Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Outside Zuixian Tower

The sun grew increasingly fierce, and it was already late noon. The civil servants in their official robes were fine, but the soldiers in the garrison, clad in helmets and armor, suffered greatly. Their armor was scorching, their inner clothes soaked through and clung to their bodies. Many of them had expressions of pain and anxiety on their faces.

Qian Ming approached Zhang Jingwei and watched him wipe his sweat constantly, his lips turning pale. He couldn't help but whisper, "Master, waiting like this isn't a solution! It's almost noon... How about I take the risk and go upstairs? Just say... just say that refreshments are ready downstairs and ask Your Majesty to move on?"

Zhang Jingwei glared at him weakly, his voice hoarse, "Shut up! Even my teacher and I can only stand here and wait obediently, who do you think you are? A mere servant, you think you are worthy enough to ask the Prime Minister for an audience? Can you see the Prime Minister whenever you want? Just stay still!"

Qian Ming said with a bitter face: "But... waiting like this is really not a solution! Master, aren't you hungry? I can see that you look pale."

Zhang Jingwei was practically on the verge of tears. He clutched his rumbling stomach and whispered, "I'm so hungry... I'm so hungry I feel dizzy and my calves are trembling... If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have slept in today. I'd have gotten up and had a couple of steamed buns..."

Qian Ming's eyes lit up: "Then I'll go to the kitchen and get some snacks. You and the governor can have some first."

At this moment, Liu Yanzhi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. His voice was steady but contained an undeniable command: "Jingwei, no." His eyes swept over Zhang Jingwei. "I know a thing or two about the Prime Minister's temper. It's clear he's genuinely angry and is deliberately leaving us hanging. All we have to do now is wait patiently to show our sincerity and repentance. If we don't even have this little bit of patience, how can we appease his wrath? I... haven't even had breakfast yet."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingwei suppressed his hunger and said respectfully, "Teacher, I'm right." He turned to Qian Ming and instructed him, his voice raised so the surrounding officials could hear, "Go and tell him that the Prime Minister's anger is directed at me, Zhang Jingwei, and has nothing to do with anyone else. Colleagues and soldiers present, if you are exhausted or hungry, please withdraw and rest and eat. There's no need to wait here."

Qian Ming responded and hurried to pass on the message. But the governor and the county magistrate didn't move, so who would dare to leave? The atmosphere became even more depressing.

……

Another hour passed by, and under the scorching sun, the patience of some generals finally wore out.

In the ranks, a dark-faced, burly general couldn't help but curse under his breath. Although his voice was suppressed, it was remarkably clear in the silence: "Damn it! Officials from the capital are always full of trouble! They're so arrogant! They've already changed the ceremonial guard twice, and my legs are numb from standing there! Why won't he get down? Does he really think he's the emperor on tour?"

Qi Shuke, who was standing next to him, quickly pulled him aside and said in a low voice, "Bi Bao! Keep your voice down! You can't control your words! If my son-in-law hears you, you'll be in trouble!"

The dark-faced general named Bi Bao didn't care at all. He said in a muffled voice, "Brother Qi, I'm a rough man and can't stand this humiliation! Wait another quarter of an hour! Just a quarter of an hour! If that big Buddha upstairs doesn't move, I'll go up and invite him down! I don't care if he's a prime minister or not!"

Zhang Jingwei was not far away and heard every word of these words. His face showed no expression, but he secretly cheered in his heart, as if he had found a "mouthpiece" to vent his dissatisfaction for him, and he had no intention of saying anything to stop them.

Liu Yanzhi tilted his head slightly and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Your subordinate is so rebellious, and you don't do anything about it?"

Zhang Jingwei didn't even raise his eyelids and replied in a low voice: "Teacher, please be advised. Among all those present, you have the highest official rank and the highest grade. How can I, a student, take over your duties and discipline the generals without your permission?" He cleverly kicked the ball back.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanzhi actually smiled and stopped talking, as if he tacitly agreed with Zhang Jingwei's indulgent attitude.

After enduring for a while, Bi Bao's patience ran out. He stamped his foot, his armor rustling, and said in a gruff voice, "I've had enough! I'm almost roasted wearing this iron lump! I'm going to go and treat him now!" As he spoke, he was about to rush into Zuixianlou.

Qi Shuke was shocked and grabbed him tightly: "Bi Bao! Stop right there! No one is allowed to act rashly without the order of the son-in-law! Do you want to kill us all?"

Bi Bao stiffened his neck, his eyes wide as copper bells: "Brother! Can you bear to watch my son-in-law and brothers suffer here? At worst, I, Old Bi, will give up my head! Let him chop it off! It's better than being roasted like a pig here!"

"Bi Bao! You bastard! Come back quickly!" Qi Shuke was so anxious that he was sweating profusely and could hardly hold him back.

Zhang Jingwei watched this scene with an extremely intriguing expression on his face, as if saying: Oh wow? This is going to be a good show! He even took a half step back.

Just as Bi Bao was about to break free from Qi Shuke and charge up the stairs, the door to Zuixianlou suddenly flew open from the inside. The young man who had been accompanying Zhao Mingcheng emerged, his face sullen. He stood in front of the door and shouted, "Stop! The Left Prime Minister is concentrating on his studies upstairs. How dare a warrior like you interrupt?! Do you think you can handle disturbing the Prime Minister?"

Bi Bao was already furious, and being stopped made him even more furious. He pointed at the young man and shouted, "I am Bi Bao, the cavalry captain of the Gaoyang Garrison Battalion, serving under General Huangfu Changshui, the commander of Yunzhou! I have been ordered to come here to protect the Prime Minister! I beg you to come out and verify your identity! Who knows if you are just another bunch of liars!"

The young man's face turned pale with anger at his rudeness. He snorted coldly and said arrogantly, "How dare you, a mere border commander, speak so arrogantly here! Liu Shen! As the governor of Yunzhou, are you going to sit back and watch your generals roar so rudely?!"

Without waiting for Liu Yanzhi's reply, Bi Bao retorted, "Who do you think you are? How dare you address my governor by his name? You're yelling at me, the father and mother of Yunzhou!"

The young man straightened his back, pulled out a certificate from his pocket, and said in a loud voice, "Hmph! I am the Left Censor of the Central Court! I always serve the emperor, admonishing him for his mistakes and supervising and recommending officials! How can a crude warrior like you scold me?!"

When Bi Bao heard that he was only an eighth-rank official, he was furious. "Bah! An eighth-rank official, a lowly official, dares to speak to his superiors like that? Looks like I, Old Bi, must teach you a lesson today on behalf of the court about respect and inferiority!"

When Zuo Shiyi saw that Bi Bao was really going to attack him, his face changed and he suddenly pulled out a shiny black iron pipe from his waist and pointed it at Bi Bao!

——It turned out to be a short-barreled musket with a matchlock!

The black muzzle of the gun exudes the breath of death, and the crackling sound of the burning fuse makes one's scalp tingle!

Obviously, Bi Bao was a young man who had never seen a firearm, but he still rushed in with his head held high.

Zhang Jingwei's original mood for watching the show disappeared in an instant. He was frightened to the point of being terrified and scared out of his wits!

He rushed forward and grabbed Bi Bao who was about to rush forward, and shouted at him: "How dare you! Bi Bao! You bastard! How dare you talk to the adults who came to the capital like this! Get out of here!" While cursing, he desperately winked at Bi Bao.

Bi Bao was pointed at by the muzzle of a gun and was also stunned. Then, Zhang Jingwei held him tightly, and his momentum suddenly wilted. He said in a stammering voice: "Auntie...Uncle...I..."

Zhang Jingwei immediately interrupted him, saying sternly, "In official situations, you must refer to your position!"

Bi Bao then reluctantly saluted, but still stiffened his neck and said, "Your Excellency! I think we still need to verify their identity! What if...what if the person inside is also a fake? Aren't there enough scammers pretending to be officials these days?"

Zhang Jingwei secretly cursed the reckless man for his stubbornness, but on the surface he had to put on a fair and stern face and scolded him, "Absurd! The prefect is here in person, do you still have the guts to doubt him?!"

Bi Bao muttered, "I wouldn't dare... but there have been too many people who have been eating and drinking for free and flaunting their power lately. I... I'm just checking to avoid being fooled and bringing disgrace to the court!"

Zhang Jingwei took a deep breath, his eyes swept over Zuo Shiyi, who was still holding the short gun and had a cold expression on his face, and then looked at the closed window upstairs. His tone became extremely strange, with a strong sense of sarcasm and a hint of resignation:

"Of course, the Prime Minister is the most concerned about his reputation! How could a prime minister of a country stay in...stay in a place like this (he pointed at the sign of Zuixianlou) for two days without moving? Didn't you hear what this gentleman said? The Prime Minister is 'studying' in there! How can you, with your idiotic mind, understand the Prime Minister's deep meaning? Maybe if you wait a little longer, the Prime Minister will even learn a foreign language!"

He spoke loudly, speaking not only to Bi Bao but also to Zhao Mingcheng upstairs and Zuo Shiyi in front of him. A dead silence fell, everyone stunned by Zhang Jingwei's bold, almost indirect, words. Zuo Shiyi's hand, holding the musket, trembled slightly.