https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-405-Yellow-Turban-Rebellion-in-Bingzhou/13041544/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-407-Ding-Yuan-Nailed-to-the-Pillar-of-Shame/13041551/
Chapter 406: Invasion of Foreign Tribes
Chapter 406: Invasion of Foreign Tribes
September 25, 2017
The attack on the Qiangyin Wall ceased, and Lu HaiKong, dressed in a long scholarly robe, stepped forward.
"Well, well, it's the Governor himself. Instead of dealing with the rebels and bandits, you come here with your army in the middle of the night without any warning. I almost mistook you for Yellow Turban rebels and ordered my men to attack. My apologies, my apologies."
Lu HaiKong's insincere apology was followed by another statement, "But Governor, as a man of military background, shouldn't you have sent scouts ahead before bringing such a large army? It seems you're not very competent at handling matters."
Upon hearing these words, Ding Yuan nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. His eyes flashed with a cold glint, "Are you doing this on purpose? Attacking without discerning friend from foe, I say you're planning to rebel!"
"Look at what you're saying. With the current unstable situation and Yellow Turbans causing chaos everywhere, you, as a Governor, have nothing better to do than wander around with tens of thousands of troops. How carefree. I, on the other hand, live in constant fear, not knowing when the Yellow Turban rebels might attack. It's only natural to be a bit tense."
Lu HaiKong's words, both explicit and implicit, were clearly accusing Ding Yuan of negligence. How could Ding Yuan tolerate such accusations?
"Are you accusing me of dereliction of duty?"
Lu HaiKong smirked, unbothered by Ding Yuan's rage, "How dare I? You're the Governor, and I'm just a County Magistrate. How dare I question you, but even you yourself..."
"How dare you! Lu HaiKong, now that our identities are clear, why don't you open the city gates and let us in?" Ding Yuan's eyes flashed with killing intent as he interrupted.
"With your murderous aura, how dare I? I heard that even the Inspector of Jingzhou rebelled, and seeing you like this makes me uneasy. Moreover, this small city of Qiangyin can't accommodate tens of thousands of troops. Why don't you set up camp outside the city?"
"Oh, right. Although Qiangyin is not big, we can still afford to entertain a Governor like you. I've prepared fine wine, delicacies, and beauties for you. How about it, Governor Ding, will you grace us with your presence?" Lu HaiKong taunted.
Seeing Ding Yuan's iron-blue face, he realized that Lu HaiKong was on high alert against him and would not give him any chance. At this moment, Ding Yuan understood that forcefully entering the city was out of the question, and if he did, the situation would change entirely.
However, if he left, Ding Yuan knew he would miss the best opportunity to eliminate Lu HaiKong.
As Ding Yuan hesitated, Lu HaiKong stared at him with cold eyes. How could Lu HaiKong not know what this man was planning? He could even predict Ding Yuan's next move and find any excuse to send his troops to arrest him.
After Zhang Yi's departure, Bingzhou became a stage for these two men, each keeping a close eye on the other.
Although Lu HaiKong seemed relaxed, Ding Yuan never let down his guard, especially with the Yellow Turban affairs in Yunzhong, Dingxiang, and Yanmen over the past half a month, which clearly had Lu HaiKong's involvement.
At this moment, Ding Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold glint beneath the wall. In the end, he decided to take action, "Lu HaiKong, I suspect you're colluding with the Yellow Turban rebels. Open the gates immediately and let me in to investigate."
"Governor, your behavior is truly disgraceful. After seizing my trade route and business, you now want to settle personal scores. Have you gone too far?" Lu HaiKong responded indignantly from atop the wall.
"As a Governor, you ignore the Yellow Turban rebels within your borders and instead choose to pick on a mere County Magistrate. What are you after?"
You're referring to the money I earned in Qiangyin before, aren't you? Let me tell you, I paid protection fees to Zhang Ran, and the rest was used to develop Qiangyin."
"Although I, Lu HaiKong, come from humble beginnings, I care deeply for the citizens. The money earned in Qiangyin County belongs to the people, and I have used every penny for their benefit. Unlike some corrupt officials who hoard their wealth without a clear purpose, I currently have no money. If you don't believe me, I'll open the city gates, and you can send people in to search!"
Lu HaiKong's indignant response was loud enough for Ding Yuan, his soldiers, and the citizens of Qiangyin to hear.
"So, you're putting a hat on me, but can't you do the same to Lu HaiKong? I'll show you how indignant I am. By doing this, you're indirectly proving what Lu HaiKong said."
"Lu HaiKong, don't be so quick with your tongue. Your collusion with the Yellow Turban rebels is unforgivable. Open the gates and face your punishment!"
"Do you have any evidence of my collusion with the Yellow Turbans?"
"I am the evidence!" Ding Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold glint, indicating he had no intention of further discussion. With a wave of his hand, tens of thousands of troops formed an imposing formation.
"If you haven't colluded with the Yellow Turbans, then open the gates and let me investigate. If you don't open the gates, it proves you have something to hide and are colluding with them. In that case, don't blame me for being impolite!"
The tens of thousands of troops under Ding Yuan's command were not the same as before. He had spent a fortune and poured his heart and soul into training them over a period of time.
Ding Yuan was confident he could breach the Qiangyin walls and eliminate Lu HaiKong in a very short time. The opportunity was right before him, and he wasn't going to let it slip away. Today, Lu HaiKong must die, no matter what.
Lu HaiKong, standing on the city wall, observed the posture of this fellow. A faint smile crept onto his lips.
"This kid is quite arrogant, but I wonder how long he can keep it up."
In the 619th chapter of the book, there was no mistake!
Ding Yuan's tens of thousands of troops were indeed powerful, a fact Lu HaiKong acknowledged. However, he didn't give them a second thought. When Ding Yuan assumed a posture as if he would stop at nothing to eliminate him, Lu HaiKong lazily sat on the city wall, looking down at Ding Yuan.
"I'm a bit confused. Are you that idle? Is the biggest problem in Bingzhou the Yellow Turbans?"
Lu HaiKong's sudden, incoherent statement left Ding Yuan puzzled. But a sudden unease gripped his heart, though he couldn't pinpoint the reason for his discomfort.
"Since you took office as the Prefect of Wuyuan Prefecture, you've been harsh on the Xianbei and Wuhuan tribes. In the past half a year, you've escalated your actions. In over a year, the number of non-Han people who have died at your hands is in the millions, if not tens of millions."
"What are you trying to say?" Ding Yuan's eyebrows furrowed.
"I want to say..." Lu HaiKong was about to say something, but he noticed a cavalryman below the city wall, looking disheveled as he was brought before Ding Yuan.
The cavalryman, upon arrival, knelt before Ding Yuan, tears streaming down his face.
"My lord, the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes have rebelled! They've launched an attack with tens of thousands of troops on Wuyuan. General Lu is valiantly resisting, but outnumbered. He has retreated to Jiuyuan County, and all areas outside Jiuyuan have fallen."
Upon hearing these words, Ding Yuan was startled. He turned to look at Lu HaiKong, whose lips curled into a chilling smile...
(End of Chapter)
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