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Chapter 19 Mutiny, see Mutiny again

It is another New Year's Eve again. This year, God is particularly kind. Since the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the weather is warmer every day. Good weather can always bring good mood. The people of Fengzhou are now immersed in the joy of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new. W√w    W    .

★8★1    z     W★.

★CoM

Fifteen miles west of Feng'an City, there is a small forest called Jinjiling, which is the only way to Feng'an to Fengzhou. Due to the remote geographical location, robbers often did nothing here, and even single merchants dared not pass it even at noon. The locals also called Jinjiling "Duanhunling". However, in the first year of Kaicheng, no one mentioned the name of "Duanhunling". This year, Meng Bochang, Zeng Chongyang and Yang Hao, who were in charge of Fengzhou, had extraordinary enthusiasm for suppressing bandits. The bandits who had been in charge of Hetao for many years had to leave their hometowns with tears in their eyes and go to a foreign land to seek life.

At noon that day, the two young men went to Jinjiling. Seeing that there was no one around, they took out a short shovel and dug a shallow ditch on the road, burying a tripod rope. The two men were very skillful in digging trenches, burying cables, covering the soil, and then sprinkling some fallen leaves on the soil. At first glance, there was no flaw.

After all this, the two of them looked around and saw no one around and slipped into the woods next to them.

One of the two men was named Chen Hun and the other was Gu Li, both of whom were military academies of the Xiaoqi Camp. After finding a hiding place, Chen Hun took out a wine gourd, pulled off the lid and fed a mouthful of wine, and asked Gu Li: "Are you scared?"

"What are you afraid of?" Gu Li pretended to be calm, but his heart was beating.

"Come on, drink a little wine to enhance your courage." Chen Hun handed the wine gourd to Gu Li. Gu Li, who had never dripped the wine, took two big mouthfuls, "gu Dong, Gu Dong" because he was anxious and coughed.

"Don't be afraid, he only has three followers." Chen Hun cheered Gu Li. Gu Li's nervous face was pale, and even his lips were bloodless.

Chen Hun cheered him up again: "A young man like him has become a general by relying on his ancestor Yu Yin. He himself is nothing."

"Dadada" There was a burst of rapid horse hooves coming from the woods.

"Here's here!" Chen Hun let out a low roar, and got up, grabbed the trip maso with both hands. Gu Li, who had been shaking all over, seemed to have changed his body, calmly grabbed the bow beside him, and calmly drew out a poisonous eagle arrow.

Three horses flew from west to east, for a young man, riding a white horse and wearing brocade robes.

"Hi!" Chen Hun cried out and suddenly pulled up the tripping horsesso.

The white horse screamed and knelt on both knees. The young man immediately lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground.

"Shoot the arrow!" Chen Hun let out a low roar, and Gu Li's arrow had already emerged from the string.

The young man died without saying a word. The two followers behind him rode their horses and left, and Gu Li took the bow and arrows one by one.

"Brother, I'm so good at archery. I really misjudged you." Chen Hun praised, panting, and flipping over the young man's body, his face changed without realizing that the deceased was a rich boy in his early twenties.

"Is he Yang Hao? It seems that he is a few years older than him." Gu Li was puzzled and searched the young man in a mess. He accidentally found a letter, opened it and cursed unconsciously: "Damn it, it's not him."

"What should I do now?" Chen Hun suddenly lost his mind.

"Things have changed. We have to go back and tell them not to do anything, otherwise everyone will be done."

"Okay, go to Feng'an, I'll go..." Before Chen Hun finished speaking, he froze. Twenty archers came out of the woods, surrounding them.

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According to customary practice, the official offices at all levels in Fengzhou will not have a holiday until the afternoon of New Year’s Eve.

The main officials will also go to the nursing home in the city to comfort the elderly, widowed and disabled children, and send New Year's goods to pay New Year's greetings, creating a harmonious atmosphere of the family of officials and the people. Zhang Huchen went to the Nursery Hall, and after giving holiday gifts to the forty-eight children, it was already dark. In Fengzhou City, it was already "the old year was gone with the sound of firecrackers, and thousands of households spent the New Year". "Firecrackers" are also called "explosive rods", which burned a longer bamboo pole piece by piece, making continuous explosions.

The red lanterns in front of the gate of the governor's mansion have been hung, and incense is burning in the doorman, which can be smelled from afar. A month ago, Zhang Huchen's old wife came from her hometown with her youngest daughter. He would not live in this year.

"Mr., please stay." Secretary Feng Yi bowed and waited next to the etiquette gate. Behind him were two sturdy young men, both of whom were very strange in their faces.

"Go home and spend the New Year with your mother." Zhang Huchen said and walked into the inner hall.

Two young men stopped him one after another.

"What do you want to do?!" Zhang Huchen shouted sternly, his voice trembling a little.

"Please move your teacher, it's related to the lives of many people." Feng Yi bowed to the end.

"Xiao Feng, you didn't listen to what I said." Feng Yi was sweating all over his body with a knife-like gaze.

"The Zhang family is kind to me, I... have to..." Feng Yi's gaze dimmed.

"Don't be shameless if you're surnamed Zhang. Go away quickly." The young man behind Zhang Huchen shouted rudely and reached out and pushed Zhang Huchen.

In the main hall of the Feng'an Governor's Mansion, Yu Tai, the new Fengzhou Camp Army Chief Commander, paced anxiously with his sword in his hand. Under the eaves of the corridors on both sides, a group of young military academy wearing armor and hanging swords looked nervous and anxious. Yu Tai was Yu Hong's younger brother, formerly the Yongfeng Yingdian Army Captain. Yu Hong was killed in the Qing Dynasty, and the Fengzhou Camp was completely destroyed by the Guiyi Army. With the recommendation of Zhang Yannian, Yang Hao appointed Yu Tai as the Fengzhou Camp Army Chief Commander and recruited soldiers to rebuild the Fengzhou Camp.

Seeing Zhang Huchen coming over with a sinister face, Yu Tai cleaned up his clothes and bowed to salute. Zhang Huchen ignored him and sat straight into the main hall. The two young officers around Yu Tai wanted to stop him, but Yu Tai stopped him.

"I will never participate in your affairs." Zhang Huchen's words gave Yu Tai a blow.

"Yang Hao is clearly investigating human trafficking, but in fact he is ill-intentioned. If he continues to investigate like this, Fengzhou will be bleeding. Not only the veteran general cannot be saved, but you are also doomed."

"I didn't participate in your activities." Zhang Huchen snorted coldly, "What am I afraid of?"

"The governor is naturally innocent, but are all officials in Fengzhou innocent? Break the bones and tendons, and you want to keep it alone, but what you are afraid of is that he will not let you go." Zhang Huchen sighed slightly when he heard this.

Seven days ago, Zhang Ren, the commander of the military commander of the Knight Camp, was taken away by the military court in his own military camp of Jushi Fort. On the same day, Zhang Yannian returned to Yongfeng for cultivation because of illness.

Just two days later, twelve officers in the Xiaoqi Battalion were arrested. Cheng Kecheng served as the commander of the Xiaoqi Battalion, and his troops were divided into three, and were under the supervision of Chen Mingyi, Yu Yanlu and Soe. All this seemed to indicate the beginning of the "reversal of Zhang". When the war in the Jushi Fort was just oversaw, the senior officials of the Xining Army were planning a new round of military system reform. This restructuring would use the sentry as the basic unit to break up the original sequence and reorganize them. All battalion-level officers were dismissed on the spot, reassessed, and reappointed.

The fact that there are many mountains in the Xining Army is unconcealed. Yang Hao is also known to the reduction of the vassal states. This round of military system reform is obviously aimed at the large and small mountains. The three mountains in the Xining Army are standing together, Tiande, Ghost Army, and Yongfeng Zhang. Just a few months ago, it was Tiande, and the Ghost Army fought for the strengths of each other, but in the blink of an eye, the Tiande system and the Ghost Army were no longer in glory.

Ling Tong, the two giants of the Tiande Clan, and Li Tong, have lost all their hearts because they failed to stop Zeng Chongyang from purgeing the Xining Army, but their foundation was hollowed out. Park Enjun, the actual leader of the Ghost Army, has been purged, and Soe's strength has been greatly damaged, Li Changlin is alone, Mahshang has no ambitions, is violent and greedy, and is not worth worrying at all. It is obvious that Yang Hao's restructuring this time is directed at Zhang Yannian. Zhang Yannian was originally the most inconspicuous among the three factions, but he has been rooted in Fengzhou for many years and has a deep foundation. In Zeng, Zhang Yannian not only gained reputation, expanded his power, and became one of the three factions.

It is not difficult to understand that Yang Hao's reform proposal would be strongly opposed by Zhang Yannian. It is also easy to remind people of the arrest of Zhang Ren to factional disputes. Some people even suspect that Zhuang Yunqing's recommendation of Zhang Yannian as the former army was an important part of the downfall of Zhang. Zhang Ren had already sold humans privately, so why did he arrest him at this time? Isn't this a conspiracy and what is it?

Whether the rumors are true is Zhang Huchen dares not make arbitrarily judgment. If time goes back a few months, he will definitely stand on Yang Hao's side clearly. However, because of the lessons of the Zeng Chongyang incident, Zhang Huchen became cautious. Staying neutral before things are still unclear may be the wisest choice.

Since he wants to remain neutral, he cannot be biased or favored. Zhang Huchen understands that he is very safe before the two families have formally shown up. This is why he has the confidence to reject Yu Tai. However, Yu Tai's words just now hit his weakness.

While Yang Hao was trying his best to seize military power, Zhang Huchen calmly held the administrative system of Fengzhou in his own hands. Zhang Huchen knew how many Fengzhou officials would be affected by the Zhang Ren case. This is "breaking the bones and connecting the tendons". Will Zhang fall on his head in the end? Zhang Huchen was not sure at all.

Seeing Zhang Huchen hesitating, Yu Tai felt that the opportunity had come, so he decided to put some pressure on him: "Your insult, don't hesitate anymore. You have been wrong once, and Yang Hao will not let you go. The old general said that as long as you can help you, you will still be the governor of Fengzhou in the future. The old general will only manage the army and will never interfere in government affairs."

Zhang Huchen shuddered secretly and asked quietly: "Is this what General Zhang said?"

Yu Tai was stunned and hurriedly replied: "Yes, although it was not what the old general said in person, he knew the old general's meaning."

After hearing this, Zhang Huchen slapped the awkward and sneered: "It turns out that you are good at making decisions. If you do this, not only will you not be able to save Zhang Ren, but you will also implicate General Zhang."

Yu Tai was speechless and couldn't speak. A small school beside him sneered: "If there is a veteran general, why are you talking to you? Let me ask you another question, are you willing to take this lead?"

Zhang Huchen sneered: "I am a minister of the Tang Dynasty and dare not join forces with the rebels even if I die."

Upon hearing this, the young military academy pulled out his sword and placed it on the case, threatening: "Old man, take back your words!" Zhang Huchen looked at the sky with his eyes and snorted contemptuously.

"Bang!" The military academy kicked the case over and grabbed Zhang Huchen and was about to move.

"Stop!" Yu Tai shouted, rushed forward and asked, "I can hand over the seal of the governor, and I can spare you."

Zhang Huchen sneered: "The seal belongs to the court, how can you rebel against you?" The young military academy heard this and "bang bang" two punches, which made Zhang Huchen's eyes look blue and his hat fell off.

Yu Tai held his hand: "The old bone is very hard, it's useless to hit him." He turned around and shouted at the door: "Bring someone in."

Two military academies brought in Zhang Huchen's old wife Feng and daughter Zhang Yingying. Zhang Yingying was only ten years old and was dark and thin. Seeing that the old father was beaten to his nose and eyes, he was so scared that his whole body trembled and hid towards Feng.

"Take the seal of the governor and spare your family." Zhang Huchen and his old wife Feng had a deep relationship. Yu Tai himself held Feng's hand and Zhang Huchen would definitely give up."

"Mr., please tell me." Feng Yi, who had been standing outside the door, suddenly broke in and knelt in front of Zhang Huchen with a "thump". Feng Yi was originally a minor official in the warehouse of the governor's office, and he was alone in supporting his mother. Zhang Huchen felt that he was filial and transferred him to work as a clerk. Later, he saw that he was diligent in doing things and was eager to study, so he often gave him guidance. Feng Yi called him "teacher" privately, and Zhang Huchen actually agreed.

"Get out of here, I don't have a student like you." Before Zhang Huchen finished speaking, his chin was punched by the junior high school again, and he screamed in pain. Seeing his father lying helplessly on the ground, ten-year-old Zhang Yingying suddenly rushed forward and hugged the junior high school's hand and bit it hard.

"Ah!" The school screamed, and Zhang Yingying tore off a piece of meat.

Yu Tai pushed Zhang Yingying to the ground with his hands, and the school slashed her sword. At the critical moment, Feng Yi roared and hugged the school in the waist, shouting: "Yingying Run quickly." Zhang Yingying recovered and ran out in a hurry. A military academy guarding the door hugged her in the waist. Zhang Yingying reached out and scratched her. Feng took this opportunity to hit her head. The school was knocked to the staggering and lost her hand. Zhang Yingying took the opportunity to rush into the yard. Relying on her thin body, she shook the siege away from the encirclement of several military academys and ran to the front of Yimen Gate. She was dealing with several guards when she suddenly heard a scream behind her.

"ah!"

Zhang Yingying hurriedly looked back and saw Yu Tai stabbing into his mother's back with a knife in his hands, and a stream of blood spurted out. When she was dying, Feng still hugged one of Yu Tai's legs tightly...

————————————

On the New Year's Eve of the first year of Kaicheng, the old Zhang family house in Yongfeng seemed deserted than ever.

In the main hall, the red candles swayed, the fragrance fog was swaying, and a sumptuous New Year's Eve banquet was filled with five pairs of bowls and chopsticks. Zhang Yannian sat on the main seat in a new way, looking at the four empty seats with his eyes empty.

"Master..." Butler Zhang Zicheng walked in quietly.

"Are you leaving?"

"Everything is gone," Zhang Zicheng paused, "Yu Xing is outside, she wants to come in and kowtow."

"No need, let her go and find an honest person to marry."

"Oh," Zhang Zicheng walked out helplessly.

"Tell her again..." Zhang Zicheng walked to the door and suddenly heard Zhang Yannian say something to explain, and hurriedly stopped. But Zhang Yannian lost the following and just waved silently.

Yu Xing left in tears. Before that, Zhang Yannian dispersed all his family and sent out all his family members. At this moment, only he and his family member Zhang Zicheng were left in the huge old house of Zhang family.

Zhang Zicheng picked up the wine pot and poured the five empty cups. Then the old man who followed Zhang Yannian for most of his life knelt down in tears and kowtowed to Zhang Yannian, and walked out the door lonely...

At the beginning of the afternoon, the bell of the Daning Temple in the west of Yongfeng City rang. Stepping on the "crackling" sound of the pole, Mahshang, the commander of the Fengya Camp's commander, personally led a team of soldiers to break into the old house of Zhang's family.

"Zhang Yannian intends to rebel, and the evidence is conclusive. Mahshang, the commander of the military commander of the Fengya Camp, immediately escorted the officer to the Military Justice Department for interrogation." Mahshang stuttered and shook the arrest warrant in his hand towards Zhang Yannian, who was sitting upright in the main hall.

A small school whispered to the side: "General, he has committed suicide by taking poison."

Mahshan glared at him, slapped the arrest warrant on the school, and said word by word: "You take him to Feng'an Military Justice Department overnight to submit a service, and you must not make any mistakes."

Mahshan turned around and said to the army: "The rebel Zhang Yannian committed suicide for fear of crime! All brothers were on holiday for ten days and went home to drink!"

The troops were filled with joy. Yesterday they each received a bounty of ten taels. At dusk today, Feng'an sent twenty more women, fifty male slaves, three hundred fat sheep and five hundred jars of fine wine.

Only the small school stood like a wooden pile, looking at the arrest warrant in hand, and started to cry.

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Chapter completed!
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