Sun Yisheng originally planned to go straight to the Gongtian Prefecture governnt office. After all, the Gongtian Prefecture was responsible for the governance of the Western Capital area, and Chen Shi had requested an apology from the Gongtian Prefecture, but then he thought, "If this matter blows up, Mr. Xiao Chen will be the one to suffer! That’s a cri punishable by decapitation! I must inform Mr. Chen Tang first!"
He imdiately dashed towards the Ministry of Revenue governnt office, but at the sa ti he diverted, the inspector who had accompanied them to the Guangji Storehouse bolted towards the Gongtian Prefecture.
Sun Yisheng’s heart sank, unable to stop the other party.
"This is the Western Capital after all, if it were on the desolate plains, I could have casually..."
He startled himself with his own thoughts. He had always followed the law. How could such an idea suddenly spring to mind?
"I haven’t run into any trouble on the way, so how did I start getting such bad ideas?"
He couldn’t afford to think any further and rushed towards the Ministry of Revenue governnt office.
Elsewhere, within the Gongtian Prefecture, Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge was discussing matters with Deputy Prefecture Chief Gao Zhihuan, Governor Yan Qian, Judge Gu Dangli, among others, when suddenly the inspector from the Guangji Storehouse rushed in, exclaiming, "Prefecture Chief, there’s trouble at the Guangji Storehouse!"
Xia Jiuge and the others exchanged smiles, as if they had anticipated the news.
Judge Gu Dangli chuckled, "The Prefecture Chief truly has a Divine Machine-like ingenuity!"
The n all praised him, stroking their beards as they did so.
The inspector from the Guangji Storehouse, seeing that no one was panicking, was taken aback.
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge smiled and said, "Don’t be anxious. Take your ti. Sothing happened at the Guangji Storehouse, you should have reported it to the Ministry of Revenue. Why did you bring it to ?"
The inspector bowed and recounted how Ma Zongzhou and others had gone to the Guangji Storehouse and were harshly beaten by the newly appointed Ambassador of the Guangji Storehouse and strapped to the Dragon Head Rocket.
The crowd burst into laughter, Gao Zhihuan chuckling, "Poor nephew Ma. After this matter is settled, we need to promote him well."
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge ordered an officer to escort the inspector out. The officer led the inspector to a secluded spot outside the governnt office and surreptitiously slipped him a few taels of silver, saying with a smile, "You did very well."
The inspector thanked him and left.
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge smiled and said, "The new officers and instructors of my Gongtian Prefecture had just taken office. They went to the Guangji Storehouse to receive the designated guns and sabers as per my decree, only to be beaten by the newly appointed Ambassador, subjected to private punishnt, and tied to rockets ant to send them to the heavens. Is this a big cri or not?"
The crowd laughed and replied in unison, "Big! Of course, it’s big!"
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge said, "But it’s still not big enough. Lord Yan, go over and let him beat you too. Tie you to a rocket."
Yan Qian, being a fifth-grade official as the Governor, knew at once that the Prefecture Chief wanted to doom Chen Shi and laughed, "Good! I’ll go there!"
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge asked, "Do you know what to do?"
Yan Qian laughed, "I’ll go there without revealing who I am, nor showing your decree. Just demand the release of people. If he refuses, I will insult him. He’s just a thirteen-year-old child, he certainly won’t endure and will strike ."
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge sternly said, "Don’t retaliate. I’m worried your cultivation is too high; you might kill him."
Yan Qian laughed, "I will endure." With those words, he left, brimming with confidence.
Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge waited for a quarter of an hour before rising, smiling, "We can go now."
The Gongtian Prefecture officials rose one after another, following Xia Jiuge out of the governnt office. Xia Jiuge boarded his carriage, and the others also climbed into carriages or mounted fine horses, advancing towards the Guangji Storehouse.
anwhile, Sun Yisheng had frantically inford Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Chen Tang. Upon hearing the news, Chen Tang’s expression darkened, "Chen Shi fell into a trap! Their aim all along was to make him strike. He’s still too young; not sufficiently composed."
Sun Yisheng said, "What do we do now?"
After a mont of contemplation, Chen Tang answered, "You go to Three Crossroads Alley on Chang’an Street, enter the alley and find the fourth building, Tingyu Tower. Go upstairs to the second room, knock on the door, speak courteously, bowing at the door, say that your son Little Ten is in danger and needs imdiate rescue. Rember, do not wait for the door to open. If you talk after the door opens, it might spell trouble. Also, leave imdiately after speaking; don’t face the person living there."
Sun Yisheng was slightly stunned, "Son?"
Chen Tang said, "Do not ask; just go."
Sun Yisheng noted the instructions, "And you, sir?"
Chen Tang continued to review docunts for the eight vaults and four granaries of the Ministry of Revenue, speaking indifferently, "I’ll wait a bit longer, then intercept Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge en route."
Sun Yisheng hurried away towards the outer city, arriving in no ti at Three Crossroads Alley on Chang’an Street.
He found the location ntioned by Chen Tang, went upstairs, knocked on the second room’s door, and repeated what Chen Tang had taught him to say.
A voice from inside responded, "My son Little Ten? Ha ha, did Chen Tang teach you to say that?"
Sun Yisheng dared not speak and was about to go downstairs when the voice from the room behind him drawled, "I’m not going."
Sun Yisheng was flabbergasted, a chill washing over him as he cried out, "You’re not going?"
"No."
The voice inside was resolute, adding, "My brother thinks he can use , but am I soone he can easily manipulate? No, I won’t go."
Sun Yisheng’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he hurriedly descended the stairs, thinking, "He won’t go, he won’t go... Who else can Mr. Chen turn to?"
A short while later, Chen Tang put down his pen, closed the docunts, washed the inkstone, dried his hands, and finally stepped out of the Ministry of Revenue.
Monts after he erged, he conveniently ran into Prefecture Chief Xia Jiuge’s procession.
"Ah, if it isn’t Mr. Chen Tang!"
Xia Jiuge sounded quite surprised, commanding the carriage to halt and opening the window, smiling, "Mr. Chen, where might you be headed?"
Chen Tang answered, "There’s been a slight mishap at the Guangji Storehouse. I’m on my way to check it out."
Xia Jiuge chuckled, "I also heard the Guangji Storehouse had a bit of trouble. So officials from my Gongtian Prefecture were detained there, so I am heading there for a look. Since we are travelling the sa way, why not accompany , Mr. Chen?"
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