The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 546: People in Daqi
Upon hearing the news of Qian Sanruo and Shi Yousan's "rebellion", Jiang Liuer left the matter of suppressing the bandits and rushed back to Ningguta from Sakhalin Island overnight with the majestic Tiger Songxia. He also brought back more than 120 Cossack prisoners.

In the hall of the Ningguta prefectural government office, Deputy General Jiang Liuer, shirtless and with a dense network of thorn sticks tied to his back, knelt before Emperor Wu Ding and said with tears in his eyes:

"I never imagined that Qian Sanruo and his men would commit such a horrific act, colluding with the Rakshasa demons and betraying Great Qi. They are truly utterly despicable! I am usually busy with military affairs, and I have been guilty of negligence this time! I deserve death! I beg the Supreme Emperor to punish me!"

Standing on both sides of the hall were Wu Xiao, Yang Tong, Xie Yang, Liu Xingzuo and other confidants; the chief instructor Sen Ti, the eunuch Dongfang Zhu and the commander of the imperial guard Pei Dahu stood on both sides of the throne.

Emperor Wu Ding looked past the crowd and immediately saw the tiger pine tree squatting at the gate of the government office, looking gracefully.

After not seeing you for a few years, the little tiger has grown so big.

The lobby was completely silent, with only the thud of Jiang Liuer's head hitting the floor.

At a certain moment, the time traveler seemed to see himself in a trance in the 47th year of Wanli, going to Beijing to meet the emperor and kneeling and kowtowing before the old emperor.

In Da Qi, everything depends on your acting skills.

It is obviously nonsense to say that Jiang Liuer had been in Ningguta for six years and knew nothing about the money and stone, and was kept in the dark by the two.

Even if the tiger-taming boy really didn't know that Qian Sanruo sent hundreds of thousands of silver taels to the emperor every year, and didn't know the various behind-the-scenes deals between Ningguta and the court, the arena in the city that could accommodate thousands of people and made a fortune every day, the brothels and gambling houses that were constantly at the door, and the prisoners who often disappeared inexplicably in the cells...
Doesn’t Jiang Liuer know these too?
The various heinous acts that occurred in the Ningguta Prefecture City cannot be explained away by simply saying "I was busy with military affairs and was negligent in supervision."

Unless, Emperor Wuding was also acting.

"Deputy General Jiang has guarded the northern border for many years, personally leading the charge to resist the Rakshasa demons' southward advance. I heard he suffered no fewer than seventy-two wounds. Even though he has no merit, he has certainly worked hard. I earnestly request the Supreme Emperor to show some leniency."

Unexpectedly, the first person to stand up and plead was Dongfang Zhu, who had no connection with Ningguta.

A eunuch in the inner palace had to plead for mercy for the northern border commander who had nothing to do with him. Only a fool would believe that there was no one behind this.

Emperor Wuding looked displeased:
"Dongfang Zhu, you took money from him, yet you're speaking for him like this? You even know how many arrow wounds he has!"

Dongfang Zhu's face turned pale and he was speechless. But then he heard the emperor ask:

"Is everything you said true?"

Seeing this, everyone knew that the emperor had already pardoned Jiang Liuer, so they backed off and pleaded for the tiger-taming boy. Even the pine tree at the gate began to get anxious, shaking its tiger's tail and walking back and forth, looking at the people around it with ill intentions.

Emperor Wu Ding waited patiently for everyone to finish speaking:
"If we're talking about this negligence, I should be the first to be held accountable. Well, well, well. Since everyone is asking for mercy, let this matter go."

Jiang Liuer hurriedly thanked the emperor, and Liu Zhaosun announced publicly that Jiang Liuer would continue to serve as the deputy general of Ningguta and be in charge of Ningguta's military and political affairs.

As for the brothels, gambling houses, and fighting arenas that had been exaggerated before, none of them were mentioned at all.

However, Emperor Wuding also took the opportunity to put forward his own conditions.

"From now on, Vice General Jiang should focus on military affairs. Let Director Xie and the others handle the civil affairs."

Xie Yang was ecstatic.

In other words, the Colosseum, brothels, and gambling houses, which are strictly prohibited in the interior but are extremely profitable, can now be operated in Ningguta, and all of them must go through the hands of Xie Guangkun!

Just when everyone thought that the drama of the king and his subjects apologizing and reconciling was about to end, a small incident occurred on the set.

"I am too dull to guard the northern border. Your Majesty, please find someone else to do it!"

Liu Zhaosun walked down from the throne, smiled, patted Jiang Liuer on the shoulder, and comforted him:
"There's no such thing as learning something the first time. Don't be afraid. I've said that we must learn war through war."

Jiang Liuer declined several times, but was rejected by Emperor Wuding every time, so he had to stay as the deputy general of Ningguta.

"Okay, I heard that Deputy General Jiang killed many Rakshasa ghosts this time. Da Qi needs generals like you."

Liu Zhaosun praised Jiang Liuer again in public.

The carrot-and-stick tactics caught the inexperienced Jiang Liu'er off guard, and he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the emperor. Only then did the emperor finally get to the point and ask about the Sakhalin War.

He ordered Xie Yang to build several new large concentration camps on Sakhalin Island to better accommodate and deal with those unrepentant prisoners of war.

~~~~
On the fifth day of April, Liu Zhaosun led a large army into the city and personally took over this important town in the northern border.

As the rebellion was quickly quelled, apart from a group of houses being burned in the south of the city, there was basically no damage. The training officers of the battalions of the First Corps took to the streets to mobilize people, holding wooden loudspeakers to read out the policies of the Qi army, and quickly calmed the people in the city.

Surrounded by a crowd of people, Liu Zhaosun rode his horse along the North-South Street all the way to the Ningguta prefectural government office. The prefect's family had already been arrested by the servants of the Shi family and sent to the emperor.

Liu Zhaosun looked at the huge group of women in front of him, including several children, and waved his hand, issuing an order:
"The men will be sent to the mines to atone for their sins, the women will be confiscated from the palace, and the children will be handed over to Liu Yidao, the Imperial Household Department."

The cries were like thunder all around. The several beautiful concubines left behind by Shi Yousan threw themselves before the retired emperor, crying and shouting to thank His Majesty for his grace. As for the adult men, knowing their lives were in danger, they pleaded with Emperor Wu Ding for mercy and to spare their lives. They hugged the horse's hoof under the retired emperor's crotch and howled hysterically.

Seeing this, Wu Xiao and Liu Xingzuo hurriedly brought their men over, swung their scabbards and drove the men away without saying a word.

Suddenly, blood splattered everywhere and screams were heard.

Liu Zhaosun had seen such scenes many times. The suffering of these people before him had nothing to do with him. There wasn't even a ripple in his heart.

After Pei Dahu and Wu Xiao had fought for a while, Emperor Wuding dismissed the imperial guards, dismounted, and leaned over to look at the civilians lying in a pool of blood. He said to the families of the dying prisoners:
"For the past few years, you've followed Shi Yousan in oppressing the people, trafficking people, growing poppies, running brothels and arenas...you've committed every kind of evil. Since you were able to enjoy the good life with Shi Yousan, now that he's dead, you should share his suffering."

These words of the retired emperor basically announced the tragic end of the families of the Ningguta criminals.

Two days later, Wu Xiao and Yang Tong accompanied the retired emperor to visit this sinful city. From the Colosseum to the brothel, from the gambling house to the cream shop, they went around in circles and finally understood the city of sin.

"I never thought those two bastards, Qian Sanruo and Shi Yousan, would mess up Ningguta like this without my knowledge. They've abandoned the Qi Dynasty's Land System and even hired serfs, treating this place like ancient Rome! It's all my fault! What a sin!"

"Investigate! This must be a thorough investigation! Anyone involved in this matter will be severely punished without mercy!"

On the way back, Emperor Wu Ding was furious. According to the laws of the Great Qi Dynasty, brothels and gambling houses were strictly prohibited, not to mention the existence of arenas.

Anyone with a discerning eye knew that if Qian Sanruo and his men had not secretly obtained the tacit approval of the Supreme Emperor, they would not have dared to open a brothel in Ningguta even if they had ten times the courage.

"Carrying the red flag and opposing the red flag! Your conscience has been eaten by dogs! This Qian Sanruo, he has only been transferred to Ningguta for a few years, and he has forgotten that he is still a soldier from Kaiyuan! Go!"

Emperor Wu Ding became more and more excited as he spoke and began to curse loudly.

It was as if Emperor Wuding had no idea that there was such a mess in Ningguta.

"Your Majesty has treated these two bastards with utmost kindness, handing over the entire Ningguta to them. Yet what about them? It's outrageous. They are so disobedient. It's simply outrageous!"

Dongguanzai Senti was still the first one in the group to speak out, and he immediately cleared the emperor of all responsibility.

"Well, Instructor Mori is right. This is the first time I've seen someone so ungrateful and ungrateful."

Yang Tong, Wu Xiao and others had no choice but to go along with the situation and try their best to cooperate with the performance of the emperor.

Liu Zhaosun cursed at the air for a while, until his saliva splashed on the faces of Wu Xiao, Pei Dahu and others, then he stopped:

"Gather your men and raid the homes of these two bastards!"

In the city, nearly half of the more than 320 officials, from the general to the prefect, were arrested and imprisoned. More than 600 combat and auxiliary soldiers stationed in the city were punished, and five officers above the rank of captain were beheaded.

The Suoyi Guards found over one million taels of silver and countless antique treasures in the secret rooms of Qian and Shi's mansions.
In this way, the imperial court seized several major industries that Qian and Shi had worked so hard to build, and plundered hundreds of shareholders, big and small, behind the black industry, completing the feat of the state advancing and the people retreating.

The reputation of being a man of thundering means and a kind heart was left to Emperor Wuding, which served as a deterrent to other officials.

This achieves the win-win-win situation that time travelers have always dreamed of: "I want this, I want, and more."

(End of this chapter)