Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

Inside the Jinyang County government building.

Duan Yu dismissed everyone around the room.

Only Jia Xu remained.

Duan Yu sat upright behind the table in the main seat, while Jia Xu sat to his left.

Hu Chuquan has just confessed.

After Wang Rou took office as the governor of Yanmen Commandery, he had extensive ties with the Xiongnu and Xianbei.

Every so often, Wang Rou would smuggle salt and iron to the Xianbei and Xiongnu.

Besides exchanging large sums of money, there were also many clandestine connections involved.

Yanmen Commandery was one of the essential routes for the Xiongnu and Xianbei to advance south from Bingzhou.

Almost every year, the Xiongnu and Xianbei would raid Yanmen County.

Therefore, Yanmen County was an important border town.

In addition to serving as the Prefect of Yanmen Commandery, Wang Rou also held another official position: Protector of the Xiongnu.

Hu Chuquan's confession stated that when Wang Rou first took office, he frequently fought against the Xiongnu and Xianbei tribes that were raiding the south in Yanmen County.

At that time, the Xianbei Chanyu Tanshihuai was still alive.

Under the leadership of Tan Shihuai, the Xianbei became exceptionally powerful.

From the first year of Jianning, when Liu Hong ascended the throne, Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Liangzhou were repeatedly plundered by the Xianbei every year, resulting in countless deaths, injuries, and losses of Han people. The losses were extremely heavy.

In the sixth year of the Xiping era, Liu Hong dispatched Xia Yu, the Wuhuan Colonel, to depart from Gaoliu.

General Tian Yan, who had defeated the Xianbei, set off from Yunzhong.

Zang Min, the Xiongnu general, led the Southern Xiongnu chieftain Tu Te Ruo Shi Zhu Jiu Chanyu from Yanmen Pass. Each of them led more than 10,000 cavalrymen in three separate routes, intending to advance more than 2,000 li and attack the Xianbei.

Tan Shihuai then ordered the leaders of the three tribes—East, Central, and West—to lead their respective troops to meet the enemy.

Xia Yu and his men suffered a crushing defeat, losing even their tally and baggage. Each of them led dozens of cavalrymen to flee back to Han China. Seven or eight out of ten Han soldiers died in battle, and only one-tenth of the Han soldiers returned to Han China.

This battle completely shattered the myth of the Han army.

This also made Tanshihuai's reputation unparalleled on the grassland for a time.

The surrounding grassland tribes, including the Dingling, Fuyu, Wusun, and Xiongnu, all submitted to the Xianbei.

From then on, the Xianbei gradually grew stronger and began to plunder the borders of Bingzhou, Liangzhou, and Youzhou with even greater impunity.

However, Liu Hong was completely helpless.

The annihilation of 30,000 elite cavalry, coupled with the fall of the Hetao horse farm, resulted in the complete loss of the Han horse farm, leaving them with no confidence to fight the Xianbei on the grasslands.

Fortunately, the unique environment and lifestyle of the grasslands mean that nomadic peoples do not have long lifespans.

In the fourth year of the Guanghe era, Tan Shihuai passed away.

The Xianbei tribes began to split again.

Even without Tan Shihuai's leadership, the Xianbei people had recovered and thrived for several years, and their population and military strength were far greater than before.

Each tribe is now much stronger than it was before Tan Shihuai came to power.

Border raids continue.

After Wang Rou took office as the governor of Yanmen Commandery, he was frequently attacked and plundered by the Xianbei and Xiongnu.

After several defeats and plundering, Wang Rou began to use the "Rou" (柔) in his name to implement a policy of appeasement.

The Xiongnu and Xianbei also lacked salt, iron, and other necessities, as well as skilled craftsmen.

Wang Rou took advantage of this and began to supply salt, iron, and other daily necessities to the Xiongnu and Xianbei.

This is tantamount to a disguised form of tribute.

In this way, Wang Rou stabilized the first year of her tenure.

Perhaps Wang Rou's initial thought was simply to stabilize the current situation.

But as the saying goes.

Once you've done it the first time, you're bound to do it again.

According to Huchuquan's confession, over the past few years alone, Wang Rou has been selling salt and iron to the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and later other tribes of the grasslands every year.

Besides gaining substantial profits.

This also solidified his official position in Yanmen County.

He was appointed as the Protector-General of the Xiongnu, in addition to the position of Prefect of Yanmen Commandery.

“Wenhe, right now we only have Huchuquan’s confession, but we don’t have conclusive evidence of Wang Rou’s collusion with foreign tribes. As a result, even if we ask Fangbo, we won’t be able to dismiss her,” Duan Yu said to Jia Xu.

Jia Xu nodded upon hearing this.

That's right.

Hu Chuquan has confessed.

But these are merely Hu Chuquan's testimonies.

It is clear that Hu Chuquan could not possibly possess any evidence of Wang Rou's crimes.

Huchuquan was not the Xiongnu Chanyu.

He was merely the son of the Xiongnu Chanyu, not even the eldest son.

In this situation, even if Hu Chuquan were sent to Luoyang for a joint trial by the three officials, the protracted process would take anywhere from several months to half a year.

Moreover, this does not achieve the goal of making a name for oneself throughout the world, as Jia Xu claimed.

“Although Huchuquan has no incriminating evidence, I know of a place where it will certainly be found,” Jia Xu said, his gaze intense.

"In Wang Rou's hands?" Duan Yu asked, puzzled.

“I know Wang Rou must have it, but how can we touch him before he is dismissed from his post?”

Jia Xu shook his head.

"No."

"It's somewhere else, right here in Jinyang City!"

Duan Yu's eyes flashed, and he instantly knew which place Jia Xu was referring to.

Inside Jinyang City, at Wang Rou's residence.

"This matter still depends on the decision of our lord," Jia Xu said slowly. "Confiscating the property of the Wang family will have a great impact."

"My lord must first bear two risks."

"First, there may not be any evidence of his crimes in the Prince's mansion, but that doesn't matter. Since the matter of Huchuquan has already implicated the Prince's mansion, even if there is no physical evidence, there are still witnesses."

Duan Yu nodded slightly.

Duan Yu knew who the witness Jia Xu mentioned was.

Wang Rou's son, Wang Ji, is a witness.

“Liu Baitu…” Jia Xu’s eyes trembled slightly as he said, “With Liu Baitu’s methods, it won’t be difficult for Wang Ji to confess.”

"But if we do this, our lord will confiscate the Prince's mansion and interrogate Wang Ji. He must be prepared to be impeached by the scholars of Taiyuan."

Historically, the law has not applied to officials and scholars.

Although Wang Ji held no official position, he belonged to the gentry class.

Although this matter will not implicate the other gentry in Taiyuan Prefecture, there is a saying that goes, "When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves; when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold."

The existence of such relationships among fellow villagers is not due to deep ties of interest, but rather a way of sticking together for mutual support.

There's also the idea that everyone prospers or suffers together.

If irrefutable evidence cannot be obtained immediately, the crime will be confirmed.

The soldiers then launched a fierce counterattack.

It could even be said that if Duan Yu hadn't been able to kill Wang Shi in one blow, his future career in officialdom would have been essentially over.

Struggle is normal, no matter where it is.

But as long as you can win, you have value.

But if you lose, you'll be forever trampled underfoot.

Duan Yu was well aware of this.

His current backer is his father-in-law Dong Zhuo, while Dong Zhuo's backer is Minister Yuan Wei.

Even the Yuan family of Runan, which had produced four generations of high-ranking officials, was not without political enemies.

At this moment, if he could eliminate Wang Shi with lightning speed, he would be a swift and deadly weapon.

Even though he offended some aristocratic families, the Yuan family would still step in to support him.

Because he still has value.

But if we fail, we lose everything.

He might even gamble away the political capital that his father-in-law, Dong Zhuo, had worked so hard to acquire.

Whether he does it or not is entirely up to him now.

The room was quiet.

Jia Xu looked at Duan Yu.

Duan Yu looked up at Jia Xu.

"Colluding with foreign races is an unforgivable crime!"

"What Wang Rou did is enough to make him die a hundred times over!"

Think about the dark period for the Han people after the Three Kingdoms period.

How could an official like Wang Rou be completely without any responsibility?

Even if it's for the greater good.

He will definitely see this through to the end.

Jia Xu's eyes lit up: "My lord is truly righteous!"

...........

That night.

Wang Ji had been on the move for a day because of the capture of Duan Yu in Huchuquan North.

After being rebuffed by Liu Wei, Wang Ji went to several other places.

And upon returning home, he immediately summoned his servants.

Inside the study, Wang Ji handed a secret letter sealed in a bamboo tube to the family's bodyguard.

"Deliver this letter to my father immediately, without any delay on the way."

"Tell my father to send someone back immediately."

Wang Ji said with a gloomy expression.

The assassin took the sealed letter from the bamboo tube, put it in his pocket, and nodded repeatedly.

After the assassins left the room with the oil lamps burning, Wang Ji paced around the study twice before summoning the guards from the mansion.

Several tall, armored guards stood inside the study.

Wang Ji said with a gloomy face, "From now on, the gates of the mansion will be closed to all visitors. Anyone who comes to visit will be driven away."

"In addition, summon all the private soldiers and servants in the mansion to guard all the gates and prohibit anyone from going out."

"Also, summon all twenty warriors that my father recruited from the Xianbei and have them guard the gate of the mansion."

"Notify the manors outside the city that no one is allowed to enter without permission."

Wang Ji issued a series of orders and then dismissed everyone in the study.

After dismissing even the maids and servants standing at the door, he held up an oil lamp and pushed open a display shelf on the side of the study.

..........

That night.

The west gate of Jinyang City was wide open.

Gao Shun, Chen Qing'an, Li Jue, Guo Si, and Li Meng and Wang Fang led five hundred Liangzhou soldiers who came out of the western camp and quietly entered Jinyang City.

Before long, under Gao Shun's leadership, the generals led five hundred Liangzhou soldiers to the front of the county government.

At this moment, Duan Yu had already changed into a set of black armor.

He rode a black jade Qilin beast.

Iron Stone and King Hu Nu were accompanied by forty personal guards, all of whom were clad in armor and wore swords at their waists.

Jia Xu, dressed in a black robe, stood in the night wind, riding behind Duan Yu, his black robe billowing gently in the breeze.

Duan Yu, mounted on his horse, glanced at the soldiers in front of him, then raised his arm and waved it.

"set off!"

.........

at the same time.

The residence of Prefect Liu Wei.

Liu Wei, who had just lay down on the soft couch and hadn't fallen asleep yet, had his door knocked.

The garrison commander, who had rushed over, reported to Liu Wei that five hundred Liangzhou soldiers had come out of the western camp and entered the city.

He also reported the movements of the five hundred Liangzhou soldiers and Duan Yu in detail.

Upon learning all this, Liu Wei was stunned into silence.

What is Duan Yu going to do?

"Does he dare to confiscate Wang Rou's residence?"

"He's crazy?"

Inside the room, Liu Wei, dressed in white pajamas with only a robe over his shoulders, strode towards the study, saying as he went, "Quickly send someone to deliver this message to Dong Zhuo!"

"This guy... he's probably up to something really big!"