Chapter 257: Kneeling Welcome

Chapter 257: Kneeling to Welcome

His words made every official present immediately lower their heads, cold sweat trickling down their backs.

In the past, most Imperial Inspectors dispatched from the capital would die from various accidents halfway, with very few even reaching Yuanzhou's borders.

But this time, this one had not only infiltrated neighboring Yingzhou without anyone noticing but had also caused such a big commotion right under their noses, cutting off one of their revenue streams.

The earlier obese official stammered an explanation: "Y-Your subordinate did send people to keep an eye on him along the way.

But... but this man is extremely cunning, his whereabouts erratic. We lost track of him several times, and that's... that's how he exploited a gap and snuck into Yingzhou."

Now that he was in Yingzhou, it was unwise to take reckless action.

If an accident happened after he entered Yuanzhou territory, the target would be too obvious.

After all, he was an Imperial Inspector. If something happened to him during his tenure, it would be hard to explain to the imperial court...

The air instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone's eyes again focused on the man sitting in the place of honor.

That person set down his teacup, the jade thumb ring clinking crisply against the side of the teacup.

He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice low but clear enough for everyone to hear.

"Our Yuanzhou, and even the entire Chengping Province..." His tone was calm, as if stating an obvious fact.

"The people live in peace and contentment; the officials are diligent and devoted to the people. Since that is the case..."

He paused slightly, with a hint of casualness, "What is there to fear?"

With that, he raised his teacup and gently blew on the floating leaves:

"As for the bandit problem... when the forest is empty, birds from elsewhere will naturally move in."

The crowd held their breath as they listened. After a brief silence, their faces brightened with sudden comprehension and fawning expressions. They quickly bowed and chimed in:

"Your Lordship sees clearly! We were being too obtuse!"

"Indeed! Under your rule, Yuanzhou enjoys great peace and prosperity!"

The carriage swayed along, carrying Cheng Ge into Yuanzhou territory. Cheng Ge lifted the curtain and peered out.

---

Unlike Yingzhou's post-bandit-suppression scene of reconstruction, Yuanzhou gave an initial impression of orderliness.

The official roads were smooth, relay stations were complete, and fields crisscrossed the landscape along the road. At first glance, it truly seemed like a scene of peaceful living.

The closer they got to the prefectural city, the more frequent the patrols of yamen runners and soldiers grew.

At the city gate, the clerks conducting inspections were not harsh in attitude, but their procedures were meticulous, even peering into the carriage interior.

"Tsk, guarding against thieves, are they?" Cheng Ge let the curtain fall, casually peeling another segment of orange.

After entering the city without trouble, the interior of Yuanzhou appeared even more prosperous.

The streets were wide, lined with shops and stalls; taverns and brothels echoed with constant singing and music; many pedestrians were well-dressed.

Cheng Ge's gaze swept casually over the passing crowd. Wufeng came closer and asked quietly, "My lord, should we first find an inn to stay?"

Cheng Ge shook his head and popped the last orange segment into his mouth: "Not an inn. Go straight to the Inspectorate."

Wufeng looked confused: "???"

The Great Zhou had established a system of itinerant Imperial Inspectors, and localities built special residences for them, known as the Inspectorate.

The first reason was to avoid suspicion and prevent collusion. The core duty of an Imperial Inspector was to supervise and evaluate local civil and military officials.

If he stayed at a prefect's or magistrate's yamen, it would be like living and dining with them.

Over time, private friendships could develop, making him susceptible to personal obligations or even accepting favors.

In that case, how could he impartially impeach officials? This was a classic case of "melon fields and plum trees" – inviting suspicion – and had to be avoided.

The second reason was to ensure independence and authority. Staying in the Inspectorate represented the embodiment of Imperial Authority, standing above the local administrative system.

This maintained the dignity of the Emperor's itinerant envoy, instilling awe in local officials so they dared not easily deceive him.

The third reason was security and confidentiality. During his tenure, an Imperial Inspector would receive a large number of petitions from the people, reporting illegal activities of local officials.

If he lived in the same yamen as local officials, this confidential information could easily leak, posing a fatal threat to both the petitioners and the Imperial Inspector himself.

Ling Feng frowned. He withdrew his vigilant gaze from the surroundings and lowered his voice:

"My lord, going to the Inspectorate... might it be unsafe? Especially in Yuanzhou..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

The Yuanzhou officialdom had a stranglehold over everything, and the Inspectorate was likely already under their control.

Staying in the Inspectorate now was essentially the same as staying in the prefectural yamen—both put us under their watchful eyes.

"Precisely because Yuanzhou's waters are murky, we must stay in the Inspectorate.

Staying at an inn would make it easier for them to act covertly. They could stage a fake burglary or a 'fire accident,' and we'd die for nothing."

He paused, his gaze sharpening: "But staying in the Inspectorate—that's a court regulation, a matter out in the open.

I, as an Imperial Inspector, if something happened to me in the designated Inspectorate... that would be a slap in the face to the court, a blatant challenge to Imperial Authority.

Unless they truly want to start a rebellion immediately, they won't dare act recklessly in the Inspectorate. At least on the surface, they have to guarantee my safety."

This was called surviving a hopeless situation, also known as using one's status to exert pressure...

Since he had decided to stay in the Inspectorate, Cheng Ge's whereabouts were now public knowledge.

Almost as soon as he submitted his documents, the Yuanzhou authorities received the news.

According to Great Zhou regulations, an Imperial Inspector on a tour of inspection represented the Emperor, so local officials had to go out to welcome him.

The former prefect of Yuanzhou had been executed months ago for being involved in Cheng Ge's impeachment case, and the new prefect had only been in office for a few months.

Hearing that Cheng Ge had broken protocol by directly requesting to stay in the Inspectorate, the new prefect was somewhat puzzled by this unconventional move.

Although privately the Yuanzhou officialdom did not take this young Imperial Inspector seriously, the outward formalities still had to be observed.

The next day, the street before the Yuanzhou Inspectorate was sprinkled with clean water and strewn with yellow earth.

Led by the new prefect, the main officials of Yuanzhou Prefecture and its subordinate counties, all dressed in neatly pressed official robes, stood solemnly in order of rank before the gate.

The honor guard held banners, canopies, and umbrellas, while the drum and music band stood silently; the scene was solemn and dignified.

At the third ke of the Chen hour (around 8:45 a.m.), a seemingly ordinary carriage, escorted by a few attendants, slowly arrived before the Censor's courtyard.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Cheng Ge, dressed in his censor's robe with a rank badge and holding the imperial edict, stepped down steadily.

He calmly swept his gaze over the sea of officials, remaining silent for a moment.

The new prefect stepped forward, bowed deeply, and announced loudly, "Zhou Wenyuan, Prefect of Yuanzhou, leads all officials of Yuanzhou city to respectfully welcome Lord Censor!"

At his proclamation, dozens of officials behind him simultaneously lifted their robes and knelt to the ground, as the drums and music began to play at the appointed moment.

"Bow—" the ritual officer drew out his chant, and the assembled officials performed the great ritual of five bows and three kowtows as prescribed.

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