Chapter 89

As the city gate opened, the rain continued to fall incessantly. The people wiped the rain from their faces and looked up at the sky, which was shrouded in dark clouds. The people were eager to enter the city, pushing and shoving, all wanting to get in as quickly as possible, thinking that doing so would make them safer. Uncle San also wanted to hurry, but Lin Yanzhao said, "Slow down."

Just as he spoke, several thuds were heard, and a few people fell into the mud, looking disheveled and covered in mud.

A loud bang was heard, and a man on the city tower shouted, "Damn it, who dares to cause trouble? Line up and come in one by one. If anyone dares to move around recklessly, they will be treated as spies and killed!"

After he finished speaking, a row of soldiers with matchlocks appeared from under the city gate, their gun barrels pointing at the people below. The people were frightened and became obedient, forming a long queue, though some pushing and shoving still occurred.

At the city gate, the fierce soldiers held their weapons, watching vigilantly.

Several agile soldiers pulled out the people passing through the city gate and conducted strict checks. A battalion commander questioned those who looked suspicious.

When it was Lin Yanzhao's family's turn, the soldiers were about to search them, but the battalion commander said, "This is a scholar, let him pass. Don't insult a man of letters."

"Yes, sir."

Lin Yanzhao's family was briefly checked and then allowed to enter the city smoothly.

After passing through the city gate, the feeling of unease from outside the city disappeared, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The people did not have time to avoid the rain and hurried into the city. The sound of a drum from the drum tower echoed, and people pushing carts were collecting chamber pots from house to house along the street. The people set up stalls to sell breakfast or went out to work. Along the river near the entertainment district, the water was still floating with the makeup and powder from the girls of the previous night.

It was almost like two different worlds.

The people walked along the road to the Houguan County Office. Due to the Japanese pirates, the front of the county office was heavily guarded.

As they approached the street in front of the county office, a bailiff and several clerks came over and shouted, "What are you doing? This is a government office, not a place for you to wander around! Be careful, or we'll treat you as spies and arrest you!"

Lin Yanzhao knew the skills of these clerks in bullying the good. Uncle San immediately tried to flatter them, saying, "We are the family of the clerk Lin Ke. Please let us see him."

Hearing Lin Ke's name, the bailiff smiled and said, "So you're looking for Lin Ke."

Seeing that he was familiar, Uncle San smiled and said, "Yes, do you think Lin Ke is...?"

"What Lin Ke? He used to be a clerk under the head of the Yellow Squad, but now he's in the government office and considers himself an official." There was a hint of jealousy in his words. The difference between a bailiff and a clerk was significant, and even a clerk without a formal position was better than him.

Uncle San tried to flatter him, "I misspoke. But please inform them for us."

The bailiff sneered, "Inform? With the Japanese pirates here, the county magistrate has ordered us to patrol and look for spies. You are not allowed to enter the county office casually. What if you are Japanese spies trying to assassinate the county magistrate?"

"You..." Uncle San's veins bulged as he glared at the bailiff.

"What, do you want to fight? Are you tired of living? I think you look just like a Japanese spy. Brothers, take them to the county jail!" The bailiff made a move as if to attack.

The mother quickly stepped forward, "Brother, let's talk. We are really Lin Ke's family."

"Who the hell believes you? Get lost!"

"Hold on." Lin Yanzhao stood in front of Uncle San.

"What are you, a little brat? Who let you out of your pants?"

Lin Yanzhao looked at him and said, "So arrogant, are you so arrogant that you don't even give face to Mr. Shen?"

"What are you, a little brat, daring to call me arrogant?"

"Me?"

Lin Yanzhao then took something out of his pocket and threw it directly at the bailiff's face.

"You dare to hit me? You rascals?" The bailiff was both surprised and angry.

"So what if I hit you? Look at what this note says first."

The bailiff, both surprised and angry, opened the note and said, "Is this Mr. Shen's name card?"

"Do you even know how to read? How can you not give face to Lin Ke, and not even to Mr. Shen? Do you know who Lin Ke is? Is it your place to be so arrogant?" Lin Yanzhao asked one question after another.

The bailiff was speechless, knowing that Mr. Shen was not someone he could provoke. He said, "Damn, it's really true."

"Do you want to take us to see the official? To the jail? No more nonsense? Then lead the way, or Mr. Shen will make you pay!"

The bailiff, embarrassed, said, "Why so aggressive? If I can't handle it, I can avoid it. Xiao Hai, take them to the office. I still need to patrol, I won't accompany you."

The bailiff said this and quickly led the people away.

The group finally entered the main gate of the county office. Uncle San said to Lin Yanzhao, "Yanzhao, what you did just now was satisfying, but it offended your uncle's colleagues, making it harder for him."

Lin Yanzhao replied, "If we are afraid of a bailiff, we might as well stay in our hometown. The clerks and bailiffs in the government office are like this. If you are firm, they will be soft; if you are soft, they will be firm. You can be a bit more aggressive and don't need to be polite to them."

The mother said, "I think Yanzhao was impressive just now. Our family head is too honest and gets bullied in the government office."

The group then entered the county office, passed through the main gate, and came to the main hall where the previous lawsuit took place. To the west of the main gate was the archive, and to the east was the hall for the six departments, where the clerks and scribes worked.

The hall for the six departments was divided into six rooms. Entering through one door, the left side had the departments of administration, household, and rites, and the right side had the departments of military, justice, and works. This was the standard layout for government offices. The clerk led Lin Yanzhao's family to the military department and pointed to a room before leaving.

Lin Yanzhao went to the door of the military department and found a clerk in a white robe, saying, "Excuse me, I'm looking for Lin Ke, the new clerk. We are his family."

The clerk in the white robe frowned and said, "Lin Ke? He was sent to the neighborhoods to recruit soldiers. Wait in the tea room for a while, don't get in the way. It's very busy today with the Japanese pirates."

Lin Yanzhao and his family then waited in the tea room. They sat on small stools and waited. The people in the tea room, knowing they were the family of a clerk, did not neglect them, giving them tea to drink and a fire to dry their clothes.

After a while, Uncle San saw his brother return, looking tired and dirty.

"Brother."

"Father."

"Sir."

"Official."

"Big brother."

The family gathered around, and the brother, seeing his wife and children, was moved and hugged them, saying, "You came, I was worried about you. It's good that you came, it's good that you came."

Then there was a scene of family reunion.

The mother sobbed, "Sir, I thought I might not see you again. You heartless man, you ran to the city to enjoy yourself and ignored us. If it weren't for Yanzhao's cleverness, you wouldn't see me or your son again."

Saying this, the mother hit the brother a few times.

The brother, seeing his colleagues passing by, quickly said, "Wife, give me some face, these are my colleagues."

Uncle San then saw the brother and said, "Brother, what happened to your clothes? They are dirty. What is this yellow? Is it feces?"

The brother, seeing Uncle San's words, looked embarrassed and said, "Nothing, nothing. I slipped and fell, I slipped and fell."

Just as the brother finished speaking, a clerk in a blue robe came out from the office and asked, "Lin Ke, how did it go?"

The brother bowed and said dejectedly, "Report to the department head, it didn't go well."

A clerk who went with the brother also said, "Department head, we went to the neighborhood to recruit soldiers, but we were blocked. The neighborhood head ran away, leaving us to take the blame. The people cursed us for taking money but not defending the city from the Japanese pirates, and even demanded the dismissal of a good official like General Yu. Now they want their children to go to their deaths."

"Then they threw all sorts of things at us. Someone even threw a bucket of feces. I ran fast, but Lin Ke was a bit slower and ended up like this."

Lin Ke quickly said, "Department head, I'm fine. I'm tough, a few hits won't hurt me, just my clothes are dirty."

The department head said, "This is unacceptable. You are a clerk in the government office, a person of status. Now the Qing army has issued a notice, requiring us to recruit soldiers from the city to assist the garrison in defending the city. If you don't recruit three hundred people for me, I won't be able to complete my task!"

The brother could only reply, "Yes, department head, we will definitely complete this task. I will settle my family first and then go to the neighborhood again."

"Good, do it as soon as possible. Have a bowl of tea, clean yourself up, and change into clean clothes. No, call the head of the Yellow Squad, they are the best at dealing with rascals." The department head spoke tactfully, urging but not pushing too hard.

Lin Yanzhao then said, "Brother, you go and do your duty. We have money, so we will find a inn to stay. When you finish your task, come and find us."

Everyone understood.

The brother's eyes reddened, and he looked at his wife and children, saying, "I'm sorry for the trouble you've been through."

The mother, unusually magnanimous, said, "Sir, don't worry about us, focus on your duty."

Lin Yanzhao tidied up and was about to leave when two people, dusty and tired, entered the office.

The department head, who had been stern, suddenly smiled and said, "Oh, isn't this Mr. Shen? What brings you here?"

PS: Brothers, do you have to be so awesome? I woke up to find myself second in the Three Rivers, second, second, important things said three times, please vote for the Three Rivers again! You can vote every day, and don't forget to vote for the recommendations too!

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