The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1557 Confrontation
"Minister, the border market with Taining Guard is just ahead."

A large troop of people braved the wind and snow, speeding past on the wide official road.

Qi Jiguang rode alongside Wang Yan, pointing ahead.

Over there, you can already see the outline of a town in the distance. You can also see people walking in the wind and snow, all dressed thickly and bundled up tightly.

Wang Yan shouted, "Hang in there, everyone! We're almost there, victory is in sight! When we get there, we'll slaughter a sheep, cook meat, drink wine, and have a good time. Damn it, we've suffered so much on this journey. Let's make sure the brothers are well-fed and replenished. After that, we'll go to a brothel and have some fun. It's on me."

The surrounding knights burst into laughter, suddenly finding the strength to spur their horses forward, whipping them with their small leather whips until they galloped with a roar.

No one doubted that Wang Yan was lying. The personal guards assigned to Wang Yan, the governor, were of a rather complex composition. Some were relatives of the border troops, all from noble families; others were the best of the border troops, truly capable fighters. Still others were special personnel appointed by the Jiajing Emperor to assist Wang Yan's special status.

Including the staff who served them, mainly the cooking team led by Wang Gaofu, there were more than 300 people in total.

During past inspections and patrols, these people always accompanied Wang Yan. Wang Yan truly kept his word and made sure they were comfortable, well-fed, well-drinking, and well-slept.

Let alone ordinary soldiers, even those with connections wouldn't dare dream of being invited to brothels by a powerful civil official. And if they fell ill, the official would personally treat them…

Back in the capital, Wang Yan is being vilified to the heavens for being impolite, unruly, and lawless.

Yes, even though Wang Yan had left the capital, he still received numerous impeachments every day. Partly it was because people didn't get along with him, but also because he had so many problems; it seemed like everyone was using him to boost their performance.

Of course, he wasn't entirely innocent; he'd done far too many absurd things and had a whole host of flaws. But from another perspective, if he didn't have so many flaws, he wouldn't have reached this position...

And so, hundreds of people stormed into the market, causing chaos and confusion.

Wang Yan dismounted, shook the snow off his cloak, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and crunched through the snow as he looked at the surroundings of the market.

Overall, his arrangements were implemented quite well. The houses here are brick and wood structures, built with cement mortar. If it weren't for the fact that the people here are dressed in antique styles, or that the barbarians are wearing thick, coarsely treated furs and other old-fashioned attire, it would really look like modern times.

This is the Liaozhong region. The border market was moved here from Guangning, and the original border market in Kaiyuan was abolished. Trade is now conducted only here.

Correspondingly, the power of the foreign people who originally lived here would be withdrawn to the area north of Liaozhong. Those living south of Liaozhong would be uniformly governed by Liaodong.

Taining Guard was naturally dissatisfied, as was Fuyu Guard, because the restoration of Taining Guard's authority would naturally infringe upon their own authority.

The Jurchens were also dissatisfied because the Taining and Fuyu garrisons had been forced back, which naturally led them to expand northward, thus affecting their interests.

But even if they were dissatisfied, they had to keep quiet. They would fight tooth and nail, but they wouldn't dare say a single bad word about the Ming Dynasty.

After suppressing the Japanese pirates and stabilizing the southeast, and after gradually weakening the powerful states there, the Ming Dynasty could then focus its external efforts on routine defenses against foreign tribes, implementing the policy of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials, and primarily concentrating its attention on the north.

In the past, when the southeast was unstable, the Doyan Three Guards and the Jurchens caused trouble, and the Ji-Liao region might have had to carefully consider the situation. Now that the conflict in the southeast is gone, if the Doyan Three Guards and other tribes dare to cause trouble, they are simply courting death, because they are truly capable of being attacked.

Even if the original Ming Dynasty wouldn't dare, the Ming Dynasty with Wang Yan in charge of Shuntian Prefecture would. After all, it was Wang Yan who instigated the previous war in the southeast, and it was Wang Yan who was in charge of logistics and procuring military supplies. At this time, the Ming Dynasty could easily afford to attack Liaodong.

Therefore, this trading post was successfully established in the Liaozhong region, and according to the king's wishes, it was developed into a town. After three years of development, through trade between the north and south, it has grown into what it is today.

Restaurants, teahouses, bathhouses, pharmacies, grain shops, brothels—you name it, there were shops, selling a wide variety of goods. The town's inhabitants were a mix of Han and non-Han peoples, influencing each other so much that in just three short years, different customs and habits had already emerged, proving that thriving exchange was a key factor in accelerating cultural integration…

Wang Yan's entourage was quite large. In addition to his guards, General Qi Jiguang had dozens of personal guards, as well as officials in charge of related affairs and attendants such as Wang Gaofu who served him with food and lodging. In total, there were more than 400 people.

So when they arrived at the border market, the officials in charge of managing the market, who had rushed over, dispersed the attendants to eat and rest...

"My lord, this restaurant is the best in the market. The chef is from Shandong, and his skills are excellent."

The man in charge of the market was a man in his forties with a goatee. He was already quite plump, with a round face, and now, to blend in with the local custom, he was wrapped in a bearskin coat, making him look even more robust. His bowing and scraping manner made him look rather comical.

"Let's go to this one then."

Wang Yan turned to the people around him and instructed, "Go and make some purchases. There should be no shortage of cattle, sheep, and horses here, as well as a lot of mountain delicacies. Prepare them properly."

"Uh...Lord Minister, the ingredients..."

"How the Minister acts is none of your business! Get out!" The official behind him shouted, shoving the fat man aside, who was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat despite the snow.

“Hey, how can you treat a subordinate official like that?” Wang Yan waved his hand. “How could he have thought of all that? Come, come, let me tell you, so you won’t feel wronged.”

Wang Yan affectionately put his arm around his shoulder, "I have been in officialdom for seven years and have survived twenty-seven attacks. There were violent attacks, assassinations, and poisonings. I am only able to survive thanks to His Majesty's protection."

My presence here is no secret. The recent changes in Ji and Liao have involved many people, and I've offended the powerful families of Hebei. Even the powerful families of Shandong and Shanxi are looking down on me. Tell me, haven't they been preparing for this all along, planning to risk everything to kill me?"

"This humble official is foolish and did not think of so many things. I only wanted to use the best of Liaozhong to entertain Your Excellency." The fat man spoke very humbly, his grievance revealing a hint of grievance, which was truly a pity for him.

"Let's take our time and see."

Wang Yan chuckled and patted the fat man on the back before walking into the best restaurant in the market.

The restaurant truly lived up to its reputation as the best; it was bustling with activity, the air thick with heat. The guests were a diverse mix of Han and non-Han peoples, with merchants making up the majority. Some were from the south, some were from the "barbarian" tribes, and others were managers or managers who ran businesses here.

After stopping the guards from chasing away the guests, Wang Yan even chatted with some of them before sitting down at the table to wait for Wang Gaofu to bring over beef, mutton, and other dishes to cook.

"Minister, let's clear everyone out. A wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall," Qi Jiguang couldn't help but advise.

“If I’m afraid of them, then I won’t be able to do anything. I’ll just be hiding in my mansion all day, living in fear. What’s the point of talking about managing Ji and Liao? What’s the point of talking about protecting the country and expanding the territory?” Under Qi Jiguang’s panicked gaze, Wang Yan calmly tilted his head and reached out to grab a crossbow bolt to prevent it from hitting Qi Jiguang beside him.

"There are assassins! There are assassins!"

"Protect the Minister!"

"They're on the second floor! Go up!"

"Guard the exit, no one is allowed to leave!"

"Squat down! All of you squat down! You son of a bitch! I'll make you squat down!"

"There might be assassins among those eating! Be careful!"

"Grab that fat guy! Don't let him get away!"

……

Amidst the chaos and commotion, Wang Yan sat calmly, chuckling as he played with the crossbow bolt he had just grabbed, admiring the gleam of the arrowhead in the light streaming through the glass window.

"He even poisoned it! He's really afraid I won't die," Wang Yan said to Qi Jiguang. "The worst thing you can do is be hasty. Look how eager he is to kill me. We've only just sat down, and he's already made his move before we've even finished a sentence. He should have waited until we've eaten and drunk some wine and started to relax before making his move. This is just outrageous."

Qi Jiguang was speechless with emotion. You've even started commenting?

"Minister, you are as immovable as a mountain. I admire you greatly." He bowed respectfully. "If it weren't for your superb martial arts skills, I would have been dead just now. Thank you for saving my life."

"Hey." Wang Yan waved his hands repeatedly. "If I hadn't dodged, I would have been the one to die. If I had dodged, this crossbow bolt would have just scratched your skin. Although the arrow was poisoned, as long as it didn't hit a vital spot, the chances of surviving were very high."

"Minister, please don't be modest. I'm truly ashamed; I didn't even react in time." Qi Jiguang let out a long breath, his face full of shame. He had spent twenty years on the battlefield, yet he was still slower to react than Wang Yan, a mere civil official.

"Alright, you're a general who's been through countless battles, what's so hard about this? You're alive, so don't talk about dying."

Wang Yan didn't say anything more. He got up, went to someone else's table, got some warmed wine, and started drinking with Qi Jiguang...

Wang Yan was used to being attacked.

Because of his various actions in the Jiliao region, such as clearing out old cases and imposing fines, he once again touched the sore spot of the local wealthy families.

They began to understand and tentatively accept the series of policies Wang Yan implemented in Shuntian Prefecture, but this did not mean they would actually carry them out. The reclusive Taguchi desperately didn't want to be exposed and have to pay more taxes. He desperately didn't want Wang Yan to use his family's illegal activities as leverage to impose exorbitant fines.

This is not a single place, but an entire vast region. From west of the Taihang Mountains, north of Baoding and Tianjin, all the way to Liaodong, except for Shuntian Prefecture, all areas are included in this scope.

To ensure stability on the frontier and peace in the local areas, Wang Yan even requested the deployment of 40,000 troops from the Beijing Garrison to be stationed in Baoding, Tianjin, and other places to assist in resolving problems and suppressing local rebellions.

Correspondingly, there were a large number of wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice, and the methods used were extremely harsh.

After all, with such a vast area, Wang Yan couldn't possibly oversee every single place; things were always handled by the people in each location. Even worse, some took the opportunity to collude, frame others, and attack competitors, engaging in even more reckless mergers—they were utterly audacious.

However, Wang Yan treated them well. He sent the whole family to Liaodong to participate in construction work, forcibly marrying the women to military households and sending the children to an orphanage. He ensured that the whole family had a place to go.

In short, Wang Yan was pushing the issue forcefully, while those below him were racking their brains to resist it in every way possible.

At the same time, Wang Yan wasted no time and directly announced that taxes would be levied on transactions at the border markets, taxes would be levied again on goods transported back to the interior of the pass, and a third cleaning fee would be levied on sales within the areas of Jiliao and Shuntian Prefecture. With these three taxes, their profits were greatly reduced, but in reality, they still made a lot of money.

After all, it's categorized by purpose and use. Those in high-end positions enjoy heavy taxes, while those that supplement the deficiencies of the Ming Dynasty naturally receive low taxes.

But these people just wouldn't pay taxes; even a single extra copper coin would be their death sentence...

In addition, with the arrival of Wang Yan, the various channels for smuggling have been gradually tightening and becoming increasingly difficult, so everyone can only do legitimate business and earn relatively less money.

Wang Yan, who had cut off people's source of income, was naturally attacked again.

To be honest, while assassination attempts are common in ancient stories, they are particularly frequent in this Ming Dynasty.

The reason for this lies in the difference in their approaches. It lies in the fact that he lacked his own power base.

Like the Song Dynasty, by the time he truly began to offend people, he was already a young scholar with a great reputation and many followers. He was not fighting alone; the energy he could mobilize was beyond imagination.

It's similar to other ancient scenarios where he joined the army and directly controlled the violent machinery, establishing a military government and a dictatorship, killing people simply and directly.

This time the situation is different. The power of the feudal imperial system is being centralized, and the power of officials is also being centralized. Although it is no longer as direct and fierce as the old powerful clans and gentry, the landlord group still behaves in the same way.

Wang Yan had no power, so he could only rely on his luck and the protection of Jiajing Emperor to fight against others within the framework of the rules.

Only he could do that; if it were anyone else, they wouldn't even be able to find their graves...

Wang Yan was fearless, braving the risk of being assassinated to inspect various places, forcefully implementing new policies, and cracking down on local powerful families and corrupt officials. At the same time, he also gathered people who had sided with him and built up his own power base.

This is the advantage of holding a high position; as his power expands, he gradually moves away from being a lone official. After all, he is the superior; if others don't curry favor with him, don't flatter him, and don't follow his lead, how can they advance in the ranks?

Therefore, he has essentially become a faction, a political force, with his own political demands...

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