Chapter 284 – No One Gets Hurt If You Don’t Instigate Trouble (Part 3)
Han Yu really had the worst luck.
Just yesterday, he had finally convinced Cheng Jing to go soak in the springs at Jishan, but they had no clue where Mr. Yuanjing’s group had gone.
Left with no choice, they had to send someone to inquire, which wasted quite a bit of time, and then they just happened to run into the Northern Border Marquis’s heir and his entourage.
To speak purely in terms of bloodline, Han Yu had no real connection to this heir, but if one were to nitpick, there was a little entanglement.
The heir of the Northern Border Marquis was a bastard son, summoned to become the heir, so his status was naturally a bit elevated. He was raised under the watchful eye of his legitimate mother.
Unfortunately, that legitimate mother was Han Yu’s father’s biological sister, making her Han Yu’s own aunt.
He knew his aunt disliked this illegitimate child, but for the sake of the Northern Border Marquis lineage, she had to hold her nose and treat him well.
Considering his aunt’s feelings and being acutely aware of the current situation in Dongqing, Han Yu feared something would happen to this heir, so he stepped forward to say a few words. The heir, spoiled and frivolous by nature, was still capable of putting on a façade and treated Han Yu with great respect.
However, mere respect meant nothing.
While claiming he would absolutely not instigate trouble, he quite honestly wandered into the brothels and entertainment districts.
Cheng Jing, scoffing at such places, chose not to follow.
Han Yu felt a slight unease in his heart but couldn’t stop the heir, so he could only tag along to keep an eye out.
With him watching, he hoped no trouble would brew.
As fate would have it, they stumbled upon a courtesan selling her first night at a high price. This courtesan was indeed breathtaking, instantly captivating the Northern Border Marquis’s heir, who threw down a hefty sum to buy her for a night. Unfortunately, he ran into some incredibly spoiled Northern Border nobles, leading to a clash.
Relying on his sheer numbers, the heir got into a ruckus and ended up killing someone amidst the chaos. Han Yu tried to intervene, only to be accidentally injured.
Whether it was an ‘accidental’ injury was beside the point; the critical issue was that the Northern Border Marquis’s heir died on the courtesan’s premises, and the Northern Border wouldn’t let this slide. They stubbornly claimed it was tied to Han Yu, dragging him into the mess and hoping Dongqing would hand over Han Yu for an explanation.
Jiang Pengji, upon hearing Liu Zhi’s account, suddenly asked, “Father, did anyone shout out Han Yu’s identity last night? Like saying he’s Mr. Yuanjing’s esteemed disciple or something?”
Feng Jin, listening closely from the side, wore a contemplative expression. When Jiang Pengji asked, he suddenly understood.
“So, what Lan Ting means is… the Northern Border is fixated on Han Yu, specifically to target Mr. Yuanjing?”
Jiang Pengji nodded, confidently stating, “The heir to the Northern Border Marquis died in such an undignified manner; the Northern Border must be extremely satisfied. But they didn’t back off; instead, they’re pushing Han Yu into the spotlight, making things difficult for him, which naturally suggests there’s another scheme at play.”
Han Yu wasn’t someone with as sensitive an identity as the heir, so why would the Northern Border target him for no reason?
Jiang Pengji’s guess had its merits, and Liu Zhi seemed to recall something with her prompt.
“Mr. Yuanjing once debated with the tribes of the Northern Border, arguing fiercely to reclaim three cities. The peace envoy sent by the Northern Border was named Wu Liesse, one of the few barbarian who enjoyed reading. But he was stubborn, believing himself knowledgeable after reading a few classics. Back then, it was he who suggested the Northern Border Royal Court negotiate with Dongqing, offering terms like surrendering three cities, bowing in submission, and paying annual tributes. His poor skills and blind arrogance led him to wager three cities against Mr. Yuanjing, and in the end, he not only lost the cities but also died of anger.”
Upon hearing the tricky name Wu Liesse, Jiang Pengji suddenly thought of Wu Libai, the barbarian general they had encountered earlier.
Liu Zhi seemed to catch the confusion in her eyes and suddenly chuckled.
“Wu Liesse is Wu Libai’s uncle. Their clan is known as the ‘Wise Ones’ in the Northern Border, serving the royal court as strategists or advisors. The Northern Border is filled with people who are barbaric and primitive, not to mention they highly value plundering. There are hardly any brains among them… When Dongqing was established, they were dismissed as insignificant. However, in recent generations, the Northern Border royalty has grown bold, realizing the importance of intelligence and thus promoting the ‘Wise Ones.’ They probably still harbor resentment over Wu Liesse’s death.”
Liu Zhi had always looked down on the three tribes of the Northern Border and didn’t believe they could gain a foothold in the Central Plains. A race that only knew how to destroy civilization while failing to preserve, create, or carry it on would never stand on solid ground.
Feng Jin listened intently, his brows knitting together in worry.
“If that’s the case, isn’t Han Yu’s fate intertwined with Mr. Yuanjing’s… ominously so?”
The Northern Border clearly aimed to seize this opportunity to regain face. Even if they didn’t kill Mr. Yuanjing, they wanted Han Yu’s life, or perhaps both, ruining the reputation of their master-disciple relationship.
For scholars, reputation and dignity far outweighed their lives.
Not to mention, for a renowned figure like Mr. Yuanjing, who was celebrated across the land.
In contrast to Feng Jin’s anxiety, Jiang Pengji appeared calm, her eyes revealing a glimmer of amusement at the unfolding drama.
She said, “Huaiyu, do you think Mr. Yuanjing, after being famous for so many years, would be tripped up by such trivial matters?”
Even though she had only met Mr. Yuanjing a few times and he seemed like a normal middle-aged man with vast knowledge and a kind demeanor, Jiang Pengji was remarkably keen in her judgments. Despite his aging appearance, Mr. Yuanjing’s eyes remained youthful and vibrant.
Feng Jin was left speechless.
Jiang Pengji was certain, “I believe that gentleman will resolve this splendidly, and it won’t take more than three days!”
Why three days?
Because the evaluations would commence in three days, and Han Yu was set to participate.
Unless one was as extraordinarily unfortunate as Feng Jin, who injured his hand and couldn’t write, there was no way Mr. Yuanjing would sit idly by while his beloved disciple missed such a crucial event in his life.
If he couldn’t achieve even that, he would fall short of the high praise and recognition from people everywhere, and Jiang Pengji would consider it unnecessary to follow such a teacher in her studies, for it’d be a waste of her potential.
In truth, Mr. Yuanjing didn’t take three days; he only needed half a day. He sent someone to the Northern Border Messenger with a letter that nobody knew the contents of, and Han Yu was returned safe and sound, with the Northern Border no longer demanding any further action.
