Add Bookmark | Recommend this book | Back to the book page | My bookshelf | Mobile Reading

Free Web Novel,Novel online - All in hlnovel.com -> Historic -> The world is well and healthy

Chapter 1654 Return to Wencheng

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    Going south from Longquan County is Wencheng County.

    Wencheng County, formerly known as Dingyang County, is the smallest county in Hedong and has jurisdiction over five counties.  The current prefect of Wencheng County is Zheng Yuanxuan, and the county magistrate Du Baoqian.

    Zheng Yuanxuan is the son of Zheng Yi. He once served as General Youhouwei and was granted the title of Duke of Shen. He was also one of the few dukes in the Sui Dynasty after Yang Guang's restructuring.  The Zheng family were the heroes of the founding of the Sui Dynasty. When Yu Wenyun was about to die, Zheng Yi joined forces with Liu Fang and Jiao Zhao to follow the Duke Yang Jian to assist the government, which can be said to be an outstanding contribution.  Therefore, Zheng Yi was not convicted of corruption, perverting the law, buying prisons and selling officials, secretly performing weddings to seek blessings, and living apart from his mother.

    The county magistrate Du Baoqian was the son of Du Yan, a famous general in the Sui Dynasty and the former general manager of Yunzhou, and he had always been on good terms with Li Yuan.

    After Li Yuan raised his army, Du Baoqian encouraged Zheng Yuanxuan to surrender to Li Yuan.  Moreover, Li Yuan's eldest son Li Jiancheng married a daughter of the Zheng family who had the same ancestor as Zheng Yuanxuan. If Li Yuan could succeed, the Zheng family would also be able to produce a queen in the future.

    "At this time, the world is in chaos, and there is a great struggle between heroes.  Zheng Yuanxuan also felt that Li Yuan, who was supported by the Long Family, had greater success. If he invested early at this time, he would reap greater rewards later.

    Although Zheng Yuanzhen is now a duke, he is full of hatred towards the Sui Dynasty.  In the view of the Zheng family, if it were not for Zheng Yi's help, how could Yang Jian become the emperor. However, the Yang family was ungrateful and first demoted his father repeatedly, causing him to be humiliated many times.  Although he was given a charity as a duke, he was also thrown into a remote place like Wencheng.

    This is all due to the ungratefulness of the Yang family.

    So Zheng Yuanxuan, encouraged by Du Baoqian, weighed the pros and cons and finally decided to side with Li Yuan.  After the envoys sent by Li Yuan arrived in Wencheng County, Zheng Yuanxuan announced the change of flag.

    But God¡¯s calculations are not as good as those of humans. Zheng Yuanzhen never expected that before Li Yuan¡¯s rebellion succeeded, the Sui army had already arrived at the city.

    Wencheng County was originally small in area and had few troops, so it was unable to resist the Sui army.

    At this time, Zheng Yuanzhen was panicking and secretly cursed that he had boarded the pirate ship. If he was captured by the Sui army, the title passed down from his father's generation would be cut off.

    The more anxious Zheng Yuanxuan became, the more helpless he became. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.

    Although Du Baoqian was also shocked that the Sui army came so quickly, his attitude was more resolute. He and Li Yuan were close friends and were from the same lineage of Guanlong. Naturally, they would not choose to surrender to Guanlong's enemy Huang Mingyuan.

    Although Du Baoqian was only the county magistrate, he controlled the troops and horses of Wencheng County. He and the county captain Er Zhutai were in the same party, and the direction of Wencheng County was completely in the hands of the two.

    Zheng Yuanxuan wanted to surrender, but he was afraid that Du Baoqian would be annoyed and harmed by him.

    At this time, Zheng Yuanxuan's confidant Lu Kang advised: "This is Du Baoqian's hijacking, and he lost control. Now Wencheng County surrenders to Li Tang, and the two of them have done great work. Li Yuan knows it in his heart, and he will bear the bad name of surrendering to the bandits.  Everyone knows it. If we resist the Sui army again today, and if we win, the credit will still go to Du and Erzhu. But if we are defeated and the city is destroyed, all the responsibility will be on them. The Sui army will only ask questions if they are guilty. This is detrimental to self-interest.  No matter how human beings do things, I hope I don¡¯t have to be coerced by these two people again.¡±

    Zheng Yuanxuan said helplessly: "It's not that I don't know, it's just that Du and Erzhu control the military power in the county. Although I am the governor, I am not used by anyone at all. Once I surrender, I may be harmed by the two thieves."

    Lu Kang then said: "If you really want to do something right, there will be loyal and righteous people with you."

    "I hope so."

    Lu Kang took Zheng Yuanxuan's place and went to contact the officials who were inclined towards the Sui Dynasty.

    Lu Kang was so zealous in persuading Zheng Yuanxuan to betray him because, firstly, he had a bad relationship with Du Baoqian and others, and secondly, he was actually promoted by Liu Yunfang. Liu Yunfang had already written to Lu Kang and advised him to be an internal correspondent.

    Liu Yunfang once served as the prefect of Wencheng County. At that time, Lu Kang was just the county chief registrar. Later, Liu Yunfang was transferred to the county government. He first served as the county magistrate of Jichang (the county seat, today's Jixian County, Shanxi Province), and later served as the county chief registrar.

    Liu Yunfang has been operating in Wencheng County for many years. Although he left, he still has many old subordinates in Wencheng County, including county meritorious Cao Xu Tai, thief Cao Chen Ji, Jichang County Lieutenant Liu Shu and others.  Especially Xu Tai, who was born in Fengzhou and was good at military affairs. He was Liu Yunfang's old subordinate.

    At this time, Liu Yunfang's troops were approaching the city, and everyone was willing to open the city and surrender. However, the strength in their hands was insufficient, so Lu Kang was asked to test Zheng Yuanxuan.

    When Lu Kang saw Xu Tai, he told Zheng Yuanxuan what he was thinking, and Xu Tai had some idea.

    Although Du Baoqian and Er Zhutai have changed a lot of the upper-level generals in Wencheng County's troops, most of the middle- and lower-level generals below are from Liu Yunfang's era. As long as they raise their arms, these people will definitely respond.

    So Xu Tai went to see Zheng Yuanxuan in person to discuss strategies with him.

    In the evening of the next day, Zheng Yuanzhen invited Du Baoqian and Er Zhutai to come over to have a talk. Xu Tai, Liu Shu and others led their troops to lurk in Zheng.At Yuan Xuan's house.

    During the banquet, Zheng Yuanzhen proposed to the two thieves: "The Sui army is approaching the city, and the future of Tang Gong is uncertain. In this case, in order to protect the safety of the people in the city, it is better to open the city gate and surrender to the Sui army."

    Of course Du Baoqian refused. Du Baoqian even asked Zheng Yuanxuan sternly, "How could he be so rebellious?"

    "Is the second prince really determined to take his own way and lead the whole city to bury Duke Tang?"

    "I think he is determined to have his own way. Now that Tang Gong has raised an army, people's hearts are all attached to him. He surrendered first and then rebelled. This is an act of capriciousness. Isn't it a matter of life?"

    Seeing that Zheng Yuanxuan could not convince the two of them, he ordered Xu Tai and others to take action.

    Du Baoqian and Erzhutai thought that the whole city was under control and did not take much precaution against Zheng Yuanxuan. Therefore, they were caught off guard and were killed by Xu Tai.

    So Zheng Yuanzhen, with the support of Xu Tai, Liu Shu and others, came to the military camp.

    Xu Tai held up the heads of Du Baoqian and Er Zhutai and shouted: "Now Governor Liu is approaching the city. I have killed the rebels Du Baoqian and Er Zhutai. Those of you who are willing to stand on the left for the Sui army will be the Tang thieves."  "Stand right."  Then all the soldiers were shocked and stood on the left side.

    So Xu Tai took full control of the military power in the city, and Du Baoqian and his party were all executed.

    After Xu Tai took over the city, he had people open the city gates to welcome the Sui army into the city.

    The Sui army captured Wencheng County without any bloodshed.

    Liu Yunfang entered the city and everyone welcomed him happily.  Although I have been away from Wencheng County for several years, the scenery here remains the same.

    Of course, among everyone, there are also those who are embarrassed.  The old prefect Liu Yunfang is so popular, but Zheng Yuanzhen's future is uncertain, so he is naturally uneasy.

    Liu Yunfang was very polite to Zheng Yuanxuan. After all, Zheng Yuanxuan still held the title of Duke at this time.

    "However, although Zheng Yuanxuan had meritorious service anyway, it was impossible for him to stay in Wencheng County as the governor, or even to lead troops.  Liu Yunfang then ordered someone to send him to Xindu. How to deal with it was up to Duke Wei.

    So Liu Yunfang appointed Sun Gan, who was born in Fengzhou, as the county magistrate of Wencheng County, while the thief Cao Chen Ji served as the county captain.  As for Xu Tai and Lu Kang, who had made the greatest contributions, they were transferred to serve in the Huben Guards.  (Remember the website address: www.hlnovel.com
Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report