Chapter 123: Chapter 102: Planning to Eliminate the Thief
Translator: 549690339
‘I’ve waited for a long time, and finally, the day has come. I’ve dreamed for a long time, and finally, the dream has come true.’
At this moment, these lyrics suddenly appeared in Lu Yuan’s mind. Seeing the embarrassed appearance of Sun Siwen, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter: “Not at all, not at all. I just saw Brother Sun so happy at the time and couldn’t bear to dampen your spirits.”
“You…”
Sun Siwen was flustered by Lu Yuan’s cheeky manner.
“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. Please don’t be angry, Brother Sun.”
Seeing his friend angry, Lu Yuan quickly said, “At this point, I’ve only advanced a little bit more than you. Haven’t you also become the acting county magistrate?
If we can successfully stabilize Wugang County this time, with your merits, Brother Sun, you’ll surely be promoted to a full-fledged county magistrate.
By that time, won’t our achievements be about the same?” Hearing these words, Sun Siwen felt much more at ease.
He was glad that he had not fallen too far behind his friend.
Otherwise, seeing his friend’s achievements far surpassing his own would have left him feeling both happy and frustrated.
So Sun Siwen snorted and let the matter go: “I’ll let you off the hook this time, but if you ever deceive me again, I will not forgive you.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.” Lu Yuan smiled and nodded.
However, while saying this, he thought in his heart: ‘Being halfway to the top rank doesn’t count as being in the top rank, so I’m still only a second-rate expert.’
And since Brother Sun never asked, it doesn’t count as deception.
Yes, a perfect logical loop.
I am looking forward to Brother Sun’s reaction next time.’
Sun Siwen was completely unaware of his friend’s psychological activity.
Otherwise, upon knowing it, he would definitely have jumped up and cursed Lu Yuan for being shameless and despicable.
At this moment, after having let Lu Yuan off the hook, Sun Siwen focused again on the matter at hand: “Enough joking around. Brother Lu, tell me honestly, do you have any chance of handling those Jianghu experts in Wugang County?”
Lu Yuan thought for a moment and replied: “Unless there are top-level experts in Wugang County, no one can make waves under my watch.”
While he was only half a step away from being a top-level expert, he was confident in dealing with second-rate experts. However, if he were to face a top-level expert, he would most likely be unable to win.
Of course.
He was leading a large army to take office this time, with five hundred armored soldiers by his side. Combined with his own strength, even if he encountered a top-level expert, he could attempt to besiege them.
But that would be taking a big risk.
For the always cautious and protective of his life Lu Yuan, this was something he would never do.
If he were to meet a top-level expert, he would only take his friend and retreat immediately, without a thought of risking his life in combat.
“Now I can rest assured.”
Sun Siwen felt relieved hearing this promise.
Top-level experts were so rare that even Shaoyang Prefecture didn’t have any. It was virtually impossible for such characters to appear in a remote small mountain town like Wugang County.
Having confirmed his confidence in his side, Sun Siwen started thinking about how to settle the unrest. He asked, “Brother Lu, do you have any good methods for settling the unrest in Wugang County when we arrive for your appointment?”
At this moment, various tactics that appeared in historical records, like winning people over, combining grace with majesty, wielding both soft and hard power, and so on, floated in Sun Siwen’s mind.
As he thought about these, he couldn’t help but get excited.
Scholars always dream of themselves being like the great sages recorded in history, who could plot the world with a single thought, make the world prosper with a single word, and stoke the world’s fear with their anger.
Lu Yuan glanced at Sun Siwen, then simply said without thinking: “What methods could there be? You go to the county town to take office, summon the heads of the chaotic people and just execute them all. Chop them down, one by one.
Then send the army to hunt down their followers and eradicate them all. This way, Wugang County will naturally return to peace.”
Lu Yuan learned this move from reading The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
In the story, Liu Biao went alone to take office in Jingzhou. At that time, there were still many bandits causing chaos in the area, just like the current situation in Wugang County.
As a result, this relative of the Han imperial family, under the guise of a special envoy, summoned the local bandits and bullies to a banquet, where he ambushed them. With a signal, he had them all killed on the spot.
He then sent out the army, taking advantage of the headless chaos among the bandits, to aggressively hunt down and attack their remnants. In less than a year, the formerly bandit-infested Jingzhou prospered under his rule, bringing peace and happiness to the people.
Although this is a plot from the story, Lu Yuan found that it had actually happened in history. Moreover, there were many successful imitations in later generations.
Now, he could simply follow the example of his predecessors.
After all, he had the righteousness of the imperial court and powerful military force on his side. He could fully replicate Liu Biao’s success.
Upon hearing Lu Yuan’s simple and straightforward method, Sun Siwen couldn’t help but be stunned. He hesitantly said, “Won’t this be a bit too brutal? Some bullies are loyal to the imperial court. Killing everyone indiscriminately could cause unrest in the region.”
Lu Yuan scoffed coldly, “In these chaotic times, heavy penalties are needed. Those who cause chaos are chaotic people, bandits, and criminals. Killing them is tantamount to protecting the people. How is that brutal?
With them gone, the local hidden dangers will be eliminated, and there will be no more unrest.
Besides, Brother Sun, would you preach morality, kindness, and goodness to these bandits at this time?”
“Brother Sun, remember your aspirations: to suppress martial forces and crack down on those who bully others with martial arts in Jianghu.
Now is the time. Why are you hesitating?”
Although both were Jianghu martial artists, Lu Yuan had no affection for those who oppressed and exploited the people. In fact, due to his past experiences being oppressed by such figures, he harbored deep hatred towards them.
In the past, he didn’t want to cause any trouble or seek it out, so he didn’t play the role of a chivalrous hero, righting wrongs and helping people.
But now that he had become County Captain, whether for the sake of his friend or his new responsibilities, he felt it necessary to clean up the Jianghu in Wugang County.
And the first step of this cleanup was to kill these bandits.
At this moment, Sun Siwen recalled the courtesan who had been taken away by Jianghu martial artists when he was in a brothel in Luling Fu City. He also thought of his friend’s apprentice, Zhou Qing, and his tragic fate with his family.
He even remembered the lofty aspirations he had originally set out with.
With his emotions stirred, Sun Siwen clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, “Brother Lu, you’re right. I have been too softhearted. Let’s do it your way.
When we arrive in Wugang County, I will summon the local strongmen and gather them for a banquet. Then we will strike decisively, eliminating these local cancers.”
Speaking to this point, Sun Siwen bowed slightly to Lu Yuan: “When that time comes, I’ll have to trouble Brother Lu to take action.”
His position as a county government official could at most summon those people, but to actually get things done, he had to rely on Lu Yuan, the Martial
Arts Expert.
Lu Yuan nodded, “Leave this matter to me.”
As they were merely low-level, at best, second-rate local experts, it would be a piece of cake for him..