"Who is it?" The gatekeeper of the Senior Grand Secretary's residence lived in the porter's lodge. Hearing the commotion, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Although a prime minister's doorkeeper held the rank of a seventh-rank official, the current Capital City was a time of many troubles. Even though his master was the Senior Grand Secretary, he had recently been extremely cautious, prompting all the servants to handle matters with growing discretion. Hearing this sudden noise and not daring to delay, the gatekeeper immediately threw on his clothes and shoes, hurried over, and asked through the door, "Who is it?"
"My master is Magistrate Tan of Shuntian Prefecture, and he requests an audience with Senior Grand Secretary Zhao!" the person outside replied.
The Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture?
Hearing this reply, the gatekeeper peered out through a crack in the door, faintly seeing what appeared to be constables standing outside. Only then did he take a step back and push open the tightly shut main gates.
He had imagined that the Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture was simply coming to see his master with a few people in tow. Yet upon opening the doors, he was stunned to see that hundreds of people were actually standing outside. Aside from ordinary bailiffs, there were armored soldiers of the Patrol Battalion!
These men had long since surrounded the entrance completely. Not a person—not even a pigeon, it seemed—could fly out!
The constable who had been knocking also wore a saber at his waist. Although constables differed from ordinary bailiffs and were naturally permitted to carry weapons, this was the residence of the Senior Grand Secretary. Which constable would dare to bring a saber to his doorstep?
Even their iron pitchforks had been left outside, showing not the slightest hint of disrespect.
What did this