Chapter 533: A show of strength, a life for a life
Suzhou has had good weather recently, with plenty of sunshine. The daytime temperature is moderate, but a little cold in the morning and evening.
After getting up in the morning and having breakfast at home, Yang Bai was informed that Wang Pin was here to visit.
"Brother Yang!"
Wang Pin is in his thirties, tall and thin, and his smile gives people a feeling of determination and majesty.
"Brother Wang." Yang Bai bowed, then continued walking and rubbing his abdomen.
The two had been friends for many years. Wang Pin said with a smile, "You have been taking care of your health for many years, why don't you look healthy?"
While rubbing his abdomen, Yang Bai said slowly: "The key to health preservation is perseverance."
Wang Pin smiled and said, "According to the itinerary, Jiang Qingzhi will probably arrive tomorrow. Those people said that the area outside the city has been dealt with, and it is guaranteed that even if a spirit comes, no trace of it will be found."
Yang Bai nodded. "The capital has been sending letters asking about this every now and then. Some people say that if the Suzhou scholars can defeat Jiang Qingzhi, they will reward him handsomely. What do you think this means?"
Wang Pin imitated him and rubbed his abdomen. He felt a surge of gas in his abdomen, which was quite uncomfortable. "We are both so old. Can we still serve as officials? Even if we really serve as officials, I can't afford to bow to those young juniors and call them superiors. It's nothing more than supporting my Suzhou scholars."
Yang Bai nodded, and Wang Pin continued, "In that case, we should win over the young talents in Suzhou Prefecture and at least let them know who gave them this opportunity."
"I have asked people to prepare for a poetry gathering at home tomorrow. The weather is getting colder. Once the wind blows, it will be like a knife piercing into the bone marrow. The human heart! Many times it is more chilling than this cold wind."
"Brother Yang is right." Wang Pin said, "Is everything ready over there?"
Yang Bai said calmly: "Everything is ready, just waiting for Jiang Qingzhi."
"The son of the son-in-law has left Suzhou Prefecture for a long time. To be honest, I thought he would never return to his hometown in this life. I didn't expect it!" Wang Pin felt that the energy was drilling down, and there was a strong tearing sensation in his lower abdomen.
"He is well aware that Suzhou Prefecture does not welcome him. Those people who encouraged us to take action this time took this into consideration." Yang Bai said calmly: "Not only do we want to embarrass him, but we also want to make him remember it forever."
"If we can kill this man, the Mohist school will disappear in an instant. What a pity." Wang Pin felt an unbearable stomachache.
"What a pity?" Yang Bai stopped and turned around.
"He is your Majesty's cousin. If he dies in Suzhou Prefecture, your Majesty will be furious..." Wang Pin's face turned pale and he wanted to go to the toilet.
"So what if he's your Majesty's cousin?" Yang Bai's eyes were deep. "The emperor's majesty is nothing in the south!"
Wang Pin was about to agree, but he felt an unbearable stomachache. He gritted his teeth and asked for toilet paper, but the anger suddenly drilled down.
Bu...
A long fart adds some flavor to this morning.
Stinks!
……
In the government office, Yang Changhe stood outside the duty room and watched the officials coming in in twos and threes.
"Greetings, Mr. Fu."
Everyone saluted and Yang Changhe nodded.
Huang Jing, the deputy governor, came in a hurry and said to Yang Changhe as soon as he saw him: "Yang Bai said that everything is ready, only the east wind is missing."
"He also watches Romance of the Three Kingdoms?" Yang Changhe said.
"Has the Lord of the Palace also seen it?"
"I flipped through a few pages and found the writing to be crude, and the most unbearable thing was that the printing was even cruder."
"Your Excellency, according to Jiang Qingzhi's schedule, he will be here tomorrow."
"Yang Bai and the others will take action, so we just need to go through the formalities. Remember, everything should be done as usual, and don't make any mistakes that he can catch you with."
"Don't worry, Mr. Fu."
Yang Changhe looked at Chaoyang and said softly, "After this matter, I will stay in Suzhou Prefecture for at most half a year. Then I will go to the capital. I will recommend you..."
This is a reward for merit.
"Thank you, Your Excellency." Huang Jing's face flushed, and he tried hard to suppress his excitement.
He waited for this opportunity for three years. Three years! How many three years does a person have in his life?
"The sudden appearance of the Mohist school may seem like an additional enemy. But it has also brought unprecedented unity to our orthodox school. People from all over the country are united in spirit, and this is a grand occasion that has not happened in many years."
Yang Changhe could not hide his high spirits. "Once we defeat the Mohists, we will break an arm of the West Garden. The court will be filled with people in no time. As for you and me..."
Yang Changhe looked at his deputy and said, "He will definitely go down in history!"
A clerk came in hurriedly, "Your Excellency!"
Yang Changhe has always advocated calmness and composure. Seeing the panicked look on the clerk's face, he could not help but snort coldly, "Why are you panicking?"
Those officials looked at the clerk with glee, thinking that this guy would definitely be in trouble later.
The clerk came forward and said, "Your Excellency, Lord Wei suddenly went to Changshu County the other day..."
what!
Everyone exclaimed and wondered why Jiang Qingzhi went to Changshu?
The clerk was a little nervous under the spotlight. "He... he arrested Wang Qiang, the head of the Wang family, as soon as he entered Changshu. He then seized some correspondence in Wang Qiang's home... and some illegal evidence."
The calm expression on Yang Changhe's face trembled.
Huang Jing exclaimed: "He is attacking from behind, no, he is attacking first!"
……
"...A lot of illegal evidence was found in Wang's home, including evidence of disregard for human life, reportedly at least five lives were lost. Jiang Qingzhi said that they should be severely punished..."
Wang Pin and Yang Bai looked at each other.
The one who came to report was a servant of an old friend of Yang Bai's in Changshu. He wiped the sweat off his face and said, "The Changshu County Magistrate resisted to no avail. After seeing the confiscated evidence, he had no choice but to arrest the Wang family."
"What a Jiang Qingzhi!" Wang Pin said coldly, "We were all waiting for him. We had prepared the weapons to show our power and the killing sticks, but he just faked a shot and went straight to Changshu. This is his counterattack. Brother Yang, it's time for us to take action."
"This is a thunderbolt method." Yang Bai said quietly, "Jiang Qingzhi did not act according to common sense and caught us off guard. Changshu must restore the influence. However, Principal Chen is indecisive. I am sure he must be at a loss at the moment. So, this matter... tell them and calm them down."
Wang Pin nodded, "He can't hide in Changshu forever. There are so many people in Suzhou waiting for him!"
……
In his previous life, Jiang Qingzhi had the impression that Suzhou was developed.
But besides being prosperous, there are also small bridges, flowing water and the soft Wu dialect.
The perfect fusion of modern economy and ancient charm gives Suzhou a unique charm.
But Suzhou at this time is really ancient and quaint.
A bowl of thin noodles was placed on the low table. The soup looked pale, but when you took a sip of it and a bite of the noodles, you could feel all the flavors of the world in it.
The flavor of Suzhou is in the bones, not on the surface. You have to go to the alleys and look for it among the green tiles and blue bricks.
"It tastes good." Jiang Qingzhi took a sip of the soup.
This is a small alley in the city of Suzhou Prefecture. Judging from the traces of moss and ivy on the walls, it must be at least a hundred years old.
The noodle vendors were a young couple who had just gotten married and were quite affectionate. They helped each other and touched each other from time to time, which made the young woman blush...
"A girl's feelings are the most touching!" Xu Wei suddenly sighed, wondering if he was thinking of his deceased wife.
Jiang Qingzhi smiled, "Are you moved?"
After eating a bowl of thin noodles, Jiang Qingzhi ordered another bowl of glutinous rice balls.
"Uncle, you have a good appetite." Xu Wei felt full after eating a bowl of noodles.
"I don't know why, but I suddenly have a big appetite, but..." Jiang Qingzhi glanced at Sun Chonglou who was eating and drinking beside him.
Since arriving here, this guy has eaten two bowls of noodles, a bowl of rice balls, two steamed buns... and is now eating wontons.
The filling of the glutinous rice balls was not particularly sweet. Jiang Qingzhi chewed slowly and asked, "But is there osmanthus?"
"The customer has good taste." The shop owner praised: "Exactly."
The young woman said, "This osmanthus is picked in August and then pickled. It takes a long time to be ready."
"It tastes good." Jiang Qingzhi praised.
He ate the glutinous rice balls slowly, and many memories came to his mind.
——Qingzhi, it’s time to eat dumplings!
A simple-looking man was holding a small bowl and a spoon in his hands, chasing a child. When the child was caught, he looked up and shouted that he didn't want to eat. The man didn't get angry, but promised that after eating the glutinous rice balls, he would take him to the street to buy snacks, including Li's and Wang's... Oh my, they were so delicious.
The child had a cunning look in his eyes, and then he opened his mouth. The man fed him a dumpling and asked with a smile: "Is it delicious?"
It was obviously delicious, but the child pretended that it was as difficult as taking medicine, "It tastes bad."
The man was stunned, then he ate one and frowned, saying, "It's not bad!"
"Dad, I lied to you." The child laughed.
The man pretended to be angry, and the child tried to comfort him, saying that he would go find his grandfather and speak well of his father...
The man looked at him and whispered, "You look exactly like your mother."
The father and son ate a bowl of dumplings together, one for each.
"Master, Master!"
"Hmm?" Jiang Qingzhi looked up and saw that Sun Chonglou had finished eating and he and Xu Wei were waiting for him.
He looked down at the two dumplings in the bowl, scooped up one and ate it, leaving the other in the bowl.
"You eat too." Jiang Qingzhi whispered.
He didn't look back until he reached the entrance of the alley.
The young couple were standing side by side, talking in low voices, and the bowl was still there.
It was as if time and space had reversed, and Jiang Qingzhi seemed to see a young couple eating a bowl of dumplings.
The man is simple-minded, the woman is gentle...
The young couple setting up the stall were muttering.
"You looked at that man several times just now."
"Where is it?"
"Do you think he is handsome?"
"No, I just think he's a bit noble."
"Why didn't I notice?"
"He was staring at the glutinous rice balls in the bowl, and the fat white man next to him was looking at him with concern. There were two men behind him staring at us. It was obvious that this man was not simple...
Speaking of which, I also watched for a long time at the last gathering of the nobles of Suzhou Prefecture, and I recognized many of them. Why don’t I remember this person? "
"..."
This is the capital of Suzhou Prefecture.
At this moment, there are dozens of people waiting at the city gate.
Outside the city gate, at least a thousand people gathered.
Several riders came galloping in and dismounted outside the city. The leading official entered the city gate and saluted, "Your Excellency, Chang Wei Bo and his party are less than two miles away."
Yang Changhe nodded, turned his head and looked at the officials, local gentry, and representatives of the literati behind him, "Everyone, follow me to welcome him!"
Soon after everyone walked out of the city gate, they saw heavy smoke and dust in the distance.
The four hundred riders were marching with such force that the people outside the city could not help but move to the sides to avoid them.
"It is indeed the command of a tiger and wolf general." Huang Jing said softly: "Master, are you ready to launch the attack?"
"This is Yang Bai and the others' business. We don't care."
"Yes."
Hundreds of riders approached and reined in their horses. Suddenly, a woman rushed out from the crowd on the right. She knelt down and cried, "Husband, the man who killed you is back!"
Someone among the gentry whispered, "That's the widow of Jiang Qingzhi's cousin. Jiang Qingzhi was originally sentenced to be exiled to Taizhou Prefecture, but was invited back to the capital halfway. The matter was left unresolved. Today, in front of the elders of Suzhou Prefecture, let everyone see the true face of this Long Wei Bo."
"Killing my brother in the street!" An old man said coldly, "This man should have been executed, but the mansion master followed the custom and gave a light sentence to scholars with honors. Now, it's time to hold him accountable."
"Kill someone and you'll pay with your life!" The woman looked up and angrily stared at the flag among the four hundred riders, "Jiang Qingzhi, come out!"
Everyone stared at that place, and there was no movement for a long time.
"Jiang Qingzhi was caught off guard indeed." Someone said excitedly: "This move was amazing!"
"Who's looking for Ben?"
The sound came from behind, from the city gate.
Everyone turned back slowly.
A young man came over surrounded by several men.
The woman turned around, a fierce look flashed in her eyes, and she stood up and rushed over.
"Kill a life for a life. Jiang Qingzhi, return my husband's life to me!"
(End of this chapter)
