Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 348 The Ming Dynasty Version of Petitioners

Using a "no-sword disarming" technique, she stabbed her opponent to death with a backhand. Before blood could spurt out, Shimazu Chiyo spun around, shaking off the assassin and avoiding getting blood on herself. Her eyes were fixed on the second assassin, her hands already on the hilt of her sword, seemingly preparing for a fatal "draw sword technique."

After Liu Ye came to his senses, he saw Shimazu Chiyo's preparatory action and knew that once the sword was drawn, the second person would surely die. He quickly spoke up to stop her: "Don't kill them all, leave one alive!" Being attacked at his doorstep, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully until he found out what happened.

Upon hearing this, Shimazu Chiyo abandoned her plan to draw her sword and instead swung the scabbard at the neck of the second assassin, knocking him to the ground.

At this moment, everyone gathered around, and the guards surrounded Liu Ye, fearing that a third assassin might appear.

The assassin on the ground was subdued, but he was very unwilling and shouted loudly: "Traitor, you have acted against the natural order and have been all-powerful in Qiongzhou Prefecture. Even if I can't kill you, someone else will!"

Liu Ye found this strange. The man's voice didn't sound like that of an illiterate peddler; it was more like that of a scholar. After a careful look, he realized the man was a middle-aged man around forty years old with a beard, whom he didn't recognize. So he asked, "Who are you, and what grudge do you hold against me?"

The man snorted but didn't answer. He just stared at him fiercely, his eyes seeming to spit fire.

Lin San was at the front of the crowd when he heard a voice that sounded familiar. He walked over and saw that it was someone he knew. He pointed at the person in surprise and said, "You...you're the magistrate of Changhua County, aren't you? Why would you come to Lingao to assassinate the general?"

Everyone was stunned. This person was actually the magistrate of Changhua County! He was a county official, how could he have fallen to the point of committing murder in the street, and the target of the assassination was the most troublesome person in the entire Qiongzhou?

This man was none other than Lu Gengyu, the magistrate of Changhua County. When he realized he had been recognized, he felt that his current beggar-like appearance was an insult to his civility. He wanted to deny it, but he was unwilling to lie, so he covered his face with his sleeve and answered in a muffled voice, "Who cares who I am? Since you can't kill this scoundrel with your own hands, just kill me. There's no need for further words!"

Upon learning that the man was the magistrate of Changhua, Liu Ye deduced that he had gone mad and come to assassinate him because of the attack on Changhua. His initial shock turned to rage, and he coldly said, "It was merely an attack on Changhua County. Even if you resisted, we didn't unleash a massacre after breaching the city. I don't understand why your resentment runs so deep. However, you are right about one thing: I intend to rule Qiongzhou Prefecture with absolute power. Anyone who tries to stop me will only face death. Since you dared to come, you must be prepared to die. I will grant your wish. Guards..."

"Wait!" Sun Yuanhua stepped forward from the crowd, earnestly saying, "General, why not let him explain the whole story before taking action? A county magistrate, unless driven to desperation, would not stoop to committing murder in the street." He listened to the magistrate's words; he was a loyal subject to the Emperor and the court. His willingness to attempt assassination showed he was of a resolute and upright character. Such honest and loyal officials were rare in officialdom. If it could be saved, it was worth a try. Fortunately, the assassination attempt ended without serious harm, leaving room for maneuver.

Liu Ye still had to give Sun Yuanhua this face. "Although I think it doesn't matter whether I ask or not, since Mr. Sun has asked, I'll give him face and let him explain clearly."

Lu Gengyu cupped his hands in greeting to Sun Yuanhua: "I appreciate your kindness, sir, but I am already disheartened. I will not speak of my past experiences or why I came to assassinate you."

With the intention of saving loyal officials for the court and preventing the general from killing too many officials, Sun Yuanhua patiently advised: "If there is anything wrong, you might as well speak frankly and openly. Perhaps you can find a solution. Why are you so eager to die? I was just like you back then, only wanting to be executed at the execution ground. But after surviving, looking back, it was nothing. Taking a step back opens up a whole new world, and yielding a little brings peace of mind."

Lu Gengyu was somewhat puzzled. In the Ming Dynasty officialdom, "Caishikou" generally referred to the most crowded area outside Xuanwu Gate in the capital. Historically, it was the place where executions were carried out, mostly on officials and political prisoners; ordinary people weren't even qualified to be beheaded there. The most famous example in the current dynasty was the execution of Yuan Chonghuan, the military governor of Jiliao, by dismemberment there. From then on, the name "Caishikou" spread like wildfire among officials. This old man claimed to have almost been executed at Caishikou, so he must also be an official, and of considerable rank. Someone like himself, a mere seventh-rank official, wouldn't even qualify to die there.

He tentatively asked, "May I ask your name, sir? And what rank do you hold?"

Sun Yuanhua sighed, "Let bygones be bygones. I am now just a commoner..."

Yan Guang, who was standing to the side, casually interjected: "This gentleman's surname is Sun, his courtesy name is Chuyang. He once served as the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, the Governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, and a high-ranking official of the fourth rank who held significant military power!"

Lu Gengyu was greatly surprised and quickly bowed, "So it's Mr. Chuyang, my apologies! I am Lu Gengyu, the former magistrate of Changhua County, courtesy name Huayu." The governor was a high-ranking official dispatched by the imperial court to the local area, holding both military and political power. There were very few truly powerful figures in the entire Ming Dynasty. Although Lu Gengyu was a minor official in a remote prefecture, he still knew the name Sun Yuanhua.

Sun Yuanhua waved his hand: "The past is like fleeting clouds. Besides, I am also living in this world as a convict awaiting punishment. Now I only want to assist the general in doing something beneficial for the country and the people. In other words, if I can let go, why can't you? Why don't you tell me about your experiences?" He noticed that the other party claimed to be a former county magistrate, and it seemed that he had either been dismissed from office or resigned on his own, so there was a story behind it.

Having learned of Sun Yuanhua's identity, and seeing that even a dignified governor had fallen to the status of a commoner, Lu Gengyu felt his own misfortunes were insignificant, and his frustration lessened considerably. He sighed, "It all started with the Qiongzhou garrison's attack on Changhua..."

He briefly recounted his experiences over the past year.

Last year, Liu Ye devised a plan to attack Chengmai and Changhua counties. Lin San was in charge of attacking Changhua, but they encountered resistance from the local militia organized by Lu Gengyu, forcing them to use mortars. The county government was also affected; Lu Gengyu's right leg was crushed by the debris, leaving him disabled and lame. Lu Gengyu couldn't swallow this insult and wanted to file a joint complaint with Zhang Dayou, the commander of the garrison, but was refused and instead advised to be pragmatic. In a fit of anger, Lu Gengyu went to the prefectural city to complain to the prefectural government, saying that the Qiongzhou garrison had sent troops without authorization to attack the county and harm the people. To his surprise, Prefect Qin Bingyan, upon hearing that it was related to the Qiongzhou garrison, refused to listen and kicked him out.

When Lu Gengyu was desperate and had nowhere else to turn, he wanted to cross the sea to Guangzhou to appeal to higher authorities. However, Qin Bingyan learned of this and sent someone to stop him. He also gave him a stern warning that if he continued to go his own way, he would find someone to impeach him and remove him from office through official procedures.

A high-ranking official of the seventh rank, Lu Gengyu, ostracized by his colleagues, suppressed by his superiors, and with no recourse to appeal, stubbornly resigned. He took his only trusted follower and went to Lingao to seek revenge against Liu Ye. However, Liu Ye had been either under tight security or at sea for months at a time, unable to find a suitable opportunity. Lu Gengyu, who had been disguised as a beggar, had run out of money and had become a real beggar. Now, having finally found his chance, he had ultimately failed.

Liu Ye, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded. The experience of this stubborn county magistrate sounded exactly like that of petitioners in later generations. Wasn't this a Ming Dynasty version of a petitioner?