Chapter 97 - 95: Collapse of Order
Xiao Jingchuan in the Governor’s Mansion was almost scared out of his wits upon hearing the news.
The allied forces of soldiers from the Six Prefectures might be manageable, but those fifty thousand border defense troops were truly too fierce.
They were, after all, the regular army of the Imperial Court, a truly battle-hardened elite force!
To put it bluntly, these fifty thousand border defense troops could easily match two hundred thousand ordinary county soldiers!
Using them against him, it even felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
This time, what could he possibly use to resist?
It’s over!
Completely over!
Xiao Jingchuan sat on the bench, looking somewhat lost and disheartened.
"My lord, while there’s life, there’s hope," County Governor Ji Xuechang kept advising.
"I know..." Xiao Jingchuan sighed.
Upon learning this news, he had no intention whatsoever to withstand the Imperial Court’s army of a hundred thousand, as using the forces at his disposal would be akin to striking a stone with an egg.
And if he exhausted the troops he had built up over the years, he would be left with nothing.
There was no need to think much; what remained before him now was only one last escape route.
The next day, Lu Zheng sought out Song Changming.
"Last night, Brother Gu came to me, telling me that Donglai Prefecture is about to change..." Lu Zheng revealed the matter of the Imperial Court’s army of a hundred thousand.
Song Changming’s face also grew grave, saying, "This time the Governor definitely won’t be able to hold out."
"Hmm." Lu Zheng nodded and continued.
"Brother Gu also said that the Governor would undoubtedly take troops to flee, and afterwards, the court would send a new governor to take office. At that time, without unexpected events, there would be a political cleansing against the remnants of the Xiao family, so we should be cautious."
Song Changming frowned.
Normally, he wasn’t someone from the Governor’s Mansion, just a small patrol guard in the Public Security Bureau, and he had no family power behind him; his position was insignificant.
He was essentially just a high-level grassroots cadre, so a major political cleansing shouldn’t concern him.
The new governor, wanting to maintain the regular operation of the entire Donglai County, couldn’t possibly overthrow the entire framework of grassroots officials.
The one concern Song Changming had, albeit small, was his private relationship with Xiao Shuyun, unsure if it might be targeted.
However, even if this matter was brought up, it wouldn’t draw too much attention.
After all, Xiao Shuyun was just a woman without an official position and not very high in the Xiao Mansion.
Over the years, she had built relationships with too many people, and the new governor couldn’t possibly investigate every one of them.
When the time came, if Song Changming wanted to extricate himself from this trouble, he might only need to spend some money and silver to smooth things over with the higher-ups.
Having been an official for many years, he understood the various pros and cons and knew how to handle things to keep them simple.
"What are Lord Gu and the Gu family planning to do?" Song Changming couldn’t help but ask.
Gu Wenhui, as Xiao Jingchuan’s advisor, held an important position in the Governor’s Mansion and couldn’t possibly stay; otherwise, he’d certainly be the primary target of the new governor’s purge.
The Gu family, closely related to the Xiao family, might also face action from the new governor.
He speculated that Gu Wenhui would either leave with Xiao Jingchuan or take the Gu family to leave Donglai County on their own.
In any case, staying was not an option.
"Brother Gu left last night, and the Gu family started leaving Donglai County one by one a few days ago. They discreetly sold off their properties and land, leaving nothing behind," Lu Zheng shook his head and said.
Hearing this, Song Changming also fell silent for a moment.
It must be said that Gu Wenhui truly had foresight, having made plans and preparations in advance.
The Gu family, being a local power, had considerable assets in Donglai County, which couldn’t be cleared quickly.
He had likely been scouting potential buyers for a long time, fully prepared for today’s retreat.
He had long anticipated today for the Governor and the Xiao family.
And for a local power to make the firm decision to sever all ties and relocate the entire clan required great courage and determination.
"Changming, I’m planning to go with Brother Gu," Lu Zheng said, suddenly changing the topic to reveal his decision.
Back then, Gu Wenhui had tried to recruit both him and Song Changming, seeing them both as potential great talents, but at the time, Donglai County hadn’t yet seen a change, so neither had made a decision.
Lu Zheng could actually stay and continue as the Chief Patrol Guard.
But after a heartfelt conversation with Gu Wenhui before he left, Lu Zheng was moved to abandon his current position and go with Gu Wenhui.
Today, when Lu Zheng sought out Song Changming to share his decision, it was actually to inquire about Song Changming’s plan.
After all, Gu Wenhui had initially recruited both of them.
In the entire Public Security Bureau, only they were noticed by Gu Wenhui.
Song Changming shook his head and said, "I plan to stay."
Unless he really couldn’t stay in Donglai County City any longer, he didn’t want to move.
Firstly, the outside world was chaotic; leaving Donglai County and going to an unfamiliar place might not necessarily be safer.
Secondly, his parents were old and couldn’t endure the strain of traveling; staying in the County City was the best option.
As for seeking refuge with Gu Wenhui, it wasn’t even within his consideration at the moment.
He hadn’t figured out what the other party truly intended to do, so it was impossible to follow along without understanding.
Compared to Lu Zheng’s relationship with Gu Wenhui, he was much more of a stranger to them, having only shared a drink, lacking any deeper understanding or trust.
"Alright." Lu Zheng nodded, neither persuading him further nor asking more questions.
He wasn’t a person to be verbose, nor was he a competent persuader.
"Take care on your journey." Song Changming said.
"Take care." Lu Zheng nodded, his two-meter frame turning to leave.
Song Changming watched Lu Zheng leave, shaking his head continuously, quietly lamenting the departure of another familiar friend.
Previously it was Xiao Shuyun, now Lu Zheng, and perhaps many more familiar people would leave thereafter.
Such is life, there are no everlasting banquets.
With his long lifespan, he was destined to face more farewells, even those of life and death.
"It’s good like this; better to adapt early so that once accustomed, it’s not a bother."
With this thought, Song Changming carried on as usual, completing his tasks, returning home on time, and spending any spare time with his elderly parents.
The next day, there was no trace of Lu Zheng at the General Department.
Xie Shihuan was infuriated upon learning this.
In fact, he had received Lu Zheng’s resignation the day before, but he didn’t accept it and even scolded Lu Zheng.
No one expected Lu Zheng to be so rebellious, leaving directly the next day, which naturally angered Xie Shihuan.
Afterwards, he sought out each Patrol Captain for private discussions.
The discussions all centered on the same topic, revealing that the Governor was leaving Donglai County to start anew, and as one of Xiao Jingchuan’s trusted confidants, he began persuading each Patrol Captain to follow him and the Governor to embark on this grand venture.
This included Song Changming.
In fact, due to Song Changming’s personal valor and great potential, he spent the longest time persuading him.
Unfortunately, even during the Xiao family’s heyday, Song Changming had no desire to work at the Governor’s Mansion, so now there was even less reason.
Ultimately, Xie Shihuan couldn’t persuade Song Changming, which left him quite disappointed.
Neither Lu Zheng nor Song Changming, the two foremost talents of the General Department, could be recruited under Xiao Jingchuan’s command, which was undoubtedly a significant regret.
Of course, Song Changming didn’t completely shut the door, giving Xie Shihuan the impression that if Xiao Jingchuan rose again, he might come seeking him out.
"Changming, it won’t be long. When the time comes, I’ll be waiting for you." Xie Shihuan gave Song Changming a profound look, patted his shoulder, and finally said.
A few days later, as the Imperial Court’s assembly of one hundred thousand troops drew closer,
Governor Xiao Jingchuan could wait no longer and set out!
He took everything he could, emptying the storerooms of the Governor’s Mansion, the military’s armory, and even the city’s granary wasn’t spared.
Finally, he took along a large group of subordinate talents and officials, along with over fifty thousand troops, silently leaving the city under the cover of night, heading west in great numbers.
By dawn, those left behind finally realized what had happened, finding the Xiao Mansion and the unmanned Governor’s Mansion completely deserted.
Those who wished to leave had all gone; those who remained either didn’t wish to leave or were not favored by the Governor.
"What should we do now..." Zhou Sixin, Song Changming, and a few other remaining Patrol Captains looked at each other in silence, noting Xie Shihuan’s absence as well.
Of the twenty Patrol Guards of the General Department, only seven remained.
The other thirteen Patrol Guards, including their thirteen captains, had all been taken away by Xie Shihuan.
The entire Public Security Bureau suddenly felt desolate.
"Honestly, it’s a bit sudden..." Song Changming murmured.
Losing Xie Shihuan alone in Donglai County City wasn’t too concerning, but the absence of a Governor left the Governor’s Mansion largely emptied.
Administratively leaderless, it was difficult for the remaining officials to even maintain the County City’s order.
Until a new Governor took over, it was foreseeable that the entire Donglai Prefecture would fall into further chaos and turmoil.
"News from the Patrol Armor Bureau of the city reports that more than half of the Patrol Guard has been taken away; Yong’an Street’s Patrol Armor Bureau has been completely vacated, leaving only a few Patrol Guards and some Night Patrol members..."
"This approach is too extreme." Zhou Sixin shook his head repeatedly.
Soon, the news of the Governor abandoning the city spread among the citizens, causing an uproar, and a myriad of individuals started causing unrest throughout the city, with more and more instances of looting occurring in various districts.
The Governor’s Mansion had fully collapsed, the Patrol Armor Bureau was short-staffed, and the remaining Patrol Guards couldn’t keep order.