[Fantasy] A Strange Encounter with an Immortal (Complete) - 10-12

Chapter Eight: Sworn Brotherhood

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing the three chivalrous men who had stood up for justice, sighed, "Who are they? Their martial arts are amazing!"

He thought to himself, "These three are so chivalrous and skilled; they must be from the underworld. It's a pity they're bandits."

Shui Ling'er, standing beside him, replied, "Which gang are they from? I'll go ask."

She then chased after them. Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly followed.

Shui Ling'er said to the black-bearded man at the head of the group, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. May I ask your honorable name and which sect you belong to? I was originally going to lend a hand. I didn't expect the three of you to be so skilled."

The black-bearded man turned and smiled, "So you're from the Upper Sect, young lady. I am Wang Dingli, a mere martial artist. My two brothers and I are all loners and don't belong to any sect. What a pity."

He then turned to leave.

Shui Ling'er was taken aback, but since they didn't want to befriend her, she couldn't force them. At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong stepped forward and said, "Brother, please wait." Wang Dingli turned around with a smile and said, "What can I do for you?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Just now, I witnessed your chivalrous rescue of someone, your heroic spirit is truly admirable. Moreover, you seem like an old friend I haven't seen for many years. Would you do me the honor of finding a place to have a meal together?"

Shui Ling'er had just been rejected by this Wang Dingli and thought he would also reject Zhu Chuanzong, but to her surprise, he laughed heartily and said, "It seems we are truly destined to meet

, there's no escaping it. You and I hit it off immediately. Come on, let's go for a drink together." Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and said, "My name is Zhu Chuan... Zhu Tong. Brother Wang, please wait for us. We have our luggage and packages upstairs. We'll get them and then we'll find a place to go together!"

Wang Dingli said in surprise, "In that case, let's drink here in this restaurant. It'll save us the trouble of looking for a place."

Zhu Chuanzong was taken aback and said, "Right here? Why don't we go somewhere else?"

Wang Dingli said, "Isn't this place great?"

He took the lead and went upstairs.

Upstairs, the banquet was rearranged. After the food and drinks were served, everyone introduced themselves. Wang Dingli's two brothers were named Sun Hu and Zhou Yi. The people on the street, seeing that they weren't fleeing but instead drinking in the restaurant, began to whisper and point.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Brother Wang, aren't you going to leave quickly? Aren't you afraid the constables will bring troops to arrest you?"

Sun Hu and Zhou Yi both laughed heartily. Wang Dingli slapped the wrapped knife on the table and said, "That depends on whether this guy agrees or not."

Zhu Chuanzong also laughed, "Truly a good man, I admire you. Come, let's drink!"

The two drank it all in one gulp. Wang Dingli said, "Don't think I'm exaggerating; I'm actually scared too. There's a saying that even a strong tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves! But have you heard the saying, 'Catching prostitutes is like catching tigers, catching thieves is like catching mice'? If you go to the yamen to report a robbery or theft, the constables will definitely say they don't have enough manpower to arrest them. But if you change your story and say there's prostitution, the constables will rush over. They won't risk their lives to arrest people if they don't have money to make or any benefits!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Brother, you're joking! It must be because you're highly skilled in martial arts, and this place is remote and there are no soldiers around, that you..." " Don't be afraid,"

Wang Dingli said. "This is no joke. These yamen runners are no good at catching thieves. They're experts at extorting money from ordinary people. You see, when ordinary people break the law, the punishments are carried out in the main hall of the prefectural or county yamen, and the severity can vary greatly. Look at the scars on my back; they weren't from fighting, but from when I was young and was beaten by yamen runners. You know, they use torture to collect taxes, to interrogate cases, and to punish indecent behavior, violations, or misconduct. There's a lot of money the yamen runners make from this!"

He then drank another cup of wine.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It seems these lowly yamen runners are making quite a bit of money! But yamen runners who act so recklessly as they did today are still a minority. I think the yamen runners in other places are not so bad!"

Wang Dingli said, "That's right. The yamen runners in big places are a bit better, but to say they're not so bad, I don't think so. Let me tell you two jokes. No, they're true stories, not jokes. Five thieves impersonating yamen runners were caught robbing someone. It turns out that when these five thieves, dressed as yamen runners, robbed a woman, their kind attitude, gentle actions, and friendly words led the astute lady to see through their disguise. She reported them and they were arrested."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "This... is unbelievable."

Wang Dingli said, "And another one! A man from Jin-Jin Province was kidnapped in Guangfu, the capital of Ningzhi Province. The man's family reported the case to the Guangfu yamen, and the Guangfu yamen quickly responded, requiring the kidnapped party to personally report the case before it could be opened for investigation."

Zhu Chuanzong was dumbfounded and said, "Is this true?"

Sun Hu said, "Young brother, you're still young. Wait until later..." "After encountering so many things, you get used to it,"

Shui Ling'er said. "Yes, the yamen (government offices) that manage public security have a crime-solving rate. If they file too many cases and can't solve them, firstly, the head constable won't get promoted, and secondly, they won't get their bonuses. So the yamen runners always find this or that rule to prevent ordinary people from filing cases. What's so strange about that!"

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly understood and said, "So that's how it is! But some departments are still very good! There are some bad people among these officials, but overall they're not bad. If it's slow... " "If someone reforms the bureaucracy, things might get better,"

Wang Dingli said. "That makes sense, but it's too difficult."

Shui Ling'er said, "When you go to the yamen to do business, no matter which department, nine times out of ten the people there are not there. I don't know what they do all day. Do they just eat, drink, and have fun? And they're so rude. If you ask them a few more questions, they'll either ignore you or even curse at you!"

Her implication was that she was refuting Zhu Chuanzong's words, but Wang Dingli agreed with Zhu Chuanzong's point of view, and as a girl, she was too embarrassed to contradict him to his face.

Wang Dingli understood the meaning behind Shui Ling'er's words and laughed, "What Miss Shui said makes sense. However, most people in the yamen are actually good. It's just that once you enter officialdom, you have to follow its rules, which is why injustices and bad things are so common. As for the darkness of officialdom, I know more than you do. Take these yamen runners for example! Some have been beaten to death for arbitrarily arresting people while chasing criminals; some have killed beggars for merit. There was even a yamen runner from one place who got into a fight with yamen runners from another place. Because they were both arrogant and neither would give in, quite a few of them ended up killing each other. Tell me, isn't that dark?"

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "No wonder the Liang Kingdom's official gazette said... " Last year, many yamen runners across the country were attacked to varying degrees. The most sensational case occurred in the capital, where a yamen leader was chasing away an illegal cosmetics vendor when the vendor violently resisted, stabbing him in the head with scissors. Although the yamen leader was rushed to the hospital, he died. Official reports stated that the incident caused a great stir and attracted widespread attention nationwide. People generally condemned the perpetrator and lamented the difficult work of yamen runners. Some clerks in the Ministry of Justice even suggested adding a crime for assaulting yamen runners, ordering the execution of such troublemakers to better protect the interests of yamen runners.

Wang Dingli sneered, "What a huge irony! Leaving aside the bad things they've done, don't you think the yamen runners deserve to be beaten? Just walk around the street, and you'll see them sitting in their sedan chairs, chests exposed, bellies bulging, clothes disheveled, each holding a jug of wine, drinking heartily. Some even proudly prop one leg up on the sedan chair handle, attracting constant stares from passersby. What kind of behavior is this? And a few days ago, I passed by a yamen gate, and saw a fat yamen runner standing at the entrance, his chest bare, revealing a thick gold chain gleaming brightly. That runner had an arrogant smile on his face, looking exactly like a local bandit, making people extremely uncomfortable. There were also several runners wearing official robes, but without hats or buttoned-up buttons, swaying and laughing with each other, reeking of alcohol—it was extremely unsightly. With such an image of yamen runners, how can the common people not feel comfortable?" "Don't you find it offensive? I feel like hitting them myself. If I were their superior, I would fire them without hesitation. I think so too, so naturally the common people won't have a good impression of the yamen runners. If they have a conflict with them, they will definitely be dissatisfied, and all sorts of unexpected situations will inevitably occur."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Yes, nobody wants to break the law and beat or kill people. It's all because officials force the people to rebel! But since we hit it off so well, I'll take the liberty of asking, brother, what do you do? Could you really be the kind of person who does business without capital, as those yamen runners say?"

Wang Dingli laughed and said, "Tell me what I do."

Shui Ling'er said, "Even if you don't tell me, I know you're someone who does big things. You have an imposing presence, like an official, and you also have an air of wealth, but you're too murderous, so I guess you're a big businessman, but you have a big business behind the scenes. Is that right?"

Wang Dingli smiled and said, "I guess so! You guessed pretty much right, young lady."

The group drank and chatted, discussing current affairs, and gradually became more and more cheerful. Wang Dingli was an exceptionally heavy drinker, emptying his cup in no time. Zhu Chuanzong, who had only drunk a dozen cups before reaching his limit, couldn't bear to spoil the atmosphere, seeing Wang Dingli drinking so heartily without flinching.

However, as he drank more, his stomach began to upset, and he felt a surge of energy, carrying the alcohol throughout his body, making him grow increasingly larger. Yet, his mind remained clear, and his stomach could hold even more alcohol.

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and drank heartily.

Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's growing size yet his ability to empty his cups, Wang Dingli was secretly amazed. He had never met his match in drinking capacity, so he secretly challenged Zhu Chuanzong to a drinking contest. In the end, both of them drank several jars of wine.

Finally, Wang Dingli said, "Young brother, I've had a truly enjoyable drink today, and I'm quite full. Meeting a friend like you is a blessing in my life."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Since we've hit it off, I might as well tell you! I'm an official appointed by the imperial court."

Wang Dingli laughed and said, "Since you're an official, do you know the ways of being an official?"

Zhu Chuanzong asked, "What are the ways of being an official?"

Wang Dingli slowly said, "Hard work and practical work, for the emperor to see; muddling around, and everything goes smoothly. Being hardworking and conscientious, even if it means suffering losses and toil; being responsible and dutiful, will inevitably lead to criticism. Knowing how to flatter and fawn..." "Outstanding contributions; no flattery, no bragging, just a bunch of nonsense. Doing good deeds delays promotion; shirking responsibility and framing others ensures a bright future. Frequent achievements lead to being sidelined; indulging in food, drink, and entertainment leads to special promotion. Being adept at currying favor and slipping through hoops results in outstanding performance; being law-abiding and serving like a slave. This is the secret

to being an official." Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily, saying, "Brother, you truly understand this art. If you were an official, you would surely become a high-ranking one."

Wang Dingli sighed, "Unfortunately, although I know this, I can't bring myself to grovel and flatter those scoundrels! It's better to fight with real swords." "It's more satisfying to fight it out!"

Zhu Chuanzong clapped his hands and said, "Well said! We know that, but we can't do it. But officials can be good officials too! They can still rise to the top. Brother, you're a gangster, it's not a long-term solution! Why not follow me, fight evil and protect the people?"

Wang Dingli said, "Well... I'm used to freedom, I don't want to be constrained."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Don't you trust me? I'm a very good official. If you don't believe me, ask Miss Shui, she specializes in opposing bad officials." "If you're willing to stay with me, then I must be a good official."

Shui Ling'er said, "Although you are a good official, I'm afraid you won't last long. Look at any good official, aren't they all ostracized?"

Wang Dingli said, "Miss Shui is insightful. Brother, I actually saw you secretly in Wugu County. You truly are a good official. I've never seen a good official like you leave the capital before! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been drinking with you."

Zhu Chuanzong said happily, "So that's how it is!"

Shui Ling'er was taken aback and said, "No wonder you ignored me but drank with Brother Zhu!"

Wang Dingli said: “I have important business to attend to and time is limited. However, if I miss the opportunity to meet Brother Zhu, I'm afraid I won't have another chance, which is why I came.”

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but feel proud, saying, “Thank you for your high regard.”

Wang Dingli, taking advantage of his drunkenness, said, “The taxes in the Great Liang Kingdom are numerous, including household tax, head tax, property tax, shop tax, deed tax… there are many kinds. In addition, there are ‘donations,’ which are basically apportionments, extortion. The government offices have projects that require apportionments, the rites department has to apportion expenses for building school buildings, the workshops have to apportion expenses for supervising the repair of city walls, and the granaries have to apportion expenses.” The construction of houses and granaries required apportionment of funds, and the most egregious form of bribery involved offering money to those above. Last year, when the imperial envoy came to inspect the province, he swore an oath at the City God Temple that he would not take a single penny from the people of Ningzhi Province. However, immediately, "tea and fruit silver" was presented, saying it was an old custom and could not be broken! In the end, the imperial envoy still accepted it. But people like you, who are not greedy at all and give local officials no face whatsoever, are truly rare. Did the imperial envoy you accompanied, Zhu Chuanzong, really forbid you from accepting money? Or was there another instruction?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "He..." "He's an honest official, he won't allow me to be greedy. He's going to do something big, to clean up the officialdom! I'll be fine following him. He'll definitely achieve great things, why don't you come with me and help him!"

Wang Dingli said, "You're also surnamed Zhu, so it seems you're from the same clan. His family is incredibly wealthy, so it's not surprising that he doesn't accept money now, he's only focused on fame. But you have to be careful, don't become his scapegoat."

Zhu Chuanzong was quite unhappy to hear this, but he couldn't defend himself. Just as he was feeling frustrated, Wang Dingli said, "In..." "We've only met once, but our friendship has lasted for decades. I wish to become sworn brothers with you. I wonder if you would allow me to do so? If you disdain my humble origins, I won't force you."

Zhu Chuanzong had long held Wang Dingli in high esteem. Besides, he was an only child; his elder brother had died young, and he felt lonely. Upon hearing this, he jumped up, bowed deeply, and said, "Your younger brother, Zhu Tong, greets your elder brother."

Wang Dingli was overjoyed and ordered the restaurant to prepare an incense table. The two swore an oath by dipping their blood in the incense. Although the ceremony was simple, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. They reminisced about their ages and then knelt down together, saying, "With the heavens as our witness and the sun and moon as our oath, Wang Dingli and Zhu Tong here today become sworn brothers. From this day forward, we will share honor and disgrace, fortune and misfortune. We do not ask to be born on the same day, month, and year, but we wish to die on the same day, month, and year. If we break this oath, may heaven and earth punish us!"

Wang Dingli was thirty-two years old, more than ten years older than Zhu Chuanzong, so he was naturally the elder brother.

Wang Dingli took out a jade pendant from his bosom and handed it to Zhu Chuanzong, saying, "Second brother, this is my tiger pendant. I don't have any gifts to give you, so please accept this pendant as a gift from your elder brother! My name is Wang Dingli on it. If you need anything, please come to Guangfu, the capital of Ningzhi Province, to find me. This is my home address, remember it! No matter what difficulties you encounter, be sure to remember to find me. Of course, I will keep an eye on your whereabouts, but I'm afraid I might not be able to take care of you for a while. Haha, what if you die? Wouldn't I die with you?"

Shui Ling'er said, "How unlucky! What do you mean by dying? I was originally jealous and wanted to become sworn brothers with you, but after hearing what you just said, I'm glad I didn't!"

Wang Dingli laughed and said, "What sworn brotherhood? Now that you're my sister-in-law, we're all family!"

Zhu Chuanzong was so happy that he didn't know what to say, and he just grinned foolishly, "That's right, that's right."

Shui Ling'er blushed and scolded, "You've only just gotten a brother, and you're already ganging up on me! I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Zhu Chuanzong quickly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

Wang Dingli laughed, "Alright! It's getting late, I have to get going. We can't delay."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Brother, you've drunk so much, you have to be careful!"

Wang Dingli said, "You drank less than me...less? You're telling me to be careful, does that mean I can't drink? I'm leaving now, see you later...until we meet again!" He

staggered away.

Zhu Chuanzong held the jade pendant, his heart filled with excitement. His brother had given him a jade pendant, and he hadn't given her anything in return. He had quite a few treasures, but they were all gifts from his sister-in-law. After thinking for a long time, he realized he had nothing to give, and his face turned red with embarrassment. He said, "Brother, don't go!"

Wang Dingli waved his hand and said, "We'll meet again...you don't need to rush."

Shui Ling'er, quick-witted as ever, said, "You know his address, are you worried about not being able to give him a gift?"

As she spoke, Wang Dingli was helped away by his two brothers.

Zhu Chuanzong watched Wang Dingli's back until he was out of sight.

Chapter Nine: A Glimpse into the County Town

The further they went into the disaster area, the more ragged people they saw. Because Zhu Chuanzong and Shui Ling'er were traveling on the official road, they only learned about the severity of the disaster from some refugees. Since the official road was a well-developed transportation route, they could beg for food, and with the government clearing the area, they didn't see anyone starving to death. The group traveled early and rested late, and finally arrived at Shanyang County.

To avoid being recognized, Zhu Chuanzong remembered his elder brother Wang Dingli, so he put on a black beard and dressed up as someone in his thirties. He was incredibly wealthy and had seen plenty of jewelry, so he naturally knew a thing or two about it and pretended to be a jewelry merchant.

The group first found a place to stay at the Laifu Inn next to the government office. After settling in, they decided to do something else.

As the saying goes, "The area in front of the government office has always been a beautiful sight." A prefectural or county government office is inevitably located in the heart of the city, surrounded by numerous businesses, and is bound to be bustling with activity. Hotels abound, restaurants are noisy, and a one-stop shop for eating, drinking, and entertainment is readily available; teahouses are packed with all sorts of people—those gathering information, providing news, writing petitions

, and negotiating deals, and so on. It's also a prime location for pharmacies, with the only public hospital right next door. Patients go to the hospital, pharmacies buy medicine—a mutually beneficial arrangement. Furthermore, the court hearings and floggings at the government office inevitably boost the business of some pharmacies; and of course, money shops and pawnshops are also indispensable. Therefore, the area around Yamen is brimming with wealth; without exceptional connections, no one can even open a shop here!

Zhu Chuanzong and Shui Ling'er rested for a while, ate, and then went to a teahouse to inquire about news.

The two found a crowded spot, pulled up a stool, and squeezed in to listen to the people chatting.

A middle-aged man said, "Have you all heard about the farmer who went to the yamen (government office) with a kitchen knife to collect a debt, only to be hacked to death by the yamen runners?"

Someone nearby said, "Yes, I have. Those yamen runners are truly ruthless. If the government weren't corrupt, if murderers paid with their lives and debtors were to be repaid, how could this happen?"

Another person said, "Those officials often say they treat us common people like their own parents and children, but if these so-called officials were as dedicated to their work as a farmer, this situation wouldn't exist in our society. Using such extreme measures only shows that the people have lost faith in the yamen."

A young man said, "Damn it! If it were me, even if someone owed me money, I wouldn't go to these yamen runners who only serve the aristocracy, because it's completely useless. I don't believe there's any fairness in this society anymore. I don't believe the yamen runners have any conscience! I'd just hack the person who owes me to death with a knife."

The crowd discussed, "Yes, those who don't pay their debts, those who hold positions of power but neglect their duties, those who act as accomplices to evil, those so-called 'parents of the people' officials..." , is the one who deserves to die! They all deserve to be put to death! "

The owner of the teahouse said hurriedly: "Everyone, please keep your voice down. Don’t talk about state affairs!

Everyone stopped talking. After a while, one person said: "The weather here is hot and dry, and there is a famine. The newspaper in our county said it was a severe drought

that has not happened in a century. I heard that many people starved to death in the countryside." People are terrified. Many farmers flocked to the city and were driven back. "One person sneered and said: "Of course, in this case, officials must speak out and say that this is a natural disaster that has never happened in a century. Since it is a natural disaster that cannot happen in a century, it must not be a man-made disaster. Then everyone can only blame God, not man. After all, this is not caused by human beings.

Another person said: "Yes!" This is what human beings cannot resist! The common people will just wait obediently to die.

Another person said: "This is what officials call setting the tone for the situation to stabilize people's hearts." Some officials even sounded more serious, saying that this is the rarest severe drought in the history of our Shanyang County, and they don't know how this happened in history." Everyone laughed after hearing this. After laughing, one man said, "Grain prices were rising, but now they've come down. I heard from the officials in the yamen that the imperial court is sending an imperial envoy to investigate Lord Li's case? Have you heard?"

Another man scoffed, "That news has been circulating for a while now, and you're only finding out now? Speaking of Lord Li, he's really pitiful. A good official, but he can't fight against corrupt officials. But our county magistrate, Wang Shen, is ruthless enough. Hearing that he was going to expose Lord Li's embezzlement of disaster relief funds, he immediately framed him and arrested him. Our magistrate is truly capable of great things!"

Another man said, "That's right. Wang Shen has only been in our county for two years, and he's already accomplished quite a bit." "He was just waiting to be promoted to prefect, but unfortunately, he was unlucky enough to encounter a rare incorruptible official like Lord Li. It seems he'll not only fail to get promoted but also lose his post. Anyone would be anxious in that situation!"

Someone interjected, "Speaking of good officials, I remember hearing that Tao Mianzi, the magistrate of the neighboring Quheng County, is also a good official. His county, which is near ours, also suffered a disaster, but they had taken precautions, so their losses weren't as great. Moreover, they lent out the imperial relief grain to the people, letting them get through the famine, and they would repay the debt later."

Someone said, "That's a brilliant move. With a loan and repayment, the people can keep the amount of grain they receive to a minimum, just enough to survive. " "It's enough to save lives, and it won't require much grain."

The man said, "I haven't finished yet! Also, those who receive relief grain don't have to return it, but they must participate in water conservancy construction and work for food. This way, the county not only doesn't waste the grain sent by the court, but they also build dams. Water conservancy construction has long-term benefits for farmers. The people are willing to do it."

The crowd said, "That's truly a capable official! He's responsible to both the country and the people. He's really clever! But what achievements has our county magistrate made? Haha!" The crowd laughed, "His achievements are much greater. We..." "My house is in the lowest-lying area of the county. Every year, the house floods. Last year, it rained for two days straight, and the water was about to submerge the kang (heated brick bed). Luckily, the rain stopped. If it had rained for two more hours, half the county would have been under the Dragon King's control. We went to the county government to complain, asking them to repair it and raise the low-lying area, but no one paid any attention. If there's another flood this year, I don't think we'll have a home!"

The others laughed, "It's nothing. The county magistrate will surely say it's a once-in-a-century flood, beyond human control, and he must stabilize public morale."

The man cursed, "Go to hell! You're just watching the show, don't curse me!"

One person said, "Our county magistrate has also made some achievements! When he first came to our county, the county hospital and school were recruiting female doctors and male teachers. Everyone knew that only those who were educated or had medical training could enter government institutions. But those who were educated and had medical skills all wanted better jobs, and it cost two hundred taels of silver to get in. Who would be willing to do that? But then, things got really interesting; wealthy people started buying jobs. One family bought two or three teaching positions. One nouveau riche bought a teaching position for his son and a teaching position for his daughter-in-law..." "Doctor. Everyone envies those whose ancestors for eight generations didn't study, but now they're all suddenly scholarly families. Those who were poor even borrowed money to buy jobs, and suddenly they're all living off the government."

The people around laughed, saying, "The most ridiculous thing about this is that even prostitutes and pimps in brothels paid to buy their jobs. It's said there were more than twenty of them! Later, this was reported to the prefectural government, and they sent people to investigate. Lord Wang Shen said, 'Prostitutes and pimps don't have any markings on their faces, how do we know they were prostitutes or pimps?'" Someone, unaware of the details, asked... "What happened next?"

one of them laughed. "What else could happen? In the end, the matter was naturally dropped. After two years of this, it's said that those prostitutes and pimps have all become doctors and teachers."

Everyone laughed. At this moment, an old man entered, dressed in a police uniform. The crowd wasn't afraid and said, "Old Cheng, instead of guarding your gate, you've come here to enjoy some leisure?"

Old Cheng said, "You're allowed to chat and laugh, but I'm not allowed to have some fun? Something strange happened in the county, don't you want to hear it?"

The crowd laughed, "Then... " "You're such a good informant, old man! No wonder you're the gatekeeper of the county government!"

Old Cheng said. "What, you don't want to hear it? Fine, then forget it!"

Everyone quickly brought tea and water, saying all sorts of nice things, before Old Cheng finally said, "One afternoon, a vegetable vendor named Huang accidentally knocked over a stone in front of Liu's house while pushing his cart. Liu's wife came out and started arguing with the vendor."

Everyone said, "Is that all? Are the two of them having an affair?"

Someone shouted, "Wang Ergou, listen up! All you do is dream about marrying a wife!" "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

After everyone finished laughing, Old Cheng continued, "Liu's wife stopped the vendor's cart and asked him to prop up the stones, but before the vendor could speak, Liu returned and started beating him. His wife joined in. According to a neighbor who was present, the two grabbed the vendor's hair and kicked him all over his body. The vendor kept his head down and used his hands to protect his upper body. Liu and his wife were kicking and hitting him. When people saw the fight, they all rushed over to break it up. At this time, the vendor..." The vendor could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground. Another witness recounted that the Liu couple hadn't let go of the vendor's hands the entire time. Even as the vendor fell, they continued to beat him. Only after seeing the vendor lying motionless on the ground did they release their grip and sit down. The surrounding crowd then rushed over to check on the vendor's injuries.

"Old Cheng, are you messing with us? This is strange!" the crowd exclaimed.

Old Cheng replied, "Young man, you're just impatient. There's more to come!"

He continued, "At this moment..." The vendor had been beaten unconscious, and a growing crowd had gathered. Among the crowd was someone who recognized Liu, who said to him, "Brother Liu, you're in trouble! You've killed someone!" Liu quickly got up and saw that the vendor was indeed lying on the ground, his eyes closed, seemingly lifeless. The onlookers quickly arranged to take the vendor to the nearest hospital.

Suddenly, Old Cheng stopped, everyone staring at him. He suddenly shouted, "Suddenly, Liu collapsed to the ground, incontinent, and unconscious. The onlookers saw that Liu had also fainted..." They rushed him to the hospital, but ultimately couldn't save him. He died!

Everyone exclaimed in surprise, "How could this person die? It's strange, the one who hit him is the one who died. Could it be that those who do many evil deeds will surely perish?"

Someone laughed, "So it's heaven opening its eyes."

Old Cheng said, "This man thought he had killed someone and died of fright. Hehe. But what happened next was even stranger! I'm an old man, and this is the first time I've ever seen anything like it."

Everyone was even more curious, holding their breath to listen to him continue, even Zhu Chuanzong and Shui Ling'er were stunned.

Old Cheng said, "Later, the peddler was unconscious for two days, then woke up and survived. However, Liu's wife sued the peddler in court, demanding that he pay for Liu's funeral expenses, medical expenses, and child support. After hearing the case, the county government determined that the two parties had a conflict over a trivial matter, which escalated into a fight. Both parties were at fault, and because the damage caused to the other party was serious, the peddler had to compensate Liu's wife two hundred taels of silver."

The crowd was in an uproar. Some said, "Is this really the work of our county magistrate?"

Others said, "Impossible! He hit someone himself, not the other way around. He was scared to death. What does it have to do with anyone else?"

Some people didn't believe it and asked Old Cheng, "Old man, are you trying to fool us? Don't make up stories to deceive us."

Because many people were skeptical, Old Cheng finally said angrily, "You think I'm making this up? Let me show you the official gazette. It's written very clearly there, saying that our county magistrate is wise and decisive, and that his judgment on the case is clear and accurate. He's like a reincarnation of Bao Gong!"

Everyone looked at the newly published Shanyang County official gazette in his hand. As expected, it was clearly written above.

Someone read the judgment: "Huang touched another's stone for no reason, causing a dispute between Liu and him. Liu's death was causally related to the dispute between him and the defendant before his death; therefore, both parties should bear half the responsibility. Normally, murder is punishable by death, but this case is complex and multifaceted; therefore, the defendant should pay a portion of the silver to compensate the deceased's family."

Everyone was speechless after reading it, marveling at the remarkable writing.

At the end of the article, a clerk analyzed the case, saying that the fight between the two parties directly resulted in the death of the victim, thus constituting an infringement in the legal relationship. Therefore, compensation was necessary. Furthermore,

the person who said, "Old Liu, you're in trouble; you killed someone," should also bear responsibility and be held additionally liable.

The crowd sighed, "We've really learned something today. If we didn't live right next to the yamen and be so worldly-wise, we'd be completely baffled by this ridiculous judgment. Everyone knows the yamen's gate faces south, and those with reason but no money shouldn't enter! It sounds so high-sounding, but would the magistrate have ruled like this if he didn't take bribes?"

Someone said, "Of course. Legal provisions are always vague; they're all just official interpretations. Naturally, they can interpret them however they want. Besides, our Great Liang Dynasty doesn't have a law to follow regarding citing precedents in judgments." "If you steal ten taels of silver, you might get three years in prison, but if he steals ten taels, he might get acquitted or even get eight years. It all depends on how

much favor you have and how much money you've spent." The crowd said, "Remember this: don't talk, or you might get into trouble!"

Someone asked, "How about farting?"

The crowd laughed, "Of course not! If someone dies, you might be the one who killed them with the fumes, and you'll have to pay compensation."

Zhu Chuanzong and Shui Ling'er had been listening for half a day. Shui Ling'er was alright, but Zhu Chuanzong was furious. After they returned to their room at the inn, Zhu Chuanzong cursed loudly.

Shui Ling'er said, "What's there to be angry about? There are many strange things in the world! You'll get used to it eventually."

Zhu Chuanzong had never heard of such a thing before, and he couldn't contain himself. He cursed for a long time before finally calming down under Shui Ling'er's comforting words. He regained his senses and regretted his rudeness and the many foul words he had used in front of Shui Ling'er. He said, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being so presumptuous in front of you."

Shui Ling'er smiled sweetly and said, "It's nothing! That's what makes a man!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Thank you for your magnanimity. You have a kind heart."

Seeing the look of interest in his eyes, Shui Ling'er suddenly felt shy and turned to leave.

Zhu Chuanzong stood there for a while, then suddenly remembered that some of the things the people in the teahouse were talking about came from the official gazettes. He thought to himself, "I never paid attention to the official gazettes before. I thought they were just high-sounding nonsense, endless ramblings. I never expected that I could see problems in them. It's truly eye-opening." He immediately sent Wang Daniu and others to buy the local official gazettes, as well as the most authoritative official gazette of Liang State, which was distributed nationwide.

These newspapers were originally distributed to officials free of charge. Zhu Chuanzong had never read them before, but now he was going to read them carefully.

Wang Daniu and the others went to great lengths to find a pile of official gazettes.

Since the Liang State gazette was issued in the capital, it contained old news by the time it reached them.

Zhu Chuanzong wanted to see what was happening in the capital, so he began to read. Two articles about the Censorate caught his attention.

The first account reads as follows: Under the leadership of Jiang Huicong, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Dazhou Prefecture, the capital of Shannan Province, four hundred officials from high-risk departments for corruption, such as the Security Bureau, Grain Bureau, and Land Bureau, dressed in neat uniforms, solemnly swore an oath of integrity and public service in the Dafosi Temple, hands clasped together. One official who participated in the oath-taking ceremony said that this oath served as a reminder, ensuring that if anything happened in the future, they would recall their vow to "not be corrupt" and thus act as a constraint. This event held by the Dazhou Prefecture government aimed to instill a sense of mission and responsibility for combating corruption in the newly appointed officials. The leaders of the Censorate, upon learning of this, praised and commended the event.

After reading it, Zhu Chuanzong said, "Damn it, what's the use of just making oaths? All they do is put on a show. Do they really think they all believe in gods? Even if they did, the gods in heaven only know how to cultivate themselves every day; they wouldn't have time to care about mortal affairs!"

The second article reads: Under the wise guidance of Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Ren, the Censorate's measures to combat corruption by emphasizing both punishment and prevention have achieved significant results. At a meeting held on the 18th, Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Ren stated that since the beginning of this year, the Censorate has begun to punish and comprehensively promote anti-corruption work from all aspects, achieving remarkable results.

Wang Ren said that the Censorate has focused on educating officials nationwide on ideals, benevolence, and righteousness, on doing good for the people, and on loyalty to the Emperor, achieving great results. Last year alone, over 60,000 to 70,000 new anti-corruption songs were created, and over 14,000 anti-corruption singing competitions were held, with over one million officials and ordinary people participating. The Censorate has also formulated and issued a batch of new anti-corruption regulations to further supervise and restrain local officials, fundamentally preventing corruption and ensuring their integrity and honesty.

Meanwhile, the Censorate emphasized relying on the strength of various departments, working together with the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Works, and other departments to jointly handle cases, bringing the truth to light in many cases, which was praised by the people.

Lord Wang Ren concluded by saying that the Censorate would carry out the work of punishing and preventing corruption to the end in the new year, adhering to the policy of addressing both the symptoms and root causes, comprehensive governance, combining punishment and prevention, and emphasizing prevention at the local level, resolutely punishing corruption while increasing efforts to prevent it.

Zhu Chuanzong, after reading it, was speechless for a long time. He had read articles like this before, but because he had no personal experience, he hadn't felt deeply moved. Now, having entered society and learned much about human affairs, he couldn't help but feel indignant. He thought, "The Censorate is all talk and no action, all empty rhetoric and no substance. How can it fulfill its supervisory function? No wonder the officialdom is so corrupt now."

He was furious, but what could he do? The newspaper was torn to shreds in his hands.

After a while, Zhu Chuanzong gradually calmed down and noticed a line of small characters written in calligraphy on the newspaper in his hand. He examined it closely and saw the words: "If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?"

Since the newspaper was old, it must have been written by someone who had read it before. Zhu Chuanzong was startled, thinking, "Does he mean the root is rotten? Or what does he mean?"

Chapter Ten: A Private Visit

Zhu Chuanzong arrived in Shanyang County. Without going far, he gained a general understanding of Shanyang County through teahouses and newspapers. He saw in the Shanyang County official gazette how they reported the disaster situation.

The initial report was as follows: "

The drought in Ningzhi Province has attracted the attention of the imperial court. Some areas of our county have not received effective rainfall for fourteen consecutive months, resulting in widespread crop failure due to drought. Some people have no harvest, no stored grain, no water in their cellars, and no fodder for their livestock. This year's severe drought has attracted the attention of the imperial court.

The duration and scope of this year's drought are unprecedented in history, a once-in-a-century event, and beyond human control." Governor Hu Tie of Ningzhi Province held a meeting to actively combat the drought and ordered the rapid establishment of a drought emergency and relief plan.

Zhu Chuanzong was furious upon reading this: "The disaster is severe, yet these officials are not doing anything practical, but just spouting empty words and holding pointless meetings. What kind of people are they?"

However, yesterday's newspaper report gave Zhu Chuanzong a headache.

It stated: Under the wise guidance of Magistrate Wang Shen, all officials of the yamen went to villages and households to check the township disaster relief rosters, carry out the task of distributing grain, listen to reports from various townships, inspect the distribution of disaster relief funds and spring famine relief materials this year, and focus on understanding and studying the history and current situation of the drought, as well as the current work on drought prevention, drought relief, and drought relief.

Governor Hu Tie, who came to inspect, highly praised the disaster relief work, believing that the disaster relief was standardized, the disaster relief responsibility system was in place, and the disaster visitation system was sound. After the inspection, Governor Hu Tie instructed the disaster-stricken areas of Shanyang County to carry out self-help production efforts and establish a drought emergency and relief mechanism as soon as possible. Regarding this year's drought, all levels of government should increase their assistance to the affected people, and government subsidies should be preferentially allocated to those in the disaster area, striving to help them overcome the current difficulties.

Governor Wang Shen was deeply grateful to Governor Hu Tie for taking time out of his busy schedule to inspect the area and promised to lead the people of the county through the crisis.

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing this, thought, "It's the same old routine, all this 'understanding' and 'research.' What's the use? But Governor Hu Tie has been here, so it seems they've made preparations. Didn't Li Dongchang discover that Wang Shen had embezzled disaster relief grain? They took remedial measures. If all the provincial officials unite and impose restrictions everywhere, it seems it will be extremely difficult to investigate the case thoroughly!"

Zhu Chuanzong knew these officials were extremely clever; if they colluded and actively tried to rectify their mistakes, it would be truly difficult to obtain evidence.

Zhu Chuanzong was deeply troubled. He glanced at the newspaper; a headline read: "A Good Example for the Entire County."

Zhu Chuanzong thought, "This person must be good! Publicizing this must be good. I've seen too many ugly things; surely there can be something good?" He began reading, hoping to lift his spirits.

The article described an old woman named Wang, who had a son in his thirties who was married. They owned a house in the county town. While shopping for groceries, the old woman found a disabled baby girl, about a year old.

Feeling sorry for her, she took her home. However, the child had a congenital disease, and after taking her to the hospital, they learned that treatment would cost a great deal of money.

The old woman adopted her and used her savings to pay for the treatment, but the cost was too high, and all her savings were gone. She then asked her son for money.

Finally, the family's money was exhausted, and by then, her daughter-in-law was pregnant. Her son was over thirty years old, and his wife had finally become pregnant, giving the Wang family an heir. However, to save the adopted child, she persuaded her son and daughter-in-law to abort the pregnancy. They

couldn't afford to raise another child to pay for the disabled child's medical treatment. Her son initially disagreed, but eventually he understood and did as Mrs. Wang suggested. In the end, they sold their house to pay for the child's medical care.

What a lovely family! Their love is selfless, a boundless love that transcends social class and family name. They have inherited thousands of years of excellent national culture and historical traditions. They are kind and simple, truly role models for our entire county. Compared to them, how insignificant we are! If all the people in the county were like them, respecting and loving one another, how wonderful the world would be!

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned, thinking he was seeing things. He looked again and realized he wasn't mistaken. Thinking to himself, "Is this family sick, or am I? How can we learn from such a freakish family? Are they insane, or am I?"

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't understand, and finally sighed, "I finally realize how ignorant I am. There are many things in this world that I don't understand. I thought I was clever, that I saw through the ways of the world! Actually, I'm very stupid, I don't understand anything." The more

Zhu Chuanzong thought about it, the more depressed he became, and he couldn't sleep well that night. Early the next morning, he went to find Shui Ling'er to chat and relieve his boredom, but Wang Daniu said, "Young Master, Miss Shui went out alone. She said she went to gather information. She asked you to wait for her."

Zhu Chuanzong thought, "She's still wary of me, so she's naturally gone to contact the people of the Taishang Laojun Sect. But that's fine."

He said, "Change my clothes and go for a trip to the nearby countryside."

The four agreed. They instructed the waiters at the Laifu Inn that if Shui Ling'er returned, she should wait for them at the inn. The group pretended to go to the countryside to do business and went to check out the nearby villages.

In the countryside near the county seat, the convenient transportation made it easy to do business in the city, making them quite wealthy compared to other villages.

Since the journey wasn't far, the five decided to travel together.

With no outsiders around, Wang Daniu said, "Young Master, you've become so fat, it must be tiring! Since there are no outsiders, why don't you stop your qigong?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I'm used to it now. I'll scare Miss Shui again after the case is solved. Changing like this is just uncomfortable."

The others said, "But Young Master only looks truly wealthy and noble when he's this fat, it's quite good!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You guys have improved! You've even learned to flatter!"

The four chuckled awkwardly.

Passing by a construction site, where houses were being built and some craftsmen were busy working, Zhu Chuanzong overheard an elderly woman in her sixties or seventies arguing with a man who seemed to be the site foreman. The old woman said, "I'm so old, and you won't even pay me my wages! You have no conscience! You'll die a horrible death, struck by lightning!"

Zhu Chuanzong vaguely heard this and recalled the documents he had seen in the capital—many construction projects were now owing craftsmen money. He said, "Is this old woman asking for her wages?"

Zhao Laosi, Zhang Laowu, and Qian Laoliu understood. Qian Laoliu sighed, "This old woman must be asking for her son's wages. It's so pitiful. If my mother were asking for my wages, I'd be heartbroken."

Zhang Laowu said, "Yes, that's why we'd rather suffer ourselves than tell our families."

Zhao Laosi said, "What's the use? They still won't pay. Alas, if it weren't for you, young master, we would be dead. Young master, let's help this old woman!"

Zhu Chuanzong nodded. The group approached, and Zhao Laosi said, "Grandma, you don't need to ask for your wages anymore. We have some silver here, take it!"

Zhao Laosi, Zhang Laowu, and Qian Laoliu each gave the old woman one tael of silver. They hadn't worked for the Zhu family for long, and some of their earnings had already been sent home; this was almost all they had. The old woman was moved to tears, murmuring, "No... I don't need so much, he owes me one tael of silver."

The foreman said, "You're lucky to have met such good people. Just take it! Let me tell you, I don't have the final say on the wages. Now that you have the silver, don't come back again; it's a waste of time, and it won't do you any good." With that, he turned and

left.

Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Old woman, who are you asking for money for? Is it your son? How long has he worked?"

The old woman replied, "I'm asking for my own wages! I've worked for a year."

What could a nearly seventy-year-old woman do on a construction site? Such an old worker is probably rare even in the world. Zhu Chuanzong, the eldest son, was stunned, as were Wang Daniu and the other three, who came from peasant backgrounds.

Zhao Laosi said, "Unbelievable..."

Wang Daniu suddenly burst into tears, saying, "When my mother was alive, she would mend clothes for others to earn money. My mother!"

Everyone quickly comforted him. After Wang Daniu stopped crying, Zhu Chuanzong asked the old woman her name and where she lived.

The old woman's surname was Hu, and she was from Hujia Village nearby.

The five men asked her to accept the money and asked, "Grandma, have you eaten?"

Grandma Hu said, "No! I'm going home to eat. I came early this morning."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "We wanted to visit your village to see if there was any business we could do. Could we trouble you at your home?"

Grandma Hu said, "It would be wonderful if you benefactors came. But we are poor..."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's alright, the journey is still long. We'll eat before we go."

They found a small, ordinary restaurant nearby, ordered four dishes, and began to eat.

After Zhu Chuanzong and the other four had eaten, they drank some water and rested. They watched as the old woman devoured the four dishes, finishing them completely, and then ate five bowls of rice. Wang Daniu and the others weren't surprised, but Zhu Chuanzong was stunned. He had thought four large bowls of food would be enough for four people, but this thin old woman had finished it all. Zhu Chuanzong silently thought, "Perhaps she has never eaten such good food in her life! Such an old woman, yet she can't enjoy her old age..."

Zhu Chuanzong felt somewhat lost.

The group then went to Granny Hu's house. Her home could truly be described as bare. She had a son who was married with two children; her daughter-in-law was still in her postpartum period. Her son had gone to the city to work and earn money.

Seeing her daughter-in-law in her postpartum period, and so poor that she was practically naked, the five refused to enter and sat in the courtyard.

Granny Hu gave her daughter-in-law some money, and after hearing her story, the daughter-in-law burst into tears.

Everyone felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this.

Qian Laoliu, being straightforward, said, "I haven't been home for years. I don't know what it's like back home."

Wang Daniu, having no relatives left, was thankfully alright. The other two also felt homesick.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "What's there to worry about? This mission is over. I'll allow the three of you to go home."

Upon hearing this, the three were so frightened that they knelt down with a thud. Zhao Laosi angrily said, "You damned Laoliu, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Then he said to Zhu Chuanzong, "Young Master, please don't send us away. We are willing to serve you for the rest of our lives and follow you. We will never mention going home again!"

Zhu Chuanzong quickly said, "Alright, alright, don't say that. I'm not sending you away. I'm giving you a few months' leave to go home for a few days. You can come back later."

The three were overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.

Zhu Chuanzong asked Granny Hu to take them to the homes of some familiar relatives, and then chatted with them, asking about the harvest and whether they had received the disaster relief grain.

The people all said happily, "We've received it! If it weren't for the grain, this year would have been terrible."

But when asked when it was distributed, an old man said, "Since you're related to Granny Hu, we won't lie to you. The grain was only recently distributed. We heard that grain wasn't originally something we poor folks were supposed to receive, but because the higher-ups were coming to check whether grain had been distributed, they gave it to us retroactively. And when we received the grain, we all signed and fingerprinted it, and the date had to be said to have been distributed a long time ago, otherwise they wouldn't give us any grain!"

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "Just as I thought!"

"If no one from above comes to investigate, then nobody cares about you when you're affected by the disaster?" the farmer asked.

The old man replied, "Who cares! Apart from the relatives of the village chief, Hu Ahuang, who can receive relief grain, what do the rest of us get? But we live close to the city, so we can do odd jobs, beg, or scavenge to survive. The remote areas are much worse! Countless people starve to death every year!"

Just as they were getting into their conversation, a group of people suddenly burst in. The farmers said, "The village chief is here."

A large, fat man with a bloated belly walked in, and the farmers all stood up. The village head, Hu Ahuang, stared at Zhu Chuanzong, who sat motionless, and asked, "What are you doing here? What brings you to our village?"

Zhao Laosi quickly replied, "My young master is related to Granny Hu. We're here to do some jewelry business. We're looking to see what treasures anyone in the village has."

Hu Ahuang said, "Where are you from? Your accent doesn't sound local."

Zhao Laosi replied, "We're from Jin-Jin Province. But we travel a lot, so our accents have changed."

Hu Ahuang was very arrogant, sizing up Zhu Chuanzong for a while. Zhu Chuanzong, fearing he might ruin things, could only smile in response.

Suddenly, Hu Ahuang patted Zhu Chuanzong and said, "I happen to have some treasures at home. Come with me and take a look. Don't think I'm ignorant and try to fool me! I have friends in the county pawnshop!"

The group arrived at the village head's house and were surprised to find that he had quite a few treasures: snuff bottles, ceramics, calligraphy and paintings, lacquerware, and jade artifacts—forty or fifty pieces in total, filling the entire room.

Most of the items were not very valuable, but only a jade carving of a horse caught Zhu Chuanzong's attention; judging from the dynasty, it was an antique from more than two hundred years ago.

The horse galloped away, exuding an air of soaring success. Zhu Chuanzong thought, "I bought this for Brother Wang myself; it shows my sincerity. He'll surely like it."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "This is a two-hundred-year-old antique. I'll give you one hundred taels of silver. Will you sell it or not?"

The village chief was overjoyed, his eyes lighting up. He said, "Are you kidding me? You're offering so little for something so valuable? Do you think I'm..."

Zhu Chuanzong said unhappily, "One word: will you sell it or not? Others would only offer eighty taels at most. Your salary as a village chief is only a little over one hundred taels a year. Isn't the price I'm offering high enough?"

Hu Ahuang said, "But my treasure is valuable! Two hundred taels, and I'll sell it to you."

Zhu Chuanzong thought, "This guy really doesn't know its value! This thing is worth a thousand taels. It's from the same batch as my jade rabbit. It seems country folk are just ignorant."

He then said, "Alright! Two hundred taels it is."

Hu Ah Huang hadn't expected Zhu Chuanzong to agree so quickly, and immediately regretted it, feeling cheated. He said, "Oh no, I remember a friend of mine at the yamen liked this horse, and he wanted it. I'm not selling it anymore."

Zhu Chuanzong had no business experience, and seeing him go back on his word, he was stunned. He said, "You clearly agreed, you're the village head, how can you go back on your word..."

Hu Ah Huang said, "It's my stuff, of course I can go back on my word, so what?"

Zhao Laosi said, "Do you really think your wretch is worth anything? My young master has plenty of money, he just doesn't want the hassle. How much is this one thing worth? I won't bother with you. When the young master does business with the prefect and the officials of the Ministry of Works, it's always tens of thousands of taels of silver at a time. Young master, let's go, we're not buying it."

Zhu Chuanzong also angrily said, "That's right, I wouldn't take it even if it were given to me for free."

When the village head heard that they wanted to leave, he really didn't have any connections in this area, where could he find someone who recognized its value? He hurriedly pulled them back, saying all sorts of nice things.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "One hundred and fifty taels of silver, not a penny more."

Hu Ahuang hurriedly said, "It was two hundred taels of silver just now!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Who told you to go back on your word? This is your punishment. None of you officials are good people."

Hu Ahuang laughed, "You come from the big city, so you're naturally more worldly-wise. In this day and age, if you're not a little wicked and clever, how can you survive? No merchant is honest, and you're no better. We're all family! Let's not be so fussy. Here, I'll prepare dinner tonight..." "We'll stay at your house. Please, sir, don't shortchange us on the two hundred taels."

Zhao Laosi said, "You're quite the shrewd one, fifty taels for a meal?"

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing how adept he was at building relationships, thought, "No wonder this man is the village chief."

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he said, "Alright! Two hundred taels it is. But Granny Hu is a relative of ours, a distant cousin of my mother's. Please remember to take good care of her. I'll come back often."

Hu Ahuang was overjoyed and hurriedly told his wife to have the servants prepare a meal.

What happened next was something Zhu Chuanzong never expected. His words brought unprecedented glory and benefits to Granny Hu's family. Later, after Zhu Chuanzong's identity was revealed, Hu Ahuang and the subsequent local officials all assumed Granny Hu was related to the imperial envoy. They visited her every year with gifts and provided her with much care, and the Hu family prospered.

Zhu Chuanzong and Hu Ahuang drank together, and Zhu Chuanzong asked him why he had found him so quickly; he had come to their door as soon as Zhu Chuanzong arrived in the village.

Hu Ahuang swayed and said, "The orders from above have come down. If any strangers come to the villages, we must be vigilant and report anything unusual."

He chuckled in Zhu Chuanzong's ear, "I heard the county magistrate has committed a crime. The higher-ups are sending an imperial envoy. This envoy loves to travel incognito, so we must be on high alert."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily, "Oh, I see! I heard there's a severe drought here. How's your village? I'm a merchant; if you're short of grain, I can bring some over to make money!"

Hu Ahuang shook his head vigorously, saying, "You also... " Knowing that grain was controlled by the government, this business had long since fallen into the hands of a few wealthy men in the county. However, they wouldn't make money this year. The disaster relief grain had all been distributed, the people had some grain left, and grain prices couldn't rise—they had to act like imperial envoys—so this was definitely a losing proposition. "Haha, unless I were the county magistrate and entrusted you with all the grain affairs. Hehe, too bad!"

Zhu Chuanzong saw that Hu Ahuang became muddled after drinking, saying whatever came to mind, so he tried to get information out of him. Seeing that he was confused and told him everything, Zhu Chuanzong was secretly pleased.

But Zhu Chuanzong didn't know that the emperor was far away, and Hu Ahuang was used to speaking without restraint. What scruples would he have in front of a merchant like him? He wasn't just talking nonsense after drinking; otherwise, if he drank with people from the government and said everything, could he still be the village chief?

Zhu Chuanzong returned empty-handed from Hu Family Village, where Shui Ling'er was already waiting for them at the inn.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "We went to Hujia Village, but it seems things aren't going well!"

Shui Ling'er said, "I knew it already. Our followers started taking action a long time ago. Things were starting to look promising, but now it's not working. The county government has reissued the grain and silver, but on the original dates. The people signed and fingerprinted the documents to get relief. Even if the witnesses we found are willing to risk their lives to testify for us, they are few in number. The county can say it's a matter for a small group of people, a work error that delayed the distribution of relief, which is common and doesn't prove that Magistrate Wang Shen cheated."

Zhu Chuanzong Zong Dao said, "This is pretty much what we expected. They're already on high alert. It seems this case is really difficult to solve. Where should we start to find evidence?"

Shui Ling'er said, "They're all in the province. You can't rely on the government officials; only our followers can help you. But you know we're all shady characters. However, they have so many flaws; a lie can't be true forever. Don't worry, they'll find a way. They're already thinking about it. It seems they've made some progress."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Thank you."

Seeing a smile on her face, he asked, "Is there something you're happy about?"

Shui Ling'er said, "Your uncles have all heard about your deeds and praise you! They all say that if the court can't tolerate such a good official like you, you should just join our Taishang Laojun Sect. So don't worry, if it really doesn't work out, you don't need to worry."

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned, thinking, "That's what I'm worried about! I want you all to reform! You want me to join the Taishang Laojun Sect, it seems I really have a connection with Taishang Laojun! We're entangled in heaven and earth."

The case is currently unsolved. How will Zhu Chuanzong uphold justice and ultimately solve the case? What kind of thrilling struggle will unfold?

Please see the next episode.

Episode 4

Synopsis:

The Li Dongchang case remains unresolved. To obtain evidence of official corruption and dereliction of duty, members of the Laozi Cult plan to rob grain, but their plan is leaked, and they are imprisoned. To save their fellow members, Shui Ling'er agrees to marry him… It's hardest to resist the kindness of a beautiful woman, and Zhu Chuanzong risks the execution of his entire family to agree. Will he be able to escape danger and achieve his goal again?

The Emperor's reprimands still echo in his ears, and the memorials impeaching him only increase. With the case at a stalemate, just as he seeks a solution, his sworn brother Wang Dingli reappears as an imperial envoy. Will he bring good news?

Chapter 1:

Zhu Chuanzong and his party arrive in Shanyang County. Along the way, Shui Ling'er secretly contacts members of the Laozi Cult, asking them for help in the investigation. Upon arriving in Shanyang County, Shui Ling'er goes to them to inquire about the results, but to no avail. It turned out that the case of Wang Shen, the magistrate of Shanyang County, uncovering Li Dongchang's prostitution, had been approved by Hu Tie, the provincial governor of Ningzhi Province. Now, the case had slipped up, and the emperor himself had dispatched an imperial envoy, implicating Hu Tie. Hu Tie, having learned from the capital that Zhu Chuanzong was not easily bribed and was an extremely difficult person, ordered Wang Shen to handle the matter perfectly, plugging all loopholes and ensuring the case was airtight, leaving the imperial envoy with nothing.

Under the governor's supervision, Wang Shen naturally did his utmost. The matter concerned his life and fortune; deceiving the emperor was no joke. Therefore, he handled the matter flawlessly. The members of the Taishang Laojun sect watched helplessly as he blocked all the evidence.

Shui Ju'er told Zhu Chuanzong the result, and although they later said that their followers seemed to have found a way to help solve the case, it seemed to be merely words of comfort.

Seeing that things were going as he had imagined, Zhu Chuanzong realized the common people were afraid of the local magistrates and dared not testify. Besides, they had all received relief and wouldn't risk their lives. The case seemed difficult to solve, and the Taishang Laojun Sect appeared powerless. He sighed, "Now, I'm traveling incognito, unable to go to the prison to see Li Dongchang and understand the case. Finding evidence from the common people seems hopeless for the time being. But if I act as an imperial envoy, my every move will be under their watchful eyes, making the investigation even more difficult. I'm caught in this dilemma. What should I do? I need to think of a good plan, preferably a foolproof one."

Shui Yue'er said, "Don't worry—they're working on it. They'll definitely be able to clear Lord Li Dongchang's name and bring those corrupt officials to justice. They're very capable—don't you believe me?" Seeing her anxiety, Zhu Chuanzong said, "I believe you. Don't worry."

He thought to himself, "Easier said than done. Those corrupt officials aren't pushovers. She's just trying to comfort me!" Let me think of a way to find a breakthrough! I can't be unable to do anything without Mr. Wu. After thinking for a while without any results, feeling frustrated, he suddenly remembered reading in the newspaper about the old lady Wang who spent all her money to treat a baby girl she had picked up. He felt even more frustrated and told Shui Ling'er about it.

Shui Ling'er said, "What's so strange about that? Do you think there aren't good people like that in the world? Actually, I've seen many like that. We teach many people to value righteousness over life, just as great as this old woman!" Zhu Chuanzong was taken aback and said, "Our philosophies of life are different. If it's at the cost of sacrificing one's own family, then what's the difference between that and saving someone from a well? One life for another, what's so good about that?" Shui Ling'er said resolutely, "That's the meaning of life! Brother Zhu, you're willing to risk your future to investigate this case, isn't that also for justice and fairness? You think people who sacrifice themselves to help others are foolish, but you yourself are like that!" Zhu Chuanzong was somewhat ashamed by the praise and said, "I'm not as good as you say."

He thought to himself, "Miss Shui is kind-hearted, so she thinks this is a good thing. That's right, it's because there are such pure and good girls like her in the world that the world becomes a better place." Looking at Shui Ling'er, seeing her beautiful face, he loved her more and more.

After chatting for a while, Shui Ling'er noticed that Zhu Chuanzong's expression had become intimate after she praised him, his eyes filled with affection, and he seemed distracted. Knowing this was bad, she smiled and said, "We haven't done the important business yet, I have to go. Just wait for good news! I certainly won't trouble you with this trip

for nothing." Seeing her about to leave, Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You'd better be careful. Let me know as soon as you have any news. Don't act rashly, lest you get arrested instead of saving someone, then I'll be very busy."

Shui Ling'er laughed, "Look at you, do you think everyone in our sect is a coward? You saved me once and you're already so proud. I'll repay you when I save you again, then we'll be even."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I'd rather you not repay this favor and let me suffer the loss."

Shui Ling'er said, "Everyone thinks that way! But things are unpredictable. Who knows how fate will arrange a person's destiny!" The two waved goodbye amidst their laughter and conversation.

Zhu Chuanzong knew she had gone to search for clues with members of the Taishang Laojun Sect. Whether keeping them away from him was to protect him or for his own good, to avoid implicating him, he didn't know. In any case, it was better to see them less often; after all, it wasn't the right time.

Zhu Chuanzong thought for a while, but couldn't come up with a good idea, so he went to the teahouse to drink tea and listen to stories.

The weather was sunny, and the streets were crowded. At the street corner, Zhu Chuanzong encountered a young woman and a maidservant strolling with a beautifully dressed little girl.

The child was about four or five years old, eating a candied hawthorn, and was exquisitely beautiful. Zhu Chuanzong felt a surge of affection for her upon seeing her and couldn't help but smile as he looked at her little face.

At that moment, an elderly woman, her steps faltering and her clothes tattered, went to a nearby garbage heap to scavenge for scraps. She dug and dug, and suddenly unearthed a dark, filthy, spoiled bun. The old woman, probably starving, immediately grabbed the dirty bun and wolfed it down. A little girl, sharp-eyed, cried out, "Grandma, don't eat it! It's dirty!" Zhu Chuanzong was startled. Just then, the young woman pulled the little girl away, had her maid give the old woman some money, and then carried the little girl away. From afar, he could still hear the little girl's innocent voice asking her mother, "Grandma, why are you eating dirty things?" Witnessing this scene, Zhu Chuanzong suddenly felt his vision blur and his chest tighten. He had watched this scene unfold under the bright sunshine; some were enjoying the warmth, while others were living without dignity. It was truly heartbreaking.

Seeing Zhu Chuanzong lost in thought, Wang Daniu, Zhao Laosi, and the others who were with him understood his feelings after following him for so long. Zhang Laowu, wanting to cheer him up, said with a smile, "Young master, don't feel sorry for the old lady. She can still find food in the city! If an old lady like her, without children in the countryside, couldn't even find food, wouldn't she be even more pitiful? She's not pitiful, so don't overthink it."

Qian Laoliu retorted, "Nonsense! If there were such an old woman in our countryside, wouldn't everyone help her get a bite to eat?" Zhang Laowu said, "We can't even feed ourselves, how could we have any extra food?" Seeing that the two were about to argue, Zhao Laosi quickly said, "Alright! Stop arguing, you have no manners at all in front of the young master."

Then he smiled and said, "Young master, you are kind-hearted and pity these people, but Zhang Laowu is right, this old lady isn't too pitiful."

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "You don't need to comfort me, what haven't I seen? But seeing these poor people, I still feel sorry for them. Go and give her some silver!" Then he turned and left.

Zhao Laosi and his friends pooled together some silver and gave it to Zhu Chuanzong. They then followed him at a distance, waiting outside to prevent the teahouse from becoming too crowded with strangers and making the people inside feel uncomfortable.

Zhu Chuanzong arrived at the teahouse entrance and was about to go in when he suddenly heard someone shout, "The constables are here!" A child, about five or six years old, toddled towards a fruit-selling couple, shouting in a childish Jianghuai accent. The fruit-selling couple immediately got up and started loading apples onto their cart.

But it was too late; two constables had already run over. The couple panicked, dropping several fruits, too frightened to pick them up.

In the midst of the chaos, "You dog constables…!" the child suddenly pointed at the constables and cursed. The fruit-selling couple were stunned by their son's behavior, but only for a moment. The woman grabbed a wooden stick and beat her beloved son severely, yelling, "How dare you insult an official like that!" Tears streamed down the child's face, but he pouted and said, "But Uncle Wang and you all insulted him like that..." The woman was even more terrified and beat him harder, yelling, "Shut up! Stop talking nonsense..." The man trembled with fear, saying, "Officials, the child is just being ignorant, please don't take offense..." A constable kicked him to the ground, cursing, "The child is ignorant, but you're all ignorant? Daring to defy the court and insult officials, you don't want to live!" He then unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks. In the Great Liang Kingdom, only officials of the rank of county magistrate and above were considered officials; it was unclear what kind of officials they were.

Upon seeing this, the woman immediately knelt at his feet, crying, "Sir, spare us! Please forgive our mistake! We know we were wrong, we're willing to accept the punishment, we'll pay any amount of silver, just please don't hit the child's father..." The two constables laughed loudly, "You're smart enough. Setting up your stall in the street like this affects the county's appearance. If everyone were like you and didn't follow the law, wouldn't the county be in complete chaos? We won't pursue the matter of insulting us, we'll just fine you two taels of silver, that's enough for poor wretches like you."

The man got up from the ground, wanting to say more, but the woman stopped him. The two men swallowed their anger, took out all the money they had, and pieced together the silver taels one by one. In the end, they were still a few coins short of two taels of silver, which they handed over. The two constables cursed, "What poor wretches!"

They kicked the fruit stall, took a few apples, ate them, and swaggered away.

After the two constables left, the couple embraced and wept bitterly, saying, "We worked hard all year and couldn't earn this much silver, and it's all gone just like that! Heaven is truly blind!" The little child, terrified by what he saw, also cried incessantly.

Zhu Chuanzong witnessed all of this and felt a pang of sorrow. He wanted to help, but it seemed there were too many pitiful people like them; how could he possibly help everyone? To help, he needed to address their root problems. This county had too many issues and needed to be thoroughly rectified. He made up his mind, frowned, and went into a teahouse. He ordered a pot of good tea and began to drink.

A group of people nearby were chatting animatedly. Zhu Chuanzong, extremely bored, seized the opportunity to join in the conversation. He also ordered some snacks and tea for them, and the people became even more polite to him.

One of them said, "Judging from your accent, young man, you're not a local, are you? You haven't been in our county for very long, have you?" Zhu Chuanzong replied, "I run a small business and have only been here a few days! But everyone in your county is very warm and friendly, and the people are very kind. I saw in the newspaper that there's an old lady named Wang in your county; she's truly a rare and wonderful person! She devoted all her wealth to raising a baby girl she found; it's truly admirable."

The others laughed heartily, saying, "Sir, you've been fooled! You're young and don't know these things. Something that can be published in the official newspaper..." "Everyone has connections and back channels! Nine times out of ten, what's in the official gazette is false! That old lady Wang's husband works in the government, and she did adopt a child, who is quite pitiful, but it's nothing like what they're saying! They publicize it like this, getting donations from all departments in the county government and the people, and then they pocket the money. Poor people who don't know the truth, like this waiter, are even admiring them!" Sure enough, as expected, Zhu Chuanzong's face immediately changed, and he said, "It seems that what's in the newspaper..." "You can't trust them anymore. I've learned my lesson again today."

They all laughed, "Sir, you're still young, but a merchant like you who's been traveling around for so long will understand everything in a few years!" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Exactly. But there's still one thing I don't understand. Why did the fruit vendors outside run away when they saw the constables? Was it just to avoid paying a few extra taxes?" One person said, "Sir, don't you know? This is a prosperous area. The shops on both sides of the street have all paid taxes, so naturally they don't want anyone in their area..." They were taking business from their territory. The constables, having received bribes, naturally worked hard to manage the situation, punishing those people under pretexts like obstructing traffic and affecting the county's appearance. Besides, they could pocket the money from the fines, so why not? Zhu Chuanzong asked, "If that's the case, why are there still people setting up stalls here?" One person replied, "Sir, you're a big businessman; how could you know the hardships of ordinary people? If they don't set up stalls to make a living, what else can they do to support their families? Opening a shop, even with capital, is impossible without relatives in the government as backers."

Zhu Chuanzong nodded repeatedly.

The man said, "I bet you saw the yamen runners acting like tyrants outside, didn't you? What's so strange about that! There was even a riot a few days ago. It started when three yamen runners made villagers who came to the county town register and pay money before issuing them identification, otherwise they'd be kicked out. The villagers felt they were being overcharged, and since they were new to the county town and had no money, they tried to pay less, and the runners beat them. The onlookers, outraged, spoke up for the villagers, but the runners were incredibly arrogant, yelling at them for meddling and even hitting some of them. Finally, the villagers, left with no other choice, fought back." "After beating three constables, a large number of constables came out and beat the people severely. The official newspaper even reported it."

One person laughed, "The official newspaper's report was truly brilliant! It said that a farmer working in the county town, after falling and injuring himself while drunk, falsely accused the constables of beating him, causing unsuspecting people to participate in the riot and violently resist the law, serving as a warning to the entire county. Haha, it's hilarious!"

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned, while the others burst into laughter. Suddenly, someone said, "It should be reported like this: 'The constables hunted in the street and caught a vendor.'"

The crowd roared with laughter. Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing this... Feeling that this man spoke with extraordinary insight, Zhu Chuanzong carefully observed him. He saw that the man was in his thirties, tall and slender, with a fair complexion and a light beard, extremely refined and scholarly. Zhu Chuanzong felt an immediate liking for him and stepped forward, saying, "What is your name, sir? I find your words remarkable and wish to learn from you. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?" The man scrutinized Zhu Chuanzong for a moment and said, "Please, let's talk over here."

After they reached a secluded spot, the man said, "My name is Tao Mianzi. I have been observing you for a long time, young master. You have a distinguished air about you, without a trace of greed. Perhaps you are more than just a businessman?" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You think I have a distinguished air just because I'm fat?" "What a compliment! I feel like I've heard your name somewhere before." He frowned for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed, "I know! You are the magistrate of the nearby Quheng County. The people all say you are a good official. I never expected to have the honor of meeting you; it's truly a blessing!" Tao Mian smiled and said, "You're too kind, sir. You have an air of nobility; you are certainly no ordinary person. It is my honor to meet you!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "You have a knack for judging people; you are indeed remarkable. To be honest, I am not a merchant. However, as for my identity, it is not convenient to reveal it."

He thought to himself, "Why should I lie and say that I am not Zhu Chuanzong but Zhu Tong? This man is so talented; he will be of great use in the future. I cannot leave him with a bad impression." Tao Mian smiled and said, "Now that you say so, I know too!" He thought to himself, "This man is still young. I managed to get his identity out of him with just a few words. His accent is clearly from the capital, and his demeanor is not that of a merchant. He must be an imperial envoy sent by the court. How difficult is it to guess?" The two laughed heartily. One was eager to make friends, the other eager to curry favor, so they found a private room and began a lively discussion. They discovered their views were quite similar, and without reservation, they spoke freely and openly, enjoying each other's company immensely.

As dusk approached, it was time to say goodbye. Zhu Chuanzong said, "I have some matters to trouble you with! But since this is our first meeting, there are some things I shouldn't ask, and it's not the right time. I will definitely ask for your help in the future, and I hope you will assist me then."

Tao Mian hurriedly said, "Young master, you're too kind. We

hit it off immediately. If there's anything I can do to help you in the future, I'll certainly do my best. Please rest assured." The two waved goodbye reluctantly outside the shop.

When Zhu Chuanzong reached the street corner, Wang Daniu, Zhao Laosi, and the others followed. Wang Daniu said, "Young master, why were you chatting with that man for so long?" Zhu Chuanzong smiled helplessly, "Nonsense! Does your young master only talk for long with women?" Wang Daniu quickly said, "No, how could I dare say that, young master? I was just saying, what's there for men to talk about…?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Alright, you're getting more and more nonsensical. You're worried about my safety, aren't you? You've been waiting anxiously. I know. Next time, you can come with me."

The group walked and talked, when they saw a group of people watching from a distance, the noise attracting their attention.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "What's wrong with going to see?"

Pushing through the crowd, Zhu Chuanzong saw the fruit seller from earlier that day being pinned to the ground, his hands bound with rope by several constables. He was then pushed onto a fruit cart. A fat constable shouted, "Fellow villagers, excuse me! Make way! What's there to see? Get out of the way!"

He and two other constables pushed the cart away.

The crowd parted, and the constables pushed the cart away. Only then did people begin to murmur amongst themselves. One said, "This farmer is really in trouble. He dared to hit a constable; he's going to suffer this time."

Another said, "Suffer? He might even lose his life. Once he's in the police station, is there any law? Even if they kill him and bury him anywhere, no one will know. If his family questions him, they can just say he ran away or committed suicide out of fear of punishment. What can anyone do then?" Someone said, "Yes, yes, what can a farmer with no relatives or friends in the county do? It's truly tragic!" A group of people shook their heads and sighed.

Zhu Chuanzong's face turned ashen. He guessed that the fruit seller must have been fined so much silver during the day, so he came out alone at night to sell some things and earn a little money. But he encountered the yamen runners again, and couldn't stand it, so he got into a fight with them.

Zhu Chuanzong turned to Wang Daniu and the other three and said, "Let's go to the police station!" Wang Daniu chuckled and said, "Young master is truly chivalrous."

Zhao Laosi frowned, thinking, "Oh no, young master is going to stand up for justice again. But we mustn't let our business be affected!" The group went to the police station. Since there were no guards at the door, they went straight in. As soon as they entered, they saw an elderly man, disheveled and hunched over, saying to a fat yamen runner, "Officer, I'm here to collect the iron pot you confiscated this morning."

They didn't know how an iron pot had been confiscated for breaking the law.

The constable lazily asked, "Is it new or old?" "It's neither new nor old,"

the old man replied. Already hunched over, the old man lowered his head further, appearing even more subservient.

The constable asked, "How much did you buy this iron pot for?" The old man replied, "Three hundred coins."

The constable said, "Three hundred coins? Then I'll fine you one hundred!" "One hundred? That's so much! Can you reduce it a bit?" the old man pleaded.

The constable glared at him and said, "Do you think this is a vegetable market? You want to haggle?" The old man pleaded, "Officer, please, can't you reduce the fine? Look how old I am..." The constable grew impatient and said, "Let me tell you, a 300-cash iron pot, you're fined 100, you've still made 200! Be grateful!" Zhu Chuanzong couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward angrily, "What kind of bullshit logic is this? You're fined 100 and still made 200? I robbed you of two taels of silver, and after your pleading, I gave you one tael, and you made one tael? The money I stole is mine, and you're giving it back to me?" "You've gotten a good deal, haven't you? Oh dear! Our officials are truly great, letting us commoners get such a huge advantage!"

The fat constable, enraged, stood up and said, "Where did this brat come from, daring to interfere in the affairs of the police station? Are you tired of living?" Zhu Chuanzong, his blood boiling, forgot to conceal his identity and sneered, "This guy is so arrogant, aren't you going to teach him a lesson?" Wang Daniu and Zhang Laowu immediately stepped forward and slapped him across the face. Zhu Chuanzong, of noble birth and unaccustomed to being humiliated, was now enraged and didn't care about anything else; he just let Wang Daniu and Zhang Laowu beat him severely. The fat constable was stunned by the beating and didn't dare cry for help, only begging the mountain bandits for mercy, thinking he had encountered bandits!

Wang Daniu had never heard of this name before and asked curiously, "How do you know my surname is Wang?" Zhu Chuanzong, who was initially furious, laughed at this moment. He ordered the old man to stop and took the iron pot away. He then asked the fat constable, "Where's the peddler you arrested earlier?" The fat constable, seeing how arrogant they were in the police station, had no idea who they were and assumed they were bandits. He trembled and said, "Sir, I heard that the peddler beat up our officers... and was taken to the back to be tortured."

Zhu Chuanzong angrily said, "Is that so? Why don't you take us there?"

He kicked the fat constable in the back.

The fat constable scrambled forward and hurriedly led them there.

The fat constable led the way, and as soon as they entered the backyard, he rushed in shouting for help. A group of constables were beating the peddler, and they stopped in shock and looked up when they heard the cries.

Zhu Chuanzong saw that the peddler had no blood on him, but was unconscious. Seeing the books cushioning his body, he immediately understood what had happened. His eyes reddened with rage, and he roared, "You beasts! You beat someone through books, leaving no marks, damaging their internal organs and killing them! You're utterly despicable! You're unworthy of being human!"

The constables, hearing the fat constable say that bandits had arrived, and hearing Zhu Chuanzong's curses, were enraged. "Where did these thieves come from, so audacious..." they shouted

, rushing over to fight. Zhu Chuanzong, his blood boiling, forgot everything else and charged forward. Now transformed into a fat man, he somehow possessed immense strength. He kicked one constable away, then grabbed another, lifted him up, and hurled him with all his might. The constable crashed into the wall and lost consciousness.

Wang Daniu, also incredibly strong, had been forbidden from fighting by his mother back home. Now, with this opportunity, he shouted excitedly, punching and kicking, sending the good-for-nothings staggering about. The yamen runners were good at bullying the common people, but when it came to a fight, none of them could take on the other three.

Of the remaining three, apart from Zhao Laosi, who was not good at fighting, Zhang Laowu and Qian Laoliu were both laborers and quite strong. They were more than capable of dealing with those yamen runners who were just taking advantage of the situation. The group of them beat the yamen runners so badly that they were rolling on the ground.

Seeing the increasing number of yamen runners outside, all armed, Zhao Laosi shouted, "We are imperial envoys sent by the court! Do you want to rebel? Aren't you afraid of being beheaded?" The head yamen runner, recalling the imperial envoy's disturbance in Wugu County, knew this wasn't impossible and dared not act rashly, shouting, "What proof do you have?" Zhao Laosi quickly took out his official seal. Upon seeing the seal, the head yamen runner immediately led his men to kneel down, saying, "Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy has arrived! Please forgive any offense we have caused."

At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong was still angrily kicking the yamen runners on the ground. Zhao Laosi said, "Sir, spare them! Why bother with these petty people?"

Zhu Chuanzong then stopped, angrily saying, "You beasts in sheep's clothing! You are not allowed to bully the common people again! I'll spare you for today, but you must heal this small merchant's injuries and pay him twenty taels for medical expenses. I'll come back to teach you a lesson later!" With that, he waved his hand and left.

May 15th,
Chapter Two: Soft Jade in His Arms.

After his rampage at the police station, Zhu Chuanzong stormed back to his inn. Before he could even settle in, Shui Ling'er rushed in, panicked, exclaiming, "Brother Zhu, something terrible has happened! Uncle Yang and some of our brothers have been arrested by the authorities!" Seeing Shui Ling'er's extreme anxiety, flushed face, and disheveled hair, Zhu Chuanzong quickly said, "What happened? Tell me slowly, don't panic. Even with all the infuriating things that happened to me today, I wasn't flustered."

Shui Ling'er stamped her foot, tears streaming down her face. Turning away, she spoke incoherently, "What could have happened to you? How can I not be worried? I heard it's soldiers sent down from the provincial inspectorate, lying in ambush for days, just waiting for them to take the bait! There's a traitor within our sect, we're finished!"

Zhu Chuanzong was completely bewildered. Only after Shui Ling'er calmed down and explained what had happened did he understand the truth.

It turned out that Wang Shen, the magistrate of Shanyang County, had embezzled the grain and silver allocated by higher authorities. When the matter was exposed, he needed to cover it up, but he had already resold the grain at inflated prices elsewhere. Unwilling to take money out of his own pocket to buy more grain, he simply borrowed grain from local rice merchants and wealthy landowners, promising to repay them after the next harvest. While nominally a loan, it was of course accompanied by promises of benefits; otherwise, who would do a losing business? Lending grain during a famine year? And at a normal price?

The magistrate's words were understood by these men as a mutually beneficial arrangement. They knew that once the storm had passed, the magistrate would not forget them and would reward them elsewhere. However, these wealthy merchants were shrewd and, fearing Wang Shen might make a mistake, they had him affix the official seal and sign a promissory note for the grain loan. Even if he made a mistake, the grain wouldn't be lost in vain. Once everything was settled, a date was chosen for the yamen officials to collect the grain.

This matter had already been discovered by members of the Taishang Laojun Sect. Led by their leader, Grand Protector Yang Yao, they planned to ambush the grain en route. This would allow them to distribute the grain to the disaster-stricken people and expose Wang Shen's true colors, leaving him with no grain to distribute. This would make the case much easier to solve. Moreover, there was little risk involved; if Wang Shen lost the grain, he would certainly not dare report to the court that the grain had been stolen before reaching the disaster victims, leaving him with no recourse but to suffer in silence.

The plan had gone perfectly, but a spy had emerged within the Taishang Laojun Sect—a man sent by the provincial inspectorate. He had been hiding for two years and had learned of their plan to rob the grain. Upon reporting this, the inspectorate mobilized its troops, setting up an ambush. Yang Yao and his hundred-plus men, unaware of the trap, went to rob the grain, only to be surrounded by fully armed soldiers. Only a few escaped; the rest, including the protector Yang Yao, were captured.

Shui Ling'er and her group, who were outside providing backup, heard of the major incident—the arrest of key figures in the sect—and the tense atmosphere in the county. Unable to linger, they decided to send someone to fetch reinforcements, leaving one or two to gather intelligence while the rest scattered and went into hiding.

After recounting what had happened, Shui Ling'er looked distressed and sighed, "Brother Zhu, I'm sorry, we can't help you with the case anymore. Besides, we've given them leverage. The whole county is under martial law, guarded by soldiers. Now it will be even more difficult for you to investigate."

Seeing her pitiful state, Zhu Chuanzong quickly comforted her, "It's alright, don't blame yourself. I feel uneasy because I've implicated so many of your brothers while trying to help you!" Shui Ling'er said softly, "It's no use saying anything now. I can only hope that Heaven will have mercy and that Laozi will protect them so that Uncle Yang and the others can be safe for now, while we find an opportunity to rescue them."

But she also knew that once they were in prison, rescuing them would be harder than climbing to Heaven, and her face was filled with worry.

Seeing her weak and listless voice, Zhu Chuanzong realized she had no confidence in rescuing them. This was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his abilities, but the case was too serious—a crime of treason that needed to be reported to the Emperor. Even if he revealed his identity as an imperial envoy, he couldn't release them. He sighed, "Saving a few people is manageable, but rescuing over a hundred is truly beyond my power!" Shui Shui'er jumped up excitedly, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "That's right! If you can save me, maybe you can save them too!" she exclaimed gently to Zhu Chuanzong. "Could you please go and find out some information and rescue them? I know it's difficult, but even saving a few would be helpful!" Seeing her need his help, Zhu Chuanzong's expression softened. He was secretly pleased, but quickly waved his hand, saying, "I was just talking nonsense." "Your Laozi Sect is officially designated as a traitorous sect. If I were to have even the slightest connection with you, it would be a capital offense! This is a very difficult matter, so just pretend I didn't say anything."

Shui Ling'er's bright eyes shone brightly, like a lost person in the dark seeing light. How could she possibly let it go? She said, "What comes from your mouth goes into my ears, how can I pretend I didn't hear it? Brother Zhu, please do me a favor and help me one more time! You used to kill corrupt officials without batting an eye, you were so bold, why are you so hesitant now?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Killing corrupt officials is doing the court a favor, at most I'd lose my position and my head, but helping you is going against the court, there's a risk of my entire family being executed. Besides, I'm still young, I don't even have a wife yet, how pitiful would it be if I died like this!" After saying that, he stared at Shui Ling'er's pretty face and chuckled.

Shui Yue'er, being incredibly clever, understood his thoughts perfectly. She thought, "This fool won't take such a big risk unless I offer him a little something." So she spoke in a coquettish voice, "Brother Zhu, I'm not asking you to save them. I'm asking you to find out some information first, to see how many dead or injured they are. You can do that, right?" As she spoke, she wrapped her jade-like hand around Zhu Chuanzong's right arm, pressing her body against him. A rich fragrance wafted into Zhu Chuanzong's nostrils, and he closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying it.

Women are naturally gifted at this. With such a soft beauty in his arms, Zhu Chuanzong felt completely captivated. He laughed, "Ling'er, if you go and beg the official in charge like this, I guarantee those people from your sect will be released. You won't need to beg me then."

Shui Ling'er blushed deeply, thinking, "What kind of person are you comparing me to?" Somewhat annoyed, but not daring to lash out, she could only scold him, "You're treating me like a bad woman! What time is it! You're still joking. Go and find out the news! When you come back, I'll cook you something delicious, okay?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "What's so good about delicious food? I want you..." He wanted to say "keep me company," but knowing Shui Ling'er's fiery temper, he didn't dare to be presumptuous and changed his mind, saying, "I want you to cook and feed me yourself before I go."

To get him to do it, Shui Ling'er pushed him with her small hand and said, "Okay! Go quickly!" Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and said, "Then you can't go back on your word."

Shui Ling'er blushed and said, "Go quickly!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed and left. After he and the four servants of the Zhu family had gone far away, Shui Ling'er remembered that the brothers in the sect with whom she had laughed and joked were now in unknown danger and imprisoned, and it seemed that they would most likely not return. She couldn't help but feel sad.

Zhu Chuanzong and his four servants went out onto the street and, as expected, saw a constant stream of soldiers and officials. Arriving at a teahouse near the county government office, they saw that the number of guards at the office was more than ten times greater than usual.

How could they possibly figure out what was going on under such circumstances? Zhu Chuanzong said to his four servants, "I'll reveal my identity and go into the county government office to investigate."

Wang Daniu said, "So you won't be disguising yourself to investigate cases anymore?" Zhao Laosi said, "Didn't we already expose our identities at the government office? Didn't you see someone following us from afar?" Zhu Chuanzong hesitated for a moment, thinking, "The situation is still unclear. Going in rashly wouldn't be a good idea; I don't know what to say. It's better to find someone to inquire about the situation." Suddenly, he remembered Old Man Cheng, the gatekeeper of the county government office, whom he had seen at the teahouse. Perhaps he might know something! He then said, "It's not a bad thing for us to reveal our identities. The county town is under martial law now. If we don't show our identities, we can't move around freely, and we can't go on incognito visits either. But you two go and do something for me first, and then we'll think about other things."

He then asked Wang Daniu and Zhao Laosi to invite Old Man Cheng over and ask him for information.

The two men, pretending to be relatives of Old Man Cheng, went to find him. Old Man Cheng was completely bewildered and was invited to a private room in the teahouse. He said, "You say you're my relatives? I don't recognize you at all!" To dispel his doubts, Zhu Chuanzong produced official documents and seals, revealing his identity, and said frankly, "I am the vanguard sent by the Imperial Envoy. Old man, I know you are a good person who hates evil, so please inquire for me. I will definitely report to the Imperial Envoy and reward you handsomely. Here is ten taels of silver, please accept it."

Old Man Cheng was both surprised and delighted, saying, "The news of your disturbance at the police station has spread throughout the government office. The Imperial Envoy is indeed coming soon! I know he's here to investigate corrupt officials; this is a good thing for the country and the people! I'm willing to go through fire and water for him. What use is money to a lonely old man like me? Besides, how can I accept your silver!" He refused to accept it no matter what.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Since that's the case, let's talk about it another day!" He then told him about the Laozi Sect members being arrested for robbing grain and asked him to go and find out more information.

Old Cheng was a gatekeeper at the county government office. He was a distant relative of one of the previous county magistrates. Because he had no children and lived a lonely life, after that magistrate lost his post for some reason, the new magistrate, seeing his advanced age, didn't dismiss him and allowed him to collect a pittance. Over time, he became familiar with the county government office and stayed there.

Old Cheng was a veteran in the office, so no one was wary of him. He listened carefully to casual conversations, and after a few inquiries, he learned the gist of the matter. He rushed back to the teahouse to tell Zhu Chuanzong.

Sure enough, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner had secretly dispatched troops, led personally by Surveillance Commissioner Sun Tuozu. This time, they captured eighty-seven people and killed eighteen in the fighting, including a leader surnamed Yang—a truly remarkable achievement.

After Old Cheng finished speaking, he noticed Zhu Chuanzong's furrowed brows and assumed he was jealous of the great merit of Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Sun Tuozu.

He chuckled, "The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner is indeed a man of great fortune; he's managed to secure such a great achievement. Tsk tsk, truly a lucky general." Zhu Chuanzong sensed something in his words and asked, "What lucky general? I'm not familiar with this man. Do you know anything about him?" Old Cheng loved to show off, and he laughed, "Do you know how he got his position? He's truly blessed!" Zhu Chuanzong nodded in agreement, and Old Cheng then told him the story he had heard.

This Sun Tuozu was from Jianghuai Province. He bought a minor post and spent many years waiting in the Ministry of Personnel in the capital before finally securing a substantive position as a county magistrate in a certain county in Ningzhi Province. According to regulations, after receiving the appointment, one should go to the Meridian Gate to "express gratitude to the emperor," but this was an old custom from the time of Emperor Taizu. Because no one supervised it, the rule eventually became just a regulation, and no one enforced it. But this fellow was quite earnest. The morning after receiving his appointment, before dawn, he changed into his court robes and went to the Meridian Gate to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows.

It was raining at the time, but he calmly prostrated himself in the rain, not daring to be negligent in the slightest. Coincidentally, Prince An was on his way to court for duty, passing by the Meridian Gate in a sedan chair. Seeing this scene, he was very curious and asked his attendant to inquire who it was and what they were doing. After asking, the attendant reported: "Sun Tuozu, the newly appointed magistrate of a certain county in Ningzhi Province, kowtows to express his gratitude for the Emperor's grace."

Prince An chuckled inwardly upon hearing this. He was the beloved younger brother of Emperor Mingzong. Mingzong had more than a dozen brothers, and he was the only one who had gained Mingzong's trust and been entrusted with important power. He had grown up with Mingzong, and Prince An's mother, the Imperial Concubine Li, had been kind to Mingzong, so Mingzong had always treated this younger brother well.

As Prince An entered the palace and went to the court, he happened to meet Pang Laixiao, the then Provincial Governor of Ningzhi Province, who was on his way to the capital to pay homage to the Emperor. He couldn't help but recall the strange scene in the rain earlier and began to speak: "Your subordinate, Sun, the County Magistrate of a certain county…..." He had only spoken a few words when a eunuch called him in, and the prince hurriedly entered. Pang Laixiao had already met with the Emperor and was rushing to his post, assuming the prince had asked him to look after this man, and thus harbored a

secret thought. Not long after, Sun Tuozu indeed arrived at the residence of Provincial Governor Pang Laixiao to pay his respects. According to old customs, for someone of such a minor, unranked rank, simply submitting a petition was utterly impossible; an audience with the Governor was virtually impossible. However, the gatekeeper of the Governor's residence had already received instructions from his master and immediately announced Sun Tuozu's arrival. The Provincial Treasurer of Ningzhi Province summoned Sun Tuozu to an audience. Upon meeting, Pang Laixiao asked, "How is His Highness? I didn't have time to bid him farewell when I left the capital."

Sun Tuozu simply nodded a few times and hummed "Yes, yes" a couple of times, and that

was it. Less than a year after taking office, Pang Laixiao specially appointed him to a tax collection post, allowing him to amass considerable wealth.

Later, when Sun Tuozu had business at the provincial government to see Provincial Treasurer Pang Laixiao, Pang Laixiao said, "Your official rank is too low; I cannot promote you. Donate two more ranks."

Sun Tuozu again kowtowed and agreed, immediately donating for a position as a candidate for county magistrate. The prefect, considering him a confidant of the Provincial Treasurer, immediately filled the substantive post for him. Afterward, Pang Laixiao's career flourished, and he was promoted repeatedly, eventually becoming Right Chancellor. Sun Tuozu, on the other hand, always claimed the best positions, and within a few years, through donations and guarantees, he too rose to the rank of prefect. According to the system of the Great Liang Dynasty, local officials of the seventh rank and above were required to have an audience with the emperor in the capital before their first appointment.

Sun Tuozu was no exception, and he went to the capital to pay his respects to Pang Laixiao. Pang Laixiao assumed that Sun Tuozu would also be visiting the prince, so he asked him to take gifts and a letter with him.

The prince had long forgotten the scene at the Meridian Gate many years ago. Seeing Pang Laixiao's letter praising Sun Tuozu's honesty and talent, he assumed that Sun Tuozu was a confidant of the Right Chancellor. He just couldn't figure out who Sun Tuozu was, yet he went to such lengths to explain.

The next day, the prince went to work again. Coincidentally, the position of Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Ningzhi Province became vacant, and the emperor asked the prince for his opinion on who should be sent. The prince couldn't think of anyone at the moment, so he immediately did Pang Laixiao a favor and recommended Sun Tuozu. It was rare for a candidate for prefecture to be filled so quickly. However, for him to rise to a high-ranking official in a province was even more unprecedented. From then on, the prince regarded him as the Right Chancellor's man, and the Right Chancellor regarded him as the prince's man. Truly, having connections in court made officialdom easier, bringing great fortune and success.

Zhu Chuanzong, after hearing this story, was both amused and exasperated. After seeing Old Man Cheng off, he frowned and sighed, "Is appointing officials in our Great Liang Kingdom so trivial?" Wang Daniu, a rough man, scratched his head, unsure how to answer. Zhao Laosi, though clever, was new to officialdom and also didn't know how to respond. The others, even more uncultured, were even less able to reply.

Zhu Chuanzong sighed again and said, "Even Inspector Sun Tuozu has arrived. It seems things are not going well! What should we do?" He lowered his head, racking his brains for a solution.

Wang Daniu and the other three were also anxious, but helpless, they could only watch from the sidelines.

The four men, Zhao Lao and his companions, were extremely clever and observant, possessing considerable knowledge. They said, "Young Master, you must be careful! Although the people of the Laozi Sect are all good people, they are all wanted criminals who have rebelled. If you try to save them and the imperial court finds out, it will be disastrous! I heard they'll exterminate your entire family. If they surrender and reform, things might be better!" Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing this, had a sudden inspiration. Recalling the story of Sun Tuozu, he immediately had a plan. The phrase "playing both sides" flashed through his mind, and he suddenly had an idea.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily and said, "I have a plan! Don't worry, I'm not that stupid to be punished!" Immediately, Zhu Chuanzong led the four men back to the inn.

Shui Ling'er asked anxiously, "You're back so soon? Is there any news?" Zhu Chuanzong told her what he had heard, saying, "Eighteen of your brothers died, but Uncle Yang you mentioned didn't. He's the bandit leader, so he'll definitely be taken good care of. But once he's taken to the capital, he might be executed by slow slicing!" Shui Ling'er's eyes welled up with tears. "What can we do? Brother Zhu, do you have a way to save him? He watched me grow up and treated me very well. If all else fails, we can just kill him. That way, he won't suffer."

Tears streamed down Shui Ling'er's fair cheeks. Her slender waist and pitiful appearance, along with her trembling shoulders, made her exceptionally beautiful. Zhu Chuanzong felt a pang of pity for her.

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but walk up to her, his nose filled with the fragrance, and said softly, "You said you'd make me something delicious? How could you forget?" Shui Ling'er hurriedly wiped away her tears and said, "I'm sorry, I'll go make it right away."

Zhu Chuanzong said gently, "Go ahead, let me eat happily, maybe I can find a way to rescue him!" Shui Ling'er was overjoyed, her eyes widening, and said, "Really?" Then she said, "I'll go cook."

She thought to herself, 'Although he looks fat and clumsy, who knows what he might do! It's not easy for someone so young to be an official! Besides, he's incredibly brave, maybe he can turn this danger into safety.' Suddenly, this seemingly clumsy, chubby young man held immense weight in her heart.

Zhu Chuanzong looked at Shui Ling'er's slender back and thought, 'She's a good girl. She's fearless when she's in danger, but when she worries about others, she's just a soft-hearted, tearful little girl.' Thinking of Shui Ling'er's good qualities, his heart was filled with tenderness.

To please Zhu Chuanzong, Shui Ling'er prepared a table full of dishes and drank with him.

At this moment, Shui Ling'er was as gentle as water, treating Zhu Chuanzong with utmost tenderness. Especially since she had also drunk a little wine, her cheeks were flushed, making her appear even more charming and alluring.

Zhu Chuanzong saw that Shui Ling'er had a beautiful face, resembling her sister somewhat, but with delicate, graceful eyebrows and clear, bright eyes that possessed a unique charm. Her small, delicate nose seemed to be carved from jade, and her cherry-like lips were tiny. At this moment, her face was flushed and smooth, as if it could be broken with a breath. Her graceful figure and captivating charm were so alluring that even a celestial being would be mesmerized, leaving him speechless with admiration.

Seeing his dazed expression, Shui Ling'er chuckled inwardly. She fed Zhu Chuanzong fish with a small ladle, asking, "Is my braised crucian carp with fermented bean paste delicious?" Zhu Chuanzong nodded hurriedly, mumbling, "Delicious, delicious."

Shui Ling'er chuckled, her charm growing even stronger, and said, "If you help me save Uncle Yang and the others, I'll cook for you for the rest of my life!" Although Zhu Chuanzong had feelings for his sister and sister-in-law, their love stemmed from gratitude and a desire to protect their family, not solely from romantic attraction. Zhu Chuanzong had acquired them too easily, so he didn't fully understand love. Upon hearing Shui Ling'er's words, he exclaimed happily, "So you're willing to follow me for life? Marry me and stay by my side forever?" Shui Ling'er's intention was simply to please Zhu Chuanzong and get him to help save people; she hadn't considered the deeper meaning. Hearing Zhu Chuanzong's words, she was immediately stunned.

Seeing her expression, Zhu Chuanzong could easily tell that he had been doused with cold water, feeling a chill in his heart and great disappointment. He said, "Forget it, I'm such a jerk, I shouldn't have pressured you. So you don't like me, you just wanted me to help you. I was just being presumptuous. But don't worry, I will definitely help you, I will never force you with this, I'm not that kind of person."

Shui Ling'er was quick-witted and clever. She lowered her head and bit her lip, suddenly making a decision in her heart. She smiled shyly and said, "Silly boy, how can you ask a girl such a question?" Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed. He said, "I'm stupid, I'm stupid... Do you... really like me?" Shui Ling'er turned around and laughed, "Who likes a big pig like you!" Zhu Chuanzong heard the affection in her voice and couldn't help but notice. Overjoyed, he put his arm around her shoulder and said happily, "I knew you would like me. Doesn't the book say that beauties love heroes? I'm so amazing, how could you not like me!" Shui Ling'er laughed, "What kind of hero are you? Aren't you ashamed! Shame on you!" Zhu Chuanzong said, "You dare to say that to me? See how I deal with you."

He then pounced on her. The two played around for a while, both moved by their feelings.

At this moment, Shui Ling'er's black hair was cascading over her shoulders, adorned with hair ornaments. She wore a light red spring silk blouse and a black floral silk skirt. Her face was beautiful and dazzling.

Zhu Chuanzong was already completely captivated. In the stillness of the night, Zhu Chuanzong picked up Shui Ling'er, whispering sweet nothings to her as he walked towards the bedroom.

He placed her on the couch and gazed at her intently. Her head was bowed in shyness, making her all the more endearing. His love was further aroused by her snow-white neck and the jade-like wrists peeking out from her sleeves.

Zhu Chuanzong held Shui Ling'er in his arms. Shui Ling'er, blushing, couldn't resist and yielded to his advances. Zhu Chuanzong turned her delicate neck and kissed her face repeatedly, finding her sweet, tender, and cool—a pleasure unmatched in the world. He felt incredibly happy and excited. The fragrance of her perfume filled his nostrils, further fueling his lust. He reached out and removed Shui Ling'er's clothes, touching her jade-like arm, which resembled a snow-white lotus root. He then reached into her bosom and fondled her two full, tender breasts for a while before untying her belt.

Shui Ling'er covered her clothes with both hands, and said shyly, "No, let's talk about it after we get married. What kind of person do you take me for? If you really love me, you have to do something great, like rescuing Uncle Yang and the others, and then you can ask my godfather for my hand in marriage."

Zhu Chuanzong saw her serious attitude and laughed, "Alright, once I rescue them, do you think your godfather won't arrange a wedding for us?" However, with such a beautiful woman in front of him, how could he resist? He took some more advantage before stopping.

Chapter 3: Scheming to Rescue People

Zhu Chuanzong agreed to Shui Ling'er's request to rescue the captured members of the Laozi Sect because he already had a plan in mind, which is why he wasn't afraid to agree. The next day, Zhu Chuanzong got up early, changed into his official clothes, and went to the county government office to visit the provincial inspector, Sun Tuozu.

As soon as Zhu Chuanzong stepped out, he saw several yamen runners waiting at the door. Upon seeing him, they all greeted him. Hearing that Zhu Chuanzong was going to the yamen, they immediately ordered a sedan chair to be prepared.

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "The yamen's efficiency is quite high; they even found out I live here." Halfway there, Wang Shen from Shanyang County came to greet him with his men, saying, "Your Excellency the Imperial Envoy has arrived. Please forgive our lateness." He

then spoke of the yamen runners, praising Zhu Chuanzong's actions, and finally said with a beaming smile, "If Your Excellency wanted to see me, you could have simply instructed your servants to inform me, and I would have gone to pay my respects. How could I dare trouble Your Excellency to make the trip in person?" Zhu Chuanzong sneered, "It's not my turn to see you. I'm going to visit Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Sun. Where does he live? Lead the way."

Wang Shen quickly agreed and led his men to lead the way. Although outwardly respectful, he inwardly cursed, "You're just a sixth-rank official, not even the Governor himself. Just because you're from the capital and I address you as Imperial Envoy, you think you're so arrogant? When I'm promoted to Prefect, I'll be even more powerful than you." "You're nothing but a nobody in the capital, not even worth a fart?" Upon arriving at Sun Tuozu's residence in the county office, someone had already informed him. Although Zhu Chuanzong, disguised as Zhu Tong, held a much lower official rank than Sun Tuozu, he was still a subordinate of the imperial envoy, effectively making him an imperial envoy himself. As the saying goes, even a lowly official in the capital should show deference, so Sun Tuozu dared not be presumptuous and went out to greet him.

Zhu Chuanzong bowed to Sun Tuozu, who refused, saying with a smile, "Although the imperial envoy didn't come in person, you represent him. How could I accept your bow?" Seeing his amiable demeanor, Zhu Chuanzong thought, "No wonder he's climbed the ranks so quickly despite his lack of experience. This man is very adept at dealing with people; he shouldn't be underestimated." The two went inside and chatted about everything under the sun, during which Sun Tuozu showed not a trace of disdain or displeasure. Originally, Zhu Chuanzong, disguised as Zhu Tong, was not very old and held a low official rank. Sun Tuozu, on the other hand, was a high-ranking official, so there was no need for him to be so attentive. However, Sun Tuozu spoke wittily and kindly, showing no sign of neglect, which made Zhu Chuanzong feel a sense of goodwill towards him.

Zhu Chuanzong secretly admired the man's good temper while pondering how to implement his plan. Zhu Chuanzong said, "Lord Sun is truly a capable man. I heard that you captured the rebels of the Taishang Laojun Sect. This is a great achievement! But I wonder how you will deal with those people?" Sun Tuozu smiled and said, "I am just about to petition the Emperor. The ringleader will be sent to the capital soon, and the rest will await further instructions."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You're actually doing this? You're so easily giving up such a great achievement. I feel sorry for you! And will those rebels let it go? I'm worried for you!" Sun Tuozu's face changed, and he said nervously, "I don't understand what you mean. Did you hear..." "What news? Are those bandits about to make a move?" Zhu Chuanzong, seeing his expression, had a sudden thought and said, "The Laozi Sect members are lawless. Now that you've captured so many, how could they possibly let it go? Heh heh, you'll be having a hard time sleeping and eating from now on, sir. On one hand, you've done a great service by capturing so many rebels; the court will definitely urge you to capture even more. On the other hand, the Laozi Sect is determined to avenge themselves. You know these rebels; they're all fearless and ruthless. How can you not be wary? I'm very worried about you, sir!" He shook his head and sighed.

Sun Tuoz's face twitched, thinking to himself, "Will I still be able to go to the opera and visit brothels?" "Could it be...could it be that you have a plan, young brother?" Sun Tuozu asked anxiously. Zhu Chuanzong deliberately kept him in suspense, saying, "I do have one, but..." Sun Tuozu hurriedly said, "But what? Young brother, just tell me. As long as it's within my power, I will certainly satisfy you. Money, beautiful women, whatever you want, I'll give it to you."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "That won't be necessary."

Seeing his eager appearance, he thought to himself, "This guy is really foolish, so easy to fool." Sun Tuozu said, "Then what do you want?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "I dare not ask for anything from you, sir. Besides, I lack nothing while serving Imperial Envoy Zhu Chuanzong. It's just that my plan is a bit risky, and I'm afraid you won't follow it!" Sun Tuozu laughed heartily and said, "I thought it was something! Just tell me. As long as it's a good plan, I will definitely follow it. As for the benefits, you will certainly not be shortchanged."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Alright, I'll speak then. But I'm young and inexperienced, so please don't take anything I say wrong to heart, sir!" Sun Tuozu said, "You're too kind. Your guidance is bound to be accurate. Please enlighten me."

Zhu Chuanzong considered his words carefully and said, "Sir, think about it. The Laozi Cult has a large number of members, and its leader is mysterious and unpredictable. If they aren't eliminated, they will be a constant worry for the court. Now that you've caught an important figure among them, why not follow the trail and wipe them all out in one fell swoop?" Sun Tuozu sighed, "You don't know this! I've thought about it too, but unfortunately yesterday..." They used every form of torture, but the Laozi Sect protector named Yang Yao wouldn't speak. Further torture would likely kill him. As for the other underlings, even if they were willing to talk, their knowledge would be limited and of little use. This Laozi Sect is incredibly powerful; their organization is so tight, it's truly frightening! Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and said, "My lord, don't be sad. I have a good idea that will solve this problem for you."

Sun Tuozu said, "Oh? Excellent! Please enlighten me..." He was a low-ranking official, very good at being humble. Despite his current high rank, he wouldn't hesitate to show any shame if it benefited him.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "If I pretend to be a chivalrous hero who has seen injustice and secretly rescue these people, what do you think they will do, sir?" Sun Tuozu was delighted and said, "They will definitely take you to see their superiors, and perhaps even the sect leader himself will meet you. A strong general has no weak soldiers under his command! Lord Zhu is truly young and promising, to have come up with such a good idea. However..." Sun Tuozu frowned.

Now it was Zhu Chuanzong's turn to be anxious, and he pressed, "But what?" Sun Tuozu said, "But you are an official appointed by the court, and an imperial envoy from the capital. If something goes wrong, who can bear the responsibility? We can't let you take such a risk, not even the slightest one. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Zhu Chuanzong hadn't expected him to be so cowardly, and he cursed inwardly, but he couldn't show it on his face. He said, "My lord, you're overthinking it. I would only do this if I were absolutely certain. If we eradicate the Laozi Sect, we will have made a great contribution, and you will be the first to receive credit! At that time, being transferred to the capital to become an official will be a piece of cake!" These words struck a chord with Sun Tuozu, but having been in officialdom for a long time, he weighed the options and felt that letting this minor official named Zhu Tong take such a risk was too dangerous. If he made a mistake, the court would be one thing, but his master, the Imperial Envoy Zhu Chuanzong, was a man of great influence. If he were to cause trouble later, the danger would be far greater. So he said, "I'll think about it! If the Imperial Envoy arrives, I will certainly pay him a visit." He then picked up

his teacup.

Seeing that he was declining the matter and about to see him off, Zhu Chuanzong realized that his plan was doomed. In a panic, he stood up and said, "Lord Sun, to be honest, our Lord Zhu was sent by the Emperor not only for Li Dongchang's case, but also to deal with the Laozi Sect. We have already planted spies within the Laozi Sect. Lord Sun, your actions have ruined our Lord's plans! Lord Zhu is rushing here and will arrive soon."

Sun Tuozu exclaimed in surprise, "What? A secret order from the Emperor? Forgive my ignorance, please sit, please sit! What do you suggest we do? It's all my fault for being so rash and ruining the Imperial Envoy's plans. I am truly guilty."

He then rubbed his hands together.

Zhu Chuanzong's mind raced, and he sneered, "Originally, I didn't want to see you, sir, but this matter is of utmost importance, so I had no choice but to come. This is the Emperor's secret order, which shouldn't be told to anyone else. However, Lord Sun has rendered such a great service, I can't help but speak up!" Sun Tuozu broke out in a cold sweat, saying, "Damn it, I really deserve to die. I've caused such a huge mess, what are you going to do?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Things haven't gotten that bad yet. You should treat those prisoners well first; there are our people among them, and if something goes wrong, it will be difficult to handle. From now on, follow my plan. As for the details, I'll come back to you after I've thought them through."

Sun Tuozu repeatedly agreed and personally saw Zhu Chuanzong, disguised as the minor official Zhu Tong, off before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

After declining the invitation from Magistrate Wang Shen to stay at the yamen and a luxurious inn, Zhu Chuanzong returned to the Laifu Inn.

Seeing him return, Shui Ling'er immediately asked, "Brother Zhu, how did things go?" Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "Things are alright, but do you know how much trouble I've gotten myself into? I forged an imperial edict and tricked that Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Sun Tuozu. If this had been exposed, my entire family would have been executed."

Upon hearing this, Shui Ling'er instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled, "I know Brother Zhu is a true man. Don't worry, nothing will happen. You're such a good person, how could Heaven not treat you well?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Good people don't live long, don't I understand that? If you really cherish me, we'll get married tonight..." Shui Ling'er immediately blushed and said, "You're being so frivolous again. Didn't we agree to wait until... wait until then?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You'll never escape my grasp."

Seeing Shui Ling'er's face growing redder and more radiant, truly breathtakingly beautiful, his heart stirred even more.

Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's strange expression, Shui Ling'er quickly said, "You haven't told me how you plan to rescue Uncle Yang and the others yet!" Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'll pretend we're acting on the Emperor's secret orders to investigate your Lao Jun Sect. Among those arrested are our spies. They never imagined I'd dare forge an imperial decree, so they believe me completely, thinking they've broken the Emperor's orders, and they're trembling with fear!" Shui Ling'er asked, "Then how will you rescue them?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'll tell him I'm going to break them out of prison and rescue your Lao Jun Sect members. That way, I can infiltrate your sect, and when the time is right, we'll wipe you all out. He won't be able to refuse that, but I need you to help me persuade your sect members, so he won't..." "They don't know the truth and have ruined everything."

Shui Ling'er said happily, "Leave this to me."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "After I rescue them, you should go as far away from them as possible, and I will hide myself. Then let Sun Tuozu take the blame."

Shui Ling'er smiled and said it was a good plan, but then she realized what was going on and asked worriedly, "Brother Zhu, if you do this, you're betraying the court. From what you're saying, you don't plan to join us?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "I have things to do! Don't worry, I'll be fine. When things calm down, I'll naturally come to find you." He thought

to himself, "Let the court go find that fat Zhu Tong! Hehe, you'll never find him in your entire lives." Seeing his smiling face, seemingly confident, Shui Ling'er was puzzled. She increasingly felt that Zhu Tong was no ordinary person. Recalling her past experiences, she was even more convinced and said, "Brother Zhu, I believe you. But if... if something really happens to you, I will never live alone."

Zhu Chuanzong was deeply moved. He held Shui Ling'er's soft, boneless hand and said, "Your words are enough. But don't worry, I haven't married you yet, so I will never die."

Shui Ling'er was gentle as water at this moment. She leaned lightly on Zhu Chuanzong's shoulder and said softly, "Don't say such unlucky things. You have done so much for me, I could never repay you even if I were to die. How can I not serve you for the rest of my life as a way of repaying you?" Zhu Chuanzong had never tasted such joy before. He was overjoyed and excited beyond measure. He stopped talking and just smelled the fragrance emanating from Shui Ling'er and felt her body temperature. He was completely intoxicated.

The next day, Zhu Chuanzong prepared everything and had Shui Ling'er, disguised as a man, act as his attendant to meet Sun Tuozu.

Before leaving, Shui Ling'er said, "Brother Zhu, are you really sure you have a way out? Why won't you let me stay with you? If something happens to you, how can I survive?" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You don't know my abilities. I'm very capable! Don't worry about me. I guarantee they'll never find Zhu Tong again. After I've finished what I need to do, I'll come find you." Seeing

Zhu Chuanzong's attitude, Shui Ling'er had no choice but to comply.

Upon arriving at the county government office, Zhu Chuanzong discussed with Sun Tuozu the details of how to stage a prison break and how the provincial inspector's men would cooperate. However, at the end, Zhu Chuanzong said they would act that very night. Sun Tuozu said, "Young brother, this can't be rushed. It's not too late to do it after the imperial envoy arrives in person. The prisoners are well-fed and sleeping well in their cells, so you don't need to worry."

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned for a moment, inwardly cursing Sun Tuozu while simultaneously admiring his cunning. Seeing his displeasure, Sun Tuozu smiled and said, "Young brother, I know you're eager to make a name for yourself, but this matter is of great importance. It's best to wait for the Imperial Envoy to make the final decision. Don't worry, with your competence, I will definitely put in a good word for you with the Imperial Envoy. You're so shrewd and capable at such a young age; your future is limitless!" Zhu Chuanzong understood his meaning; things weren't as simple as he thought. Although Sun Tuozu didn't trust him, his polite words made him feel comfortable. He was indeed a shrewd old official. Knowing that further insistence was futile and the plan was failing, he took his leave.

Along the way, Shui Ling'er noticed Zhu Chuanzong's grave expression and knew he was trying to find a solution, so she didn't dare disturb him. Upon reaching the guesthouse, she asked, "Now that things have come to this, what should we do? If the imperial envoy comes and exposes your lies, it will be disastrous. If… it's really dangerous, brother, you should run away first! Uncle Yang and the others should wait for us to figure something out ourselves!" She knew that rescuing people from prison was extremely difficult, and her mind was filled with worry.

Zhu Chuanzong ignored her thoughts and, with his back to her, said, "There are some things you don't know. Don't talk to me yet; let me think about it carefully."

Zhu Chuanzong racked his brains, thinking: 'Sun Tuozu appears foolish, but he's very clever; otherwise, he wouldn't have become such a high-ranking official. Rumors say he's very fortunate, which makes sense, but if he weren't clever, he wouldn't have reached this level. If we haven't seen the imperial envoy, it seems he definitely won't release them.' But if I reveal my identity and release those people, the Emperor will find out, and my family will be implicated. Execution of the entire family is impossible, but my father will be dismissed from his post—that's unavoidable. And now, there's no lead on Li Dongchang's case at all. What should I do? Zhu Chuanzong racked his brains, but suddenly an idea struck him. He cursed himself for being foolish. As an imperial envoy, investigating these rebellious activities of the Laozi Sect was his duty. If he reported to the Emperor, it wouldn't be a crime of deceiving the Emperor. If he messed things up and let them escape, it would only be dereliction of duty and losing his position, but it wouldn't implicate his family.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily. Shui Ling'er, who had been worried the whole time, was overjoyed to see him so happy and asked, "Brother Zhu, have you thought of a plan?" Zhu Chuanzong replied, "I have a good plan. The Imperial Envoy is a lecherous man. As long as I offer you to him, everything will be easy."

Shui Ling'er spat at him and said, "What kind of time is this to joke around?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'm serious. He's young and handsome. You'll definitely like him."

Shui Ling'er blushed and said, "You're getting more and more indecent. I know you have a good plan. Tell me quickly! Stop keeping me in suspense."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "I've already told you. If you don't believe me, that's fine too."

After saying that, he went out and told Wang Daniu to tell Fang Zhongxi to send someone to inform Wu Siyuan, Xiao Yu, and Nuanyun to come as soon as possible. Fang Zhongxi had been hiding in the shadows protecting Zhu Chuanzong. Since Zhu Chuanzong had caused a scene at the yamen, he hadn't shown up because he saw no danger.

Plans change quickly. Originally, Xiao Yu was supposed to impersonate an imperial envoy to delay Hu Tie, the provincial governor of Ningzhi Province, and his men, facilitating Zhu Chuanzong's investigation in Shanyang County. However, since they couldn't find evidence to solve the case, and their presence was needed, they had no choice but to send them.

After instructing Wang Daniu, Zhu Chuanzong, along with his three servants, went to the Shanyang County prison to visit Li Dongchang.

The prison guards and yamen runners, upon learning of the arrival of the imperial envoy, hurriedly greeted him. They had already received instructions from Wang Shen to treat Li Dongchang extremely well; everything had been taken care of, and they weren't worried about any trouble Li Dongchang might cause. Otherwise, leaving Li Dongchang battered and bruised

would make them appear guilty. Upon seeing the imperial envoy, Li Dongchang loudly proclaimed his innocence. Zhu Chuanzong told him to calm down and carefully questioned him about what had happened. Li Dongchang recounted the events, saying he had been drugged and didn't know how he ended up in the brothel, insisting it was Wang Shen's doing. However, he offered no concrete evidence.

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "Without evidence, it will be difficult to overturn this case. The brothel where you were implicated has both witnesses and physical evidence. You claim Wang Shen framed you, but the evidence of Wang Shen's embezzlement was destroyed after your arrest. Without finding a new path, there's no way to get you out of danger."

Li Dongchang said, "From what you've said, sir, it seems the officials of Ningzhi Province are colluding to deceive the Emperor! The embezzlement of disaster relief grain is a widespread phenomenon in Ningzhi Province. I'm not grieving for myself, but if we can't expose the darkness of Ningzhi Province's officialdom, and the Emperor is deceived by these corrupt officials, it will be a disgrace to our Great Liang!" Li Dongchang was filled with grief and indignation. He had the temperament of a scholar; he wasn't worried about his own situation, but rather about the country.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Don't worry, the Imperial Envoy knows you've been wronged, and the Emperor also suspects something. As long as the case is investigated seriously, the truth will come out. Just relax and live well."

After being released from prison, Zhu Chuanzong went to the brothel that Li Dongchang had mentioned to investigate. The prostitutes and pimps involved all insisted that Li Dongchang had come in person, and their testimonies matched perfectly. Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of them, Zhu Chuanzong returned to the inn with his entourage.

When Shui Ling'er returned, she asked what had happened and said apologetically, "Brother Zhu, it's all my fault. Not only could I not help you with the case, but I

also caused you trouble." Zhu Chuanzong said, "Why are you being so polite with me? This little difficulty is nothing to me, don't worry. By the way, you're worried I'll make you accompany the Imperial Envoy, right? I was just joking, don't take it seriously. How could I bear to do that? Even if it costs me my life, I wouldn't do something so unfair."

Shui Ling'er said, "Since you say so, I'm sure you have a way. But I really don't understand, what is your relationship with Imperial Envoy Zhu Chuanzong? Why does he trust you so much? And what kind of person is he?" Zhu Chuanzong said proudly, "He is the most handsome and dashing hero in the world, a unique and unparalleled hero. He solved a strange case where a murdered person was still alive, and was praised by the Emperor. He is the most meritorious official in the history of our Great Liang." "A promising young man. He's incredibly intelligent and clever; all the beautiful women adore him!" Shui Ling'er had been listening attentively at first, but then she chuckled and said, "Alright, look at you! You're exaggerating like this, as if you're talking about yourself. It's so exaggerated. You're praising him so highly; let's see if he can help us. If he wants to chop off your head, then you've wasted your praise."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "The most impossible thing in the world is Zhu Chuanzong chopping off my head. Just wait and see; I definitely won't disappoint you."

Shui Ling'er smiled like a blooming flower, her beauty as radiant as a lotus emerging from the water. She said, "Don't try to fool me. I hate being lied to. If you do, I won't hold back."

Zhu Chuanzong saw her smile, so beautiful, but a strange sense of unease rose within him. He chuckled to himself, "I'm not lying to her at all. When she sees my true face, I'm not fat and I'm very beautiful; she'll be overjoyed!"

Chapter Four: Turbulent Events Begin. Xiao

Yu, impersonating Zhu Chuanzong, lingered in Wugu County, keeping the Ningzhi Provincial Governor Hu Tie and other provincial officials occupied and causing them considerable headaches.

Initially, Xiao Yu was hesitant, not daring to act recklessly; this was no small matter, and if exposed, Zhu Chuanzong would also be implicated.

However, no matter what outrageous things she did, Mr. Wu would smile and stroke his beard, saying, "Just do it, it's alright. That's how officialdom is. You're an imperial envoy, so naturally they'll listen to you and flatter you. Which official doesn't have a few quirks? It's fine."

This allowed Xiao Yu's girlish temper to run wild. She had always been a maid, often complaining about her pitiful background. Now, suddenly she was a person of high status, a mistress, and an imperial inspector at that! When had she ever felt so carefree? She began to act like a spoiled child, manipulating the officials completely.

That day, Xiao Yu was playing in the garden. The autumn weather was a bit chilly. Hu Tie came to visit with more than a dozen officials and invited Xiao Yu to a restaurant for dinner. Xiao Yu pouted and said, "What's so interesting about eating and drinking all the time? Oh, look, there's a butterfly flying around. This place is really strange. There are still butterflies in this season. Quickly help me catch it."

Hu Tie hurriedly ordered his attendants and guards to capture him, but Xiao Yu angrily retorted, "They're no fun at all! I'm having you officials capture him for me! You're all high-ranking officials, a hundred times smarter than those servants. It'll be much more fun capturing him!" Hu Tie was dumbfounded, thinking, "What kind of logic is that?" But the imperial envoy had given the order, so he shouted, "Aren't you going? Didn't you hear what the imperial envoy said?" The officials, pampered and bloated, had never been subjected to such an ordeal before. They scrambled and stumbled, displaying all sorts of ugly behavior, which Xiao Yu watched with clapping and laughter.

Hu Tie thought to himself, "I heard the imperial envoy is young and eccentric. Turns out he's just a mischievous child. If I can please him, he'll be easy to deal with." He couldn't help but feel smug.

Hu Tie was initially intimidated by the imperial envoy's reputation and the rumors he had heard, coupled with his actions in executing corrupt officials, so he dared not offer excessive gifts. However, seeing Xiao Yu's childlike nature, he then tried to curry favor by sending her a large amount of gold and silver jewelry.

To his surprise, Xiao Yu refused all the gold and silver, but readily accepted ingenious trinkets and novelties for girls, even though they were mostly worthless. The officials were puzzled, but since she accepted these things, they naturally became even more eager to curry favor.

Xiao Yu spent her time idly in Wugu County, thoroughly enjoying herself. Hu Tie still had many things to do and couldn't afford to accompany me any longer, so he suggested, "Sir, the matter in Wugu County is almost settled. Why don't you set off for Shanyang County to handle the case? Or, if you feel there's nothing suspicious about the case, uphold the original verdict, and then submit a memorial to the Emperor, that would be best. As for your favor..." Xiao Yu pouted and said, "What's the rush? This imperial envoy knows what's going on. If you have important matters to attend to, you don't need to accompany me. Go and do it yourself! If you can't handle something, I'll help you."

Upon hearing this, Hu Tie... This terrified them. A couple of days ago, they'd seen the imperial envoy idly frolicking instead of doing his job, and they'd intended to give him a hard time. They'd presented him with a complex case, but Xiao Yu had declared, "This case is so simple! It's definitely the rich bullying the poor. Whoever has money is in the wrong. How could the poor afford to litigate? Haven't you heard the saying, 'The yamen gate faces south, but those with reason but no money shouldn't come in'? The poor would rather suffer a loss than come here. Just kill the rich one!"

Hu Tie had never heard of such a judgment. Wouldn't this ruin the yamen's business? And it didn't conform to the court's rules. He wanted to submit a memorial impeaching him, but many memorials had already been submitted against this imperial envoy. Such absurd words—the emperor certainly wouldn't believe them. The officials of Ningzhi Province were completely bewildered by this imperial envoy.

A few days later, Hu Tie and the others realized Xiao Yu didn't seem like a man. However, remembering the rumors circulating in the capital that the young master of the Zhu family was supposedly a eunuch, they carefully compared the accounts and became convinced of it.

While Hu Tie and his men were trapped in Wugu County, unable to move forward or backward and feeling restless, they suddenly received an order from the imperial envoy to immediately depart for Shanyang County. Although they were surprised, they were overjoyed. Before they could even make arrangements, the imperial envoy had already set off.

The officials hurriedly followed, but Xiao Yu rode tirelessly, traveling day and night, and arrived in Shanyang County in less than two days. The provincial governor Hu Tie and other officials, who had never experienced such hardship before, and not wanting to fall behind, desperately tried to keep up, enduring considerable hardship themselves.

Upon arriving in Shanyang County, the imperial envoy didn't stay in the yamen (government office), but instead opted to stay at the Laifu Inn. This inn was just an ordinary small shop; how could it accommodate an imperial envoy? However, the officials tried their best to persuade the envoy, but to no avail, so they had to book the inn for him. Even if they hadn't, the innkeeper was eager to curry favor and couldn't let anyone else stay there.

Zhu Chuanzong hadn't achieved anything in Shanyang County, and things were still a mess; he had been eagerly awaiting their arrival! Especially Mr. Wu, who could offer advice and strategies, was indispensable. Upon their arrival, without a moment's rest, Zhu Chuanzong immediately invited Mr. Wu over and recounted the events, asking for his advice.

Wu Siyuan said, "Since you insist on helping the people of the Laozi Sect, I won't force you; naturally, I will help you. But now it's a dead end. If the Laozi Sect escapes, the Emperor will certainly blame you, and one of you will inevitably be punished. In that case, why not let the Laozi Sect submit to the court? This would relieve the Emperor of a worry and make him happy, while you would have rendered meritorious service."

Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed happily, "How could I not have thought of something so simple? You truly have a way, sir!"

Wu Siyuan replied, "What do I have to say?" "A solution? This is difficult too. The people Laozi teaches are all stubborn and might not listen. Otherwise, they could just surrender. Why would they need you to rescue them? I'll help you write the memorial. Let's save them first. This is a good thing, and I'm willing to do it. But if it delays your future, don't blame me for not warning you."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I know. Thank you for your trouble, sir. I'll go talk to Xiao Yu and ask her to help me rescue them tomorrow."

Zhu Chuanzong found Xiao Yu and explained the whole situation, asking her to pretend to be the imperial envoy and take him to rescue them the next day.

Xiao Yu said, "You! You're such a good-natured person. You'll be in for it

if something goes wrong." Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's nonchalant attitude, she thought, "Young master must be bewitched by beauty. But last time, helping Yue Keren was risk-free. Now, he's risking his head. What's so special about this Shui Ling'er? I want to see for myself." Having made up her mind, Xiao Yu asked Wang Daniu to invite Shui Ling'er over and tell him that the imperial envoy wanted to see her. At this time, Nuanyun and Zhu Chuanzong, having been separated for a long time, missed each other dearly and had already gone to meet in secret.

When Wang Daniu saw Xiaoyu dressed as an imperial envoy, he couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh. Xiaoyu raised her willow-leaf eyebrows, glared at him, and said, "What are you laughing at? Hurry up and go!" Wang Daniu assumed it was all Zhu Chuanzong's idea and, without further delay, asked Shuiling'er to go.

Shuiling'er arrived at Xiaoyu's room but hadn't seen Zhu Chuanzong and didn't know what to do, so she kept her head down, not daring to look up.

Xiaoyu saw the woman before him with an excellent figure, graceful and charming, her waist like a willow swaying in the wind, and couldn't help but think: 'No wonder the young master likes her; even I've fallen for her.' Seeing her face, as red as a peach blossom with dew, he was even more delighted and laughed, "What a beauty! Truly, she's so lovely I feel sorry for her. Miss Shui, it's such a waste for such a graceful woman to be a thief. Why not come with me, and I'll guarantee you wealth and honor!" Shui Ling'er was startled and took a step back. Seeing that no one was around, she calmed down.

Xiao Yu circled around in front of Shui Ling'er and said, "Take a good look at me. I'm handsome and extraordinary, and I've achieved great success at a young age. My family is the richest in the world. What's wrong with you coming with me? Others would kill for me! What are you afraid of? There are no outsiders here, so don't be shy. Haha..." He deliberately imitated a man's laughter twice.

Shui Ling'er said, "Your Excellency, please understand. I only wish to ask you to save my brothers in the sect who are in distress. They are all good people, and they did this because they opposed those corrupt officials. I know you are an honest official and will definitely help us."

Xiao Yu said, "It is true that I am an honest official, but I risked my life to save you. What good would that do me? If the Emperor finds out that I saved you, he will surely behead me."

Shui Ling'er said sadly, "Your Excellency is right! What should we do then?" Xiao Yu smiled and said, "There is a way. As long as you are willing to marry me, even dying under the peony flower is romantic! I would be willing to do so. What do you think?" After saying that, he reached out and touched Shui Ling'er's face.

Shui Ling'er didn't dodge, but lowered her head and gritted her teeth

, saying, "Since that's the case, I can't let you take the risk, sir. I've already thought about it. I'll handle things myself." She suddenly turned around, appearing behind Xiao Yu, and took out a dagger from her bosom, saying, "Please lend it to me, sir. Once all the captured members of our sect are released, I will release you. I won't run away then; you can do whatever you want with me. You'll avoid the risk of being beheaded, and your future won't be affected either."

A gleaming dagger was placed in front of her neck, startling Xiao Yu. She quickly laughed, "Your method won't work. Put the dagger down!" Shui Ling'er retorted, "Who says this method won't work? If the imperial envoy is killed, it's equivalent to the emperor being assassinated. Do these local officials not care about their heads? Would they dare gamble with that?" Xiao Yu sighed, "You can't do anything by arresting me. I'm a woman, not an imperial envoy. Sister Shui, you're beautiful and brave. I admire you. No wonder the young master likes you; you're truly capable!" Shui Ling'er was astonished. She carefully examined Xiao Yu, noticing her delicate features and refined appearance, clearly not a man. She yanked off Xiao Yu's official hat, revealing a head of beautiful hair. Indeed, she was a girl, and a stunningly beautiful one at that.

Shui Ling'er was stunned. "What's going on? Who...who are you? Where is the Imperial Envoy?" Xiao Yu smiled and said, "I won't tell you. It's not that I'm afraid you'll kidnap him. You cherish him too much to kidnap him! Don't worry! With our help, those who were arrested will be fine."

Shui Ling'er was more and more confused. After a moment of stunned silence, she said, "Okay, I'll go ask Zhu Tong."

Xiao Yu knew that Nuan Yun must be with the young master, so she quickly stopped her and said, "Don't go. You won't find him. He went out on business! Let me tell you!" Shui Ling'er was confused and lost. She sat in the chair in a daze. Xiao Yu poured her a glass of water and smiled and said, "Miss Shui, where did your boldness go? Why are you so listless now?" Shui Ling'er's eyes were unfocused. She said softly, "I suddenly realized that I don't know anything and have no one to rely on. Uncle Yang and the others are probably in grave danger, and I am powerless to help them. I feel..." "I can only worry. If something happened to me, I wouldn't be so heartbroken. I'm insignificant and useless, but they all have so much to do!" Xiao Yu was taken aback and said, "Why do you look down on yourself? Are those stinky men worth this much? Why don't you think about yourself?" Shui Ling'er said sadly, "You wouldn't understand the meaning of life. You look like a young lady from a wealthy family, so naturally you wouldn't understand these things." Xiao

Yu said, "I'm not a young lady, I'm just a maidservant by the young master's side."

Shui Ling'er was stunned and said, "What exactly is going on? What are you planning?" Xiao Yu said, "I don't know how to tell you. Let our young master tell you tomorrow, okay? Anyway, we won't harm you, so rest assured and don't overthink it."

Early the next morning, Xiao Yu woke up Zhu Chuanzong, who was still fast asleep. Nuan Yun got up early and went to prepare breakfast.

Zhu Chuanzong, still half-asleep, said impatiently, "What is it? So early!" Xiao Yu's words immediately woke him: "Your Miss Shui knows your identity."

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly got up, washed and dressed, and went to Shui Ling'er's door. He knocked gently; the door was ajar, so he went in.

Shui Ling'er sat at the table, propping her chin on her hand, lost in thought. Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'm here. What are you thinking about?" Shui Ling'er turned to look at him and said softly, "I should have guessed you were the imperial envoy long ago. What else could you possibly be lying to me about?" Zhu Chuanzong smiled, "I didn't mean to. But isn't this better? I know you truly love me, not for my status or my looks, but only for my knowledge and character. A kind and beautiful woman like you is my perfect match. I'm so happy to have someone who truly loves me!" Shui Ling'er said, "But I'm not happy. I don't like being lied to. Besides, how..." "How do you know I love you? How much do you really know about me?" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You're kind and lovely, how could I not know you? You don't like being lied to, but that depends on what it is! If I become better and better, wouldn't you like me even more? You always say I'm fat, you'll be overjoyed later, so be prepared, don't get too excited!" Shui Ling'er asked in confusion, "What are you talking about?" Zhu Chuanzong slowly reverted to his true form and said, "My qigong is superb. I've dispersed my true qi, this is my true form, do you like it?" Shui Ling'er watched as Zhu Chuanzong slowly thinned, revealing a handsome young man before her.

Shui Ling'er was stunned, her face first turning red, then white.

Seeing that Shui Ling'er's expression was off, Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "What's wrong? Don't you like my appearance? Yes! You're used to seeing me as a big fat man, so it's a bit strange to suddenly see my true face. You'll be fine in a few days!" Shui Ling'er shook her head and said, "It's nothing. I'm a little scared. I've never dealt with a high-ranking official like you before. Even if I sold you out, I wouldn't know!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "Silly girl, don't worry about it. If I hadn't reported to the Emperor, Li Dongchang's case would have been handed over to..." "You've got it covered up! Why would they send an imperial envoy to investigate? I know your Laozi sect teaches good people who oppose corrupt officials but not the court, that's why I'm helping you!" Shui Ling'er nodded and said, "I believe you. Besides, I have nothing to lie about, and it's useless for you to lie to me."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "What are you talking about? Alright! I'm going to do my job, think about it yourself!" Zhu Chuanzong went to find Xiao Yu, and while eating, he explained things to her, asking her to continue pretending to be an imperial envoy and then carry out the plan to rescue people.

After the meal, Provincial Governor Hu Tie led all the officials to pay their respects. He said to Xiao Yu, "Your Excellency, except for Commander Wang Dingkun, all the other officials have come to see you."

Xiao Yu said, "Why is Wang Dingkun so arrogant? Why didn't he come?" Hu Tie laughed, "He's always been a loner; perhaps he'll come to see you alone later!" Xiao Yu said, "Oh, that's quite a character, very good."

Hu Tie had originally intended to speak ill of Wang Dingkun, but the Imperial Governor's eccentric temperament left him speechless.

Xiao Yu said to Sun Tuozu, "Your Excellency, please come with me; I have something to ask you."

Ignoring everyone else, he led him to a private room.

Hu Tie, being a high-ranking official, was so angered by the imperial envoy's disrespect that he turned to leave. His advisor stopped him, saying with a smile, "Why bother with him, sir? You've tolerated it before; one more time won't hurt."

Hu Tie retorted, "Can't you see? He's deliberately trying to trick me! He's determined to take me down. Am I supposed to just offer my warm welcome to someone who doesn't appreciate it?" He then turned and left.

At this moment, Xiao Yu said to Sun Tuozu in the inner room, "I heard you've captured many people from the Laozi Sect? You're really looking for trouble! You've ruined my grand plan. Don't you know I've arranged everything? I was going to capture that mysterious and unpredictable leader of the Laozi Sect, but you've interfered. You're really infuriating!"

Sun Tuozu smiled obsequiously, "I only found out from your men, sir..." Xiao Yu said, "Since you know, why didn't you listen to him and release them? You don't listen to him? We should all listen to him!" Sun Tuozu thought to himself, "The imperial envoy speaks like a child's game, without any official etiquette. And he's talking nonsense. What exactly is he trying to say?" Although he had his doubts, he couldn't disobey the imperial envoy, saying, "Isn't this because we're waiting for Your Excellency to personally oversee things? That way, we can be absolutely sure of everything!" Xiao Yu said, "Alright, you're so stupid. I won't bring up the past. From now on, you'll listen to my orders. Prepare to act today. Send my subordinate Zhu Tong to rescue the people. Hehe, then we'll gain the trust of the Laozi Sect, and then there will be a good show to watch."

Sun Tuozu said, "My lord, things aren't that simple. My men have been undercover for three years, and they haven't found a single clue about their leader..." Xiao Yu glared at him and said, "Don't talk such discouraging things. If you don't listen to me, I'll use the imperial sword to behead you."

Sun Tuozu was terrified and repeatedly agreed.

Sun Tuozu agreed to go back to the yamen to prepare, but then went to discuss it with Hu Tie.

Hu Tie complained to Sun Tuozu, "Look how scared you are! We don't need to be afraid of that little devil, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to leave in such a huff today. I received word from the court that this little devil will be summoned back to the capital in no time. Then we can rest easy."

Sun Tuozu said, "But we still have to listen to him for now!" Hu Tie said, "Don't rush, don't rush. I've already reported the matter of the Laozi Sect to the Emperor, saying that the Imperial Envoy is interfering in local affairs. Since he's here to investigate a case, then let him investigate. But he's disrupting the affairs of our province. Heh heh, how can this be convincing?" Sun Tuozu was shocked and said, "What? Lord Hu, you've made a big mistake! The Governor of the Eight Provinces is originally in charge of the entire province. Even the soldiers are under his command. Besides, I heard that the Emperor gave him a secret order to investigate the Laozi Sect. You..." "If you submit this memorial, the Emperor will be furious."

Hu Tie laughed, "Lord Sun, you're too timid! I've already found out that the Emperor only wants him to investigate Li Dongchang's case; he won't let him handle anything else. Think about it, would the Emperor really entrust the military affairs of an entire province to such a young boy? Just wait for the Emperor to issue an edict ordering him back to the capital!" Sun Tuozu was stunned for a moment, then realized what Hu Tie meant and said, "Brilliant, sir, you're truly brilliant. I forgot that you're the Prime Minister's protégé; how could such information be kept from you?"

Hu Tie laughed heartily.

Sun Tuozu asked, "Then who are those people from Laozi's sect?" Hu Tie replied, "Of course we can't let him release them. He's trying to steal your credit, didn't you see that?" Xiao Yu, impersonating an imperial envoy, took Shui Ling'er and Zhu Chuanzong to see Sun Tuozu, hoping things would go smoothly. However, Sun Tuozu claimed that the soldiers weren't ready, and if they didn't plan carefully, the thieves would know it was a fake prison break, and the whole thing would fall apart. Therefore, he insisted on delaying for a day.

The next day, Sun Tuozu made another excuse to delay for another day. Two days later, Zhu Chuanzong finally became angry. Wu Siyuan said, "They don't have the guts to disobey the imperial envoy's orders. I think they must be communicating with high-ranking officials in the court, speaking ill of you to the emperor, waiting for him to summon you back to the capital. The emperor's order to restrain yourself is a sign. There's been no progress in Li Dongchang's case for quite some time now, and the emperor is losing patience."

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "I underestimated them. The Left Chancellor has connections with them; the imperial edicts all pass through the Chancellor's hands. I can't fool them. Not only can I not save him, but I'll also give them leverage. Since that's the case, I can't please both sides; I must save him."

Wu Siyuan said, "No. What you're doing is forging an imperial edict, tantamount to rebellion! You'll be punished..." "They'll confiscate their property and exterminate their entire families."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Didn't you ask the Emperor for my permission? Since the Emperor hasn't issued any decree, I, as the Imperial Envoy, can act as I see fit. I'll only release those followers; if I don't release their leader, Yang Yao, the Emperor won't blame me too much.

" Wu Siyuan thought for a while and said, "That's true. Actually, apart from Yang Yao, the others are just there for show. It's good that they're released; otherwise, they would definitely be beheaded. Killing so many people is against the natural order and not good for the Emperor either."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "The longer it goes on, the more things might go wrong. I'll go do it now."

Zhu Chuanzong transformed into Zhu Tong, had Xiao Yu impersonate the Imperial Envoy, and Fang Zhongxi took the Imperial Sword. He and Shui Ling'er went to rescue the people.

Seeing the Imperial Envoy's demeanor, Sun Tuozu dared not refuse any longer and obeyed all orders.

That evening, Zhu Tong and Shui Ling'er opened the prison doors and released all the members of the Laozi Sect. Those people were completely bewildered and thought they were dreaming.

Zhu Tong and Shui Ling'er took Yang Yao back to the inn, while the others were escorted out of the city and dispersed. (Chapter 5

, May 15) Upon arriving at the inn, Zhu Chuanzong reverted to his true colors, first letting Shui Ling'er and Yang Yao chat for a while, then inviting them to a private room. Zhu Chuanzong told Yang Yao how he met Shui Ling'er and how he came to investigate the case, finally saying, "Uncle Yang, I've done my best to save your followers. But these corrupt officials in Ningzhi Province are against me and won't listen to me. They all have powerful backers in the court, and without evidence, I can hardly shake them. For your sake, and for mine, I want to ask you to compromise and pretend to surrender to the court. Otherwise, releasing so many people will be difficult for me to explain. I don't care about this official position, but without me, the world will lose an official who can serve the people." Shui Ling'er nodded. Yang Yao thought for a moment and sighed, "For..." "I promise you I won't implicate my benefactor. But the court will definitely make me find the cult leader, otherwise they won't let it go. I won't betray the cult leader; this won't fool me for long! They'll hold you accountable then!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You don't understand. This is the art of being an official. As long as things can be delayed, we can slowly figure out a way to get by. You first boast a bit, then let the government arrest people haphazardly. When the people escape, the officials investigating the case will never admit their incompetence. Then we can drag some people down with us, and everyone can cover up the lie and get away with it." Yang Yao was greatly impressed. Although Zhu Chuanzong spoke lightly, the pressure of facing the emperor back in the capital was still considerable. If he couldn't solve Li Dongchang's case, and Hu Tie and others had already gained the emperor's trust, the bad things they said about him would be enough for him to deal with. There were many memorials impeaching him; Zhu Chuanzong knew all too well. He thought and thought, and began to worry. Zhu Chuanzong went alone to Wu Siyuan's room and found him sipping tea. He couldn't help but smile wryly, "Sir, you seem quite relaxed! You are learned and shrewd; now, how should we investigate this case? Could you give me some ideas?" Wu Siyuan replied, "We are unfamiliar with this place. Even with our abilities, we are completely clueless. If a local official were willing to help us, things would be much easier." Zhu Chuanzong's eyes lit up. "How could I forget? I already found a helper!" Wu Siyuan asked, "You mean...?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "I know someone who has an excellent reputation among the people. I met him once, and we got along very well. He promised to help me if needed. How about asking him for advice?" He then recounted Wu's deeds. Mr. Wu, after hearing about Tao Mianzi's story, also agreed and secretly sent someone to invite him. Tao Mian arrived secretly in disguise. Zhu Chuanzong personally greeted him as an imperial envoy, first praising him for what he had done for the people, then expressing his determination to eliminate corrupt officials, how the emperor cared about Li Dongchang's case, and how the emperor would be happy if the case could be solved, and how it would greatly benefit his career. Finally, he earnestly asked for his help. Tao Mian said to himself, "Since His Majesty attaches such importance to this case, as a subject, I should naturally do my part, even if it means being retaliated against by all the officials in the province." Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said, "Don't worry, I will never harm you. As long as you are willing to help, I will keep my mouth shut. If the case is solved, I will ask His Majesty to promote you, so you can leave here openly and be promoted. Even if it doesn't work out, I will quietly transfer you out of the province. Whether you want to go to the capital or somewhere else, I can make it happen." Tao Mian smiled and said, "Your Excellency has thought of everything so thoroughly, what do I have to worry about?" Then he lowered his voice and said, "If I am not mistaken, those people from the Laozi Sect..." "The robbery of grain was secretly arranged by you, sir, wasn't it?" Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's surprised expression, Tao Mian smiled and said, "Sir, think about it. Since we can't do it openly, we'll do it secretly." Zhu Chuanzong said, "Please advise." Tao Mian said to himself, "Actually, there's a good way to get evidence of the misappropriation of disaster relief funds and grain in Shanyang County: IOUs. Wang Shen is unwilling to buy grain from other places, firstly because he's afraid of spending more money, and secondly because he's afraid of being caught. But he borrows grain from those merchants in the county, and they also have IOUs! As long as we get the IOUs from them, wouldn't the case be solved immediately?" Zhu Chuanzong said happily, "You really have a good plan! I'll immediately send people to arrest those merchants and make them hand over the evidence." He stood up to leave. Tao Mian hurriedly said, "That won't do. All the provincial officials are here; who would dare offend those merchants? Besides, Hu Tie and his men won't let this go easily and allow you to interrogate these wealthy merchants at will. Furthermore, even if you obtain confessions through torture, the credibility of the evidence will be compromised, and the Emperor might not believe you."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Is there any way to do that?" Tao Mian chuckled, "As long as we seal off the county government office and issue a notice saying that Magistrate Wang Shen is being taken to the capital for trial, won't those merchants come demanding their money? And how can the evidence escape? But..." Just then, he heard a commotion outside. He didn't know why it was so noisy, and was about to go out to ask when Zhao Laosi rushed in, panting, "Young Master, the Emperor has sent an imperial envoy. Who should receive the decree?" Zhu Chuanzong was shocked and said, "This is no joke. I'll go."

At this moment, the Laifu Inn was surrounded by soldiers. A man in armor, imposing and powerful, led a dozen or so personal guards and stormed into the inn.

Upon reaching the living room, the messenger said, "Is Lord Zhu Chuanzong here? Please receive the imperial decree!" Zhu Chuanzong, who had just arrived, knelt down to receive the decree, saying, "Your subject is here."

The messenger relayed, "His Majesty asks you why you repeatedly interfere with local government affairs. You are young and ignorant, and act recklessly. His Majesty has already warned you, so why have you repeated your transgressions? His Majesty says he misjudged you."

Zhu Chuanzong knew he couldn't refute the Emperor, and besides, this wasn't the time to object. He felt trembling all over. Since his fall from heaven to earth, everything had gone smoothly for him; this was the first time he felt fear, knowing the wrath of the Emperor.

Seeing that Zhu Chuanzong didn't answer, the messenger continued, "His Majesty asks you, is there any progress in the Li Dongchang case?" Zhu Chuanzong replied, "Not yet, but it seems there will be soon."

The imperial envoy said, "In that case, His Majesty orders you to return to the capital immediately. There's no need to investigate further. You have disrupted the government affairs of a province, causing panic among officials and unrest in the court, potentially leading to unrest. Therefore, your imperial envoy status is hereby revoked."

Zhu Chuanzong sat down on the ground, his mind blank. He was used to being triumphant and had never suffered such a blow.

The imperial envoy set aside his imperial status, bent down to help him up, and comforted him, saying, "The officialdom is like life, full of ups and downs. Why should you care about temporary gains and losses, Lord Zhu? I know your character. You are so young; you will learn from this experience and rise again. Your future is bright; you must look forward."

Only then did Zhu Chuanzong recognize the man; it was none other than Wang Dingli, his sworn brother. No wonder the voice sounded so familiar. He exclaimed, "Brother Wang, it's you!" Wang Dingli replied in surprise, "I am Wang Dingkun, courtesy name Dingli, Commander of Ningzhi Province. I am on official business in the capital..." "I haven't met you yet, sir. How do you know me?" Zhu Chuanzong then remembered his current identity and hurriedly said, "I have an official under me named Zhu Tong. Do you remember him?" Wang Dingkun said, "Hehe, I think he's very loyal, so I became sworn brothers with him. Did he tell you, sir?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "Then do you want to see him now?" Wang Dingkun said, "Official business is done, of course I'll see him."

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said, "Zhao Laosi, take Lord Wang next door. I'll have Zhu Tong come."

Wang Dingkun thought to himself, "Lord Zhu must want my help, to have Brother Zhu come as an intermediary. Unfortunately, I can't help him." Wang Dingkun had just sat down in the room when Zhu Tong entered, both surprised and delighted. He exclaimed, "Brother, how could you be an imperial envoy? You kept this a secret from me for so long, even saying you were just a bandit!"

Wang Dingkun warmly embraced him, saying, "I used to be a bandit, I didn't hide it from you."

This Zhu Tong was, of course, Zhu Chuanzong in disguise. He said, "Brother, see, I haven't forgotten you. This jade-carved horse was specially prepared for you."

Wang Dingkun accepted it, saying, "Good brother, you really haven't forgotten me. I'm grateful for your kindness."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Since you still care about me, and know that Lord Zhu Chuanzong is a good official, why don't you help him? What will I do then?" Wang Dingkun laughed, "Brother, what are you afraid of? I already knew that Lord Zhu Chuanzong..." “A man as upright as Zong won’t be an official for long. You can follow me and live a carefree life outside. Isn’t that better than staying in the capital and being some kind of lowly official?” Zhu Chuanzong said, “But I have a deep friendship with the Imperial Envoy. Can’t you help him?” Wang Dingkun said, “I don’t know him, and I have no relationship with him. It’s not worth risking my job for him. Besides, I can’t help him! He’s investigating corrupt officials, and those people see him as an enemy. He’s young and weak, and his foundation isn’t stable. How can he fight against them? He’s just relying on his father’s power. But his father is cunning and shrewd. He certainly won’t be as righteous as he is. I think he’s just hoping he runs into trouble.” Zhu Chuanzong broke out in a cold sweat, thinking, “What he said is absolutely right.” "What if I were the imperial envoy? Would you risk saving me?" Zhu Chuanzong gritted his teeth and said. Wang Dingkun laughed, "You're my brother, we're sworn brothers, of course I'd help you. Too bad you're not!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily, took a deep breath, then his body thrashed about, gradually shrinking in size. He laughed, "Brother, I've released my qigong, now you should help me, right?" Wang Dingkun stared in disbelief, "So, you're Zhu Chuanzong!" For the past few days, Provincial Governor Hu Tie had been writing to the Emperor, extolling the imperial envoy's various absurd acts. The province had been thrown into chaos by this young envoy, and he strongly assured the Emperor that there was no embezzlement of disaster relief funds. He had gathered information from the court, and the Emperor, seeing his earnestness, seemed somewhat convinced.

Finally, news arrived that the Emperor had issued an edict ordering Imperial Envoy Zhu Chuanzong to return home. Hu Tie felt a weight lifted from his heart.

Sure enough, less than a day later, the imperial envoy from the capital arrived. He didn't come to the county government office, but went directly to the Laifu Inn to deliver the imperial decree. Hu Tie, upon hearing from his subordinates that Commander Wang Dingkun had returned from official business in the capital and relayed the decree, was overjoyed to hear that Zhu Chuanzong had been relieved of his imperial envoy duties

. If it were anyone else, he would certainly have paid his respects to the imperial envoy and offered generous thanks. However, Wang Dingkun had always been at odds with him, so he didn't go to pay his respects, but instead held a celebratory banquet at the Shanyang County government office.

That evening, the Shanyang County government office was brightly lit and decorated, filled with a festive atmosphere, with clinking glasses and extravagant feasting—a truly lively scene. In the main hall, a dozen or so square tables were set up. The tables were laden with a dazzling array of dishes, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, and the freshest fruits, and various fine wines that exuded a fragrant aroma.

Provincial Governor Hu Tie, along with his officials and local gentry and elders, drank together. Outside the hall, a theatrical troupe was putting on a lively performance. The gongs and drums clanged, the strings played softly, and songs filled the air, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Officials of all ranks chatted and laughed, each surrounded by maids, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Hu Tie sat in the center, also surrounded by several stunningly beautiful women. Some poured him wine, others chatted and laughed with him. Hu Tie embraced them on both sides, kissing and fondling their breasts, laughing and playing, truly feeling a sense of euphoria and bliss.

Just as these officials were drinking and indulging in their pleasures, a secretary entered and whispered something in Hu Tie's ear. Hu Tie frowned and said, "He's here? What's he doing here?" At that moment, someone shouted, "The Imperial Envoy has arrived!" With this shout, a dozen or so people, led by Wang Dingkun, entered. One of them shouted, "Commander-in-Chief Wang Dingkun has come to deliver an imperial edict. All irrelevant persons, please make way. Hu Tie is to kneel and receive the imperial edict!" The opera singers stopped performing, the audience stopped listening, and everyone in the hall stumbled and ran out. Hu Tie quickly knelt before the imperial envoy.

Wang Dingkun stood in the center and said, "Hu Tie, receive the edict!" Hu Tie stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your subject Hu Tie humbly obeys His Majesty's instructions."

Wang Dingkun then began to read the imperial edict. The imperial edict was lengthy, praising Hu Tie's competence and loyalty, among other things. Hu Tie was overjoyed. Finally, Wang Dingkun said, "Hu Tie is indeed a capable minister. His Majesty bestows upon him ten ounces of gold and raises his salary by one rank. So be it!" Upon hearing this, Hu Tie repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "Your subject Hu Tie is unworthy of such praise from His Majesty! I have only been loyal to the country and its people. His Majesty trusts me so much; I can only repay His Majesty's kindness by governing Ningzhi Province even more diligently."

Hu Tie stood up, and Wang Dingkun said, "Congratulations, Lord Hu! Although we have been in Ningzhi Province for many years, we haven't had much contact." "Our relationship wasn't great, but I'll be transferred out of Ningzhi Province soon. Please don't forget our past working together, sir!" Hu Tie was both surprised and delighted. Suddenly, the person he had always considered a thorn in his side seemed much more agreeable. He quickly said, "Sir, you're too kind. I haven't taken good care of you before. Since you're leaving Ningzhi Province, you must be getting a promotion. Please forgive any shortcomings I may have had!" Wang Dingkun replied, "You're too kind. I'm lazy and don't like to travel. Just don't be too critical."

Hu Tie quickly explained, but Wang Dingkun didn't seem to mind.

After the wine and dishes were served again, Hu Tie invited Wang Dingkun to sit in the seat of honor. As the wine flowed freely, Hu Tie said, "I heard that Your Excellency has issued an edict ordering Imperial Envoy Zhu to return to the capital?" Wang Dingkun replied, "Yes, Your Excellency can now rest easy."

Hu Tie hurriedly explained, "Actually, I didn't want to offend Imperial Envoy Zhu, but he wouldn't let me off the hook, so I had no choice but to play along. Fortunately, His Majesty is discerning; otherwise, if Zhu Chuanzong continued to cause trouble like this, would our Ningzhi Province still have any peace?" As the two were talking, a clerk suddenly rushed to Hu Tie in a panic, saying, "

Your Excellency, may I speak with you privately?" Hu Tie said, "What is it? Lord Wang is no stranger; just speak frankly!" The clerk, having no other option, said, "Imperial Envoy Zhu has requested the Imperial Sword to seal off our yamen. No one can leave."

He spoke casually, but those words were like a thunderclap, startling everyone present into exchanging bewildered glances.

Hu Tie's face paled, and he roared, "Zhu Chuanzong is truly audacious! This yamen is a vital national site. I'm here with the entire province's personnel; what right does he have to do this? Lord Wang, you are the imperial envoy, and you're here too, yet he doesn't even respect you. Isn't this tantamount to rebellion? What do you think we should do?" Wang Dingkun said, "Heh heh, this order was given by Lord Zhu and me together. Lord Hu, why are you so uneasy, why are you so afraid?" Hu Tie's face turned ashen. "What do I have to be afraid of? You dare to imprison the head of a province; you should be afraid. Humph, can you bear the consequences?" "Can you bear the responsibility? If the court finds out about this, you'll all probably lose your heads."

Wang Dingkun said calmly, "Zhu Chuanzong assured me that as long as the yamen is sealed off for a day and word gets out that Magistrate Wang Shen will be escorted to the capital within three days, the Imperial Envoy will acknowledge any debts Magistrate Wang owes during that time, otherwise they will be null and void. There are rumors that Wang Shen embezzled grain and later borrowed grain from local merchants. I think this is a good idea; this will prove whether Wang Shen is innocent and whether you, sir, have been deceived. So I agreed to it."

Suddenly, Wang Shen, who was at the table, fainted from fright. He was of low rank and had never had a chance to speak until now, when he heard about this serious matter, he was terrified.

Seeing this, Hu Tie knew the consequences all too well. Unable to contain his anger, he roared, "Wang Dingkun, you're utterly ungrateful! Don't you know that sealing off a government office requires an imperial decree? Do you even respect the Emperor? Even if you are imperial envoys, this is tantamount to rebellion. Previously, when you acted recklessly in Ningzhi Province, I treated you with the utmost respect because of your military background and lack of knowledge of etiquette. Today, I even invited you here for drinks. But you've gone mad, wantonly disrupting the affairs of Ningzhi Province. Not only have you framed a minister, but you've also dared to kidnap officials from an entire province! You're truly audacious! Fine, let me show you whether I, the governor of this province, am a pushover!"

Hu Tie's shout drew the attention of soldiers outside, who rushed in and surrounded Wang Dingkun and his dozen or so companions.

But Wang Dingkun showed no fear. He stood up, kicked aside the chair beside him, and said contemptuously, "Lord Hu, you underestimate me. Let me tell you, this time I'm determined to help Zhu Chuanzong. I'd rather give up my official position and my life than fail to expose this major case!" Hu Tie chuckled, "Then I'll grant your wish. Although you command the troops of a province, you're in the yamen. This isn't a place for you. If I arrest you, we'll see who's right before the Emperor. If you know what's good for you, admit your mistake now, and I won't pursue the matter."

Wang Dingkun laughed contemptuously, "With just your few men?" He shouted, "Brothers, what are you waiting for?" Without a word, the dozen or so men Wang Dingkun brought stripped naked, revealing their bare arms and the numerous scars on them. These scars included gunshot wounds, sword wounds, knife wounds, arrow wounds, and some wounds of unknown origin.

Wang Dingkun pointed at them and laughed, "You all see this, right? These are the soldiers I've brought! They're all veterans, crawled out of piles of corpses, and have been through countless life-and-death battles. What kind of bloodshed haven't they seen? The Western Liao Kingdom has fought in no fewer than a hundred battles, big and small, and I've never been afraid. Today, I'll show you!"

He then turned his head, ripped open his shirt, revealing several long scars on his chest, and said, "These are the marks the enemy gave me, the marks I earned. I started as a bandit, and to get to this position, to be among you officials, is all thanks to risking my life. You want to fight me to the death? Fine! I'll show you if we're heroes who can take on a hundred men single-handedly. If you've got the guts, come on!" These personal guards, stripped to the waist, looked ferocious and revealed their burly bodies. The soldiers who usually idled away their days had never seen such a sight before. Who dared to step forward? They were all stunned. In fact, Wang Dingkun rose from a common soldier to a general, and his fame spread throughout the land; these people were well aware of him! In several battles against the Western Liao Kingdom, Wang Dingkun was the bravest in the army. His most famous feat was leading three armies, two of which were annihilated by the enemy, but he single-handedly led his troops to victory, killing 100,000 enemy soldiers. Legend has it that he possessed immense strength and unparalleled martial arts skills, capable of taking on a hundred men single-handedly. Who would dare to challenge such a man?

Seeing that he couldn't gain the upper hand by force, Hu Tie glanced into the courtyard. He saw the first rays of dawn breaking, the sky gradually brightening, but he could wait no longer. If the news got out at daybreak and those merchants brought in IOUs, his official appointment would be ruined. He immediately made up his mind and said, "Wang Dingkun, don't be too happy yet. If I leave immediately, what can you do to me?" Wang Dingkun, however, remained calm and smiled lightly, "Sure, you are a high-ranking official, the highest-ranking official in the province. You can go wherever you want. But today, your every move must be under my supervision. I am acting on imperial orders; the Emperor is not letting me sit idly by. If I, as the imperial envoy, cannot perform my duties impartially, I will not be able to explain myself to the Emperor."

Seeing that he was using the Emperor's name and was unmoved by either soft or hard tactics, Hu Tang was truly helpless. He slumped into his chair, his mind in turmoil.

Chapter Six: The Fleeting Fragrance Zhu

Chuanzong, in the name of the imperial envoy, sealed off the county government office and posted a notice stating that all gentry and merchants with accounts and debts to the county government must settle them within three days. Three days later, Magistrate Wang Shen was to be escorted to the capital. Hu Tie, the Provincial Treasurer of Ningzhi Province, was frantic in the Shanyang County government office, as were all the officials under him involved in the case.

Zhu Chuanzong had been in Ningzhi Province for a month, and the Emperor, unable to withstand the ministers' pleas, decided to send him back to the capital. This put Zhu Chuanzong in a desperate situation, leading him to adopt Tao Mianzi's suggestion. Tao Mianzi had long served as an official in Ningzhi Province and understood the local situation; his move, though unconventional, struck at their Achilles' heel. Seeing that Wang Dingkun's personal guards had completely surrounded the county government office, Hu Tie and his men could only passively wait to be investigated, with no way to cheat. They were all as anxious as ants on a hot plate.

Hu Tie sat in his chair, his heart pounding. He thought, "Tonight might be bad!" If they find evidence that Wang Shen embezzled disaster relief funds, not to mention his serious crime of framing court officials, or my crime of colluding and protecting him, just the charge of failing to investigate properly and being muddle-headed would cost me my job! Could I really lose this official position that I've worked so hard for my entire life? No, I must find a way. 'Hu Tie tried to calm himself down.' But Imperial Envoy Wang Dingkun was pacing nearby, impossible to shake off. What could he do? After

a while, Hu Tie had an idea. He stood up, smiling obsequiously, and said, 'Lord Wang, it's dawn now, and every household is lighting fires to cook. It's a time when fires are easily started, and there's a high chance of an accident. I was planning to go out on an inspection, but you won't let me go. But could you send someone to keep an eye on things? That shouldn't be a problem, right?' Wang Dingkun knew that he was trying to spread the word and prepare his men to deal with Zhu Chuanzong. He then said, "Oh, no need for you to trouble yourself, sir. I'll arrange someone."

He casually gestured for Sun Hu to go out and check on things, giving him a wink to see how Zhu Chuanzong's matter was going.

Wang Dingkun didn't allow Hu Tie to come up with any more ideas, saying, "Come, come, it's rare to have such a peaceful evening. It would be good to take this opportunity to have a good talk. Hey, what are you standing so far away for? Come and sit down, let's have a proper chat."

Then, Wang Dingkun started chatting idly with Hu Tie. He talked about how he fought against the Western Liao Kingdom, which battle was the most arduous, which setbacks he suffered, and which victories he triumphed over. He described his bravery, saying he instilled fear in the Western Liao Kingdom, making them tremble with fear. After finishing this, he began to talk about military strategy, his words flowing like a torrent.

Hu Tie, however, had no interest in listening to him. He would stand up, sit down, and pace back and forth restlessly. Wang Dingkun ignored him and continued his useless chatter.

Suddenly, a soldier rushed in from outside, shouting, "Sir, something terrible has happened! There's a fire in the south of the city! The fire is huge!" Hearing this, Hu Tie jumped up as if he'd seen a savior. "Sir, please forgive my impertinence, but I must go and check on the damage." Wang Dingkun wasn't about to let him go, saying, "Hey, does such a small matter require your personal attention?" He turned to the soldier who had brought the news and said, "Pass on the sir's order: have the nearby soldiers rush to the fire scene. Extinguish the fire as quickly as possible and prevent it from spreading." "Wait!" Hu Tie suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Wait!" He turned around, staring menacingly at Wang Dingkun, and said, "Wang Dingkun, are you going to use the name of the imperial envoy to detain me?" Wang Dingkun said, "Huh? Lord Hu, what do you mean by that? I don't understand." Hu Tie was furious and said, "You, you, you underestimate me, Hu Tie! Let me tell you, I am a high-ranking official, a second-rank official. Within this province, you must listen to me in all local administrative matters. How dare you be so disrespectful to me? Detaining one of my officials? I will immediately impeach you! Impeach you for treason, and you will be..." "Execute the entire family!" Wang Dingkun remained unperturbed, but knowing the consequences if Zhu Chuanzong couldn't find evidence—the crime of kidnapping the Provincial Governor was grave—he smiled and said, "Lord Hu, please don't be like this. I only asked you and your men to stay in the yamen peacefully for a few hours; I meant nothing else. Don't you understand now? Come, come, please sit down, calm down, and let me explain."

Wang Dingkun forcefully pulled Hu Tie over and pressed him into a chair, saying, "I just made an appointment with Zhu Chuanzong. He asked me to give him a few hours. He said that as long as he has a few hours, he will definitely be able to expose Li Dong..." The secret of the Chang case. His request is also beneficial to you, sir, as it proves whether you have been misled by your subordinates! I have already agreed, how can I go back on my word now! If…” Hu Tie flew into a rage, saying, “You, you are in cahoots! What is Zhu Chuanzong? The Emperor has already decreed that he should no longer interfere in government affairs, what am I afraid of him for? Please let me out immediately, otherwise if anything goes wrong outside, I will have my soldiers behead you!” Seeing this, Wang Dingkun knew that he was about to take desperate measures, and it seemed that this matter could not be left unresolved. He calmly told Hu Tie, “If you really want to go out, I will accompany you, but if I let you leave even a step, I, Wang Dingkun, will have lived in vain.” Hu

Tie gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, you have guts, men!” The soldiers outside rushed in immediately.

Wang Dingkun sneered, "If you really want them to die, so be it. Do you know why the Emperor summoned me to the capital this time? The Western Liao Kingdom has sent troops to attack my Great Liang again, and I'm leading the army into battle. Today, I'll see if you're more capable than those Liao soldiers."

Just as Wang Dingkun and Hu Tie were about to fight, suddenly, the door was kicked open, and Zhu Chuanzong rushed in, clutching a large handful of IOUs, shouting as he ran, "I got it! I got it! Brother Wang, come and see! All the evidence against Wang Shen is here!" "

Wang Dingkun was overjoyed and relieved. Zhu Chuanzong said, "I have obtained evidence that Wang Shen embezzled grain and then tried to cover up his crimes. Lord Li Dongchang is right. The officials of Ningzhi Province colluded to deceive the Emperor and embezzled disaster relief funds. I have already had my advisor submit a memorial to the Emperor, and at the same time, I have escorted all those involved in the case to the capital. Let's see who can interfere now!" Zhu Chuanzong's memorial impeaching the Ningzhi Provincial Governor was submitted to the Imperial Study in just three days. It immediately caused alarm among the ministers of the Imperial Study, because this matter was too big. Several people were discussing whether to invite the Prince to discuss it when they suddenly saw Prince An arrive. It turned out that the Emperor had sent someone to deliver an imperial edict that he had something to discuss. The ministers told him about the matter, and after a brief discussion, they went together to see the Emperor.

Emperor Mingzong, seeing them arrive together, laughed, "Why have you all come together? Is there some good news?" The men's faces turned solemn; they dared not laugh. They exchanged glances, and Li Yiheng knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, I am guilty. I have failed in my duties as your tutor. Please punish me."

Emperor Mingzong frowned and said, "Speak your mind." Right Chancellor Pang Laixiao presented Zhu Chuanzong's memorial, saying, "It seems Li Dongchang was indeed framed. The Provincial Treasurer of Ningzhi Province, Hu Tie, along with his officials, conspired to deceive Your Majesty. The Magistrate of Shanyang County, Wang Shen, embezzled grain funds; the evidence is conclusive. The embezzlement of disaster relief funds by other counties is also undeniable."

Emperor Mingzong trembled as he took the memorial, asking, "Is this true?" Pang Laixiao replied, "Zhu Chuanzong has already escorted all those involved to the capital..." "The truth will be revealed in the trial. It seems...it can't be wrong."

Emperor Mingzong's face changed drastically. He slammed down the memorial and roared, "Kill! Kill! Kill all these corrupt officials!"

Pang Laixiao and the others hurriedly knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger and take care of your health!" Emperor Mingzong was panting heavily with anger, saying, "Officials throughout the province have embezzled disaster relief funds. When exposed, they even tried to frame loyal officials. Their hearts are so vicious! Do they still have any respect for me or the court? Once this matter is investigated, all officials involved, regardless of their numbers, will be severely punished."

After Emperor Mingzong finished speaking, seeing the kneeling ministers remain silent, he frowned and said, "What, do you intend to protect them?" His voice turned cold; his imperial wrath could draw blood for miles.

Prince An quickly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. We just discussed this matter privately, and we can't be hasty!" Emperor Mingzong still gave his brother some face and said, "Oh, then tell me!" Prince An sighed, "This matter involves far too many people; it's not just a matter for one province! Your Majesty must think carefully; this is a matter that could shake the very foundations of the empire!" Emperor Mingzong was taken aback, and Li Yiheng hurriedly added, "Your Majesty, it's not that I'm protecting Hu Tie; I also deeply hate these corrupt officials. But please consider, if this case is truly investigated and found to be corrupt, and all the officials in the province are to be executed, what will happen then?" Emperor Mingzong... The emperor, still furious, sneered, "Are you worried about a lack of officials?" Pang Laixiao hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, if we were to kill them all and replace them with a new batch, it wouldn't be a big deal. But what would happen to the common people? What would become of the court's reputation? Moreover, officials in other provinces would be disheartened by Your Majesty's actions, making things difficult in the future." Prince An said, "Indeed! I've never seen an official who doesn't embezzle a single coin. If things get serious, these people will know Your Majesty is serious, and everyone will be in danger. Your Majesty, the country will be unstable! These corrupt officials are extremely hateful, but we can't do without them!" Prince An's words... The ministers dared not speak so bluntly, but Emperor Mingzong understood immediately. Though furious, he was powerless to do anything. He sighed, "I understand. This matter is yours to handle! However, this young imperial envoy, Zhu Chuanzong, is truly a capable minister. I think we should promote him two ranks!" Pang Laixiao and the others exchanged glances. Li Yiheng said, "Your Majesty, do you desire a cruel official or a capable minister for governing the country? Zhu Chuanzong is indeed commendable for his loyalty, but he is too young and inexperienced. He only seeks ruthlessness in his actions, which is not the way to govern! Governing a country requires a balance of firmness and leniency. I believe we should not overly elevate him."

Emperor Mingzong, unable to exhale, suddenly flew into a rage and said, "I..." "You obstructed the execution of those corrupt officials, and now you obstruct the promotion of loyal ministers. I know your heart; you just can't bear to lose your good student! What a fine teacher you are!" No one expected Emperor Mingzong to make such a scathing remark. Li Yiheng burst into tears, sobbing, "I deserve to die a thousand deaths. With such a disciple, I have no face to see Your Majesty again. Please, Your Majesty, grant me death!" Pang Laixiao snapped out of his shock. Although deep down he hoped that Li Yiheng, the first prime minister for many years, would step down soon, he still felt the unpredictability of imperial power. He knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, Minister Li has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the court, never having had any selfish motives. Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly."

Prince An quickly tried to dissuade him, and Emperor Mingzong, realizing his words were excessive, understood that Li Yiheng was wholeheartedly devoted to the country and had served him with utmost loyalty. He knew that Hu Tie, the Provincial Governor of Ningzhi Province, had long been rumored to be corrupt, and Li Yiheng had previously spoken out against it; therefore, the blame couldn't be entirely placed on him. However, since the Emperor hadn't admitted any wrongdoing, he said, "Alright! You may leave! If you have any opinions, just draft a memorial for me. Leave!" Meanwhile, Zhu Chuanzong, having solved the case, couldn't help but beam with joy. This time, he had almost failed, making the victory all the more hard-won; his happiness was palpable.

Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingkun celebrated for a while, then ordered Wang Shen to be imprisoned. Zhu Chuanzong then returned to the inn to report the good news. Upon arriving at the inn, everyone was overjoyed. Tao Mianzi said, "Congratulations, sir! You've made such a great contribution; your promotion is just around the corner."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I congratulate you too! This is all thanks to you. Once I report to the Emperor, you can expect a promotion!" Tao Mianzi smiled and said, "Thank you for your promotion, sir."

Everyone laughed together.

At this moment, Wu Siyuan said to Zhu Chuanzong, "Please, let's speak privately."

The two went aside, and Wu Siyuan said, "I have a plan that the court will surely adopt. It will not only benefit the court but also greatly benefit the Laozi sect."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Please speak, sir."

Wu Siyuan said, "Why don't you, in the name of an imperial envoy, pardon those Laozi followers on behalf of the emperor? Since they've already been released, it's just another decree. Then, appoint Yang Yao to an official position, and release him, regardless of whether he wants to serve or not. If this gets out, those Laozi followers will know that the court won't pursue their past crimes." They will all surrender and reform, thus dismantling the Laozi Cult. The Emperor is wise and will surely adopt this approach. At that time, the leader of the Laozi Cult will be weakened and will surely surrender to the court obediently. Moreover, you have solved such a major case; the Emperor will look at you differently.”

Zhu Chuanzong said happily, “Good, then please submit this memorial on my behalf!” After finishing his business, Zhu Chuanzong quietly went to Shui Ling’er’s room. Seeing her head bowed in thought, seemingly unhappy, he pushed open the door and smiled, “What’s wrong? Is there something that’s bothering you? Tell me, and I’ll definitely help you.”

Shui Ling’er saw him arrive… She smiled gently and said, "I'm not unhappy, just a little worried."

Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Worried about what?" Shui Ling'er said softly, "As you know, I come from a humble background, a poor family's daughter. It was a miracle if I could even get a bite to eat. Later, I joined the Laozi Sect, which made me even more ignorant of etiquette. I'm also quite rough. Why do you still like me, young master?" Seeing her pitiful expression and charming appearance, Zhu Chuanzong felt a surge of pity and affection. He couldn't help but reach out and grasp Shui Ling'er's jade-like wrist, whispering, "Let's not talk about the past. You've suffered so much in the past; I won't..." "I'll let you suffer a little more. What I love is your kind heart; you're willing to risk your life for others. Where can you find such a sentiment? If you marry me, you'll definitely treat me sincerely. You're so good, and I'm not bad either. Don't worry, I will never let you down."

Shui Ling'er wasn't really concerned about this, but she was still taken aback and said, "You really want to marry me? You're a high-ranking official; we're not a good match."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I don't care about that. My family loves me, so they probably won't make things difficult for me!" Shui Ling'er thought to herself, 'Foolish boy, that's what I'm worried about.' A sad expression appeared on her face.

Zhu Chuanzong saw this and asked, "What's wrong?" Shui Ling'er said, "I don't like officials; I've never had a good impression of them. But fate has played a trick on me, and I've ended up falling for a little fool." She

smiled sweetly, her beauty incomparable.

Zhu Chuanzong witnessed her ever-changing expressions, her transformation from sorrow to joy, like a begonia blooming suddenly in the wind after a rain, her beauty indescribable.

He was completely mesmerized. Shui Ling'er, under his gaze, felt a mixture of joy and shyness in her heart. She blinked her long, delicate eyelashes, glared at Zhu Chuanzong, stuck out her tongue, and lightly spat, feigning anger and delight, puffing out her cheeks, saying, "Don't you recognize me? Why are you staring at me like that!" Her tone was fierce, but her voice was weak and feeble, and her breath was as sweet as orchids, her face glowing. Even if Zhu Chuanzong were a fool, he could sense the affection in her voice! Zhu

Chuanzong felt his heart pounding, and the fragrance of orchids and musk filled his nostrils, making him even more intoxicated. The more he looked at Shui Ling'er, the more beautiful she seemed, and he loved her deeply. Fearing rejection, he dared not be presumptuous, his face flushing with worry.

Shui Ling'er chuckled softly, stood up, and closed the door. She then sat on the edge of the bed, the bed curtains and quilts made of brocade. The beauty was like jade, the world like a dream. Zhu Chuanzong was mesmerized, almost as if in a dream.

Shui Ling'er said, "Silly boy, why aren't you coming over?"

She gently removed her clothes, revealing her fair skin, smooth as jade, radiant as a fairy descended to earth.

Zhu Chuanzong didn't know how he got there. In a daze, he felt a delicate fragrance, a gentle touch. Soon, the beauty in his arms had her hair flowing freely, her starry eyes languidly open, her expression tender and affectionate, seemingly weak and helpless. Her jade-like wrists were lightly wrapped around him, she chuckled hastily, her fragrant sweat glistening like beads. Their love merged, but at first, it was difficult to proceed. Then he heard Shui Ling'er moan softly, her face flushed with shyness, like a flower after the rain, its petals falling like fallen peach blossoms. Their hearts were one, a match made in heaven, a beauty beyond compare.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Chuanzong awoke to find his beloved gone. He called out a few times, and Nuanyun entered, saying, "Young Master, Miss Shui is gone. This is a letter she left. I couldn't keep her."

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly opened the letter, which read: "Last night I repaid your kindness. Have you heard the saying, 'Entering a wealthy family is like entering a deep sea'? How can a bird in a golden cage be as happy as a bird in the sky? You surely understand my heart. However, I will not betrothed to anyone else in this life, to preserve your love. Do not think of me!" Zhu Chuanzong was stunned for a moment. The scent of his beloved still lingered on the bed, but she was gone. Though the fragrance remained, her graceful figure was gone. He remembered a saying by Mr. Wu: "There is no love above freedom." He sighed, "Let her go! Deep down, she looks down on me. She thinks all officials are bad people. Let her go! I can't keep her heart anyway."

He was stunned, remembering how he had lied to her from the beginning, approaching her as a fat man, yet she didn't care. He had never experienced this feeling before, always thinking that women should like him and obey him. It turned out that not all women in the world were like that. Suddenly, the thought that he would never see her again made his heart ache, and he almost shed tears.

Chapter Seven: Indulging in Romantic Debauchery

Zhu Chuanzong returned to the capital, originally thinking that he would definitely be promoted again. The case he solved last time was incomparable to the merit of this one, which had promoted him three ranks. This time, having solved such a big case, he expected to be promoted at least one rank! But to his surprise, the Left Chancellor Li Yiheng, the Right Chancellor Pang Laixiao, and other ministers said that although he had made great contributions, his actions were not in accordance with the laws of the court, and he was willful and reckless. Therefore, they petitioned the emperor to punish him.

Emperor Shenwu Mingzong decreed: "Zhu Chuanzong is young, and although he has a heart to serve the country and worry about the emperor, he has acted improperly and should be punished. However, considering his considerable contributions, he will make amends for his mistakes and will not be rewarded or punished. However, to prevent him from violating court regulations again, and to teach him the way of governing the country, let Zhu Chuanzong study in the Hanlin Academy!" This wasn't all. Many officials in Ningzhi Province embezzled disaster relief funds and grain, but the court did not investigate thoroughly. Only Wang Shen was punished for falsely accusing court officials of misappropriating disaster relief funds and grain, and was executed by the emperor. The Ningzhi Provincial Governor, Hu Tie, was only sentenced by the emperor for incompetence and was dismissed from his post. Zhu Chuanzong was sullen and unhappy with the outcome of this massive case.

Fortunately, the court granted Zhu Chuanzong's request regarding the Laozi Sect, which greatly pleased him. However, upon returning home, he discovered that Ye Feifei, the ailing master of Shui Ling'er, had disappeared. He knew that people from the Laozi Sect had taken her away, but this made it even more difficult to see Shui Ling'er, which saddened him greatly.

Not long after, the emperor dismissed him from his post and ordered him to study at the Hanlin Academy. Zhu Chuanzong returned from court feeling very depressed, but upon returning home, he found his house filled with guests and bustling with activity. A banquet was being prepared to celebrate his imperial approval to study at the Hanlin Academy.

Zhu Chuanzong was greatly puzzled. Just then, Zhu Shuiyue and Hua Caiyun came to visit him. The two were beaming and congratulated him as soon as they entered. Zhu Chuanzong was taken aback and said, "I've done something meritorious this time, but not only did I not get a promotion, I was even dismissed and sent to study. And you're so happy! Is it because now I have time to spend with you?" Hua Caiyun laughed and said, "Silly child, are we that bad? The Emperor personally approved your entry into the Hanlin Academy. What an honor that is! It's the dream of many people, something they can't even dream of." "Good thing, but you think this isn't a reward for you?" Zhu Shuiyue smiled at Zhu Chuanzong's puzzled expression. "Good brother, it seems you really don't know. Your sister-in-law's father, Uncle Hua Wenzhang, is the head of the Hanlin Academy. Don't think that the Hanlin Academy is just a fifth-rank government office, or that Uncle Hua's rank isn't high, but in reality, Uncle Hua's status is no less than that of the prime minister!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed. "So, my sister-in-law is the prime minister's daughter! I'm so sorry. I'll bow to my sister-in-law here; please don't blame me for my previous rudeness."

He then bowed.

Hua Caiyun chuckled, "Get lost! You really think Shuiyue is joking? It's not that I'm arrogant, but although my father's rank isn't high, the number of officials who visit my house with gifts every year is more than those who visit yours. Officials need experience in the Hanlin Academy to rise to higher positions. Firstly, being in the Hanlin Academy broadens their knowledge, expands their horizons, cultivates self-discipline, and accumulates experience, gradually maturing. Secondly, it allows them to make friends, increase their influence, and build connections. Many of those who enter the cabinet and become prime ministers come from the Hanlin Academy. Think about it, so many officials are my father's disciples. Even if they become high-ranking officials in the future, won't they still have to give my father some face? They'll respectfully address him as 'teacher' when they meet him. And during festivals, gifts are indispensable, aren't they?" Zhu Chuanzong then realized they really weren't joking and was stunned.

Zhu Shuiyue said, "Furthermore, entering the Hanlin Academy is no easy feat. Those who pass the imperial examinations are divided into three ranks: the first rank directly enters the Hanlin Academy; the second rank becomes a Hanlin Academy probationary member, obtaining preparatory qualifications; and the third rank is appointed to local low-level official positions or other posts. You see, those who can directly enter the Hanlin Academy are actually only those who rank highly in the imperial examinations, and this happens only once every few years—they are extremely rare. Now it's not an imperial examination year, so entering the Hanlin Academy is absolutely impossible. Yet you are ordered to study there. Think about it, what a great honor the Emperor has bestowed upon our family, what great expectations he has for you!" Zhu Chuanzong broke out in a cold sweat, ashamed, and said, "I am truly ashamed. The Emperor has treated me so well, yet I have not known gratitude. If it weren't for you, I would still be feeling uneasy!" Zhu Shuiyue smiled. "Amitabha, you're not really stupid after all. Are you happy now? You're still young. Go to the Hanlin Academy to learn and broaden your horizons so you can better govern the country in the future. Having lofty ideals without experience is useless."

Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "Sister, usually it's you who says these things. You always make me play with you. Why have you changed your tune?" Zhu Shuiyue's face flushed like a peach blossom. She said, "Who said that? I've always taught you as your older sister. Who taught you your calligraphy? Wasn't it me, your teacher?" Zhu Chuanzong quickly replied, "Yes, yes. My teacher, Sister, taught me many other things too!" He glanced at Hua Caiyun and added, "Sister-in-law, it's the same."

Both women sensed the implication in her words, and their faces flushed simultaneously.

Zhu Shuiyue changed the subject, saying, "It's good that you still have a conscience and remember our kindness. Although you made many mistakes this time, you also showed a lot of promise, and Father and Mother are very happy!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Since I've made such a success, how are you going to reward me?" Hua Caiyun said, "Tell me, how do you want us to reward you?" Zhu Chuanzong grinned slyly, "You two can keep me company tonight, let's kill two birds with one stone!" Hua Caiyun blushed, spat, and grabbed Zhu Chuanzong's ear, saying, "You big-headed devil! Tell me, did you go astray this time? Did you let that..." "Those scoundrels corrupted you, didn't they? You've changed completely since you came back."

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly begged for mercy, "Sister-in-law, let go! I haven't gone astray! I was just trying to get some verbal advantage. How could I dare to be so presumptuous in front of you?" Hua Caiyun said, "That's true. If you're rude, I'll punish you according to family rules. But..." She giggled, "I've never tried what you're talking about! Sister Shuiyue, do you want to give it a try?" Zhu Shuiyue was taken aback for a moment, then blushed and said, "So it was you who corrupted my little brother Bao. I'm ignoring you all now, let you go crazy!" With that, she stormed out, closing the door behind her.

Hua Caiyun laughed, "It'll be no fun without her! I'm leaving too."

Zhu Chuanzong wasn't about to let her go, and quickly grabbed her hand, saying, "I just got back, and you're leaving already? Is my sister-in-law so heartless? Have you changed your mind after all these days apart?" Hua Caiyun replied, "That's ridiculous. I'm just your sister-in-law. What do you mean by changing my mind? Am I anything to you?" Seeing Hua Caiyun's captivating charm and alluring smile, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't resist any longer. He embraced her and kissed her, saying, "You're my wife, my darling. I've missed you terribly, brother." "Yes, little brother misses you every moment!" Hua Caiyun, overcome with shyness, struggled and said, "What nonsense! What 'little brother' all this time? Aren't you ashamed?"

Zhu Chuanzong, burning with desire, forcefully tore at Hua Caiyun's clothes, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't torment your little brother. Don't you know my heart? Even at a time like this, you're still joking with me."

Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's anxiety, Hua Caiyun smiled with her phoenix eyes, opened her cherry lips, and whispered, "Little brother, don't panic. Let your darling serve you!" After saying this, she slowly took off her clothes. Once her undergarments were removed, a beautiful woman, fragrant and radiant, appeared before him.

Zhu Chuanzong saw her fair skin, her limbs like lotus sprouts, her two trembling breasts round and alluring, her nipples erect and rosy. He was instantly captivated. As for the area three inches below her navel, plump and white, with a thin line of red in the center, it was an absolute beauty.

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed, feeling incredibly uncomfortable and vulnerable. He quickly wrapped his arms around the beauty from behind, embracing her soft, fragrant body, and gently caressed her breasts.

Hua Caiyun blushed and turned her head, sticking out her tongue. Zhu Chuanzong took the opportunity to open his mouth and suck on her tongue. He then reached out and slipped his large hand between her thighs, caressing her for a while. The two were lost in passion, unable to control themselves, wishing they could melt into each other.

Hua Caiyun, having been celibate for a long time, broke out in a light sweat and kept calling out, "My dear brother, please enjoy your woman! Everything I have is yours."

She then let out soft moans. Seeing her like this, Zhu Chuanzong quickly pulled down his trousers.

He stood up, took her nipple into his mouth, and gently sucked on it, making soft, smacking sounds. Hua Caiyun's jade-like eyes slightly opened, her body limp and powerless, she could only let Zhu Chuanzong rub her. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the two made love to ease their longing, a truly earth-shattering experience.

After returning home from investigating the case, Zhu Chuanzong, because of his love-hate entanglement with Shui Ling'er, inevitably understood many things, and therefore cherished his beloved even more. That night, Zhu Chuanzong went to Suyu Tower and found Zhu Shuiyue taking a bath, so he knocked on the door and asked Ying'er to open it.

Ying'er, without asking her mistress, wisely opened the door and went out to keep watch. Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "What a clever little girl, I must reward her well." Entering the room, he saw Zhu Shuiyue's snow-white and delicate skin, which, when contrasted with her rosy cheeks, resembled a peach blossom; her arched eyebrows were like a crescent moon in the sky; her lips were slightly closed, and she was resting with her eyes closed. She occasionally spit out water; her slender arms emerged from the water, white and delicate; her breasts, perfectly sized, could be easily grasped, her fair body lightly damp, like pear blossoms glistening with fresh rain.

How could Zhu Chuanzong not love this beautiful sight? He hurriedly ran over, saying, "Good sister, I'm here."

He took off his clothes and went to the bathtub, reaching under her armpits to grasp Zhu Shuiyue's alluring breasts, gently kneading them. At the same time, he leaned over and kissed her cherry lips, his tongue darting out, sucking and licking incessantly.

After a while, Zhu Chuanzong slid his hand down to Zhu Shuiyue's jade-like thighs, stroking her inner thighs. Zhu Shuiyue felt incredibly comfortable, unconsciously parting her legs. Zhu Chuanzong took advantage of this, moving his hand up and down, placing his middle finger flat between her thighs, gently rubbing up and down. At this moment, the steam filled the air, and in the hazy mist, Zhu Shuiyue's delicate and beautiful figure was like flawless jade, truly enviable.

Zhu Chuanzong was extremely fond of her and took action. Zhu Shuiyue looked up at the sky, her cherry lips parted slightly, her starry eyes flashed, and she groaned incessantly, as if she had reached the realm of immortals.

It was late at night when Zhu Chuanzong reluctantly left Suyu Tower. Zhu Shuiyue asked Ying'er to see him off, and under Zhu Shuiyue's affectionate gaze, Zhu Chuanzong finally departed.

All the way, Zhu Chuanzong was still savoring the tender moments they had just shared, remaining silent until Ying'er smiled and said, "Young Master, are you still thinking about Miss? If it weren't for me today, Miss definitely wouldn't have let you in."

Zhu Chuanzong realized what she meant and smiled, "Thank you so much! How can I thank you enough? Just tell me, and I'll definitely agree."

Ying'er smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare ask anything of you, Young Master, and besides, I don't want anything!" Just then, they passed a secluded path in the garden. Zhu Chuanzong suddenly embraced Ying'er and said, "Since that's the case, let me repay you now!" Ying'er was startled and... The lantern fell to the ground and went out instantly. Struggling, she cried, "Young Master, let go! This isn't repayment, it's repaying kindness with enmity!"

Zhu Chuanzong saw that Ying'er was as light as a swallow, holding her as if she were nothing in his arms. Her pretty face was rosy and fragrant, her small mouth slightly upturned, her starry eyes sparkling with timidity. His heart stirred even more. He said, "What repayment? Aren't I holding you? Some good things in this world, you'll know how good they are once you taste them. If you agree to me, I'll agree to anything you want, and I'll treat you well in the future."

Without another word, he carried her into the artificial hill in the roadside woods.

Ying'er dared not cry out, her heart pounding. Once inside the artificial hill, Zhu Chuanzong, through her clothes, began to suckle Ying'er's breasts, kneading them incessantly. Her breasts soon grew larger, so he removed her clothes, revealing two exquisite, translucent jade-like breasts, alluring like white jade, so tender, as if a pinch would release honey-like juice.

At this moment, Ying'er's nipples, wet with saliva, were hard and erect. The pink buds at the tips of her beautiful breasts were vibrant and alluring, exuding a lively fragrance. Her cherry-red lips were delicate and smooth. Zhu Chuanzong kissed her more and more with increasing pleasure. He reached out and pulled off Ying'er's clothes, revealing her plump white buttocks. Zhu Chuanzong became even more excited and pressed himself against her.

Ying'er, on the other hand, was already flustered and somewhat frightened by Zhu Chuanzong's advances. She said, "Young master, please let me go!" Zhu Chuanzong, lying on top of the beautiful woman with her white jade-like body, was filled with unparalleled pleasure. Ying'er's pleas only fueled his interest. He said, "My little darling, why are you saying such things at a time like this? Young master is taking care of you!" He freed one hand and reached between her pink thighs and jade-like vulva. The plump vulva was already overflowing with lustful fluids, the peach petals were swollen and erect, and the delicate flower bud was bulging and proudly erect. He stroked her clitoris with his hand, and Ying'er felt a surge of pleasure, wishing she could scratch it herself. Soon, waves of tingling pleasure washed over her, and Ying'er could no longer resist, crying like a baby.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Is it pleasurable? Now you know how delicious it is!" He thrust his finger deep into her honeyed crevice, and her desire erupted like fireworks in the sky, thrusting deeper and deeper. He wanted to stop, but his hand moved on its own, adding another finger and continuing the frenzied stimulation. Ying'er thought of Zhu Chuanzong's handsome face and couldn't help but cry out, ignoring the pain and pleas that were making her delicate flower throb. It was truly a joyous experience, and her lust was aroused. She unconsciously began to thrust slowly again, her heart trembling, a surge of pleasure welling up within her, and an intense itching sensation within her. She arched her body like a shrimp, until she was drenched in fragrant sweat, her little bodice completely soaked. Ying'er's pretty face was flushed, her bright eyes half-open, her mouth unable to speak, only gasping for breath.

Drops of bright red blood fell to the ground. Zhu Chuanzong helped the frail Ying'er dress, saying, "From now on, you are mine. If anyone bullies you, just tell me."

Upon hearing this, Ying'er suddenly burst into tears. Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "What's wrong? Having come with me, has it disgraced you? If you really didn't want to, why didn't you say so earlier?" Ying'er said, "No, it's just that I have something to ask of you, young master, but I'm afraid that if I say it, it will seem as if I've become your servant and am using you to blackmail you. I'm just a little maid; everything belongs to you, young master. How could I have the right to ask you for anything? It's just that my younger brother is getting on in years and spends his days doing nothing productive." "Although my parents sold me, they are still my family, so I can't help but worry!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "What's the big deal! As long as you're happy, I'll agree to anything. What do you want?" Ying'er said, "I only ask that you let my younger brother find a job in the manor, I don't dare to think of anything else."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "That's easy, I'll have my sister-in-law give him a job tomorrow, as a little steward."

Ying'er was overjoyed and didn't know what to do. She was a maid, but from Zhu Chuanzong's words, he wouldn't let his younger brother be the lowest-ranking servant, so wouldn't she no longer have to be a servant in the future? She kissed Zhu Chuanzong on the cheek and said, "Young master is so good to me."

Zhu Chuanzong, having tasted the sweetness, was not about to let her go, and played with her extensively before going back.

Zhu Chuanzong didn't return until midnight. Xiao Yu and the other maids were all anxiously waiting. As soon as they saw him return, they all surrounded him and asked him how he was doing.

Xiao Yu said, "If you don't come back soon, Sister Nuanyun will be worried to death!" Nuanyun's almond-shaped face flushed slightly, and she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't do that. Besides, aren't you anxious too?" Xiao Yu laughed, "Sister and I are completely different."

Nuanyun knew that Xiao Yu was mocking her for having been intimate with the young master, and her face turned even redder. She wanted to say something more, but remembering that Xiao Yu was sharp-tongued and might say something else later, she stopped talking.

Zhu Chuanzong felt tired, chatted and laughed with them for a few moments, and then went upstairs to rest. The next day, with nothing to do, he took a long nap.

The women didn't disturb him and let him sleep. Nuanyun, seeing that there was nothing to do, let Xiao Yu and the other maids go play, leaving her alone to look after the house. Nuanyun saw that Zhu Chuanzong was sleeping soundly and thought, "Since I have nothing to do anyway, I might as well take this opportunity to wash up!" Just then, Zhu Chuanzong woke up and found that there was no one in the room. Nuanyun and Xiaoyu were nowhere to be found, and the maids were nowhere to be seen either, so he searched the entire upstairs. He strolled to the door of the suite and heard the sound of water. He slowly approached the north window and peeked through the crack in the wood. He saw the door ajar, and Nuanyun, wearing only a bodice, her snow-white arms exposed, her

beautiful hair flowing freely, was washing her hair. Zhu Chuanzong didn't say a word, seeing Nuanyun's disheveled hair, her delicate skin, and the faint fragrance of water, he pushed open the door, startling Nuanyun. Seeing it was Zhu Chuanzong, she hurriedly grabbed her clothes, her face turning a deep red with embarrassment. Nuanyun scolded, "What are you doing in here? I'm washing my hair, get out!" Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "So you're here! I've been looking for you for ages. What's there to be shy about? I'm not an outsider. This is interesting, help me with my hair washing too!" Nuanyun glared at him and said, "Always trying to get in the way. You never even agree to take a bath when I beg you, you're so lazy."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's always you! I'm doing this because you're helping me today."

Nuanyun said, "What's the difference? I'm no different from them."

Zhu Chuanzong hugged Nuanyun and said, "How can you be the same as them?" He then kissed her, his hands and feet becoming restless.

Nuanyun initially resisted, but later stopped talking. Soon, her hair was disheveled, her face flushed, her lips slightly parted, and she was panting softly.

Zhu Chuanzong still had some paperwork to complete before going to study at the Hanlin Academy. He had been enjoying himself at home these days. His cronies came to visit, but he was kept in check by his sister-in-law and couldn't go out. But this was for the best. He was quite happy playing with the women at home, and gradually forgot about his unpleasantness with Shui Ling'er. Although sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly think of her, feeling a pang of longing, he would forget about her during the day.

One day, Zhu Chuanzong had nothing to do, so he took a leisurely stroll alone. Returning from the garden, Zhu Chuanzong walked out through the side gate and bumped into Qiuyue, who was coming from outside. Qiuyue smiled and asked, "Young Master, where are you going?" Zhu Chuanzong replied, "Just taking a stroll. Where did you come from?" Qiuyue said, "To get a paintbrush from Miss to draw her eyebrows."

Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "What did she ask you to draw?" Qiuyue smiled and said, "Guess?" Zhu Chuanzong said, "How could I possibly guess?"

Qiuyue rolled her eyes and said, "Young Master's mind is on other things; naturally, he doesn't pay attention to these things."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "I don't like these things you girls do. If you like them, I'll buy you some paintings when I go out sometime."

Qiuyue chuckled and said, "What others paint is never as interesting as what you paint yourself!" The two chatted for a while, and Zhu Chuanzong, seeing Qiuyue's charming smile, was somewhat moved. He said, "Let's not stay here; let's go somewhere secluded."

Qiu Yue blushed and said, "I'm not going! Go find your sweetheart!" Then she left with a smile.

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "Let you be smug for a while, I'll find a chance to get back at you later." At this moment, Wang Daniu came over and invited Zhu Chuanzong to the study to receive guests. It turned out to be Zhao Shusheng and Wang Zongying.

Upon arriving at the study, Zhu Chuanzong led Zhao Shusheng and Wang Zongying inside. A servant brought tea, and the three of them drank together. Zhao Shusheng said, "What are you doing at home, brother? You're going to study at the Hanlin Academy soon, why don't you go out and have some fun?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "The weather's bad, where can I go? I used to be busy, so we brothers didn't see each other as often. What are you all busy with now? I don't even know."

Wang Zongying laughed, "There's a great place to go lately, you don't know about it! A new courtesan has come to the Lichun Courtyard, she's incredibly beautiful. She's tall and slender, with an oval face, as white as a dumpling."

Then he winked at Zhao Shusheng and continued, "The best part is that her breasts are soft as cotton, and she has long hair, and her hands are like lotus root tips. She has a pair of bright, sparkling eyes, and she's also a skilled pipa player. She can play any tune. She's very charming, and every day there are carriages and horses at her door, making all the other brothels in the courtyard pale in comparison."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You all say it's so wonderful, but such brothels aren't allowed in the capital. I won't expose them, but I can't go there myself."

Both of them said that once he became an official, he would spoil the fun. After chatting and laughing for a while, seeing that he didn't leave, they felt bored and went away.

A few days later, the date for going to the Hanlin Academy was set. Hua Caiyun went home to visit her family, taking Zhu Chuanzong with her, and also to let him pay his respects to her father, Hua Wenzhang. If the Emperor hadn't granted Zhu Chuanzong admission to the Hanlin Academy, Hua Caiyun had originally planned to find an opportunity and excuse to plead with her father to let Zhu Chuanzong go there for further training. But now, Hua Wenzhang earnestly advised Zhu Chuanzong to study hard at the Hanlin Academy, explaining how many hidden talents resided there. Zhu Chuanzong knew that the Hanlin Academy was a place that produced outstanding talents in the Great Liang Dynasty, and couldn't help but feel awe, nodding repeatedly in agreement. After

everything was arranged, Zhu Chuanzong bid farewell to his family and went to study at the Hanlin Academy. The Hanlin Academy was also in the capital, but it was dozens of miles away from his home, so Zhu Chuanzong lived at the Hanlin Academy and returned home every ten days or so.

Chapter Eight:

Zhu Chuanzong Enters the Hanlin Academy. He wasn't allowed to bring maids, only two male servants, Zhao Laosi and Wang Daniu. Although he no longer had such meticulous care, he felt quite at ease. While most of the Hanlin Academy members were in their thirties and forties, there were a few young people, so Zhu Chuanzong wasn't lonely. He enjoyed composing poems, reading, and playing games with them—something he had never experienced before.

Although the Hanlin Academy was a place for studying Confucian classics, there was a river not far away, its banks shaded by willows, with boats constantly coming and going, and the air filled with the sounds of music and singing—a truly magnificent sight.

Initially, Zhu Chuanzong came to the Hanlin Academy with the intention of broadening his horizons through study, so he refused when some Hanlin scholars invited him to these places. They laughed at his foolishness, but after hearing the rumors that he was a eunuch, they stopped teasing him.

Zhu Chuanzong had traveled several times and gained a deeper understanding of world affairs. He felt great sympathy for the suffering of the people, but he didn't know how to deal with these matters. Therefore, he studied diligently. However, the teachers in the Hanlin Academy mostly lectured on Confucianism and Mencius's teachings, which were mostly empty slogans about loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, and had no practical significance for society.

One day in class, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, you always talk about the principles of the ruler being the guide for the subject, the father being the guide for the son, and the husband being the guide for the wife. But the Confucian saying, 'If the ruler is unjust, the subject can argue with the ruler; if the father is unjust, the son can argue with the father,' what does that mean?" The teacher, a middle-aged man surnamed Xia with a white beard, immediately changed color and trembled as he said, "Where did you read that nonsense? In such a serious place as the Hanlin Academy, don't talk about those miscellaneous classics and unofficial histories."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "The Book of Changes must be good, right? It's not a miscellaneous classic, is it? The Book of Changes, in its Sequence of Hexagrams, says: 'There is heaven and earth, then there are all things; there are all things, then there are men and women; there are men and women, then there are husband and wife; there are husband and wife, then there are...'" "After father and son, then ruler and subject; after ruler and subject, then superior and inferior; after superior and inferior, then propriety and righteousness are understood." This can't be wrong, right? It's different from the reasoning you're talking about. Confucianism isn't entirely correct! Teacher Xia immediately flew into a rage, shouting, "You unfilial son, get out! Get out and reflect on your actions! How can you doubt the words of a sage? How can you speak recklessly about the country's policies? You're unpatriotic, unloving of my Great Liang!" Zhu Chuanzong was expelled from the classroom. He didn't know that while the other students called him a bookworm, they also envied his privileged background. Otherwise, if it were someone else, the teacher would have told the dean and expelled him from the Hanlin Academy. As for an official position? Forget about it for life!

That evening, Zhu Chuanzong was summoned by Dean Hua Wenzhang, who said sternly, "Jiedai, do you know how big of a mistake you made today? If it weren't for your ancestors being the Emperor's favorites, and if our families weren't related by marriage, you would have committed a grave crime!" Seeing Zhu Chuanzong's bewildered expression, he smiled and said, "But it's not entirely your fault. If you weren't born into this family, you might already understand the ways of society today! You're not an outsider, so I'm telling you this: what we learn is mostly for fooling the common people and scholars. But regardless of right or wrong, as long as you understand it in your heart, you must abide by it on the surface, and you can't verbally oppose it. As long as you don't put it into action, it doesn't matter much."

Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed in surprise, "I'm not stupid, I know some of these principles, but the Hanlin Academy is the gathering place of all the elite talents of our Great Liang Kingdom! Is this all we can learn here? Those who govern..." "Aren't the policies of the state and the strategies for reforming the bureaucracy being studied? How can the country progress and the people become wealthy if this is the case?" Hua Wenzhang said, "Who says they're useless? Besides, there are some courses we're studying! That's enough. And now the world is prosperous, we live well, we don't need any changes! Alright, go back and think about what I said! Remember not to question the teacher's lectures anymore, just listen to the teacher in everything. Also, get along well with the other students. He Zhixiao, your classmate, is the nephew of Prince An. I specially arranged for you to be in the same class. He's not very old, so you should get closer to him and make more friends. That will give you a better future. You're very smart, you'll understand these things immediately, I don't need to worry about it. Go!" Although Zhu Chuanzong had many grievances in his heart, he had no choice but to take his leave.

After that, Zhu Chuanzong gained a deep understanding of the Hanlin Academy. His initial hope of entering the sacred hall to broaden his horizons and increase his knowledge faded.

Although he didn't learn anything useful in the classroom, the Hanlin Academy had a vast collection of books, including many forbidden books unavailable elsewhere. Zhu Chuanzong felt like he had discovered a treasure trove, immersing himself in its contents. Although there was no music or song around him, he didn't feel lonely.

Time passed unnoticed. The Hanlin Academy held many activities, including historical compilation and lectures, but Zhu Chuanzong found none of them interesting, merely observing from afar.

Once, the Emperor himself visited, and Dean Hua lectured, expounding on the idea of loyalty to the Emperor: "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the Emperor; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the Emperor." All the students listened with rapt attention, and the Emperor praised the Dean's profound scholarship, rewarding all the students and teachers.

Seeing everyone so convinced of the importance of loyalty to the Emperor and studying it, Zhu Chuanzong became curious and began to study it himself. However, he found it utterly boring, just empty slogans. Having become acquainted with his teacher, Professor Xia, he asked him what the benefits of these ideas were and why they were so valued.

Teacher Xia replied, "To the blind, daytime doesn't exist; to the deaf, sound doesn't exist. A drop of water is just a drop of water to an ordinary person, but to a Buddhist, it contains a vast world. Only those who understand the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius, and know the true meaning of every word the Emperor says, can comprehend the profound connotations of the important ideas of loyalty to the Emperor and patriotism."

Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing this, couldn't help but disagree.

That day, the Hanlin Academy became lively, with students discussing it endlessly—even when the Emperor summoned people to give lectures, it wasn't this bustling. Curious, Zhu Chuanzong inquired further and learned that scholars from the neighboring vassal state of Dali had come to visit. They had long heard of the profound scholarship of the Great Liang Kingdom, especially the Hanlin Academy, a place where hidden talents resided, and thus they had come to visit and learn.

The Emperor decreed that the guests be treated with the utmost hospitality, and that the most learned teachers be appointed to give lectures, showcasing the cultural grandeur of our great nation.

The Emperor specially allocated a large sum of silver to the Hanlin Academy to prepare for this event. A month later, everything was ready, and Tang Qilian , a scholar from the Dali Kingdom, came to visit.

First, Tang Qilian gave a speech, expressing admiration for the long and rich culture of the Great Liang Kingdom. After Tang Qilian's speech, the Dean, Hua Wenzhang, presented him with a piece of small seal script calligraphy as a gift. The content was an ancient poem: "Every inch of our land is precious, who can bear the burden of division and fragmentation? The cuckoo bows again, weeping for the heavens, the Jingwei bird tirelessly fills the sea!" When Hua Wenzhang was about to read the line "who can bear the burden of division and fragmentation," he was stopped by the character "侉" (kuà), and only after being reminded was he able to continue reading.

The students below burst into laughter. Hua Wenzhang didn't seem to mind, but Zhu Chuanzong blushed, thinking to himself, "He didn't even review what he prepared beforehand. That's unacceptable. Does the Hanlin Academy have so many affairs that they can't even spare a little time?" Then, in his welcoming speech to Tang Qilian, Hua Wenzhang said, "The Book of Songs says, 'In July, the Fire Star moves westward,' but it's not just the weather that's filled with enthusiasm. The hearts of all the teachers and students of the Hanlin Academy are burning like a fire, eagerly welcoming Mr. Tang's visit."

Many people below cheered enthusiastically, but a student in his thirties next to Zhu Chuanzong chuckled. Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Brother, what are you laughing at?" The man replied, "'In July, the Fire Star moves westward, in September we are given clothes.' The Fire Star is the name of a star, referring to Antares. In the fifth month of the lunar calendar, Antares is at its zenith; after the sixth month, it gradually moves westward, and the heat diminishes. Therefore, 'In July, the Fire Star moves westward' refers to the weather gradually cooling down, not the heat. This is a common-sense mistake!" Zhu Chuanzong said embarrassedly, "So our Dean has embarrassed himself in front of outsiders! It's truly..." "How shameful! May I ask your honorable name, senior brother?" The man replied, "My name is Huang Qi. I'm not afraid to tell you my name. I know your relationship with the Dean, but justice will prevail. Even if I don't say it, others will."

Zhu Chuanzong quickly said, "Brother Huang, you're too kind. The Dean is wrong. It's a disgrace to the Hanlin Academy and the country. If we don't say anything, wouldn't it make our Great Liang look like we have no talent? Brother Huang is learned and talented. I hope you will guide me in the future."

Seeing his polite manner, and having heard rumors about Zhu Chuanzong, knowing him to be a man of integrity and spirit, Huang Qi smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare. Brother Zhu's literary talent is remarkable; I've long admired him!" As the two were exchanging pleasantries, all the activities were completed. Subsequently, the Hanlin Academy invited Tang Qilian to inscribe a poem. Tang Qilian immediately wrote: "A great university strives for the highest good; a majestic academy stands in Central South."

Dean Hua Wenzhang read these two lines aloud in front of everyone. However, he mispronounced "黉宫" (the correct pronunciation should be "宏"). The audience burst into laughter.

Zhu Chuanzong, both amused and exasperated, said, "黉 refers to an ancient school, also called '黉门', '黉宫', or '黉校'. I still understand these basics. Dean, you're getting old! You must have forgotten these characters."

Huang Qi said, "That's right. The *Book of the Later Han Dynasty*, in the biography of Qiu Lan, says, 'After the agricultural work was finished, he ordered his disciples to gather together and return to the school.' And just like when I passed the imperial examination, my father said, 'The school's teaching methods were effective, which is why my son passed.' I wonder if Dean is seeing things."

Zhu Chuanzong said worriedly, "Today's event has had so many mishaps; Dean, you might be impeached! But with such a big mistake, even losing your position wouldn't be unjust."

Huang Qi knew the relationship between Zhu Chuanzong and the Dean and couldn't agree. He echoed, "Don't worry, everyone makes mistakes. It's alright."

The embarrassment the Hanlin Academy had caused spread quickly throughout the land, especially among the common people, who churned out many jokes. However, like a stone thrown into water, although ripples appeared on the surface, the situation calmed down after a while, and the court acted as if nothing had happened.

As time passed, Huang Qi became familiar with Zhu Chuanzong and laughed, "People inevitably make mistakes, but our officials in Daliang, if they make a mistake, they correct it! They correct it, then make the same mistake again, correct it again, and make the same mistake again—it's all fine."

Logically, Zhu Chuanzong should have been happy for Hua Wenzhang, but where was the law? Zhu Chuanzong didn't know what to say and could only shake his head with a bitter smile.

The Hanlin Academy was a cultural center, surrounded by walls, and not to be entered casually. Daliang law stipulated that anyone who was not a student or staff member of the Hanlin Academy and intruded upon entering... It was a capital offense. However, while there were many scholars in the land, only a few could enter the Hanlin Academy. Some scholars, dissatisfied, often challenged the students by posting poems and couplets on the outer wall of the academy.

One day, a couplet was posted on the outer wall of the Hanlin Academy. The first line read: "Li Boyang was born pointing to a plum tree as his surname, born with knowledge."

"Li Boyang" refers to Laozi. Laozi was a famous thinker of the Spring and Autumn Period, whose surname was Li, given name Er, and courtesy name Boyang. Li Er was also called Lao Dan or Laozi. Legend has it that Li Boyang, upon birth, pointed to a plum tree outside the door. Later, he used the "Li" from the plum tree as his surname. Later, Taoists said that Laozi was "born with knowledge," meaning he knew the affairs of the world from birth. This first line on the wall refers to this event.

The first line is quite clever, clever in several ways: first, the surname "Li" in the first half is related to the "plum tree"; second, "born" is the surname. The first line of the couplet is quite difficult to match. It has several key elements: the first line contains the radical "生" (sheng), the second line is an idiom, the third line begins with the character "生" (sheng ), the fourth line refers to an event involving an ancient person, and the fifth line employs techniques like "repeated characters" and "analytical characters.

" The Hanlin Academy is full of learned people, but upon seeing this first line, they all frowned and remained silent. For a long time, no one could come up with a matching second line.

Coincidentally, Zhu Chuanzong and Huang Qi went out of the Hanlin Academy to buy some things and inadvertently saw the inscription on the wall. Both were quite interested and stood there pondering the second line. After a while, Zhu Chuanzong came up with an idea, borrowed a brush, and added the second line to the wall: "Ma Wenyuan died wrapped in horsehide, dying only after his death."

Huang Qi knew that Zhu Chuanzong's second line was also about an ancient person. Ma Wenyuan was Ma Yuan, a famous general in the early Eastern Han Dynasty, known as the General Who Subdues the Waves. He made many military achievements. He once vowed: "A man should bravely die on the battlefield, and return home wrapped in horsehide!" Later, Ma Yuan died of illness in the army, fulfilling his wish. "To die only after one's death" is also an idiom, meaning to do something until death.

Huang Qi praised: "Your couplet is truly brilliant. One life and one death, not only are they perfectly matched, but they also fully conform to the wonderful points of the first line. It is truly admirable."

Zhu Chuanzong said: "Brother Huang, you are too kind. I know you are the most learned. Among the people I have met, apart from Mr. Wu, no one is as learned as you. Those teachers who give lectures are not worthy to carry your shoes."

Huang Qi laughed: "I dare not compare myself with Mr. Wu. You flatter me too much."

As the two were walking, a farmer carrying a load of manure passed by them. The street they were walking on was narrow and the road surface was full of potholes. The farmer's bucket of excrement sloshed about, whether from being full or the uneven road surface, some of it splashing out. The two men, unable to dodge in time, had specks of excrement splattered onto the hem of their robes.

The farmer hurriedly put down his bucket, standing trembling in fear, completely at a loss. Seeing this, Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said to the farmer, "Brother, you knew my robe needed washing, so you reminded me, didn't you?" He then pulled Huang Qi away, who exclaimed, "You are truly a gentleman! It's my good fortune to have you as a friend!" Just as the two were about to return to the Hanlin Academy to change, an old man in his fifties said to them, "Don't go, gentlemen. If you don't mind, please come to my house to change. My house isn't far from here. Seeing that you are both good people, this old man will do a good deed." The

two, not wanting to return smelling bad, said, "Then we'll trouble you."

Upon arriving at the old man's house, the two men took off their clothes. The old man offered them two old garments to change into. Although the clothes were worn and didn't fit perfectly, they put them on anyway. During their conversation, they learned that the old man's name was Xue Hongju, and that he had once been a scholar, a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations), but unfortunately, he had never passed the higher level. He had a daughter who worked as a seamstress, returning home only at night.

The two men thanked Xue Hongju, noted the address, and planned to return to change clothes later before heading home.

On the way, Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Brother Huang, we've truly become friends in adversity!" Huang Qi replied, "More than just friends in adversity, we're birds of a feather!" They both burst into laughter.

After a while, Huang Qidao said, "Actually, I really dislike some of the habits of the Hanlin Academy. Those who come from the Hanlin Academy, due to their long-term service in the court, gradually form cliques. Moreover, after entering the cabinet, they have colleagues, fellow townsmen, students, and trusted officials gathering around them, forming factions. The Hanlin Academy experience of cabinet ministers was originally meant to cultivate their ability to assist in governance, so that they could assume the role of advisor after entering the cabinet, but they are prematurely tainted by the habits of officialdom in the Hanlin Academy, forming cliques, which is very problematic. If this continues, even truly talented people will be suppressed."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "That's absolutely right. But the Emperor values those from the Hanlin Academy, what can we do?" Both of them shook their heads

and sighed. A few days later, Zhu Shuiyue, entrusted by the Old Madam, Madam Zhu, and her sister-in-law Hua Caiyun, brought Xiao Yu and Nuanyun to visit Zhu Chuanzong. Since

Zhu Shuiyue and the others could not enter the Hanlin Academy, they met at an inn outside, where they were coincidentally met by Zhu Chuanzong's classmates.

Among them was He Zhixiao.

He Zhixiao initially looked down on Zhu Chuanzong, but after meeting Zhu Shuiyue, he was utterly captivated. Back home, he couldn't stop thinking about her and suddenly became incredibly affectionate towards Zhu Chuanzong, treating him like a brother. Zhu Chuanzong, of course, knew his intentions and ignored him. But He Zhixiao, undeterred, remained unfazed, leaving Zhu Chuanzong helpless.

It just so happened that the Hanlin Academy was on holiday, and Zhu Chuanzong went home to visit his family. He Zhixiao insisted on accompanying him. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't refuse, thinking, "It'll be good for you to suffer a little." When they arrived at the Zhu family home, He Zhixiao greeted Zhu Chuanzong's parents. Zhu Youji praised him highly, saying he was polite and so on.

Zhu Chuanzong knew in his heart, "Isn't it just because He Zhixiao is Prince An's nephew?" He dared not say it aloud and could only nod and agree.

He Zhixiao was staying at the Zhu residence, not there for a visit, but simply to see his beloved. But a lady of such high birth was not so easily seen. Two days passed without a trace, leaving him no choice but to swallow his pride and beg Zhu Chuanzong for help.

Zhu Chuanzong was furious, thinking, "What do you take my Zhu family for?" He smiled and said, "I know what you're thinking. I'll make the arrangements for you, but my sister has a terrible temper. If anything happens to you, don't blame me."

He Zhixiao, upon hearing that he could see his dream girl, was no longer afraid of anything. Besides, he was of noble status, and women would naturally treat him differently. He believed himself to be handsome and extraordinary, and that women would naturally like him at first sight.

That night, Zhu Chuanzong led him to the back garden and said at the gate, "Come in! My sister is currently worshipping the moon and reciting poetry!" He Zhixiao was overjoyed. He thanked Zhu Chuanzong and went inside. In the distance, he vaguely saw a woman reciting poetry to the sky. He Zhixiao rushed over, but somehow, he slipped and fell into the lake beside him.

He Zhixiao thrashed about in the water, hearing a clear laugh. When he finally reached the shore, soaking wet and disheveled, he didn't care. He immediately looked around, but there was no one there; his beloved was nowhere to be seen.

Back home, He Zhixiao didn't dare blame Zhu Chuanzong, only himself for his carelessness. Zhu Chuanzong, seeing the usually arrogant He Zhixiao's change in temperament, was surprised, thinking, "Is the power of love so great that it can change a person like this?" He thought of Shui Ling'er and became lost in thought.

He Zhixiao again begged to see Zhu Shuiyue, but Zhu Chuanzong didn't want to tease him anymore, saying bluntly, "My sister has seen through the illusions of the world and wants to enter the Taoist order. She won't see you, Brother He. Give up! There are plenty of fish in the sea. With your status, even a princess wouldn't be a problem."

He Zhixiao stammered, "She? She's a Taoist? She wants to be a female Taoist?" His face was filled with disappointment and confusion.

The next day, He Zhixiao went home heartbroken.

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