Fu Shanhe

Chapter 285 Blackmail

Jinan Prefecture.

"Governor, something terrible has happened!"

“Qufu fell, and many officials, including the county magistrate, died for their country.

After Duke Yansheng and his entourage broke out of the city, they were ambushed and killed by the Northern Tartars. Their life or death is now unknown!
After the northern barbarians captured Qufu, they looted it wantonly, and the Confucius Mansion became…"

Before the messenger could finish his words, Jia Xiaochen fainted.

Although he had tried his best to rescue, Qufu still fell quickly.

After such a thing happened, he, as the governor of Shandong, must be held accountable.

It was impossible to find someone to take the blame. The magistrate of Qufu County died for his country, while the prefect of Yanzhou was still fighting to defend his city.

Whether he could survive until after the war was still an unknown.

After a chaotic rescue, Jia Xiaochen woke up two hours later.

After receiving the bad news, a group of officials in Jinan City dropped their work and rushed over.

"Marquis Wuyang, what did they say over there?"

On the hospital bed, Jia Xiaochen glanced at everyone and asked.

Internal strife within the civil service group is also very serious.

The fall of Qufu and the damage to the sage's ancestral temple were too much to be borne by him alone.

The best option is to drag someone else down with you and find a few more people to share the responsibility.

Now in Jinan city, the person with the most honorable status and position, apart from the princes of the royal family, is the Marquis of Wuyang.

There is no doubt that no matter how you blame others for this misfortune, it has nothing to do with the royal family.

“The people we just sent over were driven out before they could even enter the commander’s camp.

It seems that Marquis Wuyang is not prepared to wade into this muddy water."

Governor Min Kaifeng replied dejectedly.

Those who work in government are all smart people.

They are all masters at shifting the blame. If it is not their own responsibility, Marquis Wuyang will definitely not take the initiative to step forward.

“Send someone else to urge them.

It is imperative that Marquis Wuyang send out troops to escort Duke Yansheng who has broken out of the siege.

Qufu has been lost, and Duke Yansheng cannot have any more accidents, otherwise you and I..."

Halfway through his words, Jia Xiaochen suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

It can be seen that the sad news of the fall of Qufu was a heavy blow to him.

If this situation continues, the governor of Shandong will be finished before the imperial court can punish him.

"Governor, please take a rest first. We will take care of the rest."

"Mr. Wang, I'm leaving the Governor's health in your hands!"

As the governor was ill in bed, the provincial governor Min Kaifeng decisively took on the responsibility.

At this time, as long as Governor Jia Xiaochen is alive, he is the second person responsible.

When the court holds the perpetrator accountable, the charge will be much lighter.

……

The army to support the king leads the camp.

"My Lord, the Shandong Provincial Governor has come here in person. It's not appropriate to leave him out in the cold!"

Li Mu said with a smile.

To guard Jinan Prefecture, the cooperation of local government offices is also needed.

It’s not a good thing if the relationship remains tense.

Anyway, Qufu has fallen now, and even if officials from Shandong area come to us, they are unlikely to mention rescue.

Judging from the current situation, those who need to bear the responsibility for the unsuccessful rescue are mainly the governor's office and the Shandong local army.

The imperial edict received by the army to defend the king was: strictly guard against revenge by the northern barbarians.

“It’s indeed not very appropriate, but I am a relative by marriage, so there is no need to give them face.

Please go and meet the Shandong Governor on my behalf.

If there is an excessive request, just refuse it directly.

I have made up my mind to wait for the Northern Tartar Army in Jinan City and not go anywhere else."

Marquis Wuyang said expressionlessly.

He had originally had a dislike for the officials of Shandong Province, and after coming into contact with the defenders of Jinan, this view became more solidified.

He couldn't imagine that even during wartime, they dared to withhold money and food.

The civil officials always criticized their in-laws for being greedy, but when they really compared themselves, they found that their in-laws were nothing.

Although he is also trying to make money, at least he won't touch such life-threatening money.

During his tenure as governor, he never touched military funds.

If he had not been concerned about the repercussions, he would have wanted to forcibly take over the city defense of Jinan Prefecture.

Everyone was defending together, and he was afraid that the soldiers guarding the city would suddenly open the city gates and surrender to the northern barbarians.

Similar tragedies have occurred before, but they were suppressed by civil servants.

In fact, corruption is only a small problem; the more difficult problem is incompetence.

Only a very small number of people can become a great Confucian general just by relying on a few military books.

For more officials, their military level is still at the paper stage.

Even though he has absolutely no ability, he still likes to get involved in everything.

After the army entered the city, it had many conflicts with Shandong officials over the adjustment of city defenses.

"Don't worry, my Lord. I will never agree to anything that I shouldn't agree to."

Li Mu answered decisively.

If it weren't for the money, he wouldn't want to deal with these officials in Shandong.

As a foreign troop stationed in Jinan, they certainly cannot work for nothing, and financial support from the Shandong Governor's Office is a must.

You have no choice but to give it.

The military discipline of the Dayu army is not good. Without the supervision of a leading general, the subordinates will have to rely on themselves.

Especially the guest troops, they are so unscrupulous that it is difficult to track them down after they rob and run away.

The army to support the king was trained by Li Mu himself. They usually had sufficient money and food and had no habit of robbery.

But the gentry and officials in Shandong didn’t know this.

The two sides communicated several times regarding the amount of subsidy, and the communication was generally pleasant.

At present, the army’s daily consumption is provided by the Shandong Governor’s Office, and only some supplies that are in short supply are transported from the rear.

No one can tell how long the war will last.

The good habit of thrift and diligence should not be lost, and every penny saved is a penny earned.

……

"Master Min, I heard that Master Jia was unwell. Has he gotten better?"

Li Mu's question scared Min Kaifeng.

In order to stabilize people's hearts, the government strictly kept the news of the governor's fainting secret.

As soon as he came out of the governor's office, he went straight to the military camp.

Under normal circumstances, the news of the governor's fainting should not have spread so quickly.

"Thank you for your concern, Admiral Li. The Governor is just overly anxious and will be fine after a while of rest.

This time, I came here to visit Marquis Wuyang on behalf of the Governor.

I wonder when is convenient for you, Lord?"

Min Kaifeng said pretending to be calm.

Although I don't know where the news leaked, it doesn't matter now.

For all the officials in Shandong, the most important thing now is to take over the Yansheng Duke and hold it in their own hands.

Later, when the imperial court held people accountable, there was one more person to share the responsibility.

If the court wants to severely punish them, it will have to deal with Duke Yansheng as well.

To put it nicely, Duke Yansheng broke out after the city was captured.

If we really investigate carefully, we will find that Duke Yansheng and his entourage had left the city before it was broken.

This order is very important. If it is reversed, it will lead to major political responsibility.

It is not an easy task to rescue Duke Yansheng while being pursued by the northern barbarians.

The local army in Shandong had suffered heavy losses in the previous battle to suppress the White Lotus Rebellion.

The only one who can complete the task now is the cavalry brought by Marquis Wuyang.

The officials below came to seek help, but they couldn't even see Marquis Wuyang.

As a last resort, Governor Min Kaifeng had to take action himself.

"The main force of the northern barbarians has marched southwards and has now reached Hejian Prefecture, which is only a few days away from Jinan Prefecture. The Marquis is currently contemplating a strategy to defeat the enemy behind closed doors and will not be seeing any outside visitors for the time being.

If you have anything to say, Lord Min, please talk to this admiral!"

Li Mu's answer directly blocked his way to an audience with Marquis Wuyang.

The northern barbarians are attacking in large numbers, and the commander must concentrate and think about countermeasures.

At a time like this, it would be very immature to distract others.

If they angered them, the army would abandon Jinan and head north to Tianjin, which would be even more disastrous.

"Admiral Li, I came here mainly for the matter of Duke Yansheng.

According to the news we received, after Duke Yansheng broke out, he was ambushed by the Northern Tartar cavalry and was in urgent need of reinforcements.

Right now in Shandong, the only ones who can take on this important task are the cavalry under your command."

Min Kaifeng said with a little trepidation.

Regardless of whether they can get Duke Yansheng to come over, they must do their best.

In order to reduce the responsibility as much as possible, the governor's office issued the same support order to all troops in Shandong.

The situation of Marquis Wuyang's troops was special, and the governor's office had no command over them, so it could only send people over to discuss the matter.

"It's difficult!"

"Sir Min, Duke Yansheng's whereabouts are unknown. Even if we want to pick him up, we don't know where to go.

If you want to complete the pick-up mission, it is better to let the local cavalry who are familiar with the road go.

We, the southern soldiers, are unfamiliar with the place and might get lost once we leave Jinan.

Not to mention meeting Duke Yansheng, even if Duke Yansheng arrived, the soldiers below would not recognize him.

If something unexpected happens, I can't afford it."

Li Mu refused without hesitation.

There is no one who can meet up with Duke Yansheng.

The two camps are in opposition, so even if you bring the person back alive, the other side will not appreciate it.

If something unexpected happens on the way, resulting in the death of Duke Yansheng, he will also be held responsible.

This kind of thankless task must be rejected.

If the main force of the Northern Tartars did not move south, he would have to consider whether to take the opportunity to go there and rob the robbers.

Don't think about it now.

Even if he could seize the enemy's spoils, he wouldn't be able to transport them back in a short time.

Once blocked by the grassland coalition forces in the wild, the army's limited strength will not be able to withstand the enemy's disaster.

Don't let the spoils be lost and the army be decimated, that would be a huge loss.

Even if you want to rob, you have to wait until the enemy retreats before taking action.

"Admiral Li, as long as you are willing to send troops, the conditions can be negotiated.

It would be best if we could rescue Duke Yansheng, but even if we can't, we have done our best.

At a time like this, we can only leave it to fate and do our best. "

Min Kaifeng immediately threw out his chips.

If we fail to save people, it’s a problem of ability.

If you don’t send anyone to rescue, that’s an attitude problem.

The most important thing in government circles is not to give others an advantage over you.

He knows best how poisonous the mouths of civil servants are.

The more you do now, the more excuses you will have when the court holds you accountable in the future.

The governor is in charge of military and political affairs, and the provincial governor's main responsibility is to manage officials and finances and taxation. There is still room for rescue for him now.

"Three hundred thousand taels for departure expenses!"

Seeing that there was a lever to be levered, Li Mu immediately asked for a huge sum.

If an army of 100,000 were to be dispatched, this amount of money would certainly not be a big deal. The problem is that now only one or two thousand cavalry are needed to support Duke Yansheng.

"Admiral Li, your appetite is really too big!"

Min Kaifeng frowned and said.

Although he needs help from others, he is not a sucker.

Once the sky-high cost of 300,000 taels of silver for the expedition is paid, he will become a laughing stock among all the civil and military officials in the court.

According to convention, if one mobilizes one or two thousand cavalrymen, one would be considered lucky if one could get eight thousand yuan for the marching expenses.

Even if there is a little premium, it can't be that much.

"Master Min, this is not how the accounts are calculated.

The most important thing to consider when sending troops at this time is the risk.

The cost of training elite cavalry is not low. If we send a team out now, no one can say whether they can come back alive.

Once encountering the grassland cavalry on the battlefield, the entire army may be wiped out at any time.

The Marquis has instructed that no military action should be taken without authorization.

If we send out troops now, I will be responsible for all the responsibilities.

If it weren't for the sake of Yanshenggong, I wouldn't dare to send troops even if you added another 300,000 taels."

Li Mu shook his head and said.

Knowing Min Kaifeng's situation, he didn't want to let this fat sheep go.

Judging from the current situation, the only one who has a chance to rescue Duke Yansheng is their army of loyal soldiers.

The other troops were either too far away or their combat effectiveness was too poor.

For someone struggling in the water, he must grab at a straw.

Even if Duke Yansheng cannot be rescued, if a few descendants of the saint can be rescued, it will be easier for the court to operate later.

He was most afraid of being wiped out by the enemy. In order to save his family, Duke Yansheng directly surrendered to the Northern Tartars, claiming that the Northern Tartars were his destiny.

With the influence of the descendants of the saint, if such a thing happened, both Emperor Yongning and the officials in the court would be extremely embarrassed.

The emperor was so angry that he pursued the responsibility, and a large number of people would die.

"One hundred thousand taels!"

"This is all the cash the government can take out. If there is more, there will be nothing we can do."

Min Kaifeng said with a serious expression.

This kind of bargaining, which is similar to doing business, is not what he is good at.

In the past, when there were disputes in official circles, everyone would cover it up and rarely would people talk about money openly.

“If there is no other way, then find a way.

For the title of Yanshenggong, I think there should be quite a few people willing to pay.

The Kong family also has many businesses in Jinan Prefecture.

"The stewards below can't just watch their masters fall into the hands of the northern barbarians, right?"

Li Mu said with a smile.

In troubled times, having wealth without the power to protect it is like meat on the chopping board.

As a thousand-year-old family, no one can tell how much wealth the Kong family has accumulated.

The title of descendant of a saint is a talisman, but this can only save one's life and does not mean that one's wealth will not be damaged.

It's okay if you meet someone who knows the rules, but if you meet someone who doesn't, no matter how much wealth you have, it will be useless.

As a member of the rule system, he couldn't ask the Kong family for money directly, but he could still take advantage of the opportunity to extort some money from them.

"it is good!"

"I'll go talk to the Kong family and I think they won't refuse.

The safety of Duke Yansheng is in the hands of the Admiral!"

Min Kaifeng agreed immediately.

He doesn't need to pay, everything can be negotiated.

Even though they usually hold Duke Yansheng in high esteem, few of the local officials in Shandong Province like the Confucius Mansion.

The cake is only so big. If some people take more, some people will take less.

With the presence of the monster Kong family, collecting taxes every year is the most headache for local officials.

There is a limit to shifting taxes onto the common people.

The most basic bottom line is not to incite civil unrest, which puts officials to the test.

The various crimes committed by the Confucius Mansion also affected the evaluation of local officials.

Every now and then a case would arise and they would be asked to clean up the mess, and everyone would feel resentful.

However, considering the political impact, everyone chose to endure it silently.

If you really can't bear it anymore, you will explode.

Decades ago, the imperial court's replacement of Duke Yansheng was pushed by local officials.

(End of this chapter)