Seeing that Wang Han didn't want to change his name, Xiao Bai had no choice but to accept it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Boss, we can see Wu Song at Jingyang Ridge, but Wu Song only returned to his hometown after Song Jiang was exiled. During that time, Song Jiang even saw Wu Song at Chai Da Guan Ren's place. Only after that did Wu Song pass through Jingyang Ridge. Now, even the robbery of the birthday gifts won't happen for several months. I'm afraid we won't see Wu Song if we go to Jingyang Ridge now."
Wang Han chose Xiao Bai precisely because Xiao Bai had read *Water Margin*. If there was anything he needed to do, Xiao Bai would know the plot, so even if he couldn't help, he wouldn't do anything to make things worse.
"Speak less. You already attract attention. If people see you, a rhinoceros, talking like a human, they might mistake you for a monster and surround you." Wang Han patted Xiaobai's huge head and scolded him, then immediately flipped through the Water Margin in his hand, looking for the passage Xiaobai had mentioned.
"It's like we're not just watching Wu Song," Xiao Bai complained softly. Going to see Wu Song is like going to see a monkey.
————————————————
"Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up..."
Meanwhile, in Yuncheng County, seven or eight cavalrymen dressed in imperial guard armor and a eunuch hurriedly rode their horses through the county gates and headed straight for the county government office.
Upon arriving at the county government office, the cavalrymen did not dismount but rode directly into the office, stopping only in the center of the main courtyard. One of the eunuchs shouted, "His Majesty has decreed that the magistrate of Yuncheng County must come immediately to receive the decree."
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Upon hearing that it was the Emperor who had issued the imperial edict, everyone in the county government office immediately knelt down and shouted the words.
People outside the county government office also peered into the office, speculating wildly.
Inside the county government hall, when the magistrate heard the eunuch's shout, he was startled and hurriedly led the people in the hall out. The magistrate stopped five steps away from the eunuch, quickly straightened his clothes, knelt before the eunuch, bowed his head to the ground, and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The others knelt down as soon as they left the main hall.
"Is this the magistrate of Yuncheng County?" the eunuch asked, seeing the middle-aged man kneeling five steps away.
"Your Majesty, this is indeed the case. Here is the fish bag. Please take a look." Upon hearing this, the magistrate straightened up slightly and quickly held up a small rectangular cloth bag with both hands. The cloth bag was decorated with fish-shaped patterns in gold and silver.
Seeing this, one of the imperial guards immediately stepped forward, took the fish bag, and went to the eunuch, presenting it to him with both hands for inspection. Another imperial guard brought a portrait to the magistrate, carefully compared it, and said to the eunuch, "Your Excellency, it is identical to the portrait."
"It is indeed Yu Dai, the magistrate of Yuncheng County." After examining him carefully, the eunuch nodded and said, "Now that his identity has been verified, all irrelevant persons should step aside and prepare to receive the imperial decree."
"Yes." Upon hearing this, everyone except the county magistrate who was standing nearby quickly got up and walked out of the courtyard, then closed the gate of the county government office. At the gate, two imperial guards stood guard on either side to prevent eavesdropping.
After all the bystanders had left, the eunuch took out a brocade box from his robes, from which he took out an imperial edict and read it aloud: "Magistrate of Yuncheng County, listen to my decree."
"Your Majesty, I obey." The magistrate immediately responded.
Upon hearing this, the eunuch opened the imperial edict in his hand and began to read aloud. "I have heard that a demon disguised as an official was lurking in the procession transporting the Huashigang stones, intending to infiltrate the palace. Fortunately, a valiant general discovered the demon in time and killed it. I have sent people to verify this matter, and it is indeed true. I even personally witnessed the demon being killed. However, I am truly regretful that I was unable to see the valiant general who killed the demon. This has kept me awake at night, and I am constantly thinking about it. If it weren't for the importance of national affairs, I would have loved to come and find the valiant general in person, to personally summon him to serve the country and relieve the current difficulties of the world, the Song Dynasty, and the people."
"Effective immediately, I hereby confer upon him the title of First-Rank Divine Might General. I hereby order all counties and towns along the route to exert all their resources to search the entire territory under their jurisdiction and find the Divine Might General to come to the court to receive his conferment. There must be no delay."
"Your Excellency, receive the imperial decree."
"Your subject receives the decree," the magistrate of Yuncheng County immediately responded, raising both hands high.
Upon seeing this, the eunuch handed the imperial edict and a portrait to the magistrate of Yuncheng County. He said, "Your Excellency, the Divine General first appeared near Yuncheng County. If no one finds the Divine General within half a month, and you also fail to find him, you will be sent to the capital with your head! This is His Majesty's decree."
"Your subject obeys the decree and will certainly do everything in the power of the entire county's military and civilians to quickly find the Divine Might General and bring him to the capital to receive his investiture." Upon hearing this, the county magistrate quickly said, respectfully accepting the imperial edict and portrait with both hands.
After the magistrate received the imperial edict and portrait, the eunuch said to him, "Your Excellency, there is no time to lose. Please make arrangements as soon as possible. We will wait for your good news in Yuncheng County. If we find it, we can accompany General Shenwu back to the capital."
"Rest assured, Your Excellency, I will mobilize the entire county to search for him. We will definitely find General Shenwei," the magistrate of Yuncheng County said hastily. After speaking, he got up and walked out of the county office.
Pushing open the door, the magistrate immediately addressed the crowd gathered outside: "Summon all constables and yamen runners from across the county immediately, and have them come over as quickly as possible."
———————————————
Where should we go?
On the other hand, knowing that the plot would not begin for nearly half a year, Wang Han fell into deep thought again.
He wanted to go to the border to ignite his own war-fighting spirit. He had just come from the Ming Dynasty and had been burning with it for a long time. Moreover, there had been no war on the border in recent years. Although he could start one himself, and any reason could be easily found, or even if there was no reason, it didn't matter. However, in his plan, now was not the time to start a war.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
