Chang'an.
Pei Xiu strode along, a large crowd of officials following behind him, their expressions harried.
This visiting Minister of Rites was truly rather difficult to get along with.
Pei Xiu always wore a stern face and treated everyone coldly.
All in all, he was rather aloof and did not think much of these local men.
The officials were still trying to speak to Pei Xiu, but he paid them no heed, barging straight ahead all the way into the Prefect's Office.
When Pei Xiu pushed open the door and entered the room.
Everyone inside was stunned.
Inspector Zhuge Xu was seated in the place of honor.
His many guests sat to his left and right.
These guests of Zhuge Xu's were not members of the local great clans, but the new chieftains of the various Hu-Qiang tribes.
The Hu-Qiang were not the only ones Deng Ai had attacked earlier; the other tribes had also fallen within the scope of his strikes. After these tribes surrendered, local officials kept them under close watch, and naturally, they soon chose new chieftains of their own.
Zhuge Xu was receiving these men today.
The officials stood helplessly at the doorway, watching the scene with considerable resignation.
Pei Xiu had already been here for some time.
Yet the impression he gave them was much the same as Deng Ai and Shi Bao: his words were often fierce, and he was hardly courteous even to his own people, let alone these Qiang people.
The officials of Yong Province knew why he had come. After discussing it, they decided to deal with these men themselves first, then let Pei Xiu come in to settle matters.
They did not want to stir up another major disturbance.
Unfortunately, Pei Xiu was not someone they could hold back or