fake gentry

Xie Hong picked up his teacup and took a slow sip.

He had two paths before him.

The first option is to immediately flee to Guangzhou and seek refuge with Tao Kan.

The second option is to go to Wuchang.

If Xie Hong chooses the first path, he will lose too much.

First of all, what did he have to offer to win over Tao Kan?

Being recruited but refusing the offer and actively seeking out the position are two completely different things.

Moreover, why would Tao Kan turn against Wang Dun because of him?

If Tao Kan were to use this to manipulate him, or even offer him up to Wang Dun, then Xie Hong would be completely out of luck.

"Where is the one who captured me?"

Xie Hong asked Zhou Ping, who lowered his eyes and replied, "We have arrived at the prefectural governor's residence. My lord is trying to delay us."

The events at the Huangshiyan gathering spread rapidly, reaching Wuchang in less than ten days. This caused a great deal of bickering among Wang Dun's scholars. He initially paid no attention, thinking Xie Hong was just an arrogant young nobleman who was showing off his verbal skills in a literary forum.

However, another matter reached Wuchang: Xie Hong had taken in Dai's son.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dun immediately smashed a jade ruyi and prepared to send men to arrest the man. However, he was dissuaded by the scholars around him. But Wang Dun said, "I was able to kill Dai Ruosi in the past, but I cannot kill a mere boy surnamed Xie today."

He had originally intended to kill Xie Kun. The Xie family of Chen Commandery was far inferior to the Wang family of Langya. Moreover, Wang Dun actually disliked famous scholars because they looked down on him.

After Wei Jie fled south, he visited Wang Dun. Since they wanted to have a long talk, Wang Dun invited Xie Kun to accompany them. Wei Jie was so happy to see Xie Kun that he completely ignored Wang Dun and chatted with Xie Kun until the next morning. Wang Dun couldn't get a word in edgewise all night, leaving behind the famous anecdote of a night of unspoken conversation.

Therefore, his resentment towards Xie Kun was not without the influence of this incident.

Now, a member of the Xie family has actually taken in Dai Yuan's son; he's practically courting death.

Then comes the phrase, "Dun is not a minister, but a rebel."

When these words reached Wang Dun's ears, everyone knew that no one could persuade Wang Ahei anymore. That's why Shen Chong came to Chaisang to arrest him.

After careful consideration, Xie Hong made up his mind.

"I'll go with you to the prefect's residence."

Zhou Ping was greatly alarmed.

The hall was deathly silent, and the others stared at Xie Hong in shock.

Xie Shang was about to speak when Xie Hong raised his hand to stop him.

"Lord Tao," Xie Hong turned to Tao Mao, "Wang Dun came for me alone and won't make things difficult for you, so the matter we agreed on can proceed as planned. If there are any problems, you can discuss them with my brother."

Tao Mao opened his mouth, but swallowed the words back.

Xie Hong spoke in a calm tone, as if he were the one being arrested, not himself, but some unrelated passerby.

Is this young man truly arrogant, or does he genuinely have the ability to deal with Wang Dun?

He suddenly remembered his father, Tao Kan.

Only those who remain calm in the face of great events are worthy of being entrusted with important matters; Xie's son even bears a resemblance to his father.

Tao Mao didn't say anything more, but simply bowed deeply to Xie Hong.

Xie Hong then turned to Dong Xuan and laughed, "Lord Dong, are you afraid?"

Dong Xuan stammered, "My lord, I owe everything I have today to you. The Dong family is willing to stand with you through thick and thin."

Xie Hong smiled and shook his head: "Master Dong, please take good care of my younger brother while I'm away."

Dong Xuan bowed deeply.

Xie Hong then turned to look at Xie Shang, whose eyes were red.

"Brother, I will go to Wuchang with you."

Xie Hong gently patted the back of his hand: "Don't you know your brother's abilities? Just stay home and guard the house."

Xie Shang was only a fourteen-year-old boy after all, and tears welled up in his eyes as he choked up. These days, he had been following Xie Hong around, and although Xie Hong hadn't taught him anything, he had learned a lot from him.

Xie Hong smiled and stood up, asking Zhou Ping to lead the way, and walked directly out of the county government office.

Chaisang County was the seat of Xunyang County, and the prefectural governor and the county government were located in the same place. Soon Xie Hong arrived in front of the prefectural governor's office.

The prefectural governor has his own personal guards, a portion of whom are specifically assigned to protect the prefectural governor's residence, responsible for daily duty and gate security.

In these chaotic times, local rebellions and uprisings by displaced people are frequent. As the core military and political stronghold at the prefectural level, the prefectural governor's office must be guarded by a fixed armed force to ensure the safety of the prefect and the normal operation of the government office.

The county soldiers naturally recognized Zhou Ping and immediately turned around to go inside and report.

Zhou Guang practically ran out without a care for his image, only to see Xie Hong standing upright under the porch, his face calm, with even a faint smile on his lips.

"My dear Xie Lang! Why...why are you here?"

Xie Hong laughed and said, "My lord, I have walked right into your trap."

Zhou Guang stared at Xie Hong in disbelief, momentarily forgetting what to say.

He was also a cultured man, and upon reflection, he understood that the phrase "to walk into a trap" came from Cao Zhi's "Song of the Yellow Sparrow in the Wild Fields," with the original lines being "I see no sparrows in the fence, but I see a hawk and I walk into the trap."

This kid is far too cautious; he's still spouting off even at a time like this.

He's a remarkable person.

He secretly sent Zhou Ping to deliver the message, partly out of admiration for Xie Hong, and partly out of investment intentions.

If Xie Hong doesn't die, the future is definitely promising.

This life-saving grace will be richly repaid.

As for whether the news might leak and offend Wang Dun?

Obviously impossible.

His elder brother is now the Prefect of Wuchang, a confidant of the Prime Minister, so the Prime Minister still has to give him this much face.

Where could Xie Hong escape to?

Flee to Yanzhou? Flee to Jiankang?

Obviously not.

Therefore, I will only choose Guangzhou.

So what is the relationship between the Tao family and the Zhou family?

Therefore, this life-saving grace feels all the more profound.

But Xie Hong just happened to come knocking on our door.

Xie Hong bowed to Zhou Guang and said, "I will always remember your kindness, my lord, and I will repay it in the future. But if I were to run away, wouldn't that drag you into a quagmire? I may escape for a while, but I can't escape forever. Rather than putting you in a difficult position, I'd rather do it myself."

Zhou Guang's lips moved slightly, and he reluctantly turned to the side and gestured for Xie Hong to walk through the front yard to the back hall.

Upon entering the back hall, one person was already seated there.

The man appeared to be around forty years old, with a handsome face but an arrogant expression; his slightly upturned eyes made his gaze even sharper.

This is Shen Chong.

"Secretary, Xie's son has been brought here."

Zhou Guang bowed to Shen Chong.

Xie Hong bowed respectfully to Shen Chong, saying, "Xie Hong of Chen Commandery greets the Governor of Wu."

Shen Chong was a military advisor in Wang Dun's staff and concurrently served as the governor of Wu. The governor was the chief administrative officer of a prefecture or kingdom, just like Zhou Guang, and was equivalent to the highest-ranking official at the prefecture level, with a rank of two thousand shi.

After Sima Rui ascended the throne, he enfeoffed his son Sima Yu as the King of Langya, with Kuaiji and Xuancheng as his fiefdom. Later, in order to adjust the fiefdom, Wu Commandery was officially enfeoffed as the State of Wu, as the new fiefdom of Langya, and Sima Yu was also enfeoffed as the King of Langya.

During this period, the State of Wu was the official fiefdom of the Eastern Jin imperial family, not the fiefdom of meritorious officials of different surnames. Wu Commandery held a special position as the core settlement of the Jiangdong gentry. The internal historians of Wu were mostly trusted senior officials of the court, who should have been directly appointed by the court.

Shen Chong's appointment to this position was entirely due to his conquest of Wu County at the beginning of the year, where he killed the original Inner Governor and replaced him. It was also a way for Wang Dun to intimidate the local forces in Jiangdong.

Shen Chong slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Xie Hong: "Arrogant brat, you are indeed ignorant. I am acting on the Prime Minister's orders to take you to Wuchang. Are you afraid?"

Xie Hong replied calmly, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, as steady as still water: "The Shen family of Wuxing has a well-ordered lineage from the Han to the Wei and Jin dynasties, but with Master Shen, I'm afraid the lineage will be broken."

Zhou Ping nearly stumbled.

Xie Fengzhi, have you gone mad?

Upon hearing this, Shen Chong raised an eyebrow and his gaze fell on Xie Hong's face like a knife.

In Jiangdong, the Shen family of Wuxing was a typical clan known for its military strength. Although not among the top clans, they possessed wealth and military power that no other southern gentry could match.

Otherwise, how could they dare to mint coins on their own?

Shen Chong had assumed that Xie Hong, being only a sixteen-year-old boy, would either be flustered or frightened upon seeing him. However, he was surprised to find that Xie Hong's first words were that the Shen family of Wuxing would perish because of him.

Shen Chong, on the contrary, began to admire Xie Hong.

No wonder he dared to call the Prime Minister a traitor.

What courage!