Six county governors and more than 30 officials under their respective command jointly wrote a letter to the Ambassador's Mansion to protest, announcing that if the Ambassador did not give up intruding on daily government affairs, they would have to hang up their titles collectively. The officials refused to ask Li Xu to take it back.
However, he thought that after seeing the true strength of his side, the young and ignorant Ambassador of Comfort would restrain himself. Unexpectedly, on the fourth day after the letter was delivered to the Ambassador's house, Li Xu sent troops to attack several county guards.
Boling was invited one after another. He took out the seal given by the imperial court and announced in public that since he was the consolation ambassador and was ordered to depose the civil and military officials of counties and counties, he could not turn a blind eye and turn a blind eye to the dereliction of duty of local officials.
"Officials from various places are as afraid of bandits as tigers. Whenever the thieves arrive, those who are guarding the local people will flee first. They deeply owe the emperor's favor and cannot be forgiven for their crimes. However, considering that the rogue bandits are strong in various places and the troops in counties and counties are not uniform, I will not pursue the case for the time being!"
In everyone's impression, General Li could only swing a knife immediately. He chewed the article and began to read the words. But the threat implicit in the words was like a big stick falling from the sky, and he beat six local parents in an instant.
Stars popped out in front of my eyes.
At this time, everyone remembered that this rough guy from a humble background actually had the power to appoint and remove local officials on his own. Although each of them had their own family support behind them, and there was no shortage of backers in the court. But they had to force the other party.
He was violently beaten to the ground on the charge of "fearing bandits like tigers and abandoning the city without fighting!" I'm afraid the court would just turn a blind eye to this.
"As far as I know, even the smallest county under your command has more than a hundred officials. You have impeached me for refusing to go into the mountains to suppress bandits. May I ask which of your commanders has ever taken the initiative to fight against bandits in the past few years?
?You all have the responsibility of informing the people. May I ask why over the years, there have been fewer and fewer people and more and more thieves?" Li Xu was unreasonable and asked with a sneer, which made several county guards look pale.
Like soil.
"Since the prime ministers, lieutenants, and soldiers at all levels dare not lead the army to protect the country and the people, what is the use of these local military positions? Since the bosses at all levels cannot benefit the people, what is the use of keeping these bosses?" He waved his hand and ordered someone to bring them up.
A large stack of papers said, "Young masters are only focused on going to the court to impeach me, but I also have a pile of impeachment notes in my hand. Wait, please tell me whether I should handle it impartially?"
"Then, those are all unfaithful people and unfaithful people making false accusations. My lord, please don't take it seriously!" Zu Deren, the prefect of Zhao County, was so frightened that he trembled all over and responded stutteringly.
There is a saying that it is better to be an official than to be in charge. People who have served in the local area for many years will inevitably think that they have deep roots and do something out of the ordinary. Moreover, accepting bribes and nepotism are the actual conditions of government administration in the Sui Dynasty. If you are involved carefully, I am afraid who will
There is a pile of shit hidden under his butt. Li Xu has endured for more than half a year to collect everyone's evidence, and he must have a lot of evidence in his hands. If everyone confronts him head-on, the result will definitely be ruined. It is better to surrender first,
When the anger of this rough guy subsides, everyone will find other opportunities to deal with him.
With similar thoughts, several other county guards also stood up and bowed to Li Xu to apologize, "Your Excellency, you only care about the country and the people, and we know that. Sometimes it's the people below who are making mischief, and we have to let Your Majesty have some control over their thoughts.
I heard what I heard, so I signed my name to remonstrate. Although there is some recklessness in my actions, my intentions are not conflicting. I hope you will look into it carefully and forgive me for our temporary mistake!"
When the conversation comes to this point, according to common sense, the other party should accept it as soon as it is good. After all, if one person wants to resist the officials of six counties, even an honorable official like Ji Jinggong Fan Zigai will have to weigh it. Who would have thought that Li Xu would not
He was so angry that he couldn't control it. He sneered, picked up an official document, pointed to the words on it, and asked: "What a false accusation by a cunning man. Grand Administrator Zu, how many of your nephews from far away are called Zu Junyan?"
.Li remembers that he once served as an official in Dongjun, but later he left because of disagreements with his superiors. Does your Excellency know where he has gone now?"
"Jun Yan, Jun Yan!" Zu Deren's white hair and sweat broke out on his forehead, rolling down his eyebrows and temples. Looking at the other county guards, their faces all turned from white to green, and their hands were clenched into fists.
, but didn’t have any courage to step forward and fight Li Xu.
"Brother Jun Yan's talent has spread far and wide, and your majesty has heard about it for a long time. Our ancestors have such talents, why let them be buried? I am lacking a long history here. If Master Zu has the opportunity, you might as well write a letter to Brother Jun Yan and let him come.
I'm here to serve!" Li Xu smiled and swept his knife-like gaze across the necks of several local officials. Every time he looked at one person, the other person had to lower his head. He no longer had the courage to look at him.
catch.
Zu Junyan is now a member of Li Mi's army, and every county guard here knows it well. In fact, since it has been rumored that the nursery rhyme "Peach and Plum" will come true for Li Mi, many aristocratic families have sent their own assistants.
This was one of the key reasons why Li Mi fled everywhere after Yang Xuangan's defeat but was neither caught by the government nor starved to death on the way to escape.
Now that Li Xu has Zu Junyan in his hands, he must have also found other people who are following Li Mi. Following the clues, it seems that no one can escape the charge of collaborating with bandits.
It was too late to bring in reinforcements. If they wanted to rebel on the spot, the combined strength of the six people could not defeat Li Xu alone. Facing the murderous god with a hidden knife in his smile, the prefects had to give up their resistance completely. "Please be aware of this, sir.
I am absolutely loyal to the imperial court!" Zu Deren took the lead, and several other prefects knelt straight down one after another. They defended themselves and kowtowed.
"My lords, why are you doing this? I just heard about Brother Junyan's talent and have no other meaning!" Li Xu quickly reached out to help him, his smile was more amiable than Maitreya in the temple. "Before coming here, His Majesty taught me to purify myself.
Officials, people are appointed based on their merit. That's why I thought of asking Jun Yan to serve in our army. Since brother Jun Yan is used to idle clouds and wild cranes, I won't make it difficult for Zu Taishou. Besides, he is only Mr. Zu's nephew. Even if his parents and children are adults, he still refuses to listen to his father's words.
What's more, my nephew and uncle may seem close to each other on the surface, but in fact, it is very likely that they will never be in contact with each other until they die!"
"Your Majesty is right, Your Majesty is right. That boy Jun Yan has been rebellious since he was a child, and my ancestors have long wanted to expel him from the house. It is his blessing that Your Majesty likes him. If he is surrounded by blessings and does not know the blessings, I will
There's nothing I can do about my uncle!" Zu Deren instantly turned around at the gate of hell, wiped his face with his official robe, and said breathlessly.
He just lay on the ground and kowtowed a few times, but he was as tired as if he had plowed more than ten acres of land. His breathing was like a bellows, and the sweat soaked the official robes on his back. Looking at the other prefects, they looked even more benevolent than Zu Deren.
Not much better. Everyone was panting like an ox, and sweat was dripping down from their ears in strands.
"Actually, I also know that among our Sui officials, those who are willing to do practical things like these adults are rare." Seeing that all the prefects were frightened, Li Xu waved his hand magnanimously and followed the instructions of Qi'er and
Cui Qian and others arranged the steps in advance and decided to scatter the sweet dates in their hands.
"I am ready to report to the imperial court the truth about how many adults braved hardships and shared joys and sorrows with the people!" He put aside the impeachment about the connection between Zu Junyan and Zu Deren, and took it from another soldier.
The official document, which had not yet been sealed with wax, was slowly unfolded in front of everyone. "I am new here, so I may not have fully written down the achievements of several adults. I will give it to everyone to take a look before it is sent out. If there are any omissions, I will tell you later.
I will add it in another place! The imperial court will select a group of local officials recently, and I can only do it one step at a time for you. As for your Majesty’s decision, it all depends on the good fortune of the princes!”
As soon as these words were explained, several prefects would be fools if they did not take the opportunity to climb up. According to the official system of the Sui Dynasty, the prefect of Shangjun was the third rank, the prefect of Zhongjun was the fourth rank, and the prefect of lower county was the fourth rank. Even if they were transferred to the court at the same level,
It is possible to make up for the title of minister or minister. If you spend more money on activities and find the right door, it is not impossible to fill the vacancy of a certain minister. But the premise of all this is that he has practical experience in the local area.
Real credit. Nowadays, people everywhere are in dire straits and there are so many gangsters. Which local official dares to say that he has made outstanding achievements with a shameless face? But Li Xu is willing to come forward to ask for credit for them, and the result is very different. The fake ones will be immediately revealed.
It has become real, and it can still shine.
"We thank you for your generosity. No matter where we go in the future, your kindness will never be forgotten!" Zu Deren was still shameless, stepped forward, and bowed to the ground again.
"We are fortunate to be officials in the same place. It is fate. It is better to help each other than to undermine each other, right?" Li Xu took a half step to the side, and then returned the courtesy as an equal. "Don't be busy, please."
Thank you. Look at the memorial I wrote. Apart from the credit for exterminating the bandits and settling the victims, there is something missing. Don't be polite, everyone, please work together!"
Speaking of this, Xu Zi and everyone finally looked like colleagues. Several county governors gave in to each other, and finally selected Zhang Junming, the governor of Boling, and Zu Deren, the governor of Zhao County.
The representative took over the memorial that Li Xu had written and read it through it roughly. The Sui Dynasty was currently in turmoil, so Xu Zi chose to be diligent and caring for the people, and helped to suppress the rogue bandits.
The county governor was so happy that he couldn't help but remind him at the right time: "It's an honor for us, Mr. Li, to commend us. But I'm afraid your majesty doesn't like to hear about so many bandits in various places. In the future, your Majesty will give the imperial court
In the memorial, it is better to write more about the good weather in the place, the virtues of the court and the people, and the achievements of you and me in educating the people. Although it may seem a bit unreasonable, it is also a blessing for us as ministers to be able to listen to the emperor!"
"I would have been negligent if the adults didn't tell me!" Li Xu patted himself regretfully and apologized with a smile. He quickly ordered someone to call Zhao Ziming in, told the county guards roughly what they meant, and told him to go down.
He re-drafted the memorial to the court, and after he used the seal again, he quickly sent it to Luoyang.
"Excuse me, Zhao Changshi! Excuse me, Lord Li!" Zhang Junming and others handed over their hands repeatedly. In more than half a year, they have never been so polite to Li Xu and his subordinates as they were today. Xu Zi waved his hand and told Zhao Ziming to seize the time to revise the memorial.
Then he picked up the decree he had issued and continued: "Several adults thought that Li acted abruptly, but it was actually a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding, definitely a misunderstanding!" Zhang Junming, Zu Deren and others nodded repeatedly, fearing to offend the comforting ambassador again. "I was deceived by Xiao Xiao for a moment before doing such a stupid thing. Fortunately, the adults explained it in time, otherwise it would lead to misunderstanding."
It's a big mistake. Even if you forgive me afterwards, it will be difficult for us to gain a foothold in this place!"
"That's not the case. The adults are out of public interest, and Li understands it very well!" Xuzi smiled friendly at everyone and accepted the other party's compromise, "Actually, this method is not original to Li.
Zhuguo, Zuo Guanglu doctor Zhang Xutuo's old practice in Qijun. I think that Licheng only has one county, and after the recruitment list was posted, a peerless brave general like Luo Shixin was invited. With the size of six counties, Yanzhao
How can it be that despite the beauty of the ages, we can’t discover the legacy?”
"There must be some virtuous people hiding in the wild. This is what we should do for you. We are all so ashamed that we let you do it before us!" Zu Deren followed Li Xu's tone and kept saying flattering words. He had just been
After a slap in the face, even if Li Xu forced them to sign the decree, no one dared to say no. Besides, the other party also gave them a huge favor, so there was no reason for the county guards to continue to be confused.
Anyway.
"I saw that the adults were working really hard, so I took the matter over. Don't blame Li for overstepping his bounds!" Xuzi nodded and expressed his praise for Zu Deren's insight, "This recruitment is not
All applicants must first pass a round of examinations. Then they will be replenished into my army by civil and military personnel. They will mainly serve as low-level officers and staff. Secondly, they will find a few dedicated leaders for the people's villages. Wait until they are in the army.
After learning all the rules, Li will recommend it to you adults as appropriate. As for whether you will accept or not, it all depends on their own abilities. Li will never force it!"
Hearing this, the six county guards immediately nodded their heads like chickens pecking at broken rice. What they were most worried about was that Li Xu would forcefully install officials in the local area and force his hand into one-third of an acre of land. Unexpectedly, the other party had already reserved it in advance.
There was enough buffer room, and he didn't expect that he would have the final say. "If I had known this, why would I have made trouble with General Li!" Some people regretted it so much that they wanted to slap themselves in the mouth. After thinking about it, there was no such conflict.
Everyone didn't understand General Li's methods, so they immediately calmed down. In addition to gratitude and panic, there was also a hint of admiration in their eyes.
"I'm afraid the local gentry won't understand your painstaking efforts!" Zhang Junming thought long-term and put his biggest worries on the table. A large part of the officials in each county came from prominent local families. No matter which county
When the governor takes office, he will quickly reach a compromise with those noble families. Maintaining the superficial harmony is crucial to whether his decree can be effectively implemented. If the local noble families refuse, no matter how strong the county governor is, sometimes it will be difficult to suppress a group of local snakes.
.
"I have already said hello to the elders of the Cui, Li, Zhang, and Wang families. Their nephews have been studying literature and martial arts for many years and are preparing to take the examination. However, the imperial examination was stopped immediately. I don’t know when it will be reopened.
The nephews of several families are worried about not being able to find a chance to get ahead, so of course they will not refuse to compete with others. If there is a truly fair competition, they are from well-known families, and almost all of them have a good chance of winning!"
"It turns out that your Excellency has already said hello to several wealthy families! We are really stupid!" Several county guards looked at each other and thought in unison.
Since the local wealthy families have expressed their stance, why bother to offend others? Immediately, the county guards rushed to attach their names to the decree, and said that they would mobilize the county's talents to come to Boling to take the exam. Li Xu smiled
Accepting the other party's good intentions, he perfected the decree, stamped it, and gave it to several county guards to take back to their respective offices for issuance.
When the news of the recruitment came out, the people were immediately agitated. Since the sixth year of Daye, the imperial court has temporarily suspended the imperial examination. Many scholars from humble backgrounds have lost their status and have to work in some lowly jobs such as accountants and housekeepers.
In order to obtain the means to survive. There are also some people who are depressed and have no ambitions, so they secretly contact the bandits and bandits in the hope that the other party will succeed in the future and they will have a way to advance.
Suddenly, the channels for pursuing a career through serious means were opened again, and coming to take the exam naturally became the first choice for local celebrities who were unwilling to be mediocre. Although it was rumored that the general manager of the Fenyang Army was a bit rude and had extremely strict requirements for his subordinates, at least he
Didn't it let everyone see the hope of changing their background? Some martial arts practitioners with some strength on their shoulders were even more enthusiastic to apply. General Li's own fame came from riding a horse, so he should not look down on others. Moreover, according to the Sui Dynasty
As a rule, generals at each level have a lot of vacancies in their hands. The faster a general is promoted, the more vacancies he has under his command. Following a general who is promoted as quickly as General Li, everyone has no worries at all.
"I wonder if after passing the exam, I can go back to the local government and work as a household!" On the official road, the children from poor families rushing to Boling carrying luggage and books were full of longing. Like Xuzi back then, they didn't have much ambition.
.It can allow parents to have a stable meal, and allow themselves and their children to no longer be bullied by those co-organizers and helpers in the yamen, and they will feel that the ten years of hard work have not been in vain.
"I will take my honors on horseback. General Li is preparing to use his troops against the bandits. I think we can come in handy these days. Once we can make up for the brigade rate, the team will be in charge..." Countless young men on horseback raised their shoulders.
It must be straight. The person they imitated in recent years is the legendary Li Xu. It is said that this man first went to Huaiyuan Town to join the army, and was only awarded the rank of brigade commander. He used the long knife in his hand to forcibly put it on his head.
A piece of sky was split.
"If nothing else, we just kill thieves!" There are also people who join the army for a very simple purpose. "General Li helps us live a stable life, so it is worth working for him. Besides, he has always been fair..."
With various thoughts, a large number of young people poured into the Fenyang Army Camp. The pattern of the general examination was very simple. The questions of the civil service examination almost copied the county scientific examination of the Sui Dynasty. The selection of generals was
The applicants will demonstrate their martial arts skills on their own, and several warriors with many years of combat experience will evaluate them on the spot.
Once the newcomers pass the exam, based on the evaluation results, they will either enter the staff circle to help Zhao Ziming handle the affairs of the village, or be awarded corresponding military positions such as brigade commander, team leader, deputy lieutenant, group leader, etc., and directly become a member of Li Xu's command.
Because it was the first attempt, some minor confusions inevitably occurred during the exam. Several county guards worked together to properly handle all the problems. After the results came out, most people in the area were satisfied.
The nephews and nephews of aristocratic families are proficient in writing and have a little knowledge of martial arts, so most of them are among the best. Some poor scholars and idle men from poor families who have despaired of life have also entered the siege with their own abilities and won a stable job for themselves.
The most dissatisfied are Mantian Wang who is entrenched in the Shanggu Mountain area and Li Shanfei who is entrenched in the northern part of Zhuo County. After years of plundering, the two have each owned a small piece of territory. Even if they cannot compete for the world, they can close their doors.
They could live happily as a local emperor for a long time. They didn't expect that the newly arrived consolation ambassador would actually open a village to compete with them for the people. They didn't expect that Li Xu, the general manager of the Fenyang Army, would actually publish recruitment lists to appease the people.
A unique move. What the two of them didn't expect was that a few days after the recruitment test was over, they hadn't yet calculated how much damage this invisible set of fists and kicks had caused them.
Death sent information:
The Fenyang army left Boling, with a total of 30,000 soldiers on horseback, heading north along the official road. After marching 150 miles in three days, the front line had reached Qiuxian County. (To be continued)
