Chapter 51
Seeing that Jinzi had a sword pressed against the Second Li’s throat, quite a few people shouted in fear . I know that Jinzi is cautious to a point and isn’t likely to do anything reckless, so I put it out of mind, only smiling . “Eldest Master, your honorable little brother has a bit of a temper . ”
The Eldest Li’s face flashed red and white, seeming a bit unsure of what do to . He suddenly turned to the side to scold the Second Li, “You’ve been casually insulting a Guardian Minister of the Court, where has our Li family’s education gone off to?” He looked extremely furious, as if he wanted to slap his brother across the face .
The natural purpose of this is to use the burst of violence to move Jinzi’s obstructing sword, so that the Second Li can break away from the tip at his neck .
I saw his intentions and mentally snickered . As expected, Jinzi lightly pointed the sword a bit, saying, “Don’t be rash, Eldest Master Li . You’ll accidentally hurt your brother if you’re not careful . ”
The Eldest Li came to an abrupt halt, terribly uneasy . He said to me, “Tell him to release my brother . What kind of image is this?”
Just as I was about to talk, a sudden bout of noise came from behind . Turning my head to look, it turns out that several thousand Yulin troops were coming over, and upon seeing their brothers tied up, they shouted curses one after the other, stepping forward to get involved . Though the Lane isn’t narrow and can accommodate this many people, it’s still very crowded . Luo Meng again commanded Shao Qing’s black-clad troops to get into formation and into the fray, and the scene soon lost control .
I promptly went to the tight quarters of Jinzi and the Second Li . Jinzi didn’t wait for me to say anything, turning the sword’s edge and placing the blade up close against the other’s neck, a hand placed on his shoulder to keep him in place . The Second Li’s legs trembled, scared s.h.i.tless – literally, if the stench is anything to go by .
Resisting the urge to cover my nose, I shout harshly, “Stay your hands!”
We stood high on the steps above . Everyone raised their head to see this obvious hostage situation, and stopped what they were doing on learned reflex .
The Eldest Li’s expression is quite ugly . “Sir Zhang, you are a Guardian Official of the Court, yet you’ve abducted my brother . What is your reason?
I laughed . “Your brother wished to bring harm to this official . I just wanted to stop him from committing a grave mistake, how is this an abduction? Actually, Eldest Master, your Yulin Army instigated a personal war with General Shao’s Northwest Army . Don’t you know what kind of criminal charge that is?”
The Eldest Li pointed at the Yulin soldiers tied up on the ground and said, “The Northwest Army clearly made the first move!”
“The difference is this: the Yulin Army wants to block this official’s work . Luo Meng and his brothers cannot stand by and idly watch, and are merely preventing them from hurting this official . ” I’m deliberately being aggravating .
The Eldest Li turns pale from rage, but just as he was about to retort, another disturbance came from the back . Flag waving high, another army rushed over, surrounding this area of land, the banned indicating that it’s the Imperial Guard . A few horses gallop into the Lane, the foremost two of which are Xue Yongfu and Gu Yunzhi .
Mr . Xue greeted the Eldest Li, then said to me, “Brother Qinglian, what are you doing? Jinzi, can you let Second Brother Li go now?”
I say resolutely, “Brother Xue, this was never my intention . Second Master Li wanted to murder this official, with thousands of people on scene as witness . This matter must be handed over to the Ministry of Justice . ”
The Eldest Li quickly said, “My brother doesn’t have a cun of steel on him, how could that be called a murder attempt? You’re really exaggerating, Sir Zhang . ”
Gu Yunzhi dismounted at this moment and came forward, face ashen . “Where is your decorum? High Scholar zhang, you are a Guardian Minister . How can you dare to lead soldiers of your own volition to raid Duke Li’s residence?”
I smile . “Sir Gu, you’ve spoken wrong . Had General Li not committed some sort of offense, how could Qinglian come to seize his property? I am simply aiding Sir Liu in reclaiming a debt . Lives are at stake in this matter, as well as our state’s safety . Qinglian is burning with worry . Those words may be drastic, but I wouldn’t dare to be improprietous . ”
Gu Yunzhi gestured to the black-clad army . “What’s going on with them? The Northwest Army is stationed in the large encampment on the outskirts, so when did they secretly enter the city?”
Luo Meng says, “Sir Gu, these men were pa.s.sed over from Shao Qing’s personal guard in the city, and had written approval from the Ministry of War to enter, and with the blue seal of a Guardian Minister, can’t be considered as a secret entrance at all . This a.s.sistant general went into the city in advance to meet with Sir Zhang . He had said that we would be transferred over here in a while, and we would accompany him when we met up . It was unexpected that our brothers in the Yulin army moved in on us, causing these Sirs to misunderstand . ”
The Ministry of War’s approval was written by Shao Qing and the blue seal was added by me . It’s only natural that we’d use our jobs to guard against people looking to grab our pigtails . I smile and say, “It’s very likely that the Yulin Army’s men have misunderstood . ”
Gu Yunzhi mumbles, complexion clearing up . “So it was just a chanced great misfortune . The entire sum of the stored silver must be regained . Duke Li is a Guardian Minister, and should set a proper example . The lent money is to be returned this day and should not be in arrears . It’s only that High Scholar Zhang can’t help but be impatient, causing people to take it the wrong way . ”
Hehe . Old Gu, ah, Old Gu . How could I not know that he was plotting just then on whether or not he could take advantage of this matter to put Li Minguo and I into the frying pan? Only after thinking it over did he decide the pressing matter of w.a.n.g and Guo to be priority . They need the coin right now, and here I am, standing out amongst the crowd . Though he doesn’t understand what drug I’ll selling from my gourd, he still thinks it would be beneficial for him, and not going with it would be a waste .
As Old Gu had decided to stand on my side this time, my heart settles down . It was an expected thing, but in truth, I was terrified when I made the decision to do this . I am, after all, launching a raid on the Emperor’s maternal grandfather’s home, and the Waiqi and I have no room to maneuver on that! Afterwards, the weighty Shao Qing didn’t even hinder me, and was willing to give me unconditional support, thus making me grit my teeth and do it when there wasn’t actually any point in being so tense . The biggest case I had ever taken before can’t even compare to this .
With the Qingliu’s stance clear, the Eldest Li’s face is kind of white . Gu Yunzhi speaks again, “What of Duke Li? This matter requires Duke Li’s personal attendance . I’m afraid a descending nephew will not do . ”
The Eldest Li says, “My father left to handle our properties in the outskirts, and will not return soon . ”
Gu Yunzhi says, “Then we will wait for him . ”
He is unwilling to take the Eldest Li’s invitation into the residence, nor does he ask Luo Meng or I to release the Second Li or those Yulin Soldiers, merely standing in place, successfully merging into my lump of debt enforcers .
I chuckle in my mind . Liu Chunxi and Luo Meng go to the official meeting at this time . Gu Yunzhi’s gaze sweeps towards Jinzi’s face, and he says, “So nephew Yao is here as well . Have you been well these days?”
“I’m fine,” Jinzi said coldly .
“You’re seventeen, nephew . You ought to grab an official’s post and serve the country,” Gu Yunzhi spoke further .
Jinzi’s voice is even colder . “This lowly one is nothing more than a slave in Sir Zhang’s residence now, doing what I must to keep my life . What is this talk of officialdom?”
Gu Yunzhi gazes at me . “High Scholar Zhang should not prevent young people from serving their beloved home nation . ”
I reached out and held Jinzi by the arm, smiling without words . Gu Yunzhi is a conceited Rationalist and disapproves of our nonchalant appearance, eyebrows furrowing as he avoids his eyes . The minions behind him were whispering, giving Jinzi looks of disdain, or pity, or grief . Jinzi is indifferent from beginning to end, as if they’re dust in the wind .
I was unable to bear the a.s.sault on my nostrils, and called people to tie up the Second Li . The Eldest Li hadn’t yet opened his mouth when Mr . Xue plead for mercy first, “Brother Qinglian, Second Brother Li’s eyes were very likely red from worry just now . You shouldn’t be concerned about it . ”
I ruminate while looking at Xue Yongfu . The Xue family’s house rules are probably about the same as Switzerland’s; eternally neutral, flattering every side, and offending n.o.body . Xue Yongfu may seem of a simple mind, but his is actually superb . Were this modernity, he could have be a higher-up of the International Committee of the Red Cross . It is with as sigh that his little sister Xue Yongyao is seemingly as smart, but due to selfish justice, gets mixed up with Qingliu’s folks all day long .
Then again, maybe the tactic of this generation of the Xue family is to have Xue Yongfu be good pals with me, and Xue Yongyao’s closeness to the Qingliu is hard to say .
I grin . “Alright . I’ll do it for Brother Xue’s honor . ”
I personally went to grasp the tip of Jinzi’s sword . Jinzi withdrew it with extreme speed; just as I was about to touch the blade’s edge, there was a flash of light, and he had since returned it to its sheathe .
I smile toward the Second Li . “Second Master Li, I’ve offended you . ”
The Second Li huffed, stretching his legs before he walked back to his older brother, exchanging a few words, and returning to the inner rooms to change his clothes .
A while of waiting later, Gu Yunzhi called for Luo Meng to draw back his troops first . Luo Meng said that they would leave right away, and then didn’t . Calling for the Yulin Army to go, they also verbally agreed but physically disagreed . The Imperial Guard is keeping the balance, so they also can’t go anywhere . More than ten-thousand people are stuffed up here, their heads swaying together . I don’t know if this is a Super Girl concert or what!
Under continuous rebuffs, Gu Yunzhi grew agitated, calling Liu Chunxi over to look over the list of debts . Mr . Xue tried to make conversation with me about my family life, but as Jinzi was to the side, he isn’t ever very comfortable, fidgeting awkwardly .
After waiting half a shichen, Li Minguo showed his face . The Eldest Li talked his ear off for a time, and then Old Man Li walked in front of me and said, “For an official of the same hall to actually threaten someone over money, how shameful!”
I keep my serenity, cupping my hands . “I wouldn’t dare . Qinglian is only doing his duty, and it must be done . ”
Old Man Liu gave two wheezing, bitter hehs . He ordered his people to prop open a case, the inside of which was countless banknotes . “This is from this old man selling off his estates . Adding all the gains up is altogether 250,000 liang – do check it yourselves, Sir Zhang and Sir Gu . The remaining funds are waiting on several of our houses to be sold, and will be handed over within three days . ”
Old Man Li’s words are fiercely wrathful . Old Gu’s education compared to this little shou is the difference of yellow and white and not something to split hairs over, after all, so his face looks somewhat embarra.s.sed . I sneer to myself . It goes without saying that paying back your dues is heaven’s law and earth’s principle, yet now it seems he’s become Dou E-esque . How very ridiculous . No matter; this affair has been my complete victory thus far, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep threatening until the very end, so I won’t ridicule him . I lifted my chin towards Liu Chunxi, and he stepped forwards to receive the money .
“I’ve troubled you . I hope Sir Li is as good as his word . ” I smile and salute Li Minguo . The old man humphs .
Therefore, we all take our people and go our own ways .
Luo Meng is a bit ill at ease, and wants to leave half his men to guard my home . My falling out with the Waiqi being official, he probably fears that Old Man Li, in his rage, will disregard right and wrong and send the Yulin Army to kill me as a last word .
Jinzi says that it isn’t necessary . With Old Man Li’s character, even though we’ve fallen out, he wouldn’t do a rash, head-on conflict . If he wanted to kill me, he would only send a.s.sa.s.sins, not an army .
Luo Meng still ends up leaving five hundred men, and they fill up my guest rooms, side rooms, and firewood rooms, and the rest are camping in my garden . The whole thing’s a mess and I’ve got an endless headache .
Luo Meng says his goodbyes and goes . That man’s performance today gives me a whole new level of respect for him, following whatever commands without batting an eye, and yet being cautious and clever . His devotion to Shao Qing has been, for years, at the point where he’d set his army’s arrows upon his own father for target practice if he commanded it . I suppose if the time comes that Shao Qing wants to seize the throne and kill the Emperor, he likely won’t even crease his brows as he does it .
After things calmed down, it’s already near evening . I pull Jinzi’s sleeve, smiling at him as I say, “Jinzi, we haven’t had dinner together in a long time . ”
Against my expectations, Jinzi shook off my hand . “I promised to eat with Jinfeng . Eat by yourself, Sir . ”
I stare at him, stupefied, a burst of bitter anger in my heart: is this actually… actually putting on airs with me?