“Sir, rest assured. When I came, the prefect gave me the appointment and dismissal document. From now on, Zhao Tingzhi is no longer the captain of Jinchuan County!”
Xiao Duwei took out the document from his bosom.
The county magistrate has no right to appoint or dismiss the county captain, but a higher-level prefect can dismiss the county captain in an emergency, as long as he submits a report to the Ministry of Personnel afterwards and explains the incident in detail.
In fact, according to the normal procedure, the prefect should first send someone to Jinchuan to investigate the incident, confirm that Captain Zhao really hired murderers to rob and kill Jin Feng, and then issue the appointment and dismissal document.
But that would take too long. The prefect just listened to the report from the old soldier and signed the document for Xiao Duwei.
It was not that the prefect really believed Jin Feng unconditionally, but that few of the county captains in the entire Dakang had clean hands. Even if the old soldier lied to him, at worst, he could come to Jinchuan later, casually find a few bad things that Captain Zhao had done, and complete the chain of evidence.
In this way, Jin Feng owed him a huge favour.
In the prefect’s view, this deal was simply too cost-effective.
“Xiao Duwei, originally I should have given you a welcome banquet first, but Zhao Tingzhi was a bit anxious yesterday afternoon and repeatedly tried to shake off Iron Hammer. If possible, I hope we can set off as soon as possible.”
Jin Feng said, “After this matter is settled, I will host a welcome banquet for everyone at the Wei Family Restaurant in Jinchuan.”
“Sir, you are being too polite. I came to Jinchuan just to resolve this matter.”
Xiao Duwei put the document back in his bosom. “There is no time to delay. Shall we set off?”
“Good, set off!”
Soon, a team composed entirely of cavalry left Heishuigou and galloped onto the official road.
Not only did it include the prefectural soldiers and escort masters brought by Xiao Duwei, Jin Feng also brought Qing Mulang and Zhang Liang.
Among the prefectural soldiers led by Captain Zhao, only those with the rank of small captain or above had war horses. The other prefectural soldiers were on foot and could not walk fast. By mid-morning, the horse team caught up with Captain Zhao and the others.
Hearing the frantic galloping of war horses behind him, Captain Zhao felt a bad premonition in his heart. When he turned his head and saw Xiao Duwei, Captain Zhao’s face suddenly turned pale.
In fact, ever since he knew that Iron Hammer was following behind, Captain Zhao had been uneasy.
But Iron Hammer was very careful and never got too close. He always stayed more than a li away, following from afar.
He wanted to flare up but could not find an excuse.
Moreover, Iron Hammer and the others were all riding fine grassland war horses. He could not even slip away midway.
However, he still had a glimmer of luck in his heart, because it was less than twenty li from here to the Jialing River. It would take at most a little more than an hour to get there.
At that time, let the prefectural soldiers seize a merchant ship, and he would completely escape.
But the arrival of Jin Feng and Xiao Duwei shattered the last bit of luck in his heart!
He had actually thought that Jin Feng might go to the prefectural city to call for reinforcements, but he did not expect Xiao Duwei to come so quickly!
“What to do? What to do?”
Captain Zhao was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, and his mind was thinking of countermeasures quickly.
Looking at the horse team getting closer and closer, Captain Zhao gritted his teeth fiercely and shouted loudly, “Everyone listen to the order. Immediately form an array and block this group of fierce bandits for me!”
The distance of less than twenty li would take the prefectural soldiers an hour to walk, but if he galloped madly on horseback, he could get there in less than two incense sticks’ time.
But the premise of escaping was that the prefectural soldiers could block Jin Feng for him.
“Sir, the ones behind are not fierce bandits. They are the escort masters of the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau!”
The prefectural soldier captain frowned and said, “Moreover, I also saw Mr. Jin and Xiao Duwei from the prefectural city.”
He was the second-in-command of the Jinchuan County prefectural soldiers and had gone to the prefectural city many times to build relationships, so he naturally recognised Xiao Duwei.
In fact, since Iron Hammer followed yesterday, the captain knew something was wrong.
It was just that a higher official could crush a person to death. Captain Zhao demanded to continue on the road, and the captain could only obey the order.
But now that the captain asked him to attack Jin Feng and Xiao Duwei, he had to consider it carefully.
If this matter was not handled well, it could cost him his head.
“Yesterday I received a secret letter jointly issued by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel. Qing Huai rebelled in Weizhou City and is now taking a boat back to Jinchuan from the Jialing River. Jin Feng is his insider in Jinchuan!”
Captain Zhao said the excuse he had long thought of. “I brought you to suppress bandits as a pretence. Blocking Qing Huai from landing is the real thing. That is why Jin Feng sent people to follow us all the way, preparing to join forces with Qing Huai at the Jialing River bank. Do you understand?”
“Qing Huai rebelled?!”
The captain was startled.
The impact of this news on him was too great.
“If he was not preparing to rebel, why has Jin Feng been frequently buying people’s hearts recently?”
Captain Zhao continued to deceive. “He spent a lot of money to find people in Xihe Bay, not to mention going to the trouble of suppressing bandits everywhere. The signs of rebellion have long been revealed!”
Hearing this, the captain was a bit undecided.
Jin Feng had indeed been suppressing bandits recently, and the people praised Jin Feng highly.
He had not thought much about it before, but now guided by Captain Zhao, it seemed indeed like preparing for rebellion.
Seeing the captain’s expression, Captain Zhao knew his words had taken effect and quickly struck while the iron was hot. “This matter is of great importance. All we can do is obey orders. I obey the orders of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel, and you obey my orders. Do you know?
The order to intercept them was issued by me. If something happens, I will take responsibility. But if you disobey orders, when the court sends people to investigate in the future, I will not be able to help you!”
This sentence completely broke through the captain’s psychological defence.
Yes, anyway, the order was issued by the captain. Even if there was a problem later, it would not fall on his head.
Thinking of this, the captain immediately organised the prefectural soldiers to form an array and firmly block the narrow official road.
And Captain Zhao quickly turned his horse’s head and galloped madly towards the direction of the Jialing River.
“Sir, take us with you!”
Master Zhu and Master Peng in the team saw Captain Zhao running away alone and quickly cried out and ran out.
But Captain Zhao did not even turn his head and ran even faster instead.
A trace of doubt flashed in the captain’s eyes, but at this time, Jin Feng and Xiao Duwei had already arrived in front of the array. He had to suppress the doubts in his heart and ride his horse to the front.
“Zhang Qingde, what are you blocking us for? Quickly make way!”
Xiao Duwei saw Captain Zhao riding farther and farther away and was a bit anxious. He clamped his horse’s belly and wanted to charge hard through the military array of the Jinchuan prefectural soldiers.
“Xiao Duwei, no!”
Jin Feng quickly shouted, “Zhao Tingzhi cannot escape!”
“Cannot escape?”
Xiao Duwei looked at Jin Feng doubtfully, then understood.
Jin Feng must have made other arrangements.
After thinking this through, Xiao Duwei was no longer anxious.
He coldly glanced at the captain and took out the appointment and dismissal document from his bosom.
“Zhang Qingde, open your dog eyes and look clearly for me! This is the appointment and dismissal document personally signed by the prefect!”
Xiao Duwei said, “Zhao Tingzhi colluded with bandits and oppressed the villagers. After being discovered by Mr. Jin, not only did he refuse to repent, but the night before yesterday he hired“Bandidos to rob and kill the gentleman. His crime deserves the execution of three clans!
The evidence for this matter is conclusive. From now on, Zhao Tingzhi is no longer the captain of Jinchuan County!
Quickly make way for me. If you delay my capture of Zhao Tingzhi, be careful or I will chop off your head!”
After hearing this, the captain was as if struck by lightning and froze on his horse.
