Chapter 120 + 121: Rebellion

Inside the brilliantly lit Yingxian Lou, Chen Ji looked at Zhang Zhuo with some surprise.

The Directorate of Ceremonial and civil officials had long been at odds, like fire and water. He had originally thought that without an imperial edict token, it would take some effort to get Zhang Zhuo to leave. Who knew that Zhang Zhuo would immediately stand up and be willing to follow him the moment he heard the refugees were in danger? Why?

Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji with some amusement. "What's wrong? I dare to follow you, but you don't dare to take me?"

The banquet was gradually getting noisy. A young scholar stood up and, emboldened by wine, loudly said, "My lord, you absolutely must not follow the eunuch party! What if they want to use this to seize you and put you in the Inner Prison?"

"My lord, don't fall into the eunuch party's trap!"

However, Zhang Zhuo suddenly raised his hand, and the voices at the banquet stopped. He smiled and said to Chen Ji, "Please, important matters come first."

Saying that, this prefect actually took the lead and walked towards the outside of Yingxian Lou.

Outside Yingxian Lou, Zhang Zhuo stood on the stone slab road of Baiyi Xiang, turned his head to look at Chen Ji behind him, and said nonchalantly, "Alright, tell me, what do you need this official to do?"

Chen Ji quickly explained, "Trouble Zhang-daren to immediately open the granary and transfer a batch of grain to outside the West City Gate."

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard. "Open the granary? Young man, the Luocheng granary is a strategically important location. The matter is very serious. Why didn't you go find Chen-daren, but specifically came to find me?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Chen-daren is rigid and pedantic. Currently, in Luocheng, only Zhang-daren has the ability and courage to do this."

Zhang Zhuo laughed and scolded, "Stop trying to flatter me. If you said those words in front of Chen-daren, I might be more direct."

Saying that, he restrained his smile. "I need to confirm one more time. Do you know what you are doing right now, and can you bear the consequences?"

Chen Ji in his gray clothes and conical hat, and Zhang Zhuo in his bright red official robe, stood facing each other.

After a long time.

Zhang Zhuo said firmly, "Zhang-daren, I know what I am doing."

Zhang Zhuo no longer asked. "It's good that you know."

Chen Ji turned around and shouted towards the small alley beside Yingxian Lou, "Xifeng, prepare the carriage. All of you escort Zhang-daren to transfer the grain. As fast as possible."

Xifeng led a carriage out of the small alley, and several secret agents on warhorses guarded the side of the carriage.

Chen Ji said, "Zhang-daren, please get in the carriage."

But Zhang Zhuo did not get in the carriage. Instead, he neatly untied the horse's harness, flipped onto the horse, and rode away. He laughed loudly and said, "The carriage is too slow. We'll meet at the west of the city later. If I find out that you are deliberately being mysterious, even Xu Wenhe won't be able to protect you."

Saying that, Zhang Zhuo clamped the horse's belly with both legs, and the swift horse raised its hooves and galloped away.

Chen Ji watched the red robe turn out of Baiyi Xiang and disappear. He actually felt that with that official robe, perhaps it would look even more fitting if a treasured sword were also hung on it.

Just as he was pondering, Jin Zhu ran out of Yingxian Lou, muttering, "Crazy, crazy."

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "Daren, what's wrong?"

Jin Zhu complained, "Although our Secret Service is arrogant and overbearing and has arrested many civil officials, we have never taken away a fifth-rank court official from the Luming Banquet. We have committed a taboo."

Chen Ji explained, "But we aren't arresting Zhang-daren, we are saving him."

Jin Zhu was helpless. "Those civil officials may not think so. At least discuss this with me before you do something like this."

Chen Ji asked, "If I had asked, would Daren have still allowed me to do it?"

Jin Zhu said grumpily, "Of course not."

"Forget it, forget it. Do what you want to do. Where are we going now?"

"West of the city!"

"Chen Ji!"

"Hm?"

Jin Zhu was riding on a horse, looking at the calm-faced medical hall apprentice beside him, and suddenly sighed. "You were born to do this job. Earlier, you said you wanted to resign from your position as a secret agent, but the Secret Service is the most suitable place for you."

"Why does Daren say that?"

Jin Zhu looked at the end of the long street. "You are too fond of taking risks with your sword. Sooner or later, you will lose your head."

Chen Ji changed the subject. "Daren, Zhang-daren just said, 'Even Xu Wenhe can't protect you.' Who is Xu Wenhe?"

Jin Zhu was amused. "That is the name of the Inner Minister Daren. Nowadays, everyone either calls him the Poison Minister or the Inner Minister, and they have almost forgotten this name. Zhang Zhuo is indeed very bold. A fifth-rank official actually dares to call the Inner Minister by his name directly."

Chen Ji was curious. "I always feel that Zhang-daren is not quite like those civil officials, but rather like a wanderer."

Jin Zhu smiled, squinting his eyes. "You really guessed it. After Zhang Zhuo's first wife died, he really did go and be a wanderer for a year, mixing with Jianghu people every day and neglecting proper business."

"Then why did he come back later and marry the niece of Elder Xu Ge?"

Jin Zhu scoffed, "Study civil and military arts and sell them to the emperor's family. Don't all civil officials think like that? What's there to question? By the way, what about the matter of him wanting to betroth his daughter to you? If it really succeeds, it might save you thirty years of detours. The Inner Minister Daren once said that Zhang-daren is the stuff of a prime minister."

Chen Ji did not answer, nor could he answer.

At this moment, a secret agent exclaimed, "Daren, there's firelight."

Baiyi Xiang was in the east of the city. By the time Chen Ji and the others urged their horses to the west of the city, it was already midnight.

Even before they were out of the city, Jin Zhu and the others saw from afar a towering fire burning outside the city, with sparks scattering and dancing in the night sky.

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji in shock. "You really guessed it? How did you know that something big would happen in the west of the city?"

Chen Ji's face was as calm as still water.

Jin Zhu urgently asked, "What outside the city could burn with such a big fire?"

Chen Ji replied, "I'm afraid it's the Luocheng government office's granary used to provide disaster relief to the victims."

Jin Zhu's face became serious. He was not stupid and immediately understood the crucial point. "Outside the city, there are over ten thousand Yuxi disaster victims gathered, hungry and cold. If the granary is burned, and then people are mixed in among the disaster victims to incite them, I'm afraid the disaster victims will immediately turn into bandits and rush into Luocheng to burn, kill, and loot. If a rebellion happens, both Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin's futures will be ruined."

A secret agent doubted, "Daren, the Luocheng Military Command is not eating dry rice. If there is a rebellion, they will immediately close the city gates and wait for the official army to suppress it. If they don't close the city gates in time, it's a capital crime. No amount of money the Liu family gives them will work."

Jin Zhu said coldly, "I guess the West City Gate should already have been opened by the Liu family at this moment."

As soon as the words fell, several people urged their horses around a street corner and saw that the West City Gate was wide open. The soldiers in front of the city gate had all been killed with slashed throats, their corpses lying on the ground.

From afar, Chen Ji could already see through the open city gate that densely packed disaster victims were holding torches high, their hands holding rakes and wooden sticks, menacingly approaching Luocheng.

A secret agent urgently asked, "Daren, what should we do now?"

Jin Zhu felt a sense of retreat. What did it matter to him whether Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin lost their official positions? What did it matter to him if this group of disaster victims rushed into Luocheng to burn, kill, and loot? He was not the parent official of this place.

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji. "You and I have done our best today. It is the infighting among the civil officials that led to this big mistake, and it has nothing to do with us. Anyway, your father doesn't favor you either. It's just good for you to vent your anger if he loses his official position."

Chen Ji stopped his horse and stood still, his gaze under his conical hat silently looking at the firelight outside the city gate.

Outside the city gate, there seemed to be a restless aura. The flames of the torches jumped.

Chen Ji asked, "If the disaster victims rush into the city, how many people will die?"

Jin Zhu looked at the firelight flickering in Chen Ji's eyes and said in shock, "You care how many die? These disaster victims cannot kill the people of Anxi Street. Chen Ji, tonight, let's just pretend we didn't come over, okay? As long as we don't intervene, this matter has nothing to do with us. Once we intervene, even if it's not our fault, that group of civil officials will still pin it on our heads."

However, as soon as the words fell, he saw Chen Ji bend down and urge his horse straight towards the city gate. "Close the city gate. Don't let the disaster victims rush in."

The secret agents were shocked and turned their heads to look at Jin Zhu.

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji's back and gritted his teeth. "Don't mind him, let him go die by himself."

But after struggling for a few breaths, he fiercely whipped the horse's butt and said fiercely, "Damn it, follow me and close the city gate. I'm really unlucky for eight lifetimes to get involved in such a thing."

Everyone urged their horses to the city gate. When they saw that the distance between the disaster victims was only a hundred steps away, the secret agents pushed the two huge red lacquered city gates together and slowly closed them. Only after they had put the wooden stake in the door did they slightly relax.

Chen Ji and Jin Zhu walked up to the city wall and looked down at the disaster victims below.

Chen Ji held a torch in his hand and shouted loudly, "Who dares to intrude into the city?"

Among the densely packed torches below the city, someone shouted angrily, "The court burned the granary for giving porridge. They won't let us live. Quickly open the door, we want to enter the city to beg for food."

Jin Zhu frowned. "How can anyone believe such an absurd rumor? Why would the court burn your granary?"

Chen Ji shouted, "This matter must be incited by treacherous officials. Everyone, don't listen to rumors."

As the words fell, someone among the disaster victims shouted again, "Don't listen to what these dog officials say. They are full and well-fed in the city, and they talk without knowing the pain. Break down the door!"

The next moment, Chen Ji narrowed his eyes and realized that in the dark night, more than thirty disaster victims were carrying hemp ropes on their shoulders and lifting a heavy giant log towards the city gate. They were prepared.

There was a bang.

Chen Ji and Jin Zhu stood on the city wall and only felt the ground shake and the mountains shake. The whole city shook, rustling stones and dust down.

Chen Ji asked, "How long can the city gate hold?"

Jin Zhu's scalp tingled. "I don't know either. I haven't been to a border town, and I haven't seen an attack on a city."

Chen Ji observed for a moment. "Bad. The city gate is old and hasn't been repaired. I'm afraid it will be rammed open soon."

Jin Zhu turned his head and looked at the dark mass of Luocheng behind him. "This time, if the rebellion happens, I'm afraid tens of thousands of people will suffer."

Saying that, after a moment of hesitation, he actually took out a golden command arrow from his bosom and held it high above his head. "The imperial edict token is here. This is presented by His Majesty personally. I, Song Qian, am an inspector appointed by His Majesty, patrolling the world and appeasing the army and people. I already know about the disaster in Yuxi and have dispatched the Luocheng prefect Zhang-daren to open the granary and release grain. The disaster relief grain will arrive immediately."

The disaster victims gradually stopped shouting and raised their heads to look at the shiny golden imperial edict token. For a while, they hesitated.

Chen Ji looked at Jin Zhu with a complicated expression. This Twelve Zodiacs' mouth really didn't speak a single truth.

At this moment, someone in the crowd shouted, "It's definitely fake! I've seen the real imperial edict token. It doesn't look like this at all."

Jin Zhu was so angry that he stamped his feet and cursed, "Nonsense! This was given to me personally by His Majesty. Who in the crowd is inciting a rebellion? The grain will arrive immediately. If it doesn't arrive before the hour of Mao, I will open the door wide and let you enter the city to wreak havoc!"

Someone instigated again, "Don't believe him. He is definitely calling the official army to suppress us. I don't believe the court will really open the granary and release grain."

The disaster victims were swaying between the instigation and the imperial edict token. Jin Zhu was anxious and sweating profusely. "I've never handled this kind of thing before. What should I do now?"

On the city wall, the secret agents looked at each other with tense expressions, their fingers tightly gripping the handles of their knives, but they didn't know what to do.

Just as the disaster victims were about to ram the door again, Chen Ji suddenly shouted down at the city, "I will go down and wait with all of you for Zhang-daren to open the granary and release grain. If you don't see the grain before the hour of Mao, everyone can kill me with one knife."

Saying that, he actually found a hemp rope from inside the city wall and handed it to Jin Zhu. "Daren, hold this end of the rope and let me out of the city."

Jin Zhu was shocked. "Are you damn crazy? Is it worth risking your life like this? There are definitely people from the Liu family inciting a rebellion below. What if they instigate the disaster victims to kill you?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "I know that ordinary people are not so bold unless they are starving to death. Otherwise, they would not rebel. In addition, Tianma-daren is here."

Jin Zhu suddenly turned his head and saw that a white-clothed Tianma was standing on the eaves of the city wall corner at some point. His heart suddenly felt much more stable.

Chen Ji solemnly instructed, "If someone wants to kill me, they must be spies from the Liu family. Please, Tianma-daren, shoot them."

"Wait, what if the grain doesn't come? Tianma may not be able to stop so many disaster victims."

Chen Ji said calmly, "I'm betting that Zhang-daren can transfer the grain in time."

Jin Zhu leaned against the city wall and looked down. He saw that the disaster victims actually did not surround Chen Ji to kill him, but instead slowly retreated a few steps. The shouts of killing suddenly stopped.

Midnight, three quarters past.

On Guangji Street.

More than ten riders galloped on fast horses, their hooves tapping on the green stone slab road with a crisp and neat sound.

On horseback, Zhang Zhuo's hair was messy from the wind. He held the reins in his right hand and bent down, turning his head to look at Xifeng beside him. "Hey, who was that young man just now?"

Xifeng was vigilant. "Zhang-daren, why do you ask this?"

Zhang Zhuo said casually, "None of you covered your faces, only he covered his face. This official is just curious."

Xifeng explained, "His identity is special, and he is afraid of attracting revenge from the Jing Dynasty thieves, so he always doesn't show his true face. Daren, please don't ask. This is our secret."

Zhang Zhuo's eyes flickered, and he changed the subject. "Did that young man offend the Jing Dynasty?"

Xifeng chuckled. "He offended them miserably. Because of him, the Jing Dynasty has lost soldiers and generals many times."

Zhang Zhuo seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment, he asked again, "Is he your superior?"

Xifeng said in a muffled voice, "Not yet, but he should be soon. Daren, why are you so curious about him?"

Zhang Zhuo chuckled but did not answer.

After about the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, everyone came to the gate of the granary camp and stopped their horses. Soldiers in the camp holding long iron halberds came out to greet them. "Who is this person coming here at midnight?"

Zhang Zhuo jumped off his horse. "This official is Zhang Zhuo, the Luocheng prefect. I need three hundred shi of grain from the granary to deal with the emergency. Quickly open the gate."

However, the soldiers in front of the camp gate did not retreat. They turned their heads to look at the commander behind them. That person's face was expressionless. He did not nod, shake his head, or even say a word. The soldiers stood with their halberds propped up and turned to Zhang Zhuo, saying, "Just because you are wearing a red official robe doesn't mean you are certainly Zhang-daren. You might also be a Jing Dynasty thief pretending. Do you have the government office seal?"

Zhang Zhuo frowned. He had gone to the Luming Banquet tonight. How could he possibly have the government office seal on him? He glanced at the soldiers, looked at the commander behind them, and said calmly, "I have seen you, and you must have seen me. Come forward and speak."

The commander pressed the waist knife with his hand and said indifferently, "We belong to the jurisdiction of the Luocheng Military Command. The granary is a strategically important place. If you want to transfer grain, you not only need the prefect's government office seal, but also General Liu's talisman."

Zhang Zhuo narrowed his eyes. "What if I don't have them?"

The commander said calmly, "Then go back."

Zhang Zhuo did not speak. Everything the other side said was regular procedure. In normal times, he could wait slowly, but not now. He tilted his head and asked Xifeng in a low voice, "Do we have to have this grain? Does Chen... does that young man have any other options?"

Xifeng said, "No."

Zhang Zhuo asked again, "Did he say what would happen if we didn't transfer the grain?"

Xifeng thought for a moment and replied, "He said the Liu family wants to drive you and Chen-daren out of Luocheng together. If you can't transfer the grain, I'm afraid your official position won't be kept."

"His mother, I finally climbed to this position with great difficulty. The Liu family actually wants to mess with my official position?" Zhang Zhuo muttered in a low voice.

"The Liu family seems to know that someone will come to transfer grain tonight. Even a small commander dares to disobey the prefect. But the more this happens, the more it proves that the boy's judgment is not wrong."

The next moment, Zhang Zhuo walked straight towards the commander, not angry but imposing. "Let me in."

The commander raised his eyebrows but did not take him seriously, standing like an iron tower, neither retreating nor yielding.

Zhang Zhuo's steps did not stop. When he came to a short distance in front, he actually suddenly drew out the other side's waist knife and wiped it across the commander's neck with a backhand. In an instant, fresh blood from the commander's neck sprayed onto Zhang Zhuo's red official robe, dyeing purple spots.

Zhang Zhuo propped the knife and said fiercely, "I am Zhang Zhuo, the Luocheng prefect. Today, the matter is urgent, and I am taking authority to come here to transfer grain. Anyone who disobeys will be treated as plotting rebellion."

Xifeng's eyes widened. This was the first time he had seen a civil official hold a knife and kill someone. As soon as he reacted, he immediately roared loudly, "Protect Zhang-daren!"

On the city wall, secret spies took out their hand crossbows from their waists and hid behind the ramparts, staring intently at the darkness below the city.

Jin Zhu paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, no longer as calm as before.

From time to time, he would have to lie down on the city wall and look down, only temporarily putting his heart at ease after confirming that Chen Ji was safe.

He was like a gambler at a Pai Gow table, constantly rubbing open his bottom card to check after getting a good hand, worrying that he had misread it while also fearing his opponent was cheating and might flip the table.

It was as if Chen Ji wasn't gambling with his own life, but Jin Zhu's.

Fortunately.

Perhaps due to the appearance of Tian Ma, the people of the Liu family hidden among the disaster victims did not assassinate Chen Ji.

They were like poisonous insects lying low, waiting for the Mao hour.

Tian Ma stood beside the ramparts and looked down, only to see Chen Ji sitting alone by the city wall, as if no one else was present, closing his eyes and resting, as if asleep.

Tian Ma looked at Jin Zhu and gestured with his hands: "Newcomer? He has great courage, like a madman."

Jin Zhu's face suddenly turned as bitter as a purple eggplant: "I might fall back to the Houtian realm. This kid will play himself to death sooner or later."

Tian Ma was surprised: "You actually bet on him?"

A hint of pity appeared in his eyes.

Jin Zhu sighed: "Meng Ji wrote in his report to the Inner Minister that this kid's official potential is extremely high, both of you are A-grade. I originally thought that A-grade geniuses are hard to find and must be quickly grasped in my hands, but I didn't expect to lose to him."

Tian Ma thought for a moment, and silently gestured: "You want to help him become a Twelve Zodiac?"

Jin Zhu nodded.

Tian Ma gestured again: "Is he also an orphan?"

Jin Zhu shook his head.

Tian Ma hesitated for a moment: "Then when do we remove his parents?"

Jin Zhu lowered his voice, in no mood to say: "To become a Twelve Zodiac, one does not necessarily have to be an orphan, several of the early Zodiacs were not."

Tian Ma was doubtful.

Jin Zhu rolled his eyes and quickly said: "Really no need."

Tian Ma looked at the stars as if nothing had happened: Almost Mao hour.

Jin Zhu was startled in his heart, he turned his head to look inside the city, but still didn't see any trace of grain carts.

The torches had already been extinguished.

Chen Ji slowly opened his eyes and saw the disaster victims in front of him standing up one by one, like a piece of black withered forest, boundless.

A disaster victim held a little girl in his arms and asked dryly: "This official, why is the grain still not transported here? My child is already crying without a sound from hunger."

Chen Ji silently stood up.

The little girl in the disaster victim's arms had arms thinner than bamboo poles.

Chen Ji softly asked: "The flood has receded, why not stay in Yu Xi and cultivate the land?"

The disaster victim said angrily: "After the flood receded, the government demarcated the fields, and mysteriously they all became the Liu family's land. Every household has no surplus grain, Yi Ma county city does have rich households willing to lend us grain, but that is a nine-in, thirteen-out high-interest loan. If this continues, generation after generation will not think of turning over. If there was a way out, we wouldn't have walked a hundred kilometers to Luo City."

The disaster victim said bitterly: "It's really unbearable hunger."

Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted: "What are you wasting words with him for? It's almost Mao hour, the grain promised to us still hasn't arrived."

"Right, where's the grain?"

"Lying, he's deceiving us!"

"Kill him, break down the door!"

On the city wall, Tian Ma immediately wanted to draw his bowstring to the fullest and shoot the disaster victim who was leading the riot, but was held down by Jin Zhu.

Jin Zhu gritted his teeth: "Cannot kill, you cannot kill all the people. If the disaster victims are angered, Chen Ji that kid really won't survive."

Tian Ma looked at Jin Zhu and used hand language to say: No one will listen to what he says, he's a dead man. If not, I'll give him a quick death?

Jin Zhu said urgently: Wait a bit longer!

A moment later, the crowd below the city wall was like a black sea tide, instantly engulfing Chen Ji.

Some waved their fists, some smashed their hoes, some lifted their feet to kick, Chen Ji could only barely dodge the fatal attacks, retreating step by step towards the city gate, finally backing against the round copper rivets of the red lacquer city gate.

Jin Zhu clung to the ramparts and looked down, but discovered that Chen Ji had already been forced into the city gate cave and was no longer visible.

At this time, Chen Ji in the city gate cave grabbed a fist pounding towards him and stared directly at his opponent, saying: "I said the grain will arrive, then it certainly will arrive. My body and life are all gambled here, I'm not panicking, what are you all panicking about? Wait another quarter hour, if the grain still doesn't come after a quarter hour, kill or hack as you please."

Someone in the crowd still shouted: "We've already waited one night, what are you still waiting for?"

"Kill him, break down the door!"

"Enter the city and rob things to eat!"

Chen Ji's face sank, the Liu family people were unwilling to wait any longer.

But the disaster victims hesitated, unwilling to lay a deadly hand on Chen Ji for a long time.

They were just honest farmers, they had never really killed people before, and earlier they were just bluffing.

The next moment, a man with a fierce expression shuttled among the disaster victims, he quietly came to the front row and stabbed out a knife from a gap, going straight towards Chen Ji's abdomen.

In the chaos, if this knife stabbed Chen Ji to death, there would be no turning back between the disaster victims and the court.

However, just at the instant this knife was delivered, the man was surprised to discover that this knife was actually dodged by Chen Ji.

He suddenly lifted his head, facing Chen Ji's cold gaze.

The man then realized that Chen Ji was absolutely not as weak as he had shown earlier.

However, after seeing that the sneak attack did not succeed, the man did not hesitate, he viciously turned the knife edge and stabbed it straight into his own abdomen, wailing and raising his bloody hands: "Murder, the official killed people, take revenge for me, enter Luo City."

Chen Ji's expression was serious, this was a dead soldier raised by the Liu family.

Zhang Zhuo, huh? Why hasn't the grain been adjusted yet?

What accident? Could it be that the Liu family still has backup at the grain depot?

For a time, messy emotions surged into his brain, Chen Ji only felt that he had fallen into a carefully designed dead end by the Liu family.

This was not like Liu Ming's obvious scheme, but more like a seasoned chess player's temporary whim, casually placing a piece and then blocking all his retreats.

Sinister, cunning, no leeway.

The opponent's plan was linked step by step, as if no matter how you struggled, you would ultimately find it hard to escape the fate of destined failure.

At this time, someone shouted: Make way.

The crowd hurriedly made way.

Chen Ji lifted his head to look, but saw that at the end of the channel where the disaster victims had made way, there were just dozens of people shouldering hemp ropes, lifting heavy giant wood to ram towards the city gate.

Once the city gate was broken, the people's revolt would inevitably rise, and a dead end would be formed.

However, just at this time, a crisp horse hoof sound came from behind the city gate, lonely yet resolute.

The noisy sound of the disaster victims was actually suppressed by this lonely horse hoof sound, the whole world was only left with this one sound.

A creaking sound came, the heavy vermilion lacquer city gate behind Chen Ji was actually slowly pulled open from the inside.

The disaster victims looked on in astonishment, their gaze passing over Chen Ji, towards the increasingly large gap in the door.

Inside the vermilion red door gap, Zhang Zhuo just sat on a black war horse, his face and red official robe were all covered in blood spots.

Zhang Zhuo lightly urged his horse forward, the war horse snorted and stepped out of the city gate step by step. It walked one step, and the disaster victims retreated one step, until the crowd of people no longer retreated.

This figure of one person and one horse actually surpassed the momentum of thousands of disaster victims.

Chen Ji turned his head to look, Zhang Zhuo came alone, with no grain carts behind him.

He suddenly lifted his head, finding it hard to believe.

"Where is the grain? What did you come for without grain? To die?"

However, Zhang Zhuo calmly sat on the horse, raised his voice unhurriedly and said: "This official is the Luo City prefect Zhang Zhuo, the relief grain is on the way, it will be transported here in no more than half an hour, all people retreat one hundred zhang, this official wants to set up a porridge shed under the city, at that time line up to give porridge, everyone has a share."

The disaster victims did not move, without grain, saying anything was useless.

They confronted Zhang Zhuo silently, the silent pressure of thousands of people, as thick as a city wall, solid as substance.

Chen Ji's heart sank, he said in a low voice: "Adult, retreat slowly, my secret spy department will cover you."

But he heard Zhang Zhuo let out a cold laugh from his nose, and actually urged his horse forward again to press on.

The black tide of disaster victims was boundless, a touch of red figure was straight, firm, not allowing doubt.

Clatter clatter

Clatter clatter.

The slow sound of iron hooves knocked at the hearts of the disaster victims, Zhang Zhuo said calmly: "This official is the Son of Heaven's appointed Luo City prefect, Zhang Zhuo. Those who do not retreat, according to the law, should be beheaded."

Also at this time, some disaster victims saw through the city gate that Xi Feng and others were just pulling cart after cart of grain appearing at the end of the long street: "The grain has come."

"The grain has come!"

"Quick, don't obstruct Master Zhang from setting up the porridge shed."

The disaster victims suddenly retreated like a defeat, like a tide.

Chen Ji let out a long breath of turbid air.

Zhang Zhuo stopped his horse by his side and laughed happily: "I still thought you were really not afraid of death!"

Chen Ji said tiredly: "Master Zhang, where in this world are there people who are really not afraid of death? I'm afraid to death."

Zhang Zhuo lowered his head and carefully examined Chen Ji, only to see that the young man's clothes were torn, his face had bruises, and he was extremely embarrassed.

A moment later, he said solemnly: "Thank you."

Chen Ji then said: "Adult does not need to thank me, it's good as long as nothing happened."

Zhang Zhuo said solemnly: "If you hadn't reminded me, I would not have discovered that there was a people's revolt tonight. If you hadn't delayed the time, the disaster victims would not have waited for the grain. This official thanks you for preserving my and Master Chen's official hats, and secondly thanks you for preserving the lives of the thousands of households behind this city gate."

Saying this, Zhang Zhuo jumped off his horse and bowed deeply towards Chen Ji.

Chen Ji slightly turned his body, only feeling that Zhang Zhuo tonight was somewhat different from the past Zhang Zhuo.

He slowly opened his mouth: "Now that Master Zhang is here to take charge of the overall situation, I should also leave."

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji and seriously asked: "I have great ambitions, would you assist me?"

Chen Ji laughed: "Thank you for your appreciation, Master Zhang, I know how many pounds and taels I have. I can risk my life, but I can't play politics."

Zhang Zhuo looked at Chen Ji's eyes, not angry because of his refusal, but instead showed a smile: "No harm, a forcefully twisted melon is not sweet, but one day, if you change your mind, you may come find me anytime."

Chen Ji was doubtful, always feeling that this sentence sounded like it was heard somewhere before, he firmly answered: "I will not change my mind."

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily: "Young man, don't say things absolutely, the only thing that is unchanging in this world is 'change'."

Saying this, he proactively changed the topic: "This matter, is it indeed the Liu family behind it?"

Chen Ji replied: "Undoubtedly."

Zhang Zhuo looked at the dense disaster victims: "You don't hurry to succeed and retreat yet, the Liu family people are still hiding among the disaster victims. If they are allowed to continue lurking, perhaps variables will still arise. I also ask you, do you have a way to find them out?"

Chen Ji closed his eyes.

When he reopened them, he answered: "There is a method, I can try."