gnovel Chapter 19 A Massive Bloodbath: The Military Governor's Wrath
Chapter 19 A Massive Bloodbath: The Military Governor's Wrath
"Wandi, come on, let your sister-in-law add some rice for you."
Zhao Siwan handed him an empty bowl, and his sister-in-law filled it to the brim, then topped it with vegetables and a piece of fatty meat: "Eat more, the Zhao family is counting on you to become a scholar and bring glory to the family."
Looking at the overflowing rice in her bowl, Zhao Siwan felt grateful. In these times, it wasn't easy to have enough to eat; she was only able to focus on her studies thanks to her brother's willingness to provide for her.
Zhao Siwan had read books and knew the story of how her sister-in-law refused to cook for Su Qin when he was poor. If she encountered a mean and stingy mistress, even if her brother cared about their sibling relationship, he would likely suffer a lot of cold treatment.
Fortunately, her sister-in-law was beautiful and kind-hearted, and treated her like her own brother. Thinking of this, Zhao Siwan was sincerely grateful to her brother and sister-in-law.
"We're all family, eating from the same pot. What's ours is yours, so there's no need to thank me."
The sister-in-law was also straightforward in her words and deeds. When Zhao Siwan finished eating and was about to clean up the dishes, she was pushed to go back to her studies: "How can you let men do these things? You just focus on your studies. In the future, when you pass the imperial examinations, your brother and your nephew will be counting on your good fortune."
Zhao Siwan looked at her brother and saw Zhao Siqian's lips curl up in a smile, unable to hide his joy: "Your sister-in-law is pregnant."
Congratulations, elder brother!
Zhao Siwan was delighted that the eldest branch of the Zhao family had an heir. In this day and age, it was still good for a family to have many descendants.
He bowed to his elder brother and sister-in-law as a sign of respect, then returned to his room to study by lamplight, keeping company with the Four Books and Five Classics.
In the dead of night, the clappers had been struck several times, and the town fell silent. But unlike the usual quiet of the night, tonight's silence felt deathly gloomy and oppressive.
A few frantic barks pierced the night sky; it was a guard dog, having spotted an intruder. The barking suddenly turned into a mournful howl, then fell silent, as if a chicken had been slit in the throat.
Immediately afterwards, there was a loud bang as the courtyard gate was kicked open, followed by a cacophony of chaotic footsteps.
There are bandits!
Zhao Siwan jumped up and instinctively ran outside. His room was close to the courtyard wall, and he was dressed neatly. He reached the base of the wall and quickly climbed over it.
Only after he climbed onto the wall did he realize that his brother and sister-in-law were still in the room, and he planned to go back and wake them up so they could escape together.
However, when he saw the many figures in the courtyard and realized that there were at least thirty or forty bandits who had rushed in, he withdrew the foot he had extended.
"Going there would only be a pointless death," Zhao Siwan told herself.
Seeing several men wielding gleaming swords and brazenly barging into his brother and sister-in-law's bedroom completely extinguished his already meager courage.
"Murder!"
My sister-in-law was only wearing a thin undergarment. She screamed and rushed into the yard, but before she could run a few steps, she was surrounded by several men who grabbed her and pinned her to the ground.
The thin garment quickly turned into several pieces of cloth and was thrown into the air, while the sister-in-law's cries became increasingly shrill and desperate.
As Zhao Siwan jumped off the wall, she glanced back at her home one last time.
The last thing he saw was his sister-in-law's legs, which had been kicking and struggling desperately, suddenly stiffening and then falling limply to the ground.
Zhao Siwan deeply regretted that she was a weak scholar who lacked courage at the crucial moment. She even abandoned her brother and sister-in-law, who had always treated her well, and fled like a stray dog.
He wiped away his tears, but the image of his sister-in-law's trembling legs remained vivid in his mind.
Those legs were dazzlingly white.
After running several hundred steps in one breath, Zhao Siwan looked back and saw that fires were already rising in the direction of her home.
……
"Bai Wenshen refused to be replaced, saying that the area under his jurisdiction was unstable and the townspeople unanimously petitioned for him to remain and guard the region?"
Gao Xingzhou chuckled to himself. Regional military governors often used this as a pretext to refuse imperial edicts ordering them to relocate. He never expected that a mere garrison commander would also learn this tactic; only their strength differed, and this similar behavior was nothing more than a poor imitation.
"Uncle, I have found out that Bai Wenshen is the younger brother of Bai Wenke, the Prefect of Daizhou. What do you think…" (Note 1)
The person who reported from the lower seat was named Gao Huaiyuan, the son of Gao Xinggui, the elder brother of Gao Xingzhou.
After Gao Xinggui surrendered to the Jin Dynasty, he was appointed as the governor of Daizhou. He served in the three prefectures of Shuo, Xin, and Lan, and was later transferred to the position of acting governor of Yunzhou. During the reign of the late emperor, he was transferred to the armies of Weisheng and Anyuan. He died in office four years ago and was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Commandant.
At that time, Gao Xingzhou was stationed in Zhenwu Army in Shuozhou, and Gao Huaiyuan followed under his uncle and served as the commander of the inner guards.
The nephew who was besieged Wuzhou back then is now over thirty and highly regarded by Gao Xingzhou. Even this year, when Gao Huaiyuan relinquished his official title to his cousin Gao Huaide, he still managed most of the actual military affairs.
Gao Xingzhou raised a thick eyebrow: "What, do I have to consider Bai Wenke's feelings when I adjust the deployment of this town?"
Gao Huaiyuan knew that his uncle was an upright man who did not show any mercy in anything.
Last year, An Chongrong, the border patrol commander of Zhenwu Circuit under Gao Xingzhou, committed a crime and was imprisoned. Gao Xingzhou wanted to execute him at the time. His mother went to the capital to appeal, and the Privy Councilor An Chonghui secretly protected him and reported to the late emperor, who issued an edict to release him. Only then was he spared. (Note 2)
He simply reminded him in a low voice, "Daizhou is under the jurisdiction of Beijing, and Bai Wenke is a man of Shi Taiwei, the Prefect of Taiyuan and the Garrison Commander of Beijing..."
Gao Xingzhou waved his hand to indicate that he understood.
Shi Jingtang held the prestigious titles of Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, Grand Commandant, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Commander-in-Chief of the Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry of the Datong, Zhenwu, Zhangguo, and Weise armies. When Gao Xingzhou was stationed in Zhenwu Army in Shuozhou, he was also under his command.
"The Zhangwu Army of Yanzhou is not under the jurisdiction of Hedong."
Gao Xingzhou decisively ordered: "Summon Bai Wenshen to the city immediately to receive orders, or I will personally lead the state troops to pacify the territory for him!"
Gao Huaiyuan accepted the order with a stern expression and was about to leave to relay it when Gao Xingzhou stopped him and asked gently, "How has your wife been these past two days?"
Gao Huaiyuan stopped in his tracks, a bitter smile on his face: "I've been crying all day long, who would have thought this would happen?"
"The dead cannot be brought back to life. Let her accept this loss with compassion."
Gao Xingzhou pondered for a moment: "Your cousin is young and only holds a nominal title. The yamen can't do without you for anything. There's another important matter that needs your attention soon, so you really won't be able to take care of things at home."
"Qingzhou is adjacent to this town. We'll send someone to take her to Fu Yanqing's place another day, where her family can stay with her for a while. What do you think?"
Gao Xingzhou's two sons were still minors. Gao Huaiyuan, as his uncle's right-hand man, assisted in handling military affairs and was extremely busy every day. Suddenly, news of a tragic event came from his wife's family. Upon returning home, he had to comfort her, and after several days, he was exhausted.
Gao Huaiyuan accepted his uncle's arrangement, which showed consideration for him.
As the two were talking, a clerk came to report: "The registrar of Bao'an Town has a letter to present to the military governor, saying that there is something important to report."
"Oh, what does Bai Wenshen's subordinate have to report?"
Gao Xingzhou instructed, "Bring the letter and take a look."
He glanced at the letter, his eyebrows furrowing instantly. The more he read, the angrier he became, slamming the letter down on the table: "How dare this traitorous general!"
"Uncle, what did the letter say?"
"Here, take it and see for yourself."
Just as Gao Huaiyuan was about to reach for the letter, another man in official robes strode in, shouting, "General, something terrible has happened!"
"What's the matter?"
"Bao Wenshen, the town magistrate of Bao'an, has submitted a report."
Upon hearing the name, Gao Xingzhou sneered, "Perfect timing! Read it!"
"On the night of the day of Ji Hai in the second month, dozens of rebel soldiers from Fengxiang attacked our town, killing and looting the people. Afterwards, a count revealed that seventeen people died, two were seriously injured and died, five houses were burned, and the rest were unharmed."
"Well, all of the rest are fine."
Gao Xingzhou was furious but laughed. He was just about to make an example of Bai Wenshen, but Bai Wenshen had committed such a heinous crime.
A mere town magistrate has limited knowledge of important matters. India is already preoccupied with dealing with the imperial court's punitive expedition, so how could it possibly send troops to harass him?
Dozens of scattered soldiers brazenly crossed Qingzhou, which was guarded by Fu Yanqing, and went to Yanzhou, which was 800 miles away, to kill and set fires. Are they out of their minds? Do they think the prefectures and counties along the way are just decorations?!
Moreover, his subordinate clerk had already confessed to Bai Wenshen's plot to rebel.
"Uncle, so many lives have been lost; this is no small matter. How about I take some men to Bao'an Town to conduct an on-site investigation and gather evidence?"
After reading the letter and comparing the two, Gao Huaiyuan understood the whole story very clearly.
The town magistrate carried out a large-scale massacre of the county's residents, a crime rarely seen even in chaotic times.
"General, should I issue a document to question General Bai?"
The person dressed in official robes was the chief secretary, an eighth-rank official, responsible for drafting official documents: "Or summon him to the prefectural city for a face-to-face inquiry..."
"There's no need to waste words with him. It's a waste of time and only makes him look down on us."
Gao Xingzhou stood up abruptly and declared, "Gather two hundred elite soldiers and one thousand local troops, and request the imperial insignia. I will personally go to Bao'an Town to inquire about it!"
Back in the inner hall, Gao Xingzhou, as if struck by a thought, summoned a close attendant and asked, "What is De'er doing?"
The attendant stammered, not daring to hide anything: "Young Master has gone out, with Lu Qian and Fu An following him."
"Well, he's always doing nothing and having a very leisurely time."
Gao Xingzhou, still furious, ordered with a laugh, "When you return and see this brat, tell him that I'm marching on Bao'an Town early tomorrow morning, and he must accompany the army!"