Along the road to Baichuan County, a long convoy moved slowly.
After entering the territory of Baichuan County, the bumpy road surface suddenly became exceptionally smooth.
Looking at this wide gravel road, Grand Marshal Zhou Bo's face was slightly displeased.
Even the road to the Emperor's summer resort was a dirt road, yet this small Baichuan County dared to build such a nice road.
Noticing his displeasure, Prefect Hu who was in the same car hurriedly said, "Sir Zhou, this road was built on the urging of the commoner woman Li Yao and Song Feng. I have already investigated clearly. Last year, under the pretext of using work to provide disaster relief, they made those disaster victims and migrants work to build roads and reservoirs. In the end, they only gave two bowls of thin congee a day, but didn't pay any wages at all. It was really evil."
"This magistrate Song Feng has reached the end of his term. "
Hearing this, Hu prefect was secretly delighted. He had wanted to drive Song Feng away for a long time.
The things this guy did in Baichuan County were even more conspicuous than his own as prefect. He simply stole the show and was disobedient, impervious to bribes.
After driving Song Feng away and transferring an obedient magistrate over, he would be able to profit in Baichuan County.
"Right," Zhou Bo asked, "Did you investigate everything clearly about that commoner woman Li Yao?"
"Investigated everything clearly," Hu prefect said. "The commoner woman Li Yao is ambitious like a wolf. She privately forged refined iron. This alone is enough to imprison her. In addition, I found from the merchant convoy that left He Wan village 300 handles of refined steel blades. This is illegally manufacturing weapons, which is a major crime among major crimes!"
"Still not enough," Zhou Bo said. "The Prime Minister's intention is very clear. This Li Yao cannot be kept. The crimes you mentioned can at most exile her, not take her life."
"This..." Hu prefect rolled his eyes and said, "I also found out that she privately set up public halls in the village to secretly train private troops, and colluded with the Nanzhao Kingdom under the guise of trade, plotting wrongdoing. This way, she can be nailed down, and all of her family's property confiscated."
"Hmm, that's about right." Zhou Bo nodded in satisfaction and said, "Discovering the traitor Li Yao this time, Prefect Hu did the first meritorious deed. When I return to the capital, I will truthfully report to His Majesty."
"Thank you, Sir Zhou."
"How much longer until we reach Baichuan County?"
"Soon, we must arrive before nightfall," Hu prefect said. "I have already sent people there in advance to arrange it. We can go to He Wan village tomorrow."
"No rush, no rush." Zhou Bo said. "Since His Majesty asked me to investigate, I must naturally let people investigate thoroughly for two days before going to He Wan village. It won't be too late. Could that commoner woman have escaped?"
"If she escapes, that would be evading guilt."
The two looked at each other and smiled tacitly.
...
Yizhou Prefecture military barracks.
Grand Marshal Xu strode into the barracks with several guards following him.
But the scene before him greatly angered him.
The huge barracks were empty, without even training soldiers in sight.
After waiting at the barracks gate for a long time, a captain with crooked eyebrows and slanted eyes slowly walked over and asked arrogantly, "Who are you? Don't you know you can't trespass into the provincial army barracks?"
His arrogant attitude made Xu Zhan want to slap him into the sky.
"Bold!" A guard sternly shouted, "The Grand Marshal is here, why don't you salute?"
What, the Grand Marshal?
The captain's legs went weak with fright.
Oh my god, didn't they say the Grand Marshal went to patrol the southern border of Nanzhao? How did he suddenly come to the barracks?
And the sir is not wearing armor, just plain clothes. Who could recognize him?
But judging by the situation, it didn't seem fake. So very simply, he knelt on the ground, "Grand Marshal, spare me. I didn't know it was you..."
"Get up!"
Xu Zhan yelled, scaring the captain into scrambling up from the ground.
"Who taught you to kneel and salute?" Xu Zhan said, "My Great Ling soldiers, as long as they have armor on, need no grand ceremony. You are a captain, don't you even know this?"
"I...I was wrong..."
"Useless stuff, you don't even have backbone!"
Xu Zhan didn't want to blow up too much on a low-ranking officer, and at the same time reminded himself not to get angry, as it was not good for his health.
"Take me around the barracks."
"Yes."
"Just lead the way, don't reveal my identity."
"Yes!"
Led by the captain, Xu Zhan came to a camp area.
He saw the provincial soldiers, each still lying in bed snoring away. A few who did get up were lazy and yawning as they walked.
Keep calm, keep calm!
Soon the group arrived at the granary, but didn't see any guards.
"Where are the people here?"
"This..." The captain cursed those family members guarding the granary in his heart. They must have slipped away to gamble again. "I will go find them right away."
"No need for you to go, I'll go!"
Xu Zhan walked into the granary and soon in a hidden corner, saw several soldiers crowded together.
"Buying and selling, I'm opening!"
Seeing the captain come over, someone laughed and asked, "Old Zhang, want to play a round?"
The captain wanted to strangle the guy.
"Who are these guys, I've never seen them before?" A soldier said, "Buddy, play a few rounds?"
Xu Zhan walked away with a black face.
Can't get angry, can't get angry, getting angry is bad for health.
But to say he's not angry would be a lie.
This was a prestigious provincial army barracks, yet discipline was even more chaotic than the marketplace!
With this kind of military discipline, how could one expect them to fight?
"Tell me," Xu Zhan asked, "Why is it like this? Does Prefect Hu just let you do as you please like this?"
"Sir, actually it's not usually this bad," the captain replied in fright. "It's just that yesterday Prefect Hu took away two thousand provincial troops to Baichuan County. The officers all went with him. With no one to manage things, everyone became lax."
Grand Marshal Xu's brows furrowed slightly. He knew Hu prefect went to Baichuan County, certainly accompanying the Grand Marshal.
But they were only going to investigate Li Yao's matter. Why did they need to mobilize two thousand provincial troops?
That was half the provincial army's forces!
"Even with the officers gone, you can't be so lazy and lax."
"Subordinate knows his wrongs," the captain paused, then mustered his courage to say, "Grand Marshal, actually...actually our Yizhou Provincial Army wasn't like this before."