The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 353 - 301, the lower official... paying respects to the imperial envoy, sir!

What's the purpose!?

A gust of autumn wind blew into the small courtyard from the mountains, the dust on the stone table rolled like waves, and the roots of the brilliant golden chrysanthemums swayed in the garden.

Duan looked at the performance of the backcounty chief with an odd expression and thought to himself that there indeed were such unfortunate people... Just after taking over Wang Chusheng's mess, he had offended himself.

He shook his head and was just about to speak.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound of hooves came from outside the county government.

Accompanied by a noisy commotion.

"What's going on?" The thieving-looking County Chief Wang was trying to show his authority when he turned around, stunned, not understanding the situation.

"Isn't someone here, why not go out and see?" Zhao Douan teased.

None of your business... County Chief Wang glared at him.

After hesitating for a moment, he pushed open the courtyard door, instructed the constable at the door to keep a close watch, and then rushed outside.

The county government was small; after passing through two hanging flower gates, he had already reached the "Six Rooms".

As soon as County Chief Wang showed his face, he crashed full-body into the reporting constable, exclaimed in pain, and was about to scold him when the constable said:

"The imperial envoy and Lord Prefect are here! They've brought quite a few soldiers!"

The imperial envoy came down to inspect the county?

County Chief Wang was dumbfounded for a moment, his heart was in turmoil when he saw the soldiers, holding swords and with fierce momentum, already storming into the government office ahead of everyone else.

Then, a group of people entered the government surrounded.

At a glance, there were about a dozen or so people. The most conspicuous among them was Governor Sun Xiaozhun in his red robe.

"Lord Prefecture! Visiting the county government, this subordinate has failed to welcome you from afar..."

County Chief Wang immediately showed a flattering smile, his old face like a dried orange peel.

Sun Xiaozhun was panting, slightly nodded when he heard this, and turned his head to the "imperial envoy" beside him:

"Sir, this is..."

"This way."

However, the "imperial envoy" did not pause at all.

He quickly identified the direction and followed the brown Suppressing Object paper's lead, leading a group of Jinyi past them towards the side courtyard where the "prisoner" was kept.

"Eh? Imperial envoy?"

Governor Sun was stunned for a moment and helplessly followed again.

But he did not notice that County Chief Wang, who had just been bowing and scraping before him, was now as if struck by lightning.

Because in a hurried glance, the young man whom Lord Prefect addressed as "imperial envoy" looked surprisingly similar to the suspect in the government office.

How could there be two identical people in the world?

"Bad!" County Chief Wang's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned around to follow.

At this time, Governor Sun, also looking confused, was dragged to the outside of the side courtyard.

"Step aside!"

Hou Renmeng swung two scabbard strikes, knocking the gatekeepers rolling on the ground, and Qian Kerou forcefully pushed open the somewhat dilapidated courtyard gate.

Squeak—

At the opening of the gate, both parties inside and outside the small courtyard saw each other clearly.

Zhao Douan smiled slightly, "You've arrived."

"Sir!" The round-faced little secretary exclaimed excitedly.

Governor Sun had just squeezed in from the outside, and he caught sight of this scene, his entire person visibly stunned for a moment, his mind buzzing.

Wait... why...

He instinctively turned his head to look at the "imperial envoy" beside him, only to see the noble person who had been taciturn and expressionless since entering the city raise his hand, swipe over his face, revealing Shen Juan's originally smiling face.

He held a colorful mask named "Nine Changes," which had a Picasso-style painting, bowed deeply in front of the "young master" in the courtyard, and presented it with both hands:

"Sir, returning the item to its owner, I really can't pretend anymore."

The other close Jinyi captains stepped forward in unison, saluting together:

"Subordinate, sees the imperial envoy!"

The green-robed Imperial Censor Chen Hong slowly came forward, his assistant saluted the two of them in turn:

"Mr. Zhao, Commandery Princess, you both must have been startled."

Xu Junling nodded slightly, her ladylike smile unrevealing of her teeth.

The Song scholar stood frozen in place.

Governor Sun was dumb as a wooden chicken.

"Lord Prefecture, hold on..."

Behind.

Wearing an eighth-rank official robe and a seventh-rank official hat, County Chief Wang hurriedly rolled in, yelling halfway.

Then, with a thud, his knees went weak, and he sat down on the ground, his sweat instantly soaking his clothes.

His thieving, rat-like face looked on in shock and fear at this scene, his official hat askew, falling to the ground.

"Imperial... imperial envoy... Commandery... Commandery Princess?"

County Chief Wang's vision darkened, feeling as if he had fallen into hell, unable to breathe.

Zhao Douan raised his hand, took the disguise mask, and remained seated, his gaze light as he looked over everyone, finally settling on the person he was finally seeing as the Taicang Prefect, breaking into a smile:

"Sun Xiaozhun? I didn't expect to meet you here in this county government, in the guise of a suspect."

He paused, then added softly,

"You really played the role of a good official, didn't you?"

Sun Xiaozhun's forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat.

...

Outside the government office.

"Hiss-clop-clop..."

Two horses suddenly stopped, Coach Xie pulled the reins, staring at the cavalry tightly sealing off the county government, his expression odd.

He had followed all the way here, hoping to find a chance to speak to the Prefect alone, but unexpectedly, he had followed all the way to the county government.

"Master, why have we come to the county government? Ah, it's their carriages!"

The young Little Wu suddenly pointed, noticing two carriages parked outside the government office.

"Keep your voice down!"

Coach Xie covered his mouth, his expression grave, his mind in turmoil.

His own scholar lord and that pair of outsiders, a man and a woman, were right in the county government.

They had just been caught when the imperial envoy arrived... Could those two really be suspects? Had the government officials pursued them here?

"I'll wait here; you go back to the villa immediately and explain the situation there."

Coach Xie suddenly told him:

"So that our family won't worry if we're late returning."

"Oh..." The young man was reluctant, but still turned his nag around and clattered off toward the Song family villa.

However, after a short while, Little Wu ran back, his expression agitated:

"Master Xie, something terrible has happened. Another group of horsemen has arrived outside the town, all dressed in the same colored robes as the Prefect, looking like high officials, coming this way!"

Officials of the fourth rank or higher...

In Coach Xie's mind, the images of the governor and inspector, the two highest officials in Linfeng, flashed, and his heart trembled tremendously.

He suddenly overturned his previous guess.

If it were merely thieves, would so many high officials rush here?

"Could it be some noble person, someone significant enough for a second-rank official to meet in person?"

...

...

Taicang County Government!

In the backyard, another courtyard typically reserved for the County Magistrate's residence, Zhao Douan and Sun Xiaozhun entered this small courtyard, one after the other.

The Commandery Princess and others had gone to rest in the Second Hall at the front of the county government.

This area was left for them to talk alone.

Unlike the abandoned courtyard used as a temporary "detention center," this one was much tidier, but still simple.

It was exceptionally clean.

Behind was the private residence of the County Magistrate's daily living, and this large courtyard was especially spacious.

In a corner, there was a small sunshade pavilion.

In the middle of the yard was a ring of short fences, filled with brilliantly blooming autumn chrysanthemums.

At a glance, it nearly occupied half of the yard, and when looking up from the center, one could clearly see the distant mountains reddened by autumn.

The scenery was superb.

Also, there were two exceptionally plump white geese in the courtyard.

Now seeing strangers enter, they flapped their wings and cried noisily.

But with one glance from Zhao Douan, they timidly fled to a tree in the corner.

"Whoosh—"

The cold autumn wind began, causing the chrysanthemums in the yard to sway neatly. Zhao Douan, feeling the cooling breeze against his face, said with his hands behind his back:

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"What natural scenery! When leaving the Capital, I thought that leaving the bustling city for a big mining pit, there wouldn't be much to see. But unexpectedly, after one day in Taicang, I've seen many splendid scenes I've never witnessed before."

You'd better be speaking literally about the "scenery"...

At the side.

Refined and known for his decisive actions, Governor Sun, who appeared older than his years due to his dark and lean appearance, thought to himself.

He walked half a step behind the imperial envoy.

Both were of the fourth rank.

But the imperial envoy from the Capital held a position similar to that of the Inspector General; even the governor had to be extremely courteous.

He, a mere prefect, had even less ground to stand on, so he immediately said:

"When the subordinate officer was transferred here two years ago, I had similar thoughts as you, sir.

Yet, the places I served before were even harsher, so I didn't mind much. After coming here, I learned that the scenery here, centuries ago, was even better than now.

Rather, it's because the mining pit keeps getting bigger, causing more collapses, which has considerably marred the landscape."

"That is truly regrettable," Zhao Douan remarked, turning his head to glance at the Taicang Prefect and continued:

"However, beautiful as the scenery is, it doesn't fill the bellies of the common people. Mining benefits the nation and its people. On my way here, I've seen that the local people are quite affluent, even the Song family villa, the Princess mentioned, is considered excellent even by the standards of the Huai River."

Sun Xiaozhun couldn't discern his thoughts and cautiously said:

"What Mr. Zhao said is very true. The Taicang Silver Mine not only contributes silver to the court each year, but the government also pays the locals more to mine than they earn from farming, thus naturally making it wealthier than other places over time."

After a pause,

Sun Xiaozhun glanced at the young and handsome imperial envoy.

Seeing his calm demeanor, he carefully said:

"Mr. Zhao, I truly didn't know about your undercover visit here, and that you were even arrested by our County Chief... It's indeed a failure of my duties..."

Zhao Douan waved his hand, his smile warm, showing no sign of anger:

"Lord Prefecture is too serious. I was on a covert inspection to see the situation of the common people firsthand, to avoid losing sight of the finer details from too high a position.

When in the Capital, the Grandmaster also told me that being an official in the court for too long can make one lose touch with the grassroots. Making policies then can be out of touch...

Moreover, when walking on the road, strong winds can easily blind one; the higher you stand, the stronger the winds, aren't they? Like a sandstorm that blots out the sun?

Isn't this silver mining corruption case just like that, obscuring the eyes of His Majesty? So, isn't it necessary for us, as His Majesty's servants, to come all this way to see for ourselves? Isn't that right?"

Sun Xiaozhun could only nod stiffly:

"What Mr. Zhao said is true."

"So you see,"

Zhao Douan looked at him smilingly:

"If I hadn't personally come this way among the people, how could I have had such an experience?

Ha ha, Lord Prefecture, be at ease. I'm not unreasonable. With such a major case at hand and the suspect's whereabouts unknown, it's right for your subordinates to be on high alert, on strict guard.

Arresting me was not a mistake but rather a fulfillment of duty."

"… You are indeed magnanimous."

Sun Xiaozhun, utterly confused by the compliments, couldn't grasp the true intentions of the imperial envoy and chose to praise him conservatively.

"But..."

The next second, Zhao Douan shifted his tone, suddenly stopped walking, and stared at him, smiling:

"I do have one thing I don't understand and would like the Prefecture to clarify."