Traveling through ancient times: living a different life

The two left the bandit's nest and galloped to the next county town. They arrived at Shuangshi County at noon. After entering the city, they first found an inn and arranged for the horses. The two went out to eat at a small restaurant and asked the inn owner where the county government was. The owner thought they were going to file a complaint, so he hurriedly said, "I heard from people these days that there are bandits robbing and killing people ahead. County Magistrate Zhang wants to go with Pingnan County to suppress the bandits, but there is a bandit's nest in the middle and they can't get in touch. They are contacting another county and want to jointly report to the county governor and send troops to suppress the bandit problem. What do you want?"

Biyue and Xiaomai listened quietly before saying, "I have nothing to do. I just want to ask if Magistrate Zhang of Shuangshi is a good official or a corrupt official, and how he treats the people."

The boss didn't think much about it and said with a smile: "You've asked the right person. Our county's magistrate Zhang is only in his twenties and has only been here for a year. He's really good. This spring he personally led people to the countryside to check on the spring plowing. I heard that he was a farmer's son who studied and passed the exam. It's a blessing for Shuangshi County to have such a magistrate."

Hearing the boss praising the county magistrate like this, he thought that he should give the credit to him, or he should visit the county government office tonight to see if it was true.

The two of them slept in the room in the afternoon. They got up at around three o'clock and went out for a walk, asking about the situation. They asked several people and they all said that Magistrate Zhang of Shuangshi County was a very good person.

At 5 p.m. in the afternoon, the two of them ate a bowl of noodles each and then returned to the guest room.

Around 12:00 p.m., when it was completely dark, Bi Yue said, "Xiaomi, I'm going to visit the county government office at night. You wait for me in the guest room."

"Miss, then you better be careful." Xiaomai knew that there was no room for negotiation on the young lady's decisions, so she could only agree and cooperate obediently.

Bi Yue put on an invisibility cloak and used her lightness skills to arrive at the county government compound in two quarters of an hour. The back of the county government compound was separated from the houses of the imperial family by a wall. Bi Yue roughly identified the layout of the county government's buildings, including the offices where the runners worked.

I went to look for the office first. There was a small lantern hanging a few meters away from the corridor, so it wasn't pitch dark everywhere. There were two yamen runners chatting at the duty station. After looking for a few places, I saw a room with bright lights. There were two yamen runners guarding the door outside. I could hear talking when I got closer, so I walked in from the main entrance. This was the place for the county government to hold meetings. Sitting at the top was County Magistrate Zhang and a few others who should be his subordinates from the county.

Bi Yue saw that they were still discussing things so late, thinking they were quite dedicated, so she stood quietly in the corner and listened to what they said.

Zhao County Lieutenant was tall and strong. He said, "Master Zhang, the soldiers of the two counties cannot resist a few hundred bandits. Only the city can send troops to garrison."

Magistrate Zhang said distressedly: "I know this, and the soldiers in the county government don't have much fighting power. If they go, they will die."

County Magistrate Yin said with a bitter face: "It's been two days since the letter was sent. I don't know whether the troops will be sent tomorrow."

There were two others who also murmured quietly and shook their heads helplessly.

Bi Yue understood the situation and went to an empty room at the back of the county government office. She released all the bandits from her treasure bag and closed the door before the bandits woke up. She put a sign on the right door saying "Bandits are here" and then went back to the county magistrate's meeting room. Everyone else had left, and only the county magistrate was sitting on a chair, frowning and looking upset.

While the county magistrate was deep in thought, Bi Yue crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it on the ground in front of the county magistrate.

The county magistrate heard a small sound, and when he came to his senses, he saw a paper ball suddenly appearing on the ground in front of him. He looked around the room and found nothing unusual, so he hurried over, picked up the paper ball, opened it and saw the words written on it: "All the bandits have been caught and are locked up in the house behind the county government office. Go and count them quickly. Qingyue left a note."

The county magistrate couldn't believe whether it was true or false. Since someone left this letter, it must be true. He immediately came out of the room, called the two gatekeepers, and went to the back of the county government office with lanterns. After searching several rooms, they saw a house with a piece of white paper pasted on the right door. On the paper were written in large letters: "There are bandits here."

The county magistrate pushed the door on the other side open with a creaky sound. He shone the lantern inside and saw about three or four hundred people lying in a mess in the room, their hands and feet tied, all still sleeping.

The county magistrate was surprised and delighted to see this. He walked over excitedly and found that these people had been drugged and had not yet woken up. So he said anxiously to the two yamen runners beside him: "Go and tell the yamen runners to go to the homes of the four adults and call them over. Ask County Lieutenant Zhao to count the yamen runners and bring them here.

The two yamen runners were also shocked when they saw this situation. Who had such ability to transport the bandits to the house behind the county government office without making any noise? No one would believe it if they told others about it.

The county magistrate was not only excited but also very happy. He put his hands together and said loudly to the people around him: "Thank you, Immortal Qingyue, for helping us catch the bandits and bringing peace to the people around us. I know that the immortal is reluctant to show up, but I, together with the people of the entire county, would like to thank the immortal for his great kindness. Thank you, immortal, thank you!"

The county magistrate was muttering to himself. After an incense stick of time, a yamen runner in front of him, accompanied by the county magistrate and Tian Zhubo, hurried over. They heard a loud voice shouting from a distance: "Master Zhang, I heard from the yamen runners below that they caught the bandits. Is this true? Who did this? Who is so capable?"

Three more came one after another and hurried to the county magistrate. Magistrate Zhang pointed at the words on the door. Several people saw it. County Lieutenant Zhao pushed open the door first. With a creaky sound, the two doors opened. The four followed and said in disbelief when they saw the scene inside, "Oh my God, so many people are caught here. This, this is incredible.

The bandits lying inside began to wake up one by one, and saw their brothers lying in the room with their hands and feet tied. They were confused and didn't know where this place was. Then they saw five more men.

One of the bandits asked, "What is this place? I remember sleeping on the bed, how did I get here?"

County Magistrate Zhao stared at the bandit who was speaking and said gloatingly, "You are now lying behind the county government office in Shuangshi County."

The sober bandits were confused at the time. What on earth had happened? Did they offend some god? Why were all their brothers tied up here overnight?

Master Liu said, "Master Zhang, with so many people, I'm afraid the county jail can't hold them all. What should we do now?"

Magistrate Zhang thought for a moment and said, "No need to move them. Just keep them here for now. However, the bandit leader must still be locked up in the prison and his hands and feet must be shackled."

So the yamen runners handcuffed the feet and hands of the three confused leaders with iron chains, and then untied the ropes on their feet and hands. Six yamen runners took the three leaders to the prison, and all the yamen runners in the county were sent to guard here tonight.

Bi Yue also listened and followed along the way, watched the play, and listened to the gossip. She looked at the alarm clock and saw that it was almost three o'clock. She was also sleepy. Her mission was completed and it was time to have a good rest. She used her Qinggong skills to jump a few times and flew towards the inn.