The First Auxiliary Road from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1104 Don’t give in

"Miss, we are finally in Kyoto!"

The dusty group rode at full speed for several days before they saw the gate of Kyoto's outer city.

Standing at the foot of the city wall, Xiaoyao looked at the familiar sign and almost burst into tears.

The city gate had just been opened, and the gate that allowed merchants to pass through was the most popular entry point.

"Look, it seems that there are a lot more foreign merchants coming in and out than before!" Xiaoyao discovered that in the team pushing wooden carts and carrying shoulder poles, there were not only merchants from the Western Regions leading camels, but also many girls with blue eyes and curly hair who looked like they were from the other side of the ocean.

"Miss, how can there be any trouble in Kyoto? Let me see, it seems to be more prosperous than before!"

  Sheng Yuan said nothing, silently looking at the city gate that allowed people to enter and exit:

Among the several roads leading into the city, the busiest one is the Merchants Gate that Xiaoyao mentioned. The second busiest one is the gate that allows civilians to enter and exit, where there will be queues of people. The other gates, such as those for carriages and horses, and for officials and nobles to enter and exit, only occasionally see people.

"Sir, look, we have been standing here for a while, but no one has left the city." The captain of the guards rode his horse to Sheng Yuan's side and reminded him softly.

Xiaoyao felt that things were not that complicated: "Kyoto is different from other places. If you are really in a hurry to leave the city, you will definitely line up in a long queue before the city gate opens, and then be the first to go out once the city gate opens! As for those who are not in a hurry, they basically set off when the sun is high in the sky! They will not get up early to set out!"

"You are talking about ordinary people. The imperial court sends letters to local government offices every day. You have seen the situation before we left the capital. When the city gates were opened, there was an endless stream of officials setting out. But now..."

Before the captain of the guards had finished speaking, he heard the sound of horse hooves coming from the city. Not long after, a team of more than a dozen messenger runners rode out on horseback.

"What do you think? Did I let the slave say it?!"

"Ah this..."

"Okay, let's go into the city!" Sheng Yuan stopped their conversation, waved his hand, and led everyone towards the city gate.

According to regulations, court officials returning to Beijing on official business did not need to dismount and walk, but they were not allowed to gallop.

"Wait a moment!"

As Sheng Yuan had returned to Beijing on official business many times, she was already familiar with the procedures for entering the city, so she went through the procedures step by step as she had done in the previous times.

However, as soon as the city guard signaled to let them go, someone came out and ordered them to stop.

"Is there any problem?" Xiaoyao rode forward, blocked the way of the newcomer, and asked unhappily, "Why did you say stop?"

"Excuse me, is this person coming here, Minister Sheng of the Ministry of Revenue?" The one who came out to stop them was a military officer, and judging from the armor he was wearing, he looked like a lieutenant general.

Sheng Yuan looked down at him and felt that he was unfamiliar: "It is me, do you have any advice for me?"

Seeing her tense face, with no signs of joy or anger, but a majestic aura all over her body, the lieutenant general hesitated a little, but when he saw the "supervisor" not far away, he could only bite the bullet and say:

"Your Excellency is out of the capital for inspection. I think you don't know that the court issued a new rule the day before yesterday. All officials returning to the capital must wait for a while. After the garrison reports and the Censorate or the Cabinet approves it, we can let them go... Ah, Minister Sheng, why don't you move to the waiting hall and wait. It won't take long, maybe two or three hours, oh, no, no, or half an hour, and you will be able to enter!"

He seemed to be afraid that if he spoke too slowly, he would displease Sheng Yuan, so he tried to speed up his speech: "The waiting room is located on the city gate tower. There are fragrant tea and fruits, and there are also some storytellers to entertain you..."

"No need!" As the lieutenant general expected, Sheng Yuan interrupted him before he could finish his words: "How come I have never heard of the rules you mentioned? Who made these rules? Where is the decree? Where is the seal? When will it be announced to the public? When will it be distributed to all prefectures?"

The lieutenant general looked at Sheng Yuan and spread his palms towards him, and felt bitter in his mouth: "This... I am just a gatekeeper, I only know the orders of my superiors, this detail is not for me to consider!"

"Superior?!" Sheng Yuan tilted his head towards him with a smile, "I'm afraid your superior and my superior are not in the same department, right?!"

As she spoke, she raised her hand and nodded, and the accompanying guards immediately rode their horses to guard both sides.

"If you can't provide the communique I want, then get out of here as soon as possible! I will report to the emperor when I return to the capital. If you obstruct me in every way and miss the opportunity to fight... then you are colluding with foreign countries!"

“!!!” The lieutenant general opened his eyes wide.

  He had heard of Sheng Yuan's reputation a long time ago, but no matter how much he had heard, he could not have imagined that a third-rank official would not speak the truth!

And missed the opportunity to fight?! She was clearly ordered to inspect the disaster victims!

It's not like you're going to the border town to be a military supervisor, so why are you still, still, still colluding with foreign countries?

  It is said that a prime minister has a big heart, but why no one says that a vice minister can talk like a horse?

You are quite good at making up stories.

Sheng Yuan saw the lieutenant general's reaction, so she sneered.

  If there really is this new rule he mentioned, then why did the guards let him pass just now? !

It can be seen that this person was just looking for trouble!

Since he could make it up on the spot, she could make up nonsense.

"Let's go!" Sheng Yuan was too lazy to pay attention to this lieutenant general who was looking for trouble. He just gave an order, pulled the reins and was about to lead his men to force their way into the city.

"Minister, wait a minute!" The lieutenant general was shocked when he saw this, and hurriedly called for someone to stop them. He took a bulletin from his subordinate who came running over, "Look! Look! This is the notice posted in front of the city gate a few days ago!"

Sheng Yuan motioned to Xiaoyao to take it, but he didn't take it from her. He just lowered his head and took a quick look at Xiaoyao's hand.

After reading to the end, Sheng Yuan raised his eyelids and tapped the seal on the notice: "The City Patrol Department has such great authority! Are you going to issue a notice and post it on the inner city gate tomorrow? Even the entry and exit of the people in the imperial city will be controlled by you?!"

"Minister Sheng, don't talk nonsense like that!" The lieutenant general was startled and looked around quickly. "This is the announcement that the cabinet asked our City Patrol Department to issue. Since it is an announcement issued by the City Patrol Department, it is naturally stamped with the seal of the City Patrol Department!"

"It doesn't matter. Since it's the cabinet's request, then you can report me to the cabinet!" Sheng Yuan gestured to Xiaoyao to return the notice to him. "I'm telling you this. I'm determined to enter the city gate today, and I won't wait a moment!"

"...Minister Sheng, you can't do this. Otherwise, don't blame me for being disrespectful!" The lieutenant general had sweat on his forehead and waved his hand while biting his back teeth.

In an instant, the two teams of soldiers surrounded them.

"How ridiculous!" Xiaoyao was furious when he saw this and raised his arm to reveal the crossbow tied to his wrist.

The entire guard team also moved together with her.

  The lieutenant general originally wanted to win by numbers, but who would have thought that these dozens of people in front of him were so fierce. They bent their bows and aimed at crossbows as they were told, without considering where they were at all!

"Minister Sheng, this is at the foot of the imperial city, you..." Before the lieutenant general could finish his threatening words, he felt a cold sharp object pressing against his forehead. Looking up, he saw the beak of a small falcon resting on his forehead. Immediately, beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his cheeks. He was speechless.