Chapter 167: Dark Clouds Over Shanggu

Shanggu Commandery.

For several days, this place has been shrouded in a stifling atmosphere.

Ever since Liu Fu returned from Yan Commandery, he has stirred up a storm in the officialdom of Shanggu Commandery.

Several officials from Rich Clans have been imprisoned for corruption, and more officials are set to be investigated.

Deep in the night.

The Gao Family residence.

The prominent Rich Clan officials of Shanggu Commandery have gathered here.

Now, every Rich Clan official in Shanggu Commandery feels their own position is in peril.

If Liu Fu continues his investigation like this, they will all eventually end up in prison.

"Lord Gao, what are we to do now? As the saying goes, pulling up a radish brings out the mud. If one official is imprisoned, the several or even dozen officials implicated below him will be dragged down, and those dozen officials will bring out hundreds more. In this way, will there be any room left for us to survive?"

"Ever since this Liu Fu arrived in Shanggu Commandery, he has looked at us with nothing but disdain. Now he is going even further; does he really think we are afraid of him?"

"If it comes to it, let's find someone to kill him. We might as well go all the way," someone shouted.

"..."

The officials were filled with righteous indignation, while Gao Yuan maintained a strange, eerie smile throughout.

After a long while, he said, "This matter must have the authorization of Yan Wang. Yan Wang is truly worthy of his name; he has some tricks up his sleeve. This is an open conspiracy. If we do not rebel, we will be imprisoned on charges of corruption; if we do rebel, he can wipe out the Rich Clans of Shanggu Commandery in one fell swoop," Gao Yuan said.

Upon hearing this, the officials were filled with fear.

When Shanggu Commandery was still under the jurisdiction of Yuan Li, they only needed to offer silver to the Yuan Family every year to do whatever they pleased in Shanggu Commandery.

Never before had they been bullied like this.

"Lord Gao, you said that as long as we kill Yan Wang, Shanggu Commandery will still be our Shanggu Commandery. Now, have you thought of how to act? We will listen to you," one official said.

"That's right, as long as we kill Yan Wang, Yanzhou will still belong to Lord Yuan, and we won't have to suffer this kind of indignity anymore."

"Kill Yan Wang."

"..."

As these words reached his ears, the smile at the corners of Gao Yuan's mouth grew even wider.

He said, "I have an idea for the present. The Rich Clans in Yan Commandery, such as the Dong, Yang, and Lu families, handed over their land and became pure merchants, which is why Yan Wang felt at ease. In my view, we should falsely claim that we also intend to hand over our land and present it to Yan Wang personally. If Yan Wang comes, we will set an ambush on the road and kill him."

"What if he doesn't come?" an official asked.

"Then we shall send a brave death-sworn warrior to take the land deeds to Yan Commandery and present them to Yan Wang in person. When Yan Wang reaches for the deeds, we will assassinate him!"

"Good! Lord Gao is truly both wise and brave."

"In this way, whether Yan Wang comes or not, he will die."

"..."

"Gentlemen, must it really come to a life-or-death struggle?"

Just as everyone was discussing excitedly, a voice rang out.

The air instantly went quiet.

Gao Yuan looked at the man, his brows slightly furrowed.

This man was named Zhong Shidao, the Head of the Family of the Zhong Family in Shangyi County and the County Magistrate of Shangyi County.

His son, Zhong Li, served as a general in the Yuan Family Army.

"And what is your brilliant opinion, Magistrate Zhong?" Gao Yuan asked.

"This subordinate believes that it must have been the Rich Clans secretly ordering their servants to coerce the common people into selling their land that angered Yan Wang.

That is why Yan Wang is so furious. If everyone simply stops and returns the land occupied in previous years, Yan Wang will surely not pursue the matter further," Zhong Shidao said loudly.

"Nonsense! I think your Zhong Family wants to be Yan Wang's dogs," an official shouted sternly.

"That's right. The Zhong Family has always prided itself on being 'pure,' so how could they possibly wallow in the mire with us?" another official mocked.

Zhong Shidao was furious upon hearing this. He said, "You are slandering me! I simply do not wish for everyone to lose their lives for nothing. Why must it be a life-or-death struggle?"

Gao Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. He said, "Enough. Those with different paths cannot make plans together. Magistrate Zhong, this is not a place for you. Please leave!"

He was driving him away.

Zhong Shidao sighed. When the Yuan Family was in power, the Zhong Family had to submit to them out of fear of their authority.

But in his heart, he did not approve of the Yuan Family's actions in Yanzhou.

Therefore, after Yan Wang took Shanggu Commandery, he did not hate Yan Wang like the other Rich Clans; he only felt that one should follow the mandate of heaven.

Rising from his seat, he flicked his sleeves and left.

After Zhong Shidao departed, Gao Yuan beckoned an official over.

"Zhong Shidao is not of one mind with us and might leak our secrets. Go, send men to kill him," Gao Yuan said.

The official nodded, and his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.

In the night, Zhong Shidao, protected by several Zhong Family disciples, rode in a sedan chair toward the inn.

Since arriving in Shanggu City, he had been staying there temporarily.

Upon returning to the inn, Zhong Shidao said to the Zhong Family disciples beside him, "Tonight, I defied Gao Yuan's wishes in front of him; Gao Yuan will surely not tolerate me. Tomorrow morning, we will return to Shangyi County and quietly await developments."

The Zhong Family disciples replied in the affirmative.

That night, he went to sleep at the inn, but in the middle of the night, he suddenly smelled a pungent odor.

When he woke up, he saw thick smoke billowing and flames rising everywhere.

Seeing this, he was terrified and rushed out of his room.

At this moment, a Zhong Family disciple ran over in a panic, "My Lord, the doors and windows of the inn have all been locked from the outside."

"What!" Zhong Shidao was shocked, then he said angrily, "You wretch Gao Yuan, you cannot even tolerate me for a single day."

"Clang."

Just as he was terrified, the inn's rafters collapsed with a boom, and the Flame instantly swallowed him.

In the moment he lost consciousness, he heard the clamor of men and horses.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Zhong Shidao woke up from his coma.

He only felt excruciating pain all over his body, as if his body were burning.

Just at this moment, a voice sounded, "County Magistrate Zhong, you truly have a great life."

Zhong Shidao was startled, looked toward where the voice came from, and called out, "Royal Tutor Liu."

Liu Fu nodded slightly, "You need not panic; now, in the eyes of others, you are already dead."

Zhong Shidao had a look of confusion, "What does Royal Tutor Liu mean by this?"

Liu Fu smiled lightly; the Prince's Mansion's spies had long since infiltrated this place.

During this period, the movements of Gao Yuan and these people had been kept in his grasp.

Tonight, after Zhong Shidao returned to the inn, a group of people set a fire to burn him to death.

He had learned of it in advance and sent soldiers to come, but he had not expected the fire to be so large.

However, fortunately, a member of the Zhong Family threw himself onto Zhong Shidao, sparing him from death.

In order to create the illusion that Zhong Shidao was dead, he immediately ordered men to find a corpse to throw into the sea of fire; in this way, upon learning the number of corpses, Gao Yuan would not be suspicious.

Right then, he told these matters to Zhong Shidao.

"Many thanks, Royal Tutor Liu." Upon learning that it was Liu Fu who saved him, Zhong Shidao wanted to get up to thank him.

"No need, County Magistrate Zhong should just focus on recovering from your injuries," Liu Fu said, "Your burns are very serious; at daybreak, this official will send someone back to Yan Commandery to retrieve the Secret Medicine of the Prince's Mansion for you to apply."

Hearing this, Zhong Shidao felt even warmer in his heart; compared to vicious scoundrels like Gao Yuan, he felt even more that Yan Wang was the only one fit to be the master of Yanzhou.

He immediately said, "Royal Tutor Liu, Gao Yuan and the others want to harm Yan Wang..."

Originally, he was going to let this matter rot in his stomach, but now he felt he had to speak his mind.

Liu Fu heard this, his eyes narrowed, and he smiled, "They are truly seeking their own deaths."