Chapter 98: Acting Yangzhou Prefect

Everyone is in a hurry to return to the capital, so many problems are no longer problems.

Negotiating with sincerity, the efficiency of solving problems can always exceed imagination.

The Lianghuai salt administration, which was thought to be thorny, reached a preliminary consensus among all parties in just half a month.

Li Mu was not qualified to participate in the specific distribution of interests.

He only knew that the matter was handled, the imperial envoys were all returning to the capital, and he unfortunately became the person left behind.

The Yangzhou plague had just been controlled, the acting Prefect was sent home by Grand Secretary Xu, and the imperial court had not yet confirmed the candidate for the new Prefect.

A big city like Yangzhou cannot do without a person in charge.

According to normal circumstances, before the new Prefect arrives, Yangzhou's government affairs will be handled by the imperial envoy on his behalf.

Regrettably, the Marquis of Marquis Wuyang and Grand Secretary Xu both wanted to return to the capital quickly and had no mood to handle Yangzhou's aftermath.

After the two pushed back and forth, this errand that no one wanted to do fell on Li Mu.

There is no lack of precedents for military generals to act on behalf of local government affairs in the Great Great Dayu, but those were all in the early years of the founding of the country.

Since the civil official group grew big, only the border regions that suffered foreign enemy invasion all year round had such strange things happen.

"My Lord, this is inappropriate!

This subordinate acting on behalf of Yangzhou City will certainly cause a huge uproar when it reaches the imperial court, and by then..."

Before Li Mu finished the words of refusal, the Marquis of Marquis Wuyang waved his hand to interrupt:

"Rest assured, there are too many troublesome things in the court now; who still cares about such a small matter.

The appointment was signed by this Commander and Xu Xu Wenyue together; whoever finds trouble with you for this matter is hitting this Commander and Grand Secretary Xu in the face.

There seem to be many factions in the imperial court, but generally, there are only those few major camps.

You yourself are a noble disciple; in this kind of matter, they will certainly support you.

Just by relying on your private friendship with the factory guards, the Eunuch Party won't mess with you.

If the Qingliu faction wants to make trouble, there is still our Grand Secretary Xu!

If he can't even suppress such a small matter, then this cabinet minister might as well not be one and go home to farm."

Hearing the near-impeccable explanation, Li Mu only felt tired in his heart.

If it were just him, this small pawn, it would be safe.

Party struggle in the imperial court is not a nervous breakdown, biting people randomly.

Provoking disputes all has a purpose.

The problem lies with the two big shots.

The Marquis of Marquis Wuyang, this kind of maternal relative, is not currently serving in a sensitive position, so the probability of becoming a target is not high.

Grand Secretary Xu, who is at the center of power, is different.

Once the party struggle breaks out, it is only a matter of time before the fire burns to him.

Various picking of faults is inevitable.

Hoping for some personal friendship to avoid the storm vortex is not impossible, but the problem is he doesn't have it!

The contact with the factory guards earlier was half based on interest ties and half based on borrowing power.

Regrettably, Li Mu couldn't explain this kind of thing.

If the Marquis of Marquis Wuyang knew that every time he dealt with the factory guards, he used his banner, he certainly wouldn't have a good face.

He might have to re-divide the account.

The share obtained by relying on human relationships and being a pure mouthpiece are completely two concepts.

"My Lord, why not change someone; this subordinate still has to return to the capital to..."

The words stuck in his throat; it seems the several elders of the Li family who died were already outside the five degrees of mourning.

According to the ritual system, this kind of relative outside the five degrees of mourning simply doesn't need him to observe mourning.

"Fine, you don't have to find excuses either!

Not only you have to stay, but the other several Battalion Commanders in the government office all have to stay.

Even the Capital Battalion will leave one-third of the troops to ensure the stability of the Lianghuai region.

Besides Yangzhou City, other prefectures and counties in the Lianghuai region will also enter a state of military control.

With so many people accompanying you, is your mood better?"

The Marquis of Marquis Wuyang's teasing made Li Mu very speechless.

If he had known everyone would stay to be responsible for the aftermath, he wouldn't have talked nonsense.

Wanting to return to the capital, besides being convenient for political operation, the biggest problem is that the Lianghuai region is not peaceful.

The rebel army was wiped out, but the remnants scattered among the people are not few.

Especially the large number of prisoners in the hands of the imperial army, which is a hidden danger that could explode at any time.

So many problems are not solved, and the salt fields that stopped because of the war must be restored to production as soon as possible.

Not to mention the complex post-war reconstruction work, all of which pressed over, Li Mu simply couldn't carry it.

With a group of unlucky eggs accompanying, it's completely different.

Everyone is at the same starting line, and no one suffers.

With colleagues helping to share, what he actually needs to be responsible for is only Yangzhou City and the suburbs; other prefectures and counties are other people's work.

The workload is greatly reduced, and the burden on his shoulders is also much lighter.

……

To save time, after assigning the tasks, the two imperial envoys left by boat in a hurry the next day.

Suddenly having no one above to manage him, Li Mu suddenly felt unaccustomed.

Acting on behalf of Yangzhou City does not mean he is the Yangzhou Prefect.

Things the imperial envoys can do do not mean he can do them too.

If the future Prefect doesn't recognize it and denies his approach across the board, who knows how much trouble it will cause.

After weighing the pros and cons, Li Mu tragically discovered that he could only follow the measures taken by the imperial envoys before.

Yangzhou City is like this, and other regions are estimated to be about the same.

It's no wonder those big shots dared to leave with peace of mind; it's clear they anticipated that they wouldn't dare to make trouble.

The only benefit is that he can temporarily move into the government office and temporarily experience the addiction of being a Prefect.

If there are no accidents, it is likely the only opportunity in his life to give orders in the government office.

"Battalion Commander, these are all invitations from Yangzhou gentry.

The rebel army ravaged, leading to the loss of many land deeds; they hope you can help handle the procedures."

Hearing Lan Lan Linjie's words, Li Mu rolled his eyes on the spot.

What handle procedures, it's clearly wanting to take the opportunity to annex land.

According to the Great Great Dayu Law, ownerless land will be confiscated by the state.

Later, it will be decided according to the situation whether to take it out for sale.

By then, besides local gentry, aristocratic families from the surrounding areas will also come to share a cup of the pie.

It's possible that the powerful in the imperial court will also come in to mix a foot.

The local gentry clearly don't want to see this situation happen; the two imperial envoys just left, and they couldn't hold back their actions.

They cooperated once before, and Li Mu left a deep impression on them, so now they want to replicate it again.

"Decline them for me; just say that the plague hasn't dissipated yet, so it's not suitable for gatherings.

Wait until the epidemic ends, then everyone can drink and have fun together."

Li Mu decisively refused.

What money can be taken and what money cannot be taken, he is very clear.

Collecting money in Yangzhou earlier was to soothe the hearts of the gentry, which belonged to a semi-official errand.

Most of the money collected would enter the Emperor's pocket, and he only earned a bit of hard-earned money from it.

Even if someone turns over old accounts, after checking the final destination of the money, they will obediently shut up.

Now colluding with local gentry and privately forging land deeds is embezzling state assets.

Once it is exposed, it will be a big thunder in the future.

It's possible that all the bad debts of Yangzhou Prefecture will be deducted from his head.

Similar operations, in the process of civil official infighting, often happen.

"This student will decline them."

"By the way, Battalion Commander.

You had people watch Huang Huang Renlong's lair; one of them recently discovered movement.

Last night, a group of people secretly came out from Hongze Lake, suspected to be rebel remnants."

Lan Lan Linjie added.

Discovering the movement of rebel remnants is not the first time.

It's just that in the past, without sufficient certainty, Li Mu didn't want to leave an image of being greedy for merit and advancing rashly to his superior.

"Have the people below prepare, and choose a suitable time to act.

The several lakes in Yangzhou territory must all be checked, and by the way, wipe out the water bandits together.

I will write to the Jiangnan Navy and have them send people over to act together.

In private, you go see that Mr. Zhou again and see if you can obtain valuable intelligence.

If there is no harvest, after capturing Huang Huang Renlong, send him on his way!"

Li Mu ordered coldly.

Yangzhou is flat, and there is no space for mountain bandits to survive, but there is no shortage of water bandits.

These people hide in the countryside on weekdays and only choose to strike when they lock onto a target.

Relying on the cover of neighbors, the encirclement and suppression organized by the government is difficult to catch them.

But no matter how deep these people hide, they were all blown out in the Lianghuai rebellion.

Whether active or passive, these people joined the rebel army.

Labeled as rebels, they are no longer ordinary bandits and must be wiped out cleanly.

This is a long-term project and it is difficult to see results in a short time.

The Five Cities Military Commission has no navy and is helpless against this group of guys, so it can only rely on the Jiangnan Navy.

In the past days, the imperial court mobilized the navy to suppress bandits, not once or twice.

The final results were all returning without success, at most playing a little bit of a role in the short term.

Once the navy withdraws, it immediately makes a comeback.

Li Mu has no confidence in the Jiangnan Navy, but some things, regardless of whether they can succeed or not, must be done.

After sending the official document, the water bandits are still rampant; that is the responsibility of the Jiangnan Navy.

Not sending an official document to notify is the lack of strict governance in Yangzhou Prefecture.

Although at this juncture, no one will pursue his responsibility for local governance, the work that should be done cannot be less.

"Battalion Commander, is Mr. Zhou a member of the Zong family?"

Lan Lan Linjie asked with slight hesitation.

To avoid suspicion, he had never intervened in the investigation of "Mr. Zhou's" identity.

In his cognition, his own adult is very appreciative of talent.

If the problem is not very serious, like "Mr. Zhou," a talented person, he would certainly find a way to take him for his own use.

"You guessed right; Mr. Zhou is the missing Zong Zong Guangtai, one of the rebel leaders heavily wanted by the imperial court."

Li Mu's answer extinguished his desire to plead.

Rebel leaders must certainly be killed; this is a matter of principle.

Not to mention meeting as old friends, even if it were a decades-old friendship, one must strike hard at such a time.

"Damn rebels, actually so insidious and cunning!

This student was deceived; fortunately, the adult is clear-sighted, otherwise it would have delayed the big event!"

……

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 99 =====