Because of the distance, the defenders of Yangquan Mansion who had fled had not returned to Yangquan City for the time being, so the officials and people in Yangquan City did not know about Liu Hou's killing for the time being. So Zhang Xiaowu immediately ordered Bao Yin and Jia Si to take fifty people, and escort these more than thirty captives back to the city in advance, and first publicized the news that Liu Hou led his troops to exterminate Qingfeng Village and died.

Compared with this era, Zhang Xiaowu knows the importance of public opinion, in ancient times, it was said that three people became tigers, and in modern times, it was said that many people were still forced to accept it.

The most famous in history is the Tang Taizong Xiu History, on the one hand, he wrote the emperor of the Sui Dynasty as mediocre, on the other hand, he wrote a Huhua Han man as a great brilliance, and also erased all the ugly things he did. The collapse of the Sui Dynasty was based on mediocrity, and the important reason for the collapse of the Sui Dynasty was that the imperial examination system created by the Sui Dynasty completely replaced the hereditary system, the recommendation system and the Jiupin Zhongzheng system that monopolized the officialdom by famous families, which angered the national ownership nobles and families, and then was defected by the warlord group.

It doesn't matter what the truth is, what matters is what to give to the court and what to give to the people. Zhang Xiaowu knew that the imperial court would definitely know the truth and the cause and effect because of the existence of Jin Yiwei, so he was not in a hurry, and he didn't think about regretting it.

What the imperial court needs is a hero who is loyal to the country, not a mediocre official who fights against the same party.

Of course, Zhang Xiaowu did not have any fear, he just used his own way to warn those in the court who dared to oppress him that there was only one end for opposing him, death.

Needless to say, the spirit conquers the opponent, because people's memory of hatred is far greater than the memory of grace, so there is a saying that it is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years. Zhang Xiaowu faced his opponent with only one method, which was to physically eliminate the opponent, although this method would have endless troubles, he could be happy and revenge and not let himself be angry. Zhang Xiaowu would rather face trouble in the back than want to live in a nest.

But to kill Liu Hou, you must first seize the position of public opinion and return Liu Hou's death to others. Zhang Xiaowu summoned Chen Guanxi and whispered a few words in his ear, and Chen Guanxi immediately led a group of men and horses to leave.

Then everyone continued to hurry, before dark came to Nie County, Yangquan Prefecture, Nie County was already rumored to be full of soldiers, when they saw the ghost guard army, the city gate actually hung a white flag. The county commander of Nie County went out of the city to greet him with a sad face, and said respectfully: "Chen Xiao, the county commander of Nie County, supplies General Saibei and his party." ”

"Oh, you know me?"

Chen Xiaodao: "General Zhang's name has long been spread all over the Central Plains, and although Xiaguan is only a county in Qipin, he also knows the heroic deeds of General Zhang's name in killing Inuyi in the north. ”

This county order is interesting, and he is not generally excluded from other officials.

Zhang Xiaowu and the others continued to hurry after resting for another night, and finally arrived at Yangquan City in the evening of the next day, at this time Yangquan City had already been controlled by the ghost guards, Bao Yin took more than a dozen people to guard the city gate, and Jia Si also took a dozen people to guard the Yangquan Mansion military camp. Okay, more than 30 people occupy a city, it's incredible, but what's even more incredible is that the prefect of Yangquan Mansion greeted Zhang Xiaowu and his party with a respectful smile.

It is easy to see whether the person's smile is true or false, Ruan Qingwen said: "This Ma Governor's Mansion really welcomes us, you see that his laughter has never stopped, and his eyes are about to float." ”

Zhang Xiaowu asked in a low voice: "Do you know the reason?" ”

Ruan Qingwen said: "Probably this Liu Hou bullied the prefect." ”

"Garrison other prefects?"

"Yes."

"How dare the garrison?"

"The emperor is far away, and the garrison is only obedient and cooperating with the local prefect, but he is ordered by the Daizhou guard." Nguyen Thanh Van said, "In order to avoid the emergence of warlords and oligarchs, the Holy Han has two systems: civil officials and military officials. ”

"But ...... on the side"

"Biansai is different, because Biansai has been facing the threat of Inuyi for a long time, so there are military attachés who have jurisdiction over civil and military, while in the Central Plains, most of the cases are military attachés who obey and cooperate with civilian officials, but are not subordinate to civilian officials."

"I see."

In the evening, the Ma Governor's Mansion held a banquet to entertain him, but Zhang Xiaowu was reluctant to go to the banquet, after all, he was not familiar with the Ma Governor's Mansion, for fear that he would secretly cause harm. But Governor Ma personally invited him and enthusiastically pulled him to the largest local Qinglou restaurant to drink and listen to music, which made Zhang Xiaowu feel strange. Seeing this, Governor Ma smiled and explained the reason why he was happy.

Zhang Xiaowu knew that there was a deep contradiction between the Ma Governor's Mansion and the Yangquan Mansion garrison Liu Hou, and the Ma Governor's Mansion was transferred from Xuzhou to Daizhou Yangquan Mansion three years ago. Originally, the two should have lived in harmony and protected each other, but this Liu Hou has an unruly and impulsive personality and does not put others in his eyes, especially with his back to the Marquis of Fenyang, and he acts unscrupulously, and it is not at all in this Ma Governor's Mansion.

When Ma Zhifu came to Yangquan Mansion, he was forced to ask for the city tax by the township army guarding the door, and he was so angry that Ma Zhifu couldn't sleep for several nights, and Liu Hou just sent the money back afterwards, without saying a word of apology, and the contradiction between the two arose.

After the prefect Ma took charge of the yamen, he knew that Liu Hou was a person who was greedy for alcohol and lust for money, and often caused the people of Yangquan Mansion to boil, and many people went to the prefect's yamen to complain. Since ancient times, civil prosecutors have to hit twenty boards first, which can be said to be extremely difficult to succeed, after all, officials protect each other, but this Liu Hou is unwilling to deal with Ma Governor's Mansion, so he naturally ignores Ma Governor's warning. Liu Hou not only did not restrain himself, but ridiculed Governor Ma for being cowardly and cowardly, coerced by the people, and looked like an official.

Ma Zhifu reported the matter to Lord Zhizhou, but Lord Zhizhou and Hou Xin of Fenyang were in cahoots, but blamed Ma Governor for not understanding the rules of officialdom when he first arrived, and warned him that if he did not partner with Liu Hou again, he would be impeached for disturbing Daizhou.

Only then did Governor Ma know how deep the water was in Daizhou's officialdom, so he could only secretly call it unlucky, and pretend to be an official as cautious as a quail.

Now that Liu Hou has been killed, the Ma Governor's Mansion has no political opponents in Yangquan Mansion, so he is naturally ecstatic. During the banquet, Ma Zhifu drank a lot of wine, and talked about the grievances he had suffered for so many years, although Zhang Xiaowu accompanied a lot of wine, but he was not drunk, but he got to know the Yamen of Yangquan Mansion.

Ma Zhifu laughed after drinking and said: "General Zhang, Liu Hou can only say that when he was unlucky, he was used to being rude for so many years, and he actually provoked Qingfeng Village, hahaha...... He deserves it! ”

Zhang Xiaowu smiled and said nothing, Qingfeng Village is in the southwest of Daizhou, and Liu Hou died at the junction of Yangquan Mansion and Daizhou Mansion - this is due north of Daizhou - Ma Zhifu knew the cause of Liu Hou's death, but still believed that Liu Hou died in the attack on Qingfeng Village, which can only show that Ma Zhifu also tried his best to cover up Liu Hou's death, and he did not want to have an internal fight between the officials and the army on his own territory.

Ma Zhizhou didn't drink well, he soon got drunk, and when he woke up the next day, he had to be reported by the officials: "Liu Hou's family was killed by bandits who entered the city last night, and seventeen people died. ”

"Order the seizure of Liu Hou's property!" Ma Zhizhou blurted out, and then hurriedly changed his words: "Protect the scene, protect the scene of Liu Hou's tragic death, and let people destroy it, lest we can't find the thief." The official looked strange and turned away.