Chapter 75075 Enemy Invasion
From Xiajing to Runing Prefecture, one not only has to travel by land, but also by two sections of water, which takes at least two months.
Taking into account extreme weather and unexpected accidents that may be encountered along the way, if we set out on September 1st, we will arrive in Runing Prefecture around the beginning of November.
Du Qingtang and his group traveled south along the official road, traveling during the day and staying in an inn at night.
Since they couldn't find an inn, they slept in the wild, with guards taking turns to keep watch at night.
After thirty-six days, we finally left Northern Zhili and entered Shanxi Province, getting one step closer to our destination.
It is early October, and we have already entered the early winter season. Especially after the rain in the past two days, the cold is getting stronger.
This morning, Du Qingtang opened the windows for ventilation as usual.
As soon as the window was opened a crack, the cold wind rushed in through the gap, blowing on the body, as sharp as needles.
Du Qingtang decisively changed into a quilted jacket, ate the breakfast provided by the inn, and got on the carriage and set off again.
Reading in a carriage is bad for the eyes, so Du Qingtang spends most of his time resting with his eyes or playing chess with his left and right hands.
The fight between the left hand and the right hand is quite interesting.
Halfway through the journey, Du Qingtang finished a game of chess and was throwing chess pieces into the chess basket when suddenly a cry of grief was heard outside the carriage.
"Master and Madam, please be kind and give me something to eat!"
"I haven't eaten for two days. Please be kind and give me something to eat!"
"Please, I kowtow to you..."
Du Qingtang listened attentively for a moment, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.
When the curtain of the carriage was lifted, a huge crowd of refugees, estimated to be at least several hundred people, came into view.
They were dressed in rags, with unkempt hair and dirty faces, holding broken bowls or rice baskets in their hands, surrounding the carriage and begging crying.
Among the refugees were adults and children. They were skinny, but all had big bellies, and they stumbled along beside their relatives.
Du Qingtang and his group were not the only ones stuck on the official road. A well-dressed boy poked his head out of the carriage and looked at the refugee children curiously: "Are they sick?"
Not sick.
It was because he ate too much Guanyin soil and couldn't digest it, so he bloated up.
Du Qingtang's eyes were fixed on those children with big heads, small bodies and bulging abdomens. In the end, they would die of abdominal distension.
Du Qingtang's heart sank: "Du Yi."
"Young Master." The guard stepped forward upon hearing the voice.
In late August, Yao Jingzhou sent ten guards and two pairs of maids and servants, along with fourteen indentures.
These people were all servants of the Yao family. Except for the maids and servants, the guards all had the same surname as their master, Yao.
Now that he has become a guard of the Du family, he should change his surname from Yao to Du.
Yao Jingzhou said, "They will be following Uncle Master in the future, so why don't you give them some names?"
Du Qingtang said without hesitation: "From one to ten, the oldest is Du One and the youngest is Du Ten."
Yao Jingzhou: “…”
So, we have Du Yi, Du Er...Du Shi today.
Du Qingtang didn't think there was anything wrong with the name. It was simple, easy to remember and catchy.
As Du Yi stepped forward, Du Qingtang ordered, "Go and ask what's going on."
This is the first time I have encountered refugees along the way.
Usually, people are forced to leave their hometowns and migrate due to natural disasters, wars, or excessive taxes and labor service.
Judging from their appearance, it is most likely the first reason.
"yes."
Du Yi took the order and left.
Du Qingtang lowered the car curtain, and all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind.
Du Yi was ordered to find out the news and returned soon.
"Sir, these refugees all come from Daming Prefecture."
"In June, Daming Prefecture was struck by a locust plague, causing severe crop damage, with yields reduced or even completely lost. The people's stored grain in granaries was also destroyed by the locusts."
Du Qingtang frowned: "Where are the officials in Daming Prefecture?"
"Local officials failed to act and allowed the locust plague to rage. There was food in the government warehouses, but they refused to distribute it to the people who had nothing to eat. The people were left with no alternative but to migrate."
Natural disasters are inevitable. Even in modern times with advanced technology, we can only take precautions in advance but cannot avoid them, let alone in ancient times.
When natural disasters strike, it is often the common people living at the bottom of society who suffer.
If the local officials are honest officials who love the people like their own children, and the officials and the people work together, they can overcome the difficulties if they can persevere.
On the contrary, if the local officials are corrupt officials who exploit the people, they will often ignore the suffering of the people and even attach themselves to the people like blood-sucking worms, eating their flesh and drinking their blood.
Obviously, the prefect of Daming Prefecture belongs to the latter.
Du Qingtang felt heavy in his heart as he looked at the child who was crying with hunger, stuffing Guanyin soil into his mouth with a satisfied expression.
She pondered for a moment, then picked up her pen and wrote: "Du San and Du Si, return to Beijing immediately and deliver this letter to Yan Tiande, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."
Du San took the envelope with both hands.
"Remember, it's Yan Tiande, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet." Du Qingtang emphasized sternly.
"Yes, I understand."
Du San put the letter in his arms and turned his horse around with Du Si.
Du Qingtang added: "Safety comes first in everything."
Du San and Du Si were stunned for a moment, then said in unison, "Yes, we will definitely keep your instructions in mind."
The two men used their horses' hooves to clear the way and returned along the official road.
"This is a gift from my wife. Share it with your children."
Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the sound and saw a maid handing out a plate of exquisitely made pastries from the carriage.
The barefoot, pale and thin woman hugged her daughter tightly in her arms. She struggled to free one hand and took the cake, feeling extremely excited. "Thank you, Madam. Your kindness will be rewarded. I hope you will live a long life!"
The old woman snorted complacently, her eyes filled with the arrogance of a superior looking down on the inferior.
In fact, she was just a servant.
The old woman got into the carriage. Du Qingtang noticed that the other refugees had green eyes and thought to himself that something was wrong.
As expected, before the woman could feed the cakes to her children, the surrounding refugees pounced on them like hungry wolves, as if they had agreed in advance.
"Why would a woman like you eat cakes? Bring them here!"
The woman was horrified and bent down in panic to protect her daughter in her arms.
During the scuffle, some cakes fell to the ground, causing the refugees to scramble for them.
"mine!"
"I grabbed this first!"
Some people set their eyes on the cakes on the ground, while others set their eyes on the lady in the carriage. They pounced on the carriage like wolves and tigers, slapping the carriage hard with their muddy hands.
"Give me something to eat!"
"I want some cakes too!"
"If you don't give me food, you can't leave today!"
The carriage was surrounded by refugees, who kept banging and hitting it, causing the carriage to shake and causing the people inside to scream.
The accompanying guards tried their best to drive them away, but the refugees were in a state of extreme hunger and put up a strong resistance.
All they knew was that there was food in the carriage.
They don't want to die.
"Du Yi."
"yes."
The eight guards of the Du family stepped forward with knives and drove away the refugees who were besieging the woman.
The woman sat down on the ground exhausted, hugged her daughter and cried loudly, her cries filled with relief at having survived the disaster.
Seeing this, other people on the road also sent guards to drive away the troublemakers.
The refugees were also afraid of death, so they dared not confront the knife-wielding guards head-on. Their instinct to seek profit and avoid harm made them give way.
"Untouchables! They are all untouchables!"
"I kindly gave you food, and this is how you repay me?"
The young woman with her hair adorned with pearls and elegant clothes felt that she was out of danger, so she poked her head out of the carriage, pointed at the refugees and spoke without thinking.
As she was swearing, she suddenly met Du Qingtang's eyes. The woman lowered her voice several degrees and an expression of disgust was frozen on her face.
Du Qingtang retracted his gaze: "...Let's go."
Du Yi glanced at the refugees who had not participated in the blockade and said, "Then they..."
Du Qingtang said, "Pingyang Prefecture is just ahead, and officials are already coming."
Du Yi looked into the distance and saw a large group of people riding horses towards him, with smoke and dust rising everywhere.
"I am the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture. I heard that a large number of refugees appeared outside the city, so I hurried here to investigate."
"If you wish to enter the city, please follow the rules and register your names and places of origin. I will then arrange accommodation for you."
The refugees who had suffered from the locust plague and the pain of migration fell to their knees and cried for joy.
"Thank you, sir!"
"That's great! We don't have to suffer from hunger and cold anymore!"
The vast majority of refugees were grateful and spontaneously lined up in long queues to register to enter the city.
There were also a very small number of restless people who were unwilling to follow the regulations and register their identities. They were intimidated by the soldiers behind the Pingyang prefect and took advantage of the chaos to run away.
Several caravans that were blocked on the official road by refugees started moving again and rumbled forward.
Du Qingtang lowered the curtain and continued picking up chess pieces.
Judging from what happened just now, the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture is a good official, and Cao Xingcan should feel comfortable working under him.
......
This went on for more than ten days.
Du Qingtang and his group left Shanxi Province and entered Henan Province one afternoon.
"Sir, our dry food is almost gone, and so is our water."
Du Qingtang was resting with his eyes closed. He picked up the teapot and took a look. The water inside was almost gone. "Let's see if there is a teahouse or inn nearby. We can replenish our supplies before we set off again."
"yes."
After about an incense stick of time, Du Yi's voice rang out: "Sir, there is a tea stall up ahead."
Du Qingtang responded and expressed his agreement.
The convoy stopped outside the tea stall. Du Qingtang got off the carriage and found that there were several other carriages parked in front.
Looking at the appearance, it seems vaguely familiar, as if I have seen it somewhere.
Du Qingtang took a look and then looked away, pushed aside the heavy door curtain and walked into the tea stall, followed closely by Du Yi and the others.
There was a charcoal fire burning in the teahouse, and it was warm and comfortable.
"What would you like to drink, gentlemen?"
The tea stall owner came over and asked with a smile.
"Two pots of ginger sugar tea, please." Du Qingtang asked after sitting down, "Do you sell any dry food?"
The proprietress nodded and said: "The shop is located next to the official road, so of course we sell dry food."
Du Qingtang glanced at Du Yi, who understood and followed the proprietress to the back to buy dry food.
"What a shame!"
While I was drinking the ginger sugar tea that warmed me up and drove away the cold, a loud shout suddenly erupted in the teahouse.
Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the voice and saw several men wearing round-necked robes with book boxes beside them. Their faces were flushed and they looked furious.
Judging from the way they are dressed, they should be candidates going to Beijing to take the imperial examinations.
Speaking of Juren, Du Qingtang couldn't help but think of Fu Ci, Guo Qian and Gu Tai.
Liu Guang and Liu Yao from Liu Tongsheng's family are also included.
These five people took part in the provincial examination in August, but the results are unknown.
After receiving the appointment in late August, Du Qingtang only had time to write a letter to his relatives and friends in Qingyuan County, briefly explaining the situation, and then hurried on his journey.
Nearly two months passed in a flash, and she was about to arrive in Runing Prefecture, and the imperial examination was about to begin.
Fu Ci had ranked second in the imperial examination in her previous life. In this life, Du Qingtang helped her remove the stumbling blocks, and she also had Wen Boqing as her master to teach her everything. She should have done better in the exam.
As for the other four, they are all diligent and hardworking, so passing the provincial examination should not be a problem for them.
Just as Du Qingtang was thinking about this, one of the scholars slammed the table and stood up: "What a shameless Da Qi! Do you really think Da Xia is easy to bully?"
Da Qi?
Daxia?
Everyone present pricked up an ear.
Someone directly asked: "Little brother, what happened to Da Qi?"
The scholar's face was filled with rage. "My uncle, who runs a fur business at the border, sent an urgent message home, and my family sent me another message. A month ago, the Qi army invaded Loushan Pass, claiming that the people there had shot and killed their general's beloved pet, a Saker Falcon!"
There was an uproar in the teahouse.
"Saker Falcon? It's just an animal. If it dies, it dies. Why make such a fuss?"
"That's too much! It's not just because of a Saker Falcon, it's clear they've been planning to attack for a long time!"
"What should we do? Will the Qi army reach our Henan Province?"
"Probably not. If the Qi army reaches Henan Province, it would mean that half of Daxia's territory would be lost."
Amidst the noisy voices around him, Du Qingtang drank his tea quietly, his eyes calm.
Loushan Pass is located in the northwest and is the first line of defense of Daxia.
Once the Qi army breaks through Loushan Pass, the Xia army will be defeated and the territory of Great Xia will be lost.
In the previous life, Da Qi launched an invasion in the 16th year of Qingyuan for the same reason.
This was not only a contempt and provocation of Daxia by Daqi, but also a test of Daxia.
"If General Pei were still here, he would definitely beat those Qi bandits into a pulp!"
General Pei, Pei Heng.
He was brave and good at fighting, and was a master in using troops. He once led 200,000 Xia troops to repel 400,000 Qi troops.
That battle brought nearly twenty years of peace to Daxia, but the price was extremely painful.
Pei Heng and his four sons and two grandsons died in battle one after another, and the Xia army suffered tens of thousands of casualties.
When the news of the entire Pei family being killed in battle reached Xiajing, the late emperor posthumously conferred the title of General Guarding the Nation on Pei Heng and granted him a General Guarding the Nation mansion.
"But I heard that his grandson, General Pei, is also very capable. He was promoted to the fourth rank military officer at a young age and was ordered to guard the border."
General Pei Yuchun was the son of Pei Heng's youngest son.
Pei Yuchun was only two years old when Pei Heng died in battle.
Pei Yuchun joined the army at the age of fifteen, and is now in his early twenties.
In this battle in the 16th year of the Qingyuan period, it was Pei Yuchun who led his troops to repel tens of thousands of Qi troops.
But such a brave and battle-hardened young general died on the battlefield at the age of thirty.
If Pei Yuchun had not died young, perhaps the battle in the 30th year of Qingyuan would not have been a disastrous defeat.
When everyone in the teahouse heard this, they all looked hopeful.
"Old General Pei is brave and good at fighting, and I think Young General Pei is the same."
"With General Pei here, we'll definitely be able to beat those Qi bandits into a pulp!"
The scholar shook his head and said, "The commander-in-chief of Loushan Pass is not General Pei, but General Tian."
General Tian, Tian Xiu.
He was originally Pei Heng's deputy general, and after Pei Heng's death, he replaced him as the general at Loushan Pass.
In his early years, Tian Xiu guarded the northwest diligently and repelled invasions from small countries many times. He could be regarded as a powerful general after Pei Heng. He was loyal to Emperor Qingyuan and had no second thoughts.
Later, Concubine Yi gave birth to the third prince. Tian Xiu relied on his high position and the military power he held, and gradually became complacent and proud of his achievements.
In the previous life, in the 30th year of Qingyuan, Daxia suffered a crushing defeat in the first battle with Daqi. Not only did it lose the Loushan Pass, a crucial checkpoint, but it also lost five cities in a row. The person leading the troops was Tian Xiu.
Du Qingtang had long given up hope in the old villain Tian Xiu. He only hoped that Pei Yuchun could live longer and not bring shame to his grandfather's reputation. Just like in his previous life, he could lead the soldiers to stop the Qi army west of Loushan Pass.
Du Qingtang's thoughts were racing, and his fingers holding the tea bowl tapped lightly on the rim, making a crisp sound.
It was her negligence. She was so busy traveling during this period that she forgot that the Qi army would attack Loushan Pass this year.
I had originally planned to return to Xiajing in a year, but it seems that things in Runing Prefecture must be resolved quickly.
Although Da Qi was doomed to retreat because of Pei Yuchun, some things still had to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
When the scholar said this, everyone in the room was shocked.
They didn't know who General Tian was, nor did they care who he was or whether he had outstanding military achievements.
All they knew was that this person's surname was not Pei.
"Isn't General Pei guarding Loushan Pass? That's it!"
"A bunch of useless people! The imperial court feeds them with good food and drink every year. They deserve to die in battle, transform into evil spirits, and capture the souls of the Qi thieves, and go to hell together!"
Everyone frowned when they heard this, and when they looked in the direction of the voice, they saw that the person who spoke was a noble lady.
Du Qingtang recognized her. She was the young woman who was besieged by refugees while passing through Pingyang Prefecture and was cursing in anger.
A scholar cast a disapproving look at the woman and said sternly, "Madam, although I also hope that the Xia army can repel the Qi army, victory and defeat are common in the military. It depends on the right time, place, and people. All three are indispensable. Victory is not something that can be achieved simply by wanting to win."
"Those soldiers do receive food and wages from the imperial court every year, but that is what they deserve for guarding the bitter cold of the northwest."
"As soldiers, they should defend their country and fight bravely, but it is absolutely not the case that they must die in battle to demonstrate their loyalty to the court, as Madam said."
"Brother Fang is absolutely right. Some soldiers managed to survive on the battlefield, but they lost both arms or legs. Do they deserve to die?"
Several scholars argued with reason and made accusations one by one, until the woman's face turned pale and blue, and she raised her hand and dropped the tea bowl to the ground.
"What kind of crappy tea is this? It's so unpalatable!"
After saying that, he stood up and pretended to leave.
The proprietress led Du Yi to the front and saw this scene. She still had a smile on her face, but she took three or two steps forward and grabbed the woman.
"Madam, you smashed the teacups in the shop and just left like that?"
The woman struggled but couldn't break free. She glared at the proprietress angrily: "Let me go! Do you know who my cousin is?"
The proprietress kept smiling: "No matter who your cousin is, if he broke my things, he has to pay for it."
Seeing that the situation was not good, the accompanying maid came forward and stuffed a grain of barley into the boss lady's hand: "I am really sorry, my wife has been tired from the journey and is not feeling well, so..."
This woman runs a tea stall alone in the wilderness. She is definitely not a good person and should not be easily provoked.
The proprietress let go of the woman's hand, took a bite of the barley rice, and smiled brightly: "Madam, take care. Come back next time."
Woman: “…”
As she was speechless, the woman glanced over and saw Du Qingtang sitting in the corner, with a trace of panic flashing across her face.
Just at this moment, Du Qingtang nodded slightly to her with a faint smile on his lips.
The woman's eyes flickered, and her face became even redder due to anger. She no longer bothered with the shrew, and lifted the door curtain and walked away.
The cold wind blew in, causing everyone to complain.
"Sir, the dry food and water are all replenished."
Du Qingtang drank the ginger sugar tea in the bowl and said, "Well, let's go."
Du Yi left a grain of silver, and the group left the tea stall and set off again.
-
Because Da Qi launched an attack on Loushan Pass, Du Qingtang had to speed up the process.
The group traveled day and night and finally arrived at Runing Prefecture at noon on the third day.
“Stop!”
The convoy was stopped at the city gate by the soldiers guarding the city and subjected to strict inspection.
Du Qingtang did not have a travel permit, but she had an appointment document.
The guards could read and saw the contents of the document. Their eyes flickered and they hurriedly handed the document back with both hands: "So it's the new magistrate. I'm so sorry, please let him go!"
Du Qingtang took the document and lowered the curtain.
The carriage rumbled as it passed through the city gate and headed towards the Tongpan Mansion.
The soldiers defending the city mounted their horses and took a shortcut to the government office.
Two months ago, the prefect summoned him personally and ordered him to pay close attention to the news about the new magistrate.
Once the new judge arrives, tell him immediately.
This man was a minor official among the soldiers guarding the city. When he left, others did not dare to ask and took his place on their own initiative, continuing to check passers-by.
"Hey, who was that just now?"
The soldiers guarding the city looked in the direction of the voice and found that the person asking the question was a beautiful woman dressed in gold and silver. They were stunned for a moment and stammered, "That, that is the newly appointed Tongpan Lord."
The woman curled her lips in disgust, lowered the curtain, and marveled, "She's so young, and she's already a judge."
The next moment, worry crept onto her cheeks, and she said anxiously: "Nanny, you said she would agree..."
The old woman looked at the recently widowed young lady with eyes full of kindness, and her tone was full of indulgence: "You are the cousin of the prefect, and you are so beautiful. Marrying you is the blessing she has cultivated for eight lifetimes."
Although she didn't understand why her young lady had a crush on a man she had only met twice, as long as the young lady was happy, she would even pick the moon from the sky.
The woman then smiled.
That day, she caught a glimpse of Du Qingtang on the official road and was deeply stunned by his appearance.
Later, when they were surrounded by a group of untouchables, Du Qingtang sent guards to rescue them, and the woman had a better impression of her.
The woman firmly believed that Du Qingtang must have a good impression of her, otherwise he would not have asked the guards to help.
For more than ten days after that, the woman often thought of Du Qingtang and regretted missing out on a good marriage.
I thought we would never see each other again, but unexpectedly we met twice.
This is a great fate. She is a newly widowed woman and Du Qingtang is unmarried. They are a perfect match.
......
But when Du Qingtang arrived at the Tongpan Mansion, he had maids and servants responsible for cleaning the room and putting his luggage away.
After a short rest, Du Qingtang took the appointment documents and went to the government office to report.
In the government office, Prefect Feng Shu received a report from the soldiers guarding the city and already knew that Du Qingtang was coming to take up the post.
According to convention, when a new Tongpan took office, he, as the prefect, should verify his identity and check the authenticity of the appointment documents.
After the verification is completed, the prefect will host a banquet to welcome the new magistrate and deepen their understanding of each other so that they can work together in the future.
However, Feng Shu did not do so.
He asked another judge in the government office to receive Du Qingtang. After verifying his identity, he did not hold a banquet. He only asked Judge Xie to tell Du Qingtang to report to work on time tomorrow. Being late three times would affect his performance in the year-end evaluation.
Anyone who works in the government is a shrewd person.
Panist Xie saw at a glance that Feng Shu was deliberately ignoring Du Qingtang. Although he didn't know the reason, it didn't affect his secret joy.
;
There were two Tongpans in one prefecture, and they were in a competitive relationship with each other.
The less Du Qingtang was valued, the more benefits Xie Kang would get.
So when he saw Du Qingtang, Judge Xie couldn't help but reveal a bit of a commanding attitude: "Where is the appointment document? The prefect is busy with official duties, so I will be responsible for verifying your identity."
Du Qingtang handed over the appointment document and Xie Tongpan opened it.
When Xie Tongpan saw the nine words "Jinshi Jidi in the 16th year of Qingyuan" and Du Qingtang's name, his pupils contracted.
It turns out that this person is the once famous number one scholar Du Qingtang!
But shouldn't she be working in the Hanlin Academy?
Why did you travel thousands of miles to take up your post in Henan Province?
Panist Xie's eyes turned and he quickly realized that Du Qingtang had probably offended a noble in the capital.
Thinking of this, Judge Xie's attitude became even more arrogant. He threw the document to Du Qingtang and said, "No problem. Go back today and come back tomorrow."
Du Qingtang was stunned for a moment, then he held the document and asked softly, "Thank you, sir. I wonder when I can see the prefect?"
Xie Tongpan said casually, "I think tomorrow, or maybe the day after tomorrow, it all depends on when the prefect is free."
Tomorrow and tomorrow, how many tomorrows there are.
Want to see the prefect?
Then just wait!
After saying this, he didn't give Du Qingtang any chance to ask any more questions. He left on the spot, using the excuse of being busy with official business.
Du Qingtang stopped where he was, looking confused and at a loss.
Panist Xie turned around inadvertently, saw her embarrassment, and sneered twice.
The top scorer of the Sixth Prize is just like this!
"Sir, Du Qingtang has left."
Feng Shu didn't even raise his head, just nodded lightly.
Judge Xie hesitated for a moment: "Sir...did Du Qingtang offend someone in Xiajing?"
Feng Shu paused while reviewing Duke Wen and raised his head from the pile of documents: "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."
Panist Xie heard the warning in the prefect's tone, his smile froze on his face, he replied awkwardly and was about to leave.
"Wait a minute." Feng Shu suddenly asked. Judge Xie turned halfway and then turned back. "What do you want, sir?"
Feng Shu said, "You will have to work hard for the next few months and continue to be responsible for the duties previously assigned to Zhang Tongpan."
Judge Xie was stunned at first, but then he was ecstatic when he realized what was happening.
Half a month ago, Zhang Tongpan resigned and went to work elsewhere, and the prefect handed over the tasks he was in charge of to Xie Tongpan.
During this period, Xie Tongpan had made a lot of money from it. When he learned that the new Tongpan had taken office, he thought that those lucrative jobs would be given to Du Qingtang, but he did not expect that the prefect would let him continue to be in charge.
In addition to being ecstatic, Panist Xie couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Du Qingtang.
There are many errands in the government office, but only a few of them are required of the position of Tongpan.
Now all the jobs are in his hands, which means that Du Qingtang will have to sit on the bench for the next few months.
Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful.
"Thank you, sir!"
"Don't worry, sir. I will do my best to get the job done!"
Xie Tongpan left happily. Feng Shu pushed the documents aside and took out the letter paper to write.
After writing the letter, he ordered someone to send it to Xiajing as quickly as possible.
Feng Shu clasped his fingers together and tilted his head to look at the dead branches outside the window.
He had to think carefully about how to get rid of Du Qingtang without anyone noticing.
The first step is to deprive her of her power.
......
After his identity was verified, Du Qingtang did not leave the government office immediately.
Instead, he explored the entire government office and observed the officials from afar.
When Wang Tongzhi saw Du Qingtang, he didn't care about anything and just started yelling, "Who are you? Who gave you permission to walk around the government office?"
Du Qingtang bowed and said, "I am the newly appointed Tongpan Du Qingtang."
Wang Tongzhi and another Hu Tongzhi had learned from Xie Tongpan that Du Qingtang had offended a nobleman in Xiajing and was exiled here, so they both looked down on her.
In addition, Du Qingtang was the top scorer in the imperial examination, and there was a hint of jealousy mixed in with his contempt.
"How can you visit this important place at the government office so casually? Leave immediately!"
"If this happens again, I will report you to the prefect and have you handed over to him for punishment!"
"I'm new here, and I just want to familiarize myself with the environment of the government office..." Du Qingtang pursed his lips, pinched his sleeves, and looked bewildered but forced to remain calm. "I admit my mistake and will leave now."
After saying that, he bowed, turned around almost embarrassedly, and left quickly.
Wang Tongzhi and Hu Tongzhi looked at her coldly as she walked out of the government office, with disdain evident in their brows.
"Is this the character of the Sixth Yuan champion? When I say a few words to her, she doesn't know where to put her hands and feet. She's so petty and unpresentable!"
"Anyway, she won't work with you or me. If you see her again in the future, just ignore her."
"Master Hu is absolutely right. This is the government office, not a place to nurse a child."
The two men laughed and walked into the duty room side by side, discussing where to go for a drink after their shift.
......
Du Qingtang walked out of the government office, leaned over to enter the carriage, and instantly regained his expressionless face: "Return home."
Du Bayi cracked the whip and the carriage drove towards the Tongpan Mansion.
After returning, Du Qingtang called the eight guards to the study.
After the previous probing, Du Qingtang roughly understood the temperaments of the two co-magistrates and one prefect, except for the prefect Feng Shu.
He is of the same ilk as Feng Shu, looking down on others and being arrogant.
However, Du Qingtang did not dare to take it lightly. The more this kind of person is, the more cautious he will be.
"Du One, Du Two, Du Five, Du Six, divide your forces into four groups and investigate Feng Shu, Wang Zhaoxing, Hu Wenyuan, and Xie Kang. Focus on where they usually go and what tasks they have on hand."
"Du Qi, Du Ba, Du Jiu, Du Shi, go find someone for me."
Du Qingtang took out four identical portraits and handed them to them one by one.
This was a charcoal drawing she made while in the carriage. Compared to brush drawing, charcoal drawing is more faithful to the person's appearance.
The guard took the order and left. Du Qingtang picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote the names of the four people on the rice paper.
She pondered over the four names for a long time, and finally circled the word "Xie Kang".
......
However, Du San and Du Si rode at full speed all the way, killing five horses, and finally returned to Xiajing after 25 days.
The two of them waited outside the palace gate and stopped Yan Tiande who was returning home from his duty.
"Sir, this is what my son asked me to give to you."
Yan Tiande looked at the two people who were exhausted and had bloodshot eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he took the letter.
Du San and Du Si bowed and rode away.
Yan Tiande entered the carriage, opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.
There was only a short line of words on the letter paper——
"Daming Prefecture suffered a locust plague in June, but officials concealed the incident and did not report it."
It has been nearly half a year since June. If the officials of Daming Prefecture had concealed the incident and failed to report it, the situation of the local people would probably be dire now.
Yan Tiande glanced at the signature and saw only one word "Du".
He almost immediately guessed the identity of the recipient of the letter, and without hesitation, he hurriedly presented the letter to the emperor.
Emperor Qingyuan read the letter and remained silent for a long time.
Yan Tiande stood respectfully with his hands lowered, holding his breath and concentrating, not daring to look directly at the emperor.
The two armies in the northwest are fighting, but the outcome is still unknown, and trouble has arisen in the court again. It is really one crisis after another.
"Chiu~"
A clear chirping sound suddenly rang out, breaking the suffocating silence in the imperial study.
Emperor Qingyuan chuckled: "The little guy is here to eat and drink again."
Fu Rui and Yan Tiande both breathed a sigh of relief.
Fu Rui bowed and said, "The bird master must be thinking about Your Majesty, so he comes here every day."
Emperor Qingyuan's brows relaxed, as if he was extremely pleased. "I suddenly remembered that I haven't sent imperial envoys to inspect various places for three to five years. It's better to do it today than to wait for a day—"
"My dear Lord Yan, I appoint you as the Imperial Commissioner, to patrol the lands on behalf of the Emperor. I grant you the Imperial Sword, allowing you to execute first and report later. You can act at your own discretion and investigate all corruption and abuse of power among local officials!"
Yan Tiande knelt down and said, "Your humble servant obeys your command."
Emperor Qingyuan gazed at the words written in silver and iron on the letter paper and smiled slightly.
Du Qingtang, please don't let me down.
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