CHAPTER 107: CHAPTER 107: SUPPRESSION

The Commandery Princess hadn’t dismounted yet, and the imposing welcome was already upon her!

The court assigned four officials to each county, including County Magistrate, County Magistrate, County Magistrate, Chief Clerk, and most of the clerks came from local prominent families. In Xi’e County, the Tang Family was numerous, so more than half of the clerks bore the surname Tang.

However, Tang Huai De, the Tang Family Master, did not work at the county government.

Firstly, Tang Huai De was already seventy years old. Considering that living to sixty was considered a long life at the time, Tang Huai De was truly an elder. It was impossible for him to work as a clerk at the county government.

Secondly, the Tang Family held great power as the actual rulers of Xi’e County, how could the Tang Family Master bow and serve County Magistrate Zou?

So, Tang Huai De was the only civilian gentry among those present to welcome the Commandery Princess.

As soon as the Commandery Princess spoke, everyone’s gaze immediately fell on Tang Huai De.

Tang Huai De felt utterly humiliated, his old face turning red and white in agitation.

Jiang Shao Hua had no patience for arguing with an old man and turned to give a command: "Qin Hu, take your men to have a look, please ask irrelevant people to leave at once. Don’t waste the time of the Commandery Princess!"

Qin Hu immediately complied, leaping off his horse with a few trusted aides. They bypassed County Magistrate Zou and others and confronted Tang Huai De unceremoniously: "And who are you? What position do you hold in the county government?"

More than a thousand elite troops, armed with weapons, watched menacingly.

Tang Huai De, despite harboring intense rage, had to suppress it: "A civilian with the surname Tang, I am the patriarch of the Tang Family. Two clerks in the county government’s Criminal Room and Household Department are my nephews..."

"No need for so much unnecessary talk," Qin Hu sneered coldly. "I only asked if you work in the county government."

"No, but..."

"Since you don’t, you should leave swiftly, don’t block the view of the Commandery Princess." Qin Hu impatiently gestures, and several trusted aides immediately stepped forward. The elderly Tang Old Master, unable to react, was "invited" through the city gate.

County Magistrate Zou was stunned!

The County Magistrate, County Magistrate, Chief Clerk were all shocked!

The two Tang clerks were also dumbfounded!

After finishing his task, Qin Hu arrogantly reported back to the Commandery Princess.

The Commandery Princess nodded slightly and, still mounted, urged her horse through the tall city gate of Xi’e County.

The newly "escorted away" Tang Old Master, barely steady with the support of his younger generations, saw the domineering young Commandery Princess ride into the city, nearly coughing up old blood from anger.

The troops that followed shortly pulled back what little rationality Tang Old Master had left.

This Commandery Princess slew bandits like slicing vegetables, drove away the Li County County Magistrate without mercy, and it was heard that she even injured the Left General of the Nanyang Army...

Now that the Commandery Princess brought so many elite troops to Xi’e, it was both intimidation and a warning.

This anger, one must endure.

Tang Old Master deeply inhaled and instructed his eldest grandson Tang Qi: "Go to the grain shop immediately, make sure all shops are open, and restore the original grain prices. Whatever the county government wants to purchase, give it to them."

Tang Qi hesitated slightly, "The Commandery Princess has just arrived, and we are already conceding, isn’t this humiliating?"

The speed of surrender seemed too fast.

Tang Old Master angrily glared past: "Hurry up and go! If you delay anything significant, I won’t forgive you!"

Tang Qi, dirtied by his grandfather’s spitting, had no choice but to comply, calling others to support his grandfather and then leading trusted family members to the grain shop.

Xi’e is a large county town, with a total of three grain shops. Two of them are owned by the Tang Family, and the other, Jiao’s Grain Shop, belongs to Tang Old Master’s son-in-law.

Tang Qi first went to his family’s grain shop, instructing the shopkeeper to immediately open for business and restore grain prices.

The shopkeeper dared not delay, hurriedly writing a new grain price sign and hanging it beneath the plaque.

Tang Qi then rushed to Jiao’s Grain Shop. As expected, he was a step late.

A group of constables with a pack of wolf-like soldiers blocked the door of Jiao’s Grain Shop.

The shopkeeper was sweating profusely: "Honorable officer, please allow me to speak a few words..."

"The county government had previously stipulated that unauthorized price increases of grain were forbidden." The tall young trusted aide in the lead snapped the grain price board: "On this basis alone, we can seal off the shop."

The shopkeeper then implored several familiar constables, who were local and had often accepted benefits. County Magistrate Zou usually sent constables to buy grain, and them failing to acquire it was common.

Today, the constables seemed as if their mouths were stitched shut, remaining tightly closed without uttering a word.

The tall young man was indeed Qin Hu, the Commandery Princess’s trusted aide.

Qin Hu executed the task of picking faults, with the first stop at Jiao’s Grain Shop, which was decidedly strategic.

Sure enough, arriving ahead of the Tang Family, catching them off guard.

When Tang Qi and the others arrived, Jiao’s Grain Shop was already sealed. The shopkeeper and employees had their hands bound and were being taken to the county government’s main hall.

Tang Qi’s mind buzzed, nearly exploding, promptly stepping forward rapidly. As someone of reputation in Xi’e County, his appearance made others automatically clear a path.

"Please wait, officer," Tang Qi cupped his hands: "The grain price at this store was indeed a bit high, please grant some leniency. We will immediately lower the grain price..."

Qin Hu with his height advantage glanced disdainfully: "Who are you?"

Tang Qi cleared his throat: "My surname is Tang, first name Qi, eldest grandson of the Tang Family..."

"Is Jiao’s Grain Shop owned by the Tang Family?"

"It’s not..."

"Then why are you talking nonsense? Step aside, don’t delay our official duties."

With those words, without acknowledging Tang Qi, Qin Hu led the string of shopkeepers and employees away grandiosely.

Tang Qi: "..."

A man in his forties dressed in silk appeared with a face full of panic: "What should I do? What should I do now? The grain shop is sealed, the shopkeepers and employees are taken away, maybe the constables have already gone to Jiao’s House. What should I do now?"

Tang Qi wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, gritted his teeth and said: "The Commandery Princess has brought over a thousand elite troops, with a very forceful attitude. Even Grandfather dares not directly confront her, Uncle should quickly go to the county government to plead for forgiveness from the Commandery Princess!"

Mr. Jiao stamped his foot vigorously and ran toward the county government. After only a few steps, he encountered constables.

Among the constables were two Tang Family members, who both seized Mr. Jiao and whispered hurriedly: "The trusted aides brought by the Commandery Princess are guarding inside and outside of the county government. We dare not disobey orders. After arriving at the county government’s main hall, quickly kneel and plead, beg the Commandery Princess for mercy."

Mr. Jiao was close to tears.

The price increase was the idea of Grandmaster Tang. Now that the plan had unfolded, the Commandery Princess was wrathfully seeking accountability, sealing off Jiao’s Grain Shop. This was truly unlucky!

Upon personally seeing soldiers with fierce appearances and long knives around their waists, Mr. Jiao’s legs weakened. Once brought into the county government’s main hall, he fell to his knees with a crash: "This humble citizen admits his wrongs, begs the Commandery Princess for mercy, spare this humble citizen’s life."