My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 143 Return

Silence fell over the room.

After a while, Chen Feng said, "It's getting late now, Magistrate Wei, shall we head back now?"

Magistrate Wei hurriedly nodded in agreement, saying, "What you say is right, Your Excellency. I will make the arrangements immediately."

Chen Feng pondered, "We also need to bring back the bandits from the Jiang family, and the injured brothers need to be sent back for treatment as soon as possible."

"Yes." Magistrate Wei nodded.

"Let Lin Ziping go back with us," came the seventh brother's voice.

Magistrate Wei looked at Lin Ziping and said, "Very well, Ziping has been away for many days and has not returned. Let him go back today."

Lin Ziping suddenly looked up, a surge of immense joy welling up inside him, and he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

Who understands the feeling of working non-stop for nearly twenty days without a break, interspersed with special jobs such as mining and underground work, while constantly worrying about one's life safety!

Now that he could finally go back, Lin Ziping almost cried tears of joy.

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys." This sentence came from Lin Ziping's heart without the slightest falsehood.

Magistrate Wei said, "Take this... young lady away and have Old Huang come to see me."

Lin Ziping clasped his hands in a fist salute and withdrew.

Hu Rongrong stood up, bowed, and followed Lin Ziping out of the room.

"Why did you do as we told you to?" Hu Rongrong asked, away from the crowd.

Lin Ziping noticed a hint of reproach in her tone and frowned slightly, saying, "I appreciate your kindness, but I should take responsibility for my actions. I don't regret saving you, and I should bear the consequences."

Hu Rongrong glanced at Lin Ziping, left with a "fool" and turned to leave.

"Go back and tell the others that we'll be coming down the mountain soon," Lin Ziping said to her retreating figure.

Hu Rongrong paused, then quickened her pace and left.

Lin Ziping didn't pay much attention, found Lao Huang to convey Magistrate Wei's words, and continued his statistical work.

Before long, the news of their impending return spread.

Captain Xiao and five others stayed behind to keep watch.

Old Huang arranged for people to remove the door panels and for others to carry the injured man and the two fallen brothers down the mountain first. Everyone watched them leave with solemn expressions.

The dead bandits were buried on the spot, and the others who were captured were gagged, their hands were tied, and they were strung together and taken down the mountain.

Hu Rongrong and a dozen other women, their faces wrapped in cloth, helped each other down the mountain.

Lin Ziping also carried the child who was hiding under the ruins of the watchtower down the mountain on his back.

A few rays of sunlight broke through the shackles of the clouds and shone down on the world, while the setting sun painted the sky red through the clouds.

Lin Ziping felt as if he had forgotten something. He looked back and saw that the tower still stood quietly in the square, and the clouds and mist in the distance were still swirling and rolling endlessly.

As you descend, you see scattered items like carrying poles and baskets, tattered clothes and shoes everywhere, and even some unnatural dark red stains in the mud.

With high mountains and dense forests, getting on the road was the priority, and no one cared about what had happened in the past.

Finally arriving at the foot of the mountain, Lin Ziping saw a winding trail of firelight and couldn't help but tear up, his restless heart finally settling down.

Lin Ziping raised his hand to wipe his face, pretending to cover it up. He looked around and saw that the bandits being escorted looked like they had lost their parents, while the atmosphere among the others became noticeably more lively, especially Magistrate Wei, who looked even more radiant in the firelight.

He then looked at Hu Rongrong and the others, and saw that they were visibly nervous. They covered their heads with their hands, shrank back into the crowd, and stood at the very back.

A gentle pressure came from my back.

Lin Ziping moved closer to Hu Rongrong and the others, standing in front of them.

"Greetings, Your Excellency." A familiar voice came from ahead, causing the crowd to fall silent.

Lin Ziping tiptoed, trying to see who was speaking.

Unfortunately, we were too far away and could only see the faint shadows of people moving on the ground.

"Lin Ziping!" A voice suddenly came from ahead.

Lin Ziping was taken aback. Was this a call to him?

"Yes!" Lin Ziping responded loudly, pushing through the crowd and walking forward.

As Lin Ziping stepped forward, he finally saw the person clearly: it was Zhang Ershun.

Without thinking twice, he hurriedly clasped his hands in a salute.

"Do you recognize this?" Magistrate Wei asked.

Lin Ziping said, "He is Zhang Ershun from Pingding Village. I met him when he was supervising the road construction in Xinping Village."

Magistrate Wei nodded: "He said you asked him to meet you at the foot of the mountain, is that true?"

Lin Ziping raised his head slightly and glanced at Magistrate Wei's expression, saying, "Maomao Mountain is close to Xinping Village. In order to ensure the successful rescue, I have asked Cui Lizheng of Xinping Village for help. I presume that Ershun was arranged by Cui Lizheng."

"Yes, yes, Magistrate Cui sent me here to meet everyone," Zhang Ershun nodded hurriedly.

"Cui?" Chen Feng looked puzzled.

Magistrate Wei hurriedly explained to Chen Feng, "Sir, he is the village head of Xinping Village, his name is... his name is..."

"Cui Yuan." The county magistrate, Feng, who had been largely unnoticed all day, whispered to Magistrate Wei.

“Yes, his name is Cui Yuan,” said Magistrate Wei.

Chen Feng rubbed his fingers and repeated a sentence softly.

"Cough," the seventh brother coughed lightly.

Everyone's eyes turned to the seventh brother.

The seventh brother said, "It's getting late, we should take these people back as soon as possible, and His Highness is waiting."

Seeing that Chen Feng did not speak, Magistrate Wei said, "Seventh Lord is right. The county office is ready. This way, please."

Old Huang led his colleagues forward, and the crowd parted to make way for the carriage behind them.

"Lord Chen, this way please, Lord Qi." Magistrate Wei led Chen Feng and Lord Qi to the luxurious carriage and gestured for them to get in.

"No need," Chen Feng refused, giving a loud whistle.

A moment later, two majestic horses came galloping over and affectionately nuzzled Chen Feng and Lao Qi.

The two mounted their horses and said, "We'll go ahead first."

After saying that, he reined in his horse and rode away.

Seeing the two leave, Magistrate Feng stepped forward and lifted the carriage curtain, saying, "Please, Your Excellency."

Magistrate Wei didn't say much, stepped onto the bench, got into the carriage, and drove off.

After the carriage had gone far away, Magistrate Feng turned around and instructed, "Old Huang, have a few men take the bandits back. Shi Yong, help settle those women."

"Yes." The two clasped their hands in a salute.

County Magistrate Feng left with Inspector Chai.

Old Huang and Shi Yong made a series of arrangements, but Lin Ziping seemed to have been forgotten, as neither of them made any arrangements for him.

Lin Ziping was happy to relax and quietly followed behind the others.

As I walked through the crowd, I glanced at them and suddenly stopped. The little girl's cloth bag looked quite familiar.

Lin Ziping glanced at it and then looked away. He hadn't felt it when he was on the mountain, but now he felt extremely tired, and waves of pain were washing over him. He should hurry back.

With that thought, he strode away.