Chapter Eighty-Six: There Are People in Stone Dike!

When Li Yun said this, the two men reacted very differently.

Mr. Gu frowned almost imperceptibly, while Magistrate Xue also knitted his brows, though a trace of amusement showed in his eyes.

Mr. Gu clapped his hands and laughed. “Good, good, good. Truly clever, and watertight.”

Then he shook his head and sighed. “The affairs of Great Zhou have come to this because there are too many clever people.”

Li Yun looked at this exceedingly presentable Mr. Gu and said, “Mr. Gu, there are many clever people because the foolish ones are already dead.”

“No matter what the people in court are thinking, or what they intend to do, I, Li, am only a common man of Qingyang. A little disturbance from the imperial court’s struggles could leave me running for my life across the world.”

Gu Wenchuan froze, then lifted his head to look at Magistrate Xue seated opposite him.

Magistrate Xue said helplessly, “Brother Wenchuan, you came here this afternoon, and I have been keeping you company in conversation all this time. I never left your side. This was not taught to him by me.”

Mr. Gu shook his head and sighed, taking a swig of wine with a wry smile. “It is precisely because you did not teach him that I find it all the more chilling.”

“The world’s manners are indeed gone awry.”

Magistrate Xue also drank a cup of wine and said, “Brother Wenchuan, Li Zhao has been in Qingyang for half a year, wiped out seven or eight mountain strongholds for Qingyang, and captured more than a hundred bandits. He has truly brought benefit to the people. One cannot say he is unsound just because he speaks in roundabout phrases.”

Magistrate Xue paused, then continued, “Brother Wenchuan is a model of the upright scholars, here to uphold righteousness for the court. I, as the local magistrate, must strive as best I can for the people. As for Li Zhao, this squad leader, it is already no easy thing for him to suppress a few more bandits.”

“If one is to speak of merit,” Magistrate Xue said lightly, “Li Zhao is the most capable squad leader Qingyang has had in decades.”

“Brother Wenchuan should not demand perfection from others.”

Gu Wenchuan shook his head with a bitter smile. “I only lamented it; I never blamed him.”

At this, he sighed and said, “As for the matter in Shitai, asking anyone is useless. In the end, I must go down there and see for myself. But the territory of Xuan Province has become far too perilous.”

Mr. Gu looked at Li Yun and said, “Squad Leader Li, accompany this old man to Shitai and protect my safety. Surely that can be arranged?”

Li Yun did not answer at once, instead looking up at Magistrate Xue.

Magistrate Xue said helplessly, “I will issue you an official writ and count it as public duty.”

Only then did Squad Leader Li smile and say, “Since it is an official assignment, Li will not shirk responsibility. When does Mr. Gu plan to set out?”

“Tomorrow.”

Li Yun frowned.

There were only a few days left until the New Year. If they left tomorrow, would he not even get to spend the holiday?

After thinking it over, Li Yun finally nodded. “Very well. I will accompany you to Shitai.”

Gu Wenchuan nodded first, then stood and shook his head. “I have been traveling in haste all the way here, and I am truly fatigued beyond measure. Brother Yueji, allow me to go rest first.”

Magistrate Xue rose to see him out, smiling. “I shall escort Brother Wenchuan.”

Li Yun followed behind Magistrate Xue and saw Mr. Gu all the way out. Only after watching him depart did Li Yun ask, “What is this Brother Wenchuan’s name?”

Magistrate Xue glanced at Li Yun and replied, “Gu Yuan.”

Li Yun blinked. “The same Gu as the Gu family in Shitai?”

“No.”

Magistrate Xue shook his head. “I have already fallen out so badly with the Gu family in Shitai that even though he was from the same graduating year, he would be too ashamed to come look for me.”

Li Yun laughed softly. “It seems the magistrate and that court official surnamed Gu are indeed from the same year.”

Magistrate Xue gave a muffled snort and said nothing.

The two returned together to the side hall and continued the unfinished wine and dishes. Li Yun poured Magistrate Xue a cup of wine and asked, “An enemy of the crown prince?”

Those six brief words nearly caused Magistrate Xue to喷 his wine out. He looked up sharply at Li Yun and said irritably, “Who told you that?”

“I guessed,” Li Yun said with a smile after taking a sip. “They came so urgently to investigate the Shitai matter. Is that not because they want to drag Master Pei into it? That young Master Pei has reaped quite a few benefits in Xuan Province.”

“Benefits on whose behalf?”

Li Yun narrowed his eyes and said softly, “Pull up the radish and the mud comes with it. Since the court rarely shows such zeal in doing one thing, if not for factional struggle, then what? To stand up for the common people?”

Li Yun’s words were far too blunt, and Magistrate Xue felt uncomfortable all over.

After a long while, he recovered, took a swallow of wine, and said, “The court is not as bad as you think. At least, at least...”

He hesitated for a while before saying, “At the very least, Gu Wenchuan did not come for factional struggle. He is a famous man among the upright scholars, with a lofty reputation. He could not possibly do such a thing.”

“Then he was deceived into coming.”

Li Yun said with a smile, “Someone wanted to make use of him to get this done.”

Magistrate Xue lowered his head to drink and said nothing.

After two cups of wine, he finally looked up at Li Yun and sighed. “You speak too plainly, and it makes me feel ill at ease all over.”

“It is not that I speak plainly,” Li Yun said with a smile. “It is that you officials all speak so roundaboutly in ordinary times. Now that you hear a few normal words, you find them hard to bear.”

After eating a bite of food, Magistrate Xue said, “Whether it is you or me, we cannot get involved in the struggle at court. There is no need for us to think too much. We only need to do what we ought.”

“I have not been thinking too much.”

Li Yun also began to eat, and while doing so said with a smile, “Was it not that Brother Wenchuan insisted on dragging me into it? If he had not made such a move, I would never have thought of this matter.”

“He did not have such intentions,” Magistrate Xue defended him. After all, they were old friends from the same year. “He has simply been in the court too long and has not had much contact with the provinces. There are some, some...”

He thought for a moment, but could not come up with the right words.

Li Yun supplied them: “He does not eat the dust of human affairs.”

“Exactly.”

Magistrate Xue slapped his thigh. “That is the phrase.”

He looked at Li Yun and said with a smile, “You little brat, these days have not been spent studying in vain.”

Li Yun did not answer, but instead asked, “Does the magistrate hope that Mr. Gu will bring the Shitai matter to light?”

Magistrate Xue’s eyelids twitched. After a long while, he shook his head. “I cannot say. From the standpoint of righteousness, of course I would want to give the people of Shitai justice. But for the sake of the larger picture...”

A smile appeared on Li Yun’s face. “I understand. The crown prince is the foundation of the nation.”

“It is just that this foundation of the nation seems...”

“Enough.”

Magistrate Xue frowned and cut him off. “Do not say any more.”

He set down his chopsticks, too unsettled by Li Yun’s words to eat any longer. Leaning back in his chair, he exhaled a long breath of stale air. “The state of affairs is a bowl of porridge.”

Li Yun raised his cup and toasted him, saying with a smile, “The magistrate only needs to keep Qingyang in order. The rest has nothing to do with us, and no relation to us.”

“Isn’t Qingyang quite good now? I saw a few merchants from the prefecture move here a few days ago, saying that Qingyang has good public order.”

Magistrate Xue’s mood lightened somewhat. He lifted his cup to clink against Li Yun’s, drank it down in one gulp, and reminded him, “You must pay close attention to this matter.”

“Those people are very well informed. Once they learn that Gu Wenchuan has arrived in Xuan Province, they will likely move to kill him.”

Magistrate Xue lowered his voice. “In any case, when the time comes, all guilt can be pushed onto the river-west bandits.”

“Brother Wenchuan is a rare current of clarity in a murky world. Do your best to protect him.”

Li Yun blinked. “The court sent him down here to investigate, and did not even assign anyone to him?”

Magistrate Xue shook his head. “He arrived in Xuan Province with only one attendant. Once he reaches the locality, he can only summon the local troops. But if he summons the local troops, then nothing can be investigated.”

Magistrate Xue paused and said softly, “He has the imperial inspector’s seal and credentials.”

Li Yun’s eyes lit up. He clapped his hands and said, “Then I am relieved.”

That night, because it was too late, Li Yun simply slept at the county yamen.

Early the next morning, Mr. Gu rose at dawn and dragged Li Yun off with him toward Shitai.

The two rode all day without stopping, and only at dusk did they finally glimpse the county town of Shitai.

Mr. Gu looked toward Shitai in the distance and shook his head. “For now, let us not enter the city. We should find a village to stay in. Once inside the city, it will not be so easy to pry out the truth.”

Li Yun shook his head and said with a smile, “Mr. Gu, coming here to investigate this matter will make you a thorn in some people’s eyes and a splinter in their flesh. Staying outside the city is too dangerous.”

“If anything were to happen, I would not be able to guarantee your safety.”

“We are better off entering the city.”

Mr. Gu first frowned, then turned to look at Li Yun and asked, “Once inside the city, can it really be made safe?”

“Rest assured. Once we are in the city, I guarantee your safety.”

The two entered Shitai County in single file. First they stabled their horses at an inn, then found a restaurant to eat.

While they were eating, Mr. Gu questioned several local residents.

And so, before the meal was even finished, someone had already begun to keep a vague eye on the two of them.

Li Yun remained calm and unhurried, with no concern whatsoever.

After the meal, they settled the bill and rose from their seats. Just as they stepped out of the inn, Mr. Gu frowned and said, “Squad Leader Li, it seems someone is watching us.”

“No need to worry.”

Li Yun looked confident and said with a smile, “I have people in Shitai.”

With that, he led Mr. Gu along the main street for a while, then stopped a passerby and asked, “Pardon me, could you tell me where the Gu family lives?”

He was tall and imposing, and the person he stopped naturally did not dare be rude. The man quickly pointed them in the right direction, and Li Yun took Mr. Gu all the way to the Gu residence.

Gu Wenchuan looked up at the two characters above the gate and said in surprise, “This is the Gu family of Shitai?”

Li Yun smiled. “Indeed.”

“Mr. Gu may not know this, but I have saved the lives of two people from the Gu family.”

“Tonight, we will stay here.”

“In a moment, sir, you can say that you are my clan uncle.”

With that, Li Yun strode toward the Gu family gate, brimming with confidence.

“Safety is assured!”