Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C262. The Strike.

Chapter 262: The Strike

Shao Yao pushed aside the two burly guards in front of her. Just as everyone thought she was about to speak, her whip lashed out with the ferocity of a tiger.

Li Shiren could not afford to sit idly by. If the Li family didn't have some clout, he wouldn't be sitting in this position as the garrison commander of Jingzhou. He had been holding his tongue earlier, not out of fear, but because even if he was brought before the emperor, he would at most receive a reprimand. Private employment of individuals was not unique to him; everyone had taken on some side jobs.

However, the other party was from the Seven Stars Bureau, and he had to be cautious because of their reputation. That was why he had been insisting on his innocence. If Mu Yunyang had been smarter, they could have shouldered the blame together.

Could the Seven Stars Bureau have removed both the state governor and a general of a province?

Even if they had the heart to do so, it would depend on whether the Li and Mu families' backing would allow it.

But he never expected her to suddenly attack, lashing out with her whip. What was this?

It was like slapping him in the face and spitting in his mouth!

When she swung her whip again, he immediately drew his sword to meet her. Seeing that the general had drawn his weapon, his personal guards also drew their swords, and at the same time, the garrison soldiers surrounded them.

Yu Tao and Wang Cheng separated tacitly, each taking on half of the opposing force, but they were also worried. After all, this was in front of the governor's mansion. If the other side's reinforcements arrived continuously, then...

"Chen Zhen, go bring Mu Yunyang here."

"Yes." Chen Zhen exchanged a glance with his brothers before leaving. There were too few people around His Highness, and yet they had encountered so many incidents on this trip. It felt like they were always one step behind.

When Mu Yunyang was brought over, he had long lost his previous composure. His hair was disheveled, and he was only wearing a middle garment. He looked completely disheveled. With him in hand, the garrison soldiers hesitated.

The Sixth Prince glanced at him. If even a state governor was in such a state, what could be expected of other officials?

As the saying goes, a rotten apple spoils the barrel. How could the moral character of the officials of the entire Jingzhou be any better?

Fortunately, the Seven Stars Bureau had been traveling around the nine provinces for many years, and his father was able to know something about the situation. But it was probably limited. As far as he knew, the Seven Stars Bureau usually didn't focus on officials; they were more concerned with neighboring countries, and they also had to plug the holes in this vast country.

Although recent years haven’t seen any catastrophic disasters, there’s been no shortage of minor troubles. It was only after coming to the Hua family that he learned from Sister Shao Yao that some matters are suppressed below and never make it to the emperor’s desk.

So what's gone wrong?

Xiao Liu gazed at the entangled figures with confusion. They hold high positions and immense power. Even if they devoted a fraction of their energy to public affairs, it would be enough for the people.

Why can't they do it?

Greed is insatiable, so the Daqing Dynasty, from its founding, has always adopted a lenient approach, believing in a win-win situation for all. But as Elder Sister Hua said, you can't just reap the benefits without doing the work.

Xiao Liu lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. Elder Sister Hua said that it would be good to have more capable officials, even if they were a little greedy.

But what constitutes a capable official?

Many initially promising officials go astray over time. He knew several such cases. The same smile, once so charming, now seemed so repulsive.

Xiao Liu sought an answer, but the battle had reached a fever pitch. In terms of skill, Li Shiren was slightly better than Shao Yao, but Shao Yao had the advantage of poison, and in the end, Li Shiren was defeated. His personal guards were also incapacitated, and only the garrison troops continued to increase. Bound by the fact that Mu Yunyang was in the enemy's hands, their numbers increased but their fighting power did not.

Shao Yao's chest heaved rapidly. “Bind him and throw him in prison.”

Li Shiren struggled and shouted, “I am the governor of a state! You cannot humiliate me like this, nor do you have the authority to punish me!”

“Trying to intimidate me with your official title?” Shao Yao sneered. “Even if I were to kill you now, the Li family would have to accept it!”

“Can the Seven Stars Bureau so blatantly disregard the law and imperial authority? I refuse to accept this! I demand to see the emperor!”

“Don’t worry, you will have that opportunity. Take him away.”

Mu Yunyang was much more compliant. When they tried to bind him, he obediently turned his hands behind his back, proving to be quite sensible.

Shao Yao took a moment to catch her breath before formally revealing her identity. “The Seven Stars Bureau takes over the General’s Mansion. In fifteen minutes, I want to see all the commanding officers of the garrison and all the officials of the General’s Mansion here.”

The reputation of a person is like the shadows of trees. If the few people before them made them feel scared, now they feel reassured. Looking back at Daqing history, the Seven Stars Bureau has never done anything harmful to the dynasty. They have gained the trust of the emperor. Even if there were any hard feelings before, they have softened now. Everyone arrived in less than a quarter of an hour, without anyone missing.

During this time, Shao Yao took some time to understand the situation of both parties. Once they were all present, she announced, "Song Qi, you will temporarily oversee the Governor's Office and await the orders of the court."

"Yes." Song Qi was startled. He hadn't expected to fall into such a trap. Acting as an interim manager, who's to say he couldn't become the real one?

"Zhu Yichun, you will temporarily oversee the garrison in Jingzhou and await the orders of the court."

Zhu Yichun took a deep breath. "I will obey."

"Immediately send someone back to the capital to inform the court of this matter. No one is allowed to visit before they leave. Remember, absolutely no one."

"Yes." Song Qi and Zhu Yichun glanced at each other, understanding that they would do their best in this situation. Positions in the government are limited. Without someone above them stepping down, they won't have the chance to move up. This is their opportunity.

"Don't think about playing petty tricks under my nose. There should be no interaction between civil and military officials. The garrison and the Governor's Office should supervise each other, not collude for personal gain. Tighten your belts. The Seven Stars Bureau will take this matter seriously. If anything is found out again, there will be severe punishment."

The two of them shuddered at the warning and dared not look at each other. They had learned their lesson. They couldn't make the same mistakes again.

Shao Yao didn't expect the two of them to wholeheartedly support the court. She just hoped they would be better than their predecessors. She didn't want to waste her efforts on a new set of people.

"As for those brought back from Zhengyang, you should know how to handle them."

"Yes, we will provide you with a satisfactory answer."

"I don't need your answer. Handle it as you see fit."

"Yes."

Fed up with the politics, Shao Yao returned to her temporary residence. She wasn't surprised to see Xiao Liu daydreaming. She had taught him a lot along the way, and if he still couldn't think for himself, he should stay away from her in the future, not to waste her time.