The district magistrate was just a small official, and if the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect went back and said a few bad things about him to the county chief, he would be in serious trouble.
However, this was only for ordinary district magistrates.
Was Jiang Pengji an ordinary district magistrate?
The sun was blazing in the sky, and the air was extremely stuffy. The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect and his entourage had been waiting outside the city for two whole hours, and they were sweating profusely from the heat. The plump Inspection Deputy of the Prefect was even more disheveled. In order to take Jiang Pengji down a notch, he had put on a full set of clothes.
Even with a manservant fanning him, he still felt extremely hot, and sweat kept seeping out of his pores, drenching his inner shirt.
The people outside were sallow and emaciated, but his face was as plump as a full moon, with white and tender fat piled on his face.
There was a hint of malice in his eyes, and his face was full of impatience and irritation, making him look unapproachable.
The people lining up to enter the city would occasionally glance at them, lowering their heads and whispering to each other.
"Where did these officials come from? They're dressed in rich clothes … "
The middle-aged man beside him said, "It's said that they're the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect from above. They're not good people."
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect's position was light and powerful, and he often used his position to ask for bribes from his subordinates. Many people had no choice but to feign civility with him and secretly bribe him in order to keep their lowly positions. The more greedy Inspection Deputy of the Prefect would even instruct others to exploit the villagers.
The drought in the north and the fight between the Tsing Yi Army and the Red Lotus Group had affected the spring plowing and autumn harvest for the past two years. Those who were slightly wealthier were already starving, but the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect was still smooth and had a ruddy complexion, and he was as heavy as two adult men.
It was ridiculous to say that he was incorruptible.
How much salary could an Inspection Deputy of the Prefect earn if he did not have extra income?
The people laughed. "Why were they chased aside and not allowed to enter the city?"
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and said sarcastically, "It's not that they don't want to enter the city, they're probably blocked from entering the city. I really hope that the sun is hotter today, so that these corrupt officials and their lackeys die. Which time has the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect not peeled off a layer of oil from everyone? "
One of them said proudly, "Our district magistrate is different from those vermin of the past. If this Inspection Deputy of the Prefect dares to mess around, I'll definitely break his legs."
A few commoners discussed in whispers, occasionally glancing at the Inspection Deputy of Prefect who kept raising his hand to wipe his sweat.
On the other side, the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect was already impatient from waiting. He urged his subordinates to hurry up again while thinking about how to punish Jiang Pengji.
At this moment, there was a sudden commotion at the city gate. The citizens who were queuing up to enter the city spontaneously made way.
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect tried his best to stretch his neck, trying to see what was happening over there.
His neck was also full of fat, and above his shoulders was a huge head. There was no "neck" at all.
After a long while, Dian Yan led hundreds of tall soldiers armed with swords and spears forward. The blades were snow-white and sharp, giving people an inexplicable chill.
Dian Yan's figure was tall and muscular, his complexion dark. Even though he was dressed neatly, he still exuded the aura of a bandit.
"You are the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect?"
The deputy of the prefect was infuriated. Where did this black-faced burly man come from? How dare he be so rude to him? The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect had wanted to display his authority as an official, but when he saw the broadsword hanging from Dian Yan's waist and the neat rows of soldiers behind him, his eyelids twitched subconsciously.
"Exactly."
He had arrived outside the city two hours ago. He had thought that it wouldn't be long before the district magistrate would come out to greet him in fear and trepidation. He did not expect the district magistrate to leave him hanging for two hours. Now that he had finally arrived, he came with such a lineup. It was extremely rude!
"I wonder what instructions do you have for me this time?"
Dian Yan asked the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect without batting an eyelid, as if he was interrogating a criminal.
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect laughed angrily. "I heard that the district magistrate of Xiangyang District disregarded the laws of Dongqing and used his private troops without authorization to oppress the citizens of the other three districts in Fengyi County. As the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, I have the duty of patrolling and supervising. I followed the county chief's order to thoroughly investigate this matter and see if the district magistrate has any disloyal intentions. "
That was a serious matter.
Dian Yan secretly frowned. He knew that the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect was up to no good, but he did not expect him to be so shameless as to directly threaten him.
"My lord has always served the country wholeheartedly, when has he ever had any disloyal intentions? The Tsing Yi Army has wreaked havoc in Fengyi County. If my lord had not taken pity on the citizens and dispatched troops to drive the Tsing Yi Army out, would the citizens of the other three districts have such peaceful days? This sentiment is clear to the sun and the moon. " Dian Yan said, "Since the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect has been ordered to thoroughly investigate this matter, I hope that you can carry it out impartially and prove my lord's innocence."
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect felt a little better.
It was good that he knew to be afraid.
He knew that Liu Xi was Liu She's son, but so what?
The young boy was ignorant, and no matter how forceful Liu She was, he could not do anything. It was Liu Xi's fault.
As a district magistrate of Xiangyang District, how could she be qualified to mobilize troops to recover the other three districts?
However, the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect soon realized that something was wrong.
More than a hundred people were welcomed into the city. The prosperous scene on both sides of the street surprised him, followed by greed and evil thoughts.
He had been the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect for many years, but he had never seen a district that was so well governed. There were countless refugees outside, but only this place was bustling and prosperous, like a scene of prosperity. He was not impressed by Jiang Pengji's governance ability. Instead, he was thinking about how much he could extort.
How could Liu She's son be short of money?
Such emotions did not last long. He was drenched in a cold sweat when he realized that there was a team of soldiers standing on both sides of the street with swords and spears in their hands. All of them stood straight, their white blades gleaming with a cold light, and their eyes fell on him in unison.
Even if the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect was not very knowledgeable, he could still feel a cold aura.
He asked with a slightly pale face, "These are …"
Dian Yan said, "Reporting to the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, these are the private troops under my lord."
All of them?
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect's heart skipped a beat and his scalp went numb. He did not dare to think about how many soldiers there were in the city.
Dian Yan sneered and pretended to be concerned. "Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, what's wrong with you?"
"These, these soldiers are so mighty. District Magistrate Liu has trained his troops well."
Dian Yan continued, "Exactly. All of these soldiers have been on the battlefield and killed the Tsing Yi Army. They are extremely brave."
All of them have seen blood?
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect broke out in a cold sweat. He finally understood why he felt that the air was strangely cold after entering the city. Damn, it was the murderous aura!
If he had not been sitting in the open carriage, the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect's legs would have turned to jelly and he would have collapsed.
He had to mentally prepare himself not to be frightened by such a large lineup.
No matter how powerful Liu Xi was, could he be more powerful than the law?
If he did not want to be accused of treason, he must hand over Jiaoping District, Chengan District, and Maolin District today!
Thinking of this, the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect felt a little more confident.
At the entrance of the district headquarters, there were two guards standing on both sides of the gate, looking straight ahead.
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect craned his neck, but did not see the person suspected to be "Liu Xi".
Why … didn't he come out to welcome him?
Dian Yan said, "Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, my lord is already waiting for you in the main hall."
This attitude made the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, who was always flattered and worshipped wherever he went, extremely displeased, but he could not vent his dissatisfaction.
He stepped on the stool of the sedan chair and got down. The guards behind him were about to follow, but the soldiers on both sides suddenly swarmed forward and captured all of them.
The Inspection Deputy of the Prefect's expression changed drastically, and his eyes widened in shock. "You want to rebel?"
Dian Yan smiled and captured the guards on both sides of the Inspection Deputy of the Prefect, removing the weapons in their hands.
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