“They’ve already been punished yesterday, 20 strokes each.” The bailiffs knelt on the ground, not caring about anything else. They already had injuries on their buttocks, and if they were beaten again, it would only make things worse.
An Ke and the master exchanged a glance, surprised that the county magistrate here could wield such power. Even in the palace, there was always a pretext to punish someone.
The surrounding residents were abuzz with discussion.
"I had long heard that this county magistrate was ruthless, but I never expected him to treat his subordinates the same way."
"Since he's already so ruthless, what is there that he wouldn't do?"
Looking at the "wounded soldiers" scattered on the ground, An Ke couldn't be too quick to believe everything. "Uncle," she said, "I think we should find a place to examine them to see if they really have injuries on their buttocks." Examining them on the street was certainly a reliable method, especially since there were many young women and women standing there. After all, men and women are different.
The master glanced at the crowd of people who had gathered there and nodded in agreement. "Ertai, you go find a shop and check it out."
Ertai responded and went to a nearby clothing store. Just then, the locals came out to watch the excitement, and there weren't many people in the store. After giving the shopkeeper a silver ingot, the shopkeeper readily agreed.
After checking several of them, he found that they did indeed have injuries on their buttocks, and he knew the truth. He came out and reported directly to the master, "Master, they all do have injuries."
The old man's expression hardened, and he snapped his folding fan shut. He said bluntly, "We'll go and pay a visit to this Duan Kui."
Immediately afterwards, the master, accompanied by his entourage, went to the county government office.
A portly man sat on the high platform, sipping tea, when he was startled by the sudden arrival of the people. He quickly recovered and loudly questioned them, "Who are you troublemakers? How dare you act so arrogantly here? How dare you trespass into the county government office! Guards, arrest them all!"
Fu Erkang flicked his robe and asked imposingly, "You are Duan Kui?"
Duan Kui was unaware of what had happened and maintained his usual attitude, saying, "Who are you to dare address me by my given name?"
Fu Erkang was about to say something more when Fu Ertai interrupted him, dragging him out from the spot. Seeing that the master had arrived, Fu Ertai shouted, "Kneel down!"
Unfortunately, he was also a clueless fool, still shouting, "Kneel down! I'm a scholar who has achieved official rank. Even the current emperor has to give me some respect. Why should you make me kneel down?"
That was far too arrogant. Ertai didn't even want to talk to such a fool, so he kicked him in the shinbone.
Duan Kui immediately knelt down on the ground. Fu Heng, standing behind the master, immediately pulled out his token, saying, "The Emperor is here; no disrespect is permitted."
The moment Duan Kui saw the token, he immediately stopped being arrogant, knelt on the ground, and cried out that he was guilty.
The master wasn't buying it. He had witnessed countless corrupt officials along the way. He sneered, "You arrogant and rude dog of an official, if I were to give you any more leeway, wouldn't you rebel?"
Such a huge accusation, and Duan Kui wasn't stupid enough to accept it. He quickly shouted that he had no such intention and hoped that the Emperor would see the truth.
The master also brought some men with him. "Were these constables forced to collect taxes by you through torture?"
Faced with such compelling testimony, Duan Kui wasn't so foolish as to deny it. He directly admitted that he was collecting the landing tax according to regulations. He said he had no choice but to resort to such coercive measures and begged His Majesty to investigate thoroughly.
Upon hearing that it was the Emperor, the people behind him shouted, urging him to uphold justice for them. They complained that they were taxed every time they set up a stall in the East Market, and then taxed again in the West Market, a cycle of exploitation. They declared that they, as poor people, were struggling to survive.
As a wise ruler, how could Your Majesty ignore the people's requests? "Double taxation is indeed not my original intention to benefit the people. Rise, I will immediately issue an edict to abolish the land tax in towns and below, and prohibit local officials from creating pretexts to collect taxes repeatedly. This edict shall be extended to all prefectures and counties."
Upon hearing this, An Ke naturally knew that this was a great thing for the people. She and Qing'er exchanged a glance and saw bright smiles in each other's eyes.
Fu Lun had already gone to deliver the imperial decree, and just then, the local prefect, Shi Ming, arrived. He immediately stripped Duan Kui of his official hat and ordered an investigation into the wrongful convictions behind him. It was another gratifying scene, with everyone shouting that the emperor was wise and benevolent.
Seeing the row of constables kneeling and clutching their buttocks, An Ke immediately ordered Xingxing to bring them the ointment they had brought. She then distributed it to them and instructed them to apply it once a day.
Having finished his business, the master set off again in a cheerful mood.
Sitting in the carriage, An Ke didn't hold back in flattering her master, "Indeed, he should go out more often. Uncle should experience the lives of ordinary people more. Not only can he punish corrupt officials, but he can also let the people know what a benevolent and wise ruler our monarch is."
The old man laughed heartily, "Your mouth is truly too silver-tongued."
Having found a scenic spot, everyone dismounted, some from the carriages, others from their horses. They chatted and laughed along the way, admiring the beautiful scenery of green mountains, clear waters, and lush trees. Indeed, the air in the countryside was fresher than usual, invigorating and refreshing.
Anke felt that breathing the air here calmed her mind.
The old man looked ahead and said, "An'an, do you think we should go get a building? It has no tiles, no bricks, the water is on the roof, and people walk around downstairs?"
Before An Ke could answer, Ziwei recited a poem. An Ke's expression remained unchanged, still indifferent. She merely glanced at Ziwei.
Then An'an also composed a poem. Little Swallow, who couldn't understand it, hopped around and said, "Master, you even compose poems while walking! Aren't you tired?"
Master Ji answered Xiao Yanzi's question, "The master doesn't want to write a poem, but rather he wants something."
"What is that?" Little Swallow scratched her head, looking completely bewildered.
"This thing is naturally an umbrella," Qing'er explained in a good mood.
Yongqi ran straight to the carriage and grabbed a few umbrellas.
There happened to be a pavilion ahead, so everyone sat there, gazing at the distant scenery. Benjamin wasn't in a good mood; along the way, he'd been misunderstood and called a "foreign devil." Coupled with Xiao Yanzi's ambiguous attitude, Benjamin's heart sank even further.
Seeing a tree nearby, Benjamin told Xiaoyanzi not to bother him and then sat down beside it. Xiaoyanzi stared blankly at Benjamin's lonely figure, wanting to say something but unsure where to begin.
I heard a rumble of thunder in the sky while I was taking a walk, and a little while later, a light drizzle began to fall.
Little Swallow called Benjamin from the pavilion, but Benjamin remained staring blankly at the water. He neither answered nor denied it. Yongqi assumed Benjamin was waiting there to paint after the rain, so he didn't try to persuade him.
The fine rain fell like silk threads onto the lake surface, turning into tiny bubbles that spread outwards.
Unexpectedly, the drizzle quickly turned into a downpour. Raindrops fell on the lake, creating ripples that seemed to form a giant encirclement on the surface, composing a magnificent symphony.
But seeing the heavy rain, and Benjamin dressed in thin foreign clothes, he looked even more alone and forlorn.
Little Swallow was frantically calling out Benjamin's name in the pavilion, her loud voice drawing the master's attention. Indeed, the master had been enjoying the rainy scene, but now there was this spoilsport beside him. Anyone would be tempted to take a second look!
Benjamin, now feeling the weight of the rain, saw the swallows in the pavilion. He chuckled to himself but didn't move.
Anke also considered Benjamin a close friend, so she couldn't bear to see him standing there alone in the rain. After telling the master, she opened an oil-paper umbrella, holding another one in her hand, and headed towards Benjamin's direction.
Anke didn't disturb Benjamin's thoughts, simply gazing quietly at the expanse of emerald green lake beside him. A moment later, Anke broke the tranquil atmosphere. "I wonder if the artist is waiting here for the rain to stop so he can paint a rainbow?"
Benjamin had just realized someone was beside him, but he hadn't turned around to look, assuming it was Xiao Yanzi. But his feelings for Xiao Yanzi had hardened and turned cold. He didn't want to turn back, thinking she would leave in a little while.
To his surprise, the visitor was An Ke. He held An Ke in high esteem and admiration.
“Such a nice rain, of course we should take a good look at it.” Benjamin didn’t respond negatively to Encore’s words, but patted the mud off his clothes and stood up.
“Admiring is one thing, but admiring with a heart—I wonder if the artist is looking at the scenery or at his own heart?” Anke handed Benjamin an umbrella, a bright smile on her face. “Would you like to take a walk over there?”
The place Anke pointed to wasn't outside the pavilion's line of sight, but it wouldn't be easy to talk there, as the people inside the pavilion might hear. And Anke wasn't wrong; there were quite a few bluestone slabs there, dividing the lake into two parts, one with a gentle current and the other with a rapid current.
Benjamin's mind was in a mess, but he couldn't very well refuse Anko's suggestion. Holding an umbrella, he followed behind Anko towards that direction.
“I have witnessed everything that Ban Huashi has gone through along the way,” An Ke said calmly, her eyes gazing at the end of the lake, her voice sounding exceptionally ethereal and gentle. “If I am not mistaken, Ban Huashi’s eyes are full of affection when he looks at Xiao Yanzi.”
Benjamin opened his mouth, but didn't deny it. Honesty is a fundamental virtue.
Anke tossed a pebble into the calm lake, creating ripples. Like a drop of ink added to a perfect ink painting, the surface was slightly disturbed, yet it gained a different kind of charm.
After throwing in the pebble, Anke turned to Benjamin and asked with a hint of meaning, "Do you understand the significance of my actions?"
Benjamin stood silently, seemingly oblivious, watching the small stones that had just been thrown into the rushing river.
“Life is like this lake,” Anke said, gazing into the distance. “If you don’t move forward, you fall behind. Isn’t that true of relationships too? Like the little pebble I just tossed in, creating ripples on the surface. Aren’t the memories you share also the ups and downs of your heart?”
Benjamin dared not meet Anko's sharp gaze and lowered his head. In truth, he knew that Anko was right. It was he who had been struggling and hesitating, which was why he had become more and more deeply entangled.
“But look at the lake now, it’s so calm and clear.” An Ke paused for a moment, then continued, “Giving up might be a struggle, but who knows if giving up isn’t a good sign? There might be ripples at first, but eventually it will return to calm and tranquility.”
Benjamin is, after all, a British citizen, not a subject of the Qing Dynasty. Some matters involve the Benjamin name, making them difficult to handle. But when it comes to matters of the heart, who can truly understand? Benjamin seems hesitant, but who knows if Xiao Yanzi isn't also wavering between them?
“I didn’t mean anything by saying this,” Anke turned and stared directly at Benjamin, her eyes filled with pure innocence. “If the artist chooses to press his advantage and not give up, that’s perfectly normal. Love is a word that arises and ends without warning. The artist can follow his heart. But it’s best to avoid things like getting soaked in the rain today; after all, medicine isn’t always pleasant.” Anke spread her right hand, her brows slightly furrowed.
Benjamin smiled faintly at Anke's last words. "Everyone in the palace says that the princess is difficult to get along with and arrogant. In my opinion, the princess is the most sincere person."
An Ke didn't care at all about how others perceived her, and simply gave a dismissive laugh. "The artist still doesn't understand me. Arrogance and domineering are just my personality traits. There are a million different impressions of me among millions of people, but so what? All of them are still me!"
After Anke finished speaking, the two talked about other topics.
The little swallow in the pavilion watched the two chatting happily, her hands gripping the railing tightly, her face showing some resentment. Just now, when she called for the dove, Benjamin wouldn't come over, but as soon as she went over, Benjamin started chatting and laughing with her. What did that mean?
As the old man admired the scenery, he would glance out of the corner of his eye at his niece and Benjamin talking. Occasionally, he would look at Ertai beside him and then reveal an amused smile.
Persistence pays off, and Benjamin's rainbow finally appeared.
Looking up, Anke saw a rainbow, its colors shining through the clouds, like a rainbow in the sky, easily evoking tenderness and poetry in people's hearts.
"Congratulations, you've finally seen the scenery you've been waiting for," An Ke said sincerely, then closed her umbrella and walked towards the pavilion.
As expected, the master was indeed there admiring the scenery and listening to the people around him composing poetry. He saw Anke and waved to her.
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