Fu Shanhe

Chapter 21 Trouble is coming
"Master Qianhu, there is someone outside holding your business card. It is said that he is from your hometown."

Upon hearing the news, Li Mu, who was discussing the fight between the two parties with his colleagues, frowned slightly.

After arriving in Beijing, he did send quite a few visiting cards to his fellow townsmen.

For a normal meeting, one should directly send a note to the Marquis's residence to arrange a time, rather than taking his name card to Wucheng Bingmasi to look for someone.

"Please invite them to the back hall. I will be there later."

In a society where human relationships are important, some things cannot be avoided even if you know there will be trouble.

I just hope things aren't too troublesome, otherwise his weak arms and legs won't be able to handle it.

……

"Chen Jichuan, when did you enter Beijing?"

After seeing who was coming, Li Mu asked with a little surprise.

Being from a military general's family, one also needs to study. Chen Jichuan was his classmate in private school.

After the mourning period was over, this person visited the mansion.

In a blink of an eye, more than three months passed, and I didn't expect that we would meet again in the capital.

“It’s a long story.

Not long after Brother Li came to Beijing, I received a letter from Master Xiang, inviting me to study in Beijing.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I arrived in Beijing, I received the tragic news that Master Xiang had been arrested and imprisoned.

In order to get information, I visited many fellow villagers, but was turned away every time.

I really have no choice but to come to Brother Li for help!"

Chen Jichuan said slightly embarrassedly.

Although the two studied together at Guanzhong Academy, he was Xiang Shihai's disciple, while Li Mu only attended classes under him for a period of time.

There is a little bit of incense, but not much.

After arriving in Beijing, Li Mu never thought of visiting Xiang Shihai.

It's not that he doesn't understand the ways of the world, it's simply that the relationship between the two of them is not good enough.

I never socialized when I was in the academy. When I handed over my business card, people might not even know who I was.

“Master Xiang is in prison.

when did it happen?
Do you know what you have done?"

Li Mu asked in pretended surprise.

Xiang Shihai came from a prominent family in Guanzhong, and under normal circumstances he should have been closer to the Qin Party.

The Qingliu Party, which is now fighting the Eunuch Party, has members mainly distributed in the southeast coastal areas and the two lakes region.

The northern civil servants, including the Qin Party, were politically closer to the Eunuch Party because of their own interests and were not within the scope of the attack.

There is only one possibility for him to be implicated, that is, this guy did not see the situation clearly and followed the Qingliu Party.

There is a price to pay for taking a political stand. Xiang Shihai's choice to join the Qingliu Party was itself a betrayal to the Qin Party.

The reason why no one took advantage of the situation was that everyone just cared about the old friendship.

It would be wishful thinking to expect everyone to lend him a hand.

"Master Xiang is working at the Censorate. It must be the impeachment a few days ago that brought him trouble."

Chen Jichuan said nervously.

Now he didn't dare to mention castration because the factory guards were arresting people everywhere.

Hundreds of court officials were arrested, and as a juren in the capital, he was nothing at all.

"Brother Chen, don't worry. Master Xiang is a lucky person.

The East Factory has captured so many people, they can’t kill them all.

Maybe after scaring the person off, he would release him.

Now that things have become so serious, the ministers will not sit idly by, so just wait patiently.

I'll ask someone to find out where Master Xiang is being held.

As long as the person is not in the imperial prison, we can arrange for someone to take care of him."

Seeing that Li Mu only said nice things and never mentioned the rescue, Chen Jichuan felt helpless.

The officialdom is the most realistic. You can get some information based on the personal connections you had back then, but you can't expect more.

The eunuch party is now in full swing. Without sufficient benefits, who would dare to offend them?

Deep down in his heart, Chen Jichuan felt for the first time that there was something wrong with his mentor's strategy for recruiting disciples.

To inherit the mantle, academics are of course the primary factor, but personal connections are equally important. "Then I'll trouble you, Brother Li!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Shuli rushed in.

"Master Qian Hu, something terrible has happened, the Eastern Depot guards are coming.

They claimed that a remnant of a criminal official had just entered the Qianhu Police Station and asked us to hand him over!"

Hearing this, Chen Jichuan was scared half to death.

He had just come in for a cup of tea when people from the East Depot came to his door.

Apparently his plan of sending visiting cards everywhere in the past two days in an attempt to rescue Xiang Shihai was exposed.

When he thought of the horrific legend of the Imperial Prison, his body couldn't help but tremble.

"Find the remaining gang members of the criminal officials and take them to the prison, where they are everywhere.

How could there be any remnants of criminal officials in my Wucheng Bingmasi!
Never mind, let them wait in the lobby, I'll be there later."

As a good leader, Li Mu was not going to make things difficult for his younger brothers.

It is really too difficult to expect a clerk to withstand the pressure from the Eastern Depot.

"Brother Li, this..."

Chen Jichuan was very nervous.

He was worried about implicating Li Mu, and he was also afraid that Li Mu would not be able to withstand the pressure and hand him over.

"Don't worry, the East Factory must also be reasonable and can't just arrest people casually!"

Li Mu's comfort not only failed to reassure Chen Jichuan, but made him even more uncertain.

The East Factory had a very bad reputation among the literati, and Chen Jichuan simply did not believe that these people would be reasonable.

……

"Eunuch Mai, what brings you here?

What are you standing there for? Hurry up and serve tea to Eunuch Mai.

The people below are ignorant, please forgive me, Eunuch Mai."

Li Mu said with a smile.

Since the person I met was an acquaintance, things would be easier.

If you can cooperate once, you can cooperate twice. Eunuchs also know how to deal with human relationships.

"Master Li, please don't be polite.

There’s always time for tea, so let’s get down to business first!

I think you know why I'm here.

You are not Xiang Shihai's student, so there is no need to stand up for him. Hand over Chen Jichuan to me and let me take him away, and the matter will be over."

After Mai Qinghu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the lobby suddenly became solemn.

"The intelligence of the East Factory is really powerful. In such a short time, they have figured out the relationship clearly.

It's not that I don't give face to my father-in-law, but my classmate just came in and you guys barged in right after. It's just too much of a coincidence.

Whether this is to capture the remnants of the corrupt officials or to target our Five Cities Military Division, it remains to be verified.

As far as I know, your people had a conflict with the East City Thousand Households Police Station last night and injured two brothers.

Marquis Wuyang was very dissatisfied with this matter!

He issued a strict order to us that anything related to the East Factory must have his order.

We are all here on duty, so please don't embarrass me."

Li Mu skillfully used the method of passing the blame upwards.

Marquis Wuyang did give the order, but the content changed slightly when it reached Li Mu.

"Captain Li, are you trying to use the emperor's uncle to pressure me?"

Mai Qinghu said indignantly.

In the Dayu Dynasty, the foreign relatives could neither scare the civil officials nor intimidate the military generals, but they could only cause trouble for them.

"Father-in-law, this is over.

We are all working for the Emperor, so why should we suppress him? If it gets out and people laugh at you, that's a minor issue. But if the higher-ups think you have problems with your ability, that's a big problem.

Some things don’t need to be taken too seriously. Making things convenient for others is also making things convenient for yourself.”

(End of this chapter)