The girl, dressed in men's clothing, was as graceful as an orchid or a jade tree, with delicate features, a gentle gaze, and a warm and clear smile. Jin Wenting's tense body relaxed slightly.
It was like a gentle ray of sunshine falling on your face on a cold winter day, dispelling all the chill.
The young man's cold and ruthless aura gradually dissipated, and he felt only the girl's gentle smile. For a moment, he seemed to have returned to the simple house in Xiajia Village.
She held him on her lap, a clay stove burning in the room, snow falling outside, and she held a book, reading slowly, word by word.
"...If the king were to implement benevolent governance for the people, reduce punishments, lighten taxes, and encourage deep plowing and weeding, the able-bodied could use their leisure time to cultivate filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and trustworthiness, serving their fathers and elder brothers at home and their superiors outside. Then they could be made to use sticks to strike down the strong armor and sharp weapons of Qin and Chu... Zai Zai, this is a sentence from Mencius's 'King Hui of Liang,' a story of Mencius advising the King of Liang to implement benevolent governance and reduce punishments, ruling the country with benevolence."
Jin Wenting disliked the Four Books and Five Classics required for the imperial examinations.
His grandfather asked him to read, but he always did it perfunctorily, and he got annoyed as soon as he heard the rambling reading.
If he had to read books, he preferred Legalist texts that advocated strict laws and punishments, or military strategies for leading troops into battle.
But as she held him and read aloud in her clear voice, he involuntarily calmed down, enjoying the tingling comfort of her stroking his back, and slowly began to listen to the sentences.
Only she, like a hot spring or clear water, could soothe the anger in his heart.
Just like now.
Jin Wenting followed her into the house without thinking, but his brows remained furrowed and his tone was cold: "Why bother calming down? The troublemaker is outside, just take care of him!"
"That would be bad. Young Master Mo's father is a dignified garrison commander, a fifth-rank official. He can casually threaten to kill people, so how could he dare to lay a hand on his son?"
"This fifth-rank official is incredibly arrogant, even more so than I am! What kind of real work can such an official do? He should be dismissed as soon as possible to make way for someone who is truly capable!"
"Isn't what you're saying even more domineering?"
"Hmph, I'm domineering, and I have the right to be. Does he have the right?"
"Alright, alright, the young master is indeed domineering, indeed domineering. So now, let's go and finish our pear soup, okay?"
"snort."
Mo Min lay there blankly, whispering, and only then did she understand a word in everyone's words—
"Crown Prince"?
What prince?
He's a prince? That man is a prince?! Wait, what prince? The one I just offended by shouting is a prince?!
Mo Min suddenly shivered, a sense of fear spreading from his heart, freezing his entire body stiff.
—He...he's messed with someone he shouldn't have?
No! Help!
Shen Junyi picked at his ear, beckoned, and immediately someone came forward, gagged Mo Min, tied him up, and dragged him away.
The magistrate, sweating profusely, waited nervously beside Shen Junyi, fearing he might say something like, "The magistrate has been tolerating the troublemakers' misbehavior; arrest them all."
Shen Junyi saw through his thoughts, narrowed his peach blossom eyes, and smiled charmingly: "Magistrate, please don't be in such a hurry. I came with the young master because I do have important business to attend to."
"W-What important matter?"
Shen Junyi said, "When the Crown Prince was interrogating people in the capital, some confessed that when the country was first established and official titles and rewards were distributed fifteen years ago, many people stole the military merits of their subordinates, greedily claiming credit and obtaining high ranks. This time, we are here to deal with them."
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