Translator: MangoCat Editor: DarkGem
When a team of soldiers suddenly barged into the county office and stamped down the doors, all of Yangcheng descended into chaos.
Everyone thought it was the murderous Jurchen or the war spilling over, and were prepared to flee the city with their families.
Fortunately, a large group of bureaucrats came from the Ze prefecture and Taiyuan offices. The commoners did not recognize these officials, but saw that they were wearing bureaucrat uniforms. With them were soldiers shouting that they were arresting a Jurchen spy. They weren't breaking doors, burning, killing, or looting, so everyone soon settled down.
It wasn't the Jurchen or spillover from the war. It was just some spies; nothing that scary.
This way, the streets of Yangcheng County were full of soldiers, but the atmosphere of panic was quickly dispersed. There were even people who dared to inquire about the details.
"I really did not expect for Li Xianling to turn out to be the spy of the Jurchen."
"There are spies in the county, and our Yangcheng is no different."
Although there were not many people on the streets, the gathered folk were all talking about the same thing. Unfortunately, it happened too suddenly. The county's security guards were very strict. Not to mention the officials, even the soldiers were strictly guarded. No news could spread outside.
Through the city gates came a team of pedestrians.
They were covered in dust, obviously from rushed travel.
At this time, the city gates were guarded strictly, yet here was someone who could still come in?
From their appearance, they did not seem to be officials or soldiers.
The crowd looked curiously at the group of seven or eight men clustered around a fourteen-year-old boy.
Without even seeing this youth's appearance, the crowd instantly had a thought.
This must be a wealthy person.
The fuchsia-colored, exquisitely embroidered robe, the flawlessly white jade plate dangling from his waist, the jade binding for his hair, the jasper hair pin sparkling in the sunlight, and even colorful cloud shoes poking out everytime he took a step. All of this was obviously saying, 'I have money.'
Everyone swooned for a moment, before they caught sight of this youth's face.
In the hot June sun, the boy did not shine as dazzlingly as his clothes, but instead gave off a gentle illumination, like warm jade.
Even the sunlight could not compare to this gentleness. It lost its splendor next to his face.
Everyone could not look away.
Who was this young boy?
At such a time, he could still casually stroll through a peaceful courtyard.
The crowd couldn't take their eyes off him.
The young man's gaze was focused on the street ahead of him.
"So the streets during the day are this peaceful," he said, looking at the guard next to him. "Is the night market more lively?"
The guard's face was a little stiff, and everyone on both sides froze.
Could it be that this young man was not a native? Did he hear about the flourishing Yangcheng City and felt disappointed?
"Not so, Young Master," said one person. "In fact, it's very lively at other times."
"Yes, yes, young noble son, don't you know?" said a passer-by on the side. "Something happened at the county office. Seizure of Jurchen spy, so there's martial law right now."
The youth said, "Oh," and smiled at the passer-by apologetically.
"I haven't come out for a long time, so I forgot," he said.
He said he hadn't come out for a long time?
This had a different meaning than saying that he hadn't been here before.
"Young Master, do we go to the county office now?" said the guard after coughing.
The young man nodded.
"I'm not in a hurry to see it today. I'll come sightsee the streets some other day," he said.
This team of people were headed to the county office, as expected.
So they actually were going to the county government. At this time, the office was under martial law. All the people passing by couldn't help but follow them. As they progressed, more people joined until they were all outside the county office.
The doors had been repaired, but the broken bits were still scattered around. The serious guards were steadfastly guarding the entrance, preventing anyone from getting too close. They crowd saw someone step forward and get immediately questioned.
The passers-by did not get too close, just watched one of the guards of the youth say something to the soldiers. The soldiers then let them pass through. The young man strode in, and the doors shut behind him.
He really went in.
Who was he?
The people on the streets were murmuring to each other. Some said he was an official, others said military, since some officials who said they were officials were said to have been soldiers. Some bold person even guessed that he was one of the emperor's relatives from Taiyuan. In any case, they all thought he was an outsider.
While they were all gossiping, the soldier who had went in came back out. When he heard what they were saying, he frowned.
"What nonsense are you speaking?" he said, looking at the people puzzled. "This is one of your Yangcheng people."
Yangcheng people?
It was impossible to say that they knew everyone in Yangcheng, but it was impossible for them to have missed such a dazzling persona.
"It was the young master of De Sheng Chang's Fang Family," said the soldier.
The people were all shocked.
"Fang Family's young master?" someone responded. "When did the Fang Family get another young master?"
"Not another one," answered the soldier. "Didn't' the Fang Family have a young master?"
The people were silent.
"That's right, I remember now. I said I thought he looked somehow familiar. I saw him at the lantern festival," someone shouted out suddenly.
"Yeah, but the young master of the Fang family is sick and dying," another person answered stupidly.
The soldier shrugged.
"If your sick, you can't be cured?" he said, and he walked away impatiently. "There's nothing to be surprised about."
Sickness could be cured.
However, other diseases that could be cured were trivial.
Young Master Fang had been ill for ten years, and so many people said that the disease could not be cured.
There's nothing to be surprised about?
The soldier only took two steps before he heard a crash behind him. Instinctively, he grasped his sword and turned around.
What were they doing?
Were they going to attack the county office?
Instead, the crowd exploded into movement. Some ran to the county office; others ran amuck in other directions.
"Come and see, the Fang Family's crippled young master can walk!"
"Come and see, the Fang Family's crippled young master is alive."
................
The noise from outside could be heard within the government office, and all the officials standing outside the prison were surprised by the news. Fortunately, their subordinates came in immediately to report, and the young man himself walked into everyone's line of sight.
"Greetings gentlemen; you've been through a lot of trouble," he greeted the bureaucrats and bowed.
Although the officials wouldn't get so bent out of shape like the masses outside, they were also astonished as they sized up this young man in front of them.
They knew, more or less, the gossip about the De Sheng Chang.
The successive deaths of the male heirs, the curse of the descendants, and the sole remaining heir who was crippled for ten years and would not live past this year.
This young man did not look like he wouldn't live past this year.
"Commoner will go in to see Grandmother," Fang Chengyu said and once again bowed to all the officials before going into the prison.
Considerate manners, neither servile nor overbearing, nothing like a person who had spent ten years as a waste.
Surprise lit up in the eyes of the officials again, but they also frowned.
"Why is Lord Magistrate doing this?" one official said. "Such a big case, yet he's letting the Fang Family interrogate as they wish."
"Yes, however you see it, Li Changhong is also a government official. Even if he commits a huge crime, he shouldn't be interrogated by a merchant family, even if they are the victims," someone added and nodded.
"I heard that this was a sea of blood feud spanning decades. They probably want to know everything," reasoned someone else.
"Lord Magistrate is really compassionate," someone said meaningfully.
However, the magistrate of Taiyuan was not such a person.
The people present were silent.
They didn't know how much money Fang Family's De Sheng Chang supplied.
Even the Taiyuan magistrate's soldiers were mobilized.
No, not just Shanxi, even the troops of Henan were brought here.
Was this something that could be done with just money? But if not money, then what?
They knew very well the background of the Fang Family. Let alone their ancestors, they didn't even have anyone in the current family who could be considered an official.
This matter was really incredible and unimaginable.
.................................
The cell was dark and rancid even after all the prisoners who had been detained in it had been taken away. There was no groaning or moaning anymore, but the silence was even more frightening.
A loud slapping noise suddenly echoed through the place.
It could make one's hair stand up on end.
But the man chained in the cell was motionless, as if he was asleep.
The old lady's hand slapped the table, and she stood up from her chair.
"Li Changhong, say it!" she yelled furiously. However, she was very old. Because of the strong emotions running rampant within her, she could not help coughing twice as she trembled.
Fang Yuxiu quickly reached out to support her. Footsteps then came from behind them, and another hand reached out to support the old lady.
"Grandmother, sit down. Leave this to me."
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