Chapter 260 – Who is Cheng Cheng? (Part 4)
Xu Ke was completely bewildered, but Jiang Pengji appeared much calmer.
“What fighting traces?” She stepped forward and tossed a few water bags she was carrying to Xu Ke, saying, “Have the guards collect some firewood, boil some water, and let it cool down before refilling the water bags. The stream water outside is definitely not clean; boil it before drinking…”
He hurriedly took the bags, noticing that there were two unfamiliar faces in Jiang Pengji’s group.
Xu Ke said, “The guard searching for firewood reported that several unattended carriages were found further down the road. There were quite a few bodies lying around, and upon inspection, it was revealed that there had been a fierce battle not long ago. The master is worried it could be the work of mountain bandits…”
Having checked the area himself, Xu Ke found the likelihood of bandit activity to be low; it seemed more like a premeditated ambush.
So, he couldn’t help but worry about the Young Master who had gone to fetch water, feeling anxious.
Just as he was about to head out to search, Jiang Pengji returned, covered in blood.
If it weren’t for the bright daylight, Xu Ke would have almost thought she was the ghost of the Young Master who had met his end, and his heart nearly stopped.
Scared the heck out of me!
Jiang Pengji immediately understood and said, “Those should be Mr. Cheng’s caravan; they ran into trouble with bandits on the road. I happened to pass by and helped them out, driving those ruffians away. Xiaoyu, have someone prepare some food…”
She spoke so casually, as if she had forgotten about being surrounded by four or five dozen vicious bandits earlier.
Naturally, Xu Ke was misled too, thinking those were just common mountain ruffians, without a second thought.
The Young Master looked rosy, his eyes still bright, and his spirit was vigorous—a clear sign that she was just fine.
Hmm, it’s likely those attacking bandits were the ones who got into trouble.
Having concluded this, Xu Ke didn’t panic at all.
“Sure, I’ll take care of it.”
Xu Ke had fully adapted to the “housekeeper” mode; whatever Jiang Pengji said went.
“By the way, have Ta Xue bring me a clean set of clothes. I need to find a place to freshen up… This blood is sticking to me and it’s quite uncomfortable.”
The viewers in the live stream instantly became excited—outdoor bathing play!
According to the usual trope, there would definitely be a clueless fellow who accidentally stumbles by, sees something he shouldn’t, and then unwittingly meets the streamer…
Just imagining it feels sweet.
Heh, sweet my foot! If Jiang Pengji were that oblivious, she’d have died countless times by now.
Ta Xue rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing Jiang Pengji in somewhat disarray but otherwise fine, she gradually relaxed her racing heart.
“Young Master, please hold on; I’ll prepare some clothes right away.”
After saying that, Ta Xue went to the carriage’s clothing box to find a set of clean clothes, a washcloth, and some soap.
“Governor Liu is also here?”
Once Jiang Pengji finished her business, Cheng Cheng finally spoke up.
“Yeah, they say my father is this year’s main evaluator and needs to head to the capital to preside over the overall situation.”
Cheng Cheng: “…”
“Is there something wrong?”
Cheng Cheng appeared somewhat speechless.
He remained silent, his expression increasingly conflicted, finally letting out a bitter laugh, “People often say Liu Zhongqing is wild and unruly, and I used to think that was just slander against the governor. But seeing it firsthand, that evaluation is far from unjust…”
The evaluation was imminent, yet the main evaluator had only just set out.
Liu Zhi: “…”
He had just come over only to hear someone speak ill of his daughter, tarnishing his grand image as a father—who has he offended?
Being an old hand in the officialdom, he smiled slightly at Cheng Cheng’s words, not taking them to heart.
“Lan Ting, these two are…”
As Liu Zhi walked over and spotted the one talking bad about him, just one glance cleared away any discomfort in his heart.
Though the Cheng couple looked disheveled, they still carried themselves with dignity, and anyone who saw them couldn’t help but admire them sincerely.
“Father…” Jiang Pengji carefully recounted what she had encountered, adding, “Meeting by chance is a kind of fate, so I invited Mr. Cheng and Mrs. Cheng to join us to the next relay station. After all, the motives and origins of the assailants are still unclear. If we leave the two of you in the wilderness, your lives may still be at risk. What do you think, Father…”
As Jiang Pengji spoke, she noticed Liu Zhi’s eyes glazing over slightly and couldn’t help but frown internally.
It seemed like this couple really had some background; otherwise, why would Liu Zhi show such an expression?
In fact, the Cheng couple did have a background, but it wasn’t prominent at the moment.
Having seen some storms in his time, Liu Zhi had met Feng Jin, Xu Ke, and Qi Guanrang; why would he be missing out on Cheng Cheng!
“Ah, so it’s Cheng Wenfu, a pleasure to meet you,” Liu Zhi indeed recognized Cheng Cheng, immediately calling out his name.
Cheng Cheng’s expression became serious, and they exchanged pleasantries, both secretly sizing each other up.
They hadn’t met before, but through a few mutual friends, they had gathered some knowledge about one another. Now seeing each other in person, they couldn’t wait to check if they were really as excellent as others touted.
That was Cheng Cheng’s mindset, and Liu Zhi had another consideration.
Because of his daughter and wife, Liu Zhi knew some unknown “secrets,” one of which was about “Cheng Cheng.”
Right now, Cheng Cheng was just an unknown little county official, leading a leisurely life with his wife.
Not to mention the outside world—even within the Cheng clan, Cheng Cheng had little presence. He was low-key and modest, thus not well-known; only a few close friends knew his true worth, while outsiders thought he was just a listless character without any ambition.
These were the aspects Liu Zhi had picked up, and another part he had learned from his wife.
Cheng Cheng was the first historian to preside over the compilation of the Sixteen Kingdoms, the Great Xia Dynasty, and the first sixty years of the Jiang Dynasty.
He spent thirty-five years restoring countless ancient texts and written works, creating a new chapter in historiography, and was officially appointed as the chief historian, posthumously honored.
More importantly… from Amin’s somewhat resentful descriptions, this capable man helped set up a relatively perfect examination system under the support of the founding emperor of the Jiang Dynasty, the Cheng Emperor—who was also backed by Jiang Pengji—establishing several essential subjects for students.
Liu Zhi had no idea why his wife held such resentment, but considering his own youthful aversion to study, he could somewhat understand.
He especially despised those teachers who forced their heads down to memorize things!
But despite this resentment, Gu Min held the historian in high regard.
Although the founding emperor of the Jiang Dynasty was the founder of the nation, her legacy was marred due to her gender and the ruthless means employed in the struggle for power.
Many somewhat renowned literati lambasted her, yet Cheng Cheng upheld the historian’s integrity, stating that black was black and white was white, providing a detailed and objective account of the Cheng Emperor and never shying away from his praises. He even wrote counterattacks against false accusations.
Forget anything else; just for Cheng Cheng’s persistence, Liu Zhi and Gu Min’s fondness for him skyrocketed.
