Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 81: Stop trying to get close to me! [20]

Northern Pacification Office, in the government office.

Cui Yingyuan was lying on a chair, holding a bowl of tea, gently moving the tea lid back and forth on the cup, looking relaxed.

Beside him, Hou Zhen leaned over to serve, massaging Cui Yingyuan's legs while saying, "Sir, you don't know how arrogant that Jiang Xuan is. It's fine if he bullies me, but he doesn't even take you, sir, seriously!"

"Really?" Cui Yingyuan responded casually, his expression unchanged.

"Yes, sir, how dare I lie to you!"

Hou Zhen looked aggrieved. "A few days ago, all my men were beaten by him and couldn't get out of bed for several days. Look, isn't this a slap in your face in public?"

"It would be fine if he hit me in the face, but you, sir..."

"Okay, I've mentioned this several times!"

Cui Yingyuan finally grew impatient and waved his hand, saying, "You've got nothing to do all day. I've given you the title of deputy captain, so why don't you just stay in the government office? Why do you have to provoke him?"

Hou Zhen frowned: "But the position of the Right Captain..."

"Yes! I told you before that when I get promoted, I'll leave that position to you!"

Cui Yingyuan frowned and said, "But this position was promised to him by the factory owner himself. In fact, even I am benefiting from his help. Otherwise, I would have to wait for a while to get promoted."

"He was able to solve the murder case of Zhang Haiduan's family, eradicate the assassin organization, seize several million taels of silver for the factory master, and even went to Nanjing City to retrieve Rama's body for the factory master."

"He did so much to be promoted directly from a centurion to a captain of the Right Division. Can you do it?"

"I..." Hou Zhen choked.

"If you have this ability, even I would have been promoted long ago because of you." Cui Yingyuan snorted coldly.

Hou Zhen gritted his teeth and said, "But he knew that I was promoted by you, sir, and yet he still dared to treat me like this. This clearly shows that he doesn't take you seriously."

"That's why I'm holding him hostage in this case."

Cui Yingyuan said impatiently, "I'll get you back this time. Don't bother me with such trivial matters in the future. You're incompetent and got slapped in the face by someone, but now you come to me to complain. How is that any different from a three-year-old calling his parents for help after a fight?"

"You lost this person, but I still want this old face. You are really a dead man!"

Hou Zhen's face flushed, but he didn't dare to refute. He whispered, "Yes, I understand."

"Hmph." Cui Yingyuan snorted, picked up the tea and took a sip, too lazy to pay any more attention to him.

Tread...  

At this moment, a captain came hurriedly to report: "Sir, the commander-in-chief is here!"

"Commander Xu?"

Cui Yingyuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly straightened up and asked in confusion, "What is he doing here?"

"Why? Brother Cui, can't I come to the Pacification Office?"

At this time, a voice came from outside.

Cui Yingyuan quickly stood up and said with a smile, "Master Xu, that's not true. You are the old boss of this Pacification Division. Coming here is like coming home. Why can't you come?"

Xu Xianchun walked in from outside, wearing a bright yellow flying fish suit, with his hands behind his back.

There were two people following behind him.

Cui Yingyuan took a look and frowned slightly.

"Your humble servants, Jiang Xuan, the captain of the Right Division, and Pei Lun, the captain of the Front Division, pay their respects to the Governor!"

The two men stepped forward and saluted.

"This..." Cui Yingyuan frowned and looked at Xu Xianchun.

Xu Xianchun glanced at Hou Zhen beside Cui Yingyuan and said calmly, "Brother Cui, I've also heard about what happened between Captain Jiang and Deputy Captain Hou. It's just a small matter. Why make such a fuss, Brother Cui?"

"What's more, this matter was originally caused by Deputy Captain Hou, who was personally appointed by my adoptive father. He actually dared to put on humiliation for Captain Jiang. This shows that he does not take my adoptive father seriously at all!"

At the end of his words, Xu Xianchun snorted heavily.

Hou Zhen's face turned pale and he bowed quickly: "I dare not!"

"Don't dare? I think you are very brave!"

Xu Xianchun said coldly, "How did you get this position of captain? Aren't you sure? It's because Brother Cui thinks highly of you. Otherwise, with your skills that are barely even up to the standard of flattery, how dare you covet the position of captain of one of the five core divisions? Do you think the captains in our Jinyiwei are all useless?"

Xu Xianchun shouted loudly.

Hou Zhen's face was pale, he didn't dare to look up, he was sweating all over, and was completely scared.

"This...Brother Xu, it's just a small matter, isn't it?"

Cui Yingyuan's face also looked a little unhappy. He didn't expect that Xu Xianchun valued Jiang Xuan so much and came directly to support him.

Xu Xianchun's expression softened slightly. He looked at Cui Yingyuan and said, "Brother Cui, there are some things I'm not saying to you, but our Jinyiwei already have a low status. If we send all these incompetent people to take up the position and occupy the toilet without doing anything, how will those people in the East Factory look upon us in the future?"

"Normally, if we promote a few smart and sensible people to casual positions like centurions or deputy centurions, it would be fine. The old factory owner wouldn't care too much. But if even the centurions of the five core institutes are promoted by such trash, it will simply lower the standard of our Jinyiwei."

"The old man at the factory values ​​filial piety, but what he needs more is someone who can truly help him solve his problems!"

Cui Yingyuan's expression changed for a moment, then he let out a long sigh and said, "Thank you, Brother Xu, for reminding me. I understand."

After saying this, he turned around to look at Hou Zhen, who was lowering his head, and shouted coldly, "What are you standing there for? Why don't you apologize to Captain Jiang?"

Hou Zhen's face froze in disbelief, but when he looked up at Cui Yingyuan's icy gaze, he smiled sadly inwardly. He turned to face Jiang Xuan and bowed deeply, "Sir Jiang, I was blinded by your ignorance and offended you earlier. Please forgive me and don't bother with a villain like me."

Hearing this, Jiang Xuan raised his eyebrows. Are you still not convinced?
However, he also knew the principle of quitting while he was ahead, and said calmly: "Lord Hou, your words are too serious. We are all colleagues. Let him let the past be."

"Yes, thank you for letting bygones be bygones." Hou Zhen said gritting his teeth.

Cui Yingyuan ignored him and looked at Jiang Xuan, saying, "Master Jiang, I know why you are here, but I didn't deliberately ask you to come to the Northern Division just to block you."

"This time, the matter of your cousin Yin Cheng is indeed a bit troublesome. The news has already reached the ears of the old man in the factory. If I don't handle it well, I won't be able to explain it to him when he asks about it in the future."

Jiang Xuan said in a deep voice, "I understand. Thank you for your generosity and reminder, but I am not here to plead for mercy, but to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Cui Yingyuan narrowed his eyes slightly: "You mean, your cousin was indeed wronged?"

"Yes!"

Jiang Xuan said bluntly, "I know Yin Cheng's abilities best. The allegation of him plotting a rebellion is completely false."

"This humble official suspects that this matter is related to the case of the traitor Beizhai who wrote a poem to frame Eunuch Wei six months ago!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xianchun and Cui Yingyuan both frowned.

Xu Xianchun glanced at Jiang Xuan with some suspicion and warned him, "Captain Jiang, please don't fabricate any evidence just to overturn your cousin's case. That traitor Hokusai has been dead for over half a year. How could he have anything to do with your cousin's case?"

"I dare not deceive Master Xu and Master Cui!"

Jiang Xuan bowed and said, "I am 80% sure about this matter. Although I don't have any evidence at the moment, please give me three days. I will investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Pei Lun also stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "I am also willing to guarantee for Captain Jiang!"

Cui Yingyuan glanced at Xu Xianchun, and seeing that he remained silent, he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll give you three days. After three days, if the case still hasn't been determined, I'll have no choice but to act impartially!"

"Thank you, sir!"

Jiang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "May I request to see the case file?"

"Of course." Cui Yingyuan nodded.

"In that case, I will take my leave."

Jiang Xuan bowed to Xu Xianchun and Cui Yingyuan before turning and leaving.

……

Half an hour later.

Northern Imperial Prison, File Room.

Jiang Xuan carefully reviewed the case and then looked at the so-called anti-poems and calligraphy. He sneered, "The meaning of these anti-poems and calligraphy is so profound and obscure. With Yin Cheng's level of education, it would be a wonder he could understand them!"

Pei Lun nodded and frowned, "Brother, do you suspect that Yin Cheng was set up?"

"It's almost the same!"

Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he said coldly, "But we'll have to wait and see whether the facts are as I suspected."

"Let's go see my idiot cousin first."

After saying this, Jiang Xuan put down the file and turned to walk outside. Pei Lun shook his head helplessly and followed him.

In the prison cell.

Yin Cheng hugged the iron railing with both hands, his lips were cracked and his face was dejected, no longer as lazy and carefree as before.

Although he had only been in there for a short while, he couldn't help but feel panicked when he thought about the seriousness of the matter.

He never imagined that a few calligraphy and paintings he bought on a whim would cause such a big trouble.

Looking at the two jailers sitting outside the cell drinking, he couldn't help licking his cracked lips and said, "Two brothers, I am Yin Cheng, the general flag under the command of Lord Pei Lun, the former captain. Could you please help me pass a message to Lord Pei? If it's too far, you can also pass it to Lord Jiang, the right captain..."

The two turned to look at him and said helplessly, "Master General, it's not that we don't want to help, we just can't. Your case was personally handled by the governor, and no one is allowed to visit you. If it weren't for Master Jiang's face, we two brothers would have punished you long ago. Please don't make things difficult for us now, just stay here."

Yin Cheng's face was suddenly filled with despair, and he murmured, "It's over. If I die, what will happen to my mother..."

Seeing him like this, the two jailers looked at each other, couldn't help but sigh, and said: "Master General, let me tell you that we two brothers would never dare to do this, but for Master Jiang's sake, it's no problem for us to take care of you in prison."

A jailer gathered the wine bowls and asked, "Here's some wine. Would you like some?"

Yin Cheng swallowed and was about to nod, but suddenly thought of something and looked away with difficulty, declining politely: "Forget it. Thank you both for your kindness, but drinking will only delay things, so I'd rather not drink..."

"Drink, why don't you drink?"

A cold voice came from outside.

"Cousin..."

Yin Cheng's spirits lifted, but then his heart ached, and he almost cried. He looked at the two figures walking outside and called out in a mournful voice, "Cousin, Brother Pei, you're finally here!"

The two jailers looked back and quickly stood up and saluted: "My humble servant greets the two captains!"

Jiang Xuan glanced at the two jailers, and they were the same two he met when he came to take Xiyu away last time.

Jiang Xuan had also heard a few words from their conversation with Yin Cheng just now, and he felt a little more favorable towards them. He took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to the two of them, saying, "Thank you for your help. I have already informed the governor of this matter. I am here just to ask him a few questions. I would like to ask you two to help me."

"This……"

Looking at the silver note worth a hundred taels, a trace of heat appeared in the eyes of the two men, but they still suppressed their greed, swallowed their saliva, and said, "Master Jiang, this... is too much. I dare not take it."

"Take it."

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "If you run into trouble outside in the future, you can tell me your name."

"This... yes, thank you, Master Jiang!"

Upon hearing this, the two men's eyes flashed with gratitude. Without saying anything more, they took the banknotes and quickly turned around to open the prison door for Yin Cheng, saying, "Then everyone, you can chat first. We two brothers will go outside and keep an eye on you."

"Thank you." Jiang Xuan nodded.

"Don't dare."

The jailer left.

Yin Cheng walked out with a dejected look on his face, lowering his head, not daring to look Jiang Xuan in the eye.

Looking at him like this, Jiang Xuan sneered: "What? Are you too embarrassed to face people? The wine is on the table, drink it, why don't you continue drinking?"

"Cousin...I, I was wrong!" Yin Cheng's face flushed red, and he didn't know what to do.

Pei Lun sighed, patted Jiang Xuan on the shoulder, and said, "My dear brother, business is more important."

Jiang Xuan took a long breath and said in a deep voice, "Now, tell me everything clearly. Who gave you the calligraphy and painting? Was it that bitch from the Jiaofangsi?"

When Yin Cheng heard Jiang Xuan mention the Jiaofangsi, he knew that Jiang Xuan knew everything. He could only smile bitterly and sighed, "It's not her, but it is related to her."

Hearing this, Jiang Xuan frowned and asked, "What exactly happened?"

A trace of regret flashed in Yin Cheng's eyes, and he began to tell what happened.

It turned out that ever since Yin Cheng mentioned to Jiang Xuan last time that he wanted to marry Zhou Miaotong, the most beautiful girl in the Music Bureau, he had indeed given up the idea after being persuaded by Jiang Xuan.

But when I think about it later, I still can't forget her.

Even if I can't marry her, it should be okay to go out for a drink occasionally and help out the poor, right?
So he went to the Jiaofangsi every few days, and every time he went to look for Zhou Miaotong. He was completely obsessed with it and couldn't extricate himself.

As for the calligraphy and painting, it started two months ago.

Two months ago, a talented man would come to the Jiaofangsi from time to time to sell calligraphy and paintings. Although his paintings were not too exquisite, Zhou Miaotong liked them very much.

So in order to please the beauty, Yin Cheng spent money to buy it.

But Zhou Miaotong gave them back to Yin Cheng, claiming that she felt that the calligraphy and paintings matched Yin Cheng's temperament very well and she had originally intended to buy them and give them to him.

After a while, the talented man came to sell his paintings, and in the end, as usual, Yin Cheng paid for it and gave it to Zhou Miaotong, who then gave it back.

This happens almost every time.

But this idiot didn't realize anything was wrong and actually thought that the woman thought he and the calligraphy and painting matched well.

For this reason, he even went to learn painting for a while, hoping to show off in front of the beauty, but he just didn't have the talent. The picture of a hundred birds and phoenixes in his hands turned out to be just a picture of chickens pecking rice, which was not good enough at all. Later, he gradually gave up.

But the hobby of collecting paintings did not stop.

Later, without Zhou Miaotong saying anything, he bought the calligraphy and paintings on his own.

Then, finally, today, the incident happened.

Someone came to the Pacification Office to report that he was secretly collecting anti-government poems, calligraphy and paintings, and was plotting a rebellion. When the people from the Northern Office searched his home, they found solid evidence.

The key point is that there are not only anti-poems, but also poems that implicitly satirize the eunuch party.

The consequences are extremely serious.

After listening to Yin Cheng's story, Jiang Xuan and Pei Lun looked at each other and couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh.

"Yin Cheng, Yin Cheng, how can I say hello to you?"

Pei Lun said helplessly, "You can't even see through such a simple plan. Your brain... I really don't blame my brother for scolding you!"

Yin Cheng's face flushed red as he said, "I never thought that bastard would actually sell me anti-government poetry. And that bitch Zhou Miaotong, even though I treated her so badly, she actually..."

Jiang Xuan sneered, "I told you long ago to give up on this idea. That woman is not someone you can afford to offend. Now you finally regret it? Is it too late?"

Yin Cheng looked ashamed and said, "I'm sorry, cousin... No, Xiao Xuanzi, you must save me. If I die, what will happen to my mother in the future?"

"Stop trying to get close to me!"

Jiang Xuan said coldly, "Are you thinking about your aunt now? Why didn't you think about your aunt when you were being affectionate with that bitch?"

"When Ling Yunkai nearly caught you drinking before, I warned you to drink less. Have you ever listened to me?"

"And you're such a loser, you still think a courtesan like me would be interested in you? Where on earth do you get the courage from?"

"Ahem...brother, that's enough."

Pei Lun couldn't bear to listen any longer. He glanced at Yin Cheng, whose face was filled with shame, and said, "To be honest, I am also responsible for this matter. After all, Yin Cheng is my friend. It's all my fault for not keeping a good impression of him."

"But now is not the time to worry about who is right or wrong. We still have to find a way to resolve this matter first. Are we really going to let him die?"

Jiang Xuan snorted coldly: "I actually think that if I wasn't worried about my aunt being alone and helpless, I wouldn't bother to care about his life or death. A dog will always eat shit!"

Pei Lun shook his head and changed the subject, "Brother, this matter is already very clear. Yin Cheng was obviously set up by that scholar and Zhou Miaotong, the most popular courtesan in the Imperial Music Bureau. However, since it was a setup, they would surely not leave any evidence behind."

"Besides, it was Yin Cheng who bought the calligraphy and painting himself, and no one forced him to do so. So even if we forcibly arrest him and torture him, I'm afraid it won't work..."

Jiang Xuan's face remained calm as he said, "I have my own ideas on this matter. I'll have Brother Pei find an artist to describe the scholar's appearance. I'll take care of the rest."

Pei Lun was stunned for a moment: "Brother, could it be that you have already got a clue?"

"Not sure yet, let's see."

Jiang Xuan shook his head: "I'm going back to the right station first. I'll leave this place to you."

"no problem."

Pei Lun nodded, then glanced at the disheveled and haggard Yin Cheng, hesitated for a moment, and said, "After all, this place is not a place for people to stay. How about I go and plead with Lord Cui..."

"No need."

Jiang Xuan glanced at him coldly and said, "Let him settle down here so he doesn't forget his lesson later."

After saying that, Jiang Xuan turned and left.

Pei Lun shook his head helplessly, showing Yin Cheng a helpless expression: "Brother Yin, you may have to suffer a little this time."

(End of this chapter)