Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

They said they needed to select someone to go outside and check the situation, but who should go?

Meng Changqing listened to the two people chatting by the city wall. Anyway, it had nothing to do with her. Gathering information was the job of scouts, and she didn't have anyone like that under her command.

“Magistrate Meng, it’s troublesome to send people from Weishan Camp again. Why don’t you select a few clever people from here to go out and see what’s going on?” Song Qingfeng’s words immediately shifted the blame onto Meng Changqing.

Meng Changqing pretended to think for a moment, "I shouldn't refuse, but I really don't have any clever people under my command." Not only that, Meng Changqing also asked Song Qingfeng, "How about I go out and investigate myself? What do you think?"

Okay?

Will that be okay?

If Song Qingfeng dares to let Meng Changqing go out, Meng Changqing will dare to bring back false information. He might even go out carrying a thunderbolt.

"They don't need to be as clever as Magistrate Meng. Anyone with a brain will do." Seeing that he couldn't get Meng Changqing to listen, Song Qingfeng called on Zhang Yuan, "You pick a few people and go to Jiewan to see what's going on there."

After these words were spoken, Zhang Yuan did not respond. He acted like a fool, standing still as if he suddenly could not understand human speech.

"Zhang Yuan! What are you doing!" Song Qingfeng shouted.

"Me, pick and choose? General, I have a specific role to play here, it's not appropriate to send anyone." Zhang Yuan said pitifully.

If Meng Changqing hadn't made a statement, Zhang Yuan would have sent someone out by now; there would be no need for him to play the fool.

But now that Meng Changqing disagrees with sending people out, he has to keep up.

This is how things work in officialdom: everyone has their own concerns and their own stance. What should be a very simple matter is always made extremely complicated and difficult.

"Look at you, so cowardly!" Song Qingfeng could only scold Zhang Yuan. He could see clearly that Zhang Yuan was listening to Meng Changqing's orders, but he knew Meng Changqing's background and dared not scold him. He could only vent his anger on Zhang Yuan.

"General Song, don't make things difficult for others." Zheng Jie disliked this kind of atmosphere. If there's something to be done, then do it.

How can such a simple matter be impossible to implement? This won't work, that won't work, it's all a waste of effort. "Since it was proposed by this government, it will naturally be handled by this government."

Zheng Jie instructed his entourage to quickly return to the government office to select a suitable person, and also demanded that they not reveal their purpose while in Liangzhou, but that he would personally explain it once the person arrived.

Zheng Jie wanted to send people, and Song Qingfeng volunteered again, saying, "I also agree with this matter; we can't just ask the government to send people." He also sent someone back to Weishan Camp to deliver a message.

The officials from the government office and the soldiers went out together.

Now that we have a more comprehensive understanding of ourselves, we can see a more comprehensive range of things.

By the time the scouts returned, it was already noon the next day. Zheng Jie and the others had waited under the wall until then before leaving Beishan County.

With Shangguan present, Meng Changqing could only accompany him.

Fortunately, Zhang Yuan was one of their own. Meng Changqing used the excuse of wandering around the city wall several times to sleep in the warehouse that Zhang Yuan had cleaned up.

She wouldn't let other people's troubles make her suffer.

When the scouts returned, Meng Changqing learned from them that the situation in Jiewan was similar to what the people from the Xueye tribe had said.

However, it seems that the tribes that occupied the Snow Night tribe's territory have already had conflicts.

Now Zheng Jie and Song Qingfeng can go back and write their memorials.

Even if the situation of the Snow Night Tribe were considered an urgent military matter and sent to the capital by express courier, it would still take four or five days to arrive.

How long it will take for a reply to arrive depends on the court's assessment of the matter.

Those two people in the barbican will have to wait a while.

Meng Changqing viewed this matter with a sense of schadenfreude.

At that moment, she didn't realize that conflicts and disputes often occur frequently, not just in one place, and that she, as an idle observer, wouldn't be left to watch the drama unfold. That day, after seeing Zheng Jie and Song Qingfeng off, Meng Changqing returned to the county office and finally got some sleep. Then, Luo Yu from the post station came to her door with a letter from the capital.

The letter was sent by Chen Xingqi.

Meng Changqing thought it was a New Year's greeting letter, but when he unfolded the letter, the contents were shocking.

The letter said that there had been recent changes in the Yan royal family, and that Meng Changqing should be careful and make preparations in Beishan County as soon as possible. According to the information that Yan had sent back, the Yan army was very likely to attack Liangzhou.

It's supposed to be Chinese New Year, but I received this kind of message.

Meng Changqing felt helpless, yet also a sense of urgency arose within him.

Time waits for no one; before she could complete her plans, her luck turned against her.

She was too naive.

Meng Changqing paced around the study several times, clutching the letter. She was filled with a persistent tension and urgency, as well as a bellyful of anger.

The adage "If you fall behind, you will be bullied" is an undeniable truth.

Since the military strength of the Great Liang was no match for that of the Yan Kingdom, it could only let them bully it.

They can attack whenever they want. The Great Liang can only defend the city and prevent them from invading. When will they be able to turn around and give them a good slap so that they know the pain and will stop baring their teeth and claws at us?

How to do?How to do?
Now that we know this news in advance, we should start preparing.

Since Meng Changqing had no military power, the preparations she could make were very limited.

She sat down at her desk, forced herself to calm down, and carefully considered her words before starting to write.

She was going to tell Zheng Jie about this.

She wouldn't be the only one to know this news; the imperial court would inform Zheng Jie and Song Qingfeng sooner or later, but knowing it sooner would give them a better chance of survival.

On the desk, a string of auspicious words congratulating the New Year was placed right beside me.

But now the situation has changed drastically, and the original documents may not have a chance to be sent up.

Before Meng Changqing could finish writing his official document, Cheng Guang knocked on the door and said, "Sir, the yamen runners from Liangzhou Prefecture have arrived."

Meng Changqing pressed the paperweight down in the middle of the official document, put down his pen, and quickly got up and walked out.

She could roughly guess the constable's purpose. "Where is he?" she asked as she opened the door.

Standing behind Cheng Guang was a yamen runner that Meng Changqing had seen several times before. In the past, when the prefectural government sent messages to Beishan County, the only people who came were Li Ting and him.

"Lord Meng." The yamen runner took half a step forward. "Prefect Zheng wants you to make time to go to the prefectural office as soon as possible. Before you go, be sure to properly handle all the affairs of the county office and entrust reliable people to guard the county office."

"I see."

After the yamen runners left, Meng Changqing called Cheng Guang into his study.

"I have to go to the government office now, and there are many things I can't explain in detail," Meng Changqing said. "In short, have all our men on high alert and send someone to select the weapons from the armory."

Inform Zhang Yuan to have his men keep watch outside the wall and report to me immediately if there is any disturbance.

"What exactly happened?" Cheng Guang guessed. "Could it be those savages..."

"The Yan army may be about to attack us, but we don't know when or how large the attack will be," Meng Changqing instructed him. "Don't leak this information yet, to avoid causing panic. We'll discuss everything when I return." As he spoke, Meng Changqing picked up the unfinished official document on the table. (End of Chapter)