The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 130 A Forged Seal Serves Military Supervisor

Chapter 130 Acting as Military Supervisor

“All the fields with owners have been replanted.”

"The lost land was also arranged for tenant farmers to cultivate."

“There are also corresponding relief and assistance for the elderly, the weak, the widowed, and those without support.”

"The provisions have been delivered to the residence..."

"The veteran is being transferred back to the prefecture/county..."

Mi Wei listened as Ma Su reported on various details.

He compared the two wooden tablets in his hands with great interest.

The two documents contained identical content.

These are all contracts for renting government land from tenant farmers.

The two sides are exactly the same.

The only difference is that each one has half of the character "同" written on the top, one on the left and one on the right.

If the two pieces are joined together, the top will form a complete character “同”.

Normally, one copy is kept in the government archives, and the other is kept by the tenant farmer.

When it's time to pay rent, then piece things together and check them.

This is a rental contract unique to the era of bamboo slips and wooden tablets.

It is called "莂".

Mi Wei had seen it in a program about the Wu bamboo slips from Zoumalou during the Three Kingdoms period in his previous life.

At the time, I just found it interesting.

But when he came to this era and saw its features with his own eyes.

Only then did I realize that these two seemingly thin wooden tablets actually carried the weight of a country's "laws and regulations".

How can ordinary people live in peace and contentment?

Why do farmers plow in spring and harvest in autumn?
How can soldiers defend the land and protect the country?

How can those above and below unite their efforts to fight?

Because there are "laws and regulations".

Admittedly, any "degree" exercised by living people is bound to be distorted and deformed, thus creating hidden dangers for the next systemic collapse.

But moderation is always better than excess.

In short.

After nearly a month of effort.

Order was restored in the southern part of Shu Commandery.

Future losses have also been minimized.

It is said that the Qiang people who came to visit included scholars and commoners from the capital.

They had no idea that such a huge mess had been made in the south.

They assumed it was just a small group of bandits causing trouble occasionally.

"The Shu region is now safe."

Ma Su concluded.

"But we don't know what our army's next move will be, or whether the imperial court will issue any new decrees."

Upon hearing this question, Mi Wei put down the "莂" in his hand and nodded, saying:
"Last night His Majesty sent a secret envoy, falsely granting me the imperial insignia to oversee military affairs. He will soon march south to Han Jia to quell the rebellion."

Upon hearing this, not only did Ma Su show a look of joy, but the other generals present also showed signs of excitement.

This means that Miwei can now legitimately deal with the officials of Hanjia County.

Of course, it should be emphasized that...

Although both were "falsely appointed generals", Mi Wei was different from those other generals with higher titles.

For example, Guan Yu's "false imperial axe" meant that he used the emperor's imperial tally and the yellow axe symbolizing the right to wage war.

It is a long-term or even lifetime authorization.

Essentially, it allowed Guan Yu to independently control the military and political affairs of a region, giving him the power to launch wars at any time.

Mi Wei's appointment as "acting as a military supervisor" was only a temporary authorization.

Once the matter is resolved, the matter is closed.

However, prior to this, Mi Wei had temporarily been granted the power to supervise the generals on behalf of the emperor.

The rights and responsibilities are clearly defined.

Miwei immediately gathered his troops and the next day crossed the mountain pass and entered the Han Jia Mountain Road, whose terrain he had already scouted.

……

The seat of Hanjia County was located upstream of Qingyi River.

The county was called Hanjia, and the prefecture was named after the county.

The county town is situated with its back to the mountains, guarding a vital passage.

Since the reign of Emperor Wu of the Former Han Dynasty, it has been a bridgehead for governing the southwestern barbarian affairs of Shu Commandery.

Zhang Yi was placed under house arrest after entering the city.

Apart from the old servant who delivers meals, there is hardly any other living person to be seen each day.

Occasionally, he would wake up in the middle of the night and inevitably reflect on whether everything he had done was worthwhile.

Will all that passion and blood poured out end up sinking into the miasma of the vast southern wilderness, never to be seen by the world again?

But when it really comes to the most desperate moment...

That elegant and handsome figure always resurfaces in my mind.

Although he hadn't interacted with the other person much, Zhang Yi was already impressed by his demeanor.

That man always claimed to be a hero of his time.

However, what he didn't know was that his "boldness" was partly innate, and partly the youthful passion ignited by receiving praise.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Zhang Yi himself was confused.

The only thing that's clear is that the man was able to accomplish such great things in Jingzhou.

He will likely achieve great things in Yizhou in the future.

In that case, even if I die in the mountains, if he can write my epitaph, I won't die in vain.
In this way, Zhang Yi's anxious heart gradually calmed down.

Then he saw Huang Yuan, the governor of Hanjia, approaching with a sword in hand.

It was an exceptionally sharp ring-pommel sword.

For someone without armor, a single strike can be fatal.

Huang Yuan drew his knife and pointed it directly at Zhang Yi, his face contorted with rage as if he were slaughtering a dog.

Until he saw a wooden board that had been taken from somewhere and was next to Zhang Yi's feet.

A line of words was crookedly carved on the board:

Zhang Yi, a Han dynasty official, died serving the king.

Huang Yuan flicked his wrist slightly and said:
"Is it acceptable to die in obscurity?"

Zhang Yi chuckled lightly:
“The Prefect colluded with Li Yan to commit evil deeds. His crimes are too numerous to list and he will surely be remembered in history.”

"Zhang Yi died at the hands of corrupt officials, and surely someone will speak out for me in the future. How could I remain unknown?"

Huang Yuan was furious and swung his knife, splitting the wooden plank in two.

Zhang Yi was even more fearless:

"Once I enter this city, I will be nothing more than fish on the Prefect's chopping block. If the Prefect has all the power in his hands, killing me is just a matter of a word; why bother to come here personally with a sword?"

"If I'm not mistaken, I'm afraid the Prefect won't even be able to command his own troops anymore."

Huang Yuan's expression changed several times, and he said angrily:

"Though I am incompetent, I have no intention of harming anyone, yet you two have repeatedly pressured me... What crime have I committed?"

Zhang Yi solemnly said:
"To hold a position of two thousand shi without being competent is a sin!"

“Even a lowly official like myself can die at the whim of the prefect. How many more, less than me, are there?”

Huang Yuan's expression changed again.

After a few breaths of silence, he finally lowered his sword:

"If I remove my seal of office, can I live?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi felt much more at ease, and his expression became even more serious:

"How to deal with the two thousand piculs is up to Your Majesty, not to your humble servants."

"But if Your Excellency has something to redeem yourself through meritorious service, then as Han Jia's assistant, I will certainly report it truthfully, that's all!"

Huang Yuan fell silent again.

Zhang Yi did not urge him at all.

Finally, Huang Yuan threw his knife to the ground and muttered a piece of information:
"Li Yan thought he had Gao Ding under his control, but Gao Ding didn't trust him at all."

Zhang Yi stared intently and asked, "How did you know, Lord Prefect?"

Huang Yuan sneered and said:
“Yesterday, the county magistrate fled back, saying that Gao Ding did not return south to Yuexi as promised, but instead turned east down the Qingyi River into the territory of Jianwei. Li Yan must be furious.”

This!
Zhang Yi's heart skipped a beat.

This unexpected turn of events is definitely a piece of very significant intelligence.

This is enough to reverse the current predicament.

But the more this is the case, the less you should show that you are in a hurry.

He asked in a deep voice, "Where is Li Yan's unit now?"

Huang Yuan didn't answer but asked a question in return:

"What you just said, is it possible to survive?"

Zhang Yi: "I have already said that this matter is up to His Majesty to decide, and I will only report the facts."

"you!"

Huang Yuan glared angrily again.

But a moment later, he suddenly grinned and said:
"Are you aware that Li Yan has submitted a memorial accusing you of disregarding the overall situation, harming the country and causing trouble, which led to the bandits plundering Shu County?"

"I'm afraid you're already a criminal!"

Zhang Yi's heart skipped a beat.

Although he was well aware that Huang Yuan was trying to take the initiative.

But he knew even better that Li Yan was absolutely capable of calling a deer a horse.

After all, he had already done things that were even more outrageous than this.

At this very moment, both his own life and the situation in the south were at a critical juncture.

I absolutely cannot show weakness in front of this person.

So he steeled himself, sat down on the ground, and embraced the broken tombstone in his arms to show that he would rather die than submit.

Seeing how stubborn he was, Huang Yuan became furious and finally lost his patience, turning his sleeves and leaving.

But only half an hour later.

He then hurriedly turned back.

He asked urgently:
"I've heard you're acquainted with Military Supervisor Mi?"