Chapter 462: A Letter from the Capital

Chen Wuji's meeting with the various civil officials of Hezhou went quite smoothly.

It was so smooth that he didn't find a single official inside the government office.

In the sprawling government office, Chen Wuji sent his personal guard to search every corner, and they found only a few clerks hiding in the corners, trembling.

They were the usual, old-fashioned clerks.

Each one could be Chen Wuji's grandfather.

The sixty-two-year-old gatekeeper responsible for delivering documents and checking entries, his fifty-year-old subordinate the messenger, and the fifty-seven-year-old night watchman.

Also there were the kitchen staff: a fifty-three-year-old fireman, a forty-nine-year-old water carrier, a fifty-nine-year-old purchaser, and a sixty-two-year-old tea server.

The personnel for gatekeeping and serving tea and water were basically all present.

The sight made Chen Wuji quite amused.

Seeing these people come in, he felt embarrassed to sit calmly in the chair.

A glance made him feel like he was bullying old men.

"Gentlemen, does anyone know where the other officials have gone? Why not help me show the way? I won't cause you trouble; just continue doing what you used to do." Chen Wuji said.

The few old men looked at each other, their timidity and fear written all over their faces.

"General, we also… also… also don't know!" the fifty-three-year-old fireman said, grinning widely, trying hard to put on a pleasing smile, but what came out was a crying face.

And looking at him, it seemed he was about to burst into tears uncontrollably.

Chen Wuji immediately felt a headache: "Gentlemen, say what you know; I really don't want to earn the reputation of bullying the weak and elderly. Give me a little face—I still have a few thousand troops with me!"

The fireman instantly felt like crying, stammering: "General, don't blame me; when the fighting broke out outside the city, the officials in the government office just… just ran away, and we don't know where they went."

"By the way, why didn't you run?" Chen Wuji interjected curiously.

The fireman lowered his head, panicked, glanced quickly at Chen Wuji, and said: "We also wanted to run, but… outside was already in chaos; we feared that going out would get us killed by the riotous soldiers, so we hid somewhere."

"Since we don't know where the officials went, you must know where their homes are, right?" Chen Wuji looked at the three senior gatekeepers, especially you three.

"Well… we know, but they probably wouldn't run back home." said the sixty-two-year-old gatekeeper who still looked quite energetic.

"Stand up straight when you speak; I am a properly appointed Negotiation Colonel of the court. Why are you all acting like this? When Gu Wenjie's bandits entered the city, you were fine, but now you're afraid of me—am I scarier than the bandits?" Chen Wuji shouted.

"Since you know where they live, lead the way and help me find these officials; I'll count this as merit for you all, thank you for your effort."

He was genuinely afraid that if he spoke too bluntly, these elders might drop dead right in front of him, and then rumors would spread that he slaughtered the government office, not sparing even septuagenarian elders.

Probably because Chen Wuji's words were a bit more courteous, the elders' expressions relaxed, and they timidly accepted the task he assigned.

"Shi Yi Shu, arrange some manpower and go with these elders to fetch people." Chen Wuji ordered Chen Li, then left the Retreat Thinking Hall.

He intended to personally walk through the government office to see if any documents remained.

Just as he turned into the courtyard where the Sixth Room was located, Chen Wuji unexpectedly bumped into Qin Zan Hong, dressed in vigorous attire.

"No, you appear and disappear like a ghost—are you trying to murder your husband? You almost scared me half to death!" Chen Wuji said irritably.

Sometimes scaring someone can really give them a disorder.

Qin Zan Hong let out a puff of laughter, just as she flashed a cute, flirtatious glance, then glanced at Chen Wuji's back where Chen Wuyi stood, and instantly composed herself.

She brushed the hair at her neck and murmured softly: "It's not convenient to meet outside, so I can only sneak around, following you furtively."

"What's inconvenient? The only people around me are these folks—who would be inconvenienced?" Chen Wuji said. "Don't deliberately act mysterious; even if you appeared openly, no one would guess your identity as part of the Imperial City Department."

"Who knows? The waters of Hezhou run deep; who knows how many eyes are hidden in the dark." Qin Zan Hong said. "I'll stay hidden; it's safer that way."

"When I first came to Yunan, did you take me seriously? I even grew a bit proud of my Imperial City Department identity, openly investigating cases on the street. Now that I've stayed longer and learned more, I have to be more careful."

Chen Wuji suddenly recalled Jia Wentao's conditions for talking with him, and the extremely forbearing Yuan family: "Your consideration is indeed not without reason; then be careful."

"I don't really have anything to worry about; worst case, I can't use the court's name—just don't let your association with me drag your family into trouble."

"That's not really the case; anyway, being careful certainly won't hurt." Qin Zan Hong moved closer to Chen Wuji, made a goofy face, and teased: "Actually, being your shadow is quite interesting—you mysterious and powerful capable wife, outwardly of the Imperial City Department, inwardly… right, you should probably give our little office a name."

"How about calling it the Imperial City Department?" Chen Wuji asked casually.

"Do you really want to be emperor?" Qin Zan Hong exclaimed, widening her eyes.

"No, I just don't do well with names, so I'm borrowing one." Chen Wuji said.

Although he indeed has considerable ambition, becoming emperor is still far too distant for him.

Can't think about it.

Thinking about it easily breeds mental issues.

Chen Wuji's current vision and ambition only reach the level of carving out a domain; letting his life settle temporarily is enough.

"You're really just being perfunctory." Qin Zan Hong said in a low voice.

"When you have time, think about it properly; I'm now the highest official of this office, the office's name and my title need to be impressive, otherwise… you'd better not think about sleeping again."

"Your threat is quite deterrent; alright, I'll think about it when I have time." Chen Wuji laughed.

However, he really wasn't joking.

Qin Zan Hong's not letting him sleep might actually prevent him from sleeping.

All-night battles like that have happened before.

His spirited little wife is not only addictive but also tough and resilient.

This is probably a concrete manifestation of some abilities of martial practitioners.

Qin Zan Hong then satisfiedly let out a soft hum, and suddenly produced a small message tube from her sleeve, handing it to Chen Wuji.

"What is this?" Chen Wuji asked.

Qin Zan Hong embraced the tube with both hands, and said softly: "Sent from the capital, His Majesty the Emperor is inquiring about my progress during this period, and… what my husband has been doing."