C281

Dazhou City, Southern City Prefect's Estate, when it was ugly.

At this time, a thousand miles away from Haoyue, in the dead of night, the once bustling streets of the night market were closed due to the removal of over a dozen of the giant gentry. Without those established over a hundred years old shops, the streets of night had also become deserted.

Relying on the sparse number of snacks and taverns, there were only a few people.

The people of the city were all talking about how the Great Liang city had only become like this after experiencing an unforeseen event that only happened once in a hundred years.

Since the number of people who introduced the shop was less than three times as many as usual, the other retail customers on the night market closed their shops and went to bed early.

Even the bustling Night Market Street was closed, not to mention the other streets of Daliang City. Other than the passing streets, there was not even a shadow of a soul to be seen.

After nightfall, Dazhou City seemed to have become an empty city, with only a few people on the streets.

After nightfall, the city gates closed and locked. However, when it was Chou Chou's turn, a burst of hurried shouts suddenly sounded out from outside the door.

The guards of the city shouted, "Who are you!"

"On the orders of the Emperor, the envoys sent by the emperor are to arrest those criminals who have defrauded them of their high military pay. This matter is of great importance, so all of you should open the gates of the city as soon as possible. If you delay the time and let the criminals escape, even if you have ten heads, it won't be enough to cut them off! "

Outside of the city gates of Dazhou City, more than ten tall horses rested on the wide public road. Under the silvery moonlight, the black stallions were faintly discernible.

If not for the moonlight overhead, the soldiers standing behind the battlements would not have been able to see the horses.

At the front of the more than ten black horses stood a red horse. That horse was also pitch black, but from its back to its head, it had an extremely beautiful red mane. The mane reflected a light red light under the moonlight.

Sitting on the horse was a middle-aged man dressed in an official robe. The middle-aged man sat on the horse's back with a firm posture. The chest of his robe was embroidered with the pattern of the official robe of the Minister of Revenue.

The person who had been in charge of shouting at the gatekeeper was a servant sitting on a white horse next to the Minister of Revenue.

The soldiers standing behind the walls looked down at the formation, afraid that they might miss something. One of them lifted a torch and asked loudly, "You said that an edict came, did you receive an imperial edict? Or a command token? "

"Bastard, hurry up and get down from the city gate. Open your eyes and look carefully at what I have in my hand!" The servant unceremoniously cursed and raised his hand to receive a shining imperial edict.

The city guards took a close look. They only knew that they were holding an imperial edict or something of the sort in their hands. However, since the imperial edict looked like it, how could a lowly soldier like them have seen it?

In order to not delay matters any further, the soldier hurriedly turned around and knocked the sleeping captain awake.

After being woken up, the captain didn't have time to get dressed and went down the wall. After opening the city gates, under everyone's orders, he used the light from the fire to see that the servant was indeed holding a bright imperial edict.

The bright-yellow cloud brocade was embroidered with a golden coiling dragon. Inside, there was a row of small characters written in red ink.

In the lower left corner of the imperial edict, there was a red mark on the jade seal.

Seeing this, the captain's eyelids jumped, he did not dare to look any further, and quickly knelt on the ground and shouted: "This lowly subordinate does not know that Lord Shang Shu has arrived with an imperial edict, and has offended you far too much, and truly deserves to die, I hope Lord Shang Shu will spare this lowly lowly subordinate's life."

Even though he hadn't read the contents of the imperial edict, just by looking at the workmanship of the imperial edict and the murderous looks on the faces of the crowd, he knew that these people were definitely not ordinary people.

He only wanted to keep his small job, he did not know if the person who came was the Minister of Revenue or not. However, he didn't dare to stop them. He was afraid that he would miss something important. Of course, he could only allow them to pass through.

"Hmph, why are you blabbering so much? Open the gate and welcome my master inside. If you are too late, be careful of your head! " The servant said in an unfriendly tone, then bitterly put away the imperial edict.

The Minister of Revenue who was sitting on his red horse finally lowered his eyes. He looked at the captain who was kneeling on the ground and said loudly: "The ignorant are not guilty, get up first." I have come tonight with an important matter in mind, to catch the criminal who cheated the soldiers of their pay. "Since the criminal is still in the Great Liang City, you must lock up the four great gates of the city tonight. If that criminal were to escape through the city gates, I'm afraid even I won't be able to protect your head."

"I understand, I understand!"

The city guard captain knelt on the ground and kowtowed as he hurriedly replied, "This lowly one will do my duty tonight and let all the city guards patrol the area. I must ensure that the thief cannot escape. Please rest assured, Sir Shang Shu."

"Stand up."

Seated on the Red Maned Horse, Master Shang Shu didn't even look at the captain on the ground. He only looked at the open gate in front of him and said to the people accompanying him, "Let's go. We must capture that reckless criminal tonight."

"Yes sir!"

Right after Master Shang Shu's horse took a step forward, the dark horse behind him moved forward like a tsunami. Its momentum surged through the bridge over the moat and along the 50 feet deep arch of the city wall, it galloped into the Great Liang city!

The prefectural manor, the rear garden.

It was deep into the night, and in the huge rear garden, before nightfall, Chu Yunge had already ordered the constables to light all the night lights in the garden.

Meanwhile, she was holding a red lantern and setting up a table of good wine and dishes on the pavilion of the Lotus Pond. While slowly tasting the good dishes, she was also holding a lantern and closing the red Carp swimming in the Lotus Pond in the darkness.

"It's such a good night, and such a beautiful fish. It's such a pity not to see it."

Seeing the excitement, Chu Yunge did not forget to pick up the bait on the table and sprinkle some on the water surface.

Chu Yunge looked at the golden carp, then placed the red lantern on top of the beauty's head. Chu Yunge turned around and picked up a plate of glutinous rice cake on the table, then happily ate it.

The delicate oval face was contented and relaxed. There was not the slightest trace of nervousness on it.

It was as if there would be no major events tonight, but rather, it was a good time to view the moon in the middle of autumn.

Just as she was about to finish the glutinous rice cake on her plate, the crisp sound of footsteps came from the gravel path at the back garden entrance. It sounded especially loud in the quiet back garden.

"What is it?" Chu Yunge put down the glutinous rice cake in her hand, and took a sip of the gold on the table.

"Something terrible has happened, um... The mansion was surrounded by a group of people, saying that they are catching the thieves who try to cheat money. " The bailiff kneeled down on the ground as he spoke in a flustered manner. He pointed to the door behind him and continued, "Grand Master, don't eat anymore. Where is the Lord Prefect?" "Hurry up and call out the Prefect for the chauffeur. The Minister of Revenue of the capital is here!"

"What's the rush? It's not like the emperor is here. Besides, I don't think much of the emperor since he's here." I have some good wine here that doesn't need money. Would you like to have a try? " Chu Yunge raised her long eyebrow, and actually started to joke with the bailiff who was kneeling on the ground, and brought the white wine jug from the table and mountain over, "If you have anything to say, speak up, your feelings are deep, and you feel bored!"

In order for Chu Yunge to stay in the Palace Chief's Mansion, she dressed up as a Grand Master like usual. With a mustache and a human skin mask on her face, she wore Master's clothes, while holding a wine jug in her hand. The wine jug emitted a strong aroma.

Smelling the refreshing fragrance of the wine, the bailiff was startled. Instinctively, he took a deep breath: "It really is a good wine."

"Haha, I told you that wine without gold is good wine. It seems that you are also someone who knows what wine is." Then I'll give you the rest of the wine. Little brother, you must drink slowly. You must not let down this pot of good wine. You must know that this is the Great Liang City, and perhaps even the entire Bright Moon Kingdom! The last jar of gold won't be exchanged for. "

Chu Yunge immediately stuffed the wine pot into the hands of the bailiff and continued, "The brewer who opened his own winery, the one who specialised in making gold and apricot wine, has already asked me to deliver it out of Dazhou City two days ago. In the future, I will be developing my Great Chu Kingdom and in the future, there will no longer be such a thing as gold that cannot be exchanged for good wine that is offered to the imperial government. This jug of wine was gifted to me by the shopkeeper before he left. I have to go now, so I'll give it to you first. "

"Ah …" What are you talking about, Grand Master? " The bailiff who was kneeling on the ground did not understand what Chu Yunge was saying at all. When he heard the question, he became confused and said with a frown, "Grand Master, have you gotten drunk? I just said that someone from the capital had arrived. It was the Minister of Revenue, His Excellency Wang, who wanted to personally capture the thief who had swindled the imperial soldiers out of their pay. I hope that the Grand Master can find the Prefect and receive him as soon as possible. "

"Meet what? I won't see you again! "

Chu Yunge swung her wide sleeves, put her hands behind him, and straightened her back as she said in a straightforward manner: "Let me tell you, the Lord Prefect has already run away. The Prefect is an accomplice in the swindling of military salaries. "

"Ah — what?" The bailiff who was kneeling on the ground was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. His mouth was wide open as he looked at Chu Yunge in shock, "Master, you better not speak nonsense!"

"I'm not talking nonsense, I'm telling the truth. The Prefect is indeed related to the thief who swindled the salary away. He is an accomplice, so before the incident broke out, he had already run away. If you don't believe me, you can search the entire Great Liang City and see if you can find him. "

"Then... "Then even the Grand Preceptor needs someone to receive him, why not …"

Before the bailiff could finish his sentence, Chu Yunge rudely interrupted him, "What nonsense is this!? Let me see him? What a joke, what rank was he? He's just a third-grade official of the imperial court, what right do I have to meet him? If you want to capture people, that's fine. I won't run, but I'll wait for them here.

"Grand Master, what happened to you?" The yamen runner was even more confused. He stood up and bent over to persuade her. "Grand Master, why don't you wake up the bar first …"

"No need to wake up!" I am not the Grand Master at all, I am the one who swindled the army's salary! "