Thus, he stealthily entered the city, following Captain Niu into the Protectorate Mansion in North Town to watch the excitement unfold.
The Protector of North Town was no longer part of Wang Er's faction, having been dismissed from office. The city was now governed by the former military advisor, who was currently the Censor-in-chief and the Inspector of the Five Towns, Wei Gao.
Although the Southern Palace's army was stationed very close at Peach Blossom Mountain, North Town maintained order and showed no signs of chaos. The city's defenses were strict, patrols and guards operated as usual, appearing unproblematic. However, it was bizarre that upon reaching the Protectorate Mansion, Li Fan saw a long queue outside the mansion—people coming and going, bustling like a stream of horses and carriages, yet surprisingly, they were not preparing for military action. It seemed they were disbursing severance pay...
