Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 119 Death of Governor Liu

“My humble abode is shabby, not as good as the courtyards in Chang’an, but its only feature is that it is large.

"Please mount your horses and follow me."

Murong Yan and Liu Xin rode side by side in front, with Li Ming and his party following closely behind.

Contrary to what one might imagine, Murong Yan is a gentle and elegant middle-aged man.

He was dressed very simply, with a huge Buddhist bead hanging around his neck and a string of small Bodhi wood beads in his hand.

He is just like a monk in a wild temple.

However, Li Ming had long passed the stage of judging people by their appearance.

As we all know, people in suits and ties may be real estate agents or gangster bosses.

"You are unfortunate enough to have encountered the Red Turban Bandits? Alas... Liaodong is not like Chang'an. There are always desperate criminals in the mountains."

Murong Yan expressed appropriate surprise and indignation, as if it came from the heart, as if all this had nothing to do with him.

"That group of thieves has been entrenched in the mountains, doing all kinds of evil. It is said that they are colluding with the Goguryeo people. Alas... Buddha will take them in sooner or later."

It is known that the Red Turban Bandits = Murong forces, and the Red Turban Bandits colluded with Goguryeo, which means that the Murong family also colluded with Goguryeo... Li Ming complained to his own amusement in his heart.

Of course, no one present exposed Murong Yan's lies.

They knew he was lying, and he knew they knew he was lying, but everyone remained harmonious.

This is how the adult world works.

"The thieves are rampant and it is my fault for failing in my duty. I hope you will consider my kindness and not take this matter to heart." Liu Xin said politely.

Although factually speaking, what he said was not wrong.

Hou Junji continued Liu Xin's words and said:

"Envoy Liu is too modest. Without your help, we would have to come to visit Murong's mansion with nothing."

He stroked Steelbeard with a smile, and changed the subject:
"However, Lord Murong's donation to the mountains and seas, although it is not enough to make us lose everything, it is almost enough to make us have nothing left but our underwear."

Expressing mild dissatisfaction at the right time and not being too submissive can make you appear more authentic.

At this moment, Hou Junji behaved like a businessman who had seen the world, rather than a person with ulterior motives.

For example, the Minister of Personnel who was preparing to sneak to Yingzhou next door to recruit people.

When this question was raised, Murong Yan's expression suddenly changed and became fanatical:

"Yanshan Mountain and Bohai Sea were bestowed by God upon our ancestors of the Great Yan State.

"Shouldn't you pay taxes to me, the descendant of the Great Yan State, for the treasures you have obtained between the mountains and the sea?"

"Huh?" Hou Junji was choked by this bold answer.

The others were also too stunned to speak.

"Pfft...hahaha!"

Murong Yan's expression softened again, and he stroked his beard and laughed.

"It's just a joke! It's the Tang Dynasty now. We don't want to talk about the past, don't talk about it!"

Oh, it was just a joke~ Everyone laughed fakely without any intention of joking.

"My subordinate was blind and offended the distinguished guest. I have already punished him.

"But speaking of it, I collect some money from people all over the world for the sake of the Tang Dynasty."

Murong Yan said sincerely:
“You may not know that although Pingzhou is poor, it has many brave men recruited by the imperial court to defend the territory for the Tang Dynasty.

"These veterans have nothing to do after they retire. I remember that they have served the country and I cannot bear to see them starving, so I subsidize their household expenses.

"However, Murong's family is poor, so we can only borrow some from the world in the name of mountains and seas."

This old fox's words are a mixture of truth and falsehood.

Li Ming looked at this ridiculously large mansion, its exquisite pavilions, bridges and flowing water, as well as its luxurious configuration of a sentry post every five steps and a road lamp every ten steps.

If there hadn't been such a mansion built on flat ground in the barren Pingzhou, he would probably have believed Murong Yan's lies.

"You are so wealthy, what can you do with us merchants?"

Hou Junji went straight to the point.

"It's just a small matter." Murong Yan said lightly:

"Pingzhou is poor in resources, so I would like to ask you to sell me some small ornaments from Chang'an."

Hou Junji and Wei Daijia exchanged glances.

"What jewelry?"

"Some pieces of iron." Murong Yan replied:
"It's about one and a half fingers wide, two fingers long, and as thick as five pages of paper."

Ordinary businessmen couldn’t understand the trick, but Hou Junji understood what this guy wanted as soon as he heard it.

This size is exactly the right size for the armor plates!
Punch holes in thousands of armor plates of this specification, tie them up end to end with oil-soaked hemp rope, and you have a set of armor!
Good fellow, Murong Yan not only secretly kept the armor, but also wanted to make it himself...

"This kind of ironware can be made in any blacksmith shop in Chang'an." Hou Junji lied with his eyes open, trying to trick the other party:

"Is there no decent workshop in Pingzhou?"

"Ah, it's such a poor and remote place, where are the skilled craftsmen?" Murong Yan smiled bitterly and pointed to the foot of the mountain.

Outside his house, by the Luan River, there was a small courtyard surrounded by high walls, which was also brightly lit and filled with smoke.

"Those clumsy mediocre people can't even make a piece of armor... Well, in short, they can't do anything except waste precious iron!"

Hou Junji nodded and made a gesture with his hand like Brother Kong Fang:

"As long as this is enough, it's a piece of cake."

The real problem was solved in just a few words, and Murong Yan's eyes revealed genuine joy.

He quickly suppressed his true feelings and pretended to be normal and relieved.
That place was most likely where armor was secretly stored... Li Ming took a deep look at that direction and memorized it silently in his heart.

Well, the evidence to be presented in court has been located, and you have the right to remain silent at that time.

…………

The group rode for a long time in this absurdly large courtyard before they arrived in front of a magnificent pavilion.

The evening social event is here.

The size of the main hall was almost as large as the Fengli Hall in Jiucheng Palace. The floor was covered with dark red carpet, and a charcoal basin was burning with animal gold charcoal, which blocked out the cold mountain breeze.

The thick pillars are carved with dragons and phoenixes, and the screens and paintings are exquisite, and so on, whatever exceeds the regulations is allowed.

"Welcome everyone."

Murong Yan sat in the main seat facing north and south, while the others, including the governor Liu Xin, sat on both sides, each with a small table in front of them.

It was as if the lord was meeting the emperor.

This guy Murong said he was respectful, but his actual actions were not polite at all... Li Ming saw it and was not surprised.

The banquet started, the food was served, and music was played.

"Pingzhou doesn't have many products, so I can only ask you to make do with what you have."

Li Ming looked at the sea cucumber, abalone, soft-shell turtle meat and sturgeon spine on the table and thought to himself, you actually know these are good things.

They monopolized the specialties from the mountains and seas, but left the common people with only coarse food to eat.

But on Murong Yan's table, there were only some vegetarian dishes.

"I don't eat beef because it is diligent. I don't eat mutton because it is filial. I don't eat fish because it loves its children. I don't eat chicken and duck because they are modest."

Murong Yan held the patinated Buddhist beads in her hands, her face full of piety:

"Don't worry about me, please!"

Li Ming stood in awe.

According to experience, people who believe in Buddhism at the dinner table usually have done something so bad that they feel guilty about it.

However, inferring Murong Yan's hypocritical character from these details is like using a magnifying glass to look for the elephant in the room.

No need.

Just look at the dilapidated state of Pingzhou and you will know how much evil this guy has done.

"But all this will be over soon. Yingzhou is not far from Pingzhou. As long as we get through tonight and reach Yingzhou..."

Li Ming made up his mind secretly, cleared his mind, and happily enjoyed the atmosphere of the banquet.

They drank and ate to their heart's content.

"How well have I governed this frontier area? Can you please say a few good words to Minister Hou?" Liu Xin, under the influence of alcohol, hugged the neck of "Minister Hou's friend" Hou Junji. Hou Junji smiled bitterly:
"It's okay, it's okay."

All of you have failed the Grade 5 test, so pack up and get out!
Chang Sunyan also let out a sharp roar under the influence of alcohol:
"Your officials are so slow in doing things!"

Ok?
Liu Xin looked at Changsun Yan's cup in confusion.

Isn't this little guy drinking pomegranate juice? Has it fermented after being left for a long time?

"Dawdle? There's no way to stop it. According to Tang law, we have to be so patient!"

He left Hou Junji behind and started arguing with little Chang Sun Yan with a stammered voice.

"Actually, this problem is easy to solve." Li Ming said casually.

"Oh?"

When Liu Xin saw that it was this child of unknown origin, his attitude immediately straightened out.

"Little brother, please do me a favor and tell me in detail."

Brother Thin Noodles, how much is your face worth... Li Ming complained in his heart, while chewing meat, he spread advanced ideas incoherently:

"By bringing together these government offices that serve the people, wouldn't it not only ensure that the procedures are legal and compliant, but also allow everyone to handle matters more quickly and improve efficiency?

"This government office is dedicated to the people of Lulong County, so it should be called the County Citizen Center."

"County Citizen Center? County Citizen Center...hiss..." Liu Xin seemed to have heard some extraordinary wisdom and excitedly took out a small notebook from his arms.

"You have paper and pen with you?" Li Ming was stunned.

Liu Xin moistened the wolf-hair brush with his mouth, smiled bitterly and nodded:

"I am old and my memory is not good, so when I hear a good idea, I have to write it down. A good memory is not as good as a bad pen."

Compared with Murong Yan's "virtuous policies", your little trick to facilitate the people is simply a drop in the bucket... Li Ming complained in his heart.

But he had to admit that during these days in Pingzhou, the person who impressed him the most was Liu Xin.

They really have no ability at all, and even getting a certificate makes people feel like they are being passed around.

After getting rid of Murong Yan, the governance strategy of Pingzhou changed, and Liu Xin could definitely not continue to serve as the governor.

But this guy’s official qualities are truly impeccable, he is the real master of clear soup.

Moreover, his attitude is quite positive and he will take the initiative to socialize in order to attract investment. He is a qualified grassroots cadre.

Well, if a cadre school is opened in Liaodong in the future, it is not impossible to rehire him to be a lecturer for the Commission for Discipline Inspection...

"Ouch... dizzy, urgent to pee."

A certain governor who didn't know that his political fate had been decided staggered out of the hall, his body still instinctively apologizing to the local tyrant:

"Change your clothes, excuse me."

Murong Yan, a commoner, simply nodded indifferently when the governor bowed to him.
"Go."

…………

"Ouch... it feels so bad..."

Liu Xin staggered, looking for a toilet in the long corridor.

Then, as expected, I got lost.

"Fuck, this place this guy built is too big!"

Envoy Liu cursed as he climbed up and down Murong's mansion which was built on the mountain.

Being drunk and blown by the cold autumn wind from Liaodong, he soon felt dizzy.

"Damn it, I won't look for it anymore!"

Liu Xin simply sat down on the ground and started to untie his belt, intending to solve the problem on the spot.

Then he heard a gust of wind blowing in the dark night sky.

The sound was getting closer and closer, as if something was flapping its wings.

"Dark Night Rakshasa? Evil Ghost Yaksha? Quickly... quickly... show yourself..."

He was talking drunkenly and unconsciously, and felt a sudden heaviness on his shoulder, followed by a dull pain.

It was as if the devil's sharp claws had grabbed him!
Liu Xin was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat and tried hard to focus his drunken eyes.

He discovered that the person grabbing his shoulder was not some evil ghost.

A bird's claw.

A hawk landed on his shoulder.

A piece of silk cloth was tied to the eagle's feet.

"It is said that the barbarians on the grasslands are good at training eagles to transmit information. Did I encounter this in Liaodong?"

Liu Xin thought he was drunk and dreaming. In line with the principle of pursuing his dreams to the end, he boldly grabbed the goshawk's neck and pulled off the cloth strip.

The poor bird had several feathers pulled out by the drunkard and flew away cursing.

"Let me see what message your master is sending~"

Liu Xin squinted his drunken eyes, spread out the cloth under the street light, and took a closer look.

I sobered up half way immediately.

"Xueyantuo? Joining forces with...Goguryeo and planning to attack Liaodong?
"Goguryeo launched an internal response within the Tang Dynasty?
"The traitor is..."

A name that couldn't be more familiar came into view.

"Murong...Murong Yan!"

…………

Liu Xin was completely awake.

"It turns out he wasn't joking, this guy really wants to revive the Great Yan Kingdom!
"They even colluded with Xueyantuo and Goguryeo...

"He's still supporting the Tang army!"

Liu Xin felt that this kind of event was beyond his level.

As a middle-aged man without ambition, he had neither the determination nor the ability to fight against the local tyrants who had suppressed him for more than ten years.

To be honest, he and Murong Yan got along quite well.

As long as he is willing to lie down and let things go, the local tyrant will help him keep the grassroots in order.

Liaodong has been out of the control of the Central Plains dynasty for too long, and the people here are not easy to control.

He is happy to have some free time after "outsourcing" part of his governing power.

Rebellion, however, is another matter.

Liu Xin, who had been a slacker all his life, recalled the books of sages he had read in his childhood, his passion in his youth, and his ambitions when he first took office in Pingzhou.

He felt that he couldn't continue to be so bad.

then.

He pretended nothing had happened, carefully put the cloth strip into his sleeve, and slowly stood up.

Liu Xin, who had been confused all his life, now had his brain working very fast.

Just make it through tonight, just make it through tomorrow.

Send a secret letter to Yingzhou next door to borrow heavenly soldiers, and the internal troubles will be solved!
He gritted his teeth, tried to walk in a straight line, and moved towards the main hall of the banquet hall.

I don’t know if it was because I was drunk or frightened, but my feet felt a little weak.

"Hold on, stand on now!"

He tapped his legs, which were stiff and numb.

"Shijun Liu."

Someone called him in the darkness.

"Who?!"

Liu Xin turned back subconsciously.

next second.

A rope was put around his neck from behind.

Tighten it hard.

(End of this chapter)