Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 64: Good Horses

County government.

If you walk further into the backyard, you will see soldiers everywhere.

These soldiers, as fierce as tigers and wolves, filled the entire backyard. There were visible sentries, secret sentries, patrols, and people climbing high places. In short, the entire backyard was very well protected.

Chang Sun limped inside, but a soldier stopped him and took the sword from his waist.

After walking a few steps forward, he was stopped by a soldier who searched him to make sure he had no weapons.

After walking for a long time, they finally arrived at the house where Gaoxian Gong temporarily lived.

This was where the county magistrate lived in the past. Although it occupies a small area, the interior is exquisitely decorated. Even an ordinary window has its wooden edge carved with various auspicious beasts, carrying all kinds of beautiful meanings.

Changsun walked into the room and saw Gao Changgong sitting on the couch, holding a yellowed book and reading with great interest.

The eldest grandson came to pay his respects.

Gao Changgong put down the book in his hand and asked with a smile: "Are you Yuan Jiaye?"

"I am Changsun Jiaye."

Gao Changgong was stunned for a moment, then said: "Well, I asked you to change it, I asked you to change it, I almost forgot, your last name in this book has not changed."

Gao Changgong took out a piece of paper from the side, picked up a pen, and started to make some changes on the paper.

"That's good. I'll change it for you. It will save you a lot of trouble."

"Thank you, Lord County."

Gao Changgong looked at him and asked, "Are you from Jinyang?"

"Shangdang people."

"Well, you must have not been home for a long time. Come and sit down."

The eldest grandson thanked him and moved closer.

Gao Changgong's expression became slightly solemn. "Do you know why the court wants me to come here?"

“I really don’t know.”

"Cheng'an is only half a day's journey from Yecheng, but the situation here is very bad. Some people are killing knights, some are killing officials, and there are many spies."

"The officials in the city have been completely replaced by the imperial court. From the county magistrate to the clerk, not a single one has been left."

"The government asked me to come here in the hope that I can change the situation here and completely eliminate the bandits and traitors here so that the capital can be peaceful."

The eldest grandson's face was solemn, "I understand."

"I will do my best to obey the order of the county magistrate!"

Gao Changgong smiled and said, "Well, I'm glad you understand. I'm currently handling important matters."

"There are too many abandoned farmlands outside Cheng'an City, but there are not many farmers. I plan to thoroughly check the household registration here, measure the farmland again, and pardon the slaves and the dead."

Gao Changgong suddenly felt a little emotional.

"Under the emperor's feet, the household registration and the number of cultivated land are not clear. The people have almost become slaves, working for others. The cultivated land has disappeared inexplicably, and there is no tax collection. How can this be a disgrace?!"

He looked at his eldest grandson fiercely, "When I am about to do something big, I don't want to be affected by anything. Do you understand?"

"My subordinate understands!"

The eldest grandson limped away from the county lord.

He returned all the way to his residence. His place seemed particularly deserted. Almost all the power in the county government was in Lu Qubing's hands.

All the officials, both high and low, were promoted by him, and everyone would report to him and obey his orders.

And this Lord Changsun just stayed alone in the mansion, with only a few servants accompanying him.

The eldest grandson sat in the yard, pondered for a moment, and then looked at the servant beside him.

"Go and call Liu Youjiao over."

The servant nodded and left.

The eldest grandson narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful.

He waited for a long time, and the servant finally brought Liu Taozi to him.

Changsun smiled and said, "Liu Youjiao, you are such a brave man. Come and sit over here."

Liu Taozi was not at all shy. She took a step forward and sat directly opposite her eldest grandson. She lowered her head and looked at him straight, face to face.

Now, it was the eldest grandson's turn to lean back slightly and not look him in the eye.

"You can sit back a little bit, the room is big, and it's inconvenient to talk if you sit too close."

Liu Taozi stepped back a little, and Changsun nodded with satisfaction.

"After I came to the county government, I heard a lot about Liu Youjiao. I heard that Liu Youjiao has a great reputation in the county and everyone is afraid of you. Is that true?"

"Ah."

This guy is not humble at all.

Chang Sun pursed his lips and paused. The conversation did not go as he expected.

"I heard that the patrol officers rushed into the parade ground and captured two county soldiers?" "Yes."

"In theory, the disposal of the county soldiers is for me to decide. If it were an ordinary county, without a county lieutenant, it could be done with the county magistrate's request. But this is different for Cheng'an. You killed the county soldiers without asking me. Is this against the law?"

"Ah."

Changsun was speechless. He no longer tried to guide the conversation. He simply took something out of his arms and threw it to Liu Taozi.

"This is my official badge. I'll give it to you for now."

"From now on, whether you want to kill people or soldiers, you don't have to worry about violating the law with my badge!"

Liu Taozi looked at the official badge in her hand and finally stopped saying "hmm".

Changsun looked up and said, "I admire you very much. They don't understand why the county lord came to Cheng'an. You see it most clearly and know that the county lord is here to kill people."

"You killed well."

"What kind of earth-shattering thing is that? You just can't see through it and even want to use the evidence of your murder to replace you. How ridiculous!"

"If it were any other day, your behavior would certainly be inappropriate, but the county lord is here, so this is not an ordinary day."

The eldest grandson looked at the sturdy man in front of him and said seriously: "You continue to do your work. I will help you with the rest. You don't have to worry."

"Aro!"

He called out to the outside, and a servant came in and bowed to greet his eldest grandson.

The eldest grandson ordered, "Go and fetch my White Fang and Blue Lion!"

The servant said yes and hurried out.

Changsun stood up with difficulty and motioned Liu Taozi to follow him. The two of them walked out of the door together. Soon, servants came over leading two war horses.

One of them was grayish white with a few black spots and looked arrogant, while the other was blue with distinct muscle lines.

The eldest grandson looked at Taozi with a kind look in his eyes. "I see that you are tall and strong, but the horse you ride is an old and weak horse. These two war horses have killed the Rourun people with me. I will give them to you today."

Liu Taozi was stunned when she saw the two sturdy war horses.

"A warrior like you deserves a warhorse like this. I never mistreat my subordinates. You must work hard. If you encounter any trouble, come to me and I will take care of it for you."

The eldest grandson patted Liu Taozi's arm and said, "Try the horse!"

Liu Taozi was not polite either. He took the reins of the blue lion first, jumped up, and got on the horse's back very easily. The blue lion became a little irritable and restless. Liu Taozi patted its neck gently, but the blue lion did not get angry again and gradually calmed down.

The eldest grandson was stunned for a long time, "I didn't expect that this blue lion is still bullying the weak and afraid of the strong. It is not like this to others."

Liu Taozi thanked his eldest grandson and left with the two war horses.

The servant stood there, staring at him as he took the warhorse away, his eyes filled with reluctance.

"Master, the White Fang and the Blue Lion are so precious that you can give them to the county lord, but how can you give them to a patrol officer?"

The eldest grandson had a gloomy face at this moment, staring in the direction where Taozi was going away.

"What do you know? Does the county lord need a war horse? If I give him a war horse, will he be looked up to?"

"What the county magistrate lacks is people who can work for him."

"Lu Qubing is nothing, but this Liu Taozi beside him is a real warrior. Look at the look in his eyes just now. He is not afraid of me at all. It seems that he is ready to pounce on me at any time."

"He knows the county lord very well and understands what he wants. He cooperates with him very well. If I can get his help, I will be able to gain a firm foothold in the city."

"Besides, this person looks exactly like someone, both in name and appearance. If he is really related to that person, then even twenty war horses would be worth it."

When Liu Taozi returned to his house leading two tall war horses, Kou Liu exclaimed and hurried over.

Soon, Yao Xiong and Tian Zili also came out.

There are still people who report to the police, but not many, and not everyone has the courage to do so.

Unless one has completely lost his way and is extremely angry, he will not come to the county government.

These people in Youjiao Mansion are busy at one moment and not busy at the other.

The two men came over, touched the warhorse, their eyes full of admiration.

"What a good horse! This warhorse, this color, this body"

These two idiots had gleams in their eyes at this moment, staring at the warhorse in front of them, gnashing its teeth and flipping over its fur.

Tian Zili stood aside, frowning, "Brother, these two are both excellent war horses. If you take one of them, you can exchange it for the best house in Cheng'an."

"Where did you get it, brother?"

"It was sent by the county lieutenant."

"Changsun Jiaye?"

Tian Zili was stunned for a moment, his brows furrowed.

"Is this person trying to alienate you and Lord Lu?"

“It is still unknown.”

(End of this chapter)