Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Looking at the tightly closed city gate in front of him, Fang Zheng Yi suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

For the city gate to be closed in broad daylight, the only possibility was that something had happened in the city!

Could it be Xie Xian...?

The city gate guard saw a team of unfamiliar carriages approaching and shouted loudly, "Who goes there? What is your business? State your names!"

"I am Fang Zheng Yi, an official sent by the Emperor to inspect the region. Open the city gate immediately!"

Upon hearing this, the guard immediately became nervous and lowered a basket from the city wall to retrieve proof.

Fang Zheng Yi didn't waste any more words and directly ordered his men to send the imperial decree up.

After receiving the credentials, the city wall guard shouted, "Please wait a moment, Your Excellency! I will report this immediately!"

Before long, the city gate opened, and a man in official robes with a goatee appeared at the city gate.

Fang Zheng Yi quickly stepped forward and said enthusiastically, "You must be Lord Wang Qian?"

He had done his homework before coming, and had a certain understanding of Haiyuan City.

The official in charge here was indeed Wang Qian.

Wang Qian quickly sized up Fang Zheng Yi, feeling somewhat nervous in his heart.

"This humble official is indeed Wang Qian, greetings to Lord Fang! May I ask what brings you here?"

He smiled on the surface, but his heart was already filled with vigilance.

Fang Zheng Yi had personally dealt with Liu Xun and was a ruthless man.

He himself had quite a few shady dealings with the salt merchants... Could he be here to investigate the salt merchants...?

Fang Zheng Yi said with a smile, "I am here on the Emperor's orders to inspect the region. I passed by Haiyuan City and, having long heard of its fame, came specifically to see it and rest for a few days before leaving! Why is the city gate closed on such a bright day?"

Wang Qian smiled awkwardly, his vigilance not diminished.

However, a major incident had occurred in the city, and he couldn't hide it, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the Lu family, a prominent family in the city, has been robbed and taken hostage."

"I have dispatched people to deal with this matter. To prevent the thieves from escaping, I ordered the city gate to be closed!"

Fang Zheng Yi's heart tightened: "What kind of thieves are so difficult to capture? How long has this been going on?"

"It has been five days already. The identities of the thieves are not yet clear, but it can be confirmed that they are not locals," Wang Qian said with a somewhat bitter expression.

"What audacity! A few days ago, I also encountered a group of desperate outlaws on the road, who managed to escape by chance. They might be the same group!" Fang Zheng Yi said angrily.

He was stern on the surface, but his heart relaxed a little. It was likely that Xie Xian and the others had run into trouble, but fortunately, they hadn't been captured yet.

"This... such a thing actually happened. Perhaps it is the same group... The entire Lu family has been taken hostage. They have even been wantonly killing people in the Lu residence. Even the Lu family's eldest son, third son, fourth son, and the steward have already been killed! As soon as we send people in, they start killing people."

"Lord Fang, the Lu family is one of the four major salt merchants. Once Grandmaster Lu has an accident, the salt supply in many places in the south will be affected. This humble official has no choice but to remain in a stalemate with the thieves."

"Didn't the thieves negotiate with you?" Fang Zheng Yi asked.

"No, it's just a stalemate! Once we send soldiers in, they will harm innocent civilians!"

"This humble official is thinking... that when they can't hold on any longer, they will naturally negotiate, and then we can find a way to rescue the people."

Wang Qian was also full of grievances.

Those bastards just wouldn't negotiate with him, and just remained in a stalemate, not knowing what their demands were.

He didn't dare to take forceful action, because if Grandmaster Lu died, the Lu family would be shaken, affecting the entire salt industry in the south.

The higher-ups would definitely send people to investigate strictly, and he wouldn't be able to withstand the investigation with all the shit he was in...

"Lead the way! I will personally go and see what's going on. In broad daylight, under the clear sky, the thieves are so arrogant that they dare to commit murder in Haiyuan City. This time, I will personally take them down!" Fang Zheng Yi put on an indignant appearance.

Wang Qian felt even more flustered in his heart.

If Fang Zheng Yi was really here to stay and rest for a few days, then naturally everything would be fine.

But if he intervened in this matter and found out something he shouldn't know... Wouldn't his life be gone?

However, since he had spoken, he couldn't refuse, so he could only take it one step at a time.

Wang Qian nodded and then led Fang Zheng Yi into the city, heading straight for the Lu family mansion.

There were only two soldiers guarding outside the mansion. Fang Zheng Yi said, "Why are there only two people here? Where are the others?"

Wang Qian hurriedly explained, "The others are guarding outside the inner courtyard!"

Fang Zheng Yi hummed and then looked at the carriage team behind him and said, "Everyone in the carriages, get down! Get out of the carriages and follow me to capture the thieves!"

The elite soldiers from Taoyuan County got out of the carriages in a flurry, and Shui Yi Bai also emerged from the first carriage.

Fang Zheng Yi stepped forward and helped her out.

There had been a lot of tossing and turning along the way, switching from land to water and then back to land. The little girl's physical strength was not as good as the men's, and she was already very tired.

Wang Qian's eyes widened when he saw Shui Yi Bai.

This Fang Zheng Yi was no ordinary person!

Traveling outside on inspection and bringing along a stunning beauty, clearly not a maid, and not afraid of being criticized? It seemed that he was also a lecher...

After everyone got out of the carriages and lined up, Fang Zheng Yi pointed to the crowd and said, "This is my bodyguard team on the road. They can just happen to support you."

Wang Qian glanced at them and said bitterly, "Lord Fang, the other party only has twenty or so people, and the soldiers are more than enough to deal with them. How can we trouble your men? The only problem now is that the other party has hostages, and we must protect the safety of the hostages!"

"Alright! Everyone, follow me in. I will personally negotiate with the thieves!"

"Your Excellency, be careful, be careful!" Wang Qian pleaded.

This lord was not quite what he had imagined. Why was he so reckless? He had only just entered the city...

"Alright, stop talking nonsense! Let's go in!"

Once inside the mansion, Fang Zheng Yi looked around, secretly marveling at the beautiful scenery everywhere. After walking for a while and feeling a little tired, he asked, "How much further? The Lu family is so extravagant. This is the first time I've seen such a large mansion!"

Wang Qian smiled awkwardly, "It's almost there. The Lu family has been engaged in the salt industry since the Qian Dynasty. After so many years, it's normal for the family to be large and the business to be prosperous!"

"This humble official was also extremely shocked when I first saw this mansion!"

After walking for another five minutes, bypassing several magnificent buildings, a delicate small building appeared in front of Fang Zheng Yi and the others.

Inlaid with gold and jade, with flying eaves and brackets, it was both noble and elegant. Obviously, this residence was very different from other places.

Outside the building, it seemed that a line had been drawn with blood, but the blood on the ground had already dried and darkened.

A group of soldiers surrounded the courtyard outside the line in three layers and out three layers. When they saw Wang Qian coming, they automatically separated a path.

Wang Qian pointed to the small building and said, "This is the Lu family's South Building, where Grandmaster Lu and several young masters live. The thieves are inside."

"We can't cross the line. Someone is monitoring from a window upstairs. As long as we cross the line, they will kill people and throw the corpses down from the second floor."

"Lord Fang, you have seen the situation. Let this humble official handle this matter."

"You must be tired from the journey. I will arrange accommodation for you first."

At this time, a small crack suddenly opened in the window on the second floor, revealing half a face looking outside, and his eyes met Fang Zheng Yi's.

Wasn't that Zhou Tie? As expected, it was his own people!

Fang Zheng Yi raised his hand to stop Wang Qian and, in his surprised gaze, directly crossed the blood line, spread his arms, and shouted loudly, "The thieves upstairs, listen up! I am Fang Zheng Yi! I am here to negotiate with you. I am alone and unarmed. If you are willing, then open the door!"

.......