legend wrote:"Yes, I too thought I was lucky to be seeing you so soon official Zhao..." Wei Xiao Bao said with a forced smile as he cupped his two hands together in a form of greeting. Deep inside he cursed 'Bastards, I'll make sure I remember each and every one of you. The day I rise to a seat of power would be the day of your funerals...' But he did do a great job in hiding his true feelings...
"But first..." Wei Xiao Bao then paused as he reached into his robes and brought out 3 sticks of gold and placed it in front of Zhao Cheng. "A small gift which little brother, I, here had prepared for you. It may be little but please still do accept it as thanking you for willing to take your precious time out to meet a lowly village chief such as myself...As for why I am here today, little brother here wishes to be given the opportunity to serve our great emperor and aid him in destroying the despised Ying FuSu..."
-30 gold to Zhao Cheng!
Zhao Cheng's eyes widened slightly as they took in the gleaming gold. He diligently lifted each gold stick in turn and rubbed his fingers down their lengths in a manner that could almost be considered obscene. The chief official then slipped them into the interior of his robes. Such gifts need not be pubicly displayed or announced.
"Your gift is very thoughtful." He smacked his lips together and produced a brief chuckle "and will be accepted."
He then proceeded to first frown and then smile. "the imperial scion Ying Fusu is dead. You
must be refering to that poopsmith the traitorous Meng's have been parading about as the deceased imperial relative. He is a puppet and an imposter." Zhao Cheng repeated the lie as had been told to him by his own brother as if it were an absolute truth.
"What sort of oppurtunity are you or your little brother looking to be given? Please be specific, I'd hate to make a mistake of your intentions after such nice gifts."
Xiang Zhuang wrote:Lurking Tyranny wrote:"Disloyal?" He titled his head to the side and made a curious expression with his face. "Disloyal, no.. could they be..?" He began wondering and steepled his fingers together, ocassionaly moving them about in a manner that had similarities to the method in which a spider weaves a web.
"Prefect Gen of Zhaoge is a good and loyal man and will fall in line with any orders given from the capital." He seemed to brush aside the criticism brought on that man and instead focused on the other prefect. "The Prefect of Xiuwu however. Perhaps we shall test his loyalties? If he is disloyal and has sympathized with these bandits he should be removed from office and an individual who is truly loyal and obediant to our glorious and benevolent Emperor, like you appear to be Xia Xi, should replace him."
"I will make certain that he is summoned to the Capitol and should he refuse I will have a better understanding of his disloyalty. If this is true, that he is disloyal, I know surely the citizenry will not tolerate it. They love their August and divine Emperor as much as I do. You know what I say is true, for you have heard the praises sung in your township in Yin for Qin Er Shi, haven't you?"
Xia Xi nodded to the eunuch all along. He expected some possible reference of himself for Xiuwu, and was able to not reveal his pleasure at hearing the Qin official mention those words. "Puyang is full of song," Xi replied, a smile to his lips. "Even more so since I have set the town to rights under the name of the August Emperor. It would be good to spread this sentiment to Xiuwu, should this Prefect Kuan be found lacking. Those in my town are still battered from the recent raids, but they will come together in time. I am not sure if enough of the rest of Yin would unite behind me to assist, though. I am still new to the area, and am not terribly skilled in the power of persuasion. Even though the glory of the Qin should be evident to them, peasants will be peasants."
"Puyang is full of song. This is as it should be and will continue when you are confered your proper recognition Xia Xi." The eunuch said in his melodious voice.
"As for the rest of Yin, they do not need to unite behind you, for they will unite at but a word from our August Emperor. Fear not though, Qin Er Shi does not forget those who respond with loyalty before his word needs to be given, nor do I."
The slightly pudgy Zhao Gao shifted around and began to slowly get to his feet, his white robes hanging loosely about his body, one prone to indulgence and little physical labour.
"I shall send for Prefect Kuan and will send messengers to Puyang when his intentions are known to this court. For now though let us get your taxes and rank straightened out."
The Chief Minister went to a low table in the splendidly large office and rang a iron bell repeatedly. Shorty afterwards two clerks, one in the later years of his life and the other somewhere in his thirties, walked into the chamber and bowed at the waist to Zhao Gao.
"Clerk Ding, Clerk Dong - This here is District Manager Xia Xi. The records of in his town of Puyang have been damaged and he needs a new accessment of taxes due and recognition of his proper rank. The most August Emperor has been generous enough to waive all back taxes. Do take care of him"
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