Chapter 107: Chasing overnight

Runzhou is today's Zhenjiang, with six counties including Dantu, Yanling, Jurong, Baixia, and Qu'a. It has 100,000 households and a population of 660,000, and it also belongs to Shangzhou. The prefect of Runzhou is Li Fudao, the clan's brother of Li Linfu.

Although Li Fudao has the brother Li Linfu as the backstage, he has strong personal abilities. He has been an official in Runzhou for three years and has left some reputation. The people of Runzhou live and work in peace and steadily grow. The prefecture of Runzhou is in Dantu County. That afternoon, Li Daofu and Dantu County Magistrate Han Jinping discussed the issue of insufficient plowing oxen.

Han Jinping was the exiled official who started his career in the fortress with Li Qing'an. He was merciless by Li Longji for joining the army and pardoned his crime of exile and was appointed as the magistrate of Dantu County. After more than three months of office, he was not nourished by the Lingxiu of Jiangnan, but became darker and thinner. He inspected all villages and townships almost every day, handled official documents in the fields, and tried cases at the city gate of Caoshi City. He did not collect any foreign money or abused official power once. No one cherished this second life more than him.

In just three months, he won the reputation of Han Qingtian. Whether it was an old country farmer or a large scholar, no one gave Han Qingtian a thumbs up when he mentioned it.

Li Daofu was also very satisfied with this subordinate. Although he didn't hold a long position, Li Daofu still gave him a high-level exam in his evaluation.

In the past two days, Han Jinping's biggest headache was the lack of plowing oxen. This is because he lacked experience and did not realize the seriousness of this problem in winter. Seeing that spring plowing has reached its climax, many people are unable to plow spring plowing because there are no plowing oxen. In the past two days, the county government office has been crowded with farmers coming to borrow plowing oxen.

As a last resort, Han Jinping came to the prefecture yard for help from Li Daofu.

"I got news yesterday that many townships in Qua County have already plowed the fields and there are surplus oxen. Can you please ask me to come forward to coordinate and borrow some plowing oxen from Qua County. We are willing to pay a certain compensation."

Li Daofu smiled and waved his hand and said, "Every counties have difficulties. Qua County will also ask Dantu County in the future, so don't mention any compensation. I will write a letter to ask the magistrate of Qua Zhang to prepare the plowing ox and come as soon as possible."

At this time, a sudden rush of running sounds came from outside the door, and a yamen runner reported at the door: "Empress, an army of more than 400 people crossed the Yangtze River and was about to enter the city."

"Ah!" Li Daofu stood up in shock. If the Ministry of War was dispatching troops, he should have received the news in advance, but he had no news at all. The army entered the city, that was not a joke.

"Where is the army, did they say it?"

"It seems to be the Jiangdu Troupe Training Camp."

Han Jinping's eyes lit up and he hurriedly said, "Eunuch, it may be that Li Qing'an is here."

When he heard that it was the Jiangdu Troupe Training Camp, Li Daofu felt relieved. He smiled at Han Jinping and said, "It's your old friend here, let's go and have a look!"

Outside Dantu County, the regiment training camp that came from Sizhou was already a little exhausted, and the war horses were so tired that they foamed at the same time. They marched for three days and finally arrived in Runzhou. Now they were about to arrest Du Bosheng before the news of the capital Liangshan arrived.

Li Qingan did not let the soldiers enter the city, but asked everyone to rest on the spot and wait for the government to come forward. He Yanming next to him could not help but feel excited. After three months of breaking up, he could finally see Lao Han.

"General, what do you think Lao Han will become? Will he be as fat as a pig, with three wives and four concubines around him, and he doesn't have any money to go to a restaurant for dinner, and he will beat anyone who doesn't like him. Grandma, this county magistrate is really enviable!"

"Do you think others will be like you when they are county magistrates?"

Li Qingan snorted disdainfully and said, "You can see it yourself! County Magistrate Han is here."

A large group of yamen runners suddenly appeared at the gate of the city. Li Daofu and Han Jinping came out of the city on horseback. From a distance, Li Daofu bowed and laughed, "General Li, are you safe?"

Li Qing'an quickly walked up to him and smiled and said, "Eunuch, I'm leaving Chang'an, I didn't expect to meet so soon."

When he saw Li Qing'an again, Han Jinping's eyes turned red. He quickly stepped forward, lifted a corner of his official robe, and half-kneeled: "I'm not here to see the general!"

Li Qing'an was also very moved. He quickly helped Han Jinping up, "Old Han, don't do this, get up quickly!"

Seeing that Han Jinping was so thin, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, it was not easy for him to be a county magistrate!

He Yanming behind him was very surprised. He looked at Han Jinping for a long time before stuttering: "Old Han, why are you like this?"

Han Jinping smiled bitterly and said, "It's hard to describe it!"

At this time, Li Daofu came over, looked at the army, and asked Li Qing'an: "General Li, what's the purpose of you crossing the river to Runzhou this time?"

Li Qing'an whispered in his ear, and Li Daofu was very surprised, "General Li, what you said is true?"

Li Qing'an nodded and whispered: "The news should be accurate. This matter was handled by Li Xiang urged me to do it. The matter is urgent. Please cooperate with me to arrest the fugitive immediately."

"Okay! I'll make arrangements now, I'll go to Qua County."

Li Qing'an flew on the horse and bowed to Han Jinping and smiled, "Old Han, I have urgent official duties and I will meet you and drink with you another day."

In less than half an hour, Li Daofu personally led a hundred yamen runners and led Li Qing'an's brigade to Qua County. Qua County, which is today's Danyang, Zhenjiang, is less than a hundred miles away from Dantu County, and less than thirty miles away, the sky gradually became dark.

Everyone marched slowly in the quiet night. The regiment training camp slowed down the horse speed, and Li Qing'an ordered Nan Jiyun to lead twenty people to go first.

He slowed down and waited for Li Daofu behind him to step forward.

"Eunuch Li, I want to find out something."

"Please say, General!"

"I want to know how high-ranking officials like the prefect and the transshipment commander will be dismissed?"

Li Daofu smiled and said, "Often officials are dismissed from office, which is usually a failure or a dereliction of duty. Defection is important for dereliction of duty. However, General Li should know that if you are a high-ranking official such as prefect or a transshipment commander, there will usually be people behind you. Small failures and dereliction of duty cannot be moved, and they will not commit the major failures and dereliction of duty. Therefore, if you want to dismiss them, only special circumstances will arise."

“What special circumstances?”

"One is that corruption is stolen, and the amount is huge. As long as the incident occurs, the court will never tolerate it. Secondly, there is a problem with his backstage. The so-called "moneys fall and money fall, and other things are difficult to shake their seats except for these two things."

Li Qingan nodded. He was about to ask again, but at this time, a sound of horse hooves came from afar. It was Nan Jiyun and the others who were back.

"General, there is a situation!"

"What's going on?"

Nan Jiyun stepped forward and put an old man down from his horse and said, "General, he is the chief of Pingdu Town, and he has important information."

"What important information do you have?" Li Qingan asked with great interest.

The old man hurriedly said, "General, dozens of people suddenly came to the town this evening, clamoring, most of which were in the accent of Sizhou. The leader was very fierce and injured the inn shopkeeper. The villain was preparing to go to Qua County overnight to complain, but met this general on the way."

After saying that, the old man glanced at Nan Jiyun timidly. He ran away in the darkness, but was almost shot to death by the officer with an arrow.

Li Qingan asked anxiously again: "Are you sure it's the accent in Sizhou?"

"It must be that the villain stayed in Sizhou for seven or eight years when he was young, so he could hear it."

"How far is Pingdu Town from here?"

"Report to the general, there are about ten miles left."

"Send the order and go forward at full speed to block all the exits of Pingdu Town."

The group of people accelerated immediately, and the sound of horse hooves hit the ground in the night, the war horses galloped, and the dogs barked in the huts on both sides of the official road, and countless local dogs rushed out and yelled at them.

Not long after, the black outline of Pingdu Town in the distance was faintly visible.

"General, just the inn at the north entrance of Zhenzhen!" Li was pointing at a three-story inn and shouting.

There were already lights in the inn, and the sound of horse hooves alarmed them. Someone rushed out of the inn and ran desperately.

"Clog the front and back, and no one can be let go. Those who dare to resist will be killed!"

Tang Jun swept towards the inn, arrows flew in the air, and the two were shot by arrows and fell to the ground. Tang Jun instantly surrounded the inn, Li Fei Shouyu shouted sternly: "Everyone inside raised his hands, otherwise we will set the rocket!"

There was no sound in the inn. Suddenly, a bowstring sounded and an arrow shot out, hitting the shoulder of a Tang army. The Tang army turned over and fell off the horse. Li Qing'an was furious and ordered: "Star the rocket!"

Rockets soared into the air and rushed towards the inn with blazing flames. The fire took advantage of the wind. In an instant, the flames were high and some people began to run out of the inn. Some powerful people climbed over the wall and ran into the town. The Tang army's arrows were like rain. In a moment, more than a dozen people who escaped were shot to death.

Li Fei Shouyu shouted again: "For the last chance, raise your hand on your head, otherwise you will be killed without any consequences!"

"Give me your life! We dare not resist, let me go!" The fire became stronger and stronger, and the people in the inn were desperate, all crowded in the yard. There were crying and begging in the yard, mixed with the sad neighing of horses.

More than thirty men raised their hands and dozens of horses rushed out of the yard. Tang army stepped forward and led the horse away, and more than thirty people knelt all over the ground.

"June Jun, please spare me! We are all forced."

Seeing that there was a middle-aged man injured by an arrow hidden among them, Li Qingan asked with a finger on the horse whip: "Where is Du Bo?"

Several men looked at each other and moved away from both sides, revealing the injured middle-aged man. The man snorted and stood up in pain.

"I am Du Boyun."

After Du Boyun appeared in Xuyi County, he was so scared that he fled from Duliang Mountain overnight. They ran day and night, two hours earlier than the Tang army. They fled to Pingdu Town. The people and horses were extremely tired. Du Boyun thought that the Tang army could not catch up, so he decided to stay in Pingdu Town for a night before leaving. Unexpectedly, they were surrounded by the Tang army, with heavy casualties.

Li Qingan smiled coldly, pointed at him and said, "Take him down, count everyone to see if there is any missing."

Pingdu Town is fifty miles away from Qua County, and it is another night. Therefore, although it is very lively and lively, people fifty miles away will never know.

After a moment, the Tang army got the exact address they were going from Du Boyun's son, Sunjiaxiang, Qu'a County, the uncle's family of the three Du family brothers, and the famous wealthy family in Qua County, and the great salt owl Du Bosheng hid in his house.

The target was locked, and the Tang army set out again. This time, the yamen runners were the pioneer, and Li Daofu took the lead and rushed to the front.

At about four o'clock, the sky turned blue. The marching night of the army finally arrived at Qu'a County. This was a central county. The city was not big, with only two gates in the north and south. It was not yet time to open the door, but the city gate was already crowded with farmers preparing to enter the city to sell vegetables.

When they saw the large group of people coming, they were frightened to dodge to both sides. The officers guarding the gate in the city had already discovered the abnormality below and leaned over and asked, "Who is the person below?"

"Open the door quickly, I am the prefect Li Daofu."

After a moment, the city gate creaked and a crack was opened. A man came out to check. He saw that it was indeed Prefect Li, so he was so scared that they quickly opened the door.

This time, the Tang army stopped riding horses and ran towards Sunjia Lane with the yamen runners. After a moment, they found their target. Mei House, a large mansion in Qua County, was a large mansion covering an area of ​​fifty acres. The yamen runners and 200 soldiers surrounded the mansion. The rest of the soldiers climbed over the wall and entered the house. Suddenly, a scream sounded inside.

Mei Fanghe, the owner of Mei Mansion, was the governor of Changzhou during the Kaiyuan period. Ten years ago, he retired from his official position to spend his days at home. His sister was the mother of the three brothers of the Du family. The Du family was rich and generous, and sent huge amounts of money and goods during festivals. Mei Fanghe was not only respected but also rich, so he built this house larger than the county government in Qu'a County.

Mei Fanghe is nearly 80 years old this year and has poor sleep. His family's screams immediately woke him up from his dream. When he heard that some officers and soldiers entered the house, he was panicked and afraid, and came out trembling with the support of his two grandchildren.

"We are good people, why do you have to break into a house at night?"

The main hall was filled with the children, grandchildren and daughter-in-law of the Mei family. Each of them was trembling with fear, and some great disaster came to the Mei family.

In the yard outside, hundreds of Tang soldiers stood in a dark state. They held horizontal swords and were murderous intent. Li Qingan, the leader, said coldly: "You have hidden the fugitive Du Bosheng, you have violated the criminal law of the Tang Dynasty and have the same crime as the fugitive. Do you still want to deny it?"

"This general, I was also the governor of a state and the secretary of Guanglu Temple. Although I retired for ten years, the purple goldfish bag rewarded by the emperor is still there. I know the law of the Tang Dynasty. You said I am hiding a fugitive, but what evidence is there? If there is no evidence, please take out the decree of the emperor, otherwise you will not have the right to search my mansion."

"Hmph! Do you want evidence? It's easy."

Li Qingan turned around and ordered Li Fei Shouyu a few words. Li Fei Shouyu immediately took a few people with him and hurried away. Li Qingan stood in the yard without saying a word and glanced at Mei Fanghe.

Mei Fanghe didn't know what he was going to do, but he was really uneasy. He was old and weak and could not stand. A son brought him an embroidery pier and asked him to sit down. Mei Fanghe quickly thought about the countermeasures in his mind. How to deal with these officers and soldiers?
To be continued...