Chapter 60: He Can Be Taken and Replaced

60. Chapter 60: He Can Be Taken and Replaced

"Wang Gonggong, do you really intend to arrest all the officials of Linlang County City in one go?"

Watching one familiar face after another being taken down upon arrival, Li Zaiye felt that Wang Deshun and Zhao Muqing must have gone mad.

He, although serving as prefect, had been assigned from elsewhere, so his influence was limited.

But the others, most of them are natives of Linlang County, and their family power bases are here.

"Prefect Li, instead of worrying about us, you'd better think carefully: if your situation blows up, won't it implicate your family, and that noble person you mentioned?"

Wang Deshun simply isn't worried about these officials' families causing trouble.

On the contrary, if they really do cause trouble, he will certainly not be lenient.

The bigger the uproar over the case, the greater his merit naturally becomes.

If others try to send him merit, how could he refuse?

However, Wang Deshun feels that nine out of ten of these officials' families dare not act arrogantly.

To drag an entire family down for the sake of one person—what kind of brainless fool would do that?

Moreover, they came with the mighty aura of having pacified the Manichaeism rebellion—who would dare act rashly?

Li Zaiye soon understood everything as well.

By this point, he realized the tide had turned against him.

But he couldn't understand—just yesterday, when they met, their conversation had been perfectly normal; how could everything change in an instant?

At this moment, Li Zaiye never imagined that all of this was merely because he had given birth to a fine son.

After arresting these officials of Linlang County, Wang Deshun and Zhao Muqing had notices posted throughout the city, urging residents to report and expose the officials' illegal deeds.

But it was obviously ineffective.

Many things, the common folk merely hear rumors.

Many victims either relocated their whole families or have already been buried.

This Linlang County City has already been turned into an ironclad bloc by these officials.

"Wang Gonggong, this can't go on like this!"

They arrested people, but if there's no solid evidence and only hearsay, they can't possibly punish these people's crimes.

Zhao Muqing is the type of general who relies on brute force; he's clearly lacking in scheming and tactics.

Wang Deshun, long accustomed to palace life, understands people and scheming, but this situation is somewhat different—most importantly, they're unfamiliar with the local terrain here.

They could deal with this batch of people, but the officials' family power still remains; the commoners have reported them, yet who would dare come forward to testify? Aren't they afraid of retaliation?

"Why not ask that person?"

Zhao Muqing thought of Shen Yunyao: "The Princess is a native of Liu Cheng under Linlang County; she knows the situation here better than we do!"

"Then let's give it a try!"

Wang Deshun thought it over and felt that going to ask Shen Yunyao would be good.

And upon hearing Wang Deshun's words, Shen Yunyao merely thought for a moment and then gave her opinion.

"Wang Gonggong, you can think of having the Liu Cheng County Magistrate act as interim prefect of Linlang County, but why didn't you think of letting other members of those officials' families replace them?"

"Even if they're from the same clan, they may not be of one mind!"

A few simple words from Shen Yunyao made Wang Deshun suddenly see the light.

This maneuver—isn't it just the usual court trick?

Pull one faction, strike another!

"Thank you, Young Madam, we've been enlightened!"

Wang Deshun promptly withdrew.

Not long after, the situation suddenly changed.

The commoners didn't come forward to report them; instead, these people's own clans stepped forward.

Even pulling out the radish brought up the mud, and even more people were arrested.

"Shocking!"

Wang Deshun looked at the evidence these people reported, item after item, and was truly shocked.

Beneath the seemingly calm surface, so much wickedness lay hidden.

"How dare they do all this?"

Zhao Muqing also couldn't fathom it.

These people had practically turned Linlang County City into a state within the state of Dayong.

They set up private courts, exterminated families, colluded with the Manichaeism—there was nothing they wouldn't dare do.

"If we're not mistaken, the Manichaeism deserves great credit for all this!"

When Wang Deshun discovered that someone had colluded with the Manichaeism to eliminate rivals, he finally understood how all this had come about.

The Manichaeism needed popular support to rise, but with the realm at peace and the people well-fed and clothed, how could they possibly join those who risked their heads to rebel?

Without natural disasters, they manufactured human calamities.

With just a little guidance, these families' playboys took the bait, and then, step by step, they were lured into grabbing ever more benefits.

If they hadn't detected it in time, once the Manichaeism rebelled, they could rely on the evidence they'd gathered to make those Linlang County families obediently follow their orders.

"Commander Zhao, go interrogate the leader of the Manichaeism—they must have even more detailed evidence in their hands!"

Wang Deshun, a sharp-witted person, grasped the key at once.

Often, officials who embark on the path of corruption and wickedness never return—not because they've completely lost all conscience.

They simply had no choice.

With the evidence in others' hands, they didn't want to suffer misfortune, so they could only honestly do people's bidding.

Thus, they preserved their official posts and still had silver to take.

Slowly, bit by bit, they also sank deeper and deeper.

The Manichaeans were still anxious.

If they keep nibbling away like this bit by bit, when they revolt in the future, their scale will only be larger.

"We must submit advice to His Majesty!"

Wang Deshun saw a lot from this matter.

As long as he explains all this in a memorial, he will surely win the emperor's favor and be given important posts.

This is his chance to display his ambitions!

……

When Qu Feng reached the commandery city, after learning what had happened inside, everyone was dumbfounded.

He had always thought Shen Yunyao's group had already left Linlang Commandery, but he never expected they not only didn't leave, they actually quelled the Manichaean rebellion and captured all the officials of the commandery city in one sweep.

"Sir Qu, it's good that you've come!"

Seeing Qu Feng arrive, Wang Deshun felt they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

In governing the people, Wang Deshun may not be completely clueless, but he really lacks the ability.

Professional matters should still be left to professionals.

Qu Feng wanted to cry.

He did want a promotion, but he didn't want to work himself to death.

Most of the officials of Linlang Commandery City had been arrested; only a few insignificant people remained, the sort of disgruntled fringe figures who usually amount to nothing.

Whether these people have talent or not, Qu Feng doesn't know, but he knows that relying on them, he cannot manage the entire Linlang Commandery City.

"Lord Wang, even if you held a blade to my neck, I still couldn't settle everything here!"

"I have no subordinates; I can't use the art of duplication!"

"It's fine, there are people, there are people!"

Those clan members sold their own kind, seeking nothing but a chance to rise, right?

Wang Deshun had promised that if they were capable, they would have a chance to enter official service.

"Sir Qu, how to judge what these people can do is up to you!"

"However, we need to tell you, these people can be used for the time being."

"Thank you for the advice, sir; this humble official understands!"

Qu Feng instantly understood Wang Deshun's meaning; this was a warning to him not to become the second Li Zaiye.