Chapter 138: Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Eight

"No!"

At this point the Lucheng magistrate couldn't afford to be curious any longer. He hurried after them, shouting as he ran. Going down the steps, he missed his footing, and his fat-laden body curled into a ball, rolling down quite smoothly.

In the end, he lay on the ground with all four limbs in the air.

But even while his head was spinning, he still remembered to shout out his orders at the top of his voice.

"Don't open it! No one is to open it!"

If they opened the gate, would they still be able to escape?

That old fellow might be tired of living, but he certainly wasn't!

But at this point, whether to open the gate or not was no longer something he could decide.

Shang Gu and Situ Kuo had already ridden their horses up to the base of the city wall.

Situ Kuo, shouldering his great blade, urged his horse a couple of steps toward the City Gate and shouted inside.

"We're all Muyuan's people—we don't want to slaughter the innocent!"

"Listen up, everyone inside!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed!"

After Situ Kuo's shout, the soldiers behind them struck the ground heavily with their weapons in unison, loudly repeating his words.

"Those who surrender will not be killed!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed!"

Tens of thousands of voices speaking as one—the sound shook the heavens.

The sheer force of it made one's blood run cold.

The defending troops inside the city couldn't help but shiver several times, every one of them with their hair standing on end.

As for the three city magistrates, they were so terrified their legs were shaking, and the three exchanged a glance.

Hm?

Those who surrender won't be killed?

At this, the Lucheng magistrate stopped in his tracks—no more chasing, no more shouting.

That madman Situ Kuo might be unreasonable at times, but he kept his word.

Then didn't that mean he didn't have to run?

Besides, with this shabby City Gate, even if he ordered them to defend to the death, it wouldn't hold up for long.

They hadn't gone far before they'd be chased back.

Better to open it themselves—after all, a wise man bows to the circumstances.

Thinking this, the Lucheng magistrate hurriedly shouted to the soldiers guarding the gate.

"Open the gate! Open the City Gate quickly!"

As the gate guards removed the massive door bar, after a muffled creak, the City Gate swung open.

Shang Gu, clad in golden armor, gave the reins a slight tug and urged his Horse forward.

"Giddyap!"

"Wait!"

Suddenly an excited shout rang out, and a thin, slightly stooped old man rushed out.

Running straight toward Shang Gu.

Seeing this, Situ Kuo frowned deeply, his great blade in hand itching for action.

"Uncle."

Sensing his intention, Gu Shang shook his head at him.

After the man rushed over, he stopped at a spot about three or four meters from Gu Shang.

Then everyone saw him drop to his knees with a thud, gasping for breath in great heaves, so moved his voice choked up.

"Imperial Prince, it really is you!"

"I never imagined that in my remaining years, I would still be able to see the Imperial Prince again."

As he spoke, he pressed his palms together and bowed toward the heavens.

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven protects us!"

Shang Gu quickly ordered a soldier to help the man up, studying him closely.

This person did look somewhat familiar.

Situ Kuo scratched the back of his head.

"And you are?"

Magistrate Qin wiped away his tears, hurriedly looked toward Shang Gu, and was about to speak with a face full of respect.

Shang Gu asked uncertainly.

"Could it be Grand Tutor Qin?"

Magistrate Qin now cried even harder, nodding again and again.

"Imperial Prince, it is this Old Minister—this Old Minister is Qin Peichong!"

Hearing this name, Shang Gu quickly leapt down from his Horse and strode over.

"Grand Tutor Qin, it really is you! How could you possibly be here?"

Grand Tutor Qin had tutored him for several years, but it was no wonder he hadn't recognized him at first—the Grand Tutor Qin before him now was truly far too different from a few years ago.

Not only had his hair turned mostly white, but his forehead and the space between his brows were covered in wrinkles, his face had grown far more weathered, and he had grown so thin he looked almost unrecognizable.

And he no longer carried that spirit he'd once had—the boldness to speak frankly in admonition to those above and to rebuke his fellow ministers below.

Grand Tutor Qin must have suffered a great deal of hardship over these years.

Thinking of this, Shang Gu's nose stung, and he tightly gripped Qin Peichong's withered hand.

"Grand Tutor, these past few years, you've suffered."

Qin Peichong smiled and shook his head, looking at his face, which was more resolute than before, and especially seeing the calluses on his hands, his expression full of heartache.

"It is the Crown Prince who has suffered."

The county magistrates of the three cities, hiding in a corner, saw this scene and exchanged a terrified glance.

Sweat poured down their backs.

This was bad.

These two knew each other, and their relationship ran deep.

They seemed to have mocked County Magistrate Qin just now.

We're done for!

Better run, quick!

The three exchanged a look, silently turned around in tacit understanding, and sneakily prepared to slip away.

But after only two steps, Situ Kuo blocked their way.

"Halt!"

Situ Kuo took the broadsword from his shoulder, gripped the hilt with his right hand, brought it to his mouth and gently blew on the blade, then lightly ran his left thumb over it twice.

Without so much as lifting an eyelid, in a tone of contempt.

"Gentlemen, where might you be off to?"

"We... we..."

The three men's faces went white, their whole bodies trembling like sieves, shaking their heads and waving their hands as they backed away, so frightened they could barely string a sentence together.

"We were just, just thinking that you all have been on the road a long time, and wanted to have someone prepare some fine wine and good food to entertain you."

"Right, exactly, that's it!"

Situ Kuo snorted coldly at this, paid them no heed, and instead looked toward his nephew on the other side.

"A Gu, what do you think?"

Shang Gu considered briefly.

"Since the Lucheng County Magistrate is so eager to entertain us, let's pay a visit to the Kufang at the County Magistrate's Residence!"

"Huh?!"

Hearing this, the Lucheng County Magistrate looked as though he had lost a parent, his fat, brawny frame swaying three times.

Seeing him in such a state, the corner of Situ Kuo's mouth curved into a cold smile.

He had long heard that this Lucheng County Magistrate bullied men and dominated women, and had done plenty of harm to the innocent.

There were also rumors that when the Lucheng County Magistrate handled cases, he looked first at background, second at wealth—evidence was utterly useless!

The wrongful and false cases he had adjudicated over the years could fill a whole basket.

To call such a man a plague on the region would not be an exaggeration!

Judging by that fat-headed, big-eared look, he must have extorted plenty from the people's fat and marrow!

The army on this journey also needed supplies, and they wouldn't take much anyway—the lion's share would still go back to the common people.

Situ Kuo looked at the other two beside him.

The Hecheng County Magistrate and the Yuancheng County Magistrate, swept by his cold gaze, felt their hearts tremble at once, and hurriedly turned to bow respectfully to Shang Gu.

The Yuancheng County Magistrate was the first to declare his loyalty.

"This humble official willingly offers half of his personal fortune to the Crown Prince, to aid the Imperial Prince in achieving his great enterprise."

The Hecheng County Magistrate beside him glared at him viciously.

Opening his mouth and already setting the bar that high—truly not caring at all whether a slow-mouthed man like me lives or dies, is that it?!

He clenched his teeth, his face full of pain, and said.

"This humble official is also willing to offer up the greater part of his estate, to aid the Crown Prince in returning to Ducheng!"

Hearing his words, the Yuancheng County Magistrate's eye twitched.

No way—you're going to compete over this too?

Why not just give it all?

Are you not going to live from now on?!

Suddenly, a stroke of inspiration struck him, and he hurriedly added.

"This humble official willingly offers up his entire fortune!"

He had been thinking wrong before—as long as he could remain county magistrate, what did it matter to scatter his entire fortune?

In the end, wouldn't he take it back many times over?