The別院 in Shangsi County.
"Miss, the hot water is ready. Why don't you take a bath first?" He Nuan looked at Zhan Feiyu, who was lost in thought, staring at a book. After the Seventh Master received the secret letter, he sent Miss back to the 別院 and left in a hurry. It was normal for Miss to feel disappointed.
Suddenly snapping back to reality, Zhan Feiyu patted her face, "No need, I'll finish this article first."
He Nuan wanted to persuade her. She had returned from Huaixian after a long journey by carriage, and it was already late at night. But seeing Zhan Feiyu start grinding ink, He Nuan swallowed the words she was about to say and quietly withdrew from the study.
A gentleman! Upon seeing the topic, Zhan Feiyu's mind immediately conjured the original sentence. This topic came from the Analects, Chapter Gongye Chang, Verse Five: "The Master said of Zi Jian, 'A gentleman indeed is this man! If there were no gentlemen in Lu, from whence could this gentleman have learned his character?'"
The original meaning was that Confucius commented on Zi Jian, saying, "This person is truly a gentleman. If there were no gentlemen in Lu, from where would he have learned such virtue?"
Zi Jian: His surname was Mi, his given name was Bu Qi, and his courtesy name was Zi Jian. He was a disciple of Confucius. Because of his noble character, Confucius gave him such praise.
Under the bright candlelight, after Zhan Feiyu had ground the ink, she already had the opening and development sentences in her mind. She picked up her brush and quickly wrote on the paper: "There is a gentleman, and therefore he is called a gentleman. The name of a gentleman is only held by those who have achieved perfection..."
In the courtyard, after settling down the three horses, He Sheng glanced from afar at the study with the candlelight on, "Miss is still reading?"
"There's still an article to write. Brother, the clothes are mended, I'll bring them to you." He Nuan got up and walked inside.
After a while, He Nuan handed the two mended short shirts to He Sheng. "Outsiders say Miss is lucky to have studied under Scholar Gu, but no one knows how hard Miss studies."
Although young ladies from noble families also had to learn qin, qi, shu, and hua, as well as household management, in He Nuan's opinion, Zhan Feiyu, who slept less than six hours a day, was truly suffering.
Taking the clothes, He Sheng looked at his sister who was speaking up for someone, and comforted her, "This is like when we were undergoing training. No matter how hard or tiring it was, it would be fine once we got through it."
He Nuan naturally understood this, but she just felt sorry for Zhan Feiyu. "What does one do when they are not established? Where do you find your footing? Miss says that being well-read in poetry and books is her capital for establishing herself."
The usually reserved He Sheng couldn't help but smile, "Following Miss, you've even learned to use fancy language."
Giving him a playful glare, He Nuan also smiled, "When those people come in a couple of days, I'll be the head maid by Miss's side."
In the study, unaware of the siblings' bickering, Zhan Feiyu's thoughts flowed like a spring: "If one is complete in being a gentleman, can he not be called a gentleman? Now, undeserved praise is not something one enjoys obtaining, and when judging others, one does not wish to do this. If there is praise, there must be a test. And if it is clearly and precisely expressed, then there must be a basis, just like Shi Yu was like an arrow..."
And unlike the quiet of the 別院, the entire Huaixian County was in an uproar with the arrival of Sui Baode.
Two hundred elites from the Southern Xuan Guard escorted Cao the constable and others into the county town. Their black masks had been removed, so as soon as they entered the city gate, they were recognized, causing a stir. If it weren't for the fear of the stern and murderous soldiers, the onlookers would have likely blocked the road. m..oΓg
Sui Baode took over the county yamen and threw Cao the constable and about sixty to seventy others into prison, stationing soldiers to guard the jail. He then refused to see Magistrate Zhao, which made Magistrate Zhao and others anxious all night.
The next morning, Magistrate Zhao, along with Deputy Magistrate Wang and Commander Hou, requested an audience with Commander Sui again.
"My lord, we will insist that Cao the constable's information was incorrect. The law does not punish the masses. Commander Sui cannot possibly punish all of us," Deputy Magistrate Wang whispered outside the courtyard gate. Who would have thought they would be so unlucky as to be caught by the Southern Xuan Guard?
"Hmph, this matter is of great importance, and you did not report it to me. Now that something has happened, if Commander Sui shows leniency, it's one thing. If he pursues it, I will not intercede for you!" Magistrate Zhao, with a stern face, pushed all responsibility away.
Deputy Magistrate Wang's eyes were filled with disdain and contempt, but his face showed a look of sincere fear. "This was my mishandling, and it has nothing to do with you, my lord. If Commander Sui pursues it, I will bear it all."
Hearing this, Magistrate Zhao finally nodded with satisfaction, and his angry attitude softened by three points. "It's good that you know."
Captain Tao, leading Tian Sheng and his group, had also been busy all night without sleep. He glanced through the window at Magistrate Zhao and the other two standing outside the courtyard. "My lord, they didn't force anyone to death, they just beat people to within an inch of their lives."
If a family had ten taels of surplus silver, then when it fell into the hands of Zhao San and others, they would take at least half, leaving five taels for you. This would keep you from starving, but also prevent you from having the courage to risk your life to complain.
After some time, when you saved up some more silver, these people would come to extort another sum. Anyway, you wouldn't die, just be wronged.
Commander Sui nodded understandingly. If there had been a death, Prefect Zhang would not have stood by and done nothing. "Since no evidence can be found, you take your men and bring back the three military horses. The theft of military horses might be the work of barbarian spies. You can then take your men to search house by house and see how much silver has been embezzled over the years!"
"Yes, subordinate will attend to it immediately." Captain Tao agreed. After all the silver was found, he wanted to see how these corrupt officials in Huaixian County could explain themselves!
Captain Tao led his men away in a hurry. Magistrate Zhao, who had been kept waiting for a long time, could finally enter.
Upon seeing Commander Sui seated at the head, Magistrate Zhao spoke loudly, "Your subordinate Zhao Yong greets you, my lord. Your subordinate has failed to govern properly, and I beg you to punish me."
Deputy Magistrate Wang and Commander Hou also knelt below to confess their sins. Although the Guard could not interfere in the affairs of the yamen, they had unfortunately run into Commander Sui directly. It was truly a matter of human effort and heavenly success.
Looking at the three kneeling below, Commander Sui waved his hand with a look of disgust. "Alright, your failure to govern is Prefect Zhang's business. My hands are not that long, and I cannot manage your county yamen."
Magistrate Zhao, with his head lowered, felt a surge of joy, but he still kowtowed and begged for forgiveness. "Your subordinate is terrified."
"However, your Huaixian County dares to steal military horses. This is a capital offense!" Commander Sui changed the subject, slammed the table, and exuded an imposing aura. "The county yamen actually harbors barbarian spies! As the magistrate of Huaixian, are you unaware or colluding with the spies?"
Magistrate Zhao, who was being questioned, was stunned. It wasn't about the robbery, why was it related to military horses and barbarian spies? This was a crime of colluding with the enemy and treason, punishable by extermination of the nine generations!
Deputy Magistrate Wang and Commander Hou turned pale. They exchanged glances, both thinking of the three fine steeds kept in Zhao San's backyard. Were they military horses?
In one day, Huaixian County had undergone a drastic change. The three military horses were irrefutable evidence. There was no need for torture. As soon as Captain Tao drew his saber, Zhao San was so frightened that he confessed everything.
Afterward, from Magistrate Zhao, Deputy Magistrate Wang, and Commander Hou at the top, down to Cao the constable, Wu the constable, and the yamen runners, large sums of money were found in their homes. The salary of a constable in Huaixian County was two taels of silver, plus some miscellaneous allowances, making it three taels at most.
Wu the constable had worked in the yamen for five years. He had six people in his family: an old mother, a wife, and three children. Wu the constable had both elderly parents and young children to support, and he was the only one earning money. Logically speaking, three taels of silver were barely enough to make ends meet.
But in reality, the Wu family had meat for every meal, the eldest son was studying in a private school, and no one in the family had patched clothes. They lived in a five-room house with a tiled roof. Besides Old Mrs. Wu's gold bracelet, his wife's silver bracelet, and a few pieces of jewelry, Wu's family also had three hundred taels of silver.
As for Cao the constable, it was even more so. He had worked in the yamen for eight years and had two thousand taels found in his home. Magistrate Zhao's family fortune was even more astonishing, from porcelain and calligraphy to jewelry, plus banknotes, gold ingots, silver ingots...
Others said that a clean prefect in three years would have ten thousand taels of silver. Magistrate Zhao had served as magistrate in Huaixian for six years, and his family's assets had already exceeded one hundred thousand taels. Even the small杂役 in the county yamen had a hundred taels of silver in their homes. This was all the people's hard-earned money, obtained by exploiting the people of Huaixian for many years.
...
The news from Huaixian County immediately reached the Southern Xuan Prefecture. Prefect Zhang and Chen Xuezheng, who had not yet left, received the news almost at the same time.
"This is simply outrageous!" With a bang, Chen Xuezheng slapped the table. His already gloomy expression became even more unsightly.
The Chen family had been entrenched in Jiangnan Dao for many years, so they naturally didn't care about the loss of a medium-sized county. However, the fall of Huaixian County represented a continuous loss of the Chen family's control over the Southern Xuan Prefecture. How would the seventeen prefectures of Jiangnan Dao view the Chen family?
"My lord, Commander Sui actually interfered in the administrative affairs of Huaixian County?" As Chen Xuezheng's bodyguard, Yan Hui was deeply trusted by him, so he dared to speak when Chen Xuezheng was furious.
"That fool actually dared to steal military horses! Ten thousand taels of silver were not enough for him!" Chen Xuezheng became more and more angry as he looked at it. If Commander Sui's hands dared to extend from the army into the county yamen, the Censorate could impeach Commander Sui and dismiss him from office.
But it so happened that Commander Sui had valid reasons. Under the guise of searching for spies, he investigated all the officials and clerks in Huaixian County, and finally uncovered a nest of corrupt officials.
Compared to the furious Chen Xuezheng, Prefect Zhang sent his pre-written memorial of apology to Cao Daren, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan Dao. Even if Cao Daren officially reprimanded Prefect Zhang, Prefect Zhang would only lose face, while the Chen family would lose substance.
After Chen Xuezheng's anger subsided, Yan Hui poured him some tea and tentatively asked, "My lord, shall we depart for Zhongzhou tomorrow as scheduled?"
The prefectural examination had already ended, and there was no point for Chen Xuezheng to stay in the Southern Xuan Prefecture. With the entire Huaixian County wiped out, Chen Xuezheng would only bring disgrace upon himself by staying.
The dignified second-rank Xue Zheng of the imperial court was forced to flee by a mere prefect. Chen Xuezheng could not swallow this indignity and said sternly, "Notify Chai Yi and tell him to act tomorrow!"
"Yes, my lord." Yan Hui received the order and withdrew. His lord had originally planned to use Huang Li as a chess piece after leaving the Southern Xuan Prefecture, but now, in order to regain face, his lord was acting ahead of schedule.
The May sunshine was bright. In the early morning, Prefect Zhang led the officials of the prefectural yamen to bid farewell to Chen Xuezheng, who was returning to Zhongzhou Prefecture.
"A single tree of sad color, how many people have entered its sorrow? Your subordinate respectfully sees you off, my lord, and wishes you a safe journey." Prefect Zhang bowed respectfully, and his farewell words were also sincere and heartfelt.
"Prefect Zhang, there is no need for such ceremony." Chen Xuezheng smiled and personally helped up the bowing Prefect Zhang, then said to the officials behind him, "Farewell, everyone..."
Before Chen Xuezheng could finish speaking, a mournful cry suddenly rang out.
"Who is it?" Yan Hui shouted sternly. Almost simultaneously, several constables quickly blocked the person who rushed over.
"This commoner, Madam Huang, pays respects to Lord Chen. I implore Lord Chen to uphold justice for this commoner!" She knelt on the ground with a thud. Huang Li kowtowed three times. Her face was haggard, and her hair was disheveled, but she no longer had the radiant beauty of Madam Ming San.
The onlookers outside the yamen looked over in surprise. Huang Li was quite well-known in the Southern Xuan Prefecture. Not to mention that the Huang family was originally a family of physicians, but Huang Li married the third young master Ming, which made countless girls cry into their handkerchiefs back then.
Later, Huang Li was molested by a scoundrel after falling into the water at the Peach Blossom Gathering, and her reputation was ruined. The third young master Ming and the Ming family did not treat her harshly in any way. But who would have thought that Huang Li would cry, make a scene, and attempt suicide, demanding a divorce from the third young master Ming, and extorting ten thousand taels of silver from the Ming family? This caused the contempt for Huang Li among the people of the Southern Xuan Prefecture to reach its peak.
"Is that really Miss Huang? Wasn't she said to be locked up by the Huang family?" A passerby whispered.
The matter of Huang Li's divorce had caused a great stir at the time. The Huang family was also helpless with Huang Li. They couldn't really kill her, so they could only lock Huang Li up in the backyard.
Passerby B looked at Huang Li, who was crying uncontrollably, "Is she going to sue the Huang family?"
As soon as this was said, the surrounding onlookers believed it by three points. With Huang Li's temperament, she was arrogant and domineering before marriage, and after marriage, she was unchaste, often staying at the Donghu Inn for short periods. It was rumored that she even met men in private. If it weren't for the reputation of the Huang and Ming families, Huang Li would have long been drowned in gossip.
"What grievance do you have? Whom do you wish to accuse?" Chen Xuezheng asked routinely, then changed the subject, "I am the Xue Zheng of Jiangnan Dao. Since you have a grievance, you should submit a petition to the prefectural yamen and have Prefect Zhang handle it."
Huang Li suddenly raised her head. Her tear-blurred eyes gazed affectionately at Prefect Zhang, who was wearing official robes. Even though he was over forty, Prefect Zhang was still tall and dignified, with a refined and elegant demeanor, truly like a gentleman of jade, gentle and lustrous.
As if heartbroken, she wiped away her tears and choked out, "My lord, this commoner is Prefect Zhang's concubine, but Madam Kong is jealous and cannot tolerate this commoner. I implore you, my lord, to uphold justice for this commoner."
Not to mention the onlookers, even the officials and constables at the yamen gate were all dumbfounded at this moment, almost popping their eyeballs out. Huang Li actually claimed to be Prefect Zhang's concubine?
Chen Xuezheng suddenly smiled and looked at Prefect Zhang as if teasing him. "So it's Lord Zhang's family affair. Then it's even more inconvenient for me to interfere. As the saying goes, cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. Lord Zhang should first deal with his inner household matters, otherwise, how can he serve the court?"
"My lord, Li'er had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure. I beg my lord to forgive me." Huang Li cast aside her aggrieved demeanor, her voice sounding delicate as she gazed at Prefect Zhang with unspoken affection.
"Madam Huang, do you know the crime of slandering a court official?" Prefect Zhang's face turned cold, and his tone was stern and angry. "My wife and I live in harmony, and I have no intention of taking a concubine, nor have I ever taken you as a concubine. If you continue to speak nonsense and slander me, do not blame me for dealing with you according to the law!"
Everyone in the Southern Xuan Prefecture knew that Prefect Zhang and Madam Kong had a deep marital affection. For many years, Prefect Zhang had only one daughter and had never taken a concubine.
Of course, even if Prefect Zhang were to take a concubine for the sake of having an heir, he would not choose Huang Li, a divorced woman. It was not because of her divorced status, but because anyone with a little status and prestige in the Southern Xuan Prefecture would not choose Huang Li, as her reputation was too bad.
"My lord, how can you be so heartless?" Huang Li's tears flowed again, and she knelt on the ground, sobbing. Those who didn't know would think that Prefect Zhang was truly a heartless man.