The First Lackey Under The Empress

Chapter 301: This humble official… greets the Imperial Envoy!

What is your purpose!?

GOOGLE SEARCH TWKAN

An autumn breeze blew from the mountains into the small courtyard, dust rolled like waves on the stone table, and several clumps of brilliant golden chrysanthemums swayed in the yard.

Zhao Du'an looked strangely at the county magistrate putting on a show, thinking to himself that there really were such unlucky people… He had just taken the blame for Wang Chusheng and now he had offended him.

He shook his head, about to speak.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves thundered from outside the county office.

Accompanying it was a noisy commotion.

"What's going on?" The beady-eyed County Magistrate Wang was showing off his power, turned around, and was stunned, not understanding what was happening.

"Someone's coming, aren't you going out to take a look?" Zhao Du'an teased.

Mind your own business… County Magistrate Wang glared at him.

After hesitating slightly, he still pushed open the courtyard door, told the constables at the door to keep a close watch, and ran outside himself.

The county office was not big. After passing through two hanging flower gates, he arrived at the "Six Bureaus."

As soon as County Magistrate Wang showed his head, he ran into the head constable who was reporting the news. With a cry of "Ouch," he was about to curse angrily when he heard the head constable say:

"The Imperial Envoy and Prefect are here! With many soldiers!"

The Imperial Envoy is here to inspect?

County Magistrate Wang was stunned for a moment. As panic arose in his heart, he saw two rows of soldiers rushing into the yamen, holding swords and looking fierce.

Then, a group of people, surrounded by others, stepped into the yamen.

At a glance, there were more than a dozen people, the most conspicuous of whom was Sun Xiaozhun, the Prefect, wearing a scarlet robe.

"Prefect! Your Excellency's arrival at the county office is a great honor…"

County Magistrate Wang immediately showed a flattering smile, his old face like dried tangerine peel.

Sun Xiaozhun, panting, nodded slightly when he heard this, and turned his head to face the "Imperial Envoy" beside him and said:

"Your Excellency, this is…"

"This way."

However, the "Imperial Envoy" did not stop at all.

After only slightly identifying the direction, he directly followed the guidance of the brown paperweights, led a group of Embroidered Uniform Guards, bypassed the other party, and walked towards the side courtyard where the "criminals" were held.

"Eh? Imperial Envoy?"

Prefect Sun was stunned for a moment and helplessly followed again.

However, he didn't notice that County Magistrate Wang, who had been humble and submissive to him just now, was already struck by lightning.

Only because, in his hasty glance just now, the young man who was respectfully called "Imperial Envoy" by the Prefect had a face that was exactly the same as the suspect in the yamen.

How could there be exactly the same people in the world?

"This is bad!" County Magistrate Wang's heart skipped a beat and he quickly turned around to follow.

At this time, Prefect Sun was also confused, and was forced to come to the outside of the side courtyard gate.

"Get out of the way!"

Hou Ren Meng swung his scabbard twice, knocking the gatekeeper to the ground. Qian Kerou forcefully pushed open the slightly dilapidated courtyard door.

Squeak—

When the door opened, both sides inside and outside the small courtyard could see each other clearly.

Zhao Du'an smiled slightly: "You're here."

"Your Excellency!" The round-faced little secretary looked excited and called out.

Prefect Sun had just squeezed in from the outside at this moment, and was obviously stunned for a moment, his mind buzzing.

Wait… why…

He subconsciously turned his head to look at the "Imperial Envoy" beside him, but saw the noble man, who had been taciturn and expressionless since entering the city, raised his hand and wiped his face, restoring Shen Juan's original smiling appearance.

He held the mask called "Nine Changes," which was colorful and had a Picasso painting style, in both hands, respectfully came to the "young master" in the courtyard, bowed and handed it over with both hands:

"Your Excellency, the item has been returned to its original owner. This subordinate really can't pretend anymore."

The other close Embroidered Uniform Guard stepped forward in unison and saluted with clasped fists at the same time:

"Your subordinates greet the Imperial Envoy!"

Qingpao Censor Chen Hong slowly stepped forward, and this deputy saluted the two of them in turn:

"Lord Zhao, Princess, you two have been frightened."

Xu Junling nodded slightly, a proper lady smiling without showing her teeth.

Song Juren was stunned in place.

Prefect Sun was dumbfounded.

"Prefect… wait…"

Behind him.

County Magistrate Wang, wearing an eighth-rank official robe and a seventh-rank black gauze hat, hurriedly rolled in, shouting halfway.

Immediately, with a plop, his knees weakened and he fell to the ground, cold sweat instantly pouring down like a waterfall, soaking through his clothes.

His beady-eyed face stared at this scene blankly and in horror, the black gauze hat on his head tilted and fell to the ground.

"Imperial… Imperial Envoy… Princess… Princess?"

County Magistrate Wang's eyes went dark, and he felt as if he had fallen into hell, unable to breathe.

Zhao Du'an raised his hand, took the mask, and without changing his sitting posture, glanced over everyone calmly, and finally landed on the Taicang Prefect, whom he had finally met at this moment, and showed a smile:

"Sun Xiaozhun? I didn't expect that this official would meet you in this county office as a suspect."

After a pause, he said quietly:

"You have done a good job as a parent official."

Sun Xiaozhun instantly felt cold sweat covering his forehead.

…

Outside the county office.

"Whinny…"

Two horses stopped abruptly. Instructor Xie reined in the reins and looked at the county office, which was firmly blocked by cavalry, with a strange expression.

He had followed all the way here, originally wanting to find an opportunity to report to the Prefect alone, but he didn't expect to follow all the way to the county office.

"Master, why are we at the county office? Ah, it's those people's carriages!"

The young Xiao Wu suddenly raised his hand and pointed to the two carriages parked outside the yamen in the distance.

"Keep your voice down!"

Instructor Xie covered his mouth, his expression solemn, his heart in a mess.

His own Juren master and the foreign men and women were in the county office.

They were arrested first, and then the Imperial Envoy arrived… Could it be that those two people were really suspects? Attracting the pursuit of the government?

"We'll wait here. You go back to the village immediately and tell them what's going on here."

Instructor Xie suddenly said to him:

"Lest we not return for a long time and the family members worry."

"Oh…" The young man was a little unwilling, but he still turned the crossbow horse around and ran towards Songjia Village.

However, after walking for a while, Xiao Wu ran back again, his expression agitated:

"Master Xie, it's not good. Another team of horsemen came from outside the town, all wearing robes of the same color as the Prefect. They seem to be high officials and are coming this way!"

High officials above the fourth rank…

In Instructor Xie's mind, the Financial Commissioner and the Investigating Censor, the two big figures who controlled the entire Linfeng, appeared, and his heart was shaken.

He suddenly overturned his previous guess.

If they were just thieves, how could so many big figures be alarmed to come?

"Could it be that they are some noble people? Noble people who can make second-rank officials come to see them in person?"

…

…

Taicang County Office!

The back office, another courtyard that the county magistrate usually lived in, Zhao Du'an and Sun Xiaozhun, one after the other, stepped into this small courtyard.

The Princess and others all went to the second hall in front of the county office to rest.

Leaving this place alone for them to talk.

Unlike the dilapidated courtyard that was idle and used as a temporary "detention center" just now, this one is much more orderly, but still simple.

It's just exceptionally clean.

Behind it is the private residence where the county magistrate usually lives. This large courtyard is particularly large.

A small sun-shading pavilion was built in the corner.

There is a circle of low fences in the middle of the courtyard, which is full of blooming chrysanthemums.

At a glance, it almost occupies half of the courtyard. When you raise your head and stand in the courtyard, you can clearly see the red mountains in the distance.

The scenery is excellent.

In addition, there are two particularly fat white geese in the yard.

When they saw strangers coming in, they flapped their wings and made a quacking sound.

But when Zhao Du'an glanced at them, they timidly ran to the bottom of a tree in the corner.

"Whirr—"

The cold autumn wind blew, causing the chrysanthemums in the courtyard to sway neatly. Zhao Du'an felt the cool breeze on his face, and praised with his hands behind his back:

"What a beautiful natural scenery. When this official left the capital, I thought that after leaving the prosperous capital and coming to this big mining pit, there would probably be nothing to see, but I didn't expect that after coming to Taicang for a day, I would see many wonderful scenery that I had never seen before."

You better be saying that in the literal sense of "scenery"…

Next to him.

Prefect Sun, who is known for his capable temperament and swift actions, and looks older than his actual age because of his dark and thin appearance, thought in his heart.

When walking, he was half a step behind the Imperial Envoy.

The two were both fourth-rank in rank.

But the Imperial Envoy from the capital, his position is similar to that of the Governor. Even the Financial Commissioner must be very polite.

He, a mere Prefect, had no temper and immediately said:

"This humble official had the same idea as you before I was transferred here two years ago.

However, the place I used to stay was even harder, so I didn't care. After coming here, I realized that the scenery here hundreds of years ago was far better than it is now.

It's just that the mine has become bigger and bigger, and there have been more collapses, which has made the scenery far worse than before."

"That's a pity," Zhao Du'an exclaimed in wonder, then turned his head, glanced at the Taicang Prefect, and said:

"However, no matter how good the scenery is, it can't fill the stomachs of the people. Mining is beneficial to the country and the people. When this official came, I saw that the local people were still relatively wealthy, such as Songjia Village. I heard the Princess say that it is good even if it is placed in the Huai River."

Sun Xiaozhun couldn't figure out what he was thinking, so he had to say cautiously:

"Lord Zhao is absolutely right. Not only does the Taicang silver mine pay silver to the imperial court every year, but the wages that the government hires the people to mine are also much better than farming. Over time, it will naturally be richer than other places."

After a pause.

Sun Xiaozhun glanced at the young and handsome Imperial Envoy.

Seeing that he looked calm, he said cautiously:

"Lord Zhao, this humble official really didn't know that you were visiting in disguise, and were arrested by the county magistrate… It's really the dereliction of duty of this humble official…"

Zhao Du'an waved his hand, his smile kind, and he couldn't see any anger:

"Prefect Sun is too serious. This official's secret visit is nothing more than wanting to see the situation of the people with my own eyes, so as not to stand too high and not be able to see the tiny dust below.

When I was in the capital, the Grand Tutor also told me that if you have been an official in the court for a long time, you will not be able to feel the atmosphere, and it will be easy to fall into a void when thinking about things and formulating national policies…

What's more, when people walk on the road, it is easy for the wind to blind their eyes. The higher you stand, isn't the wind bigger? The wind and sand cover the sky?

For example, this case of corruption of ore silver, isn't it blocking His Majesty's eyes? That's why we need to be ministers to come and take a look for His Majesty from thousands of miles away. Do you think this is the right thing?"

Sun Xiaozhun could only nod his head:

"Lord Zhao is right."

"So ah,"

Zhao Du'an looked at him with a smile:

"You see, if this official didn't personally take this trip to the people, how could I have encountered such an experience?

Haha, Prefect Sun, please rest assured, this official is not the kind of unreasonable person. Now that there is a major case, the suspect's whereabouts are unknown, you should ask the people below to be vigilant and strictly guard against it. It should be so.

Bringing this official here is not wrong, but it is fulfilling your duties."

"…Your Excellency is generous."

Sun Xiaozhun was dizzy from being said this, and couldn't figure out the true meaning of this Imperial Envoy, so he could only choose to praise him steadily.

"But…"

In the next second, Zhao Du'an changed the subject, suddenly stopped, stared at him, and smiled:

"This official has something unclear and wants to ask the Prefect to explain."