Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 48 Give the Court an Explanation (Please Read)

"What did you say? Feidong Bao family openly followed the thieves?!"

After listening to the report from Bao Yu, who used the alias Sui Xueyi, Kang Maocai was shocked and then became angry.

"It's a shame that Bao is the descendant of Bao Longtu, but he has no intention of being loyal to the emperor and serving the country. He is really shameless!"

Bao Yu also looked quite angry when he heard this, as if he was not the one being scolded, but instead he joined Kang Maocai in scolding.

"I heard that Bao Heng has been a clerk in Luzhou for twelve years and has never been promoted. Perhaps he has some complaints about the court, so he is willing to join the bandits. This guy must be crazy about becoming an official."

Kang Maocai frowned and asked, "What else did you hear in that house?"

Bao Yu bowed and continued.

"My Lord, please allow me to report that the bandit leader named Lu Jin has great ambitions. After he captured Luzhou, he did not commit rapine or plunder. He only sent bandit officials to take over the government treasury. He also beheaded Darughachi and King Xuanrang. Instead of living in the king's palace, he lived in the government office. Then he posted notices everywhere to reassure the people.

"What he said was all about following the will of heaven, responding to the will of the people, expelling the Tartars, and restoring China. His words were passionate and bewitching, and he deceived many people. He also opened the granaries to release grain, wanted to use work instead of relief, strengthened the city defenses, and recruited soldiers everywhere. Many people in Luzhou followed the bandits.

"Now that fellow has more than 10,000 soldiers in the city alone, and has sent thousands of soldiers to attack Lu'an, and has thousands of Chaohu naval forces at his side. The number of soldiers and horses he has is over 20,000, and he still feels it is not enough.

"He also told Bao that after three days of reorganization, he would send someone to pick up Zhao Pusheng to guard the city together. He looked like he was preparing for war. You must not underestimate the enemy. This man must have some skills as he won three battles in a row."

What Bao Yu said was all true except for his own identity. However, the more so, the more afraid Kang Maocai became, and his scalp tingled when he heard it.

A rebel, after taking a city, did not go to enjoy himself. Instead of living in the royal palace, he lived in a government office. The slogan he shouted was to drive out the Tartars and restore China. He was directly aiming to change the dynasty, which was enough to prove that he had great ambitions and goals.

He also opened the granaries to release grain to help the people, strengthened the city defenses, and recruited soldiers everywhere. He thought 20,000 soldiers were not enough. What did he want to do?
How can Kang Mao not panic?
In fact, the loss of Luzhou had little to do with him. That was Zuo Junbi's defense zone, and the loss was Zuo Junbi's fault. Now that people are dead, it has nothing to do with him.

However, Lu Jin killed a prince of the Yuan Dynasty royal family, and the matter became a big deal. As the Huaixi Xuanwei Envoy, Luzhou was under his jurisdiction. It had nothing to do with him if it was lost, but he had to take it back. If the court asked him to suppress the bandits and recapture Luzhou, he could not refuse.

But now there are tens of thousands of people defending the city, so he, the attacker, would have to use several times the force to attack? How could he have so many soldiers?

What's more, Lu Jin has the Chaohu navy at his side. If Kang Maocai really dares to lead tens of thousands of troops directly to the city of Luzhou, the Chaohu navy will be able to land from the flank and cut off his food supply from behind.

It was impossible to fight, but if he was waiting for orders from the court, he could not just ignore it.

Lu Jin is still reinforcing the city defenses. Who knows what kind of city walls he will see when he gathers his troops and goes there.
Seeing Kang Maocai looking worried, Bao Yu stepped forward again and gave him some advice.

"Are you worried that you won't be able to give an explanation to the court?"

Kang Maocai glanced at him, and he did not expect that this scholar could guess what he was thinking. He immediately asked, "Do you have any good ideas to help me?"

Bao Yu said immediately.

"There are many bandits in Luzhou, and it will take time to wipe them out. But if the court asks about it, you can't fail to give an explanation. I think it would be better to kill this beast while the bandit marshal is meeting Zhao Pusheng.

"Zhao Pusheng is the leader of the Chaohu Red Turbans and a wanted criminal by the imperial court. If you get his head, you will have an explanation to the imperial court, and you can slowly target the thieves in Luzhou."

Kang Maocai's eyes lit up when he heard this. He was so worried after hearing Lu Jin's reactions just now that he actually forgot about Zhao Pusheng.

Yes, in the eyes of the court, Zhao Pusheng was the main culprit. Then who was Lu Jin? He was a nobody, and no one had ever heard of him. As long as Zhao Pusheng was killed, he would not only be innocent, but also have made great achievements.

After all, it was Zuo Junbi who lost Luzhou City. What does it have to do with Kang Maocai? I also killed Zhao Pusheng. How can this not be a great achievement?
When the time comes, if I hand over Zhao Pusheng's head, the court will surely reward me. Then I can take the opportunity to expand my army. When I have more soldiers, I will be more confident in dealing with Lu Jin.

After figuring out the key, Kang Maocai burst into laughter, pulled Bao Yu closer and said, "Yuxiu is really talented, do you have an official position?"

Bao Yu shook his head, "No."

Kang Maocai immediately tried to recruit her, saying, "Although I am the Huaixi envoy, I also hold the military post of the Grand Marshal. According to the rules, I can open a government office. Yuxiu is a scholar from Luzhou. Now that you can't go back, are you willing to stay with me as a guest for a while?"

Bao Yu was delighted when he heard this, and immediately bowed respectfully, "I dare not ask, it is what I want!"

"Hahahaha, we are blessed with another great man today. Tell me quickly, how exactly does the Luzhou bandit plan to support Zhao Pusheng?" "You should start preparing today. Just take four battalions of combat soldiers, and leave the auxiliary battalion alone. This way it will be faster. We will see the situation then. If Kang Maocai blocks us, I will let Ye Sheng and Zheng Yong lead the cavalry battalion to help you."

While discussing how to kill Zhao Pusheng in Heyang, Lu Jin also called Zhang Wen, Zhu Shou, Ye Sheng, Zheng Yong, and Liao Yongan over in Luzhou City and discussed the details of picking up the people with them.

"Yes, don't worry, Brother Lu. It's just picking someone up. I know what to do." Zhang Wen agreed immediately without showing any sign of abnormality.

Zhao Pusheng can be killed, but Lu Jin must not do it, otherwise it would be considered as "struggling for power and profit by any means necessary", which would ruin his reputation, so he came up with the idea of ​​killing someone with a borrowed knife and let the Yuan army do the killing. This way, it would have nothing to do with him and his position would be consolidated.

Lu Jin had only told Bao Heng and Zhang Wen about such a confidential matter for the time being. Even Zhu Shou didn't know about it. When it comes to plotting against one's own people, of course the fewer people who know about it the better.

Bao Heng was born into a family of orthodox Confucian scholars, who hated cults the most. He was happy to help Lu Jin consolidate his position and kill the cult leader, while also taking the opportunity to make great contributions and gain the status of a loyal minister.

Needless to say, Zhang Wen is Lu Jin's most trusted confidant, so matters like this should of course be left to Zhang Wen.

Moreover, Lu Jin had already made up his mind that after the incident with Zhao Pusheng was over, he would marry Zhang Wen's sister as compensation to Zhang Wen. By then, the two families would be married and Zhang Wen would become his elder brother-in-law, making the relationship even closer.

Zhang Wen, Zhu Shou, Ye Sheng, Zheng Yong and others all said that there was no problem, took their leave and went out to prepare for their own end.

Only Liao Yongan was left there, frowning and looking worried.

He was actually the one who was most worried. He had high emotional intelligence and thought about a lot of things. Lu Jin led them to three battles and three victories and captured Luzhou City. Liao Yongan was of course convinced. In addition, Lu Jin's various miraculous performances made him determined to follow Lu Jin.

But Zhao Pusheng is not easy to deal with either. He doesn't have much ability, but he is good at fighting for power and profit. In addition, Zhao Pusheng and Peng Yingyu are master and apprentice.

If Zhao Pusheng must be brought to the city, there will inevitably be conflicts with Lu Jin.

Now they are just in the starting stage of getting on the right track, and internal unity is most needed. If there is a commotion at this time, he doesn't know what to do then.

Liao Yongan glanced at Lu Jin secretly, and seeing that he didn't care at all, he didn't know whether he should try to persuade him. If not, then don't let Zhao Pusheng come, appoint him as a commander, and let him stay outside by himself.

However, before he could open his mouth, Lu Jin asked first.

"Brother Yongan, let's calculate the date. Brother Yu should have taken Lu'an by now. By then, your Third Regiment will be free to attack Chao County. Chao County is very important to us. Have you thought about how to attack it?"

Liao Yongan opened his mouth when he heard this. He didn't expect Lu Jin to suddenly ask this, but he had thought about it before and said it immediately.

"I plan to learn from the way the commander lured Zuo Junbi out of the city, and move the Chao County defenders out of the city to annihilate them before attacking the city."

After hearing this, Lu Jin immediately shook his head and said, "This is impossible. Chao County is only guarded by local officials. There are no elite soldiers in the city. They are all recruited from the local people. How could such a weak garrison come out of the city to fight you?
“The last time I was able to lure Zuo Junbi out of the city, it was because the enemy was arrogant and didn’t take us seriously. They looked down on us and that’s why they took the initiative to go out of the city and fight.

"Now we have killed Zuo Junbi first, captured Zhu Liangzu, and broken into Luzhou City. The Yuan army in Chao County is too scared of us to do anything. They will definitely defend the city to the death. No matter how you lure them out, you won't be able to lure them out."

After hearing this, Liao Yongan thought about it and it seemed to be true. He frowned and asked.

"Then how should we fight?"

Lu Jin sighed in his heart. The Liao and Yu families still had too low a foundation. Their status in the army was at the veteran level, but their abilities were a little lacking. He could only find a way to improve them.

Otherwise, they will definitely feel resentful when they are overtaken by newcomers.

Personnel affairs are politics, and it takes some thought to strike a balance.

Lu Jin reminded immediately.

"Brother Yongan, don't forget that your biggest advantage in attacking Chao County is actually your place of origin. You are also from Chao County."

There is one more chapter today

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(End of this chapter)