Chapter 167: Encountering unreasonable people on the road, where is the law in Yan territory?

Jiakang City!

On the main city road, the carriage was stopped again.

Yuwen Liqian pushed aside the curtain and frowned as she looked at both sides of the road; it seemed there were quite a few people standing in front.

This was the nth time they had been stopped!

Su Beihai, the Prefect of Jiakang City who was riding a horse on the side, also looked a bit embarrassed and hurriedly said:

"Princess, please don't be disturbed; wait for this humble official for a moment!"

Yuwen Liqian was also somewhat helpless; she had already heard this sentence several times.

Since stepping onto the imperial road from the riverside port, the road had been wide enough for four horses to run side by side, a sight rarely seen even in the Han Kingdom.

However, as the carriage slowly drove into the main city, this tranquility and smoothness quietly vanished, replaced by frequent stops and congestion.

The journey had been stop-and-go!

This time, they had been stopped for half an incense stick's time, especially since it was exceptionally noisy ahead.

Yuwen Liqian simply stepped out of the carriage, wanting to see what was going on.

The maid also timely supported the Princess, stepping out of the carriage and standing on the driver's board.

Yuwen Liqian was somewhat surprised by the scene before her.

Just look!

The main city road was crowded with a dense mass of people, standing or sitting, blocking the entire road almost completely.

Bustling!

Bursts of noisy sounds came from the crowd, mixed with conversations and shouts in various accents, making the street that should have been quiet exceptionally clamorous.

Judging by their attire, they seemed to be from the docks on both sides, and they all looked like people who knew each other, smoking dry tobacco with fire, and women holding children chatting and laughing.

The most eye-catching thing was!

In front of the carriage, there was an old man lying on the ground in pain, clutching his leg and wailing:

"Someone's been killed!"

"The heavens have killed someone, my leg is broken!"

Yet no one in the crowd paid any attention, seemingly treating it as entertainment.

Yuwen Liqian was momentarily confused.

The Han Kingdom scholars in the carriages behind also stepped out one after another, all curiously watching.

They didn't know what had happened ahead!

Yuwen Liqian looked around and found that more and more people were gathering, surrounding their motorcade.

The maid was on the side, her face livid, clearly feeling extreme dissatisfaction with the scene before her.

In their impression, when a Princess traveled, the road should be cleared by ceremonial guards, with commoners bowing, a scene of solemnity and dignity.

However!

The noisy scene before them was vastly different from the court etiquette they were familiar with.

What kind of decorum is this!

"Princess, this Yan territory is truly a foul mess under the Yan Prince's rule!"

The maid couldn't help but complain in a low voice, her words filled with dissatisfaction and disappointment toward the Yan territory.

She even began to worry about the Princess's safety, whispering: "Princess, could it be that the Yan Prince's Mansion is going to do something to us..."

Yuwen Liqian naturally heard the worry in the maid's words, but she didn't show the slightest panic.

She knew well the alliance relationship between the four kingdoms and the Yan territory, and that in such a public occasion, nothing would happen.

The Yan territory couldn't, and wouldn't, be so stupid.

So something must have really happened today!

Su Beihai stood at the very front, his face full of anger:

"You bunch of unreasonable people, why don't you clear the road for this official."

The only response was a burst of sneers; no one responded, no one argued, but the crowd didn't move either.

The road ahead was still completely blocked.

Not long after!

A group of government servants in official uniforms, without sharp weapons, held wooden sticks.

They tried to disperse the crowd, but the effect was minimal.

Several more squads of armored soldiers, over a hundred people, arrived, merely blocking the front to maintain order.

The crowd wasn't afraid either!

Under the sunlight, they just stood in a stalemate; the government servants and soldiers seemed accustomed to it, confronting them with helpless expressions.

Su Beihai stood at the front with his hands on his hips, spitting as he cursed, but it had no effect.

More and more people gathered on both sides of the road.

Yuwen Liqian became increasingly strange; what kind of scene was this?

The scholars behind were also discussing it heatedly.

"Is this Prefect Su really the Prefect of this big city? How can he have no dignity at all?"

"Sure enough, poor mountains and bad waters breed unreasonable people, but this Jiakang City doesn't seem poor either."

"The Yan territory is truly a foul mess."

Su Beihai returned to Yuwen Liqian's side, covered in sweat, his expression carrying a bit of anxiety and helplessness.

He hurriedly explained to Yuwen Liqian:

"Princess, please be patient; I have already notified the five city gate guards, and they will arrive soon to clear the road."

Yuwen Liqian's face didn't show any anxiety; instead, she became deeply interested in the reason for the crowd's gathering.

She asked Su Beihai:

"Prefect Su, why have these people gathered here?"

Upon hearing this, Su Beihai couldn't help but sigh, his face revealing deep melancholy.

He explained: "These people are members of the Green Gang; most of them are dock porters and carriage workers, and most are locals."

Yuwen Liqian was even more confused upon hearing this, and she asked:

"Green Gang? Is it some kind of Jianghu gang? They actually dare to oppose the government!"

Su Beihai shook his head, his tone carrying a bit of complexity:

"If it were really a Jianghu gang, it would be easy to handle. I could invite the Yan North Army or the disciples of Mount Zhongnan to suppress them and see if they still dare to be so arrogant."

"However, the Green Gang is not a Jianghu gang, but a folk organization spontaneously gathered by these laborers."

Yuwen Liqian's beautiful eyes showed a look of surprise:

"Commoners actually dare to oppose the government?"

Isn't this rebellion!

That's a capital offense!

Su Beihai said with a troubled face:

"It's not that serious. The Yan Prince has an order not to prohibit folk activities, and as long as they are registered commoners in the Yan territory, they have various identities and organizations, such as the Green Gang, the Alley Association; if I mess up, this Prefect will be in big trouble."

The maid beside Yuwen Liqian had a look of mockery on her face:

"Prefect Zhang, you are the Prefect of Jiakang City, in plain terms, the 'Blue Sky Great Official' (a title for a just official), are you still afraid of these unreasonable people?"

The maid said sharply: "Just give them three hundred lashes each, and they'll be honest!"

The master of such a big city could be considered a high-ranking official of a region.

In the Han Kingdom, such figures would clear the roads whenever they traveled.

With one strike of the gavel, the commoners in the hall would be trembling.

Su Beihai's performance as a Prefect was truly too disgraceful.

Su Beihai wasn't angry after hearing this, explaining somewhat aggrievedly:

"Girl, you don't know. If I were to use such criminal law today, I'm afraid the advisors in the government office would submit a report to the Yan Prince's Mansion tomorrow."

"Saying this official abused his power and harassed the commoners."

"Moreover, in the annual political assessment, public opinion accounts for a large part, and the Yan Prince's Mansion will also have imperial envoys visit privately to do polls, and the Green Gang has many people..."

Yuwen Liqian seemed to understand, and she shook her head.

Truly unbelievable!

A group of officials being held hostage by the commoners under their rule; where is the law in this Yan territory?

At this moment!

A scream appeared!

Attracting onlookers.

It was the old man in front of the carriage "wailing like a ghost," rolling on the ground.

"Murder!"

"I'm dying, murder in the street!"

Upon hearing this, Su Beihai helplessly ordered the officials beside him: "Just pay them to get it over with!"

The officials beside him seemed to have understood long ago.

They walked up to the old man and threw down ten taels of silver, urging:

"Old Li, hurry up and go, don't be an eyesore to the Prefect!"

The old man called Old Li didn't have any intention of getting up, cursing:

"Just this little money, sending off a beggar!"

His hands weren't slow, as he had already stuffed the ten taels of silver into his pocket.

Yuwen Liqian also discovered that the old man didn't have any appearance of pain at all.

His hands and feet were very nimble!

The people around seemed to be accustomed to it, each with their arms crossed over their chests, like watching a play.

There were even young children imitating them on the side.

Su Beihai sighed heavily again on the side.

Seeing this, Yuwen Liqian couldn't help but think, has the Yan territory really become this chaotic?

Commoners openly provoking the government!

Fathers, please give me monthly tickets, thank you, thank you!

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(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 168 =====