"My lord, Lord Zhang ordered me to take the bandits impersonating Six Fan Gate members back to Yanling Commandery for rigorous interrogation. We cannot let them ruin Six Fan Gate's reputation," Yang Yun said hastily.
"Now this is troublesome. Both of you want them. Who am I supposed to hand them over to? Surely I can't split them in two and let each of you take half?" Tang Wen said, his face full of distress.
"My lord, we from Jiangzhou Prefecture arrived first. There ought to be a first-come, first-served rule," Tie Wenjing said.
"What a joke! Lord Tie, you and I were welcomed into the camp by his lordship at the same time. How can you say your people arrived first?" Yang Yun sneered.
"Lord Yang, I order you to take your men and leave Su Mei Island immediately," Tie Wenjing said, his face stern.
"Lord Tie, although you are the Vice Prefect of Jiangzhou Prefecture, Jiangzhou Prefecture has no jurisdiction over Yanling Commandery.
"Besides, I came to collect the prisoners on the orders of Commandery Governor Zhang.
"Are you saying you outrank Lord Zhang?" Yang Yun asked.
"Ha ha, I came on the orders of Lord Qin, the Jiangzhou Prefect.
"Lord Zhang governs a commandery. He is merely Fourth Rank.
"But the Prefect is Subordinate Third Rank. Must a Subordinate Third Rank official obey the orders of a Fourth Rank official?
"Lord Yang, you are flouting the rules of officialdom. The Imperial Court's laws do not permit you to overstep your bounds." Tie Wenjing looked thoroughly overbearing.
"The Prefect does outrank Lord Zhang by half a rank, but Jiangzhou Prefecture still has no jurisdiction over Yanling Commandery," Yang Yun said, bracing himself.
"Insolence! Lord Qin is also a Count, a noble of our Great Chu. Does Lord Zhang