I'll steal Gao Qiu's life and lead the Song Dynasty to prosperity.

Chapter 121 Opening of the Ever-Normal Granary

Upon receiving the order, Lu Zhang's tiger-like eyes widened, he turned around with his hand on his sword, and was about to lead his team straight to Changping Granary.

Upon receiving the order, the Imperial Guards behind him immediately donned their armor, stood in formation with halberds, exuding a murderous aura, and awaited the command from their commander.

"Wait! Commander Lu, wait!"

Seeing that the fierce Imperial Guards were about to resort to violence, Prefect Zhou Xu no longer cared about maintaining his dignity and official decorum.

He rushed forward a few steps, spread his arms, and actually tried to block Lu Zhang's way, his voice changing tone due to extreme fear.

"Commander Lu! This is unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! This is a vital grain storage area; how can we arbitrarily open it with weapons? This is not the way to treat guests, nor is it—nor is it in accordance with the laws of the court! I implore you, Commander Lu, to reconsider! I implore you, Pacification Commissioner, to reconsider!"

As he spoke, he frantically winked at the yamen runners behind him and the dozens of local soldiers who were originally on duty outside the hall.

Although the yamen runners and local soldiers were afraid of the imperial guards' power, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and move forward timidly, because of their superiors' strict orders and their own interests.

They managed to form a loose human wall in front of Lu Zhang's group, but their eyes were unfocused, their legs were trembling, and they had no imposing presence whatsoever.

Lu Zhang paused, glanced coldly at Zhou Xu who was blocking his way, then swept his gaze over the rabble, a hint of undisguised contempt curling at the corner of his mouth.

He did not draw his sword, but merely raised his imperial axe high, his voice booming like a bell, shaking the entire hall: "I am acting on the orders of Zhao Gongjun, the Pacification Commissioner of the Northwest Circuit of Jingzhou, to inspect the true state of the Ever-Normal Granary! With this imperial axe here, it is as if the Emperor himself is present! Anyone who dares to obstruct me will be punished for disobeying an imperial decree, and executed without exception!"

The four words "kill without mercy" resounded like a thunderclap.

Those yamen runners and soldiers who blocked the road were already timid and fearful. Upon hearing this, they were even more terrified. No one knew who had shouted it.

These people suddenly scattered to both sides, making way and no longer daring to block the way.

Seeing this, Zhou Xu knew that using force to stop it was futile and might even backfire.

He suddenly turned to Zhao Mingcheng, who was sitting expressionlessly behind the desk, and knelt down with a thud, banging his head on the ground and pleading pitifully.

"Pacifier! Lord Zhao! I beg you! The granary door may indeed be rusted, and the key may indeed be hard to find. I failed in my duty and am guilty!"

However, forcibly opening the official granary is contrary to etiquette and law. If word gets out, it may damage the dignity of the court and also harm the reputation of Lord Zhao!

"How about—how about giving me two days, no, just one day! Within one day, I will find craftsmen and open the granary doors properly, so that Lord Zhao can inspect it! Everything can be discussed, why—why make such a fuss! Lord Zhao, please be merciful!"

Zhou Xu wept uncontrollably, his posture utterly humbled, attempting to use the excuses of "the dignity of the court" and "the good reputation of Lord Zhao" to...

The final struggle.

Almost simultaneously, Wu Ming'an, the prefectural judge, and Wang Qian, the supervisor of the Ever-Normal Granary, also rushed out of the ranks, but instead of seeking Zhao Mingcheng's help directly, they rushed to Cao Fu, who was in charge of recording things at the side table.

They could see that Zhao Mingcheng's attitude was firm and unshakable. Perhaps Judge Cao, who was also a civil official and seemed more composed, could listen to some "reasoning" and help to smooth things over.

"Judge Cao! Judge Cao!!"

Wu Ming'an grabbed the corner of Cao Fu's desk, his voice urgent and trembling with tears.

"Please persuade the pacification commissioner! The matter at the granary must be a misunderstanding! How dare we, your humble servants, deceive the imperial envoy? It was merely a coincidence, and the granary official was negligent!"

Forcibly opening the official granary is no small matter. Once word gets out and the court investigates, the pacification commissioner may be innocent, but all the officials in Ruzhou will likely have their futures ruined!

Judge Cao, you are also a scholar, and you know how difficult it is to be an official. Why ruin the careers of so many colleagues because of a few misunderstandings? — Alas, Wu Ming'an's words were both threatening and implied pleading.

Wang Qian went even further, almost prostrating himself at Cao Fu's feet, his face a mess of tears and snot.

"Judge Cao, please be wise! This humble official—this humble official swears to Heaven, there is absolutely no problem with the Ever-Normal Granary! It's just a minor matter of the lock and key! Please persuade An..."

Your Excellency, please wait a moment. I will personally go to find the key and invite the best craftsmen!

"I guarantee the pacification envoy will see granaries overflowing! Lord Cao, please, have mercy and say something! This humble official—this humble official has an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old son at home!"

He started playing the victim card, trying to gain sympathy.

After sitting down at his desk, Cao Fuduan continued to meticulously record everything that happened in the hall, his pen never stopping.

Faced with Wu Ming'an and Wang Qian rushing to his side, weeping and wailing, his face showed little emotion, neither disgust nor sympathy.

After the two had calmed down, he slowly put down his pen, raised his eyelids, looked at them calmly, and spoke in a clear and firm voice.

"Wu Tongpan, Wang Changping."

The two looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Cao Fu said slowly.

"I have been ordered to accompany the Pacification Commissioner on his disaster relief and investigation mission. All that I have seen, heard, doubted, and witnessed must be recorded truthfully and examined with reason."

The pacification commissioner's order to open the granaries for inspection was carried out under imperial decree to ascertain the true extent of the disaster and the veracity of grain reserves. This was official business, concerning the lives of countless people, and under the weight of the imperial law.

Cao Fu paused, his tone turning cold.

"As for whether the lock is rusty, whether the key is lost, the future of colleagues, or personal matters—these are private matters, or perhaps just excuses. Private matters cannot override public law, and excuses cannot conceal the truth."

"It is my duty, my duty, to uphold justice and assist the pacification commissioner in investigating the truth."

After speaking, Cao Fu stopped looking at Wu Ming'an and Wang Qian, whose faces were ashen, picked up his pen again, and neatly wrote down his notes.

"At 3:45 AM, Prefect Zhou Xu, Vice Prefect Wu Ming'an, and Supervisor of Ever-Normal Granaries Wang Qian knelt on the ground and pleaded, obstructing the opening of the granary. Judge Cao Fu refused them with the law."

Wu Ming'an and Wang Qian were struck dumb, their last hope shattered.

They looked at Zhao Mingcheng, who was as cold as iron and unmoved, and then at Cao Fu, who was upright and unyielding.

Looking at Lu Zhang and the Imperial Guards, who were now fully assembled and exuding murderous intent, having already pushed aside the few obstacles, despair washed over them like a cold tide.

"Please have mercy, sir!"

"This humble official knows his mistake! He truly knows his mistake!"

The three men could no longer hold on, and together with the other officials below who were already terrified, they all knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly, their cries of wailing and begging for mercy filling the courtroom.

This forms a cruel and ironic contrast with the "orderly" and "eloquent" speech just mentioned.

However, neither Zhao Mingcheng nor Cao Fu seemed to hear or see anything.

Without further hesitation, Lu Zhang waved his arm.

"Walk!"

Leading the Imperial Guards, they marched out of the prefectural government gate with orderly and heavy steps, heading swiftly towards the Ever-Normal Granary. The sound of their boots hitting the ground was like a death knell.

Zhou Xu and the others collapsed to the ground, their faces ashen. They knew that all was lost and could only wait in despair for their final judgment.

About a quarter of an hour later, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the hall, accompanied by chaotic footsteps and suppressed sobs.

A soldier from the Imperial Guard who had previously accompanied Lu Zhang to investigate the disaster victims strode into the hall, knelt on one knee before Zhao Mingcheng, and clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.

"Reporting to the Pacification Commissioner! Chief Lu sent me back to report first:"

The head constable has led his men to control the area around the Changping Warehouse and is preparing to break down the gate.

In addition, as instructed by the pacification commissioner, the brothers had already led some of the disaster victims, who were hiding in the dilapidated temple and brick kiln area of ​​Laojun Mountain in the northwest of the city, down the mountain. They are now waiting for orders in front of the prefectural government office. There are about five or six hundred people, including men, women, and children, and six of them are on the verge of death.

Zhao Mingcheng's eyes narrowed, and he nodded.

"understood."

His gaze shifted to Wang Qian, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling like a leaf, and his voice remained calm and even.

"Wang Qian".

Wang Qian trembled all over, almost collapsed, and replied with a sob in his voice.

"Your humble servant is here."

"How much grain is currently stored in the state treasury? I mean public grain that can be used immediately, regardless of its quality," Zhao Mingcheng asked him.

At this moment, Wang Qian dared not hide anything, and answered with a mournful face and trembling voice.

"Reporting to the Pacification Commissioner, the state government's granary—along with some miscellaneous grains that haven't been used yet—still has approximately eighty shi of millet, thirty shi of miscellaneous beans, and some wheat bran—if—if it's only enough to supply five or six hundred people, and if used sparingly, perhaps—perhaps it can last for three or four days—"

He spoke with extreme lack of confidence.

"Three or four days—" Zhao Mingcheng pondered for a moment and then immediately gave the order.

"Judge Cao, immediately issue a document in the name of this Pacification Commissioner's Office."

The prefectural government ordered the granary official to immediately allocate twenty bushels of millet and ten bushels of mixed beans from the government treasury, set up a large pot in the square in front of the government office, and cook a thick porridge so that each of the five or six hundred disaster victims could have a bowl of hot food.

"No withholding or delay is allowed. Lu Zhang's troops will dispatch ten Imperial Guards to maintain order and supervise the distribution of grain!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Cao Fu's spirits lifted, and he immediately laid out paper, ground ink, and began to write the order.

He wrote quickly, clearly detailing the amount of grain allocated, its purpose, and the person in charge of supervising it.

Zhou Xu, Wu Ming'an, Wang Qian, and others were kneeling on the ground.

They were shocked to hear that Zhao Mingcheng had bypassed them and used the state government's grain reserves to provide relief to the disaster victims they had been trying to conceal.

The last shred of hope in his heart vanished, and he knew that all his pretense had been completely exposed.

Their bodies, which were lying on the ground, trembled even more violently.

The command was quickly written and stamped.

Cao Fu personally carried the document, summoned two imperial guards to accompany him, and headed straight for the state government's granary.

Zhao Mingcheng stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from his robes, and addressed the Imperial Guard soldier who had brought the message.

"Lead the way, I'm going to take a look at the granary."

"yes!"

Zhao Mingcheng stepped down from the table, not even glancing at the officials kneeling below, and walked straight out of the hall.

Several large cauldrons were quickly set up in the square in front of the prefectural government office.

The crackling of firewood, the bubbling of clear water, and the aroma of millet and beans were like heavenly delicacies to the starving refugees.

Although the order was relatively stable thanks to the Imperial Guards.

But those eyes cast towards the porridge pot, a mixture of extreme longing and numb pain, and those suppressed sobs, still formed a heartbreaking scene.

Meanwhile, in the Changping Granary area behind the prefectural government office.

Lu Zhang had already ordered his men to clear the open space in front of the warehouse. Several burly Imperial Guards soldiers, holding heavy axes and hammers, stood in front of the warehouse door, which was covered with a huge copper lock and had peeling paint.

The lock did look somewhat rusty, but it appeared so fragile and laughable in the face of the strongman's heavy hammer.

"Smash it!" Lu Zhang gave the order.

"Hey!" The strongman exhaled and slammed the heavy hammer down on the joint between the brass lock and the bolt, accompanied by a whistling sound.

"Clang! Crack!"

The seemingly sturdy lock on the warehouse door opened with a loud bang under the absolute force, and part of the door was also smashed to pieces!

The heavy warehouse door was opened.

An indescribable smell, a mixture of dust, mold, and emptiness, wafted out from the crack in the door.

Lu Zhang waved his hand, and two soldiers stepped forward and forcefully pushed open the heavy warehouse door.

At this moment, Zhao Mingcheng, under the protection of the Imperial Guards, also arrived at the warehouse.

After arranging the distribution of grain, Cao Fu also rushed over.

The three stood side by side in front of the gaping warehouse door, which resembled the gaping maw of a monster.

Lu Zhang stepped aside, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice.

"Pacifying Envoy, Judge Cao, the granary gates are open!"

Zhao Mingcheng nodded slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the deep interior of the granary.

The three local officials kneeling not far away lowered their heads even further.

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