Chapter 96: The Scoundrel
Chapter 96: The Scoundrel
“Why fear them? The Great Ming is still the Zhu Family’s empire. Confucius, no matter how great, cannot surpass His Majesty the Emperor!”
Nine Thousand Years Old said with a cold laugh.
“But our Majesty…”
Xu Xianchun hesitated, leaving his sentence unfinished.
Because of their ties to Yang Xin, the relationship between Nine Thousand Years Old and this top underling from the original history had grown significantly closer during Yang Xin’s time in Liaodong. Whereas before they were merely acquaintances, now they were allies. Although Xu Xianchun was a Jinyiwei Assistant Commander, he was ultimately just a palace guard—a decoration with no real power. Nine Thousand Years Old was already the most trusted eunuch by the Imperial Eldest Grandson’s side, having effectively been promoted to a senior attendant, his waist plaque even exchanged for one made of ivory. Though his age meant he was unlikely to rise meteorically, Emperor Wanli’s health was poor, and he likely would not live a long life. Once Wanli died and the Crown Prince succeeded, the Imperial Eldest Grandson would become the new Crown Prince, and Eunuch Wei would be the next Wang An.
This made him worth currying favor with.
“Even though His Majesty is lenient towards scholars, on fundamental matters like this, he will not indulge them. Shoucheng put it well: they are first and foremost His Majesty’s subjects, and only then are they disciples of Confucianism.”
Nine Thousand Years Old said.
Then he glanced at Yang Xin.
“Do nothing. I will return and speak with Concubine Li. She holds Shoucheng in rather high regard. If we give her some more silver, she will relay your words to the Imperial Noble Consort. The Imperial Noble Consort will then speak to His Majesty the Emperor, and the rest will be up to him. Punishment is inevitable—after all, you’ve slapped the scholars in the face, and their dignity must be acknowledged. But the blow will be light. However, His Majesty will remember you from now on. You uphold the supremacy of the imperial family; that loyalty is more important than anything.
In short, Brother Xu, you will face punishment.
But your days of soaring success are not far off!”
He added immediately after.
“What about Brother Yang?”
Xu Xianchun said, looking at Yang Xin.
“Shoucheng? What does Shoucheng have to do with this?”
Nine Thousand Years Old said with a smile.
Indeed, this matter had nothing to do with Yang Xin. It was the Imperial Guard who beat those Green Robed Scholars. The Imperial Guard was ordered to escort him home and clear away those maliciously blocking the road along the way. He was the one being escorted; it had nothing to do with him. As for his questioning of the Green Robed Scholars…
Wasn’t that the truth?
Who dared say Yang Xin was wrong? Who dared say Confucius was above Emperor Wanli?
Even the Literary Sage needed to be conferred by the emperor to be the Literary Sage!
Xu Xianchun was right; in the Great Ming, the vast sky and earth, the Imperial Edict was supreme!
Thus, the three of them completed their conspiracy. Immediately after, Nine Thousand Years Old and Xu Xianchun left. The former took a one-thousand-tael Silver Note for Concubine Li, while Xu Xianchun had his own connections—after all, if you counted carefully, Wanli was his cousin! How to deal with the inevitable onslaught from the Censors the next day was left to the two of them to arrange. Yang Xin, weary from the journey, straightforwardly headed for Huang Ying…
Huang Zhen had not returned yet.
Yang Xin had been symbolically escorted by Xu Xianchun and returned urgently via the courier stations. As for Huang Zhen and the others, they were still traveling behind with Li Rubai. This meant the Yang residence currently had only Yang Xin and Huang Ying, this lone man and woman…
Well, and Xiaocao.
Of course, it was time to make a move.
“No!”
Huang Ying resolutely drew her small knife and held it against Yang Xin’s stomach.
“I had a tough journey too!”
Yang Xin said urgently.
“Hmph, who knows how many brothels you visited on this trip? What man goes out and behaves properly?”
Huang Ying said disdainfully.
“That’s unfair! Even if I wanted to, I didn’t have that much time! This trip was all about fighting and rushing from place to place. How could I be in the mood for that? Besides, would I visit brothels among the Western Barbarians or the Yehe Tribe? They don’t have any there! Even if there were such smelly goods, do you think I could bring myself to touch them?”
Yang Xin protested his innocence.
This was pure nonsense.
As he spoke, Huang Ying put away her knife.
“That’s not necessarily true. I heard from merchants who’ve been to the Western Barbarians that they even offer their own women to guests!”
Huang Ying said.
“They never bathe in their entire lives.”
Yang Xin said.
“How do you know that?”
Huang Ying fully demonstrated a woman’s way of thinking on such matters.
“Come, let me tell you about their customs. Not only do they never bathe, they have many more baffling habits. It’s not just the Western Barbarians; there are also the Jurchens, the Japanese, and even Western women. Did you know? Western women don’t bathe either. One of their queens didn’t bathe for forty years; worms grew on her body, and she was even canonized as a saint. They believe the dirtier the body, the purer the soul. Also, their women are very promiscuous. A woman without a lover outside is looked down upon. Of course, a man without a mistress outside is also despised. There are many such interesting things about them. Let’s go to the room, sit down, and I’ll tell you all about it over some wine.”
Yang Xin put his arm around her waist, talking as he guided her toward the room.
Huang Ying clearly didn’t understand such tactics.
Captivated by what Yang Xin was saying, she listened while following him toward the room. However, just as she was about to step over the threshold, a loud shout suddenly came from behind…
“Sister!”
Huang Ying turned back in surprise.
Then, blushing, she pushed Yang Xin away and snapped back to her senses, shooting him a fierce glare before immediately walking toward her brother. Yang Xin, his scheme having failed, smiled as he looked at his future brother-in-law. The latter gave him a look of stern righteousness, then left with his sister. Since their relationship wasn’t officially established yet, Huang Ying couldn’t possibly stay at the Yang residence. They were actually staying in the place Yang Xin had lived before. Poor Yang Xin watched as the one within his grasp flew away again. After the siblings left, he gave Xiaocao an annoyed look. Clearly, she was still too young for any moves, so he had no choice but to continue sleeping alone.
The next day.
After getting up, he dressed respectably again and ventured out through the snow to Fang Village.
But Fang Tinglan did not come out.
Her two brothers and Fang Shihong, who was there helping with the funeral arrangements, received him. The latter acted as if they were drinking buddies, especially when talking about how the Imperial Guard had beaten up the Green Robed Scholars the day before. The group of idle young masters found it quite amusing. It had to be said that the men of the Fang family in this generation were all useless. Yang Xin paid his respects at Fang Xizhe’s memorial, then left Fang Village in the snow. As he was leaving the village, little sister He Xiang suddenly emerged from the roadside, handed him a letter, and then quickly left…
“Three years!”
Yang Xin looked at the words on the letter.
Just those two words.
Fang Tinglan was telling him they had three years. If he was willing, he could wait three years. If he had no interest in her, then he needn’t wait. After all, she had to observe a three-year mourning period; marriage discussions were impossible during that time.
“This is troublesome!”
Yang Xin sighed, looking at the letter.
To say he had no feelings for Fang Tinglan would be untrue. She was beautiful, had a good figure, was kind and intelligent, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—she met all the criteria of a noble lady. She even had an uncle who was practically the current prime minister. She was practically glowing with halo after halo. But the problem was, what about Huang Ying? Fang Tinglan certainly couldn’t be a concubine, and Fang Congzhe would never agree. But making Huang Ying a concubine? She might accept it; her father wouldn’t oppose it either—it was normal for a merchant’s daughter to be a concubine. Yet, Yang Xin felt his conscience would be troubled. In short, he was like a scoundrel who was two-timing but hadn’t completely lost his conscience, torn between two women.
“Young master!”
A soft voice came from behind.
Yang Xin turned around in surprise…
“It’s you!”
Then a cry of shock suddenly rang out.
Merchant’s little sister was bundled in a white fox fur coat, fluffy like a kitten, her clear eyes staring at him.
“Does my back confuse armies, but my face scare away millions of soldiers?”
Yang Xin said with a laugh.
Merchant’s little sister couldn’t help but smile, but quickly straightened her expression.
“You certainly know yourself well!”
She said.
“Then I won’t stay here to scare people!”
Yang Xin glanced at the carriage that had fallen into the river on the other side of the road and the horse with a broken leg whinnying on the bank, saying nonchalantly.
As he spoke, he turned to leave.
Merchant’s little sister behind him was stunned. She bit her lip and looked around. On such a heavy snowy day, who in their right mind would go out? Only a talented girl like her, fond of venturing out to compose poetry facing the snowy wilderness, would do so, ending up slipping on the icy snow and tumbling down the riverbank. If she hadn’t jumped quickly, she’d be soaked by now. But looking around, everything was a vast expanse of white. The distant Zuo’an Gate was at least three miles away, and inside Zuo’an Gate was also a wilderness; there were no other carriages for at least five or even six or seven miles…
“You…”
She called out through gritted teeth from behind.
“Do you need something else?”
Yang Xin turned back, looking utterly innocent.
“Could… could I ride your horse back?”
Merchant’s little sister asked in a weak, lowered voice.
“Of course. I’m always tender toward the fairer sex!”
Yang Xin said.
Having said that, he walked over to her.
Merchant’s little sister lowered her head and said in an even quieter voice, “I… I don’t know how to ride a horse. Could you lead it and walk slowly?”
“Huh?”
Yang Xin looked speechless.
Then he glanced behind her.
A young maid, a servant, and a coachman all looked at him awkwardly.
“How troublesome, not even knowing how to ride a horse!”
He simply bowed his head and, amid Merchant’s little sister’s startled cry, grabbed the fur on her back, lifting her like a kitten by the scruff of the neck, and placed her in front of him on the horse…
“You walk back yourselves!”
He said to the maid, coachman, and servant.
Then he spurred the horse toward Zuo’an Gate. Merchant’s little sister struggled vigorously in front of him, while the three behind exchanged glances, watching helplessly as he made off with their young mistress…