The prefect's body went limp; though he appeared fearless, he was terrified inside.
The masked man was displeased at being stopped.
"Those who love to meddle in other people's business never end well."
Qiu Dafu looked directly at the man before him, undaunted by his imposing presence: "The Prefect cannot be killed!"
"Tell me your reasons, and if they're unpleasant to hear, I'll send you on your way!"
The masked man's words made Zheng Hong and Jiang Lian very worried for Qiu Dafu.
They were all wondering what excuse Qiu Dafu had come up with.
Qiu Dafu: "The life and death of the Prefect is directly related to your safety!"
Masked man: "Nonsense!"
Qiu Dafu: "The magistrate of Baiyang County will soon come to Huaiyuan to pay his respects to the prefect. I heard that General Gu will also be coming."
"If General Gu discovers anything amiss in Huaiyuan at that time, he will surely wipe you all out!"
The masked man paused slightly upon hearing the name General Gu.
He had long heard that General Gu of Dongjin was brave and skilled in battle, and no one could defeat him. He wanted to meet him and see if he had three heads and six arms.
"How could you, a mere commoner, possibly know this?"
Qiu Dafu glanced at Zheng Hong and said, "I am an old acquaintance of Baiyang County Lieutenant. He just left Huaiyuan yesterday."
Zheng Hong froze. This Qiu Dafu looked so serious, but he could come up with such a lie so easily.
This inexplicably became the pretext for Qiu Dafu to save people.
Upon hearing this, the masked man turned his gaze to Prefect Xu.
The prefect nodded in agreement.
After all, no one wants to die if they can live.
But if his bottom line is threatened, he will never live on.
Xu Qing wiped away her tears and calmed herself down a bit.
Her sorrowful eyes were fixed on Qiu Dafu, a tall man with a resolute face who had left a deep impression on her.
A fierce look flashed across the masked man's face, but then it returned to calm.
What if he doesn't come?
Qiu Dafu replied calmly, "If you don't come, you can kill me later."
"You are clearly buying time for Prefect Xu!"
"Whether it is true or not, we'll know in a few days." Qiu Dafu wasn't entirely confident he could save the prefect. He was taking a gamble; perhaps he could save him. If he didn't, Prefect Xu was doomed today.
"You'd better be telling the truth, or you'll die with him!"
The masked man eventually let the prefect go, sending men to escort him back to prison.
Before Qiu Dafu could even breathe a sigh of relief, the masked man's gaze swept over Jiang Lian, and he demanded sharply:
"State your name!"
He had already thoroughly investigated the names and surnames of all the officials in Huaiyuan, and no one could escape his capture.
The arrested officials were all imprisoned in the dungeon in the backyard of the government office.
Of course, some officials managed to escape before he could even search for them.
Now, this man in purple clearly is no ordinary person.
Jiang Lian stood there, stunned.
Weren't we just talking about the prefect? How come this masked man suddenly changed the subject and started targeting him?
Qiu Dafu shook his head slowly at Jiang Lian, seemingly unintentionally.
Jiang Lian, puzzled, blurted out, "Jiang Lian, the salt official Jiang..."
The rest of his words were swallowed back down after Qiu Dafu saw them.
Suddenly, he remembered something Qiu Dafu had once said.
These people robbed all the wealthy and powerful officials.
He realized the seriousness of the situation and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Zheng Hong coughed lightly, his face full of helplessness.
Masked man: "Go on!"
Jiang Lian tilted his head back, arrogantly turned his face away, and remained silent.
The masked man sneered: "Who is Salt Commissioner Jiang to you?"
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