I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 561: Chapter 314 Authority and Kindness

Jiajing Prefecture.

The city gate.

The soldiers on watch were dozing off against the wall when suddenly, the rumbling sound reached their ears, and they felt the ground beneath their feet shaking.

Startled awake, they looked up to see hundreds of black cavalry approaching from a distance.

The man at the forefront was wearing a black gauze cap and a purple-red cloak embroidered with a pattern of dragons amidst clouds.

“People from the Eastern Depot!”

...

The team leader screamed in alarm, swiftly herding the commoners into the city to entirely clear the city gate, then scolded the languid soldiers to stand to attention as if they were on guard at the Yihong Tower.

The original duty of the Eastern Depot was to supervise the measurement of lands, but after the factional cases, they also obtained the power to supervise officials.@@novelbin@@

If they took a dislike to any soldier, all they needed to do was pin a charge of dereliction of duty upon them, and upon further investigation maybe find charges of extorting the common people, at the very least it would mean confiscation of property and exile.

After a moment.

The black cavalry reached the city gate, and Zhou Yi glanced at the team leader and, without acknowledging him, charged straight into the city.

The hundreds of black cavalry followed closely behind, each emitting a fearsome aura.

Especially for Eunuch Wen and a few other old eunuchs, who hadn’t left the Capital for many years, they felt that the frustration accumulated over years dissipated a lot as they traveled over mountains and across rivers.

“I was brought into the palace’s service at twelve, and for thirty years I never left the palace; I thought I’d die silently one day.”

Magistrate Wen said with a smile, “Thanks to the Supervisor’s favor, after joining the Inspectorate, I’ve visited all the fun places in the Capital, and now I’ve seen the scenery of Jiangnan. Even in death, I’d have no regrets!”

Zhou Yi asked, “Magistrate, where is your family from? Perhaps your junior can serve at the Inspectorate.”

Magistrate Wen looked deeply into Zhou Yi’s eyes, clearly having investigated his background covertly: “My family hails from the Northwest. When the Earth Dragon turned over, all that remained of the Nine Clans was me!”

“It is indeed so.”

Zhou Yi was half-doubtful in his heart, but indeed the Inspectorate had not found any of Eunuch Wen’s clan. After pondering for a moment, he said.

“Why don’t you look for an adopted son to care for you in your old age, and I’ll arrange a promising future for him? If he likes reading, he can be an official; if he likes martial arts, he can be a general.”

“If he’s neither learned nor martial, the Eastern Depot has plenty of positions. From now on, Magistrate Wen, you are the first page of your family tree!”

Magistrate Wen’s face showed he was moved. He had some proteges under him, but they were all palace eunuchs who could only serve and be ordered around on ordinary days, not suitable for carrying on the family line.

“For such a great kindness, I would shatter my body to repay you!”

No one could refuse the opportunity to start a family tree with themselves, ensuring that for generations to come, descendants during annual ancestral rites must present offerings of incense and remember the founding ancestor’s kindness.

People are doomed to die, but their names can live on, a form of different survival.

As they were talking.

The black cavalry passed through several streets and arrived at the Government Office’s gate.

Zeng Zhiyuan, the Prefect of the Prefecture, was waiting at the office gate along with his subordinates and officials of the subordinate counties, all bowing deeply with sycophantic smiles on their faces.

“This humble official, Zeng Zhiyuan, greets the Supervisor!”

Rustle, rustle!

Zhou Yi pulled on the reins, causing his horse to rear up, its front hooves nearly landing on Prefect Zeng’s head.

Prefect Zeng’s expression shifted slightly but then returned to a smile as he flattered, “The Supervisor’s horsemanship is truly exceptional!”

“There’s no need for such, Prefect Zeng, we are not in the same system,” Zhou Yi said, looking down from his horse.

His Majesty has said that if officials are neither corrupt nor law-breaking, they need not fear the Inspectorate. Perhaps, Prefect Zeng, you have some concerns?”

Whether there were concerns or not was for the Inspectorate to decide!

Prefect Zeng muttered inwardly, questioning what official didn’t have issues. Even the most renowned clean officials, if scrutinized strictly by the law, would find themselves guilty of some infractions.

“The Supervisor jests; I’m not afraid, but rather I deeply admire you! The Mao family in the prefectural city, relying on their imperial kinship, encroached on a vast amount of land; I did not dare to intervene,” Prefect Zeng said.

“Thankfully, the Inspectorate reported this to His Majesty, and the entire family was exiled to Lingnan, saving who knows how many commoners!”

“This is merely part of our duty,” Zhou Yi replied as he dismounted.

“I have come to investigate the rebellious sect of the Heavenly Sword. As the parent official here, there are things I need to learn from you, Prefect Zeng.”

“Please, Supervisor!”

Prefect Zeng led the way, his posture and actions hardly distinguishable from those of a palace eunuch.

Eunuchs serve the nobility; subordinate officials serve their superiors; there’s no difference between the two.

Those scholars who curse the eunuchs for their fawning are no different. Compared to the ingratiating tactics of the literati in the officialdom, with its various names and manifold methods, the eunuchs couldn’t catch up even if they tried for their lives.

In the rear hall of the Government Office.

Half a month ago, upon hearing the news, Prefect Zeng had called for craftsmen to make alterations, specifically to entertain the visitors from the Eastern Depot.

When Zhou Yi entered, he saw that the maids were serving dishes.

It goes without saying that there were delicacies from land and sea, but what was truly rare was that in this landlocked prefecture city, a variety of fresh seafood could be kept fresh.

“Prefect Zeng has been thoughtful!”

Having set out from the Capital, the Eastern Depot had been on the road for over a month, and it was uncertain when they would arrive here, which meant that fresh ingredients had to be prepared daily, ready and waiting to be served.

If Zhou Yi did not show up, a full banquet would go to waste each day.

“This is but my duty,” Prefect Zeng said as he ushered Zhou Yi to the seat of honor. Two beautiful women served wine and arranged dishes on either side, and he stepped back, allowing time for Magistrate Wen, Official Yu, and the rest of the eunuchs to be taken care of.

After all the eunuchs had been attended to, the waiting officials were allowed to enter the room and take their seats below those of the Inspectorate.

Luckily, the rear hall of the Government Office was extremely spacious, and after the craftsmen worked day and night to convert it into a banquet hall, it was just able to host over a hundred people at the same time.

Zhou Yi, sitting at the head of the table, tasted the hundred-year vintage and scanned the assembled officials.

“When the Inspectorate seized the accounts and letters from the Mao family, they were delivered to me for examination. The contents should be well known to you gentlemen,” Zhou Yi said.

As his words fell, most of the officials in the hall turned pale.

Prefect Zeng was the most frightened; everyone in the court knew that the Supervisor of the Eastern Depot loved to capture prefects and county heads, often letting lower-ranking magistrates and clerks go.