Chapter 644: Reaching Shangjing, Visiting the Jingzhaoyin Office

Shangjing City was truly the capital of Great Xiang; its bustling streets and surging crowds far surpassed those of any ordinary prefecture.

Mo Yuan followed behind Mister Chen, taking in the surrounding sights.

"It is even livelier here than before."

Chen Changsheng looked out and said, "Since Zhao Zhen unified the realm, Great Xiang's national strength has grown by the day. His Majesty later placed great importance on commerce, building roads and bridges to connect Shangjing with the various prefectures. With Jiangnan and Shangjing serving as the centers of trade, it was bound to become this lively."

Mo Yuan said, "No wonder I'm hearing accents from all over. So that's why."

Chen Changsheng smiled warmly and said, "Let's go."

"By the way, Mister, where are we heading?"

"To the Jingzhaoyin Office. We can see if we can secure a place to stay while we're at it."

"Metropolitan Governor?"

Mo Yuan thought for a moment and asked, "The magistrate of Shangjing County?"

"Exactly."

Chen Changsheng nodded with a smile. "He could be considered a junior to This Chen."

"You certainly know a lot of people, Mister."

Mo Yuan felt as though Mister had acquaintances across the Five Lakes and Four Seas.

Like most officials, the Metropolitan Governor resided in Xuanyang Ward. The Jingzhaoyin Office, however, was particularly special because the previous occupant of that estate had been Great Xiang's preeminent Prime Minister Wen, an existence who had once wielded supreme authority over the Imperial Court.

But in the end, Prime Minister Wen failed to escape disaster. He was thrown into prison and his home was confiscated. After the estate sat empty for several years, His Majesty bestowed it upon the Metropolitan Governor.

No one could accurately guess His Majesty's thoughts. Some claimed he meant to promote the current Metropolitan Governor, while others argued it was a warning to prevent him from following in Prime Minister Wen's footsteps.

Opinions were varied and contradictory.

When Chen Changsheng and Mo Yuan arrived at the estate gates, their first glance revealed nothing particularly grand.

"Looking at it..."

"...it's not very impressive."

The residence truly didn't look like much. The only thing to be said for it was its sheer size; beyond that, there was nothing worth praising.

Chen Changsheng said, "The Jingzhaoyin Office is different from other officials. The magistrate is the parental official of the common people. No matter how much power or wealth he possesses, he cannot display it openly."

He paused, glancing left and right.

"Speaking of which, it didn't use to look like this."

Hearing this, Mo Yuan asked, "You've been here before, Mister?"

"This place used to be the residence of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Back then, there weren't so many courtyards on either side. It was quite a few years ago."

"Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review? That official title isn't easy to remember."

"It is a bit," Chen Changsheng chuckled.

The two observed the entrance for a moment.

Mo Yuan then stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Footsteps echoed from behind the gate, and someone soon approached to open it.

The door opened halfway, and a servant stepped out.

"May I ask who you are looking for, Young Master?"

Mo Yuan said, "My mister is an old acquaintance of your master. Being newly arrived in the Capital City, he has come specifically to pay a visit."

The servant looked at the gentleman in the green robe standing behind Mo Yuan and asked, "May I have the mister's name so I might go inform the master?"

"My mister's surname is Chen," Mo Yuan replied.

The servant nodded. "Please wait a moment. I will return shortly."

The servant hurried off to report.

He passed through the Main Hall and tracked down the steward.

The steward then went to the rear courtyard's study and found their master.

"Master, two people have arrived at the gate to pay a visit. The man claims to be an old acquaintance of yours. His surname is Chen."

Inside the study, the man writing a memorial with ink and brush lifted his head at those words.

"Surname Chen..."

He stood up and strode quickly to the door. "Is one of them dressed in a green robe?"

The steward nodded. "That is what the servant reported. A green robe, exactly."

"Quickly, invite them in!" He paused mid-sentence and said, "No, I'll go myself!"

With that, he stepped out and headed toward the estate gates. His pace was swift, but finding the hem of his robe getting in the way, he simply hiked it up and broke into a run toward the entrance.

"Master, Master!"

The steward hurried after him, completely baffled.

Just who could make the master so anxious?

Even when the young miss had visited the estate earlier, the master hadn't been this frantic.

He ran through the corridors, across the Main Hall, and past the entryway.

The scenery on either side blurred past as he finally reached the front gate.

When Ping'an saw the two figures standing outside, his face instantly lit up with joy.

"Uncle Chen!"

Seeing Ping'an, Chen Changsheng was a bit taken aback for a moment.

Having not seen each other in years, Ping'an now possessed a tall and straight posture. He wore plain clothes but exuded the steady composure of a government official. Only his hair was a bit messy, disheveled from his frantic sprint.

Chen Changsheng looked at him and smiled. "You've grown quite a bit taller."

Ping'an smiled and said, "Of course. I can't stay a child forever. By the way, Mister, this is...?"

"Mo Yuan," Mo Yuan said. "Mister's mount."

Chen Changsheng offered a helpless smile but didn't bother contradicting him. This fellow had always been like this; he never listened anyway.

Ping'an was stunned for a moment. A mount?

"Let's talk inside," Chen Changsheng said.

"Right, right."

Ping'an led the two into the estate.

"What brings you to Shangjing, Uncle Chen?"

"I heard from my sister a while back that you returned to Qingshan City a few years ago, Uncle Chen. Unfortunately, I was tied up with urgent matters at the time and couldn't go back."

"Uncle Chen, my studies truly paid off. I'm now the Metropolitan Governor."

The maids and servants waiting nearby were inwardly shocked as they listened to their master's words.

They simply couldn't believe these words were coming from the mouth of their usually stern, unsmiling master.

It was almost as if...

...a child were begging for praise.

This was nothing like their master.

The group took their seats inside, and Ping'an leaned in to whisper something into the steward's ear.

The steward looked startled. Ping'an patted him and said, "Go on. We'll make up for it later."

The steward could only nod before withdrawing.

Servants brought over tea and some simple pastries.

Mo Yuan immediately began to eat, washing down the pastries with the tea in smooth gulps without even tasting them.

Chen Changsheng's arrival left Ping'an deeply excited.

"Uncle Chen, how long has it been since we last saw each other? A decade or so?"

"About that long."

Ping'an let out a long breath and said, "A decade..."

Only then did he faintly remember.

Uncle Chen truly was an Immortal.

Over ten years had passed, yet Uncle Chen's appearance hadn't changed in the slightest.

Snapping out of his daze, Ping'an said, "By the way, Uncle, my sister came to Shangjing as well. If she knew you were here, she would definitely be thrilled."

Chen Changsheng asked, "Why did she come to Shangjing?"

Ping'an offered a helpless smile and said, "My sister has become incredibly bold these days. She roams the jianghu all by herself, bringing only Mao'er along. She goes wherever there is excitement. Since the Investiture of Immortals Assembly is happening, she naturally showed up. She didn't want to stay here in the estate, so I set her up in another residence for the time being. It's not far—just over in Jing Alley."