Chapter 333 Saving a Collapsing Building (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
After discussing it, Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying each took their own actions.
One was sent to the Provincial Administration Commission, another to the Prefectural Government Office, and Ma Guan was also instructed to visit Chen Yi at the Xiao family residence.
The three, along with other students from the academy, followed and left Guiyun Academy in a grand procession.
Under the dark clouds, crowds flowed south along Corning Street.
Several people split off at the intersection of Chuanxi Street and then split into two groups at the intersection of Zhennan Street, guarding the offices of the Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Prefectural Governor.
During this time, scholars naturally came upon hearing the news.
He mingled with the uninformed people, trying to find out what had happened the night before.
Liu Si was overwhelmed by the disturbance, but he could not reveal the existence of the White Tiger Guard, so he asked the Criminal Investigation Department to handle the matter.
The commanders of the Criminal Investigation Department were also in a dilemma.
They kept pushing it back and forth.
The task fell to Fang Hongxiu.
She straightened her robes, gripped the hilt of her sword, and solemnly approached the yamen gate. After surveying the area, she said in a stern voice:
"This is a restricted area of the government office. All unauthorized personnel must leave immediately!"
The four criminal investigators who came with her looked astonished, turning their heads to look at her, all somewhat speechless.
"Lord Centurion is truly valiant..."
Indeed, they were brave.
But what was even more striking were the scholars around him.
A gentleman from Guiyun Academy stepped out from the crowd, bowed respectfully, and announced in a loud voice:
"My Mr. Ling Chuan from Guiyun Academy has been arrested and brought to the Criminal Investigation Department. May I ask which law he has violated?"
"This is confidential and I cannot disclose it!"
"Then how dare you arrest people?"
"The evidence is conclusive!"
"What evidence?"
"No comment..."
Fang Hongxiu faced hundreds of scholars alone, but she did not back down at all, and always said that she had nothing to say.
The man became somewhat angry, "If you don't give us an explanation today, we won't leave!"
"Yes, we're not leaving!"
"Let's see what your Criminal Investigation Department is capable of..."
Upon hearing this, Fang Hongxiu frowned and tightened her grip on the knife hilt, clearly annoyed by these people.
But she just couldn't have a seizure.
Most of the scholars here have achieved official titles and come from powerful families, so even a minor disagreement could cause her considerable trouble.
Fang Hongxiu could only try to delay as much as possible, cursing those commanders in her heart.
Outside the Provincial Administration Office, the situation was much better.
Although Chen Yunfan was dressed in an official robe, he showed no awareness of his role as a provincial governor. He sat on the steps at the entrance of the government office, chatting and laughing with the people around him.
"You are all people who have read the classics, and you have all heard the saying 'Do not look at what is improper, do not speak of what is improper,' right?"
"Keep quiet, and you'll know the result when your husband comes out."
"Your Excellency, can you tell me what exactly happened?"
"What happened? I have no idea."
"Then please come out..."
Chen Yunfan waved his hand and said with a smile, "The air in the yamen is stale, so I came out to get some fresh air."
"this……"
"Stop with this and that. Either we disperse now and go home, or we wait quietly for news."
Chen Yunfan didn't care what these people were doing there; he only knew that staying here was better than handling official business in the yamen.
Of course, he couldn't tell these scholars the truth.
We can't say anything until the dust settles.
To avoid any trouble caused to the officials if someone had an accident, ran away, or died.
While dealing with the surrounding noise, Chen Yunfan would occasionally glance at the Provincial Administration Office.
In fact, he was somewhat gloating.
Liu Hong was not like Zhu Hao; he was the Provincial Governor of Shu Prefecture, and his intelligence, skills, and family background were all far superior to Zhu Hao's.
Zhu Hao was simply caught red-handed by the White Tiger Guards; it was purely his own stupidity.
Liu Hong's henchmen were all crushed by his brother Yi, and his promising situation was ruined by one man. He died a worthy death.
What Chen Yunfan found interesting was that Liu Hong probably never knew the true identity of "Liu Wu" until his death.
How could he not find it amusing to die with his eyes wide open in disbelief?
Just as Chen Yunfan was thinking about these things, a calm voice came from behind him:
"Chen, the Councilor."
Um?
Chen Yunfan turned around and his pupils suddenly contracted.
Liu Hong was standing on the top of the steps outside the Provincial Administration Office, looking down at him.
That's fine.
Although Liu Hong was dressed in a bright red official robe and black jade belt, and his figure was quite upright, his face was almost unrecognizable from his previous appearance.
—Her thick hair, mostly white, was neatly combed and tied into a bun at the back of her head with a hairpin. Her face was covered with wrinkles, showing her advanced age.
His eyes, in particular, were cloudy and murky, like those of a frail old man who had just recovered from a serious illness.
While Chen Yunfan was still in a daze, Liu Hong forced a smile, looking at him with a half-smile:
"Counselor Chen, you're blocking the way."
Chen Yunfan realized what was happening, stood up and stood aside, bowed slightly and said, "Lord Liu."
Liu Hong turned his head to look at him and said, "Counselor Chen, it is a good thing to be kind to the people, but please remember one thing."
"As the Provincial Administration Commissioner, an official should have dignity. Being too humble and polite will easily make you look down on by petty people."
Chen Yunfan was slightly taken aback, and hesitantly replied in response to his gaze, "Your words are correct, sir."
Liu Hong smiled and nodded, then put his hands behind his back and walked straight toward the crowd.
His thin frame and weak breath seemed to possess immense strength.
With each step he took, several people facing him stepped aside and bowed in respect.
In just over ten steps, Liu Hong made his way through the crowd to the East Market.
None of the scholars and common people gathered outside the Provincial Administration Office dared to make as much noise as before.
No one even dared to meet his gaze.
Only after Liu Hong had gone far away did these people begin to speak.
The sound was faint.
"Provincial Governor Liu... his bearing truly intimidates me..."
"Me too."
"For some reason, when he looked over here just now, I felt like I lost all my strength and almost couldn't stand up..."
Whether they are scholars or ordinary people.
Compared to Liu Hong, who was so well-versed in self-cultivation, Liu Hong was far inferior.
Chen Yunfan looked at Liu Hong, who was walking slowly in the rain in the distance, with a slightly strange expression on his face.
He was certain that Liu Hong was more formidable than before, even though Liu Hong was showing signs of aging.
He had only seen that kind of demeanor in three other people.
—Chen Xuanji, the head of the Chen family, Chen Xuandu, and Cui Mao, the head of the Cui family and the current Heavenly Minister.
The first two are calm and composed, while the latter is like a boat sailing on a deep sea, undisturbed by any waves.
As for Liu Hong, he was... disdainful.
It was as if there was nothing or no one in the world that could catch his eye; his entire being was filled with arrogance.
Although Liu Hong's attitude was very calm just now.
Chen Yunfan watched Liu Hong walk away thoughtfully. After withdrawing his gaze, he ignored the scholars and turned to walk into the Provincial Administration Office.
They saw Li Huaigu walking briskly towards them.
Li Huaigu didn't bother to greet him and walked around him to leave.
Chen Yunfan grabbed him, "Brother Huaigu, where are you going?"
Li Huaigu tried to break free, but he couldn't even lift his hand, let alone break free.
He looked at Chen Yunfan in surprise and said urgently, "I have urgent business to attend to. I hope Brother Yunfan will let me leave."
"Are we going to chase after Lord Liu?"
"Yes... uh, how did you know?"
Chen Yunfan released his grip, not answering, but pointing in the direction of the East Market, saying, "Lord Liu went over there, hurry up."
Li Huaigu rubbed his wrist, and without asking any further questions, he quickly ran in the direction the man was pointing.
Chen Yunfan glanced at him and then headed straight for Yang Ye.
He also wanted to figure out the reason for Liu Hong's unusual behavior earlier.
After passing through two side rooms, Chen Yunfan arrived at the inner hall and could vaguely hear the voices of Yang Ye and Mr. Yue Ming inside.
"...Liu Gongmo must already know that something has happened."
"I never imagined that the arrests of so many people last night were related to him. Ling Chuan... what a pity..."
"Those who do many unrighteous deeds will surely perish. I noticed that Liu Gongmo and Zhu Lingchuan were not on good terms during the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering."
"Do you remember?"
Mr. Yue Ming recalled for a moment and slowly nodded: "That night, there were teachers from other prefectural academies. During the verbal sparring, Ling Chuan intentionally or unintentionally said a few words in Liu Gongmo's defense."
Yang Ye sighed, "Looking back now, there were signs all along."
He looked towards the door, paused slightly when he saw Chen Yunfan, then waved and continued:
"I don't know what he went out for."
Chen Yunfan walked straight into the hall, bowed to each person, and sat down to one side, as if he had only come to listen to their conversation.
Mr. Yue Ming glanced at him and said, "Let him be. Whether he runs away or goes wandering around, we can't stop him."
Yang Ye nodded silently.
Chen Yunfan was puzzled. Seeing them fall silent, he couldn't help but ask, "What did Lord Liu say before he left?"
Yang Ye nodded with a slight hesitation and sighed, "I said it, but it's still hard for people to understand."
He said, "If you want to stand tall, you have to be ruthless. He lost because of this, otherwise he wouldn't be in this state today."
Chen Yunfan was puzzled, "Heartless?"
Mr. Yue Ming added: "Liu Gongmo also said, 'The younger generation is to be feared,' but I don't know who he was referring to."
Chen Yi.
The name popped into Chen Yunfan's mind, and he frowned slightly. "Where is Liu Hong going?"
Yang Ye and Mr. Yue Ming shook their heads, "I don't know..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunfan's expression darkened slightly.
However, his feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, and he did not get up and run out of the Provincial Administration Office to chase after Liu Hong.
He knew it very well.
If Liu Hong really intended to scheme against Chen Yi, then he was only courting death.
Brother Yi, brother Yi, I'm waiting to see a good show. Don't let me down.
...
In fact, no one had guessed Liu Hong's plan.
Even he himself seemed aimless.
After leaving the Provincial Administration Office, Liu Hong headed east, then turned south at the alleyway at the end of the East Market.
Despite the continuous rain and howling wind, he seemed quite content, leisurely walking through the crowds and through the streets and alleys.
Occasionally, when someone bowed to him, Liu Hong would simply nod in greeting and not linger.
But if he sees something interesting, he will stop and watch for a while.
He might even chat with ordinary people like a regular old man, talking about the past and his recent difficulties.
"Grain prices will not rise further; the government will keep an eye on those grain merchants..."
"Wishing you peace and good health as the year draws to a close..."
“Your son has the makings of a scholar. If you’re short of money to support him, I have some spare change here. He can at least attend a private school for a year…”
When Li Huaigu found Liu Hong, he saw him take out a few pieces of silver and hand them to an old woman.
Liu Hong seemed to sense something, patting the child's head while beckoning to Li Huaigu.
After Li Huaigu caught up, Liu Hong walked westward with his hands behind his back.
Even amidst the red-light district in the south of the city, Liu Hong maintained an appreciative expression, much like a tourist.
Walk around and look at the sights.
Li Huaigu followed him half a step behind, keeping pace with him closely.
It wasn't until the two of them had rounded Chunyu Tower and turned north that Liu Hong finally spoke:
"Since I was promoted to Provincial Governor, I have not had the leisure to take a good look at this city."
"It's not that I'm unwilling, but my gaze is fixed forward and upward, and I can no longer bear to look down at my feet."
Li Huaigu was slightly taken aback, but didn't know what to say.
Liu Hong ignored him and said to himself, "I can tell from your appearance that you were the third-ranked scholar in the fifth year of Anhe."
"At the age of twenty-seven, sixteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. I have traveled from the capital to Jizhou, and then from Jizhou back to Shuzhou."
It took a full twelve years before he finally became the provincial governor.
Looking at the houses on both sides that were gradually getting lower, he said with a sigh, "It seems like things are going very fast, and we're lucky, but in reality, we're not doing as well as some people."
"Not to mention those far away, but closer to home, like the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence."
"Xiao Fengchun was just a martial artist, yet he easily rose to the position of Marquis of Wu simply because of his lineage."
"He can easily obtain what we strive for our whole lives, while many times our efforts are in vain."
"How unfair!"
Although there were complaints in his words, Liu Hong's tone remained unchanged, as if he were just recounting a mundane matter.
"Therefore, since I came to Shu Prefecture, I have no regard for anyone else, only to become the 'number one' among my peers."
"Even worse, it will erase the gap between the Liu family and the Xiao family in Jingzhou."
"Unfortunately, I have failed..."
Li Huaigu was deeply shaken after hearing his words.
This was the first time he had heard such detailed information about Liu Hong's past.
Even though he had heard some of it before, it was not as shocking as hearing it from Liu Hong himself.
Liu Hong seemed to sense something, turned his head to look at him and asked with a smile, "Counselor Li, do you have any ambitions?"
Li Huaigu snapped out of his reverie and hesitated before saying, "I have studied since childhood, all for the sake of..."
Liu Hong raised his hand to interrupt, saying, "In order to save the collapsing empire and rescue the people from their suffering?"
"yes."
"Hehe, I've been there too."
Li Huaigu was stunned for a moment, looking at him in surprise.
Liu Hong smiled, withdrew his gaze, stopped on Chuanxi Street and looked towards the Xiao family's residence to the east, asking:
"But have you ever considered how many people need saving in times of peace and prosperity? If the edifice remains standing, how much of your talent can you actually utilize?"
Even if you compare yourself to the wise and capable ministers of the previous dynasty, you can only humbly engage in trivial matters in the marketplace.
"This is the final destination for us scholars."
As Liu Hong spoke, he walked towards the Xiao family's residence, the laughter in his voice gradually fading away.
“Councilor Li, come here and be my witness.”
Li Huaigu watched him walk steadily forward, while his own feet felt as if they were filled with lead.
He only followed Liu Hong after he had walked more than ten zhang away.
However, he kept denying what Liu Hong had just said in his mind.
Even in prosperous times, scholars can still serve as capable ministers, act for the common people, and protect their communities.
Chaotic times... to hell with chaotic times!
When Li Huaigu was young, the barbarian tribes attacked. He saw nine out of ten houses empty, and he also saw white silk ribbons in front of the houses in the alley.
If one deliberately does things that violate the principles of sages in order to display one's talents or to be on par with the sages of the previous dynasty, one is simply worse than an animal.
Liu Hong, disregarding Li Huaigu's thoughts, arrived outside the Xiao family's gate, straightened his robes, and called out loudly towards the vermilion gate:
"Liu Hong, the Provincial Administration Commissioner, has come to visit Marquis Xiao."
The voice reached inside the door, and the third steward, Lu Guan, without hesitation, quickly opened the main door and bowed, saying:
"Lord Liu."
Liu Hong smiled and nodded, "Please inform them."
"Please wait a moment, Lord Liu, I'll be right there..."
A short while later, the voice of Old Master Xiao could be heard from inside the quiet house.
"Please let him in."
Lu Guan received the order and went to the front yard, then led Liu Hong and Li Huaigu towards the quiet house.
The soldiers and servants along the way all had solemn expressions.
Liu Hong ignored him and walked ahead calmly.
The drizzling rain, without anyone noticing, rose slightly and pattered on the tiles on the roof of the long corridor.
The pattering sound continued incessantly.
Inside Chunhe Garden.
Chen Yi had already sensed something, and turned his head to look over, a smile appearing on his lips.
"This one has arrived quite early."
(End of this chapter)
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