Chapter 77 When we get back, we must give Xiao Che a good compliment…
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Yan got up with a yawn. He had just opened the door to his room to check the sky when he saw Magistrate Zou already waiting outside the inn, looking as if he couldn't wait to sprout wings and fly up the mountain.
Lin Yan slammed the door shut.
It's an illusion, it must be an illusion.
Lin Yan patted his chest and reopened the door.
Oh, the illusion is still there.
No, it's not an illusion.
Help... What kind of stimulant did Magistrate Zou take? Isn't he sleepy?
"Lord Lin, I am all ready and can depart at any time." Magistrate Zou couldn't understand Lin Yan's sleepy eyes at all.
"Alright, Lord Zou, please wait a moment." Lin Yan closed the door, no need to check the time, and quickly changed his clothes.
After quickly eating a few bites of bland breakfast, Lin Yan set off with Magistrate Zou and his entourage.
The further down the mountain you go, the worse the road becomes.
At first, it was barely passable by donkey cart, but later it simply became a path made by people. Not only was it steep, but it was also full of gravel, and one could easily fall into various wrestling positions if one was not careful.
Lin Yan stared at the mountain road that seemed to rise almost vertically into the sky, his eyes twitching.
It's a work injury; he wants to report it to Xiao Che.
Fortunately, Lin Yan still had Jin Jiu and the Imperial Envoy's guards.
Kim Gu truly lived up to his reputation as a professional certified by the emperor. His agility was almost superhuman. When they encountered particularly difficult terrain, he could easily lift Lin Yan up the mountain, preventing him from rolling all the way up. The brothers in the imperial envoy's guard were also all exceptionally skilled, moving with ease as if on flat ground.
Lin Yan, caught in the middle, suddenly realized that he was a support player who had used his ultimate skill, and that he had relied entirely on his teammates to carry him.
Lin Yan climbed for an unknown amount of time, so long that he felt like he was about to evaporate on the spot. His undershirt was soaked with sweat and stuck to his body stickily. A gust of wind made him shiver from the cold, and his throat tasted like rust.
Just as he was considering whether to let everyone rest for a while so he could catch his breath, the local guide leading the way finally said, "Sir, we've arrived. Tiger's Mouth is just ahead."
Lin Yanru heard heavenly music and looked up, supporting her knees.
The location was chosen in a truly ingenious way: a naturally formed mountain pass, easy to defend and difficult to attack. There were also some rough stone fortifications nearby, and you could vaguely see the figures of several people holding hoes and machetes moving around on them.
Magistrate Zou straightened his official robes, took a deep breath, stepped forward, and began to shout: "Fellow villagers of Aozi Village! I am the magistrate of Qingyuan County! Today I have invited Imperial Envoy Lin from the capital! Imperial Envoy Lin is here on behalf of the Emperor to solve your problems! If you have any difficulties, you can tell Imperial Envoy Lin! Imperial Envoy Lin will definitely stand up for you!"
"Make the decision—"
"host--"
Magistrate Zou shouted until he was hoarse, and the echoes reverberated through the valley.
There was a commotion on the mountain, and more people appeared, whispering among themselves, but no one answered.
After a while, a tall, dark-skinned man with a full beard appeared behind the fortifications. His voice was loud and clear, filled with vigilance and suspicion: "Hey Zou, don't try that on us! Who knows if you're trying to trick us into going down here so you can catch us all in one fell swoop!"
Magistrate Zou stamped his feet in frustration: "Am I that kind of person? This time, a high-ranking official from the capital has come! Lord Lin is here!"
The man known as Chief Shi glanced sharply at Lin Yan behind Magistrate Zou. He noticed that although Lin Yan was young and wearing an official robe, he still looked disheveled from climbing the mountain. His face was flushed, and his breathing was uneven. The suspicion in his eyes deepened.
"An imperial envoy? Him? He's probably not even fully grown yet. You surnamed Zou, you think you can fool us by just grabbing anyone off the top of your head?"
Lin Yan: "..."
He protested! This is a personal attack!
What do you mean he's not even fully grown yet? He's a prodigy!
Although Lin Yan really wanted to set aside his personal manners and argue back and forth with this Chief Shi, he was there to do serious business and had to maintain the demeanor of an imperial envoy.
Clearing his throat, Lin Yan suppressed his slight panting, stepped forward, and said in a calm and gentle voice, "This... Brother Shi, I am Lin Yan, a Hanlin Academician. What Magistrate Zou said is true. I have indeed come here for this matter."
Lin Yan's gaze swept over the villagers on the mountain, whose faces were pale and whose clothes were tattered. His tone became even more sincere: "Fellow villagers, I know that you have no choice but to become outlaws. You were forced by natural disasters and your predicaments. The imperial court has not abandoned you. Last year, heavy snow blocked the mountains and made the roads difficult to travel. Magistrate Zou was also very anxious and urged the repair of the roads day and night. Now the roads are open. All the relief supplies from the imperial court are stored in the county treasury. They will be distributed to you as soon as you return!"
The crowd on the mountain quieted down, seemingly digesting his words.
The head of the Shi family frowned, still not daring to believe it: "You make it sound so nice! How do we know you're not in cahoots with this corrupt official to trick us into coming down the mountain? When a knife is at our throats, it'll be up to you to decide!"
Lin Yan patiently explained, "Brother Shi, if the court truly wanted to wipe you out, why would I personally come up the mountain? How long could you hold out if I dispatched troops to besiege you? I have come here with the sincere intention of giving you a way out. His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate towards the suffering of the people. As long as you are willing to go down the mountain and return home, the past will not be investigated. You will still be good citizens of Dayu, and you can farm and recuperate in peace."
He paused, then emphasized, "I swear on my life that this is no lie. Magistrate Zou, tell the villagers about the inventory of supplies in the county yamen's warehouse, as well as the records of road repairs since last year."
Magistrate Zou hurriedly stepped forward and reported the quantities of grain, cotton clothing, and medicine in detail. He also explained in detail when the laborers were organized, how difficult the road repair was, how many people were injured or killed, and so on. He spoke with great sincerity, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
The people on the mountain listened, their expressions softened, and the whispering among them grew louder.
The head of the Shi family was silent for a moment, then stared at Lin Yan: "Lord Lin, it's not that we don't believe you, but so many people's lives and fortunes need to be protected. What guarantee do you have? Just based on your words?"
Lin Yan sighed. Now you realize everyone's fate? Why didn't you think about that when you became an outlaw?
Fortunately, Magistrate Zou was not a bad official; otherwise, he would have directly mobilized troops to suppress the bandits. With only a hundred or so people in the village, they would have been no match for them.
We have to use some serious stuff.
Lin Yan solemnly took out the black iron imperial decree personally bestowed by Emperor Xiao Che from his bosom and held it high: "This is an imperial decree personally bestowed by His Majesty. Seeing this decree is as if His Majesty is personally present. My promise is His Majesty's promise! His Majesty's words are golden and jade-like. How could he deceive you?"
The sunlight shone on the ferocious dragon patterns and the character "御" (Yu), reflecting a chilling light that was terrifying.
A gasp rippled through the crowd on the mountain, and many instinctively wanted to kneel down.
Shi Da's expression also changed, and his eyes showed more awe, but his hesitation had not completely faded.
They couldn't tell if the imperial edict was real or fake; what if...?
He gritted his teeth and said stubbornly, "Lord Lin, we country folk don't know much about these tokens and can't be sure of their authenticity. Even if they are real, what if you go back on your word later? Once we're down the mountain, we'll be at the mercy of others!"
This concern is perfectly reasonable.
Looking at the villagers' eager yet fearful eyes, Lin Yan knew they were easily frightened and dared not take any risks.
His mind raced.
Should he write back to the capital and ask Emperor Xiao Che to issue an imperial decree? That would take many more days, and whether the villagers could hold on was another matter. He didn't want to delay any longer.
He wanted to resolve this matter quickly and return to Beijing.
He returned to the capital to see Xiao Che.
A thought flashed through his mind—the blank imperial edict that Xiao Che had given him!
At the time, I just thought Xiao Che was overthinking things; I never expected it would actually come in handy.
He turned to Jin Jiu and said, "Bring me my official seal and that imperial edict."
Jin Jiu's eyes flickered slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but seeing Lin Yan's resolute expression, he silently took out a long, narrow object wrapped in yellow silk and Lin Yan's official seal of the Hanlin Academy from the bag held by the guard behind him.
All eyes were focused on the bright yellow package, and everyone held their breath.
Lin Yan untied the yellow silk ribbon in front of everyone and slowly unrolled the blank silk scroll that was stamped with a bright red jade seal.
The mountain and its surroundings fell silent instantly; even the wind seemed to have stopped.
Magistrate Zou's legs went weak and he knelt down immediately, followed by the imperial envoy's guards and all his attendants.
Although the villagers on the mountain were still standing, they all looked horrified, which was the most instinctive awe of imperial power.
The eldest son of the Shi family changed his expression completely. His lips trembled as he looked at the glaring bright yellow and red mark, and his last bit of doubt vanished.
Even if he were a farmer, he would know how serious the crime of falsely conveying an imperial edict was, and that this person could not possibly have such audacity.
Holding a blank imperial edict, Lin Yan declared loudly, "This is a blank imperial edict personally bestowed by His Majesty, granting me the power to make decisions on the spot. I will now write on this edict, promising that the court will not pursue your matter of becoming outlaws, and will immediately distribute all relief supplies to help you rebuild your homes. Once this edict is written, it will be as His Majesty himself said, and heaven and earth will bear witness, and I will never go back on my word!"
He looked intently at Chief Shi: "Brother Shi, is such a guarantee enough to gain your trust? Can it gain the trust of every villager in Aozi Village?"
Shi Dazhang looked at the blank imperial edict, then at Lin Yan, who had a solemn expression, and finally looked back at the villagers who were staring at him expectantly.
He stomped his foot abruptly, knelt down on one knee with a thud, clasped his hands in a fist and said loudly, "Lord Lin! I, Shi Dazhuang, believe in you and in His Majesty! We are willing to go down the mountain!"
"I'm willing to go down the mountain!"
"Our Lord Xinlin!"
"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty! Thank you, Lord Lin!"
Excited shouts erupted from the mountainside. Many villagers were moved to tears, and they helped each other as they tried to emerge from behind the fortifications.
Lin Yan breathed a long sigh of relief. Thank goodness, His Majesty's decree was quite effective.
When we get back, we must give Xiao Che a good compliment.
Lin Yan quickly seized the opportunity and announced loudly, "Good! Since you all trust me, then please bring a few representatives with you down the mountain. I will immediately write an imperial edict and supervise the county government in distributing supplies. The rest of you can pack your things. Tomorrow morning, I will send someone up the mountain to pick you all up and take you home together!"
"go home!"
"We can go home now!"
"Very good!"
Cheers echoed through the valley, lasting for a long time.
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Author's Note: To celebrate my colleague's victory over that stinky old leader Deng, I'm adding an extra chapter today! I hope there will be more kindness and justice in the world, and fewer old Dengs!
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