Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Ren Li opened his mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

Wu Ning picked up another document: "This is the Ministry of War's list of military quotas."

The five guards of Ganzhou had an official army of over 33,000, but in reality, only slightly more than 20,000 were actually registered.

Where did the 13,000+ vacant positions go?

Who received their pay?

Ren Li's expression turned even uglier.

Wu Ning continued, "Also, why was Prince Su's old palace demolished?"

You said it was to house soldiers, but where did all the timber and bricks that were dismantled go?

Someone saw that the timber was transported to your estate outside the city to be used to build your house.

Do you admit it or not?

Ren Li finally spoke: "Governor Wu, I...I..."

As he spoke, he suddenly stood up and tried to walk out.

But Fan Guang stepped in front of him, blocking his way: "General Ren, you haven't finished speaking, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

Ren Li stared at Fan Guang, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Fan Guang, what do you want to do?"

He was ordered to guard Gansu for thirteen years, and even if he made some mistakes, they should be dealt with by the imperial court.

"Did you trick me into coming here tonight to set up a private court?"

Wu Ning said calmly, "General Ren has misunderstood."

This isn't a private court; we're inviting you to sit here.

"Let's go to the governor's office together after dawn and explain these things clearly."

Ren Li sneered, "What right do you have to arrest me without an imperial decree?"

Wu Ning looked at him: "General Ren, do you know that Liu Yu died tonight?"

Ren Li was taken aback: "Liu Yu? That manager of the imperial shop? What does his life or death have to do with me?"

Wu Ning slowly walked up to him: "He's dead, but some things are still alive."

"Wang Jing, Ma Ang, and Li Gui, are you really completely unaware of what these three did?"

Ren Li's expression changed drastically.

He suddenly understood.

These people weren't just after him.

They want to completely expose the hypocrisy of Gansu!

Ren Li took a deep breath, suppressing his shock: "Governor Wu, I really didn't know."

Those things... those things they did behind people's backs.

If I had known, I would have reported it to the court long ago.

Wu Ning looked at him without saying anything.

Ren Li continued, "I spent thirteen years in Gansu, fought in battles, and shed blood."

Even if there were some mistakes, it was nothing more than occupying some land and taking a portion of the quota without contributing anything.

Who in a border town wouldn't do this kind of thing?

Why only take my place?

Fan Guang coldly replied, "What others do is their business. If you did it, you have to accept it."

Ren Li glared at him: "Fan Guang, don't be so smug."

You have tricked me into coming here tonight without any legitimate reason or justification.

My personal guards are outside; they'll rush in the moment I call out.

You'll be in deep trouble then!

Wu Ning snorted coldly: "General Ren, your personal guards are indeed outside. But they can't get in."

Ren Li was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Wu Ning walked to the window and gently pushed it open a crack.

Ren Li looked in the direction he was pointing.

The guards in the courtyard were still standing in the same spot.

But behind each of them was an extra shadow.

The shadowy figures were holding sharp blades to their lower backs.

Ren Li stared blankly out the window, his face drained of color.

He really wanted to ask one thing: when he came in, the yard was empty.

When did those people from the Eastern Depot come in?

How did he manage to subdue his personal guards so quietly?

Wu Ning seemed to see his doubts and said calmly, "The people from the Eastern Depot have been hiding in this government office for a long time."

As soon as your people entered, they came out through a hidden door in the backyard.

Ren Li slumped into his chair without saying a word.

Wu Ning walked back to the desk and sat down: "General Ren, I invited you here tonight for no other reason than this."

I just wanted you to stay here for one night.

Everything will be clear after dawn.

Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you.

But don't even think about running away; you can't escape.

Ren Li looked up at him: "Wu Ning, aren't you afraid that the thousands of soldiers outside the city will break in?"

Wu Ning smiled slightly: "They don't even know what happened, so where would they go to kill?"

Ren Li opened his mouth, but could no longer speak.

Meanwhile, at the governor's office.

Shen Yi sat in the signing room, while Master Zhou stood to the side, looking somewhat nervous.

"Lord Shen, is Lord Ma really going to make a move?"

Shen Yi glanced at him and said calmly, "We'll soon find out whether or not they'll take action."

Just as he finished speaking, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Immediately afterward, the door was pushed open, and a clerk rushed in: "Lord Shen, something terrible has happened!"

Lord Ma's guards suddenly set out and headed towards the Governor's Office!

Shen Yi suddenly stood up.

Ma Ang really made a move!

He walked quickly to the window.

Sure enough, a procession of torches could be seen moving toward the governor's office in the distance.

Those were Ma Ang's men, numbering at least a hundred.

Shen Yi turned to Zhou, the clerk, and said, "Send the signal!"

Master Zhou immediately ran outside, took out a bamboo tube from his pocket, and lit the fuse in the air.

Whoosh! Snap!

A burst of fire shot into the sky, exploding into a red flower in mid-air.

That was the agreed-upon signal.

Inside the governor's office, Wu Ning's expression hardened when he saw the flame: "Ma Ang has made his move."

Fan Guang immediately gripped the hilt of his knife: "I'll take some men to hold them off."

Wu Ning nodded: "Go ahead, just guard the gate and don't let them rush in."

Fan Guang pushed open the door and went out.

The twenty-odd guards who had been guarding Ren Li in the courtyard had already been taken into the side room by the people from the Eastern Depot.

Fan Guang walked quickly to the front yard.

Meanwhile, the guards they brought from the capital were also rushing here from the post station.

This is the worst-case scenario.

This meant that Wu Ning and his men would have to confront the generals and governors of Ganzhou head-on.

Soon, more than two hundred guards arrived at the front courtyard of the governor's mansion.

Fan Guang scanned the crowd and said in a deep voice, "Ma Ang's men are coming this way."

Our task is to guard the gate.

More than two hundred people responded in unison and quickly set up their formation inside and outside the gate.

In the distance, the sounds of battle shouts grew closer and closer.

Ma Ang is rushing over with over a hundred guards.

His face was contorted with rage, and his eyes were filled with madness.

Liu Yu was killed last night, and he thought he could get away with it by silencing her.

But I didn't expect Cheng Jing's people to act so quickly.

They traced him back to him in less than an hour.

He knew his plan had been exposed when Wang Jing sent someone to deliver the message.

We must rescue Ren Li.

As long as Ren Li is in hand, he can mobilize the three thousand garrison soldiers outside the city in the name of the general.

At that time, Wu Ning, Fan Guang, and Cheng Jing will all die!

As for the future...

I can't worry about that anymore!

"Quick! Charge in!"

Hundreds of people quickened their pace and rushed toward the governor's office.

But they were stunned as soon as they rushed to the entrance of the government office.

The gate was tightly closed, but the steps in front of it were packed with people.

The leader was none other than Fan Guang.

Ma Ang's pupils contracted: "Fan Guang!"

Fan Guang sneered, "Governor Ma, what are you trying to do by leading troops to besiege the Governor-General's office in the middle of the night?"

Ma Ang shouted sternly, "I have come to rescue General Ren!"

"You have set up a private court to imprison officials appointed by the imperial court. What is your punishment?"

Fan Guang, too lazy to waste words with him, waved his hand: "Guard the gate! Anyone who trespasses will be killed on sight!"