Chapter 109: Changping
The next day before dawn, a long line had already formed outside Huifeng Grain Store and Guangyuan Grain Store.
There weren’t many people outside the oil shop and salt shop. Lacking oil and salt wasn’t a big deal, but starving without grain could really kill people. Even those with grain stored at home still came to line up outside the grain stores to buy grain.
County Magistrate Wang had personally come to the grain stores yesterday and issued a strict order. The two grain stores weren’t raising prices today; it was still the usual grain price, limited to two jin per person per day.
Some clever common people had the old and young split up to line up. Soon, they were reported and exposed by familiar neighbors on the street.
If your family buys more, what about my family not being able to buy any? At a time like this, everyone wished they could buy more grain. Anyone who bought more was resented by others.
The two households first quarreled from afar, which quickly escalated to fist and foot combat.
County Magistrate Wang, who hadn’t slept all night and had dark circles under his eyes, came with his constables with a stern face and angrily said: “Take both households to the county office. This magistrate will hold court to interrogate them.”
The common people all feared entering the public hall, so the two households who had quarreled and fought immediately knelt down crying bitterly and begging for mercy. After County Magistrate Wang sternly scolded them, he deterred all the people in line. The two households were still taken away by the constables, their cries and pleas drifting from afar.
The common people lining up afterward became much more obedient and well-behaved.
After patrolling Huifeng Grain Store, County Magistrate Wang went to Guangyuan Grain Store and caught a few who weren’t following the rules. He patrolled the oil shop and salt shop once, then checked all the main streets.
County Magistrate Wang usually stayed in the back hall of the county office drinking and having fun, leaving all trivial matters to Secretary Li. He had never done such mundane work before. After half a day, not only were his calves nearly cramping, but his throat was also parched. He drank half a pot of tea but still smacked his lips.
Secretary Li looked around like a thief, made sure no one was watching, then whispered: “I’ll quietly fetch a pot of wine. Sir, have a sip or two to soothe the wine bug in your belly.”
County Magistrate Wang fell into painful struggle.
Pei Qinghe had warned him yesterday that he couldn’t drink another drop of wine.
But now, Sixth Sister Pei was guarding the city gate and wasn’t at the county office. If he sneaked a sip to satisfy his craving, Sixth Sister Pei wouldn’t know…
County Magistrate Wang didn’t speak, but Secretary Li understood and slunk off to the wine cellar like a mouse, head and shoulders hunched.
In the end, he was stopped at the wine cellar door.
“Secretary Li, please stay,” a young woman with a scar on her face tugged at the corner of her mouth, smiling faintly: “Sixth Sister instructed that this wine has a great use; no one is allowed to touch it.”
Secretary Li let out an awkward laugh: “I’m not going into the wine cellar; I was just wandering around. With Miss Gu Lian guarding the wine cellar, I’m relieved.”
Gu Lian watched Secretary Li’s dejected retreating figure and let out another cold laugh.
Secretary Li felt a chill on his back and hurried back to the back hall as if wind were at his feet.
County Magistrate Wang let out a long sigh: “Sixth Sister leaves nothing to chance; she specially left people at the county office. Every move this magistrate makes is under Sixth Sister’s watchful eye.”
Under the eaves, one has to bow. For the sake of survival, he shouldn’t drink even a sip of wine. He still had to perk up his spirit and continue working according to Sixth Sister Pei’s instructions.
The hapless County Magistrate Wang continued patrolling the county town in his official robes. The effect was indeed remarkable.
Ordinary common people didn’t know the prefect or the new Son of Heaven far away beyond a thousand li. In their eyes, the county magistrate was the sky above their heads. Previously, the county magistrate never showed his face; now he personally led the constables with a stern face wandering around the county town, so even the ruffians and scoundrels didn’t dare show their heads.
“This County Magistrate Wang turns out not to be just a wine sack and rice bag; he has some capability.” The restless Pei Yan went to scout around: “In these three days, no chaos has broken out in the county town.”
Pei Qinghe smiled idly: “With a little prodding, even the laziest donkey can pull the millstone.”
Pei Yan grinned: “If County Magistrate Wang knew he was being compared to a donkey pulling the millstone, who knows what he’d think.”
Mao Hongling pursed her lips in a smile: “Of course, he’d admire the perceptive Sixth Sister to the utmost.”
After a few jokes, Pei Qinghe went up to the city wall to inspect the various sentry posts.
Since three days ago when Pei Qinghe took over Changping County Town, the original eighty city gate soldiers had all been following orders. At first, a few who weren’t convinced muttered complaints privately, but after personally witnessing Pei Qinghe shoot down an eagle several hundred meters in the sky with one arrow, they all became obedient.
The city wall previously only had a few people pretending; now there were ten sentry posts, two people at each. No matter which direction something happened, they could be alerted immediately.
“Sixth Sister!” Feng Chang hurriedly reported: “Someone is shouting below the city. Should we let them in?”
Pei Qinghe glanced over.
Below the city gate, a man on horseback was waving his hands desperately, his expression anxious.
With the city gate sealed, Pei Qinghe had them open the side gate allowing one person to pass. The man dismounted in panic, rushed to the city gate officer, knelt with a thud, and wailed: “Anle County was attacked and occupied by the Xiongnu, who burned, killed, and looted. The night before last, those beasts even set a fire. I don’t know how many people were burned to death. I escaped in the chaos. You all should run quickly! The Xiongnu people are coming to Changping County!”
That city gate officer panicked too and quickly stepped aside: “Sixth Sister Pei is here; if you have something to say, report it to Sixth Sister quickly.”
The messenger, crying bitterly, lifted his weary face, then his pupils suddenly widened.
The mountain bandits in the Yan Mountains had all been wiped out, and Sixth Sister Pei’s fearsome reputation was widespread; this messenger had heard of it too.
It was just that he hadn’t expected the notoriously fierce Sixth Sister Pei to look so refined and heroic.
Pei Qinghe looked down and coldly asked: “How many people in this group of Xiongnu?”
The messenger looked bewildered: “I’m not sure. Maybe five or six hundred, or perhaps two or three thousand.”
Pei Yan wished she could kick this muddlehead flying: “Five or six hundred and two or three thousand are a huge difference. Exactly how many people?”
The messenger cried again: “On the day the city fell, I hid in the cellar, then sneaked out later. I only know there were many Xiongnu people; I didn’t count the exact number.”
Cold intent flashed in Pei Qinghe’s eyes: “To escape from the Xiongnu people and deliver the message is already lucky. Take him down to settle and rest.”
“The Xiongnu people burned Anle County and are now heading for Changping County Town. They ride horses, fast; they might arrive the next moment.”
“Everyone, listen to my command: set up defenses immediately.”
At Pei Qinghe’s order, everyone sprang into action. Some went to the county office to send word, some patrolled the whole city ordering common people to shut their doors and not go out, some went up to the city wall.
The messenger wiping his tears was stunned by the fit and swift figures of hundreds of people, his mouth agape. Then he was pulled into a tent, where someone brought two steamed buns and a bowl of water. The messenger ate and immediately fell asleep.
When he woke, it was already dark.
The ground trembled slightly, and a muffled thunder-like rumble came to his ears.
This sound was the movement of a large group of warhorses galloping.
The Xiongnu people had really come.
