An official stood by the window, saw the scene outside, and explained to the chief clerk who was pushed in.
The official hall was as warm as spring, and there was a freesia blooming on the windowsill, with a delicate fragrance. The official carefully sprinkled the freesia leaves with water, then sat down by the window sill, took a sip of the cooked fragrant tea.
In the chief clerk's hall, including this official, there were four people in the hall, one each responsible for culture, education, and tax collection. The guards who arrested him had left, and he had regained his freedom. This freedom only existed in this official hall.
He asked in a trembling voice: "Submit to what?"
"Obey Madam Wu," another official said.
Sure enough, it was Mrs. Wu. The chief clerk shook his clothes and asked in shock and anger, "What is she going to do?"
The person sitting opposite the official said: "Actually, she didn't do anything. She just told the whole county in the name of the government that martial law was in place and that a military rebellion was coming."
The two men were playing chess, talking without forgetting their moves.
"She was so frightened that she lost her mind." The chief clerk said, "How could you listen to her?"
The official who was standing aside watching the two playing chess spread his hands and said, "Sir, we didn't listen to her, so we are here now."
The chief clerk had a glimmer of hope: "Have you reported it to the state capital?"
The officials who were admiring the flowers and drinking tea by the window shook their heads: "How is that possible? We can't even get out of the county government office."
The news can't get out? Where are the other subordinates? There are so many servants, and they all have servants following them...
"Before this incident, I really didn't know that our Dou County has become so powerful. Once the two city gates are closed, not even a fly can fly out." said the official who was playing the game.
The tone was strangely like a sigh and an appreciation.
The chief clerk thought about his own experience on the way here and knew that what they said was not an exaggeration.
"Have all the people in the military camp listened?" the chief secretary asked.
"The official seal was taken away by Mrs. Wu." The official who was playing chess pointed at the empty desk, "She issued a notice and issued an order in the name of the government."
"The people trust the government, especially the businessmen, who immediately packed up and ran away." The official watching the game said, "Zhu Tong is not in the military camp, Yuan Ji has the final say."
Or when Zhu Tong was around, it was Yuan Ji who had the final say.
What Zhu Tong did every day was to eat meat and drink alcohol and then be surrounded by a group of people and show off.
The chief clerk was silent for a moment: "You are being held here, and no one in the county government will question it?"
"Mrs. Wu told them that we had differences with her on how to deal with the military rebellion. She told them her approach and asked them to believe her." The official watching the game said quietly.
Then everyone believed her? The chief clerk thought about the subordinates who greeted him with greetings when he was arrested.
"What about people's hearts? People's hearts are not in chaos?" He grasped the last glimmer of hope.
"Sir," the official drinking tea said quietly, "We people in Dou County all regard Mrs. Wu as a deity. She is the people's heart. If she is not in chaos, no one will be in chaos."
The chief clerk fell down on his chair.
"Sir, there is no need to worry. Mrs. Wu did not make things difficult for us, and since we are locked up, we will be exempted from responsibility in the future if we are held accountable." The official who played the game comforted the chief bookkeeper.
They didn't have to do anything, they didn't have to worry about food or drink, and the chief clerk looked inside the room, so they could enjoy the flowers, drink tea and play chess leisurely, feeling more comfortable than when they were not locked up.
They actually obeyed Mrs. Wu. The chief clerk thought to himself that although they objected to being imprisoned here, being imprisoned here was the greatest resistance they had made. After completing the task, they could eat, drink and have fun with peace of mind. So what did Mrs. Wu do for them?
Not caring at all, not dissatisfied, let alone trying to figure out what to do.
The chief secretary thought that Dou County had become Mrs. Wu's from top to bottom. It didn't matter if she didn't do something, and if she wanted to do something, no one could stop her.
The master's body and mind are like a boat in the sea. What is she going to do?
The wind of the first month was like a knife. Li Minglou was wrapped in a thick cloak and covered his head and face, but he could still feel the chill. Standing on the city wall, he could overlook the entire Dou County.
The inner city of Dou County is as quiet as an uninhabited land, while in the outer city soldiers and horses are constantly passing by, patrolling day and night, and scouts are scattered in all directions.
"There is no change for the time being." Yuanji said, "The military chaos in Xuanwu Dao has also been controlled, and even the bandits have almost disappeared."
Will there really be bandits or soldiers attacking Dou County?
Li Minglou looked into the distance. She didn't know. She didn't even know whether she should hope that her fate would remain the same. But she did so much just to do what she could do when her destiny remained the same.
There's always something to do.
"Is there any news about Han Xu?" she asked.
Yuan Ji said: "Not yet."
"Where is the capital?" Li Minglou asked.
"Someone accused Luo of embezzling money and causing the Xuanwu Dao rebellion." Yuan Ji opened the latest news he had just received, "Cui Zheng was furious in the court and wanted to investigate the matter thoroughly."
Then a thorough investigation will be conducted on the whole sea.
Li Minglou thought to himself, then Quanhai asked the emperor to convict the Xuanwu Dao Jiedushi, and the court was full of disputes, just like in that life.
"What's the news about Zhenwu Army Wu Ya'er?" she asked.
Han Xu and the capital have always been asking for news, but Wu Ya'er's news didn't take long, but Mobei is too far away, so it is difficult to find out the news about Zhenwu Army, and it is also very slow to send it back.
Yuan Ji shook his head: "There is no news yet, but Miss, Zhonghou heard about it in the capital. People in Liang Zhen's Mansion don't know that Wu Ya'er has any relatives, and they all say that he is an orphan."
Even Liang Zhen didn't know this, so Li Minglou was a little surprised.
"But except for us, everyone else who came to Liang Mansion to inquire about this matter was sent away by us." Yuan Ji said, "We also arranged people on the road to Mobei."
But there was still no news, and no one in the Zhenwu Army was looking for his mother.
A gust of cold wind came, mixed with snow particles. Li Minglou did not say anything to go back. Fang Er lowered the black umbrella to block the wind and snow, and the group continued to stand on the city wall.
As soon as the patrolling soldiers and horses galloping in the distance turned around, they could see Mrs. Wu always guarding the city wall. She was not afraid of the cold, and the cold wind seemed not to be that cold anymore.
Snow particles turn into snowflakes in the evening.
Snowflakes were flying on a bonfire, and soon a foot came over and stepped heavily on it, causing both the bonfire and the snowflakes to fly and be destroyed.
"Light some fire, don't be discovered." A man shouted in a low voice.
In the dusk, a group of men wearing shabby fur coats were sitting around. At first glance, they looked like beggars, but underneath their messy hair and beards, they looked ferocious.
Their bulging tattered coats revealed large knives, exuding the smell of blood.
"It's too cold."
"These shabby clothes can't keep out the cold."
"Bandits wouldn't wear such ragged clothes, right?"
They complained in low voices.
"Don't worry." The man who put out the bonfire said, with a grin on his face, looking at the vast expanse of wind and snow in front of him, "Do you know? People are much warmer when burned than firewood.