Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chapter 1152 Farewell at the City Gate: Yu Zhengqing

The sun climbed over the city gate tower, and its golden light slanted across the suburbs, casting long, thin shadows of the old locust trees along the roadside.

With a "ding-a-ling" sound from the copper bell on the city gate, the caravan slowly came to a stop outside the city gate. The lead horse snorted, and several figures stepped down from the carriage.

The people inside the city gate were overjoyed when they saw him clearly. They pointed and exclaimed, panting, "Yes, it's Lord Yu! Lord Yu has gotten out of the carriage! Lord Shen is here too! Let's go over there quickly!"

The person they wanted to send the gift to was so close, that they quickened their pace.

Just as they were about to pass through the gate, the guards suddenly lined up and blocked their way.

They were stunned: "Sir, what are you doing...? We just wanted to see Lord Yu off, nothing more!"

"Yes, sir, it's just a few steps. Please let us pass. We promise not to touch Lord Yu or Lord Shen, and we won't cause any trouble. We'll just go and see Lord Yu off."

A hint of difficulty flashed in the eyes of the soldier from the capital, but he still shook his head and said, "No."

"Why not? You usually allow people to leave the city, why aren't you allowing it today?"

The soldier turned to look outside the city and whispered, "This is the lord's will."

"My lord?" The commoner glared at the guards and asked, "Which lord? Why won't he let us escort Lord Yu?"

No sooner had the words been spoken than a voice came from outside the city: "It is my will."

The people were all taken aback.

They were all too familiar with that voice.

Looking up again, Yu Zhengqing was already standing outside the doorway, the sunlight making his red robe shine brightly.

"Thank you all for coming to see me off." Yu Zhengqing's gaze swept over the faces of the people and finally landed on the willow tree inside the city gate.

In just two short years, it's difficult to change a tall willow tree, but it can change many people and things.

He felt a pang of regret and after a long pause said, "I was fortunate enough to step into Liuyang Prefecture two years ago and meet you all. In these two years, the prefecture has undergone many changes, as everyone has witnessed. But I know that this is not due to my own abilities, but rather to your collective help. Today, I am ordered to return to the capital, and I thank you all for your assistance over the past two years. In the future… we shall meet again!"

After saying this, he clasped his hands together and bowed to the people.

The people were slightly taken aback, but after realizing what was happening, they hurriedly returned the greeting.

But when they looked up again, all they could see was Yu Zhengqing's back.

The wind not only whipped up the hem of his robe, but also pushed him further and further away.

The people were stunned: "Lord Yu... he's just gone like that? I still have things I wanted to say to him..."

"Yes..." Everyone stared blankly at Yu Zhengqing's back.

They always feel like they have something to say but don't know how to start.

Just as that figure stepped back onto the carriage, a shout suddenly burst forth from the crowd: "Lord Yu! If you have time, remember to come back and visit! We'll treat you to a meal then!"

Yu Zhengqing paused as he lifted the carriage curtain, but ultimately, driven by reluctance, he looked back at the doorway once more.

"Understood!" He stood up straight, no longer using those flowery words, but shouting like an ordinary citizen, "I'll definitely come back when I have time, but I really have to go now. Don't see me off, go home quickly!"

The people watched him wave goodbye, watched him bend down and get into the carriage, watched the driver raise his whip, and watched the caravan gradually disappear into the distance.

Only when the convoy had completely entered the official road did the people reluctantly turn around and walk into the city.

After taking a few steps, someone suddenly said, "I feel a bit strange... I'm definitely reluctant to leave, but there's also this inexplicable feeling."

"You think so too?" Before the words were even finished, someone chimed in, "I think so too, it's like... not that sad."

What went wrong?

The people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Didn't Lord Yu treat them well?

No, Lord Yu treated them very well.

So where does that strange feeling come from?

The crowd fell silent.

After a long while, someone asked in a low voice, "Um... did someone just try to persuade Lord Yu to stay and continue serving as our prefect?"

Everyone was taken aback. After racking their brains for a moment, they came to the answer: "No."

So...it seems they know where the problem lies.

It's true that they were reluctant to see Lord Yu leave, and it's also true that they didn't try to stop him.

Logically speaking, when ordinary people encounter a good official, they would surely cry and wail to prevent that official from leaving.

And they are today...

An awkward atmosphere began to spread among the crowd.

After a while, someone coughed lightly and said, "Well, Lord Yu is going to be promoted when he returns to the capital, so we certainly can't be ignorant... From now on, we'll just follow Lord Shen and live a good life, don't you think?"

Upon hearing this, the people immediately nodded in agreement.

That's right.

Is such that.

......

The official road was flat and wide, but the carriage still bumped a bit.

On the first carriage, Yu Zhengqing looked helplessly at Shen Zheng and Yu Shizhang: "Gentlemen, I am now in my prime, not a toddler, and I don't need you to take me to the post station."

"In his prime?" Yu Shizhang looked him up and down and scoffed, "You really have the nerve to say that."

Shen Zheng nodded secretly, lifted the curtain to look at the road ahead and said, "Didn't you say it would only take an hour to get there? It won't delay anything. We'll drop you off and then head back."

Yu Zhengqing looked helpless, then abruptly pulled back the small curtains, pointing to the bright sun and saying, "It's only Chenshi (7-9 AM)! I definitely need to continue my journey after we get to the post station, so please don't bother seeing me off..."

With a "smack," Yu Shizhang slammed a token on the table. "Look what this is!"

Yu Zhengqing glanced at it and exclaimed, "Official post station pass?"

He scooped up the token, examined it twice, and then asked Yu Shizhang, "Father, where did you get this? Was it a gift from His Majesty when we returned to the capital last time?"

This is a really good thing; even many high-ranking officials of the second or third rank don't have it.

Yu Shizhang raised his proud chin and gave Shen Zheng a wink.

Shen Zheng rummaged in her sleeve and pulled out a token.

Yu Zhengqing was dazzled by the silver light and exclaimed in surprise, "A silver token? Was that also given to you by His Majesty?"

Shen Zheng nodded and handed over the token.

Yu Zhengqing took the card in his hand and examined it carefully for a few moments before finally understanding their intentions: "You... want me to use the Tong card?"

“I’ll lend you mine, you can use it if it’s in a pinch, but Shen Zheng’s…” Yu Shizhang took the silver token from Yu Zhengqing’s hand and looked it over, saying, “You can’t use this one, but we’ll follow you to the post station later, and Shen Zheng can help you take good care of it.”

Yu Zhengqing understood.

His escort of the serious criminal back to the capital was originally Shen Zheng's idea, the assistant minister of the Six Ministries.

So on the way back to the capital... he was able to use Shen Zheng's name to "act like a tyrant" at the official post station.