Chaos of Ming 1628

When they left Jiahe County, only Cui Chengxiu's group of men were there.

This time, besides Yang Qingqing's carriage, the entourage alone numbered no less than a hundred people. Such a large group would be avoided even by the Emperor.

Such a grand display was truly intended to ensure that Zhu Youjian was unaware of his close relationship with the eunuch faction.

Perhaps this was Wei Zhongxian's original intention.

Apart from Kyoto, Yang Qingqing was dressed in silk and satin, with her face obscured by the fabric in her pockets.

On the way back to Jiahe, there were countless merchants and travelers traveling with us; if you counted carefully, there were no fewer than a thousand people.

A prince's guards numbered at most three thousand, while an ordinary prince's entourage consisted of no more than two or three hundred guards. Even a third-rank official was considered to have only a few dozen personal guards and retainers when traveling.

Wei Zhongxian really thought highly of him.

Sun Qing wouldn't believe that the surrounding merchants and travelers were all just coincidences.

If these merchants were all Wei Zhongxian's men, their expenses alone would be a considerable sum. It should be noted that these thousand people did not receive grain from local sources; they were entirely supported by Wei Zhongxian's private treasury.

In other words, Wei Zhongxian even took possession of that huge sum of money to keep these men by Sun Qing's side. Just supporting this army would have been a financial burden for generations of ordinary families and local officials and gentry.

Sun Qing's lips slowly curled up as he leaned against the carriage, thinking to himself: These are truly secret guards; they are no small force.

If they could truly be used to their advantage and exert suppressive power, even an entire city's government would be powerless to resist. Keep in mind, the county government's patrols, with a total of only a hundred or so constables, are nothing compared to what you...

Each of the thousand secret guards could deal with three or five constables; if a conflict were to break out, they could take control of the yamen in an instant.

Their investigative capabilities are beyond question, as I will explain shortly. If they so desire, they can completely control the every move of the people of Jiahe County.

Moreover, they were all assassins, not bound by the laws of the Ming Dynasty. With just a single order, they could silently eliminate local officials and mortal enemies, leaving no trace.

The local officials guarding the prefectures and counties were powerless to retaliate.

This force is quite formidable.

Looking at Yang Qingqing, although she was merely leaning against the carriage, everyone outside followed her lead.

It seems that Wei Zhongxian really intended to groom her, waiting for her to take over the power in his hands.

The journey was smooth and unimpeded.

Returning to Jiaohe, the local landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation. Although it has only been a few days, the progress in urban development is clearly visible.

The city seemed shrouded in gloom and despair. Even when Yang Qingqing's caravan arrived, they merely glanced at it casually and paid it no heed.

The county government office was even more somber.

There wasn't even a gatekeeper at the entrance; only a few people were busy gesturing and measuring, seemingly making some preparations.

Sun Qing felt puzzled, strode forward, and went inside.

Before they even entered, they were stopped. But upon seeing that it was Sun Qing, their expression changed drastically, and they excitedly shouted, "Sun...it's Lord Sun! Lord Sun is back!"

After shouting, their eyes were already slightly moist, and they all gathered around Sun Qing.

Sun Qing found it strange that after only a few days apart, he seemed to have been separated by a great distance.

"Young Master!"

A loud shout came from inside.

Meng Zhaoxiang and Su Jiu stumbled out of there, and when they saw that it was indeed Sun Qing, their eyes instantly reddened.

After carefully examining Sun Qing from head to toe, confirming it was indeed him, Meng Zhaoxiang, despite his advanced age, suddenly choked up, exclaiming, "Young Master Sun!"

"I...I thought you weren't coming back."

"Mr. Meng," Su Jiuda said softly, his condition slightly better, and sighed, "It's good that the young master is back."

"Yes! I'm back!" Seeing the two of them, Sun Qing felt a warmth in her heart.

Although I haven't known them for very long, I have truly experienced the feeling of being cared for.

"Let's go inside and talk." Sun Qing just wanted to shake off the guards as soon as possible and go inside to talk.

To everyone's surprise, the two looked embarrassed: "Young master, why don't you go for a walk and come back later?"

"Yes, the construction progress in Botou has been quite rapid recently. Would you like to go and take a look?"

"The mudflats on the west bank of the river have also been completely transformed. If you don't go and see for yourself, you might not even recognize them."

Sun Qing naturally believed these words, after all, according to his plan, it wouldn't be long before his planned city construction would be completed.

"No need, I'm exhausted from the journey and just want to rest for a while," Sun Qing declined with a smile.

Yang Qingqing accompanied him on the return journey. Her casual nature, combined with the fact that he was a "business traveler," kept Sun Qing constantly on edge and never allowed him to be careless.

Now that Yang Qingqing is staying at the post station again, merchants and travelers are quietly blending into the crowd. Back at the county government office, she can finally relax a little and get some rest.

Unexpectedly, the two of them made excuses and procrastination.

Sun Qing was very puzzled and insisted on going in even though he wasn't allowed to.

"Young master... please don't..."

The two could no longer stop him; Sun Qing had already reached the backyard. There, in the back hall, black and white gauze curtains were hung.

In the very center, there is a memorial tablet, with Sun Qing's name on it.

A group of filial sons knelt before the coffin, weeping bitterly. Inside the coffin lay clothes he had once worn. Had he traveled from the capital and returned as a dead man?

Sun Qing was dumbfounded and shocked.

"Young Master..." Su said in a loud voice, his voice full of embarrassment, "If it weren't for waiting for a reply from the Sun family of Gaoyang, I'm afraid you would already be buried by now."

Sun Qing stood there in shock, unable to calm down for a long time.

Having been personally visited by Choi Seong-soo, and daring to call the eunuch faction dogs, there is absolutely no chance of him escaping unscathed.

At the very least, they would be severely injured and exiled to a harsh, cold border region.

Anyone labeled a "Donglin Party instigator" was destined for death in prison, and their family members would also be implicated and exiled.

Moreover, the political situation in the court is constantly changing. It is precisely the time when the eunuch faction needs to be made an example of.

If he fell into the hands of the eunuch faction, the lightest punishment would probably be being severely injured and then exiled to a harsh frontier.

Anyone accused of being a "Donglin Party instigator" was certain to be imprisoned. Even their family members would be implicated and exiled.

Even though Sun Qing was a member of the Sun family of Gaoyang, he could still escape unscathed in the local area. But when it came to Wei Zhongxian, unless Sun Chengzong himself was present, Sun Qing was still nothing.

The two stammered as they explained, and Sun Qing smiled inwardly.

His tone suddenly turned serious: "You two are really quite bold. To erect a cenotaph while still alive is a serious offense. At best, it will be considered an omen of bad luck and disrespect by the clan, and your lineage and future will be cut off. At worst, you could be framed for sorcery, treason, or faking your death to escape punishment."

"Now that I've returned alive and well, the eunuch faction can't do anything to me, so they had no choice but to let me come back. But at this moment, they've given them enough deadly leverage to frame me and imprison me."

Both men looked guilty, and Meng Zhaoxiang trembled as he finally let out a long sigh.

He bowed deeply, saying with remorse, "It was our oversight; please punish us, young master."

"Punishment?" Sun Qing flicked his sleeves. "Of course, there should be punishment!"

"You two's actions have displeased me greatly." Sun Qing thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed out loud: "You two will be punished over there. Watch how I ensure everyone in Jiahe County has enough to eat!"

What?

The two of them looked up abruptly, staring at Sun Qing in shock, completely unable to believe their ears.

Sun Qing asked gently with a smile, "How was it?"