Chapter 117

Chapter 117: And So Forgotten (4000 words, two-in-one)

Wei diligently explained the entire situation to the Emperor of Wu. Well, technically Wei gave a thorough explanation to all the Civil and Military Officials present.

There was, however, a slight bias in his narrative—emphasizing how tyrannical the four major families of Baihe County were, and how much the Common People suffered under their oppression.

Wei also subtly suggested that Xu Ming and Xu Pengda had acted out of sheer necessity.

After all, if they hadn’t, every minor official in Baihe County would have been bribed by those four families, making it impossible to find witnesses or evidence. Solving such a case would be like chasing after an impossible dream.

Once Wei finished speaking, the murmurs in the Imperial Court gradually subsided.

Initially, everyone assumed it was just another conflict between Xu Ming and the four powerful clans of Baihe County, thinking perhaps the hotheaded young man had killed them all in a fit of rage.

But no one expected that Xu Ming and Xu Pengda’s actions were motivated purely by concern for the welfare of the common folk of Baihe County.

“Minister Wang,” the Emperor turned to Wang Can, “Xu Ming acted solely for the benefit of the people. Furthermore, before Xu Ming left, I personally bestowed upon him the Water Dragon Token, granting him authority to act first and report later. How does his conduct not align with the laws of our great Wu Kingdom?”

Wang Can broke into a cold sweat but steeled himself nonetheless. “Even with the authority of acting first and reporting later, there must still be justification.”

“Justification? Hmph.” The Emperor let out a cold chuckle. “The voice of the people in Baihe County is itself sufficient justification! Moreover, County Magistrate Xu and Xu Ming are already gathering evidence, which will soon be delivered to Wudu for review. Tell me, Minister Wang, why do you believe they lack reason?”

“If they fail to produce evidence, they shall face punishment. But if they succeed in collecting proof, what more can you possibly say?”

The Emperor’s tone carried a hint of displeasure.

“Furthermore, I desire more capable officials like these rather than stiff-necked old fossils!”

“I tremble in fear!”

Wang Can hastily bowed low, not daring to raise his head, though his mouth remained stubbornly defiant.

“But Your Majesty, even so, Scholar Xu’s behavior remains unreasonable. If everyone were to emulate Scholar Xu, wouldn’t the commoners live in constant fear? Such actions are detrimental to the dynasty!”

“Moreover, among the four families of Baihe County, there are Cultivators. Even if the clan leaders are at fault, what crime have the Cultivators within their families committed? If Scholar Xu can uncover evidence of these Cultivators oppressing the people, then fine.

“But if he cannot, how do we explain ourselves to the four Sects involved? How do we account to the thousands of large and small Sects across the Wu Kingdom?”

“Minister Wang speaks erroneously.”

At this moment, a voice rang out.

Everyone turned toward its source, only to see Yu Ping’an hobbling forward, standing in the center of the grand hall. “Your Majesty granted Scholar Xu the Water Dragon Token, bestowing upon him the right to act first and report later.

So tell me, does everyone in this world possess a Water Dragon Token bestowed by Your Majesty?

“Besides, Minister Wang demands evidence. Yet we don’t need to wait for Scholar Xu’s report; I, your humble servant, can already provide proof.”

Yu Ping’an deeply bowed to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, this leg of mine—it was broken when I, as a mere Scholar, offended Li Hui, the son of the Li family in Baihe County.”

Upon hearing this, shock rippled through the entire court!

“What did the Li family of Baihe County think they were doing?”

“How dare they break the leg of a Scholar? What gives them the audacity?”

“Did Li Hui truly believe, as a direct disciple of a Sect, that he could act without restraint?”

“Your Majesty! This matter cannot simply be resolved with Li Hui’s death! We must demand an explanation from the Sect backing Li Hui!”

In an instant, both civil and military officials alike erupted in anger throughout the court.

A Scholar already held an esteemed title, yet someone had dared to break his leg?

Unthinkable!

How could they treat the imperial examinations and titles with such disdain?

It was as if slapping themselves repeatedly in the face.

The military officers, who had long harbored resentment towards the mountain Sects, seized this opportunity to exert pressure.

Meanwhile, Wang Can stood on the other side, utterly stunned. He never imagined that this Third Place Scholar’s injury was due to the Li family’s son from Baihe County.

The Emperor too was taken aback, his expression stern. “Minister Yu, recount the entire incident from beginning to end.”

Three days after the morning court session in Wudu, in a humble farmhouse in Baihe County.

Xu Ming was playing chess with Fang Ling.

Two cats lounged lazily on the courtyard wall, yawning intermittently.

Fang Ling’s grandchildren, Fang Wan and Fang Qianqian, were chasing chickens around in the coop.

“How’s everything going?” Fang Ling asked lightly, placing a black stone on the board.

“Not bad,” Xu Ming glanced at the situation, placing a white stone. “We’ve gathered substantial evidence against the four major families of Baihe County. After organizing it, we’ve already sent the report back to Wudu.”

“Hmm.” Fang Ling nodded. “What do you think His Majesty will decide?”

Xu Ming chuckled. “His Majesty might issue an order reprimanding me. After all, I wiped out the four families of Baihe County without concrete evidence. However, it shouldn’t be too serious; it won’t come to the point where my life is at stake.”

“Young man,” Fang Ling shook his head, “I’ve received news. A few days ago, word of your deeds in Baihe County reached the ears of those in the court, sparking heated discussions.”

“Huh?” Xu Ming raised his head, furrowing his brow. “How could it have spread so quickly?”

“Well, obviously, there must be spies in Baihe County.”

Fang Ling rolled his eyes at Xu Ming’s naivety.

“During that court session, Censor Wang Can impeached you, accusing you of unjust killings and disregarding the laws of the Wu Kingdom. However, the eunuch Wei had already received the news and defended you. Then, Yu Ping’an stepped forward, recounting how his leg was broken by the eldest son of the Li family.”

Xu Ming: “…”

Fang Ling placed another stone.

“There are people watching you. When you do something—especially something questionable—news reaches Wudu at lightning speed, and they’ll try their best to bring you down.

“And this person isn’t weak. They wield considerable influence in the court and aren’t afraid to invest resources. For instance, regarding the Baihe County incident, they directly ordered Wang Can to impeach you, which shows their power.

“His Majesty isn’t foolish.

“Why did Wang Can receive your news so quickly? It’s obvious—even a blind person could figure it out. Someone told Wang Can to take action. As a result, regardless of whether Wang Can retires or gets transferred elsewhere, His Majesty is already investigating who’s behind Wang Can.

“However, even if discovered, it probably won’t yield any results since there’s no evidence. Most likely, it’s one of the current Princes of the Wu Kingdom.

“You mentioned earlier that someone wanted to kill you, right?

“Most likely, it’s one of those Princes.”

Xu Ming smiled and shook his head. “Because I’m the future Prince Consort?”

“Yes, precisely because you’re the future Prince Consort.”

Fang Ling nodded.

“They didn’t intend to completely ruin you through this incident but aimed to drag you into public discourse.

“However, unexpectedly, Yu Ping’an spoke up.

“Breaking a Scholar’s leg is akin to slapping the faces of all officials who rose through the imperial exams.

“The military officials would undoubtedly be enraged, as they’ve long been dissatisfied with the Cultivators.

“But this time, you’ve killed far too many people. His Majesty will definitely give you a verbal scolding.

“As for the Sect behind Li Hui, it will most likely be flattened.

“But can you find evidence of the misdeeds of the eldest sons of the Sun, Xiao, and Zhang families?

“It will be difficult.

“They’ve already covered their tracks using various methods.

“If you can’t find evidence but still killed them, you’ll need to provide an explanation.

“According to the rules of the Wu Kingdom court and the Cultivation Sects, they can seek revenge at any time, with the only restriction being that those hunting you cannot exceed your cultivation level by more than one rank.

“I advise you to return to Wudu. Otherwise, if you continue traveling outside, you’ll face repeated assassination attempts.”

Xu Ming shook his head. “Thank you for your concern, Master Fang. But if I retreat now, won’t I be laughed at by the world? Wouldn’t I be like a cowardly turtle? Besides, as long as they don’t surpass me by more than one rank, I’m quite confident.”

“Young man, don’t think you’re invincible. There are far more geniuses in this world than you imagine.” Fang Ling looked seriously at Xu Ming.

Xu Ming merely smiled faintly and said nothing more.

“Well, well, I’ve given my advice. You do what you think is best.” Old Master Fang shook his head and stopped talking. “When do you plan to leave Baihe County?”

“There’s nothing left for me here. I’ll leave tomorrow.” Xu Ming replied.

“Do you have plans for your next destination?” Fang Ling asked.

Xu Ming nodded. “I have an appointment to keep. Although she might have already forgotten about me, I can’t break my promise.”

“The White Deer Academy?” Fang Ling grinned mischievously.

Xu Ming looked puzzled. “Why the White Deer Academy?”

“It’s not the White Deer Academy, then it must be the Heavenly Profound Gate.”

Fang Ling stroked his beard, stood up, and patted Xu Ming on the shoulder.

“Well, even if Miss Qin doesn’t recognize you anymore, and perhaps has already forgotten you, despite the fact that you two belong to different worlds, it’s still worth visiting to resolve some personal closure. Afterward, you can properly marry our Princess.”

Xu Ming chuckled helplessly. “I didn’t refuse the marriage proposal because of Qingwan.”

“Alright, alright.” Fang Ling walked away with his hands behind his back. “I’ll rest for a bit. I won’t see you off tomorrow. Drop by when you have time.”

Xu Ming stood up and deeply bowed to Old Master Fang. “Take care, Master.”

Fang Ling paused, nodded silently while facing Xu Ming, and his voice echoed from behind. “Return safely.”

“Yes.”

Leaving Old Master Fang’s humble countryside residence, Xu Ming returned to the County Government Office to pack his belongings.

His luggage wasn’t much—just a single bag. Upon hearing that Xu Ming was leaving the next day, the Big White Goose was unusually delighted.

“Magistrate, the County Chief requests your presence.”

That evening, a servant came to Xu Ming’s courtyard to deliver the message.

“I understand.”

Xu Ming nodded, tied up his bag, and walked with the White Goose toward Xu Pengda’s courtyard.

As soon as he entered, Xu Ming caught the aroma of food.

Xu Pengda emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of squirrel mandarin fish, smiling warmly. “Younger Brother, come eat.”

“Sure.”

Xu Ming took his seat, and Xu Pengda hurriedly removed his apron to pour a cup of wine for his younger brother.

“Did Brother Three make all this himself?” Xu Ming asked with a smile.

“Hehehe…” Xu Pengda nodded. “The taste isn’t great, Younger Brother, please forgive me.”

Xu Pengda raised his wine glass. “Brother Three sees you off.”

“Thank you, Brother Three.” Xu Ming clinked his glass with Xu Pengda’s and drank it all in one gulp.

“Won’t you wait for the imperial decree, Younger Brother?” Xu Pengda asked.

“No need.” Xu Ming shook his head. “The decree will only criticize me. Since that’s the case, I’d rather leave beforehand.”

Xu Pengda frowned. “Younger Brother, don’t worry! In the court, Brother Three will support you! They’ll have to deal with me first if they want to touch you!”

“There’s no need for that.” Xu Ming smiled. “Rather, Brother Three, once you enter the political arena, tread carefully, especially when you reach Wudu and serve close to the Emperor. Being near the emperor is like being near a tiger; the emperor’s heart is hard to fathom.”

Xu Pengda nodded solemnly. “I’ll remember that.”

“Also, don’t get too close to Mr. Xiao. His outcome may not be good.”

Xu Pengda opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, silently nodding.

“Well, let’s not talk about that. Let’s drink and eat.” Xu Ming changed the subject. “Who knows when I’ll get to eat Brother Three’s cooking again.”

Xu Pengda also chuckled. “Younger Brother must be heading to the Heavenly Profound Gate, right?”

Xu Ming nodded. “Even Brother Three guessed it.”

“But Younger Brother, what if Qingwan doesn’t recognize you anymore? Won’t this trip be in vain?”

Xu Pengda looked worriedly at his younger brother.

Over the years, Xu Pengda had learned much about Cultivators. Many of them, once they entered the path of cultivation, often forgot their worldly attachments.

Let alone that Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan had parted ways when they were six or eight years old? So many years had passed; how could they possibly remember each other?

Xu Ming smiled. “Brother Three is overthinking it. I’m merely fulfilling my promise. If Qingwan forgets me, then let her forget.”