Originally, Chen Mo did not intend to let Zuo Lianglun be the Prefect of Linzhou again.

After all, after he led an army to surprise Linzhou, there was resistance in many counties of Linzhou.

However, Xia Zhining recommended him, saying that when her father Xia Liangqing was still alive, he had mentioned Zuo Lianglun.

Unlike Liang Song, who comes from a noble family, Xia Liangqing also had a good background, and because he chose the right side, Zuo Lianglun became the Prefect of Linzhou entirely through his merits.

Zuo Lianglun is best at governance, being the top of the second-class scholars, during the prior emperor's era, he had served three terms as County Magistrate in places like Liuzhou, where there were famines and epidemics during his term in Liuzhou Chang County.

He initially organized wealthy families to donate grain for relief. To encourage them to willingly aid the disaster relief, he erected a monument locally, inscribing the names of those who donated grain, and recorded the achievements in the county annals.

Afterwards, he sold regular grain at a reduced price, made many thick porridges and herbal medicines, sent people with doctors to various neighborhoods to treat the populace, saving many lives.

Next, he managed water resources, personally leading people to dredge river channels for navigation, and then constructed dikes and sluice gates to control the storage of lake water and flood discharge. Piling the excavated silt on the lakeside, he built a long dyke forty miles long for pedestrians to travel.

Each time he served as a County Magistrate, he organized local governance in a smooth manner, political harmony was achieved, and even a county city was elevated to an Upper County, making his reputation increasingly widespread, and his achievements reached the prior emperor's ears.

The prior emperor summoned Zuo Lianglun to the capital for an audience.

Upon his presence in the capital, the prior emperor recognized him as an impoverished aristocrat, essentially of lower class origin, and greatly admired his talents, thus transferring him to Linzhou as an associate.

It was during this time that Zuo Lianglun became acquainted with Xia Liangqing, who was still a minor official in the capital.

Xia Liangqing was also an Advanced Scholar, but not from the same session as Zuo Lianglun, and upon learning of Zuo Lianglun's achievements, he greatly admired him.

Later, when Zuo Lianglun arrived in Linzhou, within a couple of years, he was promoted to Prefect of Linzhou by the prior emperor, but shortly after, the prior emperor passed away.

Thereafter, Zuo Lianglun has remained in Linzhou till now.

In the Government Office, Zuo Lianglun moved the household registry files, land registers, and various documents on Linzhou from the Document Library to Chen Mo's desk.

Soon, the desk before Chen Mo was piled like a small mountain.

Of course, Chen Mo will only briefly glance through these, then have a clerk transcribe a copy to be taken back to Yu State.

While flipping through the documents, Chen Mo conversed with Zuo Lianglun, "I've heard about Prefect Zuo from my wife, learning that during your time in Liuzhou, you had remarkable political achievements, governing the three counties smoothly, doing many practical things for the people, not a simple feat."

"These trivial matters of mine are not worth mentioning compared to the Marquis, you are the one doing great deeds." Zuo Lianglun said with slight sycophancy.

What he said was indeed factual, being granted marquis status at eighteen, holding a Third Grade office, commanding the territory of two... three states, since the founding of Great Song, none can compare.

As for the rumors outside claiming Chen Mo's capability is merely Sixth Grade, Zuo Lianglun doesn't believe them at all, as even Liang Song was captured by him.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo put down the documents, thinking to himself why Zuo Lianglun was able to become a Prefect, besides his outstanding achievements, his speaking skills are also commendable, everyone likes employing such people.

Zuo Lianglun continued, "I never expected to catch Madam Liang's attention, it's truly my honour as a subordinate."

Zuo Lianglun thought Chen Mo referred to Liang Xue as his wife.

After all, it's now common knowledge that Liang Xue became a concubine for Chen Mo.

"I wasn't referring to Liang Xue, but to Xia Zhining." Chen Mo stated.

"???"

Zuo Lianglun looked at Chen Mo with some confusion.

"Xia Zhining, the second daughter of Prefect Xia." Chen Mo replied.

Zuo Lianglun was stunned, then instinctively said, "Isn't Lord Xia's family all..."

Halfway through speaking, Zuo Lianglun grasped the understanding, feeling a massive shock inside, secretly thinking that the young man before him is really extraordinary.

Chen Mo did not dwell much on this issue, thinking of something, he said, "According to my understanding, there are at least ten thousand local soldiers in Linzhou, yet when I fought my way to Xiangfen City, there were only several thousand, where are the rest of the soldiers?"

Chen Mo lacked extensive understanding of Linzhou's official circles.

With Qing and Yu States having unified military and governmental administration, he assumed Linzhou operated similarly.

Upon hearing this, Zuo Lianglun's heart couldn't help but feel bitter.

Though Linzhou can't compare to Qing and Yu States, it still possesses four counties, over five hundred thousand people.

Being entrusted with Linzhou, equipped with his experience of governing three counties, yielding excellent results, and having the prior emperor's support, Zuo Lianglun was filled with passion intending to overhaul Linzhou boldly.

But reality harshly slapped him, an entire state is ultimately not akin to a county, its internal forces are intricately complex, his experience in managing a county was completely inapplicable here, unless he collaborated with the local noble clans, his policies couldn't be implemented, facing substantial resistance.

He wanted to be more forceful, like he was with the noble clan in the county city, but these people simply didn't respect him. When the previous emperor was still around, these people would at least listen to some words, albeit superficially. After the emperor passed, these people didn't even pretend to listen anymore.

If he dared to act recklessly, without the former emperor as his support, these people through their connections with the court could remove him from office.

Although he wanted reform, he didn't want to lose his position, so he had no choice but to compromise with reality.

But as a scholar, he still had integrity, had principles. He simply turned a blind eye to the actions in various places and did not join in with them.

After learning about Linzhou's current situation from Zuo Lianglun, Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, thinking Zuo Lianglun truly is a talent.

In such a situation, Zuo Lianglun could still keep Xiangfen City in his hands and also mobilize several thousand troops, something not everyone could do; at least Geng Songfu didn't have the means.

Chen Mo said, "Nearly five thousand troops is no small force, since you can control so many people, isn't it unreasonable not to manage all of Linzhou?"

"Marquis, you may not know, the reason I can mobilize so many to defend the city is because your arrival might harm their interests, along with my... explanation of pros and cons. But if I want them to deal with those noble families, then they will turn their blades against me," Zuo Lianglun said with a bitter smile.

But even so, there are still two counties unwilling to cooperate.

After hearing Zuo Lianglun's account, Chen Mo's fingers lightly tapped the table. Zuo Lianglun's current situation, if he wants Linzhou to be at his disposal, also what he needs to address, since he has to govern anyway, why not...

Over the past two years, Chen Mo has also grasped some governance techniques. He said, "My army entering Linzhou encountered multiple obstacles; there must be a traitorous organization. There must be traitors' accomplices within the state; Prefect Zuo, with your insight, you should know who the accomplices are. Why not list them, and I'll have Captain Sun assist you in dealing with them."

With these words, Zuo Lianglun felt his scalp tingle but soon was delighted in his heart. The reason he compromised with reality was simply because he had no troops, no support, making it hard to govern. But now there's someone supporting him, it's undoubtedly a good opportunity to remove those with different views.

Some people, Zuo Lianglun had long been holding a fire in his belly.

Soon, Zuo Lianglun picked up the pen and began writing.

A paper the size of an adult's palm was filled densely with names.

Chen Mo handed the list to Sun Meng, saying, "Take three hundred personal soldiers and, with my warrant, take two thousand elite soldiers from the Divine Brave Guard and Divine Martial Guard to go with Prefect Zuo."

"Yes." Sun Meng accepted the list, cupped his hands to Chen Mo, then looked at Zuo Lianglun: "Please, Lord Zuo."

Zuo Lianglun walked out of the government office, walking with a brisk pace.

The first person Zuo Lianglun dealt with was the co-administrator of the state city, then the vice administrator, implicating hundreds of people in the process.

Sun Meng sent people to report, saying Zuo Lianglun was taking the opportunity to eliminate dissent, asking whether Chen Mo wanted to stop him since he was too harsh.

Chen Mo replied, let him be.

Anyway, Chen Mo only tasked Sun Meng with assisting; if any bad reputation results, it's Zuo Lianglun who would bear it, it doesn't concern Chen Mo.

Fortunately, Zuo Lianglun could govern the three counties well and wasn't excessively bloodthirsty. Other than killing the main leaders, he only killed the male members of their families; the female family members and involved powers were merely imprisoned, confiscating their property without even inflicting physical punishment.

After handling matters in Xiangfen City, they expanded to the surrounding counties.

Zuo Lianglun's methods were indeed brilliant, even when eliminating dissent, he kept the people stable beforehand, preventing the noble families from inciting the populace and causing uprisings.

...

September 10th.

The events in Linzhou gradually spread across the nation, reaching the ears of the major power leaders.

Huai State.

Today is the day when the Princess Consort Huai returns to Prince Huai's Mansion.

Initially, when the Celestial Master Army captured Huai State, Prince Huai left his guarding troops in Huai State to escort the Princess Consort to Jiangnan to seek refuge.

After the rebellion in Huai State was resolved, Prince Huai sent people to Jiangnan to bring the Princess Consort back, and she arrived today.

Prince Huai brought the people from the Prince's Mansion and personally came to wait for her outside the mansion.

As a member of the imperial family and a prince with real military power, Prince Huai did this partly because he had good feelings for Princess Consort Xiao Yunxi, and partly because he couldn't have achieved his current position without the Xiao family's support. Furthermore, Princess Consort Xiao Yunxi's brother fought with him against Xu Guozhong but died in Hedong, and Prince Huai felt guilty, wanting to compensate the Xiao family in other ways.

Very soon, several luxurious carriages appeared at the end of the street, accompanied by a team of well-equipped, tall, and burly cavalry on both sides.

The convoy stopped in front of Prince Huai's Mansion. The accompanying servants first got off the carriage and set up a wooden step next to the carriage.

Soon, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a graceful and curvaceous beautiful woman holding a baby in swaddling clothes alighted from the carriage with the support of a servant.

The beautiful woman was dressed in a palace skirt, draped with a shawl, and due to caring for the child, her long hair was casually down her back, without makeup or jewelry, under the sunlight, her cheeks were slightly rosy, graceful and charming, like a dazzling peony blooming in the snow and wind.

A coat was handed to Prince Huai from below, and he took it and walked over, saying, "Yunxi has suffered on the journey, it was my fault that you had to flee to Jiangnan for refuge, I'm sorry for frightening you."

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