C281 (1/2)
Dazhou City, Southern City Prefect's Estate, when it was ugly.
At this time, a thousand miles away from Haoyue, in the dead of night, the once bustling streets of the night market were closed due to the removal of over a dozen of the giant gentry. Without those established over a hundred years old shops, the streets of night had also become deserted.
Relying on the sparse number of snacks and taverns, there were only a few people.
The people of the city were all talking about how the Great Liang city had only become like this after experiencing an unforeseen event that only happened once in a hundred years.
Since the number of people who introduced the shop was less than three times as many as usual, the other retail customers on the night market closed their shops and went to bed early.
Even the bustling Night Market Street was closed, not to mention the other streets of Daliang City. Other than the passing streets, there was not even a shadow of a soul to be seen.
After nightfall, Dazhou City seemed to have become an empty city, with only a few people on the streets.
After nightfall, the city gates closed and locked. However, when it was Chou Chou's turn, a burst of hurried shouts suddenly sounded out from outside the door.
The guards of the city shouted, ”Who are you!”
”On the orders of the Emperor, the envoys sent by the emperor are to arrest those criminals who have defrauded them of their high military pay. This matter is of great importance, so all of you should open the gates of the city as soon as possible. If you delay the time and let the criminals escape, even if you have ten heads, it won't be enough to cut them off! ”
Outside of the city gates of Dazhou City, more than ten tall horses rested on the wide public road. Under the silvery moonlight, the black stallions were faintly discernible.
If not for the moonlight overhead, the soldiers standing behind the battlements would not have been able to see the horses.
At the front of the more than ten black horses stood a red horse. That horse was also pitch black, but from its back to its head, it had an extremely beautiful red mane. The mane reflected a light red light under the moonlight.
Sitting on the horse was a middle-aged man dressed in an official robe. The middle-aged man sat on the horse's back with a firm posture. The chest of his robe was embroidered with the pattern of the official robe of the Minister of Revenue.
The person who had been in charge of shouting at the gatekeeper was a servant sitting on a white horse next to the Minister of Revenue.
The soldiers standing behind the walls looked down at the formation, afraid that they might miss something. One of them lifted a torch and asked loudly, ”You said that an edict came, did you receive an imperial edict? Or a command token? ”
”Bastard, hurry up and get down from the city gate. Open your eyes and look carefully at what I have in my hand!” The servant unceremoniously cursed and raised his hand to receive a shining imperial edict.
The city guards took a close look. They only knew that they were holding an imperial edict or something of the sort in their hands. However, since the imperial edict looked like it, how could a lowly soldier like them have seen it?
In order to not delay matters any further, the soldier hurriedly turned around and knocked the sleeping captain awake.
After being woken up, the captain didn't have time to get dressed and went down the wall. After opening the city gates, under everyone's orders, he used the light from the fire to see that the servant was indeed holding a bright imperial edict.
The bright-yellow cloud brocade was embroidered with a golden coiling dragon. Inside, there was a row of small characters written in red ink.
In the lower left corner of the imperial edict, there was a red mark on the jade seal.
Seeing this, the captain's eyelids jumped, he did not dare to look any further, and quickly knelt on the ground and shouted: ”This lowly subordinate does not know that Lord Shang Shu has arrived with an imperial edict, and has offended you far too much, and truly deserves to die, I hope Lord Shang Shu will spare this lowly lowly subordinate's life.”
Even though he hadn't read the contents of the imperial edict, just by looking at the workmanship of the imperial edict and the murderous looks on the faces of the crowd, he knew that these people were definitely not ordinary people.
He only wanted to keep his small job, he did not know if the person who came was the Minister of Revenue or not. However, he didn't dare to stop them. He was afraid that he would miss something important. Of course, he could only allow them to pass through.
”Hmph, why are you blabbering so much? Open the gate and welcome my master inside. If you are too late, be careful of your head! ” The servant said in an unfriendly tone, then bitterly put away the imperial edict.
The Minister of Revenue who was sitting on his red horse finally lowered his eyes. He looked at the captain who was kneeling on the ground and said loudly: ”The ignorant are not guilty, get up first.” I have come tonight with an important matter in mind, to catch the criminal who cheated the soldiers of their pay. ”Since the criminal is still in the Great Liang City, you must lock up the four great gates of the city tonight. If that criminal were to escape through the city gates, I'm afraid even I won't be able to protect your head.”
”I understand, I understand!”
The city guard captain knelt on the ground and kowtowed as he hurriedly replied, ”This lowly one will do my duty tonight and let all the city guards patrol the area. I must ensure that the thief cannot escape. Please rest assured, Sir Shang Shu.”