Patting Feng Xing's horse's back gently, it found a place with abundant food to stay by itself.
With these friends guiding him, Liu Mingzhi entered the mountain col with a confident attitude and no worries.
There is no way, anyone who sees this scene will definitely scream, so it is not too late to take precautions at that time.
It seemed that it was not much different from Liu Mingzhi's expectation. About a mile or two into the col, there were flat roads. They were not man-made, but natural roads, wide and flat.
"Help"
Liu Mingzhi stared at the col for a moment. There was really someone here, and there was more than one person.
"Lian'er, tell Xiaolong quickly not to hurt anyone!"
Qinglian immediately took out her flute and started playing. All the enthusiastic poisonous people stopped and automatically opened a path.
"Husband, I didn't expect that there would be anyone here. Fortunately, we let them explore the way. Otherwise, if something unexpected happened, we would be in trouble!"
"No matter what, since you're here, let's meet you. There should be something I want here!"
"Be careful!"
Liu Mingzhi nodded and helped Qinglian walk inside. He had no choice but to be frightened by these things.
Although he knew that he would be fine as long as Qinglian was with him, he just couldn't suppress the fear in his heart.
"Who's in there?"
There was no response except Liu Mingzhi's voice echoing in the valley.
"If you don't say anything, these poisons will crawl to you. If something happens, don't blame me for not warning you?"
"No, no, no, let's come out, come out right away!"
As soon as Liu Mingzhi threatened, he spoke again. Only then did Liu Mingzhi realize that there was a Shandong hidden in the bushes on his left. He looked closely at the exit of the cave: "Come out immediately!"
After a moment, seven or eight figures walked out slowly. Liu Mingzhi looked at them with eyes fixed in surprise and sighed: "Is it you?"
"Xiaguan Qiao Changjing."
"What a humble position, Zhao Qi"
"Greetings to the Imperial Envoy!"
"Why are you here and why did you leave the People's Court? Do you know how much time I have spent looking for you? I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation, otherwise"
Qiao Changjing turned pale and thought for a while: "General Chang arranged us here!"
"General Chang, are you talking about Qingzhou garrison general Chang Yunfeng?"
"Exactly!"
"Where are you from Changyun Peak?"
"Xiaoguan doesn't know that General Chang has not been seen for more than ten days since he led people to arrange for Xiaguan to be here on the day you entered the city."
"Chang Yunfeng also told you about my identity?"
"Exactly, General Chang said that the young man who came to see us that day was the Imperial Envoy Liu Mingzhi. He told us that as long as we wait here with peace of mind, you will find us here, sir!"
Liu Mingzhi frowned and paced back and forth. He found that he had become a spinning top and was being tricked around. What secrets were hidden in Qingzhou City?
"Besides these, what else did Chang Yunfeng say?"
"General Chang said that as long as Mr. Liu can find this place, it means that you have discovered something is wrong with Qingzhou. He asked me to give you this burden. As for the other generals, General Chang said that you should be more careful, Mr. Liu, and he will come after he has finished the matter.
Sir, please forgive me!"
"Where's the baggage?"
Qiao Changjing took out a medium-sized bundle from his arms and handed it to Liu Mingzhi shakily: "My lord, please take a look!"
Liu Mingzhi didn't hesitate and opened the baggage directly. A letter and the Golden Dragon Emperor's order that he had given to Chang Yunfeng were stacked together and neatly arranged.
Liu Mingzhi, who was completely relieved, put away the Golden Dragon Emperor's Order, gently opened the letter and read it.
"My lord, please forgive me, but there is a ghost in Qingzhou. What I did was a helpless move. Since your Majesty can come to this valley, it means that I have seen the strangeness of Qingzhou Mansion. I also know about it, and I am trying my best to investigate. Governor Gu once told me that there must be something strange about Qingzhou Prefecture."
I want to go to his study and have a look. Chang Yunfeng, a humble official, nodded!"
Liu Mingzhi put away the letter and rubbed his brow: "Where is the food shipped by Chang Yunfeng?"
"Come back to me, sir, we are in the cave!"
"Take me there."
"Yes, sir, please come in!"
Liu Mingzhi looked at the vast scope of the cave and couldn't help but marvel at the wonder of the Creator. Inside the seemingly narrow entrance was a vast cave of several thousand square meters. It was extremely dry inside, with a faint breeze lingering around it, and there was no feeling of stuffiness at all.
"Sir, here are the grains brought by Master Chang Yunfeng, totaling 80,000 dan. I have counted them and told General Chang that there is no discrepancy."
Liu Mingzhi looked at He Qi and stretched out his hand: "Give me your saber!"
"yes!"
He Qi obediently handed over his sword without hesitation.
Liu Mingzhi pierced the knife into the sack, and the white rice grains flowed out directly. He grabbed a handful of rice grains and put it into his mouth and chewed it twice. Liu Mingzhi was a little confused: "It's all new rice from the warehouse. There is nothing unusual about it. It's normal."
Why did Yunfeng transport all this food here without concealing it? It seems that he wanted to tell me something?"
"Husband, do you think Chang Yunfeng already knew that we were secretly watching, so he didn't hide it at all?"
"Eighty thousand stones, this is definitely not something that fifty ox carts can transport out at one time. In other words, Chang Yunfeng has transported grain here before, why would he do this!"
"Magistrate Qiao, hasn't Chang Yufeng said anything except these?"
"Gone!"
Liu Mingzhi took a long breath and looked at Qiao Changjing: "Now can you tell me why you, a dignified county magistrate, hide here and there like a lost dog?"
Qiao Changjing's face turned pale and he knelt on the ground with a plop. Several people also knelt down one after another: "The locust plague suddenly appeared and surrounded our green mountains for ten days without stopping. Not even a blade of grass grew. The people under the rule were short of food and clothing. The lower officials repeatedly wrote to the governor's office.
Reported the disaster, but all the memorials were gone, the remaining grain was exhausted, the people ate rats and chaff, chewed the roots of trees and couldn't get enough to eat. The officials had not seen the governor's reply for a long time, and they could not see the people under his rule starving to death, so they did not get anything.
Ordering to open warehouses to store grain without authorization violates court regulations."
"But the official was unwilling to give in. The life and death of tens of thousands of people depended on the official. It was obvious that the official had repeatedly written letters but failed to respond. The governor's office actually wanted to imprison the official for disobeying the laws and releasing grain without permission. After the Autumn
Ask Zhan, how many people risked the crime of killing the nine tribes to rob Xianguan from prison, and go to the capital to beat the drum! Xianguan knows that his crime is unforgivable, please punish him!"
He Qi hurriedly knelt and walked up to Liu Mingzhi: "Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy, as the saying goes, people must obey the authority in matters of urgency. Are the laws and regulations of the imperial court really more important than the lives and deaths of tens of thousands of people? If Mr. Qiao had received a reply from the Governor's Office, why would he have done so privately?
Opening a granary to stockpile grain, I dare to ask you what crime you are guilty of!"
"Please forgive me, sir, and forgive Sir Qiao's sins!"
Qinglian looked at Liu Mingzhi with red eyes: "Husband, please spare Mr. Qiao!"
Liu Mingzhi sighed: "The imperial court has strict orders. Anyone who opens a warehouse to release grain without permission will be executed and his family members will be exiled for three thousand miles. The government's food inventory is the most important thing and concerns the country. If officials open a warehouse to release grain without permission, the country will suffer."
The country will be destroyed, and what Magistrate Qiao did is respectable for people, virtuous for people, but inconsistent with the law!"
Qiao Changjing was stunned for a moment and then smiled in despair: "Your Excellency, you are right. What I have done is indeed against the law. If everyone takes this official as an example, the country will not be in a good state. The magistrate of Qingshan County, your Excellency, will be convicted of his crime."