Outside the eastern city wall, the crowd was as dense as a school of fish, bustling and bustling. It was as if autumn had turned into summer. Those who were physically weak didn't move much, but they were forced to walk back and forth.
If it weren't for the heavy guards on both sides of the official road, the common people and scholars on both sides would have blocked the road long ago. Even so, there were still people squeezed onto the road from time to time.
The soldiers furrowed their brows. The noise of so many people talking was like boiling water, making their heads feel like they were about to explode.
Li Fanming and the others had been standing on the eastern city wall for a long time. They gazed at the white Yangtze River to the north, then at the earth-colored road between the blue sky and green fields. They stared at the endless line of carriages gradually approaching.
The carriages stopped ten li away. The Prefecture Overseer Dong Wencong and the Bureau of Rites' Bureau Chief Nie Changju came to welcome them.
Logically speaking, only a small number of officials were needed to welcome them ten li away. However, Nie Changju brought a large number of officials from Xiangzhou to welcome the Qing Emperor. He also chatted warmly with the officials from Gyeongo. They were far more like family than Dong Wencong.
Dong Wencong was expressionless from beginning to end. He greeted them respectfully.
Not far away, the scholars from various countries furrowed their brows. The officials from Xiangzhou all acted as if they had seen a family member. Some of them could even be described as servile, like lapdogs.
Li Fanming sighed. "I finally understand what kind of resistance Fang Yun faced in Xiangzhou. I also understand why Xiangzhou is divided into Qing and Jingzhou officials. With such officials around, the common people's lives are easy to imagine. "
Magistrate Yao said, "Whether a country is strong or not depends not only on the unity of the common people, but also on the determination of the officials. If an official from their own country doesn't want to strengthen their own country and blindly envies outsiders and praises other countries, it means that the country needs to undergo a revolution from top to bottom to quickly eradicate this phenomenon. Of course, based on the current situation in Jingguo, as the country's strength gradually increases, the younger and more confident generation will replace those pedantic and ignorant old officials, as well as those useless people who are immersed in humiliation and unable to move forward. This will also achieve the effect of a great revolution. Lowering one's head to the strong, but not surrendering, that is the true human race. "
"The question is whether Jingguo can hold on until that day. The demons and barbarians won't give Jingguo this opportunity. Gyeongo won't give Jingguo this opportunity. Mount Liu won't give Jingguo this opportunity either. Similarly, that person won't allow anyone to obstruct his Divine Path and his path to becoming a quasi-saint."
"We can only depend on the heavens or Fang Yun." Magistrate Yao sighed.
"Look, Qingjiang Trading Company's procession to welcome the Qing Monarch has already left the city gates. It had to be said that Qing Jun's calligraphy was really good. It was close to the third realm. The name Duanmu Yi Feng has the style of a great family. "
"That Fang Jishan's private seal was also personally made by him. He has the demeanor of a famous person. As for the Qingjiang Trading Company, other than Ge Baiwan, the rest are all clowns, mediocre and useless. "Li Fanming bluntly attacked Fang Yun's enemies. Look!
"Fang Xusheng has probably already set off from the state's yamen. His private army should have already arrived in Baling from the capital. The gathering of the three parties has not even started and there's already a good show going on."
"Magistrate Yao, when are we going to compete for the First Pavilion?" a High Scholar asked.
Magistrate Yao smiled but did not say anything.
Li Fanming said unhappily, "Do you really think that Magistrate Yao is here to compete for the First Pavilion? This so-called competition for pavilions is just a group of onlookers. Think about it yourselves, what can we use to compete with Fang Yun? Even if we take ten thousand steps back, even if Fang Yun wins this literary competition, can't Fang Yun and Zhang Longxiang's poems and essays suppress Yellow Crane Tower for three years and seize first place for a time? "
"Hehe, I really thought that we were going to compete with Fang Xusheng for the First Pavilion. I was just looking for a chance to sneak away. I didn't expect that we wouldn't even need to compete." The honest High Scholar scratched his head and said.
The scholars nearby burst into laughter.
Not long after, the people on the city walls all turned towards the city.
"Fang Xusheng is here."
"Fang Zhenguo's personal guards of honor are here."
"How imposing. They're ordering the Demon Marquis around like a small soldier. Would Lord Qing dare to do that? If the Demon Marquis fart, Lord Qing would definitely hide under the carriage and tremble."
"Lord Qing's carriages are nice to look at. They're soft and soft, but they're like a bunch of cowardly eunuchs. Look at our Governor, he's so domineering."
Everyone looked curiously into the city and saw four Horse Marquis who were ten feet tall holding banners. The four Horse Marquis had the head, torso and arms of a human, and the body and limbs of a horse demon. They were half-human, half-horse, and wore black demonic iron armor. On their backs were bows, giant axes and short swords. They looked as if they had just returned from the battlefield and were majestic.
Behind the four Horse Marquis was Fang Yun's Dragon Horse Carriage. Eighteen Dragon Horses pulled the large carriage as it slowly passed by.
Behind the carriage were Jingguo's Demon Iron Cavalry. Behind them were some Barbarian and human private soldiers. Finally, there were some officials of Baling City.
The entire troop's style was more like marching on the battlefield. Wherever they passed, children would stop crying.
The people on both sides of the road cheered, especially the young scholars who had come because of Fang Yun's reputation. Some of them even shouted until their throats were hoarse.
When the scholars of Gyeongo's Competition for Buildings Society saw this scene, they all sighed.
"At this moment, Fang Xusheng's status among the people and in the history books is no less than that of the famous scholars of the past. He has already completed the three immortals, and he is almost done with establishing his reputation. He only needs to establish his virtue."
"A few days ago, I really wanted to compete with Fang Xusheng for Buildings Society. But today, when I arrived in Baling City, I realized how insignificant I am. So many people have traveled thousands of miles for him. So many people are calling for him. What can I use to compete with him?"
"Whether it's his Literary Name or his achievements, I don't envy him. What I really envy is the love and respect the people of Baling City have for him. It can only be described as fanatical. I don't want to leave my name in the future. As long as I can leave my name in this place and let the people there be deeply grateful, I will have no regrets in life. "
On the city walls, on both sides of the road, and even on the roofs, there were people standing. Amidst the cheers of countless people, Fang Yun's honor guard drove out of the city.
Fang Yun and the Qing Emperor's procession went in opposite directions. Fang Yun's procession was clearly slower. Before long, the Qing Emperor's procession arrived at Sanli Pavilion first. The Qing Emperor and his entourage alighted and waited.
Many of the Gyeongo officials and Xiangzhou officials were extremely dissatisfied. They constantly criticized Fang Yun for neglecting the Qing Emperor. The Qing Emperor did not mind and waited with a smile.
Before long, Fang Yun's procession caught up with the Qing Jiang Trading Company's procession and arrived at Sanli Pavilion at almost the same time.
"This humble girl, Hua Qingniang, begs the Qing Emperor to uphold justice for Yingfang Pavilion!" Hua Qingniang suddenly rushed out of the procession and shouted at the top of her lungs. She then knelt in front of the Gyeongo procession.
The Qing Emperor's guards rushed to the front to protect the Qing Emperor. Their swords and sabers were unsheathed, emitting a crisp sound. Silver light flashed continuously, blinding the people nearby.
Dong Wencong had originally been standing with the Qing Emperor's procession, but now she slowly retreated with a few other officials, distancing herself from the Qing Emperor's procession.
Dong Wencong coldly looked at Hua Qingniang and the Qing Jiang Trading Company's procession, then expressionlessly walked toward Fang Yun's procession.
"Ge Yiming, Grand Scholar, begs the Qing Emperor to uphold justice for the people of Xiangzhou!"
"Qing Emperor, please uphold justice!" The Qing Jiang Trading Company shouted together with Ge Yiming.
The area within a radius of several li was filled with people, but it was completely silent.
The people of Jingguo were begging the Qing Emperor to uphold justice. There was nothing more disgusting to the people of Jingguo than this.
The dragon-horse carriage stopped, and Fang Yun stepped out of the carriage. His robes fluttered as he steadied himself and looked forward.
Fang Yun and the Qing Emperor looked at each other.
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