the ones who stay in the yamen and have the say.

But now, this stupid Duke is probably still thinking about their pleasure boat on Xuanwu Lake.

…………

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(End of this chapter)