Chapter 3 Collusion between Officials and Bandits When Wang Yan returned to the inn, clutching his head, it was already...

When Wang Yan returned to the inn, rubbing his head, it was already dawn. The inn was almost empty, except for a dozing waiter who greeted the newcomer.

"Madam, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"

The waiter rubbed his eyes, caught sight of her blood-stained dress, and stammered, "You, you, you! This blood—"

A clap of thunder sounded just in time outside, signaling an impending downpour. Wang Yan quickly wiped his cloud-patterned robes, completely forgetting about himself.

“Oh! This is pig’s blood. My dad sells pork, and I was watching over him when that pig became particularly unruly today. It went berserk and charged at me. In a moment of panic, I made a cut, and it splattered all over me. This dress is something my dad saved up to buy, and I don’t know if it will wash out… Your shop doesn’t mind this, does it?”

Wang Yan looked at him with a mixture of worry and distress. Having stayed in this area for nearly a month, she had already learned about eight-tenths of what the local women looked like.

The waiter was skeptical. "Well... I don't mind, but—"

Wang Yan took out a silver ingot from her pocket, and the waiter, without a word, ushered her to a seat. Unexpectedly, in this dark shop, there was already a man sitting there, with only a candle beside him, its wick almost burned out after countless changes. Just as she was about to sit down, the man's gaze burned intensely upon her. The jade pendant with floral patterns at his waist hung straight down from the hem of his black robe, and his well-defined hands held a teacup, bringing it to his lips before lowering it.

"Brother...?"

Wang Yan had a bad feeling. How could she be caught and taken back so soon after exploring the tiger's den? She hadn't had enough fun yet.

Wang Zhen strode over, his brow furrowed with worry. "What's wrong? What happened to all this blood? Are you injured? Get a doctor quickly!"

Wang Yan pulled Wang Zhen down to sit, reassuring her, "No, no, this isn't my blood. I'm not injured. A-Ying is fine." As she spoke, she wiped the pockmarks off her face with water. Coming to her senses, the hunger returned.

The cook had just entered the kitchen yawning as he washed the vegetables; all that was left was a bowl of plain noodles. Wang Zhen paid for it before taking out a handkerchief to carefully wipe her clean, saying gently, "This is ridiculous! Disappearing for two days without a word, what if something happens?"

Wang Yan sat obediently, saying, "My skills are enough to protect myself, brother, don't worry."

She always found a way to be with Li Changling, and no one knew that the young lady and young master by his side were always the same person. With Li Changling around, she rarely had the chance to suffer any superficial injuries.

"Why are you dressed like this?" Wang Zhen noticed her clothes only then; they were new spring clothes he had made for her before she left home.

"When I went home dressed plainly, my brother said I looked like a destitute young woman without parents or brothers. Today I'm dressed a bit better, and my brother asked me why I'm dressed like this. You see, when you're traveling the world, bloodshed is common. Isn't this just wasting a nice set of clothes?"

Wang Yan then examined the hem of the skirt closely. Scattered bloodstains among the golden peonies looked as if they were about to bloom into blood-stained camellias.

Wang Zhen smoothed her brows. "It's just a dress. We can make a few more at Rongjinfang when we get back."

Seeing that his anger was gradually subsiding, Wang Yan casually mentioned that he had saved a young master that day, "I think he is also from the capital."

Wang Zhen folded the handkerchief and placed it on the table. "There are over 200,000 households in the capital. What's so strange about them being from the capital?"

"They are not from an ordinary family; they must be the children of officials."

Wang Yan teased him again, "How come you've been dismissed from your post and are now living like a hermit?"

Wang Zhen laughed and said, "You've got quite the skills, now you're lecturing your elder brother."

“I didn’t,” Wang Yan said, looking around. “It’s just that I usually only see letters and never see people in person, so it’s a bit of a surprise that he came in person this time.”

"What are you looking at so carelessly? Lanzhi has already gone to the capital. He left a letter for you. Go back to your room to read it after you finish eating."

"We agreed to meet here... I even sent him a message this morning." Wang Yan pouted, "He didn't even say hello to me on Yunyan Mountain."

Upon hearing that Yunyan Mountain was to be visited by the waiter, he hurriedly asked, "Are you two gentlemen going to Yunyan Mountain?"

Wang Yan feigned ignorance, "What?"

The waiter cleared away the food tray and earnestly advised, "Those bandits on Yunyan Mountain have been ruling the mountain for many years, and they specifically target wealthy families. I can see that you two are also from a wealthy family, so I'm just giving you a friendly reminder: it would be best to take a detour."

Wang Yan had witnessed everything on her trip, and the rumors were true. However, she did not understand why they were so arrogant.

"Isn't the government doing anything about it?"

"Those bandits only rob the rich, they don't target us ordinary folks, so naturally no one's making a fuss," the waiter added in a low voice. "That magistrate of Yunyan County is just a poor scholar; he might have already colluded with the bandits. Who knows..."

Wang Zhen frowned as he listened, "There are many people who have made their fortunes through honest means. How can they steal in the name of justice? Besides, this reasoning is not sound at all."

Unlike Wang Zhen, who was enthusiastic about family, national, and world affairs, Wang Yan had never been interested in such things. After the waiter left, she asked about Li Changling, but her brother said that he had already set off. This senior brother of hers disliked places of power struggles the most, yet he had come to the capital for her sake.

Wang Yan wanted to press further, but if she didn't eat the noodles soon, they would clump together. Wang Zhen then used the rules and regulations of the household to discipline her.

Her elder brother, untouched by the ways of the world, possessed an air of refined elegance, much like those scholars who had immersed themselves in classical texts in their lofty chambers. He ate with meticulous care and deliberation. Outsiders, seeing Wang Yan's unconventional manner, would hardly believe the two were from the same family. Wang Zhen inherited the Wang family's traditional style, while Wang Yan's carefree nature was certainly an anomaly. The finishing touch on Liangyu's masterpiece did not come from the Wang family.

Seeing that she had finished eating, Wang Zhen then revealed the purpose of his trip: "I have come to take you back to the capital."

It was as if a blooming flower had withered in an instant. Wang Yan was utterly disappointed, "I knew it..."

Wang Zhen hadn't finished speaking; the key point was in the second half of his sentence.

"Go back with your brother obediently. Your brother can't possibly perform your coming-of-age ceremony for you, can he?"

Wang Yan frowned slightly. "A coming-of-age ceremony? I'm already sixteen, what's the point of preparing a coming-of-age ceremony?"

Wang Zhen explained gently, "Last year you were seriously ill, and only then did your father and mother agree to let you recuperate in Yangzhou. Your coming-of-age ceremony should have been held. However... Consort Shu will be the principal guest of honor at the ceremony."

Upon hearing this news, Wang Yan nearly fell off his chair, exclaiming in a low voice, "Consort Shu?! Why! My father is merely a Minister... Such an honor would shorten my lifespan!"

Wang Zhen's smile faded, and he said seriously, "This matter still needs to be discussed properly with my father and mother back in the capital. I'm afraid..."

The rain poured down, and the wind rattled the windows.

Achoo!

"Knowing you're not fully recovered, why aren't you wearing more clothes? Go back to your room and put on some more clothes."

As Wang Yan, wearing Wang Zhen's cloak, went upstairs, he saw the innkeeper's wife calling him "Chen Lang" repeatedly as she swayed down, a fine jade hairpin in her hand. Just yesterday she was calling him "that guy surnamed Chen," and now she was calling him "Chen Lang" again. Puzzled, Wang Yan pushed open the door to the side room.

After closing the door, Ying Ming handed the things in his arms to Shen Minghuai and received a good scolding. He was criticized for his rude words and reckless behavior. Only after this was all recounted did Hua Xin return from outside.

"I have already sent someone to inform the magistrate of Yunyan County that the horses are exhausted and will cause a two-day delay."

"The third-in-command alone is probably not enough." Shen Minghuai took off his blood-stained outer robe. "That Young Master Zhu—"

"Don't worry, young master. We waited for that man surnamed Zhu to enter the city before returning here to wait. I guess he's a traveling doctor; he has several boxes of herbs on his carriage."

Shen Minghuai simply nodded, then brought up another matter, "The fire at the granary wasn't started by you."

Hua Xin looked bewildered. "What fire? This is all the men we brought on this trip. We didn't go up the mountain. I was worried that the mountain stronghold was too big for you and Young Master Yingming to handle, but I think I was overthinking it."

Ying Ming explained to him, "We were discovered when we left, and the granary suddenly caught fire, which actually gave us an opportunity."

Shen Minghuai's dark eyes were reflected in the tea, making them difficult to read. The Wang family of the capital, the Flowing Frost Sword Technique. Wang Yan, daughter of Wang Fuzhi, Minister of Revenue.

Before the New Year, Qian Xu sent a message to Shen Minghuai, who was still preparing for the New Year's Eve banquet, summoning him to the Prince Wei's residence, saying that he had an extremely urgent matter to help with. As soon as Shen Minghuai entered the study, he saw portraits all over the floor.

“These have already been selected by my mother. Minghuai, come and take a look at them for me.”

Qian Xu gestured for the maid to leave.

Shen Minghuai stood at the doorway, appearing detached. "Forgive Minghuai for being incompetent; this is clearly beyond my capabilities."

“These portraits were collected by me with great effort,” Qian Xu had anticipated his words and began to examine them on his own. “First, I will select those with ordinary appearances.”

The first volume was about Wang Yan. His features were unremarkable, but his pockmarked face was striking; he was also a sickly man. Qian Xu glanced at it only twice before rolling up the portrait and setting it aside.

Shen Minghuai glanced at it twice and reminded him, "It is said that she has not left the mansion for two years. This portrait is probably from before and is not real."

Qian Xu picked up another scroll of painting. "This is a portrait that Bai Baidao got from the market. His information is reliable."

Shen Minghuai's thoughts drifted away, but then he remembered something else, which made him even more confused.

"I have long admired the Duke's name and heard that Young Master Shen is also a man of outstanding bearing. Meeting him today, I can see that he is truly exceptional."

"Magistrate Liu, you're too kind."

Liu Danian respectfully welcomed Shen Minghuai to his seat, where a whole table of fine wine and dishes had already been laid out.

Shen Minghuai pressed down on Liu Danian's hand, which was about to pour him wine. "I have come here on the behalf of Prince Wei. At the beginning of the year, there was a heavy snowfall, and Danzhou was the most severely affected. All the counties under its jurisdiction were in dire need of funds and kept sending petitions or visiting the prefectural government. Only Yunyan County was managed very well by Magistrate Liu. The county was well-off, with sufficient funds, warm clothing, and food. Prince Wei asked me to consult with Magistrate Liu so that I could report Magistrate Liu's achievements to His Majesty when I return to the capital."

Liu Danian put down his betting stick and said with a forced smile, "I'm too kind. I was just doing my duty, receiving His Majesty's salary and sharing His Majesty's burdens. It's only right, and I dare not take credit. On the contrary, Young Master Shen, I heard that with the government opening granaries for relief, you even paid for setting up soup kitchens and distributing warm clothing at your own expense. You are truly a role model for all of you."

Shen Minghuai scrutinized the man before him again, noting his hunched back, fawning expression, neat official robes, and the linen lining he had tucked in.

"Setting up soup kitchens and distributing clothing are all thanks to His Majesty's grace, benefiting the people in the name of the royal family. Does Magistrate Liu think that His Highness is abusing his power for personal gain?"

Liu Danian waved his hands repeatedly, "That's not what I meant! How dare I presume to understand His Majesty's intentions with my limited knowledge? Young Master Shen is overthinking it—"

"Does this food suit the tastes of you two gentlemen?" The restaurant owner, Zhang Changchuan, suddenly appeared. "Is this Young Master Shen?"

"This is—" Liu Danian was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

“I am the owner of Jinmanlou Restaurant. Young master, you have worked so hard to help the people. If these dishes do not suit your taste, I will have someone make some more. I wonder…” Zhang Changchuan’s humble manner was exactly the same as Liu Danian’s.

Shen Minghuai ignored his flattery and asked about something else: "I wonder if the master has recently seen a young gentleman from the capital, dressed in Shu brocade, with a refined and handsome appearance and a jade pendant hanging from his waist?"

Zhang Changchuan looked him up and down. "You mean a handsome and refined young nobleman from the capital, like yourself?"

Shen Minghuai had seen plenty of people who could easily spout flattery, and he knew that the man was bound to ask for something in the next second.

Seeing that Shen Minghuai did not deny it, Zhang Changchuan pondered for a moment and said regretfully, "I have never met him. Is he a friend of yours, young master?"

Shen Minghuai gripped the porcelain cup, his brow furrowing slightly. "A few days ago, we met at the foot of the daylily slope. Due to exhaustion from our journey, we agreed to meet here again in two days. However, I haven't seen him yesterday or today, and I'm worried..."

Zhang Changchuan quickly exchanged a glance with Liu Danian, who hurriedly said, "Perhaps, like you, my lord, your horse is exhausted and you've been delayed. May I ask your friend's name? I'll keep an eye out for you."

Zhang Changchuan immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes. Xuancao Slope is only fifty li from here, we should arrive tomorrow."

Shen Minghuai stood up and bowed, startling the two men. "My friend's surname is Wang, and he is my classmate. I, Shen, would like to thank Magistrate Liu and Manager Zhang in advance."