Huangming

Chapter 118 Wang Gong's Cunning Scheme, Silver Spear Cuts Through the Treacherous Official

The reorganization of the Beijing garrison was swift and decisive.

However, the Beijing garrison was said to have 200,000 men, and they were stationed in different locations.

Even if the troops were divided into three groups, it would be difficult to reorganize all the garrisons of the Beijing garrison within a single day.

By sunset, less than 30% of the Beijing garrison had been reorganized.

However, Wei Zhongxian's confiscation of homes and arrests filled the Northern Garrison Prison in just half a day.

Without their commander, the soldiers of the Beijing garrison had no one to lead them and were left helpless, like fish on a chopping board, forced to surrender.

of course
There are exceptions, though.

Some people, however, are thinking of enduring it head-on.

The revenue brought by the Beijing Garrison is the livelihood of the families of a million soldiers and their families. How can you, an emperor, just replace them as you please?

Previously, there was little reaction from the various camps, mainly because it was early morning and many officers and commanders had not yet taken their posts. Without a leader, no one dared to take the lead in causing trouble.

As the emperor's investigation of the Beijing garrison gained momentum, some of the garrison members began to conspire to cause trouble and completely thwart the emperor's investigation.

Outside Deshengmen.

The gunpowder depot was located at the Shenji Battalion's garrison.

At this moment, Xu Guotai, the Left Assistant Commander, and Liu Guangzuo, the Right Assistant Commander, were waiting outside Wanggongchang with their men for Duke Zhu Chunchen of Chengguo to come and investigate the Shenji Camp.

However, neither of them intended to surrender.

"Is everything arranged at Wang Gong Factory?"

Xu Guotai asked cryptically.

Right Wing Commander Liu Guangzuo immediately nodded.

"General Xu, there is no need to worry. Everything has been arranged and it will not affect us."

Seeing this, Xu Guotai felt much more at ease.

However, he still felt somewhat uneasy.

Xu Guotai was originally a subordinate of Qi Jiguang's army. Because of his meritorious service, he was awarded the position of brigade general.

On the battlefield, he naturally fought bravely and made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty.

However, after being granted the rank of brigade commander, he inevitably colluded with the corrupt officials in the Beijing garrison.

After all, drawing salaries without working and selling military status—this money comes too quickly and too easily.

Originally, he could have continued to leech off the wealth and resources of the Ming Dynasty, living and dying alongside the nation.

To everyone's surprise, the emperor actually dared to conduct a thorough investigation of the Beijing Garrison.

This is their source of wealth, and even the emperor cannot cut it off!

Moreover, they were well aware of the deficit in the Shenji Battalion. If a thorough investigation were conducted, the vacant military registers, the extra pay earned without working, and the missing muskets and cannons would be enough to make them pay dearly.

Now, they are counting on the fire dragon to burn down the granary.

even
He intended to use this to intimidate the emperor, as the Imperial Guard might actually rebel.

Their confidence stemmed from the gunpowder inside Wang Gong Factory.

Wang Gong Factory stored a large amount of gunpowder!
An explosion would shake the entire capital!

Just as the two were dreaming about the future, a dark mass of Imperial Guards and soldiers from the Four Guards Camps arrived in the distance.

The two immediately led the Shenji Battalion to pay their respects.

"This humble servant greets Your Excellency, the Duke!"

Duke Cheng lay on the sedan chair, wrapped in a brocade quilt, his face pale, but his eyes were like those of a venomous snake, as if he wanted to kill someone.

"Gentlemen, it's time to investigate the Divine Machine Battalion."

As dusk settled, Xu Guotai immediately said, "Your Excellency, the account books have been prepared in the camp. Please come in and take a look."

Zhu Chunchen smiled coldly and said, "Then let's go in!"

Unexpectedly, the two men suddenly knelt down and said, "Before the Duke checks the accounts, please punish us for the crimes of receiving salaries without working and selling military registers. We also ask the Duke to imprison us."

Ah!
This is the first time I've ever met someone so proactive.

In other camps, there was some resistance, but the Shenji Camp was surprisingly cooperative.

He actually thought he would voluntarily go to the imperial prison?
"Aren't you two afraid of the punishments in the imperial prison?"

Xu Guotai remained calm and said, "Confessing will be treated leniently, resisting will be punished severely. We have voluntarily surrendered and are willing to make up for the embezzled funds over the years."

Turns out they're quite wealthy.

"It seems that you are very supportive of His Majesty's reorganization of the capital garrison."

Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo, the Right Assistant Commander, immediately said, "Your Majesty is the sun in our heavens. How can fireflies compete with the blazing sun? We dare not disobey Your Majesty's command!"

"is it?"

At this moment, a group of people suddenly walked out of Wang Gongchang.

The one leading them was none other than the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, who was wearing a python robe.

"I'm afraid you're planning to detonate the gunpowder in Wang Gong Factory and blow us all up."

Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo's expressions changed drastically. They clenched their hands tightly, looking somewhat flustered, but still managed to remain calm and said, "This humble servant does not know what the Imperial Eunuch means by these words."

"Stop pretending!"

Wei Zhongxian shoved Wang Gongchang's helper forward and scolded, "Wang Er, you tell me, what do these two want you to do?"

Wang Gong Factory was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works. The factory had one supervising eunuch, more than 30 craftsmen, and some temporary helpers.

These helpers, who would later become temporary workers, could only do dirty and tiring jobs.

Wang Er, the helper, was a disheveled middle-aged man who was kneeling on the ground, his body limp. He glanced at Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo and saw that their eyes were threatening. He was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head again.

Wei Zhongxian sneered and kicked the helper, saying viciously, "You're afraid of these two military officers, but not of me, Wei Zhongxian? Do you want to go to the imperial prison and experience what it's like there? Or do you think I don't know where your family is?"

Wei Zhongxian's infamy is now known to everyone in the capital.

It can even stop a child from crying.

Faced with Wei Zhongxian's threats, the servant finally spoke.

"Please spare me, Your Excellency! It was General Xu who ordered me to detonate the bomb at Wanggongchang to create chaos. My family is being held captive by him, so I have no choice but to risk my life for him!"

As soon as the helper finished speaking, Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo couldn't hold back any longer.

"Slander! Utter slander!"

"Factory Minister, the words of a mere servant are not to be believed. I have bullied him all the time, so he holds a grudge against me and wants to drag me down with him and kill me!"

"Please, Eunuch, see the truth!"

Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo immediately offered an explanation.

Seeing this, the worker Wang Er decided to go all out.

Since we're all going to die anyway, you're such a hypocrite, yet you try to distance yourself from the situation.

no way!

"Father-in-law, everything I have said is true. Please believe me."

"hehe!"

Wei Zhongxian sneered and said, "Of course I believe you."

Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo were monitored by Wei Zhongxian's Jinyiwei spies around the clock.

The reason we didn't arrest him was to see if he would resort to desperate measures.

Unexpectedly, these two people actually dared to commit such a heinous act.

Detonate Wanggongchang.

With over a million kilograms of gunpowder stored at Wanggongchang, this explosion would kill countless people.

Dead people meant nothing to Wei Zhongxian.

But after this explosion, will he survive?

Can His Majesty continue his reorganization of the Beijing Garrison?

Notice.

Wouldn't a massive explosion that kills tens of thousands of people be used as a pretext by those civil officials?
Wei Zhongxian looked at Xu Guotai and Liu Guangzuo with a dark expression. These two men were already courting death!
"Liu Guangzuo, you recognized Wang An as your adoptive father and only then obtained the position of military commander. You have used this position to commit countless evil deeds. Two months ago, Wang Er married a woman who was quite beautiful, and you forcibly took her as your wife, taking pleasure in her day and night in front of Wang Er. Do you think I don't know about this?" Upon hearing this, Wang Er's eyes were filled with both shame and anger.

But as a nobody, how could he dare to fight back when he was so humiliated?
I could only swallow my anger.

Wei Zhongxian continued, "If it weren't for his elderly mother at home, he would have fought you to the death long ago. Such a filial son, and you still want him to bomb Wang Gongchang and eat his blood. You are truly worse than pigs and dogs, even worse than this eunuch of mine who has lost his testicles!"

Liu Guangzuo trembled all over, his face showing utter shock.

He prided himself on keeping this matter secret, but he never expected that he would have no secrets at all from the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Seeing Liu Guangzuo's expression of existential doubt, Wei Zhongxian felt quite smug.

He added nearly six thousand more Jinyiwei spies and agents. Did he think these new people, who were paid by the Jinyiwei, were incapable of doing any work?

Let alone a mere military officer like you, even the residences of cabinet ministers are now filled with spies from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot.

Now, in the entire city of Beijing, His Majesty can obtain any information he desires with a little effort.

You two rebellious beasts, you think you're doing something so secretive?

Without further ado, Wei Zhongxian immediately roared:

"Take it!"

Zhu Chunchen then realized that the two men were planning to blow up Wanggongchang.

He lost two testicles in the Fifth Army Camp, and when he arrived at the Divine Machine Camp, he almost lost his life.

these people.
Kill!

Qiang~
Realizing his plot had been exposed, Xu Guotai immediately dropped the pretense and drew his sword from his waist.

"Hahaha~"

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, saying, "I have served the country and risked my life countless times. I have shed blood for the Ming Dynasty and made contributions to the Ming Dynasty. Now, all I am to do is eat and drink some food and pay. Your Majesty cannot tolerate me waiting. Is this the behavior of a wise ruler?"

"Humph!"

At that moment, a cold snort rang out.

Qi Jin, dressed in fine armor, stepped forward and looked at Xu Guotai with a sneer: "You have rendered meritorious service to the Ming Dynasty. Has the Ming Dynasty not rewarded you for your contributions? You went from a mere miner in Yiwu to a deputy commander of the Shenji Battalion. Without the Ming Dynasty, could you have sat in this position?"
"Isn't the treatment the Ming Dynasty has given you enough? You've been blinded by greed and utterly corrupted, spending your days indulging in debauchery and trying to uproot the Ming Dynasty. What face do you have to say that the current emperor isn't a wise ruler?"

Qi Jin's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

Who dares to say that the emperor was not a wise ruler?

You scoundrel, even if you are a former member of Qi Jiguang's army, even if we were once colleagues, you are already courting death!

Without His Majesty, the Qi family army that died in Jizhou will continue to bear the infamy.

Xu Guotai.
You've forgotten your roots!

"Lord Duke, please allow me to kill this scoundrel of the Qi Family Army and cleanse our ranks!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chunchen said with some concern, "General, if something goes wrong, we can't bear the consequences. We should order someone to capture or kill him."

Qi Jin is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, and he dares not let anything happen to him.

"A clown, not worth mentioning!"

Qi Jin looked at Wei Zhongxian and said, "This fellow's thigh muscles have grown back, and he indulges in wine and women all day long. He has lost much of his former bravery. If I can't even handle this man, how can I kill the Jurchens for His Majesty?"

"General Qi, do not show off your abilities."

Wei Zhongxian still disagreed.

"My death here is none of your business. This is a matter of my Qi Family Army. I beg you two to grant my request."

Wei Zhongxian and Zhu Chunchen exchanged a glance, knowing they probably couldn't refuse the stubborn old man, and finally had no choice but to nod.

"General Qi, please be careful."

"Thank you both."

After bowing respectfully, Qi Jin took the spear handed to him by his personal guard and walked toward Xu Guotai with a murderous look on his face.

"Guotai, show me what you've got!"

Xu Guotai's expression was complicated. He looked at Qi Jin's disappointed expression and felt extremely pained.

If Qi Jiguang's army had still been in power back then, why would he have needed to rely on nobles?

Everything has changed, and nothing can go back.

Call ~
He took a deep breath, gripped his longsword tightly against his chest, and said coldly, "Commander Qi, be careful!"

"You're the one who should be careful!"

Qi Jin flicked his spear, the tip gleaming like a star, aimed directly at Xu Guotai's throat.

"drink!"

Xu Guotai parried with his sword, the clanging of metal piercing the twilight as the two figures clashed, dust billowing beneath their feet.

"clang!"

Xu Guotai spun around and slashed, the sword blade whistling through the air. Qi Jin sidestepped to the side and swept his spear shaft horizontally, forcing Xu Guotai to stagger backward.

The latter gritted his teeth and steadied himself. His sword technique suddenly changed, and he used the unique close-combat technique of the Qi Family Army. The sword light was like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, and he thrust it straight at Qi Jin's ribs.

"At least they haven't forgotten the core skills of the Qi Family Army!"

Qi Jin's eyes sharpened, and he slammed the butt of his spear into the ground, using the force to leap into the air. The tip of his spear drew a silver arc from top to bottom. Xu Guotai raised his sword to block it, but the force of the blow caused his tiger's mouth to split open, and his longsword almost slipped from his hand.

Before he could catch his breath, Qi Jinqiang changed his stance again, unleashing a "Azure Dragon Probing Claw" attack aimed straight for Xu Guotai's heart. Xu Guotai staggered backward, the spear tip grazing his breastplate and sending sparks flying.

"Is this all the fighting spirit you had in Jizhou back then is left?"

Qi Jin roared, and the shadows of guns rained down like a storm.

Xu Guotai was struggling to defend himself; his armor had been torn in several places, and his battle robe was soaked with blood.

He suddenly sprang up, risking being shot in the shoulder, and swung his sword at Qi Jin's neck. But the old general sneered, and the spear shaft suddenly spun back, deflecting the sword's edge with the force of "Iron Chain Across the River." Then, he twisted his waist and exerted force, and the spear tip shot out like lightning.

"puff!"

All that could be heard was the sound of armor being pierced and flesh being penetrated.

The spear pierced through his chest, and Xu Guotai's body froze, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

Qi Jin's arms jerked violently, the spear blade shattering his heart meridian, nailing his former comrade-in-arms to the mottled brick wall of Wanggongchang.

Xu Guotai's pupils dilated, his long sword clattered to the ground, and he uttered his last words: "The Qi Family Army has ultimately been defeated."

After he finished speaking, the light in his eyes gradually faded.

Qi Jin drew his gun, and the corpse fell to the ground with a thud.

He stared at the ashen face lying in the pool of blood, then slowly tore off a corner of his battle robe and covered it.

"It wasn't Qi Family Army that was defeated, it was you, you ungrateful wretch."

Everyone present cheered upon seeing Qi Jin's bravery.

However, Qi Jin felt no joy at all.

How many people did the Ming Dynasty turn into ghosts?

When Xu Guotai was a centurion, he was one of the soldiers who charged ahead of him.

However, nowadays...
But he ended his own life with his own hands.

How laughable, how pathetic!

However, the sadness in Qi Jin's eyes quickly dissipated, replaced by determination!
It is precisely because he knows how dark the Ming Dynasty was in the past that he cherishes the glimmer of hope that the Ming Dynasty is now.

Even if it means his death, he will protect His Majesty!
By protecting His Majesty, we protect the future of the Ming Dynasty!
"General Qi is still as sharp as ever, we admire him!"

Wei Zhongxian praised it from the side.

Qi Jin remained expressionless, bowed to Zhu Chunchen and Wei Zhongxian, and said, "Thank you both for your kindness. Let's not waste any more time and begin the investigation and reorganization of the Shenji Battalion!"

A fierce glint appeared in Zhu Chunchen's eyes.

What a son of a bitch!

You want to blow up your Grandpa Zhu?

It seems he wasn't ruthless enough during the previous raid on the Fifth Army Camp!
kill!

They killed so many people that heads rolled everywhere.

The blood flowed like a river!
Killing these beasts is worse than him being penniless!
(End of this chapter)