Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 284 Borrowing My Life

Song Ming asked cautiously, "What do you think, sir?"

Zhao Zhizhong glanced at Song Ming and said calmly, "Prepare a room for me. I need to rest."

Song Ming couldn't help but say, "The room is ready, sir, please follow me..."

Song Ming hurriedly led the way and took Zhao Zhizhong to a guest room.

"If you have any requests, please let me know. I will stay in the mansion the whole time." Song Ming said earnestly again.

"Very good, go down!"

Zhao Zhizhong waved his hand and walked straight into the room.

After Song Ming left, Zhao Zhizhong called over a subordinate and whispered, "Keep a close eye on the city and outside, especially Song Ming's men..."

After giving some instructions, Zhao Zhizhong sat in the room and rubbed his eyebrows lightly, feeling a pain in his head.

Lu Zheng did not mention any conditions and let him figure it out on his own, which made Zhao Zhizhong at a loss as to what to do.

He was unsure what to do to satisfy Lu Zheng.

Judging from what I have heard recently about the events in Hongzhou, it would probably not be easy to get rid of Lu Zheng.

Zhao Zhizhong said quietly, "My Lord asked me to come here and do what is convenient for me. Lu Zheng cannot be touched, so..."

"This matter cannot be delayed any longer. Everyone says that Lu Zheng is a man of integrity. If we delay any longer, if he takes so many people all the way to Maozhou City, no one will dare to stop him, and the news will spread..."

Zhao Zhizhong had a headache, fearing that the events in Qianshan County would become public and he would not be able to clean up the mess.

Things cannot be delayed and a decision must be made as soon as possible.

Zhao Zhizhong pondered for a moment, then made up his mind and said, "Come here, call Magistrate Song."

When Song Ming heard the news, he hurried over to wait for instructions.

Zhao Zhizhong looked at Song Ming, smiled and waved, "Song County Magistrate, please sit down! We are old acquaintances, and I would like to have a private conversation with you."

Upon hearing this, Song Ming sat aside and said respectfully, "What do you want to say, sir?"

Zhao Zhizhong smiled and said, "Your Song family is also a family of scholars. I heard that one of your grandsons passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen. He is quite a talent..."

Song Ming sat upright and said, "Your Excellency is too kind. My descendants are not necessarily talented..."

"Hey, why belittle yourself?" Zhao Zhizhong said leisurely, "I'd like to recommend your grandson to study at the provincial academy. If he performs well, he'll be given a place in the next batch of the Imperial College. What do you think, Lord Song?"

As the highest institution of learning in Anguo, the Imperial College has many scholars and great Confucian scholars teaching, and is the place that Anguo students most yearn for.

Among every batch of students recruited by the Imperial College, there are some places for special admission.

Even if there are special places, it is difficult to get in even if you have connections without solid skills.

Among the students who were able to study at the Imperial College, there were few who were not valued.

When Song Ming heard this, he was not happy but shocked.

He is not a fool. How can such a good thing happen for free in this world?
Song Ming's face straightened, and he stood up and said, "Your Excellency, I am too ashamed to accept your kindness!"

Zhao Zhizhong waved his hand and said, "Hey, sit down, sit down and talk! This is not for you, it's for your grandson! You are already old, you should always think more about your descendants."

Song Ming fell silent upon hearing this.

After a while, Song Ming finally spoke: "Your Excellency is so kind. I wonder how I can repay you?"

Zhao Zhizhong narrowed his eyes and smiled when he heard this. "Well, we're all colleagues, why bother talking about this... But right now, I do have a problem. Regarding that Lu Zheng outside the city, County Magistrate Song, can you offer some advice?"

Song Ming's expression flashed with a hint of unnaturalness. "This boy is not an ordinary person. I am at a loss as to what to do. I wonder if Lord Zhao has any good ideas?"

Zhao Zhizhong sighed, "This Lu Zheng is indeed difficult to deal with. I don't have any good ideas, but I do have a plan that may be able to resolve the situation. This matter still requires the intervention of County Magistrate Song."

Song Ming felt something was wrong and could only say, "I'd like to hear the details."

Zhao Zhizhong looked at Song Ming, his expression changing. "I would like to borrow County Magistrate Song's life to appease the anger of Lu Zheng and the people..."

After a round of Tai Chi, the two sides finally made things clear.

Although Song Ming had expected this, he still felt chilled and as if he had fallen into an icy cave when he heard Zhao Zhizhong's words.

His face was frozen, and after a while he finally uttered a word, "Your Excellency's actions are no different from cutting off your flesh to feed the wolves."

Zhao Zhizhong agreed with what he said. Lu Zheng was indeed a vicious wolf, but if he didn't cut off some of his meat, he would pounce on him.

Even a brave man has to cut off his arm, and the flesh must be cut.

Zhao Zhizhong said quietly, "County Magistrate Song, you have to understand our difficulties. This man even dares to target the wealthy families in Hongzhou. What are you and I..."

Zhao Zhizhong was just an official under the governor of a state, but Lu Zheng was someone who could chat and laugh with the governor and the provincial governor.

He couldn't afford to offend such a person, let alone a mere county magistrate.

Song Ming felt cold in his heart, so Lu Zheng didn't say anything, so Zhao Zhizhong treated him as a pawn?

Song Mingdao said, "Lord Zhao, do you think that if you do this, he will let it go?"

Zhao Zhizhong shook his head and said, "Not necessarily, but if no price is paid, he will definitely not give up."

Song Ming sighed when he heard this, everything was just as he expected.

Whether facing Lu Zheng or Zhao Zhizhong, Song Ming was just an insignificant figure with no room for resistance.

He was the county magistrate in Qianshan County, and he was supposed to be working for others. But in the current situation, how could he not be abandoned?
Song Ming couldn't help but ask, "What does Lord Zhao want me to do?" Zhao Zhizhong said, "I'll give you time to write a letter home, then confess your guilt and commit suicide. Die with dignity... I'll take good care of your family. As for your grandson, as I said just now, I'll try to get him into the Imperial College. Go with peace of mind, and don't worry about anything..."

Song Ming had a blank expression on his face. He thought that if Lu Zheng didn't give up, the whole Maozhou would be in turmoil, and the generous conditions proposed by Zhao Zhizhong would probably not be realized.

But at this point, he has no choice.

Song Ming sighed inwardly, "Forget it, I'll just follow what Lord Zhao said."

"Well, well, County Magistrate Song is very understanding..." Zhao Zhizhong smiled and nodded, then instructed his subordinates beside him, "Go, send County Magistrate Song off."

Song Ming twitched the corner of his mouth. It was obvious that someone was monitoring him and not giving him a chance to regret.

Seeing this, Song Ming had nothing to say. He stood up, bowed and said goodbye, then walked out of the room with stiff steps.

Soon, Song Ming returned to his yard with a sad look on his face.

He had already made many preparations, including a suicide note, and called a servant to pass it to his family.

Seeing this, Zhao Zhizhong's subordinates snatched the letter and said calmly, "I'll keep this letter for the time being and hand it over to County Magistrate Song's family later."

Song Ming looked indifferent and didn't say anything.

The subordinate looked at Song Ming and asked, "Does the County Magistrate need my help?"

"No need to bother..." Song Ming said in a cold tone.

He walked into the room and sat down, then took out a bottle of poison and swallowed it.

After that, Song Ming lay motionless, waiting for the poison to take effect.

But after a while, Song Ming's expression changed and he looked no longer in pain.

"Ho..."

Blood oozed from the corner of Song Ming's mouth. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he was dying. He murmured, "Tell Lord Zhao that I gave Lu Zheng some evidence of his crime. You... you..."

The evidence he wrote had not actually been sent to Lu Zheng yet.

But Song Ming didn't mind letting the two sides fight over this. If he died, no one else would have a good life.

Before he could finish his words, Song Ming died.

The official's expression changed when he heard this, and he hurriedly checked Song Ming's soul, but found that his soul had turned to ashes.

The officials did not dare to hide it and hurried back to report the situation.

Zhao Zhizhong's face changed when he heard Song Ming's last words. "Song Ming, you dared to trick me before you died! Good, good, good..."

"No, if Lu Zheng really had evidence, why would he stay here and not make it clear..."

Zhao Zhizhong frowned, unable to understand some of the things.

He suspected that Song Ming was lying, but he was also worried that Lu Zheng really had some evidence against him.

"Damn it!"

Zhao Zhizhong could no longer sit still and stood up, saying, "Go check whether this is true and immediately send someone to take over Qianshan County."

As he spoke, Zhao Zhizhong strode out of the room to arrange for people to do things.

It was already night, but the entire county was in an uproar, and the county magistrate's residence was in chaos.

On a mountain outside the city, Lu Zheng stood on the top of the mountain, looking at the county town from afar with a homemade telescope, and he had a clear view of some of the things happening in the city.

However, Lu Zheng did not see Song Ming committing suicide.

Zhao Zhizhong and his men took over the county town. It seemed that they arrested a lot of people and acted quite decisively.

Then, Lu Zheng saw Zhao Zhizhong leading a group of people out of the city and down the mountain, obviously coming to find him.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng packed up his things, flew down the mountain, and came to the camp built by the people.

It just so happened that Zhao Zhizhong also brought people over.

Zhao Zhizhong smiled when he saw Lu Zheng. "Mr. Lu, I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night! Take a look at this..."

Zhao Zhizhong waved his hand, and someone behind him brought a tray covered with a red cloth.

The red cloth was lifted, and a large head came into everyone's sight. It was Song Ming's head.

Zhao Zhizhong pointed at the head and said angrily, "This man committed heinous crimes. Knowing he could not escape death, he took his own life by poisoning himself. When I learned of this, I was so enraged that I had his head cut off and presented it to you all! Now, I have taken over the temporary management of Qianshan County. County Magistrate Song's subordinates and accomplices have all been arrested and await trial..."

Zhao Zhizhong then ordered, "Bring this man's head to the people to see!"

Upon hearing this, the officer holding the tray went directly to the camp and passed the head to everyone.

When the people learned that the county magistrate had been beheaded, they couldn't help but feel relieved.

These people rarely saw officials being brought to justice, so when they saw a county magistrate end up like this, they all called it retribution and were extremely grateful to Lu Zheng.

Zhao Zhizhong felt a little relieved when he saw the change in people's attitudes.

As long as these people don't make trouble, things will be easy.

He turned to look at Lu Zheng and said kindly, "Mr. Lu, may I have a word with you?"

(End of this chapter)