Southern Ming Rebel Army

Chapter 575: Sending troops to quell the rebellion

Kong Fangyou, who was far away, was stunned by the chaos. He had already found out that Wu Jinkun only brought more than a hundred people, but the number of people he gathered was more than a thousand, probably as many as ten thousand.

With a thousand times more troops than the enemy, Kong Fangyou could not see any mistakes or omissions. In order to prevent Wu Jinkun from escaping, Kong Fangyou waited until Wu Jinkun entered the post station and sent his confidants to conduct a thorough investigation around the post station.

Kong Fangyou launched the attack only after everything was ready. However, he never expected that just a dozen people could cause chaos in the front. Kong Fangyou watched Wu Jinkun being surrounded by the Qingluan Guards and leaving the inn. Kong Fangyou became very anxious and quickly asked the servants of the Kong Mansion to rush forward and stop Wu Jinkun.

For a moment, shouts and cries were intertwined in front of the posthouse. Hundreds of servants from the Kong Mansion, holding sticks and with fierce looks on their faces, rushed towards Wu Jinkun and others regardless of everything.

These servants have lived in the Kong Mansion all their lives, and they believe in the words of the Kong family more than imperial edicts. These servants shouted chaotic slogans and knocked down many fleeing civilians along the way.

However, these servants are more than capable of bullying the common people, but if they really encounter an army armed with weapons, even if the Qingluan Guard is not a real army, they are no match for these servants who serve people on a daily basis.

These servants who had just arrived looked aggressive, but they were dumbfounded when they met Ding Zhiji. Within a few strikes, four of them were knocked down by Ding Zhiji. When the Qingluan Guards saw that these servants were also holding sticks, they did not avoid them at all. Instead, they held their swords and started to chop vigorously.

It was already June, and the weather was extremely hot. The servants had no armor and only a thin layer of clothing on their bodies. If they were hit by the sword, they would either die or be injured.

The servants were useless, but Kong Fangyou behind them didn't know that. He was still anxiously urging them, "Stop them, don't let Wu Jinkun get away! Kill Wu Jinkun and you'll be exempt from rent for life!!"

His voice trembled a little due to anxiety, but the situation was too chaotic now and his promise could not be passed on at all. Kong Fangyou believed that if Wu Jinkun and Qingluanwei all died here, then his Kong family could put the blame on the remnants of the Qing Dynasty or even the bandits. After all, the dead could not speak, so Kong Fangyou could say whatever he wanted.

But if Wu Jinkun escapes, then what awaits the Kong family will be even more severe punishment, and the most serious consequence is that the entire Qufu Kong family will be abandoned and driven away by Meng Jun, and then he will randomly select one person from the Southern Sect, and he will become the sinner of the Qufu Northern Sect.

Just when Kong Fangyou was getting impatient, a servant in the distance seized the opportunity and swung the stick in his hand. The Qingluan Guard beside Wu Jinkun was not careful and was broken through the defense line by the stick.

The wooden stick drew a crescent-shaped arc in the air and hit Wu Jinkun's head all of a sudden. Fortunately, the stick hit the hardest part of his head. Unfortunately, this position was exactly where Wu Jinkun was injured when he was assassinated in Xuzhou.

There was a crisp sound, Wu Jinkun covered his head, bent down and cried out, which scared the Qingluan Guards beside him so much that their hands and feet turned cold. They thought that even though Lord Wu was surrounded by the Qingluan Guards, he was still shot by the thieves.

The servant swinging the stick saw Wu Jinkun covering his head, crouching down, and dancing with excitement, shouting, "It was me who smashed it! It was me! It was me!"

At this time, a tall servant, who may have had a grudge against this man, or was greedy for the credit, slapped him on the back of the head and cursed: "How could you see that it was you who threw the stick? It was obviously me who threw it!"

Kong Fangyou saw Wu Jinkun covering his head and burst into laughter, and quickly shouted, "Whoever smashed it will be rewarded!"

However, Kong Fangyou was obviously too happy too early. Wu Jinkun stopped for a while, and then, under the protection of the Qingluan Guards, he covered his forehead and moved nimbly to the north.

Kong Fangyou's smile froze, because the villagers and women he had gathered together could not stop the Qingluan Guards for a moment. As for the servants, they were no match for the Qingluan Guards of the imperial court who were armed with sharp weapons.

Kong Fangyou could only watch Wu Jinkun disappear into the distance. Even though Ding Zhiji, a captain of the Qingluan Guard, was captured on the other side, Kong Fangyou could not be happy.

Seeing his subordinate foolishly coming to ask for credit and reward, Kong Fangyou's face darkened. He slapped him hard in the face, knocked him to the ground, and left without looking back. He wanted to return to the mansion immediately to discuss what to do since he failed to keep Wu Jinkun. As for the mess outside the inn, Kong Fangyou had no intention of dealing with it.

………………

In the fifth year of Zhaowu, at the end of June, the sky was slightly dark, and there was a violent storm.

In the capital city, candles were flickering in the palace. As the wind blew hard, the palace maids hurriedly covered the candles with windproof covers. Suddenly, a fast horse galloped into the palace gate.

A Qingluan Guard messenger shouted to the guards at the palace gate: "Urgent news! The imperial envoy was attacked!"

The messenger was wet all over, mostly from sweat mixed with rain. After the guards checked and confirmed everything, they rushed to the palace with the messenger.

At this time, Meng Jun was reviewing memorials. When he heard the urgent news that the imperial envoy was attacked, he immediately ordered the messenger to enter the palace.

The messenger went straight to the emperor and knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, the Qingluan Guards in Qufu have an urgent report! The imperial envoy Wu Jinkun was attacked by a group of people from the Kong family at the posthouse. The Kong family has gathered more than 10,000 people!"

Hearing this, Meng Jun laughed angrily and said coldly: "Kong family, Kong family, Kong family!!"

In the outer court, officials in the capital were all shocked when they heard the news. Many of them ignored the strong wind and heavy rain and went to the palace to ask to see the emperor.

After meeting with the ministers, Meng Jun said sternly: "The Kong family has been favored by successive dynasties for generations, but now, when something goes against their will, they incite civil unrest and surround and kill the imperial envoy. Such evil deeds are absolutely unforgivable!"

Some ministers said that this might have been done privately by someone in the Kong family, while others said that the Kong family was after all the descendants of a saint, and the court should investigate thoroughly before making a decision. But some people knew that this must be the truth, and in order to save the situation, they urged Meng Jun, saying that even if the Kong family was guilty, they should not be sentenced to death!

Meng Jun did not respond to this, but immediately issued an order: "Order Bai Yongfu to lead his troops to Guwu Town and rush to Qufu overnight to quell the rebellion!"

The ministers were horrified when they heard this. Liu Xunchun urgently advised, "Your Majesty, you must not mobilize troops for this matter! Qufu is the hometown of saints, where there has never been any sound of weapons. If Your Majesty is still furious, you can ask the Ministry of Justice, the Supervisory Office, the Dali Temple, or even send the Qingluan Guard to inspect Qufu. You must not mobilize troops!"

Meng Jun was still furious. He looked around at his officials and said, "I govern the country with benevolence, but the world thinks I am weak and can be bullied. Whenever the court makes a move, they are rebellious. Today, I want to let those gentry and nobles know that the Kong family is a lesson for those who have evil intentions!"

(Three chapters O(n_n)O)