Chapter 0005: Another God of War Appears

The name of Zhang Xutuo is recorded in historical texts, renowned as the one who challenged the heavens at the end of the Sui Dynasty

Each county has its own county magistrate, and each prefecture has its own prefectural magistrate

Luo Feng looked at the burly man in front of him, who was in his forties. He was the newly appointed magistrate of Qi County, and coincidentally, his surname was Zhang. It seemed that this individual was indeed Zhang Xutuo.

The governor administers the people and oversees the military forces of the prefecture

Upon seeing this person dressed in an official robe, Qin Qiong approached with neither humility nor arrogance, clasped his hands, and said, "I am Qin Qiong of the Right Wing Guard, paying my respects to you. The Blue-faced Eighteen Ghosts who were just blocking the road and robbing have been captured by us."

Magistrate Zhang clasped his hands towards the man on horseback, saying, "Originally, it was a calamity, but fortunately, with the assistance of these brave warriors, my daughter was able to turn danger into safety, and to my surprise, we have captured all the notorious Blue-faced Eighteen Ghosts that the government has been pursuing."

Aye!

The opposing forces arrived swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, they were already close at hand

Luo Feng had already recognized the man on the horse from memory as Zhang Yichen, the magistrate of Zhangqiu County. He quickly stepped forward and said, "I, Luo Wu, a humble villager from Nanshan, pay my respects to Magistrate Zhang. Just now, bandits suddenly attacked, and fortunately, we encountered the Qin guards who drew their swords to assist us. Together with my fellow villagers, we fought bravely and managed to subdue the bandits, and not a single hair of the magistrate's daughter was harmed. She is currently in the carriage."

It is said that Zhang Xutuo, in his early years, followed the renowned generals Shi Wansui and Yang Su in their campaigns, gaining rich experience in battle. He was well-versed in military strategy, excelled in martial arts, and during the tumultuous period of rebellions at the end of the Sui Dynasty, his name struck fear into the hearts of those rebel forces.

The county magistrate, the deputy of a county

At this moment, a large group of people had also arrived nearby, with several knights escorting a middle-aged knight forward.

Qin Qiong, Luo Wu

Before Yang Guang ascended to the throne, during the initial establishment of the Sui Dynasty, the administrative divisions inherited from the Southern and Northern Dynasties were quite chaotic. There were states, commanderies, and counties, often with only two or three commanderies in a state, and a commandery consisting of just a few counties, leading to a situation where ten sheep were raised for every nine shepherds. Later, Emperor Wen reformed the administrative divisions by abolishing the commandery level, retaining only the state level, thus establishing a two-tier system of states and counties throughout the nation

The county magistrate's daughter called out excitedly, her voice quite enchanting. Luo Feng, who was only a few steps away, could smell a delightful fragrance of purity. Miss Zhang's beautiful and delicate features left him in awe; he never expected to encounter such a stunning young woman in the Sui Dynasty a thousand years ago.

Unlike the responsibilities of the county magistrate, who is akin to an office director, Yang Guang made significant changes at the level of the commandery. For instance, he stripped the commandery governors and county magistrates of their power to recruit subordinate officials, which was instead conferred by the court. Additionally, whereas the inspector and governor previously held substantial power, overseeing both civil and military affairs, Yang Guang removed the military authority from the governors, leaving them solely responsible for civil administration

"Captured?" he said in surprise. "What about my daughter?"

After Yang Guang ascended to the throne, he initiated another round of reforms, abolishing the prefecture system and establishing a two-tier system of counties and districts. Although this may sound somewhat absurd, the transition from the prefecture-county system to the county-district system carries significant implications. The number of districts was reduced, and the rank of local district officials was lowered, thereby enhancing the central court's control over local governance

"Run, Niang!" Magistrate Zhang jumped off his horse and ran towards the carriage

Zhang Yichen laughed heartily, "I never expected to encounter the Blue-faced Ghost here. Fortunately, I had the assistance of several righteous heroes; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable"

At this moment, Zhang Yichen hurriedly said to Qin Qiong and Luo Feng, "This is our newly appointed County Magistrate Zhang from Qi County; you should quickly pay your respects."

Qin Qiong clasped his hands and said, "I am Qin Qiong, styled Shubao, the second in my family, from Licheng County in Qijun. This is my cousin, a man from Nancun in Zhangqiu, with the surname Luo, who is the fifth in his family."

Oh, although Zhang is new and has not officially taken office yet, he has heard some rumors about the notorious Blue-faced Eighteen Ghosts that have been rampant in Shandong. They are a group of ruthless bandits that are difficult to apprehend, yet it is unexpected that they have fallen here

At this moment, the man on horseback finally realized that the group of bandits behind Qin Qiong had already been tied up in a long line

However, only a few major prefectures have the position of a general inspector, while most prefectures do not have such an official. Therefore, the military responsibilities of the general inspector are handled by the deputy prefect.

Are you alright, Runniang?

His gaze swept over the bound blue-faced ghosts, and with some curiosity, he glanced at Qin Qiong and Luo Feng, saying, "Lord Zhang, it seems this was just a false alarm"

In the jurisdiction of a county with a radius of one hundred li, the county magistrate, the deputy magistrate, and the chief clerk are generally referred to as the three principal officials. In the prefecture, the order is typically the prefect, the deputy prefect, and the prefectural clerk.

"Good things, the Blue-faced Eighteen Ghosts were taken down by these few?" The man seemed a bit skeptical.

Hearing that his daughter was safe, County Magistrate Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. He had rushed over immediately upon receiving the report from Constable Zhao, who had escaped back and informed him that his daughter's carriage had encountered robbers here.

To his surprise, he actually encountered him here

To be more specific, it is not about being extraordinarily beautiful or captivating; purely in terms of appearance, it does not seem particularly stunning. However, there is a sense of purity that is rarely seen in later generations. It is truly like the lotus emerging from clear water, with no excessive adornment, just a natural face that is simple yet exquisite and very pleasing to the eye. Coupled with her attire from the Sui Dynasty, it caught the attention of Luo Feng, who is accustomed to the women of later generations.

A maid descended first, dressed in a short-sleeved blouse paired with a high-waisted long skirt, her waist belt hanging down, draped with a shawl over her shoulders, and her hair styled in two buns on her head

The curtain of the carriage was lifted

Hahaha

Zhang Junchen, my daughter has personally stated that the eighteen blue-faced ghosts were indeed captured by them. In particular, these two brothers, Qin and Luo, are exceptionally brave and formidable. Just with a pair of twin hammers, Qin Weishi killed two and captured three. This Luo Wulang also defeated three bandits, which is truly remarkable

Immediately following, a slightly taller young lady descended, dressed in a blue wide-sleeved garment, with a yellow cloak draped over her. She stood gracefully, strikingly beautiful and elegant

Amidst the crowd, a carriage was spotted, and among the riders, one horseman accelerated and galloped forward.

Magistrate Zhang observed his daughter, while Runniang quickly reported to her father in a very soft voice, vaguely mentioning Qin Qiong and Luo Wu. Luo Feng, bold and somewhat disrespectful, looked at Runniang and her daughter, while Qin Qiong, on the other hand, maintained proper decorum and did not glance sideways.

The three most famous county magistrates at the end of the Sui Dynasty were Li Jing, the magistrate of Yanmen County, Wang Shichong, the magistrate of Jiangdu County, and Zhang Xutuo, the magistrate of Qi County

He turned around and scrutinized Qin Qiong and Luo Feng once again. His daughter had almost recounted the entire encounter with the thief just now. If it weren't for his daughter's own words, he would hardly dare to believe that this group of people before him was so formidable, especially that Qin Qiong

She appears to be in her prime, around eighteen or twenty.

Upon hearing that the other party was the county magistrate, Luo Feng immediately recognized that this was a significant figure

Bold thief, why do you not release the person!

Initially, the county established a position of Zanzhi, which was soon changed to that of County Deputy.

Generals such as Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Luo Shixin were all under his command. Li Mi, Zhai Rang, Shan Xiongxin, Xu Shiji, and others from the rebel forces at the end of the Sui Dynasty were all once defeated by him

The person approaching is over forty years old, wearing a flat cap and a green robe, with a horizontal saber at his waist. His square red face is currently frowning with raised eyebrows and glaring eyes