The sun has gradually set. On an official road outside the capital, a team of hundreds of people marched toward the capital in a mighty manner.
Duan Tianming rode at the front of the team, and in the dozen or so carriages behind him were all the people involved in the Lantian Magou Town case.
Xi'an Mansion is more than two thousand miles away from the capital. Worried about something going wrong on the way, Duan Tianming tied up the prisoners and packed every carriage with them.
Speed up as much as possible without delaying on the road.
Mao Renlong, the prefect of Xi'an Prefecture, as a government witness in the case, also followed the team north to the capital.
At this moment, he had already changed out of his official clothes and was dressed in smart clothes, following Duan Tianming closely.
There is a table and a chair placed at the gate of the capital. This is the registration place for entering and exiting the capital.
On weekdays, a hundred households guarding the city sat in this position, leisurely looking at the people coming in and out. If they met anyone they didn't like, they would pull them over and ask them. By the way, they could get a few taels of silver to pay for drinks.
If he is a high-ranking official in the capital, he will come forward with a smile and check the other party's official entry and exit documents. If there is no big problem, he will usually be let in easily.
But the hundreds of households guarding the city didn't even look at the people who came in and out carrying farm tools.
These "poor guys" have nothing to gain and are too lazy to say a word to them.
At this moment, the chair was tilted against the wall, and an ordinary captain was lying on it quietly. It seemed that even the setting sun would hurt his eyes. A captain's hat was worn by him.
Take it off and put it on your face.
His slight snoring seemed to tell everyone that he had fallen asleep.
Next to it, stood the hundred defenders of the city who usually sat on this chair.
And next to Baihu, there was another Qianhu who was guarding the city.
The two of them looked at me and I looked at you, but no one dared to step forward and wake up the captain who was sleeping on the chair.
As dusk approached, the people working outside the city also filed into the city carrying farm tools one by one.
Seeing this scene next to the city gate, everyone was a little puzzled and couldn't help but look at it curiously.
"The soldiers at the city gate are actually sleeping on chairs."
"I guess he may be the son of the official. Otherwise, can you watch him sleep and stand beside him?"
"No, there is another official standing next to the official. Looking at the gorgeous clothes, the official should be bigger."
"Hey, when you say that, it's true. However, I see that the person sleeping on the chair looks like an ordinary soldier wearing ordinary soldier clothes at the city gate? What's going on?"
"Maybe that soldier is the son of that high official, I can't say for sure."
"I think you can only make a living by farming like me. His father is a high-ranking official, how can his son be an ordinary soldier? He won't make good arrangements for his son?"
"Then I'm not sure. The person lying on the chair is the son of the young official?"
"How is that possible? There is a senior official here, and the junior official's butt is full of eyes. Even if he wants his son to sleep there, he doesn't dare to do it in front of the senior official."
"No more, no more. What a big official or a small official. It confused me for a while. Besides, who is sleeping there is none of our business? We ordinary people should cultivate our own land.
It’s done.”
"Well, let's not talk anymore. My wife is baking pancakes at home today. Let's go home quickly."
Several common people walked back and looked at the strange scene at the city gate, gradually moving away.
And here, the hundreds of households standing side by side glanced at the person not far away who occupied his own chair for sleeping, and said to the Qianhu next to him: "Sir, do you want to let the subordinates sleep?
Go down and wake this man up? Even if you hold the Dongchang Plum Blossom Order, you can't humiliate the dignity of our city guarding army like this. If there are officials from the imperial court who come in and out through this door and see this, they will definitely think that our city guarding army is not strictly disciplined.
, idle."
"Then what?" Qianhu chuckled, but remained calm.
"Then the blame comes down from above. Shouldn't one of my subordinates be responsible for this matter?" Baihu said reluctantly.
"Don't worry, don't say there won't be any royal officials passing by here. Even if there are, you can't be blamed for this." Qianhu chuckled, his back still straight.
"What do you mean, my lord, you will help your subordinates shoulder this responsibility?" Baihu bowed his body, hugged the opponent with both fists in a flattering manner, and performed a military salute.
As he spoke, he looked at the other person with a charming smile.
But, I always feel like the other person is acting weird today.
On weekdays, as long as the emperor is not entering or exiting this city gate, when the adults from a thousand families come to inspect, they would just take a leisurely stroll with their hands on their backs, just like walking in their own garden.
What happened now? Not only did he stand here with him, he also lowered his hands on his back and straightened his back.
What is he doing? Is he trying to show off for himself?
"I can't bear this responsibility?" Qianhu chuckled.
"Ah?" The boss of Baihu opened his mouth, "My lord, you can't afford it, and my subordinates can't even afford it. I still went over and talked to the people in Dongchang, saying that they need to go home and sleep in the city.
What does it look like to sleep outside the door?"
As he babbled in his mouth, hundreds of households were about to leave.
"Okay, just stand here honestly. Even if there are officials from the imperial court passing by, they won't ask anything about it."
"Why is this? Master Qianhu, what do you mean by saying that?" Baihu looked puzzled.
Turning around, Qianhu looked at his subordinates quietly: "Let me ask you, is Dongchang superior to all departments of the imperial court?"
"That's what I said, but that was when we were working on a case. It's a good thing that he came here to sleep. We can't just turn a blind eye because of Dongchang's privileges?" Baihu was still a little confused.
"Okay, you have also read the emperor's original edict. You know that the people in Dongchang cannot be provoked. Just stand still and have nothing to do. If you go over and offend him, our commander will come forward and you will
This matter may not be settled." Qianhu said softly.
"Isn't he just a captain from Dongchang? He made a mistake, but we can't blame him?" Hundreds of households were indignant.
"He is an ordinary captain of Dongchang?" Qianhu opened his mouth wide and looked at his subordinates stupidly.
"Look, isn't he just wearing a school captain's uniform? What is he if he isn't a school captain?"
"Have you seen Dongchang's Plum Blossom Order?"
"I've seen it before. Wasn't it also painted on the emperor's edict?"
"Did you see the plum blossom order he put on the table?"
"I saw it, it's exactly the same as in the edict. If it weren't for him having Meihua Ridge, how could I give up the chair to him?" Baihu was still unconvinced.
Although I am only a member of a hundred households, I still have a heavy responsibility to guard this city gate.
On the surface, it was to protect the safety of the capital, but secretly, it was to control the freedom of merchants to enter and leave the city.
Not to mention other things, the family now has more than 10,000 taels of silver alone.
With this amount, even the third and fourth grade officials of the imperial court cannot easily come up with it.
I'm used to being respected by others, but now a Dongchang captain took away my chair like this, which really made me feel uncomfortable.
Seemingly unreasonable for the persistence of the Baihu, the Qianhu lowered his voice and whispered: "My Lord Baihu, please don't cause trouble. Let me ask you, what color is the plum blossom order in Dongchang?
"
"The ink drawn on the edict is black. However, it seems to be just black." Baihu thought for a moment and said.
"Then look, what is the color of the plum blossom order this person placed on the table?"
"Purple." Baihu exclaimed, "It turns out it's a fake. I'm going to get him right now. He's pretending to be someone from Dongchang and snatching my chair. I think he's getting tired of living."
With that said, Baihu took out the saber from his waist and rushed towards him.
He felt his collar tighten, and then a powerful force stopped him.
Behind him, Qianhu looked nervous. He grabbed Baihu's back collar with his right hand and pulled him tightly.
"Sir, what are you doing? He pretended to be from Dongchang. If you didn't fight him, why did you fight his subordinates instead?" With the sword in his hand, Baihu's head was dizzy.
"If it weren't for your father, I really want the commander to evacuate you, Baihu. Don't you have any brains?" Qianhu looked like he hated iron.
"What's wrong? My subordinates are working hard to guard the city gate, but what did they do wrong?"
"There is only one purple Plum Blossom Order in the entire Dongchang. Who else could it be besides the purple-clad school captain?" Qianhu pushed the Baihu away.
"Colonel in purple?!"
As these four words came out, Baihu looked at the saber in his hand and couldn't help but tremble.
