Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 582 Unpalatable Food
The gates of Liangzhou Prefecture were tightly shut, and there wasn't a single yamen runner on duty outside.

Feng Zhong'an and the others got off the carriage, and upon hearing the commotion, their expressions turned grim.

A servant standing next to Feng Zhong'an stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The knocking continued for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before any other noises could be heard inside.

"Who is it! Coming to the yamen at night? Don't you want to die!" The man inside cursed before opening the door. He was dumbfounded when he saw the yamen runners from the capital. Upon closer inspection, he saw a procession of carriages and horses below the steps of the yamen, led by a high-ranking official from the capital whom even his master dared not offend.

The person who came to open the door was so frightened that he kept backing away, and then he started running.

It's not hard to guess that he went inside to deliver a message.

Xu Xiaoyun sized up Feng Zhong'an and, seeing that he didn't send anyone to stop the man and even allowed him to run in, guessed that Feng Zhong'an was probably trying to protect Liu Dexiang.

Xu Xiaoyun looked down on Feng Zhong'an from the bottom of his heart, laughing at the man's stupidity. Even if he and Li Daolang were willing to give Feng Zhong'an some face, what about the others?

What? Do people who aren't officials become silent? Does nobody listen to them?
Among the yamen runners who accompanied them, it was hard to guarantee that there weren't spies planted by others.

Li Daolang pretended not to hear anything and asked in confusion, "Why isn't there anyone on duty outside the government office?"

“Yes,” Xu Xiaoyun rarely responded, “This is Liangzhou, and Prefect Liu is far too careless.”

The servant who opened the door ran inside to report to Liu Dexiang.

But as soon as she reached the door, she was stopped by the other servants. "What are you doing? We've finally managed to appease your aunt, what's wrong with you?"

"This is incredible! Those high-ranking officials from the capital have arrived!"

The gatekeeper was also surprised, "Isn't this Beishan County? Why are you here so late at night?"

"That's right!" the servant who opened the door exclaimed urgently, "The person is right at the door."

The gatekeeper said, "Then the master should hide."

"That's right!" The gatekeeper's eyes darted around, and he stepped aside. "Go and tell the master."

The man who opened the door didn't think much of it at first and even took two steps forward. But when he put his hand on the door, he came to his senses and said to the guard, "You're on duty at the door, it's your turn to go and report."

The gatekeeper refused, making excuses to avoid it, so the one who opened the gate ran away, saying as he ran, "Anyway, I've delivered the message!"

This is just great.

The gatekeeper had no choice but to bite the bullet and announce it. He first said it at the entrance, but no one inside paid any attention to him, so he raised his voice and said it again.

Now someone paid him any attention, but it was his master's new concubine. She complained to the outside, "It doesn't matter who answered."

The gatekeeper, having not heard his master's voice, knew that if his failure to properly relay the message led to misfortune for his master, he would be even more unfortunate.

At times like these, the servants of the Liu family would start to miss Old Lin.

Although Steward Lin was strict, with him around, they didn't have to face the master.

The gatekeeper had no choice but to try pushing the door open. He pushed it open a crack and heard no one stopping him from inside, so he continued to push it open a little more, trying it little by little.

Making a living like this is truly not easy.

As soon as the door opened, he peeked in and was about to speak when he saw that his master was already flushed from drinking, and his concubine was sitting on him, pouring him more wine.

The master was drinking wine, but his eyes were fixed on the women dancing inside the room. The women were dressed only in light gauze in the dead of winter, and each of them was playing a musical instrument as they danced.

It was a scene he could never have imagined.

The gatekeeper dared not look any further, but had no choice but to go in, saying, "Sir."

He knelt down as soon as he entered the room, his forehead touching the ground, and said, "Master, those high-ranking officials from the capital have returned!"

As the gatekeeper spoke, Feng Zhong'an and his entourage had already entered the government office and followed the sound of music to the vicinity of the study.