The Great Tang General

Chapter 101 Let me rule the world, just like today
Officials from Yuyao County accompanied Li Xuan.

"General, why don't you move into Yuyao County ahead of time? If we wait for a few days, they will inevitably want to fight to the death!"

Li Qiuming expressed his doubts.

The Qianniu Guards were all mobile cavalry, and they were able to rush to Yuyao County and control the powerful when they summoned all the officials to Linhai City.

"If we don't give the powerful people in Yuyao County a chance, how can the powerful people in the world know their own strengths and weaknesses?"

Li Xuan said murderously.

There was one thing he didn't say, which was that he could kill more powerful people.

Li Qiuming was even more afraid of Li Xuan in his heart. He vaguely knew what Li Xuan was up to.

During this period, many scholars and literati asked to see Li Xuan, but Li Xuan declined them one by one.

Li Xuan knew that these people might come to persuade him to curb his murderous intentions, so he avoided them.

……

The powerful people of Yuyao County gathered together.

"Even Emperor Taizong has appeased us since the founding of our dynasty. Why would Li Xuan start a massacre against us?"

"That's right! Tolerating the pirate Wu Lingguang is the government's business. What does it have to do with us?"

"It is only when we maintain our villages that the country can be stable."

"Although Li Xuan is talented, he is essentially a mindless military commander who is cruel and violent."

"So much to say, how can we do it? We sent so many people, but we couldn't even see him. It's obvious that he wants to kill us all."

"I'm going to die anyway, let's fight him!"

"Fight……"

After some arguments and discussions, the powerful men decided to work together.

Among them, the Chang, Ge, Bai and Dou families are the leaders.

The four families painted their villages into pastoral areas, had tens of millions of dollars and enormous power.

"We can control 700 county soldiers in Yancheng, and gather soldiers from other counties and domestic slaves, which will make 2,000 people to defend Yancheng?" The patriarch of the Dou family gave his suggestion.

"Stupid! Wouldn't that be rebellion? If reinforcements come, our three clans will be exterminated. Besides, how long can two thousand people hold out? The people in the city will definitely not listen to us." The Chang clan leader thought that the Dou clan leader's idea was extremely stupid.

"Remember, we are not rebelling. We will immediately submit a petition to the people and send it to Chang'an to explain Li Xuan's cruelty to the emperor."

Ge You, the head of the Ge clan, also agreed.

If they refuse to defend the city, they will be charged with treason.

No matter how arrogant the powerful are, they dare not compete with the imperial court in prosperous times.

Unlike the peasant uprisings without their own opinions, they knew that the imperial court was in the stage of expanding its territory.

Wang Zhongsi then took Li Xuan and destroyed the Later Turks.

490,000 elite border guards, 120,000 Southern Court Imperial Guards, and 40,000 Northern Court Imperial Guards.

This does not include the county soldiers and soldiers throughout the country.

Once you rebel, there will be no way to survive.

"If we don't defend the city, how can we resist the imperial cavalry?" The head of the Dou family said impatiently, clapping his hands.

"We can save our lives and property without rebelling. We can only capture Li Xuan first, then give a large sum of money to the Right Prime Minister Li Linfu, and ask him to help us submit the memorial against Li Xuan to the Saint."

Ge You said to all the clan leaders.

"Li Xuan has the ability to kill generals and pull down flags, and he is famous for his bow and sword. Moreover, he is cautious. Even when he takes scholars out for fun, there are a large number of Qianniu Guards following him." said the Patriarch of the Bai family.

He thought it was difficult to do that.

"These are just rumors. He is a flesh and blood like us, so how can it be so exaggerated? Just lure him into Yancheng, and attack him before the Qianniu Guards enter. Even if he can kill fifty people, can he kill a hundred people?" Ge You didn't believe that Li Xuan's martial arts were the same as the rumors.

"Then how can we lure Li Xuan and make him let down his guard?"

The Patriarch of the Bai family asked Ge You specifically.

"Let the county soldiers pretend to surrender and tie us up. Let Li Xuan be fooled. As long as Li Xuan is arrested, the Qianniu Guards will not dare to act rashly."

Ge You added: "I know Li Xuan may not trust the county soldiers, but we have no choice but to give it a try."

"Just do it!"

"Done!"

All the powerful people believed in Ge You.

Among the 700 county soldiers in Yancheng, almost all of them were controlled by the sons and relatives of the powerful.

Even Beijia cannot achieve the control of the powerful.

After all, the deputy governor is replaced every three years, and the captain, brigade commander, and team leader of the county soldiers may have been in office for ten or twenty years.

The powerful people in Yuyao County went completely crazy. They swore an oath of blood alliance and decided to fight for a way to survive.

While mobilizing the county troops, they sent minor officials on horseback into Chang'an, carrying gold and a letter impeaching Li Xuan.

……

Li Xuan passed Ninghai County, left Linhai County, and headed straight for Yan County, the capital of Yuyao County.

Li Xuan ordered all officials except those in Yancheng to return to their respective counties to maintain order and await further instructions.

Three days later, he arrived about ten miles away from the south gate of Yancheng.

"General, we have learned that you are here to eliminate the tyrants. We have already captured all the big families in Yancheng, including Ge, Chang, Bai, and Dou. Please give us your instructions."

A county soldier captain rushed to greet Li Xuan and expressed his sincerity to him.

"Take all the clan leaders out of the city." Li Xuan ordered lightly.

"Yes……"

The county soldier captain did not dare to refuse, and turned around and left.

"Song Beijia, are the county soldiers in Yancheng so aware?"

Li Xuan turned and looked at Yuyao Beijia.

"The interests of the powerful and the county soldiers are the same."

Yuyao Beijia was very embarrassed. The county soldiers in Yancheng were even more powerful than those in Linhai, and the local tyrants had strong control over them.

In his eyes, Li Xuan is a butcher.

If he said the wrong thing, he would be beheaded. So he dared not hide it.

He seemed to have understood what the group of powerful people were going to do.

Yes, Li Xuan is pushing so hard, anyone would fight to the death.

……

"Li Xuan is too cunning. He asked the county soldiers to escort us out of the city. What should we do?"

When the Patriarch of the Bai family heard the news, he gritted his teeth in anger.

"We must seize the opportunity. This is our only way to survive. Let the county soldiers escort us out of the city. When Li Xuan comes forward to question us, he will definitely not bring too many soldiers. The county soldiers should be ready to rush forward and capture Li Xuan." Ge You was helpless. They had no way back.

What they didn't know was that the officials of Yuyao County were afraid of Li Xuan and told him about the relationship between the powerful and the county soldiers.

Three quarters of an hour later.

Li Xuan's troops were at the gates of Yan City.

Seven hundred county soldiers were escorting a dozen ragged tyrants and standing by the south city gate.

The soldiers' faces were clearly filled with discomfort. They were about to face the legendary imperial guards and the famous Li Xuan, which made everyone nervous.

"Are they the powerful leaders in Yancheng?"

Li Xuan asked Song Biejia who was beside him.

"Yes! Among them are the Ge, Bai, Dou, Chang and other big families."

Song Biejia smiled awkwardly.

Just when he thought that Li Xuan would send cavalry to charge forward and kill everyone without leaving a single soldier, Li Xuan dismounted and walked over with only his personal guards and dozens of Qianniu Guards.

The officials in Yancheng were frightened, but wasn’t Li Xuan afraid?

But under the pressure of Li Xuan's power, the officials dared not say a word.

They knew Li Xuan was not a fool.

Hao Qiang, who was tied and kneeling on the ground, was overjoyed.

As long as Li Xuan approaches, the county soldiers will rush forward and capture Li Xuan.

The county soldiers were also ready to go. They often followed the powerful to oppress the people and would only go down this path until the end.

In a blink of an eye, Li Xuan was only ten steps away from the powerful men in front of the county soldiers.

"Who among you is the captain of the county troops?"

Li Xuan did not come any closer and asked the county soldiers loudly.

"This is me!"

A man wearing fish-scale armor walked forward with his head lowered.

He hoped that Li Xuan could move forward a little further, so that he would be more confident.

"Immediately execute these powerful leaders, and forgive you for being innocent!" Li Xuan stared at the county soldier and said. "Go, whoever catches the traitor Li Xuan will be rewarded with 100 taels of gold."

When Li Xuan issued this order, the county soldier captain certainly could not obey it. He shouted loudly and gave the order.

The tyrant who was kneeling on the ground immediately stood up and said, "We must capture him alive!"

If Li Xuan died, the reckless Qianniu Guards would chop them into meat paste.

The county soldiers charged forward with spears and swords in their hands, their eyes red.

"You dare to rebel? I will kill you without mercy!"

Li Xuan took a Mo Dao from Luo Xing and immediately made a judgment on the Yuyao tyrant.

He just wanted to force the powerful to attack him and then put a accusation on them when he returned to Chang'an.

"Be brave! Save the general!"

Li Qiuming gave an order and led the cavalry to rush one hundred and fifty steps away, arriving in a breath's time.

Therefore, the county soldiers must capture Li Xuan within this short period of time.

Under normal circumstances, this is feasible, after all, there are a large number of county soldiers.

But it was like a foolish dream for a group of weak county soldiers to capture Li Xuan, who was as powerful as ten thousand men, alive.

Moreover, Li Xuan's personal guards and dozens of Qianniu Guards huddled together with spears and shields in hand.

It is not easy to conquer the iron-clad spear in a short period of time.

"Pfft!"

A county soldier captain took the lead and approached Li Xuan.

Li Xuan could have hidden behind the shield, but he didn't. He held the sword in his hand and swung it casually, chopping off the head of the lieutenant.

A dozen county soldiers approached and tried to hold Li Xuan down with their spears.

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

Li Xuan swung his Mo Dao violently.

The spears of more than a dozen county soldiers were chopped off one after another.

Li Xuan did not retreat but advanced, holding a Mo Dao and rushing forward, chopping down the county soldiers one by one as if they were chopping melons and vegetables.

Although the county soldiers were afraid due to their large numbers, they could only grit their teeth and stand firm.

The heavy Mo Dao was as light as a feather in Li Xuan's hand. He wielded it so tightly that no one could get through. No matter whether it was people or swords and spears, they were all destroyed by Li Xuan's Mo Dao.

Within a few breaths, a layer of corpses appeared in front of Li Xuan.

The Qianniu Guards Cavalry were already charging over.

The cavalry defeated the county soldiers in an instant.

The county soldiers, having lost their chance, fled in panic.

Some even want to take advantage of the situation and enter the city.

But a team of Qianniu Guards cavalry had already rushed into the city.

The powerful people were dumbfounded.

Although Li Xuan had only swung his sword a dozen times, he was like a killing god. The county soldiers could not get close to him at all and even thrust their swords forward.

If they fail to capture Li Xuan, it means they will die without a burial place.

Because Li Xuan's words of rebellion just now were tantamount to sentencing them to death.

The Qianniu Guards cavalry only charged in one round, and the surviving county soldiers knelt down and surrendered one after another.

Several powerful clan leaders wanted to take advantage of the chaos to leave, but were killed by the Qianniu Guards.

The remaining powerful clan leaders were captured.

"Bring these tyrants to the city gate and execute them!"

Li Xuan waved his hand, intending to kill these people before entering the city.

"General, you can't kill us!"

Ge You's fat body struggled and screamed.

Several Qianniu Guards who were escorting him were having a hard time holding him back.

"Humph! You guys have rebelled, do you still want to live?"

Li Xuan came before Ge You. Although he no longer held the Mo Dao, there were still bloodstains on his armor.

"When Wang Wenshu of the Han Dynasty wanted to execute a person, he complained why the heavens did not extend the winter by one month. Now it is late spring, how can you kill people at this time? Even if you want to rule by slaying a hawk like Yi Zong did, isn't it too hasty?"

Ge You struggled and shouted at Li Xuan.

He still has a glimmer of hope.

He thought that this was Li Xuan's own decision. When the clan members delivered the memorial to Li Linfu, the right and left prime ministers had a bad relationship, so they might speak for them.

I just hope Li Xuan can follow the rules and be executed in the autumn.

"If my sword kills people, it doesn't matter what season it is! How much more so if I kill a rebel, do I need to distinguish between the four seasons?"

Li Xuan held the hilt of the sword and spoke coldly.

"We have never rebelled. It is you who forced us into a desperate situation. We, the powerful, have always worked for the stability of the country. Without us, the county would not be as prosperous as it is now!"

Ge You still roared with a red face and thick neck.

"The prosperity of the counties has nothing to do with you. When Liu Chong governed the counties in the past, his achievements were outstanding, and when he left, the people rushed to give him money. The counties should be governed by virtuous people. Your governance is like using wolves to herd sheep, and no one will be convinced."

Li Xuan said with disdain. A powerful man is quite good at making excuses. He ordered the Qianniu Guards: "Take him over quickly and execute him."

"Zhang Tang and Zhi Du will definitely be your end..."

"Pfft!"

While Ge You was still shouting, the head had already fallen to the ground.

"Pfft!" "Pfft!"

The other clan leaders also cursed before they died.

The officials of Yuyao County witnessed it all from beginning to end, and none of them was free from cold sweat.

"Haha, they say I will end up like the cruel officials Zhang Tang and Zhi Du. I also expressed this to the saint. What do you think?"

Li Xuan shook his head and smiled, then asked the officials of Yuyao County.

"The general has great talents in both civil and military affairs, and is unprecedented in history. He is a wise minister like Duke Zhou and Yi Yin."

The officials said they dared not and flattered Li Xuan.

Li Xuan smiled and continued to order the officials to take the Qianniu Guards to search the house.

It was still the same old rules, the elderly, the weak, women and children were imprisoned in the mansion, and all the men and servants were arrested.

As the afterglow of the setting sun fell, Li Xuan stood alone on the top of the city wall, looking at the corpse of the powerful clan leader who had not yet been taken away, and muttered to himself: "If I were to rule the world, it would be just like today!"

……

Ten days passed in a row.

Li Xuan once again implicated all the powerful people in Yuyao County.

Li Xuan gathered the powerful people from the two counties in Linhai City and executed hundreds of criminals in one day.

The killings left heads rolling and blood flowing like rivers.

All the powerful members of the clan were reported and made into slaves.

The amount of money Li Xuan received was calculated in billions.

The silk, brocade, etc. obtained were transported in carts.

Various gold, silver and jewelry were also loaded into the car.

The properties and land obtained were tens of thousands of hectares.

Li Xuan instructed all counties to distribute land to tenant farmers and those with little land according to the system.

The equal-field system has been destroyed, so it can no longer be the same as before.

The refugees and tenant farmers were given a lot of land, but there was still a lot of extra land, which was handed over to the local government as public land, and hired common people to cultivate it.

Less than 10% of the money and silk was distributed to the people, which was enough for the people of the two counties to survive.

The rest were all shipped to Chang'an.

Let Li Longji see the benefits of killing the powerful.

It not only eased local land conflicts, but also filled the national treasury.

Of course, there are disadvantages.

But as it stands now, all the bad reputation lies with Li Xuan!

After this incident, the powerful people in the neighboring Yuhang County were terrified; the powerful people in Yongjia County, south of Linhai County, were also trembling with fear.

Because of fear, they even personally arrested their own clansmen who had committed crimes and took them to the government office.

He reduced the rent for tenants by 30% and strictly required his children to behave in a restrained manner.

(End of this chapter)