The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Chapter 521: Not a Penny from the Commoners, All from the Gentry



Not long ago, although the city had just experienced a tough siege, perhaps the news of reinforcements arriving had boosted the morale of the military and civilians in the city.

In any case, when Zhao Douan walked out of the government office through the side door and onto the main street within the city, he found that order was still maintained.

However, the usually bustling streets were much quieter, and although some shops along the street were still open, most of them had "Closed" signs hanging.

Zhao Shande looked at this unnamed nobleman hesitantly, still a bit bewildered.

He had failed to meet the Magistrate, yet from the depths of the government office emerged this handsome young man, claiming he was ordered to go with him to collect grain, but being very secretive about his identity.

Since when was there such a person in the government office?

Zhao Shande didn't know, but having struggled at the grassroots level for half his life, his insight as an ancient social animal was sharp. Although he didn't know Zhao Douan's identity, just from his demeanor and presence, he could tell his status was definitely not simple.

Could he be the son of the Magistrate?

Zhao Shande speculated, as his own status did not qualify him to meet the Prefect's family, so he could only make wild guesses.

"Just the two of us?" Zhao Douan asked with a smile.

Zhao Shande was taken aback and hurriedly replied, "There are a few soldiers waiting at the street corner near the Lu Mansion."

Then he mustered up the courage to tentatively ask, "Sir, you're not from around here?"

Zhao Douan glanced at the cautious old official of the government office and smiled somewhat profoundly, "Yes, I haven't been here long. Did you enter the office by inheriting your father's position, or did you take the exams?"

Zhao Shande straightened his back slightly, "I passed the exams as a young Scholar and was fortunate enough to be appreciated by the County Magistrate, starting as a clerical officer in the county government... it's been twenty years now..."

Zhao Douan's eyes warmed slightly, seeing in this fellow surnamed official a shadow of his previous life.

Both came from humble backgrounds, followed similar growth paths, the difference being that in the feudal dynasty's officials there were differences in "flow grade," with officials and clerks being distinctly separate by birth.

As they walked, they chatted casually, and Zhao Shande became increasingly amazed, finding that this young man was knowledgeable, spoke with a noble air, apparently from a prestigious family, yet inexplicably familiar with the daily life of low-level officials. Ignoring his appearance, just his seasoned manner and grasp of the grassroots bureaucracy was slicker than even this old clerk.

When did such a figure emerge in the government office?

As they talked, they had already walked to a large mansion within the city. When the four soldiers inside a small shop at the street corner saw them, they quickly stood up and walked out, looking at Zhao Douan with surprise and suspicion.

"This is the one appointed by the Lord Prefect," Zhao Shande explained, putting on his "official authority" in front of the muscular soldiers, "Follow me to collect the grain immediately."

The few low-level soldiers dared not delay, quickly bowed their heads in salute, and the group headed once more towards the main gate of the Lu Mansion.

"Please, go and knock on the door first," Zhao Douan said with a smile.

Zhao Shande braced himself, nodded, straightened his back, and took two or three steps up the stairs to knock on the door knocker.

With a creak, the tall gate of the Lu Mansion opened a crack, and a person looking like a steward came out, frowned, and said patiently, "As I said, there's no surplus grain in the mansion, go collect from elsewhere."

Saying this, he was about to close the door, showing a cold attitude, as if he had dealt with grain supervision officers many times before.

"Wait!" Zhao Shande got anxious, straightened his face, and said sternly, "I am the grain supervision officer under Minister Xue, ordered to come and legally urge the collection of military grain..."

He couldn't gauge the nobleman's identity behind him, so he wanted to make a good impression to prevent the Magistrate from thinking he wasn't doing his job well.

The steward of the Lu Mansion mocked, "Zhao Shande, you've mistaken a chicken feather for a command arrow, with your status you couldn't even step into the Lu Mansion's door on ordinary days. Stop blabbering, it's already a gift that I haven't ordered you to be driven away, now scram."

Zhao Shande's mind raced, and he sternly said, "Do you know that Commander Zhao has entered the city! Do you think it's the same as before? Ha, do you really think I'm easy to bully? You should consider why the Lord Prefect specifically sent me to urge your Lu Family for grain?"

The steward paused, sized him up, and suddenly laughed, "Zhao Shande, are you trying to use Commander Zhao's banner to intimidate? Just because you share a surname with Zhao, doesn't make you relatives or connected? I know your background very well, stop using Commander Zhao to scare people, and let me make this clear today: it's not just you, even if the governor from the Capital came, the Lu Family would say the same, no grain! None!"

Zhao Shande was deflated when his tricks were seen through, and turned bitterly to look at the nobleman behind him pitifully, thinking, you see, it's not that I'm not doing my job, it's just that the Lu Mansion is too overbearing, and we few lack the power or ability to intimidate them.

Zhao Douan's expression was somewhat peculiar, his eyes filled with amusement as he looked at him, then he sighed softly, stepped forward seriously, and said, "Whether the Lu family has grain or not is one thing, but to block a grain supervision officer appointed by the court at the gate, not even letting him in, is a bit too domineering."

The steward of the Lu Mansion frowned, "Who are you? I advise you to mind your own business."

He couldn't ascertain Zhao Douan's identity, but seeing that he wasn't wearing official robes and was with an old official like Zhao Shande, he didn't take him seriously—

How could a person of real status walk with such a lowly individual, who climbed up from the bottom and remained a small clerk in the Qingshui Government Office for years?

Zhao Douan's smile didn't fade, but he placed his hand on half of the courtyard door, "What if I insist on meddling?"

The steward of the Lu Mansion blinked, suddenly finding this person close to him, his heart unexpectedly panicked, and instinctively tried to close the door, only to be shocked to find this seemingly gentle and pale young man possessed shocking strength; he lightly blocked with a hand, and the door didn't budge.


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