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墨書 Inktalez
Looking at the crowd, which was dense and overwhelming, I felt quite bewildered. Previously, who would dare to approach the Office of Censors? Everyone would steer clear of it. After the Food Haven opened, things had improved somewhat, but not to the extent that people could gather so closely and whisper among themselves.
I couldn't help but speak up. "We discovered a spy."
"What? A spy!" My voice rose a bit, causing the leading townsfolk to hush me. They were anxious, one even patted my arm, and when they came to their senses, their faces turned pale with fear. "I-I apologize, Official. I was just nervous; I didn't mean to frighten you. If I offended you, you can chop off my hand, but please don't take my life!"
Seeing his reaction, I felt a bit more at ease. This was the kind of response one should expect from the common folk when encountering the Office of Censors.
"Forget it; I won't hold it against you," I muttered, slightly annoyed. "It's just a spy. Why are you all so jumpy?"
Realizing that I had no intention of harming him and even stopped him from kneeling, the leading townsfolk sighed in relief. Indeed, with the new Yongxin Marquis in charge of the Office of Censors, things didn't seem so terrifying anymore.
"Official," he said, "if you're not afraid, we are. Ever since we suspected there was a spy in that house, we haven't been able to sleep well. We worry about being poisoned while eating and have to be careful with our words. So after confirming everything multiple times, we came to find you."
"But do you really need this many people?"
Even children and elderly folks were present; it seemed like the entire neighborhood had mobilized. Some were wrapped in blankets due to the chilly night air.
"We're scared," he continued. "We're afraid someone might harm us at home and also worried about being killed on our way here to report it. After thinking it over, we decided it was better to come together; there's safety in numbers."
"But if you all come together like this, you'll surely alert the spy you're talking about. You've walked quite a distance already; they might have escaped by now."
"That can't be! They ordered food from Fortune Pavilion today. Our neighbor Xiao Wang works there as a waiter; he managed to get the delivery job. We confirmed that they were drugged; they slept like dead pigs."
"Really? Not only did you drug them but also confirmed it? Aren't you quite bold? How did you knock them out and then get scared?"
Qi Shuo had received word and stepped out, overhearing some of the conversation between the townsfolk and me. He asked, "Shouldn't spies be dealt with by the Military Affairs Office? Why not report it to them?"
"The Office of Censors is closest; it's just two streets away. The Military Affairs Office is over ten streets away."
"That's a valid point," Qi Shuo acknowledged. "However, meddling in others' affairs is a big taboo in officialdom." He instructed his subordinates to quickly notify the Military Affairs Office.
After pondering for a moment and fearing that these people might indeed be spies, he decided to let the townsfolk lead the way while we secured the scene until the Military Affairs Office arrived.
The leading townsfolk guided me over while those who had come with me lingered stubbornly at the entrance of the Office of Censors. The remaining Censor had no choice but to invite them inside.
Due to space constraints, they couldn't enter the house itself; instead, we set up a bonfire in the courtyard and arranged tables and chairs.
Seeing Sang Qingxiao awake, I asked her if she had brought hot porridge and distributed it to everyone present.
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