"Lying?" Guo Honglei shook his head. "Impossible. Not to mention an official appointed by the imperial court, even a commoner wouldn't claim to be their father. Lies will eventually be exposed, and when the truth comes out, it will be a complete disgrace."
"Moreover, according to the law, anyone who dares to impersonate a family member of a high-ranking official will be punished if proven guilty."
Jiang Yushu nodded. "That makes sense. Although we're only ninth-rank officials, we're still appointed by the imperial court. If we mistakenly claim a father, it will be exposed sooner or later. It would be utterly embarrassing." She thought for a moment and hesitated, "But there's no smoke without fire. My colleagues and the county magistrate have clearly told me that Deputy Envoy Wei is the son of the Minister of Justice. If it was a misunderstanding, why didn't he clarify it in time? Could it be..."
"What's going on?" Guo Honglei stretched out his hand and smoothed her hair that was messed up by the river breeze.
Her hair brushed against her face, leaving a tingling sensation. Jiang Yushu brushed her hair sideways as a sudden thought struck her, her mind wandering to the heavens. Countless theories suddenly emerged, and she frowned as she replied, "Based on the opera and the storybook, there are three possibilities. First, Deputy Envoy Wei is indeed a relative of the Minister of Justice, and was so admired that he adopted him as his adoptive father. Second, the real Deputy Envoy Wei might be in danger, and the person behind us is actually an imposter, disguised, infiltrating the officialdom with a top-secret mission—Alas!"
Guo Honglei laughed dumbly, then hugged her tightly and sighed, "Special Envoy Jiang, please read less martial arts legends."
"Third! I still have 'third' to say." Jiang Yushu struggled to explain, sighing and thinking: Not only the operas and vernaculars of the Qian Dynasty, but in my previous life, I also watched all kinds of dramas, so diverse, you wouldn't believe it if I told you...
Guo Honglei smiled and easily controlled her. "Stories are often made up and nonsense. They are just for fun and should not be taken seriously."
"Who takes it seriously? I was just joking."
The two of them were playing and joking around affectionately, and when they were distracted, Jiang Yushu forgot about the "third one".
Little did she know that her third guess was the truth.
After a moment, Jiang Yushu whispered, "Stop making a fuss in public. Sit up straight, please. Let's have a serious chat."
"OK!"
Guo Honglei followed his instructions and let go, straightening his back. He said seriously, "If he really was an imposter, what was Wei Xu after? If he was after power and wealth, he should have followed Ambassador Liang with all his might. Building granaries is a tricky business, and corrupt officials might be able to enrich themselves. But what good does he gain from assisting you and urging the military to cultivate land?" Guo Honglei paused, staring at the beautiful woman, his mind shifting, and he frowned unhappily.
"Could it be that he is greedy for beauty? Coveting——"
Jiang Yushu was immediately at a loss for words and interrupted, "How is that possible? Your guess is even more bizarre than my 'Legend of the Martial Arts World'! Wei Xu is, after all, an official appointed by the imperial court. He's young and quite handsome. Why would he covet a married woman, a female colleague?"
"A handsome man?" Guo Honglei raised an eyebrow. Even when he was stern, he looked intimidating without being angry, full of imposing presence.
Jiang Yushu calmed down and made amends decisively: "Of course, he is far inferior to you! Well, in fact, he can't compare with you at all. After all, a man as talented as the Second Young Master who is both civil and military is rare in ancient and modern times. He can be called a once-in-a-lifetime talent. There are only a handful of such people in the world -"
"Alright, alright, alright, that's enough." Guo Honglei waved his hands repeatedly and said with a smile, "Special Envoy Jiang, your compliment is truly too great. I, Guo, am ashamed and unworthy of it."
Jiang Yushu said seriously, "What? I'm not exaggerating at all. Every word I say comes from my heart!"
They looked at each other and laughed at the same time, laughing for a long while.
Considering the occasion, Jiang Yushu tried hard to suppress her laughter and said with a stern face, "Okay, okay, stop laughing. It makes us look a little silly."
"Okay, let's be serious then."
The wind from the river whipped, causing Guo Honglei's military robe to flutter. His sharp brows and bright eyes shone, and he bore an imposing demeanor. He set his face in a serious tone and declared, "Wei Xu couldn't have lied, nor could he have been an imposter. The imperial court has strict rules for appointing officials. Before Wei Xu departed for his post, the Ministry of Personnel had already sent a letter to the government. It's a 3,000-mile journey north, and every link is interconnected. If any one link goes wrong, he won't be able to take up his post!"
"Even if he was lucky enough to successfully impersonate an official appointed by the imperial court, it would not last long. Just imagine, he was born in the same year, from the same hometown, had to undergo an inspection, report to his post, and be transferred. If he was distracted by all these, he would inevitably be exposed and face the death penalty."
Jiang Yushu nodded frequently. "We've known each other for a while. Wei Xu was obviously brought up in a pampered environment. He gets impatient when encountering things, but he doesn't seem to be cunning and doesn't attract people's fear."
Guo Honglei waved his hand and whispered, "It's not difficult to find out the truth. I'll write a letter back to the capital and ask my relatives and friends to find out, and then everything will be clear."
"Good idea! I've been guessing for so long, but there's no conclusion. I'll give up."
Jiang Yushu was secretly worried and asked with concern: "How are you doing in Tuning?"
"Didn't I just tell you? It's fine."
"real?"
Guo Honglei paused. "Why would I lie to you? It's much easier now than before. The commander is easy to get along with, and my colleagues are harmonious. Right now, I'm mainly busy recruiting new soldiers and rebuilding the fortress. On weekdays, I'm mainly responsible for training my new recruits. The day goes by in the blink of an eye. But how is things at home?"
"Of course!"
Jiang Yushu smiled and said comfortingly, "We have a house, land, and money. We have servants to take care of our daily needs. We are also familiar with the county magistrate. Our third and fourth brothers are at home taking care of us. The old lady and sister-in-law rarely go out. What could possibly happen? We are safe and sound!"
"How old is Ye'er?" Guo Honglei is almost always on the road, busy and rarely reunited with his family. He feels regretful and helpless.
Speaking of children, Jiang Yushu instantly became excited, her eyes shining, and she answered happily: "He has grown a lot! He is white and chubby, and very cute..."
Not far away
Wei Xu pretended to be reading, but he didn't turn the page for a long time. He stared at the lines of words absentmindedly. He couldn't help but listen carefully, glancing at them again and again with his peripheral vision, quietly staring at the two people with their backs to him:
Wearing a scarlet cloak, his back figure is slender and beautiful; wearing a black military robe, his back figure is broad and strong.
The two figures stood side by side, looking very well matched. The faint sounds of their conversation drifted in the wind, making people curious.
"Hey, chatting and laughing, what a loving couple, they are so well-matched!" The servant took a glance as he packed his luggage and sighed, "So Young Master Guo looks like that, handsome and talented. No wonder there's a rumor in the capital that Special Envoy Jiang will do anything to marry him."
Wei Xu frowned and scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't gossip! If outsiders hear it, it will only cause trouble."
"Sir, please calm down. I know I was wrong and shouldn't gossip." The servant said embarrassedly and shut up.
Wei Xu was inexplicably annoyed. "Swish!" he flipped the page and ordered unhappily, "Why hasn't our carriage arrived yet? Go check it out."
"yes!"
Wei Xu flipped the page and began to lecture him earnestly, "Look at Xiao Zou from the Guo family. He's so clever, but you're so clumsy. This is a rare opportunity. You should humbly learn from Xiao Zou how to behave in society."
"Yes, yes." The servant felt ashamed of himself and ran to the riverside, chatting with Zou Gui attentively.
At noon, the sun gradually rose to the zenith, dispelling the chilly spring air.
After all the hustle and bustle, both groups decided to have lunch before setting off again.
On the river, several military ships were coming and going, transporting goods non-stop, and more and more people were gathering on the north bank.
More than 300 exiled prisoners boarded boats in batches, crossed the river to the north bank, and set foot on the territory of Yongzhou.
The soldiers were chatting and talking to relieve their boredom, but the prisoners were in despair and sorrow, sitting on the rocky beach, whispering to each other and sighing.
On the shore, the husband and wife are rarely together, and when they meet unexpectedly, they have endless things to say to each other.
Jiang Yushu was worried and was inquiring about Tu Ning's current situation. Guo Honglei glanced at the river and suddenly said, "Not good!" He immediately stood up and shouted,
"What's going on? It's cold out and the water is cold, be careful!"
On the boat in the middle of the river, the soldiers were furious. Some tried to save the man, while others shouted, "Mei Tianfu is trying to commit suicide again!"
"He insisted on jumping into the river, and there was no way to stop him!"
Guo Honglei ordered: "Hurry up and use the ropes to get them on board first!"
Jiang Yushu was startled and quickly stood up to look: the warship was parked in the middle of the river, and three people were struggling in the water. Fortunately, the companions on the boat quickly threw down a rope to catch them and quickly rescued them, and they were out of danger.
"What crime have I committed by not having talent? What crime have I committed by not having talent?" Jiang Yushu was choked by the name of the suicide victim.
Guo Honglei replied helplessly, "He got into a fight and accidentally killed someone. His family paid him a sum of money as compensation, and he was eventually sentenced to exile." He instructed, "You talk to the maid, I'll handle it."
Jiang Yushu nodded and said, "Let's go and take a look."
Guo Honglei had no choice but to rush to greet the ship.
By then, the Guo family's carriage, horses, and other belongings had arrived. Cuimei, Zou Gui, and two yamen runners had just harnessed the carriage. Cuimei looked around and ran over to ask, "What happened? How did those three people fall into the water?"
Jiang Yushu hurriedly replied, "The prisoner wants to commit suicide. Let's go and take a look."
"Okay!" Cuimei was full of curiosity and whispered as they walked, "Alas, becoming a prisoner, being exiled, I guess he couldn't get over it for a while, just like the eldest lady, who also tried to commit suicide several times back then."
Not long after, the boat docked and soldiers escorted a group of prisoners off the boat.
Guo Honglei first asked: "How are you guys?"
"It was a close call, no one was hurt." The two guards, their clothes soaked and shivering with cold, bowed in shame and apologized: "You warned us in advance, but we failed to keep an eye on the prisoners and the new recruits. We are truly incompetent. Please punish us!"
Guo Honglei said calmly, "I don't blame you. He's determined to die, and it's hard to prevent him. Go and borrow some clothes from the fortress defenders. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Thank you for your understanding, Captain." The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, and the person who fell into the water went to the fortress to borrow clothes.
When Jiang Yushu and others arrived, the soldiers immediately made way for them and treated them with great respect.
She stopped and looked intently at the suicide in the circle of people:
"Why save me? I don't want to live anymore. I'd rather die than live!" Mei Tianfu, a young man with a fat head and big ears, dripping with water, lay on the rocky beach and cried loudly, indignant and angry, with his neck stiff and grievances raised:
"It's unfair! I am innocent!"
"We had a drunken argument. He was clearly the first to insult me, and then we started fighting. I was just trying to protect myself, pushing him lightly. His legs weakened, and he hit his head on the steps, falling and dying. How can that be considered murder? My family paid a full 10,000 taels in compensation, and his parents agreed to not pursue the matter. Why, why did the government sentence me to exile?"
"Oh my God, this is unfair, I feel so wronged—"
Guo Honglei stood as steady as a pine tree, his face sullen. Seeing this, his personal guards shouted, "How dare you! Exile was a government decree. Why are you crying foul in front of Captain Guo?"
Another personal guard chided him, scornfully asking, "A grown man, you're trying to commit suicide, your face covered in tears and snot, throwing a tantrum. Aren't you ashamed?"
Mei Tianfu ignored him, rolling around on the rocky beach, and continued to cry, "It's unfair! I'm really being wronged! I didn't kill anyone! The government is corrupt and perverted the law, making arbitrary judgments!"
"I don't want to join the army. I beg you, all the officers and gentlemen, to be kind and let me go back. I will sue the government and bring down the corrupt officials!"
Guo Honglei's face was as gloomy as water. Without saying a word, he picked up the whip of the personal soldier next to him, shook his right arm, and swung it again. With a sharp "crackling" sound, the whip hit Mei Tianfu.
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