Chapter 124 The End of Xu Gong
Wu County, Wujun.

Wu Jiang, 30 years old, male, owns a restaurant in Wu County. He is considered one of the better-off people.

But Wujiang has been having a hard time recently. The county officials have started collecting taxes under false pretenses, and Wujiang can still get the money together by gritting its teeth. But these officials keep coming to buy on credit every few days, and Wujiang can no longer bear it.

We were already a small family, and had to pay all sorts of new taxes, and also do business on credit. Our savings of many years were about to be depleted.

Wu Jiang could no longer bear it, and went to find his cousin who worked in the government office to try to make some arrangements, hoping that these county officials who were on debt could settle some of their bills, as they really could not make ends meet.

however.

"It's not that I don't want to help you, I'm just a small county official, how can I care about these masters?"

Wu Jiang had expected his cousin's refusal, but he had never counted on it.

"Brother, please show me a way out. I just want to survive."

Wu Jiang cried and begged, "Yesterday, my neighbor Li Er was arrested because he couldn't pay the new taxes. He hasn't come out yet."

"The day before yesterday, Mr. Li from the neighboring street sold his children to barely raise the new tax."

"If we go further, almost one household will go bankrupt every day. I really don't want to be the next one."

Cousin Wu Jiang knew all this.

Even he, an official in the county government, suffered considerable exploitation, let alone the common people below.

Who made Wu County have three yamen?

Among the three offices, the county government, the prefectural government and the military governor's office, the county government is the weakest.

Nowadays, the county governor Sheng Xian is not in charge of the affairs, and the commander Xu Gong is conscripting able-bodied men into the army and levying heavy taxes and levies.

Wu County originally had a population of more than 20,000 households, but at least 5,000 households were lost!
Among the remaining 15,000 households, 5,000 were powerful and wealthy families, and Xu Gong did not dare to touch them.

Among the other 10,000 households, half are well-off and can hold on for a while, like Wu Jiang.

When the other half were about to flee, Xu Gong added a tax for leaving the city, requiring each person to pay a thousand coins per head before they could leave the city.

This is not collecting taxes, it's clearly robbery!

But what can the people do?

Wu Jiang is considered to be the lucky one who has managed to hold on until now, while the others were either exiled or served in the military.

Wu County is almost becoming a hell on earth.

In the end, Wu Jiang's cousin gave Wu Jiang a solution that was not really a solution.

"If you can get out of the city, go to Wucheng County and find the generals under the command of the governor of Yuzhang County."

"I heard that Governor Jin is in Shanyin County recently, not far from Wucheng County."

"As long as you tell Governor Jin about the tragic situation in Wu County, perhaps the crisis can be resolved."

Wu Jiang hesitated: "Governor Jin is famous, but can he really manage the affairs of Wu County?"

Wu Jiang's cousin motioned Wu Jiang to whisper in his ear, "The six counties west of Wu County are all under the jurisdiction of Governor Jin. Do you think he can take charge?"

This was not the first time Wu Jiang had heard such words. He had treated it as a joke before, but he never expected it to be true!

But Wu Jiang was still hesitant: "Then how should I get out of the city?"

"That's one thousand coins. How can I have so much money?"

Cousin Wu Jiang raised his hand and pointed to the east, and said no more. That was where the Wujun Lu family settled in Wu County.

Outside the gate of the Lu family in Wu County.

Wu Jiang hesitated whether to pay the visit.

This is the Lu family, the most prestigious family in Wujiang. How could he, a commoner, dare to step into the Lu family's threshold?

At this moment, the main gate of the Lu family opened wide, and Lu Jun, the eldest son of Lujiang prefect Lu Kang and the current head of the Lu family, walked out.

Seeing this, Wu Jiang fell to his knees with a plop and kowtowed, saying, "Master Lu, please save the people."

"If this continues, all the people in Wu County will die!"

Lu Jun was busy arranging the funeral for his cousin Lu Jun and didn't want to bother with it.

At this time, a little kid in plain clothes grabbed Lu Jun and said, "Uncle, please help him. He is so pitiful."

Lu Jun couldn't help but be curious and asked, "Xun'er, there are so many poor people in the world. I can't help every one of them, right?"

The little brat was Lu Xun. He remembered something sad and cried, "Father once said that if you see evil and don't stop it, you are not a gentleman."

"Isn't uncle a gentleman?"

Lu Jun couldn't help but sigh in amazement, and continued to test: "The people's affairs are managed by the county magistrate and the county governor. I am just an ordinary person, what can I do?"

Lu Xun pointed at Wu Jiang and said, "Why don't you ask him?"

"Maybe he has a solution."

Lu Jun praised him highly and said to his attendants, "This is my Lu family's Qilin child!"

Lu Jun turned around and asked Wu Jiang if he really had a solution.

Wu Jiang told Lu Jun the method his cousin taught him.

The latter nodded and said, "You go back. I will write a letter to Governor Jin. As for whether Governor Jin will come to eliminate the evil, I can't guarantee it."

half a month later.

Lu Jun received a letter from Jin Mao and summoned Wu Jiang again, saying, "Jin Taishou agreed, but he needs evidence to prove that Wujun Duwei Xu Gong is indeed harming the people."

"Can you find a way to make this happen?"

Wu Jiang asked, "May I ask what evidence is, Master Lu?"

Lu Jun picked up the bamboo slips and said, "It must include the real name of the victim, the circumstances, the outcome, and the signature."

"The more the better. Governor Jin has already prepared his troops and is waiting for the evidence to arrive so that we can eliminate the rebel Xu Gong."

Since Wu Jiang could run a restaurant, he could naturally read and write, and he immediately said there was no problem.

Three days later, Lu Jun received more than a dozen bamboo slips of evidence, and this was just what happened in the past three days.

Lu Jun sighed, "I didn't expect people's lives to be so difficult." He immediately wrote a letter to Jin Mao explaining the details.

Unfortunately, this time the letter was intercepted by Xu Gong, who came to the house to question him.

"I have been diligent in governing the area and would not dare to infringe on any of your prominent families."

"Now this is your reward to me?"

Lu Jun looked at the soldiers in the hall, angry but not daring to say anything.

What a diligent person!
It must be hard to harm the people, right?

However, for the sake of his family, Lu Jun did not offend Xu Gong again and asked, "I don't know what Captain Xu is talking about?"

"Bang!" Xu Gong angrily threw down the bamboo slips and said, "Let me see how you can deny it."

Lu Jun picked up the bamboo slips calmly.

Last time Jin Mao wrote back, he specifically explained that the deadline was three days. If Lu Jun was ready, he could just write something irrelevant to the matter and send it over. Then Jin Mao would understand his meaning.

Therefore, this bamboo slip letter cannot explain the problem at all.

When Lu Jun saw the contents of the bamboo slips, his pupils constricted and his eyes dilated.

The letter clearly stated Lu Jun's request for Jin Mao to attack Xu Gong, but the handwriting was not Lu Jun's and the content was fabricated.

Obviously, this is a frame-up!
"This is not a letter I wrote." Lu Jun shook his head decisively and said, "In my letter to Governor Jin, I only mentioned that my Lu family will have difficulty in continuing the spring farming next year, and I would like to ask Governor Jin for some assistance."

Xu Gong cursed contemptuously: "Lu Jun! How dare you deny it!"

"If the contents of the letter can be forged, then can your signature, Lu Jun, also be forged?"

Lu Jun no longer wanted to explain. Xu Gong's purpose of coming today was to deal with the Lu family. No matter how many explanations he made, it would be in vain.

"Nothing to say?" Xu Gong waved his hand and said, "Search for me!"

"There must be other incriminating evidence in the house!"

This time, Lu Jun was completely panicked and began to regret that he should not have meddled in other people's business.

Besides, there is really evidence in the Lu family mansion!
Once discovered by Xu Gong, the Lu family would definitely not gain any benefit. Now Xu Gong is like a mad dog, biting wantonly.

No family in Wu County dared to provoke him, especially the Gu family. Because of Gu Yong, Xu Gong would come to their house every now and then to cause trouble.

There was no other way, the Gu family could only spend money to avoid disaster, but if they continued like this, they would not be able to hold on any longer.

Lu Jun didn't expect that it would be the Lu family's turn so soon.

Xu Gong did not dare to follow Jin Mao's example, as he would often confiscate property and exterminate clans, and the Lu family in Wu County did not have many properties.

But Lu Jun was afraid of angering Xu Gong. If Xu Gong attacked the Lu family's ancestral land, Huating, he would become the biggest sinner of the Lu family.

"Governor Jin, please come quickly!" Lu Jun couldn't help but pray.

Maybe God is on Lu Jun's side, or maybe Jinmao has already made preparations.

Just when Xu Gong was about to search the house.

"Report!" Xu Gong ordered his soldiers to come in a hurry.

"Report to the commander, the governor of Yuzhang County has ordered us to open the city gates immediately, otherwise, the city will be breached and all the people involved will be exterminated!"

"What?!" Xu Gong was shocked and angry: "Jin Mao really dares to rebel?"

Before Xu Gong could react, even worse news came.

"Report!"

"Report to the Commander, the west gate has been lost, and Governor Jin is entering the city!"

Xu Gong panicked: "Let's go! Follow me and break out from the East Gate!"

Ling Cao had only more than 200 men and was able to defeat Xu Gong so badly that he fled in disarray. Xu Gong was certain that Jin Mao was well prepared this time and had at least several thousand soldiers.

If you don't run now, you won't be able to escape.

Unfortunately, Xu Gong was still too naive.

If Jinmao doesn't take action, it's fine. But if he does, he will definitely kill.

"Captain, the South Gate has been lost, and Governor Jin is entering the city!"

"Captain, the north gate has been lost, and Governor Jin is entering the city!"

"Captain, the East Gate has been lost, and Governor Jin is entering the city!"

In just a quarter of an hour, all four city gates were lost.

"Go back to the Lu family!" Xu Gong immediately wanted to take hostages.

Unfortunately, the Lu family’s gate had already been closed, and more than a dozen archers appeared on the courtyard wall, ready for battle.

Currently Xu Gong has less than 500 men, of which only 100 are core members, and the remaining 400 are newly recruited or forced soldiers. It is unlikely to break through in a short time.

Especially when he saw the scary looks in the eyes of the new recruits, Xu Gong panicked: "Go back... Go back to the Duwei Mansion!"

He then rushed to the Duwei Mansion with a hundred of his trusted men, not daring to bother with the new recruits who refused to move.

Xu Gong's new recruits looked at each other, and without anyone taking the lead, they did not dare to attack Xu Gong.

This allowed Xu Gong to return to the Duwei Mansion safely.

"On alert! Everyone on alert!"

Xu Gong ran towards the commander's mansion, yelling at the top of his voice.

There are 300 confidants of Xu Gong in the entire Duwei Mansion, 100 of whom are retainers and 200 are veteran soldiers who were recruited and gathered together before.

Now Xu Gong only trusted his retainers and did not even trust these old soldiers, so he arranged them to guard the outer courtyard wall.

Xu Gong knew that the Duwei Mansion would not be able to be defended, so he took a hundred retainers to the stable, ready to ride on his warhorse to break out.

However, the loud sound of horses neighing was soon heard outside the Duwei Mansion.

Xu Gong's face turned pale and he almost fell off his horse.

(End of this chapter)