It was like a casual family chat, yet also somewhat like an appraisal from a superior. Whichever it was, it left Magistrate Hao soaked in cold sweat from sheer panic. Fortunately, although he was quite frightened, Magistrate Hao was ultimately a good official. He was intimately familiar with every aspect of Qingshui County, so he managed to respond appropriately.
Among Magistrate Hao's entourage, Chen Song also spotted several former colleagues. He called out their names with a nostalgic smile. Initially, they were terrified and overly deferential, but soon they began to chat freely with him. However, it had been a long time since they last met, and their statuses were now worlds apart, leaving them with little to say. After briefly reminiscing about the past, the conversation naturally dwindled.
