Chapter 1383: My Justice (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"Luan Jun looks pale. Did you not sleep well last night?"
As dawn broke, the silent camp was filled with noise once more.
Luan Xin also had an uninvited guest: "Lin Anzhi?"
He and Lin Su were somewhat destined to meet. The last time Lin Su appeared on the southwestern battlefield, his lord urgently summoned him back to replicate the man's scholarly ways, but Lin Su ran off too fast, and they missed each other. Luan Xin had only heard about Lin Su from others.
After all the twists and turns, the way of the scholar still ended up in his own pocket.
Hehe, what's meant to be yours will always be yours.
Lin Su was quite honored that he recognized her at a glance and bowed respectfully, saying, "This junior, Lin Su, greets Lord Luan."
Whether in terms of age or seniority, Lin Su was younger than Luan Xin, so it was reasonable for him to refer to himself as a junior. However, this intimacy, occurring right after their previous conflict, seemed rather sarcastic. Luan Xin stepped aside to avoid his greeting.
"We have no connection whatsoever."
"Is Mr. Luan still angry about what happened last night?"
Luan Xin looked at him with deep eyes and said slowly, "So what if it is? So what if it isn't? You should have learned the words of the sages and know what it means to have friends coming from afar. Isn't that a pleasure? If the person who comes is a friend, then of course you are happy. But what if the person who comes is an enemy?"
It's just that he has a good temper. If it were the master, and he didn't slap Lin Su's face, it would be the result of the master's self-cultivation.
Lin Su and Luan Xin are essentially telling each other their cards are on the table.
Knowing Luan Xin's understanding of the scholar's abilities, he naturally understood that trapping him in a dream last night and deliberately letting him witness the past events of the lord and Gu Chi plotting against Qiu Wenyan was itself an act of malicious intent to sow discord. Lin Su was not to be outdone; he used the dream to exploit the moment when Luan Xin was disoriented by the truth and glimpsed the secret.
When the two meet, there is really no need for them to exchange insincere pleasantries.
Lin Su asked, "Has Lord Luan developed murderous intent?"
After speaking, he waited quietly for Luan Xin to finish his sentence.
"If I, Luan, had that ability, I would naturally make you bleed on the spot, thus eliminating a potential threat." Luan Xin made no attempt to conceal his murderous intent; who told Lin Su to be so blind as to expose him?
If the truth hadn't been exposed, Luan Xin could have continued to believe that everything was Gu Chi's conspiracy. After all, there were already many people who resented Gu Chi, so one more wouldn't make a difference—Gu Chi himself was enjoying it.
Lin Su suppressed a smile. Luan Xin didn't want him to bring it up, but he insisted: "So, the matter of King Shen murdering the late King Luan is considered over? That's wonderful! I tossed and turned all night, feeling that I had done something wrong. I've heard rumors that although King Shen and King Luan didn't know each other from humble beginnings, they supported each other for many years, a truly beautiful story of a ruler and his subject. It would be a sin for me to cause discord between them because of me."
Luan Xin's face darkened first.
Lin Su said she wasn't afraid, but her right hand honestly reached for the sword belt: "Luan Jun really loves Shen Jun deeply."
The relationship between the Kangguo rulers and their ministers among the common people was a chaotic mess.
Some illegal publications are quite popular on the black market.
Many commoners could clearly identify the officials in the Three Departments and Six Ministries, and could even discuss the name and deeds of the ruler. These seemingly ordinary details would be impossible in other countries. Commoners expended all their energy just trying to survive; they didn't even know which way the government office doors faced, or the names of local officials, let alone the royal court thousands of miles away.
This detail reveals two important pieces of information.
Firstly, the social atmosphere is open, and ordinary people are not prohibited from discussing officials; in fact, officials are even required to interact more with ordinary people.
Secondly, the survival pressure on ordinary people is not as great as in other countries.
Gossiping and idle chatter consume a great deal of time and energy. If more time and energy are devoted to gossip, less time and energy is available for making a living. Commoners can achieve the same survival level by using only 50% of their time and energy as they would by using 100% of their time and energy, which shows that Kangguo is not poor in resources.
Luan Xin: "...What exactly is your purpose in coming here?"
He conceded defeat and refused to bring up the topic again.
Lin Su keenly sensed that the crisis had passed and resumed her previous smile: "Actually, Mr. Luan, there was no need for this. I was merely fulfilling my duties, responsibilities, and obligations, and handling matters impartially. I had no other malicious intent. For example, I haven't revealed Mr. Luan's secret to anyone. Only heaven, earth, you, and I know!"
Lin Su refers to heaven and earth, and also to himself and Luan Xin.
Luan Xin did not believe him.
If Lin Su wasn't lying, then his relationship with the Central Branch was merely superficial, a two-faced arrangement where each party got what they wanted. Two-faced people are always disliked, and Luan Xin ultimately didn't give them a friendly look either.
Lin Su came to confirm the terms of the contract. The two sides needed to agree on the time and place for exchanging ransom and prisoners. During this period, a short truce was required. It was one of the few gentlemanly agreements on the battlefield that had not been ruined in the context of the collapse of etiquette and the chaos of the world.
While Luan Xin was examining the details of the contract, Lin Su started a casual conversation: "Recently, I've been drinking and chatting with friends, and in my drunken state, I've said quite a few nonsensical things. One part of it left a particularly deep impression on me—'Can a wise man bring peace to the world?'"
“A wise man? Perhaps.” He thought of his lord.
Lin Su said, "But a friend lamented to me that even the wise are limited by their lifespan, and that peace in the world lasts no more than a hundred years. Isn't that a pity?"
"There will always be successors to carry on the legacy of their predecessors."
"Who can guarantee that those who come after will not have selfish motives? Rather than harming others and ourselves, it is better to choose a safer method—to let the wise live long lives or even live forever... and then use power to keep the fools busy and unable to think or resist, and there will be no more war in the world."
At first glance, it seems to make some sense.
“The wise and the foolish, who defines the two? Is it the wise man you speak of? Or the foolish man who has been labeled a fool? How wise is this wise man, and how foolish is that foolish man? I fear that this wise man may have ulterior motives.” The “wise man” Lin Su spoke of was clearly not referring to his own lord, so Luan Xin naturally could not agree with his views, and was even somewhat angry. “Are you talking about the way to govern the world, or the method of taming? If it were that simple to bring peace to the world, wouldn’t my lord’s more than ten years of hard work have become a laughing stock?”
That's utterly selfish and harmful to others!
Luan Xin sneered, "In my opinion, what you said is not comprehensive enough. As the saying goes, even the wisest person can make a mistake, and even the most foolish person can have a stroke of genius. What if one day the fool doesn't want to be a fool anymore? Can the wise person still rest easy? It would be better to make everyone a fool!"
A fool could never start a rebellion.
"Your friend is utterly clueless. 'One is influenced by one's company,' and Lin Jun should be wary of such close association." Is this friend really not Lin Su himself?
Luan Xin's words did not anger Lin Su.
Why are you so sure?
Lin Su had just returned to report when Luan Xin took his leave, and no one stopped him; they readily agreed to let him go. Leaving that murky area, Luan Xin felt the air he breathed was fresh and sweet.
My mood improved for less than fifteen minutes.
The road back is a one-way street of rupture.
The contract was sent back to the royal court first, while Luan Xin and his party slowed down their journey, making sure to stay away from Luan Xin's allergens.
Little did they know, Shen Tang was also feeling uneasy.
He didn't bother to look closely at the contracts that Luan Xin had sent back.
Gu Chi picked it up, glanced at it, and commented, "What a spendthrift."
"What spendthrift son?"
Gu Chi said, "I always said that it was inappropriate to send Luan Gongyi, who is slow at everything, to negotiate this. Bargaining requires not only skill but also speed of speech and the willingness to lose face. With his reaction, others could have said seven or eight things to him before he had even finished the first sentence."
There is reason to suspect that Luan Xin was taken advantage of.
Gu Chi could even picture a group of people surrounding Luan Xin, chattering away. Faced with the enemy's exorbitant demands, Luan Xin was sweating profusely, but his mouth was too slow to speak, his voice too soft, and he too thin-skinned—he was no match for them. He'd be better off doing it himself.
"It's good that everyone is back safe and sound."
Luan Xin went out to gather intelligence on the enemy.
It's nothing to suffer a little loss.
Gu Chi rolled his eyes and said in a sarcastic tone, "Hmm, it's good that he's back safe and sound. I'm so moved by that, I wish I could be loyal to the Lord and give my life for him! What if he doesn't appreciate it and comes back to draw his sword against me?"
Shen Tang felt a little uneasy after Gu Chi spoke to her.
"It's not that bad; justice is based on reason."
"Your subject is ready to give his life for Your Majesty right now!"
Why covet what's close at hand and yearn for what's far away?
"...Wangchao, tell me honestly, are you worried too?"
Gu Chi stubbornly denied it, saying, "...No."
Shen Tang clapped his hands and had a pile of memorials waiting to be reviewed brought over, pulling Gu Chi, who wanted to run away, back: "Since you have no worries, why don't my Imperial Censor stay and share my burdens? My hands are about to fall off from reviewing all this stuff lately."
At times, I really want to switch places with my avatar.
She transforms herself to work, while she goes out to have fun.
God knows how frustrated she must have been to see the memories of two incarnations while the real body could only work in a tiny hall!
She is herself, so why should she be able to act freely just because she is an incarnation?
"...I am still ill."
Unfortunately, his opponent was Shen Tang, a genius who excelled in both literature and martial arts, and could press down on his shoulder with just two fingers, making it impossible for him to get up.
The ransom naturally had to be applied for from the Ministry of Revenue.
Xun Zhen was incredulous when he heard the numbers.
"so much?"
"Are you... alright?"
"What's so good about it! You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. Has Luan Gongyi been out of touch with reality for too long? Does he know how many sets of winter clothes and quilts he could have provided for the soldiers with this money? How many homeless people could he have helped get through this cold winter?"
This is hardly a loss.
This is clearly a rip-off on Xun Hanzhang's very heart!
Shen Tang forced a smile and said, "Hanzhang, don't be in such a hurry. There's more to this than meets the eye. Come closer, and I'll tell you—"
The two heads huddled together and chattered away for a long time.
Xun Zhen's complexion finally looked better.
"Would they really be so shameless?"
Shen Tang said, "It's better to be safe than sorry."
How many gentlemen's agreements have been ruined?
Chaotic times are eras that constantly lower the bar.
Shen Tang handed the task over to Xun Ding.
Xun Zhen, this old father, would never betray his son, no matter who else he might betray.
She waited and waited, her face clouded with bitterness and resentment as she faced the towering memorials, until finally the good news arrived that Luan Xin was about to enter the city. Shen Tang's spirits lifted: "My justice has finally returned! Where is he now?"
I want to pick them up in person.
Picking up people allows you to skip work and relax.
"Minister Luan said that he is not fit to meet the Emperor while covered in dust and has returned to his residence. He will come to report to the Emperor tomorrow." The accompanying military officer relayed Luan Xin's words, and even the slow-witted Luan Xin sensed something unusual.
Shen Tang was disappointed and pouted, "Okay."
Fortunately, she had prepared a backup plan!
Luan Xin is avoiding seeing her now, which is what she expected, so she arranged for two acquaintances to stay at Luan Xin's temporary residence in advance.
Two acquaintances of Luan Xin.
The steward received the servants' message early on and ordered someone to boil water.
With Gongyang Yongye watching over him on the return journey, Luan Xin didn't have an allergic reaction this time. He took a hot bath, and the fatigue from the long journey almost disappeared. After a simple dinner, he prepared to rest before dark, and also thought about how to face his lord the next day.
Then--
He discovered that the guest house in the front yard appeared to be occupied.
"Have we had a visitor?"
The steward said, "They've been here for over half a month."
Luan Xin couldn't help but wonder who the guest was. The host wasn't home, and the guest had stayed for half a month—it was truly impolite. Dissatisfied with the guest, he verbally reprimanded the steward for his lack of discretion. Although it was temporary lodging, the house still contained many important items. If a guest simply came to visit and was allowed to stay, what if something were lost? How could the damage be recovered?
The steward smiled wryly: "This... I can't make that decision."
He also wanted to rent a courtyard temporarily to settle his guests, but the two guests were specifically requested to be settled by his superiors. What could he do?
because--
Those two were sent over by the king.
Despite repeated orders, the mother and son were required to stay at the residence.
If Luan Xin returns and goes to see her first, Shen Tang will try to coax him. If that doesn't work, she'll try appealing to his emotions. She'll use a combination of threats and inducements. If Luan Xin returns and avoids her, going back to his residence first, then she'll let Qiu Cheng's widow and son shock him.
Luan Xin was indeed shocked.
He hurriedly stood up and stepped forward to greet her: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Over the years, Luan Xin had instructed people to take care of his former master's widow and children, and he would also make time to visit them every year. After all, simply giving instructions wasn't enough; over time, his subordinates would become disrespectful. His personal visit was a better way to show his attitude. If he couldn't find the time, he would have his wife go in his place. It had been three years since their last meeting: "Why are you here, Lady and Young Master?"
The "young man" he was referring to immediately knelt down.
The sound of knees hitting the stone bricks startled Luan Xin. For the first time, without the side effects of the scholar's way, his mind went blank, and his body instinctively helped the other man up: "Young man, what are you doing?"
"I am deeply grateful for Uncle Luan's care over the years, so this bow is only right."
If you're going to prescribe medicine, you have to prescribe strong medicine.
Upon hearing that Luan Xin had entered the city, the mother and son rushed to the mansion. Finding no sign of their master, they knew something serious had happened. They quickly decided that moral blackmail was more effective than coercion or bribery in dealing with someone like Luan Xin.
Therefore, they took the initiative.
Luan Xin tried to help the man up, saying, "Young man, you flatter me. The late lord saved my life. He is no longer here, but I cannot fail to repay this debt of gratitude. Heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teacher—how can you kneel before others so lightly?"
“But in my heart, Uncle Luan is already my father, how can I not kneel?” The young man said, tears streaming down his face. “Since my father passed away, my mother and my siblings and I have depended on each other for survival. If it weren’t for your care, we would probably be gone from this world long ago.”
Miao stood aside, tears streaming down her face.
They immediately resorted to skillful moral blackmail.
(*▽*)
Is it supposed to be closed for a few hours and then reopened?
(End of this chapter)
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