Just three days after Yu Lingxuan was assassinated, something big happened in Jiangyang County.
Thousands of salt workers from Qingliu County invited a huge white jade stone from their hometown fifty years ago, carved it into a village god, and enshrined it in the village temple, which became the spiritual sustenance of the Qingliu County salt workers for their hometown.
But that night, the local god was pushed down, several sections of the city were smashed, and the three characters "Qingliu Dog" were written in cinnabar on the white jade.
The salt workers of Qingliu County have always had a bad relationship with the salt workers of Liyang County. For more than ten years, the two sides have fought more than once to compete for the labor market. Each time, the disputes calmed down only after mediation by the government.
"Qingliu dog" has always been a catchphrase used by workers in Liyang County to insult workers in Qingliu County. When the news came out that the Baiyu Township God worshiped by workers in Qingliu County was smashed and desecrated, extreme anger finally spread among the workers in Qingliu County.
It broke out, and thousands of Qingliu County salt workers armed with iron bars and swords rushed towards the residence of Liyang County salt workers.
Liyang County salt workers also urgently gathered more than 3,000 people, armed with wooden sticks, iron bars, swords and other instruments, and met the murderous Qingliu County workers on the bank of the Yangtze River.
The two sides started a brutal fight, with shouts, curses, screams, and decades of grievances all erupting at this moment.
The government of Jiangyang County was alarmed and sent dozens of government officials to stop it, but they couldn't stop it at all. The county magistrate rushed to Jiangdu County for help.
That afternoon, Yangzhou Governor Liu Yan and Captain Luo Ziyu led nearly a thousand soldiers to the fighting site. The soldiers forcibly separated the fighting workers from the two counties. The ground was filled with workers groaning in pain, totaling three to four hundred people.
"Hurry up and get treatment!"
Liu Yan ordered the doctors who came along to treat the injured workers.
At this time, Luo Ziyu stepped forward and whispered: "Your Majesty, the casualties are very heavy. The number of dead workers will not be less than forty."
Liu Yan's face was extremely ugly. A few days ago, Guo Song asked him how to keep Luo Ziyu in his post. He said at the time that unless a large-scale civil war broke out, it did happen now. Needless to say, this matter must be related to Guo Song
, what on earth did this bastard do?
At this time, some soldiers brought several leaders from both sides up. Liu Yan angrily scolded them: "Look, there are so many casualties. Why don't you stop them and let them go crazy and kill?"
A leader from Liyang County stepped forward and glared at the other party: "They came to provoke us for no reason. If we don't resist, our parents, wives and children will be killed by them. Should you ask them?"
Several leaders of Qingliu County sneered angrily, "What a joke, we would come here for no reason unless there is any situation. Who smashed our Baiyuxiang statue and insulted us Qingliu dogs? You did such a thing that is outrageous to both humans and gods, and you still accuse us
Come to provoke for no reason?"
"Fart! Who would smash your broken stone statue?"
"Ma, do you still have the nerve to say it wasn't you?"
"Shut up, everyone!"
Liu Yan roared angrily, and both sides fell silent.
Liu Yan said without hesitation: "There are two things now. One is the armed fighting, and the other is the destruction of the stone statue. First, resolve the armed fighting, carry the injured back, immediately treat the wounded, bury the dead, and then each faction
The representative followed me to investigate the destruction of the stone statue."
"Liu Shijun, twenty-four of us died, so let's forget it?" the leader of Liyang County said angrily.
"Nearly 20 of us have died, who will pay compensation?"
"We'll talk about how to compensate you later. Get your people back first. If you dare to fight again, I will treat you as a rebel and use the army to suppress you!"
Under Liu Yan's strong pressure, the workers in the two counties withdrew their settlements full of resentment. Instead of eliminating their hatred, their hatred deepened.
Luo Ziyu sighed and said: "It's troublesome now. They are already deeply hostile to each other. As long as there is a slight incident, a fight will break out again. We have to send people to keep an eye on them at all times."
Liu Yan nodded, "I would like to ask General Luo to do your best in this matter. I will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Military Affairs to renew your term for one year."
"But Yu Lingxuan will come to take over the humble position soon."
"Everyone in the Yu family relies on power to rise to the top. How many of them are really capable? Their coming will only worsen the situation. They will fail to accomplish anything and will fail more than they do. I will try my best to retain you."
Liu Yan had vaguely guessed that something must have happened to Yu Lingxuan. This must be a series of plans by Guo Song to kill Yu Lingxuan and solve the imminent succession crisis, and then provoke a labor fight to create opportunities for Luo Ziyun to stay in office.
The method is very good, but in this way, he and Yu Chaoen will completely break up. Yu Chaoen will definitely take revenge. I don’t know who he will attack?
Liu Yan then asked Chief Shi Li Jiangnan to go to the rural temple in Qingliu County to investigate the destruction of the stone statues. Liu Yan hurried back to Jiangdu County with worries.
As soon as Liu Yan arrived at the Yamen, a civil servant came up to him and said: "I received an urgent notification from Sizhou. It seems that something happened to Mr. Yu, who was about to serve as the captain of Yangzhou."
Liu Yan's heart sank rapidly as if he had stepped on the air. Although he had guessed that something would happen to Yu Lingxuan, the news of Yu Lingxuan's accident still made him very nervous.
He tried his best to calm down and asked again: "Is there a written letter?"
"It's just a pigeon letter, it's in the envoy's palace!"
Liu Yan hurried to his official room and saw his aide Jiang Yun sorting out documents. Jiang Yun was his real aide. He was about thirty years old, proficient in documents, and had a calm personality. He had been following Liu Yan for ten years.
He entered Liu Yan's room, stood up quickly and saluted, "Your Majesty is back!"
Liu Yan nodded and asked again: "I heard that there are pigeon messages from Sizhou?"
Jiang Yun took a copy from the table and handed it to Liu Yan, "This is the copy. Yu Lingxuan was assassinated in Sizhou."
Liu Yan looked at the copy and felt a little relieved. The pigeon letter did not say who did it, which meant that Guo Song did it cleanly and without leaving any clues. Moreover, it was done in Sizhou. The suspect
There are too many, at least officially it has nothing to do with Yangzhou.
He pondered for a moment and said: "I also want to write a pigeon letter and send it to the capital immediately!"
Liu Yan sat down and wrote two letters. A pigeon letter was sent urgently to Yuan Zai. Yu Lingxuan was assassinated in Sizhou.
In addition, he wrote a note to the Ministry of War, explaining that a large-scale labor fight in the salt field occurred in Jiangyang County, the situation in the salt fields in various parts of Yangzhou was unstable, and requested the Ministry of War to extend the one-year term of Luo Ziyu, the captain of Yangzhou.
In Chang'an, in the Imperial Study Room of the Daming Palace, Yuan Zai was carefully explaining Liu Yan's letter to Emperor Li Yu.
"Your Majesty, according to local practice, if large-scale civil unrest occurs, the term of the local captain can be appropriately extended, usually about one year. Moreover, the minister has also read the original Fifth Qi's memorial, and the salt workers in various salt fields in Yangzhou
Large-scale fights often occur between the two parties, but this time, more than 200 people were injured and 44 people died, which is rare in decades. It is very likely that conflicts will break out. In order to maintain order, Wei Chen believes that Luo Ziyu can extend the
The term is one year.”
Li Yu was silent for a long time and said: "Yu Xiangguo also submitted a memorial, hoping to transfer Du Wen, the captain of Jingzhou, to take over as the captain of Yangzhou, but I did not approve it. The reason I gave him was that I hoped to find out the cause of Yu Lingxuan's death, and then
Consider selecting a new captain, otherwise it would be disrespectful to the deceased."
"Your Majesty's answer is very powerful, but the position of Yangzhou Captain is of great importance. It can be said to be the key to the control of the Jianghuai Salt Tax. I hope your Majesty can extend the period for investigating the cause of Yu Lingxuan's death a little longer, such as one year, so that the salt tax
Control will then be firmly in our hands."
Li Yu took a few steps with his hands behind his back and said slowly: "I understand Aiqing's thoughts, but as the emperor, I must first consider legal rationality and rationality. In order to investigate the death of Yu Lingxuan, I will not make adjustments to the Yangzhou Captain for the time being.
, this can only be said to be relatively reasonable, but from a legal point of view, the local army commanded by the Yangzhou Captain is only to maintain local security, and is no different from the local army in other states. However, the Yangzhou local army is required to protect the Jianghuai Salt Fields.
It seems that the legal rationality is unreasonable.”
"Wei Chen understands what your Majesty means. Does your Majesty mean that a special army needs to be established to protect the salt field?"
Li Yu nodded, "I have actually considered this issue for a long time. I was considering this matter five years ago, but do you know why I have not pushed forward this matter?"
Yuan Zai pondered for a moment and said: "Is Your Majesty worried that the newly established salt protection army will be controlled by people with ulterior motives?"
Li Yu didn't answer. He stood at the window and stared into the distance. After a while, he said: "Just a month ago, I couldn't see the details of who was appointed as the captain. I didn't approve of Yu Lingxuan's taking over as the captain of Yangzhou.
Yes, it will be issued directly after approval by the Ministry of War. Unless it is the appointment of a general or a general, I can make a decision. But now, the appointment of a captain is also approved by me. Does Aiqing know the reason for this?"
"I'm afraid it's the effect of Li Fuguo's execution!"
"Xiang Guo is right. Li Fuguo's death has brought many unexpected effects. I really don't need to intervene in the appointment of captain like this. The Ministry of War can directly appoint, but now the Ministry of War has also sent the appointment letter to me.
From the imperial case, it can be seen that people’s support is against them!”
Li Yu let out a long sigh and turned back to Yuan Zai: "In accordance with the opinion of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Punishment and the Yushitai will form a criminal case investigation team to thoroughly find out the mastermind of the Yu Lingxuan assassination case. The investigation period is one year.