kingnovel Chapter 1153 Liuyang Post Station
Chapter 1153 Liuyang Post Station
As the cart wheels rolled over the road's ruts, and the journey took only five li outside the prefectural city, the scenery along the official road gradually changed from suburban fields to dense forests.
Along the way, the caravan encountered many civilians and merchants who wanted to pass, but the several prison carts trailing behind the caravan were the best proof of its identity. Therefore, all the civilians and merchants made way for the caravan to go first.
After traveling another five li, Shen Zheng saw a fork in the road in the distance. At the fork stood a blue stone tablet about half a person's height, with large characters on it that were clearly visible in the sunlight: "Ten li from Liuyang Post Station".
There was a teahouse by the intersection, with a few rough wooden tables under a bamboo shed. The teahouse owner heard the sound of the cart wheels and subconsciously looked up to greet them, but when he saw the soldiers next to the prison cart, he immediately swallowed his words.
The procession escorting the criminals could not be greeted.
The caravan did not stop at all when passing through the tea house, the dust kicked up heavily by the horses' hooves before slowly returning to the earth.
Only after the last prison cart disappeared around the corner did the tea drinkers dare to begin discussing: "Was that a convoy from the prefectural city? There are even prefectural soldiers with them! Does that mean the criminals on those carts are...?"
"Huai Gongwang!"
Nowadays, everyone in Liuyang Prefecture knows that a notorious corrupt official named Huai Gongwang has emerged from the prefecture!
After figuring it out, the tea drinker regretted it so much that he slapped his thigh.
I should have spat a few times!
The sun moved slowly across the sky, and as the shadows cast by the trees on the ground gradually shortened, the convoy drew closer and closer to Liuyang Post Station.
Outside the post station, two postmen dressed in black uniforms with short swords at their waists were looking up at the approaching procession.
"A garrison soldier?" One of the courier rubbed his eyes in surprise and turned to ask his companion, "Which lord has arrived? Why didn't anyone come to inform you beforehand? Did Lord Li tell you?"
His companion rubbed his eyes, then shakily raised his hand, pointing at the convoy, and said, "Prisoner... prisoner... it's a prisoner..."
"Lord Qiu?" The courier looked puzzled and frowned. "There's a Lord Qiu in Liuyang Prefecture? How come I didn't know? When did Lord Li tell you? Why didn't he tell me?"
"No, no!" His companion was so anxious he almost forgot how to speak, gesturing wildly with his hands and feet, "Prison cart! It's a prison cart! Quick, quick, go report to Lord Li!"
The words "prison cart" left the courier completely bewildered, and he looked at the convoy in disbelief.
He only snapped out of his daze when a corner of the prison cart hidden behind the carriage was revealed, and he ran into the post station.
"Lord Li! Lord Li! You must come quickly! Something terrible has happened! Something extremely serious!"
When working at the official post station, the "guests" who made the post station workers most worried were never the relatives of high-ranking officials who were difficult to serve, but the prison carts that escorted serious criminals.
At most, the relatives of high-ranking officials might be a bit more demanding, rude, or difficult to please, but they wouldn't put their lives in danger.
But when the procession of prisoners arrived, the situation changed completely.
These kinds of "guests" don't bring pomp and circumstance, but rather real danger. After all, no one knows if the prisoner has accomplices, nor can they predict whether a ruthless bandit will attempt to break him out in the middle of the night.
In such a situation, not only must the escorts remain vigilant at all times, but even the people in the post station must live in constant fear of being caught in the crossfire.
Amid the cries of the courier, the postmaster soon emerged.
"Shouting, shouting, shouting! All you do all day long is yell and shout! Even the smallest thing sounds like the sky is falling!" The postmaster glared at the postman, then said with his hands behind his back, "I've taught you many times that the most important thing for a person to cultivate is their mind. If you start yelling and screaming over every little thing..."
"Prison cart!" For the first time, the courier ignored his instructions and even interrupted him: "Sir, the procession escorting the prison cart is here, here!"
A moment of silence.
Two breaths of silence.
Three breaths...
"What?! What did you say?! Who's here?!"
A prison van?
Whose prison van is it?
Who escorted the prison van?
This doesn't seem hard to guess.
But that case was only closed a few days ago? How come the escort team set off so quickly?
Without a second thought, the postmaster, adjusting his hat, strode toward the door, turning back halfway to instruct the postman: "Have the kitchen prepare food and rations, and also get the best fodder ready!"
......
Half a quarter of an hour later, the carriage and the prison cart drove into the post station one after the other.
Shen Zheng and Yu Zhengqing had already gotten off the car. After everyone else had entered, they walked into the station.
The postmaster followed them closely, wiping his sweat and repeatedly apologizing: "This humble official was unaware of your arrival, sirs, and has failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me..."
He glanced at Shen Zheng out of the corner of his eye, and their eyes met.
As Shen Zheng walked, she kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye and asked with a smile, "What is your surname, sir?"
The postmaster trembled and hurriedly said, "Your humble servant is Li Zhong."
"Lord Li." Shen Zheng smiled as before, and after gesturing for Yu Shizhang to get out of the carriage, she said, "I am Shen Zheng. The Earl and I have something to discuss with you. Shall we speak in private?"
Li Zhong's back stiffened as he watched Yu Shizhang alight from the carriage.
He rarely sees large Buddha statues, but today he saw three of them at once...
"M-Masters, please..."
Shen Zheng and the other two followed him toward the post station office.
This was Shen Zheng's first time visiting the official post station, so she couldn't help but be curious and took a few more glances.
Seeing this, Yu Zhengqing whispered to her, “Most official post stations are similar in layout to a three-courtyard house. The first courtyard is usually the postmaster’s office and post station’s quarters, used for carrying out official duties; the second courtyard is the reception and escort area, used for living; the third courtyard is the backyard, where the stables and post station staff’s quarters are mostly located.”
Shen Zheng understood upon hearing this.
Building such a post station on the outskirts of Tongan County doesn't seem like a difficult task.
After finishing her business at the prefectural government office, she set about connecting Tongan County to the official road and setting up post stations, so that Tongan County could truly be well-connected in all directions!
"Please come in, gentlemen." Li Zhong's voice pulled Shen Zheng back to reality, and Shen Zheng stepped into the post station.
The office was small and simply furnished. After sitting down, Shen Zheng got straight to the point: "Director Li, there are a few things I need you to remember about Lord Yu's escort of the serious criminal back to the capital."
Li Zhong hurriedly replied, "If Lord Shen has anything to instruct me, please do so."
Shen Zheng took out the silver token from her sleeve and gently placed it on the table.
Li Zhong froze for a moment after seeing it clearly, his eyes widening in disbelief: "Lord Shen, this is...!"
"Lord Li, as the postmaster, don't you recognize the official post station pass?" Shen Zheng handed over the pass.
Li Zhong took the token, his ten fingers trembling uncontrollably.
Feeling the heavy weight in his hand, he couldn't help but tell the truth: "My lords, to be honest... I've been a postmaster for many years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a silver token in person..."
The imperial court had issued an official document to each post station in the early years, stating that if a silver pass was seen, everyone at the post station must unconditionally obey the instructions of the pass holder.
But over the years, he has never even seen a silver Tong card, let alone a bronze Tong card.