Chapter 1247 - 10083: Breaking In by Force
Chapter 1247: Chapter 10083: Breaking In by Force
Ming Mo used his foot to block the door, preventing it from being shut.
"Oh dear! My lord, I’ll call you lord. Please don’t make it difficult for me. I’m just a servant and can’t influence my master’s decisions. My master is entertaining important guests and is really occupied. Perhaps you could come back in a couple of hours?"
The doorkeeper looked distressed, staring at the displeased Ming Mo and Ming Yan, feeling troubled.
Ming Mo smirked with a hint of sarcasm, "The enemy is almost upon the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office, and yet your master still has the leisure to host guests? His courage is truly unfathomable!"
The doorkeeper immediately sensed something amiss upon hearing this, "What did you say? The enemy is here? The Da Xing army?"
"My master has just arrived at Wujun Prefecture. How could he know what’s going on here? Shouldn’t you be asking your master?" Ming Yan’s eyes narrowed with irritation at the Magistrate, whose home was practically under threat, yet he was still indulging in festivities.
"Oh dear! Then you should wait a bit, and I’ll report back in!" The doorkeeper understood the gravity of the situation, remembering the tense atmosphere in the Prefecture recently, and found it hard to remain calm.
"Forget it, Ming Mo, let’s not trouble this young man!" Gu Chengyu lifted the carriage curtain; the doorkeeper immediately turned his gaze towards the voice’s owner, only to have the curtain fall back before he could see the face.
The voice did seem quite youthful.
"Take the door off its hinges and enter directly!" Gu Chengyu, growing impatient, wondered who these people were. If it were indeed the Da Xing army attacking, wouldn’t everything end?
Though such a possibility was unlikely, as they hadn’t heard of Yumen Pass or Yuhe Pass falling, they had delayed considerably on their journey, focusing only on traveling and staying out of crowds, thereby staying somewhat uninformed.
"Huh?" The doorkeeper was stunned and then immediately shouted, "Absolutely not!"
Ming Yan, hearing the command, felt a rush of excitement. He took the treasure sword resting on the carriage shaft into his hand, intimidatingly declaring, "Move aside! Or this sword won’t spare anyone!"
The doorkeeper trembled with fear, not understanding if this person was not some high-ranking official from the Capital. How was this behavior any different from those Da Xing barbarians?
"Oh dear! You’re forcing your way in?" Seeing Ming Mo stepping forward to remove the threshold, the doorkeeper rushed back inside.
Ming Yan paid no mind to the doorkeeper, thinking it was better to report it, as they were breaking in to see the Magistrate anyway.
A soldier, panting for breath, arrived at the corner gate of the government office, finding the door wide open with no guards in sight. Anxious, he rushed inside without delay.
Gu Chengyu disembarked from the carriage, noting that this seemed to be the outer courtyard, and a steward-looking person was approaching.
"Who are you?" Steward Yang was a bit taken aback. The master had already said he wouldn’t see any guests temporarily; how did these people get in?
"Have this person lead the way!" Gu Chengyu glanced at the steward, noting that the courtyard was three sections deep, suggesting the banquet was probably in the second section.
...
"Gentlemen, you must consider this carefully. That person possesses great talents and vision. The current ruler, however, lacks the necessary skills. You understand the court’s recent movements. If you could pledge allegiance to that person, it would count as an achievement in following a great leader. Your promising family members might easily advance in status and secure official positions. Among the scholar, peasant, artisan, and merchant ranks, only the scholar can truly ascend in society!"
Prefect Qiu spoke meaningfully, observing the varying expressions of those present.
"But that person ultimately... The current ruler is the legitimate heir, isn’t he?" The man in the brocade robe was hesitant to speak, surprised that Prefect Qiu had invited them for this matter.
They thought Prefect Qiu just wanted to squeeze some money out of them, but who knew his ambitions were so vast? Still, the proposal was indeed tempting.
Yet if they failed, it would lead to utter ruin.
"So what? How did our Dayan’s founding Emperor seize the kingdom from others? What are you afraid of? Fortune and wealth come from taking risks. Are you willing for your family to remain merchants for generations? Don’t you recognize the chance to leap over the Dragon Gate? Let me be frank! That person has already begun capturing territories. As long as you provide some financial support, your success is imminent!"
Prefect Qiu had sent all the servants away long ago. Observing the still-hesitant crowd, he felt a tinge of impatience.
"Still hesitating? Without taking a gamble, how can you become superior?" His previous remarks had moved some of the listeners, and Prefect Qiu’s further urging only deepened their temptation.
"Rest assured, you won’t be mistreated afterward! Now is the prime time to switch allegiances. If you hesitate any longer, the opportunity will slip away. Moreover, if you refuse, you won’t leave this Prefectural Magistrate’s Office today."
The group was shocked, feeling a chill travel up from their feet as they looked at Prefect Qiu’s cruel expression.
If they didn’t agree, was he going to kill and silence them?
"But wasn’t it said that the court sent an Imperial Censor down? Furthermore, isn’t Lord Yin still at Yuhe Pass? If they find out, we may be expendable, but sir, you are of great worth!"
A man in a grape-colored cross-collared robe spoke cautiously, his gaze at Prefect Qiu filled with concern.
Humph! Prefect Qiu sneered, spotting the man’s glib tongue, seeing through his probing questions.
"Even I am not afraid, so what are you worried about? Do you know the two Censors the court sent to guard the border? Humph! Which man in this world doesn’t love golden mansions and beautiful women?"
Prefect Qiu laughed arrogantly, considering it laughable to have lofty ideals and serve the people.
The crowd looked on in astonishment, "And what about Lord Yin?"
Gu Chengyu’s face grew grim as he stopped in his tracks, with Ming Mo covering the steward’s mouth and dragging him aside.
"Ah~ Those two Censors are well under control now. This Lord Yin happens to be an old acquaintance of those two Censors. What do you say? It’s just that this Lord Yin is somewhat tricky, with one Censor from an ordinary background, lacking family support, and thinks he can govern without funds? The other is of Advanced Scholar status, akin to a handmaid or concubine, why bother concerning ourselves?"
Since ancient times, Advanced Scholars have looked down upon those of equal scholar status. Prefect Qiu’s words, though inappropriate and extremely arrogant, reflect a common court mentality.
The equal scholars often suffered derision from Advanced Scholar officials, albeit not openly.
However, these merchants dared not voice such opinions, as they were not even low-ranking officials and remained lower-class merchants, unqualified to mock court officials.
"As for the Imperial Censor sent by the court, I heard he’s quite young and is also a fellow disciple with Lord Yin. Holding this person is a trivial matter!"
"Oh? Is that so? I must see how you plan to hold me!"