Monday 8 May 2023

WLAEF 16




Chapter 16

How was this matter linked with Gu Yan Zhou? This was about top thesis author case in four years time in the dream.

That year was the year of the Grand Competition. All the students went to the capital. Once they pass the exam, it was really ‘the spring breeze was proud of the horseshoe disease, and one can see all the flowers in Chang'an in one day".

And that year's exam had shocked Manchu even more.

According to the usual practice, after each examination, the papers from the top thesis author, second and third would be pasted beside the Jinshui Bridge for people all over the world to see. One was to show the fairness of imperial examinations and only talented people were admitted. The other was to encourage people all over the world to study hard.

But that year's top thesis author's paper, someone unexpectedly discovered that there was something different in it. On the surface, it seemed to be a beautiful article of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. However, there was a hidden article in it.

The target of the critique was directed at Shen Feng Ming, the Commander of the Qilin Guards. He enumerated ten serious crimes, including his monopolizing power, killing innocent people indiscriminately, and so on.

Let’s not speak of anything else and just killing innocent people indiscriminately.

It turned out that on winter start’s night four years ago, the top thesis author’s family and the entire village were killed. The government said that it was bandits who killed them, but the top thesis author insisted that it was Shen Feng Ming who killed them.

The whole village of over 200 people, men, women, old and young, were killed by Shen Feng Ming for no reason!

For a while, the government and the public were shaken. Some people said that top thesis author should be executed.

Some people tried their best to protect him and demanded a thorough investigation of Shen Feng Ming, saying that it wasn't without reason.

In one day, Emperor Qing Long issued three imperial edicts.

This incident caused a big disturbance, but many people didn't know it. It was completely suppressed by the court.

Though Emperor Qing Long didn’t punish Shen Feng Ming, a group of people against him appeared in the court. The undercurrent was raging.

Gu Yan Zhou disappeared without a trace, just like how he suddenly appeared.

Jiang Yun Zhu was already Lin Ting An's personal maid at that time. Lin Ting An attached great importance to this matter, so she knew something about it.

The top thesis author was called Gu Yan Zhou, from Lu Prefecture!

Jiang Yun Zhu wasn't sure that this Gu Yan Zhou was that Gu Yan Zhou because at that time she only listened to a few words intermittently.

But now Shen Feng Ming was here...

Think how Xu Qing Shan's relative visit was successful, but ended up going to Qinghe Village, it was mostly likely true!

Xu Qing Shan and Father Xu went to visit relatives in Changshi Village. When Shen Feng Ming came, the whole village of Changshi Village was killed. Xu Qing Shan and Gu Yan Zhou escaped, but they got separated. It was unknown where Gu Yan Zhou stayed to collect Shen Feng Ming's criminal evidence. Four years later, he participated in the examination and caused such a shocking event. Xu Qing Shan went to Qinghe Village, where he later met Jiang Family.

It seemed absurd, but there were traces to follow.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt it was like way. Jiang Yun Zhu's back felt chills. Sure enough, it would be no good when the killing god come knocking. Everyone in the village was killed?

She wasn't sure if Shen Feng Ming did this, but the crisis in front of her was real.

What to do? If she didn't explain the reason, Jiang Cheng and the others would definitely not go with her. But even if the reason was explained and escaped out of the blue, with Shen Feng Ming's vigilance, he would definitely suspect the. Then, there was no way to explain clearly at that time.

And just like the matter of transmigration. The things in the dream were also her secrets. She didn't want to tell anyone.

Besides, there was Father Xu, the village chief, old Mrs. Feng and the whole village!

But if they don't escape, what should she do?

The night of winter start. This year's winter start was November 7th. Today was October 25th. Meaning, there were still 13 days left...

"Yun Zhu, what are you thinking?" Seeing Jiang Yun Zhu standing still, Mrs. Chen asked aloud.

"Nothing much." Jiang Yun Zhu said quickly.

"Give me a hand and make them something to eat." Mrs. Chen said.

"Okay." Jiang Yun Zhu followed into the kitchen.

Some of the boiled bone soup was scooped out. Vegetables and other ingredients were added. Immediately it became two bowls of hot and spicy soup.

The youmotou were a little troublesome. The dough had just been kneaded and needed to be fermented for a while before it can be fried.

"What should I do?" When it comes to cooking, Mrs. Chen was used to asking Jiang Yun Zhu. She felt she always had a way.

There was flour, a piece of beef, and a lot of radishes, spinach, bean curds, etc at home. Jiang Yun Zhu immediately had an idea.

After a while, the food was ready. She and Mrs. Chen took it to a side room next to it. There Jiang Cheng poured two cups of hot water for Shen Feng Ming and the others and brought them a basin of warm water to wash their hands.

Yang Sheng was very curious about how Jiang Cheng and the others got here.

Jiang Cheng told about their experience.

Hearing Jiang Cheng say that he was working as a miner in Wuling Mine, Yang Sheng immediately became interested and pulled him to sit down to chat.

When Jiang Yun Zhu came in, she heard Jiang Cheng talking about the mine.

She quickly interrupted, "The meal is ready. The two merchants must be hungry. Quickly eat while it’s hot!"

Speaking of the two merchants, the corners of her mouth trembled. How did the two of them looked like merchants?

Yang Sheng was so hungry that his chest was sticking to his back. Now he smelled the food and his attention was immediately attracted.

"Father, Mother and I can't lift the soup bucket in the kitchen. Can you help us?" Jiang Yun Zhu said to Jiang Cheng.

"Okay." Jiang Cheng got up immediately.

The three members of Jiang Family came to the kitchen.

"What soup bucket?" Jiang Cheng turned around, but didn't find the soup bucket that needed to be carried.

"Father, I think those two people aren’t simple. You should tell them less about the mine’s matter." Jiang Yun Zhu decided to let Jiang Cheng and Mrs. Chen be on guard against Shen Feng Ming.

"Really?" Not simple. Son of a rich businessman in the capital, of course they weren't simple. It wasn't easy for Jiang Cheng to think of the identity as a wealthy businessman in the capital. Ordinary people, who have never even seen the officials of the county government, how could they think of such a high-ranking official as the Commander of the Qilin Guard.

In fact, if Jiang Yun Zhu hadn't seen Shen Feng Ming in her dream, she wouldn't have dared to think so.

"In my opinion, they don't seem like businessmen," Mrs. Chen said.

Jiang Cheng decided to listen to Mrs. Chen and Jiang Yun Zhu. The three of them tidied up the kitchen and went back to their rooms to sleep.

In the neighboring side room, Yang Sheng was admiring the food on the table.

He and Shen Feng Ming each had a bowl of hot soup and a plate of pancakes in front of them. The aroma of the soup was exactly what he had smelled outside the door earlier.

In the middle were five or six small dishes, including red shredded beef, white shredded radish, emerald green spinach, yellow bean curd, black fungus, and a small dish of red shredded pickles.

The color and presentation of this side dish alone were eye-catching.

Yang Sheng immediately understood that these side dishes should be eaten with pancakes.

He didn’t hold back and took a mouthful of hot soup first. This soup was delicious! He couldn't wait to pick up the pancake, put his favorite dish on it, and put it in his mouth.

The slightly spicy beef, the refreshing radish, and the fragrant bean curd were full of flavor.

His mouth never stop as he gestured to Shen Feng Ming with his hands, telling him to taste it quickly, this thing was really good.

Shen Feng Ming glanced at him. Really? He was the son of the Yang family and had eaten hundreds of imperial banquets in the palace.

Then he rolled a pancake and tasted it. Slightly surprised, he looked the pancake.

"Isn't it delicious?" Yang Sheng swallowed all the pancake in his hand and finally had the chance to talk.

"It isn't bad." Shen Feng Ming replied.

Yang Sheng patted the table, "It is really not easy to get these three words from you."

After he finished speaking, he picked up another pancake, rolled up some dishes and said to Shen Feng Ming, "I feel more and more that this girl is pretty good. Being in this small village is really burying her.

Won't you consider letting her follow you? "

Shen Feng Ming looked at him coldly. What was he saying?

"Then let me ask if she is willing to follow me?" Yang Sheng said.

"She may not be buried in this mountain village." In the blink of an eye, Shen Feng Ming ate up a single pancake.

"What not bury. The capital is so prosperous..."

"Eat!" Shen Feng stated.

Yang Sheng wanted to argue again. He took a look at Shen Feng Ming's expression and continued to eat with a grunt.

After a while, the two of them ate and drank till their fill. Yang Sheng leaned back on the chair contentedly, took a sip of water, and asked Shen Feng Ming, "Are you really going to make things difficult for Sixth Prince?"

A few days ago, Vice Minister Li wrote a booklet and handed in, saying that the Sixth Prince privately manufactured weapons in Zhaoping County.

Making weapons privately was a crime of treason.

Speaking of Sixth Prince, one have to mention the current situation of the Xia Dynasty's crown prince.

Xia Dynasty had a crown prince. But when the crown prince was seven years old, he fell ill for some reason. After treatment and his life was saved, his body became more and more fat. Now he needed help to walk.

The sixth prince was the son of Concubine Wu. He was extraordinary in martial arts and was most liked by the emperor. Many people think that he was the best candidate for the crown prince position.

This was strongly opposed by veteran officials in the court and some nobles. They felt that the crown prince was benevolent and his status was orthodox. So he could not be abolished without reason.

Due to this court was in a quarrel over this matter.

This time, Vice Minister Li's booklet on Sixth Prince’s action was like igniting a gunpowder keg.

Emperor Qing Long ordered Shen Feng Ming to investigate the matter secretly.

After receiving the order, Shen Feng Ming felt that although the place where the weapons were privately manufactured was in Zhaoping County, they might not be able to find anything when they get there. So it was better to start from the source. He decided to divide his troops into two groups, one group went to Zhaoping County, while the other group came to Wuling Mine.

He and Yang Sheng's horse were excellent. They arrived at Wuling Mine first. The rest of the Qilin Guards will probably arrive in two or three days.

"I’m not making it difficult for anyone. I’m only investigating the case." Shen Feng Ming said lightly.

Yang Sheng choked up. The investigation was making it difficult for the sixth prince. Was there any difference between the two?

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