Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

At this moment, Jia Changchao, who was in charge of the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the back hall, sweating profusely.

Before Zhou Feng and his group even arrived at the Kaifeng government office, he already knew everything that had happened there, which made him secretly resentful.

"That damned old scoundrel! Of all people to mess with, why did he have to provoke that newly appointed nobleman whom the emperor had just bestowed upon?"

His slap made the teacups on the table clang loudly, but it did nothing to lessen his anxiety.

The trusted advisor beside him shrank his neck and asked cautiously, "Sir, how about... we just find an excuse to drop this case?"

"push?"

Jia Changchao glared at him irritably: "Where do you think you're pushing this onto? Didn't you see that the Eighth Prince said he'd give me full authority to handle this? This is just making me take the fall! That clerk is a fool too. He's happy with the money the third-ranked scholar gives him, but isn't he afraid of getting himself into trouble with this hot potato?"

"Then... how about severely punishing Ouyang Xu? Although he has Prime Minister Ke and Observer Gao behind him, who doesn't know that Prime Minister Ke is about to be demoted out of the capital? He hasn't officially married Observer Gao's daughter yet, so they're not really related."

"You're an idiot too!"

Hearing his advisor's words, Jia Changchao angrily cursed, "Precisely because the entire capital city knows about Prime Minister Ke's demotion, and he hasn't even left yet, I've already taken action against his disciple. Isn't this a classic case of 'out of sight, out of mind'? What will I do if Prime Minister Ke has the opportunity to be reinstated in the future?"

"This…"

The advisor was also at a loss, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Faced with this situation, he was even more at a loss for what to do.

As for helping Ouyang Xu suppress Zhou Feng, that was a joke.

They were bestowed with gold belts by the emperor himself, and were ranked one level above other officials. What did they have to use to suppress him?

"Sir, why don't we try to smooth things over? We can't afford to offend either side. Let's just give each of them a slap on the wrist, make Ouyang Xu pay some price to give the Celestial Master an explanation, and then we can call it a day."

Hearing his advisor's suggestion, Jia Changchao pondered for a moment: "Very well, that's the only way. I just hope that the Protector of the Nation Celestial Master is easy to get along with and not too arrogant."

He couldn't help but sigh again.

The fact that none of the eight kings stepped forward to deal with the matter shows just how troublesome it was.

If it weren't for the fact that it was unreasonable, he would have preferred to suppress that official and give him a good beating first, but instead, he caused him such a big problem!

In the carriage on the way to Kaifeng, Zhou Feng took a tube of ointment from Chen Xiao and handed it to Zhao Pan'er.

Zhao Pan'er held the ointment, her fingers turning slightly white. She pursed her lips, dabbed a little with her finger, and smeared it on Sun San Niang's face.

Sun San Niang's cheek, which had just been slapped, was already swollen and red, and her eyes were also red-rimmed, but she held back her tears.

Song Yinzhang huddled in the corner, head bowed, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his clothes: "Master Zhou, I...we just hit a constable, will we...?"

"Without you, I was the one who beat the constables, so don't be afraid."

Zhou Feng looked down at his phone.

As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." If you want to use the power of the government to teach Ouyang Xu a lesson, you must consult the classics and determine the direction of your lawsuit.

With the power of an entire world behind Zhou Feng, providing him with support and acting as his lawyer, how could he not resolve the issue of Ouyang Xu?

Zhao Pan'er applied the medicine to Sun San Niang, then gently patted Song Yin Zhang's hand. Her tone was calm, but there was a slight tremor in it: "Yin Zhang, don't be afraid, we're in the right!"

The three of them had seen a bit of the world in Qiantang, but when they came to Tokyo, they were still outsiders, completely unfamiliar with the place and its people.

Normally, they wouldn't even be able to touch the threshold of the main hall of Kaifeng Prefecture. How could they not be nervous about going in for a hearing?

Moreover, the difference in rank between Kaifeng Prefecture and Qiantang County is enormous!

Zhou Feng glanced at Zhao Pan'er, whose expression held a hint of stubbornness, and shook his head helplessly.

"When we get to the government office, I will say that I am already engaged to Pan'er. If you want to deal with Ouyang Xu, you can only do so with my identity. After all, the three of you are just commoners, while Ouyang Xu is an official. Even if I support you, it will be of no use."

After Zhou Feng finished speaking, the three women lowered their heads at the same time.

Song Yinzhang, in particular, bit her lip and didn't dare to utter a sound, but tears were already welling up in her eyes.

Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang are indeed of commoner status, but she is currently of low social status, specifically low social status, having escaped from Qiantang.

However, Zhao Pan'er wasn't a country bumpkin; she understood that Zhou Feng was right, but...

"What? You don't want to?"

Zhou Feng, leaning against the car wall, raised an eyebrow at Zhao Pan'er, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The latter's cheeks flushed instantly, and even her ears burned. She turned her head away, not daring to look at him: "I... I didn't mean that. I was just afraid that if word got out, it wouldn't be good for Master Zhou."

"What's wrong with that?" Zhou Feng scoffed. "I'm never afraid of what people say about what I'm doing."

Zhao Pan'er was speechless. Sun San Niang, standing to the side, forced a smile at her swollen face and gently poked her waist.

She instinctively flinched, blushed, and glared at Sun San Niang, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but curl up slightly.

Song Yinzhang glanced at Zhao Pan'er and Zhou Feng furtively, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing that the atmosphere had relaxed a bit, Zhou Feng put away his phone and stretched. "Don't worry, just stand there and don't say a word. I'll handle everything. Doesn't Ouyang Xu like to bully others with his power? Today, let's show him who's truly powerful!"

As they were talking, the carriage arrived at the main gate of Kaifeng Prefecture. The group got off the carriage and followed the yamen runners of Kaifeng Prefecture into the main hall.

The main hall was solemn and imposing at this moment. Two rows of yamen runners, leaning on their fire-and-water sticks, shouted in unison, "Majesty!"

The sound echoed throughout the lobby, sending chills down everyone's spine.

Zhao Pan'er and her two companions stood below the hall, involuntarily clenching the hems of their clothes. Fortunately, Zhou Feng had told them beforehand that the three of them should hug each other and hide to the side.

Zhou Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent, and even took the time to look at the furnishings in the hall.

It must be said that the "Silence and Avoidance" signs on both sides, the plaque in the middle, and the desk are all old objects from the Song Dynasty!

If these items could be passed down to future generations, they would be treasures in themselves.

Jia Changchao sat upright behind the desk, his official robes neatly arranged, but his expression was slightly uneasy.

He couldn't afford to offend either side in the courtroom, and he was caught in the middle, suffering from both sides' humiliation.

Ouyang Xu stood to one side with a livid face, glanced at Zhou Feng, then at Zhao Pan'er, gritted his teeth and took a step forward.

"Student Ouyang Xu greets Prefect Quan."

He clasped his hands in a proper salute: "Regarding today's events, the students intend to sue these three women for falsely accusing officials, extorting money, and violently resisting the law. Furthermore, they intend to sue this person!"

Ouyang Xu pointed one finger at Zhou Feng: "This man committed a crime in the street, injuring a constable and seriously injuring my old servant. I beg Your Honor to see the truth!"

Jia Changchao watched his actions, his eyes twitched, and he secretly groaned inwardly.

As expected of the third-ranked scholar, he was quick-witted and eloquent, gaining the upper hand from the very first word.

The problem is, your initial advantage is useless!

Why are you suing this man?

He was just personally appointed as the Celestial Master Protector of the Nation by the Emperor!

Completely ignoring Ouyang Xu, Jia Changchao cleared his throat and turned his gaze to Zhou Feng: "Master Celestial, do you have anything to say about what Ouyang Tanhua said?"

Celestial Master?

Ouyang Xu's heart skipped a beat. Judging from Jia Changchao's attitude, the person opposite him must be someone of great importance!

But how come he had never heard of it before?

Zhou Feng smiled slightly and spoke slowly: "My lord, before I have even spoken, this third-ranked scholar is already impatiently fabricating charges against me. That's quite interesting. Since he's in such a hurry, I'll say a few words as well."

He slowly walked towards Uncle De, who was being supported by two yamen runners on the side of the hall.

The old dog had one arm hanging limply, and dried blood was everywhere from its mouth to its chin. It looked dejected and utterly pathetic.

"May I ask, Ouyang Tanhua, is this man your old servant?"

Ouyang Xu frowned: "So what if it is? Just because you're a Celestial Master doesn't mean you can harm people without cause!"

Zhou Feng's smile widened: "That makes things easier, Scholar Tan."

As he spoke, he turned to Jia Changchao and said, "My lord, I also have three charges against Ouyang Xu."

"You!" Ouyang Xu's eyes widened. "You committed a crime in the street, injured a constable, and seriously injured my old servant, and you still dare to sue me?"

"If I remember correctly, this is the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office, right? The Third-Rank Scholar has quite the air of authority; he can even easily control the handling of cases in the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office. Truly impressive!"

Seeing Zhou Feng give Ouyang Xu a thumbs up, Jia Changchao's face darkened, and he quickly tried to smooth things over: "Young Master, please calm down, let the Celestial Master finish speaking!"

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Xu could only awkwardly bow and step aside.

Zhou Feng then took two steps forward with satisfaction, turned to look at Ouyang Xu: "The first crime I want to accuse is of instigating and ordering."

"The Song Dynasty law states that anyone who instructs another to report a crime shall be punished the same way. This man is Ouyang Xu's old servant, a lowly slave. What gives him the right to insult me ​​in broad daylight? If an old servant had no master's orders, would he dare to do so even if he had a hundred lives?"

Zhou Feng stared at Ouyang Xu and said, word by word, "This must have been instigated by the third-ranked scholar!"

Ouyang Xu's expression changed, and he subconsciously retorted, "I didn't! You're making false accusations! When did I..."

"Don't be in such a hurry, my esteemed scholar, I haven't finished yet!"

Zhou Feng raised his hand to interrupt Ouyang Xu's explanation, his tone becoming increasingly sharp.

"The second charge is that I will accuse him of defaming an official's family."

He turned and cupped his hands in greeting to Jia Changchao: "My lord, I am unworthy, but I have been deeply favored by His Majesty, who personally bestowed upon me a golden belt and appointed me as the head of the Golden Heaven Jade Purity Prefecture, known as the Protector of the Nation Celestial Master. According to the rites of this dynasty, although this official position has no real power, it still ranks among the court officials, so I would consider myself a high-ranking official, wouldn't you say?"

Jia Changchao nodded repeatedly, "Of course, of course."

"But that old servant publicly insulted me, calling me a adulterer and my fiancée a slut from a brothel!"

Zhou Feng suddenly turned around, pointing a finger at Uncle De: "This is not just a shrew's rant, but a blatant trampling on the dignity of high-ranking officials of our dynasty! I remember that openly insulting a court official and his family is one of the ten unforgivable crimes of disrespect!"

Ouyang Xu's face turned pale instantly, but his first reaction was to look at Zhao Pan'er.

The latter met his gaze, showing only a hint of disgust on her face, without any other expression.

Seeing that Ouyang Xu still had the mood to look at Zhao Pan'er, Zhou Feng added fuel to the fire: "I was just bestowed a golden belt by the Emperor, and I am currently enjoying great favor. This old man's insults, on the surface, seem to be directed at me, but in reality, they are a blatant disregard for imperial grace and a slap in the face to the Emperor!"

"How amusing! Ouyang Xu, the self-proclaimed disciple of the Emperor, how dare your old servant slap the Emperor in the face in public!"

This was too much of a accusation, and the entire Kaifeng government office fell silent.

Ouyang Xu shuddered and instinctively took a half step back, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Even Jia Changchao, who was sitting in the hall, shuddered.

No wonder the Eighth Prince passed this task away and never bothered with it. He didn't dare to accept what Zhou Feng said in the hall!

"I...I didn't..."

At this moment, Ouyang Xu's voice was trembling and his body was shaking.

"The third sin: the slave deceives his master!"

Seeing Ouyang Xu's state, Zhou Feng sneered, completely disregarding his feelings.

"What does it mean that an old servant dares to insult the National Protector Celestial Master in the street? It means that Ouyang Xu is incompetent in managing his household, allowing his servants to commit violence. He can't even control an old servant, yet he dares to call himself a third-place scholar?"

"Now that this matter is settled, I will also impeach Ouyang Xu to the Emperor for failing to properly manage his household. How can such a person be worthy of being an official? How can he be worthy of being the Emperor's disciple?"

"That's enough!"

Ouyang Xu's face flushed red as he roared furiously at Zhou Feng, his voice distorted: "You're utterly slanderous! When did I ever order him to curse anyone? When did I ever allow my servants to commit violence? You... you injured a constable in the street and seriously injured Uncle De. This is irrefutable evidence. Do you think you can get away with just accusations?"

"What crime am I exonerated from? Your old servant insulted me, and the whole street heard it. Was I wrong to slap him?"

Zhou Feng spoke in a very relaxed tone, and even when he looked at the furious Ouyang Xu, he could still give him a faint smile, full of mockery.

Jia Changchao sat behind the judge's desk and sighed softly. He had been terrified just now, and had been holding the gavel in his hand for a long time without daring to strike it.

This Taoist master is truly amazing!

Each charge is meticulously detailed, drawing on relevant legal precedents and grounds for legal action.

What's most terrifying is that every time he said something, he kept mentioning the Emperor and imperial favor!

Ouyang Xu still wanted to reason with them, but they had already transcended the realms of reason and law and were now talking about politics!

No matter how powerful you are or how high your rank is, can you still be more powerful than the government?

After a while, Ouyang Xu's face began to look increasingly ugly, turning from ashen to deathly pale, and from pale to ashen.

Standing below the hall, his lips trembled and his body shook, yet he did not know what to do.

He now understood what Zhou Feng meant; the man carried the immense imperial favor of the government, and was simply not someone he could defeat.

The three women, Zhao Pan'er and Zhao Pan'er, stood by, dumbfounded.

Not to mention Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang covered their mouths, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

Even Zhao Pan'er was biting her lip, something flickering in her eyes.

She suddenly remembered that since their first meeting in Qiantang, Zhou Feng had been like a god descending from the sky, solving all the problems in her way.

At the time, she thought the man was frivolous, but now she realizes she was mistaken.

"Ahem... Your Excellency, the Heavenly Master and the Third Scholar, please calm down. I believe there is still room for discussion on this matter, and there is no need to be so tense."