Prefect Sun immediately made arrangements for the matter and sent a special person to Mengdu County to handle it.
He had originally planned to go to Mengdu County in person, but upon learning that the three had gone to Huaiyin Prefecture and might visit the prefectural government, he did not leave.
To welcome the three men to the government office, Prefect Sun made thorough preparations, and everyone in the office was on high alert.
Numerous yamen runners were stationed in front of the government office, and they also patrolled some of the main roads in the city. If they found anything, they would report it immediately.
As Zhao Xian and his group left the inn and headed towards Huaiyin Prefecture, Prefect Sun received the news.
Before long, Zhao Xian and his entourage arrived at the gate of the government office. There was an open space in front of the gate, which was swept clean and spotless. A row of brand-new red lanterns hung above the gate, which were very eye-catching.
The main gate of the government office was wide open, with imposing and burly yamen runners standing on both sides, each one full of energy and exuding an air of grandeur.
Seeing this, the group knew that the servants already knew they were coming and had made ample preparations.
That's good too. It won't be too difficult for them to see the prefect this time. The prefect should be waiting for them in the prefectural office.
Seeing Zhao Xian and his entourage approaching, two yamen runners stepped forward, cupped their hands in greeting, and said:
"Gentlemen, have you come to the government office on important business?"
Their identities could be discerned from their clothing, but the constables couldn't reveal it directly, as that would be too presumptuous.
"We are passing through Huaiyin Prefecture and have come to pay our respects to the Prefect. Please inform him of our arrival," Zhao Xian said.
"Please wait a moment, we will go and inform them."
Two constables turned and went into the government office, while the other constables remained standing in place, their eyes fixed straight ahead.
It seems that Prefect Sun made thorough preparations. Although he did not come out to greet everyone, giving the impression that he was unaware of the matter, this was quite reasonable.
Soon the two constables returned and came before the crowd, saying:
"The Prefect invites you all to come with me."
After the constable finished speaking, he led the group into the government office.
In ancient times, the government office of a prefectural governor consisted of numerous buildings, including the main hall, the second hall, and the third hall.
The main hall was where the prefect heard cases, while the second hall was where the prefect worked and received superiors and important guests; it was essentially the reception room of the prefectural government office.
The yamen runners led the group directly to the second hall, where Prefect Sun was already waiting.
As the group entered the house, a yamen runner announced, "Your Excellency, we have brought our guests." He then withdrew.
Prefect Sun bowed and rose from his seat, approaching the group and beginning to scrutinize them.
It seems that Prefect Sun is a seasoned veteran; his every move is very proper and flawless.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Xian stepped forward and said, "Greetings, Prefect. I am Zhao Xian from Shuixian Village. This is General Li Guang, and this is Princess Li Xue."
Upon hearing this, Prefect Sun feigned surprise and quickly bowed to the three men.
"This humble official has met Marquis Zhengyang, General Li, and the Princess. I was unaware of your presence and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me in person."
“Prefect Sun, there’s no need for such formalities. We’ve come here on no important business; we’ve simply come to pay our respects to you.”
Although Prefect Sun was somewhat prepared, he was still a little nervous about the three men coming to Huaiyin Prefecture, given their status.
After exchanging pleasantries, the group sat down, and soon tea was served.
"Yesterday afternoon, a messenger from Mengdu County went to Huaiyin Prefecture to report that three officials had passed through Mengdu County, discovered the whereabouts of the traitor Zhang Debang, and arrested him. I congratulate the three officials," said Prefect Sun.
"It was nothing, no need to mention it. I came to Huaiyin Prefecture this time also because of Zhang Debang's matter," Zhao Xian said.
"If you need anything, Marquis Zhengyang, please give me your orders. I will do my utmost to serve you."
“Zhang Debang is a wanted criminal of the court. He must have his cronies around him. Prefect Sun must pay close attention to this. We must not only prevent Zhang Debang from being rescued, but also find a way to capture his cronies and eliminate the corrupt elements of the court.”
"Your humble servant will keep this in mind. Yesterday, Huaiyin Prefecture dispatched a special person to Mengdu County to handle this matter and report it to the provincial government."
"I plan to finish my current tasks and immediately proceed to Mengdu County to oversee this matter."
"That's excellent, thank you for your hard work, Prefect."
As for how to capture Zhang Debang's henchmen, the group discussed it. Zhang Debang has been secretly arrested in Montreal, and his henchmen are unaware of this. Capturing them should not be difficult.
After discussion, the group finally came up with a plan and asked Prefect Sun to organize personnel to implement it immediately.
Having completed their business, the group prepared to leave. Prefect Sun wanted them to stay for lunch, but they declined.
After leaving the government office, the group began to tour the historical sites of Huaiyin City. These sites, weathered by the long river of history, had become incredibly weathered.
In his previous life, Zhao Xian had visited some historical sites, all of which had been restored and turned into tourist attractions.
The ancient sites we see here are untouched by any embellishment; they are an integral part of people's lives, authentic and true to history, inspiring endless imagination.
Only Zhao Xian truly understood this feeling; people living in that era simply couldn't comprehend it.
The group had a great time and didn't return to the inn until sunset.
The next morning, the group left Huaiyin Prefecture and, following their previously planned return route, enjoyed themselves immensely.
More than ten days later, the group arrived in Qing'an Prefecture, which meant they had arrived home.
After entering the city, the group went directly to the residence of Qing'an Prefecture. The servants were sweeping the courtyard when they saw many people coming to the gate. They immediately went forward to check and, upon seeing that it was Zhao Xian, they happily shouted.
"The master has arrived."
There were two servants in the courtyard. The other servant was tidying up vegetables in the kitchen when he heard the shouts and came out.
"Master is back," the servant greeted.
Upon seeing the two servants, Zhao Xian asked, "Are Xiaoshan and Liu Xuan at home?"
"Reporting to you, sir, they are in the restaurant and will not be back until tonight," a servant said.
Zhao Xian nodded and led everyone into the house.
This was Li Guang's first time visiting the Qing'an Prefecture residence. Although the residence was a bit old, the layout of the house was reasonable, with many rooms, all of which were kept clean and tidy.
It was already noon, and the group hadn't eaten yet. Zhao Xian went to the kitchen and saw the servants preparing to cook.
Because of the limited ingredients, the meal prepared was only enough for two servants.
Since Liu Xuan and Zhao Xiaoshan rarely ate at home, the two servants didn't need much food for their meals, and they generally didn't prepare large quantities of food at home.
Let's go to a restaurant for dinner, and we can also check out what's going on there.
The residence is not far from the restaurant; it only takes about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to get there.
There weren't many people on the street at this time; most people were eating at home. This should have been the busiest time for the restaurants.
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