In the afternoon, Zhang Chen, along with officials and constables from the County Government, waited at the North Gate. Ju Shou and Gao Shun were also present.
Welcoming the superior official was a major event, so other matters had to be put aside until the inspecting official left.
After a little over half an hour, a procession was seen slowly approaching, consisting of about thirty people.
Zhang Chen looked from afar and saw a General at the front, broad-shouldered and stout, clad in armor, sitting upright on his horse, holding a large axe that looked powerful and imposing.
Behind the General was a carriage, followed by over thirty attendants.
It seemed the superior Lord was currently inside the carriage.
The group approached. The General at the front reined in his horse, raised a hand, and the carriage and attendants behind him also slowly stopped.
The General, sitting on his horse, cupped his fists, gave a slight bow, and said with an arrogant expression, "This General is Pan Feng, a subordinate under Imperial Censor Lord Han. Which of you is the Magistrate of Guangping?"
Pan Feng?!
Hearing this, Zhang Chen was startled.
Was it that Pan Feng? The Pan Feng known as the "Peerless Supreme General"? The Pan Feng who fought Hua Xiong before Sishui Pass and was cut down in less than three bouts?
Right, he just said, Imperial Censor Lord Han?
The Imperial Censor during Emperor Ling's reign... wasn't that the later Governor of Ji Province - Han Fu! Pan Feng was indeed Han Fu's subordinate General!
Thinking to himself, Zhang Chen slightly raised his head and looked at the person.
"Insight Eye, activate!"
【Name: Pan Feng】
【Possessed Traits: Peerless Valiance (Purple), Exquisite Axe Mastery (Blue)】
【Peerless Valiance (Purple)】: You are fierce and aggressive, fearless of death, truly peerless! (During combat, Strength greatly increases, Defense greatly decreases)
【Exquisite Axe Mastery (Blue)】: You are skilled with an axe. (When using axe-type weapons, Strength slightly increases, Burst slightly increases)
Zhang Chen looked at these two traits and fell into thought.
No wonder Pan Feng was cut down by Hua Xiong in less than three bouts. So his 【Peerless Valiance】 was a life-for-life fighting style!
Strength greatly increases, but the cost is a significant reduction in Defense. This is using offense as defense, truly fearless of death.
However, this fighting style is acceptable against ordinary enemies, but once you encounter a master, if you show even a slight flaw and are taken advantage of, with your Defense greatly reduced, it's a dead end!
It seems the death of Pan Feng in the history of the Three Kingdoms is inseparable from this!
Just as Zhang Chen was thinking, Pan Feng saw that no one answered and immediately became angry, roaring, "Hmph! This General is asking a question, how dare you not answer! Who is the County Magistrate, come out quickly!"
At this roar, Zhang Chen snapped back to his senses, but his heart immediately filled with displeasure.
This fellow is actually so arrogant!
One must know, he was just a small subordinate, while he himself was a dignified County Magistrate with a thousand-stone salary.
What are subordinates? Just private soldiers kept by some people, like Qu Yi's Eight Hundred First to Ascend.
These people are not within the court's official ranks and have no rank whatsoever. Logically, he should be the one coming to pay his respects, but at this moment, Pan Feng, upon seeing him, not only didn't salute but didn't even dismount his horse. He was truly arrogant to the extreme!
While saying this, Zhang Chen also understood in his heart that the other party's master was a high-ranking official in the capital, and in terms of status, far surpassed him, the County Magistrate of a remote small county.
This fellow's arrogance was naturally due to the influence of his master!
"I'm asking you a question! Are you all deaf?" Pan Feng roared again.
Forget it, endure for now. No need to argue with this boor, lest it ruin the important matter.
Zhang Chen made up his mind, quickly stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Pan Feng on the horse, saying, "Magistrate of Guangping Zhang Zifan, along with all my subordinates, respectfully welcome the Imperial Envoy."
"Hmph! You are the County Magistrate of this county?" Pan Feng glanced at Zhang Chen and said with a look of disdain, "This General just asked a question, why were you so slow to answer? Are you perhaps looking down on me?"
"How dare I, how dare I? Just now, standing here, I felt a surge of heroic spirit rushing towards me, which caused me to momentarily lose my composure. I hope the General will be magnanimous."
How could Pan Feng not hear that Zhang Chen's words were flattery? But "one doesn't hit a smiling person," and besides, he found these words quite pleasing to hear.
At once, Pan Feng's anger dissipated by more than half. He glanced at Zhang Chen, waved his hand, and said, "Enough, enough. Lord Han's carriage is right behind. Hurry and come pay your respects! As a County Magistrate, how can you be so lacking in foresight!"
Lord Han?
Could it be that the person in the carriage is Han Fu?
Zhang Chen was stunned. The Imperial Censor was not a small official; he shouldn't need to personally come down for such a minor matter, right?
Filled with questions, Zhang Chen stepped forward and bowed deeply towards the inside of the carriage, saying, "Magistrate of Guangping Zhang Zifan, along with all my subordinates, pays respects to the Imperial Envoy!"
"Hehehe... Oh dear... Lord, don't..."
"Naughty..."
"Oh, hahaha..."
Lewd laughter and teasing sounds from several women came from inside the carriage.
Zhang Chen's expression couldn't help but change.
Good heavens, Han Fu! In broad daylight, he's openly engaging in lewd behavior, doing such morally corrupt things!
In the history of the Three Kingdoms, Han Fu held Ji Province but handed it over to Yuan Shao, and finally, in fear and anxiety, hanged himself in a latrine. He was truly utterly useless.
Zhang Chen originally only knew him as a weak and cowardly person, but he didn't expect him to also be a lecherous and shameless scoundrel!
Pan Feng on the horse also secretly changed his expression upon hearing the commotion inside the carriage.
"Magistrate of Guangping Zhang Zifan, along with all my subordinates, pays respects to the Imperial Envoy!" Zhang Chen's tone rose by several degrees, his heart already secretly displeased.
The curtain on one side of the carriage was lifted, and a richly dressed young Gongzi inside said unhurriedly, "Alright, you can all disperse now. Let's enter the city."
After the person finished speaking, he lowered the curtain. Immediately after, the sounds of laughter and teasing from inside the carriage resumed.
Pan Feng waved his hand, spurred his horse into the city, and the constables all retreated to the sides.
The group entered the city. Gao Shun walked over, his face dark, clearly extremely dissatisfied with those people.
Gao Shun said to Zhang Chen, "Lord, this fellow is too arrogant, and that so-called Lord Han, in broad daylight actually... How about I go teach them a lesson!"
Zhang Chen waved his hand and said, "Hmph, are those mere clowns worth getting angry about? Gao Shun, you must remember that your emotions will interfere with your judgment. Do not be influenced by others. As the saying goes, 'One who has thunder in his chest but a face like a calm lake can be appointed a Supreme General.'"
"Your subordinate has been taught," Gao Shun cupped his hands.
To the side, Ju Shou added, "Lord, this superior official seems to be ill-intentioned."
"Ill-intentioned? Hmph! Let's see whose territory this is." Zhang Chen's lips curved slightly, revealing a cold smile. "If he dares to cause trouble, I don't mind making sure he can't return to Loyang. Let's go! Follow them."
Zhang Chen and the others followed the procession into the city.
According to court regulations, a superior official inspecting a county should lodge at the post station. Zhang Chen originally intended to lead them to the post station, but that Lord Han refused to stay, saying the post station was too simple. The group thus wandered around the city for a long time before finally finding a somewhat decent inn in the west of the city.
"Alright, we'll stay here." That Lord Han inside the carriage lifted the curtain, looked at the inn before him, and said with a hint of disdain, "This godforsaken place doesn't even have a decent restaurant. It seems this County Magistrate is also an incompetent fellow, managing Guangping like this!"
Gao Shun, hearing this from the side, couldn't help but become furious and was about to act, but was stopped in time by Zhang Chen.
"Go, clear everyone out. This Lord will stay here today."
A lazy voice came from inside the carriage, and several attendants immediately strode into the inn aggressively.
In a short while, several people successively ran out of the inn. Some were even pushed and shoved, driven out.
Zhang Chen watched from the side, secretly gritting his teeth.
At this moment, the person in the carriage slowly alighted.
Only then did Zhang Chen finally see the true face of this "Lord Han."
It was actually... not Han Fu!