Can he really be innocent?
Wu Ling's personal guards immediately began to waver.
"Lay down your weapons and surrender," Liu Hu shouted loudly, "Otherwise, I'll kill without mercy!"
With both kindness and might, Wu Ling's guards surrendered instantly.
Seeing that the situation was lost, even if Wu Ling survived, he would definitely not have good days in Great Ling anymore.
So he made a decisive decision, turned around and ran towards the nearby cableway.
He wanted to go to Hong Shan Stockade, and then to Nanzhao Kingdom.
As long as he still had his freedom, relying on the wealth he had accumulated over the years, he could still live very comfortably.
Fortunately, the cable car basket on the cableway was still on this side. Without any hesitation, Wu Ling jumped into the cable car basket, and whisked over to the other side.
When he landed, he saw the Qiu Village Chief at first glance.
"Qiu Village Chief, I'm Wu Ling!"
The expression on the Qiu Village Chief's face was quite interesting.
"Qiu Village Chief, what's wrong with you?" Wu Ling asked, "Where is Private advisor Tang?"
He had already become a ghost under the cliff.
The Qiu Village Chief shook his head. Ma Village Chief came out from the dark and had Wu Ling tied up.
"Ms. Li really has amazing foresight," Ma Village Chief laughed. "This little guy really came, haha......"
Ms. Li, Liu Yun, as well as Xiao Wa Village and Qing Song Village...
Suddenly, Wu Ling understood everything.
There was no real battle at all!
All this was a trap set up to overthrow him!
But who exactly has such great ability to even unite Xiao Wa Village and Qing Song Village?
He immediately thought of Li Yao. Could it be this woman?
...
The General's Mansion.
Liu Yun had already removed Wu Ling's lounge chair and put up a decent wooden chair.
At this time, all the major figures had already gathered in the hall of the General's Mansion.
Liu Yun sat upright in the main seat, Captain Liu Hu wore armor and sat in the left front seat, next to him were Lü Village Chief of Xiao Wa Village, and Ma Village Chief of Qing Song Village.
On the other side were Liu Yuan, as well as Shi Tou and Zhang County Captain who had made great contributions this time.
The dishes on the table were relatively simple, with some seasonal fruits, and no fine wine. But everyone was clear that what was eaten at this banquet was unimportant. What was important was who they ate with.
Liu Yun held this banquet, of course, not to treat everyone to eat something, but to stabilize the border between Great Ling and Nanzhao Kingdom and resume normal trade.
Xiao Wa Village and Qing Song Village would naturally be the biggest beneficiaries.
The two villages had expressed their willingness to move their stockades out and settle near the main roads for the convenience of trade between the two countries' businessmen.
There were also enough people. The people of Hong Shan Stockade were divided between the two villages. In fact, many were ordinary commoners who would serve their sentences by doing hard labor for a few years.
As for the Qiu Village Chief, he was sent to the Nanzhao Kingdom's inland, where the Nanzhao King would personally punish him. Of course, this was none of Liu Yun's business.
Wu Ling was thrown into prison, and the captains who followed him were stripped of their official positions.
Fortunately, the money they had embezzled was all recorded, and the remainder that wasn’t squandered by Wu Ling would be returned proportionally to the merchants who had been deceived.
The most congratulatory thing was Liu Hu.
This guy had just arrived a few days ago. Without even being a captain of a hundred men, he directly became a captain of a thousand men. After the merits were counted, he might be promoted another rank to become a deputy general.
Of course, everyone present knew that the greatest credit belonged to Li Yao.
Without her strategies and abilities, it would have been absolutely impossible to resolve this matter so smoothly without harming a single soldier.
No, the only sacrifice was Private advisor Tang.
This old cunning character in the end still died under his own greed.
After the banquet ended, everyone went to do their things. Li Yao and Zhang County Captain also prepared to return to Baichuan County.
But Liu Yun could not return.
Such a big thing had happened, a general had been arrested and imprisoned, he had to return to the capital to report this matter to the old man, for him to send another general to come over.
"Auntie Li," on the way to send Li Yao back, Liu Yun couldn't help but ask, "Why exactly?"
He was asking why Li Yao had made such great contributions, yet firmly refused to let him mention anything about her in this matter.
"If you let me petition achievements for you, with such great merit, you could at least become a fifth-rank noble lady."
"What's the use?" Li Yao retorted, "Can it help me grow some crops, or help me make some floor tiles?"
"But..."
"I know what you want to say, but I really don't need it," Li Yao was going to properly retire when she returned this time, "Give the credit to you, and you can use it to do more things."
Use the credit to do more things?
But what exactly should be done?
Or rather, what should be done?
Liu Yun had always known that he could never inherit the throne and become the ruler of a country to govern the world. He didn't want to care about those things either.
Previously, he only wanted to live a comfortable life this lifetime, to live as he pleased. But now it seemed like he had another goal.
He wanted to protect Li Yao,
to protect Li Yao, he had to protect He Wan village, he had to protect Baichuan County well.
To protect a county, he had to at least be a magistrate.
But he was a prince, he couldn't be a magistrate. The only way was...to become a prince?
Then benefit the entire Yizhou Prefecture, and build a prosperous and stable backyard for Great Ling!
In an instant, it was as if Liu Yun suddenly understood everything.
As expected of Auntie Li, with such insight, he couldn't catch up to her even on horseback!
"Auntie Li, I understand now!" Liu Yun said, "I will definitely not fail to live up to your expectations."
Li Yao asked in confusion: "What do you understand?"
"Auntie, don't worry, I will work hard to do it." Liu Yun said, "Auntie, have a safe trip, I won't see you off any further!"
Watching Liu Yun wave goodbye to her, Li Yao was even more confused.
So what exactly did this guy understand?
Returning to the familiar He Wan village, Li Yao was ready to lie completely flat this time.
Now there were endless lands to farm at home, chickens, ducks, pigs and cattle were all in groups, all kinds of vegetables were grown patch by patch, and the rice in the paddy fields was also growing well.
The hot pot business was now run by Du Xiao Hui's mother again, the production of soap, lye soap and herbal paste was stable, bicycle factory orders kept coming, and the tile factory was also gradually getting on track. The concrete made with lime also produced a little bit every day.
These industries brought her at least a few hundred taels of silver in income every day.
Although there were still many things that could be done, being able to enter the top 500 nationwide was enough for Li Yao.
It was just right like this. Any more would bring more troubles to her door, and she didn't want to work hard and contend with important people like this time.
This was not the life she wanted.
Ding ling ling...
The bell rang, Li Yao rode her custom-made speed changer bicycle, raced towards Baichuan Town at lightning speed, overtaking many trishaw riders along the way.