Chapter 319 Reversal
The gunpowder bureau was located in the southeast of the capital.
It was built by the mountains and beside the water, with high walls and deep trenches outside, and all the necessary supplies for food, clothing, housing and transportation inside. There was even a small market town. Rather than an arms workshop, it was more like a town, a heavily guarded town isolated from the world.
At noon that day, in the Supervisory Office located in the center of the town, more than twenty officials stood in the middle of the lobby with their hands behind their backs, but not a single sound was heard. Even their essential breathing was done slowly by inhaling and exhaling gently.
Looking further inside, the three giants of the Gunpowder Bureau were also sitting in the hall, from left to right : Lü Yuan, a captain of the Shenjiying Camp, Zhu Shan, a fourth-rank supervisor, and Luo Jing, a centurion of the Southern Pacification Division.
These three are the people who have the final say in the gunpowder bureau. If they get together, there is nothing they can't accomplish!
But right now...
Touch~
As if he couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere, Lu Yuan slammed the table and jumped up, shouting with his big belly that looked like a thousand-layer meat pie: "What the hell is wrong? Normally when you are not allowed to give advice, you are all very eloquent, but now that it has come to a critical moment, why have you all become mute?!"
"I'm telling you, if this gets out of hand, none of you will be safe!"
He really put all his strength into speaking just a few words. After he finished speaking, he was panting and it took him a long time to calm down.
However, even after he calmed down his breathing, the hall was still dead silent. Even the two centurions who usually obeyed Lu Yuan were now silent and had no reaction at all.
"you……"
"alright!"
Lu Yuan gritted his teeth and was about to say a few more words of admonition, but he heard the supervisor Zhu Shan said in a deep voice: "Go wait outside, I'll call you in if there's anything."
The officials below bowed and retreated as if they had been pardoned.
"Master Zhu, you..."
Lu Yuan grumbled in dissatisfaction. Seeing that Zhu Shan's face was as gloomy as the gunpowder piled in the warehouse, ready to explode at any time, he could only sit back in his chair in frustration.
"Captain Lu, please be patient."
At this time, Luo Jing, who was wearing a black dragon swallowing cloud robe, said slowly: "None of us want to get into trouble, but now that it has happened, what's the point of you just scolding the people below?"
“Hmph~!”
Most of Lu Yuan's anger was directed at Luo Jing. Seeing that Luo Jing dared to make sarcastic remarks, he could not help but said angrily, "Lord Luo, that's really easy to say. But don't forget that although the defense of the gunpowder bureau is the responsibility of the Shenji Battalion, the inspection of internal officials and craftsmen has always been the responsibility of you, the Dragon Guards!"
Hearing this, Luo Jing's face suddenly darkened and he sneered, "Why, are you trying to throw dirty water on our Dragon Guards? I, Luo Jing, have no problem with this, but I'm afraid the old ancestor in the palace won't agree!"
This was one of the reasons why Lu Yuan was so angry. Originally, the new musket was lost, and before the truth was figured out, the responsibilities of the three people present should be equally shared . But Luo Jing, relying on his backing, insisted on getting himself out of it. How could Lu Yuan accept this?
Just as he was about to retort, he heard Supervisor Zhu Shan say, "Okay, Old Lu, you should stop talking too."
This was also one of the reasons why Lu Yuan was so angry. Supervisor Zhu Shan obviously wanted to side with Luo Jing. As for the purpose - such matters have always been investigated by the Dragon Guards. By currying favor with Luo Jing, the godson of Eunuch Xia, in advance, he would naturally be able to reduce some of his responsibilities.
But in this case, wouldn't Lu Yuan be the only one to take the blame? !
The more Lu Yuan thought about it, the more unwilling he became. However, he did not dare to confront Zhu Shan and Luo Jing head-on. He was filled with rage.
"Sir, Lord Jianzheng!"
At this time, the officer guarding the city gate rushed into the hall and said breathlessly: "The imperial envoy sent by the court to investigate the case..."
"Why, the Imperial Envoy has arrived?!"
The three people in the hall stood up in a hurry. Zhu Shan arranged his appearance while ordering, "Hurry up and ask the gentlemen outside to get ready so that they can follow me to the city gate to welcome us!"
The guard did not move, but shook his head like a rattle: "The Imperial Envoy is now in the city, and he asked me to tell the Supervisor to meet him in the warehouse where the new firearms are stored!"
The imperial envoy has entered the city?
Lu Yuan said in disbelief : "How is this possible?! Didn't the sentry I set up on the official road notify us in advance?"
"this……"
The guard glanced at him awkwardly, then stammered, "The Imperial Envoy has brought a large number of Dragon Guards with him. They have already taken over the sentries you set up on the road. Even the guards at the city gates have been replaced by Dragon Guards."
When Lu Yuan heard this, his face turned pale.
Luo Jing standing by was extremely proud, thinking to himself that great minds think alike - as soon as the imperial envoy arrived, he took over the defense of the Shenji Camp, and it was obvious that he also wanted to use the fool Lu Yuan as a target!
So he excitedly bowed his hands and urged: "Master Supervisor, since the imperial envoy has ordered, we dare not delay."
Zhu Shan had also reacted by now, and hurriedly sent people to call the officials outside, some riding in sedan chairs, some riding on horses, and they rushed to the gunpowder bureau treasury in a mighty manner.
As they approached the treasury in the east, they saw the mighty Dragon Guards, with their hands on their swords, surrounding the warehouse so tightly that no one could get in or out.
"Oh~"
Luo Jing was the first to pull the reins, dismounted , and said to one of the general flags with a bit of arrogance: "I wonder which brother or uncle is leading the team? Please go and inform them and tell them that I, Luo Xiaoqi, am here to show my respect!"
Seeing that he was openly trying to build a relationship with the imperial envoy, Lu Yuan's old face turned ashen with hatred. His fat body rolled over several times, but he was unable to get off the horse.
He was just feeling embarrassed when he heard the general flag impatiently say: "What are you talking about? The captain has ordered that except for the supervisor Zhu Shan and the captain of the Shenji Battalion, Lu Yuan, no one else is allowed to enter!"
Although Luo Jing hit a snag, he was not angry but happy instead.
What he feared most was that the person coming was not important enough to overpower Lu Yuan and Zhu Shan. Now that he heard that he was a thousand households, he naturally didn't have to worry about these.
So Luo Jing asked happily, "I wonder if it's Captain Zhou, Captain Zhao, or Captain Song who's leading the team?"
"What are Captain Zhou and Captain Song?"
The general flag raised his eyebrows and shouted: "It is Captain Sun from the Northern Pacification Division who is leading the team!"
“North…North North…North Pacification Division?!”
Luo Jing was dumbfounded at the time and blurted out: "This gunpowder bureau is directly under the inner court. What does it have to do with your Northern Pacification Office? Why do you…"
"how?!"
Before he could finish his words, Jia Shanyao came out, stared at him with a bad face and asked, "Are you dissatisfied with our Captain Sun, or do you think that Eunuch Dai should not have taken on this job?"
Luo Jing was immediately speechless. Not to mention Dai Quan, even Captain Sun inside could decide his life and death, so after the momentary impulse passed, how could he dare to question anything anymore?
When Lü Yuan heard this, his mouth was stretched to the back of his ears. He laughed loudly, stepped off his horse, and stepped forward, clasping his hands and saying, "Captain Lü Yuan of the Divine Machine Battalion, I request to see the Imperial Envoy!"
