novelden Chapter 133 Support
Chapter 133 Support
"Young Master Lin, what have you discovered?" Li Qiongying asked, noticing Lin Ziping's actions.
Lin Ziping pointed to the figures of people from the mountain village outside the window and said, "Someone's coming."
Li Qiongying was startled. She looked out the window, leaned over the railing of the corridor, and hurriedly told Gao Chi what she had seen.
Lin Ziping stared intently at the figures moving in this direction from afar.
Hey, doesn't that look like Xiao Jiazheng at the very front?!
Lin Ziping rubbed his eyes, confirming it was indeed him!
Looking to the side, he saw Shi Yong, Xiao Jiazheng, Lao Huang, Chai Xunli, and others; the county government's reinforcements had arrived.
He turned to Gao Chi downstairs and said, "Your Highness, it seems that the government officials have arrived."
Gao Chi and Wang Changping quickly walked up the stairs and came to Lin Ziping's side.
Gao Chi looked out the window, and after a long while asked, "Are you sure?"
Lin Ziping nodded, pointed to Chai Xunli, Xiao Jiazheng and others in the crowd, and said with some excitement, "They are all from the county government and are my colleagues."
"Hmm." Gao Chi responded softly, then remained silent, staring intently out the window for a long time without reacting.
"Sixth Brother," Li Qiongying called out.
Gao Chi seemed to snap out of his daze and looked at Li Qiongying to comfort her: "It's alright, let's go down first and wait for them outside."
He then said to Wang Changping, "Tell all the brothers to come back; the county officials are here."
"Yes, Your Highness, the person who just shot an arrow at us should still be in this tower. Shall we stop looking for him?" Wang Changping asked.
Gao Chi pointed out the window: "Didn't these helpers arrive?"
Wang Changping looked in the direction Gao Chi pointed, his expression dark and unreadable.
The group walked down the tower corridor without saying a word.
Wang Changping summoned the guards who were searching inside the tower and followed Gao Chi out.
Just as they arrived at the entrance, they encountered two guards who had gone to the northwest side to search for Lin Ziping and saw a figure.
"So, have you found the person?" Lin Ziping asked.
The two guards did not answer.
Lin Ziping was taken aback, realizing that he had been a bit rash just now. He put his fist to his lips, coughed lightly, and his eyes involuntarily darted around, trying to cover up his embarrassment.
Gao Chi glanced at Lin Ziping and asked the two guards, "How is it?"
The two shook their heads: "We didn't see anyone."
"How could that be? I clearly saw a figure there," Lin Ziping argued softly.
“Officer Lin, we’ve searched the surrounding area and there’s nothing there,” the two men said.
"Do not……"
"Sixth Brother, it's better to be cautious in this situation," Li Qiongying interrupted Lin Ziping.
Gao Chi nodded and said, "Qiong Ying is right. It's good that Zi Ping is cautious. We can talk about it later."
Seeing that Lin Ziping was about to say something, Xiao Chunzi quietly tugged at his clothes.
A gust of wind blew by, and Lin Ziping shivered. Recalling his actions just now, he broke out in a cold sweat. How could he have been so impulsive and argued with Gao Chi? He had been so arrogant and ignorant!
Lin Ziping glanced at Gao Chi twice, and seeing that he looked normal, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave Xiao Chunzi a grateful look.
"Brother." Just as Lin Ziping was exchanging glances with Xiao Chunzi, Hong Lao Er ran over.
Hong Lao Er walked slowly to Lin Ziping's side with his head down.
"Thank you," Lin Ziping said to Chen Feng, who was walking behind him.
Chen Feng remained silent with a blank expression. He bowed to Gao Chi and Wang Changping before returning to his quarters.
Lin Ziping recalled his impulsive behavior just now, so he pulled Hong Lao Er to stand on the very edge, trying to minimize their presence.
"This humble servant greets Your Highness the Sixth Prince." Magistrate Wei slid down to kneel before Gao Chi.
The movements were swift and smooth, leaving Lin Ziping dumbfounded.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" As Magistrate Wei knelt down, the others followed suit, shouting loudly.
Li Qiongying, Wang Changping, and others also knelt down.
Lin Ziping hurriedly pulled Hong Lao Er down to kneel, and inappropriately, the scene from "Kangxi's Private Visits" came to mind.
I used to not understand why people of this status liked to "go undercover." It wasn't about whether they could solve the problem; seeing people groveling at their feet gave those who were standing a sense of exhilaration and triumph after their status changed.
With a gentle yet aloof smile, Gao Chi stepped forward and helped Magistrate Wei to his feet: "Magistrate Wei, there's no need for such formalities."
He then said to the others, "No need for such formalities."
Seeing that the people who came with Magistrate Wei remained unmoved, Magistrate Wei quickly said, "Your Highness...hehe...His Highness says that everyone need not be so polite, please rise. Lieutenant Xiao, please rise quickly...hehe..."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Xiaochunzi shouted, her voice somewhat shrill and piercing.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" the crowd exclaimed.
Lin Ziping opened his mouth, then lip-synced. There were plenty of people who wanted to thank him; one more wouldn't make a difference.
Gao Chi's gaze fell on the man behind Magistrate Wei, and after looking him up and down, he smiled and said, "This is Captain Xiao, who has the same demeanor as his father."
Upon hearing this, Captain Xiao's eyes lit up, and he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Highness is too kind."
Lin Ziping looked at Xiao Jiazheng and saw that he looked quite affable, with the corners of his mouth turned up.
Gao Chi stepped forward and patted Captain Xiao on the shoulder.
Magistrate Wei seemed to only then notice Gao Chi and the others' disheveled state. Looking around at them, he said with tears in his eyes, "Your Highness has suffered."
Gao Chi seemed to recall their current predicament, his expression shifting to a serious one. He said, "Magistrate Wei, in your jurisdiction, bandits roam freely, and banditry is rampant. How have you managed to control it?!"
Magistrate Wei, his face filled with shame, said, "It is my fault that Your Highness has suffered. Where is Lin Ziping?"
Upon hearing Magistrate Wei call his name, Lin Ziping suddenly sensed something was wrong. His body trembled involuntarily, and he stepped out from the Gao Chi Guard Corps, clasping his hands in greeting: "Your Highness, Magistrate."
"Lin Ziping, do you know your crime? I ordered you to protect His Highness, and how did you protect him?!"
Lin Ziping was a little confused. What could he protect with his meager martial arts skills?
Suddenly, a large, round pot appeared; it was so heavy that you couldn't carry it without considerable strength.
Lin Ziping pursed his lips, lowered his eyes, and bowed, saying, "Please punish me, sir."
Magistrate Wei said, "Inspector Chai, go back and handle Lin Ziping according to procedure."
"Yes," said Inspector Chai, stepping forward and clasping his hands in greeting.
Seeing Lin Ziping still standing there dumbfounded, Inspector Chai frowned slightly and pulled Lin Ziping back to the ranks of the yamen runners.
As Lin Ziping left, Hong Lao Er became anxious. Lin Ziping was secretly worried for him, fearing that he would rush over recklessly. But when Chen Feng looked over, Hong Lao Er calmed down again.
Lin Ziping found this strange. Although Hong Lao Er had been obedient the whole way, he became as quiet as a chicken at Chen Feng's mere glance.
After looking Hong Lao Er and Chen Feng up and down and finding nothing unusual, he looked away, deciding not to investigate further for now, but to question Hong Lao Er more carefully later.