I have to admit, the Crown Prince has a really imaginative mind. He can always imagine all sorts of weird but sometimes true situations (like the supposed traps at the warehouse). But all his imaginations are usually broken later on. So, will his imagination this time broke too in later chapters?
Chapter 19 – The Crown Prince"s Guess Translated by HaruOngy (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase!)
Chu Xun had some ideas in his mind.
When he returned, he immediately wanted to discuss with Senior Official Song.
Senior Official Song pinched his nose as he unhappily said, "Little Long, what smell is that on your body?"
Chu Xun brushed his body and his face turned black instantly. He turned around and walked away.
"Little Long, where are you going?"
Chu Xun didn"t reply but he stopped walking. He tilted his head and threw to Senior Official Song a small grieving glance.
From Mei Qian Deng"s mouth, Senior Official Song then knew the general of the matter.
Senior Official Song a.n.a.lysed as Mei Qian Deng listened.
"Anxi Prefecture is rich and prosperous. For a long time, its law and discipline is strictly enforced. The illegal salt market will not be large."
Mei Qian Deng nodded her head.
"And yet, these people make their hideout nearby the Anxi Prefecture. Do you know why?"
Mei Qian Deng lowered her head as she thought carefully. After a few moments, she replied, "Lu Luo River."
Senior Official Song was very satisfied. This child was really intelligent and admirable. "It is exactly because of Lu Luo River. Anxi Prefecture has the largest pier along the Lu Luo River. It"s convenient for transport and hence, no matter where the hidden pa.s.sage in that small inn leads to, those smuggled salt for sure will be sent aboard the Anxi Prefecture"s pier. Then, they will be distributed to faraway places."
Mei Qian Deng understood.
Chu Xun no longer bothered himself with that small inn because he had found a bigger target.
Chu Xun had just finished taking bath so he smelled good as he swayed into the room. When he entered through the door, he first glanced at Mei Qian Deng. He swore, he didn"t paid attention to Mei Qian Deng deliberately. He just coincidentally had his sight landed on Mei Qian Deng. Looking at her appearance of lowering her head as she pondered seriously, his heart skipped a beat. His mind unconsciously replayed the scene of Mei Qian Deng putting his finger into her mouth.
What with this dirty scene?!
Chu Xun flung his head. His hair was still wet. When he flung his head, droplets of water at the ends of his hair flew all around. Senior Official Song roared loudly, "Little Long, why are you acting like a puppy?!"
As the saying went, a dead pig doesn"t fear scalding water[1]. Chu Xun had been poisoned for a very long time by Mei Qian Deng and Senior Official Song these two sharp-tongued masters that defied his threats. His heart became more unperturbed. He silently flung his head more at Senior Official Song. Then, he sat on the other side of Senior Official Song which was opposite Mei Qian Deng.
"This Nan Bai Cheng guy, I will trouble Senior Official to speak of his particulars."
Since the Emperor who was residing deeply in the imperial palace faraway had been aware of this matter, this pointed that this matter had been going on for a long time. It"s quite impossible that the closely linked Anxi Prefecture local authorities are unaware of this matter. From smuggling away the salt until entering the market, there are various parts inseparable from the local authorities" a.s.sist. Senior Provincial Official failed to report this matter to harbour his colleagues or was he actually one of the masterminds? It was also possible that Nan Bai Cheng was innocent. As the Senior Provincial Official, he had reported to the Emperor and was just waiting for the higher ups to send people to investigate.
Now, the Emperor had sent the Crown Prince. However, Chu Xun didn"t believe that Nan Bai Cheng was innocent.
A major salt smuggling case occurred inside the prefecture since the senior official didn"t supervise strictly so he couldn"t escape the censure. The best way would be for him to solve the case and then report the matter to the imperial court. If the Emperor was in good mood, he might even be promoted. As useless the Senior Provincial Official might be, he should had captured some of the smugglers and handed them over to the Ministry of Justice. At least, he could proof that this official did something to his credit. However, the imperial court recently didn"t have the least bit of noise regarding the salt smuggling. If Nan Bai Cheng had only secretly told the Emperor about this matter and waited for the Emperor to handle it, the Emperor would undoubtedly demote or perhaps dismiss him from the office. Or maybe, he was an impressive character who was using a long line to catch a big fish but he didn"t want to beat the gra.s.s and startled the snake. Then, what was the reason for Chu Xun him coming here?
Chu Xun might had understood Imperial Father"s intention.
With how large the salt den was, many officials in the imperial court would certainly be involved. The ringleader behind the scene was absolutely extraordinary and had formidable influence. Who could that be? Imperial Uncle Chen? To thoroughly eradicate the salt smugglers, it definitely needed to deal with him seven cun[2]. It must be one move to kill him or else with his slyness, it would be as easy as turning his hand over for him to get away. Anxi Prefecture just happened to have "Flying Snow in June[3]". Mencius had said before, the time is right, the geographical and social conditions are favourable.
Boo, what am I doing thinking of Mencius?!
The "Flying Snow in June" in Anxi Prefecture was a good cover. Nan Bai Cheng must be related with the salt smugglers. However, they couldn"t use this reason to catch him or else Nan Bai Cheng would only become the scapegoat of the ringleader behind the scene. Plus, there was no relevant evidence in his hand.
Chu Xun had to look into Nan Bai Cheng and check the unjust cases in Anxi Prefecture. First, he would use another reason to capture him and then secretly interrogate him.
Senior Official Song had been told earlier by the Emperor. He currently understood the intention so he smiled and answered, "Nan Bai Cheng this person in laofu"s impression is a talented person who was quite aloof from the politics and material pursuit. His behaviour is low-keyed. He doesn"t have any family background. Now, he is around thirty years old. He holds the Senior Provincial Official post and can be considered as a skilled person. As for about particulars that must be mentioned, laofu had only heard before that on the year Bai Nan Cheng came to the capital to take the imperial examination, he seemed to have a relations.h.i.+p with Princess Chang."
Chu Xun listened attentively. The Emperor had six princesses. Among them, four were born from the Empress. Princess Chang and Chu Xun were deer siblings of same mother. It just that Princess Chang was older than Chu Xun by ten years. With such huge generation gap, a few years after Chu Xun was born, Princess Chang got married and moved out of the imperial palace. Plus, Princess Chang was a very reserved type. In one year, she wouldn"t appear more than a few times so Chu Xun had not much understanding of her.
Based on the current outcome, Princess Chang didn"t marry Bai Nan Cheng. Hence this relations.h.i.+p ended in failure. "It can"t be that this Nan Bai Cheng rejected Princess Chang that year. The Emperor got angry and only then gave Nan Bai Cheng only tanhua rank?"
"This, laofu really doesn"t know and also doesn"t dare to speak rashly."
Chu Xun was silent. It looked like they had to reach Anxi as soon as possible. Else, the "Flying Snow in June" effect was going to pa.s.s soon.
"Boor, what are you staring at me for?!"
Mei Qian Deng blinked her eyes. "Looking at how nice looking you are."
How could it not be when a beauty came out from bath? Chu Xun originally had fair and clear skin. After going through the hot water wash, it slightly reddened. This kind of rosy red in the white was just like the peach petals at the tip of a branch bursting into bloom in spring day, a posture br.i.m.m.i.n.g with lease of life and beauty. With such prettiest youth, female hero Deng was purely admiring and praising. However, Chu Xun just had to be a tsundere person especially when towards Mei Qian Deng.
Chu Xun"s fair and tender peach blossoms face instantly blushed into a scarlet sage[4]. Bang! With a slap on the table, he stood up as if he was stained by something. "Isn"t it obvious?! You"re not allowed to see!" After saying so, he ran back to his room with heavy steps.
When Mei Qian Deng accompanied Senior Official Song and engaged in a conversation until they talked about Chu Xun, the Crown Prince still bore grudges. It was not known what he was angry about and bearing grudge about as he pointed at Mei Qian Deng"s nose and ordered, "Tonight, you"re not allowed to sleep on the bed!"
Mei Qian Deng silently heaved a sigh. The Crown Prince"s thoughts were really hard to guess. In the past when she ridiculed him, he got angry. Now when she praised him, why was he still angry?
As for how to prosecute and punish Nan Bai Cheng according to the law, Chu Xun firmly believed that he who is unrighteous is doomed to destruction. Since this person dared to get involved with the salt smuggling, nine out of nine he would also have other filthy matters. He only needed to dig them out. Plus, Crown Prince had a selfish motive. This secret travel was planned by Imperial Father. He had already walked up to here. If he didn"t complete it in the end, he didn"t believe that Imperial Father would just coldly watch from the side.
Because of this kind of minimum guaranteed self-confidence, Chu Xun bravely entered the capital of Anxi Prefecture, Bai Long City[5]. Bai Long City was just next to the Lu Luo River. It was exactly the place for the smuggled salt distributed and delegated. In Chu Xun"s imagination, Anxi Prefecture was rich and prosperous but it was not directly under the Emperor"s eyes. It ought to be a luxurious and dissipating[6] place, one that didn"t believe in tears. This kind of place might not have people starving nor dying due to cold but it would not be a happy and peaceful place.
However, when Chu Xun pushed aside the curtain on the horse carriage to look at the outside, he found out that Bai Long City was enveloped with dense warmth. It was as if there was no influence from the snow disaster. Merely when going through the city gate, a small mountain of manure and rice straws was piled at the entrance. There were featured stalls to register disaster victims in an orderly way. A person like a private adviser was laughing loudly as he kept watch there. He even could call out all the names of the disaster victims who came registered.
Bai Long City was surrounded at all sides with thousands mu[7] of fertile farmland. The current season"s crops were oilseed rapes. These plants had already grew up to a man"s calf and they were going to bloom soon. In the fields, there were some farmers busily working. There were also several beadles in charge of agriculture dispersed at every place. They inspected the crops while telling the farmers how to do.
Chu Xun let Mei Qian Deng stopped outside a common teahouse. The three of them entered it and sat down. Coincidentally, the people on their neighbouring table were gossiping.
"This afternoon, Lord Nan invited a theatrical troupe to play at the Lu Garden[8]. Are you all going or not?"
"My wife and her several mah-jong players are going to play. I need to watch the shop."
"What are they playing today for?"
"Who knows? In any case, all the theatrical troupes invited by Lord Nan play very well."
"True, Lord Nan is really amazing. He has the way to call those wealthy lords to willingly spend money for us commoners to watch show."
Chu Xun"s face was like usual while inside his heart he was shocked. No matter Anxi Prefecture or Nan Bai Cheng, all of them were far from his imagination. The commoners in Anxi Prefecture lived and worked in peace and contentment. Nan Bai Cheng the Senior Provincial Officer governed it completely in good order and he appeared to even love the commoners as his own children. Did this place really have the unjust case "Flying Snow in June"?
It couldn"t be he had guessed wrongly from the start?
Chu Xun"s heart was uncertain and he got absent-minded. When he returned to his senses, he noticed those customers had already changed topic.
"Do you all remember recently the local officials had put up a wanted notice at the notice board at the city entrance?"
"Is it the wanted criminal who disguised himself as the Crown Prince to cheat both money and s.e.x?"
"It"s exactly that one."
"What, has that audacious and impudent man been caught?"
"Not yet, but the portrait on this wanted notice is actually personally painted by the Crown Prince."
"Eh? How do you know?"
"I heard someone said that the teacher who taught the Crown Prince painting was travelling outside when he saw it and recognised it was the Crown Prince"s painting. The Crown Prince was personally taught by him. Of course he can"t get it wrong."
"Now that you mention, when I think back, that portrait on the wanted notice is much meticulous and vivid compared to the previous ones. No wonder he"s the Crown Prince, he even specially stand up and help the deceived girl."
"He must be a kind-hearted sovereign in the future. With this good Crown Prince and Lord Nan, it can be counted as country"s fortune."
Earlier, when Chu Xun heard this topic was related to himself, he listened tentatively. He didn"t even blink his eyes. That painting teacher of his was indeed travelling outside. He really didn"t think that it would be seen by him and even revealed it. The matter of the Crown Prince painted the wanted criminal who disguised himself as the Crown Prince, actually it had already spread inside the country and it was favourable for the Crown Prince.
However, why when they talked at the end, they put him and that Nan Bai Cheng together? This sort of bad mood, it was ten million times much abominate that when Imperial Father told him that he wanted to let a jianghu wild gra.s.s be his study partner. Chu Xun poured a mouthful of tea and slammed that teacup onto the table. Bang! The sudden sound caused many of the customers to pay attention at their table.
Senior Official Song said, "Little Long is being naughty. Are you planning to suffer on the bed tonight?"
Chu Xun face blackened like the bottom of the pot. "……" What the h.e.l.l?!!!
[1] An idiom which means be impervious
[2] A traditional length unit, 1 cun equals to 0.1 chi and equivalent to 3.333 cm or 1.312 in
[3] Actually, it should be the sixth month of lunar calendar but that would be too long so I just used June instead since both mean the sixth month only of different calendars
[4]
This plant. Lol, such a red face
[5] Literally, White Dragon City
[6] Figuratively, indulging in a life of luxury
[7] 1 mu equals to 60 square zhang or 0.165 acres
[8] Literally, Green Garden
Translated by HaruOngy (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase!)